HR 84
HR 84 by Bryan
HR 84
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Bill overview
This resolution condemns President Donald J. Trump’s post depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes, deeming it a racist act of dehumanization. It reaffirms California’s commitment to rejecting racism, condemning white supremacist messaging, and standing in solidarity with Black communities. The resolution also calls for a public apology from President Trump and urges all elected officials to join in condemning the act and promoting policies against systemic racism and discrimination.
Key provisions
- Condemns President Trump’s depiction of Obama and Obama as racist.
- Rejects the normalization of racist imagery and conspiracy theories.
- Declares California will not tolerate racist dehumanization from the highest office.
- Calls on President Trump to issue a public apology.
- Urges all elected officials to condemn the act.
- Reaffirms the achievements of Black Americans.
- Recommits California to advancing policies against systemic racism.
- Calls for the Assembly to distribute copies of the resolution.
Who is affected
- President Donald J. Trump
- Black communities
- Elected officials
- California residents
- All people targeted by hate
Notable changes
- The resolution specifically addresses and condemns a recent social media post by President Trump.
- It frames the post as a direct act of racial dehumanization.
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HR84:v99#DOCUMENT
Bill Start
| Revised February 09, 2026 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
House Resolution
No. 84
| Introduced by Assembly Members Bryan, Bonta, Elhawary, Gipson, Jackson, McKinnor, Ransom, Sharp-Collins, and Wilson (Coauthors: Assembly Members Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bennett, Berman, Calderon, Caloza, Connolly, Flora, Fong, Gabriel, Garcia, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Johnson, Kalra, Krell, Lee, Lowenthal, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Rivas, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Schiavo, Schultz, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Ta, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, Wicks, and Zbur) |
| February 09, 2026 |
Relative to condemning racism.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
HR 84, as introduced, Bryan.
Digest Key
Bill Text
WHEREAS, This year marks the centennial anniversary of Black History Month, a time when our nation should be honoring the immeasurable contributions of Black Americans and recommitting ourselves to confronting racism, discrimination, and hate in all forms; and
WHEREAS, United States President Donald J. Trump posted on the social media platform Truth Social a video clip depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes; and
WHEREAS, The depiction of Black people as apes, monkeys, or other wild animals is a long-standing and widely recognized racist trope used historically by slave traders, segregationists, and white supremacists to dehumanize Black Americans and justify racial terror, including lynchings; and
WHEREAS, President Donald Trump’s decision to amplify this imagery is profoundly offensive, racist, and incompatible with the dignity of the office of the President of the United States; and
WHEREAS, President Donald Trump’s post was not merely “offensive” or “in poor taste,” but a direct act of racial dehumanization that perpetuates a violent and hateful history; and
WHEREAS, President Donald Trump’s post is not a single isolated incident, but part of a long and documented pattern of promoting racist and dehumanizing rhetoric and conspiracy theories targeting Black Americans and other communities of color, including the false “birther” conspiracy theory about President Barack Obama, the first Black American to be elected to the office of President of the United States; and
WHEREAS, Racist imagery and rhetoric, especially when promoted by those in positions of power, fuels hate, emboldens extremists, and increases threats and violence against communities already targeted by discrimination; and
WHEREAS, California is home to one of the most diverse populations in the nation, and the State of California has a moral obligation to reject racism, condemn white supremacist messaging, and stand in solidarity with Black communities and all people targeted by hate; and
WHEREAS, Silence in the face of racism is not neutrality, it is complicity; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the Assembly condemns President Donald J. Trump’s racist post depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as dancing apes, and rejects the normalization of racist imagery, slurs, and conspiracy theories in American public life; and be it further
Resolved, That the Assembly affirms that racism is not a “meme,” not a joke, and not protected from accountability by being repackaged as internet culture; and be it further
Resolved, That the Assembly declares that during Black History Month, and every month, California will not tolerate racist dehumanization from the highest office in the nation, and will continue to stand with Black communities against hate and white supremacist ideology; and be it further
Resolved, That the Assembly calls on President Donald Trump to issue a public apology to former President Barack Obama, former First Lady Michelle Obama, and to Black Americans nationwide for promoting racist imagery and dehumanizing tropes; and be it further
Resolved, That the Assembly calls on all elected officials regardless of party affiliation to join in condemning this racist act and to reject the use of dehumanizing imagery against Black Americans; and be it further
Resolved, That the Assembly reaffirms the achievements and contributions of Black Americans to the State of California and our nation; and be it further
Resolved, That the Assembly recommits itself to advancing policies that confront systemic racism, protect civil rights, and ensure all Californians can live free from discrimination and hate; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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REVISIONS: Heading—Line 3.
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