Senate Floor

[Background]

Secretary, please, please call the roll.

Allen. Alvarado. Gill. Archuleta. Araguin. Ashby. Becker. Blakespear. Cabaldon. Caballero. Cervantes. Choi, Cortese. Dali. Durazo. Gonzalez. Grayson. Grove. Hurtado. Jones. Laird. Limon. Mcguire. McNerney. Menjevar. Niello. Ochoa. Bog. Padilla. Perez. Reyes. Richardson. Rubio. Salarto. Smallwood. Cuevas. Stern. Strickland. Umberg. Baladeris. Wahab. Weber. Pearson, Wiener.

Would the Members and the guests beyond the rail and in the gallery, please rise. Will be led in prayer this morning by our chaplain, Sister Michelle Gorman, after which you'll all join me in the pledge.

So we bring ourselves into God's holy presence in this month of caring for our earth. The Cambodian poet Sutanta Prija indeed reminds us of our fragility on this earth. How transient the lives of all creatures. Once bodies break apart and minds collapse, no one would dare go near them. Let us all dwell on life's impermanence.

And let us also pray. From Pope Francis Laudato. Si mysterious God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures. You embrace with your tenderness all that exists. Pour out on us the power of your love. Thus we may protect life and beauty. Fill us with peace that we may live.

And as brothers and sisters, harming no one, bring healing to our lives that we may protect the world and not prey on it. That we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.

Teach us to be filled with awe and contemplation, to recognize that we are profoundly united with every person and every creature as we journey toward your infinite love, justice and peace. Amen.

And now, please join me in the pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. Members without objection will move to Senate. Third reading to take up file item 93, Senate Resolution 37 by Senator Gonzalez. After adoption of the resolution, we'll move to privileges on the floor for the Senator to introduce her guests.

Senate Resolution 37 by Senator Gonzalez. Relative to 2025 Cambodian genocide remembrance Week.

Senator Gonzalez, you are recognized.

Good afternoon, madam. Mr. President. Excuse me. And colleagues, I rise today to present SR 37 which will recognize the week of April 17th through the 23rd as Cambodian Genocide Memorial Week. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the tragic and horrific events that took place during the Cambodian Genocide.

Between April 17, 1975 and January 1979, the Khmer Rouge, under the leadership of Pol Pot, committed crimes against humanity in acts of genocide against the Cambodian people. During this period, more than 1.7 million Cambodians, nearly a quarter of the country's population at the time, were unfortunately killed.

The Khmer Rouge regime sought to eradicate not just the Cambodian people, but Cambodian culture by systematically killing people who were educated, separating families and destroying institutions such as Buddhist temples, schools and libraries.

Today, as many know, California is home to the large population of Cambodian Americans, many of which I have the pleasure of representing in the great City of Long beach and of course, which is the largest Cambodian community outside of their home country in Southeast Asia. Sr 37 honors the lives lost, families ripped apart and cultural institutions.

Members would please pay attention on the floor.

Cultural institutions destroyed. Thank you, Mr. President. Nearly 50 years ago and marks this week as a week of remembrance for the Cambodian community. Earlier this week, we celebrated the Khmer New Year, which was a space for spiritual renewness to make way for opportunities and love and support for the Cambodian community.

And today we also have to do this, this important remembrance. So in recognition of Cambodian Genocide Memorial Week, on your desk are Kamas Cambodian scarves provided by my incredible local community. I respectfully ask for your aye vote on SR37.

Senator Stern, you're recognized.

I just want to appreciate the author for bringing this forward. And as chair of the state's Holocaust and Genocide Education Council, I've been so. Honored to get to know survivors. Today's actually Yom Hashoah as well. And what happens after a genocide to the generation that survived.

I got to know Chany Lau and I would commend to all of you the book Short Haired Girl, if you have not read it. But to watch the Cambodian American community rebuild their lives and their culture and hang on to become entrepreneurs. Chania is like one of the best restaurants in all of San Jose.

Speaks at high schools to kids every single week. To take all that pain and rebuild the life here in this country is a testament to strength and resilience. So I'm honored to support the resolution. Do appreciate you standing up for them and that education, teaching the next generation what this is. Even if you didn't come from Cambodia and you don't know what this is, to have that sort of solidarity means everything. So thank you

Senator Richardson, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mr. President. I want to commend my colleague from Long Beach for bringing forward this issue. Much of my legislative career I represented Long Beach. And Long Beach has Long Beach, California and Lowell, Massachusetts are the largest Cambodian populations in the United States States.

And the reason for that is families came to Long beach and they began then to take in other families. And there's a dear friend who passed away last year, Mr. Horn, who brought, I used to tease him and say, I think he brought half of Long beach here.

And he just would embrace people, help them with their businesses to get started, give them money to get going. But the thing I really wanted to share with you all is I had an opportunity, opportunity to go to Cambodia. And similar to if you've ever been to the Holocaust museum in Washington D.C.

there's an exhibit where you see all the shoes. And similarly in Cambodia, there's one of the temples where they have all of the skulls, many of the skulls of people who were killed. And it's quite serious. People were very mistreated, disrespected and discriminated against. And many have found solace here in California and in the United States.

But certainly it has a very horrible history and one that we never want to repeat for any culture. So thank you, the gentlelady from Long Beach for bringing this forward. And I look Forward to supporting SR37.

Senator Wiener, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. President. You're doing a great job, by the way. So I rise in support of Sr 37. And like the Senator from Los Angeles, I'll note that today is Yom Hashoah and it just shows the interconnection among these genocides, these just mass slaughter.

And I think one of the things about the Cambodian genocide in particular is I actually met someone recently who has family through marriage that were in Cambodia and things started to deteriorate and some of the family left and came to the U.S. but others said, you know, it'll be fine.

We're going through a rough patch and, and it'll be fine. And then things slid very quickly and those family Members are no longer with us. And it shows how sometimes when you have a slide into just some of the worst kinds of authoritarianism that can lead to genocide.

