Assembly Floor

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

Addis? Aguiar-Curry? Alanis? Alvarez? Arambula? Bains? Bauer-Kahan? Bennett? Berman? Boerner? Bonta? Bryan? Calderon? Juan Carrillo? Wendy 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? Kalra? Lackey? Lee?

Low? 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? Schiavo? Soria? Ta? Ting? Valencia? Villapudua? Waldron? Wallis? Ward? Weber? Wicks? Wilson? Wood? Zbur? Mr. Speaker.

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

In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful, O Lord, God of our past, present, and future, we look to you today as we begin this session of the California State Assembly. We thank you this morning and for all those who are assembled here today. These Assembly Members have been given a great privilege and have an important responsibility. Bestow upon them the wisdom, discernment, and knowledge they need. Be very near to each of them, and may this day be a day of accomplishment. By your Grace, enable these representatives to make this world a better place for our fellow Californians. Amen.

Thank you, Imam Yasir Khan. Please remain standing as Assembly Member Wilson leads us in the flag salute.

Please join me in the pledge. 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.

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

Assembly Chamber, Sacramento, Thursday, April 13th, 2023. The Assembly met at 9:00 a.m. The Honorable Christopher M. Ward, speaker pro Tempore of the Assembly--

Ms. Reyes moves; Mr. Gallagher seconds that the reading of the previous day journal be dispensed with. Presentations and petitions, there are none. Introductions and reference of bills will be deferred. Reports of Committee will be deemed read and amendments deemed adopted. Messages from the Governor, there are none. Messages from the Senate, there are none. Moving to motions and resolutions, the absences for the day will be deemed read and printed in the journal. Majority Leader Reyes, you are recognized for your procedural motion.

Thank you, Madam Chair--Madam Speaker. I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 45.5 to allow Assembly Members Jackson and Aguiar-Curry to speak on an adjournment in memory today.

Without objection, such shall be the order.

I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 118A to allow Assembly Member Gabriel to have guests and photographers on the floor today.

Without objection, such shall be the order.

I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 96 to withdraw AB 854: Ramos from the Governmental Organization Committee and order the bill to the Second Reading File.

Without objection, such shall be the order. Moving to guest introductions and announcements, Assembly Member Berman, you are recognized for your guest introduction.

Thank you, Madam Speaker and Colleagues. It is my pleasure to introduce the fourth grade class from the Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School in my district who are all up here in the gallery right now, and I had a chance to chat with them before session. They had such great questions. I'm looking forward to seeing a couple of them here on the Assembly floor in a few decades as legislators themselves. Please give them a round of applause.

Assembly Member Gabriel, you are recognized for your guest introductions.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Good morning, Colleagues. I am delighted today to have our two CIF 2023 Scholar-Athletes of the Year with us here in the chamber today. I am pleased that Lillie Vehling from my district is CIF Scholar-Athlete of the World--of the Year. This is the world--starting with California, then the world--and this is an award I think that many of you are familiar with that is giving in recognition of scholastic achievement, athletic ability, and leadership in the community, and we have two really fantastic, young Californians with us today.

Lillie is a two-sport athlete at Notre Dame High School where she has participated in water polo and swimming, and she has been captain of the water polo team for the past two years. She also has a 4.69 GPA. I'm understood that actually went up since the printing of the resolution, and that actually is not the most impressive thing. Listen to this.

She has founded the Fire Family Ladder Program which is a nonprofit organization focused on supporting the children of fallen or disabled firefighters, and she is a volunteer with the Widows, Orphans and Disabled Firefighters Fund.

Also has done extraordinary leadership, founding the Notre Dame Game Club to encourage positive mental health, something we have all talked about on this floor recently. Unsurprisingly, her class is representative to the school's associated student body, and she coaches children, including special needs children, on water and survival swimming skills, so please help me in congratulating Lillie Vehling, our CIF Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

And I also want to give a special acknowledgement to her parents and her family who's up in the gallery because I know there's a lot of the hard work there too, so let's welcome her family as well, please. I am also pinch-hitting today for our colleague, Assembly Member Bauer-Kahan from Miranda, who wanted to honor our CIF Scholar-Athlete Timothy Kerr.

Continuing with the theme, he is also going to UC Davis, also a water polo player; he is attending San Ramon Valley High School where he has been Vice President and President of the Comrades Club which is focused on an inclusive school environment. He is class President of Boys Team Charity which is fundraising for local and national charities.

