Senate Floor

[Roll Call]

Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Ladies and gentlemen, the Senate a quorum is present with the Members and our guests beyond the rail and in the gallery. Please rise.

We're going to be led in prayer this morning by our chaplain, Sister Michelle, after which we're going to ask all individuals within the chamber, along with the gallery, to please remain standing for our Pledge of Allegiance. Good morning, Sister.

Thank you, Senator. So we begin today with a little poem called lessons by Rod McEwen. In imitating Christ, we mustn't once forget, he seldom went alone. His friends were those who needed friends themselves. A teacher he was often taught, and not just by his father, but by the flock he shepherded from torment into love.

He was the wisest of his wise men. That didn't come by chance. It came from caring. And so, gracious God, we thank you today for the caring that you have placed in our hearts for our brothers and sisters.

Thank you for our families and friends who give us the space to do your work and to support us in our joyful and difficult days and help us to be grateful for the voices that challenge us, challenge us to go deeper into the reasons for, and the consequences of our decisions. May we continue to incarnate your vision in our world. Amen.

Thank you, Sister. Folks can please join us in our nation's Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. Thank you all. You all can be seated.

Before we advance to privileges of the floor, we'd like to be able to recognize some individuals, some special guests who are with us today, coming to us from the great city and County of Los Angeles. Our former majority leader, Senator Bob Hertzberg, is here. If we could please give Senator Hertzberg a round of applause.

I've been told that Senator Herzberg is getting a donut at the moment. And speaking of donuts, we want to say thank you so much. It is Senator Hurtado's birthday, and she has brought family to join with her, along with dozens of Donuts for each and every one of you.

We want to welcome the Senator's husband, Gerbert, who is here today and of course her mom and dad, Maria and Mel. If we could please give them a round of applause and a happy birthday to Senator Hurtado. A lot to celebrate here today.

And speaking of celebration, we're going to turn it over to our Republican leader, Senator Jones, who has a very special introduction, some guests, fourth grade students who are here in the Capitol. Leader Jones, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. President and Members, I'm very honored this afternoon or this morning to substitute in for our colleague from Santa Clarita, Senator Valaderis, who has some guests in the gallery, Stephanie Behnke, dean of the Santa Clarita Christian School, along with her fourth grade students and teachers are up here behind us keeping an eye on making sure that their government is working well.

They're here in the capital as part of their California history field trip, exploring the rich history of our great state. And I'm sure they'll take a tour of all the governors profiles throughout the Capitol as well. Colleagues, please join me in extending a warm state welcome. Senate welcome to the students, teachers and dean of Santa Clarita Christian School.

Let's give a warm round of applause to the Santa Clarita Christian School. Welcome to the State Capitol. Nice to see you. It is a bittersweet day for all of us in the Senate and especially those in the office of the Majority Leader. Today, Senator Gonzalez is going to be introducing a real legend in the California State Senate. We are grateful for this introduction and this recognition. Madam Majority Leader, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. President Pro Tem. Okay, I actually don't want to read this. This is why I'm taking so long. But thank you, Mr. President and Members. As Senators, we all know just how critical our team Members are to our success. Without our staff, you know, we couldn't do the work that we do every single day.

But that is especially true for our schedulers and Executive assistants. Schedulers and Executive assistants are truly the backbone of every one of our offices. They take the chaos out of multiple conflicting schedules, changing schedules, reschedules back and forth, the fast paced demands of the legislative process and required reporting and tracking.

They keep us in order, in line and create certainty and efficiency with grace and precision. And in my case, making sure that I stay married and making sure that I'm also getting to my kids baseball games every Saturday.

Today I'd like to recognize Norma Zendejas as one of those essential Members of the Senate family who is retiring after an incredible 28 years of service to the Legislature. She has been bold, steady leader in the Senate district that I represent in Long Beach and Southeast Los Angeles.

But Norma was raised in Woodland, California and found her way to the capital in 1996, where she began her career working for Assembly Members Ted Lempert, Marco Fireball, Cindy Montanez.

She then spent the remainder of her career working for Senate leadership, including 12 years for pro Pro Tem Emeritus Kevin De Leon and another four years with our Majority Leader Emeritus who is here today, Bob Hertzberg.

I was privileged to have Norma join my team in 2023 where she very boldly and proudly said, you know, I only work for Senate leadership. And I said, well, those are tough shoes to fill.

