Senate Floor

[Roll Call]

Members of Quorum is present with the Members and our guests beyond the rail and in the gallery. Please rise. We'll be led in prayer today by our chaplain, Sister Michelle Gorman, after which we're going to ask you to remain standing for the pledge of allegiance to the flag.

So let us gather in the presence of our God, whom we often call father. Belated Father's day and juneteenth, the day we celebrate the end of slavery. The day we memorialize those who offered us hope for the future, and the day when we renew our commitment to the struggle for freedom. Angela Davis. Gracious and merciful God.

As we celebrate Juneteenth this week, we give thanks for the hope and perseverance of the African American people who continue to contribute generously to the advancement of society. May all of us celebrate, remember and act on the words of civil rights leader Howard Thurman when he says, look well to the growing edge.

All around us, worlds are dying and new worlds are being born. This is the basis of hope in moments of despair, the incentive to carry on when times are out of joint. Look well to the growing edge. And so, loving God, may we not close our eyes to our growing edges and the lessons of Juneteenth.

Let us not make anyone wait for the freedom to live in their own truth and integrity. Turn our good intentions into acts of justice and reparation for the failures of the past. And may we learn to actively celebrate the freedom from oppression of each and every person. This we ask in your name. Amen.

Remember, please join me in the pledge allegiance to the flag. I pledge allegiance. All right, Members, we're going to move immediately into privileges of the floor. We have Senator Padilla with guest. He would like to introduce at this time. Members, we're going to ask you to provide your attention to Senator Padilla. Senator Padilla, the floor is yours.

Thank you very much, Mister President and esteemed colleagues. I really am excited to take a minute to just give, make a welcome of some family members of mine.

I am joined this morning by first my daughter, Ashley Padilla Goins, my first grandson, who she is holding, Ethan Nelson Goins, my son in law, Nelson Padilla Goins, and my baby sister, Miss Kimberly Rowe. Now Ashley is a proud Aztec and graduate of the Biden School of Policy at the University of Delaware and is part of an all female, email driven policy and political consulting firm with clients all over the country.

Mister Nelson Goins, my son in law is a former naval officer who did work for the DCCC, is a true Paul. They met working on the campaign of Congressman Mike Levin. Nelson is a UCR graduate and is now a proud La Bruin studying healthcare Administration. So look out, here he comes.

And my sister Kimberly is a graduate of Colorado state and is a proud SEIU 221 Member in the County of San Diego in the office of juvenile probation. So please, please, my first grandson, my daughter and son in law, my baby sister, give him a big California State center welcome.

On behalf of the California State Senate, we say welcome to the Padilla family. Next up, we have Senator Roth for introductions.

Thank you, Mister President. It's my privilege to introduce the three loves of my life. It may surprise you to learn that the State Senate is not on the list, at least not today. But those on the list are a very strong woman who leads me every day. My spouse Cindy is in the gallery, and most importantly, our two exceptional granddaughters, Paige, who's age 10, and Parker, who is age six. How about a warm welcome for them?

Thank you, Mister President. California State Senate. We say welcome to the Roth family, Members. Without objection, we'll move to Assembly third reading file item 75, seeing where's Senator Caballero. Okay, she's prepared.

Secretary, please read.

Assembly Bill 2755 by Assemblymember Wicks, an act according to the payment of claims against the state, making an appropriation therefore, and declaring the urgency thereof to take effect immediately.

Senator Caballero.

Thank you, Mister President. I rise to present AB 2755 on behalf of Assemblymember Wicks. Ab 2755 is one of the bills carried by the chairs of appropriation committees each year to provide payment authority for legal claims approved by the Attorney General and the Department of Finance.

This urgency measure appropriates $523,000 from the general fund to pay for the prevailing party's attorney's fees and costs in three specified cases as identified in approved settlement agreements. These claims are binding state obligations, and failure to approve payments for these claims would result in additional litigation and state costs. I respectfully ask for your aye vote today.

Any further discussion or debate on this item? Any further discussion, debate. Hearing seeing none. Secretary, please call the roll and file item 75.

[Roll Call]

Please call the absent members.

[Roll Call]

We move the call. We're going to move the call. All right, next up is Governor appointments, but before that, we want to recognize our former colleague from the Fremont area. None other than Senate Bob Wieckowski up in the gallery.

Thank you for being here. Senator Grove. We're moving to governor's appointment. She's prepared.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, I know you're still excited about Senator Wieckowski, but. Colleagues, we have file item 17 is the confirmation of the following appointments. Arturo Baragas, Reina Daimer, and Senator Grove.

We're on file item 13, first.

File item 13, first. Apologize, sir. Apologize, Mr. President. It was Bob Wieckowski that distracted me.

Understood.

File item 13 is a confirmation of the following appointments. Martin Juarez for the appointment of Veterans Board, Juan Cruz and David Simmons as to the Commission of the Teacher Credentialing, and Benjamin Bashine to the State Park and Recreations Commission. These individuals were approved by the Rules Committee on the May 29 on a 5:0 vote.

Respectfully asked for your aye vote.

Any further discussion or debate on the appointments? Hearing and seeing nonw. Secretary, please call the roll on file item 13

[Roll Call]

Secretary, please call the absence members. Ayes 38, Noes zero. The appointments are confirmed. Now, moving on to file item 17. Senator Grove.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, file item 17 is the confirmation for Arturo Baragas, Reina Demer and Chase Salinas for the California Exposition and State Fair Board of Directors. Catalina Safuentes Doctor Shannon Gary and Angel Rodriguez for the Student Aid Commission and Judith Fryman for appointment to the Occupational Safety and Health Appeals Board.

These appointees were approved by the Rules Committee on a 5:0 vote on June 5 and respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you. Any further discussion or debate on the appointments? Any further discussion or debate hearing? Seeing none. Secretary, please call a roll on file item 17.

[Roll Call]

Secretary, please call the absent members.

[Roll Call].

Aye's: 39, No's: 0. The appointments are confirmed now. Members, without objections, we'll be taking up the following resolution out of order today. We'll first have file item 30, SCR 150. And then we'll take a file item 32, SCR 98. First up is Senator Ochoa Bogh. Secretary, please read.

