BILL NUMBER: SCR 8	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	RESOLUTION CHAPTER  7
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  MARCH 25, 2011
	ADOPTED IN SENATE  MARCH 24, 2011
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 14, 2011
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 14, 2011
	AMENDED IN SENATE  FEBRUARY 24, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Yee
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Jeffries, Achadjian, Alejo, Allen,
Ammiano, Atkins, Beall, Bill Berryhill, Block, Blumenfield, Bonilla,
Bradford, Brownley, Buchanan, Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos,
Carter, Cedillo, Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Davis, Dickinson, Donnelly,
Eng, Feuer, Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes, Furutani, Galgiani, Garrick,
Gatto, Gordon, Gorell, Grove, Hagman, Halderman, Harkey, Hayashi,
Roger Hernández, Hill, Huber, Hueso, Huffman, Jones, Lara, Logue,
Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mansoor, Mendoza, Miller, Mitchell, Monning,
Nestande, Nielsen, Olsen, Pan, Perea, John A. Pérez, V. Manuel Pérez,
Portantino, Silva, Smyth, Solorio, Swanson, Torres, Valadao, Wagner,
Wieckowski, Williams, and Yamada)

                        FEBRUARY 14, 2011

   Relative to Sunshine Week.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SCR 8, Yee. Sunshine Week.
   This resolution would designate March 13 through March 19, 2011,
as Sunshine Week.



   WHEREAS, Sunshine Week began in Florida in 2002, when the Florida
Society of Newspaper Editors launched Sunshine Sunday in response to
efforts by some of that state's legislators to create scores of
exemptions to the state's public records law; and
   WHEREAS, Several states followed Florida's lead and, in June 2003,
the American Society of News Editors (ASNE) hosted a Freedom of
Information Summit in Washington, D.C.; and
   WHEREAS, With an inaugural grant from the Knight Foundation, ASNE
launched Sunshine Week in March 2005, and it continues to be
celebrated each year in mid-March to coincide with National Freedom
of Information Day and President James Madison's birthday on March
16; and
   WHEREAS, Although originally created by journalists, Sunshine Week
is about the public's right to know what its government is doing and
why; and
   WHEREAS, Sunshine Week is now a national initiative to promote a
dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of
information. Participants include news media, civic groups,
libraries, nonprofit entities, schools, and others interested in the
public's right to know; and
   WHEREAS, Sunshine Week seeks to enlighten and empower people to
play an active role in all levels of government, and to give people
access to information that makes their lives better and their
communities stronger; and
   WHEREAS, The coverage, commentaries, and activities promoting open
government during Sunshine Week have led to tangible, meaningful
changes to people's lives, and the laws that govern them; and
   WHEREAS, Sunshine Week is increasing public awareness and people
are playing more of a role in the actions that affect their
communities. People are learning what kinds of information they have
a right to see, how and where to obtain that information, and what to
do if someone tries to prevent them from accessing it; now,
therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby designates March 13
through March 19, 2011, as Sunshine Week and encourages all
Californians to participate in appropriate activities relating to
open government and access to public information; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate provide copies of this
resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.