We saw this with Jews in Germany, we saw it in Cambodia. People are so used to the way things are that it seems like it can never happen. And even if things are looking problematic, we still think it really can't happen, everything will just be fine. And then it happens. So quickly.

And people sometimes don't even realize how quickly it's happening and what's happening. And that absolutely happened in Cambodia, and it can happen again. And it is really important always to remember and to never let go of that history. Urge an aye vote.

Thank you. On behalf of the Asian American Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, I want to thank my colleague for introducing SR37 and express my strong support for the State of California recognizing Cambodian genocide week. This April 17th marks the 50th anniversary of pol Pot seizing control of Cambodia and starting the genocide of the Cambodian people.

For almost four years, the Khmer Rouge inflicted pain, suffering and death to more than 1.7 million Cambodians, 21% of the country's population. While they sought to eliminate all aspects of Cambodian culture, they were unsuccessful. Those that commit genocide will always be on the wrong side of humanity and will always be remembered by history as the villain.

The resilience of Cambodians is here in California and seen every day as we are home to the largest number of Cambodians living outside of the country. SR 37 honors the resilience of the Cambodian people and provides us with an opportunity to share and be engaged with the Cambodian community. Their spirit is resilient, and I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

And seeing no other microphones raised, Senator Gonzalez, you may close.

I just. Thank. Thank you, Mr. President. I want to thank my colleagues from Los Angeles, from San Francisco, as well as from Hayward and. And San Pedro for their very thoughtful comments, and I respectfully ask for an aye vote. Thank you.

Secretary, please call the roll. Allen. Alvarado. Gil. Aye. Archuleta. Aye. Adaguin, I. Ashby. Aye. Becker. Aye. Blakespear. Aye. Cabaldin, I. Caballero, I. Cervantes, I. Choi, I. Cortese, I. Dali, I. Durazo, I. Gonzalez, I. Grayson, I. Grove, I. Hurtado, I. Jones, I. Laird, I. Limon, I. Mcguire, I. McNerney, I. Aye. Menjivar. Aye. Niello. Aye. Oy. Padilla. Aye. Perez. Aye. Reyes. Richardson. Aye. Rubio. Salarto. Aye. Smallwood. Cuevas. Aye. Stern, I. Strickland. I. Umberg. Aye. Waladerus. Aye. Wahab. Aye. Weber. Pearson. Aye. Wiener. Aye. Secretary, please call the absent Members. Alan?

That resolution is adopted. Ayes 38, no, 0. That resolution is adopted. And now moving on to privileges of the floor. Allow me. Senator Gonzalez, you're recognized. Excuse me. I'm getting ahead of myself. Proceed.

Thank you, Mr. President. You're doing a great job. Members, to mark the 50th Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Memorial Week. I'm honored to be joined by several community leaders from Long Beach, the home of the largest Cambodian community outside of Southeast Asia. Permission to use a Prop, Mr. President, permission to use a Prop?

Yes, we will be displaying the Cambodian flag here, so I am joined by Pandol Chansi. I'm also joined by Chile Nanlo Kim Thai Kuok Peng Long Sarsi Tan Sophia Chim so Bandol Chansey is an educator with 26 years of experience in the Long Beach Unified School District.

Throughout her career, Bandol has remained committed to lifelong learning and professional growth. Her deep dedication to students and passion for education have equipped her with a unique ability to help implement culturally responsive and equitable curriculum across Dallas diverse classrooms. Ms.

Chili Nanlo, also known as Lena, is a passionate community leader and dedicated volunteer and actively contributes to the Khmer Parent Association. A survivor herself of the Cambodian Genocide who lost over 40 Members of her family, Chili Na now lives in Long Beach with her immediate family where she continues to support and uplift the community.

Kim Tae Kwok is the CEO of the Cambodian Association of America, the oldest and largest Cambodian nonprofit based in Long Beach. He is also a survivor of the Cambodian Genocide and has experience working with Cambodian refugees and immigrants for over 30 years since he was living in the refugee camps in Khmer Thai border.

Peng Long was born in Cambodia and escaped the genocide at the age of 10 with his family. He then spent five years in a refugee camp in Thailand before immigrating to the U.S. peng worked with the City of Southgate as a fleet manager supervisor and retired after 31 years of service.

He now plays an instrumental role in the creation and ongoing success of Long Beach Sankranta, a vibrant cultural festival that celebrates the combined new year. Mr. Sar C Tan is a retired computer programmer with over 20 years of dedicated service to the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Before coming to the US he served as an officer and helicopter pilot in the Cambodian Air Force. He narrowly escaped the Khmer Rouge takeover of Panem on April 171975 and tragically lost 18 of his 22 immediate family Members in the genocide. In their memory, Mr.

Sitan has dedicated his life to justice, healing and community building and he now helped to co found the Cambodian Community United Cambodian Community In Long Beach Ms. Sophia Chim is a dedicated community advocate and proud resident of Long Beach. With over 15 years of experience at World Vision Cambodia and the United Nations Development Program.

Sophia brought a wealth of knowledge and compassion to her home when she relocated to the US in 2017 and today Sophia serves as a senior Community Ambassador with United Cambodian Community, where she focuses on parenting, education and case management.

These are all incredible leaders and folks that I actually rely on back home in Long Beach for many things. They are wonderful leaders that really embody what it means to fight, what it means to be resilient, and what it means to sacrifice.

With that, I welcome these Cambodian leaders to our Senate Floor and I ask you to join me in celebrating them today. Thank you, Mr. President.

Any other Members that would like to join in a photo, please do. And now on to privileges of privacy. Privileges of the floor. Catching back up to myself. Sorry for getting out of order a few minutes ago. I would like to recognize my former Assembly colleague and former Senator, Joel Anderson. Joel. Joel.

I see he pays attention just about as well as he always did. And recognizing Senator Grove.

