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This message was sent to members of the California Association of Museums, and I thought Museum-L members might be interested....WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!!!!!!!

March 28, 2001

URGENT LEGISLATIVE ACTION REQUEST!!!

Please forward this message to all members of your board of directors and to all of your museum colleagues. Ask them to forward their e-mail address to CAM, so we can add them to our e-mail distribution list.

As you probably know, the California Association of Museums has filed Senate Bill 1088 (SB 1088) on behalf of all museums in the State of California. The initial draft of this bill suggests the establishment of an Office of Museum Services that , among other services, will house and administer a competitive grant program in support of museums and their operation. The bill is in draft form and will be amended to include more specific information about the grant programs and other services to be provided by the office. The co-authors of the bill are Senators Richard Polanco and Richard Alarcon. To read the bill, go to www.leginfo.ca.gov.

SB 1088 goes to the Senate Natural Resources & Wildlife Committee for its first review on April 2, 2001…and we need your support before that date!

Please write a letter stating your support of SB 1088 by April 2 and send/FAX it to:

The Honorable Richard Alarcon

California State Senate

Sacramento, CA 95814

FAX: 916/ 324-6645

FAX a copy of the letter to our lobbyist, Kathryn Lynch at

916/443-7353

3) If your legislator(s) is on the Senate Natural Resources & Wildlife Committee (see list of legislators and zip codes of districts below), CALL him/her before April 2 and ask him/her to support SB 1088. Tell him/her how important this bill is to your museum and constituents and what a difference an Office of Museum Services would make for you. Use some of the examples below and include examples of how you could enhance your services to the public with support from the State.

POINTS YOU MAY INCLUDE:

Reflecting California’s status as the most ethnically and culturally diverse state in the union, it is home to perhaps the largest and most diverse collection of museums, botanical gardens, zoos and historical centers in the nation. We are concerned with the long-term health and prosperity of the California museum community. There are over 1,300 museums in the state of California existing in every corner of the state and addressing a wide range of subjects including art, history, science, and technology. California’s museums perform a unique service to the state and its citizens by preserving and interpreting California’s natural and cultural heritage. California’s museums also supplement its schools, libraries and other cultural organizations to better inform its residents of the wonders and beauties of the broader world. In performing this vital educational function, museums also strengthen California’s cultural and economic climates. These contributions foster greater pride in its residents and greater attention from tourists, business developers, and other potential sources of revenue for the state. Museums are deserving of public support which is reflective of the services they provide to the public.

Over the past decade, museums’ services have expanded dramatically and audiences have grown. Only strong institutions can maintain this level of service. The proposed "Office of Museum Services" would help offset the costs of rising use. In so doing, it would provide vital support to help museums achieve institutional excellence. Grants would help them extend the hours they are open to the public, train volunteers and staff, and improve on-site and off-site educational programs. By leveraging private support, fostering competition, rewarding excellence, and promoting innovation -- by helping museums be and do their best -- this legislation would help California’s families and communities.

Although museums accomplish great achievements, they still struggle to obtain their base-line operating income. There is currently a great lack of permanent state funding for California museums, especially "non-art" (humanities-based, history, science) that hinders them from providing enhanced services to the public. According to initial results from the recent CAM survey, California museums receive less than 5% of their income from state agencies. In fact, 72% of museums receive no state money at all. The California Arts Council provides funding for art museums, but that’s only for 40% of museums in the state. The remaining 60% of California museums are not art museums, and they fall through the cracks when it comes to permanent state funding.

It is time to undertake a focussed attempt at establishing a source of state funding for ALL California museums so that they can continue to enhance and improve the services they offer to the public.

The proposed "Office of Museum Services" would be charged with assisting California’s museums in realizing their public potential by providing competitive grants, developing and implementing policy designed to foster high professional standards, and collaborating with other public agencies to recognize the public service museums can provide. Museums are deserving of public support which is reflective of the services they provide to the public.

