Assembly Floor

The Assembly is now in session. Assembly Member aguiar curry notices the absence of a quorum. The sergeant at arms will prepare the chamber and bring in the absent Members.

The Clerk will call the role. Addis. Aguilar-Curry. Alanis. Alvarez. Arambula. Bains. Bauer-Kahan. Bennett. Berman. Boerner. Bonta. Bryan. Calderon. Juan Carillo. Wendy Carrillo. Cervantes. Chen. Connolly. Dahle. Davies Dixon. Essayli. Flora. Mike Fong. Vince Fong. Friedman. Gabriel. Gallagher. Garcia. Gipson. Grayson. Haney. Hart. Holden. Hoover. Irwin. Jackson. Jones-Sawyer. Kalra. Lackey. Lee. Lowe. Lowenthal. Maienschein. Mathis. McCarty. Mckinnor. Muratsuchi. Nguyen. Ortega. Pacheco. Pappin. Jim Patterson. Joe Patterson. Pellerin. Petrie-Norris Quirk-Silva. Ramos. Rendon. Reyes. Luz Rivas. Rodriguez. Rubio. Sanchez. Santiago. Schiavo. Soria. Ta. Ting. Valencia. Villapudua. Waldron. Wallace. Ward. Weber. Wicks. Wilson. Wood. Zabur

Mr. Speaker.

Members, a quorum is present. We ask our visitors, our guests and visitors in the rear of the chamber and in the gallery to please stand for the prayer and the flag salute. The day's prayer will be offered by Assemblymember Flora.

Members, join me in a prayer. Lord, may we be mindful of the needs of those around us. And may our actions always enable the spirit of freedom to thrive and to take root. May we find a way to live freely while representing the freedom of others. May this be God's will. Amen.

Thank you, Mr. Flora. Assembly Member Wallace will lead us in the pledge.

Join me in saluting our flag. [Pledge of Allegiance].

Thank you. You may be seated. Today apparently is National Nothing Day, but there is a rumor that this is also Without a Scalpel Day reading of the previous day's journal.

Assembly Chamber of Sacramento Thursday, September 14 2023 the Assembly met at 01:00 p.m. The Honorable Stephanie Flynn, Assistant speaker.

House Resolution 62 by Assembly Member Quirk Silva and others relative to Korean American Day. Assembly Member Quirk-Silva, you are recognized.

Jury moves Mr. Gallagher seconds that the reading of the previous day journal be dispensed with. Presentations and petitions there are none. Introduction and references of bills will be deferred. Reports of committees will be deemed read and amendments deemed adopted. Messages from the Governor, there are none. Messages from the Senate? There are none. Moving to motions and resolutions.

The absences for the day will be deemed read and printed in the journal. Madam Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry, moving to procedural motions. You are recognized for your procedural motions.

I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 45.5 to allow Assemblymembers Joan Sawyer, Cervantes, Reyes, Papan and Berman to speak on the enduement in memory today.

Without objection. Such shall be the order.

I request unanimous consent to withdraw AB 960 Mathis from the Appropriations Committee and order the bill to the second reading file. The bill is no longer fiscal.

Thank you. Sorry. Without objection. Such shall be the order.

I request unanimous consent to suspend the rules to allow Assemblymember Quirk-Silva to take up HR 62 without reference to file today for the purpose of adoption.

Without objection. Such shall be the order. Members, let us wish Assemblymember Bryan a happy birthday. Today's moving to business. On the daily file second reading, the Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 801.

Bill will be deemed read and all amendments be deemed adopted. Governors vetoes pass and retain on file items two through 104. Items number 105 and number 106 are notices under reconsideration. All items shall be continued. Moving now, Members, going to have your attention please. We're going to move to take up HR 62 by Assemblymember Quirk-Silva. Without reference to file, the Clerk will read. Hang on just a second.

Okay Members we will now take up HR 62 by Assemblymember Quirk-Silva without reference to file. The Clerk will read.

