Senate Floor

Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

A quorum is present with the Members and our guests beyond the rail and in the gallery. Please rise. We'll be led in prayer this afternoon by Senator Menjivar after which, please remain standing as we will be led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag by Senator Dodd.

Gracious and loving God, today we ask you to fill us with understanding and trust. May we come to understand that blessings are everywhere, that our attitude would affect outcomes, that challenges are often gifts in disguise. May we come to trust that most things can get better with time. That our instincts and gut feelings have value. That a positive attitude makes things go smoother. May we come to see that we have many skills and talents that we are a positive influence on many people. That there are those around us who wish as well. May we come to value that today is a blessing to be enjoyed. That each person is unique and important. That each moment of our life has meaning. We ask this in your name. Amen.

Members and guests, please join me as we say the pledge of Allegiance to our great country. I pledge allegiance to the flag. Which is one nation under God.

All right, Members, we're moving to privileges of the floor. And from the Majority Leader's desk will be Senator Caballero. Please give Senator Caballerothe respect she deserves. Senator, whenever you're ready.

Thank you, Mr. President and Members. Today we are joined by Members of the American Planning Association California chapter to recognize and celebrate the chapter's 75th anniversary. And with us today is Andrea Osi, APA California's President and Eric De Coke, Vice President for policy and legislation. Members, The APA California was founded in January of 1948 and has grown to play a critical role as a leading voice for urban, suburban, rural and regional planning and has expanded to become the largest of the 46 chapters throughout the nation.

With more than 5000 Members, APA California consists of eight local sections, all focused on providing resources and tools to ensure that planners in all communities throughout the state fulfill their obligation to protect public health and safety while evolving and embracing a broader vision that includes equity, diversity, economic and social justice and sustainability on a variety of pressing issues, including housing, transportation and environmental protection. All issues that all of us feel very, very strongly about.

As the Legislature continues to address these important issues across the state, we appreciate APA California's efforts to work towards a shared vision to innovate and advocate for a future in which all people have an equitable opportunity to participate, contribute and share in their communities. Serving as a resource and voice of professional planning, APA California continues to empower professional growth and advocates for excellence in planning in the public, private, nonprofit, profit and academic settings.

APA California's 75th anniversary Commemoration will culminate in a celebration at their annual state Planning conference hosted in my District in Fresno, California. And as Chair of the Senate Governance and Finance Committee, I would like to thank APA California for their contributions to the planning profession and extend best wishes for continued success in the next 75 years. Please join me in a round of applause and celebrate APA California's 75th anniversary.

All right, congratulations. Okay. Messages from the Governor will be deemed read, messages from the Assembly will be deemed read. Reports of committees will be deemed read, and amendments adopted. Moving to motions, resolutions and notices. Without objection, the Senate Journals for May 1, 2023 through May 4, 2023 will be approved as corrected by the Minute Clerk. Senator McGuire,

thank you so much. Under motions and resolutions, Mr. President, I request to remove SB 45, file item 111 from the consent counter for the purposes of amendments.

Thank you. Noted by the desk. Moving on to considerations of the Daily file, we'll move to governor's appointments, both items 1 and 2. Senator Grove, are you prepared? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. President. I apologize. Colleagues, file item One is the confirmation of Jeffrey McCommer. McCommer, excuse me, of the Secretary of Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. He started his career with CDCR over 30 years ago and his prior role is serving as the department's undersecretary for operations. He previously served as CDCR's undersecretary for the Administration. He was approved in the Rules Committee on April 26 for a 50 vote. Respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, issues within CDR are decades old and long and will take decades to turn around. I appreciate Mr. McComer's commitment to work with the Legislature to reimagine the system with rehabilitation at its forefront and really leaning into the new mission of this Department.

The Secretary agreed to continue conversations with the Legislature as it relates to how they're complying or not complying with the California's Values act, how they are protecting women from guards at women's facilities, and what efforts are underway to address the abysmally low wages for incarcerated people to receive. It's hard for me to support anyone who leads a Department that was created to carry out the legacy of slavery and continues to violate the rights of marginalized communities. But I do support Mr. McComer and his willingness to continue the work on the critical issues within our carceral system. Thank you.

Thank you. Seeing no other mics up, Senator Grove, do you want any closing comments?

Disrespectfully ask for your aye vote thank you.

And with that, Secretary, call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 35, no zero. The appointment is confirmed. Senator Grove, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, the definition, if you looked it up in the Dictionary of Policy, wonk would definitely be Stuart Knox as the secretary of Labor Workforce Development Agency. Not aligned with all of his values and the way he pursues things, I think that he will be really fair when it comes to hearing all sides of the story. When it comes to business and employment employees. Prior hit his appointment to serving as the agency's under he served as the agency's undersecretary.

He was also previously served as the Executive Director and employment and training panel. He was approved in the Rules Committee by a 50 vote. Respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you any mics up, Senator Durazo?

Thank you, Mr. President. I, To, rise in support of this appointment. I look forward as the chair of Sub five budget Subcommitee to working with Secretary Knox in carrying out really important issues having to do with the new green economy and a high road approach to jobs. Thank you

Thank you for that.

Ask for your aye vote.

THANK YOU, Senator Grove. SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

[Roll Call]

Secretary, please call the absent members.

Alvarado-Gil, Hurtado, Min, Roth.

Ayes, 36. Noes, zero. Confirmation is confirmed. Now moving on to Senate third reading. First up is file item seven. Senator Umberg, the floor is yours.

Thank you.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 39 by Senator Umberg relative to National Fentanyl Awareness Day.

Thank you, Mr. President and members. I have been doing drugs for several decades. Let me back up. Let me start over again. I've been involved in drug policy and drug enforcement for several decades.

Whether it was as a federal prosecutor in the army in Afghanistan dealing with the opium crop, or whether it was as the deputy drug czar, there are a multitude of ways to deal with illegal narcotics, the dangers of drugs. All tools should be employed, but the tool that is most effective, that is most important, is education. And that's why I bring before you a resolution today to name National Fentanyl Awareness Day. The fentanyl crisis is huge. Fentanyl crisis is increasing.

110,236 people died due to fentanyl overdose dose of poisoning in the last year. Illicit fentanyl involvement in drug overdoses and poisoning deaths. For those aged 14 to 18, they've tripled. One of the sad realities is that most of these overdose deaths, or most of these deaths that were caused by fentanyl were caused and where the individual who took what they thought was perhaps oxycodone or Percocet was laced with fentanyl. And they didn't know that one pill could kill. 40% of young Americans and 31% of teens.

Only that few consider themselves to have any knowledge as to the threats of fentanyl. Let me just give you some examples. Arnold Bayes died four days after turning 17 from poisoning by fentanyl. Arnold had never taken illicit drug before, and his family still doesn't know how the fentanyl got in his system. Jacob Vasquez died of fentanyl poisoning while visiting his family and girlfriend for Thanksgiving, Jacob reached out to a former classmate in hopes of getting Xanax to help calm his anxiety and his ADHD.

What he didn't know is that when he was asking for Xanax, he got Xanax laced with fentanyl. Charlie Turnin was two weeks away from graduating college when he died of fentanyl poisoning as a result of ingesting a counterfeit pill. These are just a few of the many, many stories. SCR 39 proclaims May 9, 2023 as National Fentanyl Awareness Day. One of the things that we all can agree upon is that the fentanyl crisis is real and is a huge danger.

And I think we can all agree it's our collective responsibility to raise the level of awareness of fentanyl, raise the level of awareness that one pill can now kill. Raise a level of awareness so that young people, we hope, begin to understand the dangers and that they are not immortal, and that taking one pill, one pill can kill. I urge an aye vote.

Thank you, Senator Umberg. Senator, S-S-S,

-eyarto, is that what you're trying to say? Thank you, Mr. President and Members.

Today I rise, too, as a proud supporter and co-author of Senate Concurrent Resolution 39, which declares May 9 as Fentanyl Awareness Day in California. The fentanyl crisis continues to devastate communities across California and the United States. In 2022, 28,765 pounds of fentanyl were seized in California alone, and that's enough to kill the entire population of North America twice. A fatal dose can be as little as two milligrams.

