Senate Floor

Mr. Secretary, please call the roll.

Allen. Alrodigil. Archuleta. Araguain. Ashby. Becker. Blakesbury. Cabaldin. Caballero. Cervantes. Choi. Cortese. Dali. Darazo. Gonzalez. Grayson. Grove. Hurtado. Jones. Laird. Limone. Mcguire. McNerney. Menjivar. Niello. Ochobog. Padilla. Perez. Reyes. Richardson. Rubio. Certo. Small. Cuevas. Stern. Umberg. Belladeres. Wahab. Weber. Pearson. Wiener.

Members, a quorum is present. Would the Members and our guests beyond the rail and in the gallery please rise? We will be led in prayer this afternoon by our chaplain, Sister Michelle Gorman. After which, please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.

Thank you.

In the Lakota language of the North American plains, the phrase hanto yo is a prayer to clear the way at this time of remembering the atrocities of Auschwitz. We pray, God of mercy, you call us from the narrowness of our traditions to new ways of being human, from the captivities of our culture to creative witness for justice.

We pray, clear the way in us, your people, that we might invite each other to freedom and renewed faith. God of mercy, you call us from privilege and protocol to partnership and pilgrimage, from isolation and insularity to inclusive community. We pray, clear the way in us, your people, that we might invite each other to wholeness and integrity.

Holy transforming spirit, you call us from fear to faithfulness, from a desire to control to deeper trust, from the refusal to love to a readiness to reverence all humanity. We pray, clear the way in us, your people, that we might all know the beauty and power of preserving the diversity of your creation for future generations. Amen.

Please join me as we salute our flag.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

Members are going to move on to privileges of the floor. Before we do that, I want to wish a happy birthday to Senator Reyes and also a very happy birthday to the Senate Majority Leader Gonzalez. Happy birthday. Yeah. Members, it's a. It's a slow Monday. Members, we're going to move on to privileges of the floor.

Senator Gonzalez under privileges of the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. Please join me in welcoming to the Senate chambers Cynthia Gomez, Deputy Director of State Policy and Advocacy for chirla, the Coalition for Human Immigrant Rights. She is joined by some of her hard working colleagues in the gallery. In the Senate gallery. You can wave to them now. I'm sure we can see them.

There they are. As many of you may be aware, Cirla is one of the most prominent advocates for immigrant rights across the State of California. Their tireless service is multifaceted and made ever more challenging by the recent and drastic changes in immigration policies.

Their constituency, our state's immigrant community, our communities is a melting pot of diversity and an integral component of our state's social and economic fabric. Our immigrant families in California aspire to the same things as you and me.

They want good paying jobs, access to affordable health care, a home of their own, safe communities, clean environments and quality schools for their children. These interests are the same whether a family has been in California for generations or they just immigrated here. Their aspirations are also the same whether they are citizens or undocumented.

And Chirla ensures that they have all of those opportunities and more in this state. Together, they fuel the California economy through hard work and the payment of billions in income, sales and property taxes. And the nearly 2 million immigrants in the state make up 46% of our agricultural workforce.

And our diverse and dynamic immigrant communities are a source of more than half $1.0 trillion of products in California. And their work adds up to nearly 5% of the state's Gross Domestic Product. So I'm grateful to Cynthia and the entire Chirla team and the network of immigrant and immigration advocates for their services that they provide.

Their on the ground work is vital to the many and thousands of families across the state in need of a helping hand. And we look forward forward to collaborating with them and working in this great state we call home. Thank you.

Welcome to the Senate. We're very pleased to see you here today. Moving on to Senator Ashby at the Majority Leader's desk.

Thank you, Madam President. I rise today to recognize the courageous actions of staff Members from a local elementary school called Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep, Otherwise known as NP3. NP3 is in the Natomas Unified School District In Senate District 8, just a few miles north of where we sit right now. On Tuesday, August 20th.

Theresa Payne, Marcy Dart, Sean Mcguire and Christy Lewis saved the life of their friend and co worker Carly Hull Shively as she suffered a very scary heart attack at work. Carly works in the school library. She has been helping little learners for the past decade.

She's been in classrooms doing all kinds of educating from kindergarten to teaching STEAM. She is a young woman at just 31 years old, married and a big time dog mom. Carly is with us today in the gallery. Colleagues. I wanted to take the time to honor these four heroes behind me because their quick actions saved her life.

Teresa is the school nurse. She assessed the situation, initiated CPR and managed the emergency response. Teresa was six Months pregnant at the time. Today she is a proud mom and still serving as the school nurse. Marcy is the elementary school principal. She stepped in to provide CPR until the first responders arrived.