House Resolution 62 by Assemblymember Quirk-Silva and others relative to Korean-American Day.

Assemblymember Quirk-Silva you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. I rise today to present, in partnership with the AAPI Caucus, HR 62, which observes January 13 as Korean American Day. As a Member who represents a significant Korean American community in my district, it is my honor and privilege to present this resolution today. In 1903102 courageous Korean men, women and children landed in Hawaii after venturing across the vast Pacific Ocean aboard the SS Gaelic.

Despite social, economic and language barriers of unforeseen magnitude, they never wavered in the pursuit of the American dream. Today we reflect on the sacrifices made by those brave immigrants who traveled so far from home to celebrate the contributions and success of the Korean American community. The story of Korean Americans is one of triumph against adversity. First generation Korean immigrants established a new home through resilience and immense sacrifice, becoming the foundation for future generations of Korean Americans.

Despite the racial discrimination and adversity that the first immigrants faced, they endured in building a new home for themselves. In my district, we have many, many Korean American businesses that are thriving. We have a large celebration of Korean Americans in Buena Park in Fullerton, and so much culture has been brought to our district. By designating January 13 as Korean American Day, we celebrate the invaluable contributions Korean Americans have made and continue to make to the fabric of our community's culture and history.

I request the first row be open for co authors and respectively ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Assembly Member Quirk-Silva. Assembly Member Friedman, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today on behalf of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus to recognize and celebrate Korean American Day. We take this day as a time to recognize the incredible and positive impact the Korean American community has had on our state and our country, especially for my district, which is home to one of the largest Korean American populations in the nation. The Korean American community is an integral part of the tapestry of California's diversity and culture.

They have made important contributions as leaders in the field of finance, technology, law, medicine, education, sports, media, the arts, government, and others. Like many groups in California and the US, Korean American history includes challenges and hardships, but the perseverance and resiliency of the community gives us great cause for admiration and celebration. We share a deep appreciation and reverence for the earth and our relationship to the land. Around the same time each year, Koreans and Jews celebrate a fall harvest festival.

While we celebrate Sukkot, the Korean community celebrates Chutzok, and as Americans, both our communities celebrate these holidays around the same time as another fall celebration, thanksgiving. And I will say that my home city, Glendale, has several sister city relationships with communities in Korea. And it's been my privilege to go to Korea a few times to visit those cities. And the amount of care for the planet that's evidenced there and the interest in Korea, in sustainability and in nature is just almost overwhelming when you're there.

Seoul has more trees in it per foot, I think, than any urban area in the entire world. And the Koreans focus on organic food and on organic ways of doing agriculture. And it's something that I found so inspirational when I was there. And I will say one of the best cuisines and dining experiences you'll ever have on the planet is in Korea. If you haven't been, you should absolutely go. It'll be a bucket list trip for you.

So both the Jewish community and the Korean communities share a deep connection to our heritage and hold a sense of belonging to our people and our nations.

And I'm so pleased today to be able to admire with you the rich culture of the Korean American people, who, through diligence, fortitude, and an enduring belief in the American dream, have cemented their place in our history and added another chapter to the story of their people and their nation, and, of course, to America and our nation and that spirit. And on behalf of the Jewish caucus, I respectfully urge support for HR 62. Thank you.

Thank you, Assembly Member Friedman, Assembly Member Santiago, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise on behalf of the California Latino Legislative Caucus in support of HR 62, commemorating Korean American Day. I'm proud to represent one of the largest Korean populations in the country, and it's also important that we pay tribute and recognize a long history of Koreatown's vibrant cultural district.

Prominent activist Dosan Chang Ho Ang immigrated to the United States and settled in Riverside, which is now known for its boom at the time, was known for its boom in its industry. In 1905 on form Chapaka camp in Riverside, a distinctly Korean family-based settlement. Many consider Koreatown district in Los Angeles as its first establishment, but the first Koreatown was formed in Riverside. Although the camp only lasted 15 years, it was considered one of the largest central points for the Korean American community.

