Assembly Floor
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
The Assembly is now in session. Assemblymember Brian notices the absence of a quorum. The Sergeant of arms will prepare the chamber and bring the absent Members. The Clerk recall the roll.
- Reading Clerk
Person
Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula Bains, Bauer-Khan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Carrillo, Cervantes, Chen, Connolly, Dahle, Davies, Dixon, Essayli, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Karla, Lackey, Lee, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Mathis, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Rodriguez, Rubio, Sanchez, Santiago, Shiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Mr. Speaker.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Members, a quorum is present. We ask our guests and visitors in the rear of the chamber and in the gallery to please stand for the prayer and the flag salute. The day's prayer will be offered by our Assembly chaplain, Imam Yassir Khan. Imam yassir.
- Imam Khan
Person
In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful, almighty God, grant the Members of this Assembly the grace to listen to one another with open minds and hearts. May the clarity and charity of their words reflect respect for their callings.
- Imam Khan
Person
Give them an understanding of the needs of our brothers and sisters in this state who are often ignored, whose voices cry out to be heard. As you have blessed this land with abundance, help the Members of this Assembly and all of us to be generous to the neediest of persons with a generosity that only you can make possible. Amen.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Ta will lead us in the pledge.
- Tri Ta
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Please put your right hand over your heart and repeat after me. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Reading of the previous day's journal.
- Reading Clerk
Person
Assembly Chamber of Sacramento Wednesday, June 28, 2023 the Assembly met at 07:00 A.m. The Honorable Freddie Rodriguez, Assembly Member, 53rd district presiding.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Mr. Bryant moves and Mr. Flora seconds that the reading of the previous day's journal be dispensed with. Presentations and petitions; there are none. Introduction and reference 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.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Moving to motions and resolutions. The absences for the day: for personal business, Assembly Member Bonta and Assembly Member Gallagher; for legislative business, Assembly Member Garcia. Majority Leader Bryan, you are recognized for your procedural motions.
- Isaac Bryan
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 45.5 to allow Assembly Members Todd, Gibson, Friedman, Ward, and Lackey to speak on adjournment and memory today.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Without objection. Such shall be the order.
- Isaac Bryan
Legislator
I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 118 A to allow Assembly Member Arambula to have guests and photographers on the floor and for Assembly Member Shiavo to have her special guest seated at her desk today.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Without objection, such shall be the order.
- Isaac Bryan
Legislator
I request unanimous consent to withdraw AB 1074 Alanis, AB 1271 Gibson, and AB 614 Wood from enrollment and return the bills to the Senate for further action.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Without objections, such shall be the order.
- Isaac Bryan
Legislator
Madam speaker, please remove the following bills from the consent calendar: item 130, SB. 68 Maguire at the request of the author; item 131 SB. 82 Seyarto at the request of the author; item 33 SB. 235, Umberg at the request of the author; item 35 SB 373 Menjivar at the request of the author; item 37 SB, 449 Bradford at the request of the author; item 43 SB 59, Caballero, at the request of the author;
- Isaac Bryan
Legislator
Item 144 SB 609, Caballero, at the request of the author; item 150 SB 743 Win, at the request of the author; item one five five, SB 819 Eggman, at the request of Assembly Member Wood; and item 158, SB 887, Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development, at the request of the author.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Clerk will note.
- Isaac Bryan
Legislator
Madam Speaker, I request unanimous consent to return the following bills to the Senate for further action: item 25 AB 724 Vince Fong; item 36 AB 847 Luz Rivas; item 46, AB 1764 Committee on Housing and Community Development.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Without objections, such shall be the order.
- Isaac Bryan
Legislator
Madam Speaker, I'm giving a one day notice to remove file item A 13, SB 771, Committee on Governmental Organizations from the inactive file.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
One day notice. Clerk will note.
- Isaac Bryan
Legislator
Madam Speaker, I request unanimous consent to re refer SB 799 Portantino from the Public Safety Committee to the Insurance Committee.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Without objection, such shall be the order. Members, pursuant to Assembly Rule 772, I am rereferring file number file item 34 AB 458, Joan Sawyer to the Insurance Committee.
- Isaac Bryan
Legislator
Madam speaker, there is a Rules Committee resolution at the desk relative to SB 799 Portantino. I ask that we go to that item now.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Members, we will be taking up the Joint Rule 61 waiver on SB 799, which was adopted by the Rules Committee this morning.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
The Clerk will read.
- Reading Clerk
Person
Resolve that Joint Rule 61 A be suspended to permit the Committees on Insurance and Appropriations to meet, consider, and report Senate Bill 799 for further action.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Members, this rule suspension is not debatable. It takes 54 votes. The Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Members, this is a procedural vote. The majority leader is asking for an aye vote. All those vote who desire to vote. This is a procedural vote. Majority Leader is asking for an aye vote.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
The Clerk. The Clerk will close the roll and tally the vote. Aye 55, no 14, not voting 11. Joint Rule 61 is suspended. Assembly Member Alanis, you are recognized for your guest introductions.
- Juan Alanis
Legislator
Good morning, everyone. I have a guest up here in the gallery, Jose Zavala, one of my friends from my district, and he helps represent Stanislaus County. So Assembly Member Heath Floor also gets to share this as well. Jose is a former President of the South Modesto Partnership, the SMP. He is now the Vice Chairman of the Stanislaus Equity Partners and serves as the Vice President Community Development Officer for a local community bank. Jose was born and raised in Modesto.
- Juan Alanis
Legislator
He graduated from Thomas Downey High School and was the first in his family to receive his Bachelor's degree in Business Management. Jose is passionate about serving the community and has over 20 years of business and community organization experience and uplifts our community we care most about. And I thank him for being here. Thanks, Jose.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Thank you, Assembly Member. Assembly Member Arambula, you are recognized for your guest recognition from my desk. Welcome.
- Joaquin Arambula
Legislator
Thank you, Madam speaker and Members. It is my honor to recognize Grace Huerta, a tireless and strong advocate for children, families and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. With her today is former Assemblymember Jim Frazier, who we all know as a longtime disability rights champion. Grace is the Vice President of the Arc of California, which promotes and protects the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
- Joaquin Arambula
Legislator
Her steadfast efforts extend to El Arc De California, which is a branch of the Arc of California focused on our Spanish speaking individuals living with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Grace's experience began with her own family. She is a resilient mother of two adult children and a son in law, all who have developmental disabilities. When her children were diagnoesd, Grace's journey began to learn more to be able to help her son and her daughter.
- Joaquin Arambula
Legislator
Her children's success depended on her ability to navigate the array of what was available and what was needed by her children. She graduated from the Arc of California's Partner and Policymaking program and learned from the Arc trainers who showed her how to harness her passion to be able to help others. She partnered and collaborated with her mother in law, Dolores Huerta, our great civil rights leaders, to advocate for disability rights.
- Joaquin Arambula
Legislator
Grace cofounded the Exceptional Family Center in Kern County, which currently assists over 300 families in providing children with developmental disabilities the tools, services and resources to thrive. I am thrilled to welcome Grace here to our lore. And I am thankful, Grace, for your leadership.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Thank you.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Moving on. Assemblymember Lee, you are recognized for your guest introductions.
- Alex Lee
Legislator
Thank you. Madam speaker and colleagues, it is my honor to welcome a special guest in the gallery today from India. I would like to welcome Maha Maho Padiya Ya, Swami Badrestras, and the rest of the BAPS delegation, and guests from my district to the California State Assembly. BAPS is a spiritual volunteer driven fellowship dedicated to fostering Hindu faith, service, and global harmony. Swamiji is an eminent scholar of Indian philosophy, cultural tradition, and Sanskrit, the sacred and historic language of India.
