Bill Text: CA ACR168 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Native Americans: NFL Football: Change the Mascot.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 48-0)

Status: (Passed) 2014-09-11 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Res. Chapter 179, Statutes of 2014. [ACR168 Detail]

Download: California-2013-ACR168-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: ACR 168	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 18, 2014
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 14, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Members Alejo and V. Manuel Pérez
    (   Coauthors:   Assembly Members 
 Ammiano,   Atkins,   Bloom,  
Bocanegra,   Bonilla,   Bonta,   Bradford,
  Brown,   Buchanan,   Campos,  
Chau,   Chesbro,   Cooley,   Dababneh,
  Dickinson,   Eggman,   Fong,  
Fox,   Frazier,   Garcia,   Gatto, 
 Gonzalez,   Gordon,   Hall,   Roger
Hernández,   Holden,   Jones-Sawyer,  
Levine,   Lowenthal,   Medina,   Mullin,
  Muratsuchi,   Nazarian,   Pan, 
 Perea,   Quirk,   Rendon, 
Ridley-Thomas,   Rodriguez,   Skinner,  
Stone,   Ting,   Weber,   Wieckowski,
  Williams,   and Yamada   ) 

                        AUGUST 4, 2014

   Relative to Native Americans.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   ACR 168, as amended, Alejo. Native Americans: NFL Football: Change
the Mascot.
   This measure would urge the National Football League (NFL) to join
with the Legislature and numerous organizations in calling for a
name change for the Washington, D.C. NFL team, and calls upon the
owners of NFL teams based in California to urge the owner of the
Washington, D.C. NFL team and the NFL Commissioner to change the team
mascot.
   Fiscal committee: no.



   WHEREAS, California has the highest Native American population in
the country, with over 700,000 people who identify themselves as
Native American and over 109 federally recognized Indian tribes; and
   WHEREAS, The name used by the Washington, D.C. National Football
League (NFL) team is believed by some to be a racial slur and to
promote discrimination against Native Americans; and
   WHEREAS, "Indian" sports brands used by professional teams were
born in an era when racism and bigotry were deemed acceptable; and
   WHEREAS, 50 United States Senators joined together to send a
letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell demanding that, "It's time
for the NFL to endorse a name change for the Washington, D.C.
football team"; and
   WHEREAS, Dozens of groups representing millions of Americans have
asked NFL players to take a stand against the Washington, D.C. NFL
team's use of the derogatory R-word; and
   WHEREAS, On June 18, 2014, the United States Patent and Trademark
Office (USPTO) canceled the Washington, D.C. NFL team's federal
trademark registration of the name "Washington R____." The USPTO
ruling deemed the term "disparaging to Native Americans," and
canceled the trademark status of the name. Unless the Washington,
D.C. NFL team successfully appeals, the USPTO ruling would mean that
the team has no legal ownership over the term; and
   WHEREAS, Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle, city
councils, top sports icons, civil rights groups, religious groups,
prominent journalists, and President Obama have all spoken out
against the team's continued use of the epithet; now, therefore, be
it
   Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature urges the National Football
League (NFL) to join the National Congress of American Indians and
other organizations, which represent more than 2 million Native
Americans across the country and more than 300 tribes in the United
States, in calling for a name change for the Washington, D.C. NFL
team; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Legislature calls upon the owners of NFL teams
based in California to urge the Washington, D.C. NFL team owner Dan
Snyder and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to adhere to the wishes of
the millions of people who have joined Indian Country in urging that
they change the team mascot; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.