And she immediately became the backbone of our team, a mentor to our younger staff and an organizational Boss and an endless well of institutional knowledge for the rest of our team to draw upon.

And in fun fact, she actually is one of five sisters and her sister Elaine, who works in Senate Rules now, was actually my scheduler beforehand. So now I have three other sisters to draw upon after Norma retires here. But I can speak from experience that everyone in the capital community knows Norma.

No matter who walks through the door, the chances are high that they will spend a few minutes with Norma first before they even see me. And through numerous governors, budget crises, thousands and thousands of scheduled days, and even once in a century pandemic, Norma has always proven to be a dedicated public servant.

And I have nothing but the immense gratitude that she's given for myself, but also to the Senate and the state and the people of California. In her well deserved retirement, Norma plans to travel the world, spend time with her amazing family who is here and her adorable dog Bailey and Cruz in her lowrider with her husband Fernando.

Senators, please join me in expressing our sincere thanks to Norma Zendejas and wish her well in retirement and whatever comes next in her amazing life. Thank you.

The California State Senate loves Norma Zendejas. Can we please give her a warm round of applause and thank you for your dedicated service. We now would like to invite any Senators who would like to be able to join in a larger picture with our Majority Leader and Majority Leader Emeritus. We'll bring up that Zendejas family as well.

We're going to do a final photo with Mrs. Zendejas family if they could please step forward.

All right. Congratulations, Ms. Zendejas, and thank you for your amazing work. We're now going to be moving on. Ladies and gentlemen, with the daily file. Looking at item number four. Messages from the Governor will be deemed read. Messages from the Assembly will be deemed read. Reports of Committee will be deemed ready and amendments adopted.

We're now advancing to motions, resolutions and notices. If there are any items that Members would like to advance. Hearing seeing none. We're now going to be moving forward with our consideration of the daily file. Senator Laird from the Rules Committee is prepared to present. We're moving on to governor's appointments, items 2 and 3.

Senator Laird, the floor is yours.

Thank you very much, Mr. President.

Ladies and gentlemen, if we can please give Senator Laird our attention.

File item number two is the confirmation of Diane Dobbs as a Commissioner for the Board of Parole Hearings. Commissioner Dobbs is an attorney. She was first appointed to the board in 2017. She previously served as a Deputy Commissioner, and before that she was an attorney for the Department of Consumer Affairs. She was approved by the Rules Committee on February 19. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Senator Laird is respectfully asking for an aye vote. Any discussion or debate on item number two? Discussion or debate on item number two? Hearing seeing none. Mr. Secretary, can you please call the roll?

[Roll Call]

All right, ladies and gentlemen, we're going to do this one more time, so we're going to call the roll one more time for absent Members. Mr. Secretary, please advance.

[Roll Call]

Ayes. 26, no, 7. The appointment is confirmed. We have one additional item under governor's appointments, two items under number three. Senator Laird, you may proceed.

Thank you, Mr. President. Item three is the confirmation of former Assembly Member Michael Allen for reappointment to the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board, where he currently serves as the chair, and also Marina Torres for appointment to the Medical Board. She's a partner at the firm of Wilkie, Farr and Gallagher. She's new to the board. These appointments were approved by the Rules Committee on February 19. I respectfully asked for an aye vote.

Senator Laird is asking for an aye vote. We're going to see if there's discussion or debate on the floor. Last call. Discussion or debate on the floor. Hearing C9. Mr. Secretary, can you please call the roll?

[Roll Call]

Ayes 26. No zero. The appointments are confirmed. Thank you, Senator Laird. We're now going to be moving to Senate third reading. Members, we have three items under Senate third reading. Items 16, 19 and 20. We're going to start out on item 16. Originally, Senator Weber Pierson was going to be advancing SCR 26. But we are having Senator Becker standing in. Mr. Secretary, can you please read Senate.

Concurrent Resolution 26 by Senator Weber. Weber Pierson Relative to School Breakfast Week.

Thank you, Mr. President and Members, today I rise on behalf of Senator Weber Pierson to declare March 3 through and through March 6 as national school Breakfast Week. We all know the saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Yet it is one that many. Skip.

California is home to the breadbasket of America because of our rich agricultural industry. Yet nearly one in five children in America live in households without consistent access enough to nutritious food.

