Senate Floor

[Roll Call]

A quorum is present with the Members and our guests beyond the rail and in the gallery. Please rise. We will be led in prayer this afternoon by our chaplain, Sister Michelle Gorman, after which, please remain standing as we will be led in the pledge of allegiance to the flag by Senator Grove.

And let us remember that we are always in God's presence, merciful and ever living. God, as a large part of our world, celebrates Ramadan, Passover, and Easter these days. May we all reach out in love to our whole world. May we listen to your voice in our hearts as we taste the bitterness of others affliction and work to relieve their distress. May we live our lives as persons of forgiveness and peace.

Gracious God, help us commit ourselves to praying for oppressors everywhere, that their hearts may grow in understanding and compassion. Help us to work for the freedom and liberation of all oppressed peoples and of the earth itself. May all that we do reflect your love for your creation in all its diversity and creativity. We ask this in your name and in the name of all who desire justice and peace. Amen.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, please join me in saluting our flag. 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.

Right, Members, now we're going to turn to privileges of the floor like you to put your attention on the pro Tem's desk, as we have a presentation by the pro tem.

Good morning or afternoon? So sorry. Well, colleagues, you can already see that we have quite a number of people on either side here at the back of the gallery. I am honored to welcome a group of visiting students from San Diego State University, San Diego, and the Imperial Valley campuses to our chamber today. These bright, ambitious students have chosen to pursue degrees in public Administration, so we very well could see some of these faces in our hallways very soon. So please join me in giving a wonderful Senate welcome to them to their state capitol.

If any Members would like to join the pro tem with photos with our future leaders, please feel free to do so at this time. All right, Members, we're going to now move on to messages from the Governor, which will be deemed read. Message from the Assembly will be deemed read. I am a second. Reports of Committee will be deemed read and amendments adopted. Moving to motions, resolutions and notices. \

Don't make me do with my left hand. That was my right hand. Without objection. The Senate journals for March 27, 2023 through March 30, 2023 will be approved as corrected by the minute Clerk. There are floor amendments at the desk and they will be deemed adopted. Moving on to consideration of the daily file, first up, second reading file items one through nine.

[Second Reading]

Well done. Thank you. Now moving on to governor's appointments, we have items 1011 and 12. Senator Grove, you may present.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues. Before us we have Joseph Capuro. Sorry. Who for appointment to the Workers Compensation Appeals Board. Prior to his appointment, he was a sole practitioner in a private practice with over 40 years of experience in workers compensation law. He's highly qualified. He was approved by the Rules Committee on March eigth on a 50 vote. Respectfully ask for your. I vote.

Thank you, Senator Grove. Any comments? Seeing none. Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 35. No, zero. The appointment has been confirmed. Senator Grove, item number 11.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, file item 11. Tiffany Alvidres and Dr. Anthony Garrison Ikbritt for appointment to the State Lottery Commission. They were approved on the rules by the Rules Committee on a 50 vote on March eigth. I can tell you that both individuals are extremely qualified. But I can tell you one thing. Ms. Alvidraz is not going to allow the lottery Commission to not pay their fair share into the education system. And she will make sure those dollars are used very wisely.

And she came highly recommended. She had several people that called in and testimony she had a lengthy time in this building. Most of our staff has worked with her in the past. And so I just respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Senator Grove. Any comments? Seeing none.

I just quickly want to add, Mr. President, thank you. Much of what needs to be said by Ms. Alvedris has already been stated by our Senator from Bakersfield. But she was an amazing individual in this building, well respected, and she'll be a great addition to the lottery Commission that she's been appointed. So I strongly support this appointment.

Thank you, Senator. Seeing none. Secretary, you want to talk again?

Yes.

Then please do.

Yes. So, just one last comment. This happened to be the meeting that the Senate pro tem was not there, and I was chairing this, and my colleague, the former secretary of natural Resources, got a little out of hand, and we got distracted. And during this appointment process, our former colleague, state Senator Kamlager Dove, tried to call in and support Ms. Alvidras, knowing what a quality person that she would be. That did not happen because of the telecommunication system. But please know that Senator, our former colleague, now Congresswoman Kamlagar Dove, supports Ms. Alvidrezas well.

Thank you, Senator Grove. Anybody else before? Okay, Madam Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Ayes. 35. No, zero. The appointment is confirmed. And for the final Gubernatorial appointment today. Senator Grove.