Marcy has been leading the NP3 campus for many years. She treats everyone that steps on that school site like family. And I have no doubt that her leadership and commitment helped save Carli's Life. Sean is NP3's Vice Principal and safety Director. He played a critical role as well, helping Marcy do 8 minutes of life saving CPR.

As a side note, I have known Shawn most of my life. We have been friends since our freshman year in high school. Christy is the school secretary.

She called 911, stayed on the line, provided emergency responders the route to the exact spot on the school site and kept them informed on what was happening with CPR on her end.

The NP3 team's quick response was made possible by a recent CPR training completed just weeks before the incident, which one of the greatest reminders that we could take from this story. We never know when we may need the skills we learn.

But In August of 2024, a routine CPR class turned out to be a life saving tutorial for four educators and their co worker, first responders and doctors confirmed both on the scene and after the event that the eight minutes of CPR that Teresa, Marcy, Sean and Christy provided did in fact save Carli's life.

The MP3 elementary staff's bravery and unity embody their commitment to the safety and well being of the students at their school. And on a broader scale remind us all that life is precious and fragile and that we never know when the circumstances of our world will call us into action.

Individually, Members, please join me in recognizing these four heroes and honoring the life that they saved just five short months ago. They truly embody the best of California.

Senator Niello.

Thank you Madam President. When, when I was in the Assembly I represented that area. In fact the, the gentle lady from Sacramento was lived in my district. So back then I worked for her. So it's sort of close to me. But more importantly, the lesson there is if you know cpr, you truly can save a life.

It's like a miracle. So I congratulate them for a wonderful act and everybody else can learn. If you know cpr, you can save a life.

Thank you for that. Is there anyone else that would like a picture to join the picture? Senator Niello, would you like to. No.

Sa.

Thank you very much for joining us here today in the Senate. Senator Gonzalez.

Thank you, Madam President. On behalf of our Senate colleague from Altadena, colleagues, please join me in welcoming students and trustees of Pasadena City College, Board President Trustee Alton Wang.

We have Board Vice President Trustee Steve Gibson, Board Clerk Trustee Ryan Liu, Board Trustee James Aragon, Board Trustee Tammy Silver, Student Trustee Irene Wong, Associated Students Vice President of External Affairs Clarinde Sanft.

Amidst the destruction of the Eaton Fire, students and trustees of Pasadena City College have been working with many others in response and recovery from the Eaton fires, which has displaced, as we know, hundreds of students and faculty.

And since the fires broke out, Pasadena City College students, faculty, staff, and trustees have worked tirelessly to make their campus a safe base for our--for the community, including providing grounds for state agency operations, community aid, childcare, and even support for animals.

Please join me in giving them a warm California Senate welcome on behalf of our good colleague from Altadena, thanking them for all their efforts, and we're looking forward to continuing to work with them on rebuilding the Pasadena and Altadena communities. Thank you.

Thank you very much for being here today and thank you as well for your work on behalf of all of the victims of the fire. Moving on to Senator Wiener.

Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues, I'm honored as Co-Chair of the Legislative Jewish Caucus to introduce Rabbi Meyer May, who is here from the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. The museum is--its mission is to fight bigotry, prejudice, and racism in all of its forms.

Previously the state funded the museum--this was a couple years ago--to develop a mobile exhibit to bring the museum's important work to places all across the state. In honor of today, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the museum partnered with our Jewish Caucus to bring the mobile exhibit to the Legislature.

It will be at the intersection of 10th and N until 4:00 p.m. today. I was just there earlier today. I highly recommend it. It's really extraordinary and it will bring information about the Holocaust and other forms, episodes of bigotry, to so many people and particularly young people across the state.

It's really wonderful, so I encourage you to stop by and experience it and hear from Rabbi May. We know that tragically we're seeing a rise in not just anti-semitism, but many forms of bigotry towards many communities in this country and around the world today and it's really, really scary.

And so now more than ever, the mission of the Museum of Tolerance in teaching--particularly our young people--to understand history so that we don't repeat it is more important than ever. So join me in welcoming Rabbi May. He's right there in the gallery. Sorry, I thought he was downstairs. Hello.

Thank you, Rabbi, for visiting us here today in the Senate and for bringing the Museum of Tolerance mobile unit. Very important for you to be here today. That concludes our privileges of the floor. So, members, we're going to move on to messages. Messages from the Governor will be deemed read. Messages from the Assembly will be deemed read.