He has volunteered with the Monument Crisis Center through school supply drives, food drives, distribution events, and also a number of community outreach activities, including Running With Love which is an organization that supports scholarship programs for the children of farm workers and others who face barriers. So also a great athlete, a wonderful human being. Let's give a big round of applause to him as well.

Assembly Member Villapudua, you are recognized for your guest introductions.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Good morning, Colleagues. Please help me in welcoming the fifth grade students from Alcorn School in Stockton to California State Assembly. They are here with their teacher, Dr. Adrianne Go-Miller, who was the San Joaquin County Office of Education Teacher of the Year 2016. I would like to note that some of the students here are San Joaquin County Science Olympiad Division A tournament champions. I'm proud to have the students here today. Again, please let's welcome to the California State Assembly.

Moving to business on the Daily File. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 642, 58, 254, 286, 413, 521, 678, 733, 754, 755, 825, 917, 947, 994, 1027, 1037, 1187, 1194, 1204, 1213, 1216, 1218, 1266, 1288, 1332, 1345, 1399, 1432, 1449, 1465, 1483, 1485, 1631, 1646, 1707, 1060, 224, 256, 350, 368, 382, 389, 399, 400, 490, 517, 614, 623, 628, 630, 717, 785, 791, 859, 876, 902, 924, 1023, 1217, 1271, 1283, 1291, 1296, 1318, 1328, 1331, 1355, 1366, 1377, 1404, 1526, 1560, 1578, 1611, 1612, 1760, 1764, and Assembly Bill 936 with amendments.

All bills on Second Reading will be deemed read and all amendments will be deemed adopted. Members, we will be moving to the adoption of floor amendments pending at the desk: File Item 90: AB 1335 by Assembly Member Zbur for the purpose of amendments. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 1335 with amendments by Assembly Member Zbur.

Assembly Member Zbur, you are recognized for your amendments.

Madam Speaker and Members, I rise today to present AB 1335 for the purpose of amendments. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assembly Member Zbur. Is there any objection to taking a voice vote on amendments? Seeing and hearing none, all those in favor say 'aye.' Opposed, say 'no.' The ayes have it. The amendments are adopted. The bill is out to print and back on file. File Item Number 98: AB 3--pardon me--AB 636 by Assembly Member Kalra for the purpose of amendments. The Clerk will read.

Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 636 with amendments by Assemblymember Kalra.

Assemblymember Kalra, you are recognized for your amendments.

Thank you, Madam Speaker and Members. Amendments to AB 636 make minor technical changes to the Bill and also clarify that when an employer has both H-2A employees and non H-2A employees, the employer may satisfy the notice requirement with respect to its non H-2A employees by opting to provide those employees with the notice for H-2A employees as specified by the Bill or by providing the basic written notice generally required for employees. Thank you.

Thank you, Assembly Member Kalra. Is there any objection in taking a voice vote on the amendments? Seeing and hearing none. All those in favor say aye, opposed say no. The ayes have it. The amendments are adopted. The Bill is out to print and back on file. Moving on to file item 103, AB 1136 by Assemblymember Haney for the purpose of amendments. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 1136 with amendments by Assemblymember Haney.

Assemblymember Haney, you are recognized for your amendments.

Thank you, Madam Speaker and colleagues. AB 1136 is a mixed martial arts pension Bill. It'll simply ensure that licensed mixed martial arts fighters in our state have the same access to a pension as boxers do. It'll be financed through ticket sales and souvenirs. These are clarifying amendments that simply ensure that those are souvenirs that are commissioned by the Athletic Commission, and I respectfully ask for your aye vote on these amendments.

Thank you, Assemblymember Haney. Is there any objection in taking a voice vote on the amendments? Seeing and hearing none. All those in favor say aye, opposed say no. The ayes have it. The amendments are adopted. The Bill is out to print and back on file. 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 resolution on the consent calendar.

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 39 by Assembly Member Bains, relative to Older Californians Month. Assembly Concurrent Resolution 69 by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry, relative to Necrotizing Enterocolitis Awareness Day. Assembly Concurrent Resolution 73 by Assembly Member Bains, relative to State Scientists Day. House Resolution 32 by Assembly Member McKinnor, relative to Black Conservation Week.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 8 by Senator Nguyen and others, relative to Black April Memorial Month, Senate Concurrent Resolution 34 by Senator Ashby and others, relative to Child Abuse Prevention Month, Senate Concurrent Resolution 45 by Senator Blakespear and others, relative to Women's Surf Day, and Senate Concurrent Resolution 51 by Senator Becker and others, relative to Special Olympics Day.

