Assembly Floor

The Assembly is now in session. Assemblymember hadwick notices the absence of a quorum. Sergeant 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 daily prayer. Reverend Penny Bridges of St. Paul's Cathedral will offer today's prayer. Reverend Bridges.

Good afternoon. I bring you warm greetings from the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Paul in San Diego, where we take seriously our mission to welcome all. Today, we gather to celebrate heroes. Heroes are a feature of the American national mythology. True heroes are those who do heroic things for others.

And we give thanks today for heroes who have made a difference to the LGBTQ community. These heroes have saved lives. They have fought for civil rights. They have offered love, acceptance, and caregiving to those who have been shunned by their families of origin.

They have suffered loss upon loss through the AIDS crisis, through suicide, through the stress of being closeted or the stress of coming out. These heroes have dared to speak truth to power, to lead movements for change, to risk their own lives for the sake of their siblings in the community.

And by doing so, they have made the world a better place for all of us. And so we offer thanks to the source of all life, the love that made us, the mystery that set the worlds in motion, and cares for every living being. We give thanks for these heroes and for today's recognition.

And we pray for the courage and grace to follow these heroic examples, to make a difference in the world, to offer compassion and mercy to all people and to strive to be the best we can be, knowing that each of us has the potential to be a hero for others, too.

We call for peace in the world, in our nation, in our communities, and in our hearts.

We call for government that will care for the lost, the last and the least, that will call us to be the best we can be, that will encourage compassion, learning, freedom of expression, and the promotion of civil rights and equal opportunity for all people.

All this we ask in the name of the Holy One, the God of liberation, life, and above all, love. Amen.

We ask our guests and visitors to remain standing to join us in the flag salute. Assembly Member Solache will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members with lots of pride and lots. Of love, please join me in today's Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of. The United States of America and to. The Republic for which it stands. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all, 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, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. The Assembly met at 10:00 am The Honorable Josh Lowenthal, speaker, votes. Employee of the Assembly presiding Chief Clerk C. Proctor at the desk, reading. Clerk David A. Bowman, reading. Roll call.

The roll was called curry moves and Mr. Flora 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.

Moving on to motions and resolutions. The absences for the day for personal business. Assembly Members Addis, Bauer-Kahan for illness. Assemblymember Baines for, for legislative business. Assembly Member Arambula under procedural motions. Madam Majority Leader, you are recognized for your procedural motions.

Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman. I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 45.5 to allow Assembly Members Calderon and Conley to speak on adjournment memory today.

Not. Objection. Such shall be the order.

I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly rule 118A to allow Assembly Members Carrillo and Ward to have guests on the floor and for the Assemblymember Patterson to have guests in the rear of the chamber.

That objection. Such shall be the order.

At the request of the authors, Please remove item 11, SB272, Becker, and item 17, HR44, Ward, from the consent calendar. Clerk will note there is a Rules Committee resolution at the desk to suspend joint rule 6161. I ask that we go to that item now.

Okay.

The Clerk will read resolve that Joint. Rule 61A be suspended to permit the Committee on Appropriations to meet, consider and report Assembly Bill 1533 for further action and to permit the Bill to be considered for passage.

Members, this joint rule suspension is not debatable. It takes 54 votes. Clerk will open the roll. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote it. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes. 56. No. 0. Joint Rule 61 is suspended.

Okay, Members, we have reached the moment that you have all been waiting for. It is now time to move on to the Assembly's Pride Month ceremony. Without objection, we will take up File item number four. That is HR 43 by Assembly Member Ward.

The Clerk will read House Resolution 43. By Assembly Member Ward and others relative to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Month. Assemblymember Ward, you are recognized.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker and Members, as Chair of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, I rise today to present HR43 to officially recognize June 2025 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month. Each year, Pride Month reminds us of our collective responsibility to support our LGBTQ community.

Members celebrate the beauty of our diversity, and affirm that every everyone deserves to live openly and authentically without fear or silence. Pride is both celebration and confrontation, equal parts joy and justice. And it honors our journey and demands that we protect our future. That charge feels heavier and more urgent this year.

More than ever, as we gather in Pride this year, we do so under the weight of hostility towards our community, especially targeting our transgender, non, binary, and intersex siblings.

Nearly 600 anti LGBTQ bills have been introduced in state legislatures across this country this year seeking to restrict existing equal rights for LGBTQ people, in particular, our transgender siblings and their families. Let us be clear. These aren't isolated incidents. They are part of a coordinated effort to push us back into the shadows.

However, as one of our lesbian elders who marched at Pride in 1973 recently reminded us, we are at another turning point. And like those who stood at Stonewall and those who rose up at Compton's Cafeteria three years earlier, we must meet this moment not with retreat, but with resolve. Because Pride was never about permission.

It was never about comfort. Pride is defiance. Pride is remembering that the rainbow flag was sewn in resistance, that marches are born from movements, that LGBTQ historic leaders matter, and so do the stories behind those who rose with them. We now see how even the display of a flag can spark protest. But that tells us something important.

Pride still has power. That power cannot be legislated away. It cannot be banned, erased, or canceled, no matter how many times they try. Yes, we've made meaningful progress. Employees are no longer fired for who they love.