Reports of Committee will be deemed read. Moving on to Motions, Resolutions, and Notices. Without objection, the Senate journals for January 21, 2025 through January 23, 2025 will be approved as corrected by the minute clerk. Members, we're going to move on to introduction and first reading of bills. Secretary, please read.

Senate Bill 222, Senate Bill 223.

Members, we're going to move on to consideration of the Daily File. Want to encourage you to pay attention because we're going to be voting on bills. Moving on to Governor's Appointment, Item Number Two. Senator Grove.

Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues, today before you have Item File--Item Number Two, Gayle Miller for the appointment to the Delta Stewardship Council and Daniel Zingale for the appointment as well to the Delta Stewardship Council. Both of them are pretty incredible. I'm going to focus on Gayle.

Gayle--if you don't recognize her name, she used to work in the Governor's Office. She used to be part of the, you know, cleanup, finance, recycling. She was the go-to person when we needed something in the Governor's Office to make things go smoother for a lot of things that our constituents face every day.

She's an out-of-the-box thinker. She wants to make sure that we have the best use of our water to protect the delta and to also make sure that we have water moving south to our Southern California constituents as well. I respectfully ask for an aye vote. She was approved by the Rules Committee, a five/zero vote.

Senator McNerney.

Madam President, today I rise in support of the Governor's appointments to the Delta Stewardship Council. I'm confident that these appointees will strive to foster a meaningful and collegial relationship with communication between the Delta Stewardship Council and the Legislature. I also stand as a representative of the delta communities and as a member of the Delta Protection Commission.

In this role, I'm charged with safeguarding this incredible natural habitat and the people and ecosystems that thrive in the delta region and depend on its good health. Given the recent discussions on the national stage about the delta and the California water and the implications of the proposed Delta Tunnel Project, I feel compelled to note a few important facts. The tunnel projects will be very expensive.

Currently, the cost estimate is at least $20B, and I'm quite confident that will be much more than $20B. The state has yet to identify how it will pay for this project. The project would not send more water to Southern California and will not alleviate future catastrophic fires. This tunnel project will have wide-ranging and potentially devastating impacts for the 500,000 residents of the delta region and the delta itself, the most important estuary in the West Coast.

Over the coming years, the Delta Stewardship Committee Council appointments will make vital decisions on the future of the Tunnel Project and the impacts it will have on the delta communities and their rich cultural history. I'm hopeful that these appointees will do right by these communities and the delta's habitat while advancing water reliability and healthy ecosystems, and I stand ready to help them reach these goals. With that, I ask for a yay vote.

Any further discussion or debate? Seeing none, Senator Grove.

Thank you, Madam President. In closing, I'd like to remind my colleague from Pleasanton that we have spent an estimated $30B on the High-Speed Rail with another $133B in the making since we're off subject matter of the Governor's appointments, but on Gayle Miller and Daniel Zingale, I would like a aye vote.

Seeing no further debate, please call the roll.

[Roll Call].

Please call the absent members.

[Roll Call].

Ayes: 35; noes: zero. The appointment is approved. Confirmed. File Item Number Five. Senator Grove.

Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues, File Item Number Five is the for the confirmation of the appointment for Sam Rodriguez for appointment to the Board of Pilot Commissioners, Arthur Baggett Jr. for appointment to the Central Valley Regional Water Control Board, and Yen Tu to the San Diego Regional Board. They have all been approved by the Rules Committee on January 15th on a five/zero vote. Respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Is there any discussion or debate on this item? Discussion or debate? Seeing none, please call the roll.

[Roll Call].

Please call the absent members.

[Roll Call].

Ayes: 35; no: zero. The appointment is confirmed. Members, we're going to move on to File Item Number Three. Senator Laird.

Okay. Thank you very much, Madam President. Final item number three is the confirmation of Denny Chan for appointment to the Civil Rights Council and Nisha Devi Rodrigo for the Commission on the Status of women and girls. Mr. Chan is the managing Director of Equity Advocacy for justice and aging. Ms.

Rodrigo is the founder of Kayla Wellness, an adjunct Professor at Loyola Marymount, and an Eastern medicine practitioner with the United Nations. They were both approved by the Rules Committee on January 15th. I respectfully asked for an I vote.

Is there any discussion or debate on these appointments? Any discussion or debate? Seeing none. Please call the roll.

[Roll call]

[Roll call]

Please call the absent Members.

[Roll call]

Eyes 26. No, 8. The appointment is confirmed. Moving on to File Item number four, Senator Laird.

Thank you, Madam President. Item number four is the confirmation of Dr. Jake Mckenzie for appointment to the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. He previously served as a Council Member for the City of Rohnert Park. He was Director of the Western region for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Pesticide Programs.