- Alex Lee
Legislator
He has immersed himself in the study of the Vedic literature for the past 42 years. Swamiji was ordained by His Holiness Pramuk Swami Maharaj as a Hindu monk in 1981. Today, Swamiji continues his service under the guidance of the current spiritual leader of BAPS, his Holiness Mahant Swami. Maharaj Swamiji holds five master's degrees, a PhD, a postdoctorate in the classical schools of Indian philosophy. And among his many achievements is the most significant milestone the writing of a commentary on three principal canonical scriptures in Hinduism.
- Alex Lee
Legislator
The name of the commentary is Swami Na Rayon Bhash. It establishes the Akshar puru shotam Darshan as a unique vedantic philosophy. And this commentary is recognized today by Luminaries and institutions worldwide. The creation of this commentary is a feat that hasn't been accomplished by Indian scholar in over 150 years. For all his contributions, the government, India has conferred a lifetime achievement award to Swamiji. Academics and professors from more than 100 universities around the world have also studied and appreciated his works.
- Alex Lee
Legislator
Today, we are going to receive our very own copy of his work for our state library after this session. And Swamiji is currently traveling to places of worship and communion across the United States, inspiring discourse on universal peace, interfaith harmony.
- Alex Lee
Legislator
After visiting BAPS centers in Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose, Fresno, Los Angeles, San Diego and Bakersfield, he will go to New Jersey, where BAPS is inaugurating a magnificent temple complex called Swami NA Royon Akshadwam His message of universal peace and harmony will continue to resonate, through and inspire allves to cherish and celebrate the cultural diversity and harmony of California. Colleagues, please join me in giving a warm welcome to Swamiji and all of the BAPS guests in the gallery.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Thank you very much, Assembly Member Lee. Assembly Member Pellerin, you are recognized for your guest introduction.
- Gail Pellerin
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker and Members. I am happy and honored to be introducing my guest in the gallery today, Carmel Dudd, who is the founder and President of Rising Worldwide, a nonprofit she founded after 9/11 to help women locally and globally. She sells crafts, baskets, jewelry, and more made by women around the world in countries where it's most difficult to live as a woman. She also works with survivors of human trafficking, and she started the first ever survivor led human trafficking training in our public schools. With her today is one of her incredible rising reps Renee Manuel, please join me in welcoming Carmel and Renee to our Assembly Floor today. Thank you.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Thank you, Assemblymember Pellerin. So we have a few birthdays to announce. Happy belated birthday to Assembly Member Papan, who celebrated on Monday the 22nd. Happy birthday. Happy birthday to Assistant Majority Leader Hart who celebrates today, and I'm sure he's hiding somewhere here. And happy early birthday to Assemblymember Ortega, who will celebrate on Saturday the 26th. Assembly Member Lee, you have some additional introductions.
- Alex Lee
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Very quickly, I would like to introduce my district interns and also my constituents who have come all the way here. Anikit Panda, Benjamin Shi, Jerry Voxlach, Krishna Chitlapali, who are visiting from our district office and have worked all summer as our district office interns. Please give them a warm welcome.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Members, upon adjournment today, we'll be taking a photo for White Suit Day. If you're interested in being part of the photo, please join us after session. And finally, the panoramic photo has been rescheduled to next Thursday. So everybody, next Thursday, August 31. Again, the panoramic photo will be taken on Thursday, so please arrive to session on time. Moving to business on the Daily File. Pardon me. Second reading.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Clerk will read.
- Reading Clerk
Person
the Senate Bill 34 with the minutes 229. With the minutes Senate Bills 35, 38, 78, 247, 332, 388, 426, 21, 632, 658, 746, 837, 844, 898, 91, 497, 674, 704, 740, and Senate Bill 806.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
All bills will be deemed read and all amendments will be deemed adopted. Members, without objection, we now return to the motions and resolutions for a motion by the Majority Leader.
- Isaac Bryan
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. At the request of the authors, please remove SB 35, Umberg, SB 332 Cortese, and SB 844 Jones from the consent calendar.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Clerk will note. Members, we'll be moving to second reading, concurrence and Senate amendments. File number 27 AB 1241. Clerk will read.
- Reading Clerk
Person
Assembly Bill 1241 by Assembly Member Weber, An Accolade in Telehealth.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Weber, you are recognized.
- Akilah Weber
Legislator
Thank you. Madam Speaker, I rise to request concurrence and Senate amendments for AB 1241. These amendments were technical and clarifying. I respectfully request concurrence and Senate amendments. Thank you.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Seeing no debate, 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 close the roll. Aye, 67. No, zero. The Senate amendments are concurred. Moving on to file number 29, AB 427. Clerk will read.
- Reading Clerk
Person
Assembly Bill 427 by Assembly Member Alvarez and Accolade in the Transportation, declaring the urgency thereof to take effect immediately.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Alvarez.
- David Alvarez
Legislator
Thank you. Madam speaker. I rise on AB 427, concurrence with Senate amendments. This Bill clarifies that SANDAG, or Association of Governments, can use the Construction Manager General contractor method for SR 11, State Route Eleven and Otay Mesa II, a land port of entry that will help reduce border crossing, wait times and improve trade capacity with Mexico, our number one or largest trading partner. The amendments adds urgency clause to allow SANDAG to meet critical construction deadlines that were agreed upon by both federal governments. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Seeing no debate, 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. Ayes 62 on the urgency, Aye, 62, no zeros on the Bill. Senate amendments are concurred in file number 31, AB 777.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Clerk will read.
- Reading Clerk
Person
Assembly Bill 777 by Assembly Member Cervantes and others, accolade and hazardous waste.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Cervantes, you are recognized.
- Sabrina Cervantes
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker and Members, AB 777 is back for concurrence and Senate amendments. This Bill will add additional prohibitions on the transfer or storage of samples of waste from other toxic sites to the Stringfellow Acid Pits in the site of the city of Rupa Valley in the district that I represent.
- Sabrina Cervantes
Legislator
It will also require the Department of Toxic Substance Control to notify several entities at least three business days before any material or substance not required for cleanup efforts at the stringfellow are transferred to or stored at Stringfellow. Amendments taken in the Senate just address intent, language change in the notification requirements from being within three days after any material or substance is transferred and respectfully ask for an aye vote on concurrence and Senate amendments.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Seeing no debate or discussion. Clerk will open the roll. Clerk will close the roll. Aye, 65. No, zero. The Senate amendments are concurrent. That's funny. File number 32 AB 303.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Clerk will read.
- Reading Clerk
Person
Assembly Bill 303 by Assembly Member Davies and accolading the firearms.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Davies, you are recognized.
- Laurie Davies
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Chair. Members, AB 303 is back on concurrence. AB 303 is a simple Bill with no opposition that requires certain information to be given to local law enforcement agencies about individuals in their jurisdiction who are in the app database. This is a common sense approach to start getting illegal guns off the streets. Amendments taken in the Senate were technical in nature and are respectfully asked for an aye vote.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Seeing no debate or discussion, Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote, all those vote desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Aye, 65, no, zero. Senate amendments are concurred. In file number 35, AB 834.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Clerk will read.
- Reading Clerk
Person
Assembly Bill 834 by Assembly Member Irwin and accolade in a healing arts.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Irwin, you are recognized.
- Jacqui Irwin
Legislator
Thank you. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to present AB 834 on concurrence today. AB 834 would allow podiatrists to have majority ownership in medical practices. The amendments taken in the Senate were clarifying and technical in nature, and the Bill has received no no votes. Thank you. And I respectfully ask for an aye vote.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Seeing no debate or discussion, Clerk will open the roll. Thanks very much. All those vote who desire to vote, Aye 69, no zero.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Senate amendments are concurred in. Moving on to file number 37, AB 857, Assembly Member--Clerk will read.
