Assembly Floor

Assembly is now in session. Assemblymembers of board notices the absence of a quorum. Sergeant in arms will prepare the chamber and bring in the absent members. Clerk will call the roll.

[ROLL CALL]

Members, a quorum is present. We ask our guests and visitors in the rear of the chamber and in the gallery to please stand for the prayer. Please stand. Assemblymember Michelle Rodriguez will offer today's prayer. Assemblymember Rodriguez.

Thank you. Please join me in prayer. Heavenly Father, this morning we pause to remember the opening words of our California State Constitution. We, the people of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom. Lord, we are truly grateful for the gift of life, the blessings of liberty and the honor of serving the people of this great state.

As we begin today's work, we ask for your guidance. Grant us strength to lead with diligence and integrity. Humility, humility to listen well, wisdom to choose what is right and unity to serve the common good. Protect us from pride, selfish ambition, division and confusion.

May our decisions be shaped by justice, compassion and in sincere desire to do what is best for the California and our nation. We offer this prayer in your holy name. And I personally pray this in the name of God, my Lord and savior. Amen.

We ask our guests and visitors to remain standing. Please. Please remain standing and join us in the flag salute. Assemblymember Alanis will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And may the force be with you. Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States.

You may be seated. To our guests and visitors today. State law prohibits persons in the gallery from interfering with legislative proceedings or disrupting the orderly conduct of official business. Persons disrupting legislative proceedings are subject to removal, arrest or other appropriate legal remedies. Reading of the previous day's journal.

Assembly Chamber Sacramento, Monday, April 28, 2025 the Assembly met at 1pm Honorable Josh Lowenthal, Speaker Pro Tem of Assembly, presiding. Chief Clerk Sue Parker at the desk. Principal Clerk Durazo seats.

Majority Leader Garcia moves and Mr. Flores seconds. That the reading of the previous day's journal be dispensed with presentations and petitions. There are none. Introduction and reference of bills will be deferred. Reports of committees will be deemed read and amendments deemed adopted. Messages from the Governor? There are none. Messages from the Senate? There are none.

We are moving on to motions and resolutions. The absences for the day will be deemed read and printed in the file. System Majority Leader Garcia, you are recognized for your procedural motions.

Mr. Speaker, I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 45.5 to allow Assemblymember Caloza to speak on an adjournment in memory today.

Objection. Such shall be the order.

I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 118A to allow Assemblymember Ramos to have a guest on the floor and to allow Assemblymembers Lowenthal and Sharp-Collins to have guests in the rear of the chamber today.

Without objection. Such shall be the order.

I move to withdraw AB 1223 Nguyen from the Appropriations Committee in order to the second reading file. The Bill is no longer fiscal.

Without objection. Such shall be the order.

I request-

Moment, System Majority Leader. Without objection. We're going to pass and retain on file item 79. System Majority Leader, you may continue.

I request unanimous consent to order SB 49 Grove to the second reading file.

Without objection. Such shall be the order.

Pursuant to Assembly Rule 97, I request unanimous consent to re refer file item 65 to the Rules Committee.

Without objection. Okay, we are going to move into guest introductions. Assemblymember Sharp-Collins, you are recognized for your guest introduction.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I welcome Executive Director Jackie Thu-Huong Wong and her team from First Five California. They're coming up in the back. Alright. I would like to thank First Five- First Five California for all of their hard work in leading the charge in supporting early childhood development and also promoting the well being of our youngest children.

So let's give them a round of applause for being here. Thank you so much for all the work you've done. First Five California.

Welcome to the California Assembly. Okay, continuing on. Assemblymember Berman, you are recognized from the Majority Leader's desk from your- for your very special guest introduction today.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and colleagues. It's my pleasure to welcome the fourth grade class from Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School in my district and their teachers, Candice, Catherine and Tova, who are up in the gallery right now. And I have a wonderful chance to chat with them right before session.

They came ready to go with a lot of fantastic questions. You know, some of the most impressive- impressive questions I've gotten this year. So I just want to say thank you to- to all the students who came to Sacramento to watch your government in action and learn a little bit more about the work that we do.

Everyone, please give me- give them a round of applause.

Welcome Gideon Hausner School. Welcome. Welcome. Assemblymember Hadwick. You are recognized for your guest introductions.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today. I have two groups that made the six hour trek from Modoc County today and Lassen County. First up is Big Valley Junior High School. They're up in the gallery. If you guys could stand up. Also with them is Lassen County Supervisor Mr. Albaugh.

And then the second group is in the corner there from Strong Family Health Center. It's the Native Youth Board coming down for MIP resolution today. So please give them a great welcome to the assembly.

Welcome to the California Assembly. We know how far you've traveled. We appreciate you coming down to see us. Members, it is now my pleasure to introduce the officials here from the great port of Long Beach, from my district, we have with us here today. I'd like to direct your attention to the rear of the chamber

please. Ask you all to show some sympathy in this great fight of tariffs that we have. The very difficult times folks in the good movement sector are facing. I'd like to welcome Harbor Commissioner Sharon Weissman, Managing Director of Strategic Advocacy Eleanor Torres and others from the Port of Long Beach.

Thank you for the work that you do for the City of Long Beach and for the entire State of California. Also want to take this point of personal privilege. You know everybody. Saturday, El Salvador is Mexican Mother's Day. Dia De Las Madres and my mom is at the back of the chamber.

Sunday is of course American Mother's Day. A former Assemblymember, current Board President of Board of Harbor Commissioners, Bonnie Lowenthal at the rear of the chamber. Welcome to the California Assembly. I love you mom. Members, I'd appreciate if you only share the good stories with her. Thank you.

Thank you, Members. We're going to move on to business on the daily file. It's time for a second reading. Clerk will read.

Assembly bills 412, 416, 632, 316, 656 with amendments 1197 with amendments 1374 with amendments 54435, 539571, 587672, 876985, 1008, 1075, 1207, 1246, 1415, 1466, 1510, 379 with amendments 438, 463, 655, 786, 896, 992, 1085, 1177, 1478, 1515, 1516, 1528, 1529, 429 with amendments 391 with amendments 760 with amendments 1445, 1026 with amendments 1301, 1436 and Assembly Bill 1334 with amendments.

All bills will be deemed read and all amendments will be deemed adopted. We are on to concurrence file item number 45. Members, I'd like to ask for decorum. Please, please, please. File item number 45. ACR 39 by Assemblymember Ramos. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Concurrent Resolution number 39 by Assembly Ramos and others relative to Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Awareness Month.

Assembly Member Ramos, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise as Chair of the Legislative Native American Caucus to present ACR 39, which designates May 2025 as California's Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Awareness Month. California is home to the largest Native American population in the United States.

However, when it comes to violence against our people, staggering statistics show that that 84.3% of Native women have experienced violence in their lifetime. Also impacted are men in LGBTQ communities of the Native American people, 56% have experienced some form of sexual violence.

And 55% of Native women have been sexually assaulted by or experience physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner. That's over half of our population of the Native American people here in the state of California. The data is disheartening, especially when research shows that these national averages hide the extremely high rates of murder against Native people.

And we also know the numbers are higher when individuals are often misclassified under a different ethnicity or race are not reported at all when crimes are committed on Indian reservations. Yesterday at the hearing, we had testimony that highlighted the work we have been able to accomplish here in the state.

However, we also heard of the work that we still need to continue to do, especially in regards to Public Law 280. We also heard personal testimony from tribes such as the case of the Morongo citizen Amy Porter and the shortcomings that the state has in addressing these types of cases against our people.

All of this to showcase how there is more to be done in this space. In highlighting this over, again, over half of the population of the Native American people are suffering these statistics. It's no longer an epidemic. This is a state of emergency within Indian country.

We had tribal leaders continue to move forward and stand in unison during different events this week at a tribal reception on Tuesday night. Then we also had a press conference.

And last night we were together on the West Steps where over a thousand Native American people came to show that their concerns and solidarity of moving forward on this issue.

This morning we continue our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons observance by presenting this resolution designating the month of May 2025 as California's Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Awareness Month, but also to bring a focus and a call to action as we bring to light. We bring to light the state of emergency that Indian country is in.

Where the need is great for the state to commit to funding, to commit to policies. Policies that include the voice of California's first people to bring resolve to what's happening in this state. It goes back to the mentality mentality of the state of California that sees our items.

Over 1.4 million remains still reside in in the institutions of education here in the state of California. Those remains have not been repatriated back. The mentality of being able to hold those remains in those archives still sees California Indian people as less than equal.