In 1913, the citrus industry faced a freeze, forcing the Korean population to leave the camp and disperse to other neighboring California farming towns. Anna's family moved to Los Angeles and settled in Bunker Hill, the center of downtown Los Angeles, which I've also represented. He founded the Korean United Presbyterian Church, which is located on Jefferson. This became a centralized location for the Korean American community and gradually became what we know today as the Koreatown district. Another visionary was Korean immigrant Hai Duk Lee.

Lee immigrated to Los Angeles in 1968 and created a space for the Korean American community. He opened the Olympic market and became one of the first primary destinations for thousands of Koreans living in Los Angeles, and it was one of the first Korean driven markets around Olympic in Normandy, and this was established in 1971. In 1980, Koreatown was recognized and declared an official neighborhood in the City of Los Angeles and for its county, now one of the country's most diverse and entrepreneurial booming culinary communities.

The VIP place was one of the first buildings in Los Angeles to feature traditional Korean tiles, and original architects of the VIP palace remains. In fact, the historic Wahakan restaurant Dagalgateka was used as a space since the 1980s as a reflection of Koreatown's oaxacan presence. Korean American days follows us as an honor to the contributions of the Korean American community. Places like Koreatown have granted home to many diverse cultures, including the Latino community, where many small ethnic businesses, such as restaurants, bar cafes, can be found.

I'm proud to represent Koreatown, and today let us honor the history of Korean Americans in California, but also the rich experiences they bring, the impact on the Korean and the impact on the Korean American community and its surroundings today, for many reasons. Colleagues, I respectfully ask for your. I vote on HR 62. Thank you, Mr. Santiago. Mr. Joan Sawyer, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On January 13, Korean American Day, we commemorate the arrival of the first Korean immigrants to the United States and recognize the many contributions Korean Americans have made in our society. Over half a million Korean Americans call California home, and Los Angeles has the largest community with over 360,000 Korean American residents. The establishment of the Korean community in Los Angeles can be traced back to 1905, when the Korean United Presbyterian Church was built on Jefferson Boulevard.

Korean Americans helped shape Los Angeles into the vibrant city it is today and continue to make vital contributions to our economy, culture, and way of life. Filmmaker Grace Lee, chef Roy Choi, and poet author Kathy park Hong are just a few of the Korean Americans who have made a lasting impact on Los Angeles to honor the Korean community. Los Angeles will soon be home to the Korean National Museum, highlighting the community's history and culture for all to learn about and enjoy.

I look forward to celebrating the opening of the museum with the community, and I'm proud to recognize the American community and their contributions to California on this year's Korean American Day. Thank you. Mr. Joan Sawyer. Mr. Lee, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today on behalf of the California LGBT caucus in support of HR 62, recognizing January 13 as Korean American Day. This past Saturday marked the 121st anniversary of historic 102 Koreans who immigrate to the United States in search of opportunities for themselves and their loved ones. Years since, Korean Americans have greatly enriched our nation's culture, society and overall American experience.

More personally, I have the great honor representing 24th Assembly District, which is home to organizations like the Korean Language and Culture Foundation and the Korean American Senior Citizen League. Further, we must celebrate our inextricable intersectional identities by honoring LGBTQ Korean American trailblazer blazers in June, we held the privilege of honoring Eugene Lee Yang for our annual LGBTQ caucus Pride month ceremony yesterday or ceremony on this very floor. Eugene is an actor, writer, Director, and one of today's most recognizable queer Asian American performers.

He strongly advocates for equality and diversity, pushing forth the increase of LGBTQ plus and API representation while also combating racist stereotypes portrayed in the media. As evidence of his great work for the API and LGBTQ communities, he helped raise significant funds for the Trevor project and those who fell victim to rise of API hate crimes during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He is but one of many incredible Korean American trailblazers who has used his intersectionality as a tool to demonstrate selfishness in uplifting fellow community Members and contribute to the rich diversity that makes up the fabric of American dream. I like to thank my colleague from Fullerton for bringing forth this very important measure. Thank you speaker Members. Quickly after I vote on HR 62.

