Assembly Floor

The Assembly is now in session. Assembly Member Grayson notices the absence of a quorum. Sergeants in arms will prepare the chamber and bring in the absent Members. The Clerk will call a roll.

[Roll Call]

Members, a quorum is present. We ask our guests and visitors in the rear of the chamber and in the gallery to please stand for our prayer. And today's prayer will be offered by. Our Assembly chaplain, Imam Yasir Khan. Imam Yasir.

In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful, almighty God, we thank you for the beginning of this new day. Be with us today. Open our eyes that we may see goodness in what we do here in this chamber. Open our ears that we may hear the will of all your people. Open our hearts that we might be compassionate in all what we do. Share with us your wisdom, O Lord, that we may know the right decisions to make.

Share with us your strength, O Lord, that we might resist that which draws us away from good and fair judgment. We humbly ask you to strengthen our courage and resolve to stand up for those issues we know to be just. Thank you for the gift of responsibility that you give to each one of us as leaders of this great state. Amin.

We ask our guests and visitors to remain standing and join us in the flag salute. Please join us on Member Cervantes as she leads us in the flag salute.

Members and guests, repeat after me. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. Indivisible.

Thank you. You may be seated. Reading of the previous day's journal Assembly.

Chamber Sacramento Thursday, January 52023 the Assembly met at 09:00 a.m. The Honorable Christopher M. Ward, speaker pro Temporary, the Assembly presiding. Chief Clerk's news.

Mr. Gallagher seconds that the reading of the previous day's journal will 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. And moving to motions and resolutions, Majority Leader Reyes, you are recognized for your procedural motions.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 45.5 to allow Assembly Members Kalra Holden Wicks and Robert Reevis to speak on an adjournment in memory today.

Without objection. Such shall be the order.

I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 118 A to allow assemblymember Alvarez to have guests and photographers on the floor today.

Without objection. Such shall be the order. Assembly Member Fong, you're recognized for your remarks.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. Today is with a heavy heart and profound sadness that arise in response to the horrible, devastating, senseless tragedy in the City of Monterey Park. On Saturday, January 21, at around 10:22 p.m.. A gunman walked into a dance studio in Monterey Park and opened fire, killing 10 amazing individuals and wounding 10 others. Earlier today, a couple of hours ago, we just learned that one of the injured individuals succumbed to their injuries.

We mourn for the families and friends and pray for the recovery of those receiving medical care. Our community is heartbroken during a day and time when families are celebrating the dawn of the lunar near of the rabbit, a symbol of hope and peace that was shattered in a moment's notice. Thank you so much to our first responders for their quick response.

I'm extremely grateful and thankful to our local law enforcement, La County Sheriff Robert Luna, Monterey Park Police Department Chief Scott Weiss, Torrance Police Department, as well as local agencies and our state and federal partners for responding so quickly. Together, they worked as a regional team to provide medical attention to those who were injured and to quickly locate the suspect.

And thank you so much to all the to many Members here, all the Members in the caucuses and elected officials, Committee leaders, for your outpouring support, for reaching out with text messages, calls and statements. Today we're sending love and light to everyone affected by this horrific tragedy, to the City of Monterey Park, to the mayor, Henry Lowe, and to the residents of the greater San Gabriel Valley. We know that Monterey Park is a strong, resilient community, but these are very challenging days ahead for the community.

Together we will get through these difficult times together. At this time, it is with a very heavy heart that I ask if we can take a moment of silence to honor the lives that were lost and all the families and friends impacted by this horrific, devastating tragedy thank you, Senator Member Fong.

Members, if you would please rise so that we may now observe a moment of silence for the victims of this tragedy and asylum. Member Haney, you are recognized at your desk for your guest introductions.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Members, I want you to join me in welcoming some very special guests that we have with us in the gallery. Ahmed Abuzai is celebrating his retirement after 24 years of service with SEIU Local 87 as Vice President, the President of the Yemeni, former President of the Yemeni American Association, a tremendous community leader. He's joined by his grandson, by Members of the Yemeni community, by Members of SEIU Local 87, and the President of SEIU Local 87, Olga Miranda.

Thank you so much for your service. Congratulations on your retirement, and we appreciate all you have done for our community. Welcome.

