California Senate Bill SB616 Latest Draft

 BILL NUMBER: SB 616AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE JANUARY 4, 2016 INTRODUCED BY Senators Huff and Nguyen (Principal coauthors: Assembly Members  Kim   Harper,   Kim,  and Wilk) (Coauthors: Senators Bates, Cannella, Hall,  Leno,   Liu,  Nielsen, and Vidak) (Coauthors: Assembly Members Chang, Dodd, Maienschein, and Waldron) FEBRUARY 27, 2015 An act to add Section 37222.19 to the Education Code, relating to public schools. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 616, as amended, Huff. Public schools: Asian Lunar New Year's Day. Existing law designates particular days each year as having special significance, and encourages all public schools and educational institutions to observe those days and to conduct suitable commemorative exercises on those days. This bill would express legislative findings and declarations relating to the Asian Lunar New Year. The bill would  require the Governor, each year, to  designate the date corresponding with the start of the Asian lunar calendar  each year  as Asian Lunar New Year's Day, a day having special significance. The bill would also encourage all public schools and educational institutions to conduct exercises observing the Asian Lunar New Year with appropriate  ceremonies, activities,   activities  and programs. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) February 19, 2015, will mark the beginning of the Asian Lunar New Year, which is celebrated in many Asian communities around the world, including the United States, and especially California. (b) California is home to over six million Asian and Pacific Islander Americans of Bangladeshi, Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Hmong, Indian, Indonesian, Iu-Mien, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Malaysian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese descent. (c) The Asian and Pacific Islander American community has contributed to the social, cultural, civic, economic, and academic success of California. (d) The Asian Lunar New Year is predominantly celebrated by the over 2.5 million Californians of Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese descent, and is a time of feasting and the renewing of family ties. SEC. 2. Section 37222.19 is added to the Education Code, to read: 37222.19. (a) Each year, the  Governor shall designate   the  date corresponding with the start of the Asian lunar calendar  is designated and set apart  as Asian Lunar New Year's Day,  which shall be designated and set apart as  a day having special significance pursuant to Section 37222. (b) On Asian Lunar New Year's Day, all public schools and educational institutions are encouraged to conduct exercises observing the Asian Lunar New Year with appropriate  ceremonies, activities,   activities  and programs.