For many students, both here in our state and across the nation, school breakfast and lunch programs are vital lifeline, ensuring that children who don't have access to nutritious meals at home can start their day fresh with a healthy meal. Research shows students who participate in school breakfast programs score an average 17.5% higher, which is kind of amazing.

Members, Do I have your attention please. 17.5% higher on standardized math test. They also attend 1.5 more days of school each year compared to their peers who skip breakfast. Consuming a healthy breakfast not only fuels the body, also sharpens the mind. Eating breakfast has been shown to improve academic performance and boost cognitive function throughout the day.

Across the country, we've seen innovative approaches to increase school breakfast participation. Methods like grab and go services and breakfast in the classroom are making it easier for students to access a nutritious meal without disrupting their busy morning routines. While every child deserves a carefree summer vacation, many school.

For many, school break means losing access to free and reduced price meals that they rely on. Thankfully, many communities across the nation have stepped up, including here in California, to ensure children don't go hungry during the summer months.

They can provide free meals and snacks to children at various locations such as school cafeterias, parks, playgrounds, even community centers. In addition, the Fresh Fruits and Vegetable program provides fresh snacks of fresh fruit and vegetables to students in elementary school with high rates of free and reduced price and meal eligibility.

National School Breakfast Week is a time to recognize the critical role that a nutritious breakfast plays in student success and readiness for the school day. So thank you for your time. On behalf of Senator Weber Pierson, I respectfully ask for your support with an aye vote.

Thank you so much, Senator Becker. Thank you, Dr. Weber Pierson. We're now going to open it up for discussion or debate. Discussion or debate among the Senators. Last call. For discussion or debate, we're going to take Senator Becker's ending as his close. Mr. Secretary, can you please call the roll?

[Roll Call]

Ayes. 34 nos. 0. The resolution is adopted. Thank you so much. Members, we're now going to be moving on to file item 19, an important recognition that will be advanced by Senator Smallwood-Cuevas. Mr. Secretary, can you please read .

Senate Concurrent Resolution 30 by Senator Smallwood Cuevas relative to Women in Construction Week. Good morning.

Senator, the floor is yours.

Thank you. Thank you. Mr. PT and Acting President today want to say to my colleagues I am so excited to present this resolution on behalf of the Legislative Women's Caucus to to recognize Women in Construction Week. There is a quote that one woman organizer once said.

If you exclude 50% of the talent pool, it's no wonder you find yourself in a war for real talent. And so, as we all know, women make up nearly half of California's workforce, but earn only $0.82 for every dollar paid to a man. For women of color, the gap is even wider.

Black and Latino women earn less than 63 cents for every dollar paid to a white man. And I want to say that in this chamber and in this Legislature, we have stood with women, women of all backgrounds and diversities. Whether they were in the women in the trades, Women Trades Inc.

Whether they were in winter: women in non traditional employment roles, we've stood with them to fight for their training in place in the construction sector to remain competitive, women are entering into male dominated fields like construction. And we are seeing their numbers grow because of their determination and hard work.

We also have seen that equal representation and construction apprenticeship grants which have distributed about $25 million to increase opportunities, the share of women in the trades has reached its highest point in 20 years.

Because of those investments, we remain committed to addressing the underrepresentation and to working with women to ensure that we go not just from the 4% that we once were in the State of California for women in the trades about 20 years ago. We are now at 11% of women in the construction trades.

That is a victory, but we also have a long way to go. Policies like Pathways through workforce training programs and apprenticeship provide economic mobility for women who earn nearly $10,000 more in construction than the median salary for women in other industries. Yes we can. Yes we are.

And the higher wages fuel local economies and and help women invest in their communities. And as women are becoming more and more the sole breadwinners in our households, we know that every dollar counts towards sustaining our families. California. We've made a lot of progress with women in the trades.

We're celebrating this week, but as we speak, the Trump Administration has actively rolled back DEI programs, actively rolled back women in construction pathway funding and has banned programs to promote diversity and equity, including ending women owned business programs in construction that actually hire women. We have to hold the line in California.

We have to make sure that we continue to invest in these anti poverty programs that give women the choice to do what they want to do. And that means building their own communities and making California stronger. I respectfully and enthusiastically ask for this chamber to vote yes on this amazing resolution, SCR 30. It is historic and we celebrate Women in Construction Week.

