Senate Floor

[Roll Call]

A quorum is present. Senators, if we could return to our desk and stand up with the Members and guests beyond the rail in the gallery, please rise. We will be led in prayer this morning by our chaplain, Sister Michelle Gorman, after which, please remain standing for the pledge of allegiance.

As we gather in God's presence, we pray today from the wisdom of the Sufis. O Lord, give me eyes which see nothing but your glory. Give me a mind that finds delight in your service. Give me a soul drunk in the wine of your wisdom.

O Lord, though the blue flower be poisonous, if it is of your garden, and if so, and so be a sinner, he is of your people. Lord, when you were hidden from me, the fever of life possessed me. When you reveal yourself, this fever of life departs. O Lord, intoxicate me with the wine of your love.

Make me empty of all but your love. Amen.

Please join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the republic for which stands one nation under God indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Members, without objection, we will be taking up the following resolution out of order today. File item 27, SR 105. After adoption of the resolution, we will move to privileges of the floor for the author to introduce their guest. Starting with file item 27, Senator Newman is prepared.

Secretary, please read.

Senate Resolution 105 by Senator Newman relative to Pakistani American relations.

Senator Newman?

Thank you, Madam President. It's my great privilege to present SR 105, which commemorates the close and enduring relationship between the United States and Pakistan, and which recognizes the innumerable contributions made by California's Pakistani-American community in advance of the celebration of Pakistan's Independence Day next Wednesday, August 14.

As home to a dynamic and rapidly growing community of more than 75,000, the story of California has been indelibly shaped by the ingenuity, aspirations, and perseverance of our Pakistani American community. For decades, they have come to California students, doctors, engineers, and entrepreneurs, each with their own dream and determination to succeed.

From their innovative work leading empowering the tech startups of Silicon Valley to managing the thriving small businesses that enrich our local communities. California's Pakistani American community has helped fuel the Golden State's reputation as both a global tech hub and economic power and as a diverse and vibrant place to live.

At no point is that diverse heritage more evident than in the lively celebrations of Pakistani Independence Day. Next Wednesday. In communities up and down the state, our Pakistani American neighbors will be commemorating Pakistan's 77th Independence Day.

These celebrations not only afford Californians a glimpse into Pakistani culture, but they offer us an opportunity to reflect upon the longstanding strategic relationship between Pakistan and the United States, a relationship that is built not just on billions of dollars of annual trade, but on a shared desire for regional security and stability and on a mutual respect for democratic values and the importance of human rights.

Colleagues, please join me in supporting SR 105 as a way to inspire both current and future generations to take pride in their rich cultural heritage and remind us all how immigration and cultural exchanges enrich our state and make California such a vibrant and welcoming place to live. I respectfully ask for your aye vote on SR 105 today.

Thank you, Senator. Any discussion or debate on the resolution? Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call].

Senator Newman moves a call. Senator Newman, please proceed with your introduction of your guest.

And thank you, colleagues. Joining us this morning to celebrate is the Consul General of Pakistan and Los Angeles, Asim Ali Khan. Since joining the Pakistani Foreign Service in 2003, Mister Khan has held key diplomatic positions in Canada, France, China, and now in the United States.

Consul General Khan is accompanied by other prominent members of the Pakistani American community who have dedicated themselves to expanding the ties between our two countries and ensuring that Pakistani voices are included in our state.

They include Doctor Imran Sharif, his wife, Itrat Sharif, my friend Adnan Khan, Uzair Hassan, Ismail Kikibai, Firoz Falhari, Saleem Adia, Monis Sayed, and Assad Khan. Please give them a very warm California State Senate welcome.

Welcome to the State Senate. It if anyone else wishes to be part of this group photo, now is the time. Introduce yourselves to our esteemed guest. Senator Archuleta, you are needed in the back. 15 seconds. We'll convene in 15 seconds. Members, we're going to be doing a couple of things out of order.

We are jumping to Assembly third reading right now before we kick off with the file items under Assembly third reading. Mister Pro Tem, you are recognized.

Madam President, good morning and colleagues. Thank you for allowing me to say brief introduction on the bills that we're about to tick up. I respectfully rise today in support of the retail theft crime bills that are part of our bicameral package to make California safer and stronger.

The proposals that are going to be in front of us today are Assembly bills. We'll have our Senate bills back from the Assembly on Monday. And each of those bills are deeply impactful. And I'm grateful. I'm grateful for the exchange of ideas and proposals from all sides of the aisle.

And I want to say thank you so much to our Republican colleagues and our democratic colleagues for their work on these important bills. These bills are going to make our communities safer and the help blunt retail theft stores big and small in all corners of this state.

And I'd like to briefly talk about what the Assembly and Senate bills will do, which are supported by the California Retailers Association, which represents large national based companies and mom and pop corner stores in each of our communities. Number one, it's going to tackle retail theft and car break ins.