He was approved by the Rules Committee on January 15th. I respectfully asked for an I vote.

Members, any discussion or debate? Any discussion or debate saying none. Please call the roll.

[Roll call]

[Roll call]

Please call the absent Members.

Joy, Daly, Grove, Jones, Mcguire, Niello, Chobo, Perez, Reyes, Salarto, Stern, Valadez.

Ayes. 26, noes 1. The appointment is confirmed. Members, we're going to move on to Senate. Third reading. We'll Take up file item number nine. Senator Weber Pearson is ready. Please read.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 9 by Senator Weber Pearson relative to Maternal Health Awareness Day.

Senator, the floor is yours. Thank you, Madam President. Members, I rise today to ask for your support on SCR9 as a board certified OB GYN here in California. This resolution is very near and dear to my heart. SCR9 declares 1-23-2025 as maternal health Awareness Day in California.

Maternal health in the United States is at a very critical juncture. Heart disease remains the leading cause of pregnancy relating deaths followed by conditions such as hemorrhage, infection and embolism. Mental health is another major factor with postpartum depression and psychosis contributing significant to maternal mortality.

By declaring Maternal health awareness day, SCR9 brings much needed attention to these life threatening conditions and emphasizes the importance of improved screening, treatment and support. While California may lead the nation in reducing maternal deaths, the disparities in maternal outcomes are stark and completely unacceptable.

Black women account for only 5% of pregnancies in California but represent 21% of pregnancy related deaths. These statistics highlight the urgent need for systemic changes to address racial and ethnic inequities in maternal care. Furthermore, the closure of nearly 60 labor and delivery units since 2012 has reduced safe access to childbirth options, particularly in marginalized communities.

Ser 9 underscores the necessity of coordinated care across hospitals, birth centers and community providers to ensure that every mother has access to safe supportive maternity care.

California has made significant strides, but we still have a lot of work to do do and SCR builds on this foundation advocating for public awareness, improved maternal mental health support and equitable care for all mothers. I ask for an aye vote on this very important resolution scr9. Thank you Members.

Is there any discussion or debate on this item?

Senator Becker.

Thank you. I want to thank my colleague from San Diego for bringing this up. I didn't know this was going to come up today but I spent the weekend with a good friend who's co chair of the of this of the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative.

So I spent all weekend hearing about this including on the ski lift in 20 degree weather with muffled, you know, through scarves and such.

Just hearing about all the work that has been done and, and some of the strides we've made that you mentioned and a lot of the work that has to be done and to be funded. So very fortunate.

It was funny to come and now hear this be able to talk about this here today because I was telling her about my colleague from San Diego so excited to support this measure here Today and hope that we will all continue to Fund this work. Thank you.

Any further discussion or debate, Discussion or debate saying none. You may conclude.

Want to thank my colleague for his remarks and respectfully ask for an aye vote on scr9. Please call the roll.

zero, excuse me. This thankfully is eligible for unanimous roll call. Is there any objection to using the unanimous roll call saying none? Ayes 35, no 0. The resolution is adopted. Moving on to File item number 10. Senator Grove, please read.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 10 by Senator Grove, relative to National Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

Senator Grove, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues, I stand before you to introduce SCR 10 which commemorates January 2025 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month. I'd like to thank those of you on this floor and for your willingness to take a meaningful action in the last two years to address this horrific crime of sex trafficking.

Some of you were champions alongside me to make sure that we address that issue in the State of California. But there is still yet work to be done. 16 and 17 year olds were excluded from our buyer solicitation bill and we want to make sure that 16 and 17 year olds have the same protections.

We also know that there's still a significant amount of work to be done and I'm excited that there's a coalition of legislators that are picking up people pieces of this multifaceted situation that we have in the State of California regarding human trafficking, all the different aspects.

I know that there are a lot of you championing your own bills to help get this through the legislature so that we can address this deep dark underworld. On January 11, people across the country wore blue in honor of National Human Trafficking Day in hopes to bring awareness to the most lucrative crimes in the world, an industry that profits over $150 billion a year.

I'm wearing blue today because we did a press conference with Jessica Russell at Love Never Fails and several survivors out on the north steps today to address a new unveiling of an AI technology that allows every everyday people the opportunity to read legislation that's translated into a language that we can all understand.

Not all of us are attorneys, not all of us are in legislature, not all of us read bill language. But this is an easy interpretation for the public to get involved.

We also honored those survivors and those lived experience experts that helped us factor in the legislation that we introduced and brought before you the last couple of years.