Thank you, Mr. President and colleagues. Today I rise to recognize the Rosemond High Cadet Corps who are with us in the gallery. Can you guys please stand? They're with us in the gallery today. It's a committed California Cadet Corps program that's transformed students into confident leaders and committed community service servants.

This program was established in 1911, and the program has delivered great leaders for our community. I want to also tell you that their motto is Essay on. And if that is not correct, blame Senator Umberg. It's actually a military term for Let us try. It goes to the heart of the Cadet Corps for applied leadership concept.

That means that they have the opportunity to learn. They have the opportunity to mature and develop into incredible leaders.

With me here today in the cadets who have led flag ceremonies, written honor flight letters, and hosted coffees for vets honoring those veterans that have given all their all for this country is Captain Robert Jolly, Master Sergeant Rito Pacheco Cruz and Keith Dozer, Sergeant Patricia Villa Viera, Corporal Alia Archer.

And I'd also like to recognize them in the gallery and Michael Escobar, the social science teacher in Rosemont High, Captain Charles Willis. And our dedicated cadet instructor whose mentorship makes this program possible. Please join me in applauding their exemplary service to leadership in the small community of Rosemont, California.

Thank you, Senator Grove. And Members without objection will move back to Senate. Third reading and take up file item 87, SCR 52, by Senator Ochoa Bogh. And then file item 90, SCR 60, by Senator Cortese. After adoption of each resolution, we'll move to privilege of the floor for Senators to introduce guests.

Senator Ochoa Bogh, you are recognized at the leader's desk. Secretary, please read. Secretary, please read.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 52 by Senator Ochoa Bogh relative to Girl Scouts.

You are recognized. Senator Ochoa Bogh.

Good morning, Mr. President and Members. Today I rise to celebrate an extraordinary milestone, the 113th anniversary of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America. For over a century, this organization has shaped the lives of millions of young women, instilling in them the values of courage, confidence and character.

These are not just words in a mission statement. They are truly the foundation upon which future leaders are built. When Juliet Gordon Lowe first gathered 18 girls in Savannah, Georgia in 1912, she did more than create an organization.

She ignited a movement that has empowered generations of young women to dream big, bigger, reach higher, and serve the communities with passion and purpose. Girl Scouts go far beyond simply earning badges. They gain skills and confidence. In doing so, they go far beyond just selling the delicious cookies that are on your desk today.

With every cookie season, they are developing new entrepreneurs. They go far beyond outdoor excursions and camping trips. They are actively building resilience and community through every adventure.

From the great outdoors to the rapidly expanding fields of science, technology, engineering and math, Girl Scouts prepare young women to take on all the challenges of the 21st century with confidence and determination. More than 50 million women can trace their roots back to this sister.

The Girl Scouts organizations of California's Central Coast, California South, Heart of Central California, Greater Los Angeles, Northern California, Orange County, San Diego, San Gorgono are the largest girls serving organizations in California and collectively serve 125,152 girls in every county within the state.

And it all began with a single promise to serve others before themselves, to be a friend to all, and to make the world a better place. Here in California, the impact of Girl Scouts is undeniable.

This past year alone, over 400 young women earned the prestige prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award, dedicating more than 33,000 hours to service projects that uplift and strengthen our communities. These are not just numbers. These are hours spent solving real world problems, proving that young women are not just the future of leadership. They are the present.

With all of this in mind, it is only fitting that this year, Juliet Gordon Lowe will further solidify her place in history and have her legacy honored on the face of the United States Quarter. This serves as more than a tribute to one woman.

It is a celebration of girls everywhere that have broken glass ceilings, transformed their communities, and never backed down from a challenge. As we officially recognize March 122025 as Girl Scouts Day in California, with SCR 52, let us not only celebrate the achievements of the past, but also commit ourselves to supporting the future.

My heart is with the next generation of Girl Scouts, knowing that they will take on challenges we cannot yet imagine, but also knowing that they will meet them with the same courage, confidence and and character that has defined this movement all along. To every Girl Scout, past and present, congratulations on 113 years of excellence.

I ask you to keep pushing boundaries, breaking barriers and making the world a better place. To my colleagues here today, I respectfully ask for your aye vote. Thank you.

And as your presiding officer for the day, I'd like to take my privilege to let you all know that when I was on the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, I was named an honorary Girl Scout. Senator Choi, you are recognized.

Thank you, President and the Members. Today I rise in strong support of Ser 52, a resolution that would recognize March 122012 at the Girl Scout Day in California and would applaud the California Girl Scout councils for their 113 years of making the world a better place.

For over a century, the California Girl Scouts have helped girls develop life skills including but not limited to stem, the outdoors, entrepreneurship and beyond. These skills have become an invaluable asset as these girls grow up and enter the workforce.

I had the unique opportunity to experience personally to spend time with the Girl Scout troops as a summer counselor in Oklahoma when I was teaching at the Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas and a librarian. I had summer vacation as a single person, didn't have anything to do.

So I volunteered to work to spend my four weeks with this Girl Scout troops. He was a tremendous personal Fund and to get to know the Girl Scouts. As of today, there are more than 50 million women who are Girl Scout alums, demonstrating the massive positive influence that this organization has had over women.

The Girl Scouts movement has helped create opportunities for millions of young girls and helps form lifelong friendships. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and to honor the California Girl Scouts Councils for their invaluable work in shaping the future of tens of a million millions of young girls. Thank you.

Senator Ochoa Bogh may close.

I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

This item is eligible for unanimous roll call. Are there any objections? Seeing no objections, the measure is adopted. Ayes 38 knows zero. Senator Ochoa Bogue, I think you have guests.

We do. Thank you, Mr. President and Members. I want to extend a warm welcome to representatives of of the Girl Scouts of San Gorgono. Linda Dominguez, Director of the community relations who has worked for Girl Scouts for 26 years, and Stephanie Danielson, Director of governance and Executive Administration, who has worked for Girl scouts for almost nine years.