Policies in the school systems that still come against our children wearing regalia during graduation following those policies, those policies that were generated from from assimilation policies from boarding schools. That mentality still moves forward today. Water rights. We need to make sure that those water rights have the voices of our people.

So it's not so far in the distant past. It's right in front of us today as a state legislature to rise up and be that voice of California's first people in the areas that we are all in.

It's time that we come together and acknowledge the state of emergency in California Indian country and rise as a legislature to include policies that includes the voices of our people here in California. I want to thank all the tribes that stand in solidarity and that are with us today in the gallery.

I thank all of you for attending the events and letting your voices be heard. Your presence here in the gallery acknowledges to this legislature that is so different. This legislature is so different than the first legislature in the state of California that put bounties out on our people.

This legislature continues to work to move forward and move the pendulum to make sure that California's voices of the first people are heard. Today we have this resolution. But let it not just be one day, let it not just be one month that we come and bring awareness around these issues.

Let it be every day of the year and every year moving forward to bring resolve in the voices of California's first people moving forward. I ask for your aye vote.

Thank you Assemblymember Ramos. Assemblymember Zbur, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, I rise today on behalf of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus in support of ACR 39, which designates May 2025 as as California's Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Awareness Month. Today we recognize the epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous people in California and across the country.

Under the leadership of our Native American Caucus Chair, the legislature has worked to increase reporting of missing and murdered Indigenous people, increase data collection, and take steps to prevent Indigenous people from going missing or being harmed in the first place.

As a fellow diversity caucus, one of the LGBT Caucus's core initiatives has been visiting rural parts of the state as well as tribal nations that are in the surrounding areas in order to better connect with diverse communities who all too often feel unserved and overlooked.

During our several visits to tribal nations, we've been fortunate to hear directly from tribal council leaders and learn about the unique struggles within their area as well as the impacts of this epidemic firsthand. This epidemic of violence towards some of our most vulnerable populations is another reminder of the legacy of harm done to Indigenous communities.

Working to better protect Indigenous Californians is another necessary step towards repairing that harm. While California has made great strides in supporting missing and and murdered Indigenous people due especially to the leadership of our Native American Caucus Chair, we know that there is more work to be done.

I, along with my colleagues in the LGBTQ Caucus, thank the Chair of the Native American Caucus for authoring this important resolution and for his resilient advocacy in uplifting our Indigenous community members. We stand united with you and Indigenous communities and our commitment to ending the epidemic and as well as supporting their family and survivors. Thank you Mr. Speaker and Members. I respectfully ask for your aye vote on ACR 39.

Thank you Assemblymember Zbur. Assemblymember Patel, you are recognized.

Thank you Mr. Speaker and thank you colleagues. I rise today on behalf of the Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus in strong support of ACR 39, recognizing Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Awareness Month. This resolution acknowledges the lives of those who have been taken and the families still waiting for answers.

It's a statement of solidarity with Indigenous communities who continue to face violence, invisibility and injustice. The San Diego County has the largest number of federally recognized tribes in the county, with 18 tribes in total. Tribal leaders there have come together to launch a $2 million initiative focused on finding their missing people.

Their strength and leadership are a call to all of us to act with urgency and care. The AAPI Caucus empathizes with what it means to be erased from the narrative. We've seen how communities can can be marginalized in the data, in the media and in policy. And we know that being unseen can have deadly consequences.

Solidarity means showing up for the Indigenous community today. And today's resolution reflects our commitment to justice, visibility and safety for Indigenous people in California and beyond. On behalf of the AAPI Caucus, I respectfully ask for your aye vote for on ACR 39. Thank you.

Thank you, Assemblymember Patel, Assemblymember Quirk-Silva, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. I too rise in support of ACR 39. I want to appreciate the author from San Bernardino.

Not only has he stood on this floor so many times to educate us as Members, but he has led the way in so many particular areas, from the Feather Alert to allowing us to understand more about California's first people. I'm so honored to be on the Select Committee.

And Members, our Select Committees are certainly a place to evolve and learn. I've understood so little as now I know so much more because of this education. And as we learn, we need to act.

And when we know that there are women who are going missing from reservations, we need to act in the same way we would with any other woman in any other community. Too often we see whether it's the media, even public safety that doesn't act with the same urgency.

Which is why, in fact, these women are targeted by human traffickers. They are going to select women that they think will not be reported, that they think no one cares about, unseen women. And we're here to say that you matter. We're here to say that they deserve the urgent response that any other woman who goes missing deserves.

And in fact, this information was presented yesterday in the Select Committee. We also know that there's got to be cooperation between agencies, so public safety from the reservation, the reservation to outside the reservation. This communication must be moved on quickly because we know when women go missing, it's within the first 24 hours that is the most important time to bring them back.

And certainly we know that education from parents to families and from schools to families about how human traffickers try to groom young women, which makes it easier to traffic them.

But with that, there is so much more between repatriation to bringing back those artifacts that are so important to the tribes. So with all of this information I've gained from these Select Committees, I thank the Member from San Bernardino and ask you all to support ACR 39.

Thank you, Assemblymember Quirk-Silva. Assemblymember Robert Garcia, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, I rise today in strong support of ACR 39, a resolution recognizing May 2025 as Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Awareness Month in the State of California. This measure is not merely a symbolic gesture. It is a call to attention, a call to accountability and a call to justice.

Across the state, Indigenous communities, particularly Native American women, girls and two spirit individuals, have faced disproportionately high rates of violence, disappearances and homicides for generations. These tragedies are the echoes of systemic neglect, jurisdictional confusion, underreporting, and the lingering effects of colonization. Native women are murdered at a rate more than 10 times the national average in some regions.

Thousands of Indigenous people are missing or have been killed and yet their names too often never reach the headlines. Their families wait in silence and and their communities mourn in the shadows. As home to the largest Native American population in the country, California must do more.

Recognizing this month is a vital step toward confronting the silence. It honors those we have lost, uplifts the voices of survivors and acknowledges the work of Indigenous-led organizations and tribal governments who have been fighting tirelessly with limited resources to bring their loved ones home. But recognition must be paired with resolve.

We must commit to better data collection and improved agency coordination with we must listen to Indigenous communities and above all, we must treat this crisis with the urgency and dignity it demands. Today, by supporting ACR 39, we affirm that these lives matter, that their stories matter, that California sees them, hears them and will not forget them.

Thank you. And I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Assistant Majority Leader. Assemblymember Hadwick, you are recognized.

Mr. Speaker, I hadn't planned on speaking today, but I'm compelled to rise in support of ACR 39, recognizing in honor the lives of missing and murder Indigenous people, individuals whose absence is felt deeply by families, communities and nations across the state and country. This is not a distant issue.

California is home to more Native American communities than any other state. And the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people impacts our neighbors, our constituents and our shared future. For too long these voices have gone unheard and these cases have gone unsolved.

By acknowledging this day, we affirm a commitment to visibility, to justice, and to the dignity of every life. It's an opportunity to listen more carefully, support tribal sovereignty and ensure that all communities, especially Indigenous communities, are seen and protected.

I rise so that my sister-in-law, nieces and nephews of the Tongva tribe, along with all of the Native sisters and brothers, are protected. Thank you. I urge for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Hadwick. Assemblymember Schiavo, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, tribal leaders and guests, I rise on behalf of the Women's Caucus in strong support of ACR 39 to designate May as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Awareness Month in California. This resolution is not just symbolic, but it's about action.

It's about confronting a crisis that has left families broken and communities grieving for far too long. A 2018 study from the Urban Indian Health Institute found that over a quarter of missing or murdered Indigenous women are under the age of 18. An average age was 29.

These are daughters, sisters, mothers, stolen lives that deserve our action to secure justice. At our Select Committee hearing yesterday on MMIP, we heard devastating testimony. Traffickers intentionally target Indigenous communities believing their crimes will go unreported. This is not just violence, it is invisibility. But California is taking steps to Change that.

In 2022, thanks to the leadership of our colleague from Riverside, we enacted the Feather Alert to help locate missing and murdered Indigenous people. And we've continued to follow up on that to ensure it's working to make improvements and to make sure that this truly makes a difference in Native American lives in our state.

But we still need more progress. Indian country needs to be able to have their own law enforcement to ensure that there is a laser focus on finding missing and murdered people in their communities. And across the state, tribal leaders, survivors and advocates are leading with the strength and resilience from candlelight vigils at the Capitol Lake we had to the groundbreaking MMIP Summit hosted by the Yurok Tribe.

