Existing law recognizes certain animals, plants, towns, museums, and memorials as official state emblems, including, among others, the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial as the official state Vietnam veterans war memorial and the California State Military Museum and Resource Center as the official state military museum.

This bill would recognize the LGBTQ Veterans Memorial at the Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City as the official state LGBTQ veterans memorial.

Existing law recognizes certain animals, plants, towns, museums, and memorials as official state emblems, including, among others, the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial as the official state Vietnam veterans war memorial and the California State Military Museum and Resource Center as the official state military museum.

This bill would recognize the LGBTQ Veterans Memorial at the Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City as the official state LGBTQ veterans memorial.

Existing law establishes the state flag and the states emblems, recognizes certain animals, plants, towns, museums, and memorials as official state emblems, including, among other things, others, the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial as the official state Vietnam veterans war memorial. memorial and the California State Military Museum and Resource Center as the official state military museum.

This bill would establish recognize the LGBT LGBTQ Veterans Memorial at the Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City as the official state LGBT LGBTQ veterans memorial.

Existing law establishes the state flag and the states emblems, including, among other things, the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial as the official state Vietnam veterans war memorial.

This bill would establish the LGBT Veterans Memorial at the Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City as the official state LGBT veterans memorial.

Existing law establishes the state flag and the states emblems, including, among other things, the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial as the official state Vietnam veterans war memorial.

This bill would establish the LGBT Veterans Memorial at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City as the official state LGBT veterans memorial.

CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS

CSA1 Bill Id:AB 2439

Author:(Eduardo Garcia)

As Amended Ver:June 26, 2018

Majority vote

Original Committee Reference: V.A.

SUMMARY: This bill establishes the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ) Veterans Memorial at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City as the official state LGBTQ veterans memorial.

The Senate amendments declare that the memorial and the ground around it will continue to be maintained by the Desert Memorial Park, and add Q, which can stand for queer or questioning, to LGBTQ.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes the Bear Flag as the State Flag of California.
2. Designates various animals and items as official state emblems.

FISCAL EFFECT: This bill is keyed non-fiscal by the Legislative Counsel.

COMMENTS: The LGBTQ Veterans Memorial in Cathedral City was erected in 2001, making it the nation's first memorial specifically for LGBTQ veterans. The memorial is a small cemetery obelisk with an American eagle and pink triangle decorating its face, and an explanatory plaque which bears the inscription "This memorial is dedicated in honor of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the cherished freedom we hold dear and enjoy today." The LGBTQ veterans memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 27, 2001 with over 300 people in attendance.

According to the author, "California must honor all the brave men and women who have served in our nation's armed forces. This memorial is a testament to honor the contributions the LGBTQ community has made to the security of the United States."

The state has one other official veterans memorial: the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial. That there is only one other official veterans memorial should not necessarily be a deterrent to designating another. The legislature has made other official designations, even when they appear redundant with others, and few of those have the gravity and significance of a memorial to our nation's LGBT veterans, most of whom would have fought and given their lives under rules that did not allow them to serve openly

Analysis Prepared by: Jenny Callison / V.A. / (916) 319-3550 FN: 0003645

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: AB 2439

Author:

:

Vote:

SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORG. COMMITTEE: 10-0, 6/12/18

AYES: Dodd, Wilk, Cannella, Gaines, Galgiani, Glazer, Hill, Hueso, Portantino, Vidak

NO VOTE RECORDED: Bradford, Lara

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 67-0, 4/26/18 - See last page for vote

SUBJECT:

SOURCE: City of Cathedral City

DIGEST:

This bill establishes the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ) Veterans Memorial at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City as the official state LGBTQ veterans memorial.

Senate Floor Amendments of 6/26/18 declare that the memorial and the ground around it will continue to be maintained by the Desert Memorial Park, and add Q, which can stand for queer or questioning, to LGBTQ.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Establishes the Bear Flag as the State Flag of California.
2. Designates various animals and items as official state emblems.

This bill establishes the LGBTQ Veterans Memorial at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City as the official state LGBTQ veterans memorial.

