Assembly Floor

The Assembly is now in session. Assemblymember Weber notices the absence of a quorum. The sergeant in 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 in the flag salute. Today's prayer will be offered by our Assembly Chaplain, Imam Yasir Khan.

In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful, Almighty God. In this Assembly, we come before you with hearts open and spirits attuned to your guidance. Grant us the clarity to discern truth amidst complexity, the empathy to understand diverse perspectives, and the courage to act with conviction. As we deliberate and decide.

May your light illuminate our path, leading us to choices that honor justice, uphold dignity, and foster unity. May our words be tempered with kindness, our actions driven by compassion and our intentions grounded in the common good. Bless our collective efforts to serve our community with wisdom and grace.

May we be instruments of healing, reconciliation, and progress, guided by your eternal love. In your holy presence, we humbly offer this prayer. Amen.

Thank you. Please join Assemblymember Wilson as she leads us in the pledge.

Members, staff and visitors, please join me in the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag.

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

Assembly Chamber Sacramento Thursday, May 2, 2024 the Assembly met at 09:00 a.m. the Honorable...

Ms. Aguiar-Curry moves and Mr. Flores seconds that the reading of the previous day's journal be dispensed with. Presentations and petitions there are none. Introduction and 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 medical leave, Assemblymember Jones-Sawyer and Assemblymember Mathis, for illness, Assemblymember Gibson Members, pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.2, I am re-referring item 295 Mr. Lowenthal to the Judiciary Committee. Moving to procedural motions. Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry, you are recognized for your procedural motions.

Good afternoon, Mister Speaker. I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 45.5 to all Assemblymembers Berman and Wallace to speak on adjournment in memory today.

Without objection, such shall be the order.

I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 118 to allow Assemblymember Calderon to have guests in the room of the chamber and at the rostrum to allow Assemblymembers Boerner, Bonta, Villa,pudua and Calderon to have guests seated at their desks and to allow Assemblymembers Aguiar-Curry, Reyes, Ward, Gallagher, Waldron, Wood and Wilson to have guests in the rear of the chamber today.

Without objection, such shall be the order

At the request of the authors, please remove item 18, SB 1523, Committee on Governmental Organizations, and item 88, SB 1225 Jones from the consent calendar.

Clerk will note,

I request unanimous consent to withdraw AB 2129 Petrie-Norris and AB 2541 Bains from enrollment and order the bills to return to the Senate for further action.

Without objection, such shall be the order.

At the request of Assemblymember Wicks, I am giving a one-day notice to remove item a seven, SB 675 Limon, from the inactive file.

Clerk will note.

I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 56 to allow the following committees to notice bills pending re-referral from other committees, to allow the Judiciary Committee to notice two bills for the July 2 hearing.

SB 1201 Durazo and SB 1286 Min, both pending re-referral from the Banking and Finance Committee. To allow the Labor and Employment Committee to notice SB 1298 Cortese for their July 2 hearing pending the re-referral from Natural Resources Committee.

Without objection, such shall be the order.

I move to suspend Assembly Rule 96 and withdraw AB 2813 Aguiar-Curry from the Rules Committee and allow the author to take up the Bill without reference to file today for the purpose of a third reading.

Mr. Flora.

Thank you, Mr. speaker. Withhold consent and ask for a roll call vote.

Majority Leader so Mister Flora is asking for a roll call vote objecting to consent, the majority leader moves. Assemblymember Ortega seconds to suspend the rules. Members, this is a procedural vote on the suspension of the rules and not debatable. The Clerk will open the rule. All those vote who desire to vote.

All those vote who desire to vote. Majority leader asking for an aye vote. Mr. Flora asking for a no vote. All those vote who desire to vote. This requires 40 votes. Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. Ayes 40 no is 12. Motion carries. The rules are suspended.

Pursuant to Assembly Rule 96, I request unanimous consent to re-refer the following bills to Committee.

SB 92 Umberg from the Appropriations Committee to the Judiciary Committee. SB 52 Dali from the Appropriations Committee to the Revenue and Taxation Committee. SB 957 Wiener from the Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee to the Appropriations Committee. SB 984 Wahab from the Governmental Organization Committee to the Appropriations Committee. SB 1092 Blakespear from the Local Government Committee to the Appropriations Committee and then, after second reading is adopted to re-refer. SB 1298, Cortese from the Labor and Employment Committee to the Natural Resources Committee, then back to the Labor and Employment Committee.

Thank you, Madam Majority leader. Just for clarification that was SB 542. Without objection. Such shall be the order.

Thank you. I move to suspend Assembly Rule 96 and withdraw the following budget related bills from the Budget Committee and order them to the second reading file. Senate Bills 108, 109, 153, 155, 156, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 166, 168, 169, 170, 171, 173, 174, and 175.

Mr. Flora.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, withhold consent and ask for roll call vote.

So the majority leader moves. Mr. Flora objects. Ms. Ortega seconds. Members, this is a procedural vote on the suspension of the rules. Not debatable. The Clerk will open the rule. All those vote who desire to vote. Procedural motion. Majority leader asking for an aye vote. Mr. Flora asking for a no vote.

All those vote who desire to vote on a procedural motion.

Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. Ayes 41, noes 12. Motion carries. The rules are suspended.

I request unanimous consent to suspend joint rule 62 A, the file notice requirement to allow the Judiciary Committee to hear AB 295, Lowenthal and SB 92 Umberg at the hearing on Tuesday, June 25 at 9:00 a.m.

Without objection. Such shall be the order.

SB 1524 Dodd is currently item one on the second reading. I request unanimous consent to suspend the rules to allow Assemblymember Haney to take up SB 1524 today without reference to file for the purpose of third reading.

Without objection, such shall be the order.

I request unanimous consent to withdraw AB 1974 Petrie-Norris from enrollment and order the Bill to be held at the desk.

Without objection. Such shall be the order. Well, we're going to start with some introductions. There will be a lot of introductions today, Members, so first of all, please, Members, please join me in wishing Assemblymember Pellerin a happy birthday today. Let's also wish Assemblymember Gipson a happy early birthday as he celebrates tomorrow. He's not here today.

He's sick. But we'll get another chance at him hopefully in a couple of days. And Assemblymember Calderone, would you like to introduce, you have a guest with us today.

Yes, thank you, Mister speaker. And Members, I'd like to introduce my youngest son, Bren Calderon. He's home from Berkeley, and so I just like to welcome to the Assembly floor.

Assemblymember Villapudua. You have a guest with you today.

I do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I have my beautiful daughter, my eight-year-old daughter. She's on her summer break, just got done with her tennis camp, and she needed a break, so now she's hanging, hanging here with her father. So let me introduce Catalina.

Thank you, Assemblymember Villapudua. Welcome, Catalina. We'll now be moving to business on the daily file. We'll have further introductions today.

I do want to note we do have some additional, we have a lot of guests with us today, and I'm sure I'm going to leave somebody out and I'm sure someone will help me with that later on. But I'd like to welcome with us today, former Assemblymember Paul Horcher is with us here today.

Former Assemblymember and Senator and speaker of the Assembly Bob Hertzberg is here with us today. Former Assemblymember Rusty Arias is here with us today, as well. As is former Assemblymember Gary Condon, also former Assemblymember and Congressman Jim Costa is with us here today.

And former Assemblymember and a lot of things, including Attorney General, Bill Lockyer is with us here today. And I'm sure I missed some, and I will be adding to that as we go through the rest of the rest of the session here today. So moving to business on this on the daily file.

Second reading Clerk will read.

[Second Reading]

All bills will bee deemed read and all amendments will be deemed adopted. We're going to be moving to item 51.

Item 51, HR 109 by Assembly Member Calderon. The clerk will read.

House Resolution 109 by Assemblymember Calderon and others relative to Willie L. Brown Jr Day.

Assembly Member Calderon, you are recognized.

Thank you Mr Speaker and members. I rise today to present House Resolution 109 to mark today as Willie L. Brown Junior Day. Mister Brown is one of the most renowned political minds in our state's history. He was one of only four African Americans in the legislature when first elected.

He is the first African American speaker of the California State Assembly, and he served 30 years in the Assembly, 15 years as speaker, the longest tenure in California's history. He then went on to serve eight successful years as the mayor of San Francisco. But his impact goes beyond how many terms he served and the legislation he authored.

He was instrumental in elevating this institution, raising the standards for what it means to be a strong and effective legislator. He also fundamentally changed what the halls of this building look like, recruiting staff as diverse as our state and empowering a new generation of leadership.

Mister Brown continues to shape political life in California, serving as a mentor and advisor to state and national leaders. We are forever indebted to him for his service to the people of California. For these reasons, I'm honored to present this resolution proclaiming this day as Willie L. Brown Junior Day. May we always celebrate him for his transformational, legendary leadership.

Thank you, Assemblymember Calderon. Assemblymember Ward, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mister Speaker. I rise today as the Vice Chair of the Legislative LGBTQ caucus in support of HR 109, deservingly commemorating June 24 as Willie L. Brown Day. Today, we not only remember, but also celebrate the long lasting legacy of a trailblazing California leader whose life's work has been dedicated to advancing equality and justice for all.

Speaker Brown was not just a staunch advocate for his constituents, but also a beacon of progress for LGBTQ Californians across our state. Throughout his career, Speaker Brown championed LGBTQ rights with passion and unwavering commitment. Shortly before entering the Assembly, Speaker Brown introduced and worked tirelessly for two years to pass his bill that decriminalized homosexuality in California.

Building office work. Speaker Brown was only one of two Assembly Members who voted against a 1977 bill banning same-sex marriage. His courage to stand up against hate and discrimination, targeting a community that he is not a member of, inspired countless others to join the fight for equality, turning the tides of history towards a more equitable and just California.

Speaker Brown understood that equality is not negotiable and that every Californian deserved to live openly, authentically, and genuinely themselves without fear of discrimination and further his advocacy for our LGBTQ community transcended legislation as he also worked diligently to address the HIV AIDS crisis, including his success in securing funding for research and increasing education to combat stigma associated with the disease.

Let us carry on Speaker Brown's legacy and allow his spirit to inspire us all and our advocacy to ensure that true equality and justice for all Californians, no matter what adversity we face.

I'd like to thank my colleague from Whittier and members of the Black Caucus for bringing forth this measure and respectfully request your aye vote on HR 109.

Thank you, Assemblymember Ward. Assemblymember Pellerin, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mister speaker and Members. Our honoree once said in a popular 2001 motion picture, it never comes down on Willie Brown. But today, plenty will come down on our honoree. Admiration, respect, celebration, reverence, appreciation, praise, recognition, and love.

As a former staffer to our longest-serving speaker, I am proud to speak today on behalf of the California Legislative Women's Caucus as we honor Willie L. Brown, who celebrated his 90th birthday in March. Today, on this Assembly floor, where the legendary Willie L. Brown Junior served for more than 30 years, we celebrate the remarkable achievements of a distinguished leader and advocate, a man whose legacy is defined by his unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and the empowerment of women.

Willie L. Brown Junior, a name synonymous with political acuity and visionary leadership, has been a transformative figure in American politics for more than six decades, serving as the speaker of the California State Assembly and the mayor of San Francisco. His impact on the political landscape is profound and enduring.