Designating this month is a pledge to listen to survivors, support tribal sovereignty and ensure every missing person's case is treated with the urgency it deserves. As the state with the largest Native American population, California must lead the way.

This May, let us shine a light that stops these predators from operating in the shadows. Let us reaffirm our commitment to true partnership with California's first nations. Let us break the silence. Let us honor the lives lost. And let us commit to do more. Because awareness must lead to justice and action. Thank you.

Thank you, Assemblymember Schiavo. Assemblymember Jackson, you are recognized.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. On behalf of the Black Caucus, it is truly an honor to continue the centuries long allyship that African Americans and Native Americans have had for hundreds of years as we have survived the massacres, the dehumanization, and the invisibility of our people.

This resolution is about the humanity and value we place on the lives of our Native American brothers and sisters. And history continues to remind us of the remnants that we continue to see today.

The idea that it is okay to hold the remains of other human beings, the idea that it's okay and that it was okay to force our Native American brothers and sisters off of their ancestral land and onto reservations and rancherias.

These are all remnants of the dark history of this country and this state that we continue to try to right the wrongs every day. No matter what people say about how much we value other people, we have learned together, African Americans and Native Americans, it's not about what people say.

It's about their daily actions and the laws that they pass and the resources they allocate in their budgets.

And the reason why we have such a horrific problem with missing and murdered indigenous people is because the way this state has acted and treated our brothers and sisters has allowed the professionals who deal with trafficking to say, you know what?

It's more likely we can get away with this if we target a population that most people forget even exists. It is the problem that this state has created to create the idea of invisible people. And that even if we do it and people find out about it, not a lot of people will really care.

This is the legacy that we have placed on our brothers and sisters. So it is an honor to continue our ancestral tradition of standing side by side one another as we continue to share the idea that on every good thing, we are at the bottom of the list together.

And for every bad thing, we're on the top of the list together. Whether it's education, whether it's issues of dealing with historical trauma, whether it's mental health, our struggles remain entangled together in this country. So on behalf of the Black Caucus, know that we have your back. And with that together, we say, ashe.

Thank you, Assemblymember Jackson. Assemblymember Valencia, you are recognized thank you.

Mr. Speaker and Members. Muy buenos dias a todos. I rise on behalf of the Latino Caucus in passionate support of ACR 39, which recognizes May 2025 as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Awareness Month. Our indigenous communities face an ongoing crisis marked by loss and neglect.

Behind every statistic, there are real lives and stories, families and communities that deserve our attention and action now. Indigenous women face violence at alarming rates. Nearly 58% experience domestic abuse, and for too many, the violence turns deadly, with homicide remaining one of the leading causes of death for indigenous women. Our Latino community understands this pain well.

Femicide transcends demographics and particularly plagues Latin American countries. Women disappear without justice, revealing international systemic failures.

While this reality is painful, I commend the leadership of my colleague and friend from San Bernardino and also the Native communities that are here with us today and across the state of California for pushing this issue forward, fighting, advocating, ensuring that their voices are heard in this chamber and across this globe.

And those voices are truly, truly making a difference. Unfortunately, just a few years ago, these conversations were not happening at the state level, and we still have more work to do. ACR 39 is about visibility, dignity, and ensuring Indigenous communities are not forgotten. Their stories matter, their lives matter, and we all stand with them.

Gracias, and with that, I respectfully ask for your support in ACR 39.

Thank you, Assemblymember Valencia. Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members, I rise in support of ACR 39 on behalf of the Legislative Jewish Caucus. And I want to thank our colleague for bringing this resolution year after year. I've had the privilege of serving on this floor with our colleagues since we both entered the Legislature just over six years ago.

And the visibility that has been brought to this issue is so critically important. And the Jewish community knows what it means for our bodies to not be valued, for our lives to not be valued, and for disappearance to happen without people paying attention.

And the fact that that continues to happen today to the Indigenous people of California is something that we cannot stand by silently and accept. And so I just wanted to rise on behalf of the caucus.

And say that this is so critically important that we stand in solidarity in an effort to ensure that every Californian, but especially our Native people, get the attention they need as they suffer from these inhumane treatment in the wake of unfathomable wrongs. And so with that, I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan. Mr. Ramos, before I go to you back for a closing I just want to remind Members that since this is concurrence, we will not be taking up co-authors. Co-authors have already been added to the bill.

This Chair would like to honor and pay respect to the many people from our indigenous communities throughout the state of California that have come to visit us on such a historic day. And with that, Mr. Ramos, would you like to close?

Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I want to thank all those that have spoken and your words of solidarity with our people. Our people that are with us today and our people that are still using our voice to speak because they cannot speak no more. But I also do want to recognize the leadership in the gallery, Mr. Speaker, we so can recognize them with an applause.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with this body on all these issues that are now brought to light. Brought to light, not to be hidden anymore.

Now it's the work of the legislature to move forward and ensure, ensure that those that continue to prey on California's first people know that this legislature stands side by side with California's first people. Where we hear our first people, where we see our first people and where this legislation will stand for change with California's first people.

I ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Ramos. All debate having ceased, the Clerk will open the roll on concurrence for ACR 39. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. Ayes 67, no 0. The resolution is adopted. Concurrence is adopted.

Assemblymember Ramos, you are recognized for your very important guest introductions.

Thank you. And defend the gallery. All the tribal leaders, tribal members, if you could please stand. As this body just took a vote to assure that we move forward on missing and murdered indigenous people and that we hear you, we see you, and we stand with you for change. So give them another round of applause.

Welcome. Members, we are on to the third reading file, assembly third reading. We're going to pass and retain on file items numbers 46 through 71. That is going to bring us to file item number 72, AB374 by Assemblymember Nguyen, the clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 374 by Assembler Nguyen and others and accurately to classified employees. Assemblymember Nguyen, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. AB 374 is a bill that will ensure that our classified school employees receive a clear and detailed pay stub. This bill passed through both committees with bipartisan support, zero no votes. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assembly Member Nguyen. Seeing and hearing no further debate. Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. Ayes 63, noes 0. The measure passes. Going to pass and retain on file item 73. Brings us to file item 74, AB 282 by Assembly Member Pellerin. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 282 by Assembly Member Pellerin and others, an act relating to discrimination.

Assembly Member Pellerin, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. In 2019, Governor Newsom signed SB 329 by Mitchell to redefine source of income to include housing subsidy payments. As a result, it is unlawful for the owner of any housing accommodation to discriminate against any person because of their source of income.

Although SB 329 was an important step in combating housing discrimination and expanding housing opportunities for families with a voucher, the law, as currently written, inadvertently prohibits any preference based on source of income. Therefore, while it now prohibited to discriminate against households with rental assistance, it is also prohibited to establish a preference that benefits households with rental assistance.

So AB 282 will allow housing providers to establish a preference for voucher household by explicitly stating that the prioritization of applicants for tenancy who qualify for or participate in rental assistance programs does not constitute discrimination based on source of income. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assembly Member Pellerin. Seeing all debate having ceased, the Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes 47, noes 12. The measure passes. We're going to pass and retain on file item 75, 76. Brings us to file item 77, AB 583, also by Assembly Member Pellerin. Assembly Member Pellerin, AB 583.

Assembly Bill 583 by Assemblymember Pellerin. An act relating to public health.

583, clerk will read.

Assemblymember Pellerin, you are recognized.

Good morning. Back again. In many settings, nurse practitioners are the primary providers that care for a patient prior to and up to their death. However, they lack the authority to sign a death certificate and instead must delegate that task to a physician who may have never cared for or seen that patient prior to passing.

So AB583 will authorize nurse practitioners to sign death certificates, bringing us in alignment with 40 other states and Washington D.C. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Pellerin. Assemblymember Tangipa, you are recognized.

I rise in support of this bill after having losing my father. It took us over six weeks just to get a death certificate signed. They froze bank accounts, they locked us out.

And I had to take care of my family because we couldn't even find somebody to sign the death certificate, so we could get recognized, receive the spousal benefits on his veteran side. So I couldn't be more proud to rise in support. And I ask every single one of you to vote aye on this.

Thank you, Assemblymember Tangipa, seeing and hearing no further debate summary. Assemblymember Pellerin, would you like to close?