Fentanyl poisoning is the leading cause of death for young adults in us, surpassing suicides and car accidents. More must be done to deter the sale, use, and trafficking of this deadly drug. I urge every one of my colleagues to support SCR 39 and recognize May 9 as Fentanyl Awareness Day. And in the spirit of this support, I encourage my colleagues to go beyond the statement and resolve to take action to combat this issue and ensure that our communities and citizens are safe and healthy.

We must come together and do whatever it takes to control this dangerous epidemic that has only grown worse in past years. I respectfully ask for your aye vote. Thank you.

Thank you, sir. Senator Dahle.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and members, I, too, rise in support of SCR 39. I rise to speak on the Senate Concurrent Resolution 39, an ongoing fentanyl crisis that killed 70,000 people in the United States and more than 5,700 in California in 2021. 5700 that are not just statistics. They are people. Brothers, fathers, sisters, sons, neighbors, friends, and people in every backyard across the state. Real people, real names. These are some of them.

Zachary Diddler, a 17-year-old high school student from Rockland, died after taking a counterfeit Percocet that was laced with fentanyl. Cade Webb, cousin of San Francisco Giants star pitcher Logan Webb, died after taking what he thought was a pain pill that turned out to be laced with fentanyl. He was 20 years old. Tyler Samish, a college student from Beverly Hills, died after taking a Xanax pill that was laced with fentanyl.

Jackson Smith, a 21-year-old from Central Valley resident who died from a fentanyl overdose. The stories of families losing loved ones happened more than 5700 times in California alone in 2021, and 70,000 times in the United States. A Boeing 747 carries about 450 passengers. Imagine we'd be doing more than a resolution if that airline had recorded 12 plane crashes in California in just one year, or 155 plane crashes nationally.

I'd imagine we'd be doing more than a nonbinding resolution if every man, woman and child in the City of Rockland, with a population of just over 70,000 died because their water had been poisoned. In the past, our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have challenged us to come up with a new plan if we didn't like the legislation that was moving forward.

California State Senate Republicans have done just that and introduced a comprehensive package of bills that would have begun to seriously address the crisis. Sadly, almost all those bills were killed by a handful of members on the Senate Public Safety Committee, including one that had 20 authors and coauthors, just one vote shy of tolling the total needed to pass this floor.

It does seem hypocritical of this body to pass SCR 39, recognizing the seriousness of fentanyl crisis without giving communities the tools necessary to try to bring the epidemic under control. Members, we need to do more than resolutions. We need to stop the poisoning of thousands of Californians and thousands of US citizens. I urge an aye vote on this, but I urge that we do more soon, sooner than later. Thank you.

Thank you, Senator Dahle, Senator Cortese.

Thank you, Mr. President. I too rise in support of SCR 39. A lot has been said already, but I want to note a couple of things. Fentanyl was responsible for an astounding one in five youth deaths aged 15 to 24 in California last year, a statistics brought forward through investigative reporting by my hometown newspaper, the San Jose Mercury News.

That story and that report was concurrent with work done that I'd like to highlight in Santa Clara County, the county seat of the City of San Jose, and my district, for all intents and purposes. They created a fentanyl working group.

They work closely between the Board of Supervisors and the District Attorney in our county, Jeff Rosen, in partnership with the County Office of Education, the county Behavioral Health Services and Santa Clara County Opioid Overdose Prevention Project to make great strides in doing just what this resolution is calling for on a statewide basis. And I appreciate, Senator, the Senators, the authors, I should say, leadership in bringing this forward because I do believe, per his words a few minutes ago, this awareness is exactly what's needed.

It's a crisis. We need to treat it like one. It's already accounted just in the year 2021, not counting subsequent years, and 135 young people dying in my county. Together we can deal with this. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Senator. Senator Rubio.

Thank you, Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, I also rise in strong support of SCR 39. I want to thank the good Senator from Orange County for bringing this forward. I absolutely agree that we have to elevate the conversation. This drug is killing our children. And as a teacher, I can tell you that children are experimenting with this drug as early as elementary school.

So I also want to just say that it is time that we step up and do something to stop the selling use of this deadly drug. The sad part is our students, our children, our youth and adults are not choosing the drug at times, it's being laced. So I also urge passage of SCR 39. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you, Senator Rubio, Senator Nguyen.

Thank you, Mr. President. I rise today in support of SCR 39, which marks May 9 as National Fentanyl Awareness Day in California. Over the years I've heard the stories of my constituent and many other Californians who have lost a loved one or have been impacted by the fentanyl crisis that is ravaging our communities. As a mother and a concerned American, my heart breaks for these families.

Many of us have responded with legislation, community action, to raise awareness and create consequences for the bad actors who are peddling this poison onto our streets. Out of the rising numbers of deaths, many are the results of drug dealers selling counterfeit pills containing cheap, illicit fentanyl. According to the data from the California Department of Public Health, in 2021 there were over 6843 opiate-related deaths and out of those cases, 5722 of those overdose deaths can be attributed to fentanyl.

During the same time, there were 224 fentanyl-related deaths among teenagers ages 15 to 19 in California. Fentanyl is the number one death, killer among the adults between ages of 18 and 44 years old in our nation today. Approximately 114 deaths per week in California, which equals to approximately 6000 Californians will die by the end of this year on fentanyl. During this legislative session, I've introduced bill, a bill, SB 62, which would punish drug dealers who carries 10,000 pills on them.

10,000 pills will kill half a million people. Half of each of our district can die by this one individual. And I've also co-authored many other pieces of legislation that offer the same serious steps to hold drug dealers accountable and taking them off of our streets. Unfortunately, my bill and many other bills have failed. Just over a week ago, the Governor ordered the National Guard into San Francisco to address the fentanyl crisis that has wreaked havoc onto that city.

Does the Governor plan to expand this action to other parts of the state? Are we going to see the National Guard in Orange County and in Los Angeles County? In my district, where in Orange County alone just last year, our sheriff department confiscated 446 pounds of fentanyl. 446 pound of fentanyl can kill 30 million people. California has a population of 40 million people. If our sheriff's department didn't confiscated that amount last year, imagine what would happen.

Like most Californians, I'm left wondering how many people have to die in order for us to look at real, tangible actions on this floor and in this body. How much worse does this crisis have to get for us to take serious action? How many more families need to be devastated? This weekend, I was able to, for once, to stop by my son's baseball game and a bunch of kids started eating these candies. I don't know what they are.

I'm standing on the side and I looked at my son, who's 12 years old, and I said, "Uh-uh", and he walked away. But all the other players were eating these bags of candies because I reminded my son, you can't eat anything from anybody anymore. Even though these are his baseball players, who he's known since birth.

We have now gone to the point where mothers like me, who has a 10-year-old and a 12-year-old afraid to death of what could happen to my children or their friends by accident. How many more Californians needs to die this year for us to take actions to stopping these drug dealers and putting them away and keeping these away from our children? They cannot tell the difference between a Smarties candy and a Skittles candies from a fentanyl lace candy.

If you have children, you know the devastation that each of us parents don't want. We don't want our children to die before us. We want to leave them with a future better than ours that we've had. And I'm determined to do that, not just for my children, but for all California children, regardless of the zip code they live in, regardless of where they come from, regardless of what they look like, they need to be saved by us. We can do this. And I know we can.

I've seen us do miracles on this floor. So I'm asking you, stop the 114 that die weekly. Stop the 6000 that can potentially die the end of this year. We are watching a whole generation vanish before our eyes, and we're saying it's okay. On behalf of the families and the loved ones who've died from fentanyl poisoning, I'm respectfully asking you not just vote for this, but let's take action. Saying that we want to educate and make people aware is different than saving their lives. Thank you.

Thank you, Senator Nguyen, Senator Ochoa Bogh.

Thank you, Mr. President and members of the Senate. On April 2 of this year, 16,000 fentanyl pills were seized during a traffic stop in San Bernardino. Less than two weeks earlier, the San Bernardino Police Department seized an estimated 23 kilograms powder fentanyl, enough to kill 11.5 million people. In 2021, 408 of the almost 500 opioid deaths in Riverside County were fentanyl-related. That is, over 80%.