Thank you, Mr. Haney, and welcome to the California State Assembly. And Assembly Member Alvarez, you're recognized at your desk for your introduction.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Members, it is an honor today to introduce to you Mr. Grant Parks, the newly sworn in California State Auditor, to the Assembly floor and to congratulate him on his appointment. While new to the position of State Auditor, Mr. Parks is not new to the work of the Auditor's office or to the wonderful world of auditing and accountability. Grant has promoted accountability, transparency and good government his entire career.

He worked 17 years at the State Auditor's office, beginning as an entry level Auditor and working his way up to be principal Auditor. More recently. Since 2016, Grant has managed the Judicial Council's audit division. Grant is a native of the Sacramento region, graduating with a bachelor's degree from UCLA and a master's from UC Davis. We trust that he will continue the legacy of impartiality, leadership and personal integrity to the position of the Office of the State Auditor for what they stand for and embody.

The work of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee looks forward to working with Mr. Parks and helping provide transparency to both state and local government. Today, Mr. Grant Parks is accompanied by his wife, Courtney, his daughters Ashlyn and Camden. Members, please join me in congratulating and welcoming our new State Auditor, Grant Parks and his family to the Assembly floor.

Thank you, Mr. Alvarez. Moving on to announcements, we have today a birthday to announce.

Thank you.

Please congratulate and wish a happy birthday to Assembly Member Lisa Calderon, who will be celebrating this Wednesday, January 25.

Members, we are moving to business on the daily file with Assembly third reading file items 1 and 2 shall be passed and retained. Members, this is file item three by Ms. Aguiar Curry. House Resolution six the Clerk will read.

House Resolution 6 by Assembly Member Agri Curry and others relative to reproductive health.

And Member Aguiar Curry, you are recognized.

Good morning and thank you. Mr. Speaker and Members, as Vice Chair of the Legislative Women's Caucus, I rise today to present House Resolution 6, recognizing January 222023 as the 50th anniversary of the United States Supreme Court landmark decision of Roe v. Wade, which affirmed that everyone has a fundamental right to control their own reproductive decisions and to decide whether to continue a pregnancy or to obtain an abortion.

In 1965, prior to Roe v. Wade decisions, lack of access to safe and legal abortions cost pregnant people their health and their lives, accounting for approximately 17% of all reported deaths attributable to pregnancy and childbirth, and many were severely injured as a result of unsafe abortion procedures. Roe v. Wade was a victory for people to own their own bodies and laid the groundwork for further reproductive and sexual health care policies throughout the country.

But on June 24, 2024 Roe v. Wade was overturned by a six to three vote of the United States Supreme Court in Dobbs versus Jackson women's health organization. Many here on this floor have never known a time without a right to choose. With Roe v. Wade overturned, 26 states are poised to ban abortion access, impacting 36 million women and even more people who could become pregnant.

A lack of access to services across the United States disproportionately affects communities of color, Low income communities, Trans, and other marginalized communities, because they do not have the means to travel far, including across the state lines, for an abortion. Following the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the Legislature passed and the Governor signed a comprehensive package of legislation expanding, protecting, and strengthening access to reproductive health care, including abortions, for all Californians and people seeking such care in our state.

And in November, California voters overwhelmingly supported Proposition one and enacted a state constitutional right to prohibit the state from interfering with an individual's reproductive freedom in their most intimate decisions, which includes their fundamental right to choose to have an abortion and their fundamental right to choose or refuse contraceptives. Until the President of the United States and the United States Congress enact federal legislation that guarantees the right to reproductive freedom, including abortion and contraception, California will have to be the safe haven for those seeking an abortion. Thank you very much, Members, and I appreciate those that would like to speak today to do so. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Agguiar Curry and Assembly Member Cervantes, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. Today I rise in support of House Resolution 6 on behalf of the Latino Caucus and the LGBTQ caucus. I also rise as a proud coauthor of this critical resolution and thank our colleague from Winters for authoring it today. Before the extreme actions of a right wing, reactionary Supreme Court, we should have been celebrating 50 years of Roe v. Wade, providing uninterrupted protections of the rights of women and birthing people to have autonomy over their bodies.

Unfortunately, last year we saw five unelected activist justices on the Supreme Court, four of whom are men, take away the right to make that decision from millions of women and birthing people across America. As a mother of triplets by choice, I know that the decision of whether to start a family or not is a deeply personal decision that should be between a family and their healthcare provider.