Marriage equality is legalized here for now, and in countries around the globe, LGBTQ families are being recognized, similar to our straight counterparts. And that being said, Members, it's not lost on us. These gains are not guaranteed. None are permanent unless we defend them. Transgender service Members are being expelled from the military.

Families are losing their right to provide the necessary health care for their kids. Efforts are underway to roll back marriage equality rights and force LGBTQ people into conversion therapy. This is why Pride Month still matters. It's a time to show up, to speak out, to stand firm.

We cannot waver in our celebration, and we will not shrink in our visibility to make others comfortable. To our colleagues who are not Members of our caucus. Your presence and support during this month matters. We need allies, old and new, to stand beside us, especially as these attacks become more strategic, more vicious, and more personal.

Because we know what happens when we choose silence. And as such, we won't let history repeat itself. We also know that this month offers something powerful. Community. A reminder that we are not alone in our struggle and in our joy.

Pride is where many of us first saw people who love like us, people who looked like us, and people who dreamt like us. It is where we found family, and it is where we found hope. So I say to our LGBTQ community members that you are seen, valued, and loved, not just this month, but every month.

And to those who would rather see us erase. We'll never give up. We're not going to regress, and we're not going to go back into the closet. On behalf of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, I'm proud to bring forth this resolution to commemorate this important month and affirming support for all members of the LGBTQ community.

And with that, Madam Speaker, I respectfully ask for your aye vote on HR 43 and that the first roll be open for co-authors.

Mr. Ramos, you are recognized.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. On behalf of the California Native American Legislative Caucus, I rise today in support of HR43. We cannot allow this. To make our areas and to make sure that we stand together.

A time to acknowledge contributions made by the LGBTQ community, where many serve on our Capitol staffs as elected leaders and tribal leaders here in the State of California.

We recognize your achievements in moving the state forward, in protecting these rights, and to remember those whose voices were drowned out in the past, that we stand united and stand together. And we say that you're invisible no more. We stand together as one.

We thank the LGBTQ community for their contributions to all fields of achievements and salute their resiliency. Their resiliency that have paved the way for others to let their voices be heard. I urge your aye vote and urge all those to stand with the LGBTQ community and. And solidarity.

Thank you, Assembly Member Ramos, and thank you, Assembly Ward, for opening us up. Assembly Member Zbur, you are recognized.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Members, I rise on behalf of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus in support of HR43. In celebration of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Californians this month.

We recognize the LGBTQ community's important and lasting contributions in every field, including business, medicine, law, humanities, science, literature, politics, education, music, philanthropy, sports, arts, and culture that enrich our national life.

We also Celebrate the LGBTQ community's leadership in many prominent Jewish organizations, such as rabbis, cantors, and leaders of major institutions, including Beth Chaim Kadashim in Los Angeles, the first LGBTQ synagogue in the entire world. We are proud to celebrate a long legacy filled with change makers from the LGBTQ and Jewish community, both from the past and present.

This includes California Congresswoman Sarah Jacobs, Barbara Caspar Cipherstein, the first transgender Member of the Democratic National Committee, Dr. Rachel Levine, Assistant Secretary for Health of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and the first transgender individual to hold a federal position that requires Senate confirmation.

And of course, our very own Co-Chair of the Jewish Caucus, Senator Scott Wiener. We are proud to have doubled the size of the LGBTQ contingency in our Jewish Caucus and look forward to increasing our size further in the coming years. While this is a time for celebration, we must also recognize that this year is different.

We are feeling a reversal of the progress towards LGBTQ rights that have taken decades and generations to obtain. The American Civil Liberties Union is currently tracking nearly 600 anti LGBTQ bills across the United States. Federal efforts are also underway to disappear both LGBTQ + individuals and the community as a whole.

The White House has refused to acknowledge Pride Month this year. So too, the Navy has announced plans to rename a shift named after one of our heroes, Harvey Milk, a military veteran who became the first openly gay California politician who was also proudly Jewish. The message is clear.

They want to pretend the community doesn't exist or that it isn't worthy of honor. As our Jewish community is intimately aware, this rhetoric will lead to violence if left unchecked.

We must do everything in our power to ensure equality for everyone, to uplift the heroism and strength of diverse communities and affirm that every person deserves and will be granted the just and equal treatment that is our nation's promise.

There is still so much to be done, but the Jewish Caucus will stand strong and proud with the LGBTQ community in solidarity to keep fighting for equality and justice. In that spirit, and on behalf of the Jewish Caucus, I respectfully ask for your aye vote on H.R. 43.

Thank you, Assemblymember Zbur. Assemblymember Avila Farias.

Thank you. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the LGBTQ Pride Month. Pride is a time to honor freedom, to live authentically, and to celebrate the resilience and history and culture that the LGBTQ community. We remember those who bravely stood up against discrimination and advance the cause of equality.

Pride reminds us all of the power of unity and the importance of standing Together, especially in these challenging times. Colleagues, please join me in celebrating Pride Month. I ask for your support of HR43.