California has the unfortunate distinction of being ranked number one for the most tips regarding human trafficking called into the National Human Trafficking hotline. And because of this, our local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and anti-trafficking organizations and survivor leaders have to work tirelessly every day to combat human trafficking.

This morning I was able to take a tour of City of Refuge where they have bought some homes over on the Martin Luther King Jr. boulevard area and turned them into places of hope for individuals for either drop ins and people that need to get off the street that find themselves in this vulnerable situation and then they can go to housing that is actually on the property there and then can they can get services.

And it's not just housing first. There's accountability that is brought with it so that it's putting children first and making sure that children are safe in those environments. And when I say that it's because a lot of times that we as legislators put forth policies about housing first, we disregard the fact that it could be somebody on drugs that we need to help them get off. And you wouldn't want to put them right next to children that are trying to survive and go to school and just live life.

And so it creates an opportunity for safe places for children, which makes safe places for adults, which makes better services provided to these individuals. Sadly, sex traffickers target our most vulnerable children. They target those children in the foster care system. They target most of the children that are in, you know, low socioeconomic, disadvantaged communities.

According to a study by the congressional black caucus, 40% of those victims that were trafficked are identified as black women and children. And that's a very sad thing for all of us. Another highly highlighted population is the Native American missing and murdered indigenous women.

You know, we have some serious issues that we need to address regarding how sovereignty in a nation that lives within our community and our borders of the State of California, there needs to be more cooperation with law enforcement.

I know we worked on the Feather Alert last year, but there are still some things that need to be addressed so that those populations feel safe in their own communities and outside of the borders of their communities within our state.

Traffickers are targeting, recruiting youth directly from, like I said, foster care groups, group homes and residential treatment facilities.

That's why it was important that we address some of those things on those short term residential therapeutic facilities that the state has care, custody, control of these minor children that have the ability to leave these facilities and the trafficker can pull right up outside and pick them up and continue to terrorize them in their young age.

I did want-- I had a few of my colleagues bring forth me language on this resolution. And I want to address it here on the floor right now. This is the same language that's been introduced year after year since I've been working on human trafficking.

But I understand that there's a heightened awareness about what's going on and for political purposes and want to make sure that you understand that the whereas clause where it says "Whereas the Legislature recognizes the continuously growing crime of human trafficking within California is partially due to its ever increasing population, extensive international border and large migrant population for primary airports, ports and harbors."

What that is, it's not on the victims, it's on the individuals. There are immigrant communities because of policies in place, either now or prior to, they're afraid to call law enforcement.

I have some of my sheriffs talk to me about some of the most horrific crimes that happen within our immigrant community because these women will not pick up the phone and dial 911 out of fear. And so that's what that addresses. I'm not saying that they're causing the problem.

I'm saying that they should be protected and they are a very vulnerable population. And I put that language in there based on the data and all the numbers that we get. And I'm not saying every immigrant is.

I'm just saying that there is a large population based on the numbers that we get from the national human trafficking organizations that the immigrant population is part of this issue of trafficking being the victim and most times survivors that get out of that situation.

So I wanted to make sure I address that. As a legislative body, we have to continue to take a strong stance against those who seek to exploit for profit another human being. We're human beings and it's $150 billion a year industry and they exploit human beings.

SCR 10, we're declaring that the state is committed to combating this modern day form of slavery while offering support to survivors and their families. I know that a lot of you will stand up and say you're co-authors. We can't add the co-authors till it gets to the Assembly.

But I appreciate your support on this bill and you co-authoring the bill and we will make sure every one of your names is added and thank you for your support of SCR 10.

Senator Choi.

Thank you honorable Senators. I rise today in strong support of SCR 10, declaring January as a Human Trafficking Awareness Month in California. Human trafficking is one of the most heinous crimes of our time, exploiting vulnerable individuals for labor and sexual exploitation often in our very own communities.

By passing this resolution, we reaffirm our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable among us: women, children and marginalized communities. This is not just about awareness, it is about action. Awareness leads to prevention, stronger laws and greater support for survivors. That's why I introduced AB 667 in the Assembly which was signed into law.

This is a foreign adoption act to protect children with no country which will become the human trafficking. And it became the law January 1, 2021. California as a leader in human rights must continue to shine a light on these dark crimes and ensure that no one is left behind in our fight for justice.

Together, let's strengthen our resolve to end this modern day slavery. I urge you to support SCR 10 and together let's build a future where human trafficking is no more. Thank you.

Senator Rubio.