Thank you Mr. Lee. Mr. Jim Patterson, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too rise in celebration of the Korean American community that has called Central California and Fresno home. A little history with respect to Fresno, we have been the place where so many from across the world have come. When you think about it, the Armenian diaspora brought us an Armenian community that is vibrant and has leaders. They are successful. We also had the Koreans come. We had the Chinese, the Japanese. They all in one way or another suffered from some difficulty.

We also had the Dusbo migration. Same thing with all of that. But over time, these folks became our friends, our neighbors, the tapestry of who we are. And what was so important. When I was mayor, we had the large influx of monks, and there was the beginning of the difficulties of those who were new. But guess what? The Armenians stood up, the Chinese stood up, the Koreans stood up, the Japanese stood up. So did those that were generational. From the Dust bowl.

We have learned that newcomers, over a little period of time, with adjustment, with help, with arms around them, welcoming them, create by the second generation, doctors, lawyers, leaders, business people. The challenge is overcome because there have been previous generations of people who really had challenges. And instead of being known for the place that rejected and turned our back, today in the 21st century, this is a place where we welcome.

And what pleased me so much was that the Koreans and the Chinese and the Japanese and the Armenians saw the challenges that maybe some uninformed and less caring and thoughtful individuals were attempting to sort of stigmatize our Mong folks. Well, those other people who came and who went through their own difficulty, they stood beside those people. And it was their organizations, their cultural organizations that welcomed them, that helped them. And today we have, I think, the largest Mong New Year's celebration.

And when you go to it, you then see all those others who have come from other walks of life, from other races and cultures. And the same thing happens when Koreans celebrate and when Armenians celebrate and when others as well. And so I rise to just say Fresno is a place that in the beginning, maybe earned some scorn for being less open than it should, maybe in the 18 and early 19 hundreds.

But, boy, things have changed, and they have changed for the good, because a group of people who came decided that they were going to join with the new people who came and be the influence that welcomes them. And maybe is the counter voice to the uninformed and the fearful.

And so I want to rise and say thank you to the Korean Americans, not just for what they achieved in coming, becoming our friends, neighbors, leaders, but because they and others in Fresno said they did it to us. We're not going to let them do it to them. And they stood with our Mong folks. I think that's a blessing and a lesson for all of us to learn that, yes, these folks come, and oftentimes they are considered others.

In Fresno, I saw our immigrant communities treat them not as others, but as ours. And that's a joy to reflect on. And the Korean Americans were very much a part of that. And I want to say thank you to them and also for the exceptional example that they are of virtue and value and family and work, being Americans and proud of it, but also being very welcoming to others who come seeking the same freedom and opportunity during their own difficult times.

And so I celebrate with those of you the designation of today. But I did want to rise and specifically call out the history, but also to add another kind of feather in the cap of Koreans in our midst, that they joined with others and said, they're welcome here. My bad. And we're going to see to it that the voices of welcoming and the fact that we want them with us will be heard above those who are less welcoming.

And so we do have a tapestry, and it's something that I think we should be proud of. We're very grateful for it. And I wanted to thank the Koreans for being a part of all of that. They have sent clear lessons of inclusion and arms around them, and we're grateful for that.

And so I join with all of you who want to recognize the Korean Americans, and I specifically want to thank them for what they have done to add their voice and their hard work and their virtues and their values to making Fresno today a welcoming place. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Patterson. Assembly Member Nguyen, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Korean Americans arrived here and stepped foot on this American soil in 193. And today they are the fifth, the fifth largest API ethnic community here in California, making up over half a million in our community. And today, we reflect on not just their culture, but their history and the invaluable contributions they've made here in our community through music, through movies, and through food.

And while January 13 has passed, I hope that you've all been able to tune into some KPop, watch some k drama, and definitely try some Korean barbecue, because I guarantee you, you'll be hooked. Thank you to my colleague from Fullerton for carrying this and bringing this forward. I encourage you all to support HR 62. Thank you.