Thank you, Assemblymember Avila Farias. Assemblymember Lee, you are recognized.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm happy to be rising today on behalf of the API legislative caucus in support of HR 43, which designates June as Pride Month. Pride Month is a vibrant, inclusive, and deeply meaningful time to honor the LGBTQ community, our rich history, remarkable achievements, and a continued fight for equality.

The very first Pride was not a parade. It was a protest. The Stonewall Uprising in 1969 sparked a global movement led by LGBTQ individuals, especially transgender women of color, who stood up against police violence and discrimination. Their bravery laid the foundation for the progress we have made and the strides we will continue to make.

Today, Pride brings together individuals, organizations, and entire communities. Celebrate how far we've come, and to recommit ourselves to the work that still lies ahead. It's a moment of solidarity for all of us who believe in human dignity, civil rights, and and the power of love over hate.

As we fly the rainbow flag over our state Capitol, let us remember what the colors stand for. Life, healing, sunlight, nature, serenity, and spirit. The symbolism behind these colors represent real people, real lived experiences, and continued repression. Pride Month serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of acceptance, diversity, and love.

We must respect these values in celebration, but in policy, representation, and how we treat one another. With that, respectfully ask your aye vote colleagues.

Thank you, Assembly Member Lee. Assembly Member Mark Gonzalez, you are recognized.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today I rise on behalf of the California Latino and Legislative Caucus as a proud principal co-author of HR43. As I prepared these remarks today, I found myself reflecting not just on how far we've come, but on the crisis that we are living through as a nation today.

Because Pride, real Pride, is not about glitter, rainbows or parades. It's not about parties or dancing at the Pink Pony. Pride, as my colleague from San Jose said, has always been and will ever forever be a protest.

Over 50 years ago at the Stonewall Inn, our LGBTQ siblings stood up against brutality, against discrimination, and against a government that targeted them simply for existing. They rose up together and sparked a movement that would change the course of history as we know it. From the uprising came progress, when then Mayor Gavin Newsom making progress in history.

With marriage equality in San Francisco, the Supreme Court affirming the right to marry who you love, hard won access to health care for the TGI community, generational investments in HIV AIDS prevention, and so much more in Particular Latinos, and especially queer Mexican Americans have always been part of the LGBT community history and the struggle, even when our stories weren't told.

From activists like Silvio Rivera, Jose Sarria, to the countless unnamed queer Chicanos who risked everything just to live and love openly, our community has always stood with pride, even in the face of erasure. But let's be honest, that yellow brick road was paved by risk, by resistance, and by relentless love. And.

And today, we find ourselves at another crossroads. Because despite the progress, despite the sacrifice, the attacks are back and they're coming in fast. This federal Administration is waging a full scale campaign to roll back decades of civil rights gains. Last week, they canceled millions in suicide prevention funding for LGBTQ youth. Let me say that again.

They are cutting life saving support for children. Children to score political points. This is not policy. This is cruelty. And as they attempt to erase the LGBTQ community under the guise of so called religious liberty, let me be clear. My name is Mark Gonzalez. I'm Latino and I'm openly gay.

And every Sunday, I sit in the pews of my Catholic parish, the same church where I made my first communion and my Confirmation. I pray the same prayers, I kneel at the same altar. I receive the same Eucharist. And I open my heart to the same gospel, the one that teaches love, justice, and mercy.

So don't you dare tell me that faith and queerness cannot coexist. They do. I am the living proof. And many of us in this room are the living proof. This resolution isn't just symbolic, it's a signal. It says, we see our LGBTQ siblings. We. We value them.

We will protect them, especially our youth, in this moment of uncertainty and of fear. So today, with pride in my heart and purpose and in my voice, I ask respectfully and prayfully for your aye vote on HR43. Thank you.

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

Thank you. Madam Speaker and colleagues, I rise as Vice Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus. And on behalf of our 12 Members, including my brother from Reno Valley and my sister and seatmate from South Central, today we all stand in strong support of this year's LGBTQ Pride Month resolution.

I want to thank the author for bringing it forward in the LGBTQ Caucus, for always fighting for what's right, we honor and celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and gender non conforming siblings throughout California, all of whom who are under attack by the Federal Government and the courts.

With the current administration's attacks on the inalienable rights of our LGBTQ community. It's more important than ever that we recognize the right to exist, to exist freely, and to share in humanity. You need not search hard to find the intersectionality of black and LGBTQ struggle, protests and resistance throughout history.

There are countless people, some tragically no longer with us, who have been integral in breaking through to create space and uplift voices, even in the face of tremendous, often violent opposition. Folks like Marsha P. Johnson, an integral figure on the Stonewall uprising, who banded together to turn the tide after years of torment and police brutality.

Folks like Patrice Cullors, folks like Bayard Rustin, folks like James Baldwin. Read a lot of James Baldwin quotes in my life, one of my favorites. We can disagree and still love each other unless our disagreement is rooted in my oppression and the denial of my humanity and my right to exist. Another important part of Pride is joy.

Joy in the form of resistance, joy in the face of injustice. Joy is a powerful tool to fight oppression. Joy and Defiance. Pride Month is about that joy, the celebration and remembrance. It's also an opportunity for visibility, self expression, being proud of who you are. Today, we embrace that joy and we embrace that pride.

