Senate Floor

Secretary will call the roll.

[Roll Call]

A quorum is present. Would the members and our guests beyond the rail and in the gallery please rise.

We'll be led in prayer this afternoon by our chaplain, Sister Michelle Gorman, after which, please remain standing for the pledge allegiance to the flag.

Today we pray for God's mercy for all of us. If we utter the word mercy, standing each of us by an open window anywhere we are in the world, then the word mercy will carry on the sound waves onwards and unceasing through the air of the wounded world. And maybe when it takes flight into deed and kindness, justice and effort, it will affect a healing, a hope and a blessing. It may call the homeless home. It may coax to hope the betrayed and broken.

It may ease the burdened earth. Listen for it. Listen for its neighborly dialects and global idiom. Imagine those who, like you, are saying it aloud and those who need to hear it today. One word, one deed of justice, one kind effort at a time. Oh gracious God, we ask you to give us the courage to say and be mercy today, most especially to ourselves. Amen.

Please repeat after me. 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. Privileges of the floor. Seeing none, we'll move to item four, messages from the Governor, and that will be deemed read. Messages from the Assembly will be deemed read. Reports of committee will be deemed read, and amendments adopted. Now moving to motions, resolutions and notices. If I'm not having fun, you're not allowed to have fun. I don't know who that was laughing, but I don't like it.

All right, members, without objection, joint rule 62 A will be waived for the Appropriations Committee to meet on Thursday, January 18, 2024 without two days notice in the daily file. Senator Grove, I see that you have your mic up.

I am prepared for you to call on me for governor's appointments, but I will wait patiently until you do, sir.

Well, I like your enthusiasm. All right, next we're going to introduction of first reading of bills. Secretary, please read.

Senate bills 929, 930, and 931.

Thank you. Now moving on to consideration of the daily file. First item is second reading file item number one. Secretary, please read.

Senate Bill 827.

Thank you very much. Now we turn to Governor's appointments, and Senator Grove is prepared. So, secretary, please read. Oh, no reading for. Okay, file item 53. Go ahead.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, welcome back. This is our first Governor's confirmation on the floor, and it's an appropriate one to be the first. It's Lindsey Sin for the appointment of Secretary of California Department of Veterans Affairs. Secretary Sin has worked more than 10 years at the executive level of Cal Vet, and most of that time serving as a deputy secretary for Women Veterans' Affairs.

She served the United States Navy from 1997 to 2005, and she was approved by the Rules Committee on January 10 on a unanimous vote. Respectfully asked for your aye vote.

All right. Seeing that, Senator Archuleta.

Thank you, Mr. President. I, too, rise in support of Lindsey Sin, the secretary of CalVet. Lindsay, as we heard, served in the United States Navy. She's a veteran, served with honor and distinction, and as the deputy secretary of communications for women in CalVet, she did an outstanding job. And I met with her several times in my office as she was taking office and preparing, and I found her to be dedicated, competent, and passionate about this new position.

And Lindsey's military background, if you heard, is one of the best you can find in the State of California. She has also dedicated her life to serving and representing veterans. And I truly believe that as the first woman to serve in this position since 1975, it would be an honor to have her with us, and I urgently support her appointment.

Thank you, sir. Senator Newman.

Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to align myself with the comments of my colleague from Pico Rivera.

I've had the pleasure of working with Secretary Sin for a number of years. I've always found her to be thoughtful, accessible, and I know that she is very highly regarded. I look forward to working with her, and I urge an aye vote today.

Thank you, sir. Senator Menjivar.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, as a female veteran, it is my great honor to ask for an aye vote of Lindsey. As you heard from my colleague from Pico Rivera, we haven't had a female lead, the CalVet, in 49 years. Lindsay is well more than qualified for this role. At a time where the number one growing population of veterans are female veterans in the State of California, we amount to only 10% of the veteran population.

I'm so honored to have us lead us here in the State of California. I ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Senator. Senator Dodd.

Yes, Mr. President. As the only non-veteran speaking today on the floor for Secretary Sin, I had opportunity to meet her once. I have the Veterans Home, California Veterans Home in Yachtville, California, in my district, and that area has been plagued with issues from time to time. And she came to my office, and I was immediately impressed, not only with her qualifications, but her willingness to kind of peel back the onion and look at other things.

