Assembly Floor

Assembly is now in session. Assembly Member Stefani notices the absence of a quorum Sergeant. Arms will prepare the chamber. Begin and bring in the absent Members. Clerk will call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Members, a gentle reminder to please turn your keys. Insert and turn your keys. Thank you.

Members, quorum is present. We ask our guests and visitors in the rear of the chamber and in the gallery to please stand for our prayer. Today's prayer will be offered by our Assembly chaplain, Reverend Patti Oshita. Reverend Oshita.

Please join me in a moment of reflection. Today has been declared a nation day of mourning as our country grieves the passing of our 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter. President Carter made this statement. In our democracy, the only title higher and more powerful than that of President is the title of citizen.

It is every citizen's right and duty to help shape the future legacy of our nation. And when his term of office as President was over, he showed the world by example that citizens working together can help improve people's lives, not just in our nation, but in the world.

President Carter is remembered as a man who especially cared for people who were least able to help themselves in a world that can often be cruel. His gentle humanitarian actions were easily overlooked. In learning more of his personal life.

I'm amazed at how unassumingly he tried in ways great and small, to bring his deep caring to life as he walked. His talk on this national day of mourning for President Carter. Let us be inspired to emulate this gentle, caring man. Let us live with kindness and gratitude beyond words.

We ask our guests and visitors to remain standing and join us in the flag salute. Assemblymember Jackson will lead us in the pledge may be seated. To our guests and visitors. Today, state law prohibits persons in the gallery from interfering with legislative proceedings or disrupting the orderly conduct of official business.

Persons disrupting legislative proceedings are subject to removal, arrest or other appropriate legal remedies. Reading of the previous day's Journal Assembly.

Chamber Sacramento Monday, January 6, 2025. The Assembly met at 1pm The Honorable Josh Lowenthal.

Ms Aguiar Curry moves and Mr. Gallagher seconds, that the reading of 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. Messengers from the Governor, There are none. Messages from the Senate, There are none.

Moving to motions and resolutions. The absences for the day will be deemed read and printed in the journal. Majority Leader Aguiar Curry, you are recognized for your procedural motions.

Good morning, Mr. Speaker. I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 45.5 to allow Assembly Members Gallagher and Soria to speak on adjournment in memory today. Without objection, I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly rule 118A to allow Assembly Member Soria to have guests in the rear of the chamber today. I request unanimous consent to withdraw ACR 10 Mark Gonzales from the Rules Committee and order it to the third reading file.

Without objection. Such shall be the order. Mr. Gallagher, you are recognized for your remarks.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. Colleagues, today I rise with a heavy heart to acknowledge an unspeakable tragedy. So I wanted to make sure we were on the right. Thank you. Colleagues, today I rise with a heavy heart to acknowledge an unspeakable tragedy that shook our Oroville community and the entire state.

Last month, two innocent boys, kindergarteners Roman Mendez and Elias Wolford, were critically injured in a heinous act of violence at the Feather River Adventist School in Oroville. These boys were targeted while playing in their school playground, a place that should always be a sanctuary of safety and joy.

As of today, both Roman and Elias are making a remarkable recovery. But their journeys will be long and difficult. Yet even in the face of this darkness, their courage and their love that they have for one another is inspiring. In fact, Roman's first words upon waking from surgery were to ask if Elias was okay.

That compassion and resilience is a testament to the best of our humanity. Oroville is grieving, but it also stands united. United behind these boys and their families, and resolved to better protect our children at school. In the days since this tragedy, we have seen our community rally together. From candlelight vigils to fundraisers supporting Roman, Elias and their families.

This unity is our greatest strength, and it is what will guide us through this time of sorrow and in future action, I ask that you now join me in a moment of silence to honor Roman and Elias, their families, their classmates, and the entire Feather River Adventist School community. May we hold them in our prayers and support and support them as they recover from this senseless act. Thank you, Members.