Thank you. Assembly Member Nguyen. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Assembly Member Quirk Silva, you may close.

I ask for your. I vote.

All debate having ceased, the Clerk will open the roll. Previously asked for co authors. This is for co authors. Members. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote for co authors. All Members who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. There are 72 co authors added. Without objection. We will now take a voice vote on the resolution. All in favor say aye. Opposed say no. Ye's have it. The resolution is adopted. Moving to Assembly.

Assembly third reading pass and retain on items number 109 to 114. Senate third reading pass and retain on item number 115. Moving to a vote on the second day consent calendar. Does any Member wish to have an item removed from the consent calendar? Seeing and hearing none. The Clerk will read the second day consent calendar.

Assembly Bill 661 by Assembly Member Joe Patterson and accolading the mobile home parks.

The Clerk will open the roll on the consent calendar. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote, the Clerk will close the roll and tally the vote. Ayes 69. Noes zero. The consent calendar is adopted. Moving to adjournments in memory. Members, the quorum call is still in place. Please give your respectful attention to those who were granted prior permission to speak on an adjournment in memory. Assembly Member Jones-Sawyer, you are recognized for your adjournment in memory. Members, please give your respectful attention to Mr. Jones-Sawyer.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise in honor and celebrate the life of a remarkable community leader, political activist, social justice changemaker, and a dear, dear friend and constituent of mine, Bobbie Jean Anderson. Her unfortunate, passing on December 31, was a major blow to the Los Angeles community. An LA native, Ms. Anderson graduated from Fremont High School and earned a certificate as a shorthand court reporter from the Downey Court Reporting School.

She went on to have a 40 year career with the County of Los Angeles and spent 25 years working in the Public Defender's Office, where she established a job training and internship program for high school students. Ms. Anderson would eventually serve as Vice Chair of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party and be lauded as the Los Angeles County Democrat of the Year. In addition, in 1995, she was appointed to the National Criminal Justice Task Force and worked to support incarcerated women in reentry programs.

As chair of the Black Women's Forum Criminal Justice Task Force, Bobbie Jean was dedicated to Los Angeles and fought for the rights of Angelinos. She was a fierce, I mean, fierce labor leader, fierce labor activist with SEIU 660 and then ultimately becoming a part of local 721.

She fought for workers rights and fair wages and would go on to earn a lifetime achievement award from SEIU local seven to one, Ms. Anderson defended the voices and resources in South Los Angeles as an appointee of the Los Angeles County Redistricting Commission. Above all, Bobbie Jean Anderson was a humanitarian and unwavering public servant. On a personal note, she is one of those individuals that you would love to have in your district, someone that supported you no matter what, no matter what anybody said about you.

And when you weren't in the room, Bobbie Jean Anderson would stand up for you, and the Members from Los Angeles will tell you and attest to that. If something is wrong and something was out of place, Bobbie Jean Anderson spoke up and got you back on track. She was our barometer to doing the right thing. And we will miss her. We will miss her so much because that kind of political activism isn't seen as much as today as it was before.

Ms. Anderson is survived by her son, Andy, two grandchildren, Anthony and Desiree, and great granddaughter Jalen. I respectfully ask that we adjourn in her memory and that we all live up to her legacy. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Jones Sawyer. Mr. Gipson, you are recognized for your adjournment in memory.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker and Members, I also rise asking this body to adjourn in the memory of Bobbie Jean Anderson, and thank my colleague from Los Angeles for bringing this adjournment before this body. Bobbie Jean Anderson had faithfully served the Los Angeles area for over 40 years.

She served in multiple different roles as a labor activist, I want to say labor leader of SEIU Local 660, where I met her when I used to work for SEIU Local 99, which represent classified employees of LA Unified School District that moved and merged the locals into SEIU Local 721.