The Clerk will open the roll to allow any Member to add on as coauthors to the resolution. Members, this is a vote for coauthors. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members votes who desire to vote. All Members votes who desire to vote. The Clerk will close the roll. There are 59 coauthors. Moving to a vote on the consent calendar, does any Member wish to move an item from the consent calendar? Seeing and hearing none, the Clerk will read the second-day consent calendar.

Assembly Bill 1376 by Assembly Member Juan Carrillo, an act relating to emergency medical services.

The Clerk will open the roll on consent calendar. All Members votes who desire to vote. All Members votes who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. The Clerk will close the roll. Ayes: 61. The consent calendar is adopted. I'm sorry. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. The consent calendar is adopted. The Clerk will read the remaining items on the consent calendar.

Assembly Bill 1650. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 71. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 298. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 332. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 334. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 379. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 427. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 691. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 712. Ayes: 62; noes: zero.

Assembly Bill 820. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 873. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 910. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 946. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 1071. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 1141. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 1246. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 1261. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 1433. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 1452. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 1459. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 1539. Ayes: 62; noes: zero.

Assembly Bill 1541. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 1542. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 1583. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 1665. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 1716. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 354. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Bill 1736. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Concurrent Resolution 39. Ayes: 62; noes: zero.

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 69. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Assembly Concurrent Resolution 73. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. House Resolution 32. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Senate Concurrent Resolution 8. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Senate Concurrent Resolution 34. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Senate Concurrent Resolution 43. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. Senate Concurrent Resolution 45. Ayes: 62; noes: zero. And Senate Concurrent Resolution 51. And ayes: 62; noes: zero.

Members, the quorum call is still in place. We are now moving to adjournments in memory. Please give your respectful attention to those who were granted prior permission to speak on an adjournment of memory. Members, once again, we are in adjournment in memory. Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry, you are recognized.

Thank you, Madam Speaker and Members. Members, I want to remind you that we make so many incredible decisions on the floor, but we have some things that are out of our hands in our districts, and this is one that none of us could have changed. I'm rising today to adjourn in memories of David Breaux and Karim Abou Najm, the two victims that tragically lost their lives in the brutal killings that shocked and terrified my constituents in the City of Davis last week.

David Breaux was known throughout the Davis Community as he was known for spreading compassion and love to everyone he met. You could see him every week at the Farmers' Market with his clipboard and wanting to make sure what you thought of what compassion was. He lived a very simple life based on his personal mission to raise awareness of compassion. He was kind, he was gentle, he was soft spoken, and he was thoughtful.

Anyone who spent time around Davis Central Park over the past decade would recognize him in his constant search of 'what does compassion mean to you?' David grew up in Duarte, California, northeast of Los Angeles. He graduated from Stanford University and subsequently moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. He moved to Davis in 2009, and in 2013, he was instrumental in the creation and organization of the Compassion Bench located on the corner of 3rd and C Street in Davis.

It's a beautiful bench and it's mosaic, and it just kind of brings you in when you see the bench. Davis--he also published his own book, collective writings entitled 'Compassion: a Compilation of Concepts in Compassion.' In David's own words, 'I had decided to spend the rest of my life with a pen and a notepad and asking people to share their concept of compassion. I will continue doing this until this can no longer continue.' And he did just that.

He is survived by his sister, Maria, who said that his desire to spread compassion and learn what it meant to others came from watching a TED Talk. The TED Talk was My Wish: The Charter for Compassion by Karen Armstrong. Maria says that her brother was always the kindest and the sweetest person who tried to be in the state of pure love. He touched many lives in our Davis Community, dedicating his time and his energy towards selflessness.

The crowd who turned out to his memorial vigil, it was a concrete demonstration of his value to the community and how much he will be missed. Karim Abou Najm; his parents are here with us this morning. Karim was best known as a smart and caring young man. He was a loving son and a brother to his parents and a brother to his parents, UC Davis Professor Majdi Abou Najm and Nadine Yehya, and his grandmother is also here: Amal. He meant the world to his family.

His father called Karim, 'an exceptional talent and a bundle of energy.' Before moving to the United States in 2018, he attended the International College in Beirut, Lebanon. When he arrived in Davis, he attended Davis High School and graduated with high honors in 2020. Karim, 20 years old, was a student at the University of California at Davis. He was just six weeks away from graduating with his bachelor's degree in computer science with honors.

