Assembly Floor

The Assembly is now in session. Assembly Member Ortega notices the absence of a quorum. Sergeant at Arms will prepare the chamber and bring in the absent Members. The Clerk will call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Members, a quorum is present. We ask our guests and our visitors in the rear of the chamber and in the gallery to please stand for the prayer and the pledge. Today's prayer will be offered by our Assembly Chaplain. Imam Yasir Khan. Imam Yasir

In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful, our gracious god, we come today with thanks and gratitude for your presence, with thanks for this beautiful land we call home and with thanks for your guidance as we seek to serve our fellow Californians. We ask your blessings for all those who choose to take up the difficult task of governing. Not only those who are elected, but also those who serve as staffers, interns and volunteers. Strengthen all of us and help us to show forth the fruits of your spirit of love, joy, peace and generosity as we go about our work. Grant us a spirit of compassion and cooperation. Amen.

We ask that you remain standing and join us in the flag. Salute. Please join as Assembly Member Vince Fong, as he leads us in the nation's pledge.

Please join me in the pledge. Salute. Pledge. I pledge allegiance to the Uniter States of America and to the Republic for which...

Thank you. You may be seated. Reading of the previous day's Journal.

Assembly Chamber Sacramento Wednesday, May 17, 2023.

Ms. Reyes moves, Mr. Flora, seconds the reading of the previous day's journal be dispensed with presentations and petitions. There are none. Introductions and references of bills will be deferred. Reports of committees will be deemed read and amendments deemed adopted. Messages from the Governor.

There are none. Messages from the Senate? There are none. Moving to our motions and resolutions, the absence for the day for illness. Assembly Member Wilson. And Mr. Hart, you're recognized at majority leader's desk for your procedural motion.

Thank you. Mr. Chair, I request unanimous consent to rescind the action whereby, on June 22, 2023, SB 639 limon was read a third time passed and sent to the Senate. Please order the Bill back to the third reading file

Without objections. That shall be the order.

Pursuant to Assembly Rule 96, I request unanimous consent to rerefer the following bills to committee SB 88 Skinner from the Education Committee to the Public Safety Committee and then back to the Education Committee. SB 145 Newman from the Budget committee to Transportation committee. SB 146. Gonzalez. From Budget Committee to Transportation Committee.

SB 147 Ashby. From budget committee to water parks and wildlife committee. SB 150, Durazo from Budget Committee to Transportation Committee. SB 420, Becker from the Utilities and Energy Committee to the Natural Resources Committee and then back to the Utilities and Energy Committee.

SB 549. Newman from the Education Committee to the Judiciary Committee and the Governmental Organization Committee and SB 722 Ochoa Bogh from the Judiciary Committee to the Appropriations Committee.

Without objections, that shall be the order.

I also request unanimous consent to suspend Joint Rule 62 A, the final notice requirement to allow the following committees to meet Transportation Committee to meet Thursday, June 29 at 10:00 A.m. In swing space, room 1100 to hear SB 145, Newman, SB 146, Gonzalez, and SB 150, Durazo, and Water Parks and Wildlife Committee to meet Thursday, June 29, at a time to be determined in room 444 to hear SB 147 Ashby

Without objection, such shall be the order.

At the request of the author, I request unanimous consent to withdraw AB 1752 Committee on Agriculture from enrollment, rescind the action whereby on June 26, 2023, the Bill was sent to enrollment and then returned the Bill to the Senate for further action.

Without objection, such shall be the order. Moving to our business on the Daily File, there is no second reading. We will move on to third reading. And, Mr. Hart, you're recognizing the majority of your desk. Nothing further? Thank you.

Senate Bill 114 by the Committee on Budget and Accolade and Education Finance and making appropriation efforts take effect immediately Bill related to the budget.

Senator Ting, you may open on the Bill.

Thank you Members, we are going in a little bit out of order. We're starting with our trailer bills first, and then we'll be taking up the main budget package when they start coming back from the Senate. This is SB 114, which is our K through Twelve Education trailer Bill.

This is a great trailer Bill for education. It acknowledges an 8% COLA increase through for K through twelve education. And just to set it in perspective, Prop 98 will now be $108,000,000,000 going into this next year's budget.

Contrast that to the year before I started here. It was $53 billion in fiscal year 1213. So we've seen a doubling of money toward education, which again is our largest priority in the state's budget.

In addition, there are other surplus items. $1 billion for loaning recovery, emergency grants. Also, we have authorizing a new ongoing 300 million for our LCFF equity multiplier thanks to our colleague from San Diego.

Also, $2 billion in additional General Fund support for school facilities, and $3.5 million to address opioid overdoses in the middle and middle and high schools. With that respect for us, for, aye vote on SB 114.

Thank you, Mr. Ting. Mr. Vince Fong, you're recognized on the Bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of SB 114. California's K through twelve system has endured a trying few years coming out of COVID now facing increasing mental health issues in our children and the tragic challenges from fentanyl.

All while teachers continue to pursue their passion to educate, to get more teachers into the classroom. This Bill helps ease licensing and debt burdens that are constant barriers to such a needed profession. Keeping our children safe from the dangers of fentanyl is an absolute necessity.

And while more work still needs to be done, this Bill is necessary. There are concerns about the impact of provisions on charter schools. We need to address that.

We need to support them, not work against them. Though I do urge and aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Vong. Seeing no other Members wishing to address this Bill, if nothing further, Mr. Ting, we will go ahead and open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote.

All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close roll.

Tally the votes. Eyes 56, no zero. The bill's passed.

Next, file item 35, SB 115. The Clerk will read

Senate Bill 115 by the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review and Accolade in Education Finance and making an appropriation effort to take effect immediately be able to the budget.

Senator Ting, you may open on the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. SB 115 implements the voter-approved Art and Music in Schools Act that we pass Prop 28 with $933,000,000 in general fund. The bill contained a number of cleanup items. Respectfully ask for your aye vote on SB 115.

Thank you, Mr. Ting, and Mr. Vince Fong, you're recognized on the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of SB 115. Enriching the lives and education of students with arts and music was at the heart of Prop 28 and this bill will implement this initiative. This program will expose arts and music to children of disadvantaged backgrounds who otherwise would not be given the opportunity if not for this investment. I urge and aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Fong. Seeing no other members wishing to speak on this bill, Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close roll tally votes. Ayes 63, noes zero. The bills pass without objection. We will transmit SB 114 and SB 115 to the Senate immediately. Next, file item 37. This is SB 117.

The Clerk will read.

Senate Bill 117 by the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review. An act relating to postsecondary education, and making an appropriation therefor, to take effect immediately, bill related to the budget.

And Senator Ting, you may open on the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. SB 117 is our higher education trailer bill. Let me just first thank our Sub Two chair for really his leadership around the California Student Housing Revolving Loan Fund, which will provide a zero-interest loan to qualifying UC, CSU, and community colleges to construct affordable student and faculty staff housing. This bill appropriates 200 million in 23 24 and calls for another $1.2 billion of investment towards student housing through 28 29. In addition, the bill also approves eleven new student housing projects that will be supported through bond funds. The bill authorizes $713,000,000 in state bonds and provides $164,000,000 ongoing to support the UC, CSU, community colleges housing projects. In addition, the bill also creates a fund to support the expansion of community college nursing programs using $60 million annually from 24 25 through 29 30. Respectfully ask for aye vote on SB 117.

Thank you, Mr. Ting. And then Senator Vince Fong, you're recognized on the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of SB 117. From expanding affordable living options on campus to helping address the nursing shortage, this bill helps students. It gives former foster youth an even playing field to give them additional opportunities and pathways to success. I urge and aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Fong, and Assemblymember McCarty, you're recognized on the bill.

Thank you. I know this is a bipartisan support. I just want to add one more thing that we can go and talk about this in our districts. We know we have a housing crisis in California. We also know we have a difficult time for people to attend college. And higher education really is a ticket to the middle class and fulfill the jobs of today and tomorrow.

So across California, this will help students afford the opportunity to go to college. But lastly, as we saw in my colleague from Berkeley's District, the University of California, Berkeley, rescinded admits to go to the University of California because there wasn't enough college dorms. So in San Diego, in LA, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, especially UCs, but also some CSUs, this is key to expanding access for Californians to go to college. So helping address our housing shortage, helping expand college opportunity, and also to create jobs in California. This is a win, win, win. Expands on our bill from two years ago. Thank you and respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. McCarty. Seeing no other members wishing to speak on this bill, if nothing further, Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll, tally the votes. Ayes 68, noes zero. The bills pass. Without objection, immediate transmittal to the Senate. Next file, item 42.

This is SB 122. The Clerk will read.

Senate Bill 122 by the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review an act relating to Public Resources and making an appropriation, therefore, to take effect immediately Bill related to the budget. And

Mr. Ting, you may open on the Bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. SB 122 is our Resources trailer. Bill There are a number of items in here, including an extension for the time that water districts can seek funds for unpaid water bills from June 15, 2021 to December 31, 2022. And this will allow them to fully allocate the billion dollars we've already set aside. It also increases fees for dam safety. Allows the water board to set fees for reviewing recycled water projects.

Provides streamlined permitting for diverting floodwater to groundwater recharge. Grants a limited sequel exemption for Colorado River Water Conservation Agreements that were made with the federal government and other states and also protects the western Joshua Tree while striking a delicate balance between housing and renewable energy development and conservation funding and species protection. Respectfully ask for aye vote on SB 122.

Thank you. Mr. Ting, Assembly Member, Vince Fong, you're recognized on the Bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I unfortunately rise in opposition to SB 122. Our natural resources are absolutely precious and we need to do more to capture floodwaters that we've been blessed with.

But much of that time and water has already passed us by. California has missed so many opportunities, and there needs to be more investments in conveyance and above ground water source to save as much water for future use. Members, we could be in a drought next year if we do not get the water and rain that Mother Nature normally blesses us with.

I may sound like a record on repeat, but it is a travesty that not one additional dollar could be found in a budget of over $300 billion for above ground water storage, also in Central and Southern California. This Bill would have massive costs and burdensome impacts to housing and economic development due to the provisions associated with the Joshua Tree protections and the boundary expansion into urban areas with literally no presence of Joshua trees. This Bill raises costs and is highly problematic as the state combats a housing shortage and affordability crisis. Impeding growth and economic development does more harm than good. Members, I urge a no vote.

Thank you, mr. Fong and Assembly Member Lackey, you're recognized on the Bill. Well,

thank you. I'm actually very, very proud to stand as a proxy voice for those who live in the desert and feel deserted by such hurtful policy. There's never been a Bill that's more impactful to my desert community than this one in my entire assignment here to the state Capitol.

This is nasty. I stand in vehement opposition to the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act, which would permanently affect the development in my desert community, where many find the last vestige of affordable housing. While I appreciate that there's been a movement to include multifamily developments, my community dreams of commercial development.

