Senate Floor

Secretary. Please call the role.

Allen. Alvarado-Gil. Archuleta. Ashby. Atkins. Becker. Blakespear. Bradford. Caballero. Cortese. Dahle. Dodd. Durazo. Eggman. Glazer. Gonzalez. Grove Hurtado. Jones. Laird. Limon. Maguire. Menjivar. Min. Newman. Nguyen. Neillo Ochoa-Bogh. Padilla. Portantino. Roth. Rubio. Seyarto. Skinner. Smallwood-Cuevas. Stern. Umberg. Wahab. Wiener. Wilk.

Members, a quorum is present. What? Our Members and our guests beyond the rail and in the gallery, please rise. We'll be led in prayer this afternoon by Chaplain Sister Michelle Gorman, after which we're going to ask you to remain standing. And you'll be led in pledge allegiance to the flag by Senator Smallwood-Cuevas.

Let us bring our minds and hearts and bodies into this space where God is always present. The 12th century composer, philosopher, mystic and visionary Hildegarda Bingen says we are a feather on the breath of God and this is her prayer. Holy Spirit, giving life to all life, moving all creatures, root of all things, washing us clean, wiping out our mistakes, healing our wounds. You, Holy Spirit, are our true life luminous, wonderful, awakening the heart from its ancient sleep. Amen.

Let's join together to say the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the United States of America and to the republic under God indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Members, we're moving to privileges of the floor. First, Members, on behalf of Senator Alvarado Gill, please welcome the students from CSU Stanislaus in the gallery today. Let's give them a Senate welcome. Now, Members, on behalf of Senator Nguyen, please welcome mayor of Huntington Beach and former Senator and former Assembly Member Tony Strickland. Tony Strickland. Thank you. Who joins us today on the floor. And Mayor Pro Tim of Huntington Beach. Gracie Van Dermarck, who joins us in the gallery today. So Mr. Strickland's not here yet.

He's not here. All right. Well, we'll return back to that. Under privilege of the floor, we're going to take this opportunity to recognize Senator Weiner.

Thank you very much, Mr. President, colleagues, as co chair of the Jewish Caucus, I just want to point your attention to your desks where you'll see some pastries. They're called humintashen. Today and tomorrow are Purim, a Jewish holiday which commemorates back in Persia where there was a plot to exterminate all of the Jews. And Esther, the queen, rose up and basically managed to put a stop to it. And so this is a celebratory holiday. I was at our Jewish community center over the weekend.

All the kids were dressed up. It was just incredibly festive. And it's a reminder that we need to be mindful at all times and an opportunity to celebrate our victories. So please enjoy.

Thank you, Senator Weiner. And also Members on behalf of Senator Weiner, please welcome the delegation from the California Association of Licensed Investigators who are visiting the Legislature this week from the gallery today. Are they in the gallery? Please stand. Give you a California State Senate welcome. And also, let's take this opportunity to wish our colleagues, Senator Hurtado a very happy birthday. Happy birthday, Senator Hurtado. Now, Members, we're moving on to messages from the Governor will be deemed read. Messages from the Assembly will be deemed read.

Reports of committee will be deemed read and amendments adopted. And now we're moving to motions and resolutions. Without objection, the Senate journals for February 27, 2023 through March 2, 2023, will be approved as corrected by the minute Clerk. Now we're moving on to consideration of a daily file. We have one item, item one secretary.

Please read Senate Concurring Resolution 28.

Thank you. Now, returning to motions and resolutions, this is the time for adjourn in memory. Do we have Senator Becker? He's first up.

Good afternoon, Mr. President and Members. I wish to close today's session in honor of Julie Kate's, a public servant constantly engaged in community outreach, who recently passed away after a stroke. She was a fourth generation Californian and longtime resident of Los Altos. She was known for her exuberance and passion. You probably all have people like this in your district where they just exude this warmth and encouragement and enthusiasm.

And every time you see them, they have some idea that's going to make the community better that they're buzzing about. And I'll mention a couple in the case of Julie, first of all, she was a longtime Member of League of Women Voters, and she was also active in supporting organizations who focus on at risk youth and improving early education opportunities. A little about her, she was a trailblazer. She was one of the very few women at Stanford's electrical engineering Department.

She got a bachelor's and a Master's at Stanford when there were very few women going to work in the field. And she did go to work in the so I know her mostly from early learning. I served on what we call it's basically the Childcare Partnerships Council, which is our local planning committee in San Mateo County. And she was again, every time I saw her, there's just something she was excited about, whether it be a building project, whether it be a workforce project.

And she just had just that energy. And she was just constantly every time you'd see her, she'd have a plan how we were going to get more people involved, how we were going to do more, how are we going to accomplish more. And so when I found out her passing, it was really honestly just a big shock to me and certainly to our community.

She was loved by her husband, her children, her grandchildren, and her passion and joy will continue in and all those that she impacted. So we send much love to her husband, Frederick Ware, her three sons, their partners, and her grandchildren. So thank you all and allow me to adjourn the Senate in her memory.