Thank you, Mr. President. This is not a joke, colleagues. It is the Michael Gunning that we all know and love for an appointment to the state teachers Retirement board. Mr. Gunning is the chief strategy officer for Lighthouse Public affairs and is serving as a public representative on the board.

Mr. Gunning's mother is also a teacher who is retired, and it is in his best interest with his mama on the same pension program as other teachers in our state, that he makes sure that the retirement board is fully funded and that teachers get what they deserve for making sure that our children are highly educated. I respectfully ask for an aye vote. My colleague, Mr. Jones, is asking for a no vote.

Any other Members care to comment? Seeing none, Madam Secretary. Call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 35. No, zero. The appointment is confirmed. Now moving on to Senate third reading, we have item 30. Senator Wiener, are you prepared? Secretary, please read

Senate Bill 284 by Senator Wiener. An act relating to vending machines.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleague's SB 284 requires a person who owns a vending machine to post their telephone number, email address, or both on the machine or in a conspicuous location. A violation of these provisions would not be a crime. The Bill is author sponsored and has no opposition. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you. Senator Wiener. Senator Grove.

Mr. President, question of the author.

Senator Wiener, will you take a question?

Sure thing.

My honorable colleague from San Francisco. Last year you had a Bill, SB 225. That was the same Bill. And when it got over to the Assembly, after I put my istamp on it, you gutted and amended that Bill and turned it into a health care Bill and brought it back to the Senate. Is that your intention with this Bill this year?

I do not have a specific plan for this Bill.

It's not to put a name and an ID on a vending machine.

Excuse me? I'm saying if you're asking me if I have an intention of making it into a specific other Bill, the answer is no.

Thank you, sir. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you, Senator Grove, any other comments? Seeing none. Senator Wiener, would you like to close? Maybe a little bit more emphatic than your answer.

I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, sir. Madam Secretary. Call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 25 noes. One measure passes. Now we move on to file item number 35. At the majority floor leader's desk, we have Senator Blakespear.

I'm going to speak right behind you. Clerk, please read. I mean, secretary, please read.

Senate concurrent Resolution 45 by Senator Blakespear relative to women's surf day.

Senator Blakespear?

Well, thank you. Good afternoon, esteemed colleagues. I rise today for my first recognition as a Member of the State Senate to present a joint resolution together with Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, who represents Santa Cruz, in recognition of women's surf day. So I come from a district. I represent a district in San Diego County and Orange County that includes 56 miles of coastline. I also come from having been the mayor of a coastal city.

And although I am a fourth generation in Sneden, I am not personally a surfer, but my husband is, and so is my 15 year old daughter. Also in my district this week, we, our local high school, San Dieto, won repeat as the state champions, and they bested, according to this article, 40 teams from San Diego to Half Moon Bay. And individually, the local woman, Veronica Hughes, took first in the women's shortboard.

So the coastline is the wilderness of my district, and surfing is one of the most important ways that people access, appreciate, love and become lifelong protectors of that coastline. Surfing has been part of California culture and its lore for well over a century. But it wasn't until 2018, that was just five years ago, that surfing was designated as California's only official state sport. Just to repeat that, we only have one official state sport, and it is surfing.

So, of course, men and women equally love the waves and love the ocean. However, as in many sports, women surfers for a very long time were not accepted as serious athletes. In the sport of surfing, women often were discouraged from participating and discriminated against. They had less opportunity and encountered many levels of barriers to participation and competition, like exclusion, microaggressions, mansplaining and unwelcome sexualization.

Thankfully, things are changing in recent years, and thanks to many notable trailblazing women, including the very first women's professional surf team, which was called, fittingly, the California golden girls of the 1970s and 80s. Women are demonstrating their mastery of the sport and inspiring others to follow. So not only are women participating in surfing at greater numbers, but they're being treated with more fairness and equity at the sport's highest levels so that they are increasingly getting the recognition they deserve.

In 2019, which is just the year after it became the state sport, the World Surf League became the first American sports organization to implement equal pay for male and female athletes. Today, women make up just a third, 35% of the nation's 3.4 million surfers, and there are an estimated 100,000 West coast surfers, according to the industry statistics. Women play a vital role in the sport at all levels in California, participating in it, competing in it, and promoting it.