Thank you, Assemblymember Gallagher. Members and guests, please rise as we observe a moment of silence for the victims of the shooting Feather River Adventist School in Oroville. Thank you, Members. Moving on to the business on the Daily File file item 1 acr8 by Assembly Member Wallace the Clerk will read.

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 8 by Assemblymember Wallis relative to World Desert Day

Assemblymember Wallis, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning, Members. I rise to present Assembly Concurrent Resolution 8, the first resolution of the 202526 session. ACR 8 designates the second Saturday of January as World Desert Day in California. Deserts are among the most vibrant yet least understood ecosystems in the world. Home to unique and endangered species, deserts face significant threats due to habitat destruction and climate change.

While various state and local governments, non government organizations and community groups work to raise awareness about our deserts, it is important to recognize World Desert Day not only to recognize California's great deserts, but to raise General awareness about the importance of desert ecosystems, their biodiversity, and the conservation work necessary to sustain sustain them around the globe.

While many Assembly Districts have parts of the Mojave, Sonoran, Colorado and Great Basin deserts, I'm confident that the 47th Assembly District is most identified as a desert district and I invite each of you to visit and see the ongoing conservation and environmental education taking place in my district.

The Living Desert and Palm Desert is a leading project that is making significant strides in conserving California State reptile, the desert tortoise, a threatened species. The Head Starting project involves raising hatchlings in a controlled environment to increase their survival rates. It is literally helping desert tortoises avoid extinction.

ACR 8 honors the unique beauty and importance of desert ecosystems. It raises public awareness, supports conservation efforts, and celebrates the wildlife and communities that depend on deserts. Recognizing this Saturday as World Desert Day is a unique opportunity towards ensuring the future of these fragile but vital landscapes. Members, I respectfully ask for your aye vote on this important resolution and Mr. Speaker, I would like to open the roll for co authors.

Thank you, Assemblymember Wallis, Assemblymember Gonzalez, you are recognized.

Good morning Members. I'm honored to stand with my colleague and desert neighbor, Assemblyman Wallis in supporting Assembly Concurrent Resolution 8, which recognizes world Desert Desert Day.

My District Assembly District 36 is home to parts of the Sonoran Desert and the Colorado Desert, encompassing areas like Indio, the Coachella Valley, Salton Sea, Imperial Valley, San Bernardino, and places like Needles.

From my hometown of Indio to the border City of Calexico, this diverse and stunning desert region is a cornerstone of our state's ecological, cultural and recreational identity. Just this week, over 624,000 acres of desert land in my district were designated as the Chuckwalla National Monument.

This remarkable new monument will preserve a unique desert ecosystem, celebrate its cultural heritage, and offer recreational opportunities for visitors from across the globe, ensuring it remains a treasure for future generations. The Chuckwalla National Monument draws its name from the Chuckwalla Lizard, a charismatic reptile native to our desert.

This region boasts incredible biodiversity, including the desert tortoise, bighorn sheep, native plants and migratory birds, all part of an intricate and resilient ecosystem.

It's important to recognize and thank the local tribes who have championed the protection of our deserts, their stewardship over thousands of years in taking care of their ancestral homes, and has been vital in preserving these lands and their cultural significance. ACR8 is a crucial step in honoring and maintaining the ecological and cultural identity of our deserts. I invite you all to join me and my fellow Desert Rat in recognizing World Desert Day. Thank you.

Thank you, Assembly Member Gonzalez. Seeing and hearing no further debate. Assembly Member. Excuse me, Assemblymember Lackey, you are recognized.

I can't miss the opportunity to brag about being a desert Assemblyman. I never thought that day would ever come, but here I am. I want you to know that I am proud. I was raised in the desert, the Mojave Desert. And I. I would venture to say that my desert's bigger than yours.

Thank you, Assemblymember Lackey. Now seeing and hearing no further debate, Assemblymember Wallis, would you like to close?

Respectfully. Request an aye vote.