Yes, I would. And as it turned out, I had a similar experience when my father passed away. We had to wait weeks to get that death certificate. So I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Pellerin. All debate having ceased, the clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes, 55. Nos, 0. The measure passes to file item number 78, AB 594 by Assemblymember Solache. Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 594 by Assemblymember Solache and others and act relating to insurance.

Assembly Member Solache, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I rise today to present AB 594, my very first bill on this floor. AB 594 provides a vital protections for students navigating college provided health insurance. This bill allows students to withdraw from their school provided insurance coverage when no longer enrolled in their school or when they maintain coverage through an acceptable outside plan preventing unnecessary charges. Additionally, schools must inform students of any year to year increases in their premiums, making protections that already exist and the insurance market available for school provided plans.

AB 594 is necessary to ensure students are not charged for a service they do not qualify for and AB 594 is necessary to ensure students are not charged for a service they do not qualify for to maintain transparency as they navigate a unique form of coverage. My office and I remain committed to working with the stakeholders to move through this legislative process. And with that, as a champion of higher education, I respectfully asked for your aye vote. Thank you.

Thank you, Assembly Member Solache. All debate having ceased, the Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. Ayes 56, noes 0. The measure passes. Going to pass and retain on file item 79, 80, 81. That brings us to file item 82, AB 1206 by Assembly Member Harabedian.

Assembly Bill 1206 by Assemblymember Harabedian and others regarding to housing.

Clerk will read.

Assemblymember Harabedian, you are recognized.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. AB1206 just empowers local agencies to establish pre-approval programs for single-family housing and limited multi-family housing. This actually builds off of AB1332, which my friend from Palmdale brought for ADUs, which has actually had a lot of success.

This has gained bipartisan support in every committee. So I want to thank my colleagues from both sides of the aisle. A version of this was actually employed in paradise after the fires there, and I think the member from paradise, our minority leader, can speak to the efficacy of this program, how helpful it was in rebuilding his community.

I also think it's a great program because it's $0 to the state. It actually maintains local control for our communities, and it will be part of the permitting package for our chair of the Appropriations Committee. For all those reasons, I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you Assemblymember Harbidian Seeing and hearing no further debate, the clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. Ayes, 50. Nos, 1. The measure passes, pass and retain. On file item number 83.

Item number 83 brings us to file item 84, AB 1509 by the Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs. The Clerk will read.

Assembly of Bill 1509 by the Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs, an an act relating to veterans.

Assembly Member Schiavo, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and colleagues. I rise to present AB 1509, a Military and Veteran Affairs Committee bill that expressly establishes in statute under the CalVet Authority the CSAAVE program, which is the California State Accrediting Agency for Veteran Education. Say that five times fast.

California law requires that CSAAVE review and approve schools or training facilities before they can offer courses to students using the GI Benefits Bill in California. CSAAVE monitors schools to ensure their education programs meet minimum quality standards, comply with federal and state laws, and prevent fraud and abuse of GI Bill funds. Look at that.

We have a program that does that. It's amazing. CSAAVE was moved by an executive order rather than legislation. This bill firmly places it under the CalVet authority, allowing CalVet to administer the federally required program. And it is supported by veterans organizations and PORAC. There is no opposition. Respectfully request an aye vote. Thank you.

Thank you, Assembly Member Schiavo. Members, before we move to a vote, I'd like to ask for decorum. Can you please take your conversations off the floor? Take your volume down. All debate having ceased, Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes 56, noes 0. The measure passes. We're going to pass and retain on file items 85 and 86. Brings us to file item 87, AB 898 by Assembly Member Bryan.

Assembly Bill 898 by Assemblymember Bryan. An act relating to child welfare.

The clerk will read.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and colleagues. Today, I rise to present AB898. It's a bill designed to expand the Family Urgent Response System, also known as FURS.

Assemblymember Bryan, you are recognized.

FURS provides state-level phone-based responses and county-level in-person mobile responses aimed at preventing placement disruptions and preserving the relationship of caregivers and our youth. Current law requires the state hotline to dispatch county mobile response teams and also limits FURS to only current and former foster youth and their families. And those restrictions have led to an underutilization by families who desperately need these services.

What AB898 will do is will allow community members to directly call their county mobile response teams and expand eligibility to include families receiving family preservation, voluntary or court-ordered family maintenance services, and mandate biennial countywide reviews ensuring these services are accessible for all people. This bill has had bipartisan support so far, and I respect all of you to vote for it.

Thank you, Assemblymember Bryan. All debate having ceased, the clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. Ayes, 56. Nos, 0. The measure passes.

Going to pass and retain on file item number 88 brings us to file item 89. HR33 by Assemblymember Alanis.

House Resolution 33 by Assemblymember Alanis relative to Star Wars Day.

The Clerk will read.

Assemblymember Alanis, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Hello. Today, I have the honor and privilege to present HR33, which commemorates May 4, 2025, as Star Wars Day. As we all know, the cultural phenomenon that is Star Wars originated with one man, George Lucas. Mr. Lucas was born and raised in Modesto, in my district, where he grew up exploring with filmmaking.

The first Star Wars movie made was Star Wars: A New Hope, which launched what can easily be described as the biggest sci-fi fantasy phenomenon in generations. The film was groundbreaking in story, sound, and special effects.

There is no doubt that the magic of Star Wars has touched every aspect of our culture and even the way we talk to each other. The phrase "May the Fourth be with you" has become synonymous with the Star Wars franchise. This simple, yet powerful phrase started as a pun and has morphed into an international celebration.

It's a day for fans to come together to share their passion for the films and to revel in the stories and characters that have helped shape their lives. And it's a day when fans can dress up as their favorite characters, engage in epic lightsaber battles, and discuss intricate details of the Star Wars universe.

The Star Wars franchise has grown and evolved over the years, even more so since Disney acquired the Star Wars franchise in 2012 and gave rise to a new and expanded universe. With the new films, television series, books and merchandise creating a Star wars universe for an entirely new generation of fans.

The Star wars franchise has brought together people from all walks of life, breaking down all barriers, and serves as a reminder that despite our differences, we can come together to celebrate a shared love for something greater than ourselves with HR33.

Today, we celebrate the enduring legacy of Star wars and the powerful connections it has fostered amongst its fans. Thank you, Members, and may the Force be with you always. I ask for an aye vote.

It is the way. Thank you, Assemblymember Alanis. Assemblymember Quirk Silva, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. I rise today in proud support of HR33 and thank my colleague from Modesto for this resolution. May 4th is a special day for all Star wars fans around the world. It is a day that we celebrate the incredible legacy of one of the most iconic and beloved film franchises in history.

As many of you know, My district, the 67th district, is the proud home of Disneyland and the home of the Star wars experience. For generations, Star wars has captivated audiences, whisking us away to distant scale galaxies teeming with legendary battles, incredible characters, and enduring themes of courage, hope, and the resilience of the human spirit.

The Star wars franchise not only entertains us, but also inspires us to be our best selves. From the iconic heroism of Luke Skywalker to the unwavering leadership of Princess Leia Organa, Star wars gives fans a rich tapestry of role models who embody the virtues of dedication, compassion, and selflessness.

So today, on this Star Wars Day, I invite all of my colleagues to join with me in celebrating the incredible legacy of this beloved franchise. As I close, I want you to test your knowledge on Star wars quotes, and I will close with some of those. And let's see, who knows these quotes.

And a galaxy far, far away. Chewy, we're home. Women always figure out the truth. Aren't you a little short for a little storm trooper? And may the Force be with you with that. Thank you and happy Star Wars Day.

Thank you, Assemblymember Quirk Silva. These aren't the drones you're looking for. Assemblymember Macedo, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of this resolution, admitting that I have never actually seen a Star Wars movie. So you don't have to see Star wars to be a fan. But I'm committing to this body. I will watch Star wars before May 4th next year. I rise in support and ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assembly Member Macedo. Assembly Member Rogers, you are recognized. Thank you, Members, for your decorum. Thank you, Members.

Thank you so much. Mr. Speaker. You know, colleagues, some of you represent San Francisco, some of you represent Los Angeles. I have the pleasure of representing Endor. Of course, the Ewoks, who are responsible for the destruction of the Empire hail from Humboldt in Del Norte County.

So I just want to thank my colleague for bringing forward this resolution honoring their contribution to peace in the galaxy. And would love to have you up there to have one of those burning pyres for for all evils that are in the world. With that, I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Rogers. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Assemblymember Alanis, would you like to close?

