Assembly Floor

Assembly is now in session. Assemblymember Wallace notices the absence of a quorum sergeant. Arms will prepare the chamber. Bring in the absent Members. Clerk will call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Members of 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. Reverend Oshitawill offer today's prayer. Reverend Oshita.

Please join me in a moment of reflection. We once were playing an indoor version of hide and seek with our nephews on a rainy day. The rules were simple. Once we found them, they would be confined to the couch until both were discovered.

After being quickly found, our youngest nephew, Gavin, jumped off the couch and ran off, proclaiming, I have five hearts. I have five hearts. We were puzzled. Then his older brother Trevor explained, that's in his new video game. The hearts on the screen shows how many lives he has left.

So, of course, we had to catch Gavin five times. That rainy day remains a fond memory, if only. Like Gavin's virtual game, life gave human beings five hearts. Five opportunities to live life better each time. Perhaps then the whole world will learn that the violence of war and hate are not the way.

Although we only have this one precious life to live, deep in our hearts, we know that violence and hate are not the way. Life's happiness and fulfillment come from caring and kindness. Namaami navasu. Let us live with kindness and gratitude beyond words.

We ask our guests and visitors to remain standing to join us in the flag salute. Assembly Member Wallis will lead us in the pledge of allegiance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, please join me in saluting our nation's flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag you.

May be searching 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 chamber.

Sacramento, Wednesday, June 4, 2025 the Assembly met at 10am The Honorable Josh Lowenthal, Speaker Pro Tempore of the Assembly Presidinng Chief Clerk Sue Parker at the desk.

Majority Leader Aguiar Curry 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.

Assembly Members Zbur, you are recognized.

Members, Democratic Caucus in the Members lounge right now. Thank you.

Members, Democratic Caucus will meet in the Members lounge right now. Republican Caucus will meet in room 125. Recess under call.

Members, recess has ended. If you could return to your desk, please. Thank you. Members, we are moving on to motions and resolutions. The offices for the day for personal business. Assembly Members Bauer Kahan and Madam Majority Leader, you are recognized for your procedural motions.

Good morning. I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 45.5 to allow Assemblymember Schultz to speak on adjournment in memory today .

Without objection such shall be the order.

I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 118A to allow Assembly Member Sharp Collins and Papan to have guests seated at their desks.

Without objection such shall be the order.

I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 56 to allow the following committees to notice. Pending re referral. Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee to notice the following bills for their hearing on Tuesday, July 8. Pending re referral, SB 97, Grayson from the Banking and Finance Committee and SB 720 Ashby from the Transportation Committee.

Utilities and Energy Committee to notice the following bills for their hearing on Wednesday, July 9. Pending re referral, SB533, Richardson from the Transportation Transportation Committee and SB613 Stern and SB643, Caballero from the Natural Resources Committee.

Without objection. Such shall be the order.

Pursuant to Assembly Rule 96, I request unanimous consent to withdraw the following bills from the Budget Committee and allow Assemblymember Gabriel to take them up today without reference to file. SB103, SB120, SB124, SB127, SB128, SB SB132, SB141, and SB142.

Flora, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We hold our cons. We don't like it.

Floor Leader Flora's objection is recognized. Majority leader's motion is seconded. Is seconded by Assemblymember Garcia. This motion is not debatable. It takes 41 votes. Clerk will open the roll. All Members vote who desire to vote. The majority leader is asking for an aye vote. And Mr. Flora is asking for a no vote.

All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. Burke will close the roll tally. The votes ayes. 46, nos. 18. The motion carries. Assemblymember DeMaio, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I ask for Senate Bill 134 and Senate Bill 137 to be brought up without regard to file and pursuant to Rule 88, taken up as the first items for special order of business.

Okay, that motion is made by Mr. DeMaio, seconded by Ms. Castillo. Just a moment, please. Okay, Members, this motion is not debatable. Clerk will open the roll. Mr. DeMaio is asking for an aye vote. The Majority Leader is asking for a no vote. Mr. DeMaio is asking for an aye vote. All Members vote who desire to vote.