In his 2024 Flag Day proclamation, President Joseph Biden said, the flag stands for the sacred idea that we are all created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives. SCR 150 continues the 75-year tradition of recognizing Flag Day and our nation's commitment to form a more perfect union.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 150 by Senator Ochoa Bogue, relative to Flag Day.

Senator, floor is yours.

Thank you, Mister President and members, I rise to present SCR 150, which recognizes June 14, 2024, as Flag Day. On June 14,1777, 247 years ago this past Friday, the second continental Congress approved the nation's first flag, which had 13 stripes and a constellation of 13 white stars on a field of blue.

Since then, and in our front yards, schools, stadiums, and even on the moon, Americans have flown several variations of the flag. In fact, between 1777 and 1960, there were over 20 versions of the American flag as a star was added every time a state joined the union. While the number of flags in the flag.

While the number of stars on the flag may have changed, the ideals it represents have remained the same. Justice, vigilance, and perseverance: these are just a few of the values our flag symbolizes. Permission to read?

Permission granted.

Thank you. In his 1917 Flag Day proclamation, President Woodrow Wilson stated that the flag represents our unity of power, our thought and purpose as a nation.

In his 1988 Flag Day proclamation, President Ronald Reagan wrote that the flag, "reminds us of the courage and steadfastness of those who pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to found this great experiment in Republican government."

This republic may not be perfect, but it is indivisible. And most importantly, it is for all. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Any further discussion and debate on this item. Senator Rubio?

Thank you, Mister President and ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, I also rise in strong support of SCR 150, which recognizes Flag Day. To me, it's one of the most important symbols here in our great nation that unites us, and I cannot help, I think of my classroom for 20 years reciting the flag, and I think of our students who get to see so much division and ugliness around us. But in those moments in class, while we're all reciting the flag, and even here in this floor, we're all equal. We're all standing with honor.

We're all honoring the flag, which, again, is that one symbol that can unite all of us. And I also think of that image in World War 2 at Iwo Jima, where everything was dark, everything had crumbled, and everything had just fallen. But old glory stood tall, it stood brave, and it showed us what resiliencies looked like.

So, I want to just also add my voice and ask that you vote I on this measure. Thank you.

Thank you. Any further discussion or debate? Hearing or seeing none. Senator Ochoa Bogh, would you like to close?

I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Secretary? Members, this is eligible for unanimous roll call. Is there any objection to applying a unanimous roll call to file item 30 and seeing none. Aye's: 39, No's: 0. The measure passes. Next up is file item 32. Oh, all right, we're going to move back to privileges of the floor. Senator Ochoa Bogh, the floor is yours.

Thank you, sir. Thank you. Mr. President and members, I rise to present SCR 150, which recognizes June 4. Sorry.

You're introducing someone?

Yeah, I am introducing. One moment. I write speech. Mr. President and members, I want to extend a warm welcome to Kathleen Beale, a board Member of the Redlands Area Historical Society, which has been instrumental in preserving the rich and diverse history of Redlands, a city in my district.

I was honored to receive their help in highlighting the legacy of Redlands elementary school teacher Mary Flackler. In SCR 150 relative to Flag Day, Mary Flackler, who taught at Kingsbury School for $75 a month is attributed with starting the tradition of beginning the school day with the Pledge of Allegiance.

The 1892 version of the pledge, written by Minister Francis Bellamy and recited by her students, read, "I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Please join me in recognizing Kathleen Beale and the Redlands Area Historical society for more than 50 years of celebrating the history in Redlands.

Thank you. Welcome to the California State Senate. All right now, members, we're moving to file item 32. Senator Jones, are you prepared? He is getting there. Secretary you may read.

Senate resolution 98 by Senator Jones relative to sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month.

Senator Jones, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. President and members. I am here this afternoon to present Senate resolution 98. Sudden cardiac arrest, commonly referred to as SCA, is a significant health issue here in our state. Rather than a traditional heart attack that results from the blockage of blood flow, SCAs occur when the heart suddenly malfunctions and stops beating.

Disturbingly, SCA is the leading cause of death among student athletes, claiming an estimated 23,000 lives annually in the United States. California's SCA survival rate is an alarmingly low, just 7.8%. Early symptoms and familial risk factors that can contribute to SCA are often missed, underscoring the need for comprehensive cardiac screenings, especially in young people.

SCR 98 designates October as sudden cardiac awareness Month. Sudden cardiac arrest Awareness month. To promote public education about this often misunderstood condition and promote the importance of preventive screening in California. I respectfully ask for your. aye vote this afternoon.

Any further discussion on this item. Senator Becker?

Thank you, Mister President. I rise as a joint author and I want to thank my colleague from San Diego for highlighting the screening elements of this. Sudden cardiac arrest is an umbrella term that's used to describe the spontaneous stoppage of the heart and is characterized by high mortality.

Especially in our youth. They're often the result of an underlying cause that often goes undetected. Therefore, early interventions are critical. Three steps for early intervention include, number one, early bystander notification of emergency medical services. Number two, Administration of high quality CPR. And three, the combined use of automatic external defibrillators, or AEDs.

Take the case of Erica Lyons, a Hillsborough resident turned advocate whose teenage nephew collapsed with a sudden cardiac arrest at a local basketball game.

They were here last year with us when we considered this, and her nephew life was saved by the use of CPR and an AED by in critical time estimates suggested for every minute CPR is delayed, there's a 10% reduction in survival.

By designating October as Sudden Cardiac Awareness Month, we can begin the process of community education and training to increase our readiness and power. Bystanders with knowledge and training to save lives, please join us in approving SCR 98. SR 98. Thank you.

Thank you. Any further discussion or debate interseen then, Senator Jones, would you like to close?

Thank you, Mr. President. Members, I want to thank our good colleague for joining me today in speaking about SR 98 and ask for your aye vote. Thank you very much.

Secretary, please call the roll on file item 32.