Thank you, Madam President and Senate colleagues. Today I rise as a co-author to SCR 10, declaring January 2025 as National Human Trafficking Awareness Month. I want to thank the good Senator from Bakersfield for introducing this resolution and for her tireless work on this issue.

I've had the privilege this morning to join her and other Senators as we heard the stories of victims. Now that they've become advocates, it's important to recognize that there's so much more work that needs to be done.

I like to remind people when I hear comments like, "it could never happen to my child," it is something that happens in every single community and it doesn't matter where you come from, a child gets abducted all the time. And I like to remind people to always envision the victims not as someone else's problem and someone else's community, but as your child.

What you would feel if your child was abducted and taken and forced to commit acts that are unthinkable for us here on this floor. California does have one of the highest rates of human trafficking.

So I'm always encouraged by seeing so many come together to continue to fight a good fight and make sure that we bring attention to this very important issue. Right now, as we sit here today, there's hundreds of thousands of people against their will being forced to commit acts that again, we would not want that on our own family.

So we must do better. We have to ensure that we continue to pay attention to what's happening in our neighborhoods. I like to also remind people, as I heard so many victims, and I interview victims all the time, that even their own parents have been responsible for lending them around to their neighborhood men and women.

And so it happens even in families. So be vigilant, pay attention. If you see something that doesn't fit, doesn't work together. Say something. Because that child, that person is depending on you to bring awareness, to say something because just because they're parents doesn't mean that they're all good parents. And with that, I urge your aye vote. Thank you.

Senator Ashby.

Thank you, Madam President. And thank you to the Senator from Bakersfield for bringing forward this resolution and for the additional information from the other members of the floor who've spoken today. I rise to thank you all, particularly the Senator from Bakersfield, for visiting Senate District 8 this morning and touring City of Refuge.

And I want to thank my colleagues, particularly those who served last year, because, as you will recall, you supported City of Refuge receiving millions of dollars for the housing that our colleagues toured this morning, and to serve the children and women in this region who have unfortunately faced human sex trafficking as a reality, as a part of their lives.

So I thank very much my colleagues on this Senate Floor for supporting that budget and for supporting the women and children who are being served by those programs.

Any further discussion or debate. Seeing none. Senator Grove, you may conclude.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you. And I just appreciate an aye vote on this and look forward to working with you on legislation this next year.

Members, this item is eligible for unanimous consent. Is there any objection to using the unanimous consent? Seeing none. Ayes 35, Nos zero. The resolution is adopted. Moving on to file item number 15, Senator Alvarado-Gil, please read. Hold on just a second. We need to read the bill first. Thank you.

Senate Resolution 11 by Senator Alvarado-Gil, relative to Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.

The floor is yours, Senator. Thank you, Madam President. I rise today to present Senate Resolution 11 that recognizes the month of January 2025 as cervical cancer Awareness Month. As a cervical cancer survivor, this is personal and not a bit partisan.

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide, with an estimated 600,000 new cases and 342,000 deaths each year. According to the American Cancer Society, There were approximately 14,000 new cases in the US last year and nearly 30% of them fatal. Additionally, cervical cancer disproportionately affects women of color.

The risk of Hispanic women developing cervical cancer is one and a half times greater than that of non Hispanic women, White and Asian Pacific Islander women included. While the rates of cervical cancer are similar between black women and white women, the death rate for black women with cervical cancer is twice as high as those for white women.

A recent study has also revealed an increase in women 65 and older from being diagnosed with late stage cervical cancer. Despite screenings and other Prevention efforts. All women should take time to talk to their Doctor and ask questions about their bodies and their health.

When dealing with something as serious as cancer, there are usually no signs or symptoms for early cervical cancer, though most cervical cancers can be stopped if they are caught early. But that's why I'm asking for us to demand education and awareness on this very preventable disease.

Regular screenings help medical professionals catch cervical cells before they turn cancerous and to pursue treatments. With awareness, education and outreach, we can save the lives of our mothers and daughters, our aunties, our boelas, our mimas, our nanas.

As a champion for promoting healthy bodies and minds of aging women, I urge you all to learn about HPV cervical cancer and how it can affect the women in your life. In your district and in our state. A cervix is a donut shaped organ at the opening of the uterus.

And I invite you all to do not forget to get your cervix checks. And thank you for allowing me to speak on this very personal and an important women's health issue. I respectfully ask for your. I vote Senator Wiener.

Thank you, Madam President. Question to the author.

Will you accept a question? I can try. Yes, she will.

Through the chair. Yes. Thank you for bringing this important resolution. My question is, I read it and it's possible that I read it incorrectly. Does the resolution mention the HPV vaccine, which is a way of preventing cervical cancer and other cancers?