If your legislator is a member of this committee, CALL him or her before April 2 and ask him/her to support SB 1088:

SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES & WILDLIFE COMMITTEE

THE CAPITOL ADDRESS FOR ALL COMMITTEE MEMBERS IS: The Honorable John/Jane Doe

California State Senate

Sacramento, CA 95814

Senator Sheila Kuehl, Chair

[D-Santa Monica], Senate District 23

District Address: 16130 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 230

Encino, CA 91436

District Telephone: (818) 501-8991/Fax: (818) 501-8432

Capitol Telephone: (916) 445-1353/Fax: (916) 324-4823

Main Cities: Beverly Hills, Encino, Hollywood, Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, Westlake Village, Woodland Hills

District Zip Codes:

90004 90005 90010 90020 90024 90025

90028 90036 90038 90046 90048 90049

90064 90067 90068 90069 90073 90077

90210 90211 90212 90265 90272 90290

90401 90402 90403 90404 90405 91301

91302 91303 91304 91306 91307 91311

91316 91356 91361 91362 91364 91367

91403 91423 91436 91602 91604 91608

Senator Dede Alpert [D-Coronado]

Senate District 39

District Address: 1557 Columbia Street

San Diego, CA 92101

District Telephone: (619) 645-3090/Fax: (619) 696-8930

Capitol Telephone: (916) 445-3952/Fax: (916) 327-2188

Main Cities: Coronado, Imperial Beach, San Diego

District Zip Codes:

91932 91941 92021 92037 92071 92092

92093 92101 92102 92103 92104 92105

92106 92107 92108 92109 92110 92111

92112 92113 92115 92116 92117 92118

92119 92120 92121 92122 92123 92124

92126 92129 92130 92132 92133 92134

92135 92136 92140 92145 92147 92152

92154 92155 92161 92188

Senator Debra Bowen [D-Marina Del Ray]

Senate District 28

District Address: 2512 Artesia Boulevard, Suite 200

Redondo Beach, CA 90278

District Telephone: (310) 318-6994/Fax (310) 318-6733

Capitol Telephone: (916) 445-5953/Fax: (916) 323-6056

Main Cities: Carson, Compton, El Segundo, Hermosa Beach, Lomita, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Marina del Rey, Redondo Beach, Torrance, Venice

District Zip Codes:

90045 90064 90066 90220 90221 90222

90245 90248 90254 90266 90274 90277

90278 90291 90292 90293 90405 90501

90502 90503 90504 90505 90710 90717

90744 90745 90746 90805 90806 90810

90813

Senator Thomas "Rico" Oller [R-San Andreas], Vice Chair

Senate District 1

District Address: 1200 Melody Lane, Suite 110,

Roseville, CA 95678

District Telephone: (916) 969-8232

Capitol Telephone: (916) 445-5788

Main Cities: Auburn, Chico, Grass Valley, Jackson, Loyalton, Marysville, Placerville, Roseville, South Lake Tahoe, Susanville, Truckee

District Zip Codes:

93512 93514 93517 93529 93541 93546

95221 95222 95223 95224 95225 95226

95228 95229 95232 95233 95245 95246

95247 95248 95249 95250 95251 95252

95254 95255 95257 95601 95603 95613

95614 95619 95623 95629 95630 95631

95633 95634 95635 95636 95640 95642

95643 95644 95646 95648 95650 95651

95656 95658 95661 95663 95664 95665

95666 95667 95669 95671 95672 95675

95677 95678 95681 95682 95684 95685

95689 95692 95699 95701 95703 95709

95712 95713 95714 95715 95717 95720

95721 95722 95724 95726 95728 95735

95901 95903 95910 95914 95915 95916

95917 95918 95919 95922 95923 95925

95926 95928 95930 95934 95935 95936

95938 95940 95941 95942 95944 95945

95946 95947 95948 95954 95956 95958

95959 95960 95961 95962 95965 95966

95968 95969 95971 95972 95973 95974

95975 95977 95978 95980 95981 95983

95984 95986 96006 96009 96015 96020

96053 96054 96056 96068 96101 96103

96104 96105 96106 96107 96108 96109

96110 96112 96113 96114 96115 96116

96117 96118 96119 96120 96121 96122

96123 96124 96125 96126 96128 96129

96130 96132 96133 96134 96135 96136

96137 96140 96141 96142 96143 96145

96146 96148 96150 96151 96155 96158

96161

Senator Maurice Johannessen [R-Redding]

Senate District 4

District Address: 410 Hemsted Drive, Suite 200

Redding, CA 96002

District Telephone: (530) 224-4706/Fax: (530) 224-4794

Capitol Telephone: (916) 445-3353/Fax: (916) 445-7750

Main Cities: Benicia, Davis, Fairfield, Orland, Red Bluff, Redding, Vacaville, Weed, Woodland, Yreka, Yuba City

District Zip Codes:

