ASSEMBLY: NO `REDSKINS' BAN ON MASCOT NAME ADVANCES TO SENATE.

Byline: Harrison Sheppard Sacramento Bureau

Setting aside the state's fiscal crisis, the California Legislature focused Thursday on other issues - including banning use of the term ``redskins'' for school mascots and establishing a memorial commission for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender veterans.

With a deadline today to pass bills that were introduced in 2003, the Assembly tackled dozens and sent them to the Senate on topics as diverse as affordable housing to litter prevention.

Among bills that generated the most floor debate was one to prohibit use of the term ``redskin'' for public school mascots. The Assembly voted 43-20 to approve it and sent it to the Senate.

Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, D-Los Angeles, has been trying for three years also to ban the use of ``Braves,'' ``Indians,'' ``Apaches'' ans some other names for mascots, but could not muster the required 41 votes. On Thursday, she promised to ask that the bill be diluted in the Senate to include only what she said is the most objectionable term, ``redskin.''

The bill the Assembly passed her original measure on the understanding it would be diluted.

The term ``redskin'' is especially offensive because, she said, it is rooted in the blood on scalps that were removed by frontiersmen and others seeking bounties.

``It was enough to lose their land. It was enough to be depicted in Western movies as something less than human, something devalued,'' Goldberg said. ``But mascots create hostile environments for Native American children and their families.''

She said using tribal names for mascots is as derogatory as it would be to use other racial or ethnic names for mascots.

``We would never have 'the Beverly Hills Jews' or 'the Marshall High Chinamen.' People would be offended by that,'' Goldberg said. ``They'd say how dare they do that.''

Opponents, primarily Republicans, said they opposed the bill even if they agree the term ``redskin'' is offensive because they were worried about what would be banned next - possibly American Indian names for streets and towns - and said most uses of these names are not derogatory but intended to express appreciation for an area's history.

Assemblyman Jay La Suer, R-La Mesa, said he went to a high school whose teams called themselves the Braves, and it was a source of pride, not derision.

``I take offense in somebody saying because I have pride in my mascot, because they look at it differently than me, ... that they are right and we are wrong,'' La Suer said. ``I say open up your eyes and your mind and don't be so quick to jump to conclusions.''

Another bill that generated controversy was one establishing a commission to look at creating a memorial for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender veterans. The commission would be composed of volunteers, and private donations would pay for the memorial, so neither would cost taxpayers any money, proponents said.

Opponents said that the state doesn't need yet another commission and that such memorials could be created in the private sector without state intervention. The bill passed 45-28.

Harrison Sheppard, [phone]

harrison.sheppard(at)dailynews.com