CA SJR26

Acknowledges the historical contributions of Chinese Americans and Chinese immigrants to California's development, including their labor on the transcontinental railroad, fishing industries, agriculture, and infrastructure projects.

Apologizes for past discriminatory state laws and constitutional provisions that denied Chinese residents rights to own property, vote, marry white persons, testify in court, work on public projects, and fish in state waters, as well as local ordinances targeting Chinese culture and customs.

Recognizes that California lobbied Congress to pass the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 (the first federal law excluding immigrants based on race or nationality), which remained in effect until repeal in 1943, and that Article XIX of the California Constitution discriminated against Chinese for 73 years until 1952.

Requests that Congress adopt resolutions apologizing to the Chinese American community for enacting the Chinese Exclusion Laws.

Directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit copies of the resolution to the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House, California's Congressional representatives, and the bill's author.