Yeah. No, it does not mention the HPV vaccine as a way. As I said, I'm a champion of aging women. This was not a vaccine that was available to me when I was contracted cervical cancer. So that's why my focus has been on the health and healthy bodies and minds of aging women.

And I, if I may. Yes, Senator, thank you for that answer. And I fully support, to be clear, folks getting pap smears and other screenings. I also will say it doesn't just affect women. Men also get this cancer. And I've been public about this, that I have HPV pre cancer.

And I also like you, the vaccine was not available when I was younger. It was only very recently that it was approved first for women or for girls and then for boys. And I very much wish it had been around. I do just want to stress that we need to get people screened.

But it's also critically important in combating cervical cervical cancer and other forms of cancer caused by HPV to have very broad vaccination of young people, of teenagers. That is the most surefire way to stop this cancer in its tracks. I look forward to the day when there are when most or maybe all cancers will have a vaccine.

That would be amazing in terms of the public health of the planet. But for this particular cancer, there's a vaccine that prevents it right now, and not enough young people are getting that vaccine. Sometimes it's because their parents won't let them get it.

Sometimes it's because they don't know about it and their schools aren't telling them about it, or they just don't have access. And we need really universal vaccination for hpv. That's how in the long run, we will stop this cancer in its tracks. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Any further discussion or debate? Seeing none. You may conclude. Thank you, Madam President. And thank you to the Senator from San Francisco for sharing his experience. I think through our lived experiences, we're able to be better legislators and better advocate for for prevention and healthy bodies in mind. Senate Resolution 11 speaks specifically to Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.

It is multifaceted in terms of the causes and treatments, and I invite this body to continue to explore those prevention and treatments. I'm speaking as a survivor of cervical cancer and my experience. So with that, I kindly ask for an aye vote.

Very good. Members, this is eligible for unanimous roll call. Is there any objection to using the unanimous roll call saying none. I's 35? No, zero. The resolution is adopted. Members, we're going to move on on the agenda to motions and resolutions. We're going to return. This is the time for the adjourn. Adjourn and memories.

So we're going to start with. Senator Niello. The floor is yours.

Thank you, Madam President. I rise to ask you to join me in memory of Anthony Pachetti, actually an alum of our own California State Legislature who led an exemplary life of service. Service to his community and also to his church.

He had private sector roles in government affairs for Kaiser Permanente, as a partner in the consulting firm of Monaghan, Pachetti and Associates, and as Vice President of Government affairs for cgi. But his real passion was service.

He served on the Cordova Planning advisory council from 1989 to 1992, on the board of the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District, SMUD from 1992 to 1998, and then was elected to the State Assembly and represented the 10th district from 1998 to 2002. During his time in the Assembly, he participated in several important committees and task forces.

Education and welfare reform. Remember that from the mid-90s, the Assembly Select Committee on the Development of the University of California campus, which became UC Modesto in 2002. And I think particularly important for a fellow Italian. He was on the Assembly Select Committee on California Wine. He was also very dedicated to his church.

He was ordained a deacon for the Diocese of Sacramento in 2008. In that role, he was a valued minister and counselor to many. He served at St. Mel's Parish in Fair Oaks from 2008 to 2019, St.

Ignatius Parish in Sacramento from 2019 to 2023, and presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Sacramento from 2023 until last year. Above all, he was a dedicated family man, leaving his wife Kathy of 47 years, his children Serena and Anthony, and his five grandchildren, Joseph, Kate, Ethan, Carter and Errolyn.

And they are all, they've all joined us in the gallery along with Anthony's partner, Jacqueline Aguilar and Serena's husband, Brian Paulson. They were very dedicated to him, as I witnessed and as could be seen by their loving and very touching participation in Anthony's memorial service, recent memorial service and on a personal note, Anthony was a wonderful friend.

I knew him well and frankly just an all round good guy. So please join me in a journey in the memory of a life though ended way too soon. Nonetheless very well lived and highly accomplished to the families.

Please accept Senate condolences for your loss and if you could bring his name forward to the desk so that we can properly memorialize him. Thank you very much for joining us today. Members, we're going to move on to Senator Gonzalez.

Thank you. Good afternoon, Madam President and Members. I rise today to adjourn in the memory of a beloved community Member and dear friend, George Meadak. George was known as the Mr. I'll take care of it in Long Beach. He was also a proud son of San Pedro, actually going to high school in San Pedro.

