Senate Floor

Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Members of quorum is present. Would the Members and our guests beyond the rail and in the gallery please rise. We will be led in prayer this morning by Senator Arreguin, at which please remain standing for the pledge of allegiance to the flag. Senator Arreguin.

Ask you to fill us with understanding and trust. May we come to understand that blessings are everywhere. That our attitude will affect outcomes. That challenges are often gifts in disguise. May we come to trust that most. Things can get better with time. That our instincts and gut feelings have value. That a positive attitude makes things go smoother.

May we come to see that we have many skills and talents. That we are a positive influence on many people. That there are those around us who wish us well. May we come to value that today. Is a blessing to be enjoyed. That each person is unique and important. And that each moment of our life has meaning. We ask this in your name. Amen.

Members, please join me in the pledge of allegiance to the flag. I pledge allegiant of the United States of America. Messages from the Governor will be deemed read. Messages from Assembly will be deemed read. Reports of committees will be deemed read. Amendments of adopted to motions, resolutions and notices. Senator Gonzalez, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. President. Please remove file item 141 SB 97 from the consent calendar for purposes of amendments.

Thank you. Such shall be the order. Members, we have a a very short agenda today. If you can give us our your attention, we'll get through this and you can be on your way back to your districts. Thank you so very much. We are moving to consideration of the daily file. Second reading file.

[Second Reading]

Second reading file will be deemed read. Thank you. Senate third reading. We do have item 91. Senator Wahab, we are taking just a second. We will wait one moment. Once again Senate third reading item 91.

Senate Resolution 31 by Senator Wahab relative to Women's equal pay day.

Senator Wahaab. You are recognized from your desk.

Thank you, President and Members. While the pay of each of us is in the same, that cannot be said for other California women. Women today continue to make less than their male counterparts in every sector of the workforce. And black, Latina, and Native American women earn less than their white counterparts.

SR31 acknowledges that 4 out of 10 women experience gender discrimination, that 4 out of 10 mothers are the primary breadwinners in their household but cannot provide financial security to their families. And women continue to be underrepresented in science, technology, mathematics and business, while being overrepresented in teaching and childcare occupations.

Equality in pay helps not only the women who receive the pay. It helps their children, their parents, siblings, and our entire economy. During this time of economic uncertainty, and with the State of Federal Social Safety Nets in question, it becomes clear how these disparities hold back our communities and stifle economic mobility.

This resolution expresses our commitment to eliminating the gender pay gap in earnings to women and the promotion of ensuring equal pay for all. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Senator Richardson, you are recognized.

Good morning, Mr. President and Members. I rise today in support of SR31, the recognition of women's equal payday. Friends. In the past two decades, the gender wage gap has moved from women earning 72 cents for every dollar as compared to their male counterparts in 1984 to 85 cents for every dollar earned by a male now in 2024.

At this rate, it will take us 30 to 40 years to reach parity. One of my finest moments of serving in Congress was passing the Lilly Ledbetter Act. And it was interesting that originally in the court, they found that her case was not correct.

Not because she wasn't being paid the fair wage, but they said, why didn't she know? And why did she wait so long to bring the case forward? And so it.

Members, would you give your attention please to our colleague speaking.

So it comes to the point, who would actually expect someone to go up to your male counterpart and say, how much do you make? That's not what we normally do in the workplace. And so, unfortunately, Lilly Ledbetter lost that original case. But fortunately, due to the efforts of many people, eventually it was passed.

And she lived to see that only a few years ago. This is why raising the awareness is crucial. By highlighting the ongoing wage gap between men and women, we can prompt the much needed conversations and actions to gain pay equity. Celebrating this day emphasizes the principle that equal work deserves equal pay regardless of gender.

And we help to empower women by providing a platform to recognize and and celebrate women's contributions in the workplace and society and even dare them to ask, how much do you make?

In closing, I wish to applaud my colleagues, Senator Wahab, for bringing this resolution to this chamber and bringing the attention to this issue that still exists in California and across the United States. With that, I urge an aye vote on SR31.

Thank you, Senator Smallwood-Cuevas. You are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you, colleagues. And to the author and my colleagues who've spoken so far, I want to also acknowledge that today is May Day. There are millions of workers hitting the streets across the country and certainly in my district, many of them women.

When I think about the home care workers movement and the fight for pay equity, when. When I think about the Teachers Movement and the fight for pay equity, when I think about the public sector movement, largely women of color workforce, I think about pay equity. Why? Because these are jobs that have been traditionally done by women.

And when compared to jobs traditionally done by men, they are earning grossly far less than their male counterparts. Even in 2025, a woman, a white woman is making 80 cents on a dollar. A black woman is making 60 cents on the dollar, and a Latina is making 40 cents on the dollar.

California, we can do better by women. They are the majority of the workforce. Our communities, our families and our state depend on their earnings. And we must ensure not just to pass laws for pay equity, we have to ensure that we're enforcing the laws for pay equity.