Thank you, Senator Becker. And we ask that you bring her name forward so she can be properly memorialized. Members, we're going to turn back quickly to privilege of the floor. At this time, I would like to recognize the mayor of Huntington Beach, former assemblyman, former Senator Tony Strickland. Please come forward on behalf of Senator Nguyen. Welcome to the Senate chambers. Thank you. Welcome back. All right, Members, we're going to return back to motions and resolutions. Next up is Senator Weiner. We're adjourned in memory.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, it's with great sadness that I rise today to ask that the Senate adjourn in the memory of Anne Goodman Rapson who passed away on February 13 at the age of 68. Anne was actually a constituent of Senator Skinner's, but her daughter Lily is a constituent of mine, someone I know well and a very active Member of the San Francisco community. Anne was born in 1955 in Newark, New Jersey and grew up near Milburn.

She graduated as class President and valedictorian from Milburn High in 1973. She attended Oberlin College in Ohio where she excelled academically. She practiced organic farming and helped found the campus organic food co-op. After spending a winter in Northern California and returning to an Ohio blizzard in 1977, she did what many have done, which was to come west and came to San Francisco upon graduation. She moved to San Francisco in 1977 working for the Labor Relations Department of the University of San Francisco. She attended USF.

Law School at night and earned her law degree in 1983. She was then admitted to the state bar and practiced labor law in San Francisco and then criminal law in Alameda County. While studying for the bar, Anne met Dave Rapson and they married in November of 1983. She lovingly centered her life around her family after losing her own mother at a young age. Becoming a mother was particularly important and fulfilling to Anne.

Her tender, loving care grounded her two daughters, Pearl and Lily, as she nurtured their independence. Anne believed in the importance of being civically minded and community engaged through politics and through advocacy. She volunteered on numerous local political campaigns and was active in the Bay Area Jewish and pro-Israel communities, serving as a vice President of Temple Beth Abraham and as a lay leader for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

APEC anne was an avid hiker, regularly frequenting trails in the Bay Area where she loved identifying California native trees and blooming wildflowers and watching the annual whale migration. She lived an active lifestyle swimming at least five days a week at the Hills Swim and Tennis Club in Oakland. Anne is survived by her husband Dave her two daughters, Pearl Rapson Mizrahi and Lily Rapson her brother Louis J. Goodman her granddaughters Grace and Lila and her son in law, Aaron. Anne Goodman rapson will be deeply missed.

May her memory be a blessing and may she rest in power. Please join me today in adjourning the Senate in her memory.

Thank you. Senator Wiener, our Dupest condolences. We ask that you bring her name forward so she can be properly memorialized. Next we have Senator Cortese.

Thank you, Mr. President and colleagues. I rise to adjourn in memory of Bishop Oscar Dais, a person many of us knew better as Pastor Dace. He was the pastor of Bible Way Christian Center in San Jose and a beloved Member of his community. He died on January eigth at the age of 61. Bishop Dave served his church community for decades with integrity, courage, compassion, and love. He was a leader, an inspiration, a mentor, and a friend to many.

He cared deeply about his community, both in the church and far beyond it. He was a welcoming presence to all. Bishop Dace was the President of the South Bay Christian Ministers Union for over ten years. He worked to build community and collaborate with other churches in the area. During his time with Bible Way, which began in 1981, he mentored many pastors who went on to establish their own ministries. The impacts of his work can be felt far and wide.

He was a former Marine, a civil rights leader, and a man who served a largely black church with a very diverse community. His space for folks in the congregation to discuss invent about their frustrations about injustice, police brutality, and other issues was legend. In the bishop's own words, it feels like in our country where there's supposed to be justice for all, there's really only justice for some.

He often utilized the church itself to convene workshops, to communicate civil rights concerns, and not only with the congregation from his own church, but involving other community organizations the NAACP, elected officials, law enforcement officials, and so on. Every Friday night for many years, he livestreamed his Friday night live with Bishop Dais on social media. In these live streams, he would preach and pray with others. At the close of his prayers, bishop Dais would ask God for victory, power, and no defeat.

That was his mantra victory, power, and no defeat. But he never asked that for himself. He asked it for his family, his church, his community. Bishop Dave Dace was selfless, with a genuine concern for all people. I mentioned that he founded the church in 1981, but it was in my first term on the city council right after the.com bust that I first saw him come into City Hall and really live out this mantra victory, power, and no defeat.

In those days, it was almost impossible to convert campus industrial property in Silicon Valley to any other use. It was politically a very difficult position to take, and that would include housing, by the way. 20 something years has changed a lot, a lot of things. But Bishop days saw vacant, single story campus industrial property in North San Jose that would be perfect for the Bible Way church. And he came in to City Hall after being turned down by the planning commission and appealed his case.

And it was one of the top three most contentious hearings I was ever part of as a Member of the City Council during my two terms there, he won and gave all new meaning to this mantra of victory, power and no defeat. His service, which was a standing room crowd, was held in that same facility just about two weeks ago.

