Assembly Floor

The Assembly is now in session. Assemblymember Lackey recognizes, 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 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 the prayer and the flag salute. Assemblymember Petrie Norris will offer today's prayer.

Members, let us pray. Today we are reminded of the majesty of the universe. Over the course of the last several hours, millions of people have witnessed the great north American solar eclipse. The eclipse has swept all across our continent, from Mazatlan to poplar Bluff to little Catalina. For a few short minutes, the moon passed in front of the sun, turning day into darkness.

30 million people were in its path, gazing up at the heavens for that moment of awe, a moment that reminds us of the magnificence and the mystery of the universe. A moment that seems to connect us with the divine, to a power that is bigger than ourselves. And while this might remind us of our smallness, it also reminds us to think big, to think expansively. So let us take this lesson of perspective.

Let us take this as a reminder that we are here for but a blink of your eye and a reminder to make these moments. And let us take this sense of wonder and of interconnectedness into the days and weeks ahead with the knowledge that life can be messy, but it is magical. And while we may never fully comprehend your mysteries, may we understand enough to know that we are incredibly and profoundly blessed. Amen.

Thank you. Assembly Member Petrie Norris Assembly Member Holden will lead us in the pledge.

Members, join me in a salute to our nation's flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which stands one nation under God, invisible but liberty of justice strong.

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

Assembly Chamber of Sacramento Wednesday, March 13, 2024 the Assembly met at 07:00 a.m.

...Moves and Mister Gallagher seconds that the reading of the previous day's journal be dispensed with. Presentations and petitions there are none. Introduction in reference 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 for personal business. Assemblymember Bauer Kahan. Assemblymember Mathis for medical leave. Assemblymember Dahle. Members, Majority Leader Aguiar Currie, you are recognized for your procedural motions.

Mister Speaker, I request unanimous consent to wish you an early happy birthday since you will be celebrating this Wednesday. Colleagues, please join me in wishing speaker pro Tem Wood a happy birthday.

Thank you. Caught me off guard. Thank you.

You're welcome. I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 118 to allow Assemblymember Juan Carrillo to have guests in the rear of the chamber today.

Without objection such shall be the order.

Pursuant to Assembly Rule 96, I request unanimous consent to re refer the following bills to Committee. AB 2528 Arambula from the Agriculture Committee to the Utilities and Energy Committee and then back to agriculture Committee. AB 2741 Haney from the labor and Employment Committee to the Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee and AB 2794 Brian from the Housing and Community Development Committee to the Jobs, Economic Development and Economy Committee and the Judiciary Committee.

Without objection such shall be the order.

I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 96 to withdraw SB 106 from the Budget Committee and order the Bill to the second reading file.

Assembly Member Flora, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mister Speaker. Withhold consent and ask for a roll call vote.

Assembly Member Flora has objected and is requesting a roll call vote. Motion is seconded by Assemblymember Sanchez. Clerk will open the roll. It's a procedural vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Mister Flores asking for a no vote. Majority leader is asking for an aye vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Procedural motion. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll tally. The votes. Ayes 42. Noes. 11. Excuse me. Motion carries. Rules are suspended. Suspended. Moving to guest introductions and announcements. Assemblymember Wilson, you are recognized for your guests introductions.

Thank you, Mister speaker. Good afternoon Members. I'd like to introduce the California Suisun and Vacaville police activities leagues who are seated in the gallery. The California Suisun and Vacaville Police Activity League serves as a bridge connecting law enforcement with our youth, instilling trust, understanding and a hope for a brighter future. Powell provides opportunities for young people to engage in constructive activities and develop essential life skills while fostering trust and understanding between police officers and the communities they serve.

By reaching out to young people early, Powell aims to cultivate positive attitudes towards law enforcement, nurturing maturity and good citizenship from an early age. Together, Pal strives to build a safer, more inclusive and compassionate California for generations to come. Please help me welcome them to our Assembly chamber. Thank you for being here. Thank you for being amazing and thank you for all that you do.

Thank you Assemblymember Wilson and welcome to your guests. And I don't see her at the moment, but I just want to recognize former Assemblymember and Senator Denise Duchenne joining us here on the floor today. There she is. Welcome. Thank you for being with us today. Moving to Assembly Member Wicks, you are recognized for your guest introduction.

Thank you Mister speaker. Members, I rise to welcome the fourth grade students from Prospect Sierra school. Please stand up. I met with them earlier. They had some great ideas about how we could end homelessness and solve our climate change crisis. So that is our future. Please welcome them to the Assembly.