Their organization serves more than 10,000 girls across Riverside and San Bernardino counties and is supported by three adult volunteers. I'm so grateful for the work that they do in the Senate District 19, and I'm honored to have them here with us today.

Please join me in recognizing Linda Dominguez and Stephanie Danielson, along with Girl Scouts of San Gorgono, as we commemorate the 113th anniversary of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America.

And if Members would like to join for a group photo. And now we'll move on to file item 90, SCR 60 by Senator Cortese. Secretary, please read

Senate Concurrent Resolution 60 by Senator Cortese relative to School Bus Driver's Day.

Senator Cortese, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, today I rise to recognize School Bus Drivers Day, which was this week on April 22nd. Every year on the fourth Tuesday in April, California recognizes the hard work that bus drivers and other California school employees do to transport our children to school safe, safely.

This day of appreciation was first established by our colleagues in 2009. As a Legislature, we should continue to give our thanks to all the transportation staff working in California schools. Bus drivers and other related transportation staff stay up to date on safety education, training and licensure to continue to keep our students safe when going to school.

In addition, they show and still our students with patience, kindness and respectful, safe behavior on their journey to and from school. The California Association of School Transportation Officials, otherwise known as casto, is an organization that works to promote continued safety for pupils when traveling to and from school.

Its efforts to offer professional development to drivers and improve public awareness of road safety have truly advanced safety for all. In a moment, I'll have an opportunity to introduce some of the folks from Casto.

But in the meanwhile, I was just reflecting on growing up as a kid in the Valley of Hearts Delight before it became Silicon Valley, and being one of many on a public school bus in a rural area.

In fact, I was dropped off and picked up on Rural Route 3 on a daily basis to get to and from Evergreen School. But that bus would go through dirt roads, not just paved roads, of course.

And I ran into a neighbor that I grew up with who was down here for a retirees event recently, and I asked, do you remember ever having any behavioral problems on the bus when we were in school? And she said, I don't remember any at all.

And we attributed that to the fact that the school bus drivers kept the order and were very good role models. And as we would say metaphorically, but in this case, literally, we're always the adults in the room and we thank them for that.

We thank them for that because besides the safety of just driving the vehicle and navigating, I think all parents want to make sure that their kids are safe in the environment itself. The safety and conduct of California people start with the environment in which the staff transport them and the transportation staff continues to do great work.

And I respectfully ask for your aye vote for the continued support of these staff and bus drivers by virtue of SCR 60. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you, Mr. President and Members, I rise in support of SCR 60 recognizing school bus drivers. For a period of time while in college. This is how I paid to get through college, was to be a school bus driver for San Diego Unified Schools.

And just want to support the resolution and underscore the training that it is really incredible that school bus drivers have to go through before they're even allowed to even take a practice run in the bus, let alone actually have kids on the bus with them.

And the responsibility that we ask these school bus drivers to do every single day in the morning and in the afternoons as they're driving their precious cargo around, I just want to say thank you. It was an incredible experience to have that job and be a part of that.

And just want to say thank you to the Author and support SCR60.

I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

This also is eligible for a unanimous roll call. Are there any objections? Seeing none. The measure is adopted. 38. 38. I votes zero. No votes. Senator Cortese, I think you have guests.

I do. And I thank you for joining me and acknowledging Chrissy Stevenson, Flossy Lopez, Kerry Gardner, who are here on the floor and have joined us from the Casto Executive board. And we also have Mike Sawyer here with us today in the Senate gallery.

If the Senate would join me in giving them a big round of applause, we'd like to bring them forward at this time. Thank you.

And for a group photo, if other Senator. Excuse. Excuse me. Senators would like to join in, particularly the former bus driver. And now moving back to privileges of the floor, Senator Arreguin, you are recognized at the leader's desk.

Thank you, Mr. President and Members, as chair of the Senate Public Safety Committee, I rise today to present this special joint resolution declaring the month of April 2025 as 911 for Kids Education Month and today as 911 Heroes and Dispatchers Day.

To accept this resolution, we have in the chambers Kathy Ireland, who is the International Ambassador for 911 for Kids. She's been involved with this amazing organization for 28 years.

In addition to, as we know, her lengthy resume as an actress, author, entrepreneur, fashion designer, model and philanthropist, we also have in the chambers today Elise Kim, co founder and Executive Director of 911 for Kids, Charlie Cullen, the Director of UCSF Medical Center, William Zager, B Train Films, and the heroes who will be honored this morning outside on the west steps the Capitol and they include 11 year old Aaron Nguyen who called 911 when his home was being invaded along with dispatcher Lucia Guzman who answered Aaron's call and they are both from Alameda County.

Dispatcher Sarah Critchley who is from the CHP Golden State Communication center located in Vallejo, who assisted a young man during a volatile domestic violence situation.

12 year old Ibrahim Hazen who called 911 when his 4 year old brother fell and hit his head and was severely bleeding along with dispatcher Kate Cole who answered the call and is with the Davis Police Department. They're both from the City of Davis. And 16 year old Robert K.

Johnson who called 911 during a brutal assault on his family residence. I know we also have guests in the gallery as well. 911 for Kids is the official voice of the 911 Public Education and Caller training which is endorsed by the Association of Public Safety Communications International.

This organization provides educational training for children, teachers, parents and other caregivers. The 911 for Kids program has reached over 5 million children since its inception in 1984. It's helped to save thousands of lives including some of the lives here and properties to preparing young people to know what to do in the case of an emergency.

The award winning student, tested and teacher approved 911 caller training classroom kit and education support material is a comprehensive child friendly presentation that teaches everyone when it's okay to call 911, how to dial 911 and what to say to a 911 dispatcher.

California has 45911 communication centers or public safety answering points with some of the finest911 dispatchers in the nation. These incredible behind the scenes heroes work in cooperation with law enforcement, fire and emergency response teams and with our local communities. And these individuals are the first responders when a disaster or emergency strikes.