Thank you so much, Madam Senator. We're grateful for that. And as we go to discussion and debate from Senators on the floor, we have several guests who are here today. And we welcome you to the California State Senate who are watching this resolution and the discussion and debate surrounding surrounding it. Senator Rubio, good morning. You are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. President. Ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, today I rise in strong support of this resolution. And on behalf of the Legislative Women's Caucus, it is my pleasure to do so. We often talk about the importance of a workforce and workforce development, especially in supporting good paying jobs here in the State of California.

The construction trades are a proven path to a solid career. And we have an ongoing shortage as we have seen. And this is the time for us to do better in breaking down the barriers to help people get into this sector. We also must do better to encourage and supplement vocational training and apprenticeships for any interested person.

And that includes women. Women are often underrepresented in the construction trades. And it's already stated by the good Senator of Los Angeles, despite being over 50% of the workforce, women only make up 10% of the workers in the construction trades.

We must do better and I know we can do better in breaking down the barriers for women in this sector. Let's make sure that our voices are heard and that we support apprenticeships, good paying jobs in California so that more California families can achieve achieve the California dream. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you so much. Senator Rubio. Members, respectfully, if there are discussions, if you could please take them to the back of the gallery. Senator Rubio, thank you so much for those eloquent words. Very grateful for you.

We'd like to be able to see if there's any additional discussion or debate, any additional discussion or debate on the floor hearing. Seeing none. Senator Smallwood Cuevas, please close.

Thank you so much. And if there are women from the trades that are in the gallery, we want to say thank you for your determination. Thank you for being our 21st century integrators and we are excited for the future. Thank you so much.

Thank you so much. Thank you. All right, Members, we're going to advance here with the vote. Mr. Secretary, can you please call the roll?

[Roll Call]

Ayes 34 knows 0. The resolution is adopted. Thank you so much. Members, we have one last item for business under Senator third reading, and that is Senator Wahab in regards to International Women's Day. Mr. Secretary, can you please read.

Senate Resolution 19 by Senator Wahab relative to International Women's Day?

Good morning. Senator Wahab, the floor is yours.

Thank you. I rise to present SR 19 International Women's Day. International Women's Day is a celebration of the achievements of women while continuing to call for gender parity and equity.

According to data from the World Economic Forum, at our current pace it will take until 2,158 to reach full gender parity and economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment. As we think about this year's theme, Accelerate Action, we should be examining our ability to accelerate gender parity.

While women have been making great success in college and advanced degrees, there is still a great disparity between men and women in professional and doctoral programs. In fact, there's also a significant disparity in home ownership, in responsibilities, and for every dollar a man makes parity for every dollar a woman makes.

In fact, even we can go deeper that even Anesthesia is not a standard practice for IUDs. It's an example of how even the health systems disregard women's pain. Just a few months ago, we celebrated gender parity here in this chamber, and that is something to celebrate. There has never been a greater time for women in California.

But we still need to go further. We still have yet to see a female elected Governor, let alone a woman of color. We have still yet to see a female elected President, let alone a woman of color. We've broken a lot of political glass ceilings, but there's still so many more that we need to hammer away with.

As the only woman Senator in the Bay Area, let alone the only woman of color, I know that even in California we need to go further. And so I believe that there's a significant number of highly qualified women ready to lead.

I know that many of us here in this chamber alone believe that women should be in leadership roles. And we have such a wonderful women's Legislative caucus that prioritizes the women around us, but also making sure that we build a bench and support even young girls in college, sports, entertainment and business.

And we need to do more to see women lead this country, this state, and our communities. So if we want to accelerate gender parity, ensuring these highly qualified women across all industries are given the opportunity to lead is the key. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you so much, Senator. We have a few folks who would like to be able to speak. We're going to start with the Vice Chair of the Women's Caucus. That's going to be Senator Limon. Then we're going to go to Senator Blakespear and then Senator Durazo. Good morning, Madam Vice Chair. Senator, the floor is yours.

Thank you. President and colleagues, I rise today. Excuse me. On behalf of the Legislative Women's Caucus in support of SR19, recognizing March 8 as international women's Day. Women's Day observances through throughout history have served as a celebration of contributions to the economy, to our culture, to politics, to health, to every industry, and so much more.