She worked in the Public Defender's Office for over 25 years, Vice President of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, Chair of the Black Women's Forum on Criminal Justice Task Force, and a presidential appointment by President Bill Clinton on the National Criminal Justice Task Force. Her leadership was essential in the fight for social justice and equality, in the fight for women's rights, in the fight for fighting alongside low wage workers, in fight for our very democracy that seems to be threatened each and every day.

Bobbie Jean Anderson's memory will live on in the hearts and minds of those who knew her and who loved her. And on a personal note, Bobbie Jean Anderson was, as my colleague from Los Angeles indicated, would want to have, you would want her be in your district, someone who absolutely was a drum major for justice, someone who always sat quietly. But when she spoke, she command presence.

Whatever she spoke about, certainly her power, her tenacity, her vigor, her fight was absolutely felt in every corner of Los Angeles County. And when I saw her and met her when I was working for SEIU Local 99, whatever the fight was in Los Angeles, whether it was laundry workers, whether it was, ask me. Whatever it was, Bobbie Jean Anderson was there. And she took that fight not only in the labor movement, but also in the Democratic Party. And certainly we will miss her absence.

Certainly we thank her family for sharing this great, courageous woman with each and every one of us. Our lives will never be the same.

Thank you, Mr. Gipson. Assemblymember Cervantes, you are recognized for your adjournment in memory.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members, I rise today to ask this body to adjourn in the memory of Ophelia Valdez-Yeager of the City of Riverside, who passed away on Sunday, January 7, Ophelia was a beloved mother, wife, retired educator, fundraiser for the arts, lifelong community advocate, and a dear friend who touched the lives of so many of us in the Inland Empire. Born in Durango, Mexico, Ophelia was the first in her family to earn a college degree.

Beginning her journey at UC Riverside in 1965, Ophelia was one of only five students in the newly established equal opportunity program. Ophelia's career education included teaching in the follow through bilingual bicultural program, serving as a bilingual education resource teacher, counseling Latino families and students, coordinating childcare process, working as a substitute teacher, she often worked at the school where her four children attended and her husband, Lee served as a teacher. Beyond the classroom, Ophelia volunteered as PTA President, promoting student success through increased parent and community engagement.

In 1992, Ophelia made history as the first Latina elected to the Riverside Unified School Board of Education. As a school board member, she fought to promote greater inclusion and equity for Spanish speaking students and parents within the district and was instrumental in bringing on board the district's first language translator. Throughout her career, Ophelia had been a driving force behind many initiatives to empower the Latino community throughout the Inland Empire.

She played a key role in forging the school district's partnership with Hope's Youth Leadership program, which helped young Latina leaders to tap into their power and reach their full potential. Passionate about the advancement of our Latino community, Ophelia cofounded the Riverside Latino Network in 1993. To this day, Latino Network remains an essential community resource. In addition to her advocacy, Ophelia was also dedicated to preserving our Latino heritage. She was instrumental in installing the Cesar E. Chavez memorial in downtown Riverside.

Most recently, she led a very successful campaign that raised $14 million in private and public funding for the Cheech Marine Center for Chicano Arts and Culture in the City of Riverside. Ophelia was a remarkable leader, a civic minded trailblazer whose impact was felt by everyone who had the honor of serving alongside her, including myself.

She is survived by her beloved husband, Lee her three brothers, Mike, Bob, and George, as well as her four children, Marissa, Luis, Anna, and Tessa and her seven grandchildren, Hannah, Jack, Andrew, Henry, Felix, Elizabeth, and Amelia B. Ophelia's leadership, vision and love will be deeply missed, but her spirit will continue to inspire and uplift us all. She was a shining example what it means to live a life of purpose and compassion, and her legacy will serve as a guiding light for many generations to come.

Colleagues, I ask this Assembly adjourn in the memory of Ophelia Valdes-Yeager and keep her family loved ones in our hearts and minds.