And then she put on a community event at the Vet's Home about three weeks ago that I thought was absolutely amazing. Has not happened probably in decades. So I'm really high on her and wish her well and respectfully ask for a vote yes on it.

Thank you, Senator Dodd. Senator Grove, you'd like to make any closing comments?

Thank you, Mr. President. I concur with what my colleagues have stated out about Secretary Sin, and I can tell you that my colleague from Napa is absolutely right. I don't think I've had anybody from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs go out to the Barstow Veterans Home. And she did.

And the individuals in that community or in that veterans home, the staff, the veterans themselves, were just overjoyed that the leadership of the California State Veterans Association had gone out to visit them and see what they're actually facing in that desert community. I know this is kind of silly, but I asked her. She's very dedicated to veterans, veterans mental health services. She's very dedicated to veterans housing.

But I asked her, I know you have a process you have to go through, but if you were queen for a day, what would you do? And instantly she said, I would address the mental health issues for all of our veterans that they're facing and eradicate veterans homelessness would be the first top two things. And I think that that speaks volumes for who she is. And I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Senator Grove. With that, Secretary call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Senator Grove moves the call, now we'll move on to file item 56. Senator Grove.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, file item 56 is a confirmation of Chip Roberson for reappointment to the board of directors of the California State University College School of Law in San Francisco. Mr. Roberson is an attorney and a co-managing partner with the commercial industry industrial property company. He is the alumni of the law school and has served on the board since 2011. He was formally approved by the Rules Committee on a 5-0 vote, and I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Senator Grove. Seeing no microphones up, secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Senator Grove moves the call. Now we'll move on to Senate third reading file item 63. Secretary, please read. Senator Min, are you ready?

Secretary, please read.

Senate Resolution 51 by Senator Min relative to Korean American Day.

Senator Min, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. President. As the Vice Chair of the API Legislative Caucus and as the only Korean American Legislator in California State Legislature, it's with great pleasure that I present SR 51, which proclaims January 13, 2024 as Korean American Day and marks the 121st anniversary of the first Korean immigrants reaching the shores of the United States, and also celebrates the significant contributions of Korean Americans to the State of California. Now I have the privilege of being the second-ever Korean American to serve in the State Senate.

The first, Alfred Song, who was elected in 1961, first to the Assembly and then later to the Senate, was the first-ever Asian American to serve in the California Legislature. We've made great strides since then. Today, more than 800,000 Korean Americans call California home, continuing to add to the vibrant fabric of our diverse society in fields like STEM, the law, education, entertainment, and so much more.

Many of you may have seen that Steven Yeun won a Best Actor Golden Globe, first Korean American to ever win that award. And I'll just tell you, as a Korean American, growing up in this state at a time and in a place where there were not any other Korean Americans, where there were really only just a handful of Asian Americans, it was a different time. And I will admit that growing up in the 1980s in California, I was often not proud to be a Korean American.

The foods that my people were known for, things like kimchi, were not seen as normal. They were seen as stinky or yucky. And so it's great pride that I've seen the great strides that Koreans and Korean Americans have made over time to the point where some of the most popular television shows, some of the most popular movies out there are Korean, feature Korean American actors.

That means a lot to me to see our electronics products, cars, a vibrant global economy from Korea, a country which not so long ago was war-torn and devastated and struggling to just feed its own people. And today I look around and I had the privilege last year of celebrating Kimchi Day and giving Kimchi to many of you, and many of you actually ate it, which was the cool thing.

But it is just a point of pride to me to see, as I've grown older, just how my kids today call Korean culture cool. And that is something that, as a young kid in California, I never could have imagined. And that's a testament to what California represents, the California dream. And I want to just honor that as well today. So let's recognize California's rich cultural history and honor the immense contributions that Korean Americans have made and continue to make for the great State of California. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Senator Min. Senator Newman.

