Senate Floor

Secretary will call the roll.

[Roll Call]

The quorum is present with the Members and our guests. Beyond the rail, please rise. We'll be led in prayer by our chaplain, Sister Michelle Gorman, after which, please remain standing for the pledge of allegiance.

As we gather in the presence of holy mystery, we pray. Gracious, universal presence, we ask you to make our year a happy one. Not by shielding us from sorrow and pain, but by strengthening us to bear it as it comes. Not by making our path easy, but by making us sturdy to travel any path. Not by taking hardships from us, but by taking fear from our heart. Not by granting us unbroken sunshine, but by keeping our face bright, even in the shadows. Not by making our life always pleasant, but by showing us the people and their struggles that need us most. May we radiate your love, peace, hope and joy in the year ahead. Amen.

Members, please join me in the pledge.

Thank you. Members, under privileges of the floor, I'd like to first recognize Senator Alvarado-Gil.

Pass on file for a moment, please, President?

Sure. Well, I would like to recognize. Members, I'd like to recognize my legislative aide, Samantha James, who's leaving our Legislature and is here with us today. We're extremely grateful for her service, and please join me in recognizing. Thank you. Messages. Let's see. Messages from the Governor will be deemed read. Message from the Assembly will be deemed read. Reports of Committee will be deemed read, and amendments adopted under motions, resolutions and notices. Members, any motions, resolutions, notices.

Seeing no mics, we move on to introduction and first reading of bills. Bills will be deemed read. Okay, I'd like to return back to privileges of the floor. Give us one moment and I will recognize Senator Alvarado-Gil. You ready?

Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you for this. I wanted to acknowledge a family Member that I have in the audience today, my niece, Camila Alvarado-Gil. She is a junior at Rancho Cucamonga High School and represented California at the US Naval Academy this last summer as part of their cadet program. So I wanted to welcome her as her first time here on the floor. And she is joining us as hopefully a future elected. So, thank you.

Round of applause. Step forward so we can give her now an official welcome. Thank you. I see we have other special guests in the back as well. Other future Senators are joining us. Members will take one moment.

Members. If I got everyone's attention, we are going to return to motions and resolutions. This is the time for adjournment memories and I would like to recognize Senator Portantino. He is ready. I'll recognize Senator Portantino under motions. Resolutions for your adjourn of memory. Everybody please quiet down.

Thank you, Mr. President and Members. Today I rise sadly to adjourn in the memory of Terrence Glenn Williams. Terrence was born on September 151959 in Dallas, Texas, and was the second child of Charlie and Joyce Williams four children. He attended Bryan Adams High School where he ran track, played wide receiver and was an academic achiever, earning a scholarship to the University of North Texas.

At 17, he became a consultant for the Dallas Urban League, later became a teller for the Lakewood bank, and then moved into trucking business before relocating to California to consult for global link trucking. After moving to Arcadia in 1989, he remained an avid Dallas Cowboy fan and met Francis Bobby Leslie. They married on August 171991 and moved to Monrovia in my district, where they had four children, Jessica, Luke, Audrey, Samuel and Samuel.

Terrence soon joined the Second Baptist Church Monrovia, where he became an active as an SBC usher, sang in the Gideon's army male Chorus and served with the Brotherhood Layman's League. Bishop Dillard ordained him as a deacon and he was elected by the SBC church membership as church Clerk and an announcer. Terrence also served as an elected trustee of the Monrovia Unified School District from 2014 until 2018, dedicating himself to ensuring students and families in the district were represented.

During his tenure, he made meetings more accessible to the public by increasing digital platforms and ensured services were delivered to families with special needs students. He was an involved parents, a volunteer, an unwavering wildcat fan who announced the Monrovia High school football and basketball games. He served on the Monrovia Arcadia Duarte Town Council as Vice President and was a board Member of the volunteer center of the San Gabriel Valley, the Monrovia Rotary Club, and whenever his church or community needed him, he was always present.

He has survived by his eldest children, Kelvin Lindsay, granddaughter Lillian, wife Bobby and children Jessica, Luke, Audrey, Samuel. Amongst many family Members and friends and community colleagues, he was one of those individuals that just had a boundless energy, a big smile, a passion to serve, always welcoming you to every event with open arms and a great spirit. Monrovia surely lost a gem, and California lost a special person, and I lost a friend. And I respectfully ask that we adjourn in his.

I'd like to recognize Senator Rubio on this adjourn as well.

Thank you, Mr. President and ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, I also rise to adjourn in memory of Terrence Glenn Williams, also a friend. Anyone that knew him knew how involved he was and such a caring, thoughtful community leader. As a teacher in the Monrovia Unified School District, he was an elected trustee there. He was always willing to be present to hear you, to hear your concerns and figure out how to be helpful.

Besides his role as an elected trustee, he was also known for the Mad Town Council, which is the Monrovia Arcadia Duherdy Town Council, where he would just listen to community Members figure out how to bring solutions to the issues that community was facing. But more than anything that he did in terms of serving, he was a really dear friend to so many, and he was always present. I remember seeing him the week before he passed, and I needed a favor, and he was there.

He showed up. It was a busy day. He was announcing the football team at the high school, and he still made time, right before going into that Monrovia football game to stop by and help me with my issue. And so to his family, to his colleagues, to everyone that knew him, my deepest condolences, and he will be missed. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. Please bring his name up so he can be properly memorialized by the Senate. Members as a last order of business. Returning to privileges of the. I'd like to recognize Senator Limon to introduce her guest.

Thank you. I have with me my daughter Gianna, who is here to welcome the new year.

If there's no other business, Senator Atkins The desk is clear.

Mr. President. Thanks so much, colleagues. Have a great weekend. Our next floor session is scheduled for Monday, January 8, 2024 at 02:00 p.m.

The Senate will be in recess until 03:30 p.m. At which time adjournment motion will be made. We will reconvene Monday at 02:00 p.m. Have a great weekend.