I just want to thank everybody for their comments. I love that we could bring this day where we can all just relax and kind of just go back to when we used to be in our childhood days. And so I respectfully ask for your aye vote. And thank you, guys.

Assembly Member Alanis, would you like the first roll to be open for co authors? Thank you, Assembly Member Alanis. All debate having ceased, the Clerk will open the roll for co authors. All Members vote who desire to vote. Members, this is for co authors. All Members vote who desire to vote.

All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. There are 53 co authors added without objection, will now take a voice vote on the resolution. All those in favor say aye. I'm going to ask again. All those in favor say aye. All those opposed no. The ayes have it.

The resolution is adopted. May the fourth be with you. Assemblymember Alanis, you are recognized for your introductions.

Thank you again, Mr. Speaker, colleagues, I'm honored today to welcome in the gallery the Members from the Central California garrison of the 501st Legion, an all volunteer organization who for almost a generation has entertained the region through community involvement and service in celebrating the Star wars franchise and is part of the larger International 501st Legion of also known as Vader's Fist.

Their costumes, as you guys can see, if they're all handmade and undergo a rigorous vetting process for authenticity and Star wars universe capability or compatibility, we would expect nothing less from the Galactic Empire, especially Vader's mightiest soldiers.

So for all of you up there, thank you for all being here, taking time to be here at the Capitol and giving us a wonderful day that we get to talk about to our family Members when we go back home and for those students who got a great tour today, who didn't expect to see Star wars characters in the Capitol today, but please help me, everybody to welcome the mighty, menacing and entertaining Members of the Central California Garrison of the 501st Legion.

Welcome to the California Assembly. Okay, we are going to pass and retain on file items 909192. That brings us to file item 93, AB611 by Assemblymember Lee.

The Clerk will read Assembly Bill 611 by Assembly and ACC relating to local news organizations.

Member Lee, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know what's important to keeping the Republic, the Republic and from eroding into an empire is a steady stream of local news to inform the electorate. Today I'm presenting AB 611 which will require newspapers to give 120 days notice before selling the local media outlet.

This notice will give the newsroom and the community an opportunity to approach the owners and attempt to keep the outlet locally focused. Keeping local news local is critical and we're losing that now. Conglomerates, private equity and hedge funds are buying local newspapers.

With only 10 companies now owning over 50 of all daily newspapers in the United States, national corporations owning local news has consequences.

The newsroom staff get reduced and with layoffs and firings and experience and expertise out the door, the reporting becomes reliant on syndicated news from around the country and the world with little focus on local community beyond salacious crime, house fires and local sports. Just last week the Santa Rosa Press Democrat was purchased by the Alden Global Capital.

To the surprise of the employees and the entire community. The newspaper was in negotiations by Hearst, but Alden swooped in out of nowhere. The surprise and concern of all. Alden owns more than 100 newspapers across the country, including in my region, the Mercury News and East Bay Times.

And of course they also bought the San Diego Tribune in 20 a couple years ago, the OC Register and the Boston Herald. And that change in focus from expert local reporters finding stories that matter to the community, shifting to cheaper syndicated stories with no connections. Community hurts all of our district. This is not good for democracy.

And this bill seeks to push back on this trend by giving the people of the newsroom and the community advance notice about potential sale. I respectfully asked your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Lee. I'll debate having. Excuse me, Assembly Member Rogers, you're recognized now.

Thank you so much, Mr. Speaker. And I just wanted to rise in support of AB 611. As my colleague mentioned, my hometown just went through this. It actually is a little bit even more than he mentioned.

We had three potential buyers for the paper and in fact the labor union that represents the workers there had a clause in their contract that they had to be informed and had to be a part of the discussion on the sale.

They were essentially had a gun behind the door with a couple of news outlets that were not as preferable as one agreed to waive that clause.

In their contract for the sale to the call it the least worst option for who was looking to purchase, didn't hear anything back from the seller and then suddenly received an email from the purchaser which was not the preferred purchaser saying that they had been bought and welcoming them into their new company.

This Bill AB 611 will give additional time for the public for the employees to properly vet and discuss the impact that this will have on newsrooms. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you Assemblymember Rogers. Seeing in hearing no further debate, Assemblymember Lee would you like to close?

I want to thank my colleague Rosanna Rosa for strong support and understanding the situation that's so personal to this community and I respectfully ask her I vote.

Thank you Assemblymember Lee. All debate having ceased, the Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote all those vote who desire to vote all those vote who desire to vote. Assemblymember Lee.

Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. "Aye's" 41, "No's" 13. The measure passes.

Moving on to File Item Number 94, AB 1326, by Assemblymember Ahrens. Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 1326, by Assemblymember Ahrens, an act relating to personal protective equipment.

Assemblymembers Harabedian, can you please move? Thank you. Assemblymember Ahrens, you are recognized.

Good morning and thank you, Mr. Speaker and colleagues. I rise today to present AB 1326. As COVID-19 showed, wearing a mask is an important public health tool. However, currently there is no codified right to wear a mask. Today, local governments or businesses could attempt to ban wearing masks.

And without statutory protections, individuals are left vulnerable to questions about bodily autonomy and this important public health tool. This Bill broadly applies to public spaces, including businesses, schools, workplaces, and health care settings. These are limited exceptions included, such as temporarily removing a mask for identification purposes.

AB 1326 affirms the right to wear a mask in public for health protection, creating a clear and consistent statewide standard that protects individual health choices and supports public health, and as many of you know, when my twin brother was terminally ill with cancer, he desperately needed more people to wear a mask.

Because of that and so many others, I'm respectfully asking for your "Aye" vote today.

Thank you, Assemblymember Ahrens. All debate having ceased, the Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll, tally the votes. "Aye's" 52, "No's" 2. The measure passes.

We're going to pass and retain on file Items 95 through 101. Gets us to File Item 102, AB 1123, by Assembly Member Muratsuchi.

The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 1123, by Assemblymember Muratsuchi, an act relating to teacher credentialing.

Assemblymember Muratsuchi, you are recognized.

Thank you very much. This is an early childhood education bill. As we are striving to provide universal access to preschool, we do not have any representation on the Commission on Teacher Credentialing for early childhood educators. This bill has received bipartisan support. No no votes. Respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assembly Member Muratsuchi. All debate having ceased, Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes 66, noes 0. The measure passes. Pass and retain on file items 103, 104, 105. Gets us to file item number 106, AJR 10 by Assembly Member Rogers. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Joint Resolution number 10 by Assembly Member Rogers, relative to the United States Forest Service.

Assembly Member Rogers, you are recognized.

Thanks much, Mr. Speaker. AJR 10 calls on the President of the United States to reverse his cuts to the US Forest Service. As many of you know, my district is very expansive. We have counties like Trinity county where more than 90% of the land mass falls within the Shasta Trinity National Forests.

And you also know that I come in as a public servant who served a community that was devastated by wildfires. There is a contradiction in this President.

When he first lectures California that we didn't do enough to rake forests and therefore saw giant conflagrations in districts like mine and like the minority leaders, but then turns around and devastates our forest service personnel. 57% of California's forests are federal national forests. They are a gem in our community.

And quite frankly, what the President is doing to these national forests is treasonous. I know that a resolution from California is not going to get the President to change course.

But what I do know is that a resolution that goes to the President, that goes to Congress will put people on notice that in California, if you have the ability to hold the President accountable to for making our communities less safe, for harming our local economies, we are going to hold you accountable as well.

I firmly believe that no, none of our constituents voted for the President so that he could make us less safe, that he could harm our local economies and that he could ruin our national treasures. Many of you are familiar with the term demolition by neglect. That's what this President is doing to our national forests.

He's allowing them to deteriorate, to make sure that folks don't have access to campsites, to their hiking trails so that he can sell off our forests to pay for corporate tax cuts and for billionaires tax cuts. We need to stand up and say absolutely not. These national forests are a part of our community.

They're a treasure in California. And with that I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Rogers. Assemblymember Bennett, you are recognized.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of AJR 10 and I applaud my colleague from Santa Rosa for bringing this resolution forward. California is home to more national forests than any other state in the union. It is also national forest represent 40% of the land mass in my county, Ventura County.

Those national forests provide tremendous amounts of clean air, biodiversity and very importantly, carbon sinks for our global climate challenges. It's also very important for us to note that we have passed a tipping point here in California when it comes to wildfire.

And in the last eight years, I think we have plenty of evidence to really prove that we must have a partner in the Federal Government in managing our national forest.