Thank you Assembly Mayor Wicks and welcome to your guests future legislators. I'm sure there's some of them up there. Members, let us wish assemblymember Ta a happy early birthday as he celebrates on April 10. Happy birthday. Happy early birthday. Mister Carrillo, you are recognized for your guest introductions.

Thank you Mister speaker and Members. I am excited to welcome Members of Salva, a community based organization serving Low income immigrant workers in the Antelope Valley since 2016. Salva's mission is to join the fight to guarantee fair income, encourage our immigrant families to participate in voting and local government, and become advocates for themselves and their communities.

Salva is the only organization in the Antelope Valley that provides Low income legal assistance to newly arrived immigrants and long time residents who are facing removal proceedings or need assistance filing paperwork. As Salva provides direct service support to participants, the primary goal is to empower them to advocate for themselves and stand up to exploitative and unfair practices. Salva serves approximately 400 immigrant families monthly. Every week, they serve over 350 families at their food distribution center and 175 families that are part of Salva's membership program.

Most of these families are undocumented, Low income Latino and or senior citizens. I collaborated and known Salva's efforts since I was a Council Member in the City of Palmdale. Salva's accomplishments have not gone without notice. Members, please tell me join this incredible, incredible group to the People's house. Thank you.

Thank you Mister Carrillo and welcome to your guests. Assemblymember Lee, you are recognized for your guest introductions.

Members, please help me welcome his Holiness Acharya Lokesh Muni. Also known as his Holiness Acharya, Doctor Lokesh Muni has dedicated his life to spreading the message of peace, harmony and human values. He's a social reformer, versatile thinker, writer and poet, and for the past 30 years he has been actively working towards establishing communal harmony, nonviolence, peace and mutual cooperation in society. Among his notable contributions is the field of peace education where he combines age old meditation and yoga practices with contemporary scientific research.

His teachings aimed to eliminate the animalistic instincts in human beings and Awaken human and spiritual values. To give practical shape to these values, he founded Ahimsha Vishwa Bharti, an organization that strives to integrate religion with social services to eradicate social evils from society. He has traveled extensively and addressed international conferences on topics such as global unity, Jainism and vegetarianism. He is here today to recognize the 2550th years of Lord Mahavir's attainment of Ravana. So please welcome his holiness to the chamber. Thank you.

Thank you Assembly Member Lee and welcome to your guests. Assembly Member Lee, you are recognized for another guest.

Yes, one more introduction. It gives me great pleasure to welcome Mollen Barnes to the California State Legislature. Molly Barnes is the woman of the year for the 24th Assembly District. She has worked in education for more than 37 years, including as a teacher, principal, HR Director, and Superintendent, and for the past 17 years she has been the Superintendent for the Sonol Glen Unified School District, which I proudly represent as a one school rural school district of about 200 ish kids only.

And she has been there as a strong champion to foster an inclusive, warm environment of learning for the students, educators, and parents. She has earned numerous awards over her career of service and is a valuable Member of the Sonol community. Please welcome her and her rockstar sisters who are also incredible women in their own fields.

Thank you Assembly Member Lee, and congratulations to you, year woman of the year Members. We have additional introductions, but for now we'll move to business on the daily file. Moving to second reading file items one through 26. The Clerk will read [Second Reading]

Concurrence in of Senate amendments file item 27 pass and retain under reconsideration file items 28 and 29. All items shall be continued. Moving on to our additional guest recognition introduction of guests Assemblymember Alvarez, you are recognized from the majority leader's desk.

Thank you Mister Speaker. I want to thank you all for the opportunity to introduce students from San Diego State University, my Alma mater, who are here. We have students from the School of Public affairs at SDSU and from the Imperial Valley. There you are from Imperial Valley College. It's great to see you all here. These students represent again the School of Public affairs, the future public servants in our state. Along with the students are faculty Members and staff including Doctor Dominica Bukalova who we worked together while we were. I was at the City Council as a Council Member, she was a staff Member there at City of San Diego.

I'm also proud to recognize, although she's already been recognized but not enough, my former Boss, also former Boss and mentor to one of our colleagues, Mister McCarty. We have former Assemblymember and State Senator, Senator Denise Moreno Ducheny who is with the students as well here in the rear. We want to acknowledge all of them and wish them a future success to all of these bright students. Please join me in welcoming them and thanking them for their presence here today.

Thank you Assemblymember Alvarez. Welcome to your guest. The older version of Miss Wick's guests, I presume. And once again, welcome to former assemblymember and Senator Denise Duccani. Moving on to Assembly Member Muratsuchi. You are recognized for your guest introductions.

