BILL ANALYSIS
SENATE RULES COMMITTEE
Office of Senate Floor Analyses
1020 N Street, Suite 524
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SPECIAL CONSENT
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Bill No: SCR 11
Author: Johnston (D)
Amended: As introduced
Vote: 21
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SENATE RULES COMMITTEE:, 5-0, 3/20/95
AYES: Ayala, Lewis, Petris, Beverly, Lockyer
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8
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SUBJECT: Sister-state relationship: California and Altai
Republic of the Russian Federation
SOURCE: The author
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DIGEST: This measure seeks to establish a sister-state
relationship between the Altai Republic of the Russian
Federation and the State of California. (See analysis for
details).
ANALYSIS: Existing law authorizes the Governor, as the
state's chief executive, to seek out and enter into
agreements with foreign governments for the purpose of
promoting favorable relations relating to trade, education,
and cultural exchange.
The following is a list of countries or regions that have a
sister-state relationship with California:
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County Region Legislation Established
Taiwan, Republic of China Reso.Ch. 120 1983
Jiangsu Province, PRC* Reso.Ch. 66 1985
Catalonia, Spain Reso.Ch. 38 1986
Republic of Korea* Reso.Ch. 97 1987
Queretaro, Mexico Reso.Ch. 110 1988
Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Reso.Ch. 115 1990
Region of France
Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Reso.Ch. 87 1994
District of the Russian
Federation
* A friendly state relation.
The Altai Republic was formed in 1922 as the Oyrotskaya
autonomous region and is currently part of the Russian
Federation.
The Altai republic borders on China, Mongolia, Tuya,
Hackassia, the Altai Region and Kemerovskaya County. Its
territory spreads along 92.6 thousand square kilometers,
the population is 198.1 thousand people (according to
1992). The republic is divided into eleven administrative
units: ten districts and one town - the capital of the
republic Corno-Altaink (46 thousand people). The territory
of the Altai Republic is the highest part of Siberia. The
mountain ridges yield to lowlands or broad hollows which
are referred to as "steppes."
According to the international classification, the Altai
republic is a least developed country with annual income of
less the U.S. $100 per capita. Agriculture dominates in
the structure of GNP.
This resolution finds that the Administration of the Altai
Republic of the Russian Federation has requested that
California recognize the Altai Republic as a sovereign
democratic state within the Russian Federation.
The resolution states that the Altai Republic leaders are
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committed to improving the standard of living for its
citizens and increasing relations internationally. They
have expressed interest in exchanging cultural,
environmental, economic, and other information between
their republic and California which could be done through a
sister-state relationship.
SCR 11 seeks to facilitate the exchange of cultural and
environmental information and to promote mutual
international trade and commerce; and, encourages the
establishment of programs for a sister-state relationship
between the Altai Republic of the Russian Federation and
the State of California.
Related Legislation:
SCR 4 (Petris) would establish a sister-state relationship
with the Italian Region of Umbria. (Pending on Third
Reading)
SCR 23 (Marks) would establish a sister-state relationship
with the Special Province of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and
would also create a task force. (Pending in Senate Rules).
FISCAL EFFECT: Fiscal Com.: Yes
RR:jk 4/4/95 Senate Floor Analyses
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