In San Bernardino County, in the same year, almost 90% of our opiod deaths were fentanyl-related. 314 out of 354 deaths. I said this before, and I will say it again. This is not just a crisis. It's thousands of individual tragedies. Each statistic we share is a culmination of thousands of grieving families' pain and suffering. This is why I'm proud to support SCR 39 authored by my esteemed colleague, Senator from Santa Ana, who also is the author.

And I'm grateful to say I'm also a joint co-author with SB 44, which just regrettably failed to pass the Public Safety Committee in which I serve. Permission to read, Mr. President. Granted. According to DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, fentanyl is the single deadliest drug threat our nation has ever encountered. Fentanyl is everywhere, from large metropolitan areas to rural America. No community is safe from this poison.

We must take every opportunity to spread the word to prevent fentanyl related overdose deaths and poisoning from claiming scores of American lives every day. It is clear that we need to do more to protect our loved ones from fentanyl. And as a former teacher, always a teacher by heart.

And as a mother, I wholeheartedly embrace the words that my colleague from Huntington Beach shared with us today. And along with my colleague from Santa Ana, I also share that education is one of the most fundamental pieces that we need to have and promote in order to fight the fentanyl crisis. I wholeheartedly support and urge an I vote for SCR 39 today.

Thank you, Senator Ochoa Bogh. Senator Grove.

Thank you, Mr. President. I, too, rise in support of SCR 20. The fentanyl epidemic in California is a crisis that must be treated with greater urgency. In 2021, there were 5722 fentanyl related deaths in the State of California, the second highest in the nation. That's 5722 lives taken from friends, families, and loved ones. That's 5722 people that would have been saved if dealers and traffickers couldn't reach them. It's reported by this Governor, the State of California's Governor, our Governor, not a red state Governor. This Governor says from his office that the drugs in fentanyl cases reaching this state is enough to kill every man, woman and child in North America, twice. Far too often, needles and other drug supplies are handed out, calling them harm reduction supplies. And yet detox and rehab information is not readily available. Numerous fentanyl related bills have been introduced to help put an end to this crisis, but most have not passed out of the Public Safety Committee. Colleagues, this Legislature has been focusing on how to teach young people how to save their friends life instead of keeping that drug from ever getting to them in the first place. We need to shift the attention of holding the perpetrators and those selling this poison with the intent to distribute, possession with the intent to distribute and sell, for crimes that they are committing to get them off their streets so they can't kill one more person. I encourage each of you today to take a long, hard look at the crisis that's before us. And I ask you to start passing meaningful legislation that has been introduced in public Safety time and time and time again, including the authors of this SER, his Bill, SB 44. And I just ask you that you would, colleagues, that you would look at this meaningful legislation. I ask you also if you would take a look on Twitter and follow JJ Smith. He actually follows San Francisco's transitional youth and homeless youth and runaways, and he actually videotapes their journey through this process. And it's cruel when you see these young kids that are bent over for six to 8 hours a day and they don't even know where they're at. It's very, very cruel what's happening to these people, and it's cruel about what's happening to the people on the streets that are addicted to this drug. I ask you, colleagues, that you would support SCR 39. And for the public that is listening in, this is a non binding resolution. It is not a Bill. The Governor does not have to sign it. This is a feel good thing so that we can all talk about fentanyl. But I want the public to be aware that many fentanyl bills have failed this Public Safety Committee in this Senate and in the Assembly. And those things need to be looked at. There's plenty of media in this back chamber, and they should be looking at our Public Safety Committee and the bills that fail this public safety, where it has 20 plus co authors on this Senate Floor that we all agree, most of us agreed with the authors Bill. Most of us signed as joint authors and co authors for this Bill that never made it to the floor because of the Public Safety Committee. Most of us would have supported that Bill when it came to the floor because it took action against the perpetrators that are causing this death effect in the State of California. I applaud the author for his continued support. I applaud the author for bringing this SCR forward. I respectfully ask for an aye vote, but I would ask for a meaningful Bill to be passed in the short future.

Thank you, Senator Grove, Senator Jones.

Thank you, Mr. President and members, I'm not going to ask for raise of hands, but I am going to ask a question. How many of you have raised a child and then lost to an overdose? Or how many of you have had your son's best friend, who he's known since three years old and graduated high school together, and two years after high school graduation, that young man was found in a hotel room dead of an overdose? Not very many people on this floor have had to have that conversation. I've had to have that conversation. I rise in support of SCR 39, but as our colleague from Bakersfield rightfully pointed out, there's a Bill in Committee right now, SB 44, that I think would actually be more appropriate to wharf to the floor this afternoon. And let's vote on that. As has been pointed out, there's 21 co authors on that Bill, enough to get off this floor and send to the Assembly. Now, it's likely to die in the Assembly because the Assembly just minutes ago killed three fentanyl bills on their floor. I think the hypocrisy of the Capitol building is not lost on the public in California. When we stand here in one afternoon and pass SCR 39, which we're all supportive of, but there's members in this Capitol building that will go to all lengths possible to kill meaningful fentanyl bills that will save the public and avoid any of us having to have the conversation, like I mentioned, with my son's best friend. The fentanyl crisis has killed 70,000 people in the United States of America in 20215700 in California. Here are some facts from the resolution that we're about to vote on. During 2022, the DEA seized over 10,000 pounds of fentanyl powder and over 50 million, 50 million, counterfeit fentanyl laced prescription pills. Over the past year, 110,236 people have died due to fentanyl overdose or poisoning across the country. Fact between 2019 and 2021, fentanyl overdoses and poisoning deaths for young people 14 to 18 has more than tripled. How many of you have done a press conference standing next to moms and dads of 14 and 18 year olds that have passed away because of a drug overdose? Not just too long ago, I did that. It was one of the most gut wrenching, hardest days I have ever had in the Legislature to stand next to a mom and dad in the Capitol park knowing that this building refuses to do anything meaningful on the fentanyl crisis that we're facing in our state and our country right now. Fact. In 2021, fentanyl and synthetic opioids were involved in 80% of drug induced deaths of those 14 to 23 years of age. There's been some other analogies spoken about today. If 6000 people were dying a year, 747's, busloads of kids. Let me add one more that I just thought of. If we were sending 6000 Americans into battle across the ocean into foreign lands, and they were dying a year, 6000, there would be an outcry across this country asking, what is the purpose of the US government sending these soldiers into battle to die? I'm going to ask, what is our purpose here this afternoon on this floor when it comes to fentanyl, are we serious about it? We've all seen the hashtag one pill can kill. Well, maybe this body should adopt a new hashtag when addressing this crisis. One Bill can help California Senate Republicans stand ready to work with all of our colleagues and the Administration to move forward on more than just a resolution that acknowledges the severity of the fentanyl crisis, but measures that do something to fix it. And in close. I want to sincerely thank the co authors of SB 44, because believe it or not, there's actually more Democrat co authors than Republican co authors on that Bill. I think the co authors that had the guts to sign on to that Bill in the first place and to carry it as far as it got. And I'm hopeful that in the next days and or weeks that this body will do something serious about fentanyl. I ask for an aye vote on SCR 39.

Thank you, Senator Jones, Senator Wiener.