We embrace our lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and gender non conforming siblings, and we unequivocally stand with our transgender brothers and sisters. On behalf of the Black Caucus, I respectfully ask for your aye vote on this resolution.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. What a missed opportunity. That's the best I can say about this resolution. A missed opportunity. The worst I can say about the resolution is that it's inflammatory, it is dishonest, it is divisive, and it is a shame.

I've said time and time again on this floor that I will never vote in favor of one of these honorary resolutions if it contains dishonesty, if it divides us, or if it speaks in a manner that does not reflect the views of my constituents. My constituents, the caucus. I'm a Member of the Republican Caucus and all Californians.

We value, we respect, we affirm our LGBT community Members. That is a fact, notwithstanding some of the inflammatory rhetoric I've heard to the contrary. But that's not what this resolution does. This resolution doesn't affirm, value and respect the LGBT community.

What this resolution does is it goes much further than that to endorse very controversial and extremist policy positions, which is very unique. Mr. DeMaio. Mr.

DeMaio, just a moment, please. Just a moment. Mr. Reading Clerk, can you hold Mr. Demaio's time? Sorry, I have a very important announcement today. Mr. Juan Carrillo. I understand it's your birthday today. Members, will you join me in wishing Mr. Carrillo a very happy birthday today? Wishing you many happy returns. May Mr. Carrillo enjoy your day. Mr.

Demaio, you may continue.

And thank you for holding my time. So where we left off about the extremist views that are endorsed in this resolution, which includes ending girl sports, the integrity of girl sports that is included in this resolution, that is not supported even by a majority of LGBT community Members, let alone California voters.

This resolution divides us when it should be uniting us.

Can you imagine a time, and if you truly are being honest with yourself as a gay community Member, if I had told you five years ago, 10 years ago, 20 years ago, that there will be a time in California where Republican politicians and Democrat politicians will unanimously put a yes vote on the record, not just lay off, but put a yes vote on the record in favor of a Pride resolution, you'd say that's impossible.

But my friends, we could do that here today. But you chose not to. I offered the author. Mr. Demios, just one moment, please.

Just a moment. Are we gonna have another? Excuse me, Mr. DeMaio, just a moment. Mr. Reading Clerk, can you hold Mr. DeMaio's time? Members, you'll have to forgive me, but on Thursday last week, I forgot it was Damon Connolly's birthday. Can you please join me in welcomin? A very Happy birthday for Mr. Damon Connolly.

We love you, Mr. Connolly. We love you so much. Mr. DeMaio, please continue.

Look, all the interruptions change the fact that this resolution lets down the LGBT community. We could have achieved a historic vote today. It will be misrepresented that Republicans don't support the LGBT community. In fact, we heard that in some of the comments on this resolution, they want to, quote, disappear LGBT people.

They want to enact laws to force gays into conversion therapy. These are quotes from the comments just made on this floor. There are also lies designed to instill fear in the hearts of LGBT community Members at a time when this country, this state, we should be celebrating with Pride, real pride. The fact that Americans, Californians, that we've.

Achieved. The embrace of the LGBT community, without question. Now, that doesn't mean that we're going to agree on laws like ending girls sports, or taking away parents rights, or having a standard that a foster parent has to agree to a sex change operation, which are controversial positions that unfortunately are referenced and implied in this resolution.

Mr. DeMaio I'm going to have to interrupt you one more time, if you don't mind, sir, if you wouldn't mind waiting. Mr. Reading Clerk, can you hold his time? Members, I'm unsure if you're aware, but tomorrow is Mr. Gibson's birthday. Can you all join me in wishing Mr. Gibson a very, very happy birthday? Happy birthday, Mr. Gibson.

Happy birthday. We love you. Mr. DeMaio, you have one minute and four seconds. Remaining Members, your decorum, please. Please continue. Mr. DeMaio.

If anyone had any questions as to whether this is political theater and circus, all you had to do is watch the interruptions for birthdays, notwithstanding the fact that we celebrate your birthdays. But I think California voters of all stripes, Democrat, Republican, and in between, understand what I'm saying today is true.

This is not about affirming the LGBT community. It's about using them as a political pawn to divide us.

30 seconds.

When you had an opportunity to unite us, you chose division. You were out of order.

Mr. Dimaio, you are out of order.

We had an opportunity for a unanimous vote on a PRIDE resolution, which would have been quite historic, quite remarkable, and yet this majority chose to take that civil rights achievement and set it aside.

I will be voting no on the contents of this resolution, not because they don't support PRIDE or my own community, but because I do not. I do not support division. I do not. Thank you, Mr. DeMaio. Dishonesty.

Seeing and hearing no further debate. Assemblymember Ward, you may close.

Thank you. Madam Speaker. I want to thank all my colleagues for your gracious remarks as well, from across the state, recognizing the allyship that we have to be able to support our communities. As some of my opening remarks, it's critical, critically important, that we stand together against so many of these injustices.

And to my neighbor and my colleague from San Diego as well, I do appreciate our conversations last week that we had to be able to recognize some of the points of view that you have about what should or should not go into a resolution.