Number two, crack down on organized crime, prevent the sale of stolen goods, as well as enhance sentencing for professional thieves. Now, let's be honest. This has been a windy road. A windy road getting to this point, taking up these impactful pieces of legislation. But the bottom line is these bills are carefully considered.

They're data driven, supported by law enforcement, addiction specialists, public safety officials, and will crack down on organized crime. And again, Madam President, I'm grateful for the engagement of all sides of the aisle. Would have respectfully asked for an aye vote.

Thank you, Mister Pro tem for your remarks. Colleagues, we have five items under Assembly third reading. So you're prepared. File item 137141142143 and 271. Kiki's kicking us off with. File item 137 on AB 1972 is going to be. Senator Wilk. Senator Wilk is prepared. Secretary, please read.

Assembly Bill 1972 by Assemblymember Alanis and act relating to theft and declaring the urgency thereof to take effect immediately.

Senator Wilk.

Thank you, Madam President. I rise to present AB 1972 on behalf of Assemblymember Alanis. This bill aims to significantly bolster our state's response to cargo theft. AB 1972 builds upon the California Highway Patrol's regional property crimes task force providing targeted support to counties experiencing high levels of cargo theft.

Additionally, the bill requires that the CHP extend personnel, equipment and other resources to railroad police, enhancing their efforts to combat cargo theft as part of the broader legislative retail theft bill package. AB 1972 aligns with the state's efforts to strengthen state laws and offer crucial assistance to both businesses and law enforcement who are grappling with ongoing retail theft crimes.

I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

I see no mics up, no discussion, debate. Secretary, please call the roll. This does have an urgency clause, requires 27 votes.

[Roll Call].

Please call the absent members.

[Roll Call].

Aye's: 38, No's 0. On the urgency. Aye's: 38, No's 0. Measure passes. Moving on to file item 141. Senator Newman is prepared.

Secretary, please read.

Assembly Bill 1779 by Assemblymember Irwin, an act relating to crimes.

Senator Newman.

Thank you, Madam President. I rise on behalf Assemblymember Jackie Irwin to present AB 1779, which is also a part of the Legislature's Californians together against retail crime package of bills. Organized retail theft continues to plague our communities, and the resulting financial impacts burden not just retailers, but the average California family as well.

By shifting the costs associated with retail theft onto all of us. This Bill will restore the ability of local district attorneys to consolidate charges from multiple counties into a single set of charges at trial when prosecuting organized retail theft rings across multiple jurisdictions.

AB 1779 and the rest of the bills in the package of organized retail theft bills moving today are intended to work together to hold criminals accountable while providing relief to retailers and consumers alike. I respectfully ask for your aye vote today.

Thank you, Senator Newman. I'm seeing no discussion or debate on this item. This is eligible for unanimous roll call. Any objection? Seeing none. Ayes 38, noes zero. Resolution passes. Moving right along. Bill passes. Bill passes. Moving on to file item 142. Senator Wahab is prepared.

Assembly Bill 1802 by Assembly Member Joan Sawyer and accolade into crimes. Senator Wahab,

Secretary, please read.

Thank you. Colleagues and Members of the public, I rise to present AB 1802 by Assemblymember Joan Sawyer, which will eliminate the sunset of the crime crime of organized retail theft and the operation of the California Highway Patrol Property Crimes Task Force.

This bill is part of the Legislature's robust package of bills that comprehensively address retail theft in California. AB 1802 will ensure that law enforcement has the necessary means to arrest and prosecute the organized crime rings that continue to disrupt the quality of life in California. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Senator. No mics up. This item is also eligible for unanimous roll call. Any objection? I see none. Ayes 38 no, zero. The Bill passes. We're zooming on to the next one. File item 143. Senator Wiener is prepared.

Assembly Bill 3209 by Assembly Member Berman and accusing the crimes.

Secretary, please read.

Senator Wiener thank you, Madam President and colleague, as I rise today to present Assembly Bill 3209 on behalf of Assemblymember Berman. This bill provides a new enforcement tool to help keep stores and workers safe while addressing retail theft.

The bill authorizes a court to impose a retail crime restraining order of up to two years for theft, vandalism, or battery on an employee within the store. The Bill strikes a balance between providing an additional enforcement tool to keep stores, customers, and workers safe while not perpetuating the underlying causes of retail theft.

I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Senator. I see no discussion or debate. Once again, this item is eligible for unanimous roll call. Any objection? I continue to see none. Ayes 38 no, zero. The bill passes. Our final item on Assembly third reading is file item 271. Senator Wiener is once again prepared. Secretary, please read.

Assembly Bill 2943 by Assemblymembers Zbur, an act relating to crimes.

Senator Wiener.

Thank you very much, Madam President. Colleagues, I rise today to present AB 2943, the California Retail Theft Reduction act, on behalf of Assemblymember Zbur and his joint author, Speaker Rivas.

This Bill is a product of collaboration among the speaker's office, Senate leadership, Governor's office, and policy experts, including retailers, workers, criminal justice reform advocates, and law enforcement.