The family shared with me this morning that Chancellor May went over and presented his diploma. An exceptional student, he was also a full time software engineer, interned in multiple companies, mentored to undergraduate computer science students, and onboarded student researchers to Miller Lab at UC Davis. Fondly remembered by his family, they noted, 'Karim loved coding. He loved music, nice clothes, good food, and best of all, the company of his friends. He had a full life in front of him.'

'His ambition took him many places that people much older have never accomplished.' His mother says, 'I don't want you to remember Karim as the Davis victim, but rather as the bright, brilliant, gorgeous soul that he is and will always be.' To continue his legacy, there's been a Memorial Undergraduate Student Research Award has been created in his name. The initial goal of the scholarship was 50,000 dollars. Within four days, it has raised 87,000.

This morning, I met with his mother and father, and as you can imagine, it's pretty hard to see these people that really miss their son, but his mom made a really good point to me. We talk about mental health. Why aren't we going and helping people sooner? Why don't we pretend this is a pandemic? How fast we worked on doing a pandemic? Why can't we do this with mental health? And that really struck me.

It struck me hard is because why are we--we talk about it all the time, we vote on it, we keep putting barriers to get things done. Families are suffering, and we all know that, but this one hits me really hard, and I'm sure in your communities, you've had the same thing. So let's honor these people. Let's honor Karim and his family and David's family.

We need to take some big stances. So I request that you join me in a journey in memory of both David and Karim, not as victims, but as the wonderful human beings they are. Please keep their families and the Davis Community in your hearts as we grieve and try to heal from this tragedy. Thank you very much, Members.

Thank you, Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry. Dr. Jackson, you are recognized for your adjournment in memory.

Thank you very much. Colleagues, I rise today to ask that we adjourn in the memory of Lieutenant Colonel Harlan Leonard who served in the United States Army Air Corps--now we call the U.S. Air Force--during the Second World War as a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, which is often referred to as the Red Tails. At the end of his career, Harlan would retire as Lieutenant Colonel in service to his country for over two decades.

Harlan was born September 30th, 1926, in Kansas City, Missouri, and made his journey to the City of Moreno Valley. Harlan's apple did not fall far from the family of remarkable people. His father was a jazz musician, his mother a prominent caterer, and his sister, an entrepreneur who broke the color barrier by being the first African American and Chinese American to own a private store in Pasadena, California. Harlan's service to United States Army Air Corps as a Tuskegee Airman cannot be understated.

While serving, Harlan would total over 3,000 hours of flying, being awarded his Command Pilot Wings which represents the highest level of flying experience. Additionally, he was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal in recognition of his time with the National Security Agency. Lieutenant Colonel Leonard and his contemporaries provided service and the gift of leadership.

Harlan and his fellow Red Tails truly blazed a trail for racial integration years before the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s by not just being the first wing of Black fighter pilots, but also being the best. After his many years of service, Harlan would retire from the Air Force in 1968.

After his distinguished military career, Harlan worked for IBM as a marketing representative for computer systems, then went on to work for Bourns, Inc, a global manufacturer of automotive electronic components, circuit protection, magnet and resistive products, sensors and controls, located in Riverside, California.

Harlan then retired in 1994. Finally, in 2006, Harlan and his fellow Tuskegee Airmen were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor, the highest award given to U.S. citizens. Harlan was a remarkable man who believed in service, and he would answer this call every time.

From his time as a Red Tail, a father, grandfather, great grandfather, to youth speaker and mentor, to his consistent and long service as a community volunteer to the Grier Concerned Citizens and the Riverside African American History Society, Harlan's presence will be missed. Harlan passed on March 29th, 2023, and is survived by his three daughters, Rhonda, Karla, Myrna, nine grandchildren, and nine great grandchildren. Members, thank you for adjourning in the memory of Lieutenant Colonel Harlan Leonard. Thank you.

Thank you, Dr. Jackson. Members, please bring the names to the desk to be printed in the journal. All requests to adjourn a memory will be deemed read and printed in the journal. Moving to announcement. The session schedule is as follows: Friday, May 12th: no check in session. No floor session. Monday, May 15: floor session at 1:00 p.m. All other items remaining will be passed and retained.

All motions shall be continued. Seeing and hearing no further business, I'm ready to entertain a motion to adjourn. Ms. Reyes moves. Mr. Gallagher seconds that this House stands adjourned until Monday, May 15, at 1:00 p.m. The quorum call is lifted, and the House is adjourned.