We have to double down on making sure that the promise is real and realized in the lives of women. And we celebrate women today who are taking to the streets to fight for justice and to fight for all of us. Happy Mayday, everyone. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you. Senator Valladares, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. President and colleagues, I rise in support of SCR31. I want to thank the Senator from Hayward for bringing it forward. Women's equal payday is a time for us to. It's a reminder that even now, many women doing the same job as their male counterparts still don't take home the same paycheck.

And I'm not here to score political points. I'm here because I believe that I believe in work. I believe in merit, I believe in fairness.

And I believe that if we want a strong economy, we need to make sure that rules reward hard work, not just who's been at the table the longest as a mom, a wife, and I consider myself a small Time Legislator. I've seen the impact of this pay gap in real life. It's not about ideology.

It's about ensuring that women who contribute just as much to our businesses, our farms and our communities are treated fairly. And that's a conservative value. Equal opportunity, earned success and respect for personal responsibility. When women are paid fairly, families are stronger, communities are more stable, and we reduce the need for government programs.

And that's just not smart policy. It's common sense. So let's be on the side that fixes the problems, not with just headlines. Let's do what we can, what we need to, in this body, to pay respect. To this day, I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you. Any further discussion or debate? Any further discussion or debate? Seeing none. Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 37, no. 0 resolution is adopted. Are there any Members that wish to remove an item from the consent calendar? Seeing none, Secretary, please call items, all items on the consent calendar.

[Consent Calendar]

Thank you. Secretary, please call roll on consent calendar. Item 140.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 37, no. 0 on item 140. Ayes 37 no. 0. Consent Calendar is adopted. We will Move back to privileges of the floor. Members, I would like to introduce From Senate District 9 a leadership group of high schoolers who are visiting the Capitol today, involved in nonprofits, their community and high GPAs.

Let's welcome them to the gallery and the Senate. Thank you very much. And moving on to Committee announcements. Committee announcements. We are looking. Senator Cabaldon, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. President. Budget Subcommitee number four will meet in room 113 immediately upon adjournment.

Thank you. Senator Weber Pierson, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. President. Budget sub three will meet immediately in room 1200 at. After adjourning.

Thank you. And racing down the center lane or from the majority leader's desk. Senator. Senator Allen, you are recognized Thank you, Senator Allen. Members, we are moving to or returning to motions and resolutions for adjourn in memory. Motions, please.

If you have conversations, please take them off the floor. And let's give our respectful attention to those who are presenting their adjournments in memory. We will begin with Senator Ochoa Bogue. You are recognized from your desk for your adjournment in memory. Again, Members, let's give our respectful attention.

Mr. President and ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, it is with great sadness that I rise to adjourn in memory of Senator Seth Franklin, who passed away on April 62025 at the young age of 34 after bravely battling cancer for more than two years. Dedicated, kind, courageous.

These are some of the words that have been used to describe Seth. Officer Franklin was a lifelong resident of Yucaipa. He graduated from Yucaipa High School and went on to earn a criminal justice degree from Cal State San Bernardino.

He served in law enforcement for more than a decade, beginning his career with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department and moving to the Redlands Police Department in 2018. He was dedicated to serving his community and had served as a board Member for the Redlands Police officers Association since 2022.

Seth enjoyed softball and golf, camping, riding his motorcycle and and spending time with his family. Officer Franklin is survived by his wife, Ashley, sons Ronan and Ryan, parents Greg and Sydney, and three siblings, Brooks, Cameron and Hannah. Seth Franklin was a young man who was taken from us in the prime of his life.

He was a hero to many and will be deeply missed in our community. His dedication to making his community safer will not be forgotten. I wish Officer Franklin's family and the entire Redlands Police Department peace and comfort during this time of deep sorrow. I would be honored if this body would adjourn in the memory of Seth Franklin.

Thank you, Senator Ochobog, if you'll bring the name of your adjournment memory to the front desk to be properly memorialized. Our condolences are with the agency, family and friends. Senator Cortese, you are recognized for your adjournment and memory.

Thank you, Mr. President. Today I'd like to adjourn in memory of Joan Frederick Kanin.

She passed away on March 22 of this year, and I knew her primarily through her son, former state Assemblyman Jim Kinneen, who also led our Chamber of Commerce in San Jose for a number of years and has generally continued to be a very active and civically engaged person in our community, both in San Jose and in Sacramento and perhaps other parts of California.

Well, why is that important? Permission to read a quote? Without objection. St. Teresa Benedicta, also known as Edith Stein, said, to be a mother is to nourish and protect true humanity and bring it to development.

In each time I have to rise here or otherwise give a tribute to a mother, I look at what has happened with her entire family. And that's why I mentioned Jim. Not just because he's a former state Assemblyman, a former colleague to many like us, but he's also the fruit of the tree of his own parents.

And Joan grew up in an active service Navy family, spending her childhood in Virginia and across the State of California. She earned her undergraduate degree and master of education degree from Stanford University.

Joan and her husband Wallace, who had nicknames for each other that have been publicized as Pookie and Pooh, were happily married for 51 years until Wallace passed away in 2006. Her care for him in his final years demonstrated her deep love, compassion, and selflessness.