Further, the definition of a Joshua Tree will include sprouts from a tree, and that will make development very expensive. Under this fee structure, even small projects are going to be costly for my constituents, who live amongst a plethora of these shrubs masquerading as a tree. It's not a tree, believe it or not, it is a shrubbery.

Development under this process laid out in this language would be limited to those with economic resources, which would change the culture cultivated within my communities. Rural communities are forgotten in this institution. You can smile all you want, everybody, but it ain't funny to us, the county of San Bernardino consistently found themselves left out of discussions that would mold how our future looks.

It's wrong to leave out representatives from this monumental discussion as they try to plan for a prosperous future. The Joshua tree is iconic. This is wholly unnecessary, given the data that illustrates that this species is not at risk in the next 100 years.

These are your scientists, folks. We do believe in climate change in the desert, but we don't believe that the Joshua Tree is at risk for at least 100 years. So why are we doing this now? This will surely worsen the state's ability to grapple with its housing shortage by depressing the development and frustrate the community's ability to meet regional housing goals set forth by this body.

This proposal, like so many we have seen before, fails to implement the vision that our community has for their future. I find it very interesting that people have taken such strong interest in this tree that many of them have never even seen live. I was raised in the Mojave Desert, very proud of that fact, and I've lived there for over 50 years.

I haven't seen the diminishing impact or the reduction in Joshua Trees in that 50 years. Ladies and gentlemen, this is not right that we are actually creating an impediment for a very starving part of our culture. I know that many of you, very few of you, live in the desert, but hopefully you will not just dismiss us as the desert.

And the Joshua Tree, as crazy as it sounds, is something that we're very, very proud of. But please don't use it as an excuse to make us pay more money to this body. Please. Please. And I know, folks, this is my 9th year here, so I know a trailer Bill is never going to fail. I know this.

So I speak these words just to try to get you to think. And if you have a heart for the desert, maybe you'll think about you don't have to push the red, just don't weigh in. So anyways, this is a very serious thing, folks. It's a very, very serious thing to those of us who live in the desert. And I hope you'll consider that before you push the green button. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Lackey and Assembly Member Juan Carrillo. You're recognized on the Bill.

Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker and colleagues. I rise today to address a matter of utmost importance for the district. I probably represent Assembly District 39 as it will shape the future trajectory of my district.

This Bill is not just about preservation of a remarkable species. It is a testament to the ability to strike a delicate balance between safeguarding our natural heritage and providing a pathway for the much needed economic development that our district yearns for. The Western Joshua Tree embodies the spirit and beauty of our high desert and its preservation is crucial to maintaining the unique character and ecological integrity of our region.

It acknowledges the pressing need for housing, infrastructure, transportation and other vital elements of economic growth that our community desperately requires. By carefully preserving the Joshua Tree, we create an environment where future development can coexist harmoniously with our natural surroundings. However, as we move forward, it is crucial to exercise it watchful, aye and diligent oversight over the implementation of this legislation.

I express my sincere concerns regarding the actual execution of the permit process as it is essential that the Department can meet the demands and expectations of the permits. Requested delays in granting permits, translating into precious time, lost, squander financial resources and missed opportunities for the progress and prosperity of my district. I will be closely monitoring the implementation of the permit process to ensure that it operates efficiently and expeditiously.

We must be vigilant in holding the Department accountable so that we can minimize the delays and maximize the potential for economic growth in our district. The Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act represents a commitment to preserving our national heritage while embracing the economic opportunities that lie before us. By striking this balance, we can forge a path where economic development and environmental preservation are not mutually exclusive, but instead complement and uplift one another.

I recognize the delicate balance that must be struck between conservation and progress. The Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act represents a commitment to preserving our natural heritage while embracing the economic opportunities that lie before us. Knowing that it will shape the future of my district for generations to come, let us ensure that the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act becomes a shining example of responsible legislation fostering both the protection of our natural wonders and the realization of the economic potentials that our districts richly deserve.

And as personal experience, I will tell you that local jurisdictions have made efforts for decades to preserve that Joshua Tree. I believe that that language in the Bill where local jurisdictions will have the potential ability to continue to preserve the Joshua Tree is a valid point in the Bill. But I want to make sure that those delegations to the local jurisdictions through the Department actually become available, because those local jurisdictions recognize the beauty of the Joshua Tree, the natural beauty of the high desert, and they know how to preserve it because they've been doing it for decades.

I will be supporting the Bill, but I look forward conversations in the near future to ensure again that we in the high desert have a level play field in bringing economic development and prosperity for the high desert that needs desperately those opportunities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Carrillo and Assembly Woman Davies, you're recognized on the Bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in unfortunate opposition to SB 122. I want to acknowledge the work put into this Trailer Bill, but it's missing some key things, chief among them, new and increased funding for coastal and sand erosion programs.

I represent both Orange County and San Diego County, and I can tell you firsthand, our beaches are crumbling. Our coastal bluffs are near their breaking point. I understand we are facing a budget deficit, but to preserve and protect our coastal communities and environment, we need massive amount of funding to help us. Tourism is a lifeblood of my district, and without dedicating funding, not only my area, but our state is whole. Again. For this reason, I cannot support SB 122.

And I want to make it real clear because I get this a lot where I'm voting as a Member, aye vote for this entire state, every one of your districts. So please keep that in mind that this may not be your district, but there are a lot of Members on this floor that have coastal districts. And this is definitely affecting our economy right now. And so when you do vote, think about that, because if you vote to support this, you are voting against many districts here to be able to make sure that they can deal with the economic concerns. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Davies and the Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan and you're recognized on the Bill.

Thank you Mr. Speaker and Members, I rise briefly to address some of the comments from our colleague from Palmdale, although I see it's very confusing that we have two colleagues from Palmdale. Don't know how we're supposed to refer to them. But when I was, Mr. Mayes approached me about a year ago to discuss the Joshua Tree issue, as chair of Water Parks and Wildlife, I started to learn a lot about it. And it didn't come to me as committee chair.

Out of the blue, environmentalists had come to the commission and asked for it to be listed as an endangered species. Those folks who wanted to continue to develop the high desert to build the housing their communities so desperately need. Those communities who are stepping up to solve our clean energy needs to build the large scale solar that each and every one of us who values our climate future once built, were fearful that having to treat this species under the Endangered Species Act would stop all of that building.

And they wanted to work with us because they understood what we heard from our colleague from Palmdale, that they valued this iconic tree, this species that is one of a kind. And I know more about the Joshua Tree than I ever thought I would. Ask me about the moth sometime.

And so what we did in this work was we did one thing that I think is really important and I want acknowledged here. This House said a deal had been struck with outside interests and the Governor, one that didn't acknowledge the needs of the counties who weren't at the table. And we said, we deserve to be at the table.

The policy interests of this body and the people we represent deserve to be put into this legislation. So we introduced a policy Bill, which now is sitting in the Senate, and we started those discussions, and we brought the counties to the table for the first time. We widened the table as it related to the environmentalists, and we had a deep conversation about how we could protect this iconic tree, protect this species, continue to allow the growth and building we needed in the high desert.

And lastly, do something that I know many of you in this body care deeply about, which was protect the integrity of the Endangered Species Act itself, which was something that this House stood firm on. And we ensured that the proposal that is before you today holds tight that Endangered Species Act to protect our species as climate change continues and those species become more threatened. It wasn't easy.

It wasn't fast. But we got to the proposal before you today, and you heard from our colleague in Palmdale. And I appreciate everyone keeps calling it a delicate balance, but what I think really is the right balance for the species, for policy, and for the future of our state and the development that needs to happen. And with that, I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you. Ms. Bauer-Kahan Seeing no other Members wishing to address the Bill, Mr. Ting, anything further to close? Very well. Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote, Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes 54, noes 15. Bill is passed without objection. Immediate transmittal to the Senate.

Next, this is file item 43, SB 123. Clerk will read.

Senate Bill 123 by the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review. An act relating to energy, and making an appropriation therefor, to take effect immediately, bill related to the budget.

Assemblymember Ting, you may open on the bill.

Thank you. SB 123 is our first energy omnibus trailer bill. It allows tap credit card reader readers at EV charging stations, limiting the CPUC self-generation incentive program s-chip to only low-income Californians. It provides energy commission Members a 15% raise over three years, similar to what we did for the CPUC, and also allows DWR to reimburse utilities for buying energy imports for summer if needed. Respectfully ask for aye vote on SB 123.

Thank you. Mr. Ting. Assemblymember Vince Fong, you're recognized on the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I rise in opposition to SB 123. This bill inserts the state more into the energy market and if we allow the Department of Water Resources to act as the central energy procurer, we can absolutely expect more disruptions, higher rates, and a more volatile energy supply. Facing multiyear deficits, this is one of the unnecessary proposals growing the size of government and puts the state's already strained energy supply at even greater risk. I urge a no vote.

Thank you, Mr. Fong. Seeing no other members wishing to address this bill, Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close roll, tally the votes. Ayes 54, noes 15.

The bills pass. Without objection, we'll have immediate transmittal to the Senate. Next, we will be taking up SB 125, file item 44. Before we do, I understand there are amendments at the desk and we'll ask the Clerk to read the amendments.

Senate Bill 125 with amendments by Assemblymember Davies.

Ms. Davies, you may open on the amendments.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Today, ahead of the holiday weekend, where family and friends are planning on traveling to see each other and celebrate America's birthday, we have a chance to save hardworking Californians' money. This amendment will stop the state's gas tax from going up 8%, allowing California families to keep more money in their wallets instead of spending it at the gas pump.

I'm standing here calling on you, my colleagues here on the Assembly floor, to vote for this common sense approach to give Californians a break from being taxed to death. A record-breaking number of over 50 million Americans are expected to travel 4th July. Stopping the gas tax increase would be a simple way to make travel more affordable as many continue to struggle to get by. As California becomes less and less affordable, people are leaving our state.

The Los Angeles Times just cited a survey that 46% of Californians are unhappy with the daily costs associated with living in our state. Let's take this week ahead of Independence Day, a day where we celebrate our freedom and kick off America's birthday by stopping a tax increase that is going to cost Californians over $60 million. Let's stop the annual gas tax increase that would take effect July 1 and give families a chance to see each other and celebrate America's birthday without breaking the bank.

Thank you, Ms. Davies. Majority Leader Reyes, you're recognized.

I move to lay the amendments on the table.

Motion to lay the amendments on the table. Second by Mr. Gipson. This is not debatable. Clerk will open the roll. Majority Leader is asking for an aye vote. Ms. Davies is asking for a no vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Motion to lay on the table.

Clerk will close the roll, tally the votes. Ayes 49, noes 17. Motion passes. Amendments are laid on the table. Back to the bill. This is file item 44, SB 125. Clerk will read.

