Bill Text: CA AB2006 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Governmental linguistics.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-04-14 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file. [AB2006 Detail]

Download: California-2009-AB2006-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 2006	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 6, 2010

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Hill

                        FEBRUARY 17, 2010

   An act to add  Section 6220 to   and repeal
Section 6220 of  the Government Code, relating to governmental
linguistics.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2006, as amended, Hill. Governmental linguistics.
   Existing law requires each department, commission, office, and
other administrative agency of state government to use plain,
straightforward language in a state agency document. 
   This bill would until January 1, 2015, require the California
Research Bureau to survey state agency documents to determine the
extent to which existing documents use language that suggests a
particular religious faith or sect. This bill would also require the
bureau to consult with experts to identify religiously neutral and
inclusive terms to replace existing language and to identify any
legal or fiscal ramifications, as specified. This bill would require
the bureau to submit a report based on its findings to the Chief
Clerk of the Assembly, the Secretary of the Senate, and the Judiciary
Committees of the Assembly and Senate.  
   This bill would require a state agency document to neutrally
phrase a reference to a religious institution and prohibit
referencing an institution of a particular religious faith, unless
the context requires otherwise. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   SECTION 1.    Section 6220 is added to the  
Government Code   , to read:  
   6220.  (a) The Legislature finds and declares the following:
   (1) In order to appropriately reflect the religious diversity of
our state, all official state documents that are intended for public
use and refer to a religious institution should, to the extent
possible, use language that is religiously neutral and inclusive.
   (2) When referring to religious institutions in existing state
documents, words or phrases that are historically associated with a
particular religious faith are used too often. For example, the use
of the word "church" instead of more neutral terms such as
"congregation" or "place of worship."
   (3) The use of religiously biased language in official state
documents, however subtle or unintentional, is inconsistent with the
state's commitment to religious diversity and inclusiveness, as well
as the state constitutional mandate to show no preference for one
religious faith over another.
   (b) (1) The California Research Bureau shall survey state agency
documents that refer to religious institutions to determine the
extent to which existing documents use language that suggests a
particular religious faith or sect. The bureau shall also consult
with experts from the appropriate fields to do all of the following:
   (A) Identify religiously neutral and inclusive terms that can be
used to replace religiously biased language in state agency
documents.
   (B) Identify the legal ramifications, if any, of replacing
religiously biased language in state agency documents with
religiously neutral and inclusive terms.
   (C) Identify the fiscal and budgetary ramifications of requiring
state government entities to review future agency documents to ensure
that religiously neutral and inclusive language is used.
   (2) The California Research Bureau shall submit a brief report
based on its findings to the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, the
Secretary of the Senate, and the Judiciary Committees of the Assembly
and Senate on or before December 31, 2011. The report shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795.
   (3) Pursuant to Section 10231.5, this section is repealed on
January 1, 2015.  
  SECTION 1.    Section 6220 is added to the
Government Code, to read:
   6220.  (a) When a department, commission, office, or other
administrative agency of state government writes a state agency
document, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 6219, in which a
reference is made to a religious institution, the document shall be
phrased in neutral language, and shall not specifically refer to an
institution of a particular religious faith, unless the context
requires otherwise.
   (b) A department, commission, office, or other administrative
agency of state government shall comply with the requirements of
subdivision (a) with each new version of a state agency document.
Nothing in this section shall require reprinting of a state agency
document.