And this attempt by the Administration to gut the Forest Service is a disservice to all of us in California that depend on having a healthy forest that is less likely to bring wildfire risk to all of us. I respectfully ask for your aye vote for AJR 10. Thank you.

Thank you, Assemblymember Bennett. Assemblymember Spore, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. I rise today in strong support of AJR 10, and I want to thank our colleague from Santa Rosa for bringing this important resolution. The importance of funding of our national forest system in the United States cannot be overstated.

Adequate funding is critical for the management, conservation and sustainability of natural and cultural resources across the country. Since taking office, President Trump has reduced the federal workforce by more than 2 million employees, which includes over 7,000 jobs at the U.S. forest Service, along with hundreds of positions at the National Park Service, the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, and the Bureau of Land Management. The reduction of U.S. forest Service employees hampers essential functions that keep forests healthy, such as clearing downed trees from trails, conducting post fire restoration work, reforestation, maintaining campgrounds, and ensuring compliance with federal land use regulations. Forests significantly contribute to the economy through industries like recreation and tourism.

Sufficient funding supports the sustainable use of these resources, allowing communities to thrive while preserving our precious natural assets. AJR 10 holds the President of the United States accountable to preserve some of our most sensitive lands and protect our environment through effective forest management and wildfire mitigation programs.

It also requests that he veto any legislation that would defund the Forest Service. Adequate funding for US Forest is essential for economic stability, environmental health and community resilience. Investing in these lands means investing in the future of our natural ecosystems and the communities that depend on them. For these reasons, I respectfully request your support for AJR 10. Thank you.

Thank you, Assemblymembers Zbur. Assemblymember Harabedian, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to my friend from Santa Rosa for bringing this. I don't think that this is controversial whatsoever. Who would ever want to cut funds to Smokey the Bear, to many of the programs that keep us safe on a daily basis? My district includes the Angeles National Forest.

A large portion of my district is the Forest Service. And I think any funds that aren't directed There would be, contrary to what this body has been saying for months in the heels of the Eaton fire and the Palisades fire, which is we need to do more.

And frankly, I think a lot of us are feeling whiplash from the federal Administration. A lot of us were lectured over and over again about these devastating fires and how we weren't doing enough to manage our-our forest. And so it's hard to grapple with these federal cuts. And I think that a strong message to D.C.

on a bipartisan basis would be meaningful.

I'm not sure it's actually going to work, but I think that if every one of us goes up on this, I think it would send a message that while cuts are needed potentially in certain areas, in a time when wildfire is ever growing and affecting all of our districts, this isn't the time to cut the Forest Service.

And so I want to thank again the Member from Santa Rosa and urge an aye vote on AGR 10.

Thank you, Assemblymember Harabedian. Assemblymember Hart, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today in strong support of this resolution by our colleague from Santa Rosa opposing the reckless staffing cuts to the U.S. forest Service by the Trump Administration. These cuts directly affect and threaten the safety, ecology and and communities surrounding our cherished public lands, especially the Las Padres Forest in my district.

Las Padres spans nearly 2 million acres across Central and Southern California, touching the lives of millions who rely on it for clean water, recreation, jobs, and cultural heritage. It's also one of the most fire prone regions in the nation. Reducing personnel and resources in this forest is not just negligent, it it's dangerous.

Understaffing means fewer firefighters when wildfires strike. It means less oversight to protect endangered species in ancient oak woodlands. It means slower response times, compromised trail and road maintenance, and an increased risk to the families who live near or visit the forest. These Trump cuts will gut local Ranger districts, forcing dedicated staff to do the impossible with less.

That's not leadership, its abandonment. Los Padres National Forest is a cathedral of wilderness, a source of resilience. Neglecting it endangers more than land. It jeopardizes the very spirit of our communities.

This resolution reaffirms that California values stewardship that we reject, a federal policy that endangers lives, ecosystems, and the legacy of conservation that Californians have fought so hard to protect. We must demand restored funding and full staffing for the Forest Service. Our communities and our futures depend on it. Thank you. And I respectfully urge your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Hart. Leader Gallagher, you are recognized.

Yeah, thank you. Mr. Speaker and Members, I rise in support of this resolution and specifically the actual language of the resolution, not the rhetoric that I'm kind of hearing on the floor this morning, but in the actual language. It calls on the President to keep his promise to funding wildfire prevention on the federal lands, forests.

And actually, he is, you know, in my district, actually just a couple of weeks ago, we were out there conducting. The U.S.

Forest Service was out there in conjunction with local partners, conducting prescribed fire in and around Magalia and Paradise, you know, creating, you know, getting this brush cleared and removed these dangerous tinder boxes from our forest lands. And so we need to continue. We need to continue that work and keep it moving forward. Absolutely.

And that we veto any bills that would cut that funding. So as far as the language of this resolution, I completely agree with it. But I think we also need to talk a little bit about what's been going on in our national forests. It hasn't been good. And I think the U.S.

Forest Service record on our national forest lands has not been a good one, because over decades, over many administrations, but over decades, we stopped managing the forests. And there was a policy that was uncovered here recently where they were letting fires burn on U.S. Forest Service land.

And some of those fires got out of control and caused severe damage to communities. And so what we need at the US Forest Service is to actually start doing the work. Now that's starting to happen. That's a good thing. But for decades, we let our forests become tinderboxes.

And part of that was drastically limiting responsible management and timber harvest that can be done on these lands. Now we're starting to change that policy where for many years, good neighbor policies were not followed through by the U.S. forest Service.

And so that brush, and in some cases before the campfire, 10 foot tall piles of brush on National Forest Service land. And when the spark came from a power line, it fell on that tinderbox and it became a fire we could not put out. And that's happened far too often.

And my colleague talked about how the Forest Service are a carbon sink. They should be, but they are not. They are a carbon emitter right now because we have dead and dying trees growing, you know, brush that's out of control. And those are actually forests that are not healthy.

They are emitting carbon just as they stand in that situation. But even worse, when they burn millions of metric tons of carbon that goes into our atmosphere, they're a carbon emitter.

Under the current status quo, we need to Change that we need to bring back responsible management and yes, timber harvest, responsible timber harvest onto our Forest Service lands so that we have a healthy forest. And that's why I support this resolution this morning because it's calling on us.

Let's get back and let's make sure that vital work is not interrupted. We've started to get on the right track. Let's not go back to where we were, where we were not managing those forest lands. Let's continue that work. And I believe that the President will continue to keep his promise as he has already begun to do.

Thank you, Leader Gallagher. Summit Member Tangipa, you are recognized.

Thank you.

And while I too rise to reject the rhetoric that has been used on this floor today, day I do support AJR 10 because I went to speak to the federal Administration because of how important it is to them to make sure that we're managing protecting the forest because the programs that are going on right now is not working.

In 2020, 20% of the redwoods that were in the US Forest Service were lost in the park fire due to the lack of prior mitigation efforts. So this President. I went to go speak to the White House policy advisors and to see just how much of a priority it was to them. And I could tell you this.

They understand. They understand that when UC Berkeley releases a statement and says that some of our lands are 800% over vegetation for the capacity needed, that the only thing that can happen if we don't have active management right now is an 800% larger than normal fire.

They understand that our US Forest Service has over 200 million dead trees in the high Sierras. And. And they understand that we as a body are not doing enough, but they are going to take action.

And so while I see that this res- or this AJR 10 is something that we can support, we should work with the Federal Government to work on what we can to protect the residents because we are not doing enough. Thank you, and I respectfully ask for your aye.

Thank you, Assemblymember Tangipa. Assembly Member Demaio, you are recognized.

Some days when I'm up here, I feel like I'm surrounded by the devil complaining about sin. With this resolution, with this resolution, it raises an important issue of trying to encourage our federal partners to do their job. We do know, as the minority leader pointed out, that the Forest Service has not been a good neighbor.

They've been negligent across various administrations in the management of public land. And we have a lot of acreage of public land controlled by the Federal Government, and we need to hold them accountable for doing a better job. It presents not just a lost opportunity for recreation, but more importantly, a public safety hazard with our wildfires.

But I'm starting to detect a pattern here of the majority party trying to blame their failures.

Tell me, Member Demaio, we are speaking to the merits of this resolution and this resolution only. Yes. We're not speaking about partisan politics on the floor.

An attempt to use resolutions like this to shift the blame for failures on state policymaking. We have an obligation to do our part on state law to address these issues. In the past several months, the issues raised in this resolution have come before this Legislature and we have failed to do our part.

