1.0" ?> 20250HR__008499INT 99 INTRODUCED 2026-02-09 REVISED 2026-02-09 2025 0 HR 84 INT Introduced by Assembly Members Bryan, Bonta, Elhawary, Gipson, Jackson, McKinnor, Ransom, Sharp-Collins, and Wilson (Coauthors: Assembly Members Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bennett, Berman, Calderon, Caloza, Connolly, Flora, Fong, Gabriel, Garcia, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Johnson, Kalra, Krell, Lee, Lowenthal, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Rivas, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Schiavo, Schultz, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Ta, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, Wicks, and Zbur) LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bryan LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bonta LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Elhawary LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Gipson LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Jackson LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY McKinnor LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ransom LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Sharp-Collins LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Wilson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Aguiar-Curry COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ahrens COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Alanis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Alvarez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ávila Farías COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bains COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bennett COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Berman COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Calderon COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Caloza COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Connolly COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Flora COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Fong COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Gabriel COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Garcia COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Jeff Gonzalez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Mark González COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Haney COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Harabedian COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Hart COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Hoover COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Irwin COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Johnson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Kalra COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Krell COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Lee COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Lowenthal COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Nguyen COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ortega COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Pacheco COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Papan COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Patel COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Pellerin COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Petrie-Norris COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Quirk-Silva COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ramos COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Rivas COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Michelle Rodriguez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Rogers COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Blanca Rubio COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Schiavo COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Schultz COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Solache COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Soria COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Stefani COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ta COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Valencia COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Wallis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ward COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Wicks COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Zbur Relative to condemning racism. condemning racism

WHEREAS, This year marks the centennial anniversary of Black History Month, a time when our nation should be honoring the immeasurable contributions of Black Americans and recommitting ourselves to confronting racism, discrimination, and hate in all forms; and

WHEREAS, United States President Donald J. Trump posted on the social media platform Truth Social a video clip depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes; and

WHEREAS, The depiction of Black people as apes, monkeys, or other wild animals is a long-standing and widely recognized racist trope used historically by slave traders, segregationists, and white supremacists to dehumanize Black Americans and justify racial terror, including lynchings; and

WHEREAS, President Donald Trump’s decision to amplify this imagery is profoundly offensive, racist, and incompatible with the dignity of the office of the President of the United States; and

WHEREAS, President Donald Trump’s post was not merely “offensive” or “in poor taste,” but a direct act of racial dehumanization that perpetuates a violent and hateful history; and

WHEREAS, President Donald Trump’s post is not a single isolated incident, but part of a long and documented pattern of promoting racist and dehumanizing rhetoric and conspiracy theories targeting Black Americans and other communities of color, including the false “birther” conspiracy theory about President Barack Obama, the first Black American to be elected to the office of President of the United States; and

WHEREAS, Racist imagery and rhetoric, especially when promoted by those in positions of power, fuels hate, emboldens extremists, and increases threats and violence against communities already targeted by discrimination; and

WHEREAS, California is home to one of the most diverse populations in the nation, and the State of California has a moral obligation to reject racism, condemn white supremacist messaging, and stand in solidarity with Black communities and all people targeted by hate; and

WHEREAS, Silence in the face of racism is not neutrality, it is complicity; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the Assembly condemns President Donald J. Trump’s racist post depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as dancing apes, and rejects the normalization of racist imagery, slurs, and conspiracy theories in American public life; and be it further

Resolved, That the Assembly affirms that racism is not a “meme,” not a joke, and not protected from accountability by being repackaged as internet culture; and be it further

Resolved, That the Assembly declares that during Black History Month, and every month, California will not tolerate racist dehumanization from the highest office in the nation, and will continue to stand with Black communities against hate and white supremacist ideology; and be it further

Resolved, That the Assembly calls on President Donald Trump to issue a public apology to former President Barack Obama, former First Lady Michelle Obama, and to Black Americans nationwide for promoting racist imagery and dehumanizing tropes; and be it further

Resolved, That the Assembly calls on all elected officials regardless of party affiliation to join in condemning this racist act and to reject the use of dehumanizing imagery against Black Americans; and be it further

Resolved, That the Assembly reaffirms the achievements and contributions of Black Americans to the State of California and our nation; and be it further

Resolved, That the Assembly recommits itself to advancing policies that confront systemic racism, protect civil rights, and ensure all Californians can live free from discrimination and hate; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution. REVISIONS: Heading—Line 3.