California Assembly Bill AB55 Latest Draft

 BILL NUMBER: AB 55AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 26, 2015 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Nazarian DECEMBER 1, 2014 An act  to add Section 8753.7 to the Government Code,  relating to state government  , and making an appropriation therefor  . LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 55, as amended, Nazarian.  Arts.   Arts Council: grants.   Existing law, the Dixon-Zenovich-Maddy California Arts Act of 1975, establishes the Arts Council to, among other things, encourage artistic awareness, participation, and expression in the state. The act requires the council to award prizes or direct grants to individuals or organizations in accordance with any regulations promulgated by the council and to accept only unrestricted gifts, donations, bequests, or grants of funds from private sources and public agencies. The act prohibits the council from making any grants or establishing any program that has not been established under the act. Existing law, the Polanco-Bates License Plates for the Arts Act of 1993, requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue, for fees in specified amounts, a special interest license plate bearing a full-plate graphic design that depicts a significant feature or quality of the State of California and is approved by the department in consultation with the California Arts Council.   This bill would continuously appropriate from the General Fund to the Arts Council an amount each fiscal year equal to the sum of the amount of revenue generated by the Polanco-Bates License Plates for the Arts Act of 1993 and the amount of private donations received by the council in the most recently concluded fiscal year, and would require the money to be used only to issue grants to further the arts pursuant to the Dixon-Zenovich-Maddy California Arts Act of 1975.   Existing law establishes the Arts Council composed of 11 members, with the Speaker of the Assembly and the Senate Committee on Rules each appointing one member and the Governor appointing 9 members who are subject to confirmation by the Senate. The Arts Council is authorized to award grants, as specified.   This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would increase funding for the arts.  Vote:  majority   2/3  . Appropriation:  no   yes  . Fiscal committee:  no   yes  . State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Section 8753.7 is added to the   Government Code   , to   read:   8753.7. (a) Notwithstanding Section 13340, there is hereby continuously appropriated from the General Fund to the Arts Council an amount each fiscal year equal to the sum of the following: (1) The amount of revenue generated by the Polanco-Bates License Plates for the Arts Act of 1993 (Section 5074 of the Vehicle Code) in the most recently concluded fiscal year. (2) The amount equal to the private donations received by the Arts Council in the most recently concluded fiscal year. (b) These funds shall only be used to issue grants to further the arts, as authorized under this chapter. (c) This section shall not be construed to prevent the Legislature from appropriating additional funds to the Arts Council.   SECTION 1.   It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would increase funding for the arts.