From: Ellen McCormick Date: Thu, 19 Jun 1997 20:35:35 Subject: CA: LIFE Lobby Action Alert on ROTC bill ACTION ALERT: OPPOSE AB 424!!! HEARING DATE: JUNE 25, 1997 LOCATION: Senate Education Committee (California State Senate) CALL, WRITE, FAX OR EMAIL ALL MEMBERS OF THE SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE ASAP! The members of the committee are at the bottom of the page, and for those that have email addresses I've included them. Beyond email, it is also effective to call or write/fax letters: phone numbers, fax numbers (as well as bill text) are available at and all members can be written to at: The Honorable (Name here) California State Senate State Capitol Sacramento, CA 95814 Sample letter on AB 424: The Honorable Leroy Greene Chair, Senate Education Committee State Capitol, Room 2083 Sacramento, CA 95814 Re: AB 424 (Baldwin) / OPPOSE Postsecondary education: armed forces training and recruitment. As amended on May 22, 1997 Dear Senator Greene, I am writing to register opposition to AB 424 by Assembly Member Steve Baldwin. AB 424 would prohibit a public postsecondary educational institution (a Community College, a CSU school, or a UC school) from removing an armed forces training unit, a ROTC program, or military recruitment from their campus. The right of a school, currently, to make this decision is appropriate, as the students and administration of a specific campus know what is best for their individual educational community. AB 424 seeks to place this authority in the hands of the state - where it should not be. Although recently enacted Federal law will force many schools to retain these programs, the fact remains that individual schools should be able to make the decision for themselves. Dictating the policy of individual (taxpayer and student funded) colleges and universities is simply not the proper role for our State Legislature. Last, military programs on public school campuses openly and actively discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation (in accordance with U.S. Department of Defense policy). The discrimination that these programs engage in is doubly offensive considering that they exist on public school campuses. These institutions are meant to be a place for education and growth - not discrimination and hostility. Individual schools are the only decision-making entities that can adequately decide whether military programs should remain on school campuses. I very strongly urge your "no" vote on AB 424. Sincerely, cc: All Members, Senate Committee on Education: The Honorable Bruce McPherson* The Honorable Dede Alpert* The Honorable Ralph Dills The Honorable Tom Hayden The Honorable Ray Haynes The Honorable Teresa Hughes* The Honorable Ross Johnson The Honorable Pete Knight The Honorable Jack O'Connell* The Honorable Byron Sher The Honorable John Vasconcellos The Honorable Diane Watson * = very important to contact! This message was brought to you by: LIFE: California's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and HIV/AIDS Lobby 926 J Street, Suite 522 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 444-0424 For more information about LIFE Lobby please go to our web page at