Senate Floor

Happy New Year's to all of you. Madam Secretary, please call the roll. [Roll Call] Members, a quorum is present. Would the Members and our guests beyond the rail and in the gallery please rise?

We will be led in prayer this afternoon by our chaplain, Sister Michelle Gorman, after which, please remain standing. We will be led in the pledge of allegiance to the flag by Senator Roth. Thank you.

Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of our God. As we begin this new year, 2023, we ponder the words of Howard Thurman. When the song of the angels is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone, when the kings and princes are home, when the shepherds are back with their flocks, then the work of this new year begins. To find the lost, to heal the broken. To feed the hungry. To release the prisoner. To rebuild the nation and the state.

To bring peace among people, to make music in the heart. This is some of the work of this Senate. And so we pray. May the Lord bless us and keep us. May God's face shine upon us and be gracious to us. May God look upon us kindly and give us peace. Amen.

I pledge allegiance to the flag one Nation. Under God, indivisible, with liberty.

Members, it gives me great pleasure to welcome our Attorney General, who is here with us today, Rob Bonta. Welcome to the Senate. Thank you for joining us. Messages from the Governor will be deemed read. Messages from the Assembly will be deemed read. Reports of Committee will be deemed read. Are there any motions, resolutions or notices saying? None. Introduction and first reading of bills will be deemed read. Members, we're going to move on to motions and resolutions. This is the time to address the adjourn in memory. If you please, would all take your seats? Like to call on Senator Umberg.

Thank you, Madam President and colleagues. It's my sad privilege here on our first day, returning to session in 2023, to ask that we adjourn in memory of former supervisor Bill Steiner. Bill was born in Iowa, moved to California as a small child, and grew up in Bell. He attended UC Berkeley, earning a degree in criminology and a master's in social work. Upon graduation, Bill began a long and impressive career serving his community and importantly and passionately, children, and particularly those who were neglected, abandoned and abused.

He originally worked at La County Department of adoptions to find homes for children who had been abused and neglected. In 1985, he founded an institution in Orange County which we are quite proud of. The Orangewood shelter for children would house 170 kids per day. It was a public private partnership. He raised over $8.5 million during his time at Orangewood. And if you toured Orangewood with Bill Steiner, what was most amazing was that he could name 170 of those children, that those children would surround him.

And the love, compassion and passion he had for those children was an inspiration to anyone who encountered Bill or encountered Orangewood. Ultimately, he was appointed of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. He was appointed the Orange County Board of Supervisors at a difficult time, right before Orange County declared bankruptcy. There could not have been a more difficult time, and he served with great integrity.

After retiring from Orangewood, then he was the Executive Director of the Orangewood foundation, which was conceived, designed, and had a mission of raising money for those abused and neglected kids that were housed at Orangewood. His infectious smile also was inspiring. He made everyone who encountered him, including me, feel as though that they were the most important person before him. And thus, I'm sure that's why he was so successful and so wonderful for those young people that he mentored, those young people that he cared for.

He is survived by his five children, Lori Hendron, James Steiner, Christy Steiner, Judge Scott Steiner, and Marcy Steiner, in a pile of grandchildren, 16 grandchildren and one great grandchild. I ask that we adjourn today in honor of the life of Bill Steiner.

Senator Roth?

Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues. Well, Bill Steiner was not a colleague of mine, but his legacy lives on in the 31st Senate district. You may ask why? Well, Bill's son is Jim Steiner, former or retired captain in the Corona Fire Department, a current Corona City Council Member, and a very, very, very good friend of mine. It's obvious from what my colleague from Orange County just spoke about that Bill's commitment to service was truly infectious.

And I know that it was a value he instilled in his children. Because of my contact with Jim, I have no doubt that Bill is looking down on his family as we're sitting here this afternoon beaming with pride. So to Jim and to the rest of the Steiner family, thank you for sharing Bill with us, and my deepest condolences to all of you as you mourn his loss.

Senator Nguyen

Thank you, I actually started my political career in supervisor Steiner's office as an intern. Actually, my story started everybody's always usually asked me how I started in politics. My second year in college, I took a community political class. And it's for community politics to meet my social science credit because I wanted to go into med school, and I was working three jobs. The gentleman who was teaching the class, the Professor, was a visiting Professor, and he was the Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisor Bill Steiner.

After class, I thought to myself, wow, he sounded important. I don't even know what a county supervisor was. I had no clue. I had no aspiration. I don't even know what politics was. I was deep into chemistry, biology, and et cetera. And after class, though, I thought he sounded important. Maybe a recommendation letter from him might help my application to med school, because most of us, at least what my understanding is, most of us who once go med school, you've got the grace.

