Bill Text: CA AB1984 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 1984 (Prior Session Legislation)

CA State Legislature page for AB1984

Introduced

Bill Title: Museums: California Museums for All.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-05-25 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB1984 Detail]

Download: California-2017-AB1984-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 1984

Introduced by Assembly Member Eduardo Garcia
(Principal coauthor: Senator Allen)

January 31, 2018

An act to add Article 6 (commencing with Section 22093) to Chapter 13 of Part 11 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education Code, relating to museums.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1984, as introduced, Eduardo Garcia. Museums: California Museums for All.

Existing law, the California Cultural and Historical Endowment Act, establishes the California Cultural and Historical Endowment in the Natural Resources Agency. Among other things, the act authorizes the endowment to make grants and loans on a competitive basis to public agencies and nonprofit organizations, as defined, to encourage development of California’s historical and cultural resources. Existing law establishes the Museum and Cultural Resources Program, under the administration of the endowment, to assist and enhance the services of California’s museums and of other groups and institutions that undertake cultural projects that are deeply rooted in and reflective of previously underserved communities.

This bill would establish the California Museums for All program, under the administration of the endowment. The bill would require a museum, as defined, participating in the program to offer free to $3 admission fees during its normal hours of operation for each person who presents an electronic benefits transfer card and a current and valid photo identification, and up to 3 guests who are accompanying that person. Under the bill, a participating museum would be eligible to receive a grant from the endowment to enhance its programs and exhibits to meet the needs of underserved communities or to provide its staff with adequate training and provide resources for collaborative outreach to low-income communities.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

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

SECTION 1.

Article 6 (commencing with Section 22093) is added to Chapter 13 of Part 11 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education Code, to read:

Article 6. California Museums for All Act

22093.

This article shall be known, and may be cited, as the California Museums for All Act.

22094.

The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) Museums for All is a cooperative initiative of the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Association of Children’s Museums. The purpose of the program is to increase access to museums for low-income communities, particularly children, by offering free to low-cost admission to participating museums.

(b) Museums for All broadens museums’ visitor base by reaching out to low-income communities, enabling individuals from these communities to attend museums regularly to experience the social and academic benefits gained through exposure to high-quality museum experiences.

(d) This article builds on the success of the national program and increases the number of California museums that offer free to low-cost admission to low-income communities.

22095.

As used in this article, the term “museum” means a public or private nonprofit agency or institution organized on a permanent basis for essentially educational or aesthetic purposes, that utilizes a professional staff, owns or utilizes tangible objects, cares for the tangible objects, and exhibits the tangible objects to the public on a regular basis. The term includes museums that have tangible and digital collections and includes aquariums, arboretums, botanical gardens, art museums, children’s museums, general museums, historic houses and sites, history museums, nature centers, natural history and anthropology museums, planetariums, science and technology centers, specialized museums, and zoological parks.

22096.

The California Museums for All program is hereby established. The California Cultural and Historical Endowment shall administer California Museums for All to increase access to museums for low-income communities.

22097.

(a) A museum participating in the California Museums for All program shall offer reduced-admission fees ranging from free to three dollars ($3) for each person who presents an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card and a current and valid photo identification, and up to three guests who are accompanying that person, during the museum’s normal hours of operation.

(b) A museum participating in the program shall be eligible to receive a grant from the California Cultural and Historical Endowment, pursuant to Section 20091. The grant may be used by the museum to do either, or both, of the following:

(1) Enhance its programs and exhibits to meet the needs of underserved communities.

(2) Provide its staff with adequate training and provide resources for collaboration with the State Department of Social Services and local community service organizations to market the program to low-income communities.

(c) The California Museums for All program shall be implemented and administered, to the greatest extent possible, consistent with the purposes of the national Museums for All program.

(d) The California Cultural and Historical Endowment shall establish application criteria, administrative guidelines, and other requirements for the program. Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code shall not apply to the development and adoption of program guidelines and selection criteria by the endowment.