Senate Bill 125 by the Senate Committee on Budget and the Fiscal Review. An act relating to transportation, and making an appropriation therefor, to take effect immediately, bill related to the budget.

Assemblymember Ting, you may open on the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. SB 125 is our transportation trailer bill, the contents of which primarily are around the accountability metrics, around the $5.1 billion for our public transportation operators. In particular, the bill requires short-term and long-term financial plans for regional planning agencies in order to turn the funding from capital into operations.

In addition, the short-term financial plan focuses on how the agency will become more rider-focused and also how they will increase ridership as well as mitigate service cuts and fare increases. In addition, there have to be fleet and asset management plans, service plans, expenditures on safety. We want to make sure that all the operators are more focused on cleanliness, on safety, as well as making the rider experience better. In addition, the long term financial plan has to focus on ridership retention as well as ridership increase. And then lastly, the accountability metrics are there to make sure that there's a priority for those Californians who are dependent on transit. Those who hell or high water have to ride transit no matter what. So making sure that those customers are also taken care of. With that, respectfully ask for your aye vote on SB 125.

Thank you, Mr. Ting. Assemblymember Vince Vong, you're recognized on the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I rise in opposition to SB 125. While I acknowledge the need to help transit operations in our state, there are serious questions on how transit agencies plan to recoup ridership or solve the structural issues that have led to a precipitous decline in ridership, a decline that existed before the pandemic but has accelerated since then. Billions and billions and billions of dollars in a transit bailout without more accountability measures will only perpetuate a broken and unsustainable status quo. Members, I'm afraid we will be back here again on this very floor, debating the same issues, asking for more money to go into transit that cannot be sustained. I urge a no vote.

Thank you, Mr. Fong. Assemblymember Gallagher, you're recognized on the bill.

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker and members. This is extremely irresponsible bill for us to go forward and bail out mass transit without demanding real reforms, without demanding real accountability. And that's not just me saying it, it's the Senator from the Bay Area that's saying that. This is not real reform. Mass transit has become mass transient. It's not safe to ride mass transit. That's why so many people are avoiding going on mass transit, because we do not enforce, we do not provide for that safety for people that are riding these systems. Meanwhile, we do have examples of fraud going on in the system that hasn't been addressed. So for me to sit here and have all the California taxpayers bail out these mass transit systems without having real accountability is wrong.

It's wrong that this also relies on toll fees that are going to be increased, not on the people that live in those cities, but on the outlying areas. People in the North Bay, people in my district that maybe commute down to the Bay Area instead of the people who are who are riding mass transit in these areas. Now, nobody's against mass transit, but this needs to be gotten right.

We can't continue to bail out systems that are failing, that can't recoup their costs. How long are we going to continue to do this? And all this while you're making all the California taxpayers pay for this at the end of the day, and all this while, you won't even stop the gas tax increase that everybody's got to pay. You won't even delay that, the increase in that. Have you filled up your cars lately when you drive? It's well over $4 a gallon. People are struggling, and there's not one thing in this budget that actually lowers their costs. In fact, we're raising their costs with the energy trailer bill that we just passed. We're raising their costs. Utility costs going up, gas prices going up. But we're going to use your taxpayer dollars to bail out mass transit. That's not working for anybody right now. It's wrong. And we could do something about it right now by not voting for this bill and stopping this in its tracks right now. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Gallagher. Seeing no other members wishing to speak on this bill, is there anything further to close?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. SB 125, I think our minority leader is mistaken. There is nothing in here around toll increases. That's a separate bill that's being proposed in the Senate. What this is is this is about making sure that we are saving our environment. Transportation is 40% of our greenhouse gas emissions. We cannot get to Clark climate change goals without public transit. Public transit is absolutely a huge part of that solution. In terms of accountability metrics, absolutely. We want to make sure that these agencies are financially viable.

We've invested billions and billions of dollars all around the state in buses, in rail, in trains, in vehicles, in making sure that we have more active transportation. We cannot let those investments go to waste. We have to do everything possible to help our agencies get through this bubble now. The status quo is not good enough. I completely agree with many of the comments from my colleagues from Bakersfield and Nicolaus. The status quo is absolutely not good enough. There has to be more cleanliness. There has to be more safety. There has to be more rider focus.

But guess what? If someone needs a ride, you don't leave them on the side of the road. You help them get to where they're going. And for so many folks who are relying on transit to get to work, to get to school, just to get through their everyday lives, we cannot strand them. These are some of our most vulnerable Californians who rely on the bus, who rely on our train system. While many of us could be very fortunate and are able to own cars in this body, millions of Californians are not. So we need to make sure that we're not leaving them stranded so they can get to work and get to school and go about their daily lives. With that, I respectfully ask your aye vote on SB 125.

Thank you, Mr. Ting. The Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close roll, tally the votes. Ayes 57, noes 17. The bills pass. Without objection, immediate transmittal to the Senate. Next, this is file item 48, SB 131.

The Clerk will read.

The Senate Bill 131 by the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, an act relating to taxation and making an appropriation therefore to take effect immediately. Bill relates to the budget.

Assembly Member Ting, you may open on the bill.

Thank you. SB 131 is our revenue trailer bill. It amends the new employment tax credit to include industries including electric airplane manufacturing, lithium production, lithium battery manufacturing and semiconductor manufacturing, research and development.

It also excludes from gross income any settlements associated with the 2019 Kincade Fire and the 2020 Zogg Fire. It also removes a tax avoidance strategy. Individuals can transfer highly appreciated assets to an out-of-state trust while retaining some critical control of the assets to avoid taxes. With that, I respectfully ask for your aye vote on SB 131.

Thank you, Mr. Ting. Assembly Member Vince Fong, you are recognized on the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to SB 131. While I acknowledge the Chair for committing to assisting wildfire victims, I cannot support a bill that increases taxes on more Californians.

Despite the Governor touting that his budget did not include any tax increases during his travels to Florida to attract national headlines, this trailer bill would increase taxes on incomplete, non grantor trusts. Californians who planned for their future over the past few months, back into the previous years, and now face higher taxes and more uncertainty. Californians are still among the most taxed Americans. They could use a break. I urge a no vote.

Thank you, Mr. Fong. And seeing no other Members wishing to speak on this bill, the Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes: 55, noes: 13. The bill is passed. Without objection, immediate transmittal to the Senate. Next.

Next, file item 49, SB 132. The Clerk will read.

Senate Bill 132 by the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review. An act relating to the motion picture and television industry, and making an appropriation therefor, to take effect immediately, bill related to the budget.

Assemblymember Ting, you may open on the bill.

Thank you. SB 132 is our film tax credit. Let me first start off by thanking our budget subchair from Los Angeles for really leading the effort on this tax credit. This is a fourth version of this tax credit. It will take effect from 2025 to 2030, be $330,000,000 a year. And we'll actually make sure that we keep this critical industry. It's the major industry in Southern California. Here in California. It also expands the Career Pathways Training Program, so there's a pathway to increasing the diversity of this particular program.

In addition, it also increases staffing at the California Film Commission to include two positions. It also expands the California Film Commission board in particular. It also adds a set safety provision as a pilot for the program of the Film Tax Credit 4.0.

But again, ultimately, this is a very critical tax credit for very hardworking people all over the Southern California and all over California to make sure that the film industry stays here, that grew here, stays here, and continues here. With that respect for your ayes for aye vote on SB 132.

Thank you, Mr. Ting. Assembly Member, Vince Fong, you're recognized on the Bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we acknowledge that we as a country compete against other countries, we also must acknowledge that we compete against other states. And keeping major industries in California is important.

So I will support this measure. Though, while we focus on trying to keep California competitive, I would be remiss not to mention the fact that it is unfortunate that there hasn't been the same amount of focus on providing tax credits for manufacturing and recruiting and supporting other essential industries that we need in California. Instead, other states are enticing California businesses away from us with their tax incentives.

And we must look at also the policies being passed in this body that are increasing the cost of doing business in our state. So while I do urge and aye vote, I'm frustrated that we aren't looking broadly at making California more competitive.

Thank you, Mr. Fong. Assemblywoman McKinnor, you're recognized on the Bill. Mr.

Speaker, Chair and Members, I rise in support of SB 132 Members. California doesn't have to choose between retaining and growing jobs in the film and television industry and increasing the diversity of its workplace. It can do both. I'm a Hollywood kid. I grew up on film and television sets that both of my parents worked on. I graduated from Hollywood High School.

I even got to dance on Soul Train. Seriously. I know firsthand the importance of the film and television industry to Los Angeles and our state's economy. Which is why I have been working hard this year on developing a new film tax credit that will keep California's working. In this Golden State industry while also taking steps to ensure that studios who benefit from tax credit also prioritize the hiring of individuals behind the camera. That looks like California.

The current California Film Tax Credit proposal builds upon previous work to solidify California as the entertainment capital of the world, but does not currently include requirements to increase the diversity of its below line hiring. This proposal only requires good faith efforts. Frankly, that's not good enough.

While I will support this Bill today, we should all expect more from any industry that's receiving a $330,000,000 subsidy from California taxpayers. It is reasonable and appropriate to require clear and measurable metrics to ensure that all Californians are able to participate in Hollywood's creative economy and include pathways for a new generation of diverse workers to build a career in television streaming and film. California's film and television industry should embrace this.

At a moment when California can double down on its long term commitment to the creative arts industry, the industry must also double down on its commitment to real diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. Studios should embrace working with our high schools, community colleges and universities to identify and encourage new and diverse talent behind the camera. Studios should embrace working with their union partners to increase paid internship and paid apprenticeships that will lead to middle class careers.

Studios should take and demonstrate actions necessary to show taxpayers that they are committed to a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce as they are about the profits, their next big blockbuster or award winning series. It is a false choice for anyone to say that California has to choose between retaining and growing jobs in the film and television industry and increasing the diversity of its workforce. Members, I can and must. Members, we can and must do both. But today, I will vote aye on this this Bill. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.. McKinnor. And Assembly Zbur, you're recognized on the Bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I rise in strong support of SB 132 as the Assembly Member representing AD 51 with a number of the major studios header quartered in my district, as well as much of the state's post production capability and facilities, and countless workers and families who depend on this industry for a living. I rise in support of the SB 132 which cements California's leadership in the film industry.

This Bill is important not only to my district, but to all of Southern California and California. The film industry is synonymous with the California Dream and its importance to our economic vitality cannot be overstated. I want to thank our budget subchair from Los Angeles, as well as Members from Inglewood and the San Fernando Valley and many other in the LA delegation for working so hard to improve this Bill.