Thank you. Is it ready? Okay, there we go. Thank you very much, Mr. President. I wasn't planning to speak today, and I'm rising in support of this important resolution. Fentanyl is a huge public health problem in this state and around the country. California, tragically, is not unique on this. This is everywhere. I was not planning to speak. I did not realize there was going to be a debate about a whole variety of bills. If that's the new approach, I have plenty of bills I'd like to debate, too, including bills that didn't move out of Committee. But I do want to just note a couple of things. First of all, as a Member of the Public Safety Committee, I'm now in my 7th year as a Member of this Committee, and I'm proud to be a Member of the Public Safety Committee. It is not an easy Committee. It is a Committee where we are, and I know my colleague is nodding her head, we deal with unbelievably difficult life and death, freedom or incarceration issues every single week. And however we fall on some of those bills, these are hard, tough, deep issues. And we in that Committee, we consider each Bill on its merits and sometimes they pass, sometimes they don't. This year, we passed a new enhancement for fentanyl. If you have fentanyl and guns. We passed that Bill out of Committee. We passed a human trafficking Bill for people who traffic minors. We worked with the author. We passed it out of Committee. There was a Bill that we worked with the author on, on cannabis asset forfeiture. It's normally not the type of Bill that would pass out of that Committee. We worked with the author. We passed it out of Committee. Some bills did not pass out of that Committee. We take each one on the merits. Trafficking fentanyl, particularly large quantities of fentanyl, can be harshly punished under current law in the State of California and under federal law. That is the reality of a current law in the State of California. I know there are people who would like to increase the length of sentences. Let's be clear, we went down that path before. We went down that path and got to the point where our prisons were so overcrowded, we were spending more on state prisons than we were on UC and CSU combined. That's what the State of California was doing, because we were continually making these sentences, including for drugs, longer and longer and longer. We have pulled back on that in recent years in terms of prioritizing things like UC and CSU and not overcrowding our prisons to the point where it was unconstitutional. And we have also acknowledged that drug addiction is a significant and serious health problem. And I am thrilled, one of the bright spots in the legislative session this year is that we have bipartisan support in both houses for a dramatic expansion of access to naloxone, Narcan, in our schools and libraries and nightclubs, et cetera, et cetera, so that overdoses, whether intentional use or otherwise, can be quickly reversed. We have bipartisan support for expansion of tests so that people who are using substances can test to determine whether there is fentanyl laced in there. So there is bipartisan work happening. There are bills moving forward. There have been bills moving out of the Public Safety Committee. And I understand we all at times have bills where we're disappointed in whether this or that Bill gets out of Committee. We've all been in that boat. I certainly have been. And the reality is that the Public Safety Committee works incredibly hard to vet bills, and I'm proud of the work that we do. And I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Senator Wiener, Senator Glazer.

Thank you, Mr. President and members. You know, debates like this are kind of barometers for a test, a sense of the body. And I know there's some concern that maybe the debate thus far has gone beyond the resolution at hand. But I want to certainly add my voice to those who raise concerns about this issue. And I think when you look at the resolution itself, to speak directly to that, it does have a flaw in it that bothers me. In a careful review of the language, talks about raising awareness, absolutely, one pill can kill. It directs our praise to law enforcement for the work that they're doing to keep our communities safe. So it speaks to law enforcement but says nothing to lawmakers, nothing, nothing to us about how and what we should be doing. I know sometimes these resolutions get dumbed down so that they're PC and non controversial. Certainly this floor debate might raise questions about that. But I would ask the author, Senator from Santa Ana, perhaps in his close, to address this issue of why there's no direction to us as lawmakers on what we can do. We've heard from some that somehow we're doing all that we need to do or can do and certainly has left myself wondering whether that's a failure on our part. So I'd like to ask him in his close if he would address that. Why nothing here about what we should do as a Senate deal with this obvious crisis. Thank you.

Thank you. Seeing no more mics up, Senator Umberg, you may close.

Thank you, Mr. President and colleagues. We're all agreed that this is a crisis. I'll go back to what I said at the very outset here. We need to do a number of things. We need to employ a number of tools, prevention, treatment, enforcement, education. This resolution deals with the number one tool in terms of protecting California. The number one tool is education. And we all have an obligation to do that. We all have an obligation. We talk to schools, we talk to school districts, we talk to healthcare professionals. We all have an obligation. This resolution simply highlights that obligation that we all bear. This resolution focuses on education. This resolution tries to elevate the awareness, particularly among young people. As you may have heard earlier, the statistics are shocking as to the lack of knowledge of young people, as to the dangers of taking just one pill. How many have been killed by taking one pill laced with fentanyl unbeknownst to them? I realize that there's other things to do, but today we're focused on raising awareness and education. I thank you for your support, and I urge an aye vote.

Senator Laird.

Thank you for that. This is actually eligible for unanimous roll call. Seeing no. Yeah, seeing no. Objection. Ayes 36, noes zero. Resolution is adopted. Moving on to file item 10. Senator Laird, Secretary, please read

Senate Bill 610 by Senator Laird, an act relating to energy.

Thank you very much, Mr. President. Senate Bill 610 will direct the chair of the California Energy Commission, the state's primary energy planning entity, to appear annually before the Legislature's relevant policy committees to report on the Commission's clean energy plans and responsibilities, especially after last year. This communication will only help their support on both sides. I would ask for an aye vote.

Thank you. Any other mics up for comments? Seeing none. This is eligible for a unanimous roll call. Seeing no objections. Ayes 36, noes zero. Measure passes. Now moving on to file item 21. Senator Blakespear.

Thank you, Mr. President and colleagues.

Senate Bill 360 by Senator Blakespear. An act related to coastal resources.

Senator Blakespear.

Thank you, Mr. President and colleagues. SB 360 allows a supervisor or City Council Member to also serve on the Coastal Commission and a LAFCO or a JPA concurrently. Right now, there are statutorily enumerated organizations on which coastal commissioners may serve concurrently, such as regional associations of government, but they don't include LAFCOs or JPAs. As someone who came from local government, as I know some of you have as well, when you layer on expertise in different levels of municipal government, it makes you a better representative to your constituents. This Bill has no opposition, and I urge an aye vote. Thank you.

Thank you. Seeing no mics up, this measure is eligible for your unanimous roll call. Seeing no objections, ayes 36, noes zero. Moving on to file item 24, Senator Umberg. Secretary, please read.

Senate Bill 652 by Senator Umberg, an act relating to evidence.

Thank you, Senator Umberg.

Thank you, Mr. President and colleagues. This is a technical Bill that will ensure all experts must testify to a reasonable degree of probability based on their field of expertise, which would codify the standard that's been consistently relied upon for decades in California. Urge an aye vote.

Thank you, Senator. Senator Jones, is your mic up? Are you just standing up? Okay, seeing no mics up, this measure is eligible for unanimous roll call. Seeing no objections, ayes 36, no zero. Measure passes. Up next.

Next file Item 25, SCR 49 by Senator Laird. Secretary, please read.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 49 By Senator Laird Relative to Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month.

Senator Laird.

Thank you very much, Mr. President. Senate Concurrent Resolution 49 declares may as cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month. Cystic fibrosis is a rare disease diagnosed in approximately 2500 people in California, most known for causing progressive lung disease. Cystic fibrosis, or CF, as it is also known, impacts every organ in the body. Raising awareness of cystic fibrosis is key. With awareness comes support for research. Until recently, life expectancy for those with CF was short.

Thanks to innovative research, new therapies have been developed that will transform the course of the disease. For many, however, there's no cure for those with advanced lung disease. These therapies come too late, and there are many with CF, most significantly, people of color, for whom the new medications are not effective. This disease impacts people of every race and ethnicity. People of color are far more likely to go undiagnosed due to disparities in health care.

Raising awareness of cystic fibrosis and the diversity of those impacted will lead to earlier diagnosis and life saving interventions. Since 1975, the Cystic Fibrosis Research Institute has been funding research to move us closer to a cure while providing education and support services to those impacted by the disease. But there is still work to be done to find a cure and to ensure that all Californians have equal opportunities to receive a diagnosis and effective treatment for the disease.

I would like to acknowledge the Cystic Fibrosis Research Institute, Members of which are watching from the gallery today, and thank them for all their hard work to raise awareness on such an important issue. This resolution is part of that effort, and I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Senator Laird. Seeing no mics up, this is again eligible for unanimous roll call. Any objections? Seeing none, ayes 36, no, zero. The resolution is adopted. Moving on to file item number 36. Senator Dodd, Secretary, please read.

Senate Bill 505 by Senator Rubio, an act relating to insurance.

Senate Bill 430 by Senator Dodd. An act related to alcoholic beverages.

Senator Dodd.