94510 94512 94533 94535 94571 94585

94591 95495 95526 95527 95552 95563

95568 95605 95606 95607 95612 95615

95616 95618 95620 95622 95625 95626

95627 95632 95637 95639 95641 95645

95653 95659 95668 95674 95676 95679

95680 95687 95688 95690 95691 95694

95695 95696 95697 95698 95758 95823

95832 95837 95912 95913 95917 95920

95926 95931 95932 95937 95939 95943

95948 95950 95951 95953 95955 95957

95963 95970 95979 95982 95987 95988

95991 95993 96001 96002 96003 96007

96008 96010 96011 96013 96014 96016

96017 96019 96021 96022 96023 96024

96025 96027 96028 96029 96031 96032

96033 96034 96035 96037 96038 96039

96040 96041 96044 96045 96046 96047

96048 96050 96051 96052 96055 96056

96057 96058 96059 96061 96062 96063

96064 96065 96067 96069 96070 96071

96073 96074 96075 96076 96078 96079

96080 96084 96085 96086 96087 96088

96089 96090 96091 96092 96093 96094

96095 96096 96067 96099 96134

Senator Deborah Ortiz [D-Carmichael]

Senate District 6

District Address: 1020 N Street, Suite 576

Sacramento, CA 95814

District Telephone: (916) 324-4937/Fax: (916) 327-8754

Capitol Telephone: (916) 445-7807/Fax: (916) 323-2263

Main Cities: Carmichael, Citrus Heights, Folsom, North Highlands, Orangevale, Rio Linda, Sacramento

District Zip Codes:

95608 95610 95621 95626 95628 95630

95652 95660 95662 95673 95814 95815

95816 95817 95818 95819 95820 95821

95822 95823 95824 95825 95828 95831

95832 95833 95834 95835 95836 95837

95838 95841 95842

Senator Dick Monteith [R-Modesto]

Senate District 12

District Address: 1620 N. Carpenter Road, Suite A-4

Modesto, CA 95351

District Telephone: (209) 577-6592/Fax: (209) 577-4963

Capitol Telephone: (916) 445-1392/Fax: (916) 445-0773

Main Cities: Los Banos, Madera, Mariposa, Merced,

Modesto, Oakdale, Sonora, Turlock

District Zip Codes:

93601 93604 93610 93614 93620 93622

93623 93626 93630 93635 93637 93638

93643 93644 93645 93650 93653 93661

93665 93669 93701 93702 93704 93705

93710 93711 93720 93721 93722 93726

93727 93794 95230 95236 95301 95303

95304 95305 95306 95307 95309 95310

95311 95312 95313 95314 95315 95316

95317 95318 95319 95320 95321 95322

95323 95324 95325 95236 95327 95328

95329 95330 95333 95334 95335 95336

95338 95339 95340 95341 95342 95343

95344 95345 95346 95347 95348 95350

95351 95353 95354 95355 95356 95360

95361 95363 95364 95365 95366 95367

95368 95369 95370 95372 95373 95374

95375 95376 95379 95380 95381 95383

95384 95385 95386 95387 95388 95389

Senator Byron Sher [D-Palo Alto]

Senate District 11

District Address: 260 Main Street, Suite 201

Redwood City, CA 94063

District Telephone: (650) 364-2080/Fax: (650) 364-2102

Capitol Telephone: (916) 445-6747/Fax: (916) 323-4529

Main Cities: Atherton, Cupertino, Half Moon Bay, Los Gatos,

Menlo Park, Palo Alta, Redwood City, Saratoga, San Jose, Sunnyvale, Woodside

District Zip Codes:

94002 94010 94018 94019 94020 94021

94022 94024 94025 94027 94028 94030

94040 94043 94060 94061 94062 94063

94065 94070 94074 94087 94301 94303

94304 94305 94306 94404 95008 95014

95020 95030 95032 95037 95042 95044

95070 95076 95111 95118 95119 95120

95123 95124 95125 95130 95131 95136

95138 95139

Senator Tom Torlakson [D-Antioch], Senate District 7

District Address: 815 Estudillo Street, Martinez, CA 94553

District Telephone: (925) 372-7990/Fax: (925) 372-0934

Capitol Telephone: (916) 445-6083/Fax: (916) 445-2527

Main Cities: Concord, Danville, Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton, Walnut Creek

District Zip Codes:

94506 94507 94509 94511 94513 94514

94516 94517 94518 94519 94521 94523

94526 94528 94542 94548 94549 94550

94553 94556 94561 94563 94564 94566

94568 94575 94583 94588 94595 94596

94598 94707 94708 95209 95376

(D) = Democrat

(R) = Republican

(I) = Independent

Committees Senate 2001/Sen Nat Resources & Wlidlife REVISED 3/20/01