- Reading Clerk
Person
Assembly Bill 857 by Assembly Member Ortega and Accolade of Vocational Services Assembly.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Ortega, you're recognized.
- Liz Ortega
Legislator
Good morning, speaker. Madam speaker and Members, I rise today to present AB 857, which is back from the Senate on concurrence. These changes are technical and clarifying. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Seeing no further debate or discussion, Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote, all those vote who desire to vote, Clerk will close the roll. Aye 68, no, zero. Senate amendments are concurred in. File number 38, AB 928. Clerk will read.
- Reading Clerk
Person
Assembly Bill 928 by Assembly Member Rendon and others an accolade to Cal Fresh.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Rendon. You are recognized.
- Anthony Rendon
Person
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Senator amendments were minor and technical. This Bill has no opposition and zero no votes.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Thank you. Seeing no debate or discussion, Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote, all those vote who desire to vote, Clerk will close the roll. Aye, 69, no, zero. Senate amendments are concurred in. File number 39, AB 939.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Clerk will read
- Committee Secretary
Person
Assembly Bill 939 by Assembly Member Pellerin, an act relating to the Santa Clara Valley Water District.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Pellerin, you are recognized.
- Gail Pellerin
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker and Members, AB 939 is back on concurrence. It is a district Bill that improves financing options for the Santa Clara Valley Water District. The Senate amendments address chaptering issues. I respectfully ask for your aye vote on concurrence in Senate amendments.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Seeing no debate or discussion, Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote Clerk will close the roll. Ayes 71, Noes zero. Senate amendments concurred. In moving on to file number 41, Assembly Member AB 1029.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Clerk will read
- Committee Secretary
Person
Assembly Bill 1029 by Assembly Member Pellerin an act relating to healthcare decisions.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Pellerin, you are recognized.
- Gail Pellerin
Legislator
Thank you, speaker and Members, AB 1029 is back for concurrence. Senate amendments add a definition for psychiatric advanced directives and intent language. This Bill has no opposition. I respectfully ask for your aye vote on concurrence in the Senate amendments.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
See no debate or discussion. 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. I 71, no zero. Senate amendments are concurred. In file number 44, AB 1627.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Clerk will read
- Committee Secretary
Person
Assembly Bill 1627. By Assembly, Member Lee an act relating to drinking water.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Lee, you are recognized.
- Alex Lee
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. The Bill is a federal conformity Bill, conforming state law to federal requirements. This protects the state's primary authority to enforce the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act in California. Has no opposition, respectfully ask your aye vote.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Seeing no debate, or discussion, Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote, Clerk will close the roll. Ayes 65. No, zero. Senate amendments are concurred. In moving on to file number 45, AB 1701 thing at a time. 1701.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
The Clerk will read
- Committee Secretary
Person
Assembly Bill 17 One by Assembly Member Weber and others in accolade of public health.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Weber, you are recognized.
- Akilah Weber
Legislator
Thank you. Madam Speaker, I rise to request concurrence on Senate amendments for AB 1701. The amendments align with the definition of local health jurisdiction to existing law and make other technical and clarifying changes. I respectfully request concurrence in Senate amendments. Thank you.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Seeing no debate or discussion, 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, aye. Close the roll, please. Ayes 70 no, zero. Assembly Majority Leader Bryan, you are recognized.
- Isaac Bryan
Legislator
At the request of the author. Please poll file item 140 SB 515 Stern from the consent calendar.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Clerk will note moving on to third reading file, Assembly Bills file number 56, ACR 106, Pellerin. Oh, excuse me. Clerk will read
- Committee Secretary
Person
Assembly Concurrent Resolution 106 by Assembly Member Pellerin an related to Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Pellerin, you are recognized.
- Gail Pellerin
Legislator
Thank you. Madam speaker and Members. Wow. I rise today to ask for your co authorship, your aye vote, and your voice for ACR 106, which proclaims September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. And thank you for wearing your pin today. Suicide was not a topic I spent much time thinking or talking about before November 19, 2018, when my husband of 25 years, Tom, the father of our two children, died by suicide.
- Gail Pellerin
Legislator
I am motivated to speak openly and publicly about suicide and mental conditions because suicide is preventable and mental conditions can be treated. Early in my grieving process, I went to a talk on suicide, and the speaker encouraged us to put our grief to work. That resonated with me. So I joined a suicide survivors group, did the Overnight Walk in San Francisco to raise money and awareness for suicide prevention, started a Facebook group for suicide survivors, and joined the local National Alliance on Mental Illness Board.
- Gail Pellerin
Legislator
Nami is an incredible organization providing education and support to families and people in need. They certainly helped me a lot. I participated in their Family to Family program, which is a free educational program for those with a loved one with a mental health condition. If you or a loved one is having suicidal thoughts or experiencing a mental health condition, please reach out to NAMI.
- Gail Pellerin
Legislator
I then ran and was elected to this prestigious body because I want to be a voice and a face for suicide prevention and awareness as well as mental health. I'm honored to serve as vice chair of the Select Committee on California's Mental Health Crisis, which is chaired by my colleague from Marino Valley. I know how difficult it is to talk about suicide in our mental health.
- Gail Pellerin
Legislator
In the beginning, it was very hard for me, but now, as my friends and family will attest, I do it often. I've learned a lot about suicide in my journey, and I'm grateful to my children, friends and family who have supported me on this path. Suicide is not a selfish act. It is something that happens when a person feels completely out of hope and is in a very dark place and loses their fear of death.
- Gail Pellerin
Legislator
My children cannot say that their dad died by suicide in the beginning because it was too painful and the stigma too profound. My daughter actually told friends that her dad died of a heart attack. In fact, that's not far from the truth, as his heart was broken. But please notice I did not say Tom committed suicide. Suicide is not a crime. It is the result of an illness. We do not say someone committed cancer. Words matter.
- Gail Pellerin
Legislator
So please say died by suicide or took their own life. The reality is, each and every one of us has struggled, has felt hopeless, and has been depressed, especially during the last several years of living through a global pandemic. Yet many of us silently fight our own battles. The Nine eight eight emergency mental health hotline that launched in July 2022 is a great step toward meeting the needs of those in a mental health crisis. It's an easy to remember number that you can call or text.
- Gail Pellerin
Legislator
The goal now is to provide 24/7 emergency mobile mental health response and provide the essential, trained professionals and care facilities needed to treat those in a mental health crisis. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people ages 25 to 34 and the third leading cause of death for ten to 14 year olds. Since the beginning of 2023, there has been an average of 67 suicides per day. In the United States, that's one every 21 minutes.
- Gail Pellerin
Legislator
In California, the rate of suicide is 10.4 per 100,000 residents, and firearms were used in one out of three of those suicides. Suicide does not discriminate. It impacts all people of all ages, genders, race, ethnicity, incomes and sexual orientations. But suicide numbers are higher for white males, veterans, people who live in rural areas, LGBTQ youth and transgender adults, middle aged adults, and tribal populations.
- Gail Pellerin
Legislator
Factors that are linked to suicide include substance misuse, job or financial problems, relationship problems, physical or mental health issues, and or easy to access lethal means. Additionally, people who have experienced violence, including childhood experiences like bullying and sexual violence, have a higher suicide risk. Depression is the leading cause of suicide, and depression can be treated with medication and therapy. I am happy to report that the Legislature has agreed to my request to post the 988 emergency mental health hotline in all public bathrooms.
- Gail Pellerin
Legislator
We need to make it easily accessible and remove the stigma. As for all of you listening today, I request the following I want us all to recognize that suicide is a public health crisis. I want all workplaces to provide suicide prevention awareness training for their workers. I want each of us to talk to the people in our lives and ask them how they are really feeling. And it's okay to ask someone if they're thinking about suicide.