Thank you, Assembly Member Cervantes. Assembly Member Reyes, you are recognized for your adjournment in memory.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Members, I, too, rise. I join my colleague from Riverside to ask that we adjourn in the memory of our dear friend, a tireless advocate for the community, Ophelia Valdez-Yeager. It is with great sorrow that we mourn the loss of Ophelia. A political and civic trailblazer who forged new paths for all, especially Latinas and women in the Inland Empire. She passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 7. Ophelia's legacy will forever be cemented in our community.

Born in Tayoltita in the mexican State of Durango, she symbolizes the American dream, becoming the first in her family to earn a college degree. Graduating from UC Riverside, she began her career in public service as a high school counseling assistant and as an elementary school teacher. Ophelia also worked in local government for various Riverside leaders, ensuring that Latino voices held a position at the table in decision making.

She was the first Latina ever to be elected as a school board Member in the Riverside Unified School District. In this role, she brought transformative investment for Spanish speaking students in her district and empowerment for their students, for their parents, rather, during the time of Proposition 187, she fought for immigrant justice. Because of her concern for her community and especially the youth she served, she helped champion the establishment of the Riverside Art Museum's Cheech Marine Center for Chicano Art and Culture.

Her efforts helped fundraise more than $14 million through corporate and private gifts. The Cheech is a cultural hub for Latino art in the Inland Empire and is one example of her dedication to cultural art in the region. Her legacy will live on in her incredible civic achievements, dedicated to the arts, education, and especially to the many lives she has touched. Ophelia was often seen as the force behind major changes in Riverside, and her advocacy always reached San Bernardino.

She did not seek attention for herself and instead sought to elevate and empower those around her. But when she knew her voice was needed, she did not shy away from speaking up. She spoke truth to power, especially when it related to her students. Our hearts and prayers are with her family and loved ones and with the community. We are tremendously in debt for a life of public service.

Ophelia Valdez-Yeager survived by her beloved husband of 54 years, Lee Yeager her brothers, Mike, Bob, and George her daughters, Marisa, Anna, and Tessa her son, Luis and her seven grandchildren, Hannah, Jack, Andrew, Henry, Felix, Elizabeth and Amelie B. I respectfully ask that we adjourn in her memory and that today we celebrate and honor her life. Que en paz descanse. Thank you Members.

Thank you Assembly Member Reyes, Assembly Member Papan, you are recognized for your adjournment memory.

Good morning, Mr. Speaker and Members. It's with a heavy heart that I rise today and ask that we adjourn in memory of Don Horsley, a lifelong public servant in San Mateo county. He passed away in November at the age of 80, but after a 40 year career that's really centered on being committed to transforming lives. Don grew up in Daily City after watching his father become disabled and watching his grandmother suffer with mental health, it really sparked a passion in him for doing better by people.

After graduating from San Francisco State, Horsley began his extensive career in public service. He worked for the daily City Department, Police Department, was a juvenile counselor for the county as well as a middle school teacher. He began serving in the sheriff's office in 72, and then in 1993 he was elected as sheriff of San Mateo county and served for 14 years. When he took over as sheriff, East Palo Alto was the murder capital of the nation.

I'm proud to say that in 2023, the last year of Don's life, East Palo Alto reached a terrific milestone with zero homicides this last year, while sheriff, Horsley created the Sheriff Activities League to help kids become successful in school and designed to keep at risk kids out of gangs, and promoted the advancement of qualified women and officers for underrepresented communities in the sheriff's Department. In positions of leadership just last year, San Mateo county has its first female sheriff.

After departing from the position of sheriff, Don went on to serve at the Sequoia Healthcare District, where he was instrumental in increasing funding to the North Fair Oaks clinic and the community grant program. Then after that, he went on to serve 12 years on the San Mateo County Board of Soups.

He was often called the mayor of the coast because he represented the entire coast in San Mateo County, and as supervisor, Horsley focused on improving mental health services, expanding access to county parks and open spaces, including adding new portions to county parks and creating an entirely new beach for all to enjoy. As a former sheriff, Horsley was passionate about curbing gun violence and sponsored numerous policies as well as gun buybacks.