Joan spent the next 50 years dedicating her life to teaching students in elementary school. She was a founding faculty Member of Palo Alto's Ohlone Elementary School, which is known for its open education style of educating.

Joan had the teaching philosophy that every child was unique and deserved the opportunity to learn and excel, excel within their unique strengths and needs.

She was also an avid tennis player, was the number one race walker in her race walking club age group, and had an immense joy for reading that she passed on to her students and her family. Joan's kindness and compassion had no bounds. Her family and everyone who had the pleasure of knowing her son saw all of this.

Her commitments to those she loved and to her community will not be forgotten. I mentioned twice already her son, former Assemblyman Jim Cuneen, and I want to give one example of real life impact of a mother on the State of California and on the kind of work we do.

When I was a school board Member back in the day, a very large school district in, in San Jose With 25,000 students, we were a school district that was not receiving ongoing state funding for any kind of diversity work. Pete Wilson was the Governor of California.

There was a request by a well known Assembly Member at the time, time who'd been here for years, John Vasconcellis, for $10 million ongoing diversity and inclusion funding grant for the east side Union High School District.

At the time, Jim, a Member of the Republican caucus here in the State Assembly, was someone we reached out to to try to approach the Governor and get that budget request honored.

Jim began to tell me about the influence of his mother, an educator, as I just said, and how he had made it clear to all of his colleagues in both caucuses here in Sacramento that when it comes to public education, supporting public education, he was going to be an advocate.

Every day that he was here, Jim succeeded in convincing Governor Pete Wilson to make that budget appropriation ongoing and permanently to the east side Union High School District so they can do diversity and inclusion work in their community. When I asked Jim why he was so, he found that so compelling.

Without hesitation, he said, because of his mother's influence. So sometimes when we look at these relationships, I think it's important for us to realize the impact of somebody one degree away from the Assembly floor, the Senate Floor, having such a huge impact on the public policy and our lives in the State of California.

She is survived by her children, Jim, who I've mentioned several times, Wallace V. Kinne III and Mary Kinne Lyon, her seven grandchildren and one great grandson. Thank you, Mr. President. And I respectfully ask that we adjourn in Joan Frederick Kinneen's memory today.

And our sincere condolences for the family and friends. Please bring the name of your adjournment memory to the desk to be properly memorialized. Senator Caballero, you are recognized for your adjournment and in memory.

Thank you, Mr. President. Senators, I rise today to ask that the State Senate adjourn in the memory of Michael S. Bliss, an active community Member of Chowchilla, California, a community that mourns his passing at the young age of 59.

Michael Bliss was born on November 191964 to Elfrida Bliss and Michael Lee Bliss in Merced, California, and grew up on his family farm in Chowchilla and El Nido.

He Attended Plainsburg elementary and Legrand High school, graduating in 1982 and went on to work full time on his family farm, working with crops such as corn, wheat, alfalfa, cotton and almonds. Mr. Bliss took great place pride in being a multi generational farmer. That's really important in the valley.

When his mother, Alfreda Bliss passed, he made a promise to watch after the family farm and he kept that promise. Michael Bliss met his wife Jeannie Fluch at church and subsequently married on February 201993. They had three children, Michael, Raymond, Katie and Peter.

A devoted Catholic, he attended Mass at Our lady of Lourdes in La Grande and Sacred Heart Church in Planada, serving as a lector. He was a Member of the Knights of Columbus Council Number 15583 serving as grand Knight at the time of his passing.

Michael Bliss was an active Member of the community and maintained a personable and gregarious presence wherever he went. He was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather and friend, survived by his wife Jeannie Bliss, son Michael Raymond Bliss and his wife Elizabeth, daughter Kate and husband Andrew, son Peter, sisters Molly and Christine, and grandchildren Brantley and Michael.

Michael Bliss was deeply loved and will be missed. I offer my deepest condolences to the Bliss family, his friends, colleagues and the community of Chowchilla. May he rest in eternal peace. And I respectfully ask that the Senate adjourn in his memory today.

Our condolences as well. Senator Caballero, if you'll bring the name of your adjournment memory to the desk to be properly memorialized, that would be greatly appreciated. If there is no other business, Senator Mcguire, the desk is clear.

Mr. President, thank you so much. Record breaking time in regards to session eight and we are coming off a really easy week. No tension and no stress. So. But I want to take a moment. To say both sides of the aisle, thank you for working through some of.

The most challenging issues that are facing the State of California. Grateful for your grit and your grace. And your focus on making this state. Stronger, especially over these past many weeks. As we see such significant policies coming in front of our policy committees. Grateful for your hard work and we. Know there's much more to come.

Hope you get a little bit of downtime this weekend. Also spend some time with friends, family and of course working in your districts. The next floor session is scheduled for. Monday, May 5th at 2pm

The Senate will be in recess until 3:30pm at which time the adjournment motion will be made. We will reconvene Monday, May 5th at 2:00pm.