Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 115 – Relative to a sister state agreement.

[Filed with Secretary of State September 20, 1990]

WHEREAS, A delegation of California Senators recently participated in an environmental seminar in Marseilles, the capital of the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region of France, at which mutually beneficial information was exchanged regarding legislative and technological innovations in environmental protection; and

WHEREAS, The delegation of California Senators also held discussions in Marseilles with representatives of governmental and business agencies regarding methods of strengthening trade and economic ties between California and the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region of France; and

WHEREAS, Governmental and corporate officials of the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region of France have expressed great interest in establishing a formalized means of exchanging economic environmental, and other types of pertinent information between their region and California; and

WHEREAS, The Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region of France and California share many geographic, agricultural, and industrial similarities, such as a diverse landscape, a beautiful seacoast, a strong level of tourism, an important wine-making industry, many prestigious universities and scientific research centers, a number of major high-tech centers, and a burgeoning population of immigrant; and

WHEREAS, The size and strategic Mediterranean placement of the Port of Marseilles (the largest port in France and the second largest in Europe), as well as its interconnections via waterways, airways, and railroads, make the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region ideally suited for international trade, and have earned it the nickname of "the guiding light of Southern Europe"; and

WHEREAS, A sister state relationship between California and the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region of France would facilitate the exchange of environmental protection information and other scientific and technical knowledge, and would provide a forum for sharing legislative solutions; and

WHEREAS, Such a sister state relationship would also promote mutual international trade and commerce , and increase the potential for commercial relationships between small, medium, and large companies in California and the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region of France; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California, on behalf of the people of California, declares the region of Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur in France as a sister state, and commits to the establishment of programs which will further the sister state relationship; and be it further

Resolved, That the appropriate state officials are encouraged to immediately contact the government of the region of Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur in order to negotiate a sister state agreement between that region and California which facilitates the exchange of scientific and technical information and promotes mutual international trade and commerce; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate shall transmit copies of this resolution to the Regional Council of Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur, to the Governor of California, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.