As we feared, the burden of this reckless decision has fallen disproportionately on people who historically face systemic barriers to health care access, including black, Latino, indigenous communities, LGBTQ communities, people living in rural communities, immigrants, people who are undocumented, people with disabilities, and working people who are struggling to make ends meet. Members, every person, every person deserves access to reproductive care without facing obstacles or political interference, regardless of their race, their creed, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or geographic location or income.

Make no mistake, the Supreme Court did not end abortions. It simply made them dangerous. In 13 states that have since outlawed abortion rights, in effect, the court is now forcing many women and birthing people with ectopic pregnancies to face prospects of death. Members, many of you will never know what it feels like to be told by a healthcare provider that you may have an epopic pregnancy. I know those words. Those are the words that I was told before the birth of my rainbow babies.

The court has forced women and birthing people to suffer physically, psychologically and emotional consequences of unwanted pregnancies, even if it means losing their lives. And if you think the Supreme Court will stop at the travesty of overturning Roe v. Wade, we need not look further than reading Justice Clarence Thomas's concurring opinion. In it, he states his belief that the court should revisit precedents of protecting other constitutional rights, including marriage equality.

As a Member of the California LGBTQ caucus, I am concerned that the right wing activist majority on the Supreme Court is hell bent on taking away the rights of our LGBTQ plus community after having done the same to women and birthing people across America. Thankfully, this Legislature and the people of California acted last fall to approve Proposition one and officially enshrined the rights to reproductive freedom and contraception in our state constitution.

As a result, we may feel safe here in California, but the work is not done. We cannot become complacent. The passage of Proposition one in California does not mean that this fight is over. This battle must continue until every woman and birthing person across the United States, the State of our Union, regain autonomy over their body. Rest assured that California will not stop fighting for this fundamental freedom, and neither will I, and neither will Members of the Legislative Women's Caucus. So, colleagues, I stand proud to rise and ask for your aye vote on HR 6 and thank our colleague from Winters.

Thank you, Mrs. Cervantes. And Assembly Member of Bauer-Kahan, can you recognize at your desk?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of HR six because my entire life, I had the privilege to walk into my physician's office as a white woman of privilege with incredible health care and have a conversation every step of the way. When I was deciding when and if to have children of what that looked like, I, too, like my colleague, faced an utopic pregnancy, a miscarriage, like many of the women on this floor. It's not easy. It's not easy to get pregnant.

It's not easy to stay pregnant. It's not easy to be pregnant, and it's not easy to raise children, as many of you know. And if we are talking about fundamental freedoms and the rights to be autonomous, this is the fundamental right to decide what happens in our own body, to our own future. We know that it's one of the greatest equalizers of women in the workforce, the ability to control our own future. And all of that has been stripped away from us by the Supreme Court.

I look into the eyes of my daughter and I realize that when it's time for her to leave home, I'm going to have to have a real conversation of where she should go. Because if she walks into a hospital and needs the care that I needed over the course of my life, there are places in this country where she will no longer get that care. That's the reality facing women across this country.

Now, my daughter is privileged and could come home if given the time, but let's be clear. There isn't always the time when you need the care that some of us require when facing a pregnancy. But the silver lining of all of this is that the 26 states we thought would overturn the right to abortion is slower than any of us expected because the people across this country have stood up.

They've stood up time and again throughout the last year to demand the fundamental right to control their own bodies. They have voted to ensure the right to abortion is sacrosanct in their states. We've seen courts in states we never expected protect this fundamental freedom. And so the fight continues because it's not over. The overturning of Roe v. Wade was not the end. It is the beginning of this fight, because we know what it means to need that control.

And like our chair said, we passed a package of bills last year that was the beginning of ensuring that California is a reproductive freedom state for all. But there's much more work to be done, and there will be more bills this year. And I hope that every single one of you will support them, no matter why you support them, because people deserve this freedom and this right and to control their own bodies and their own futures.

But we must continue to remember there are many people who can't and won't leave their states. And we have incredible physicians. And I mostly stood up, actually, to say this, to thank the healthcare providers across this country who have not stopped providing the care that women and birthing people need. They are on the front lines of this. They are seeing patients every day. They understand what it means to turn someone away when the care they want and need cannot be provided.

And I know we have doctors on this floor that understand that, and nurses and nurse practitioners, and now pharmacists, thanks to the recent decision to allow pharmacists to provide medicated abortions. And I want to thank them because they've shown up at our doors asking for our help to protect them, their licenses, and their ability to provide care. And they will continue to.