[Roll Call]

Senator Jones moves the call now. We're moving back to privileges on the floor. Senator Jones, the floor is yours for purposes of introduction.

Thank you, Mr. President and members, we are joined with some advocates this afternoon that are working on the sudden cardiac arrest syndrome in high schools. Today we are joined by some dedicated advocates who work tirelessly. Hector Peredis is the co founder of the Eric Peredis save a life foundation.

In 2009, his 15 year old son Eric passed away from SCA. Hector has now dedicated his life to running cardiac screening events at middle and high schools to hopefully prevent other families from having to experience the same tragedy that his family has. We're also joined by Jennifer Sarmento, the founder and Executive Director of the Kyle J.

Taylor Foundation. Jennifer lost her son Kyle to SCA in 2018. Through her foundation, she helps raise awareness and promote cardiac screenings to prevent other families from enduring a similar loss. Colleagues, please join me in welcoming these tireless advocates today. Hector Predis and Jennifer Sarmento.

Messages from the governor will be deemed read. Messages from the assembly would deem red. Reports of committee would be deemed read and amendments adopted. Moving on to motions, resolution and notices. Without objection, the Senate journals for June 102024 through June 132024 will be approved as corrected by the minute Clerk. Senator Durazo, you are recognized.

Thank you, Madam President. At the request of the author, please pull file item 98, AB 2590 from the consent calendar.

Senator Limon, you're recognized.

Thank you. At the request of the author, please. Pull AB 81 Ramos off the inactive file.

Senator Laird, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam President. At the request of the author, please remove file item a 23, AB 1537 from the inactive file.

The desk has noted. Senator Niello.

Thank you, Madam President. At the request of the author, please remove file item 105, AB 801 from the consent calendar.

The desk has noted there are four amendments at the desk. They will be deemed adopted. Moving on to consideration of the daily file. Under second reading file, we have items one through 12. Secretary please read.

Senate concurrent Resolution 111. Assembly Bill 2348 with amendments 2701. With amendments 2297.

2nd reading will be deemed read.

Moving on to Senate third reading, we have one item. File item 31. Senator Bradford? He is prepared. Secretary please read.

Senate concurrent Resolution 152 by Senator Bradford relative to juneteenth.

Senator Bradford.

Thank you, Madam President. I rise proudly to present SCR 152, recognizing the 159th, I should say, anniversary of Juneteenth, better known as Emancipation Day, Freedom Day and Jubilee Day.

Although slavery, quote, unquote, officially ended in 1863, when President Lincoln signed emancipation proclamation, technically, for many, it didn't end until two and a half years later, when some freed slaves got the word. But truth be told, slavery did not end in this state until the amendment of the 13th Amendment.

Because what the emancipation proclamation did was only free those slaves that were in confederate states. So if you were part of the union and you still had slaves, you controlled your slaves until the amendment, the 13th Amendment, was amended. So Juneteenth now commemorates that two and a half year delay for soldiers to reach Galveston, Texas.

And it's much debate over why it's Juneteenth versus June 19. Specifically, June 19 is when a major General Granger reached Galveston. But the word started progressing westerly from Louisiana to Texas, somewhere between the 12th and the 19th. So that's why different individuals got the word at different times.

But it finally ended on June 19, where over 250 slaves in Texas were notified that they were free. And although Juneteenth has only been a national holiday, since the 21st, 2021, I should say. Americans have long celebrated this holiday. This was a household event for me and my family.

My family's from Texas, and up until my father passed, he went back to Texas to celebrate Juneteenth every year. And it's often associated with juneteenth, watermelon, red hibiscus tea, whereas my great grandmother used to say red soda pop or soda water and red velvet cake.

And the significance of that was because of the blood that we shed for this nation, and that symbolized that blood. And that day was always colorful, with music, with all kind of food and festivities. And that's why I have read on the day to again celebrate those colors and those symbolisms of Juneteenth and what it means.

And it's vitally important that we understand, especially in light of reparations, Juneteenth is an inherently reminder of the nation's dark past. The United States is a great country, but it's a great country in large part because it was built and made prosperous for over 250 years of slave labor by black folks who look like me.

And even though slavery has ended, its impact still exists in our country and our state today. That's not just my claim, it's the belief a majority of Californians, with over 60% who registered to vote, stated so in a poll. Berkeley conducted a poll in 2023, and they asked, what is the legacy of slavery today?

And 60% still, it was felt today, 158 years later, in both health disparities, wealth disparities, education disparities, mass incarceration, housing discrimination, including policies like restrictive covenants and redlining, and racially motivated taking by eminent domain, have harmed and held black Americans from realizing the American dream freely and fully for over 200 years.

So Juneteenth is a time when all Americans should look not only around, but inside their hearts and understand the contributions that have been made to celebrations and the losses and recognize lasting harms of slavery. Decades of racist laws and policies, which our task force clearly spelled out on the two years in the reparations task force.

It's the reason why I'm now working so hard to pass reparations legislation, and I thank so many of my colleagues who have supported it this far. And to the descendants of slaves who deserve this hard work on our part, often say reparations is not a debt owed. It's not charity. It's not a handout, it's not a gift.

It's what is promised, what is sold, and what is 160 years overdue. I hope this Juneteenth holiday will lead to a more honest education, discussion, and understanding of our history and the real history, not the whitewashed version that we often teach in our schools. I respectfully ask for aye vote to SCR 152.

Thank you, Senator. Senator Padilla, you're recognized.

Thank you very much, Madam President.

Today I rise on behalf of the California Legislative LGBTQ caucus in support of SCR 152, which recognizes and commemorates June 19 as Juneteenth in California, a historic date on which the last enslaved black Americans were freed in 2024, the 159th anniversary of Juneteenth, we have an opportunity to critically examine our country's shameful history of slavery and engage in a meaningful discussion on how this history continues to impact us even today.

Without the national and statewide recognition of juneteenth, we cannot proudly claim the values of liberty and freedom. Not when these same values were denied and delayed to enslave black Americans 159 years ago, and not when liberty and freedom are continuously denied to black Americans today.