Thank you very much. Colleagues, please join me in welcoming leadership. Torrance. Torrance is in the House. A wonderful leadership development program sponsored by the Torrance Chamber of Commerce. Welcome to the state capitol.

Thank you Assemblymember Murasuchi and Torrence is indeed in the house. Okay Members, we're going to be moving on to Assembly third reading. Moving to file item 33 AB 2504 by Assemblymember Dixon. The Clerk will read Assemblymember Dixon, you are recognized.

Thank you Mister speaker. Members, I rise today to present Assembly Bill 2504. Assembly Bill 2504 will recognize the black abalone as the official state seashell of California. California is home to a beautiful, vast coastline and a biodiversity hotspot. It is vitally important to the preservation of our ecosystem that we recognize key features that make California so special. The black abalone is unique to the Rocky intertidal zones of California and Mexico.

The shell of the black abalone has great historical significance and was used by Native American tribes for food, trade, jewelry, and ceremonial regalia. In the 1980s, the shell was almost completely eliminated from our shores by the withering foot syndrome in Southern California after an El Nino event. Since then, the black abalone has been considered an endangered species. I urge you to join me and recognize the black abalone as the state seashell for California. And thank you Members, and I ask for your AYE vote. Thank you.

Seeing and hearing no other debate, the Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Voting for seashells by the seashore. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. aye 62. aye 63. No, zero. The motion passes. Moving on to file item. The Bill passes. File item 3037. Assembly Bill 1924 by Assemblymember Nguyen. Clerk will read Assembly Bill 1924 by Assembly Member Stephanie Nguyen and others an act relating to transportation.

Assembly Member Nguyen Nguyen, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mister speaker. Good afternoon. I rise today to present AB 1924, which authorizes the Sacramento region Transit District to include any portion of Sacramento county in its defined service territory if a jurisdiction chooses to opt in and be included. This Bill has bipartisan support, passed unanimously out of Committee and has no opposition. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Seeing and hearing no further debate, the Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. Aye 70. No, zero. Measure passes. Moving on to file item 39, ACR 157 by Assembly Member Pacheco, the Clerk will read Assembly Concurrent Resolution 157 by Assembly Member Protection Pacheco relative to adult education. Assembly Member Pacheco, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mister speaker and Members. Today I rise to present Assembly Concurrent Resolution 157 that proclaims April 7 through April 13 as adult Education Week in California. California has a long history with adult education. Starting in 1856 with the first recorded adult education class in California, held in the basement of St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco, the class was authorized by the city's Board of Education to teach English to Irish, Italian, and Chinese immigrants.

Adult schools across the state provide classes to students in high school, equivalency, English as a second language, citizenship, family literacy, short term career training, and more. Additionally, adult schools continue to provide important access to programs supporting immigrant integration and job retraining that will be critical as we navigate the state's challenging fiscal climate and to insulate residents from future recessions. K 12 based adult schools offer quality programs to meet the ever changing economic workforce development and lifelong learning needs of our diverse state.

This year, the California adult education program celebrates its 100th anniversary. The program, restructured in 2014, has brought K 12 adult schools and community colleges together via local consortia to collaborate on providing education and training to adult learners in their communities. As a longtime supporter of adult education and as the daughter of an adult education teacher, I am pleased to recognize the importance of our adult education programs.

Members, please join me in supporting the efforts of all adult education students, classified staff, teachers, and administrators in adult education. I would respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you assemblymember Pacheco, would you like the first roll open for co authors?

Yes, please.

Thank you. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Clerk will open the roll for co authors. All those who'd like to vote who desire to vote, please vote. All those vote who desire to vote for co authors. All those vote who desire to vote. There are 72 co authors added. Members without objection, a voice vote on the on this measure. All in favor say aye. Opposed say no. Ayes have it. Measure passes. Assembly Member Pacheco, you are recognized for your guest introductions.

I am pleased to recognize the Director of the adult education in the Department of Education, Doctor Caroline Zachary, as well as representatives of the California Council for Adult Education and California Adult Education Administrators Association who are up here in the gallery, including Doctor Carla Galbraith, Sacramento City Unified Charles A. Jones, adult education administrator Patricia Bradshaw, medical assistant instructor Charles A. Jones Career and Education center adult education students from the Charles A. Jones Career in Education Center, Netta Anasari, Sacramento County Office of Education Therese Schultz, Elk Grove adult and Community Education and Angela Rodriguez, Elk Grove adult and community education.

Thank you, Assembly Member Pacheco, welcome to your guests and thank you for your work. Moving to file item 47, AB 1966 by Assemblymember Davies. The Clerk will read Assembly Bill 1966 by Assembly Member Davies and accolade in the human trafficking. Assembly Member Davies, you are recognized.