Comments

Purpose of the bill. According to the author, “California must honor all the brave men and women who have served in our nation’s armed forces. This memorial is a testament to honor the contributions the LGBTQ community has made to the security of the United States.”

LGBTQ Veterans Memorial at Desert Memorial Park. The nation’s first LGBTQ veterans memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day 2001, at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, California. The memorial is a small cemetery obelisk with an American eagle and downward-pointing pink triangle decorating its face – originally used to identify male prisoners in Nazi concentration camps sent there because of their homosexuality, the downward-pointing pink triangle has been reclaimed as an international symbol of gay pride and the gay rights movement. The base of the memorial includes a plaque with the following inscription:

“This memorial is dedicated in honor of gay, lesbians, bisexual and transgender veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the cherished freedom we hold dear and enjoy today. Dedicated May 7, 2001 by AMVETS Post 66.”

The memorial is located in Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, which is also well known for holding the remains of numerous famous and infamous people from stage and screen including Frank Sinatra, Sonny Bono, and Velma Wayne Dawson – puppeteer and creator of Howdy Doody.

The state currently has one other official veterans memorial, the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial, designated by AB 1289 (Cooley, 2013). The California Vietnam Veterans Memorial is located in the north-east corner of the State Capitol grounds at 15^th Street and Capitol Avenue in Sacramento.

Related/Prior Legislation

AB 1769 (Voepel, 2018) establishes the California Vaquero Horse as the official state horse. (Never heard in the Assembly Governmental Organization Committee)

AB 1782 (Muratsuchi, 2018) establishes surfing as the official state sport. (Pending in the Senate Governmental Organization Committee)

AB 2969 (Low, 2018) requires the Governor to annually proclaim the month of June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. (Pending on the Senate Floor)

AB 1067 (Gray, Chapter 49, Statutes of 2017) designated the almond (Prunus dulcis, Prunus amygdalus), walnut, pistachio, and pecan each as the official state nut.

AB 1540 (Bloom, Chapter 264, Statutes of 2017) designated the Augustynolophus morrisi as the official state dinosaur.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: Fiscal Com.: Local:

SUPPORT: (Verified 6/27/18)

City of Cathedral City (source)

American GI Forum of California

American Legion – Alexander Hamilton Post 448

American Legion – Department of California

AMVETS – Department of California

California Association of County Veterans Service Officers

California State Commanders Veterans Council

Military Officers Association of America – California Council of Chapters

National Guard Association of California

Veterans for Peace – Jon Castro Chapter 19

Vietnam Veterans of America – California State Council

OPPOSITION: (Verified 6/27/18)

None received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: The City of Cathedral City writes that the “memorial was erected in 2001, making it the first LGBT[Q] Veterans Memorial in the nation, and AB 2439 would make California the first state to recognize an LGBT[Q] Veterans Memorial. The monument is a granite obelisk alongside a bronze plaque with minimal maintenance costs. Desert Memorial Park cuts the grass, AMVETS Post 66 polishes the granite and cleans the memorial when it gets vandalized. A second bronze plaque will be installed indicating that the memorial is the State of California LGBT[Q] Veteran’s Memorial.”

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 67-0, 4/26/18

AYES: Acosta, Aguiar-Curry, Arambula, Baker, Berman, Bigelow, Bloom, Bonta, Burke, Caballero, Calderon, Carrillo, Cervantes, Chau, Chávez, Chen, Chiu, Cooley, Cooper, Cunningham, Dahle, Daly, Eggman, Flora, Frazier, Friedman, Gallagher, Eduardo Garcia, Gipson, Gloria, Gonzalez Fletcher, Gray, Holden, Irwin, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Kamlager-Dove, Kiley, Lackey, Levine, Limón, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian, Obernolte, O'Donnell, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Reyes, Rubio, Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Voepel, Waldron, Weber, Wood, Rendon

NO VOTE RECORDED: Travis Allen, Brough, Choi, Chu, Fong, Cristina Garcia, Grayson, Harper, Melendez, Patterson, Rodriguez