Thank you very much, Mr. President and members, SB 430 provides a limited tidehouse exception to entertainment business under common ownership with an alcohol beverage retail business. Similar tidehouse bills have received bipartisan support on this floor. We are continuing conversations with the opposition and fully expect this Bill to have additional amendments in the Assembly to lessen some of their concerns. Respectfully ask your aye vote.

Thank you. Seeing no mics up, this, too is eligible for unanimous roll call. Any objections? Seeing none. Ayes 36, noes zero. Measure passes. Now moving on to file item number 37, Senator Rubio. Secretary, please Senator Rubio.

Thank you, Mr. President. Ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, today I am proud to present SB 505, an important measure that will make insurance coverage more affordable for consumers and businesses.

SB 505 will expand the FAIR plan's existing clearinghouse program to include commercial insurance policyholders, which will encourage more policies to shift back over to the admitted commercial market. California created the Fair Access to Insurance Requirement (FAIR) plan to ensure basic coverage is available for individual homeowner policies. Currently, California only allows the residential property insurance, but not companies. This Bill will remedy this situation by creating a structure to allow commercial properties, such as farms that are struggling to be insured, to be reviewed as well. This will help ease the confusion and cost for consumers. I respectfully ask for an aye vote. Thank you.

Thank you. Seeing no mics up, this is eligible for unanimous roll call. Any objections? Seeing none. Ayes 36, noes zero. Measure passes.

Up next, file item number 45. Senator Menjivar. Secretary, please read.

Senate Bill 732 by Senator Menjivar, an act relating to state government.

Senator Menjivar, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. President. A little light today. Talking about bats. We have a state bear, State golden poppy, State dinosaur. With your support, we'll have a state bat, the pallet bat. Respectfully asking for airboat. They support farmers. They support wineries. They save the state about $1 billion annually. One of the best form to control our pests. They also help with wildfire by eating bark beetles and Wood bores which contribute to the increase of wildfires. Thank you so much.

Thank you, Senator. Any mics up for any comments? Seeing none. Secretary. Excuse us one moment. Secretary, please call the role.

Allen. Aye. Alvarado-Gil. Archuleta. Aye. Ashby. Aye. Atkins. Aye. Becker. Blakespear. Becker. Aye. Blakespear. Aye. Bradford. Aye. Caballero. Aye. Cortese. Aye. Dahle. Aye. Dodd. Aye. Durazo. Aye. Eggman. Eggman. Aye. Glazer. Aye. Gonzalez. Aye. Grove. Hurtado. Jones. Laird. Aye. Limone. Aye. McGuire. Aye. Menjivar.

Aye. Min. Newman. Aye. Nguyen. Aye. Niello. Aye. Ochoa Bogh. Aye. Padilla. Aye. Portantino. Aye. Roth. Rubio. Aye. Seyarto. Aye. Skinner. Aye. Smallwood-Cuevas. Stern. Aye. Umberg. Aye. Wahab. Aye. Wiener. Wilk. Aye.

Secretary, please call the absent Members.

Alvarado-Gil. Grove. Grove aye. Hutyado. Jones. Jones aye. Min. Roth. Smallwood-Cuevas. Aye. Wiener. Aye.

Aye's 36, no's zero. Measure passes. Now moving on to file item 48. Senator Bradford. Secretary, please read.

Senate Bill 392 by Senator Bradford. An act relating to alcoholic beverages.

Senator Bradford.

Thank you, Mr. President. SB 392 simply allows the new Attuit Dome, the home of LA Clippers, scheduled to open next year, 2024, in my district in Inglewood, to establish a tide House exemption, simply allowing this venue to develop alcohol beverage sponsorships with beer and distilled spirits, as well as winemakers. The amendments are simply clarifying and has been approved by the Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control and ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, sir. Seeing no mics up, this measure is eligible for unanimous roll call. Seeing no objections. Ayes 36, noes zero. Measure passes. Now moving on to file item 61. Senator Menjivar, are you ready to present? Secretary, please read.

Thank you, Mr. President. SB 373 is looking to protect those who get their license under the Board of Behavioral Science and the Board of Psychology. With the expansion of telehealth, we're seeing a lot of mental health therapists work out of their homes, but current law mandates that they put their full address under the Department of Consumer affairs. What SB 373 is looking to do to only allow to only ensure that they only put their city, county and zip code to protect their addresses. My wife is a licensed marriage family therapist, there are various clients who have crossed the line and have called her outside of their sessions have called her while they're drunk. They could have easily gone a step further by finding our home address on her license and paid us an unfriendly visit. I respectfully ask your aye vote to protect the addresses of her mental health therapists.

Thank you, Senator. Seeing no mics up, this is eligible for unanimous roll call. Any objections? Seeing none. Ayes 36, noes zero. Measure passes up. Next file item 63. Madam Pro Tem, you prepared? Secretary, please read.

Senate Bill 385 by Senator Atkins, an act relating to healing arts.

Senator Atkins.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, today I rise to present SB 385. Last year, as reproductive freedom faced unprecedented threats from the Supreme Court and other states, California took bold action to protect and expand access to quality reproductive care. As other states continue to erode access to abortions, it's clear that we need to remain steadfast and do everything that we can to increase the number of trained providers available to Californians and those who need to come here for reproductive health care. And to that end, SB 385 would improve reproductive care training opportunities for physicians assistants and enable them to provide first trimester abortions within the scope of their clinical and professional education and training. This builds off of the success of several of my prior bills, both of which were signed into law, to strengthen access to abortion and increase the number of providers in our state. In 2013, I authored AB 154 that allowed nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and physicians assistants to provide first trimester abortions. Last year, I 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. SB 385 would apply the same training standards to physicians assistance that SB 1375 established for nurse practitioners and certified nurse midwives. So SB 385 is complementary and follows those prior laws and would further strengthen and expand access to reproductive care by also lifting up a workforce of skilled physicians assistants giving them more opportunities to care for their patients. I would ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, seeing no mics up, Secretary, please call the roll.

Allen, aye. Alvarado-Gil. Archuleta, aye. Ashby, aye. Atkins, aye. Becker, aye. Blakespear, aye. Bradford, aye. Caballero. Cortese, aye. Dahle. Dodd, aye. Durazo, aye. Eggman. Glazer, aye. Gonzalez, aye. Grove, no. Hurtado. Jones. Laird, aye. Limone, aye. McGuire, aye. Menjivar, aye. Min. Newman, aye. Nguyen. Niello, no. Ochoa Bogh, no. Padilla, aye. Portantino, aye. Roth. Rubio, aye. Seyarto, no. Skinner, aye. Smallwood-Cuevas, aye. Stern, aye. Umberg, aye. Wahab, aye. Wiener, aye. Wilk, no.

Secretary, please call the absent Members.

Alvarado-Gil. Caballero, aye. Dahle, no. Eggman, aye. Hurtado. Jones, no. Min. Nguyen, no. Roth.

Ayes 28, noes eight, measure passes. Now moving on to file item 80. Senate Concurrent Resolution number 20 by Senator Umberg. Secretary, please read

Senate Concurrent Resolution 20 by Senator Umberg, relative to peace officers.

Senator Umberg, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, I rise today to present SCR 20 in honor of the California Peace Officers Memorial Day. Many of you were there today as we recognized the families of law enforcement officers who had died in the line of duty. We also had a conversation earlier today about public safety. Here's what I believe. I believe that every member on this floor is committed to protecting the public. I believe that every member on this floor, every member on this floor respects those who are in law enforcement and especially respects and honors those families who have lost a loved one, who sacrificed their life in the line of duty. And that's what the Peace Officer Memorial is about, it's about recognizing that sacrifice. Those who sign up to enforce our laws, they write a blank check. They write a blank check to all of us, to all of us that says that someday that check may be cashed. I don't know when or where, and I hope not ever, but someday that check may be cashed. And the consequences of that check being cashed are largely not visited upon us. Although we're the beneficiaries, we are the beneficiaries. Those consequences are visited upon the families. And so it is right and approper that we recognize and honor those families, and we recognize those in law enforcement who sign that blank check. I would like to read permission, Mr. President. Read those who have died in the line of duty in the last year.