By recognizing women's undeniable impacts, girls and women are empowered to do more, to be more, to serve, to push ourselves forward and grow beyond unjust boundaries that are sometimes placed before us. Oftentimes, advocates for women and girls say that when women thrive, families thrive. When families thrive, we all thrive.

When we work on behalf of women and work for women, when we fight for women to receive fair pay, equal opportunities of advancement, fair treatment in our health care system, in our criminal justice system, we fight for good things to happen to all Californians, I want to thank the author of this resolution for bringing this forward. And I respectfully ask for an aye vote for SR19.

Thank you so much, Madam Senator. We're going to go to Senator Blakespear, Senator Durazzo and Senator Chobok. Good morning. Senator Blakesbury, the floor is yours.

Thank you. Mr. President and colleagues, I rise today in support of Senate Resolution 19, recognizing international women's Day. This day is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women worldwide. And I'd like to highlight a remarkable woman whose contributions to journalism and law continue to inspire.

Claire Hollingworth was a British journalist born in 1911 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest war correspondents in history. As a young Reporter. Just starting her career in 1939, she she achieved one of the most extraordinary journalistic scoops of all time. She was the first to report the outbreak of World War II.

While traveling along the German Polish border, she spotted Nazi tanks massing for invasion. An incredible discovery that she immediately reported back to her newspaper, the Daily Telegraph. Her story hit the front page before many governments had even confirmed the invasion.

Claire Hollingworth's career was defined by her courage and determination to uncover the truth, often in dangerous and male dominated environments. She reported from war zones across the globe, including Vietnam, Algeria and the Middle East, earning a reputation for fearless and meticulous reporting.

At a time when women were rarely given opportunities in hard news or investigative journalism, Hollingworth broke barriers and set a standard for being an excellent journalist. Her work also intersected with legal and ethical questions about press freedom and accountability. These are issues that remain deeply relevant today and important to all of us here in the state Legislature.

Hollingworth understood that journalism is not just about telling stories, but about holding power to account and ensuring justice is served. As someone who has worked as both a journalist and an attorney, I am deeply inspired by Claire Hollingsworth legacy.

Her life reminds us that women have always been at the forefront of exposing injustice and fighting for truth, even when it meant stepping into literal war zones. In closing, Claire Hollingworth's remarkable career serves as a powerful reminder of the impact women can have when they are given the opportunity to pursue their passions and challenge the status quo. I want to thank the author for bringing this forward and I encourage an aye vote on SR19. Thank you.

Thank you, Senator. We're going to turn the floor over now to Senator Durazzo, then to Senator Ochoa Bogh and Senator Perez. Good morning. Senator Durazo, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. President. I also want to thank the author for presenting this resolution. I stand proud to co author SR19 which recognizes the importance of women's organizing for dignity in the workplace. The first National Women's Day was driven by the 1908 garment workers strike in New York where women protested against unfair working conditions.

When the International Ladies Garment Workers Union led another strike in 1909 demanding higher pay and Shorter Hours, they were retaliated against by the factory owners and even imprisoned. And anti worker policies fueled the conditions that led to a deadly fire.

On March 25, 1911 the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City burned to the ground killing 145 workers who were locked inside. This tragedy that brought widespread attention to the dangerous sweatshot conditions of factories. The fire led to the development of laws and regulations to protect the safety of workers.

As women, we have always had to fight for our rights. Our right to vote, our right to own property, our right to livable wages. It is not by accepting fear that we earn these rights. It is by taking risks and taking on the big fights.

This is how we have fought for and achieved better pay for garment workers, for early child care providers, and others. Now more than ever, we need to be brave and continue this work. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Senator Durazo. Ladies and gentlemen, the Senate. We're going to turn the floor over to Senator Ochoa Bogue. Then we're going to go to Senator Perez, Senator Rubio, and then Senator Smallwood Cuevas. Good morning, Senator. The floor is yours,

Mr. President. Ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, I. I rise in support of SR19, celebrating International Women's Day, a day to recognize the achievements of women, honor our progress, and reaffirm our commitment to opportunity.

As the first Republican Latina elected to the California State Senate, I know firsthand the power of perseverance, hard work, and the opportunities this great nation provides. Those who paved the way before me have made my journey from from mother to educator, to school board Member, Realtor, and now a state Senator possible.