Thank you, Mr. President. I rise to on behalf of the legislative Jewish caucus in support of SR 51. The Korean Jewish experiences, as with so many immigrant experiences, share similarities, including the obvious resonance in the seeking of opportunity and stability in America and the subsequent energetic pursuit of the American dream. The American Korean and Jewish communities both count California as among their largest diasporas.

Today's resolution points to and celebrates the intentional historical experience of embracing a new home, while concurrently preserving and finding joy in the roots and traditions brought with them to America, an essential impulse that is common to many cultures. As the resolution before us appropriately acknowledges, Korean Americans have been at the forefront of the growing influence and power of Korean culture in recent years. Korean exports, both commercial and cultural, have achieved an impressive prominence in the lives of so many Californians.

In my own district, the City of Buena Park recently designated section of that city as Koreatown, which now gives Orange County two separate Koreatowns. I'm very proud that Buena Park, along with other cities across California, has moved to recognize and celebrate the contributions of their Korean American communities. My seatmate and I both have very positive memories of serving in the United States Army in the Republic of South Korea. It is my pleasure and it is a pleasure of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus to celebrate the Korean American community, and we urge your aye vote today on SR 51.

Thank you, Senator Newman. Senator Durazo.

Thank you, Mr. President. I rise on behalf of the California Latino Legislative Caucus and also representing my district of SD 26 because of the presence of the Korean community. I'm proud to represent one of the largest Korean communities in the country whose history and culture a district enriched California, Los Angeles, and all of California. Food, music, dance, businesses, and labor. Prominent activist Dosan Ahn Chang Ho immigrated to the US and settled in Riverside, which was known for its booming citrus industry.

But in 1905, he formed the Pachappa Camp in Riverside, the first Koreatown district in the nation. Although Pachappa Camp lasted only 15 years, it was considered the largest central point for the Korean community. Ahn and his family moved to Los Angeles and settled on Bunker Hill in the center of downtown. He founded the Korean United Presbyterian Church and it became a centralized location for the entire community and gradually became the Koreatown district. Another visionary was Korean immigrant Hi-Duk Lee.

Lee immigrated to the Los Angeles in 1968 and created space for the Korean community. He opened the Olympic Market and became a primary destination for thousands of Koreans living in Los Angeles. This was the first Korean-driven market in 1971. In 1980, the Koreatown was recognized and declared an official neighborhood in Los Angeles County. Now is one of our country's most diverse and entrepreneurial booming culinary communities. The VIP Palace was the first building in Los Angeles to feature traditional Korean tiles.

The original architect of VIP Palace remains. Korean American Day allows us to honor the great contributions of our Korean American community. Places like Koreatown have granted a home to many diverse communities, including the Latino community where many small businesses such as restaurants, bars, and cafes can be found. It is a historic and cultural home for our residents who fought to preserve and protect their community. It weighs tremendous historical significance, but above all, inclusivity and diversity, bridging Korean and Latino similarities of our immigrant experience for a better life.

Let us honor not just the history of Korean Americans, Korean American immigrants in California, but the rich experiences they bring, the impact that the Korean community has had on our country for 121 years. It has transcended cultures, communities, and economies. For this reason, I ask for your aye vote on SR 51.

Thank you, Senator Durazo. Senator Padilla.

Thank you, Mr. President. I rise today on behalf of the California LGBTQ caucus in support SR 51, recognizing January 13 as Korean American Day. This past Saturday marked the 121st anniversary of the historic 102 Koreans who immigrated to the United States in search of opportunities for themselves and for their families. In the years since, Korean Americans have greatly enriched our neighborhoods and our nation's culture and society.

California is home to one of the largest populations of Korean Americans, and the success of the state is due in part to their invaluable contributions to the invaluable contributions of the Korean community. I want to take a moment to honor to highlight a few of the incredible LGBTQ Korean American trailblazers. Margaret Cho you may have heard of is a queer Korean American comedian, actress, author, musician, and activist. After marriage equality first became legal in California in 2008, she was deputized to officiate same-sex marriages.

She has also been a longtime advocate for antiracism and antibullying, as well as a vocal activist for those who are unhoused. Hayden Royalty is a genderqueer Californian who launched a YouTube channel to add their diverse, nonbinary Korean American representation in content creation. They currently teach students in Korea and plan to eventually move to pursue a career in social work to increase the representation of queer and Asian counselors.