The Bill targets serial retail theft by creating a new crime for people who engage in repeated specified conduct or who possess a quantity of goods inconsistent with personal use and consistent with the intent to resell. The Bill also more specifically defines how the value of thefts from various victims can be aggregated to charge grand theft.

AB 2943 strikes a balance between providing law enforcement with tools to address serial shoplifting while incorporating guardrails against frivolous arrests. The Bill protects workers, small businesses, and the public, while ensuring that we do not criminalize those who are shoplifting to survive.

We need to pursue reforms that are effective at targeting retail crime while avoiding a rollback of existing reforms that have made meaningful change and reduced statewide costs. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Senator. I see two mics up. We're going to start off with Senator Rubio.

Thank you, Madam President, ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, today I rise in strong support of AB 2943. I have met with many groups in my community, from police chiefs, small business owners, families, and community members who really need us to step up in this issue and I'm so proud that we are pushing this package forward.

They all say the same thing. We must do more to stop retail theft. It is having a detrimental impact on our communities in the way of loss of jobs, economic opportunity, and all of our communities are feeling it. This is a good Bill that makes it easier for law enforcement to hold shoplifters accountable, especially those bad actors. That to go back and target our small mom-and-pop stores and other big retailers. And again, we see the loss of job and opportunity for our residents. I am so proud of this package.

It is a priority for all of us to ensure that our communities are safe and that we will continue to support common sense bills like this that accomplish safe communities. So on behalf of our communities, small, mom-and-pop stores, and all Californians, I urge and aye vote.

Thank you senator. Senator Smallwood-Cuevas you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President and colleagues. I rise today in opposition to AB 2943. And I appreciate my colleague's perspective in terms of our communities addressing and dealing with crime.

But I just want to remind us, this is a Sankofa moment where we have to go back and look at the past in order to know where we're moving ahead in the future. And this measure and others like it are making our communities unsafe, because these measures deepen mass incarceration.

And deepening mass incarceration is going in reverse of where Californians wanted us to go, which is to decarcerate and remove California as the state's capital of incarceration, of extracting resources that could actually make communities safer. And what makes our community safe?

Good jobs, good schools, access to healthcare, the things that we are fighting for every day, these are the things that make my community safe.

And I know because I represent South Central Los Angeles, where we have an over-representation of police presence, where we have an over-representation of surveillance, where we have an over-representation of our residents behind bars, 5% of black folks in this state live as residents. Almost 30% of us are behind bars.

Family, colleagues, if we get on this road, and I am not denying that shoplifting is wrong, I am not denying that retail theft must be addressed. I am not denying that crimes of poverty is our responsibility to fix.

But if we go down this road of putting folks behind bars for basic property crimes, nonviolent crimes, substance abuse disorder, and I know because I grew up in the nineties, I had relatives that were put away just because they were addicted to crack cocaine. Missing their children, their grandchildren, and once they got out wearing a scarlet letter that prevented them from getting a job, creating more conditions of insecurity and unsafety.

And so I just want to say to you, as we are moving these bills forward, we were moving a balanced approach. We were moving in a direction where, we were moving these bills to make communities safe and protecting Prop 47 and the right for folks to reenter with dignity and to really address incarceration.

But we're not there now. And so I cannot support this Bill as it is today, because this is going to create a situation where our communities are less safe.

Let's continue the work that we're doing to build up the real safety net, the real mental health services, the real anti-poverty programs, the real in re-entry and workforce opportunities, like getting our folks who have been dealing with issues of poverty into good jobs, building a climate resilient future for California, versus shutting the door, throwing away the key, and beginning to amass more and more extractions out of our communities.

I ask my fellow colleagues here, respectfully ask a no vote on AB 2943.

Thank you, Senator Smallwood-Cuevas. Senator Umberg, you're recognized.

Thank you, Ms. President. Colleagues, I note the comments from my colleague from Los Angeles, and I think they're well taken because this Bill does indeed increase penalties. It's not my goal, and I hope it's not our collective goal to put more people in prison.

But I would hope our goal is to make sure that those, especially early on, who are committing minor crimes are diverted, diverted to collaborative courts, to diversion to drug courts, and the like. Unfortunately, in California, those courts have imploded all over the state. They've imploded. They're no longer where they were even five years ago.

There are many reasons for that, but one reason I believe, is because the incentive to go to diversion, the incentive to go to the collaborative courts, doesn't exist anymore because the result is the same. Whether you, for example, go to collaborative court and spend a year having to appear in front of the court repeatedly, drug testing, all the like, then at the end of that experience, if you successfully complete it, your conviction is gone, it's erased, and you don't have that scarlet letter.

And I think that's important. That's incredibly important to do. But if the result is exactly the same whether you do or do not go to collaborative court, then folks, understandably don't go. And as is illustrated in the analysis, this does increase penalties and it does increase the cost. You can see that in the analysis.

So we need to vote for this. I'm going to vote for it, but we need to vote for with our eyes wide open, because what this does, I think, is it modifies Prop 47. Prop 47 was well written, whether we agree with it or not. It was very well written and very, very clear.