- Gail Pellerin
Legislator
I want parents to have information about suicide prevention, and I encourage them to talk to their children often about their mental health. We desperately need to have mental health counselors in schools, and I love the idea of creating wellness centers on campuses. I want everyone to accept that we all have a role in preventing suicide. Learn the warning signs, ask the difficult questions, and let family, friends and neighbors know they are not alone. Talk to them. Listen.
- Gail Pellerin
Legislator
You don't have to be an expert, and it might feel uncomfortable. Let them know that help is available. Tell them what they are experiencing is treatable and that suicidal feelings are temporary. Suicide is final. And one thing we need more of in this world is kindness. Please be kind to one another, even to those who are unkind to you. You don't know what's happening in someone's life, so share a smile or a wave of a stranger. Be positive, respectful and considerate of others.
- Gail Pellerin
Legislator
If you are having suicidal thoughts or a mental health episode, please reach out by calling or texting the hotline at 988. I want anyone who is thinking about suicide to know that your life matters. Your family and friends will not be better off without you. Take it from someone who knows. I leave you with this final thought that came from a friend. When people don't want to live, it speaks volumes about the world we've created for all of us. Thank you for your time and attention.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assemblymember Jackson. You are recognized.
- Corey Jackson
Legislator
Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I would like to associate my words with my dear friend from Santa Cruz, whose moral clarity and whose courage on this issue is unmatched. It is so important that we understand the facts.
- Corey Jackson
Legislator
The center for Disease Control released its most recent data pertaining to youth when it comes to mental health, and they outlined the following that is so important female students were nearly twice as likely to experience persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and nearly twice as likely to attempt suicide during the past year compared to their male peers.
- Corey Jackson
Legislator
With nearly six in ten feeling persistently sad or hopeless, and more than one in ten attempting suicide, LGBTQ plus students were nearly four times as likely as their heterosexual peers to attempt suicide during the past year, with more than two in ten reporting this experience. Attempting suicide was higher among black students than students from other groups and increased among black and white students from 2011 to 2021.
- Corey Jackson
Legislator
During Mental Health month, we made it clear and we tried to set the bar high to understand that it is our moral responsibility to do everything that we can to address mental health so that we can also address suicide. And at that time, I stated that if we ask ourselves if we are doing everything that we can, and unfortunately, I had to say no.
- Corey Jackson
Legislator
And now towards the end of this session, when we continue to ask ourselves, are we doing everything that we know that we can do in order to address mental health and suicide? Unfortunately, again, I must say no. There have been many bills that died to address mental health that was based on data, that was based on science. But unfortunately, again, we allowed politics to get into the way. We were afraid to step on people's toes. We have failed the people of California and our young people.
- Corey Jackson
Legislator
And so next year, we're going to try again and do aggressive, research based solutions that professionals totally agree on. We're going to try again next year. But we need to remember times like this where we're all sad and there's no one who would disagree how important this issue is. We need to continue to feel that way when it's time to do the real work. Again, I want to thank my dear friend from Santa Cruz, who has been an absolute pleasure to work with on this issue. But again, folks, we should have done more. We could have done more, but unfortunately, we did not. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Thank you, Assembly Member Mathis, you were recognized.
- Devon Mathis
Person
Let me move this microphone so I can face most of you. I want to thank our colleague, first and foremost, for bringing this forward and authoring this. I've shared before my experience as a veteran of being on the phone, traveling hours, trying to keep friends on the phone because they were there that they were. At that point, I shared how I've lost. more of my friends, my battle buddies, to suicide than we did in the war. I've shared and I've joked sometimes about wearing my 22 a day. But what I have not shared is my own story.
- Devon Mathis
Person
This morning, an op ed I did on Opioids just hit Sac Bee. I encourage you all to read it because I'm pissed that our state is still doing business with the same company that peddled Opioids and got all our veterans hooked on this crap. When we got home, I was one of them. You all know I got a Purple Heart. You know I was injured in combat. Some of you. I've shared that. When I came home, I came home to nothing but my car.
- Devon Mathis
Person
My accounts were in the red. The VA handed me a cocktail of pills. Here's a bag of pills. Thank you for your service. I was 25 years old. Just told I had a body of an 85 year old man. Here's a bag of pills, son. Thank you. That cocktail of opioids and uppers and downers that I was given messed me up.
- Devon Mathis
Person
With all the other emotional distress of being back, of wondering why God let me live through that. To come home to what I came home to. And I had an attempt where I tried to take my old life. And when I told my uncle about it, he made sure I got help. I was blessed to have the family around me that others don't. We have an opioid epidemic still.
- Devon Mathis
Person
Our state is still giving money to those responsible for the deaths of my brothers and my sisters, my battle buddies, those who gave everything for our freedom and.
- Devon Mathis
Person
It's important that we talk about suicide. It is vital. But we have to talk about the depression and the other things that lead into the suicide. The self medication that happens. The getting hooked on substances that happens. A lot of us don't even realize that is happening to us at the time because it was prescribed. I know I'm not the only one. Colleagues, we have to do more. And it's not just passing mental health policies and access to counseling, but it's also looking deeper into what we're allowing on the streets. It's going harder after things like Fentanyl.
- Devon Mathis
Person
It's making sure, as we're doing prescriptions and things that these things are actually looked into and checked into, as we found out. If you haven't watched the Netflix series Painkiller, I encourage you to do so. We have to do more. We have an obligation to do more. We need to take this time. We need to take this month as we talk about suicide, look into the factors that go into it. Look into the policies that we put in place.
- Devon Mathis
Person
Ask yourselves, why are more men committing suicide? Because we were grown up to be Machismo, to take care of things, to be able to provide. And our economy is so jacked up, we feel like we can't so what is our value if we can't provide? We have to really, seriously not just talk about, oh, we need to make sure there's mental health. Let them get there. What are we doing?
- Devon Mathis
Person
What are the policies that we are passing to make California a better society to live in, where the mental health of everybody is better, where we can flourish, where we can thrive, where we can have that pursuit of happiness, to make all the troubles in our lives worthwhile? I encourage you all to do that. I encourage you to read this article that I wrote about Opioids and actually take action. Don't just pander to us on mental health. Take decisive action.
- Devon Mathis
Person
Join me in making the statement that our government here isn't going to do business with those that took advantage of our veterans and got them hooked and do something about it. Thank you.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Thank you. Assembly Member Mathis. Assembly Member Joe Patterson. You're recognized.
- Joe Patterson
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I wanted to thank my friend from Santa Cruz for authoring this resolution. I was actually in her office few months ago. Now, I don't know, it seems like a few years ago, but we were discussing suicide. And I made the mistake of mentioning how in my immediate family, we had somebody committed suicide. And she corrected me. She said, died by suicide. And I think this was 40 years ago. And I think about what's happened and what's transpired over the last 40 years.
- Joe Patterson
Legislator
And if we had more awareness and more discussions and more honesty with each other about this issue 40 years ago, things would be a lot different. But I also think about how it's impacted my family over the last 40 years. So thank you very much for sharing your story and being open about it. And also my friend from Porterville, also sharing his story for, I think, the first time. So thank you, everybody here, and I encourage an aye vote. Thank you.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Thank you. Assembly Member Patterson. Assembly Member Bauer-Kahan, you're recognized.
- Rebecca Bauer-Kahan
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I really just wanted to stand up and thank our colleagues, and especially our colleagues from Santa Cruz, whose bravery, from the moment she decided to seek this seat in her openness and honesty about her own path, makes each of us stronger. And our colleague from Moreno Valley for his leadership in this space. When I joined this esteemed body five years ago, I think Senator Eggman was one of the few Members on this floor who was laser focused on this issue.