Recognized today.

Granted.

Granted.

Tyler Ryan Lenihan, Elk Grove Police Department. End of Watch, January 21, 2022. Nicholas J. Vela, Huntington Beach Police Department. End of Watch, February 19, 2022. Correctional Lieutenant Stephen M. Taylor, Riverside County Sheriff's Office. End of Watch, February 24, 2022. Officer Jorge David Alvarado, Salinas Police Department. End of Watch, February 25, 2022. Officer Houston Ryan Tipping, Los Angeles Police Department. End of Watch, May 29, 2022. Sergeant Michael Perez, El Monte Police Department. End of Watch, June 14, 2022. Officer Joseph A. Santana, El Monte Police Department. End of Watch, June 14, 2022. Deputy Isaiah A. Cordero, Riverside County Sheriff's OffIce. End of Watch, December 29, 2022. We thank them and we honor them. And further permission to read in recognition of those who have died in the line of duty. A reading from the Gospel of St. John. So this is my command. Love each other deeply as much as I have loved you, for the greatest love of all is the love that sacrifices all. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for another. Respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Senator, Senator Rubio.

Thank you, Mr. President. Ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, today I rise as a proud co author to SCR 20. It's a resolution that proclaims May eigth 2023 as California Peace Officers Memorial Day. Today we celebrate, we remember and we honor California's peace officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice and has given their lives to our communities. Nearly one year ago, on June 14, 2022, in my district, two brave peace officers, Sergeant Michael Paredes and Officer Joseph Santana from amate, were killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic violence call. Officer Joseph Anthony Santana had just joined the Almani Police Department in 2021 after serving three years with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. He will not have the opportunity to be with his wife Sasha, daughter Jade, and twin boys, Joshua and Jacob. Sergeant Michael Domingo Paredes had joined the Amani Police Department in 2000 as a police cadet and served a distinguished 22 year career in the Department. Michael was promoted to sergeant after his death as he was serving as the acting sergeant when he made the ultimate sacrifice. He will also not have the opportunity to be with his family, his wife Janine, son Jacob, daughter Bella. Today I was honored to join the family at the California Police Officers Memorial Service as their names were read and their families were honored in recognition of the sacrifice of all peace officers across the State of California who put their lives on the line so that we can have a safer California. And in the presence of the families of the Almani Police officers and the police officers of the Almani Police Department who are here in the gallery, I respectfully ask for your aye vote thank you.

Thank you, Senator. Senator Nguyen.

Thank you, Mr. President. Today I rise in support of SCR 20, which recognizes May eighth as California peace officers. Memorial Day. Recently in my district, we held a Highway memorial unveiling ceremony honoring Officer Nicholas Vella, a 14 year veteran of the Huntington Beach Police Department who died in a tragic accident in the course of duty. End of Watch, February 19, 2022. Throughout his tenure with the Huntington Beach Police Department, Officer Vella was a shining example of the true character of the brave individuals who devote their time and energy to the duties of law enforcement. And he was known among his fellow officers for loving, honoring, and being dedicated to his family, the uniform, and the law enforcement community. I spent time with his family and the community listening to how Officer Vella was more than just an officer. He was a dedicated husband, a father, and one who loves and devoted his time to Huntington beach and its community. The men and women who protect and serve our communities are not invincible or indestructible. They are moms and dads, sons and daughters, husband and wives who do their part to ensure the safety of all Californians. We owe our policemen and policewomen a debt of gratitude for their service and dedication. I would like to thank the author from San Ann for bringing this forth, this resolution. And I respectfully ask for an aye vote thank you.

Thank you, Senator Archuleta.

Thank you, Mr. President. Today I rise as a proud co author of SCR 20, Proclaiming Monday, May 8, as California Peace Officers Memorial Day. This resolution is personally important to me as a former Member of the Montebello Police Department, where I've attended funeral after funeral of brothers and sisters who were killed in action, but not only killed in action, but I guess that traffic accident is also killed in action when that 911 call comes rolling, or when they walk into a domestic violence situation, or there's a 911 call that there is someone being robbed or beaten or stolen or whatever its situation may be at a 711 or fast food store, as Officer Acuna from the Montebello Police Department was killed some years back. But as I've informed my sons, and I think I'm proud to say, as I look at all my colleagues, that I'm proud to share with you that my two sons are serving right now in the military, have gone off to Afghanistan and Iraq to serve this great country, as a former paratrooper, I'm proud of that. And I'm also proud to share with you that I've got two grandsons that are also putting on the badge in the uniform of law enforcement. So the service goes on. We learn it here in the Capitol. We learn it in our communities. And we hope that people will understand when they go to these memorials that these men and women give so much and the families that give so much. It's amazing the tears that we saw today. Our peace officers protect our communities every single day. Their work is dangerous and difficult, yet they proudly go on every single day to protect our great state and our communities. Police officers are public servants who protect, to serve, keep us safe, and genuinely care for about their communities. They are the baseball coaches. They're the team players. They are the men and women in our communities. You meet them everywhere, in the grocery store, the bowling alley. They are part of our American way of life. But we also see them in a different way of life. But we have to see them as our leaders and our community, men and women that are there to protect us. Our officers join the force because they have a strong desire to help people. And they often go above and beyond the call of duty when is required of them, and sometimes that may take their life or may stop their careers because of an injury. The dedication to keep our community safe by law enforcement isn't impossible, or it's impossible to overstate. We must continue doing it every single day. We're indebted to those who put themselves on the line every day for our California. But tragically, in many cases, they're underpaid. Many cases, they need more equipment. In many cases, as we notice today, they're honored for their ultimate sacrifice. And as it was said today at the monument, that I hope this will be the last time. Will it be the last year? I don't know when that will ever come. But when our fallen heroes go down, we as California come together, we honor them. And we must continue to honor their families as well. It was an honor to witness the hundreds of law enforcement officers, men and women, this morning at the peace Officers Memorial ceremony. From small departments to our largest, the common bond and the badges these officers wear in service to God and country is an inspiration. The families that came together to lay the flowers at the foot of the memorial statue brought sadness and tears to so many eyes. We will never know their grief, but we will always honor their sacrifice. For these reasons and many more, I ask to support SCR 20. Thank you.

Thank you, Senator Grove.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, I rise in support of SCR 20 that commemorates May eighth as a peace officer's Memorial Day. May eighth is a culmination of a week to embrace and honor the lives of the men and women who died or were murdered in the service to our communities. I'd like to take a moment to recognize some of those heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice in keeping our communities safe. Corporal Renil Singh immigrated here from Fiji and got his U. S. Citizenship. He dreamed of being a law enforcement officer. He loved watching cops, and actually, I think he even sung the theme song from cops when he went into his interview. He was with the Newman Police Department, and he was shot by an illegal immigrant on a routine traffic stop in 2018. He left behind his wife and a five month old son at the time. Philip Campus was a Marine, and he was deployed to Afghanistan for nine months, fighting a war overseas. He's a Kern County Sheriff's deputy, part of the elite SWAT team, and he was answering a domestic violence call. He managed to save two young children, but in the meantime, he lost his life and left his wife, three kids, mom, dad, and countless brothers and sisters in the SWAT team. Sheriff Sergeant Dominic Vaka served in the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department for 17 years. In 2021, he was ambushed on a foot pursuit in the desert, and he was murdered in cold blood. He left behind a wife and two daughters, one who gave the end of watch tribute at just 11 years old for her daddy. Deputy Isaiah Cordero achieved his dream of becoming a motorcycle cop in 2014. In Riverside County, he was murdered December 2022, the last officer to be killed in 2022 by a three strike career criminal that was released on bail just eight months prior. He died just before the day before New Year's Eve, and he survived by his mother and father. This year, Deputy Darnell Calhoun was honored by a teenager who walked 12 miles in the rain carrying an American flag. He was shot and killed while responding to a domestic violence call. He survived by his two sons and one child that he will have never met as his wife was expecting. Officer Gonzalo Carrasco Jr. served at the Selma Police Department since May of 2021, again, ambushed and shot in cold blood, first and hopefully the last killing officer in this Department. He missed the birth of his first child. It's heartbreaking that these officers are killed in cold blood, many of them ambushed, and set up. These repeat offenders that are back on the streets due to antipublic policy-policies that come out of this building are hurting not only our law enforcement, but the citizens and communities that we serve. I hope for the day that we don't have to add any more names to that memorial. Today, as my colleagues said, nine names of peace officers were added to that wall. Nine loved ones who won't ever make it home. Nine spouses, mothers, fathers, dads, brothers, sisters, brothers and sisters, and even children that won't have their loved one come home to give them a hug, a talk, or to seek advice to or from and to love. Five of those nine were murdered by constant repeat offenders in the State of California that should be locked up in prison and not out on our streets. Everyone who puts on a uniform and pins a badge to their chest, kisses their loved ones goodbye and leaves home knowing that they may not ever return. They do this to protect all of us and all the communities that we represent, every one of our law enforcement heroes. They call them the thin blue line. It's a small but mighty line of individuals that have the defense between law abiding citizens and those who intend to do us harm. Colleagues, I stand and I ask you to stand with the families on that wall. Stand with our men and women in blue. Stand with those who have honor, integrity, courage, and perseverance to protect us every single day. SCR 20 remembers those who gave their lives to protect ours and those that we represent. Please join me in honoring their memory and sacrifice in supporting SCR 20.