That said, while the amendments today are not part of this resolution or not for debate that you have brought them up, we should characterize them, really, in twofold One, a series of omissions where you selectively chose to be able to omit historical facts, that Gavin Newsom, when he was mayor of the city and County of San Francisco, led the way to turn the tide and be able to put us on a pathway for marriage equality, that President Barack Obama, in 2012, when he came out for marriage equality, was able to start to change hearts and minds.

That was ultimately successful in the 2015 Supreme Court case that we are now able to enjoy the outcomes of the President Joe Biden in 2021 was the first President in the history of our country to recognize transgender day visibility. And two pages worth of strikeout that nearly literally erased what we are struggling for.

The challenges our community are facing today, which are real, they are not inflammatory. They are not, they are not divisive. They are the struggles and the challenges that we are hearing from our community Members.

And they must be memorialized because they are going to be our pathway to break through these moments and to be able to create a more just and equal future for all. For those reasons, I look forward to working with you next year as we continue to talk about these issues.

As I said last week, but for today's purposes, we have a lot of great Californians to honor. We have a lot of great Californians to honor every single day of this year.

And to communities from Del Norte to Imperial County, I wish you a happy Pride Month as your community is able to celebrate, sometimes for the first time, your own ability to be able to recognize wonderful and vibrant community Members who are your neighbors. Thank you.

Madam Speaker and I respectfully asked for the first roll call vote to be open for co-authors.

All debate having ceased, the Clerk will open the roll for co-authors. All Members vote who desire to vote. This is for co-authors. Members. This is for co-authors. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. The Clerk will close the roll. There are 49 co-authors added without objection.

We will now take a voice vote on the resolution. All those in favor say aye. Opposed say no. The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. For the 2025 Assembly observance of Pride Month, we will recognize 14 distinguished honorees for their invaluable contrib to our state and country. Mr. Ward, you are recognized for your introductory remarks.

Thank you again, Madam Speaker and members. Thank you very much for celebrating Pride Month with us. I'd like to start off by giving a warm welcome to guests of our honorees up in the Gallery. You may all stand to be recognized, and in addition, joining us today is our esteemed guest of the International Imperial Court System, the oldest continuously active LGBT advocacy and philanthropy organization who are celebrating their 60th anniversary.

Members, in celebration of Pride Month, you'll find on your desk, Wicked gifts. In the spirit of this year's theme, Making Change for Good, you'll find a Glinda and Elphaba tote bag, Wicked-themed socks, pink and green Sour Patch watermelon candy, and a holding space sticker. And yes, feel free to ask your Gen Z staff to explain the meme behind that one.

You'll also find a program featuring our QR code linking to the wonderful biographies of this year's 14 gravity-defying leaders, our Pride honorees who are truly making change for good in California. It's even--it'll even be better to be able to see you tonight at our LGBTQ Caucus Making Change for Good Pride Celebration, the most swanky fight spot in town. Happy Pride Month, everybody. Thank you for celebrating with us.

Thank you, Assembly Member Ward. I am appointing an escort committee to bring our honorees onto the floor for our ceremony. Members should retire to the rear of the Chamber as I call your name. Assembly Members Ward, Lee, Jackson, Zbur, Mark Gonzalez, Solache, and Elhawary. I also ask that Speaker Rivas, Republican Leader Gallagher, and Senator Menjivar move to the front center aisle to receive our honorees.

Members, it is now time to introduce and welcome our 2025 honorees. The Clerk will read.

Escorted by Assemblymember Ward is Susan Kathleen Jester, serving as St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral Public Relations and Media Director. Susan is a staunch LGBTQ champion in San Diego and holds various leadership positions that support the public safety and civil rights of LGBTQ+ people. Please welcome Susan Kathleen Jester. Escorted by Senator Menjivar are Joanna and Kathy Martinez.

Joanna and Kathy, owner and head chef at Mas Mananitas. Fueled by their success in the culinary world, they have given back so much to their community—creating space for everyone who needs love, a sense of belonging, and a good meal. Please welcome Johanna and Kathy Martinez.

Escorted by Assemblymember Lee is Juan Acosta. Juan is a Program Manager at Sierra Health Foundation and is a nationally recognized LGBTQ+ activist, mental health advocate, content creator, and public speaker. Please welcome Juan Acosta.

Escorted by Assemblymember Jackson is Bishop Benita A. Ramsey. Bishop Ramsey is a spiritual leader and Executive Director at Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance, and cultural strategist for the Inland Empire. Please welcome Bishop Benita A. Ramsey.

Escorted by Assemblymember Elhawary is Anthony Foster. Anthony is the Vice President of Programs and Policy at the Mayor's Fund for Los Angeles. A native Angeleno, Anthony holds a Master's in Social Entrepreneurship from USC and a Bachelor's in Sociology from UC Berkeley. Please welcome Anthony Foster.

Escorted by Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez is Richard Ayoub. Richard is a leader who embodies what it truly means to serve with love, passion, and unwavering commitment. He held prior positions with the Trevor Project and is now the CEO of Project Angel Food. Please welcome Richard Ayoub.