As a member of the LGBTQ caucus, I must also acknowledge how LGBTQ black Americans are cornerstones of our community. They were the driving force behind the first pride. They are at the forefront of our community's culture. They are courageous advocates and outspoken activists. But let us take a minute to celebrate black queer joy and excellence.

Just last week, this body had the honor of recognizing and celebrating an incredible black trans trailblazer in Sir Lady Java, a pioneering transgender entertainer and activist who broke barriers in the 1960s and 1970s by challenging discriminatory laws and practices in Los Angeles.

Her courageous efforts against unjust regulations significantly advance transgender rights and continue to inspire the LGBTQ community today. However, LGBTQ black Americans are also the most vulnerable and unprotected members of our community. As many of us know, black trans women face high rates of fatal violence. Black LGBTQ youth are at a higher risk of homelessness.

My caucus members and I work to amplify the voices and to advocate on behalf of black LGBTQ Americans. The recognition of Juneteenth is a step towards ensuring that black American history, real history, is remembered as American history. I thank you, and I urge and aye vote.

Senator Durazo, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam President, on behalf of the Latino Legislative Caucus, it is my honor to rise today in support of SCR 152.

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, is symbolic in that it is considered the date when the last slaves in America were freed, almost two and a half years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. I use the term freed loosely because what was outlawed and what actually occurred were two very different realities.

The abolition of slavery did not bring equality. Juneteenth happened 89 years after US Independence Day. And it would be another 100 years before the civil rights movement gained traction and started to right the wrong of segregation. Understanding our past and acknowledging heroes in our diverse communities only served to strengthen the ties between every resident of this state.

As we celebrate Juneteenth and ask all Californians to honor and reflect on the significant achievements and the impact African Americans have played in the evolution and the success of this nation, African American culture has influenced every aspect of American life. For example, Frederick Mckinley Jones left his indelible mark with the development of refrigeration equipment in the 1930s.

His creation, the Thermo King, allowed people to eat fresh food year round. 1991, he became the first African American to receive the National Medal of Technology and consider the impact that Mark Dean had on our lives when, after earning a doctorate at Stanford University, he helped invent IBM's original personal computer and the PC color monitor.

There are countless, countless examples that we could all provide of leaders and pioneers that have impacted and continue to influence our lives. But I challenge you to use this time to research, to listen, and to take in the stories that have largely been untold, but have shaped our very lives.

With that, I want to thank the author and the legislative Black Caucus for your leadership. Senator Min, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam President. I want to thank the author from Gardena for bringing this forward on behalf of the Asian American and Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, we to express our strong support of SCR 152, to recognize Juneteenth.

Each year, on June 19, we commemorate this day which really marked the end of the last vestiges of slavery in this country. And to think that this was just over 170 years ago, not that long ago, in terms of our country's history, is really a stark reminder of this shameful period in our country's history.

This is a day that is one of celebration, but I think it's also a day that we need to keep in our hearts, to remind ourselves of the history of this country, to honor the contribution, sacrifices, and histories of the black and African American communities, the role they've played in shaping our nation and our State of California, but also to remind us of the fact that people in this country, the majority of people in this country, the majority of citizens, I should say, thought that it was okay to own the labor and the lives of other people and to honor that in our hearts, to try to continue the fight for justice and progress, for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

We continue to work together to combat racial discrimination of every type and to try to push forward for the ideals of this country.

It's an honor for the AAPI Legislative caucus to stand in support of Juneteenth and to reaffirm our solidarity with the California legislative Black Caucus, as well as the black and African American community as a whole. I respectfully ask for an aye vote on SCR 152.

Senator Wiener.

Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues, I rise today as co chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus in support of SCR 152.

Honoring and recognizing Juneteenth and the end of slavery in the United States is essential, both as a celebration of the distances we have come as a country, but also as a reckoning with the hurdles we still must overcome on Emancipation Day. We have cherished, have a cherished opportunity to celebrate the survival of black Americans across history.

Juneteenth is a chance to learn about the black experience in America, from the arrival of slaves in 1619 to the liberation movement that has been present since the beginning of our country. And we must be intentional in learning about the trials and the joys of the black community.

And while this holiday is an opportunity, it by no means should preclude us from including this learning throughout the year. The Jewish community has a history of celebrating with joy. After subjugation and suffering. Survival and community are incumbent in finding space to be our full selves, to claim our humanity, even when that humanity is denied us.

Juneteenth is a testament to this axiom that by celebrating the liberation and dignity of black life, we take a collective step toward mending the world. The Jewish value of Tikkun Olam.

Last year, as we commemorated this holiday on the floor, I spoke of the recently departed Harry Belafonte, a shared champion of the black and Jewish communities who had recently passed. This year, I'm thinking about the ways in which our Jewish community has grown.

Earlier this year, Jenny Asher became the first ordained cantor who was a Black American woman. For those who are unaware, music plays a central role in Jewish worship, and the cantor is an important leader in our congregations. Along with the rabbi, we're fortunate to see the diversity of our Jewish community reflected in our spiritual leaders.

I'm honored to vote aye on this resolution.

Senator Grove, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam President. I, too, rise in support of SCR 152 and, you know, honoring the resilience and the contributions of black individuals that had participated in the building of this nation in our district. We celebrated with a lot of different events throughout the community where black leadership and our community came together.

And like Edward Sean Robinson, the President of our Black Chamber of Commerce had a wonderful gala, a unity gala, vibes and voices and unity gala, where several leaders in our community were honored for their contributions to our community.

When you have Javon Dangerfield honored for what he does, to make sure that there's an outreach to the black community so that the needs in that community community. Bianca Hayes does all these haircuts and free things for kids just to be able to celebrate, you know, what she has to offer to the community as well.

Michael Bowers and Traco Matthews are leading a way of mentorship and investing in the next generation to show success. When they take these young black students that are going into the country clubs and their pictures are on the wall as the presidents or organizations of the country clubs, they see promise and a way to get there.

And I know that there's been a lot of mistakes that have made in the past, but I can tell you that I have a district that is really working hard for unity and making sure that the future is brighter and better. I've got Katie, I mean, and those are individuals who are adults.