Thank you, Senator Grove, Senator Padilla.

I'm pleased to rise and support SCR 20. Mr. President, colleagues, in my much, much younger days, before I finished college and before I studied law and before I was fortunate to pursue a career that took me to public service, I, too, proudly wore the uniform of a law enforcement officer. I served in my region and community alongside, and was honored to serve, a diverse and humble and hardworking group of colleagues. I also had the heartache of being on duty on more than one occasion when a brother or sister fell in the line while I was working in our region. These are moments I will carry with me for the rest of my life. It is particularly fitting because today, as we recognize California peace Officers Memorial Day, I am thinking of them. I am thinking of all who fell in the line of duty, in particular their families. And I'm honored to join in support of this resolution. And I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, sir. Seeing no mics up, Senator Umbergy may close.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, as I said a moment ago, all of us do our best to protect the public. We may have differences of opinion as to how to do that, but we all respect and revere those who have given their lives in the service of our community and their families. Urge an aye vote.

Thank you. This is eligible for unanimous roll call. Any objections? Seeing none. Ayes 36, noes zero. A resolution is adopted. Up next, file item 82. Looks like Senator Ochoa Bogh is ready. Secretary, please read.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 42 By Senator Ochoa Bogh, relative to Mother's Day.

Senator Ochoa Bogh.

Thank you, Mr. President and Members of the Senate. I am pleased to represent SCR 42, which recognizes May 14, 2023, as the 116th Annual Mother's Day. Mother's Day is a time to acknowledge the diversity of the women in our nation and the world who nurture their families and communities. It's also a time to honor the mothers who have passed away, women who hope to be mothers, and those who have fulfilled a motherhood role for others.

One day a year, we honor the women who put the needs of others before their own. But I hope you take the time, not only this week, but in all the weeks after, to celebrate and support the mothers in your lives. As a mother myself, it's one of the lenses by which I bring to the Senate Floor, along with my other life experiences, by which I view and analyze the policy that comes through the Senate Floor.

As a mother of three beautiful children, Lainey, Adelie and Brett, they truly are the legacy that I leave behind.

To. My grandmothers and my mothers from Mexico, which, by the way, in Mexico, Mother's Day is May 10. Tomorrow, I want to acknowledge that day for my mother, who's in Mexico. Feliz Dia del las Madres mom. Please join me today in honoring the women who have shaped us into the people we are today. I respectfully ask for an eye vote.

Thank you, Senator Cho Bog. Seeing no mics up. Shame on you people. You deal with your own mother, that's fine. This is actually Senator Porntino.

So, Mr. President, Members, I rise to support SCR 42. And I also rise to wish your mother in law, who I happen to have a great relationship, a happy Mother's Day early. So please extend my best wishes to your mother in law on Mother's Day on my behalf.

Thank you, Senator Pontino. I will do that. Senator Ochoa Bogh, you want to add anything before we go? Okay, this is eligible for unanimous roll call. Any objections? Seeing none. Ayes 36. No, zero. The resolution is adopted. Up next, file item 84. Senator Archuleta. And looks like he is ready. Secretary, please read Senate Resolution 30 by Senator Archuleta Relative to Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week. Senator Archuleta.

Thank you, Mr. President. I rise today to present SR 30, recognizing Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week. Of course, the question is, what is Tardive Dyskinesia? We're going to cover that in just a bit. May is mental health month and an important time to acknowledge that one in five US adults live with a mental illness of some sort. Many people with serious chronic mental illness require treatment and medications. And here it comes. Medications. Ongoing treatment with these medications can be very helpful and even life saving. However, for many people, it can also lead to Tardive Dyskinesia. One in four patients receiving long term treatment with an antimental problem mental illness. This personality changes all sorts of things. And that medication will, over time, cause tardive Dyskinesia, and 70% of those living with Tardive Dyskinesia have yet to be diagnosed. Tardive Dyskinesia is a movement disorder that is characterized by random, involuntary, uncontrolled movements of different muscles throughout the person's body, their face, their hands, and they start to shake. That's what it is. And in many that are impacted, these muscles associated with walking, speech, eating or even breathing, and it is obviously devastating to themselves in the family. Tardive Dyskinesia can develop months, years, or even decades after a person starts taking medications, and can even develop after patient has discontinued the use of them. Not all patients develop tardive Dyskinesia, but in many cases, it is very, very life threatening and often permanent. Patients suffering from this crazy disease often suffer embarrassment due to abnormal, involuntary movements leading them to withdraw from society. Tardive Dyskinesia is often unrecognized and patients suffering from the illness are commonly misdiagnosed. It is important that patients and caregivers ask their providers to screen them every six months to ensure that tardive Dyskinesia is diagnosed and treated early, before it becomes painful, embarrassing, or even permanent. The more we bring awareness of this illness to the forefront, the more we can remove the stigma around Tardive Dyskinesia and mental health. My hope is that the more we educate people about this disease, the more we can find ways to cure it. I respectfully ask your aye vote.

Thank you, Senator Archuleta. Seeing no mics up, this is eligible for unanimous roll call. Any objections? Seeing none. Ayes 36, noes zero. Resolution is adopted. Final item on third reading file Item 99 by Senator Dodd. Secretary, please read

Senate Bill 387 by Senator Dodd, an act relating to state property.

Senator Dodd, the floor is yours.

Members, I'm presenting SB 387 regarding the Department of General Services Authority to lease state property for expansion of broadband across our state. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, sir. Seeing no mics up, this requires a roll call vote, so, Secretary, please call the roll. Allen? Aye. Alvarado - Gill? Archuleta? Aye. Ashby? Aye. Atkins? Aye. Becker? Aye. Blakespear? Aye. Bradford? Aye. Caballero? Aye. Cortese? Dahle? Aye. Dodd? Aye. Durazo? Aye. Eggman? Aye. Glazer? Aye. Gonzalez? Aye. Grove. Aye. Hurtado? Jones? Laird? Aye. Limon? Aye Mcguire? Aye. Menjivar? Aye. Min? Newman? Aye. Nguyen? Aye. Neillo? Aye. Ochoa Bogh? Aye. Padilla? Aye. Portantino? Aye. Roth? Rubio?

Aye. Searto? Aye. Skinner? Aye. Smallwood-Cuavas? Aye. Stern? Aye. Umberg? Aye. Wahab? Aye. Wiener? Aye. Wilk? Aye. Aye. Please call the absent Members. Alvarado-Gill, Hurtado, Jones, Min. Roth. Ayes 35,No 0. Measure passes. Now moving on to Committee announcements. Senator Glazer, do you have something for us?

Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee on Elections and Constitutional Amendments will meet 15 minutes after adjournment. Obsession in room 2200 in the swing space, 1021 Street.