SB 132 advances our commitment to production, diversity and inclusion and safety, addresses runaway productions, and keeps production here in our state, and makes California more competitive by adding a refundable option. It's really important as Georgia and New York and even New Mexico have been adopting these tax credits to lure these productions away from California, that we adopt this today. By some estimates, nearly one in 50 Californians work in the entertainment industry or a supporting field. We cannot afford to lose these good paying, often union jobs to other states. I respectfully urge your support. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zbur and Assemblywoman Quirk Silva, you're recognized on the Bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. I rise today as chair of the Arts, Entertainment, Sports and Tourism Committee to support this Bill. First, I want to thank our budget subchair from Los Angeles for her hard work on this effort.

It has not been easy and she worked gracefully through this process. As Chair, I'm acutely aware of the importance of promoting arts and entertainment in California, and how this vital industry serves as an important driver of the state's economic and cultural engine. This extends California's film and television tax credit program, maintaining stable funding at $330,000,000 per year, and cementing California's leadership in the film industry.

The program generates significant economic activity, with over 21.8 billion in economic output, supporting 110,000 jobs, and having contributed 961,000,000 in state local tax revenues from 2015 to 2020. It expands the requirement for filming or production spending in California to include a 75% of post production work, ensuring more opportunities for in state talent and businesses. California has a diverse tapestry of cultures and demographics, but unfortunately, diversity in the production industry industry has previously not matched our state's commitment to ensuring a diverse and equitable industry available to all.

This Bill presents a critical opportunity to address this disparity. It addresses the issue of production diversity by doubling the contribution to the State's Career Pathway program and withholding credits from productions that fail to file a diversity work plan. Further, it adds a dedicated Member to the California Film Commission Board with expertise in diversity, equity and inclusion, further emphasizing the commitment to promoting diversity in the industry.

This Bill also prioritizes production safety by mandating the hiring of safety Advisories, conducting risk assessments, and implementing firearms training for all California film productions. It counters competitions from other states and countries by introducing a refundable credit option, allowing producers to realize the value of their investment and for us to remain competitive. The Bill supports the growth of California's entertainment industry by attracting TV series that relocate to the state, creating thousands of union jobs, and generating billions of dollars in economic output.

Friends, we want people to come to California, stay in California, and film in California. With that, I ask for your aye vote on SB 132.

Thank you, Ms. Quirk-Silva, and Assemblywoman Friedman, you're recognized on the Bill.

Thank you, Mr. Chair and Members. I rise Today in very strong support of SB 132. I represent in my district, DreamWorks, Warner Brothers, Disney, part of Universal and many ancillary companies that are there to service studios and studio work. Now, when the diversity issues in this Bill were being debated and were being worked on over the past couple of months, I have to say that I was worried that this program could be threatened by those talks.

But I want to thank today all of those who brought those very serious issues and concerns forward, and particularly the subchair who negotiated a lot of this agreement along with our arts chair, because they took a program that was a good program and made it a much better program. That will help to foster the inclusivity that we need in our state the employment and the benefits that this industry conveys. Now, I moved to Los Angeles in 1993 when I got a job at Paramount Pictures.

I worked for over 20 years as a studio executive in the industry. I was there. And I remember when my company first started to send productions to Canada because of tax credits.

I remember doing the math with our company because even though the film industry may look very lucrative from the outside, a lot of times the financial decisions are very tenuous and the risk that productions take are very, very high. So any amount of money that can be saved by productions, they will take. And we were sending ten films a year to Canada to take advantage of their film tax credit program.

So what did that mean for my neighbors and my friends? What that meant was that many of them didn't have work that year, or as much work. Or it meant that some people, if they were lucky, were offered the chance to relocate for many months, sometimes for a year, away from their family, away from their friends, away from their children, just to be able to continue earning a living. When we started the film tax credit program here in California, there was a noticeable difference in my neighborhood, a noticeable difference in my district with people who are struggling now back to work.

People who are complaining that they had to choose between going to their child's graduation and helping with homework or staying home with their family, now able to do what they had always dreamed of doing for a living, but do it right here in California or right in Los Angeles. And the tourism and the activity in our community and all of the businesses that thrive on entertainment, the craft services businesses, the prop houses, all of those were back at work. And LA.

And other parts of our country that are filming destinations were buzzing. We saw for the first time in many years the expansion of our film lots with construction happening at Universal, at Warner Bros. As they added soundstages to deal with the amount of production that was now staying in Los Angeles and the benefits of that economically cannot be overstated.

Members, the film industry is one of our absolute signature industries. But don't assume that it will always stay in California because states like North Carolina, Florida, New York City are eager to take that business from us. So I'm absolutely supportive of this Bill today.

Thankful for everybody who made those negotiations possible, who made this a better Bill. Thankful for the partnership between business, the studios and labor and organized labor to do what's best for our communities and our workers. Please vote aye today. Thank you.

Thank you. Ms. Friedman and Assembly Member Gallagher, you're recognized on the Bill.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker, Members, I just have a real hard time with this Bill. I appreciate the film industry. This is a California grown industry and there are many great industries in this state and certainly we want to keep those jobs in California. So I understand that argument. But you want to talk about people that are really having a hard time everyday. Californians are struggling and we're not giving them a tax credit. We're not cutting their costs.

We're doing things here today that's just going to raise their costs. Their utility bills just keep going up. Why is it hard for people in the film industry, at least in part, it's because of the high cost of living in California. It is a high cost place to live. It's hard to make ends meet for everybody. And so look, man, I think it's really tough to be like, hey, we're going to single out one industry and give them a benefit that nobody else gets.

Somebody mentioned, my colleague from Bakersfield mentioned earlier, there's not a manufacturing tax credit in here. And we've had manufacturers who've tried to locate in California have had such a hard time locating the jobs, don't come here. And then you add to that, that we are delaying the unemployment insurance payment to the federal government.

Now, state government's not paying that. $750,000,000 worth, by the way. State government's not paying that. But you know who is paying that? Small businesses up and down the state. Who? It wasn't their fault that we had a $30 billion fraud debacle at the EDD. And what's the message to them? Hey, Hollywood, you get a tax break, you pay up.

Pay up for our failure. That's wrong. I've talked to you about our agriculture industry. That's also a very California grown industry that's going through some of the toughest times we've ever seen, low commodity prices. He asked just for some regulatory relief this year. Maybe we don't go to fully electric requirements on AG trucks. Couldn't even get that. Couldn't even get a hearing on that issue.

But if Hollywood needs something, okay, we're going to make it happen. I'm sorry, that's just frustrating. It's nothing against that industry. I appreciate it. But man, it's real hard to justify doing this when we're not doing that. For a lot of people who are struggling in California, a lot of other industries who could use this support too. At a time when we got a $40 billion deficit. I think we just got to rethink that again. I don't like this process at all.

What we've trans, what we've gone through in the last 72 hours, it's not the right way to do business. But, man, it's hard to justify. It is hard to justify this tax credit with so many of these other issues outlined and so many people struggling and we're not doing anything to cut their costs.

Thank you, Mr. Gallagher and Assemblywoman Carrillo, you're recognized on the Bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. First, let me start off by thanking our budget chair for the collaboration on this particular piece of the budget policy and the Film Tax Credit Program 4.0 as well as our speaker and all the other Members that have engaged in conversation. I would like to take a moment to justify the importance of the California Film Tax Credit Program and the impact to our economy.

The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation actually went through the 2.0 version of this program. And it is estimated that for every tax credit dollar approved under the California Filament tax credit program, at least $24.40 in output. $16.14.

In gross domestic product, $8.60 in wages and $1.07 in initial state and local tax revenues have resulted from the 2.0 program. We are now entering the 4.0 program. This is over 110,000 jobs across California, specifically impacting Los Angeles County and the city of Los Angeles.

These jobs are good union jobs. This is a trilogy negotiation in which we have worked on set safety supervision after what happened on the Rust set in a different state, ensuring that everyone feels safe while on the set. Secondly, refundability, which allows more Member companies of the Motion Picture Association to be able to benefit from this tax credit program, which ultimately results in more jobs.

And lastly, the diversity component. California is the only state in the country that has Prop 209. What is Prop 209? It ended affirmative action in the state, meaning that no employer can mandate diversity on any instance.

When we get the report from the California Film Commission, it is actually not a full, complete report because each employee that works on a production is not mandated to give any reporting on their ethnicity or gender or any other data that we can possibly collect. That is a self reporting, voluntary piece of information that is provided. So while we work on issues related to diversity, we also have the biggest challenge in the country that we cannot actually require that data to be provided, nor can we mandate that data to be provided.

So while California continues and wants to be competitive, new York announced a 700 million dollar tax credit program. Georgia has an unlimited tax credit program. New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, the list goes on of other states across the nation that want to take this key industry away from California, and ultimately the billions of dollars in economic input that it has across the state, not to mention the monumental impact that it has on small businesses across communities where production is actually done.

This is a step in the right direction. We are addressing the issues on all those three items that I mentioned, the magic trilogy that we have been able to negotiate. And ultimately, with the continued and enhanced investment in the Career Pathways program, we will see community colleges primarily in Los Angeles County, already in existence, with West LA.

College potential to increase the program at East Los Angeles College, Southwest LA College, excuse me, and Mission College, to name a few, plus an additional expansion to potentially Northern California. This is an investment in the people of the state and the economic input to our state and the importance of this industry to California and our economic impact. And with that, I respectfully request and aye vote. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. carrillo. Seeing no other Members wishing to speak on this Bill, Mr. Ting, anything further to close? Very well. Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close roll. Tally the votes. Ayes 61 noes four bills passed without objection. Immediate transmittal to the Senate. Next file.

File Item 50. This is SB 133. The Clerk will read.

Senate Bill 133 by the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, an act relating to courts, making an appropriation therefore to take effect immediately. Bill relates to the budget.

Assembly Member Ting, you may open on the bill.

Thank you. SB 133 is our courts trailer bill. It extends the sunset for remote proceedings in civil cases until January 1st, 2026, and specifies the standards for technology required, establishes the access to Justice Commission and Statute, and allows loan repayment assistance programs to be a permissible use of the Equal Access Fund, remove the sunset on expiring civil filing fees, and includes training requirements for attorneys who represent clients under Racial Justice Act claims. Respectfully ask for aye vote on SB 133.

Thank you, Mr. Ting, and Assembly Member Vince Fong, you are recognized on the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to SB 133. I am concerned this bill will stand in the way of access to justice. A new, unelected, unaccountable commission sounds familiar, will congest the Legislature with one-sided proposals, taking voices away from millions of Californians that will continue to struggle to access court services. I urge your no vote.

Thank you, Mr. Fong. Seeing no other Members wishing to speak on this bill, the Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes: 55, noes: 15. The bill's pass. Without objection, immediate transmittal to the Senate. Members, we're going to go back.

We're going to go back, and we're going to pick up bill for amendments. This is File Item 14: SB 732. For purpose of amendments, the Clerk will read.

The Senate Bill 732 with amendments by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry.

Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry, you may open on the amendments.

Good afternoon, Members. I rise to present floor amendments on SB 732 which declares the state bat as the Pallid bat. These amendments add co-authors. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Ms. Aguiar-Curry. And seeing no Members wishing to address the amendments, without objection, we'll take a voice vote on the amendments. All those in favor say aye. All those opposed say nay. The ayes have it. Amendments are adopted. Bill's out to print and back on file. And Members, I will request immediate transmittal to the Senate without objection on SB 133.

We will move forward without objection and take up without reference to file AB 102. The Clerk will read.

Thank you, Members. Mr. Ting, you may open on AB 102.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. AB 102 is our budget bill. It's back from the Senate. Again, this is a budget that is the second largest budget in state history. It has 37 billion dollars in reserve and why are reserves so critical? Is because when we want to fund our core services in education, health care, human services, that reserve is going to be there for those rainy days.

This is an eight percent increase in our COLA for--my colleague from Sacramento reminded me: TK-12. TK-12: eight percent increase in COLA and community colleges, five percent COLA increase for UC, CSU. So this is definitely a great budget for education.

In addition, we move closer to health care for all. Someday we're going to get there and this inches us along the way. It also accounts for money for the MCO tax that we're about to vote for in the General Fund because it's retroactive to April.

Absolutely critical money to help with our General Fund. In addition, we also had money there for Covered California subsidies to make sure that folks who are on Covered California using Covered California get the help they need so that they could afford health care access. With that, I respectfully ask for your aye vote on our budget bill, AB 102.

Thank you, Mr. Ting. And Assembly Member Vince Fong, you're recognized on the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me first acknowledge again my colleague from San Francisco, the Budget Chair, for his work. We may not agree on everything. We certainly have different priorities, but he certainly has my respect. I rise in opposition to AB 102. Certainly there are aspects of this budget that are worthy of consideration, but at a time of economic uncertainty, I would ask you all to look a little deeper.

Last week, I highlighted the very fact that this budget was unsustainable, made risky revenue assumptions, and was not fiscally responsible. Unfortunately, with this new agreement, the conclusion is still the same.

We as a state simply cannot afford this spending plan. Reviewing the Governor's projections on this agreement, this budget not only has deficits into the foreseeable future, the deficits are even larger and some will highlight the reserves that we have, but as mentioned before, this framework makes very risky revenue projections.

If revenues come in closer to the independent Legislative Analyst projections, and if a recession occurs, not only will the deficits be larger, they will consume most, if not all, of our reserves. This, Members, is not fiscally responsible. Let me take a moment to address what we all know is true. This chaotic budget process is broken. Closed door negotiations with no public input.

We have a proposal that has never been heard in any budget subcommittee or budget committee. Never seen the light of day until it was constitutionally required to be public. It resurrects a defunct commission that has been defunded for nearly 20 years.

It somehow gets infused with three million dollars to upend and regulate the franchise businesses in California. Small businesses in our communities, many owned by families, veterans, and people of color, these businesses will be imposed with higher costs and regulations, and no one will be forthright on how this proposal came to be. Some may argue, 'this is just politics.'

This type of backroom policymaking with no transparency is simply wrong and if the shoe was on the other foot, you would say the same thing. Just in this one bill, the Department of Water Resources will be given the authority to be the central procurer of energy, potentially disrupting the state's energy market with no guarantee that energy will be more reliable or affordable.

The result would be higher energy costs for all Californians. In just a few days, the gas tax will go up yet again because of the Governor's lack of leadership and focus. He's been trying to debate a presidential candidate instead of giving real relief to Californians.

The irony is that the Governor of Florida actually provided motorists relief at the gas pump. And for those keeping score, the price of regular gasoline in California is $4.83 versus $3.33 in Florida. I hope the Governor will investigate that.

And while the Governor wants to deflect away from rising gas prices, he is ignoring the warnings from energy experts of a potential gasoline supply challenge this summer. Domestic production in California is declining due to stalled permits, and foreign imports are at its capacity.

Refining capacity is on the decline. The end result of these decisions are higher energy prices. Instead of increasing production and securing our state's energy supply, it appears the Governor thinks the only solution is a new commission of political appointees to micromanage the energy market, and hopefully that commission will get down to the bottom of it, but I'm not holding my breath. There are even more proposals in this budget that never were vetted in Committee, and Californians are going to find out the hard way.

With higher costs, more regulations, and more state bureaucracy, hardworking Californians are going to bear the burdens from the cost imposed by this budget. All the while, there needs to be more focus on water storage, flood protection, building more roads, and improving California's supply chain. These challenges fail to get the attention it rightfully deserves. A recent poll found that 40 percent of residents want to leave our state.

30 seconds.

Let's not push them over the edge. Major businesses, hotels, retailers, insurance providers, hospitals, and small businesses are closing or refusing to do business in our state. Californians are pleading for relief from the affordability crisis gripping our state.

We have to acknowledge this reality and understand that the cause of these problems come from the policies coming from this building. Reviewing the details of this budget, you will see the cost shifts, the delays, the addition of future debt. As the state government has grown, spending has gone through the roof and is fundamentally unsustainable. And because of that, I urge a no vote.

Thank you. And, Mr. Gallagher, you are recognized on the bill.

Yeah. Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. And, look, I don't want to be a broken record, but it needs to be said. This is a very flawed process and as my colleague just pointed out, not having transparency, not have having things show up in trailer bills that haven't been debated, that haven't been vetted and probably the most egregious example is this Industrial Welfare Commission that is being put back into service with three million dollars and it's directly being done, as we know, to challenge the referendum, to leverage against the referendum which is the most direct democracy that we have in California, by the way.

So to use the process to abuse the process in that way is pretty shameless. Also, we are in this budget making San Quentin into a day spa, 380,000,000 dollars with no plan, and that's not me saying that. That's some of you saying that in Committee. This is a terrible process, but we're going along with this. Why? Because the Governor wants it, right? No audit.

Absolutely no audit for the homelessness funding that's gone out. We know it's not working. We've all said that, not just me. Democrats have been saying this, but there's no audit of this funding and we're sending billions more out to accomplish the same nonobjective. We have more homeless. We have more encampments. We need to find out what's actually working, what actually works to get people off the streets.

But that's not in here. Just more spending on the same failed systems. More money into education. Great. Record money into education. But we still have kids not reading at grade level. We still have an achievement gap that's not getting closed. So without reforms that actually would help close that achievement gap, that would actually help ensure that our kids are getting an education, more money isn't solving the problem, folks. And this process, it's horrendous.

This is not democracy. It is not democracy to say, 'hey, 72 hours in print proposals that have never been through your Committees, that we've never talked about, that the public has no ability to give real input on, and let's have a vote on it.' One of these is scheduled, what, to come up Thursday at almost 1:00 in the morning? I mean, is that the way that we're supposed to do business? And look, all these trailer bills with sweeping policy changes and this infrastructure plan, right, that comes up at the last second.

And with all that, there's no new money for water storage that we know we need just coming out of this drought. There's no streamlining for housing. That's the biggest missing piece. We just had UCSF come out and say, 'the real problem in California is you're not building enough housing.' Where's the infrastructure streamlining bill, the CEQA streamlining bill that actually helps us build more housing? It doesn't exist. Here's another issue that's on a lot of people's mind: insurance. They're getting canceled.

And a big part of that is because we're not getting on top of wildfire prevention. Where is the CEQA streamlining from this Governor to streamline the process, to do more wildfire prevention, to actually get on top of the one fundamental issue that's leading to our insurance crisis in this state? Where are those reforms? They're not there.

Some of the most fundamental things facing Californians are not in these package of bills and probably the most terrible, undemocratic process that we've seen since I've been in this Legislature and very likely in the history of this Legislature. We should reject it. I know. I mean, sometimes I guess I have to be that guy. But I think it needs to be said, and it shouldn't go without being said, but we can do something about it. As I always say, we don't have to accept this process. We are the elected Members of the Legislature, and we can demand different.

Thank you, Mr. Gallagher. And seeing no other Members wishing to speak on this bill, Mr. Ting, you may close.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First, let me also acknowledge my Vice Chair, our Vice Chair from Bakersfield, who has worked tirelessly on the budget. I'm going to get to thank yous at the very end of the presentation but really want to just appreciate him and thank him for all his hard work.

He brought up a couple of issues around fiscal prudence and going down the road. I was thinking about right before I got up here in 2012, there was a cover of The Economist, and the cover said, 'it's California Governable,' because at that point, we were facing deficits that were about 20 percent of our budget, 40 percent of our budget.

We were sending out IOUs. In the last turndown in 2008, there were no reserves. So I think I really do appreciate our colleague from Bakersfield because we have to make sure that we are constantly vigilant at making sure that we are ready for whatever this economy throws at us.

That's why there is a 37 billion dollar reserve. That's why for all of our additional spending every year, most of it, almost 80 percent of it is usually one time spending so that it can be turned off, turned on. It could be postponed. It could be put into bonds. That's absolutely why, for the last number of years, we've been doing everything possible. In the success, the proof is in the pudding.

We talked about education funding while our Minority Leader's right: money isn't everything. But, boy, talk to teachers and talk to parents and talk to your classrooms about what money does. Money hires teachers. Money hires nurses. Money hires those social workers to make sure that they're for our kids in our classrooms.

I really do appreciate the constant dialogue that we have here. I reflect upon the Member from Tennessee who came to visit us a couple of months ago after he was expelled for just exercising his elected duty. And in this body, that's not what we do.

We have debate, we talk about issues, and I really do appreciate all the issues that we agree on and what we disagree on. And frankly, while there's a little bit of Kabuki here today, we agree on quite a bit, and you look at the funding that we have for housing and homelessness and health care, and you look at--I would take exception that there isn't help for ordinary Californians because the largest refundable tax credit that we are proud of is the Earned Income Tax Credit.

Money for hardworking Californians. Our entire portfolio of human services, public health, that's money for hardworking Californians who need a hand up, who need our help. We talked about why is public transit so important? Because the people riding public transit, they don't own cars. Most of them, they don't own cars. They need that transit to get around.

So this budget, everything in this budget is all about what we are doing to protect the Californians who need our help the most. That's something that I think about every single day. That's something I remind our budget team every single day, is that if we don't make 40 million lives better, then we're not doing our job. In this one, this budget, AB 102, definitely does. With that, I respectfully ask for your aye vote on AB 102.

Thank you, Mr. Ting. The Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes: 54, noes: 13. The bill is pass. Without objection, we will have immediate transmittal to the Governor. And Ms. Reyes, you're recognized for your procedural motions.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Pursuant to Assembly Rule 96, I request unanimous consent to re-refer SB 149: Caballero from the Budget Committee to the Natural Resources Committee.

Without objection, such shall be the order.