So we shared a lot of stories about that. He was a behind the scenes leader who helped improve the City of Long beach with various development projects and economic development growth that will last for decades. He was a police officer, a city staffer who brought in millions of dollars to improve the downtown area.

A Professor at Cal State Long Beach Focus on Public Policy, a real estate and financial business owner. He did it all. He was also a very strong philanthropist and was a board Member for many organizations in Long Beach. That Community Hospital Foundation, Conservation Corps, Long Beach City College foundation and the Mountains Community Hospital Foundation.

He was instrumental in starting the Grand Prix. As if he didn't do enough, he also founded and helped found the Grand Prix that is loved by so Many globally. He was 81 years old and survived by his dear wife, Jerry, daughter Amy and son Mark.

And I respectfully ask that we adjourn in his memory and offer dearest condolences. Excuse me. To his family.

Please bring his name forward to the desk so that he may be appropriately memorialized by the sentence. The Senate. And if you could respectfully pay our respects to the family, that might be appropriate, Senator Valladares.

Thank you, Madam President. Members, I rise today to to request that the State Senate adjourn in the memory of David Thomas Gomez, a cherished brother, husband, father, grandfather and friend who passed away on November 18th in Palmdale. Dave's life exemplified dedicated service to his community.

For over 38 years he worked in the electrical industry, starting as an electrician and advancing to become the Executive Director of Business Development for the International Brotherhood of electrical workers, Local 11 and the Los Angeles chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association. His contributions extended well beyond his professional endeavors.

Dave was an integral part of the community, serving on the Palmdale Water District Board of Directors for the City of Palmdale Planning Commission, the Los Angeles Community College District Bond Oversight Committee, the Antelope Valley State Water Contractors Association, as a Commissioner and as Deputy Mayor of Economic Development for the City of Lancaster, to name a few.

He dedicated countless hours to improving the lives of those around him, leaving an incredible mark on the people and the places he served. Dave was a steadfast advocate for well paying jobs in our community and he believed that such efforts should should transcend partisan lines.

Which is why he and his wife Kathy co founded the Get Along Party or the Gap Party in the Antelope Valley, which worked in a bipartisan and truly nonpartisan manner to promote sustainable employment opportunities. From negotiating community workforce investments to raising substantial funds for local philanthropy, Dave consistently prioritized the well being of the community.

Dave had a unique sense of humor, often delivering his sarcasm with such a straight face that it came across as stoic. He loved to play pranks like hiding from his caretaker in stores, leaving them searching high and Low while he watched with a grin. His sweet tooth was legendary, especially his love for sweets and tortillas.

Despite being a well known diabetic, Dave couldn't resist indulging. And I remember one time in the food line at an event, he grabbed a tortilla and ate it on the spot just so his wife wouldn't see it on his plate at the table. That was Dave.

Always finding a way to enjoy life's little pleasures with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. He cherished Spending quality time with his family and friends, especially relishing in his role as a grandfather to his four grandchildren.

Dave is survived by his loving wife Kathy, his stepdaughters Barbara and Samantha, his siblings Jennifer and Mark, his beloved grandchildren, Kennedy, Peyton, Ace and Finley, and numerous friends and colleagues who considered him family colleagues. Please join me in adjoining the State Senate in memory of Dave Gomez.

Senator Durazo, thank you.

I want to thank the Senator from Santa Clarita for introducing this adjourned memory. I've known, I knew David for many, many years, particularly because of his role, such a staunch Member of IBEW and all of the Members, how he worked so hard for them side by side.

But he was especially known because in the Palmdale, Lancaster area wasn't particularly pro union for a while. And he worked really, really hard, not only for the Members, but he opened up the doors between employers and the union Members and those wanting to become journey men and women in the electrical industry.

So he worked really hard to create relationships that had not been done before. So everybody benefited from that. He brought people together that had not been brought together before. He did in a respectful way. But he also was very clear about the fact that people needed good union jobs.

And for that, and to Kathy, his wife, known them for so many years, I am very grateful and I think the many, many thousands of workers, working people who benefited from him and his hard work, sad to see him leave us at such a young age, but also support adjourning in his memory. Thank you, Senator.

Please bring his name forward to the desk so that he may be appropriately memorialized and Senate condolences to the family if there is no other business. Senator Grove, the desk is clear.

Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues, thank you for your engagement and participation and healthy debate today and also honoring those that lost their lives in your community. The next floor session is scheduled for Thursday, January 302025 at 9:00am The.

Senate will be in recess until 3:30pm at which time the adjourn adjournment motion will be made. We will reconvene Thursday, January 302025 at 9:00am SA SA.

SA.