Today, we celebrate those trailblazers and recommit ourselves to breaking barriers for the next generation of women. Women have always been at the heart of our communities as entrepreneurs, educators, healthcare professionals, first responders, public servants, women in construction, and most importantly, mothers.

In addition to celebrating progress, we must also acknowledge the challenges that still exist and commit to removing the barriers that hold women back. Globally, 47% of women participate in the labor force, compared to 72% of men. As of 2024. Women globally earned roughly 83 cents for every dollar earned by men, a pay gap of about 17%.

Women also face significant challenges in accessing credit and investment, contributing to a persistent gender gap in entrepreneurship. We must continue working to ensure that every woman, regardless of background, political beliefs, or economic status, has the opportunity to thrive. Making investment in educational opportunities for women can have a major impact in our economies.

Two thirds of the world's illiterate adults are women. Globally, around 130 million girls are not in school, with higher concentrations in conflict zones and and regions with restrictive gender norms. Investing in girls education can increase a country's Gross Domestic Product by up to 10% per year.

Women across the world continue to face significant disparities in political representation, lagging behind their male counterparts in leadership roles. Women hold about 26.5% of parliamentary seats worldwide. I believe strongly in the power of personal responsibility, free enterprise and strong families as a foundation of our nation's success.

This means supporting policies that expand access to quality education, create more economic opportunities and ensure that women have resources they need to succeed in their careers and in their countries. I hope you'll join me in supporting SR 19.

Thank you so much, Senator. Very grateful Members. We're now going to move on and we're going to turn the floor over to Senator Perez. Good morning. Senator Perez, floor is yours.

Good morning. Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, I rise as a proud co author of SR 19 by the Good Senator from Hayward. I want to call special attention to this year's theme for the 2025 International Women's Day, which has been designated by the United nations as for all Women Rights, Equality, Empowerment.

This year's theme is about uplifting and empowering all of the women and girls around the world and that no one will be left behind in our efforts to achieve equality, opportunity and inclusion.

It means that regardless of your age or your income level or your immigration status, or if you identify as LGBT, that you still deserve to have equal rights and freedoms.

This resolution calls on us to take charge in elevating the next generation of women and girls to continue the progress towards the change that the generations of women before us had entrusted us to achieve.

This day serves as a reminder that we are not only advocating for the women who are fighting for the cause beside us, but also for those that are not able to advocate for themselves. I have always believed that the best path forward to uplifting generations to come is through education.

And I am committed to ensuring that women and girls have access to the safe and quality education that we all want. While considerable progress has been made in reducing the number of out of school girls of primary school age, there are currently still 5.5 million more out of school girls than boys worldwide.

Colleagues, today I rise in strong support of this resolution and the amazing women that make up this Legislature, this state and the world. Thank you.

Thank you, Senator. Grateful Members, we're now going to be turning the floor over to Senator Rubio. Then we'll move to Senator Small Cuevas. Good morning. Senator Rubio, the floor is yours.

Good morning. Thank you, Mr. President and ladies and gentlemen of the Senate. Today I rise as a proud co author and also on behalf of the Jewish Caucus in support of SR19. On behalf of all the women out there. They're looking to us to uplift and support them in so Many ways.

So I'm proud to stand with the women here in the. In this chamber. The first National Women's Day was observed in the United States since 1909 in honor of the garment workers strike in New York, where women protested against working conditions.

And yet recently, here in this chamber, 100 years later, we passed a Bill recently to protect garment workers. That only highlights how much more work we have to do in order to support women. And I'm always proud to stand with my colleagues in support of women here today. And I wanted to share that.

International Women's Day is dedicated to recognizing the achievements and strength of women. And I stand here before you as the first sister in California history to serve in the Legislature. There's only been one pair of sisters. Never before. And that's not because we're special. That's only because we have mostly men serving here and in the Capitol.

And in the last years, we've made so many progress, so much work that's been done by the Women's Caucus to bring parity. And as we all know now, today, we stand here as one half of this chamber.

And so with that, I just wanted to share that women have also been on the forefront of change, leading nations, shaping societies, and breaking barriers in every field, from science to business, education to politics. Women continue to inspire and drive progress. Yet many still face, excuse me, discriminations, unequal opportunities, and social barriers that hold them back.