However, among many of his accomplishments, one stands out, his steadfast dedication to advancing the rights and opportunities for women. From the earliest days of his career, Willie Brown understood the importance of gender equality. In an era where women's voices were often marginalized, he championed their inclusion and representation.

In 1964, Willie Brown was elected to the California State Assembly. His tenure in the Assembly was marked by his relentless fight for civil rights, social justice, and economic equality. Willie Brown championed numerous legislative initiatives that improved the lives of countless Californians, particularly from the marginalized communities.

His efforts to advance education, Healthcare, and workers' rights set a new standard for progressive leadership. Under his leadership, the number of women in the assembly increased significantly, ensuring that their voices were heard on critical issues affecting families, communities in our great State of California.

He was elected speaker of the California State Assembly in 1980, a position he held for a record 15 years and will hold for all eternity. As speaker, he skillfully navigated the complexities of state politics, forging bipartisan alliances and fostering a collaborative environment.

His strategic acumen and ability to build consensus were instrumental in passing critical legislation that addressed the needs of a rapidly growing and diverse California. As speaker of the California State Assembly, he broke new ground by appointing women to key leadership positions, fostering an environment where their talents and their perspectives helped shape public policy in California.

Women like my esteemed colleague from Whittier, who is the author of this resolution before us today, and phenomenal women like our former Superintendent of Schools, Delane Easton, whose memorial we attended this morning Eleanor Johns, who served in many leadership roles in the State Assembly and was the Executive Director of the Willie L. Brown Institute on Politics and Public Service his first press secretary, Bobby Metzger, his Chief of Staff, Leslie Medina and other incredible women leaders like Patty Jo Rutland, Elizabeth Kirsten, Lily Spitz, Flo Sanchez, Marlene Garcia, Marguerite, Archie Hudson, Celeste Rose, Joanne O'Malley, Gail Kaufman and Bertha Gorman, to just name a few.

Mayor Brown's tenure in San Francisco was marked by his relentless pursuit of policies that supported women in every aspect of their lives. He prioritized affordable childcare, recognizing that access to quality childcare is essential for women to pursue their careers and education.

His administration implemented innovative programs aimed to reducing domestic violence, providing resources and support to survivors, and ensuring their safety and well-being. He also championed equal pay initiatives, striving to close the wage gap and promote economic justice for women across the city. Beyond policy, Willie Brown's personal commitment to mentoring and empowering women has left an indelible mark.

He recognized that true progress requires not only systemic change, but also individual support and encouragement. Throughout his career, he has mentored countless women, providing guidance, inspiration and opportunities for them to excel in their fields. I am beyond grateful that I continue to benefit from his mentorship and witness his brilliance, wit and genius firsthand.

His belief in the potential of women to lead and innovate has paved the way for a new generation of female leaders who will continue to shape our society. His legacy is a testament to the power of advocacy, the importance of representation, and the transformative impact of inclusive leadership.

His efforts have not only improved the lives of countless women but have also enriched our communities and strengthened our democracy. He has inspired generations of politicians, activists, and community organizers to pursue public service with unwavering dedication. His ability to connect with people from all walks of life.

His eloquence and his unyielding spirit and contagious smile continue to serve as a beacon of hope and inspiration. Willie L. Brown Junior is not just a political icon in a well-tailored Brioni suit, he is a living testament to the power of perseverance, vision, and leadership.

His contributions to California and the nation have left an indelible mark on our history, and his legacy will continue to shape the future for years to come. It's with great pride and honor that I ask you to all please join me in giving me the greatest gift on my birthday by joining me in voting aye for HR 109 that proclaims today June 24, Willie L. Brown Junior Day.

Thank you, Assemblymember Pellerin. Assemblymember Cervantes, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mister speaker and members, today I rise as chair of the California Latino legislative Caucus in support of House Resolution 109 commemorating Willie Brown Day. On this occasion, we honor a true legend of California politics whose name belongs in the pantheon with Jesse Unruh and Jerry Brown.

Former Assembly speaker and mayor of San Francisco, Willie Brown is truly one of the most monumental figures who served in this legislature and indeed in this very house. Speaker Brown welded unprecedented levels of influence in determining the future of our state and in shaping the policy that emanated from this very chamber.

As a proud member of the LGBTQ caucus, those bills included landmark legislation decriminalizing homosexuality in California and policies acknowledging and addressing the HIV and AIDS pandemic. But beyond his incredible influence on our Golden State, Speaker Brown also became a widely recognizable voice in national democratic politics.

His impassioned speech regarding seating the California delegation at the 1972 Democratic National Convention helped make him a national figure in policymaking, politics, and legislating. If they are a profession, then Speaker Brown is truly an acknowledged master.

It is no surprise that his voice has been sought for mentorship, for commentary, and public speaking for decades after his public service. Mister Speaker, it is truly an honor today to help celebrate one of the people who helped make California the golden state that it truly is.

And I want to thank our colleague from Whittier for bringing and authoring this resolution and for these very reasons, on behalf of the Latino caucus, I join our colleagues in respectfully requesting an aye vote on HR 109.

Thank you, Assembly Member Cervantes. Assemblymember Wilson, you are recognized.

Mister speaker, members, I rise today on behalf of the California Legislative Black Caucus to honor and recognize former Assembly Member, I'm sorry, former Assembly speaker Willie Brown on his 90th birthday. Willie Lewis Brown junior has made significant and enduring contributions to the State of California throughout his illustrious career in law, politics, and public service.

And dare I say, he is not done yet. From his early days in Manola, Texas, Willie Brown Junior demonstrated the intelligence, ambition, and passion that would later propel him to become one of the most influential figures in California politics.

After graduating from San Francisco State University with a degree in political science and later earning his Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of Law, he established himself as a skilled lawyer and an advocate for civil rights.

His entry into the California State Assembly in 1964 was a turning point not only in his career but also for the state. He became a strong and effective Legislator, championing progressive policies such as Assembly Bill 489, which has been mentioned from my colleagues, which legalized homosexuality in California.

His ascension to the speaker of the Assembly in 1980 marked a historic moment as he became the first black speaker in California history. Throughout his tenure in the Assembly, Willie Brown Junior demonstrated exceptional leadership and a deep commitment to the people of California.

His remarkable negotiation skills and political acumen earned him the nickname the Ayatollah of the Assembly, and he remains the longest-serving speaker in California history. After leaving the assembly due to term limits in 1995, which is the only way they could get him to leave, he continued to shape the state's future as mayor of San Francisco.

His accomplishments during his mayorship included mediating labor strikes and overseeing significant city developments have left an indelible mark on that city. Following his retirement from public office, Willie Brown Junior continued to dedicate himself to community service, including the establishment of the Willie L. Brown Junior Institute on Politics and Public Service at San Francisco State University, which trains future municipal administrators. Willie Brown Junior has served as a mentor and an inspiration to countless elected officials, legislative staff and community leaders throughout his career.

His contributions to the State of California and his commitment to public service have set a high standard for future generations, including every single person on this floor. On behalf of the California Legislative Black Caucus, I am proud to celebrate Willie Brown Junior Day on June 24, 2024 in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to our state.

His legacy is one of unwavering dedication to public service and the betterment of our communities. We, as the California Legislative Black Caucus, respectfully urge a strong aye vote on HR 109.

Thank you, Assemblymember Wilson. Assemblymember Ramos, you are recognized.

Well, thank you, Mister Speaker. I rise today on behalf of the California Native American Legislative Caucus. I stand here today within the early days of tribal gaming when I was tribal Chairman of the Salmon tribal government. We seek your advice on moving forward in a lot of different areas that are there.

I remember personally a call that we had when we were talking about a tribal issue where you were on the call and also Speaker Perez was on the call, and we asked, Mister speaker, what do you think? And immediately there was a couple voices coming forward because two speakers were on the line.

From that point forward, we continued to move forward in forming a relationship with yourself in Indian country here in the State of California. We continue to look forward to forming that relationship and forming this caucus here today on the State Legislature.

Because of your fourth vision moving forward, we're able to be here today and have a diverse caucus like we have today. And for the first time in the state's history, because of your leadership envision there is a California Indian now in these chambers. So thank you for that. Happy birthday.

And I ask my colleagues in joining the California Native American Legislative Caucus and voting aye on HR 109. Thank you.

Thank you, Assembly Member Ramos. Assembly Member Ting, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mister Speaker. You know, when you get elected from San Francisco to the Assembly, you realize you have very big shoes to fill. And you look at all the past legislators, whether their names are Burton or McCarthy or any, any number of legislators who have represented our city in this very August body.

But there is really no name that looms larger than Speaker Brown. Speaker Brown, his ability to really chart a legislative course in legislative power was a major changing event in this body's history. The reason we have as much legislative authority today is in part due to his vision.

His vision to have a full-time staff, really during his tenure. You saw us move toward a full-time legislature. You saw a professionalization of this body, of really the entire legislative body so that we could really become a co-equal branch of government.

And that's why so many people work so hard to get rid of him, is because he represented a rise in power of this body. And I believe the people of California, because quite often, if you are trying to reach the governor or you're trying to reach a department secretary, it's very difficult to reach those folks.

But for us, we are in our neighborhoods every day. We're at the grocery store, we're at the farmers markets, we're at any number of community events on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. They all know how to find us. And because we, as legislators, are the voice of the people, thanks to him, the people's voice was risen.

And if you think about not just that, but also who the people were because of him, his leadership, you look at the diversity of not just his staff, but of all the people that he championed, the very much diversity of this body, the reason that it's more representative of California, of the population of California, the people of California from all reaches of the state, is frankly due to him and his vision.

His unapologetic nature, that everybody was welcome in this body. Everybody should be part of that discussion. Doesn't matter what your background was, who you are, what race, gender, etcetera. That you had a right to be here and to be part of this democratic process.

Every time I would sit down with Speaker Brown, it was like a master class in Assembly politics. And for me, I always made a point to make sure that I caught up with him a couple times every single year, especially after I, I took this job.

I remember, you know, him giving me one point, a few points of wisdom. He told me prior to being speaker, he was the ways and means chair. Back in those days, the Appropriations and the Budget Committees were one Committee. So if you can imagine how much power that one committee person had, you can just think about it.

Well, Speaker Brown was chair of the Ways and Means Committee. And I think that many people look at Speaker Brown. He's obviously an amazing order, dressed impeccably well, but I don't think anybody realizes how hard he works. So I remember one thing he told me. He's like, my goal as ways and means chair.

So if you're appropriations chair, that would be the goal is to know every member's bill better than them. So can you imagine? Can you imagine knowing every member's bill better than them? He said, my goal is I want to be able to recite that bill and tell the member what their bill does better than them.

That was his goal. That was his goal. And so just a reminder how much hard work you put in, it's not just political savvy. It's not just intelligence. It's a huge amount of hard work. Long before I became budget chair.

And this is something I remind my, I reminded the budget staff about this point that he gave me. He's like, just remember, the governor's got a blue pencil. But that blue pencil cannot add one dollar to the state budget, not one. That authority rests in this body, not the governor's.

So if the governor wants anything in the budget, it has to come from the legislature. We have to give it to him. And so just reminding ourselves of the authority that we have, that the people have invested us.

And every time I would sit down with him, it was a reminder about the responsibility we have to make people's lives better, but also the authority that the people have entrusted with us and that he singularly, really defined and became a complete master of.