You have two professors who loves you. You've done a billion hours of volunteers already. And so I thought maybe his recommendation, a county supervisor, might help lift my application a little bit, to make it a little unique. So I asked to intern 5 hours, became 10, still working three jobs. 10 years later, I came back as a county supervisor. Bill is not just someone who I look up to. He's a friend, he's a mentor, and he's almost like a dad to me.

Scott, his son, who's a judge at Orange County Superior Court. We've known each other since I was interning in that office. Bill always check up on me every few weeks, every few months. How are you doing? How's your new position? And he always reminded me to stay humble and remember your roots, remember who you represent. And it was a shock for all of us because Bill was a go to guy. He always wanted to be around, always wanted to be with his family.

He has had some health issues in the last few months or this last year, but he did leave too soon. It wasn't supposed to be. But I just want to say to the Steiner families, thank you. And I get to joke that if anything I've done wrong, you get to blame Bill Steiner. He loved that. He also administered my oath of office. When I got to the Board of Supervisor for the first time. Not many people believed in me.

When I first ran at the age of 30, he did. He was one of the few, and he is actually one of the few last one that believed in me in 2007 that has now passed away. And so I just want to thank the Steiner family for giving your dad to not just Orangewood foster homes, Orangewood homes, but to the community in the City of Orange. He's a beacon. Everybody knows him.

Even after he retired, he still was very well known and is very active across the aisle in Orange County. But more importantly, thanking him for giving other children, other individuals like myself, an opportunity that we never saw. And so, Bill, may you rest in peace and we will miss. Know your voices and your sound advices is always welcome and is always spot on, and I always appreciate it. Thank you.

Please bring the name forward so he can be properly memorialized. Next up, we have Senator Wiener and Senator Atkins for Senator Atkins.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, I rise today to adjourn in memory of an outstanding community leader, a brilliant policy advocate, and just an all around good person, Deanna Spain. As many of you may know, Deanna was also a hardworking Member of the Senate family, and my staff and I are still working to process our enormous loss. I want to thank all of you who shared your kind words and thoughts during this time. They've been very helpful, not only to my office, but to her family.

Deanna had been part of my team directly for 10 years. During my time both in the Assembly and the Senate. She advised me on a host of issues, including agriculture, environmental quality, water, energy, transportation, parks and natural resources, water preservation, coastal protection, on and on. But before joining my team, she worked for a decade as a policy advisor to Christine Kehoe, former Senator Kehoe.

And even before she worked directly with me, I sought out her advice as an Assembly Member and as a former City Council Member, because prior to working in the Legislature, Deanna had held positions at the City of San Diego, including senior policy analyst to Mayor Susan Golding, consultant to the City Council Committee on rules, budget and intergovernmental relations. Policy Director for former Council Member Judy Mccarty.

In their article noting Deanna's passing, the San Diego Union Tribune referred to her as a civic leader, newspaper publisher and grandam of the river. The San Diego river. Civic leader. Absolutely. In the wave of comments people have shared about Deanna, we've heard thanks from all across San Diego, environmental leaders, military leaders, business leaders, about how much Deanna and her work meant to them.

And that's especially true with San Diego's landmark multiple species conservation program, which she was the major staff Member when the City of San Diego passed that incredible program, our vital marine protected areas. And we recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of the marine protected area in the San Diego region. And I was so pleased that day to see that Deanna rightly got acknowledged for her leadership. Newspaper publisher?

Yes, that's on the top of everything else, after her family life, after work, after meetings regarding her own community interest, she served on the Tierra Santa Planning Committee. On and on, she would still find time to publish the Tierra Santa Times. I am still convinced that golfers are so upset because she managed to get the license plate that said tea times. She provided an engaging and valuable community resource for her neighbors. Deanna closed down the Tierra Santa Times last fall.

It's a blessing that she got to hear from so many people just how much that paper meant to the community into San Diego grand dam of the San Diego river also. Absolutely. She helped bring the San Diego River Conservancy into being and helped in advancing its success every step of the way. But Deanna was the kind of grand dam who would look at a challenge, waste little time on pleasantries and say, come on, everybody, we've got work to do.

And darn if that work didn't get done. And I guarantee you, every year I've had a river conservancy Bill. I know you remember each and every one, and that was a tribute to Deanna. Deanna worked directly with me for a decade, but we also worked together during our times at San Diego City hall. I learned so much from Deanna. She gave Kip Lipper a run for his money. That's not easy to do.

I have a hard time thinking of another person who knew so much about so many different issues. So often I found myself saying to staff or other elected officials in the region or just about anybody, did you ask Deanna? I mean, don't ask me. Did you ask Deanna? Or even more so I would direct them, go ask Deanna. I would loan her out to other elected officials in San Diego County and I would say, just talk to Deanna.