Escorted by Assembly Member Jackson is Jess Anthony Sanchez. A passionate classroom teacher, Jess actively works to break down barriers, a mission rooted early in activism. His work proves that these barriers can be overcome, inspiring his students while representing the LGBTQ+ community. Please welcome Jess Anthony Sanchez.

Escorted by Assembly Member Elhawary is Julia Sidener-Lady. Julia works to serve the LGBTQ+ community as both an advocate, supervisor for youth and foster care through the nonprofit Court Appointed Special Advocates Program, and as the President of the Board of Directors for San Luis Obispo's Gala Pride and Diversity Center. Please welcome Julia Seidner-Lady.

Escorted by Assemblymember Lee is Molly O’Neal. Molly is a lawyer who has served in the Santa Clara County Public Defender's Office for 34 years, serving the past 12 years as the appointed Chief Public Defender—promoting holistic defense, racial equity, and decartelization strategies. Please welcome Molly O’Neal.

Escorted by Assemblymember Solache is Caroline Cara Dessert, Esquire. Cara is a queer attorney with 20 years in social justice leadership. She is the CEO of the San Diego LGBT Community Center, the largest service provider for LGBTQ+ people in the San Diego Binational border region. Please welcome Caroline Dessert.

Escorted by Assemblymember Zbur is Nic Arnzen. Nick is the founder and organizer of Altadena Pride and is in his third term on the Altadena Town Council, where he currently sits as Vice Chair. He is also a Commissioner on Los Angeles County's first-of-its-kind LGBTQ+ Commission. Please welcome Nick Arnzen.

Escorted by Assemblymember Solache is Sergio Comparán. Sergio has been an educator in the Lynnwood Unified School District for over a decade. As a former science teacher and now a school administrator, he founded the Gay Straight Alliance Club in 2015 and continues to champion student representation, safety, and equity. Please welcome Sergio Comparán.

Escorted by Assemblymember Elhawary is Suzanne Ford. Suzanne Ford is the Executive Director of San Francisco Pride and the first Trans woman to hold the office. She has held various leadership positions, including Board President of the SPAR Center in Marin County. Please welcome Suzanne Ford.

Escorted by Assemblymember Zbur is Jenny Pizer. Jenny, Chief Legal Officer for Lambda Legal, has litigated cases and advanced public policy to end discrimination against LGBTQ+ people in employment, health care, education, and family law—including marriage—and against unlawful license to discriminate. Please welcome Jenny Pizer.

Congratulations and thank you to our honorees. Please move to the center for a group photo.

On behalf of Chair Ward and the Members of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, thank you for helping us celebrate this year's remarkable honorees.

Members, to learn more about these distinguished individuals, please read their biographies by scanning the QR program found on your desks. This concludes our celebration. As our honorees exit the chamber, let's give them another round of applause.

Members, we have just a small amount of housekeeping, and then we'll move on to guest introductions. Madam Majority Leader, you are recognized.

Pursuant to Assembly Rule 51, I request unanimous consent to refer AB 1533 (Wicks) to the Appropriations Committee.

Without objection, such shall be the order.

Okay, we are going to do some guest introductions, Members, and we will begin with Assemblymember Fong. You are recognized.

Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker and Members. Please join me in welcoming the 2025 Asian Pacific Islander Capital Association (Apica) Fellows in the gallery. Apica is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization of legislative staff, advocates, and other professionals based here in Sacramento. This is the 10th year that Apica has provided a paid summer fellowship.

Former fellows have applied to the Assembly and Senate Fellowship Programs and have landed jobs in the Legislature. And thank you so much to all our members for hosting fellows here this year. And thank you to the APICA board and volunteers for organizing the program and for providing the mentorship and guidance of our members.

Members, please join me in welcoming our Apica fellows—Anjana, Arianna, Chloe, Michael, Milan, Sarah, and Valerie—to the State Assembly in Sacramento. Thank you so much.

Welcome to the California Assembly. Okay, continuing on, Assembly Member Boerner, you are recognized for this very significant guest introduction.

Hello, Mr. Speaker and colleagues. Today I have with me Mate and Maya, my kids. When I first got elected, they were 7 and 11.

And now Mate has graduated from high school, Maya has graduated from middle school, and Mate will be leaving in a week—actually in nine days, 10 days—to go to Germany for his gap year and to go to college. He was five when he moved to the United States, and Maya was 21 months.

He was five when he moved to the United States. And many people, when they looked at our family, didn't realize that their father has a green card—that Mate was an English language learner, and Maya has special needs. And you look at us, and we look like anybody else could be.

But I think I have tried to bring that with me to my legislating. And so, with that, please welcome my children—as you have for many, many years—to the floor and wish Mate much success. Don’t die. Don’t get arrested. Those are the two rules.

Congratulations. Congratulations, Mate. The gap year in Europe—what could go wrong? Okay, Members, if I could have your attention. If you could draw your attention to Assemblymember Carrillo for his very important guest introduction.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I also want to introduce my boys, Wyatt and Sage, who are 11 years old as of last month. I wanted to introduce them here on the floor right after the Soccer Capital game, which was their birthday on May 22—but we did not have session that day. Session for us was Friday.