Prepared by:

6/27/18 15:47:53

**** END ****

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: AB 2439

Author:

:

Vote:

SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORG. COMMITTEE: 10-0, 6/12/18

AYES: Dodd, Wilk, Cannella, Gaines, Galgiani, Glazer, Hill, Hueso, Portantino, Vidak

NO VOTE RECORDED: Bradford, Lara

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 67-0, 4/26/18 - See last page for vote

SUBJECT:

SOURCE: City of Cathedral City

DIGEST:

This bill establishes the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Veterans Memorial at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City as the official state LGBT veterans memorial.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Establishes the Bear Flag as the State Flag of California.
2. Designates various animals and items as official state emblems.

This bill establishes the LGBT Veterans Memorial at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City as the official state LGBT veterans memorial.

Comments

Purpose of the bill. According to the author, “California must honor all the brave men and women who have served in our nation’s armed forces. This memorial is a testament to honor the contributions the LGBT community has made to the security of the United States.”

LGBT Veterans Memorial at Desert Memorial Park. The nation’s first LGBT veterans memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day 2001, at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, California. The memorial is a small cemetery obelisk with an American eagle and downward-pointing pink triangle decorating its face – originally used to identify male prisoners in Nazi concentration camps sent there because of their homosexuality, the downward-pointing pink triangle has been reclaimed as an international symbol of gay pride and the gay rights movement. The base of the memorial includes a plaque with the following inscription:

“This memorial is dedicated in honor of gay, lesbians, bisexual and transgender veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the cherished freedom we hold dear and enjoy today. Dedicated May 7, 2001 by AMVETS Post 66.”

The memorial is located in Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, which is also well known for holding the remains of numerous famous and infamous people from stage and screen including Frank Sinatra, Sonny Bono, and Velma Wayne Dawson – puppeteer and creator of Howdy Doody.

The state currently has one other official veterans memorial, the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial, designated by AB 1289 (Cooley, 2013). The California Vietnam Veterans Memorial is located in the north-east corner of the State Capitol grounds at 15^th Street and Capitol Avenue in Sacramento.

Related/Prior Legislation

AB 1769 (Voepel, 2018) establishes the California Vaquero Horse as the official state horse. (Never heard in the Assembly Governmental Organization Committee)

AB 1782 (Muratsuchi, 2018) establishes surfing as the official state sport. (Pending in the Senate Governmental Organization Committee)

AB 2969 (Low, 2018) requires the Governor to annually proclaim the month of June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. (Pending on the Senate Floor)

AB 1067 (Gray, Chapter 49, Statutes of 2017) designated the almond (Prunus dulcis, Prunus amygdalus), walnut, pistachio, and pecan each as the official state nut.

AB 1540 (Bloom, Chapter 264, Statutes of 2017) designated the Augustynolophus morrisi as the official state dinosaur.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: Fiscal Com.: Local:

SUPPORT: (Verified 6/12/18)

City of Cathedral City (source)

American GI Forum of California

American Legion – Alexander Hamilton Post 448

American Legion – Department of California

AMVETS – Department of California

California Association of County Veterans Service Officers

California State Commanders Veterans Council

Military Officers Association of America – California Council of Chapters

National Guard Association of California

Veterans for Peace – Jon Castro Chapter 19

Vietnam Veterans of America – California State Council

OPPOSITION: (Verified 6/12/18)

None received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: The City of Cathedral City writes that the “memorial was erected in 2001, making it the first LGBT Veterans Memorial in the nation, and AB 2439 would make California the first state to recognize an LGBT Veterans Memorial. The monument is a granite obelisk alongside a bronze plaque with minimal maintenance costs. Desert Memorial Park cuts the grass, AMVETS Post 66 polishes the granite and cleans the memorial when it gets vandalized. A second bronze plaque will be installed indicating that the memorial is the State of California LGBT Veteran’s Memorial.”