She handled so many things I probably never even had to deal with because she knew how to do that and she knew how to get things done. The emails I got from people throughout the state, she had the former secretary of natural resources under the Brown administration's phone number on speed dial. He's shaking his head. Yes. Deanna is survived by her husband Richard. And if you feel or found Deanna to be unique and crazy smart, you should meet her husband Richard, her partner in all things.

She is survived by Richard. She is survived by her daughter Michaela, son Greg Hainson, and two granddaughters who were just incredibly. The light in her eye would shine when she mentioned her granddaughters. They all have our love, our best wishes during this incredibly sad time, and I want to thank you for letting me spend a few minutes talking about one of our incredible team Members and our Senate family.

Thank you, Senator. We offer our deepest condolences. Please bring the name forward so she can be properly, oh, I'm sorry, Senator Jones, on this issue. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. President. I also wanted to offer my condolences to the pro tem, your staff, and certainly Deanna's family. In addition to everything that the pro Tim outlined, Deanna is an institution in San Diego, county, recognizing that she's represented mostly downtown area, in the coastal areas. But coming from the East County part of San Diego, County, Deanna is well recognized amongst the elected officials throughout the county for her stalwart compassion, her intelligence, and her passion for the San Diego River Conservancy.

And on a personal note, when I was termed out of the Assembly, out of the Legislature for two years in 2017 and 2018, I was asked to serve on the San Diego River Conservancy. And Deanna was there. And she knew I was new. She knew I didn't know much about the San Diego River Conservancy in the San Diego part of the county. And she took me under her wing and mentored me for those two years.

And I really appreciate the grace and professionalism that she showed in that manner. And then I also share my staff's condolences as well, because she is a mentor to the legislative staffs throughout San Diego. county. And she did a great job mentoring my staff on many issues. And I appreciate that and offer my condolences as well. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you, Senator Jones. Again, we'll ask you to bring the name forward so she can be properly memorialized. Next up is Senator Wiener and Senator Atkins for adjournment memories. Senator Wiener?

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, it's with great sadness that I rise today to ask that the Senate adjourn in memory of a great San Francisco, Mike Hardeman, who passed away last month at the age of 79. For those of you who don't know, and you may recognize that last name, Mike is the father of someone we all know and respect. Nick Hardeman, the pro Tem's Chief of Staff and the pro Tem joins me in this adjournment memory. And I know we'll be speaking directly afterwards.

Mike was a third generation San Francisco and was born in 1943. He attended Mission Dolores Grammar School and graduated from Balboa High School. He was, to put it mildly, a San Francisco labor leader. First, beginning as a bottler at breweries, he became an apprentice sign painter in 1962, a journeyman in 1966, and a pictorial artist in 1968. He was a Member of Local 510, the sign and display union. And that's how I first got to know Mike.

He was really embodied that local on so many levels. He, for over 30 years, served on the San Francisco Labor Council Executive board. I don't know how any human being could actually survive 30 years on the Executive Committee of our labor council, which is, shall we say, rambunctious to say the least. He was also a delegate to the San Francisco Building Trades Council.

He served on the board of directors of OPIU Local three, the Pension and Health Trust Fund, and on the Bay Area Catholic Labor Committee. He contributed throughout his entire life to San Francisco, served on the board of directors of the Angel Island Immigration Station, on the board of the Consumer Federation of California, Serenity House, San Francisco, 49 ers, Community Advancement Panel, the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureaus, and literally dozens of other organizations.

He was an elected Member of the Democratic County Central Committee in San Francisco and served on various city commissions, including our Human Rights Commission, our Public Utilities Commission, our Port Commission, the fire Commission. None of these were small San Francisco commissions. These are hard, contentious commissions. But Mike is someone who was able to handle that leadership with grace. He also served on the respiratory Care Board of California, and at the time of his death, was a Member of the California State Athletic Commission.

And I actually remember when he was about to come to the Rules Committee for confirmation and appointment to that Commission. This is someone who had done so much, so many big things in his life and then coming to the Athletic Commission, and I got a call from him on my cell phone, and he's like, hey, Scott, do you think you could put in a good word for me with the Rules Committee? And I said, Mike, I think you're going to be okay.

But I put in a good word because Mike asked me to. And that conversation actually said so much about Mike, because this is someone, again, who had done so much, who was a big, big deal, and he took nothing for granted, was not presumptuous about anything, had not a shred, not an ounce of arrogance or presumptuousness in his entire body. And that's just one of the just profoundly powerful things about Mike Hardeman.