Thank you Mister speaker. Members, today I'm here to present AB 1966. Current law requires certain types of businesses and transportation locations to place human trafficking resources posters on their Premises. These pollsters include the names and numbers of organizations someone can call to report a tip on a suspected case or call for resources on how to escape if they are a victim themselves.

AB 1966 is a common sense measure to build on this and now enact a digital version of this law for when somebody buys a ticket for a large sporting or musical event. The Bill would require that whenever a ticket is purchased with electronic receipt, you will get in the mail. The digital ticket would also include a notice about resources available in the state for human trafficking victims.

With California set to host major sporting events, including the 2027 Super Bowl and 2028 Summer Olympics, it is never too soon to prepare ourselves with laws in place to protect the potential victims. I look forward to working with the Senate, with all stakeholders to ensure every ticket seller is included in the measure. AB 1966 has no opposition. Passed Committee unanimously and I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Seeing and hearing no further debate, the Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. I 70 knows zero measure passes. Moving to file item 48. Assembly Bill 1948 by Assemblymember Rendon. Clerk will read. Assembly Member Rendon, you are recognized. Thank you, Mister Speaker.

AB 1948 removes the January 12025 sunset date on a secure, successful homelessness program that created through legislation by my joint author from the 54th district. AB 1948 will indefinitely extend the availability of critical intervention assistance and help stop homelessness before it can occur. This Bill has received unanimous bipartisan support.

Thank you. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. I 69 no zero measure passes. Moving to file item 49. AB 1844 by Assemblymember Calderon. The Clerk will read Assembly Member Calderon, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mister Speaker. AB 1844 allows the Senate pro tem and the speaker of the Assembly to sit on the fair plan governing Committee. The Assembly Insurance Committee has held two oversight hearings on the fair plan. The most recent hearing brought to light the program's dire financial standing. It's become apparent how important the fair plan is to the overall health of the insurance market and to our constituents. The speaker and the Senate pro tem should have a seat at the table. Thank you, and I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Assembly Member Calderon Assembly Member Waldron, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mister speaker and Members. I want to speak to the fair plan, and I find this Bill very interesting. I've been on the fair plan three times. I'm currently on the fair plan. What a lot of people don't realize is just because you're on the fair plan, you're really not covered. You're just covered. Covers fire, basically. Fire risk. We still have to have another private insurance or your mortgage company will basically find one for you at multiple, multiple, multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars.

I mean, I just got a quote for $52,000 for one year in my house. That's ridiculous. Through the mortgage company. So we really need to have more eyes on this. You know, the fair plan is doing the best they can, but with the amount of people now getting dumped into the fair plan, we need to have eyes on this.

Because of the budget issues, the costs, and everything else for our citizens, all of our residents are affected by this, and I can speak to it personally if anyone has any other questions. But I urge an aye vote. Thank you.

Thank you. Assemblymember Waldron, seeing and hearing no further debate, Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote, Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. Aye 71 no zero. Measure is passed adopted. Moving to Senate. Third reading file items 53 through 55 pass and retain. Moving to a vote on the consent calendar. Items 62 through 65. Does any Member wish to remove an item from the consent calendar?

Seeing and hearing none, the Clerk will read the second day consent calendar. Assembly Bill 2251 by Assembly Member Connolly, inoculating a pupil instruction. Clerk will open the roll on the consent calendar. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote on the consent calendar, I seven Clerk will close the roll and tally the vote. I 72 knows zero. Consent calendar is adopted. The Clerk will read the remaining items on the consent calendar.

[Concent Calendar] Moving to announcements. Committee hearings Budget meets today upon adjournment of session in Capital Room 437. Budget Subcommitee one on health meets upon adjournment of Budget Committee in Capital Room 127. Budget Subcommitee six on public safety meets upon adjournment of Budget Committee in Capital Room 437. Natural resources meets at 02:30 p.m. In Capital room 447. Revenue and Taxation meets at 02:30 p.m. In Capital Room 126.

Transportation meets at 02:30 p.m. In swing space, room 1100. Emergency management meets at 02:30 p.m. In Capital, room 444. Session schedule is as follows. Tuesday, April 9, check in session. Wednesday, April 10, check in session. Thursday, April 11, floor session at 09:00 a.m. All other items will be passed and retained. All motions shall be continued. Mister Santiago, seeing and hearing no further business, I'm ready to entertain a motion to adjourn. Mister Santiago moves. Mister Lackey seconds that the house stands adjourned until Thursday, April 9, at 09:00 a.m. Quorum call is lifted and the house is adjourned.