The California State Assembly last week passed a resolution in support of the Vision for Space Exploration. Assembly Joint Resolution (AJR) 86, introduced last month by Assemblywoman Sally Leiber (D-Mountain View), calls on the US Congress to fully fund the proposed NASA FY2005 budget. The text of the resolution calls on the old standbys for supporting the exploration plan: the nation’s history of exploration, spinoffs, and economic impacts (nationally and within California). The full assembly passed the resolution 78-0 on June 17; it has since gone to the California Senate. The California Space Authority has worked up some talking points in support of the bill (although someone should tell them the institution that operates JPL is “Caltech”, not “CalTech University”).
This is at least the second case of a state legislature passing a resolution supporting the exploration plan: last month the Ohio Senate unanimously passed a similar resolution. I haven’t heard of any other state legislatures that have made similar efforts, although Alabama, Florida, and Texas would be obvious candidates.