I request unanimous consent to suspend Joint Rule 62[a], the file notice requirement, to allow the Natural Resources Committee to meet Thursday, June 29th at 10:00 a.m. in Room 447 to hear SB 149: Caballero.

Without objection, such shall be the order. Next, without reference to file and without objection, we will take up AB 103. The Clerk will read.

Without objection, such shall be the order.

Assembly Bill 103 by Assemblymember Ting and accolading to the state budget and making an appropriation of force to take effect immediately. Budget Bill.

Assemblymember Ting, you may open on the Bill.

Thank you. SB 103 is our budget Bill junior, with mostly technical changes in this current year's budget, but also prior year budgets. One of the technical changes was clarification or identification of over $300 million in childcare savings in this year's budget that helps us pay for our childcare proposal.

With that, respectfully ask for your aye vote on AB 103.

Thank you, Mr. Ting. And then Assemblymember Vince Fong, you're recognized on this Bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to SB 103, though I will want to acknowledge that there is proper allocations in previous dollars to Madera Community Hospital to help them reopen and continue to serve their community. But this Bill does continue previous budgets that are unsustainable paths to ongoing deficits.

I regretfully urge a no vote.

Thank you, Mr. Fong. Seeing no other Members wishing to speak on this Bill, the Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close roll. Tally the votes. Ayes 57, noes nine. The Bill is pass without objection. We'll have immediate transmittal to this to the Governor.

Next, we'll take up without objection, without reference to file, AB 116. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 116 by the Committee on Budget, an act relating to an early childhood education and making an appropriation therefore to take effect immediately. Bill relates to the budget.

And Assembly Member Ting, you may open on the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. AB 116 is our child care bill. This bill provides 2.83 billion in one time funds for child care reimbursement increases, 1.6 billion coming from federal and general fund sources one time, as well as 1.15 billion from Prop 98 that will help over the next two years increase child care rates which haven't been increased since 2016. Let me just acknowledge and thank our Budget Sub-Chair from Sacramento.

I know our Majority Leader, I know the Vice Chair of our Women's Caucus from Winters have absolutely been adamant about making sure that child care is a priority. This is a big victory for so many child care providers who've been struggling and having a very hard time ever since the Pandemic. Respectfully ask for your aye vote on AB 116.

Thank you, Mr. Ting. And Assembly Member Vince Fong, you're recognized on the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I rise in support of AB 116. Children are still recovering from the Pandemic. This bill implements changes still occurring as child care transitions out of COVID regulations and back to regular administration. I urge an aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Fong, and Assembly Member McCarty, you're recognized on the bill.

Yes, thank you. I know that we've been talking about a lot of our budget bills today, but just want to highlight this because two months ago, the Assembly Democrats and on behalf of the State Assembly, said this was our number one priority we wanted to address in this year's state budget. And I will say this is not perfect.

This is not ongoing money for child care, but it's a big, big win nonetheless. So for two years, we get stability of the child care industry able to pay workers a living wage. We know that workers in these fields sometimes qualify for the programs that they literally are overseeing.

We're paying poverty wages. So our majority leader from Colton and the Legislative Women's Caucus, our colleague from Yolo County, made sure that we didn't forget this issue as we finalize the budget. So we've increased slots greatly in the past few years, but we haven't increased our rate structure.

Without the proper rate structure, those increase of slots is meaningless. And we also help working families who have been struggling with both overall economics the last few years by addressing the family fee. So this was an issue that we didn't want to leave behind, but make no mistake, this is why this is an A minus budget and not an A or A plus because we need to settle up on this issue in the upcoming years and have ongoing money to support our child care system in California.

Thank you, Mr. McCarty. And Majority Leader Reyes, you're recognized on the bill.

I do want to thank all those who worked on this bill. This is so important and you're going to hear from the parents who are so grateful to the State of California for providing this assistance.

We have many child care workers who have received no raise, no COLA for years. This will finally provide a 25 percent increase, something that they have been waiting for for years and years and years. I want to thank my colleague from Oakland also, who has elevated this particular issue in the Women's Caucus and in so many of the other meetings that we have had.

This is important. Our families, besides child care workers, also family fees are going to be waived. We've been waiving them for periods of time. This will now provide an additional waiver of family fees to help the very families that we came up to represent. So I want to thank our Chair, Budget Chair. I also want to thank the Chair of Budget Sub Two for all of your help to make sure that this happens, and, of course, the Women's Caucus, who did say this was their number one priority. Thank you. With that, I urge your aye vote.

Thank you, Ms. Reyes. Seeing no other Members wishing to be recognized on this bill, Mr. Ting, anything further to close? Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote.

Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes: 71, noes: zero. Senate amendments are concurred in. Without objection, we will have immediate transmittal to the Governor. And next, this is File Item 119 without reference, without objection, without reference to file. Clerk will take up AB 119. Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 119 by the Committee on Budget, an act relating to Medi-Cal and declare the urgency thereof to take affect immediately.

Assembly Member Ting, you may open on the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. AB 119 is the renewal of our managed care organization tax. This is the fifth iteration of this tax that has the support from the industry from which it's taxed, and as with all Medi-Cal provider taxes, the industry being taxed gets repaid the tax obligation as well as higher Medi-Cal rates.

Most of the money that we will be recouping from the tax, there'll be a portion for future general funds to help us with our budget items, but in the future, the bulk of this will be going back to shore up our health care system.

We've gone through a couple of tough years with COVID. We saw how hospitals, providers, everyone's been--clinics have been hit very, very hard. This is a very much needed Medi-Cal increase in rates that will be very critical, especially for those institutions that are taking the bulk of our Medi-Cal patients. With that, respectfully ask for your aye vote on AB 119.

Thank you, Mr. Ting, and Assembly Member Vince Fong, you're recognized on this bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This debate has been ongoing and I know a lot of Members have been engaged in this discussion. I personally believe as we've watched this whole debate ensue, that there has to be more guardrails to ensure that the funding will stay in the Medi-Cal program while many providers have shown a desperate need for reimbursement increases.

This is a tax borne by health care insurance providers with real impacts and I caution that this should not be seen as a revenue grab, especially as mentioned earlier, the potential for this revenue to be taken into the General Fund if and when budget conditions worsen. I still have many unanswered questions and because of that, I cannot support this bill today.

Thank you, Mr. Fong, and Assemblywoman Bains, you're recognized on the bill.

Thank you, Speaker. I just wanted to talk in support of this. I wanted to thank everyone for their hard work on this. As a primary care doctor, it's really important Medi-Cal reimbursements are--it's been such an issue to increase Medi-Cal reimbursements and the number one thing when it comes to health care workforces making sure that our physicians have the appropriate resources to provide care, specifically, this bill makes sure that we have money for primary care, OB/GYN and mental health. Very good work.

Thank you guys so much for putting this together. This is historic and this is actually an amazing, amazing opportunity for us as legislators to go back to our communities and tell them what we are doing to strengthen our health care. It is an absolute step in the right direction. So thank you so much for putting this together.

Thank you, Dr. Bains. And Assembly Member Weber, you're recognized on the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too want to thank our Budget Chair, our Governor's Office, and all of the stakeholders that weighed in on this. As was stated by my other colleague on the floor who is also a physician, this is extremely important and we should all be very, very proud of this.

We've heard a lot lately about the issue of Medi-Cal reimbursement rates being extremely low. We've heard a lot about clinics closing. We've heard a lot about hospitals closing, and a lot of this has to do with the fact that we just don't have the funds to attract physicians. We don't have the funds to keep doors to clinics and hospitals open and so although this is not as far as we need to go, it is at least the first step.

And so I really want to thank the Legislature, our Budget Committee, and our Governor and everyone outside who worked on this because this is a big deal. It'll be a very big deal for all of the communities that we all serve, the physicians, and their patients. So thank you.

Thank you, Dr. Weber. And Assembly Member Wood, you're recognized on the bill.

Yes. I too want to stand up and speak in favor of this bill. This is a huge opportunity to help stabilize our Medi-Cal system. Money for hospitals, money for behavioral health, the increased provider rates for physicians, primary care, OB/GYN, money for Planned Parenthood.

There's a lot of opportunity here to stabilize a system that's so critical to so many of Californians. A third of Californians rely on the Medi-Cal system. 60 percent of children in California rely on the Medi-Cal system. This is a really historic opportunity for us, and I hope that we'll see nothing but green lights up there. Thank you very much and I look forward to your aye vote.

Thank you, Dr. Wood. And Assemblywoman Soria, you're recognized on the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also too rise in support of AB 119. As you all know, I represent a district where a critical hospital closed its doors last December. We have been working tirelessly as a body to address some of the short term concerns, and I believe that this will help address some of the long term concerns when it comes to Medi-Cal reimbursement rates that impact small rural hospitals that this is going to provide not only a lifeline for Madera, but I know that it's going to ensure sustainability for long term.

We need that hospital to reopen and so I want to thank everyone for the support in the short term and everyone that has been involved in looking at this, all the stakeholders, as a long term solution to address the multiple challenges that communities across the State of California have in providing critical access to health care services, especially in rural communities like the ones that I represent. Thank you and I urge your support.

Thank you, Ms. Soria. Seeing no other Members wishing to address this bill, Mr. Ting, anything further to close? Very well. Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes: 63, noes: zero on the urgency. Ayes: 63, noes: zero on the measure. Senate amendments are concurred in, and without objection, we'll have immediate transmittal to the Governor. Next.

Without objection, we'll take up without reference to file, AB 120. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 120 by the Committee on Budget, an act relating to human services and making an appropriation therefore to take effect immediately. Bill relates to the budget.

And Assembly Member Ting, you may open on this bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. AB 120 is our human services bill which focuses on our most vulnerable Californians. The bill changes a temporary CalWORKs ten percent increase into a permanent one for ongoing support to support California's families struggling the most.

Provides a housing supplement for foster youth transition to independence, preventing housing instability and homelessness. It extends the CalFresh Fruit and Veggie Pilot Program and CalFresh Safe Drinking Water Pilot. It includes improved reporting for the DSS administered Housing and Homelessness Program.

Let me just thank our Sub-Chair from Fresno for really his leadership, really fighting for all of these and so many other programs in his very, very full subcommittee. I know that he spends countless hours, often late into the night, hearing each of these items, really listening to so many families who are struggling, looking for our help. This bill is absolutely critical help that they're going to need. Respectfully ask for your aye vote on AB 120.

Thank you, Mr. Ting. And Assembly Member Vince Fong, you're recognized on this bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I unfortunately rise in opposition to AB 120. There are provisions in this proposal that have not been fully vetted, that seek to circumvent collective bargaining and target our local counties. The result would be imposing significant penalties with no input from our local county stakeholders. This is a troubling trend in our budget process, and because of that, I urge a no vote.