And so I want the women of California, the birthing people here and across the country to know that we will continue in this fight until the day again, when every single person across this country has access to abortion, more so than before Roe was overturned in their own communities with healthcare providers that can provide them the culturally competent care they deserve. That's the work we have ahead of us. And I ask that we all do that work in addition to supporting HR 6.

Thank you, Ms. Bauer Kahan. And seeing no other Members wishing to be recognized in this resolution, if you have anything further, Ms. Aguiar Curry, you may close.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, I request the first roll call to be open for co authors and respectfully ask for your aye vote on HR 6. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Aguiar Curry. The Clerk will open the roll. This is for co authors. Members, if you wish to be added as a co author, please signify by pressing your vote button. And if you have not yet, please activate your voting mechanism. All those wishing to be added as a co author, please signify by pressing your button. Clerk will close the roll. There are 61 co-authors, and without objection, we could take a voice vote on this measure. All those in favor say aye.

All those opposed say nay. The eyes have it. Resolution is adopted. Members, we will now be moving to adjournments in memory, and we ask that you give respectful attention to those granted prior permission to speak on an adjournment in memory. And Assembly Member Wicks, you're recognized at your desk for your adjournment in memory.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and good morning, Members. Good afternoon, Members. I rise to adjourn in the memory of Fred Ross Jr. A legend in the labor movement who passed away on November 20 after a courageous battle with cancer. Frederick Gibson Ross was born October 14, 1947 in Long Beach and spent his early years in Los Angeles. His father, the legendary labor organizer Fred Ross Sr. Worked at community service Organization on behalf of Latino civil rights.

His mother, Francis Gibson, had been a Rosie the riveter at an Ohio factory in World War II. Fred, more than anything else, was an organizer. Among other things, Fred helped develop and was known for, was famous for really the House meeting campaign strategy. This was a strategy that I used for years as an organizer and including in the victory of my 2018 Assembly race. I had 239 house meetings on that campaign.

His life as an organizer began with antiwar protests while he was attending UC Berkeley during the People's park conflict in 1969. He came to the aid of a protester who was being harassed by police and got arrested one of 39 times in his life as an activist and an organizer. And with a record like that, he figured he needed a good lawyer. So he became one. He spent two years as a public defender in San Francisco before giving up law to become a full time organizer.

Fred's leadership ran deep in organizing circles around the state and in the nation. He started his work at an early age in California's lettuce fields alongside Caesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers movement. He came up with the idea of a march from Union Square in San Francisco to Gallo winery headquarters in Modesto, 110 miles.

Some 20,000 people participated in all or parts of the 1975 march, and the effort led Governor Jerry Brown to sign the Agricultural Labor Relations act to protect the rights of collective bargaining for farm workers. That campaign started Ross on a 50 year career as an organizer, the only job title he would ever accept. His career continued with SEIU, where he organized hospital workers unite here, where he supported hotel workers, and ultimately the IBW 1245, where he championed electrical workers.

Fred took what he learned from leaders like Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta and his father and brought those lessons to field campaigns. He understood exactly how best to put pressure on employers, state governments, and Congress to advance a variety of causes and, when necessary, to help elect candidates sympathetic to those causes. He played a pivotal role in electing Nancy Pelosi for Congress for first time, organizing the get out the vote effort for her campaign when she ran in 1987.

He went on to join forces with her again a decade later at Hester, District Director in her San Francisco office. In hearing of his passing, Nancy Pelosi reflected on how much she personally benefited from Fred's organizational mastery and his translation of policy goals into effective political action. She said, quote, without his early support and brilliant leadership, organizing the ground operation of my first campaign, I would have never become a Member of Congress.

As a young organizer myself, I carried around a little booklet called axioms for organizers. This is a booklet of organizing principles that his father had published. And for those of you that have been organizers in the labor movement, you know what I'm talking about. I actually got this handed to me when I was an organizer on Howard Dean's presidential campaign in Iowa in 2003. And then I imparted this booklet to other organizers when I was an organizer for Barack Obama's field efforts.

Fred really embodied the work that was in that booklet. He knew that the duty of the organizer is to provide people with the opportunity to work for what they believe in. Fred understood that organizing is providing people with the opportunity to become aware of their own capabilities and potential, and he inherently believed that organizing is about building power for societal change. Fred's legacy will live on in the spirit and work of organizers around this state and in this nation.