So with that, Mister Speaker, I rise and ask for our vote in support of HR 109 in recognizing Speaker Brown on his 90th birthday.

Thank you, Mister Ting, Mister Low, you are recognized.

Thank you very much, colleagues, and to our colleague from the City of Industry in Whittier and parts of Los Angeles for allowing us an opportunity in recognizing Speaker Brown.

I rise on behalf of the Asian Pacific Legislative Caucus, and I remember Speaker Brown first when I was about 10 years old, attending what we would call family associations in Chinatown, in which, as a 10-year-old, seeing then this entourage walk into this room and Speaker Willie Brown gives greetings in Chinese, and of course, my Chinese mother then quips, he speaks Chinese better than you.

And of course, that entire rest of the dinner, I was practicing greetings in Chinese. And I'll never forget that sentiment, to try to always excel, to be proud of my Chinese heritage. But that shows, of course, the type of representation and the cultural competency of public service.

Speaker Brown has similarly fought to help ensure that Filipino veterans during World War two gained United States citizenship. He was one of the highest-ranking state officials to support reparations for Japanese Americans, as well as some of the many contributions to the Asian Pacific Islander community. And most importantly, to recognize the personal connection as well.

He was responsible for helping ensure that the Asian American community broke the glass ceiling, or as we would call the bamboo ceiling, and appointing the first Asian American and woman as the chief administrative officer of this body. And May Lee Tom.

May Lee Tom, as a staff person, she may or may not have helped, even write these talking points. Once a staffer, always a staffer. Speaker Brown, thank you very much for your service and allowing us an opportunity and recognizing your contributions to our beautiful state.

Thank you, Assemblymember Low, assemblymember Lackey, you are recognized.

Thank you, speaker, and members. I'm here to not squander this opportunity to first of all share something with you that you may not be aware of, and that is how highly Speaker Brown is thought of by the California Highway Patrol.

He enhanced our compensation substantially during his leadership, and he helped build our image because he understood the sacrifice that that agency offers this state. And so behalf of the thousands of members of the California Highway Patrol, I, being a retired member, I wanted to personally not waste this opportunity to say thank you.

It was a very, very big deal, and he knows what I'm talking about. I don't need to go into detail to all of you, but I also want to challenge those of us on this floor who are men to pick up our drip game, because I can tell you no one, he understands the importance of image. Everybody.

And I think sometimes we forget where we're at when we're on this floor. And we should dignify that through our expression on the attire that we wear, because no one can match. The guy may be 90 years old, but he wipes us all out on how nice he looks. So I think those kind of things are important.

And it's not just a compliment, it's something to learn from. And so I just wanted to say thank you and we greatly appreciate what he's done for the California Highway Patrol and other things. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Mister Lackey. Some Member Papan, you are recognized for some of these people in this room.

They will find it quite ironic that I follow my colleagues' comments about the Highway Patrol. I'm sure Speaker Brown will get a kick out of that as well. So I rise today not only as an Assembly Member, but also as another Assembly Member's daughter, Leigh Papan.

And growing up, you know, I saw firsthand Speaker Brown's prowess signified by an extraordinary talent. And his biggest talent was that he could count. And not only could he count, but it was the how he counted that was very important. This wasn't a guy that just was good at math.

Speaker Brown counted based on who each member was and what it took to get that member's vote, but still make it that that member could go back to his or her district and get reelected. And that takes an extraordinary talent with 79 other folks in this body.

And I watched him on this green carpet and it was masterful. There is no doubt about it. It is spectacular to see him now, because even in those days and now it was like poetry in motion. And he worked this carpet and could get things done that no one could get done.

And it all came down to being able to count and be able to count in a very masterful way. It is so spectacular to see that that poetry continues at age 90. I'd like to thank my colleague from Whittier for introducing HR 109, who also had a family member serve with Speaker Brown.

And I know by osmosis and being around our family members, we learned a lot about how it's done. And I would just like to say, may that poetry continue. I respect your request and aye vote.

Thank you, Assembly Member Papin. Assemblymember Haney, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mister Speaker. I want to first thank my colleague from Whittier and members of the Black Caucus for bringing forward this resolution.

I proudly stand here speaking on behalf of the Jewish Caucus and as a representative of San Francisco, having the opportunity to pay tribute to my most accomplished, most distinguished and best-dressed constituent, Mister Speaker Willy L. Brown.

You know, I want to provide a little bit, as my colleague from San Francisco did, some of the San Francisco perspective of our love for our speaker and our mayor, Mr. Willie Brown. San Francisco is sometimes called a knife fight in a phone booth.

And yet what is often not said is that the truth is that fight is happening because politicians are fighting with each other over who can answer that call from Willie Brown.

Willie Brown, genius, his warmth, his charm have made him not only one of the most powerful politicians in San Francisco and in California history, but also one of the most beloved. I can tell you for sure that people in San Francisco have not forgotten Willie Brown at all or his impact.

In fact, if you are at an event or you hear whispers of people saying that the mayor is here, it's just as likely to be mayor Brown as it is to be our current mayor, London Breed.

In fact, every time London Breed has an event and Mayor Brown is there, she has to recognize that there are two mayors of San Francisco in the room. To most San Franciscans, Willie Brown represents for us the San Francisco that they love, the San Francisco that they are proud of.

The San Francisco that Willie Brown brought to this chamber of inclusion, of fairness, of justice. As mentioned by my colleagues earlier, Willie Brown jr's illustrious career is marked by numerous honors and accolades. A towering figure in California politics, he made history.

And in many ways, if it weren't for term limits, he may still be our speaker or still be our mayor even, considering the incredible talents that he brought to his work. I also want to give voice to some of his impact on the people of our city and of our state.

I can tell you that every single person in San Francisco, if you've been there for any amount of time, you have a Willie Brown story. In the tenderloin where I live, his name is still spoken with reverence because he fought for the people there and he let them know that they mattered.

He didn't just use his connections for the powerful and wealthy. He made sure that in those same rooms, the marginalized and the disenfranchised were represented and heard.

He still today is somebody who, if you bring up his name in a taxi, at a restaurant, at a bar or on the street, people will share with you their Willie Brown story. And he, more often than anything, represents someone who had influence and power but who took the time to listen to others.

His influence has reached far beyond this chamber. I want to acknowledge that there are many former speakers who are here. There are many former legislators who are here, there are also many former department heads, many former elected officials from San Francisco commissioners.

The reach of Willie Brown's mentorship and his unwavering dedication to service has extended to generations of leaders in our state and in our city. I also want to close and others have said this.

By registering a complaint about Willie Brown, he has made it impossible for any representative from San Francisco to be anything but disappointing when it comes to fashion and style.

Truly, why even bother to buy a nice suit when you are going to be compared to one of the best-dressed, one of the most accomplished, one of the most eloquent, and one of the most transformational figures and leaders in the history of our state? It's not fair, Willie, but I admire you. You inspire me.

I'm grateful to follow in your footsteps and to represent you here in the State Assembly. You're continuing to be an inspiration for us all. And with that, I respectfully ask for your aye vote on HR 109.

Thank you, Mister Haney, Member Jim Patterson. You are recognized.

Thank you, Mister speaker. I have Willie Brown story as well. So when I was mayor of Fresno, Willie Brown was mayor of San Francisco. And the top 10 largest cities in the State of California met regularly. And I was privileged to attend a number of them through my mayoral years. And we were at the Fairmont Hotel.

My wife Sharon had come up with me and we had just been dismissed from our conference. And I was walking down the steps with Sharon and got to the corner and was attempting to hail a cab when Willie Brown noticed that I was trying to do that, he came over and he said, Jim, when you're in my town, you don't have to get a cab. Turned to one of his aides and whispered something.

And around the corner came a big black limousine. Well, I thought it was very nice. And Sharon and I started to walk toward it and Willie Brown said, wait a minute, Jim, that's mine. Yours is next. Now, for a mayor from Fresno, California, that if I ever had one limousine, I'd have been recalled. Willie Brown had two.

It was not just the style, but it was the kindness of recognizing these two from Fresno, California and allowing us to ride back to our hotel in the Willie Brown limousine number, two. Another story. We were privileged for a lot of years.

And when I was mayor, we were able to invite and keep the Miss California pageant in Fresno for almost 15 years. And one of the practices of the participants in that pageant would mean they would bring a gift of some significance to the mayor of Fresno from their hometown.

Well, Miss San Francisco was there and she came up and gave me a gift and I opened it up and it was the coolest San Francisco giant warm up jacket you'd ever want to see. And on the inside in Sharpie he wrote a personal note to me and signed it Mayor Willie Brown.

I've been offered $500 or more for that jacket by a lot of people. Not because so much it was a San Francisco jacket, but when you opened it up you had a really big Willie Brown signature. So I thought that was a very decent thing to do to sign it to the mayor of Fresno.

And I have fond memories of Willie Brown for the man he was, the kindness he showed to me and the fact that even though Fresno was I think like eight or nine, we're like fifth largest now. Fresno was respected by the mayor of San Francisco.

And when we were involved in that mayor's conference of the top largest cities, Fresno was welcomed. Mister Brown was kind in introducing me and actually saying a few nice things about what we were able to accomplish in Fresno, California.

And so I wanted you to know that I tell this story because two limousines and he shared one of them with Sharon and me to go to our hotel. So thanks for his kindness, thanks for signing the inside of that, that jacket.

And also appreciate the fact that he would have the kind of respect for a place in Central California known mainly for agriculture, but was a growing and becoming an influential city and region in California. That was kind of him. And it was an encouragement to me to serve my eight years hoping to be as effective as he was in San Francisco. I tried, I got close but I did miss the mark a bit.

It but to the speaker and to Willie Brown at 90 years of age I'm going to be delighted to punch that green button and in hopes that Willie will hear this somewhere and know the kindness that he showed to Sharon and me is not forgotten. And it impressed the daylights out of me.

Two limousines and I drove up in a Chevy. So thank you, thank you, thanks.

And for the record, Mister Brown is here. So Doctor Weber, you are recognized.

Thank you Mister speaker. I rise today and join my colleagues on the floor to honor the speaker, Willie L. Brown Junior. Growing up I would hear his name frequently in my home down in San Diego from both of my parents.

As a young lawyer he joined forces with many other black lawyers across the state, including my late father, to start CABL, the California Association of Black Lawyers. He was instrumental in getting black judges appointed to the benchmark and was a prominent Member of the California Legislative Black Caucus.

When he was elected to the State Assembly, he was one of just four black Californians serving. But his keen political judgment, his ability to successfully work across the aisle, and his sharp decision-making skills made him stand out from all other legislators at that time, he was the first speaker of the Assembly of African descent and the longest-serving speaker that we will ever have. He is nationally and internationally known and respected.

His life story embodies the American dream. Despite his humble beginnings in segregated Texas, he became the most powerful legislator in California history. Speaker Willie Brown is a visionary with the courage, compassion, and determination to get things done despite what others may think were insurmountable obstacles.

Thank you so much to my colleague from Whittier for allowing us to celebrate Speaker Brown and I thank you, Speaker Brown. Thank you. Thank you, Speaker Brown, for your lifelong dedication to serving Californians. And with that, I respectfully ask for an aye vote on HR 109. Thank you.