And for that reason, this recognition recognizes April eigth as Women's International Surf Day and Women's Surf Day in California, honoring women surfers and the challenges they have overcome to carve out a place for themselves in this sport while celebrating past, present, and future women's surfers in their athletic abilities and strengths, and encouraging all women to aspire to grab aboard, paddle out, and ride the waves. So I respectfully ask for an aye vote on Senate Concurrent Resolution number 45.

Thank you. Senator Blakespear, any other comments? Seeing none, this resolution is eligible for unanimous roll call. zero, Senator Allen.

Senator, can I. Permission to ask a question?

Senator Blakespear, are you willing to take a question? You do not have to.

I will accept a question.

Senator, is this your first Bill on the Senate Floor?

It's not my first Bill. It's my first recognition on the Senate Floor.

Well, it seems like you're asking us for a vote.

Okay, then, yes.

Well, I'm confused about a few issues. I certainly appreciate the life and culture of surfing, but there's been some terms that have been brought up through the course of my time that I'm still trying to better understand. I'd love it if you could provide some insights for the Senate as to what a cutback is, an ankle biter and a bomb.

Well, I have a three time world champion surfer with me who I'm about to recognize next with this resolution, and I would like to invite Corey Schumacher to come forward and answer those questions.

Though it might be a breach of protocol.

Okay, apparently that's out of order, so I will decline to answer your question. Is that possible?

Okay.

Yes, absolutely.

I move to ask for an aye vote.

Okay, there you go with that. Secretary, please call. zero, no, this is actually eligible for unanimous roll call, vote. Senator Wiener?

That's a question for the author.

Senator Blakespear, would you like to take a question from.

Well, I'd also like to recognize Assembly.

We'll do that after we pass.

All right, I'll accept.

Right now, you're kind of on shake.

One other question from Senator Wiener.

You referenced the golden girls. Is that related to the B Arthur Golden Girls or is it different? If you could just explain.

It's definitely a different golden girl.

Okay, thank you.

Yes, thank you for that. Interesting question. Seeing no more mics raised, this is eligible for unanimous roll call. Seeing no dissent, ayes 35, no zero. The resolution is adopted. And with that, Senator Blakesburg, you may introduce your guest.

Okay. May I introduce the Assembly Member as well, who has come over for the joint resolution? Okay, I'd like to recognize Assembly Member Gail Pellerin. So come forward. She represents Santa Cruz, and so she was part of the joint resolution. And then I'd like to also recognize Corey Schumacher. So go ahead, come forward.

And so I'd like to say a few words about today in connection with Women's Surf Day. So first, let me hand you this resolution. So standing beside me is Corey Schumacher. She is a world champion surfer, social justice advocate, author, former Carlsbad City Council Member, and she has been instrumental in broadening the appeal of the sport of surfing. Corey is a three time world champion surfer.

She is also the first openly gay world champion surfer, and she used her platform to work toward greater justice, diversity, and inclusion in surfing for all women, including women in the LGBTQI community and women in the BIPOC community, which, as a reminder, stands for black, indigenous, and people of color. Notably and importantly, Corey launched an international campaign that called out and challenged the sexualization of elite female professional surfers. She called attention to the gender pay gap in competitive surfing, which was large.

And her work, together with California Assembly Member Tasha Boerner Horvath, developed the California Assembly Bill 467, which was called Equal Pay for Equal Play act, which is legislation that Governor Newsom signed into law in 2019. So because of her efforts and the efforts of many other women surfers who fought for equality in professional surfing in 2019, just four years ago, the World Surf League became the first American sports organization to implement equal pay for male and female athletes.

Corey is not the only barrier breaking women's surfer. There have been many who have helped push the boundaries of inclusion and pave the way for others. But she is an impressive, steadfast, resolute, unapologetic champion for women and for justice and equality and it is my honor to call her my dear friend. So Today, the California State Senate is bestowing special recognition on Corey Schumacher for her courage and perseverance in advocating for and advancing social justice in the world of surfing.

Corey Schumacher has served as a role model not just for her achievements as a professional surfer, but as an activist seeking to make her favorite sport and the world at large a better place for all. I'm honored today to recognize Cory Schumacher for her outstanding contributions to surfing on this same day that we established Women's Surf Day. Thank you so much.