And last but not least, Eugene Lee Yang is an actor, writer, director, and one of today's most recognizable queer Asian American performers. He has his writing and directorial debut in development, a YA fantasy novel titled The Unders, and a graphic novel in development called Buckaroo. These are but a few of the incredible trailblazers who have used their intersectionality as a tool to demonstrate the contributions that the Korean American community have added to our rich and cultural diversity here in California. I'd like to thank my colleague from Irvine for bringing forth this important measure. I respectfully request your aye vote.

Thank you, sir. Up next, Senator Smallwood-Cuevas.

Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you so much to my colleagues for sharing this celebration of Korean culture here in the chamber. I rise on behalf of the Black Caucus in support of SR 51 in recognition of Korean American Day to acknowledge the enduring contributions, resilience, and rich cultural diversity of Korean American communities in California and across the country.

And I'm proud that Koreatown, a good portion of Koreatown, is in my district and where LA County holds the largest population of Koreans outside of Asia, with 220,000 residents of our great county hailing from this rich culture. Much of this growth is a result of the Hart-Celler Act passed in 1965, which was part of the civil rights wave that greatly altered us immigration policies to be in favor of welcoming immigrants from Asia and other parts of the world.

As a result of that, Korean immigrants, like Black Americans, have always struggled to endure against enormous plights of racism and discrimination but found resilience and power and culture to tell their stories and to alter the fabric of our communities, and particularly here in the state, to understand why freedom is important for all of us under the banner of the American flag. They have also contributed to our civil and human rights movement domestically and abroad, fostering peace around the world.

By the 1970s, Korean immigrants sought to establish a major cultural and economic presence in Los Angeles, turning Olympic Boulevard near downtown Los Angeles into what we now call Koreatown. Based in the heart of my district, as I mentioned, and it is filled with over 5000 businesses, 500 restaurants, becoming one of the most robust economic engines in our great city.

Koreatown is also home to a number of advocacy groups and labor organizations, including the Korean Immigrant Workers Alliance, known as KIWA, that continues to fight and advocate for low-wage workers, ensuring that all workers have fair and equitable pay and opportunities in our great state. Each year, Koreatown hosts the Los Angeles Korea Festival, which we were happy to celebrate 50 years of this four-day event and to celebrate with Korean leaders from across that great country in making sure that communities, both at home and abroad, are cared for and well represented. Koreatown symbolizes how important it is for cultural districts to prosper, and it serves as a beacon of hope and opportunity, not just for Korean Americans, but all represented communities to come together, celebrate each other, and to build a cloth united of cultural diversity and community voice.

Like so many communities of color in our state, Asian communities are not protected against hate crimes, and we saw some of the viciousness of that during our COVID experience. But Korean community members, along with others, stood together against hate and to ensure that all of our communities were protected in places where they work, where they go to school, and where they live. While historic policies have pitted communities of color against one another to compete for limited resources.

So proud that Koreatown, along with neighboring communities, continue to stand together to ensure that increasing needs are met with increasing resources. In a solidarity of beloved community. Let us continue to build bridges, find ways to support one another, and to ensure that we celebrate Korean American Day this year committed to the cloth of unity and standing strong for freedom and justice. Thank you, and I respectfully call for your aye vote.

Thank you. Senator Umberg.

Thank you Mr. President. Colleagues, I rise on behalf of the huge number of Korean Americans that I represent. When I began my legislative career. Garden Grove was at the heart of the district, and the heart of Garden Grove was Koreatown. And now I'm blessed to represent both Garden Grove and Koreatown in Garden Grove, as well as Koreatown in Buena Park. More importantly, I am grateful to the Republic of Korea, and I rise on behalf of my three children and seven grandchildren. But for the United States army and the Republic of Korea, they wouldn't be here. I urge and aye vote.

Thank you, Senator. Umberg. Seeing no other mics up, Senator Min, would you like to close?