Thank you, Mr. Fong. And Assembly Member Arambula, you're recognized on this bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. Today I rise in support of AB 120, this year's human service omnibus trailer bill which will alleviate food insecurity and provide much needed support for California families, vulnerable youth, immigrant communities, and members of our disability community. This year, California will be making critical investments to address food insecurity at a time when California is facing an unprecedented drop in food security support from the federal government.

Specifically, 47 million will be spent for the summer EBT program for children who qualify for free and reduced priced school meals. Our kids shouldn't go hungry. Summer EBT makes sure that children have a way to eat even when they aren't in school for the summer.

9.9 million will be spent for the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, three million for safe drinking water, and increasing the CalFresh minimum monthly benefits to 50 dollars a month as well as the expansion of the California Food Assistance Program for income eligible adults who are aged 55 and older, regardless of their immigration status. These investments will go a long way in supporting our families and addressing food insecurity.

This budget agreement also includes 500 million to make permanent a temporary increase in our state's cash aid program, and I look forward to the ongoing discussions with the Administration as we continue to work to reimagine CalWORKs to make sure we are prioritizing California families being served by these programs. As we support vulnerable Californians, we cannot forget about California's immigrant communities.

This trailer bill will invest five million for the Opportunities for Youth Program serving our undocumented, unaccompanied minors. It will also begin the IHSS phase in for our undocumented immigrants aged 50 and above, and by removing immigration status as an eligibility barrier, we can build more universal and equitable social supports for those who call California home.

Additionally, we are investing 50 million dollars for victims and survivors of hate crimes against the AAPI community. This investment also crucially facilitates hate crime prevention measures. California will also continue investments for our elderly and disability community.

We have successfully approved of an 8.6 percent increase to our SSP Program, and this increase provides 292,000,000 ongoing to help our elderly and disabled. And finally, we also advance older adult behavioral health through 39.5 million in local grants for older adult behavioral health capacity building and the continued operation of the statewide older adult Friendship Line. We know that social isolation can be as deadly as 15 cigarettes per day, and there's much more we can do to help to protect our older population.

SB 120 is full of necessary and impactful improvements to our state's social safety net, representing hours of discussions between the Governor's Office, the Legislature, and most importantly, the public. Thank you, Members, and I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Dr. Arambula. And Assembly Member Jackson, you're recognized on the bill.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. As Chair of the Human Services Committee, I want to thank the Member from Fresno and the Budget Chair for their work in making sure that our most vulnerable populations are taken care of. Just in perspective, we know that we have an opportunity to avert a future crisis, and that is of our aging population.

And this budget represents the beginning of addressing a huge issue that we know is coming and we're beginning to address it now through the rates increases, through the In-Home Supportive Services Program, through increases in food and financial support for our seniors to prevent them from going into homelessness. So this budget is indeed not just a budget that is tackling our issues of today, but making sure that we are addressing the issues that we know are coming for tomorrow. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Dr. Jackson. And seeing no other Members wishing to be recognized on this bill, Mr. Ting, you may close.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate our Budget Sub-Chair's comments reminding me about our reimagining CalWORKs, work that is still yet to be done. We, frankly, have criminalized poverty, criminalizes folks who need our help, which doesn't make any sense for the people who need our help the most.

We make them prove that they're not criminals. It's exactly the opposite of what government should do and what government should stand for. So I know that we still have work to do to make our CalWORKs system much, much more equitable.

Also want to thank you for mentioning our continued effort to fund and really stop hate crimes against the API community. It's absolutely critical in this day and age as we continue to see a lot of jingoistic, nationalistic rhetoric that really has impacted our community. So I really appreciate you mentioning that. With that, respectfully ask for your aye vote on AB 120.

Thank you, Mr. Ting. The Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes: 57, noes: six. Senate amendments are concurred in, and without objection, we'll have immediate transmittal to the Governor.

Next. Without objection, we'll take up without reference to file AB 121. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 121 by the Committee on Budget and act relating to Developmental Services and making an appropriation, therefore to take effect immediately. Bill related to the budget.

Senator Ting, you may open on this Bill.

Thank you. AB 121 is our Developmental Services trailer bill. The Bill expands the Lanternman Act services for all children under four, creating uniformity for the youngest people served in the developmental system services system for children ages zero to two. It extends remote meetings and family fee suspensions through the next fiscal year, adopts changes to facilitate social, recreation and camp services, including art, dance and music and creates an employment first office at the Health and Human Services Agency to make progress toward more and improved employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. With that respect for your ayes for, aye vote on AB 121.

Thank you, Mr. Ting and a Senator Vince Fong, you may open or sorry, you may speak on this Bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of AB 121. I enthusiastically support the DDS rate study and implementation measure measures that were implemented last year. So I'm pleased to support this Bill to continue to deliver critical services to developmentally disabled Californians. I urge an aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Fong. Seeing no other Members wishing to address this Bill, the Clerk will open the roll.

All those vote who desire to vote.

All those vote who desire to vote Clerk will close roll, tally the votes aye 73 no zero. Senate amendments are concurred in without objection, we'll have immediate transmittal to the Governor. Next without objection, we will take up without reference to file AB 127. The Clerk will read .

Assembly Bill 127 body committee on Budget and accolades is state government making appropriation efforts take if they can immediately bear relates to the budget.

Senator Ting you may open on this Bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. AB 127 is a General government trailer Bill. Trailer Bill authorizes the Department of General Services to assist the counties of Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Jose and San Diego with delivery and installation of emergency sleeping cabinets and related improvements. Establishes a creative economy work group under the California Arts Council, extends the sunset date for various small business grants programs administered by GoBiz, and implements various privacy and cybersecurity efforts in state government. Respectfully ask for aye vote on AB 127.

Thank you, Mr. Ting. As Senator Vince Fong, you're recognized on this Bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of AB 126. With the effects of COVID still impacting small businesses and now flooding, putting even more businesses at risk, this Bill will deliver relief to struggling Californians. I urge an aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Fong. Seeing no other Members wishing to speak on this Bill, the Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote, Clerk will close roll. Tally the votes aye 67 no zero.

Send amendments are concurred in without objection, we'll have immediate transmittal to the Governor. Next with without objection, we'll take up without reference to file Assembly Bill 128. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 128 by the committee on Budget and Appalachian Cannabis and making an appropriation efforts take effect, immediately revelates the budget.

Assemblymember Ting, you may open on the Bill.

Thank you. AB 128 is a cannabis trailer Bill that enacts technical changes related to fingerprinting and criminal history information background checks. It aligns state law with updated federal rules and guidance from the FBI regarding background checks when issuing cannabis business licenses. With that respectfully ask for aye vote on AB 128.

Thank you, Mr. Ting. and Assemblymember Fong you're recognized on the Bill. Thank

you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of AB 128. It is not often this body streamlines permitting, especially for businesses, not only that, but strengthening background checks for those that sell cannabis legally is supportable. I urge an aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Fong. Seeing no other Members wishing to speak on this Bill, the Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote, Clerk will close roll. Tally the votes aye 68 no zero. Senate amendments are concurred in without objection. We'll have immediate transmittal to the Senate, to the Governor next, without objection, we'll take up, without reference to file, AB 130.

The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 130 by the Committee on Budget accolade into employment, making an appropriation, therefore to take effect immediately bear related to the budget.

Assemblymember Ting, you may open on the Bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. AB 130 is a labor workforce and employment trailer Bill which clarifies contractor and subcontractor registration requirements for housing development projects as subject to prevailing wage and skilled and trained workforce requirements, removes the repeal date for the Domestic Worker Rights and Education Outreach Program and appropriates 1.6 billion to further reduce the State's unfunded retirement liabilities. With that I respectfully ask for your aye vote on AB 130.

Thank you, Mr. Ting. And Senate Member Vince Wong. You're recognized on the Bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to AB 130. The expansion of the authority of the Department of Industrial Relations to increase contractor fees will have a widespread impact on public works contracts, driving down competition, but increasing the cost of taxpayers for projects. As families struggle with an across the board affordable affordability crisis, raising fees and costs of housing and projects runs afoul of our responsibility to address this crisis. I urge a no vote.

Thank you, Mr. Fong. Seeing no other Members wishing to address this Bill, the Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote, all those vote who desire to vote, Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes 57, nos twelve. Senate amendments are concurred and without objection, we'll have immediate transmittal to the Governor.

Next, we'll take up, without reference to file and without objection, AB 134. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Vote 134 by the Committee on Budget and Accolade to Public Safety and making an appropriation effort to take effect immediately bear relates to the budget.

Assemblymember Ting, you may open on the Bill.

Thank you. AB 134 is our public safety trailer Bill. First, let me thank our subchair from Alameda for really all her work this year through the public safety trailer process. She has been a tireless advocate to make sure our correction system is more responsive to everybody who's in there, as well as all the people who work there. In addition, at a time when we're facing a budget deficit and correction spending being at an all time high, that committee has spent a significant amount of time to really question whether or not the costs are appropriate and if every dollar is being spent correctly. In particular, this Bill provides a temporary three year exemption for the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. It also renames the San Quentin State Prison to the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, as well as provides a number of streamlining provisions for the construction and the rehabilitation of that building. In addition, there's intent language here regarding the future of how aggressively the correction system needs to focus on consolidation and making sure that we are properly shrinking this system. We currently have about 14,000 empty beds in our correction system and at a time when we are facing very tough fiscal decisions, it doesn't quite make sense for that system to continue to operate and have so many empty beds and really be spending very hardly fought for taxpayer expenditures on those items. With that respect for us, for, aye vote on AB 134.

Thank you, Mr. Ting and some Member Vince Fong, you're recognized on the Bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to AB 134. Members, there are serious concerns in this budget for rebuilding San Quentin with no plans or details bipartisan concern while still proposing to close prisons in other areas of the state. This Administration is less than forthcoming in where they want to close prisons and has failed miserably to communicate in a meaningful way with communities impacted. Members, I urge you no vote.

Thank you, Mr. Fong. Seeing no other Members wishing to address this Bill, the Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote, all those vote who desire to vote, all those vote who desire to vote Clerk will close roll.

Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes: 57, noes: 16. Senate amendments are concurred in. Without objection, we'll have immediate transmittal to the Governor. And last, without objection, we'll take up without reference to file, AB 118. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 118 by the Committee on Budget, an act relating to health, making an appropriation therefore to take effect immediately. Bill relates to the budget.

And Assembly Member Ting, you may open on this bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. AB 118 is our health trailer bill. The bill outlines the spending plan for the new MCO tax which was just approved. In particular, increases Medi-Cal provider rates for primary care, OB care, behavioral health care to bring these up to 87.5 percent of Medicare funding, 150,000,000 dollars to distressed hospitals, 50 million dollars in seismic costs for small and rural hospitals, 75 million dollars for graduate medical education through the University of California.

