California Commission on the United States Semiquincentennial.

Existing law establishes various commissions within state government, including the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, which is required to act as an information center on issues that affect the lives of women and girls. Existing law requires the Governor to proclaim various days as holidays and days of remembrance. This bill would, until January 1, 2029, establish the California Commission on the United States Semiquincentennial, with membership as prescribed, to plan and coordinate commemorations and observances of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. The bill would charge the commission with various responsibilities in this regard, including developing and promoting educational programs, community events, and public exhibits commemorating the semiquincentennial. The bill would require that the commission operate as an independent advisory body supported entirely by private funding and in-kind contributions, and would establish the Semiquincentennial Fund, held by the Treasurer, to receive private contributions and federal grants, which the bill would make available for the commission's activities upon appropriation. The bill would prohibit the commission from transacting any business or exercising its powers until the Controller has certified that there are sufficient funds in the Semiquincentennial Fund available to support the commission's activities without requiring state financial resources. If the Controller determines that sufficient funds are not available by February 1, 2026, the bill would require that the commission be dissolved and that any remaining funds in the Semiquincentennial Fund be returned to contributors on a pro rata basis, as specified. By authorizing the expenditure of these funds for return to contributors under certain circumstances, the bill would make an appropriation. The bill would require the records, files, and other memoranda of the commission, other than any private possessions, to be deposited and filed with the State Archives on or before December 31, 2028.