And today is very special for me, since it is actually my birthday today. I'm happy to have my twin boys, Wyatt and Sage, here with me, and my wife—also in the back with us—celebrating my birthday today. Thank you. Let's give them a warm welcome.

Thank you. Assemblymember Carrillo. Assemblymember Joe Patterson, you are recognized for your guest introduction.

Great. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members in the back of the chamber, please join me as I honor Principal Shari Anderson on her retirement from Valley View Elementary School in Rockland. She's closing out her career in the field of education that spans more than three decades.

And I'm honored to highlight her many accomplishments and recognize her for her professional and civic leadership. When she moved to Rockland—much like I did—she did so for the great schools in Rockland, and we have some great schools in the district. In my district.

Shari became a teacher in Rockland and became the district's English Language Department specialist, then co-principal for the new Sunset Elementary School, where my children currently attend school, and then principal of Valley View Elementary, where she remains since 2011—nurturing, improving, and growing the school into the top-tier education institution it is today.

I also want to say, in the gallery, she's joined by her family—the Yes family, the Anderson family, the Pachetti family—and some of her co-workers: Danielle, Jessica, and Shannon. Thank you, Shari, for your long career in making—helping make—Rockland some of the finest schools in the district, or in the state, actually.

And thank you for your service. And please welcome Shari Anderson to the Assembly floor.

Welcome to the California Assembly. We’ve got Rocklin in the House. Okay, we have one final announcement, Members. Assemblymember Petrie-Norris, you are recognized for your guest introduction.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and good afternoon, Members. Please join me in welcoming the 2025 Young Legislators of the Year from the 73rd Assembly District. This awesome group of 25 students are already leaders in our community, and I cannot wait to see the great work that they are going to do for the State of California.

Please give them a warm round of applause and a warm Assembly welcome.

Welcome to the legislators of tomorrow. We're so proud of you. I need to recognize Mr. Carrillo from the Majority Leader's desk for his final guest introduction.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. Cities with great Pride today and I'm happy to welcome Will S. Smith and Mario J. Novois to the Assembly. They're up there on the gallery.

Will came from Tennessee to California to study at the California Culinary Academy and has been involved with Cheer Los Angeles and West Hollywood Cheerleaders, helping to raise funds and coordinate events. More recently, he began serving as the bishop's warden at St. Hilary's Episcopal Church.

With hostile LGBTQ history branches, Will has appeared on stage and screen in numerous shows, gay game ceremonies and charitable events. Mario is a graduate of Los Angeles Film School and Full Sail University.

He has taught filmmaking, media production and digital storytelling at Creative Arts College and created award winning works amplifying the voices of LGBTQ and Latinx through storytelling. In digital media. His independent film credits LA A Queer Story shown by Pbs, earned a National Media Public Media Award from the National Educational Telecommunications Association, among other honors.

Mario founder of Filmblade Studios, a media company dedicated to producing documentaries, narratives and digital content that elevated queer and Latinx voices. He also serves as Media Specialist for the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health, for which he creates social media content, public service announcements, educational videos and profile features raising awareness about mental health and wellness.

Will and Mario Co founders of the High Desert Prize Center, HTPC and its popular LGBTQ history branches. HDPC is a nonprofit that was launched in 2024 by Will and Mario who dedicated to fostering a diverse, inclusive and supportive community where the LGBTQ community across the High Desert can receive resources and find belonging.

I would like to commend Will and Mario for their leadership of the High Desert Price center and their many other contributions to people throughout the State of California. Please join me in wishing both of them the best and continued success in the future. Thank you for being with us here today.

Okay Members, we are going to be moving on to the business on the Daily File. We are on the Assembly Third Reading. We have dispensed with file item four. We're going to pass and retain on all other items on the Senate third Reading. We are going to pass and retain on all items.

That takes us to the Consent Calendar. Moving to a vote on the Consent calendar. Item number 17 has been removed from the Consent Calendar. Does any Member wish to remove an item from the Consent Calendar? Seeing and hearing none. The Clerk will read the second day.

Consent calendar Senate Bill 61 by Senator Cortese and acclaim to works of improvement.

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. Tally the votes. Aye. 70 no 0. Consent calendar is adopted. Clerk will read the remaining items on the Consent calendar.

[Roll Call]

It is that time. Adjournments in memory. The quorum call is still in place. We ask that you give your respectful attention to those who were granted prior permission to speak on their adjournment and memory. Also ask that you take all conversations off the floor, please. Assemblymember Calderon, you are recognized for your adjournment and memory.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members, I rise to adjourn in memory of John E. Bryson, a distinguished public servant, businessman and loving family man. Born in New York City in 1943, John graduated from Stanford University and Yale Law School before co founding the Natural Resources Defense Council in 1970.

He would go on to lead the California State Water Resources Control Board until 1979 and then the California Public Utilities Commission until 1982. During the 1990s and early 2000s, John served as Chairman and CEO of Edison International, leading in the growth of our state's renewable energy industry. John was a CEO during the California energy crisis.

It was a difficult time, but he was steadfast in his belief that he needed to keep the company out of bankruptcy. He was worried about the 13,000 employees and the potential impact to customers through declining service. It was his iron will and tenacity against legal advice that kept the company out of bankruptcy.