So please help me colleagues in welcoming Kathy Ireland, Elise Kim and these remarkable heroes to the California State Senate today.

Now if other Members would like to join in a group photo remaining on privileges of the floor recognizing Senator McGuire.

Thank you so much Mr. President. I want to take a moment to say wonderful job Mr. President and you are a natural and very grateful for your work, sir. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, Petaluma. Is in the House. Ladies and gentlemen, student leaders from Casa. Grande high school, over 100 strong are.

In the Capitol to my right. We need to give it up for. The Gauchos and welcome them to the California State Capitol.

Thank you Senator Mcguire and now messages from the Governor. I'm going to read all 52 of them. Just kidding. They will be deemed read. Messages from the Assembly will be deemed read. And reports of committees will be deemed read. Now to motions, resolutions and notices. Senator Arreguin, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mr. President. I rise to request that file item 100 on the Senate consent calendar first day Senate Joint Resolution 3 be removed from the consent calendar.

So noted. Yes. Okay. Okay. Moving on to consideration of the Daily file, the second reading. File. Secretary, please read

[Second Reading]

Thank you very much. On to governor's appointments. Senator Grove, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mr. President. Doing a great job up there. I would expect a little bit more humor out of you, but you're doing a great job. File item 31 is the confirmation of Jason Wimbley. Appointment for the Director of Department of Community services and development. Mr.

Wembley is a lifelong public servant who has worked his entire 30 year career in the Department. And he served as Chief Deputy Director for the last 10 years. 10 years. And was named Acting Director for several months before the appointment to Director. He was approved by the Rules Committee on April 2nd. A 5-0 vote. Respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Seeing no microphones up. Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

38 ayes. Nos 0. The appointment is confirmed. Senator Grof, if you heard the one about the duck that wandered into the bar.

No, sir, I have not.

I'll tell you later.

Okay.

You're recognized.

File item 32.

Thank you. Thank you.

Colleagues, with excitement of oil drilling off our coast becoming evident, we are very excited that Heather Geldart is the appointment to the Chief Deputy Director of Office of Spill Prevention and Response. She is going to be responsible for making sure our pipelines are ready and able to be able to bring that oil here and it's safe.

She is definitely qualified. This is an appointment that should be very supported by everyone as she is someone to make sure that our coastlines are safe, the ocean is safe and she has been a part of CalRecycle, worked in emergency management for both public and private sectors in Virginia and Washington, D.C.

and she is up for the appointment for Chief Deputy Director of the Office of Oil Spill Prevention and Responsibility Response.

She understands submersibles, she understands just a and she's orchestrated a great team to be able to make sure that our coastlines are safe and secure when this extraordinary event happens in our life to bring costs for fuel down. Respectfully ask for an aye vote. She was appointed by the Rules Committee on April 9th. Respectfully ask for an aye vote

Seeing No mics or raised Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Oh, 38. Ayes nos 0. The appointment is confirmed. And Senator Grove, file item 33.

Thank you, sir. Madam Mr. President, another exciting appointment. Colleagues, file item 33 is a confirmation of the following appointments to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. Alan Barcelona, special Agent with the California Department of Justice. Justin During, a senior Deputy Sheriff with the Ventura County Sheriff's Office. And Benjamin Terrio Sargent with the Richmond Police Department. They were approved on the Rules Committee April 9 with a 50- vote. Respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Seeing no mics up. So. Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 38, Nos zero. That appointment is confirmed. Moving on to Senate third reading item 43. Senator Grove. Thank you. Please read

Senate concurrent Resolution 34 by Senator Grove, relative to Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, on a very serious note, I thank you for letting me present SCR 134, which acknowledges April 2025 as child abuse Awareness Month or Prevention Month. The numbers are staggering. In 2023 alone, over 48,000 children across California were confirmed victims of abuse or neglect. Even more heart wrenching, 164 of these young lives were lost.

These are not just statistics. They're stories of shattered trust and stolen childhoods. The scars of abuse don't fade away with time. They cast a long shadow over a lifetime. Children who endure maltreatment face a significantly higher risk of fighting alcoholism, depression and drug abuse as adults.

The struggles also extend to the classroom, where they're 77% more likely to need special special education. And in their youth, they're 59% more likely to face arrest. We cannot remain silent in the face of this crisis where the most vulnerable among us are betrayed by those who they should trust the most.

Beyond abuse and neglect, we must confront the realities of child sex trafficking, labor trafficking and systemic neglect plaguing our foster and homeless youth. Californians bear the shameful title of one of the nation's leaders in sex trafficking.

Too many children are also ensnared in the labor trafficking, trapped in the consistent cycle of exploitation, with Los Angeles and the Bay Area being our most attributed culprits to this type of treatment. Our foster care system, designated designed as a sanctuary, has far too often filled these children with institutional neglect.

And the number of homeless youth roaming our streets stands as a moral failure that we can no longer ignore. Every child in California deserves to grow up safe in a nurturing environment, free from the shadows of fear, abuse and neglect.

I'm deeply grateful to my colleagues who have stood shoulder to shoulder with me in this fight, uniting to resolve and forge a future where no child endures the horrors that too many face today. Please join me in supporting SCR 34 and acknowledging the continued responsibility that we have as California legislators to protect our children of this state. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Members, this item is eligible for unanimous roll call. Are there any objections? Seeing no objections, the resolution is adopted. 38 AYES Nos. 0. Moving on to file item 49. Secretary, please read.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 45 by Senator Wahab relative to American Muslim Appreciation and Awareness Month.

Thank you. Colleagues, I rise to present SCR 45, American Muslim appreciation and Awareness Month. I'm proud to be part of the racially, ethnically and culturally diverse Muslim community. We are business owners, legal professionals, doctors, engineers, teachers, farmers, Humanitarians, athletes, comedians, musicians, filmmakers, artists and policymakers.