It really undermines our ability to pass a resolution like this and be taken anyway seriously by the Congress, by the Administration, or better yet, by the California people, when we are given an opportunity to address fire management, holding state forestry, the State Department of Forestry, accountable, and we fail to do that, holding cities and counties accountable for how they manage their public lands to reduce wildland fire risk, and we don't do that.

This body has cut important resources and bypassed opportunities to improve forest management. We are not holding CARB accountable to allow for controlled burns in the State of California on federal, state or local lands. We haven't clarified the ability of private homeowners, private landowners, to clear defensive space. But all of it seems to be Trump's fault.

As we hear the debate on this resolution today, I think that is reckless. I think it undermines our ability to be credible in passing this resolution. I think it takes away the opportunity to speak as a chamber with a strong bipartisan voice.

I will Support the resolution AJR 10 based upon the contents of the resolution, not based upon the hysterical, inaccurate rhetoric.

Thank you, Assemblymember Demaio. Assemblymember Bryan, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and colleagues. Once again, grateful to my Republican colleagues, of course, you will support this resolution and you will support this resolution because I would hope everybody in this room puts California above their partisan ideals.

And when the Federal Government, this Administration, the Trump Administration, is withholding federal funding, whether it's forest management, wildfire aid that Los Angeles still desperately deserves, Head Start money for our kids, school lunches for our kids, or any other type of resource, Medicare for our seniors, Social Security that they're threatening if they withhold any of that, all Californians across party lines should stand up, especially because we are the donor State of this nation.

We pay over $80 billion a year in federal taxes that we don't get back to put that in contrast with our friends down in the south, Texas gets 70 billion more than they put in. We subsidize this country. California does that.

So when you take our own money and weaponize it against the constituents of our state, I would hope that that is a bipartisan issue that we can all stand in support on. And I'm looking forward to seeing your aye votes join our aye votes in pushing back against this federal Administration.

Amen, brother.

Thank you, Assemblymember Bryan, Assemblymember Addis, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members, I too rise to support AJR 10. And I want to thank my colleague Santa Rosa for bringing this forward.

As co-chair of the California Legislative Central Coast Caucus and someone who represents 20% of California's coast and vast forested lands in Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Luis Obispo County, I know that it is time to act. The importance of protecting and preserving our forests has been well stated today. And it's not just for us.

It's for generations to come. And we cannot understate how important this is. California's forests allow people from all part of our world, our nation, our state and our home communities to work, to play, to find joy and wonder, to be awed by nature.

And they're even home for the Ewoks, like in my colleague's district in Northern California and on the Central Coast.

Like my colleague from Santa Barbara, I too represent the Los Padres National Forest that stretches almost 220 miles from the north to the south and includes Monterrey and San Luis Obispo County, as well as the Big Sur coast that I represent. But the facts are clear. Trump is attacking our forests.

The Federal Government is attacking the Forest Service. That's real. It's not emotional. We don't have to defend what is happening as if it's not happening. And we do need to take a stand and we do need to be clear and we need to be honest about what is happening to the people of California.

And we have to do it today. Not because we're partisan, not because we just don't like the policies, but because these policies are downright dangerous. And they're dangerous for each and every one of us in this room.

It's a time when our natural world is in crisis and we have just experienced the worst wildfires in history, like was mentioned by our colleagues from Southern California. And we cannot afford, we literally, Californian pocketbooks literally cannot afford any more destruction. And so we have to act with strength.

We have to act decisively to protect our forests and to ask our Federal Government to help us do that. So it's critical that today we send a clear message to Congress that we ask our President to be in partnership with us to please do the right thing to restore this funding and to preserve our vital U.S.

Forest Service. And so with that, I respectfully ask for your aye vote on AJR 10.

Thank you, Assemblymember Addis. Assemblymember Patterson, you are recognized.

Great. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Appreciate the opportunity. Today I rise in support of this measure just as I rose in support of another resolution few days ago. Swear something's in the water around the California State Capitol these days. I want to say that the language is very, is reasonable. The language is something that is supportable.

And just like a few days ago, you have a group of Republicans, I think all of us, who supported a measure just a few days ago that did something important, asked for something important from the Federal Government. And I'm assuming the majority of us, if not all of us, are going to support this measure as well.

And we also have worked together on issues to stop devastating cuts from our Governor as well that he's proposed here in California. And I assume we'll do the same thing again when he puts out his may revise cutting some of the most important programs in California.

But it's, it's, it is kind of interesting to hear words that don't match the resolution and also to give, you know, let's, let's make in right outside of my district, actually in my colleague's district from Alturas, I still have a community that lays in ruins that President Biden abandoned.

He did not provide the same individual assistance that he's, that has given to other areas that have been devastated by wildfires. So when we talk about this partisan rhetoric, the good news is President Trump isn't watching the Assembly floor session right at this moment. But the language in the resolution is reasonable.

And I just have to say to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, we have 20 Republicans here and that are willing to work with you to get things to the Administration that we find would help our, our mutual residents in this state.

But at the same time, I'm like, why would, why would he, why would he listen to us? Because all the rhetoric coming out of this place is constantly blaming from him. Trust me, I would ignore that as well.

If when you go home and all you get are complaints or, you know, people attacking you, you don't feel like you want to work with those people all the time. So I just go to my colleagues we want to work with you.

We want to go to our congressional partners, we want to go to our Administration and say, hey, these things are important. Our mutual California residents, let's work together. But instead, we are like laser focus on a $50 million Super Fund for the DOJ. Mr.

Patterson, Mr. Patrick Patterson, we're going to be speaking to the merits of this resolution.

We are laser focused on this resolution as well as other resolutions and the rhetoric blaming the Trump Administration for all of California's ills, when instead we could be working in partnership with the Administration and our federal partners to get the things that we need to benefit the state.

So I respectfully asked for an aye vote and also that the rhetoric change so we can work with our federal Administration on these issues.

Thank you, Mr. Patterson. Assemblymember Schiavo, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of AJR 10, which it sounds like most of us are today. I grew up near Yosemite, where we know that that has been a treasure in California. I grew up as a daughter of a hunter who we know sportsmen and sportswomen really enjoy our national forests.

And I grew up as a logger who actually worked in our national forests. And it's true. It's true that, you know, I remember as a child when my dad was a logger and getting contracts with the Forest Service that they didn't have a great approach to forest management.

He fought tooth and nail against clear cutting that we know is not an effective way at forest management and actually increases fire danger. And so we have seen over time the approach to forest management international forests be a critical change that has happened.

But I feel like there is a level of doublespeak when you say that the promises made are being kept. And yet at the same time, 3,400 Forest Service staff has been cut. How do we keep the promises of managing our forest responsibly with no staff? You cannot do that.

And we know in my district how critical it is because I also have the Angeles Forest where the Hughes fire was one of the largest fires and fastest moving fires in the LA fires. And fortunately it stayed to the wildlands.

And that was because of the coordination with Forest Service staff and LA County Fire who have worked together for years and years and have those relationships were critical in those moments where decisions were made.

And so instead of trying to figure out who's in charge because there's no one to call at the Forest Service or trying to figure out who's going to pay for things because you don't have a relationship with this person who doesn't work at the Angeles Forest anymore. They were able to make decisions about action.

And that prevented incredible devastation. The models for that fire showed it burning through our community of Castaic and over into my colleague's district next door in Ventura County if there was not immediate action.

So we know that when we have these moments of devastating fires, that moments are the difference between life and death, between devastation, between unaffordable recovery, and it is critical that we have staff who are there who have these relationships and have this experience to be able to make those decisions.

And so we know that if our forests could speak, they would be warning us about what is happening right now. And this is a moment where we need to speak up for those forests and for those workers who are unfortunately losing their jobs at a time when we critically need them. Respectfully request an aye vote on AJR10.

Thank you.

Thank you, Assemblymember Schiavo. Assemblymember Hadwick, you were recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of this bill as the biggest geographic district in the state and plagued by fire. And I would argue that the most public lands held. I have some counties that are 90%. We need this funding.

Trump has already released funding for US $79 million in the north state for fire mitigation projects. It is we. We absolutely need this. This funding. I support this bill as a wife of a federal worker and I, I like the language of the bill. I wish we wouldn't have had this debate.

So I just want to rise to have an eye.

Thank you, Assemblymember Hadwick seeing and hearing no further debate. Assemblymember Rogers, do you wish to close?