And his ability to partner with state elected officials was key in navigating through this crisis and stabilizing California's energy markets. In 2005, John was named to the Caltech Board of Trustees, where he served until 2013. With his wife, Louise, John established the John E.

Bryson Fellowship Fund to support graduate students with an emphasis on alternative energy sources and sustainability studies. After his tenure at Edison, John was appointed by President Barack Obama to Serve as the 37th Secretary of Commerce. Despite the demands of his career, John was known as a devoted husband and father.

It was no secret that he would schedule meetings near his daughter's sporting events and school performances, never wanting to miss a chance to support them. I had only a few interactions with Mr. Bryson during my time at Edison, but one stands out that I want to share with you.

There was a meeting scheduled with Congresswoman Jane Harmon and it was near lax, which was her district, I believe. And so I had the opportunity to staff this meeting. And it was a small meeting with the congresswoman and maybe 15 other business leaders from Southern California.

And so my role was to kind of check everybody in and make sure that they were all set for dinner. It was in a private room at a hotel. And so I did that. Everybody showed up and I was kind of gathering my things and Mr.

Bryson came out and said, Lisa, I want you to come join us for dinner. And I never had any expectation that I would be asked to join them for dinner or included and whatever discussion they were having. But that's who he was. He was inclusive and he was in kind. And he was kind.

John passed away on Tuesday, May 13, in his San Marino home, surrounded by his wife of over 50 years, Louise. Their four daughters Ruth, Jane, Julia and Kathleen, and eight grandchildren. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him. I respectfully request we adjourn in the memory of John E. Bryson.

Thank you, Assemblymember Calderon, Assemblymember Connolly, you're recognized for your adjournment in memory.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members, I rise today with a heavy heart to ask that we adjourn in the memory of former Assembly Member William T. Bagley, better known as Bill, who passed away on Monday, June 92025.

Born in San Francisco in 1928, his family went bankrupt soon thereafter and had to move to what had been a vacation cabin in rural Marin county in Woodacre, Bill persevered, working his way through high school, college and law school with the Marin County Fire Department.

He graduated from UC Berkeley in 1949 as a PHI Beta Kappa and the Valedictorian and from Berkeley School of Law in 1952, serving on the California Law Review. He practiced law for 63 years, 35 of those years as a partner with the national law firm Nassimon llp.

He excelled at every area of law he applied himself to, but none of his but one of his most notable achievements was when he defended First Amendment rights before the U.S. Supreme Court. Bill Bagley was an extraordinary friend and someone who deeply loved his community, serving the people of California.

I got to know Bill while helping to recruit him as the Alumnus of the Year for the Cal alumni Association in 2002. Bill was a UC Regent at the time and I was struck by how much he truly cared about the University, especially his beloved Cal. He was passionate about the well being of students and the institution.

He was a gifted storyteller with a great sense of humor and strong moral compass who never tired of recounting his years in the State Assembly. Thankfully, Bill compiled a transcribed oral history which brings those consequential times to life. It includes his strong bipartisan relationships on civil rights and other issues with his colleagues in the Legislature.

As one example, he was selected by Speaker Unruh to represent the Assembly with its friend and colleague Willie Brown and others at the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was one of only three Republicans to support the Fair Housing act and fought to preserve it after its passage.

He was a champion of public transparency and author of the California Public Records Act and the Bagley Keene Act. After the Assembly, he served on a number of crucial public service roles, including the first chair of the Commodities Futures Trading Commission in Washington, five years on the Public Utilities Commission, and six years on the California Transportation Commission.

His engagement in the public square never ceased, and even in retirement, he frequently weighed in on the biggest issues facing California. On a personal level, Bill encouraged me to pursue my goal of public service, often while sitting at his kitchen table in San Rafael.

He was an early supporter of my campaigns, and I really cherished the old school newspaper clippings that he would mail to me with handwritten notations about issues of concern. He was one of a kind, and I, as well as those whose lives he impacted, will miss him dearly.

Bill is survived by his wife of 60 years, Diane children Lynn, Bill Jr. Walter, Shanna and Tracy and his beloved grandchildren, Nicholas, Julian, Nathaniel, Grant and Layla. Thank you, Members, and I respectfully ask that you join me in adjourning in memory of our great alumni, Bill Bagley.

Thank you, Assemblymember Conley. Members, please bring the names to the desk to be printed in the Journal. All requests to adjourn a memory will be deemed read and printed in the Journal. Moving on to announcements, following committees meet today right now. Communications Conveyance, Capitol Room 444. Natural Resources, Capital Room 437 and Rev and Tax, 2:30pm Right now.

Capital Room 126 again. CNC Natural Resources, Rev and tax meeting right now. Session schedules as follows. June 24, Tuesday, check in session. Wednesday, June 25, check in session Thursday, June 26. Floor session at 9 Am Seeing and hearing no further business, I'm ready to entertain a motion to adjourn. The Ms. Aguiar Curry moves and Ms. Hadwick seconds.

This House stands adjourned until Thursday, June 26, at 9am Quorum call is lifted and we are adjourned.