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 67-0, 4/26/18

AYES: Acosta, Aguiar-Curry, Arambula, Baker, Berman, Bigelow, Bloom, Bonta, Burke, Caballero, Calderon, Carrillo, Cervantes, Chau, Chávez, Chen, Chiu, Cooley, Cooper, Cunningham, Dahle, Daly, Eggman, Flora, Frazier, Friedman, Gallagher, Eduardo Garcia, Gipson, Gloria, Gonzalez Fletcher, Gray, Holden, Irwin, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Kamlager-Dove, Kiley, Lackey, Levine, Limón, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian, Obernolte, O'Donnell, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Reyes, Rubio, Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Voepel, Waldron, Weber, Wood, Rendon

NO VOTE RECORDED: Travis Allen, Brough, Choi, Chu, Fong, Cristina Garcia, Grayson, Harper, Melendez, Patterson, Rodriguez

Prepared by:

6/13/18 14:43:07

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION

Senator Bill Dodd

Chair

2017 - 2018 Regular

Bill No: AB Hearing Date: 6/12/2018

SUBJECT:

DIGEST: This bill establishes the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Veterans Memorial at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City as the official state LGBT veterans memorial.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Establishes the Bear Flag as the State Flag of California.
2. Designates the following as official state emblems:
   1. “Eureka” as the official State Motto.
   2. “The Golden State” as the official State Nickname.
   3. The golden poppy (Eschscholzia californica) as the official State Flower.
   4. The West Coast Swing Dance as the official state dance.
   5. The Square Dance as the official state folk dance.
   6. “I Love You, California” as an official state song.
   7. The California redwood (Sequoia sempervirens, Sequoia gigantean) as the official state tree.
   8. The almond (Prunus dulcis, Prunus amygdalus), walnut, pistachio, and pecan as the official state nuts.
   9. The California desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) as the official state reptile.
   10. The Pacific leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) as the official state marine reptile.
   11. The California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii) as the official state amphibian.
   12. The California valley quail (Lophortyx californica) as the official bird and avifaunal emblem of the State.
   13. “The Californian” as the official state tall ship.
   14. Denim as the official state fabric.
   15. Blue and gold as the official state colors.
   16. The pattern and colors of a “sett” based on the family tartan of John Muir as the official State Tartan.
   17. The California dog-face butterfly (Zerene Eurydice) as the official State Insect.
   18. Lace lichen (Ramalina menziesii) as the official state lichen.
   19. The California Grizzly Bear (Ursus Californicus) as the official state animal.
   20. Native gold as the official State Mineral and mineralogic emblem.
   21. Serpentine as the official State Rock and lithologic emblem.
   22. Benitoite as the official state gemstone.
   23. The California gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) as the official State Marine Mammal.
   24. The garibaldi (Hypsypops rubicundus) as the official state marine fish.
   25. The Augustynolophus morrisi as the official state dinosaur.
   26. The saber-toothed cat (Smilodon californicus) as the official state fossil.
   27. The Chipped Stone Bear (bear-shaped eccentric) as the official state prehistoric artifact.
   28. San Joaquin Soil as the official State Soil.
   29. Purple needlegrass, or Nassella pulchra, as the official State Grass.
   30. The California Historical Society as the official state historical society.
   31. The California State Military Museum and Resource Center as the official state military museum.
   32. Bodie as the official state gold rush ghost town.
   33. Calico as the official state silver rush ghost town.
   34. The California Vietnam Veterans Memorial as the official state Vietnam veterans war memorial.

This bill establishes the LGBT Veterans Memorial at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City as the official state LGBT veterans memorial.

Background

Purpose of the bill. According to the author, “California must honor all the brave men and women who have served in our nation’s armed forces. This memorial is a testament to honor the contributions the LGBT community has made to the security of the United States.”