Okay. Assemblymember Wallis has asked for the first roll to be open for co authors. Clerk will open the roll for co authors. Please. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Remember, this is for co authors. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll.

There are 59 CO authors added without objection. We will now take a voice vote on the resolution. All those in favor say aye. All opposed say no. The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Moving to guest introductions. Assemblymember Soria, you are recognized for your guest introductions.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning, Members. I'd like now to recognize and welcome two guests that are visiting from Madera County, which is the county, one of the counties in my district. We have two Members that were just recently reelected and started this New Year, District 4 Supervisor Leticia Gonzalez, who I want to recognize.

Ms. Gonzalez has served on the Board of Supervisors since 2022 and is now the first ever Latina to serve as chair of the Madera County Board of Supervisors. Excuse me. And since the county was established, which was in 1893, so that was 132 years.

And I also want to welcome Supervisor Bobby Macauley, who was also just reelected and sworn into Madera County's District 5S supervisor. So I want to thank them. They were here for the rural counties event and so want to welcome them to Sacramento and thank them for their service and congratulate them on a new term.

Thank you. Assemblymember Soria. Welcome, Supervisors, to the California Assembly. Members, we will now recess the regular session to convene the first extraordinary session. We are now in the first extraordinary session. Without objection, we will substitute the prayer pledge and other orders of business from the 2025-26 regular session for those items in the first extraordinary session. Majority Leader Aguiar Curry, you are recognized.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Assembly Rule 51, I move that AB 1 Gabriel and AB 2 Gabriel be referred to the Budget Committee.

Madam Majority Leader has made a motion to move that AB 1 and AB 2 be referred to the Budget Committee. That motion is seconded by Assemblymember Hart somebody. Member Essayli, if you mind just waiting just one moment, please. Thank you.

Thank you. Assemblymember Essayli. Members, this motion requires a roll call vote. 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. Ayes 46, no. 17. The motion passes.

I'm ordering the desk to remain open to process additional business. Seeing and hearing. No further business. I'm ready to entertain a motion to adjourn. Majority Leader Aguiar Curry moves. Mr. Garcia seconds that the extraordinary session stands adjourned until Monday, January 13th. Members, we are back in regular session, moving on to adjournments. In memory.

Members, the quorum call is still in place. Please take your seats. Please give your very respectful attention to those who are granted prior permission to speak on their adjournment. In memory, please take all your conversations off the floor. Members, Assemblymember Gallagher, you are recognized for your adjournment and memory.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members, I rise this morning to adjourn in memory of William Bill Hudson. Who passed away on November 16, 2024 at the age of 88. Bill was born to William and May Hudson and raised by Lloyd and Eileen Hudson.

He attended my Alma mater, Browns Elementary School in East Nicholas High School and then went on to study at Yuba College and then UC Davis. A community servant always, Bill found ways to support the South Sutter community even as he continued his work as a walnut farmer.

Bill served on the Reclamation Board 1001 Board of Trustees for 35 years and served several of those terms as President. He was a proud Member of the Elks Lodge for over 62 years and served as a volunteer firefighter with the Nicholas Volunteer Fire Department from 1965 to 1984.

Bill met his wife Linda in December of 1981 and they were married soon thereafter. During their 37 years together, they often traveled on cruise ships or in a travel trailer with their dogs. He loved spending time outside and was often water skiing, snow skiing or golfing. His adventurous spirit gave him the nickname Wild Bill.

And I got to have many years with Wild Bill and always enjoyed those moments where he'd either have a word of encouragement or a good joke and he will truly be missed. He's survived by four children and 12 grandchildren and also several great grandchildren.

Bill Hudson will be remembered for his loving spirit and dedication to his community and dearly missed by all of his friends and all who had the pleasure of knowing him. Therefore, today I ask that the Assembly adjourn in the memory of William Wild Bill Hudson. Thank you.