- Rebecca Bauer-Kahan
Legislator
And over the course of those five years, things have changed on this floor. And more of us are invested and dedicated and are making the change that is needed. And it's important to listen that more is needed.
- Rebecca Bauer-Kahan
Legislator
But I want to thank you all for the work you have done, the bravery in voting for very hard things, voting for a fee Bill during the largest surplus in California history to give people access to these services when things get hard wasn't easy for many of you, but you did it. And you did it because each of you had a story. When I sat down with each of you to talk, you each had a story of why this mattered.
- Rebecca Bauer-Kahan
Legislator
And when I spoke that day, two of our colleagues came up and had lost someone by suicide that week as we passed the Nine 88 Bill. This is in each of our lives, and it is in our constituents lives. And I thank our colleagues for sharing their stories and for us to remember as we move forward, to be their allies, as they move the hard bills and do the work California wants us to do. Respectfully ask for your thank you.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Pellerin, would you like to close?
- Gail Pellerin
Legislator
Just want to thank everybody. This has been a really moving day for me, and I'm just grateful for your support and your stories. And I'd like to open the first roll for co authors and then your aye vote thank you and keep up talking to people. Keep your voice loud about this, and let's remove the stigma once and for all. Thank you.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Thank you. Clerk will open the roll. This is for co authors. Members, this is for co authors. Clerk, close the roll. We'll take a voice vote on the resolution. 75. Co authors. No, zeros. We'll do a voice vote on the resolution. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Seeing none. The resolution is adopted. Moving on to file number 59, ACR 112.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Clerk will read
- Committee Secretary
Person
Assembly Concurrent Resolution 112 by Assembly Member Rodriguez and others relative to California Emergency Preparedness Month.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Rodriguez, you are recognized.
- Freddie Rodriguez
Person
Thank you, Madam Speaker and Members. As we approach the month of September I'm proud to present ACR 112 proclaiming September as California Emergency preparedness month Our state is no stranger to disasters and we face multiple emergencies each year, whether it be a flood, wildfire, earthquake or now even a hurricane. As Chair of the Emergency Management Committee, I have continuously stressed the need to prepare for the event of two disasters striking simultaneously. We are a disaster prone state, and recent events have further solidified that point.
- Freddie Rodriguez
Person
Just this past weekend, while Southern California was already being impacted by Hurricane Hilary, a 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck the Ohio region. I'm grateful for the state and local emergency operations centers were already activated for Hurricane Hillary and our resources were ready. Emergency Preparedness Month provides an annual opportunity to educate and empower Californians to prepare for and respond to emergencies.
- Freddie Rodriguez
Person
In preparing California for an emergency, we should all learn how to make plans to ensure access to shelter, food, water, backup power and transportation for ourselves, our families and our animals. Having served as the first respondent for over 30 years, I understand the daily sacrifices that has been made to protect our fellow Californians. Our firefighters, doctors, EMTs, paramedics and nurses risk their lives daily to protect Californians, and we commend and mark them for the unwavering dedication to protect our lives.
- Freddie Rodriguez
Person
This resolution joins the Nation's efforts to educate the public on how to prepare for emergencies and thank our first responders. I respectfully ask for an aye vote and I would like the request to be first roll to be open for coauthors.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Thank you, Assembly Members. Seeing no debate or discussion, Clerk will open the roll. This is for co authors. Members, this is for co authors. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote, Clerk will close the roll. Ayes 73. No. Zero. There are 73 co authors. We'll move on to take a voice. Voice on the resolution. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? No. Then we will have the voice. The resolution is adopted. Thank you. Okay, we're moving on to file number 60, HR. 55.Clerk will read
- Committee Secretary
Person
House resolution 55 by Assembly Member Mike Fong relative to Kimchi Day.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Fong. You are recognized.
- Mike Fong
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker and Members. Today I rise to present HR. 55 which would recognize November 22, 2023 as Kimchi Day. Kimchi is an important Korean dish with a history spanning more than 2000 years, and it has gained popularity in the US. And in California. The United Nations has officially recognized Kim Jong. The process of preparing Kimchi as part of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
- Mike Fong
Legislator
LA County is home to the largest Korean American population in the nation, making up about 16% of the total AAPI population in the county. Koreans and Korean Americans have contributed immensely to the cultural, economic, scientific and social fabric of California. In light of these contributions, HR. 55 recognizes November 22, 2023 as Kimchi Day in California. I respectfully ask for an aye vote and ask that the first vote be open for co authors. Thank you.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Seeing no discussion or debate, Clerk will open the roll. This is fork co authors, Members. This is folk co authors. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote, Clerk will close the roll. Co authors are 68. We will take a voice vote on the resolution. All those in favor? All those in favor? Aye oppose. Thank you. The resolution is adopted. Moving on to third reading Senate file. Moving to file number 65, SB 825.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Clerk will read
- Committee Secretary
Person
Senate Bill 825 by Senator Limon, an act relating to local government.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Hart, you are recognized.
- Monique Limón
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker, Members, I rise today to present SB 825 on behalf of Senator Limon. As part of the 21-22 budget, the Legislature allocated $6 billion to expand access to broadband. Of those funds, almost $3 billion were set aside for last mile infrastructure grants, a loan loss recovery account, and a local agency technical assistance program. AB 825 is a simple measure to allow metropolitan planning organizations and regional transportation planning agencies to qualify for grants under the local agency technical assistance program. This Bill is received by partisan support and has no registered opposition. I respectfully request an aye vote.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
See no debate or discussion. Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the Clerk will close the roll. Aye 70. No, zero. The measure passes. Moving on to file number 67, SB 801. This is for amendments, Members.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Clerk will read
- Committee Secretary
Person
Senate Bill 801 with amendments by Assembly Member Maienschein.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Maienschein, you are recognized.
- Brian Maienschein
Person
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Amendments to SB 801 make technical changes. Thank you. And I respectfully request an aye vote.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Seeing no discussion or debate, Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Ayes 64. No zero measure passes. Amendments are adopted. The Bill goes out to print and back on file. File number 74, SB 421. Clerk will read
- Committee Secretary
Person
Senate Bill 421 by Senator Limone and others in relation to health care coverage.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Pellerin. You are recognized.
- Gail Pellerin
Legislator
Thank you. Madam speaker and Members, I rise to present SB 421 on behalf of Senator Limon, in 2013, the state placed a cap on the out of pocket costs that a health plan or insurer can charge for oral anticancer medication of $250 per month. This law is set to sunset on January 1, 2024.
- Gail Pellerin
Legislator
SB 421 will remove this sunset date, in effect making indefinite the cap on out of pocket costs to $250 for each prescription of up to a three day supply for a covered oral anticancer medication. 43 other states and DC have already enacted legislation to make oral anticancer medications more affordable, equitable, and accessible to ensure that cancer patients and those from marginalized communities can receive life changing treatment. This Bill has received bipartisan support and no opposition. I respectfully ask for your aye vote. Thank you.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Seeing no discussion or debate, Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote all those vote who desire to vote, Clerk will close the roll. Ayes 68. No zero. the measure passes. We're going to stop just for a moment here and acknowledge Assembly Member Fong, who has a very important message for all of us.
- Mike Fong
Legislator
Thank you. Madam Speaker, Members, there are jars of kimchi in the Members lounge. Please grab one on the way out and invite all of you to take home a jar to enjoy with your dinner today. Thank you so much.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Thank you very much, Assembly Member. All right, we're moving on to file number 76, SB. 639. Clerk will read with amendments
- Committee Secretary
Person
Senate Bill 639, with amendments by Assembly Member Alvarez.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Senate Member Alvarez. You are recognized.