For every house meeting, every agitation, every moment of good trouble, we know Fred Ross, Jr. Will be a part of us. I am grateful for his example to generations of organizers, myself included, past and present, and I ask that we adjourn in his memory.

Thank you. Ms. Wicks and Assembly Member Kalra, you're recognized at your desk for your adjournment in memory.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to adjourn in memory and in honor of the late Lillian Dang, who passed away on December 8, 2022. Born on May 30, 1959 in Cambodia, Lillian Dang served as a distinguished community Member and a partner of countless organizations, including many incredible socioeconomic, cultural, and religious committees. From the time she first arrived in this country, Lillian worked tirelessly to achieve her American dream, becoming a successful businesswoman and a devoted community leader.

She was fluent in English, Vietnamese, multiple dialects of Chinese, and Khmer. Her language, fluency, and community organizing skills allowed her to host and co host many major charitable events that positively impacted and transformed not just my district, but international communities as well. I had the fortune to know Lillian during her life and had the privilege of working with her on many charitable events dedicated to serving the underserved communities in our state, and she always exuded love and compassion for the community.

I think this was very well exemplified on January 15 in San Jose when I joined her and her families and family and friends in celebrating her accomplishments and legacy at the celebration of her life.

And it was such a loving, beautiful expression of not just sorrow, of course there was sorrow, but of joy and of gratitude to a woman that's going to live forever, not just in the hearts and memories of her loved ones and her incredible family, but her family extended far beyond her blood relatives to so many of us that really looked up to her, that joined in our work together for the community and her spirit.

And as I was at some of the Lunar new Year events this weekend, and I'll be going to more this coming weekend, I'm going to be thinking about her, because she would be, at every single one of them, supporting them in different ways, but she would also just be dressed so colorfully, had the beautiful smile, a warm hug, and when she was there, you knew she was there because her spirit and her essence made you feel so good about the world around us.

And so I'm just grateful to have known her. And I, like many others, will continue to do our service in her name and in her spirit. And so thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to adjourn in her memory.

Thank you, Mr. Kalra. And Ms. Wicks, I'd like to recognize you again for an introduction associated with your adjournment in memory.

Thank you. I just want to recognize Margot Feinberg, Fred Ross, Jr's widow, who's here with us today. Thank you.

Thank you. Ms. Wicks. And Assembly Member Holden, you're recognized at your desk for your adjournment in memory.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to request that we adjourn in the memory of my dear friend and colleague Joe Lyons, who passed away on December 8, 2022. He was 77 years old. Joe was born in Fresno and raised in the suburbs of Boston until his mid teens when the family moved to San Diego. Upon graduation from high school, Joe went on to earn his bachelor and master's of science degrees in microbiology from San Diego State University and then later earned a PhD from Amsterdam.

Shortly after, he began his career in medical research at UC San Diego School of Medicine and helped create the infectious Disease Research Laboratory at the City of Hope National Medical center. In 2011, Joe was elected to the Claremont City Council and served two terms until 2018, including mayor in 2014. Joe was a familiar face at city hall and dedicated his time and resources and service to others. He was a kind, effective, and wise leader who readily attracted new friends and mentored many.

During his term and time in office, Joe served as the council representative to the Tricities Mental Health Governing Board, the six Basins Water Master Board, the Pomona Valley Transit Authority, Foothill Transit, three Valleys Water Board, and the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments and JPA Governing Board. From affordable housing to homelessness, Joe's loyalty was dedicated to ensuring that the residents of Claremont were included in the success of anything that impacted LA County.

Joe is a proud father and husband and is survived by his four sons, grandchildren and his life partner, Sharon Webb. For him to serve is to show up and add value, and Joe's legacy lives on through his family, friends, and many individuals he mentored. As I warmly reflect on his leadership and great heart, I know that Joe's impact will continue to ripple through the generations. Thank you for adjourning in his memory today.

Thank you, Mr. Holden. Members, please bring the names to the desk to be printed in the journal. All requests to adjourn in memory will be deemed read and printed in the journal, and the session schedule is as follows. Tuesday, January 24 check in session Wednesday, January 25, check in session Thursday, January 26 floor session at 09:00 a.m. Seeing and hearing no further business, I'm ready to entertain a motion to adjourn. Ms. Ortega moves and Mr. Patterson seconds that this house stand adjourned until Thursday, January 26, at 09:00 a.m. The quorum call is lifted.