Thank you, Doctor Weber. Mister speaker, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mister Speaker Pro Tem. And I also rise this afternoon with with many of you to honor the 90th birthday of the longest serving speaker in California Assembly history. As we've heard the self proclaimed ayatollah of our Assembly speaker emeritus Willie Brown. Speaker Brown, Trailblazer is the best word that would describe your nine decades on Earth.

Because for 90 years, 90 years, you've set fearless fires that light the way for good. From your personal journey out of the segregated south in the 1950s, to defending educator and civil rights activist Mario Savio and helping to organize sit ins in the 1960s, to your game changing support for LGBTQ Californians in the 1970s, to your uncompromising stand against public service cuts.

And I'm thinking specifically about your 60 day budget standoff against Pete Wilson in 1992. And then, of course, to your 15 unprecedented years as speaker of this body. You are an icon. You are an absolute legend. And we are honored to recognize your 90th birthday here in this Assembly chambers this afternoon. Congratulations, Mister speaker, and happy birthday.

Thank you, Mister speaker. All debate having ceased. Assemblymember Calderon, would you like to close?

Yes. Thank you, Mister speaker. In closing, I want to share some personal thoughts and observations about Mister Brown. The needs of members were always a top priority for Mister Brown. His commitment to building relationships on both sides of the aisle enabled him, for instance, to balance double-digit $1.0 billion deficits with razor-thin democratic margins.

Friend and foe alike described him as a political genius, brilliant intellect, and gifted orator with the ability to bring humor and laughter into any room. For example, as a favor to a Republican member. He once spoke to a large group of community leaders in a very conservative district.

They wanted to voice their criticisms and personally vent their dissatisfaction with his leadership. During his speech, however, he was interrupted not by boos but by laughter. And by the time he was done, he got a standing ovation. That's a true story. This is the effect he has on people.

As my colleagues have mentioned, Mister Brown is a larger-than-life personality with his own sophisticated sense of personal style. But as speaker, he also felt it was important to empower the people that worked for him. He hired hundreds of staff, particularly women, black, Latino, and Asian staff.

He mentored them as they achieved great esteem or public office. He has and still mentors numerous state and federal leaders and candidates for office. And I'm proud to be one of them. I recently bumped into a former Assembly Member who served with Speaker Brown and he said, isn't this the best job ever? It's the greatest job, right?

And I said, you know, it is a wonderful job and it's truly a privilege and an honor to serve on the green carpet. But the best job I ever had was working for Willie Brown. He pushed as a staff because he saw things in us that we did not see in ourselves.

I remember I'd been working for him for a short time and he called me into his office and he said, you know what? It's time for you to spread your wings. You're going to be working on the first ever economic summit.

And this was a convention of the best minds in the state to find ways to strengthen the state's faltering economy during the worst recession California had faced since the Great Depression. Mister Brown convened the summit because he understood the big picture. He knew that there would be no national recovery unless California recovered.

And finally, in closing, I just want to share a short personal story. Several years after I left his employment, he was now the mayor. I ran into him at a California delegation event in Washington DC at Senator Feinstein's home. And I was about to get married and it was about 20 days away from the wedding.

And he said, I'm coming to the wedding. And I thanked him and he said, let me see the ring. And I said, well, I've been so busy we haven't had time to go ring shopping. So he proceeded to call my husband over in front of Senator Feinstein, Speaker Pelosi and several other dignitaries and just light him up.

Long story short, the next week my husband drove to San Francisco. Mister Brown took him shopping and I got a ring and so thank you for that, Mister Brown. But the point is, when Mister Brown is your friend, he's your friend for life. It's an honor to be here today with you, Mister Brown. And I respectfully ask for an aye vote on HR 109 and that the first roll be open for co authors.

Thank you, Assembly Member Calderon. Seen in hearing no further debate, the Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote as a co-author. All those vote who desire to vote.

Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. There are 71 co-authors added. Without objection, we'll take a voice vote on the resolution. All in favor say aye. Opposed say no. The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Members, please join me in giving a warm welcome to a speaker emeritus, Willie L. Brown Jr.

Thank you. Thank you very much for the very warm words, the recollection of stories and places and people. I must tell you that nothing matches being a member of this body, the California Legislature, unmatched in your performance anywhere in the history of this state.

And to have me have been fortunate enough to be one of you, I am very, very pleased. I also find that quite unusual that all these stories being told while I'm alive. I got to be the envy of every dead member whom I've ever spoke at their calling.

And the amazing thing for me is that three of my children are here somewhere and they showed up, amazed me. And I must tell you that my daughter Susan, my daughter Robin, and my son Michael surprised me by being here. I don't know how they got off from their jobs.

I don't recommend not showing up for work even when they're honoring their dad. I must tell you also that I had a great visit with your speaker, now a fellow speaker, as a matter of fact, I actually looked forward to getting back into my office.

Got a lot of new furniture, a little different from when I was here, but it serves the purpose. We actually sat at the round table where the team that helps him so much as an opportunity to exchange views with him.

I must also tell you that I listened closely as each one of you supporting the resolution spoke, because now I will, I hope electronically it will be available to me so I can stop watching CNN and Fox and all those other.

They're dull by comparison from my home base and the performance you put on today in honor of me. And you interrupted your work schedule. And I am even more delighted that you did that because those fellow members who served with me, I will be pleased. I would never have tolerated this when I served.

So I did have some flaws because I'm now enjoying every second of it and I can keep on going forever, but I will not.

I will say to the author of this resolution and to all of you who co-authored the resolution, and I would say to the speaker, I'm coming back to visit, and I'll come back without a tie and therefore should not be allowed on the floor.

I will come back whenever you call upon me in any fashion, I just want you to keep making everybody who's ever served in the California Legislature as proud as I am, and I'm sure they would be when they meet each and every one of you. You are living the tradition of this incredible body.

And Mr. Speaker, in your capacity as the leader of this body, I really do wish you well. And I know that when you notice the noise stopped when I got up, that's because they wanted to listen, too, and I'm glad they did because I wanted them to hear us collectively. Thank you so much.

Thank you so much, Speaker Emeritus. Assemblymember Calderon will bring the resolution forward to the front of the desk to present to Speaker Emeritus. And I think there's a whole bunch of members who might like to come up and join in the presentation of this resolution. So please, Members, come on up. In a minute.

All right, everybody.

While we are having some photographs up here taken, I just want to also recognize former Assemblymember Sunny Mojonnier who is here with us today. Welcome.

Okay, just a couple more pictures. It looks like here Members, we do have agenda ahead of us here. Members, as Mr. Speaker Emeritus exits the chamber. Please one more time, a round of applause for Speaker Emeritus Willie Brown. Thank you for everything, Mr. Speaker. We do have some additional introductions. A couple of additional introductions.

Assemblymember Bonta, you are recognized for your guest introduction.

Members, please. I would like to introduce my mother, Enid Magali Rosario De Sevilla who is here today. She's a staunch advocate, taught me everything that I need to know about social justice and what it means to be a strong woman and very thankful that she's here today in her capacity as my healthcare worker. Thank you.

Thank you, Assemblymember Bonta, and welcome to your mother. Assemblymember Rubio, you are recognized for your guest introductions. From the majority leadership.

Thank you. Thank you. Good afternoon Members and Mr. Speaker. Joining us in the gallery today are over 36 students from Assembly District 48's Young Legislator Program. These students have spent the last six months learning about public service and the legislative process and are here today to see the process in action.

Please join me in welcoming these future legislators to the California State Assembly.

My script says I'll be doing this from my desk, but I'm not going to do it from my desk. Today in the back of the chamber, I have a very special introduction to make.

I'm recognizing Anthony Wright, Health Access California's longtime Executive Director whose tenure with health access is coming to an end as he accepts a new challenge to lead Families USA, the national nonpartisan voice for healthcare consumers in Washington, DC. California has been so lucky to have him lead Health Access for 22 years.

Anthony and Health Access have helped win dozens of reforms in health care, including supporting the passage of the Affordable Care Act, as well as defending and expanding it in California, the creation of the Office of Health Care Affordability, Drug Cost Reforms, Advancing Health Equity, and expanding care to all Californians.

Much of these efforts have found Legislators and Health Access as complimentary partners fighting for access to quality and affordable health care for all Californians. Join me in congratulating Anthony for a job well done and our best wishes in your new role.

We know you'll continue to do good things for healthcare and for the patients and consumers it serves. Thank you so much, Anthony. And from the majority leader's desk, Assemblymember Garcia, you are recognized for your guest introductions.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Colleagues. Today we are excited to welcome high school students from the Coachella Valley to our capital. These students are participating in a leadership and advocacy program with Eastern Coachella Valley for Change and COFEM, Council of Mexican Federations in North America.

These organizations are committed to empowering students and their families, supporting pathways for higher education, and create uplifting opportunities for the Eastern Coachella Valley communities. They have spent the day meeting with legislators, exploring the capital, and advocating for higher education. Please, Colleagues, help me welcome these individuals along with their families. Members of both organizations.

Again, the Eastern Coachella Valley for Change and COFEM, to our great state Capitol.

Thank you, Mr. Garcia. Assemblymember Soria, you are recognized from the very popular majority leader's desk today for your guest introductions.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. I rise today to welcome several members of the County of Merced and staff of the All Dads Matter Program. As you guys know, we just celebrated Father's Day, to all the dads and father figures in our lives. I do want to recognize what Merced County is doing.

The All Dads Matter is a human services agency program that offers a one-stop shop for dads to receive support and navigating our systems and services. Their trauma informed team, which is here, here to my left, which is here, provides some very valuable information to local dads in our community through hosting dad bootcamps and much more.

As you guys know, a lot of the programs always seem to be geared towards moms. It is awesome to see what Merced County is doing and so I want to thank them for being here today in Sacramento.

Thank you, Assemblymember Soria, and welcome to your guests. Members, Assemblymember Reyes, is going to be introducing her guests.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. I ask that you please join me in welcoming a very special guest, our outgoing Executive Director of the California Student Aid Commission, CSAC, Marlene Garcia, who is here with her husband Phil, and her two sons.

I want to share a little bit about her and I know my colleagues will be speaking about her. Marlene is such an important part of the lives of our students, especially when it comes to higher education.

As the Executive Director of the California Student Aid Commission, she oversees a budget of $3.2 billion and a team of 125 while expanding educational opportunity by removing financial barriers to college success.

Without a doubt, if you've ever talked to Marlene, you know that she is committed to the success of our students and she tries to find every way possible to make sure that our students do succeed and that when there are barriers, she works to make sure that the students know they can call and they will be helped.

She is a former Legislative Staffer, having worked for the Senate Education Committee and served as Senior Higher Education Advisor to former Assembly Speaker, Lewis Brown Jr., whom we honored just a few minutes ago. Her work has been transformative for many of our students applying for financial aid.

She has been nationally recognized for her work and was featured as one of 11 higher education new generation of thinkers and was a fellow with the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. She has over 35 years of experience working on higher education policy and will be retiring from CSAC this week.

She will be greatly missed by those in the higher education space and we appreciate all these years of service, true service to all of us, but most especially to our students. Members, please join me in welcoming Marlene and her family to the Assembly f-loor, and I would ask that my colleagues also be recognized for their comments.

Yes, Assemblymember Cervantes, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members, I rise today on behalf of the Latino Legislative Caucus to commemorate the longstanding work of the outgoing Executive Director, Marlene Garcia, and wish her the best as she embarks on a well-deserved retirement.