I have Katie Johnson, Natisha, Kendra Johnson's daughter, and she is 18 years old. She's involved in many nonprofits. She does a lot of incredible things for our community. She has aspirations to come here and be a Senator one day, and she is just one of the most incredible young people that you'll ever meet in your life.

And I just thank them for the celebration, the culture, the heritage, everything that they bring to this Juneteenth celebration and making sure that the history of Juneteenth is told and what it is and the historical value of this special day. And I just thank you for this resolution being brought forward. SCR 152, and urgent, I vote.

Thank you, Senator Grove. Senator Smallwood-Cuevas.

Thank you, madam President. And I want to thank all of my colleagues today for their kind words and historical milestones lifted up in terms of Juneteenth and the significance to California and this country. And I rise on behalf of the California Legislative Black Caucus in support of SCR 152 that recognizes June 19 as our Juneteenth day in California and across this great nation.

We celebrate Juneteenth because, as my good colleague from Gardena said in 18652 and a half years after President Lincoln signed the emancipation Proclamation, it represents Juneteenth, the real Declaration of Independence for black Americans who were finally free, freed from the chains of chattel slavery.

And though it would take another hundred years before black Americans would be granted full rights through the civil rights movement and dismantle the black codes and Jim Crow and brutal racial discrimination, Juneteenth really marks for all of us an unfolding of the definition of American freedom.

What it means to be in the land of the free, and what it means to fight and be brave for democracy and for freedom for all. Juneteenth recognizes the significant economic contributions of enslaved people in this nation.

An estimated $20 trillion was amassed on the backs of enslaved men, women, and children, making the US the largest economic power in the world, and creating the oldest wage theft claim that is yet to be paid. And we here in the State of California are doing the due diligence by creating our reparations task force and beginning to move policies to address the wrong and to repair the harm.

And while we celebrate Juneteenth as a symbol of liberation, the truth is that the longstanding impacts of racism and discrimination and economic injustice did not cease in 1965. It has only grown more into institutionalized and touching far more generations. And it continues to manifest in our current criminal justice system.

It continues to manifest where we see black people disproportionately targeted for surveillance and arrest. In our education system, where black students remain in underserved and poorly funded schools with lack of opportunities. It's evident in our economy, where employment discrimination persists.

Even in this time of great economic growth, the wage gap continues to widen, with the US Bureau of Statistics last summer reporting that 90% of the nation's unemployed are black Americans.

In California, these disparities between black and white residents are disproportionate gaps in life expectancy, job quality, income inequality, homelessness, and our ability to invest in real enforcement that protects the lives of people in our communities to have an access to opportunity. But this year in California, the legislative Black caucus has taken steps with our first reparation package.

And I want to recognize so many of my colleagues for having courage and supporting this package that seeks to restore black Californians. And by doing that, we strengthen all of California. And that's why this Juneteenth is an especially important historic landmark, because we are calling not just on California to stand up, but we are a model to the world.

As New York has commenced its first task force, as places like Illinois, and even as far as Ghana are looking at reparations and what California will do to address historic discrimination and inequality, we are honoring the spirit of Juneteenth in the work that we do here. By working together to build a more just and equitable California for all and to repair the harms of the past.

And by doing so, we acknowledge the injustices, by taking courageous steps to healing and reconciliation and building a brighter future for all of California and ensuring that the fulfillment of the promise of the emancipation Proclamation and our Constitution are realized in californian lives today. And with that, I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Seeing no further discussion or debate. Senator Bradford, you may close.

Thank you, Madam President. And I want to thank all of my colleagues, whether it's individual or representing their respective ethnic caucuses, for your words of support and encouragement, and more importantly, the importance of this holiday and what it means to this nation and recognizing the harms.

And this holiday is the first national holiday in 38 years, first one to follow Martin Luther King's birthday, which was passed in 1983. So it shows how far we have come as a nation, but it also shows how far we still have to go.

So, on behalf of the legislative caucus, I want you to receive the flag that's on your desk, as well as the poster and celebration of Juneteenth. And understanding that this celebration is not just about a day off. For those, it's, again, about understanding our history, understanding the.

The work that we're still trying to achieve as a state, as a nation, but also to recognize the tremendous sacrifices of those descendants of slavery here in this state, as well as this country.

And I invite each and every one of you on this floor on Wednesday, the 19th, afternoon at noon, I should say, to come to my office. We will be distributing red velvet cake.

So I want you all to come and partake and understand the significance of red velvet, not just to have a good dessert, but the significance of what it represents as we celebrate Juneteenth. And for that, I ask for. I vote. Thank you.

Thank you, Senator. Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Ayes. 39. No, zero. The resolution is adopted. We're gonna be lifting the calls on some of the previous file items.

All right, members, we have two items that are on call. We're going to lift the call on our first one. File item 75. Secretary, please call the absent members.

[Roll Call].

Please call the absent members.

[Roll Call].

Aye's: 33, No's: 4. The measure passes. Aye's: 34. What was the count again? Aye's: 34? No's: 4? 33. Aye's: 33, No's: 4. On the urgency: aye's: 33, no's: 4, on the measure. Now, members, we're moving on to file item 32. We're going to look to call. Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call].

Aye's: 40, No's: 0. The measure passes. Now, members, we're moving on to our consent calendar. This would be the time for any individual who would like to remove an item from the consent calendar, seeing no one. Secretary, please read.

Assembly Bill 3197, 1881, 2730.

Please call the roll on file item 110 of the consent calendar.

[Roll Call].

Please call the absent members.

[Roll Call].

Aye's: 39, No's: 0. The consent calendar is - no?

Ayes 39 no zero. Consent calendar is approved. Now, Members, we're moving on to Committee announcements. We have two announcements. Senator Alvarado-Gil, floor is yours.

The Senate Committee on Human Services will be meeting immediately after adjournment at 320, room 2200.

Human services will meet in room 2200. 15 minutes after adjournment. Senator Min

Thank you, Mister President. The Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee will meet upon adjournment of session in the swing space, room 1200.