I want to thank my colleagues for their thoughtful remarks and great to feel the love and just wanted to reflect on the appropriateness of this vote being taken up the day after Martin Luther King Day. As I think was alluded to, the LA riots were a traumatic event in race relations in California. But I think that's also a teachable moment because I know that the Korean and Black communities worked really hard after that day in 1992 to try to build lasting bridges.

And it's a reminder to us that we have to continue working hard to build the society that we want to see, a society where diversity and coexistence and inclusion are valued. So thank you very much. I urge an aye vote. And I guess I just close by saying, if you want to celebrate, go out and eat some Korean barbecue, or if you're a vegetarian, eat some sundubu, some tofu soup, listen to some K-pop, or watch some Korean drama or Beef. And thank you so much. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Senator Min. With that, Secretary, call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Secretary, please call the roll for the absent members.

[Roll Call]

Call the absent members one final time.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 36, noes zero. The resolution is adopted. All right, thank you for your patience, members. We're going to go to the consent calendar. Then after that, we're going to. Now that we have a full house, we'll go back to governor's appointments with that consent calendar, file item 67.

At this point in time, would anybody care to pull the item off the consent calendar? Seeing none. Secretary, call the roll. Please read, I'm sorry.

Senate Bill 251.

Okay, now you can call the roll. Thank you.

[Roll Call]

Aye, 36. No's, 0. Cassette calendar is adopted. Now, members, we're going back to Governor's appointments file item 53. Secretary, please call the absent members.

[Roll Call]

[Roll Call]

Aye, 36. No's, 0. Cassette calendar is adopted. Now, members, we're going back to Governor's appointments file item 56. Secretary, please call the absent members.

Ayes, 36. No's, zero. Governor's appointment is confirmed. Now moving. Actually, we're turning to motions and resolutions and this is an appropriate time to do adjourned in memories.

And our first presenter is the pro-temp Senator Atkins. On behalf of William Patrick Kruer: pro-tem, the floor is yours.

Thank you very much, Mr. President, colleagues: I rise today to adjourn in memory of a true civic leader, William Patrick Pat. Kruer, as we knew him, passed away on December 1 after a very long battle with Parkinson's disease. Pat was known for his charisma, his big heart, his incredible sense of humor. He was a loyal friend, a very smart dresser, and a lover of fast cars. For decades, Pat was a critical force for housing development in the San Diego region and in the western United States.

He had a long and distinguished career in real estate development and was highly respected for his commitment to building bridges between government and the real estate industry. Pat was born in Hart, Michigan, on March 31945. And came to San Diego when he served with the United States Navy during the Vietnam War. He was a proud San Diego and served on numerous boards and commissions to give back to the city he loves so much.

He served as a Commissioner of the California Coastal Commission for over a decade. He was first appointed by California State Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa in 1999, and he was reappointed three times by succeeding speakers. Pat was the first housing developer to be elected Chairman by his fellow commissioners, a position that he held from 2006 to 2008. In the 1970s and 80s, Pat served on the California Housing Finance Agency, and as Vice Chairman and Chairman of its lending Committee.

He was the Director of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco. He was first appointed under President Jimmy Carter in 1981. And then reappointed under President Ronald Reagan. He served on the Federal Savings and Loan Advisory Council. Pat was a founding member of our very first housing Commission for the City of San Diego. In 1979, the County of San Diego selected him to serve as the first chairman of the Housing Bond Finance Review Committee in the 1980s -

- and he was also the first chairman of the Regional Growth and Planning Review Task Force for the county of San Diego. Pat is survived by his two daughters, Sarah and Rachel four grandchildren. And I like to think Pat was a strong supporter of women. He didn't just talk about it; he proved it time and time again. And I think that's why his daughters are so strong in character and integrity and the work that they do.

One followed and is now the head of the business that he ran for decades. His other daughter, a schoolteacher, his former wife, is an incredibly strong person. But more than anything, Jennifer and I will miss him.

A personal story. I remember being at an event, a big event with a lot of very important people, and someone walked up to my spouse and asked her if she worked outside the home, at which point I moved away as far as I could. And then I watched the twinkle in Pat's eye as he proceeded mean. It was amazing to us. Give the person Jennifer's entire resume.

I will.