LGBT Veterans Memorial at Desert Memorial Park. The nation’s first LGBT veterans memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day 2001, at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, California. The memorial is a small cemetery obelisk with an American eagle and downward-pointing pink triangle decorating its face – originally used to identify male prisoners in Nazi concentration camps sent there because of their homosexuality, the downward-pointing pink triangle has been reclaimed as an international symbol of gay pride and the gay rights movement. The base of the memorial includes a plaque with the following inscription:

“This memorial is dedicated in honor of gay, lesbians, bisexual and transgender veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the cherished freedom we hold dear and enjoy today. Dedicated May 7, 2001 by AMVETS Post 66.”

The memorial is located in Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, which is also well known for holding the remains of numerous famous and infamous people from stage and screen including Frank Sinatra, Sonny Bono, and Velma Wayne Dawson – puppeteer and creator of Howdy Doody.

The state currently has one other official veterans memorial, the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial, designated by AB 1289 (Cooley, 2013). The California Vietnam Veterans Memorial is located in the north-east corner of the State Capitol grounds at 15^th Street and Capitol Avenue in Sacramento.

Prior/Related Legislation

AB 1769 (Voepel, 2018) establishes the California Vaquero Horse as the official state horse. (Never heard in the Assembly Governmental Organization Committee)

AB 1782 (Muratsuchi, 2018) establishes surfing as the official state sport. (Pending in the Senate Governmental Organization Committee)

AB 1067 (Gray, Chapter 49, Statutes of 2017) designated the almond (Prunus dulcis, Prunus amygdalus), walnut, pistachio, and pecan each as the official state nut.

AB 1540 (Bloom, Chapter 264, Statutes of 2017) designated the Augustynolophus morrisi as the official state dinosaur.

SB 73 (Hueso, 2017) would have established the “San Salvador” as the official state ship of exploration. (Never heard in the Senate Governmental Organization Committee)

AB 501 (Levine, Chapter 873, Statutes of 2016) designated denim as the official state fabric.

AB 1528 (Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife, Chapter 113, Statutes of 2015) among other things, designated “Lace Lichen” (Ramalina menziesii) as the official State Lichen.

AB 2364 (V. Manuel Perez, Chapter 77, Statutes of 2014) designated the “California Red-Legged Frog” (Rana draytonii) as the official state amphibian.

AB 1289 (Cooley, Chapter 191, Statutes of 2013) established the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial as the official state Vietnam veterans war memorial.

AB 1776 (Fong, Chapter 591, Statutes of 2012) designated the Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle as the official marine reptile of the State of California and established October 15 as Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle Conservation Day.

AB 2470 (Nielson, 2012) would have recognized the Vietnam veterans sculpture located in the northern California Veterans Cemetery as the official state memorial for Vietnam veterans. (Never heard in the Assembly Veterans Affairs Committee)

SB 1253 (Migden, 2006) would have established “zinfandel” as the historic wine of California. (Vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger)

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No

SUPPORT:

City of Cathedral City (Source)

American GI Forum of California

American Legion – Alexander Hamilton Post 448

American Legion – Department of California

AMVETS – Department of California

California Association of County Veterans Service Officers

California State Commanders Veterans Council

Military Officers Association of America – California Council of Chapters

National Guard Association of California

Veterans for Peace – Jon Castro Chapter 19

Vietnam Veterans of America – California State Council

OPPOSITION:

None received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: The City of Cathedral City writes that the “memorial was erected in 2001, making it the first LGBT Veterans Memorial in the nation, and AB 2439 would make California the first state to recognize an LGBT Veterans Memorial. The monument is a granite obelisk alongside a bronze plaque with minimal maintenance costs. Desert Memorial Park cuts the grass, AMVETS Post 66 polishes the granite and cleans the memorial when it gets vandalized. A second bronze plaque will be installed indicating that the memorial is the State of California LGBT Veteran’s Memorial.”

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 2439

Author:(Eduardo Garcia)

As Introduced Ver:

Majority vote

SUMMARY: Designates the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Veterans Memorial at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City as the official state LGBT veterans memorial.

FISCAL EFFECT: This bill is keyed non-fiscal by the Legislative Counsel.