Permission to read, Madam President.

Without objection.

The Prop 47 says that the act shall be broadly construed to accomplish its purposes. The provisions of this measure be amended by two-thirds vote of the members of each house of Legislature and signed by the Governor.

So long as the amendments are consistent with and further the intent of the act, the Legislature may, by majority vote, amend, add, or repeal provisions to further reduce the penalties for any offenses addressed by this act. So the challenge is that this well may be infirm. Well may be infirm.

What that means is that the work is not done. Our work is not done. Our work is not done to make sure that the incentive and the disincentive to, for example, early on, to address issues concerning crime, to address issues concerning shoplifting, to address issues, especially concerning minor crimes, that individuals then avail themselves, and the courts provide the resources and provide the opportunity to divert. And so I'll vote aye.

But we have to have our eyes wide open that the work here is not done. Thank you, Madam President. I urge an aye vote.

Thank you, Senator.

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

Thank you very much, Madam President. Thank you, colleagues, for the debate. To my colleague from Los Angeles, I have enormous respect for you and for your perspective, and I largely share that perspective.

For the last eight years, I have served on the Senate Public Safety Committee, along with my colleague from Berkeley and my colleague from Gardena and others have come and gone. And over that period, we have produced legislation to reduce incarceration, some aggressive legislation to reduce incarceration.

I have spent time on the green carpet trying to squeeze out that 41st vote on various bills over time to do that. Senator from Berkeley, Senator from Gardena. We have done enormous work for years to reduce incarceration.

We have also in that Committee, bills that have not been on this floor that we have stopped, bills that were designed to tear apart Prop 47, bills that were designed to reverse that progress. And we have all taken a lot of political heat.

I continue to this day to get beaten up in my district because of the bills that we have stopped in that Committee. But we do have a real issue. And I think that this Bill is a measured approach that had enormous stakeholder input, and I think it does deserve support.

While I do have enormous respect for those who do not share my view on this Bill. And I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

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

[Roll Call]

Secretary, please call the absent Members.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 36, noes one. The Bill passes. Senators, we are moving back to the front of our calendar, or agenda here. Messages from the Governor will be deemed read. Messages from the Assembly were deemed read. Reports of Committee will be deemed read and amendments adopted. Moving on to motions, resolutions, and notices.

This is the time to raise your mic. If you have anything under this section, Senator Jones, you are recognized.

Thank you, Madam President. At the request of the author, please remove file item 315, AB 2337 by Assemblywoman Dixon from the consent calendar for further amendments.

The desk would know. Senator Laird.

Thank you, Madam President. At the request of the author, please remove file item 292, AB 2058 from the consent calendar for the purpose of amendments.

The desk has noted, Senator Roth.

Thank you, Madam President. The request to the author. Please remove Assembly Bill 382, file item number looks like 837 for purposes of amendments and AB 832, file item 36 from the calendar.

Thank you, Senator. Senator Caballero.

Thank you very much, Madam President, at the request of the author, I'd like to remove file item number 327, AB 2721. And at the request of the author, file item number 318, AB 2430. Thank you, Senator. Senator Smallwood-Cuevas.

Thank you, Madam President. On behalf of author, I request that AB 3067 be pulled from the consent file for the purposes of amendment and that AB 2833 be moved to the inactive file. The desk has noted. Senator Limon.

Thank you. I request unanimous consent to return SB 675 to the Assembly for further action.

With objection.

Senator Wahab, at the request of the author, Assembly Member Phil Ting, please remove file item number 297, AB 1413 from the consent calendar for the purposes of amendments.

Odessa's noted. Senator Glazer.

Thank you, Madam President. At the request of Assemblymember Brian, I'd like to pull Assembly Bill 2664 file item 325 from the consent calendar for purposes of amendments.

The destiny is noted. Senator Alvarado-Gil.

Thank you, Madam President. At the request of the author, please remove file item 329, Assembly Bill 2859 author Jim Patterson from the consent calendar for purposes of amendment. The desk is noted. Senator Blakespear.

Thank you, Madam President. At the request of the author, please remove file item 331, AB 2897 from the consent calendar.

Thank you, Senator. Majora Leader, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam President. I rise to remove file item a 21, AB 151524. Assemblymember Lowenthal from the inactive file. And I also rise to remove on behalf of Assembly Majority Leader Aguirre Curry, file item 311, AB 2174 and file item 321, AB 2606 from the consent calendar, the desk has.

Noted floor amendment motion. There are floor amendments at the desk. They will be deemed adopted pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10. The following bills are referred to the Committee on Rules. File item 285, AB 3184. Moving back to consideration of the daily file, we have items one through four on the second reading file. Secretary, please read.

Assuming Bill 25401. Second to third, 1936 second to third, 23. 42nd to third2599 second to third.

2Nd reading file is deemed read. We have three appointments under governor's appointments. It is time for governor's appointments. Senator Grove is almost ready. Senator Grove is ready. We're going to start with file item number seven. Senator Grove.

