Key Legislators Vow Fight for 2 Museums : Funding: Brown and Hughes say they will oppose attempt to cut off $6.2 million in support for L.A.’s African-American and Science and Industry facilities.

Although a Senate subcommittee has recommended removal of $6.2 million in state support for two popular Los Angeles museums, powerful forces in the Legislature said Friday they were determined to keep the funding intact.

The budget subcommittee voted 3 to 0 Wednesday against the funding for the Museum of Science and Industry and the African-American Museum in Exposition Park.

Both Sen. Teresa Hughes (D-Inglewood), who sponsored the original bill that created the African-American Museum, and Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco), vigorously oppose the recommendation.

It was only the first step in the Senate’s budgetary process, subject to further action by both the full Budget and Fiscal Review Committee and the upper house floor.

A spokesman for Hughes, Joseph HewLen, said the senator will fight to retain the funding for both museums.

“She will vigorously oppose anything that would shut down the two museums,” HewLen said.

Even if the Senate subcommittee recommendation did survive in the Senate, it would still have to be approved by the Assembly, where it would be opposed by Speaker Brown.

Asked for comment, Darolyn Davis, Brown’s press secretary, said, “The Speaker would be opposed to taking away funding for those two museums. The California African-American Museum is one of the few cultural facilities where people can learn about the history and culture of African-Americans.”