And thereafter, I think it was really wonderful to have him there because he had a sense of humor, and he could do it without really upsetting people. He built bridges. He was incredibly good at that. And so he is going to be truly missed not only by his incredible family but by a community who witnessed the work that he did for decades and how he brought people together to solve problems. And I certainly express my gratitude for Pat's dedication on behalf of the Senate.

We'll do so at his service on Saturday afternoon in San Diego. He had a passion for housing and he will be remembered very fondly in San Diego. So, I ask that we adjourn in the memory of Pat Kruer today.

Thank you for sharing that. Senator Cortese.

Thank you, Mr. President. I rise to adjourn the memory of Michael E. Fox. A man of many roles, including father, husband, businessman, and philanthropist. He was a powerful force in Silicon Valley. He passed on November 3 at the age of 87. In 1965, Michael, along with his family founded M.E. Fox & Company. This endeavor grew to become one of the county's largest beverage distributors.

He was known for his ability to get things done, being described as someone skilled at building relationships and bringing the right people together to solve difficult issues. His Jesuit education and Catholic faith were integral to his work. His advocacy for the safety of children within the church led to policy change at the national level through the Conference of Catholic Bishops. His passion for education led him to chair the board of the Regents of Santa Clara University.

He was the founder of the Valley Medical Center Foundation, Chairman of United Way of Silicon Valley, and a founding member of the West Valley Mission Foundation. Mike lived an exciting life. He hosted many people in his home, including former President Jimmy Carter, the first lady, of course, Rosalind Carter, former President Bill Clinton, and Vice President Kamala Harris. He also carried the Olympic torch on his journey to the LA Olympics. He loved his family deeply and made sure his children understood the family business.

His youngest son, Terrence, described dinner with his father as a lesson in life and business management. He made sure to include his family in charitable endeavors, passing along the value of service. In fact, I'd go as far as saying making it mandatory amongst his children. His son, Mike Fox Jr., has been a lifelong friend of mine and a constant supporter of my own endeavors, as has his widow, Mary. Ellen. Just to share a personal reflection.

I got a call a few years back from Arturo Rodriguez, President of the United Farm Workers, and he said he wanted to meet. We sat down, and he asked me if it was possible to raise money for a new farmworker center, which would be located in Salinas, not Silicon Valley. It would be possible to raise funds up in Silicon Valley because they were falling short in putting together the capital campaign for the farmworker center.

I said, well, first of all, strategically, let's change the name of it to the Central Coast Farm Worker Center and kind of spread our wings a little bit, which they were more than willing to. Second, if you could come up and meet a couple of people in Silicon Valley to help press the case, I think we can get that done. One of the first persons I brought him to was Mike Fox.

And, of course, I called Mike first and said, "President of United Farm Workers would be interested in meeting with you if you'd have any interest in that whatsoever." I fully expected the answer might be no. He responded yes. There's lots of things I want to talk to him about. So we didn't know what to expect once we got there. And meeting with Mike was a little bit like going into the pro-tem's office or the speaker's office when you went into his house.

He had purchased the house in Saratoga of the former publisher of the Mercury News, Tony Ridder. Quite an elegant place. And we sat down with him, and he said, not only do I want to help and tell me how much I can do in terms of writing a check and supporting the cause, but let's hold a fundraiser right here at my house for the farm workers. And we did -

- that fundraiser put the entire project over the top, and it's just an indication of the kind of heart the man had, just an indication. So when I said philanthropist, it wasn't philanthropist in the sense of sending a big check to the community foundation or something like that. It was this kind of on-the-ground, almost grass-tops grassroots philanthropy that we see in all of our communities. But there are very few people who do that. And I can certainly attest to the presidential visits at his house. I was in the middle of an intense campaign, and he invited Mike, and Mary Allen invited us to his house, and he said, "You got to be there because Jimmy Carter is going to be there. The President's going to be there, and I want you to meet him."

So we showed up, and, of course, there's a gigantic tent in his yard, and you kind of walk in, assuming that you might have a photo op or a handshake at some point with the President. And this is kind of one of those events where when you're busy and when you're running, and you're in the middle of a campaign, you might be there for a little while and leave.