Thank you, Madam Chair. File item seven is the confirmation of David Holtshield for the reappointment of the California Energy Commission. He was first appointed in 2013 and he served as the Commission's chair since 2019. Prior to this, he was a solar company Executive and served in the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Respectfully asked for an aye vote.

Thank you, Senator. Seeing no discussion or debate, secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll call]

[Roll call]

Please call the APPCN Members.

Atkins, Dahle, Grove. Aye. Sierto, Stern.

Secretary. Please call the appSA Members one more time. Atkins, Dahle, Seattle, Stern, eyes 36, no, zero. The appointment is confirmed. Senator Grove is prepared for fire item eight. Please proceed.

Thank you, Madam President. Fire item eight is the confirmation of Mary Leslie for reappointment to the California Independent System operating a governing board. Miss Leslie was approved by the Rules Committee on a 50 vote on July 3. She was appointed in 2019 and previously served as the board's chair.

This is somebody we really want at the helm of the ISO. She was incredible. She answered every question. Tough questions, things about the future, where we're going with energy, no notes. Understands the system from beginning to end. And we should be honored to vote for her. Respectfully. Ask for an aye vote.

I've seen no discussion or debate. Secretary, please call the roll.

Allen. Aye. Avrawed, Gillenhouse. I archiletto. I Ashby. I Atkins, Becker. I Blakespear. I Bradford. I Gabrielle. I Cortese. I Dahle. I Dodd. I Torazo. I Eggman. I Glazer. I Gonzalez. I Grove. I urdado. I Jones. I Laird. I limone. I Mcguire. I minjivar. I Min. I Newman. I win. I Niello. I ochobo. I Padilla. I Portantino.

I Roth. I Rubio. I. Say arto. Aye. Skinner. I small. Cuevas. Aye. Stern, Umberg. I Wahab. I Wiener. I wilt. Aye.

Ayes. 38. Noes, zero. The appointment is confirmed. File item in this section, file item 10. Senator Grove is prepared.

Please. Thank you, Madam President. The confirmation of Jeffrey Marino, the Director of Office of data and Innovation, was just established last year. This appointment confirmation is very, very interesting. When he came before us in the Rules Committee, he's actually very good at technology and things like that.

And when we had a problem with COVID and the response to Covid, he came in and volunteered from an outside source as a business leader in this arena. And he volunteered for the State of California in 2020 to bring his expertise to the state's Covid-19 pandemic response.

He held multiple leadership positions, helping every agency that needed help with the response and how to take care of our constituents at the best of the state's ability. He brought expertise to every one of our agencies. With the response. He facilitated data transactions, all volunteering his time.

And has that leadership and that compassion for our state has led him to be appointed to this position as the office of data innovation. And he was approved by the Rules Committee on July 3 with a 50 vote. Respectfully ask your aye vote. Senator Dodd, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam President. I've had the opportunity to work with Director Marino as chair of the Geo Committee on numerous AI bills, my own and others. And I came away just so incredibly impressed by not only his knowledge, but his commitment and his passion. I'm sure he is going to do an outstanding job. Urge your aye vote.

Thank you.

See no further discussion. Debate. Senator Grove, you may close. Respectfully ask for your. And aye vote. Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll call]

[Roll call]

Please call the absent Members.

Atkins. Rodotto.

Aye Stern. Ayes 38, noes zero. The appointment is confirmed. We have one item under unfinished business by majority leader. Item number 12. She is prepared. Secretary, please read.

Senate Bill 674 by Senator Gonzalez an act relating to air pollution.

Majority leader.

Thank you, Madam President. Members, assembly amendments to SB 674 as rework key definitions clarify that refineries and related facilities are only responsible for monitoring their own emissions provide that fence line monitoring is not required when there aren't communities nearby and delay implementation to ensure that the program is implemented correctly and with adequate public involvement.

These amendments address many of the opposition's concerns and provide additional flexibility where appropriate, while ensuring that communities are receiving adequate protections and information. I respectfully ask for an aye vote on concurrent.

Thank you, Senator. Seeing no discussion or debate, secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll call].

Please call the absent members.

[Roll call].

Aye's 28, No's 8. Assembly amendments are concurred and we're going to move back to motions and resolutions. Majority leader, you're recognized.

Thank you. Madam President, I request unanimous consent to submit a letter to the Senate Journal regarding Senate Bill 674 which will clarify the bill's intent that covered facilities that are entirely enclosed within the footprint of a refinery are not required to do monitoring under the bill. Both sides have reviewed and approved the letter, and I thank you.

Senator Limon, you are recognized.

Thank you. I'd like to remove AB 1930, file item 304 from the consent calendar for purposes of amendments.

Without objection, such would be the order. Moving back, moving back and forward to a Senate third reading.

We have two items under Senate third reading: file item 20 and file item 24. Senator Ochoa Bogh, you're kicking us off. She is prepared. Secretary, please read.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 146 by Senator Ochoa Bogh relative to California Community Cats Day.

