(a) The Trustees of the California State University and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges shall, and the Regents of the University of California are requested to, work with their respective colleges and universities to confer an honorary degree upon each person, living or deceased, who was forced to leave his or her studies at the public postsecondary educational institution in which that person was enrolled as a result of the issuance of federal Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, which caused the evacuation, relocation, and incarceration of individuals of Japanese ancestry during World War II.
(b) In cases where an honorary degree is conferred upon a person who is deceased, the person’s surviving next of kin, or another representative chosen by the person’s surviving next of kin, may accept the honorary degree on the deceased person’s behalf.
(c) Independent colleges and universities, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 66010, are urged to comply with the terms of this section.
(d) This section shall be implemented in a cost-effective manner by incorporating, to the extent practicable, any ceremony for the purpose of conferring honorary degrees with a previously scheduled commencement or graduation activity.
(Added by Stats. 2009, Ch. 213, Sec. 2. (AB 37) Effective January 1, 2010.)