He will be remembered in the highest regard for his teachings, mentorship, sense of humor, and his work to leave the world a better place than he found it. He will be deeply missed. Thank you, colleagues, and I respectfully ask that we adjourn in his memory today.

Thank you, Senator Cortese. We ask that you bring his name forward so he can be properly memorialized. Next, we have Senator Seyarto.

Thank you, Mr. President. Members, today I rise to ask that we adjourn in memory of Ted Hoffman, who was the Mayor pro TEM for the City of Norco until his untimely and unexpected passing a week and a half ago. Mayor Pro tempore Ted Hoffman served on the Norco City Council since 2015, after previously serving on the Planning Commission and the Streets, Trails and Utilities Commission for five years.

And if you know Norco, you know those are important, important commissions to sit on as they integrate housing, automobiles and horses. He represented the city on several local and regional boards and committees, including the George A. Ingalls Equestrian Event Center, the Veterans Memorial Executive Committee, LAFCO Riverside County Transportation Commission, the Riverside Transit Agency and the Western Community Energy Committee. He was passionate about making Norco a destination city and maintaining its rural feel while improving infrastructure and guiding the city through some really tough economic times.

He volunteered and was active in numerous community organizations such as the Norco Horsemen's Association, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, and the Challenge Children's Rodeo, and participated in organizing events like the Parade of Lights, the Norco Fair and Horse Week. His public service extends back to 1972, when he served in the US.

Army and Army Reserves, followed by a ten year career at Excelsior Dairy Farms, until he joined the Riverside County Sheriff's Department in 1986, where he served for 26 years in various capacities, ultimately achieving the rank of sergeant. He studied agricultural business management at Cal Poly Pomona and received an as degree in Animal science from Mount San Antonio College. He also studied criminal justice at Riverside Community College and earned a supervisor and advanced law enforcement certificate through the Commission on California Peace Officer Standards.

Mayor Pro tempore Ted Hoffman is survived by his beloved wife of over 40 years, Jean, and their daughter and two grandsons. Members, I thank you for this opportunity to speak today, and I again ask that we adjourn in the memory of City of Norco mayor Pro TEM Ted Hoffman.

Thank you, Senator. Our deepest condolences. We ask that you bring his name forward so he can be properly memorialized by the California State Senate. Next up is Senator Caballero.

Thank you, Mr. President. I rise today to request that we adjourn in the memory of Darlene Acosta, who died on February 14, 2023. Darlene Acosta was born on October 6, 1949 in Modesto, California. Darlene, also known as Dee, was a passionate public servant, an advocate for public health and safety for the South Salinas Valley. She graduated from Hartnell Community College with an Associate of Science, degree in health education as a drug and alcohol specialist, and an Associate of Arts degree in Behavioral Science.

She transferred to San Jose State University and graduated with a degree in social work. Her greatest passion was to work in the service of other, particularly the youth in her community. Such was her passion that she joined the Sun Street Centers, a nonprofit drug and alcohol recovery program, and became the South Monterey County Prevention Manager in 2014.

As a prevention manager, she led the effort to pass social host ordinances in multiple jurisdictions to hold adults accountable for allowing or providing illegal alcohol and drugs at House party for teens. She also collaborated with law enforcement schools and other nonprofits to reduce the use of alcohol and drug abuse among minors. Her desire to serve the community also led her to run for elected office, becoming a City council Member in the city of Greenfield from 1989 to 1994.

And in 2014, after she moved to King City, she became a Member of the King City Council and was a fearless leader until she resigned and passed one day later. She continued to serve on other boards that support youth and families, serving on four Cities for Peace, the Comprehensive Plan End Youth Violence, the Community Task Force, and others.

She was loved and appreciated by many throughout the Salinas Valley, and she was a fierce advocate for women and children, agitating for resources, for people who need help in her community. And I know this is true because she was regularly in my office looking for funds to be able to help in the community that received so little support. Many times she was compassionate and caring, and I considered her a friend and a colleague.

I was deeply saddened to hear that she resigned from the City Council for health reasons and then shocked to hear that she passed the next day. I will miss her deeply, and King City will not be the same without her energy and her focus. She was a woman of faith and had a strong love for God. Our thoughts and prayers are with her daughter Shannon Villadarius. Grandchildren Isaac, Eric, Isaiah and Savannah. And great grandchildren Willow, Emma, Ethan and Ileana.

Thank you, Members, I respectfully request that the Senate adjourn in her memory today.

Thank you, Senator. We extend our deepest condolences, and we ask that you bring her name forward so she can be properly memorialized. If there's no other business, Senator Grove, the desk is clear.

Thank you, Madam President, colleagues, the Senate will be in recess until 330, at which time there will be an adjournment motion made, and we will reconvene. Thursday. This Thursday at 09:00 A.m., the Senate.

Will be in recess until 03:30 P.m., at which time the adjournment motion will be made. We'll reconvene Thursday, March 9, at 09:00 A.m.