Natural resources and water will meet immediately after adjournment in room 1200 in the swing space. All right now, Members, we return to motions and resolutions. Now is the time for adjourning memories. First up we have Senator Cortese.

Thank you, Mister President. Senators, I rise to journey memory of a visionary leader and civil rights activist, Victor Garza, who passed away on June 6 at the age of 86. Victor was an advocate at heart, and his unwavering commitment to the fight for civil rights can be seen to this day in everything he's done.

As a young man, he served as a welder in the United States Navy. He later went on to become a manager for the Santa Clara County Veterans Services offices, where he received several awards for his advocacy for veterans.

In 1988, Victor founded La Raza Roundtable to give Latino and Mexican Americans a voice in creating positive change alongside community leaders and policymakers. At about that time, he became a longtime board Member and leader at the Center for Training and Careers in San Jose. He spent his life fighting for equitable employment and education, especially for Latinos.

He founded mentorship programs to help Latino students struggling in math and English. As the first Latino elected to the board of the Berryessa School District, he was instrumental in the Superintendent hiring Latino principals, administrators, and teachers.

Victor's advocacy resulted in nationwide acclaim, including invitations from the Clinton Administration to participate in an initiative on race and poverty as part of a contingent of Latino leaders visited by the Obama Administration.

Later on, I was surprised, even having known him for a couple of decades, when I started to realize his national reach and representation, especially when he started to invite me on out of state trips with him to visit programs, especially programs that were in intended to reduce populations in juvenile halls and create opportunities for students in places like Arizona and other places in the country.

His passion and vision for our community has left a mark on all of California, and as I said in other states across the union, he will continue to guide us for years to come, and we lost a real giant. His legacy will live on the work we do to create a fairer, more just society.

Not just in San Jose or Santa Clara County, but as I said, across California and in several other states as well. Victor could convene anybody at any time, not in the sense of being a classic mediator or somebody who used sugar instead of some kind of a stick. He demanded that people convene.

That's what he did, and they did. It didn't matter if the individual was a mayor or a Police Chief or somebody who needed to fly in from Los Angeles into the Bay Area. For example, when Victor said, we're putting a group together to bring justice, everybody showed up.

He survived by his five children, several grandchildren, and his siblings. Mister President, thank you today for the opportunity to speak to his legacy and ask that we adjourn in his memory.

Thank you, Senator Cortese. We ask that you bring his name forward so he can be properly memorialized. And we thank him for his service. Next up we have Senator Umberg.

Thank you, Mister President and colleagues. Today I rise to honor the life and memory of Marty Schrank. Marty was a fixture in democratic politics in Orange County. Actually, describing her as a fixture doesn't do her justice.

Marty was the backbone of the party in the days when Orange County had no elected Democrats at the supervisorial, legislative, or congressional level. That's where Marty was when we met in a phone booth with four or five people. One of them there was Marty husband, Richard.

She was born on December 201937 in Kansas City, Missouri, to Paul and Elizabeth Hafner. She would move to California with her family when she was five. She began her volunteer career in 1960, registering voters for John Kennedy's campaign, and she would never stop after that.

She met her husband, Richard Schrank, in 1972 when she recruited him to walk precincts during the George McGovern campaign. Marty, as I said, was the backbone of the party. She volunteered all her time, except for when she was doing other good works in the community.

At the Democratic Party headquarters, she was the treasurer for the Fullerton Democratic Women. She was Vice President of Democrats of North Orange County, volunteer coordinator for Democratic Party of North Orange County, and had a number of other positions with various clubs and associations.

She was a mentor and a friend to virtually every young Democrat, every aspirant Democrat, every Democrat office holder from 1970 till very recently, including me. As a testament to her decades of mentorship, she would reach out to young Members and identify them for future leadership positions.

She was also involved with United Farm workers and marched alongside her friends and heroes, Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. Some of you may be old enough to remember the 1996 campaign between Loretta Sanchez and Bob Dornan. And she was quite memorable.

You can Google this, for serenading Bob Dornan when they thought his career and his time in office was, was over. With a unique serenade. She ended every email with a quote, quote, our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter. End quote. Quoting Doctor Martin Luther King.

She is survived by Bridget Mata and Peter Mata, and they've joined us here today in the gallery. Thank you very much for joining us today here in Sacramento. Her stepson Jim, her stepdaughter Renee, her brother Paul and sister Debbie Hafner and grandkids Nicholas and Jackie Mata.

Today, as I mentioned, we have the honor of both of them, both Brigid and Peter being in the gallery. Thank you for sharing, Marty. With all of us here in California and Orange County. Mister President, I ask that we adjourn today in the memory of Marty Schrank.

Thank you. Our deepest condolences to the family and thank you for joining us here today. And we'd ask that you bring her name forward so she could. I'm sorry, Senator Newman, on this adjournment. Memory.

Thank you, Mister President. I too rise to honor the life and memory of Marty Schrank. Marty, as my colleague mentioned, was an icon. She was a ubiquitous presence in Orange County democratic party circles.

In addition to her work with a county which dates back before any of us were involved, she was also the eminence Greece of my local democratic club, the Democrats of North Orange County. Marty could be ornery, but over time, there was nobody who didn't come to know and love her, but also respect her for her commitment.

No candidate or speaker ever left a meeting of the Democrats in North Orange County without being clear on where Marty stood on their issues. And over time, as my colleague mentioned, she had a massive positive impact on so many of us. Candidates, volunteers, any of the organizations working to improve life in Orange County. Her impact and legacy will carry on. We're grateful to have Bridget and Peter with us today, and I ask that we adjourn in her memory.

Thank you again, our deepest condolences. And we ask that you bring her name forward so she can be properly memorialized in the Senate Journal. Next up is Senator Smallwood-Cuevas.

Thank you, Mister President, and good afternoon again, colleagues. Today I rise in the memory of the great Reverend James Lawson, our very own civil rights warrior, but one of the greatest civil rights leaders to appear on this earth who passed away earlier this month at the age of 95. Reverend Lawson was my friend.