And any Senator that would like to go back and get their photo, please do so at this time. All right, now we'll move to Committee announcements Senator Bradford .

Senate energy will meet in room 2200 at 03:00 thank you, sir.

Senator Archuleta.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Veterans Committee will be meeting right after this at room number. What is my room number? 2200 Thank you.

Thank you, Senator Archuleta. Senator Roth.

Thank you, Mr. President. Senate Business, professions and Economic Development Committee will resume 15 minutes after the close of session in room 2100.

Thank you, sir. Now returning to motions and resolutions, this would be appropriate time to do adjourn in memories from Senators. And first up, we have Senator Wiener.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, it's with tremendous sadness that I rise to ask that the Senate adjourn in memory of Heklina, a dear friend of mine and a true LGBTQ icon who suddenly and unexpectedly passed away on Monday, April 3. Heklina was a pillar of the San Francisco LGBTQ community ever since 1995, when she first started performing at the stud in the south and market neighborhood of San Francisco.

Putting on an incredibly popular weekly drag show that ran continuously in various forms from the mid 90s until 2020, Heklina became one of the most popular and well known drag performers in San Francisco, producing various events like the annual Miss T Shack pageant, the Monster show, and mother. I first saw Heklina perform in the late 90s when I was brand new to San Francisco as a young gay man.

It was extraordinary for me to arrive in San Francisco and to see this amazing community and this amazing performer and decades of LGBTQ people had that same exact experience with Heklina. In 2015, I had the honor of helping Heklina and her business partners identify a location to open their own nightclub, where Heklina once again was the headline.

Oasis immediately became a destination, drawing top performers, performers from across the country, and hosting the kind of amazing and outrageous and fun performances that can only be found in San Francisco for many years, Heklina and several other extremely talented drag queens, as part of the holiday season every single year, performed various episodes of the Golden Girls. This became an incredibly popular holiday tradition in San Francisco.

At Oasis, and in all of her shows, Heklina didn't just think of herself, but she paid it forward by giving young and first time drag performers a chance to hone their skills and develop a following. It was never just about Heclina. She brought other people, particularly young performers, along, and she helped to launch careers and helped to support an art form that has long been pivotal to LGBTQ life.

For decades, Heklina's work gave LGBTQ people and their loved ones a place to find each other and to create shared memories and form bedrock for our community. Hekwena was also extremely outspoken in defending our community. She was a strong advocate for HIV prevention and awareness. She was a strong advocate against hate and discrimination against our community.

On Saturday, I was honored to join thousands of Members of our community to celebrate drag queens and Trans people and our entire community as a celebration, but also a protest against the horrific wave of anti lgbtq hate laws that are sweeping parts of our country. Had she not passed away, Haklina absolutely would have been there front and center at that celebration and protest. In fact, people were carrying huge photos of heclina to remember her in Saturday's march, and she was there in spirit.

Her friend and business partner, Darcy Drollinger even wore one of her wigs in the protest. I'll be honest, colleagues, that I'm angry at the way that drag queens and Trans people and other LGBTQ people are being treated in this country today. The open attacks and the demonization of our community, and particularly against drag queens who were some of the most beloved community leaders in San Francisco, in Long Beach, in LA, and in so many other parts of our country, are being absolutely slandered, and it's disgusting.

But I know that Heklina would have just taken leadership in pushing back against that atrocious narrative. The impact that Heklina left on San Francisco and on all of the people she inspired is monumental, and most of us are just barely beginning to reckon with what the loss of this beautiful person means for our community. It is hard to imagine our city without her. And, Mr. President, I ask that the Senate adjourn in Heklina's memory.

Absolutely. Thank you for sharing, Senator Wiener. Senator Bradford.

Thank you, Mr. President. And I, too, arise today with a very heavy heart to adjourn in memory of an amazing individual a great californian, a good friend, a father, a son educator that in the person of Kenneth Brown. Kenneth was a scholar, an athlete, an educator, an engineer, a leader, and truly, a public servant. Kim Brown suddenly passed away on March 23 at the young age of 54. Much too soon, he was born and raised in the City of Carson.