He received countless awards from the labor council, from the convention and Visitors Bureau, from the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists and so forth. He also was an artist. He painted campaign banners for decades of San Francisco elected officials. He created sports banners for San Francisco high school sports teams, birthday signs for family birthdays. He painted a portrait of Phil Burton, the great Phil Burton, at Burton High School. I also just want to say on a personal level, for just, Mike was everywhere.

You would just see him at event after event. He never got tired of showing up for the community because he loved San Francisco so much. He was one of the kindest, most respectful people I've ever met in my life. And we know that in politics and in the world of labor, it can get really rough and tumble. And there are times when people aren't always as respectful as they need to be.

And Mike understood that you could be passionate and powerful in your advocacy while still treating other people with a basic level of respect and dignity. And he did that 24/7 he was a loving husband, father and papa or grandfather. He survived by his beloved wife, Marina, his children, Monica, Nick and Greg, his daughter in law, Katie, his grandchildren, Evan, Gracie, Damien and Alexandra, his siblings, Linda and Ron. And he's preceded in death by his parents, Olga and Vince, daughter Michelle and brother Vince. Mike, rest in peace, we love you. And I ask that the Senate adjourn in Mike Hardeman's memory.

Thank you, Senator Wiener. Next up is Pro tem Atkins. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. President. You can see it's been a difficult couple of months for the 39th Senate district. I want to start by saying thank you to the good Senator from San Francisco for setting the stage on an incredible life, that of Mike Hardeman. It is appropriate and right given that the Senator had the fortune to see Mike in real action for the last several decades in the city by the bay. So I want to thank you for that.

By the time I met Mike Hardeman, he had retired from many of those endeavors mentioned by the Senator. But I do need to say because he was very proud of this. His birthday was July 4, and he was very patriotic, and he was so proud that he was born on July 4. I got to see Mike and his wife Marina arrive to take care of and spoil just two of the grandkids, Damien and Alex.

I got to watch his daughter in law, Katie play soccer while he entertained his grandkids on the sidelines and cheered Katie on. That was the Mike Hardman I got to meet. And I got to see photos of those great original special signs after special occasions, signs painted for the kids on birthdays and other holidays, dinosaurs, unicorns and Easter bunnies, I saw a proud father and an energetic grandpa. When we learned of Mike Hardeman's passing, a shock to so many.

I then got to see the statements pour in about Mike, about his accomplishments, what he meant to some of the most successful and storied elected officials in the Bay Area, in California, and in our nation's capital, as well as many of the regular, everyday folks that he interacted with. I loved going to DC.

And when I would go and my Chief of Staff would accompany me to see Senator Feinstein or Speaker Pelosi, I would, of course, introduce Nick Hardeman and then be interrupted by powerful people to say, Hardeman, where are you from? And the next thing I knew, we would be listening to stories about Mike Hardeman from the US Senators or from the. You know. I couldn't help but reflect on the impact and legacy he left for so many through his service and in so many know.

It occurred to me he lived his best life using his interests and his passions to fuel all that he did. How many of us could hope to have this impact, our reaction in our passing? As the Senator from San Francisco said, in a world where so much can go wrong, Mike was always there, giving of himself and all his talents to make it right.

It's a quality I see embodied in his son Nick, my incredible Chief of Staff, who carries the values, the compassion and tireless work ethic that his dad passed on to know. I often think about sayings exist for a reason, a reason the fruit does not fall far from the tree comes to mind. And I thought about that as I thought about all the great statements I heard about Mike Hardeman. He was a good, hardworking man, truly one of the best.

His legacy will live through the workplaces he bettered, the workers he fought for, and the family he loved more than anything else. So again, to his wife, Marina, to the children, Monica, Nick and Greg, his grandchildren, Evan, Gracie, Damien, Alexandra, his siblings, Linda and Ron, and to the extended family, we acknowledge Mike Today and we give you our sympathies. So, colleagues, I ask you to join me and the Senator from San Francisco in recognition of San Francisco's own Mike Hardeman.

Thank you, Senator Atkins, and thank you for those wonderful words. And I think Nick Hardeman is a fine example of who his father is to all of us. I would ask you to bring the name forward so we can properly memorialize. If there's no other business. Senator Atkins, the desk is clear.

Thank you so much. Mr. President, colleagues, we had adjourned memories today, but let me turn the page and say, it is so good to see all of you back in person and to see your faces and to know that we have a year before us in which to do great things and to work together. And so with that, welcome back. Please be safe out there. Obviously, we've got a little bit weather going on, but we are fortunate that we are here. So our next floor session is scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, January 5, at 2023, at 09:00 a.m. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you, Madam Pro Chairman. The Senate will be in recess until 330, at which time the adjournment motion will be made. We will reconvene Thursday at January 5 at 09:00 a.m. Thank.