And there's so much that has been said and written about Reverend Lawson. But what I know most about him is just his spirit and his soul. And no matter who you were, whether you were a student or a Governor, Reverend James Lawson made time to teach. To teach and to share his wisdom, to lend a little bit of his soul force with you.

And sometimes it could be frustrating when you would call his home and you get a busy signal, because Reverend Lawson didn't believe in two ways, so you knew someone was getting good counsel because that busy signal would be on the line. But for more than half a century, Reverend James Lawson served as our nation's most influential social justice leaders, from California, where he spent most of his time in the fields of justice.

Influenced by the work of Mahatma Gandhi, he dedicated his life to teaching nonviolence, resistance, and he believed in the use of peaceful yet powerful tools, the science of nonviolence.

Recognizing that physical violence and force could not bring about the transformative change that our world so needed, he taught that we had to find the humanity in our enemy, and we had to build a basis of understanding that would change our enemy, to see what is right with the world and to join forces with the moral authority of the people.

He became a key architect and strategist of the 1960 civil rights movement, working alongside Doctor King to fight against racism and discrimination. And the two men met as young ministers.

In 1957, Doctor King had just led the successful Montgomery boycott, and Reverend Lawson had just returned from India after he had spent one year in federal penitentiary as a conscientious objector in resisting the draft, he and Doctor King connected on the value and the power of nonviolence.

And in their conversations, Doctor King immediately told Reverend Lawson that he needed to bring his knowledge of nonviolent practice to the south and to come immediately. And Reverend Lawson did. And he became a lead trainer of volunteers and campaign strategist, where he led in the Nashville sit ins victory by training hundreds of young students in Tennessee on the theories of nonviolence and the practice of change.

And in 1960, that movement successfully desegregated the Woolworths counter in the City of Nashville and inspired a whole new generation of civil rights leaders in the south. In 1968, he served as a pivotal leader of the Memphis sanitation strike.

And we remember how the civil rights movement began to transition into an economic justice movement and the poor people's campaign. And it was Reverend Lawson that called on Reverend King to come down to Memphis to be a part of the I am a Man campaign.

Where black sanitation workers stood up for their rights and became the rallying cry for all low wage workers and marginalized communities to have the dignity at work and the power of a living wage. After his move to California, Reverend Lawson became a central figure in the labor rights movement of Los Angeles.

And that's where I had the opportunity to meet with him as we were organizing security officers with SEIU. And I recall Reverend Lawson coming and taking a group of us to lunch to talk about the campaign. And he explained the theories of plantation capitalism and how it is alive and well in our modern day society, where there's an ownership society that refuses to recognize the labor of men and women and their need to have dignity in the workplace.

And that even in this place where we were organizing and it seemed almost impossible, where we were facing some of the wealthiest landowners in Los Angeles, you know, he said, these are nothing more than vertical plantations, and we have to liberate and free all workers.

And we do that through unionization, through organizing and letting their collective voices be heard. And I remember one afternoon when we had. We were all on the streets and folks were starting to get arrested. And Reverend Lawson was standing in the middle of the street, a library tower. And he just started to pray in this powerful way.

And there was a building owner who owned a number of properties in downtown LA. And he came out of the building in the midst of this prayer, and Reverend Lawson brought him over to pray with him. And it was one of the most profound moments of seeing transformation of the human being before my very eyes.

And it was a major breakthrough in that campaign, which went on to organize 4000 private security officers in these downtown commercial buildings. So, you know, to witness the power of Reverend Lawson's humanity touching another person's humanity and making it better for thousands of workers and their families.

Reverend Lawson really was, for me, a superhero and a soul force that was just undeniable from his legacy and work with Low wage workers in the hospitality industry, the janitorial industry, the security industry, the food and grocery workers, to his education and teaching at the UCLA labor Center. Now the Reverend James Lawson, worker, Justice center.

He carried so much weight by articulating strategies rooted in his intellectual thirst for truth and knowledge and study, but also in his lived experience as a world changer. I felt honored to be in his presence. I felt honored to give him a ride anywhere. I felt honored to be on a call.

I felt honored to hear his calming voice in 2016, where he said, America is going to be all right, and justice will prevail. And that we are part of that justice. In a world rife with turmoil and injustice, Reverend Lawson's soul force as a divine problem solver will be so deeply missed. I feel there are no more adults left in the room now. It is on us. It is on us.

And his spirit will live on through the continuing civil rights movement, through our continuing workers rights movements, through our continuing work through worker centers and labor centers, through the work of Holman United Methodist Church, where he was pastor for 25 years. That continues to be an advocate for justice.

Through the southern Christian leadership conference of Los Angeles, which he helped to found. And that stands with working class communities of color for criminal. From criminal justice movements to women's rights movements, into the immigrant rights movement of Los Angeles. He stood with and stood up for so many of us. And now it is our turn to stand up and be a part of his legacy. And with that, I respectfully call for him to be introduced into the memory of the California State Senate.

Thank you. Recognize Senator Bradford also on this measure.

Thank you, Mister President. And I just want to quickly add my voice in the adjournment of not only a civil rights icon, but a legend in our own time. An individual. When you say warrior, a true Jedi warrior, a warrior for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. And I am blessed to have called Doctor Lawson not only a mentor, but a friend.

But I first met him not as a civil rights icon, but as a father, because his son, John Lawson, and I met in college, and we affectionately call him Johnny Law because he's one of the brightest lawyers we have in LA, if not California. But I got to see the father firsthand. I got to see the husband firsthand. I got to see the mentor. And not just the preacher of the word, but a teacher of the word. Reverend Lawson made the Bible plain.

He articulated the words of God better than probably anybody else, but at the same time, again, a fearless warrior for justice and equality who would stand up and speak truth to power regardless of where he is. And as my colleague from Los Angeles highlighted, it was Reverend Lawson who called Doctor King to Memphis during the sanitation strike.

He says he was the chief strategist on that strike. Many people credit Doctor King, but it was Doctor Lawson who organized that strike. It was Doctor Lawson that organized many of the early sit ins throughout the south. And he also organized the Freedom rides. And it was in 1989 when I was blessed to join Martin Lutlow and take almost 40 something young kids from Los Angeles and recreate the freedom ride every stop along the way.