Thank you, Assemblymember Gallagher. Assemblymember Soria, you are recognized for your adjournment and memory.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. It is with a heavy heart that I stand to adjourn in the memory of Kevin Cox, a friend and a local Fresno and Central Valley legend in the craft beer scene. I want to begin with an interesting fact about California.

For the fiscal year of 2023-2024, the average Californian consumed over 16 gallons of beer. Our friend Kevin Cox would say, that number is simply too Low. Kevin was a pioneer in the Central Valley's craft beer scene. Kevin was a friend and a mentor to many young and old who aspired to learn the craft of beer making.

But more importantly, he was also an incredible friend. A husband, a father, aunt, a grandfather. In 1979, Kevin began his career as a cellar master and production manager for Heights Wine Cellar in Napa Valley. Several years later, Kevin moved to Fresno and would help open the local brewery, Butterfield Brewing Co.

In 1989, where he oversaw the production of more than 550,000 gallons of beer a year. While at Butterfield, Kevin wanted to expand his passion for one of America's long, longest standing pastimes. He soon started teaching classes on beer biology, the beer making process and more.

Kevin Cox was also a founding Member of the Central Valley Warthogs, a home brew club that coalesced around a sign up list posted at the brewery one night. This group led the judging for the annual Fresno County Fairs Homebrew competition beginning in 1992.

They also hosted the West Coast regionals for the American Homebrew Association competition from 1994 to 1996. After leaving Butterfield Brewing Company in 2003, Kevin became the head brewmaster at Tioga Sequoia Brewing Company.

He has since won five gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colorado, as well as numerous other regional and state awards for his craft of brewing beer.

Several brewers who worked under Cox have become master brewers themselves, including Rick Buch at Southgate Brewing in Oakhurst, Matt Bolden at 1852 Brewing Company in Visalia, and Tommy Caprillen at House of Pendragon and Sanger.

In recent years, Kevin had retired after more than 30 years in the brewing industry and took a job driving a school bus in Fresno County. In the small community of Carruthers, Kevin passed away on Sunday, December 22, right before Christmas at the young age of 66.

He is survived by his wife, Terry Cox, his children Brian, Brandon and Brent, and his grandchildren Colton and Marilyn. I want to thank Terry and his and the Cox family who are watching online for sharing Kevin with us.

I had the great fortune and the privilege of personally knowing Kevin Terry, who was my Chief of Staff for eight years when I was on the Fresno City Council. We formed a strong bond as public servants, as colleagues and most importantly as dear friends.

Terry and her family have been important part of my life and my heart is with them as they grieve through this process and move on to the next chapter and in their lives.

Kevin will be missed dearly and it's been amazing to see just the messages on social media of all these young people and the followers that he had not just in the Central Valley but up and down the state that we, that they appreciate his mentorship, his character just as a great human being of wanting to share his knowledge and wanting to make sure that everyone could enjoy a good glass of beer.

So Kevin, we love you, Terry and the Cox family, we are with you and we look forward to celebrating his life and the legacy that he's left in the brew brewing, craft industry in our local community. Thank you.

Thank you, Assembly Member Soria. Members. Before we leave today, I'd ask that you keep in mind the constituents we serve who have been impacted by the wildfires raging in Southern California. I'd ask that you keep in mind the thousands of first responders from across our state and our nation that have been dispatched here to help us in this fight. We're so thankful to them and their families.

And finally, on behalf of the California Legislature, we have unspeakable gratitude to the countless Californians mobilizing, donating, volunteering, opening their homes, feeding and supporting the brave and courageous men and women working around the clock to save lives. 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 printed in the Journal. Moving on to announcements, session six. Schedule as follows. Friday, January 10th. No floor session, no check in session. Monday, January 13th, floor session at 1pm Seeing and hearing no further business, I am ready to entertain a motion to adjourn.

Ms. Aguiar Curry moves. Mr. Flora seconds that this house stands and adjourned until Monday, January 13, at 1pm Quorum call is lifted and we are adjourned.