- David Alvarez
Legislator
Thank you. Madam Speaker, I rise to purposes of amending SB 639. These amendments include adding co authors and a small technical amendment for the Department of Health Care Services. I respectfully ask for your aye vote without objection.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
We will have a voice vote. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. Amendments are adopted and will go back on file and out to print. Got that? Moving on to file number 80, SB 602. Clerk will read
- Committee Secretary
Person
Senate Bill 602 with amendments by Assembly Member Rendon
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
We're going to pass temporarily. We're moving on to file number 18. We're moving on to file number 89, SB 280. Clerk will read
- Committee Secretary
Person
Senate Bill 280 by Senator Laird an act related to conservatorships.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
All right, we're going to move on to file number 95, SB. 786.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Clerk will read
- Committee Secretary
Person
Senate Bill 786 by Senator Portantino an act related to prescription drugs.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Oh, Mr. Zbur, you are recognized.
- Rick Chavez Zbur
Legislator
Thank you. Madam Speakers, Members, today I rise on behalf of Senator Portentino to present SB 786, which will set regulations on pharmacy benefit managers to protect federal 340B program dollars. The 340B drug pricing program gives eligible safety net healthcare providers, known as covered entities, the right to discounted drug prices from drug manufacturers. Healthcare providers utilize the savings from this program to treat more Low income and uninsured patients, thereby improving community health standards across the nation.
- Rick Chavez Zbur
Legislator
Covered entities need protections against price discrimination, refusals to renew contracts, and roadblocks to entering preferred pharmacy networks. Recent amendments to the Bill addressed prior concerns, and the Bill no longer has any registered opposition. SB 786 will protect covered entities and the communities they serve by preventing PBMs from discriminating against qualified 340 b entities. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Thank you. Mr. 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. Clerks close the roll. Ayes 68. No zero measure passes. We're going to move back to file number 77, SB 612.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Clerk will read
- Committee Secretary
Person
Senate Bill 612 by Senator Ochoa Bogh and others an act relating to healing arts.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Bains, you are recognized.
- Jasmeet Bains
Legislator
Members, last year, Senator Ochoa Bogue introduced SB 1453 to address the question of what type of authorization is needed for a speech language pathologist to perform a flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing, commonly referred to as fees, a one time authorization based on SLP's competency, or an authorization required each time a SLP needs to perform the procedure. The Bill clarified the issue, but didn't specify whether the new training provisions would be retroactive without guidance.
- Jasmeet Bains
Legislator
The Speech Language Pathology and Audiology Board decided to apply SB 1453's new training requirements to all SLPs, even those who have performed this procedure for many years. What this means is that SLPs who were performing this procedure fees prior to 2023 are no longer able to perform the procedure without meeting an additional training requirement, despite clear competency and experience. SB 612 would clarify that the provisions of SB 1453 apply only to SLPs who received a written verification of fees. Competency on or after January 1, 2023.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote Clerk will close the roll. Ayes 69. Noes zero, measure passes. We're going to file number 80, SB 602.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Clerk will read
- Committee Secretary
Person
Senate Bill 602 with amendments by Assembly Member Rendon.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Rendon. You are recognized.
- Anthony Rendon
Person
Thank you, Madam Speaker. These amendments narrow the scope of the Bill to address concerns from stakeholders. I respectfully ask for your aye vote on the amendments.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Seeing no discussion or debate without objection, we will have a voice vote. All those in favor, say aye. Opposed, say no. Amendments have been adopted. The Bill goes out to print and back on file number 96, SB 626. Clerk will read
- Committee Secretary
Person
Senate Bill 626 by Senator Rubio and others an act related to Workplace Safety.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Connelly, you're recognized.
- Damon Connolly
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker and Members. SB 626 by Senator Rubio is a crucial measure to prohibit smoking in all hotel and motel rooms in California. While our state has been a trailblazer in adopting a statewide ban on indoor smoking in workplaces and public areas, an exception remains in place that allows smoking in 20% of hotel and motel rooms. Let us align California's policy with the wealth of evidence that links smoke exposure to respiratory ailments, heart diseases, cancers, and other grave health conditions. SB 626 has no opposition and is enjoyed bipartisan support. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Seeing no debate or discussion, Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote Clerk will close the roll. ayes 58 noes one measure passes. We're going to go ahead and move on to item number 10. Three, SB, 256. With amendments, the Clerk will read.
- Committee Secretary
Person
Senate Bill 256 with amendments by Assembly Member Aguiar Curry
- Blanca Rubio
Legislator
And Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry. You may open.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Good morning, Madam Speaker and Members. I rise to present amendments to SB 256 by Senator Dodd from Napa. The amendments were provided by the State Water Resources Control Board and are technical and clarifying in nature. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.
- Blanca Rubio
Legislator
Thank you, Assembly Member. Without objection, we will take a voice vote on this. All those in favor indicate by saying aye. We're going to take that, rewind it back and ask again. All those in favor indicate by saying aye. Thank you. Noes. The ayes have it. The amendments are adopted and we are back on file.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Members. We're at file number 17, SB 411. Clerk will read.
- Committee Secretary
Person
Senate Bill 411 by Senator Portino and others an act relating to local government, declaring the urgency thereof to take effect immediately.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Luz Rivas. You are recognized.
- Luz Rivas
Person
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today I'm presenting SB 411 on behalf of Senator Quentino. SB 411 will ensure that the City of Los Angeles neighborhood councils can continue serving their constituents through teleconferencing with appropriate guardrails. For those of my colleagues who are not familiar with the neighborhood councils in Los Angeles, they are grassroots boards made up of volunteers who are elected to office by roughly 40,000 Members of their local community, and they operate as advisory bodies, receiving no pay for their participation.
- Luz Rivas
Person
Another unique characteristic of LA's neighborhood councils is that there are 99 of them meeting regularly, and each of these has subcommittees that meet regularly as well. Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, audio and video teleconferencing were widely used to conduct public meetings for the Los Angeles neighborhood councils. This allowed them to remain productive and responsive to constituent needs. It increased public participation, increased the pool of candidates who were able to serve and protected the health and safety of the public.
- Luz Rivas
Person
The transition back to in person meetings has been especially hard on the City of LA and their innovative neighborhood council system due to its large geographic size, large and diverse population, traffic hazards, and the sheer number of neighborhood councils. In just the last few months, as neighborhood councils were forced to transition back to in person meetings, numerous councils have had to cancel their regularly scheduled meetings due to their inability to establish quorums.
- Luz Rivas
Person
Some have been unable to secure a location for their meetings, and others have seen a drastic drop in attendance. As things stand now, this is simply not tenable and has already had the effect of reducing constituent participation in their local government. SB 411 will ensure the vitality and productivity of these important advisory bodies. For these reasons, I respectfully ask for your aye vote. Thank you.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Pacheco, you are recognized.
- Blanca Pacheco
Legislator
Thank you. Thank you, Madam Speaker and Members, today I rise in support of Senator Portentino's, SB 411. Earlier this year, I authored a Bill in this same space, and I am excited to see this Bill before us today on the Assembly floor. Members, this is a narrow Bill with a focus on unique boards in the City of Los Angeles and has significant guardrails to ensure the public is adequately and appropriately served. I have been in communication with the author's office on the importance of this Bill and I respectfully ask for your aye vote.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Seeing no further discussion, would you like to close Assembly Member Rivas?