Members, it was really through Marlene's leadership and CSAC, as well as the collaborative efforts with the speaker leadership myself, through AB-1887, that we were able to extend the application deadline for state financial aid from April 2 to May 2. And this extension allowed us to support students in need with the urgency that they deserved.

But really, it's the urgency with which we acted that could only have been done with the tenacious leadership of Miss Garcia. Marlene has had a profound influence on the lives of thousands of students in the landscape of higher education in the State of California.

The Latino Caucus is grateful for your work, for your friendship, and we wish you a well-deserved retirement. Congratulations.

Thank you, Assemblymember Cervantes. Assemblymember Alvarez.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank our colleagues who already so eloquently spoke about Miss Garcia. I just want to add a few, one small anecdote that I think to me speaks to the quality of public servants that Marlene is.

This year we had our, as some of you know, the financial aid rollout was a little bit challenging this year with the Federal Government. And we had our first financial aid workshop and college workshop in January as soon as we knew we could move forward with helping students enroll.

And I know some of you have done that as well, and that's a service we all provide to our constituents. Marlene was on the ground with me, literally. We were there for hours as we encountered the challenges that so many of the families and the students have encountered when it comes to that financial aid form.

And so she is literally on the ground trying to make sure that as we are looking to serve our students, our thousands of students in California, so they can get the financial aid that they need and deserve in order to continue on their educational journey.

That is just one example of the 30 plus year history of a public servant that she is. So, Marlene, I just want to acknowledge you for your public service to California.

And I also have the honor of welcoming Marlene back home to the 80th district where she comes from a family of public servants of people who have done tremendous work in our state. And Marlene is just one other in the family and welcome you back and congratulate you on your retirement. Thank you Marlene.

And Mr. Fong, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. Today I rise to recognize and to honor and to continue thank my colleagues for their leadership and efforts in honoring Dr. Marlene Garcia.

As you heard from my colleague from San Diego, she is literally on the ground each and every day to expand opportunities for students in higher education and in my district in East Delhi College. We partnered together on the Casper College workshop a couple years back and she's been a tremendous leader.

And we also partnered on Assembly Bill 1540 that this body got done to expand opportunities to streamline the process for financial aid for undocumented students here in California. Thank you, Dr. Marlene Garcia, for your tremendous service and leadership, and congratulations and best wishes.

Thank you, Mr. Fong, and thank you. Welcome to the Assembly and congratulations. Thank you. Members, we are moving back to Assembly Third Reading, File Item 44, ACA 10, by Assemblymember Aguiar Curry.

The Clerk will read.

Assembly Constitutional Amendment 10 by Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry, an act relating to local government finance.

Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry, you are recognized.

Members, ACA 1 is on the ballot this November. Nothing about today's proceedings will change that. I rise to present ACA 10 to do one thing. It will remove the special tax provisions in ACA 1.

Now, I don't think there's anyone in this chamber who doesn't know how passionately I believe in ACA 1 as it is currently crafted. Whether or not they choose to use them, I firmly believe that our local governments should have multiple financing tools available to them, including special taxes.

But I also know that when we see an opportunity to marginally improve state and local policy, we must move to accomplish as much as we can. ACA 10 also memorializes components of compromise that remove the opposition of the California Association of Realtors. Their letters to that effect are available in your bill systems.

We agreed that housing alone is not enough. Supportive infrastructure must be a part of the package. Like roads, local roads, clean water and emergency preparedness projects.

With your support ACA 10, bonding will be the only new financial tool available to locals for affordable housing and infrastructure projects, but only if they adhere to historic expenditure plans, auditing, and the strict accountability measures in the initiative.

Ultimately, voters will make their choice in November if they want to approve local affordable housing projects, homeless shelters to get our state's veterans off the streets and support their local economies with the roads and clean water projects they need to thrive.

Remember, ACA 1 just gives locals that opportunity if they choose to ask their voters to support their specific plan. In ACA 10, voters can trust that their dollars will be safeguarded by trained citizens oversight committees of their local peers. Annual performance and financial audits reviewed by the Bureau of State Audits will be required.

Under the initiative, bond proceeds must be committed before another local initiative is offered to voters. It will still prohibit spending on local government's salaries and operations and cap administrative expenses for implementing the initiative at 5%. Again, Members, no other state or local initiative require this level of accountability and transparency.

ACA 10 does not change the fact that these local initiatives are only for local entities who choose to run a local initiative. It's optional. They can take it or leave it.

ACA 1, as amended by ACA 10, will simply level the playing field for our cities, our counties, our special districts with the same vote threshold currently enjoyed by local school bonds. This authority has been so successful and non-controversial on the local level, many of you may have forgotten the authority even exists.

ACA 1 was sponsored by the California Professional Firefighters, the State Building Construction Trades and Non-Profit Housing, and has a strong support from California Labor Federation, Cal Cities and the State Association of Counties and the Bay Area Council, the new California Coalition, both large regional business organizations as well as California YIMBY and dozens of affordable housing advocacy organizations around the state.

Let me say just one more time, colleagues. A vote for ACA 10 is a vote to remove special taxes from the November ballot. But if you want to send a clear message, a clear public message to your constituents that you support special taxes, then don't support ACA 10.

But if you think local bonds are a modest, incremental step forward, then vote for this measure. It is simple, it is straightforward. It is straightforward as that. I respectfully ask for your aye vote on ACA 10.

Thank you, Assemblymember. Assemblymember Wicks, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Members. First of all, I want to thank our colleague from Winters and I think this is her 6th year of this work and she's put so much time and energy and heart and passion into this. And she's doing this not because of her, but it's because it's the right thing to do.

We want to give voters the choice to reduce the threshold to be able to support being part of the solution to our housing crisis. You know, about two and a half years ago, my colleague from Concord and the Speaker and I and many of you joined us on a housing tour across the state.

We went to, I don't know, 30 different events. There were, I think, almost 30 members who joined at different times. And the one thing we heard in every single community, every single community, doesn't matter Democrat or Republican, doesn't matter, they all wanted more resources to support housing, and there was that need.

And we felt that and heard that this is part of that solution. Give our local constituents, give our local communities the ability to be part of the solution. When it comes to our housing crisis, we've done a lot of work when it comes to streamlining. We have to do more. That's a big piece of this.

We have to bring down the cost of housing to make it easier to build. We also need public investments in housing and to allow our local communities to say they want to step up to the plate. They want to vote for these. We know many of the communities can and want it.

We need to reduce that threshold to 55%. That's exactly what this does. It's a more moderate version of what you all have already voted on. So respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Wicks. Assemblymember Wilson, you are recognized.

Mr. Speaker, Members, I rise in support of ACA 10. ACA 10 provides a valuable tool to our local government partners to help them decide how to best serve their communities. It also gives local governments the opportunity to maintain local control, local investment, and local jobs.

In every one of our communities, we're witnessing over and over again that a two-thirds super majority threshold is too high to make local initiatives attainable in our district. Realizing two thirds is unattainable without a significant investment in political resources to counteract negative and oftentimes misinformed or deceitful messages, many local governments do not even attempt to seek voter approval.

We already support, as was stated, school district initiatives with a 55% super majority threshold and ACA 10 levels the playing field for our cities, counties and special districts. With that, I respectfully ask you for a strong, strong aye vote on ACA 10.

Thank you, Assemblymember Wilson. Assemblymember Grayson, you are recognized.

Thank you. Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker and Members. I stand in proud support and rise in support of ACA 10. ACA 10 is about creating opportunities. It's about supporting local economies and ensuring responsible use of public funds.

By lowering the voter threshold in general obligation bonds, ACA 10 removes barriers for local governments to secure the necessary and, may I state, community-supported funding for affordable housing. Our housing and homelessness crisis are a major concern statewide, and the effects of California's housing shortage are especially felt even in my district in the East Bay community.

California will need to build their way out of this crisis by establishing parity for cities, counties and special districts with the same voter threshold established by ACA 1. We're giving communities across the state the opportunity to significantly accelerate the development of sorely needed affordable housing projects.

And importantly, ACA 10 includes historic accountability measures to ensure that funds are used responsibly, protecting voters and maintaining public trust. These measures ensure that local governments remain fiscally responsible and accountable to their communities. ACA 10 promotes local investment, stimulates local economies, and creates local jobs. Thank you and I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you Assemblymember Grayson. Assemblymember Rubio, you are recognized.

Thank you Mr. Speaker, Members. I rise in strong support of ACA 10. ACA 10 will provide a valuable tool to our local government partners to help them decide how to best serve their communities. When we don't give local governments the ability to opt in, and opt in is the key word, to local measures as we have repeatedly seen, they are forced to come to us for state funding.

By making clarifying changes to the work done by my colleague from Winters over the past six years, ACA 10 simply levels the playing field for our cities, counties and special districts to further our goals of reducing homelessness and poverty by creating an attainable funding source for local communities. With your support, ACA 10 will ensure that our communities are able to attain critical funding to better meet the needs of all Californians.

This measure has received widespread support across various industries, a clear indication that these changes are necessary and will benefit our communities throughout the state. Thank you and I respectfully ask for your aye vote on ACA 10.

Thank you Assemblymember Rubio. Assemblymember McKinnor, you are recognized.

Members, I rise in strong support of ACA 10. As my colleague from Winters just explained, if you vote for ACA 10, voters will no longer be offered the option to lower the vote threshold for special taxes, just bonds.

Let's face it, all our communities are suffering and have been telling us for years that they need more funding for critical infrastructure projects at home I know the communities in my district desperately need the ability to fund local priority infrastructure projects.

When we don't give the local governments the ability to opt in to local measures, as we have repeatedly seen, they are forced to come to us for state funding and state bond initiatives. ACA 10 will still provide a valuable tool to our local government partners to help them decide how to best serve their communities.

And we have already given local school districts a 55% threshold for bond initiative. ACA 10 simply levels the playing field for our cities, counties and special districts and still furthers our goal to reduce homelessness and poverty by creating an attainable funding source for local communities.

A vote for ACA 10 is a vote to remove special taxes from ACA 1 on the November ballot. It is sponsored by the California Professional Firefighters, the State Building and Construction Trades, and Non-Profit Housing. It has the support of the California Labor Federation and countless housing and homeless activists around our state. I respectfully ask for your vote for ACA 10.

Thank you, Assemblymember McKinnor. Assemblymember Gallagher, you are recognized.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Look, bonds still have to be paid. I think we all understand that. And this does undermine Prop 13, and I think you guys just need to be upfront about what you're doing. This undermines Prop 13, it makes it easier to raise taxes.

I appreciate that the special tax provision has been removed out of this bill, but of course, you guys voted for that not very long ago. You all voted for that because you said you wanted locals to be able to raise special taxes under a lower threshold.

It's good that that's being taken out with this measure, although there's so many things moving in and out of this house right now, and it's hard to keep track of. But the bottom line is you are going to make it easier to raise taxes. And I think it's also like, let's not be disingenuous, because in this budget that we're all going to be voting on, or pieces of it are coming.

In this budget, you're cutting funding from affordable housing, and you're saying to the locals, hey, if you want affordable housing, you just tax yourselves more, bond yourself out more to do it. So let's just be real about what we're actually doing here. It is undermining Prop 13 and those protections and allowing for a 55% vote to create more bond debt on locals. And I'll just end with this.