And Mike came over and grabbed my wife Patty, and he said, "Come with me because I want to personally seat you." And seated us right next to the President and Rosalind and my wife next to President Carter, and she - and if you knew my wife, you could fully expect for this to happen - launched into about a 30 minutes, one-on-one conversation with the President. I don't think he talked to anybody else at the table the whole night.

So these are just small memories of a great man and his great heart, his great friendship with me. That's really just an example of the kind of friendships he maintained through his entire life in our community. We'll miss him dearly. We already do miss him dearly. And I'd be honored to have the Senate adjourn today in his memory. Thank you.

Thank you, Senator Cortese. Senator Eggman.

Thank you very much, Mr. President. I rise today to adjourn in the memory of my friend Frank Ruhstaller. Larry died December 27, 2023 just a few weeks ago. He was born in San Francisco on April 3, 1948, to his parents, the Ruhstaller. His father, Dr. Ruhstaller, was a local Stockton pediatrician, and most every kid who was grown up during a certain time in Stockton knew Dr. Ruhstaller and the Ruhstaller boys. There were five of them, and they were all securely embedded in the fabric of Stockton's society.

Larry graduated from Stag High School in 1966. He went to Cal Berkeley, where he was a part of the mess-it-up Zeta Psi fraternity, where he was the thrasher or a hasher. I'm not sure of fraternity talk, which cemented many of his lifetime relationships. And one of our colleagues pointed out to me that there were four people in his fraternity at that time coming out of Berkeley who all went into elected office, Roger Niello being one of them, who served with Larry Ruhstaller.

And there are two other local folks around who also served in elected office. Larry was a restaurant tour. After the Vietnam War, he started his career. He was down at Tom Lamb's Lighthouse and Bally High in San Diego, came back up to the Bay Area, where he was the manager of the square rigor in Orinda and the Sea of Cortez on Pier 39.

He moved back into the Stockton area in 1981 and opened something called the Alder Market, which for decades in Stockton was the place to go, was the place the presidents ate, the Senators ate. When everybody, somebody came into town, they went to the Alder market. And Larry was gregarious, the consummate host and cook, and really was quite an entertainer. He ran for Stockton City Council in 2006.

After that, he served two terms on the San Joaquin County's Board of Supervisors, helping them turn around our local hospital there. He was, for someone like me, an incredible mentor and teacher when I first got into public office. And I think one of the keys on my ability to work in a bipartisan relationship across the aisle to really figure out how we solve problems.

Larry was instrumental in, much to the chagrin of many, making sure we didn't get our plumbing rerouted in the delta with two massive tunnels. And he was incredibly active in restoring the delta and the Delta Conservancy, and everything else. He once said trying to negotiate with the state on Delta issues is like playing tic-tac-toe and wearing mittens in the dark. He had a way of spinning around words. He took his -

- and I was also the beneficiary of dragging me around to every little small delta town, going to community meetings up and down the valley, and really learning how to be one of our: I talked to one of our friends this morning before I was going to do this, and I said a story about Larry. And he said, who served 16 years without having one enemy? He's like, I always told Ruhstaller, "Man, you need to pick more fights." And he said to Clem, "You should pick fewer."

He's like, "Touche." That's just the kind of guy Larry was. He was always looking for a way to bridge, to get along. And I will forever be grateful for him, for his mentorship, and it left the Stockton community just kind of reeling from his untimely. And people know the name Rusteller. So, his great-grandfather was Frank Ruhstaller. Captain Frank who was the original person on Ruhstaller Brewing.

When the Ruhstaller beer came back to life a couple of years ago, they had no idea there was still Ruhstaller alive and quickly adopted the family into their very successful endeavor. So, for a lot of reasons, we will miss Larry Ruhstaller. But I ask to send it to adjourn in his memory today.

Thank you for sharing that, Senator Eggman. Following session, if members could bring their paperwork up so we can duly honor those that received tributes today, I'd appreciate that, Senator Atkins. With no other business, the desk is clear.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, our next floor session is scheduled for Thursday, January 18, 2024, 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, and we will reconvene Thursday at 09:00 a.m. Thank you, members.