Senator Ochoa Bogh.

Thank you, Madam President and members, I rise to present SCR 146, which recognizes today, August 8, as California Community Cats Day. Yes, community cats.

Today, California is home to many animal shelters and organizations whose mission is to protect the welfare of animals, including community cats, a term used to describe outdoor, unowned, free roaming cats that can be tame, feral, healthy, sick, altered, or unaltered. Cats have held the special place in my heart.

My family adopted two cats from the community, Mac and Sammy. They brought joy and a little mischief to our home. But more importantly, they brought love. Their playful antics warmed our home. Sorry, they both passed away. Their playful antics warmed our home. And I'm pleased to introduce this resolution to raise awareness about community cats.

Because the more we know, the better we can manage the unowned cats living in every city in California. The main factor in the high population of community cats is uncontrolled reproduction.

To help control the cat population, many agencies are using trap, neuter return, or TNR, a non-lethal method in which cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated and ear tipped by veterinarians, and then either adopted or, if safe, returned to the community.

The TNR approach has proven effective in reducing nuisance behaviors and keeping community cats healthier and safer. SCR 146 commends animal rescue organizations and shelters, cat advocates and volunteers for rescuing adoptable cats and humanely controlling the community cat population in their jurisdictions, thereby saving thousands of cats every year.

I urge all Californians to get involved in some way by donations, adoptions, volunteer hours, any involvement will help local animal organizations better manage community cats in their regions. Please join me in recognizing August 8, 2024, as California Community Cats Day.

Senator Eggman, you're recognized for the cat.

Thank you very much, Madam President. I rise in support of this. And while people may know that I love dogs, I have two dogs. I am also a cat lady. And I have two cats, Sourdough Misty and Ashy Rose.

And on behalf of them, and I'm glad to know that my colleague from Ukiah is also a cat lady. So, on behalf of all cat ladies, I ask for your aye vote.

Senator Laird, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam President. I was just going to say I'm an older man with no children and a cat. I strongly support this resolution.

Senator Min, you're recognized.

I just want to appreciate the author for bringing this bill forward. I'm a cat dad. In addition to my three young kids, I have a cat. I've unfortunately seen two previous cats that have passed. I know they're an important part of our family. Let's go, cats.

See no further cat lovers, we are now Senator Ochoa Bogh, you may close.

I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

This item is eligible for unanimous roll call. Any objection? Aye's 38, No's, 0. The resolution is adopted. File item 24, Senator Alvarado-Gil is prepared.

Secretary, please read.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 167 by Senator Alvarado-Gil relative to California Runaway and Homeless Youth Prevention Month.

Senator.

Thank you so much, Madam President. I rise today to present Senate Concurrent Resolution 167, which would designate this November as Runaway and Homeless Youth Prevention Month here in the great state of California.

This resolution is designed to raise awareness about the number of youth who don't have a safe and stable place to call their home, often sleeping on the streets and shelters, running away, being kicked out, and couch surfing.

In California, the number of unaccompanied homeless youth is 10,173, and there are 2,219 parenting youth and their children experiencing homelessness based on the US Department of Housing and Urban Development's 2023 Pit or Point in Time Homeless Count. Findings from Chapin Hall found that one in 10 young adults ages 18 to 25, and at least one in 30 adolescents ages 13 to 17 experienced some form of homelessness unaccompanied by a parenthood or a guardian over the course of a year.

Our homeless youth are much more likely to be unsheltered than adult homeless people, and our black and Latino and LGBTQ youth are also disproportionately impacted, accounting for about 40% of homeless youth. Other reports find that 50% of chronically homeless populations had their first experience of homelessness when they were only under the age of 25.

With few resources and little support, our runaway and homeless youth often fall victims to sexual exploitation, violent crimes, and extreme poverty. The legislature has taken important steps to ensure that the homeless youth are served by the Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention program.

Funding for HHAP and Homekey and more can be done so that no young person has to lay their head on the cold ground to sleep at night. To continue the increased awareness for our youth experiencing homelessness.

And as chair of the Human Services Committee, I ask that you please join me in declaring November 2024 as California's 13th annual Runaway and Homeless Youth Prevention Month. Together, we will ensure supportive and effective programs are created through this state to stop our children from entering the pipeline into chronic homelessness.

Thank you so much, and I ask for your aye vote.

Seeing no discussion or debate, this item is eligible for unanimous roll call. Any objection? Aye's 37, No's, 0. The resolution is adopted. We have now, under special consent calendar number 43. We are going to be lifting a call first for file item 27. We're lifting the call for SR 105 Senator Newman. Secretary, please read.

Please call the absent members.

[Roll Call].

Please call the absent members.

[Roll Call].

Aye's 37, No's, 0. Resolution is adopted. Now we're moving on to special consent calendar number 43. We have items 344 through 347. Is there anyone that wishes to pull an item from the consent calendar? See none. Secretary, please read all the items.

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 205, 209, 212, 214.