This day is not just about celebrating, but it's really a call to action, for us to stand up together, link arms, and make sure that we continue the progress.

I call to support, uplift, and empower every woman and girl to reach her full potential, whether through equal pay, education, leadership opportunities, or just simply respect and recognition for their contributions in the work that they do. And with that, I respectfully asked for an aye vote on SR 19. Thank you, Senator.

Thank you so much for the eloquent remarks. We're now going to advance to Senator Smallwood-Cuevas. Good morning. Senator Smallwood-Cuevas. Please go.

Thank you. Mr. PT and I rise on behalf of the Black Caucus in support of International Women's Day. There has been a debate whether US Black women should be a participant in International Women's Day. And I believe that we absolutely should.

I think part of separating the US from the rest of the world is a part of our apartheid of resources and power that we want to resist and make sure that we are standing strong with the women of the globe. It's also Black Women's History Month that kicks off today.

And I want to recognize my ancestors who labored in the field from 1619, those workers who came, folks like Sir Jor Truff, leaders like Harriet Tubman, who not only provided their labor, but also their moral authority to stand up, to resist, to fight, and to use their role as workers to teach and lead and develop others to strive for freedom.

This is a difficult time for women, not just around the world, but in this country, as we've lost our reproductive rights, as we're fighting to hold on to diversity and inclusion, to be the leaders that we need to be in our workplaces and in our communities.

And so I stand in solidarity with all women around the world demanding justice in celebrating this great day and support SR 19.

Thank you for your work. Senator Smallwood Cuevas. We'd like to be able to see if there's any additional discussion or debate from the floor. We're going to do a final call for discussion or debate on the floor hearing, seeing none, Senator Wahab, would you like to close?

Thank you. Again, I really appreciate everyone's support on this, specifically highlighting that this is a bipartisan effort and appreciate all the men that spoke in support on this as well.

Thank you so much, Senator Wahab. Mr. Secretary, can you please call the roll?

[Roll Call]

[Roll Call]

Ayes 34, noes 0. The resolution is adopted. Thank you so much. Members, we're going to be heading back to the majority leader's desk. Senator Stern is bringing in several Members, several Members of the Lawn Ramon Day School here today. We're really excited, Senator Stern, to have your guests in the State Senate. Please proceed.

Well, thank you, Mr. President, and for your grace and generosity in having 23 very important fourth and fifth graders here on our floor. And that's more than several. 23 is a lot. We promise they will not take your jobs or cast your votes for you.

They are from Agoura Hills, the good Center for Santa Monica's constituents, in fact. But my nephew, Eitan Ledgelie, is among them, and therefore I love this group, and they are very near and dear to my heart. Elon Ramon Day School is actually named after Elon Ramon, the famous Israeli astronaut who died in the Columbia disaster.

And this school is a special place. It's in the hills, right behind where the Wildlife Corridor is being built and in the middle of countless fire zones. And they've dealt with all kinds of things in their lives, but these young people are very resilient.

And I'm just so proud that I get to work for you all and that you are proud to be Jewish students living in Los Angeles at a time where it's tough, and to have those roots and to be proud of your roots, both here and in Israel, to embrace that is a big deal.

I know you all just did President's Day, and they learned how government works in theory or maybe in the olden times, but here's how it works right right here. So we hope we can help you become the leaders we're expecting you to be.

And in this wild and changing time, you guys are going to have to figure out a lot more challenges than we understand.

So on behalf of the California State Senate, we thank you, Rabbi Andy, for building such a beacon of educational inspiration, for representing the Jewish people with such that going forward is our message that that's our calling card, is how to take care of the next generation and educate people and take care of and thank you.

So let's give a warm Senate welcome, if you don't mind, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, not just for Etom, but for all of Elon Ramon.

Round of applause, and let's welcome Elon Ramon Day School to the California State Senate. We're going to welcome all of the students. Rabbi, if you can also join Senator Stern for a picture. We're going to bring everyone together. We'll take a picture with Senator Stern first.

Then we'll go to picture with all of the Senators who would like to be able to participate. We of course welcome any parents who would like to be able to join RA all right. Leroy has his work cut out for him on this. There we go. Good stuff. All right, everyone, here we go. Round of applause please.

