California currently has 36 official Sister State, Friendship State, and Cooperation Agreement relationships throughout the world.
International relationships such as these are formal declarations of friendship between two regions, states, or provinces. These agreements are a symbol of mutual goodwill thereby encouraging bilateral cooperation.
California's Sister, Friendship and Cooperation relationships are intended to encourage mutually beneficial diplomatic, economic, educational, and cultural exchanges between a particular global region and the Golden State.
These relationships are initiated either legislatively by Concurrent Resolution, or by Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) signed by parties in each region. Concurrent Resolutions are introduced by a member either of the State Senate or Assembly, and are approved by the majority of elected representatives in each chamber before becoming official. Agreements with California may also be established through the Executive Branch.
A comprehensive list of sister state relationships can be found below, and includes the year the resolution/agreement was established, the region, legislative language, and country. The table is organized chonologically, from most recent to oldest.
For more detailed information regarding the regions or legislative language, please visit the links provided. You may also obtain copies of the resolutions by contacting the Legislative Bill Room, State Capitol, Room B-3, at (916) 445-2323.