COMMENTS: The LGBT Veterans Memorial in Cathedral City was erected in 2001, making it the nation's first memorial specifically for LGBT veterans. The memorial is a small cemetery obelisk with an American eagle and pink triangle decorating its face, and an explanatory plaque which bears the inscription "This memorial is dedicated in honor of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the cherished freedom we hold dear and enjoy today." The LGBT veterans memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 27, 2001 with over 300 people in attendance.

The memorial's status as the nation's first LGBT memorial grants it unique status that one could argue is sufficient for its designation as the state's official LGBT memorial. But what about its prominence? On the popular travel website Roadside America there is a listing for "Cathedral City, California: First LGBT Veterans Memorial in the U.S." with the following description:

In Desert Memorial Park, a cemetery that holds the remains of many famous and infamous people of the stage and screen, there is also a monument honoring Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender veterans who proudly served our country in the military. Erected on Memorial Day 2001, it was the first monument of its kind in the U.S. An obelisk with the image of an eagle and a pink triangle, and a plaque, commemorate this group of brave men and women.

According to the author, "California must honor all the brave men and women who have served in our nation's armed forces. This memorial is a testament to honor the contributions the LGBT community has made to the security of the United States."

The state has one other official veterans memorial: the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial. That there is only one other official veterans memorial should not necessarily be a deterrent to designating another. The legislature has made other official designations, even when they appear redundant with others, and few of those have the gravity and significance of a memorial to our nation's LGBT veterans, most of whom would have fought and given their lives under rules that did not allow them to serve openly.

Analysis Prepared by: Jenny Callison / V.A. / (916) 319-3550 FN: 0002633

Date of Hearing: March 20, 2018

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS

Jacqui Irwin, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2439 (

Author:Eduardo Garcia) – As Introduced Ver:February 14, 2018

SUBJECT: Official state LGBT Veterans Memorial

SUMMARY: Designates the LGBT Veterans Memorial at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City as the official state LGBT veterans memorial.

EXISTING LAW: Establishes the state flag and the state’s emblems, including, among other things:

• 1. The California Vietnam Veterans Memorial as the official state Vietnam veterans war memorial;
  2. “Eureka” as the official state motto;
  3. West Coast Swing Dance as the official state dance;
  4. The California desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) as the official state reptile;
  5. “The Californian” as the official state tall ship, and;
  6. The California State Military Museum and Resource Center as the official state military museum.

FISCAL EFFECT: This bill is keyed non-fiscal.

COMMENTS:

The LGBT Veterans Memorial in Cathedral City was erected in 2001, making it the nation’s first memorial specifically for LGBT veterans. The memorial is a small cemetery obelisk with an American eagle and pink triangle decorating its face, and an explanatory plaque which bears the inscription “This memorial is dedicated in honor of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the cherished freedom we hold dear and enjoy today.” The LGBT veterans memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 27, 2001 with over 300 people in attendance.

The memorial’s status as the nation’s first LGBT memorial grants it unique status that one could argue is sufficient for its designation as the state’s official LGBT memorial. But what about its prominence? On the popular travel website Roadside America there is a listing for “Cathedral City, California: First LGBT Veterans Memorial in the U.S.” with the following description:

In Desert Memorial Park, a cemetery that holds the remains of many famous and infamous people of the stage and screen, there is also a monument honoring Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender veterans who proudly served our country in the military. Erected on Memorial Day 2001, it was the first monument of its kind in the U.S. An obelisk with the image of an eagle and a pink triangle, and a plaque, commemorate this group of brave men and women.

According to the author, “California must honor all the brave men and women who have served in our nation’s armed forces. This memorial is a testament to honor the contributions the LGBT community has made to the security of the United States.”

The state has one other official veterans memorial: the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial. That there is only one other official veterans memorial should not necessarily be a deterrent to designating another. The legislature has made other official designations, even when they appear redundant with others, and few of those have the gravity and significance of a memorial to our nation’s LGBT veterans, most of whom would have fought and given their lives under rules that did not allow them to serve openly.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

Veterans for Peace (Sponsor)

Opposition

None on File.

Analysis Prepared by: Jenny Callison / V.A. / (916) 319-3550