There is diversity among us in how we practice our faith, but we are all connected by a faith that calls for peace, conflict, compassion, and a commitment to community. That commitment to community is what keeps us steady in turbulent times. A desire for peace and compassion is what pushes us to seek justice for all who experience intolerance. For American Muslim Appreciation and Awareness Month, I want to encourage you.

Can we please have your attention?

I want to encourage you all to seek out the Muslim voices in your communities, break bread with them, celebrate, and find joy with them. Today we also have in the gallery Members of the Muslim community, as well as the fact that so many people are watching us commit more and more to diverse voices, diverse communities, and seeing what's happening around the world and here in our home.

And when they raise their individual and collective voices to share what is important to them, listen. Because to truly be heard is an acknowledgement of our shared humanity. And as policymakers, it is our job to listen. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Senator Ochoa Bogh, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to just share a couple of thoughts on this resolution and I want to thank the author for bringing it forward. You know, she is the first Muslim Senator that we have serving in our chambers and we are very, very proud to have her and I'm proud to call her a friend.

I also wanted to acknowledge the fact that we also had and I believe, if I'm not mistaken, our very first Republican Muslim Member in the Assembly as well with Bill Essayli. So we have great voices coming in and we do talk about the diversity of thought, the diversity of cultures that come in into the Legislature.

And I'm really grateful and proud to serve alongside as the first Latina Republican to serve along the first Muslim woman in the Senate. Thank you very much. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Senator Wahab, you may close.

I appreciate the comments and I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

This item Member is Members is also eligible for a unanimous roll call do are there any objections? Seeing no objections, the Item is adopted. 38 aye and 38 ayes. 37 ayes and 0. No. Continuing on Senate third reading. This is where we need the Jeopardy music. Nobody next File item number 83. Caballero. Secretary, please read.

Senate Bill 251 by Senator Caballero an act relating to the payment of claims against the state making an appropriation, therefore and declaring the urgency thereof to take effect immediately.

Senator Caballero, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mr. President and Members. SB 251 is one of the bills carried by the chair of the Appropriations Committee each year to to provide payment authority for legal claims. Approved by the Attorney General's Office and the Department of Finance.

This urgency measure appropriates $1.22 million from the General Fund to pay for prevailing parties attorneys fees and cost in three specified cases as identified in approved settlement agreements and also in our floor statement. These claims are binding state obligations and failure to approve payments for the claims would result in additional litigation and state costs. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

I'm just learning how to work this button down here. Senator Seyarto, you're recognized

And thank you, Very much for recognizing me on SB251. Well, I realize this is really comes down to almost a ministerial thing that we have to do.

It does pain me and give me Heartburn to know that we continue to pay the taxpayers pay out of our General Fund for what amount to mistakes that we know are mistakes when we made them. And there are three bills in this or three items on this issue.

And one was $617,000 that we're paying out because we had a loophole in drafting a Bill which we knew was a loophole in drafting the Bill. And somebody tried to take advantage of it. And when they did, we wind up incurring $618,000 of cost. That is an error by the by the Legislature.

And yes, we have to take it out of the General Fund. The second one is a stipulated judgment in Linton vs. Bonta for $244,400. That was basically the DOJ went after a Second Amendment right issue that was doomed from the start, and it was taken all the way to the Supreme Court. That should never have done that.

We have wasted 244,000. And being that they are the legal arm of our state, that 244,000 actually should be taken out of the DOJ's budget directly.

And then the last one was also the DOJ defending an unconstitutional law that was brought to the attention of the body when we were making that law that it was going to be unconstitutional. And that one cost us $359,814. Now, it doesn't seem like a great amount. It's $1.2 million in the big scheme of things.

But this week is the city, the League of Cities have brought up a bunch of cities. And I'm sure we've all got visits from our communities who are asking for what seem like small amounts, 100,000 here, 200,000 there, for very important projects. To them, this kind of outlay of money, foolish outlay of money, is what is costing us the ability to help them when they need it.

So in the future, I would hope that when we have unconstitutional bills, that they should be brought to the attention and squashed before they become laws so that we don't have to go defend them and we don't have to wind up paying out good taxpayer money on things that we knew were mistakes when they happen.

So I realize we have to pay the bills. I am all for paying bills, but this just gives me a lot of heartburn.

Thank you, Senator Caballero. You may close.

Thank you very much, Mr. President. And I appreciate my learned colleague's comments and his frustration. But wouldn't it be perfect to be able to have a crystal ball and to know everything that needs to be known so nobody would ever sue? That would be terrific. But in these instances, the Attorney General rightly defended the state.

He won some parts of the litigation and we lost other parts. And so that's the reason we have this claims that we are legally obligated to pay and so respectfully ask for your aye vote.

This item is not eligible for unanimous roll call. Secretary, please call the roll..

[Roll call]

Ayes 28, nos. 0 on the measure. Ayes 28, nos. 0 On the urgency the measure passes and continuing on third reading, file item 86. Cervantes.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 48 by Senator Cervantes relative to high school voter education weeks.

Thank you, Mr. President and Members, I rise to present Senate Concurrent Resolution 48, which I bring forward both as the author and the chair of the Senate Elections Committee. This important resolution is proudly sponsored by our Secretary of State, Dr. Shirley Weber.

SCR48 commemorates two high school voter education weeks, one taking place this this month and the other in mid September. These weeks serve as a powerful opportunity to cultivate a lifelong habit of civic engagement amongst our youth. Because civic engagement is not an accident. It's a discipline we nurture, a value we teach and a practice we sustain.

At the heart of civic engagement is the right to vote. And as we as a state, have a responsibility to ensure that every young person are prepared to exercise that right the moment that they are eligible.

With nearly 4,300 high schools and over 2 million students, California has both the opportunity and the obligation to lead the nation in empowering youth participation in our democracy. Young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow. They are voters, change makers and thought leaders of today. Yet we have long seen trust troubling trends in youth voter turnout.