And Doctor Lawson was one of the individuals who educated us on what to expect, how to be prepared, and just to experience his firsthand experience to it. And I guarantee it was a life changing experience for me, but more importantly, for all the young kids that were on that trip.

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of Goodman, Cheney, and Swarner and their families joined us as well in adventure. But it was Reverend Lawson, again, who just encouraged us all to know the truth and be courageous and be fearless, but also be respectful of one another again, as my colleague stated, he studied under Gandhi, and he instilled the nonviolent movement in the SCLC and the civil rights movement of the sixties.

Although he retired in 1999, he continued his work to care about equity and justice, not only here in California, not only in the United States, but throughout the world. He was an amazing educator and teacher. He gave his time and his voice and passion, continuing to fight for workers, LGBTQ community, and the reproductive rights of women.

And I am proud to have worked with my colleagues here in the Senate, Senator Durazzo, to help secure 15 million in 2021 for the James Lawson Labor center at UCLA. And I remember the joy that day when we did to dedication and he giving me a hug and, you know, and thanking us, but it was really us who was thanking him for all that he has done throughout his life. And so I'm deeply heartbroken at his passing.

Again, a loving husband, a father, civil rights icon who impacted the nation and the world, and he will be sorely missed. But Members, please join me in adjournment of James Morris Lawson Junior.

Thank you, Senator Bradford. Senator Smallwood Cuevas, please bring his name up so he can move properly. oh, we have one more on this adjourn. Go ahead, Senator Durazo.

Thank you, Mister President. I also rise with great sadness and ask that you all join us in a journey in the memory of our great friend, the late Reverend James Lawson. He was a civil rights leader, all right. But more importantly, he was an advocate and a fighter for human dignity, period. He was unwavering in his determination.

He left a permanent mark on our society. He's not the name that is well known, you know, in popular terms, but anyone who did any kind of mobilizing and organizing in the labor movement of Los Angeles or in the civil rights movement across the country knows what he did. He was the key leader.

He dedicated his life to dismantling segregation. That was something that he did alongside Doctor King. So over three decades ago, I met Reverend Lawson, and he helped us rebuild the labor movement in Los Angeles. He didn't come out of the labor movement. He just believed in the values of the labor movement.

And alongside many of you, had the opportunity to rename the UCLA James Lawson Worker Justice Center a permanent home in honor of our national hero. This center is in the heart of the working poor, where Latino immigrants face exploitation, as referred by Reverend Lawson as plantation capitalism.

He's the only person I know who uses that term, but it very aptly describes what goes on every single day. The kind of people that Reverend Lawson dedicated his life to serve. Men and women who are denied the most basic human needs, like healthcare, food, a roof over their heads, even while they work day in and day out the community. And I had the privilege of learning from him the principles of winning campaigns and coalition building.

The principle that is most impactful is that you do the most good for the most people when you empower them to make change for themselves. But all of this was based on human dignity. I was personally impacted by Reverend Lawson. In the eighties, I led a change in the hotel and restaurant workers union, Local Eleven.

The predominant Latino workers, were the backbone of a very prosperous hospitality industry. But because of a weak union leadership, the housekeepers and the cooks had no choice but to accept whatever the bosses gave them. We set out to change that. We knew the workers had to be empowered. Well, I admit I was scared.

The workers were scared. We had no experience in taking on powerful forces, powerful national corporations. Then Reverend Lawson stepped into our lives. One of my most extraordinary moments was when Reverend Lawson joined Cesar Chavez in a meeting that we had with hundreds of hotel workers.

And we had done everything we could think of over several years to win a new fair contract. We were losing hope, truth be told. But the two most powerful teachers of nonviolence in the nation spoke about how ordinary people acted in extraordinary ways to win their battles.

Poor African American sanitation workers in the south and poor Latino farmworkers in Delano, California. They inspired us to stay the course we did, and we won. We lost, Cesar. But we had the extraordinary fortune of having Reverend Lawson continue to be our guiding light in the moments of despair. He was our teacher.

Teachings that led housekeepers to make beds in the middle of the street in the intersection of fifth and Figueroa, and then turn around. After they were arrested and engage in conversation with the very police that had arrested them. We filled every seat in a nice restaurant and ordered water for 2 hours as a show of support to those workers. Think about this.

An English speaking African American Methodist from Pennsylvania taught Spanish speaking Mexican and central American hotel workers to achieve justice through strikes. Through marches, through sit ins, through hunger fasts and civil disobedience. His philosophy transformed us into the strongest labor movement in the country.

He taught janitors, home care workers, security officers and supermarket workers to engage in campaign using non violence. He taught black, brown, white, API. He taught all workers. He taught us to help build Doctor King's beloved community in which everyone is cared for. Absent of poverty, absent of hunger, and absent of hate.

His long life of advocacy will be honored through the James Lawson Worker Justice Center for decades to come. He taught several generations on the science and the philosophy of nonviolence.

And last year, I was so fortunate to introduce and with you all, we passed a bipartisan, historic Senate resolution to promote nonviolence education in the public schools of California. The James Lawson Dolores Huerta non violence project will transform his noble vision into reality. Let us celebrate his life and his incredible impact on our society.

In front of you, you have a book on the teachings of Reverend Lawson entitled Revolutionary Nonviolence. Our condolences to his wife, Dorothy Wood Lawson, his two sons, Morris and John, and his three grandchildren. On behalf of those workers whose lives he changed, and for the strength and friendship he gave to me. Rest in peace, my dear friend, Reverend James Lawson.

Thank you all for the powerful comments. Senator Small Cuevas, please bring his name up so it can be properly memorialized. If there's no other business. Senator Grove, the desk is clear.

Thank you, Mister President. Colleagues, we are adjourned for today. Our next this floor session will be Thursday, June 20, 2024 at 09:00 a.m. it's a busy week and enjoy your time in the Senate.

The Senate is adjourned. We will reconvene Thursday, June 20, at 09:00 a.m.