Ken was a proud graduate of Morehouse College, where he earned a bachelor's degree in computer science and physics. He embodied the four w's of a Morehouse man, well read, well spoken, well dressed and well traveled. While at Morehouse, he twice was named All American in track and field and played in the nc two, a division two basketball final four. He also qualified for United States Olympic trials and the Pan American Games in high jump. He truly embodied being a student athlete.

He was a student first, athlete second, but he had exceptional skills and he knew he didn't have to depend on his athleticism alone to get through college. He was a remarkable individual. After graduating from Morehouse, he went on to Clark College in Atlanta and earned a master's in applied physics.

After he graduated from his master's, I should say he served for more than 20 years as a senior engineer and project controls liaison at NASA's, I should say Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he collaborated with the team that successfully landed the Curiosity rover on Mars. Ken then joined in 2015 north of Grumman, and he rose to operations manager. He was well respected and loved throughout the South Bay and throughout the aerospace community.

His career achievements earned him black Engineer of the year, modern day technology leader in 2019, and when we would discuss, he would often bristle at the fact. When he was looking for young black individuals to go into aerospace, usually the response was we couldn't find them. And he would always say, where are you looking? HBCus graduate thousands of black engineers every year, and he was a clear example of what comes out of these colleges and universities.

He was first appointed in 2010 to the El Camino College Board of trustees to fill a vacant area, one seat representing the communities of Ladera Heights and the City of Inglewood on the college district, and he was appointed President of the board just this past December 222022 I should say. And he was elected multiple times, reelected multiple times to the El Camino College Board. Kenneth was also elected President to the California Community Trustees Board, representing 115 community colleges and 2.4 million students.

In this role, he had the ability to advocate on behalf of the needs of students and serve side by side with student leadership. He also was a Professor for over a decade at Cal State Dominguez Hills, encouraging young black and brown individuals to enter the aerospace industry. And he was a perfect role model. They often say seeing is believing, but he says, believe in is seen.

But he was a great example for them to see what they could aspire to be by his presence on that campus and sharing his life stories and his achievements in the aerospace industry. To continue Ken's legacy of service, his dedication to the success of this community colleges and the ones that loved. And he loved, I should say, historically black colleges, universities, universities, his family has established a scholarship in his memory.

It will be the Kenneth Brown Memorial Scholarship, and it will provide an opportunity for El Camino College students to attend historically black colleges and enjoy the phenomenal education experience like the one he had experienced at his HBC Alma mater, Morehouse College. Our hearts go out to his amazing wife of 25 years, Dr. CarLA Harness Brown. His son, Kenneth Brown, too. He, too, a graduate of Morehouse, and Khalif, his youngest son, who is now a student at Howard University.

So he walked to walk and talk, to talk as well, and his amazing mother, Dr. Brown as well, who was in our probation Department. And I'm with heavy heart because his homegoing services are tomorrow and I can't be there. And it troubles me deeply that I can't join his family and celebrating his life. So I would just like to close with a poem written by the President of Morehouse College, the late Dr. Benjamin Mays, that was a mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King.

And it's simply entitled God's minute. And it's just 46 simple words. I've only just a minute, only 60 seconds in it. Forced upon me can't refuse it, didn't seek it, didn't choose it but it's up to me to use it. I must suffer if I lose it give an account if I abuse it just a tiny little minute but eternity is in it.

Kenneth used every second of his minute with his family, with his community, with the aerospace industry that he loved, with teaching young folks the importance of science and physics, and giving back to his community like no one I ever knew. He had an infectious smile that would light up any room. And one of our greatest times was two years ago at GaLA for El Camino College. And he says, Bradford, you're sitting next to my mother. And I said, ok, that's a big responsibility.

Is it for me to behave or she to behave? And nonetheless, it was one of the best times I had. We laughed all night long. His mother was amazing. And I truly saw where Kenneth got his heart, his passion, his wit from her. So again, I extend my deepest condolences to his family and Members. I ask that you join in memory and adjourning in memory of Kenneth Brown.

Thank you, Senator Bradford. Senators, bring their paperwork up to the desk so they can be formally recognized by the Senate. And if there's no other business, and I see none. Senator Atkins, the desk is clear.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, our next floor session is scheduled for this Thursday, April 13, 2023 at 09:00 a.m.

The Senate will be in recess until 03:30 p.m. At which time the adjournment motion will be made. We will reconvene Thursday, April 13, at 09:00 a.m. Thank you, Members.