- Luz Rivas
Person
Thank you to the Member from Downey for her support, and I respectfully ask for an aye vote.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Members, this Bill has an urgency on it. It's a 54 vote Bill. 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. Members, this is a 54 vote Bill on the urgency all those vote who desire to vote all those vote who desire to vote one. All those vote who desire to vote. Ayes 57, noes eleven on the Bill. The measure passes file number 113, SB 385.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Clerk will read
- Committee Secretary
Person
Senable 385 by Senator Atkins an act relating to the Healing Arts.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Nguyen, I was waiting for you to stand up.
- Stephanie Nguyen
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker and colleagues. I rise today with the opportunity to present on SB 385 on behalf of Senate President Pro Tem Tony Atkins, Members, in 2013, AB 154 was enacted to allow nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, physician assistants to provide first trimester abortions. Last year, Senator Atkins authored SB 1375 to update training standards and address workforce barriers for nurse practitioners and certified nurse midwives seeking to provide first trimester abortion care.
- Stephanie Nguyen
Legislator
What also happened last year, Members, is that our reproductive freedom was attacked. Threats from the Supreme Court and other states. California took bold action. We took bold action to ensure that we protected and expanded the access to quality reproductive care. As other states continued to ban access to abortion, it is clear it is clear that we needed to remain steadfast. And not only get ready, but be ready. Be ready for all of those that will be coming here in need of reproductive health care.
- Stephanie Nguyen
Legislator
To that end, and for that reason, SB 385 would improve reproductive care training opportunities for physicians assistance, physician assistance to enable them to provide first trimester abortions within the scope of their clinical and professional educational training. SB 385 would apply the same training standards to physicians Assistant as SB 1375, established for nurse practitioners and certified nurse midwives.
- Stephanie Nguyen
Legislator
SB 385 is complementary follow up to those prior laws, and would further straighten expand access to reproductive care while also lifting up a workforce of skilled physician assistants and giving them more opportunities to care for their patients. This builds off the excess of Senator Atkins'prior bills to strengthen access to abortion and increase the number of providers in our state. Members, I respectfully ask for your aye vote.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Seeing no debate or discussion. 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 close the roll. Ayes 48 and noes 14 Bill passes. Moving on to file number 1116, SB 40. Three Clerk will read Senate Bill 403.
- Committee Secretary
Person
With amendments by Assembly Member Connolly.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Connolly. You are recognized.
- Damon Connolly
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker, Members, I'm pleased to present SB 403 on behalf of Senator Wahab for amendments. These amendments add double jointing language and fix chaptering out issues with the Bill. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Seeing no debate or discussion. Without objection, we'll have a voice vote. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed? The Bill goes out to print and back on file. Moving on to file number 119.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Clerk will read
- Committee Secretary
Person
Senate Bill 636 with amendments by Assembly Member Ortega.
- Liz Ortega
Legislator
Assembly Member Ortega, you are recognized. Madam speaker and Members, I rise on behalf of Senator Cortese. I would like to present Floor amendments for SB 636. Senator Cortese's office work closely with appropriation staff to work out a version of this Bill that is as clear as possible in accomplishing its goals. Requiring utilization reviewers for Workers'Compensation cases to be licensed in California for private employees.
- Liz Ortega
Legislator
These amendments could not be passed in the Assembly Appropriations Committee, but Senator Cortese is following through on his commitment to the Appropriations Committee by crossing these amendments on the Floor. I respectfully ask for your aye vote on these amendments.
- Liz Ortega
Legislator
Seeing no discussion or debate, without objection, voice vote. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Oppose. The amendments are adopted. The Bill goes out to print and back on file. File number one, two, three SB 432.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Clerk will read
- Committee Secretary
Person
Senate Bill 432 with amendments by Assembly Member Haney.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Haney, you are recognized.
- Matt Haney
Legislator
Thank you. Madam speaker and Members, I rise today on my left leg to present amendments for SB 432 by Senator Cortesi. These are technical cleanup amendments that eliminate repeated language, and I respectfully ask for an aye vote.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Seeing no debate or discussion, without objection, we'll do a voice vote. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Amendments are adopted. The Bill goes out to print and back on file. Moving to the Consent Calendar do we have everything? Moving the Consent Calendar before we vote, we will first take up resolutions on the Consent Calendar for the purpose of adding co authors. The Clerk will read the resolutions on the consent calendar.
- Committee Secretary
Person
Assembly Concurrent Resolution 111 by Assembly Member Pappen and others relative to Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, house Resolution 53 by Assembly Member Cork Silver relative to Red Ribbon Week, house Resolution 54 by Assembly Member Vince Fong relative to California Down Syndrome Awareness Month and Senate Concurrent Resolution 81 by Senator Bradford relative to the 50th anniversary of hip Hop.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
The Clerk will open the roll to allow any Member to add on as a co author to the resolutions. Members, this is for co authors. All Members who vote, who desire to vote. All Members who vote to desire to vote. The Clerk will close the roll. There are 63 co authors moving to a vote on the Consent Calendar. We have removed items 13, 131, 133, 135, 137, 143, 144, 150, 155, 158. Does any Member wish to remove an item from the Consent Calendar? Seeing in hearing? None. The Clerk will read the second day consent calendar.
- Committee Secretary
Person
Assembly Concurrent Resolution 111 by Assembly Member Papan and others relative to Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Clerk will open the roll on the Consent Calendar. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. The Clerk will close the roll and tally the vote. Ayes 62. No zero. The consent calendar is adopted. Members, without objection, the quorum call is still in place. Please remain seated. We will now be moving to adjournments in memory. Please give your respectful attention to those who were granted prior permission to speak on an adjournment in memory. Assemblymember Friedman, you are recognized.
- Laura Friedman
Person
Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members, I rise today to speak of Laura Ann Carlton, a constituent of mine tragically and violently taken before her time. Laura Carlton was a force. She was a dedicated community activist, a fierce champion of the two cities she called home studio City in my district, and Lake Arrowhead, where she had a vacation cabin. She was also a small business owner. Magpie was Laura's baby.
- Laura Friedman
Person
She'd left behind her life as an Executive at Kenneth Cole to open her own eclectic clothing store that she and her family would regularly close and convert into a relief center, where they gave out free supplies to victims of storms and wildfires. The rainbow flag that hung in her store window meant a lot to Laura and the local LGBTQ plus community. Her store was, for many, a bastion of safety, until it wasn't.
- Laura Friedman
Person
One hateful bigot with a gun ended Laura's life after stripping the Pride flag, a flag very much like the one that adorns many of our desks here. That gunman left her two communities, her husband and her nine children reeling. There should be no world in which supporting the LGBTQ community should cost you your life. And yet we lost Laura Members.
- Laura Friedman
Person
We live in a world right now where people displaying this flag or voicing support for marginalized communities, voicing support for the many, many LGBTQ plus Members of our community are regularly demonized, regularly called groomers and predators. Using that language has a cost.
- Laura Friedman
Person
Telling people that those who fly this flag, that teachers who want their students to understand other people's experiences, other people's stories, our history, to learn about civil rights and most importantly, to see the experiences and the identities that people are free to express the genders, the sexual orientations that they possess. That seeing that in libraries, in media, that that is somehow wrong.
- Laura Friedman
Person
Telling people that it's okay to openly be intolerant and hateful without any pushback, to see that hatred normalized to the point where people believe that children are being prayed on in schools by teachers who are gay or transgender, that leads some people to violence. It excuses for some people the action of taking a gun and doing something horrific. And that is what happened in this case. Laura lived her life full of love.
- Laura Friedman
Person
Love for her family, love for her community, love for victims of storms and victims of wildfires, people that she had never met before. And she expressed her love for the LGBTQ plus community and refused to stand down to bigots. And that cost her her life. We are all diminished and less for having lost Laura. May her memory be a blessing and a guiding light for us all. And may we all recommit to tolerance and inclusion and love. Thank you, Members.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Assembly Member Lackey, you are recognized. All right.