Secretary, please call the roll on the first item.

[Roll Call].

Please call the absent members.

[Roll Call].

Aye's 37, No's, 0. The consent calendar passes. Returning to motions and resolutions; this is our time to do our adjourn in memories. We have three today. We're going to start off with Senator Rubio.

Ready? Thank you, Madam President. Ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, today I rise to adjourn in memory of Doctor Robert H. Suzuki. Lovingly known as Bob. He's a former University President of Cal Poly Pomona who passed at the age of 88. When he was a child, during World War Two, Bob and his family were confined in Idaho in an internment camp for Japanese Americans. Bob's childhood experience shaped him in becoming an activist who was deeply involved in the civil rights movement, advocating for minority groups in society. Alongside his wife, Agnes, Bob became an agent for change, picketing, rallying and organizing for action.

Leading a national campaign for the congressional repeal of the Emergency Detention act of 1950. Although he began his career as an engineer, Bob chose to pursue a career in education, which was more in line to his commitment to social justice and community building.

During his time as president of Cal Poly Pomona, Bob was able to raise more than $110 million to help Fund construction projects on campus and expand opportunities for student's resources such as scholarship opportunities to help pay for college for those that need it the most.

Bob was an amazing man who was recognized in his work for anti-racist, anti-oppression, and social justice work. He served as a member on the National Science Board in the California Student Aid Commission. The National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education honored him in 2016.

The San Gaberiel Valley Economic Partnership awarded him its final first annual technology leadership award in 2001. President Bill Clinton named him to serve on the National Science Foundation in 1997. In addition, Bob was the first recipient of the National Education Association's Human Rights award for leadership in Asian Pacific Islander Affairs in 1976.

Bob was an inspiration to those who knew him, and he deeply cared for his students. He always made time and was always very empathetic to their needs. He is survived by his wife Agnes, has three children and his grandchildren. Please join me in adjourning in the memory of Bob Suzuki. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Senator. Please bring his name forward so that we may properly memorialize them in the journal. Senator Roth, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam President. Friends, I ask that you join me this morning in a journey in memory of Robert Swan. Bob was a dear friend of mine and our family and a true public servant.

He served with distinction, commitment, and dedication as a trustee on the Alvord Unified School Board for the past decade and elected as its President three times. A product of Alvord schools, he was considered to be a treasure in our region.

He played a significant role in leading the school district during the Covid-19 pandemic, worked to narrow achievement gaps and prepare students for college and careers. When he retired from AT&T after 31 years of service, he immersed himself in our community.

He was intrinsically involved in the fabric of our region, building bridges and forming partnerships to get things done. He met his lovely wife Beth, while they were students at Riverside's La Sierra High School. He was a junior and she was a freshman. They would have celebrated their 42nd anniversary this October.

Cindy and I send our love and prayers to Beth, their children, grandchildren during this most difficult time. We will miss him a lot.

Thank you, Senator. Please bring his name forward so that we may properly memorialize Robert in the journal. Our final aim of the day is going to be from Senator Wahab. Senator Wahab, you're recognized.

Thank you, colleagues, I rise to adjourn in the memory of Elaine Alquist, the first Greek American woman to serve in both the Assembly and the Senate. Elaine worked tirelessly as an advocate for vulnerable youth and seniors.

One of her signature pieces of legislation was the Silver Alert for missing seniors, and I will go over it very, very briefly. Her time as a schoolteacher, then counselor, and member of the Cupertino Union School District Board of Education informed her statewide policy making efforts to improve public education.

In all, she spent two decades serving the people as an elected official. Elaine Alquist passed away on July 9 at the age of 79 in Santa Clara, California. She was a mother to sons Peter and Brian White, grandmother to Jasmine, Logan, and Liam White, and partner to J. Duncan Benas.

Senator Alquist was a trailblazer and a role model for so many. May she rest in peace. Thank you.

Senator Cortese, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam President. Very much appreciate our colleague from Hayward leading this adjournment in memory for Elaine Alquist, particularly because Elaine, who I knew, I'm always hesitant to date myself. I got to get over that, but I'm going all the way back to the 1990s. That said, she was a City of Santa Clara person.

We're Santa Clara County representatives, many of us in the delegation from down there, but she was such a City of Santa Clara person, and one of our early women California State Senators said, I think she would be very, very proud to have our colleague from Hayward and Santa Clara really leading this memorial today.

I want to be just a little bit more anecdotal, I think, but to try to put some things in perspective, as our colleague just indicated, her thing was education.

She had come from a school board background; I believe over in Cupertino on that side of what is now some combination of Senate District 15 and a couple of other Senate districts that maybe three of us represent at this time. But that wasn't it.

And I was always taken by the fact that despite the fact that she had this very urban background, Cupertino, Santa Clara, lived in Santa Clara, represented that area. She had a strong connection to farmworkers, to the United Farm Workers.

