Contact your CA State Assembly member and tell them you oppose State Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 121 see text below.

SCR 121 gives the Legislature’s support for the memorandum of understanding for strategic partnerships for joint innovation, exchanges, and cooperation between California and Israel. Until the Israeli government respects stops violating international law and the human rights of the Palestinian people, California should NOT be partnering with Israel.

This resolution, which has past the State Senate and is going to the Assembly floor (6-30-14), is a follow-up to an agreement signed by Gov. Brown in February this year.

- Assemblymember Roger Dickinson: 916-319-2007; [email protected]
- Assemblymember Ken Cooley: (916) 319-2008; [email protected]
- Assemblymember Richard Pan: (916) 319-2009; [email protected]
- Assemblymember Mariko Yamada: (916) 319-2004; [email protected]

If you don’t know who your Assembly person is or they are not listed above, click here.

Senate Concurrent Resolution

Introduced may 19, 2014
Relative to the memorandum of understanding between Israel and California.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SCR 121, as introduced, Block. Trade: Israel: memorandum of understanding.
This measure would state the Legislature’s support for the memorandum of understanding for strategic partnerships for joint innovation, exchanges, and cooperation between California and Israel.

DIGEST KEY

Fiscal Committee: no  

BILL TEXT

WHEREAS, Two-way trade between Israel and California totaled over $4 billion in 2013—one of the largest two-way trade relationships between Israel and a United State; and
WHEREAS, California and Israel share close ties and are global leaders in the alternative energy, environmental technology, and other technology-based industry sectors; and
WHEREAS, California is home to the largest in-state innovation network in the United States, which offers technology-commercialization opportunities for Israel; and
WHEREAS, The Governor of California and the Prime Minister of Israel have just signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for strategic partnerships for joint innovation, exchanges, and cooperation between California and Israel; and
WHEREAS, This action was the culmination of an effort started in the California Legislature as Assembly Bill 1032 of the 2009–10 Regular Session, calling for the creation of the MOU geared toward fostering the exchange of information and research. The MOU will strengthen relationships with Israel and help California and Israel grow in these areas; and
WHEREAS, The participants in this MOU seek to expand the current level of cooperation between Israel and California in, but not limited to, alternative energy, environmental technology, health, food and agriculture, and other technology-based industry sectors, business innovation, research, and development; and
WHEREAS, The MOU will also establish a formal relationship between the two parties to foster economic cooperation and economic development, facilitate joint industrial research and development, and enhance business relationships and educational opportunities between all Israeli universities and all California universities to foster job creation and incubate global solutions from joint California-Israel innovation initiatives; and
WHEREAS, Collaboration with Israel will foster peace and democracy in the Middle East; and
WHEREAS, To achieve these aims, the MOU envisions undertaking the following actions:
(1) Convening bilateral, interagency working groups with international expertise to coordinate initiatives.
(2) Facilitating collaborations between Israeli and Californian entrepreneurs and researchers through the California innovation hub network.
(3) Supporting and encouraging further development of interpersonal contacts and exchanges and to promote mutual cooperation, understanding, and friendship by encouraging ad hoc task forces, trade delegations, and professional exchanges between Israel and California in key sectors.
(4) Creating of public-private partnerships between Californian and Israeli entities in the areas of economic development, social entrepreneurship, or academic research.
(5) Strengthening sister city programs.
(6) Facilitating collaboration between universities in California and Israel to foster research and development; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby supports the memorandum of understanding for strategic partnerships for joint innovation, exchanges, and cooperation between California and Israel; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.