If you don't think that the people are upset about all this because they are paying the highest costs in the nation, in this state, and you're going to make, and you're going to drive those costs up even more. Just wait and see. Because I think people are getting really upset with what they're saying.

And then to say, oh, we're going to give people the choice. You want to give them the choice to raise their taxes or to raise more bonds, you know, indebt themselves more.

But we didn't want to give people the choice to vote on better protections for themselves against taxes, because you all went to the Supreme Court and took that choice away from them by removing that ballot measure last week. But now we're about choice, right? Choice to tax yourself more, locals to put themselves into more debt.

That's the choice that you get. But if you, a voter, want to protect yourself against more taxes and more costs, you don't get a chance to vote. So again, I just, let's talk about what this really does and what it doesn't. Let's not sugarcoat it.

You're making it easier to raise taxes on people at the local level, and those taxes pay the debt that would be increased under this measure as well. So that's what you're voting on. And I'll leave it to you to decide how you want to vote.

Mr. Gallagher. Mr. Berman, you are recognized.

I cannot abide by the misinformation that is being spread around ACA 10 on this floor. I cannot abide. And so I will rise up and overthrow something.

I don't know what my colleague from Nicholas was talking about on Twitter the other day in wanting to overthrow the government, but I think the importance of this ACA is that we give voters the opportunity to support what they want in their communities by a 55% threshold.

So it's more than a majority. We are giving our communities the ability-- I personally think we should lower it to a simple majority, but I understand the difficulty that would create politically in getting this passed.

But to have 55% of a community be able to say this is a priority and we want to fund it, there's nothing more democratic than that. And I know that some folks don't want to abide by democracy all the time, but I think it's important that we do this on this floor.

I want to encourage all of my colleagues to support ACA 10. Thank you.

Mr. Berman. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Mr. Aguiar-Curry, would you like to close?

I would. Colleagues, this is a vote to remove special taxes from the ballot. This is a vote to introduce more accountability into the system. This is a vote to allow local officials a choice to ask their neighbors if they support local solutions to local problems. I ask for your aye vote.

With that, 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. This is a 54-vote bill, members. All those vote who desire to vote.

All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. 54 votes Members. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. 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. Tally the votes.

Ayes, 54. Noes, 8. Measure passes without objection. Immediate transmittal to the Senate. Moving on now, without reference to file, SB-1524, Senator Dodd, presented by Mr. Haney. Clerk will read.

Senate Bill 1524, by Senator Dodd and others. An act relating to unfair business practices and declaring the urgency thereof to take effect immediately.

Mr. Haney, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. I rise to present SB-1524 by Senator Dodd. SB-1524 addresses questions and unintended consequences surrounding SB-478, legislation authored by Senator Dodd to address the deceptive advertising practice of drip pricing or hidden fees.

1524 would require the clear and conspicuous disclosure of all mandatory fees for food or beverages sold directly to a consumer in a restaurant, bar, food concession, caterer, grocery store, or a grocery delivery service.

This clear upfront disclosure of any fee and a description of its purpose would be required on all advertisements, menus, or other displays that contain the price of a food or beverage item.

In working through implementation of SB-478, as it is set to take effect July 1. Unique problems came to light and SB-1524 will address those problems.

Upholding the principle of providing consumers with upfront transparency without inadvertently harming food service workers or small businesses, this measure has enjoyed unanimous bipartisan support and recent amendments have responded to concerns from some consumer groups. I respectfully ask for your aye vote on behalf of Senator Dodd and request immediate transmittal of SB-1524 to the Senate.

Thank you, Mr. Haney. 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. This is a 54-vote Bill, Members. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. Ayes, 63. Noes, 0. On the urgency.

On the urgency, Ayes, 63. Noes, 0 on the measure. Without objection. Immediate transmittal to the Senate. Without reference to file, AB-2813 by Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 2813, by Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry and others. An act relating to government finance and declaring the urgency thereof to take effect immediately.

Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. AB-2813 is a companion measure to ACA 1 which the Legislature passed last year. It will only become operative if ACA 1 is approved by the voters in November. Last year, we equipped the initiative with historic guardrails to protect voters and ensure fiscal oversight, transparency, and accountability.

This Bill does nothing to change the vote threshold for bonds. AB-2813 furthers the statutory accountability measures in ACA 1. This Bill also adds further guardrails to ACA 1 negotiated with the Association of Realtors to remove their opposition to AB-2813 and ACA 10, and they therefore will not be opposing ACA 1 in November.

Specifically, we negotiated. ACA 1 initiatives cannot be used to fund the purchase of existing residential housing between 1 and 4 units. However, there are exceptions for emergency response facilities and for deed-restricted units that provide housing to veterans, domestic violence survivors, migrants, and persons with disabilities.

Also, if a local government chooses to include them in a local initiative, grant recipients for first-time home buyers and downpayment assistance programs would be allowed under ACA 1. We made clear that a two-thirds vote of the Legislature would be required to change or eliminate these protections.

AB-2813 also prohibits the construction of stadiums or arenas for private interests. Local governments will also be able to provide home hardening grants in order to protect their communities from wildfire. This Bill and ACA 10 give no new bonding authority to any special district except for fire districts.

AB-2813 and ACA 10 maintain the statutory indebtedness caps for all local governments. This Bill still defines affordable housing and clarifies project eligibility.

It defines the size, the makeup, and eligibility of Citizens Oversight Committee and provides the State Auditor review of local audits required by ACA 1. Members, whether or not you voted for ACA 1, this Bill builds upon our efforts to increase oversight and accountability in the initiative.

If voters approve ACA 1, certainly all of us want to be as accountable and transparent as possible. AB-2813 is about good governance and responsible fiscal policy. For those reasons, I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Madam Majority Leader. 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. This requires 54 votes, Members. 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. Tally the votes. Ayes, 54. Noes, 4 on the urgency. Ayes, 54. Noes, 4 on the measure. Without objection, immediate transmittal to the Senate. Members, your respectful attention please to Mr. Speaker. Members, your attention to Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker pro tem. And it is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we inform all of you of the passing of our colleague and friend Aldo Garcia who left us unexpectedly over the weekend. We are all saddened by this tragic and heartbreaking news.

Aldo was a Legislative Assistant for Assemblymember Juan Carrillo and also served as an Assembly fellow just last year in Assemblymember Laurie Wilson's office. You know, our heartfelt, our condolences go out to Aldo's family, to our Legislative Staff, and everyone who knew and had the opportunity to work with him in his brief time here in the Legislature.

This is a difficult time and so should you or your staff need support, please reach out to human resources. Thank you, Mr. Speaker pro tem.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd ask that we have a moment of silence for Aldo Garcia. Thank you. Moving on now to, we do have some more, a couple more introductions here. Assemblymember Wilson, you have a guest introduction.

I do.

I'm sorry, my apologies.

No worries, no worries. Happy to make this introduction. Mr. Speaker pro team, Members. Today I have the distinct honor and privilege of welcoming an extraordinary individual to the Assembly. Fairfield Council Member K. Patrice Williams. K. Patrice Williams, J.D. is a remarkable public servant whose career has been marked by dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to community service.

A proud alumna of San Francisco Law School, K. Patrice has worn many hats throughout her illustrious career, including Chief Marketing Strategist, Adjunct Professor, and Director of Marketing. As a Broadcast Journalist and the host of Turning Point with K. Patrice Williams. She remains deeply connected to the community, providing a platform for meaningful dialogue and engagement.

K. Patrice dedication extends beyond her professional endeavors. She is the founder of Hazels Tranquility Place, a transitional home for women and children, particularly ex-offenders, providing them with the resources and support needed to rebuild their lives. This initiative reflects her firm belief in second chances and her commitment to helping individuals reintegrate into society and thrive.

Please join me in extending a warm welcome to Council Member K. Patrice Williams, a true exemplar of public service, community leadership, and unwavering dedication. We are honored to have you here with us today and we look forward to your continued contributions to our community and beyond. Thank you.

Thank you, Assemblymember Wilson, and welcome to Council Member Williams.

Thank you. Assemblymember Waldron, you are recognized for your guest introductions.

Today I am especially honored to welcome and recognize Beagle Freedom Project. And they'll be on the back of the floor also. This extraordinary organization is the world's leading advocate for rescuing and rehoming animals used in experimental research. Since 2010, they have saved thousands of animals and tirelessly worked to end their abuse through education, advocacy and legislative efforts.

The advocacy and legislation that this organization provides is vital, such as Lennon's Law, which phased out closed-colony blood banks. These are places that keep dogs in cages for months or years at a time in order to bleed them for blood and blood components.

Another important piece of legislation is the California Beagle Freedom Bill, which ensures dogs and cats used for testing and experimentation get every opportunity to have a life after labs and get adopted into loving homes. It was unbelievable.

It took us two sessions to get that bill passed and I was very excited and grateful to have had the privilege to co-author and work on passing that crucial legislation in collaboration with Beagle Freedom Project.

If you can imagine beagles in cages for their whole life and finally being able to find a forever home with love, it just makes all the difference in the world. And also exciting news announced on Valentine's Day this year, Beagle Freedom Project achieved the significant milestone of successfully shutting down an entire animal testing laboratory in Oklahoma.

This monumental victory for Beagle Freedom Project really saves the countless animals that will no longer be bred or subjected to testing. Nearly 96% of the dogs used are beagles, mainly because of their friendly, docile and submissive nature.

This is only one of the many reasons why Beagle Freedom Project is such an important organization to me and to recognize today. Please join me in welcoming Shannon Keith, President and Founder of Beagle Freedom Project, along with Melina Shirley, who represents all the incredible staff members who make this organization's essential work possible.

Thank you Assemblymember Waldron, and welcome to your guests. Members, we'll now be moving to concurrency of Senate amendments. File item 21: AB 2261 by Assemblymember Garcia. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 2261 by Assemblymember Garcia, an act relating to transportation declaring the urgency thereof to take effect immediately.

Assemblymember Garcia, you are recognized.

Thank you Mr. Speaker and colleagues. 2261 is back for concurrence. This bill would seek to clarify ambiguity regarding federally recognized tribes from being the lead applicant to receive federal transportation funding. Specifically, the bill clarifies that Native American tribes qualify as local agencies and local project managers.

An urgency statute is implemented in this bill to ensure the improvement and safety of transportation projects in a timely manner. 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.

Ayes, 71. Noes, 0 on the urgency. Ayes, 71. Noes, 0 on concurrency of Senate Amendments. Moving to File Item 23, AB-3197 by Assemblymember Lackey. Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 3197, by Assemblymember Lackey. An act relating to elections.

Assemblymember Lackey, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members for allowing me to present AB-3197. This Bill is back on concurrence and I would wholeheartedly appreciate your aye vote. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Lackey. 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. Ayes, 68. Noes, 0. Senate amendments are concurred in. Moving to File Item 26.

AB 1782 by Assemblymember Ta. The Clerk will read

Assembly Bill 1782 by Assemblymember Ta, an act relating to local government.

Assemblymember Ta, you are recognized.

Thank you Mr. Speaker and Members. AB 1782 is back for concurrent Senate amendment technical. This bill allows cities to access additional funds to use toward homelessness housing project. This bill had received strong bipartisan support and has no opposition. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Ta. 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's 69, no zero. Senate amendments are concurred in. Moving to file item 31.

