SECTIONS 20080-20082 - California Statutes

EDUCATION CODE

SECTION 20080-20082

20080. The endowment shall undertake a comprehensive survey of the
state of cultural and historical preservation, accessibility, and
interpretation in California, and report to the Governor and the
Legislature. In conducting the survey, the endowment shall coordinate
with existing state agencies, including the California Arts Council,
the Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Secretary of State.
The report shall include all of the following:
(a) A survey of elements in California's existing assemblage of
buildings, sites, artifacts, museums, cultural landscapes, trails,
illustrations, the arts and artistic expressions, written materials,
and displays and interpretive centers that are missing or
underrepresented, such as if current facilities, materials, and
services leave out, misrepresent, or inadequately present some
important thread of the story of California as a unified society or
of the many groups of people that together comprise historic and
modern California.
(b) Recommendations for steps that should be taken to fill in the
missing or underrepresented elements identified in subdivision (a).
(c) Recommendations for the manner of transferring the Office of
Historic Preservation in the Department of Parks and Recreation to
the endowment, consistent with the Legislature's intent expressed in
Section 20052.5.
(d) Recommendations for additional steps that should be taken to
better preserve and administer cultural and historic resources
efficiently and effectively, including additional actions that should
be taken to improve the governmental structures responsible for
historic and cultural preservation in California, including oversight
and support of museums. In particular, the endowment shall examine
the feasibility and desirability of establishing the endowment as a
separate institution in state government, without ties to any
existing agency or department, although under the general authority
of the Governor. The endowment shall also identify the most
appropriate chair, or the most appropriate method for selecting the
chair, of its board.
(e) A survey of the capacities and fiscal conditions of public,
nonprofit, and other private entities in California that provide
cultural and historical facilities and services, including museums.
(f) Recommendations for the future financing of cultural and
historical programs provided by public agencies and nonprofit
agencies in California, including museums.
(g) Recommendations for programs to encourage the historic
maintenance and restoration of properties in private ownership,
including, but not limited to, a state tax credit for restoration of
historic properties that maintain historic integrity, property tax
deferral as long as a property's historic integrity is maintained,
and low interest loans.
(h) A study of the economic impact of the preservation and
interpretation of cultural and historic resources in the state. This
should include the economic benefits resulting from the preservation
of historic commercial and residential properties and sites, and from
historic and cultural tourism activities.

20081. In preparing its report pursuant to Section 20080, the
endowment shall conduct public hearings throughout the state on this
subject and shall invite persons of diverse groups and ethnic
backgrounds to share their input on the matter, including comment on
the needs of all types of cultural and historical resource
organizations and programs in California.

20082. The report prepared pursuant to this article shall be
delivered to the Governor and the Legislature by November 1, 2005.
The endowment shall report annually to the Governor and the
Legislature on its progress towards completion of the report, until
the report is completed.