Amended in Assembly April 20, 2015

Amended in Assembly March 26, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 398


Introduced by Assembly Member Campos

February 19, 2015


An act to add Division 3.2 (commencing with Section 600) to Title 1 of the Government Code, relating to the California Embassy.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 398, as amended, Campos. California Embassy.

Existing law provides for the establishment of various commissions and offices that promote the interests of this state, including the California Travel and Tourism Commission and the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.

This bill would authorize thebegin delete California Travel and Tourism Commissionend deletebegin insert Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz)end insert to accept submissions of any plan of any organization that is exempt from federal income tax as an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a California Embassy in the District of Columbia within a one-mile radius of the United States Capitol building. This bill would require the plan to contain specified information. The bill would authorizebegin delete the commissionend deletebegin insert GO-Bizend insert to approve the plan of any organization that they determine will establish, operate, and maintain a California Embassy that meets specified criteria. The bill would require any organization whose plan is approved bybegin delete the commissionend deletebegin insert end insertbegin insertGO-Bizend insert to submit a report tobegin delete the commissionend deletebegin insert GO-Bizend insert every 2 years, beginning on the date 2 years after the plan is approved, on the status of the California Embassy and how those specified criteria are being met.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: begin deleteno end deletebegin insertyesend insert. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P2    1

SECTION 1.  

Division 3.2 (commencing with Section 600) is
2added to Title 1 of the Government Code, to read:

3 

4Division 3.2.  California Embassy

5

 

6

600.  

The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

7(a) California is thebegin delete largestend deletebegin insert most populousend insert state with thebegin delete biggestend delete
8begin insert largestend insert economy in the nation.

9(b) California has the eighth largest economy in the world, with
10over $2 trillion in gross domestic product.

11(c) California has great diversity in its people and its cultures.

12(d) California is the most populous state, with over 38 million
13people.

14(e) Therefore, California should be represented in our nation’s
15capital in the establishment of a California Embassy so that the
16role that California plays in our nation is highlighted.

17

601.  

(a) Thebegin delete California Travel and Tourism Commissionend delete
18begin insert Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development
19(GO-Biz)end insert
may accept submissions of any plan of any organization
20that is exempt from federal income tax as an organization described
21in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed for
22the purpose of establishing and maintaining a California Embassy
23in the District of Columbia within a one-mile radius of the United
24States Capitol building.

25(b) The plan shall contain the following information:

26(1) How the organization intends to establish the California
27Embassy.

28(2) How the organization intends to raise the funding necessary
29to establish the California Embassy.

30(3) How the organization intends to maintain and operate the
31California Embassy once it is established.

32(4) Any other relevant informationbegin delete the commissionend deletebegin insert end insertbegin insertGO-Bizend insert
33 deems necessary.

P3    1(c) begin deleteThe commission end deletebegin insertGO-Biz end insertmay approve the plan of any
2organization that it determines will establish, operate, and maintain
3a California Embassy that meets all of the following criteria:

4(1) Showcases California’s cultural diversity.

5(2) Showcases California’s higher education opportunities.

6(3) Showcases California’s recreational and tourism
7opportunities.

8(4) Provides resources to Californians in the District of
9Columbia.

10(5) Provides a place of refuge for Californians in the District of
11Columbia.

12(d) The plan shall be in the form, and submitted in the manner,
13as may be determined bybegin delete the commission.end deletebegin insert GO-Biz.end insert

14

602.  

Any organization whose plan is approved bybegin delete the California
15Travel and Tourism Commissionend delete
begin insert end insertbegin insertGO-Bizend insert pursuant to Section 601
16shall submit a report tobegin delete the commissionend deletebegin insert end insertbegin insertGO-Bizend insert every two years,
17beginning on the date two years after the plan is approved, on the
18status of the California Embassy and how the criteria in subdivision
19(c) of Section 601 are being met.



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