AB-2325 by Assemblymember Lee. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 2325 by Assemblymember Lee. An act relating to transportation.

Assembly Member Lee, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Colleagues. This is a simple Bill that amends the BART statutes to allow the district to restructure its financial officers to increase efficiency and accountability by consolidating financial responsibilities into a newly created position of the chief financial officer. Bill passed our house on consent in May.

Said amendments were technical and clarifying and pass sent on consent. There's no opposition. Respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Lee. 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. Ayes, 68. Noes, 0. Senate amendments are concurred in. Moving to file item 35.

Assembly Bill 2932 by Assembly Member Joe Patterson and others and accurately into pupil instruction.

Item 35, AB 2932 by Assembly Member Joe Patterson, the Clerk will read.

Assemblymember Patterson, you are recognized.

Great. Thank you so much. AB 2932 requires the State Board of Education to help students become informed on an ever growing epidemic of sextortion and requires State Board of Education to incorporate it into curriculum updates. It has no opposition and the only amendments in the Senate were adding co-authors.

And with that 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. Aye, 71, no, 0.

Senate amendments are concurred in. Back to Assembly third reading, file item 46, ACR 205 by Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry. Assemblymember, after he reads, you will be recognized. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 205 by Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry and others, relative to Portuguese Heritage Month.

Okay, now you're recognized.

Mr. Speaker and Members, I rise today to present ACR 205, recognizing May 20 as Azores Day, June 10 as Portugal Day, and the month of June 2024 as Portuguese Heritage Month. The contributions of Californians of Portuguese ancestry to our state span across all sectors of public and private life.

ACR 205 highlights some of these accomplishments while emphasizing the importance of bringing together Californians of Portuguese descent, particularly those from the Azores, to shape a better future for all Californians. One remarkable initiative in this regard is the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute at Fresno State.

They have developed a grassroots, community-based strategic plan for teaching a Portuguese language and culture in California, making our state the only one in the country with such a comprehensive program. It is crucial to foster partnerships between local Portuguese American community, our public universities, Portuguese organizations, and the government of the Azores.

These collaborations aim to encourage student exchange, student exchange programs, and promoting the sharing of ideas, technologies, and economic development. The bonds established by the California portuguese ancestry with other ethnic communities hold immense value for the people of the nation's most diverse state.

This resolution recognizes our community's vital role in California, honoring their ongoing integration and the preservation of their cultural traditions. As a daughter of a Portuguese American, I respectfully request your aye vote and ask for the first roll to be open for co-authors.

Thank you, Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry. Assemblymember Soria, you are recognized.

Mr. Speaker and Members, I rise in support of ACR 205 as a representative of a proud Portuguese community in my district. Since their initial major wave of immigration in the late 19th and early 20th century, Portuguese Americans have had a significant presence in and made tremendous contributions to the Central Valley.

From the work of the first immigrants on California's dairy farms through today, Portuguese Americans have contributed not only to California's economic success, but the strength of its communities.

As one of the representatives of the San Joaquin Valley, which is home to the largest Portuguese American community in California, I want to say thanks to the Assemblywoman from Yolo County for bringing this resolution forward and recognizing the history and heritage of California's Portuguese American community.

Thank you, Assemblymember Soria. Seeing and hearing no further debate, the Clerk will open the roll. First roll is open for co-authors. All those vote who desire to vote as a co-author. All those vote who desire to vote as a co-author. Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes.

There are 74 co-authors added. Without objection, we'll take a voice vote on the resolution. All in favor say aye. Opposed say no. The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Madam Majority Leader, you are recognized for your guest introductions.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Here with me on the floor today, I would like to introduce a distinguished group of individuals who play vital roles in fostering and strengthening the Portuguese-American Community in California. In the rear of the chamber, Vice President of the Azores, Artur Lima, and the President of the California Portuguese-American Association, Denise Borges.

And earlier, Congressman Jim Costa was here as well. In the gallery, everybody better wave up there. Do the big Portuguese wave. We have members of the California Portuguese-American Coalition, including local officials. Please give them a warm welcome.

Thank you, Madam Majority Leader. Welcome to your guests. Moving on to file item 50, ACR 218 by Assemblymember Luz Rivas. Clerk will read.

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 218 by Assemblymember Luz Rivas and others, relative to California Lowrider Day.

Assemblymember Rivas, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. ACR 218 seeks to celebrate the first Sunday of summer as California Lowrider Day to pay tribute to the lowrider culture that started in Los Angeles in the mid 1940s and grew alongside the Chicano movement of the 1960s. The birth of lowriding was not just for show.

It was a response to the struggles faced by the Mexican American community during a time of intense inequality. By the 1970s, lowriders evolved to become more than vehicles. They became canvases for collective political and cultural statements. Chicano artists made each lowrider a mobile masterpiece symbolizing resistance, identity, and solidarity against societal injustice.

By officially celebrating this day, we shine a spotlight on the artistry and craftsmanship that goes into creating these iconic cars. In 1988, California passed a law to allow local governments to pass anti-cruising resolutions. Despite these unjust ordinances, the lowrider community has shown resilience and unity.

In 2020, car clubs participated in Covid-19 vaccine drives, raised money for local causes, raised awareness about the census count, and engaged in community activism. Cities are starting to recognize that by prohibiting the cruising of vintage lowriders and custom cars, they are enabling discriminatory practices, including perpetuating racial biases.

In 2022, I authored ACR 176, a resolution that encouraged cities to repeal their bans and recognize that cruising holds cultural significance for many communities.

After the charge to overturn these unjust ordinances, I was a proud co-author of my colleague from San Diego's AB 436. On California Lowrider Day, let us come together to appreciate the cultural and artistic significance of lowriding. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you Assemblymember Rivas. Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo, you are recognized.

Thank you Mr. Speaker and Members. I just want to thank the the Member from the San Fernando Valley for this very important resolution, ACR 218, recognizing Lowrider Day. And I just want to say que vivas de lowriders, proudly representing Whittier Boulevard in East Los Angeles.

And so this is a great resolution to really commemorate our culture, the love of lowriders, and really what it means to our community. Proudly ask for your support for ACR 218.

Thank you Assemblymember Carrillo. Assemblymember Alvarez, you are recognized.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. I proudly rise in support of ACR 218 and thank our colleague from San Fernando Valley for introducing this. We last year, through the AB 436 legislative discussion and debate that we had, we learned about the lowrider culture from throughout the entire State of California.

That was one of the lessons that I took away from that and I was proud to hear from literally everywhere, from north to south, there are lowrider communities who, as described by the author of the resolution, have contributed so much.

It began as a movement of a community that wanted to express themselves in ways that were being prohibited from culturally expressing who they were and what they stood for. To now today, really innovative and unique pieces of art on wheels as we've come to know them.

I am really proud to stand here to support ACR 218 and once again, thank all of you who in a very bipartisan fashion, helped make sure that cruising is no longer a crime in the passage of AB 436 last year, and again honored to support ACR 218. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Alvarez. Mr. Lowenthal, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. On behalf of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, I rise in support of ACR 218, recognizing California Lowrider Day. Lowrider Day is a chance to celebrate the history and resilience of our Latino community here in California.

At a time when Mexican-American culture in the United States and those displaying Chicano identities was deeply impacted by inequality and segregation, Chicanos refused to be silenced or let their identity be suppressed. They chose to express their cultural values, histories, folklore, personal stories, and religious beliefs through their artistry, including the iconic lowrider.

The lowrider movement has continued to create a space for Chicanos and increasingly for allied communities, to integrate their identity with activism and community support. Car clubs have participated in Covid-19 vaccine drives, raised money for local causes, and advocated for the community.

Despite attacks on the lowrider movement in the past, the movement has been a proud display of culture and resilience and enjoyed a resurgence in the last few years. Indeed, I encourage all of you to visit the Smithsonian in Washington, where lowrider vehicles are on proud display.

The Jewish community is all too familiar with the impact wrongful assumptions and rhetoric can have. We, too, understand the importance of having the freedom of cultural expression, as that right has been taken away from our community far too many times.

We therefore empathize strongly with the lowrider community, one that has been subject to constant discrimination, and recognize the impact that women have had within the lowrider community as pillars of this movement.

As a people who are dedicated to the value of Tikkun olam, repairing the world, we are appreciative of the work lowriders have done in service of their wider communities and the people of California. In that spirit, and on behalf of the Jewish Caucus, I respectfully urge an aye vote on ACR 218.

Thank you, Mister Lowenthal. Would you like to close, Assemblymember Rivas?

I want to thank all of my colleagues that stood up in support of ACR 218, and I respectfully ask for an aye vote and the role to be open for co-authors.

Thank you, Assemblymember Rivas. The Clerk will open the roll for co-authors. All those vote who desire to vote as a co-author of the resolution. All those vote who desire to vote, Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. Ayes, 68. Excuse me, there are 68 co-authors added. Without objection.

Without objection, we'll take a voice vote on the resolution. All in favor say aye. Opposed say no. The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Moving now to Senate Third Reading. File Item 57, SB-1353, Senator Wahab, by Assemblymember Ting. The Clerk will read.

Senate Bill 1353 by Senator Wahab and others. An act relating to juveniles.

Assemblymember Ting, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm rising to present SB-1353 on behalf of Senator Wahab. SB-1353 adds to the existing Youth Bill of Rights that youth detained in juvenile facilities have the right to behavioral health services. Respectfully ask for an aye vote on SB-1353.

Thank you, Assemblymember Ting. Seen 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. We'll close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes, 66. Noes, 0. Measure passes.

Moving to File Item 59, SB-739 by Senator Ashby, presented by Assemblymember Nguyen. Clerk will read

Senate Bill 739 by Senator Ashby. An act relating to public contracts declaring the agency thereof to take effect immediately.

Assemblymember Nguyen, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. I rise to present SB-739, which allows the City of Elk Grove to utilize construction manager at-risk construction contracts for the Sacramento region's new zoo in Elk Grove.

Utilizing this model from the onset of this project can help further align the design and construction for this complex proposal while also allowing for the time and cost savings for the city. SB-739 is a crucial step towards bringing this economic opportunity to Senate District Eight and Assembly District 10. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblyman Nguyen. 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. Ayes, 73. Noes, 0 on the urgency.

Ayes, 73. Noes, 0 on the Bill. Measure passes.

Moving to file item 74, SCR 157, Senator Allen, by Assemblymember Lee. The Clerk will read.

The Senate Concurrent Resolution 157 by Senator Allen, relative to directing the Secretary of State to withdraw from consideration of the people of the State of California Senate Constitutional Amendment 2 of the 2021-2022 regular session relative to public housing projects.

Assemblymember Lee, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mister Speaker. SCR 157 will withdraw SCA 2 from the November ballot and allow us to reconsider the best time to put the question before for the voters to repeal Article 34. I am respectfully asking 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, tally the votes. Ayes, 57, no's, 2. On the urgency. Ayes, 57, no's, 2. There's no urgency.

Just seemed like there was urgency. Ayes, 57. Noes, 2. Measure passes. Everything else seemed urgent today, so what the heck? Moving to a vote on the consent calendar. Does any Member wish to remove an item from the consent calendar?