We're going to pause for 30 seconds. Pause for 30 seconds. We'll come right back with you. We're going to ask our budget Subcommitee chairs to be prepared for Committee announcements. But we're going to pause for 30 seconds. It if we can come back together. Members, we are in the thick of budget season.

We're going to ask our budget some Subcommitee chairs to be able to make the announcements. Senator Laird, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mr. President. Budget Subcommitee 1 on Education will meet upon adjournment in Room 2100 in the swing space.

Thank you, Mr. President. Budget Subcommitee 4 on General Government and everything else that's left over. We'll be meeting upon adjournment in room 113 downstairs.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Good. Good morning, Senator Richardson.

Good morning, Mr. President. I rise to announce that Senate Budget Sub 5 will be meeting immediately upon adjournment in Capitol Room 112 downstairs. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We're now going to go to Senator Allen.

Budget sub two will be meeting after in room 2200.

Thank you so much, Mr. Chair. We're going to recognize the Vice Chair. Of budget Senator Niello,

President pro tem. I rise just to remind everybody that this Sunday you will move your clocks forward. And I want you to know I will be very patient with you on Monday because you're all going to be Grumpy

Under privileges of the floor of the Vice Chair. See, there we go. Turn those clocks forward. I like it. Under privileges of the floor. Sir, you have a motion?

Yes. In response to our colleagues concerns about Monday, I would move that we move session from 2:00 to 3:00 in the afternoon. Give all of us that have to be on a plane early plenty of time to be here and not be grumpy.

Good times. And good times. All right. Thank you so much, Mr. Leader. Very grateful for that. I think the Vice Chair has some legislation on that as well. But we'll come back to that at a later date.

I will rest my case.

Okay, I like it. All right. Ladies and gentlemen, the Senate thank you. We're now going to be returning to motions and resolutions. This is time to address the Senate for adjourned. In memory, Senator Wiener, the floor is yours. If we could please give our focus to Senator Wiener.

Thank you very much, Mr. President and colleagues. It's with great sadness that I rise to ask that the Senate adjourn in memory of John Horton, who was the owner and operator of San Francisco Toyota and who believed deeply in giving back to the local community.

Born in San Rafael, he moved to San Francisco to major in business at San Francisco State. One afternoon in 1971, he saw a three by five card on a bulletin board in the counseling center that said, General help needed at Bob Reynolds Toyota.

He applied and he was hired to sweep floors, wash vehicles and organized a dealership's lot. It was there that he discovered his passion for cars, for the business and for customers. He enjoyed it so much that he resigned as a student to pursue his passion full time. In 1987, John purchased the business, San Francisco Toyota from Mr.

Reynolds and he changed the name from Bob Reynolds Toyota to San Francisco Toyota. As San Francisco Toyota grew, he began offering donations and sponsorships to local charities and nonprofits such as San Francisco Pride Meals and Wheels, the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, the Richmond Neighborhood center, as well as many school sponsorships.

When the Toyota Prius arrived in 1999, it quickly put San Francisco Toyota on the map as the leading hybrid dealer in the entire country. He and his business partner, Doug Donelan, were invited by then Mayor Gavin Newsom to attend the UN Mayor's Dinner for World Environment Day in 2005.

Under his leadership, San Francisco Toyota was in the top three Toyota dealers in Northern California and one of the top 50 dealers in the entire country. Mr. Horton will be missed by many who considered him a leader and a mentor. Remembering his guiding light, his inspiring wisdom and his kindness. Please join me, colleagues, in adjourning the Senate today in memory of John Horton. May his memory be a blessing.

Thank you so much, Senator Wiener. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Horton's family, friends and colleagues. Ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, if there is no other business. Senator Grove, the desk is clear.

Thank you, Mr. Pro Tem. Thank you for a wonderful day. We look forward to Seeing everybody on March 10th, 2025 at 2:00pm again, remember that your clocks are changed. So 2:00 Monday and floor session is scheduled for. Sorry, floor session is scheduled for Monday. 2:00. I apologize. There will be an adjournment today at 3pm thank you.

Thank you so much. It's. It's Brian Jones's fault, so. See? There we go. Absolutely. Always. All right. The Senate will be in recess until 3:30pm at which time the adjournment motion will be made. We'll reconvene Monday, March 10, at 2pm Enjoy the weekend, colleagues.