In the last November election, voter turnout among 18 to 24 year olds fell by 12% compared to 2020. Even more concerning, turnout among young women in that age group dropped by 15%. These are numbers that are called to action. We can do better. We must do better.

In recent years, this Legislature has taken meaningful steps to make the path to participation easier for young voters. Beginning at the age of 18, eligible young people can pre register to vote so they are ready to cast a ballot as soon as they turn 18.

The pre registration program has added nearly 1.1 million young voters to our voter rolls. SCR48 calls on all Californians, especially our high schools, to encourage young voters to build their lifetimes of civic engagement by participating in high school voter education weeks. But civic engagement doesn't stop at the ballot box.

It includes serving as election workers, participating in political campaigns, and attending public meetings, and yes, even running for office. Our democracy thrives when young people see themselves not just as participants, but as future leaders. Today, by supporting SCR48, we take one more step towards ensuring the next generation is ready not just to vote, but to lead.

Thank you colleagues. I respectfully asked for a aye vote on Senate Concurrent Resolution 48.

Senator Perez, you're recognized.

Great. Thank you. Mr. President and colleagues, I rise as a proud joint author in strong support of this resolution authored by the Senator from Riverside, this resolution highlights a critical aspect of a healthy and dynamic democracy, how civic engaged education is essential to providing the basics of how the voting system works, how to participate, and what your rights are as a voter.

As an education advocate, I want to give a shout out to the college students and student advocates championing the value of learning about voting in schools. This fosters civic engagement, increases voter participation, and inspires the next generation of voters and leaders.

Unfortunately, studying shows recent trends that young voters remain a largely underrepresented group and many young voters do not participate in their elections. Reversing this trend is essential to ensuring the future of our democracy.

Not only is this beneficial to keeping the lifeline of our electoral system alive, but I am reminded to continue working with these students that civic engagement is essential to nurturing and inspiring the next generation of leaders that will continue to lead the state to a bright and prosperous future. I ask for your aye vote. Thank you.

Senator Cervantes. You may close.

I respectfully ask for an aye vote on this.

Item Members is eligible for a unanimous roll call. Any Objections? Seeing no objections 38I no 37I no 0 the measures adopted. Now moving to consent calendar, Consent calendar and a special calendar. Are there any items on either calendar that anyone would like to have removed and handled separately? Seeing none. Secretary, please read.

[Consent Calendar]

And please call the roll on the first item.

[Roll Call]

37, no 0 on item 101 is adopted and I's 3700 on item 113. Both calendars are adopted and I have some special announce some special recognition people that are with us here today. Lana Negrete, Mayor of the City of Santa Monica. Mark Waroneck, Mayor of the City of Lomita. Barry Waite, Council, City Council Member, City of Lomita.

And Anika Gold, Mayor, City of Hidden Hills. Welcome to the State Capitol. Thank you for joining us today. Now moving on to Committee announcements. Senator Weber Pierson, you're recognized.

Thank you. Budget sub three will meet immediately after floor session in room 1200.

Yeah. Thank you, Mr. President. Today, many Members on the floor are wearing pink in commemoration of sub 4's hearing on taxes today, which will commence immediately upon adjournment in room 113. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. President. Just advising everyone that budget sub five. Will be meeting in room 112 immediately as we adjourn. And for those interested people of what we're going to talk about, we're actually going to have people who work in the prisons who are going to give us feedback on the things that. The problems and issues that we have. Thank you.

Senator Limon, you're recognized.

Thank you. The Senate Natural Resources and budget subject. Sub 2 will be meeting in room 2200 upon adjournment.

And now to adjourn in memory, Senator Allen, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mr. President. Members, it's with a very heavy heart that I rise today to ask that we adjourn in the memory a friend and a cherished leader in our Pacific Palisades community, Roger Diamond, who passed away in February at the age of 81.

Roger was an adoring and loving father and grandfather and husband, A brilliant and tenacious attorney, and a lifelong champion for the people and the causes that were in need of a defender. Roger was a born and bred Angeleno. He graduated from Hamilton High School in the class of 61, alongside his high school sweetheart, Francine.

Roger and Fran continued in their hometown education at UCLA. Together, they were finally married the summer just after he graduated and just before he went back to UCLA Law School for his law degree. Shortly after welcoming their first daughter, Marnie. A few years later, Roger and Fran moved to a beautiful home in the Pacific Palisades.

The same home that welcomed their second daughter Laura, and all four grandchildren. That hosted count, countless political meetings, grassroots meetings in what Roger called his favorite place in the world and where they lived for the next 50 years.

So after joining the Pacific Palisades community, Roger devoted his legal talent to defending his neighbors in his new home in the fight to preserve its beauty for generations to come. Within months of his move, Roger picked a fight that would take the next 20 years to finish. Founding no Oil Inc.

To oppose Occident Oil's plan to drill for oil along the Pacific Coast Highway. And it took decades.

Roger appealed their legal challenges all the way to the California Supreme Court, eventually succeeded in passing Proposition O in 1988, despite being outspent more to 2 to 1, establishing a permanent ban on coastal drilling in Los Angeles and preventing 60 wells at will Rogers State Beach. The no Oil saga was a flagship example of Rogers unwavering tenacity.

His perseverance proving that there was no opponent too large or too powerful. No amount of time he wouldn't be willing to put in to fight for what he believed was right. This commitment of his was perhaps best articulated by a judge who referred to a case that he filed as diamond versus the World.

A fitting picture of the class action suit that Roger led on behalf of, quote, everyone in Los Angeles County who breathes, in which he sued hundreds of the biggest corporations in Los Angeles. Roger had the steadfast belief that the law provided an opportunity to effect meaningful change at a cultural level.

