BILL NUMBER: ACR 166CHAPTERED BILL TEXT RESOLUTION CHAPTER 58 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE JUNE 6, 2016 ADOPTED IN SENATE MAY 31, 2016 ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 9, 2016 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 9, 2016 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Chu (Coauthors: Assembly Members Achadjian, Alejo, Travis Allen, Arambula, Atkins, Baker, Bigelow, Bloom, Bonilla, Bonta, Brough, Brown, Burke, Calderon, Campos, Chang, Chau, Chvez, Chiu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dodd, Eggman, Frazier, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Gatto, Gipson, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray, Grove, Hadley, Harper, Roger Hernndez, Holden, Irwin, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Kim, Lackey, Levine, Linder, Lopez, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Nazarian, Obernolte, O'Donnell, Olsen, Patterson, Quirk, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wilk, Williams, and Wood) APRIL 12, 2016 Relative to California Travel and Tourism Month. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST ACR 166, Chu. California Travel and Tourism Month. This measure would proclaim the month of May 2016, and every May thereafter, as California Travel and Tourism Month to celebrate the leadership of California's tourism industry in growing California's economy and improving the quality of life for all Californians. WHEREAS, Travel and tourism is an impressive engine for economic growth and well-being in California as the state welcomes millions of travelers each year to fulfill their California dream, offering diverse experiences, including legendary natural wonders, world-class attractions, and unparalleled opportunities for recreation and learning; and WHEREAS, Travel is a significant pillar of California's economy and is its second largest export industry, injecting $121.2 billion in direct annual spending that generates critical tax revenue that the state and local economies need to thrive; and WHEREAS, California's travel and tourism industry created Visit California as a public-private partnership in 1998 as a global platform to market the California dream and attract visitors from across the United States and international markets; and WHEREAS, Tourism, which supports over one million California jobs, is one of the few industries that is significant in all parts of California, from urban to rural, and is an important hedge against economic downturn and labor market changes because jobs in the industry are largely hands-on and cannot be moved overseas or replaced by technology; and WHEREAS, Californians benefit from quality tourism job and career pathways, as the industry is a leading provider of employment for individuals looking to work while attending school or raising a family and also provides a diverse array of opportunities at entry, intermediate, and executive level positions; and WHEREAS, The industry continues to show leadership by implementing innovative strategies to encourage environmental conservation and sustainability by reducing water use, investing in energy efficient equipment, training staff on best sustainability practices, and educating visitors on the need to protect the California environment during their stay; and WHEREAS, Tourism serves an important cultural purpose by bringing individuals from around the world together to foster an important exchange of customs, traditions, and ideas and promote acceptance and understanding; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature proclaims the month of May 2016, and every May thereafter, as California Travel and Tourism Month to celebrate the leadership of California's tourism industry in growing California's economy and improving the quality of life for all Californians; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.