- Tom Lackey
Legislator
Well, thank you, Madam Speaker. I also rise to request that we adjourn the memory of Laura Ann Carlton. As we have learned, she was a mother, an advocate, and a deeply compassionate human being who was taken away from us on Friday, August 18. Laura, as she was known by her family and friends, brought joy and comfort to countless individuals across her years spent in the fashion industry, culminating with her opening and operating her own successful clothing business with locations in Lake Arrowhead and Studio City.
- Tom Lackey
Legislator
As Laura described it, her storefronts were all about tackling everyday life with grace and ease and continuing to dream. Her life and career were the embodiment of those principles. She traveled the world with her husband of 28 years and raised their nine children, but never lost the sight of causes that mattered to her. This hateful act that led to the loss of Laura's life has no place in our society. It's unthinkable that disagreement over a Pride flag could ever result in such permanent loss.
- Tom Lackey
Legislator
And we're all devastated and deeply saddened that it did. We all continue to mourn her passing and feel the hole her absence left in our hearts. She survived by her husband, Bort, and their nine children. Nine children. She will be deeply missed. And I join each of you as I respectfully request that we adjourn in Laura Ann Carlton's memory.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Thank you. Assembly Member Assembly Member Ward. You are recognized.
- Chris Ward
Legislator
Madam Speaker, I also rise as the vice chair of our LGBTQ caucus to adjourn in the memory of Loriannne Carlton. I want to thank my colleagues from Glendale and the High desert as well, for their thoughtful words. Hateful language has consequences. And we have heard some of that percolate in our discussions and certainly in discussions affecting our business around here. And sometimes that is amplified, and that gives permission for people to act out on that.
- Chris Ward
Legislator
And so it's one thing if we pass resolutions to say we're all anti hate, and that passes unanimously, but match that up with the actions that we take every single day. Lorianne Carlton, as you heard, was an amazing contributor to her community, an amazing mom, a straight ally who didn't back down to that hate, and it cost her her life. It was pretty high profile. But she wasn't the first one, and she won't be the last until our words match our actions.
- Chris Ward
Legislator
It was a senseless act of violence and hate. When people act like anti gay and antitrans rhetoric isn't dangerous, clearly, this affects us all. And I want them to remember this tragedy, this attacker. He only needed the sight of a rainbow flag to unleash something inside of himself, which, of course, needed to be worked on. But that was the trigger. And why did that become the trigger? Because people say it should be a trigger. In the past. I'm going to talk about Laura.
- Chris Ward
Legislator
Her pride flags were something that she was proud of because she believed everybody should be a part of the community and beyond our LGBT brothers and sisters, she was there for just this February blizzard that we had last year. It affected her mountain community and her husband. They were pivotal in organizing a free store to provide free food and supplies for four months after the blizzard. She was a pillar. She was a bright light of tolerance and acceptance and support for her nine children. We lost a really nice person because of hateful language. And I respectfully request that we adjourn in her memory today.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Thank you, Assembly Member Ward. Assembly Member Ta, you are recognized.
- Tri Ta
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise today to adjourn in the memory of Garden Grove Police Corporal Han Cho, a first responder who tragically lost his life on August 7. Copper Cho worked for 28 years with the Garden Grove Police Department, where he separately dedicated his life to public safety in the Garden Grove community. Han Cho graduated from the police academy in 1995 and served as a patrol officer in the gang unit at the career reminisce team, the hostage negotiation team in the neighborhood traffic unit.
- Tri Ta
Legislator
Corporal chose service and sacrifice will forever be in the memories of his family, as well as entire Garden Grove Police Department and the community that he served. Han is survived by his son, daughter, mother and father, along with his two sisters, one brother and a niece who care for him deeply. It is with great sadness that a joy Hand family and friends and a Garden Grove Police Department in mourning his loss. Han's legacy will endure forever in our heart and memory. Thank you.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Thank you. Assembly Member Ta. Assembly Member Gipson, you are recognized.
- Mike Gipson
Legislator
Thank you very much, Madam Speaker and Members, I rise today to ask his body to adjourn in memory of this remarkable figure in the Watts community named Arthur Ibara, known for his uniting the African American Latino community in Watts. Known for bringing the first Cinco De Mayo festival parade in Watts history. Known for speaking truth to power, Arthur was born on May 144 in Mexico to Albert Ibara and Maria Espino. Passed away on July 27, 2023.
- Mike Gipson
Legislator
He studied law at the National University of Mexico, where his long life pursuit of justice ignited following a student massacre. Fleeing from persecution in Mexico, Arthur founded refuge in the United States, beginning at Moore Park, where he lived, and then finally settled in the Watts community where he was united by his beautiful wife. He also shared a burning passion for justice and advocacy. Arthur and his wife were married for 41 long years and fostered a beautiful, blended family of seven children.
- Mike Gipson
Legislator
Together they founded the Watts Century Latino organization, a beacon of advocacy serving the community for more than three decades. He also founded the Latino Leadership Institute, which catapult the work to recognize many in the community of Watts and beyond. Arthur's legacy will be carried on through his family and those who love him, his activism for family as well as community.
- Mike Gipson
Legislator
Congresswoman Maxine Waters stated Arthur Ibara was a bridge builder, a way maker, a healer, and a foundational beacon of vibrance and light for the South Los Angeles community. Today, I rise to honor the life, the legacy, the memory, the accomplishments of Mr. Ibara for his passion and love for his community. Members, I respectfully ask for strong that we adjourn in memory of Arthur Ibara.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
Thank you, Assembly Member Gibson. Members, please bring the names to the desk to be printed in the journal. All requests to adjourn in memory will be deemed read and print in the journal. We will now move to the announcement of the remaining items on the consent calendar. The Clerk will read.
- Committee Secretary
Person
House Resolution 53. Ayes 62 no zero. House resolution 54 Ayes 62 no zero. Senate Bill 413. Ayes 62. No, zero. Senate Bill 55 Ayes 62. No zero. Senate Bill 223 Ayes 62. No zero. Senate Bill 293 Ayes 62. No zero. Senate Bill 374 62. No zero. Senate Bill 475 Ayes 62. No zero. Senate Bill 505 Ayes 62. No zero. Senate Bill 579 Ayes 62. No zero. Senate Bill 595 Ayes 62. No zero.
- Committee Secretary
Person
Senate Bill 617 Ayes 62. No zero. Senate Bill 622. Ayes 62. No zero. Senate Bill 668 Ayes 62. No zero. Senate Bill. Six, 69. Ayes 62. No zero. Senate Bill 706. Ayes 62. No zero. Senate Bill 775. Ayes 62. No zero. Senate Bill 793 Ayes 62. No zero. Senate Bill 8. Ayes 62. No zero. Senate Bill 812. Ayes 62. No zero. Senate Bill 833. Ayes 62. No zero. Senate Bill 883. Ayes 62. No zero. And Senate concurrent resolution 81 Ayes 62.
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Legislator
No zero. Members, the photo of white suit day will be taken on the floor upon adjournment. The session schedule is as follows. Friday, August 25 no session, no check in session. Monday, August 20, Eigth, floor sessions at 01:00 P.m.. All other items remaining will be passed and retained. All motions will be continued. Seeing and hearing no further business, I am ready to entertain a motion to adjourn. Mr. Bryant, Moose and Mr. Who? Mr. Patterson seconds that this house stands adjourned until Monday, August 28. at 01:00 p.m.. The quorum call is lifted. The house is adjourned. Assembly floor session is adjourned.
Next bill discussion: August 28, 2023
Previous bill discussion: August 16, 2023
Speakers
Legislator