SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Legislation by Calif. Assemblymember Isadore Hall, III (D- Los Angeles) to prohibit the State of California from selling or displaying the Confederate flag or items bearing its image was approved by the California State Senate on Monday. The measure passed on a 33 to 2 vote with Senators Joel Anderson and Steve Knight casting ‘no’ votes.
According to the bill’s backers, the Confederate flag is “a symbol of racism, exclusion, oppression and violence towards many Americans. Its symbolism and history is directly linked to the enslavement, torture and murder of millions of Americans through the mid-19th Century. Even today, its public display is designed to instill fear, intimidation and a direct threat of violence towards others.”
Hall’s AB 2444, sponsored by the California/Hawaii NAACP does not restrict a private resident from selling a Confederate flag on private property nor does it prohibit a private resident from displaying a Confederate flag. Rather, AB 2444 places a reasonable restriction on the State of California from selling or displaying the flag or its image and is consistent with similar restrictions in other state and local jurisdictions.
“No Californian should be exposed to the type of hate or threat of violence caused by the image of the Confederate flag,” said Assemblymember Hall. “AB 2444 respects Constitutional protections by restricting government speech, not individual speech and will send a strong message that California and its taxpayers will not be in the business of promoting racism, exclusion, oppression or violence towards others.”
Upon the Assembly’s concurrence in amendments taken while the bill was in the Senate, the measure will head to Governor Jerry Brown for his consideration.
Isadore Hall, III, represents California’s 64th Assembly District that includes the communities of Carson, Compton, Gardena, Harbor Gateway, Lynwood,
North Long Beach, Rancho Dominguez, South Los Angeles, Torrance, Watts/Willowbrook and Wilmington in Los Angeles County.
EDITORIAL NOTE: content based on press release as provided by the office of Mr. Hall.