Change that he would bring about with his unique blend of tenacity, courtroom creativity, theatricality and reverence for the law. He believed that the law covered everyone, regardless of stature or reputation. And he would often defend unpopular Members of the community.

He was said once we have to defend that freedom for the most unpopular cases or we all lose it. You know, one example was when he addressed the jury in a trial regarding exotic dancers. And he sprung to his toes, arms aloft, twirling, with his necktie flapping around him. And he asked, what is dancing?

Is this dancing to you? And as he so often did, he won that case. One of the cases that I like the most. And this is a great lesson for all of us, especially on your cell phones right now. He went to the City Council in Los Angeles and appealed a case on behalf of a client.

And he felt that the council had already made up their minds as to how they were going to decide with regards to his client. And so he then, certainly the council ruled against him. And he then presented the Court of Appeal with a video of all the City Council Members chatting, reading, taking phone calls during the argument.

They of course didn't have cells cell phones at the time. And he presented this to the appellate court and the court demanded that his client get a new hearing. And they wrote that the due process requirements of the law require that he who decides must hear.

So we should remember that during our Committee hearings, perhaps, you know, Roger was also a zealot who when it came to Los Angeles sports, he bought himself Los Angeles Rams season tickets as a gift to himself after graduating from law school. But here's a really fun thing.

When the Raiders and Rams announced the same season they were going to be leaving la, he sued for breach of contract to defend his legal right to renew the season tickets. And they ultimately settled, offering him the chance to tour the new stadiums and pick his seats.

And for the next two seasons, Roger would mail one of his tickets to his daughter Laura and then fly to Oakland for the day where they watch the game from the 50 yard line.

Of course, I also, I was in touch with his, his grandson who I had the great honor of accompanying to their family home after it burned down during the fires and. But his grandson talked about how, how much he cared about making life exciting and fun for everybody.

He would, he'd take some of his grandkids to sports games, others to horror films, depending on whatever they liked. And it didn't matter whether he wanted to go or not. He went out of his way to meet them on their terms. And he also Talked about how he was someone who could take.

Who knew his cases so well, who knew his work so well, and was so articulate and so smart and also so able to boil down very difficult concepts in ways that were easily explainable and easily understandable to regular folks. And that was one of the things that made him so successful as an advocate.

This has been an incredibly difficult year for the family. He had the tumor, of course, and then not only did they lose their home in the fires, but their children lost their homes as well. Many of you may know Fran diamond, his beloved wife of many, many decades. Fran has been the board chair for California Environmental voters.

She spent 20 years on the. On the air board in Los Angeles. Sorry, sorry. The water quality. The water quality board. Excuse me. And she also was environmental assistant, special advisor to Gray Davis, and a wonderful person, wonderful leader in her own right. So she is in deep mourning, of course. Their two daughters, Laura and Marnie.

Their grandchildren, Rebecca, Noah, Erin and Emmett, all of whose lives were brightened. I also know that this loss was so deeply felt by the broader Palisades community. Community. After all the loss they've suffered, including the Kilad Israel community of which I'm a Member, our synagogue community that misses him dearly.

So I just wanted to spend a couple moments to acknowledge this extraordinary person who made life better for so many Angelenos, who also brightened the lives of so many in his community and his family. I ask that we adjourn in the memory of Roger John Diamond.

Thank you, Senator Allen. Please bring the name forward so that it can be properly memorialized. Senator Alvarado-Gil, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. President and colleagues. Today I rise to adjourn in the memory of a true public servant, a devoted husband and father, and a pillar of his community.

El Dorado County Fire Protection District Marshal and Division Chief Lucas Aaron Sheppard, also known affectionately to many as Shep Lucas Sheppard, passed away Suddenly on Friday, March 14, while on vacation with his family. He was just 43 years old.

His passing leaves a deep and lasting void across the El Dorado county community where he was born, raised and spent his life serving others. Shep began his fire service career in 2006 with the Eldorado County Fire Protection District. He was a proud graduate of the Sacramento Regional Fire Academy, class of 071.

And he quickly rose through the ranks, serving as a fire fire paramedic, fire captain and prevention specialist, and most recently as fire marshal and Division Chief. In each role, he distinguished himself not only through skill, skills and professionalism, but through compassion, mentorship and quiet strength. He never asked of others what he wasn't willing to do himself.

He led by example, earning the respect of his colleagues and the gratitude of the community. But his greatest pride wasn't in rank or recognition. It was his family. And Lucas was a devoted husband of 14 years and the proud father of three sons.

He was ever present in their lives and on the sidelines of their sports teams, in their church community, and in every moment that mattered. His role as coach and mentor and dad was one that he cherished above all other titles.

He was also a friend to many, known for his well timed humor, his generous spirit and his unwavering faith. Lucas commitment to nurturing the next generation both inside and outside and outside of the firehouse defined much of his life's work. Mr.

President and colleagues, on behalf of his family, friends and loved ones, I ask respectfully that we adjourn in the memory of Lucas Aaron Shepard. And may his legacy of love, leadership and service continue to inspire us all. Thank you.

Thank you, Senator Alvarado-Gil. Please bring the name forward so it can be properly memorialized. If there is no other business, Senator Mcguire, the desk is clear.

Thank you so much, Mr. President. Again, I want to say really nice job and congratulations. If we can please give President Elo a round of applause. My goodness. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. Members know that it has been an incredibly busy week.

And as some of us have talked about our peak day this week, we had just about 14,000 Californians visiting the swing space, the Capitol building, the Legislative office building, and we're incredibly grateful for their advocacy here in the State Capitol. Next week is going to be another busy week.

And let's just be honest, the thousand days of May are almost upon us. So get some rest this weekend. Enjoy your communities and all the events that you're going to do. The next floor session is scheduled for Monday, April 28th at 2:00pm.

Thank you. The Senate will be in recess until 3:30pm at which time the adjournment motion will be made. And as was said, we will reconvene Monday, April 28 at 2pm for another fun week.