The remainder of this money for health care will be going to increased provider rates for primary care and specialty care, emergency inpatient services, behavioral health, and workforce training. With that, respectfully ask for your aye vote on AB 118.

Thank you, Mr. Ting, and Assembly Member Vince Fong, you're recognized on the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in a regretful opposition to AB 118. Now, the final MCO tax deal has been anxiously awaited and many of these Medi-Cal reimbursement rate increases have been requested for years, and that is supportable. Dedicating funding to hospitals that are financially distressed, at risk of closing, and susceptible to seismic is urgently needed, and I commend the Members on both sides of the aisle that have been advocating for that.

Hospitals in the Central Valley and rural areas have struggled with increasing costs and mandates and on the verge of permanent closures, but many questions still remain. As I've indicated previously, we should be concerned of the use of MCO tax revenues to balance the General Fund budget in the future.

We should also acknowledge that there are medical providers in need of assistance that have been cut out of the stakeholder process. These concerns still remain and will be ongoing challenges into the future. Unfortunately, because this measure allocates funding toward controversial programs, expends the CalRx program, and delays provider rate increases, I cannot support this bill today. I urge a no vote.

Thank you, Mr. Fong. Seeing no other Members wishing to address--oh. Assembly Member Arambula, you're recognized on the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. Today I rise in support of AB 118, our health omnibus trailer bill. This bill will focus on improving health access, equity, affordability and quality. Expanding and diversifying the health care workforce is a required step in improving equity and access to health services.

Our doctors, nurses, and medical professionals work day and night to keep our communities healthy. This year, an influential package of 100 million General Fund and 182.4 of Mental Health Services Fund for the Healthcare Workforce Investment will avoid delays and will help to keep health care centers open and accessible to everyone within our state.

Nurses are an essential backbone to our health care workforce, and providing 70 million for nursing initiative grants will work to draw more people into the profession. 51.9 million investments into the social work initiatives stimulates diversity amongst our state's social workers. I want to further add that the 48.5 million funding towards addiction psychiatric medicine fellowships elevates the learning experiences of medical professionals while addressing the severe labor shortage we have in this field.

Ten million will be dedicated for the Promatores de Salud program to ensure that everyone, regardless of language, can access health care services that they need. 2.8 million to fund the California Medicine Scholars Program will improve the educational pursuits across underserved communities. 52 million for the Behavioral Health Workforce programs, 15 million for Song-Brown for nurses, 15 more million for community health workers goes a long ways towards signaling that reinforcements are on the horizon.

In addition to making investments into workforce, we have also made investments to address Medi-Cal rates for those of you who are paying attention during SB 119 via the MCO. And I'm pleased to report that we will be increasing rates for primary care and specialty care by 1.65 billion annually. To emergency and inpatient services to 555,000,000 annually, to graduate medical education at 75 million annually, and for behavioral health, 300 million annually. I'd also like to highlight the implementation of the 30 million for the CalRx for the development and manufacturing of the naloxone nasal spray products, which positions the state well in producing life saving medications for Californians.

61 million from the Opioid Settlement Fund transfers will help to mitigate substance use and address prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery by supporting the operational expenses of the harm reduction organizations. Additionally, six million for fentanyl programs to make fentanyl test strips and naloxone more widely available is paramount to preventing overdoses, offering resources and education in harm reduction.

Finally, our state's Native American communities still face barriers in accessing quality health care. Approving eleven million in this budget year and 23 million ongoing for the Indian health programs underlies California's commitment to protect the health and prosperity of the Native American population across our state. I'd like to close by thanking the Governor, the Administration, counties and advocates, and again, most importantly the public who have worked tirelessly to continue further investments in our state. Thank you Members, and I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Dr. Arambula. And Majority Leader Reyes, you're recognized on this bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to rise to--in addition to those items that the Chair has talked about and he's worked tirelessly on these, and one that I wanted to emphasize is the Promotores. This is a group of workers, health care workers, who were doing home visits, who were at the front line during COVID and continuing, who have been absolutely committed to the community and providing in language and multicultural services to the community, and the fact that they are being included and being recognized for the work that they have done for the community sends a great message to them.

So I want to specifically thank the Chair from Fresno, for the Member from Fresno for your tireless work to make sure that this group was included in the budget. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Reyes. And seeing no other Members wishing to speak on this bill, Mr. Ting, you may close.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is the last of our trailer bills today and represents the completion of our budget process for today. Let me just take a moment of personal privilege. This is my 8th budget.

And as a son of two Chinese immigrants, given the opportunity to preside over the California Comeback to be able to watch as our state has come back from IOUs and wondering whether we could even pay our bills to a budget which is at an all time high for K-12 education, reinvesting in our higher education, making sure that the most vulnerable populations in our state are getting the help they need in terms of money for food, money for housing, money for health care, it's been an amazing honor of a lifetime.

I want to thank our Speaker for this amazing opportunity. His leadership over the last number of years, his stewardship of this body, but also of our state have provided and have been an amazing exercise in leadership and really staying very focused on the very people we need to help the most.

Let me just start again going back to our Vice Chair, our Vice Chair from Bakersfield as well as his staff, Joe Shinstock and his staff do an amazing job. I know that for your caucus, it's so hard. You're all in sort of eight, nine different committees to make it to Budget Committee, but for all the Members who sit there through hours and hours of hearings, provide that feedback, it is much appreciated.

I know one of the things that we don't really talk about that is done in Budget each and every single day is around legislative oversight. The work just begins when we pass the bill, providing that the money gets to the right places. Providing that oversight is absolutely critical, and that's absolutely 100 percent bipartisan effort.

Let me thank again our Sub-Chairs. You heard me thank our Sub-Chair from Fresno, again, for his tireless work fighting for our health and human services, our Sub-Chair from Sacramento who has really been with me every step of the way on our K-12 programs, our TK programs, early ed, child care, higher ed programs. I didn't have a chance to really thank our Sub Three Chair from Ventura who did really an extraordinary job with our team.

This year's budget, the toughest decisions were many of them were really in his area because those were the areas that got cut coming out of the May Revise. He did an extraordinary job really shepherding our body, shepherding this budget through a very, very challenging process. Let me thank our great Sub-Chair from L.A., from Sub Four. Had a number of major, major contentious issues, whether it's in housing or homelessness.

We talked about the film tax credit, we just talked about cannabis labor. So many of the most challenging issues that people are facing today were smack in her subcommittee. So really appreciate that.

And then lastly, but definitely not least, really my partner in criminal justice, our Sub-Chair from Alameda. Her tireless effort, her focus on making sure that there was accountability of a very large correction system, a system that is not used to transparency, oversight, or really any kind of reflection. Her words, her fight, mean a lot to me personally and I know have a huge impact on our state.

Let me again thank Jason Sisney in our Speaker's Office. They work year round on this budget. Without him in the Speaker's Office team, this budget doesn't get done. Let me also recognize our Department of Finance, Joe Stephenshaw, Eric Ali, the whole Department of Finance team, as well as the Governor's Office and everyone in the Horse Shoe for helping get this budget done.

Gabe Petek and the LAO team, their analysis being at every single one of our hearings. Without their work, we would be blind. Whether it's us or the Senate, whether it's majority, minority caucus, we rely on their independent analysis to make sure that we have a fresh pair of eyes, honest data, honest transparency. Their work is absolutely, completely appreciated. Of course, let me thank Ledge Council.

Without them we don't have bills. They stayed up very, very late at night to make sure all these bills have crossed, as well as the bills we're hearing on Thursday. Let me thank Assembly TV, our sergeants, AT&T operators for really all their help.

Let me also thank Jessica Duong and my personal staff for all their hard work. Even though they aren't as engaged in Budget, they are constantly working with me because we have to make sure that all my bills get done while I'm busy working on Budget, and let me thank Christian Griffith and our budget team. Really the best budget team in the state, the most experienced budget team in the state. They fight for every single one of your requests, every single one of your items.

I am so proud of this body that I represent because we fight for each and every single one of you. We fight on all these proposals, whether it's with the Senate, whether it's with the Governor's Office, but it's really--thank you to our fabulous budget team for really just amazing, amazing job.

You know, with that, Members, again, thank you for the hours and hours of debate, discussion, dialogue, assistance. I know that there's never a budget that I agree with everything on, but this is a great budget. Really appreciate all the hard work that's gone into it, and with that, respectfully ask for an aye vote on AB 118.

Thank you, Mr. Ting. The Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close roll.

Tally the votes. Ayes: 64, noes: seven. Senate amendments are concurred in, and without objection, we will have immediate transmittal to the Governor. Members. Members, at this time we'll be moving on to our consent calendar.

And before we vote, we're going to first take up a resolution on the consent calendar for the purpose of adding co authors. The Clerk will read the resolution on the extent calendar.

Assembly concurrent resolution 67 by Assembly Member Waldron relative to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Clerk will open the roll to allow any Member to add as a co author to the resolution. Members, this is for co authors on consent. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote Clerk will close roll. There are 74 co authors moving to a vote on the consent calendar. Does any Member wish to pull an item for the consent calendar seeing and hearing none. Clerk will read the second day consent calendar.

Assembly Concurrent resolution 67 by Assembly Walgreen relative to arthrioscovadic cardiovascular disease.

Clerk will open the roll on the consent calendar. All those vote who desire to vote all those vote who desire to vote, this is on consent. All those vote who desire to vote Clerk will close roll. Tally the votes. aye 75 no zero cent calendar is adopted. Clerk will read the remaining items on the consent calendar.

Senate Bill 39 aye 75 no zero Senate Bill 275 Senate Bill 290 aye 75 no zero Senate Bill 304 aye 75 no zero Senate Bill 376 Senate Bill 437 aye 75 no zero Senate Bill 566 aye 75 Senate Bill 748 citizen Bill 790. aye 75. Senate Bill 835. aye 75 no zero.

Moving to announcements, our committee hearings. The higher education committee today will meet in room 437 upon adjournment of session. The privacy consumer protection committee meets in room 126 upon adjournment. The health committee meets in swing space room 1100 upon adjournment. And our session schedule is as follows. Wednesday, June 28, check in session. Thursday, June 29, floor session at 08:30 p.m. All other items remaining will be passed and retain. All motion shall be continued. Seeing and hearing no further votes, I'm ready to entertain a motion to adjourn mr. Ting moves and mr. Fong seconds as his house stands adjourned until Thursday, June 29, at 08:30 p.m.. Our quorum call is lifted.

I'm changing my vote from not voting to no on AB 120 and AB 127. I'm sorry. First one is 120 and then 127. Oh, so I'm okay. All right, so it's just 127 to not voting.

Vote change. Assembly Member Dixon, Assembly will 127 not voting to no. That wasn't right. Okay. Correction. Assembly Member Dixon. Assembly bill 127. aye to not voting.