Thank you for that. I was just so excited because we were getting near the end that I skipped the consent calendar, so we're going to go back to that. Items 114 and 115. Secretary, please read. I was going to do that after that, but fine. Anybody want to remove an item Porsche Red? Seeing none, Madam Secretary.

Senate Bill 406. Senate Bill 477.

Okay. Secretary, please call the roll.

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

Ayes 36, noes zero. The consent calendar is adopted. With that, returning to motions and resolutions, this is an appropriate time to do adjourned memories with that. Senator Wiener, are you prepared? Floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, it's with great sadness that I rise to ask that the Senate adjourn in memory of Eleanor Johns, who passed away April 1 at the age of 84. Eleanor was born on March 18, 1939 in Steubenville, Ohio. Her parents, Max and Blanche, were Jews who escaped Poland before World War II and ran a local grocery store in West Virginia, where she grew up. She attended Purdue and Ohio State universities, graduating in 1961, with degrees in history and social science as well as education, Eleanor came to California on a whim soon after graduation, driving west with a friend. Her boyfriend, Gerald Eisenberg, soon followed. They were married in San Francisco in 1963 and a son, Jeff, was born to them in 1968. She taught junior high school in San Rafael but did not want to continue her commute while raising a son, so she studied to become a paralegal. In 1982, Eleanor married San Francisco attorney Richard Johns and the two continued to share their affinity for San Francisco and their love of the city for decades. Affiliated closely with former San Francisco Mayor and former speaker of the Assembly Willie Brown. Eleanor first worked in his law office and when he became speaker she served as a staff Member, campaign finance manager and special assistant. Shortly after Mr. Brown took office as mayor and became Mayor of San Francisco in 1996, Eleanor became his Chief of Staff making her the first and only woman to hold that role. No one knew Willie Brown like Eleanor John. Although in the political world Eleanor tended to stay out of the public eye, she served as a mentor to many young public servants including Vice President Kamala Harris, Governor Gavin Newsom and myself. She served on the San Francisco Airport Commission where she was appointed by Mayor Brown in 2003 and reappointed by Mayor Newsom, Mayor Lee and Mayor Breed. In addition to her political roles, Eleanor was an active volunteer for her community. She served as a Member of the California State Commission on Judicial Performance and as a board Member of the San Francisco Jewish Community center and the San Francisco Conservation Corps. Lastly, she helped launch the Willie L. Brown, Jr. Institute on Politics and Public Service where she served as Executive Director until her passing. Eleanor is survived by her husband, Richard Johns her son, Jeff Eisenberg and her daughter in law, Melinda Aquino. Two grandsons, Ben and Max, and two sisters, Norma and Flores. Eleanor Johns will be deeply missed. She was truly an icon in San Francisco. May her memory be a blessing and please join me today in adjourning the Senate in her memory.

Thank you, Senator Wiener, Senator Umberg.

Thank you, Mr. President. Let me join my colleague from San Francisco in honoring the memory of Eleanor Johns. As a young Member of the Assembly some 33 years ago. I remember Ms. Johns as being the speaker's right hand person, so to speak. And she treated this young Assembly person with a great deal of patience and respect. She taught me basically how to operate here in the California Legislature and she was a great, great contributor to all we do here. And I agree she'll be sorely missed by all of California.

Thank you, Senator Skinner.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President, Members, I rise to ask you to join me in adjourning the Senate in memory of Karen Hempill, who is a longtime Member of the Berkeley School Board and who dedicated her career to advocating for the black students at BUSD. Recognizing that college is not for everyone and that there are many high paying jobs in technical fields that require other forms of training, Karen is credited with laying the groundwork for BUSD's successful career and technical education program that now serves more than half of Berkeley high students and offers 10 professional tracks ranging from fire sciences to biotechnology. Karen was a dedicated public servant. She started her career working as an aide to a Berkeley Council Member when I was on the City Council, and she went on to work at Berkeley's Public Works Department and she set up the first citywide organic waste collection and composting program and then went on to work as a senior administrator and city Clerk in the City of Emeryville. After earning her bachelor's degree at Brown University, she moved to Berkeley to go to grad school and got her master's at Cal. And she was politically active, as so many students at Cal are. She participated in the Third World Student takeover of Cal's administrative offices and was President of the Black Graduate Student Organization and co founder of the Africa Resource Center. I met Karen when she was leading the Stop banking on apartheid, and she helped to lead efforts to make Berkeley the very first city in the US to divest from South Africa. With two sons in the Berkeley schools, Karen was very active in an organization called Parents of Children of African descent because the disparities in graduation rate, grades, and so much more between the other students at Berkeley schools and black students was very pronounced. That led her to run for the school board, which she was elected to in 2006, and she served 12 years. In a passionate speech at her last board meeting in 2018, Karen warned about the dangers of perpetuating racial achievement gaps through implicit bias. She said there are many middle class and other college educated black families, including mine, that can cite chapter and verse of how their student was perceived as less than, and she called implicit bias the most significant factor in our continuing academic disparities. Karen stayed politically active even after she was off the school board. She was an elected Member of the State Democratic Central Committee from 2010 to 2012. She also served on Congresswoman Barbara Lee's Advisory Committee. Karen had an infectious laugh. She had a huge smile. So when she came in the room, you just lit it up. She loved to travel. She told stories about the places she visited, and she was a mentor to many Berkeley leaders. She passed away in April after a three year battle with cancer. She was 66. She is survived by her husband, Richulu, and her sons, Jonah and Elijah, and some grandchildren and many other family Members. She will be greatly missed. Thank you.

Thank you for that Senator Skinner, Senator Porntino.

Thank you. Mr. President and Members, I sadly rise to ask that the Senate adjourn in the memory of a longtime pillar of the Glendale community, Dr. Varcus Najarian. Varcus was born in 1930 in Kessab, Syria. His family moved to Beirut, Lebanon, where he attended the American Evangelical High School. After graduating from the American University of Beirut, Varcus received a scholarship to enter the AUB Medical School, earning his degree in 1957, he immigrated to the United States to continue his training in orthopedic medicine, and in 1958, he married the love of his life, Mary. They were blessed with four children, Ara, who's a Council Member in the City of Glendale, Armin, Rafi and Morrow. In 1980, the family moved to Glendale, where Dr. Najarian established his private orthopedic practice and pioneered the first weekly health program on Armenian television. In 1984, he visited what was then known as Soviet Armenia for the first time. This visit sparked his passion to help families in Armenia as their healthcare system was struggling. For decades to come, Dr. Najarian worked tirelessly to support the country's healthcare needs, and in addition to securing valuable arthroscopic surgical equipment, he arranged for Armenian orthopedic surgeons to travel to the United States to strengthen their medical training. After the devastating earthquake in 1988 in Armenia, Dr. Najarian joined the first US State Department Emergency Medical Response Team to assess the needs in the country. With the help of the Armenian community, Dr. Najarian arranged for 120 children to receive necessary surgical treatment and prosthetics in prominent Los Angeles area hospitals. He eventually left his medical practice in Los Angeles to spend more time attending to the troops in Artsak, performing surgeries by candlelight, in trenches, and in bombed out basements during the war. When that war in the 90s ended between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Nigerians spent years helping renovate military hospitals in Yerevan and trauma centers in Artsak. Varcus is survived by his wife, Mary, of nearly 70 years, his four children, nine grandchildren and a great grandson. His family and friends, and countless individuals whose lives he touched will forever cherish his memory and celebrate his legacy and his invaluable service to both California, the United States, the Republic of Artsak, and Armenia. This truly was a benevolent, caring, loving, kind, giving person who I just had tremendous respect for him and his entire family and respectfully asked for this body to adjourn in his memory.

Thank you, Senator Porntantino. At the appropriate time, if all Members could bring their paperwork up so those that have been recognized will be newly noted in the Journal. With that, Senator Atkins, if there's no further business. The desk is clear.

Thanks so much. Our next floor session is scheduled for this Thursday, May 11, 2023 at 09:00 a.m.

The Senate is adjourned, and we will reconvene Thursday, May 11, at 09:00 a.m.