No. Thank you so much, Mr. Speaker. And I appreciate all the comments from all of my colleagues. I think where some see rhetoric, the rest of us see fact. 3,400 federal workers that manage our forests gone. Repeated comments about selling off our national forests, an asset to our state. That's not rhetoric.

Those are direct quotes from the President. And I agree with my colleague from San Diego that we're only talking in this about federal force and that we have to talk about state. We have to talk about local responsibility.

We have an opportunity to do that in our own budget, which I look forward to his support for at the time, since it's such a critical issue. And with that, I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Okay. All debate having. Excuse me, Assemblymember Rogers, do you wish the first roll to be open for co authors? Okay, we're going to take two votes Here this Since this is a joint resolution, there will be no voice vote. The first roll will be open for co-authors. Clerk will open the roll.

All those vote who desire to vote. This is for co authors Members. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. There are 64 co authors added. Clerk will now open the roll on the resolution itself. All those vote who desire to vote.

All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. I67 no zero the resolution is adopted. Going to move backwards to File item number 104 AB 76 by Assembly Member Alvarez.

The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 76 by Assembly Member Alvarez, an act relating to land use.

Assembly Member Alvarez, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, I rise with the opportunity to present Assembly Bill 76 today. Over three decades ago, the City of Chula Vista began a visionary effort to bring a university to our region. Since then, the city has worked hard to procure 383 acres of land and formalize its intentions through the adoption of its planning effort.

This establishes a university in Chula Vista, and the establishment of a Chula Vista university is essential to addressing a long standing lack of access to higher education in South San Diego County. As you all know, university presence in our regions serve as economic engines and economic growth opportunities. That is what has fueled our California economy to become the fourth largest in the world. Today in the South Bay region in Chula Vista, with more over 500,000 residents, we have no four year institution.

It is the only region of this size in the State of California without access to higher education. So in 2022 I introduced AB 837 to grant Chula Vista an exemption to the Surplus Lands Act to ensure that that land would be used for university academic purposes. This legislation builds upon that.

It clarifies the requirement for affordable housing and does not apply units intended specifically for students, faculty, and university employees due to limitations that are unfortunately imposed by federal regs. The bill is critical to advancing Chula Vista's efforts to develop a four year university.

It's one of many bills that you will hear I bring forward to you and for that reason to expand opportunities for educational opportunities for students in the San Diego South San Diego region, Chula Vista specifically. I request your aye vote. Thank you.

Thank you, Assembly Member Alvarez. All debate having ceased, the Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All Those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes 57, noes 0. The measure passes. I'm going to skip ahead. Let's see. We're going to pass and retain on file items 107, 108. That brings us to file item 109. Ms. Pacheco, are you ready to go? You want to temporarily pass? You're ready to go. Okay. File item 109, AB 1178 by Assembly Member Pacheco.

The clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 1178 by Assemblymember Pacheco and others, an act relating to peace officers.

Assemblymember Pacheco, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and members, I apologize for my voice. AB 1178 simply closes an unintended loophole by ensuring that undercover peace officers receive appropriate consideration for the redaction of their identifying information from public records requests. This bill has received bipartisan support and I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Pacheco. All debate having ceased, the clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes 55, noes 2. The measure passes. We're going to pass and retain on file

item 110 brings us to file item 111. AB 1152 by Assemblymember Patterson.

The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 1152 by Assemblymember Patterson and accurate linked to housing.

Assemblymember Patterson, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I rise to present AB 1152, this bill's narrowly focused date district bill that will preserve hundreds of acres within Rockland. Clover Valley is a vital part of my community.

Filled with ancient oak trees and threatened species, this land provides amazing opportunity for my constituents to enjoy and learn about nature. It is home to thousands and thousands of oak trees and years of tribal artifacts. However, the beauty of Clover Valley was threatened when it was- decades ago when it was zoned for over 500 multimillion dollar mansions.

All AB 1152 does is ensure that Rockland can- has been working with nonprofits and local governments to preserve that land, preserve the oak trees and as long as it meets its housing obligations elsewhere in the city and builds more houses elsewhere in the city and still meets its overall goals, that those multimillion dollar mansions won't- won't devastate Clover Valley and all the beautiful oak trees.

With that, I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Patterson.

All debate having ceased, the clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Bless you. Bless you. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes 63 noes 0 the measure passes.

We're going to pass and retain folks on file items 112 through 129, which brings us to the second day consent calendar. We're now going to move to that second day consent calendar. Before we vote, we will first take up resolutions on the consent calendar for the purpose of adding co-authors. Clerk will read the resolutions on the consent calendar.

Assembly Concurrent Resolution number 67 by Assembly Member Sharp-Collins relative to Stronger Start for Children's Day. Assembly Concurrent Resolution number 23 by Assembly Member Quirk-Silva relative to Mental Health Peer Appreciation Week. And Assembly Concurrent Resolution number 36 by Assembly Member Carrillo relative to Special Districts Week.

Clerk will now open the roll to allow any Member to add on as a co-author to these resolutions. Members, this is for co-authors. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll.

There are 65 co-authors added. Moving to a voice vote on the consent calendar. We're going to pass and retain on file item 162, AB 1511. Is there any Member who wishes to remove an item from the consent calendar? Seeing and hearing none. The Clerk will read the second day consent calendar.

Assembly Concurrent Resolution number 67 by Assembly Sharp-Collins relative to Stronger Starts for Children's Day.

Clerk will open the roll on the consent calendar. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. Ayes 67, noes 0. Consent calendar is adopted. Clerk will read the remaining items on the consent calendar.

[Consent Calendar]

Members, we're moved on to adjournments in memory. The quorum call has been lifted. Please take your conversations off the floor. Please give your very respectful attention to those who are granted prior permission to speak on their adjournments of memory. Thank you, Members. Thank you, Members. Please take your conversations off the floor.

Assemblymember Caloza, you are recognized for your adjournment and memory.

Mr. Speaker and Members, today I rise to adjourn in the memory of Giovanni Johnny Anjulie, a true servant of the community, friend of many, and the original owner of the East Side Italian Deli. Johnny passed away on February 9th, 2025, at the age of 81.

Johnny was born in 1943 in Bari, Italy, and emigrated to Ellis Island at the age of 13. Shortly after settling in New York, Johnny and his family moved to Los Angeles to join his uncle and was immediately plugged into the local Italian community.

This community introduced Johnny to the historic Eastside Market, where he began his career and started as a Cleanup and Delivery Worker. This Market was unique because it was founded by Dominic Pontrelli in 1929 and remained as one of the last original Italian markets that encompass a two-block area of Alpine Street and Figueroa Terrace.

Eastside Market started as a grocery store and meat market, then expanded its business, over a decade later, to collaborate with the Pontrelli and Larchericha Sausage Company.

This partnership changed the business model as they met the demand for wholesale and retail foods post the Great Depression Era and later change its name to what is now known as the East Side Italian Deli, which is a staple in Los Angeles.

Through his hard work and dedication, Johnny immediately recognized the treasure that this market was to the community and worked his way up to eventually learn the butcher trade, where he interacted with dozens of customers every day.

As the evolution of the meat and sausage market expanded over two decades later, Johnny and his brother, Frank, became owners of the East Side Deli and maintained its legacy by keeping the store as close as possible to its original makeup and it currently sits in Victor Heights, on the border of Chinatown and Echo Park.

Johnny and his family continued its reputation of incredible customer service, amazing sandwiches, and just genuine connections with a community. Personal favorite of mine is the Italian Cold Cut. If you are visiting my district, please stop by.

And at the heart of this deli was Johnny and his whole family, from his wife Donna to his sister-in-law, cousins, and three sons, Anthony, Rocky, and Vito. As we adjourn in the memory of Johnny, I know his smile, stories, and warm personality lives on through his family and everyone he touched in the community.

So, with that, I respectfully asked to adjourn in memory of Johnny. Thank you, Speaker.

Thank you, Assemblymember Caloza. Please bring the names to the desk to be printed in the Journal. All request to adjourn in memory will be deemed read and printed in the Journal. Moving on to announcements, Session Schedule is as follows: Friday, May 9th, no floor session, no check in session.

Monday, May 12th, floor session at 1:00 PM. Seeing and hearing no further business, I'm ready to entertain a motion to adjourn. Mr. Garcia moves and Ms. Macedo seconds that this House stands adjourned until Monday, May 12th at 1:00 PM. The quorum call is lifted—still lifted and we are adjourned.

[Roll Call]