To my knowledge, there wasn't a time in her elected representation that she didn't have staff and advisors helping her to develop her policy around assistance to farm workers who were, by that time, of course, very much connected to the southern part of Santa Clara County and then all the way down to Salinas and so forth.

That was the physical or geographic connection. But that didn't stop her from making that connection in her own office and being a fighter for their rights.

The other thing, again, just to kind of put things in perspective for some who go back a little further, like a couple of us, but also those who are newer and remember folks who came after her. Elaine's husband was former state Senator Al Alquist, who had also started in the state assembly before term limits.

And he was succeeded by a former Assemblymember, John Vasconcellos, who became a state senator also, in an era that was mostly governed by a lack of term limits. Both of those individuals had shared ways and means or budget committees, and they were both from the same area, the same district or geographic area.

In fact, Elaine succeeded John Vasconcellos in the state senate, had that name, that surname that was iconic down in our area, and she was her own person. She was very assertive.

She was very much a strong woman in the state senate, and I know that, and I knew her, and she didn't back off even over a cup of coffee, many of which I had with her many of a morning.

I sat down with her and kind of heard what she really thought and always admired her for that gumption, because in some sense, you know, she could have been taken as just the wife of the former state senator who ultimately and eventually took over that office. That wasn't it at all.

She was her own person and deserves very much, deserves to be recognized today as that strong person who stood up for a variety of constituents and demographics and issues, but particularly education.

Jim Bell, my predecessor, came from sort of that same electoral lineage, ultimately, as did Jerry Hill, who I think was succeeded by another one of our colleagues here today from the Santa Clara County delegation.

So, I'm explaining all of that just to give a feel for the legacy that she was a part of, the background in our county that she was a part of, and the strength of the woman who we're recognizing today with this memorial. Thank you very much.

Senator Laird, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam President. I rise, too, in a tribute to former Senator Elaine Alquist. And she and I overlapped not just in service, but my Assembly District overlapped with her Senate district. And we worked together on a lot of the issues that were mentioned.

We had a disproportionate part of seniors in some part of the district, and we worked together to address their issues. We had unbelievable water contamination with perchlorate in that part of the district. We worked really hard to protect people's fresh water and water supply and drinking water in that time of crisis.

There was an area there, San Martin that we shared, that wanted to incorporate. It got caught between Proposition one and newly forming cities. I did a Bill with her aside to protect the ability of those residents to incorporate if they wanted. But also, as was said, she came off of a school board.

She came out of education, and we worked really hard in difficult budget times to try to protect education. She was really committed. She didn't always seek the headlines. She just wanted to get it done. And so I rise in tribute to that record today.

Senator Roth, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam President. First, I guess, came in contact with Senator Alquist during my 2012 campaign for the State Senate. My first campaign, it was a difficult time, as I've probably told you several times, I didn't have a lot of friends.

And out of the blue one day, I was sitting in my law office in Southern California, and I got a call, and I picked up the phone, and the lady on the other end identified herself as state Senator Elaine Alquiste. She didn't know me, and I certainly didn't know her.

And it was quite a surprise to get this call. She spent a lot of time with me. She asked about my campaign. She asked about my fundraising. We talked.

And although I knew she was out of office because by then, I knew who the state Senators were, who were serving, she told me, she said, you know, I'm going to support you. And she did.

And then during the course of that primary campaign, she called again to check in, and every now and then, I'd send, I'd get a check from her.

And I knew she didn't have any money in terms of political money for campaign contributions, but she dug into her own pocket to help some guy who didn't have a lot of friends, didn't have the party endorsement, was simply trying to get to the California State Senate to make a difference.

And her contribution and her support did make a difference during that primary election period. You know, it shouldn't have surprised me that she called me and that she supported me, because once I got up here, I understood that the Senate is a team. It was then, in is now.

And once a team Member, you're always a team Member. And she supported the team. So I'll never forget Senator Elaine Alquist, and we'll miss her a lot, too.

I appreciate everyone's comments on the late Senator. Senator Roja. Please bring her name forward so the Senator may be properly memorialized in the journal. We're going to move back to privileges, the floor for one hot second and recognize Senator Becker.

Thank you. Colleagues, it's giving me great pleasure to introduce my daughter, who was able to be here last night and witnessed that. Really, just as I've said, heartwarming, inspiring, moving tributes to our colleagues and their service. I'm glad she was able to witness that. Please join me in welcoming my daughter, Leo Becker.

Welcome. Thank you for joining us. If there is no other business, Mister Pro Tem, the desk is clear.

Thank you so much, Madam President. And the Members. We'll echo what the good Senator from the Bay Area had said about what an amazing evening it was. And I know that we're going to continue paying tribute to those 10 retiring Members here in the next couple of weeks.

We got a busy few weeks in front of us, Madam President. It is going to be productive. We're going to be successful, and we're going to start all over again. The next floor session is scheduled for Monday, August 12, at 02:00 p.m. have a wonderful weekend.

The Senate will be in recess until 03:30 p.m. which time the adjournment motion will be made. We will reconvene Monday, August 12 at 02:00 p.m.