Seeing anything and hearing none, the Clerk will read the second-day consent calendar.

Senate Bill 948 by Senator Limón and others. An act relating to the Political Reform Act of 1974.

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. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes, 74. Noes, 0. The consent calendar is adopted. Members, a quorum call is still in place.

I'm going to make an announcement before we move, though. I'm going to make a couple of announcements and then we will come back to adjournments in memory. There will be Committee hearings upon adjournment here. Emergency Management will meet in Capital Room 444. Natural Resources in Capital Room 447. Revenue and Taxation in Capital Room 126.

Listen closely here on this one. Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 25, is a check in session. Wednesday, June 26, floor session at 05:00 p.m. and then Thursday, June 27, floor session at 09:00 a.m. so we'll now go back and ask that you give your respectful attention to those who were granted prior permission to speak on an adjournment in memory.

If you need to have a conversation, please take it off the floor. Quorum call is in place. Please take your conversations off the floor. Please take your conversations off the floor. Ask that you give your respectful attention to Assemblymember Berman for his adjournment in memory.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I rise to request that we adjourn in the memory of arguably the greatest all-around baseball player of all time. The say hey, kid. Willie Mays. Willie Howard Mays Jr. was born on May 6, 1931, in Westfield, Alabama, near Birmingham. His parents were unmarried teenagers.

In high school, one of his teachers gave him permission to leave class early if needed to go to practice because, in her words, you're going to be a ballplayer. That teacher was the mother of future Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice.

Mays joined the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League in 1948 and was signed by the then-New York Giants two years later in 1950. He was the only black player in the Interstate League at the time, and during his Hall of Fame induction ceremony, he told the story of being taunted by opposing fans in Maryland.

After hitting four home runs, a triple and a double in the first two games of the series. The PA announcer for the other team pleaded with fans not to taunt Mays anymore because, quote, he's killing us. By the end of the third game, those taunts had turned to cheers.

Mays was called up to the Giants in 1951, and while he struggled at first, he quickly found his stride and went on to win National League Rookie of the Year. Willie Mays is known for his remarkable success at the plate.

Many folks don't realize that Mays was as good, if not better, playing outfield than he was as a batter. He would dazzle both fans and teammates alike with his spectacular plays in center field at the cavernous polo grounds where the New York Giants played.

Mays most famous play, and quite possibly the most famous defensive play in Major League Baseball history, came in the first game of the 1954 World Series. With the score tied 2-2 in the bottom of the 8th inning. With two on and nobody out, the hitter launched a deep fly ball to center field.

Mays turned around and began sprinting back and back and back about 450ft from home plate.

With no time to turn around, Mays leaned his head back to find the ball, lifted his left hand up, and somehow made what would forever be known as, the catch, an absolutely insane play at a critical time on the biggest stage in sport. The Giants moved to San Francisco in 1958.

By this point, Mays had won the MVP of the League, the World Series, and he was a household name in America. But even still, Mays had trouble purchasing a home in a fashionable neighborhood in San Francisco because neighbors were worried that property values would decline if a black family moved in.

Such was the racism that existed in San Francisco in the late 1950s. Mays compiled far too many statistics to mention, but here are just the highlights. His 7,112 put outs as an outfielder ranked number one in major league history, and he won 12 Gold Glove awards beginning in 1957, which was the year the honor was first created.

But that was six years after Mays was already playing in the majors. He drove in more than 100 runs in 10 different seasons and scored more than 100 runs in 12 consecutive years.

His 660 home runs are 6th all-time, and he once lamented that playing at the freezing in windy Candlestick Park probably robbed him of 10 to 12 home runs a year.

His 2,068 runs scored put him 7th on the career list and his 1,909 runs batted in are 12th, and his 3,293 hits put him listed as number 13 all time and he didn't just hit for power, he didn't just hit for average.

He also stole 338 bases at a time when not that many players were focusing on that. And he played in 150 or more games in 13 consecutive seasons. 150 or more games in 13 consecutive seasons. These days, hardly anybody plays 150 games in one season.

Mays was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1951 and was named Most Valuable Player in 1950 and 1965. He was selected for 24 All-Starw games and was the MVP of the All-Star game in 1963. In 1968.

And for my colleagues from Southern California, Willie Mays was the favorite player of none other than the legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully. There was a fun article in the LA Times about that last week. Mays, who lived in Atherton before recently moving to Palo Alto, both in the 23rd Assembly District, is survived by his son, Michael.

And again, I respectfully request that we adjourn in the memory of Willie, the say hey, kid, Mays.

Thank you, Mr. Berman. Mr. Haney, you are recognized for your adjournment and memory.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank my colleague from Palo Alto for bringing this adjournment forward. I also want to speak in the memory of Willie Mays, the say-hey kid who was a legend both on and off the field.

He was not only for all of the reasons that you just heard, the greatest baseball player of all time. He excelled on one of America's biggest stages at a time of tremendous change that was taking place in our country.

And in many ways, he was the face of much of that change, inspiring an entire generation of people across the country, not only to support him and his incredible skill and accomplishment.

The changes that he brought to the field of baseball, which then and now was America's pastime, but also what he represented in terms of change in our country. As you heard, he himself, when he came to San Francisco, faced housing discrimination.

Despite being one of the best baseball players of all time, he couldn't himself find a home in San Francisco without facing discrimination. It was actually his experience, that in many ways inspired and spurred Governor Pat Brown and this Legislature to pass a Bill outlawing racial discrimination in the sale and rental of housing.

Willie Mays was the personification of the San Francisco Giants. I grew up as a huge fan of the Giants and would see him regularly at games. He would be there at the park, he would lead cheers.

He was in so many ways, what represented for us as baseball fans the joy and the excitement, and the potential of the sport. He also founded a charity, the Say Hey Foundation, which promoted youth baseball and gave underprivileged youth positive opportunities and safer communities.

He ensured that many Americans had the opportunity, especially Black Americans and Black youth had the opportunities to play baseball and to also pursue college preparation and scholarships. Willie Mays helped change America as we know it by leaving a one of a kind legacy on the sport in baseball, in San Francisco, in California, and in American society.

He was an incredible Californian who did so much to change our world and inspire countless people. Rest well, forever Giant, the say-hey kid. I respectfully ask that we adjourn in his memory.

Thank you, Mr. Haney. Mr. Wallis, you are recognized for your adjournment and memory. Well, I'm sorry, I didn't see it. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As many of you know, I'm a Bay Area kid, born and raised in the Burlingame, San Mateo area. My wife Sharon, born and raised in Hayward, we dated across the San Mateo Bay Bridge.

But I was, and still am, a San Francisco Giant fan and I have a boyhood memory that is as if it's a black-and-white newsreel running in my head right now.

Because when the Giants came to San Francisco, my dad took me to the parade that came down Market Street and I remember as a young kid seeing Willie Mays in a white convertible Cadillac, sitting up, waving to the crowd.

You know, one of the things I think we all recall about Willie Mays was he was a fairly joyous man, and I remember him waving and smiling and all of that.

This was before we had the Candlestick Park and I remember going to baseball games when Willie Mays was playing at Kezar Stadium and sometimes they had to call the baseball games for a while because too many seagulls came in and landed on the baseball stadium. 49ers played there too and had similar difficulties.

But what I recall about Willie Mays is that he was a fantastic baseball player, but he was a fantastic human being. He was a good man in his heart. Even facing the kinds discrimination and difficulty, he didn't let it sour him on others or on the game or on the city.

And I think that's the kind of leadership and use of talent that has made us all miss him. Now baseball isn't going to be the same.

You know, the movie that called the natural, that should have been Willie Mays, he was the natural and he was really, really good, but he was also a really good and decent, joyful human being and he spread that kind of appreciation and joy for the life he was able to live, but helped others young people dream their dream even in the midst of the kinds of difficulties that he might have faced.

And so with that black and white newsreel running in my head, I see him right down Market Street in that white Cadillac. The big fins, the tops down. He's sitting there, waving. I swear he waved at me. I'm exaggerating, but heck, I'm a politician. I joined everyone in remembering him. We miss him.

Has there been anybody like him? I don't think so. And so we adjourn in memory. Was it Jack Benny? What was it? Thanks for the memories. Who was? That was the theme song, one of the comedians. I was just thinking, thanks for the memories. I'm not going to sing it because you'd all leave and we're not.

We're still under calls. I won't do that. Anyway, I joined everybody here in just thanking the memory for the memories, for what he did. Great baseball player. And Sharon and I had a lot of fun times, both at Keyzar and then at Candlestick.

I remember when we were driving from Fresno up to the Portland, Oregon area is where we adopted our third child, my daughter Lindsey. And we made plans to stop along the way in San Francisco because Willie Mays was playing in a game and he had hit 499 home runs.

And I wanted to be in the stadium when he hit 500. Well, he didn't hit 500 that game. So we got in the car and we're driving up and we were listening to the radio, KSFO, right? Lon Simmons and the crowd and all of that. Well, sure enough, that was the game he hit home run number 500.

We missed it by one game. But the memory, the joys, the excitement of the Giants and the other giants that were around him, right? Willie McCovey, Juan Marichal, Orlando Cepeda, all his others. It was a great time to be a Giants fan and we're going to miss him.

And the game lost an icon, one of the best baseball players ever. And we're grateful for the memories and grateful for his life amongst us. He's been an inspiration to win. Thank you. And I adjourn in memory as well with my colleagues for Willie. Say-hey, Mays.

Thank you, Mr. Patterson. Mr. Wallace, you are recognized for your adjournment and memory.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, today I rise to ask this body to adjourn in the memory of Arthur Lee Welch, a former Mayor and City Council Member for the City of Banning. Arthur Welch was born on December 4, 1937, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. He was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity at Southeastern Missouri State University.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1960. That same year, he married the love of his life, Joanne Jody Thomas. They raised three children, Lisbeth, Jim, and Scott. Arthur had a successful 36-year career with the pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. before retiring in 1996.

A pillar of our community, Arthur served on the Banning City Council for 12 years and as Mayor of Banning for four years. He served as President of both the Banning Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of San Gregonio Pass.

He was a field representative for Assemblymember Paul Cook, Senator Bill Emmerson, Senator Mike Morrell, and Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh. As an elder in the Beaumont Presbyterian Church, Arthur offered his time and expertise as Vice President of Table of Plenty, a food kitchen that serves about 200 meals every Wednesday at the church. Everyone loved Arthur, including me.

He had a big heart and cared deeply about his community. Art was a dedicated public servant and was always willing to lend a helping hand. His knowledge of Banning was remarkable and he was a wonderful storyteller.

Arthur leaves his wife Jody, his three children, seven grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, 23 family dogs, beloved cats, and countless friends and admirers throughout the Banning community. I ask this body to adjourn in the memory of Arthur Welch.

Thank you, Mr. Wallace. 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. All other items will be passed and retained. All motion shall be continued. Seeing and hearing no further business. I'm ready to entertain a motion.

Mr. Fong moves. Mr. Wallis seconds. That the house stands adjourned until Wednesday, June 26 at 05:00 p.m. quorum call is lifted and the house is adjourned.

Okay. Joe Patterson. Vote change without reference to file AB-2813. No, to not voting.

Vote change. Assemblymember Joe Patterson, without reference to file. Assembly Bill 2813. No to not voting.