In addition, Horsley fiercely advocated for investing county resources into affordable housing for individuals and families and helped San Mateo County provide more beds and services to our unhoused individuals. His dedication and service to and direct imprint on San Mateo County will leave a lasting legacy on a personal note, I loved serving with Don on county boards before I got here. He was always early to meetings, and I am perpetually late.

But he inspired me to get there early, because what it meant was I'd get one on one time with Don, and he was present in the moment. I always got a nugget from him about something, and I really learned a tremendous. I had, like, a tremendous education from him, and he always provided a certain insight that nobody else provided. So I got to meetings early, and I got those nuggets.

And really, I'm just very sad that the first time I adjourn in memory of somebody is Don. It's one year after he retired. Such a bummer that he's no longer with us. So I really thank you for the opportunity to speak about him here today, and I respectfully ask that we adjourn in Don's memory. Thank you.

Thank you, Members, we're going to lift the call, and then we'll come back to the final adjournment in memory. The quorum call is lifted. We have one final adjournment in memory. Please take your conversations off the floor if you wish. Members, please give your respectful attention to Mr. Berman for his adjournment memory. Mr. Berman, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, rise to adjourn in the memory of sheriff, supervisor, and just all around remarkably good human being. Don Horsley, my colleague from San Mateo, did a wonderful job of going over a lot of Don's accomplishments. I just want to touch a little bit upon my personal interactions with Don and just how much he meant to me. He was a constituent of mine. My first six years in the Assembly, we had overlapping districts between his Supervisorial District and my Assembly District. And I remember the first time I met with Don. I didn't really know him that well.

He had a larger than life reputation, but he was just so warm, so welcoming, and so great at giving advice, but not in a pushy, you know. One of the first things my colleague alluded to, Don's love for the coast side, and one of the first things he told me when I was a candidate just starting to run for state Assembly, was go to the coast side, spend more time on the coast side, get to know the concerns and the difficulties of the farm workers out there and the folks that work the hardest but get the least attention. And I took him up on that.

He connected with me with some folks that I still work with today, but my colleague and I also had a chance to attend Don's memorial on Saturday. And I just love to hear some of the stories that folks told Don. He was the sheriff. A big guy, a big sheriff. But not only did he know everybody who worked in his department's name, but he knew most of the prisoners names.

And if he felt like there were prisoners that were making strides and showing good improvement, I guess one of the things he liked to do was he liked to sit down and play chess with them and kind of have those personal human interactions. And this was in the back. In the time when this type of restorative justice wasn't exactly in vogue. Don was practicing a lot of those lessons.

We had a minimum security facility in rural San Mateo county called Honor Camp, where it's in the Santa Cruz foothills. And Don's kids, especially Don's son, talked about how then Sheriff Horsley dropped his young son off at Honor Camp and a minimum security facility and left him there for a couple of days with the inmates when he had to go off and do something.

And Don's daughter talked about the same thing and some of the colorful language that she learned when she got dropped off at Honor Camp. But that just shows the kind of person Don was. He didn't think that just because you did something bad meant that you were a bad person. And he very much believed in the ability of people to kind of get rehabilitated and get back into society. So I am terribly sad at Don's passing.

I regret not having spent more time with him while we were serving together. But we're all in San Mateo County so grateful for the impact that he's had and the legacy he leaves. Thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Berman. Members, please bring the names to the desks to be printed in the journal. All requests to adjourn in memory will be deemed read and printed in the journal. Moving to announcements, the session schedule is as follows. Wednesday, January 17, check in session.

Thursday, January 18, floor session at 09:00 a.m. All other items remaining will be passed and retained. All motions shall be continued. Seeing in hearing no further business, I'm ready to entertain a motion to adjourn. Mr. Santiago moves Mr. Lowenthal seconds that this house stand adjourned until Thursday, January 18, at 09:00 a.m., Members, we are adjourned.