Senate Standing Committee on Governmental Organization

To go on. Members, we only have one Bill today, so let's get it done. Before we begin, let's establish a quorum secretary. Please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Thank you. We have. We will now move to our only item, SB 537. Senator Becker, you may begin.

Thank you, Mister chair. The only thing standing between you and dinner. So I will keep it brief. I want to say, first of all, I'm presenting on behalf of Majority Leader Gonzalez. She's my co author on this. And just for a moment, because this is a very important topic.

The whole point of this is to memorialize the victims of the Mexican repatriation program. This is where we deported only time ever, by presidential order, over a million Mexicans and Mexican Americans. The estimates are over 60% were citizens that were deported starting in the thirties.

And this will create a memorial paid for by a nonprofit that we will create. It'll be all private funds to really properly memorialize this. At a time when there is talk, like active talk of mass deportations. I think a lot of people think it's just talk. It's important to remember that this did happen and could happen again, and we have to memorialize, and this is the time to do it. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you very much, Senator. Any witnesses and support? No, thank you. Anybody in the audience would like to come up and support? See none. Any opposition? We'll turn to the Members. We have a motion by Senator Roth. Any discussion? Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Excuse me, Members, can you hold on a second? Wilk. Senator Wilk, thank you. With the bills out, that's 11, that's 11-0. We'll keep the roll up, but I want to take this opportunity. This is my last GO Committee hearing that I'll be chairing. Unless they throw something yet our way. One more time.

And we all know the possibilities of that happening may be strong, maybe not, but I wanted to thank all the Committee Members for sure. And I wanted to thank my GO staff, Felipe Lopez, chief consultant, and Brian Duke. Where are you, Brian? Stand up, Brian. He won't stand up. And Monique Graham. Thank you very, very much.

While I'm at it, just as a point of privilege, my Chief of Staff, Ezra Shaban, and my capital Director Lesbaugh are both here as well. Thank you all very, very much for all your support and diligence during the year and past years as we've had this meeting. Thank you very much. We'll keep the roll open, please.

Well, since we're Members and they're mostly gone, we want to just say collectively, I think I'm going to speak for all of us so we can get out of here. But just thank you so much. I know that you've been very thoughtful, diligent and just such a great chair.

So just publicly, we want to acknowledge the work that you've done and how well you've led us into this wonderful, just conclusion of your tenure. So thank you. We appreciate you. Yes. Big round of applause to him.

Secretary, please open the roll.

[Roll Call]

Thank you. That's 13. That includes this. Before that concludes the business before the Governmental Organizations Committee, this meeting is adjourned.