Majority Leader is asking for a no vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Tallied votes. Eyes 18. Knows Isaiah 18, noes 50. The motion fails. Madam Majority Leader, you may continue.

Pursuant to Assembly Rule 96, I request unanimous consent to re refer the following bills to Committee. SB 69, McNerney from the Transportation Committee to the Privacy Committee and Consumer Protection Committee and Judiciary Committee. SB237, Grayson from the Judiciary Committee to the Utilities and Energy Committee and the Natural Resources Committee.

SB400, Cortese from the Transportation Committee to the labor and Employment Committee and the Judiciary Committee. SB435, Wahab from the Aging and Long Term Care Committee to the Privacy Committee Consumer Protection Committee SB630, Allen from the Arts, Entertainment, Sports and Tourism Committee to the Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee.

SB805, Perez from the Insurance Committee to the Public Safety Committee and SB830, ER green from the Public Safety Committee to the Natural Resources Committee and Judiciary Committee. That objection.

Such shall be the order. Okay, we are moving on to business on the daily file. Second reading file items 1 through 7. The Clerk will read

the Senate Bills 241, 24 with amendments, 80 with amendments, 283 with amendments, 804 with amendments, Senate Concurrent Resolution 25 with amendments and Senate Bill 50 with amendments.

All bills will be deemed read, all amendments will be deemed adopted.

Okay, members. Without reference to file, Senate Bill 103, presented by Assembly Member Gabriel. The clerk will read.

Senate Bill 103 by Senator Wiener, an act relating to the state budget and making an appropriation therefore to take effect immediately. Budget bill.

Assembly Member Gabriel, you are recognized.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to present SB 103. This bill amends prior Budget Acts to make technical changes associated with the 2025 Budget Package. This includes adjusting the 2024-25 deposit to the Public School System Stabilization Account.

This bill also addresses a $395 million budget shortfall in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation with budget savings in the department and unspent funding from prior years. This bill further adjusts funding to the Middle- Class Scholarship to make sure that no student has their financial aid package reduced next year. Thank you, and respectfully request your aye vote on SB 103.

Thank you, Assembly Member Gabriel. Floor Leader Flora, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker--it's gonna be a long day--thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to AB 102. Continues unstable spending levels, provides insufficient funding for Prop 36, provides no additional funding for wildfire prevention and water storage, and provides no funding or policy changes to prevent $8 gallon gasoline. Respectfully ask for a no vote.

You said 102. It's 103.

You know what? Take two. I rise in opposition AB 103. This bill exempts 181 million of Proposition Four bond funds from the Administrative Procedures Act, therefore reducing stakeholder input and transparency. Respectfully ask for a no vote.

Thank you, Floor Leader Flora. Assembly Member Demaio, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I ask for a no vote on SB 103. Instead of looking at these prior budget years to save as much money as possible to shield the most neediest Californians from cuts that are proposed in this budget, this amendment, this bill, funds left-wing political organizations, one of which is the Tides Foundation, the George Soros linked Tides Foundation to the tune of $6 million.

Now Mr. Soros is a billionaire. If he wants to support politics, he certainly has every First Amendment right to do that, but we are in a tight budget environment and the idea that we're using state taxpayer resources to fund an organization associated with political activity, it's certainly not the priority that we should be setting, so I urge a no vote on SB 103.

Thank you, Assembly Member Demaio. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Assembly Member Gabriel, do you wish to close?

Respectfully ask for your aye vote.

All debate having ceased, the 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. Clerk will close the roll.

Tally the votes. Ayes 52 Noes 16. Measure passes with immediate transmittal to the Senate without objection without reference to File Senate Bill 120 presented by Assembly Member Gabriel. Clerk will read.

Senate Bill 120 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review an act relating to early childhood education and child care and making it appropriation therefore to take effect immediately Bill related to the Budget

Assembly Member Gabriel, you are recognized.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. I am pleased today to present SB 120, a Bill that implements the child care and preschool fiscal policy provisions related to the 2025 Budget Act.

This Bill restores the COLA for child care and preschool programs and sets a new ongoing COLA for child care programs in the single rate system for future fiscal years. It also provides 128 million to begin funding all childcare and preschool programs prospectively based on enrollment beginning July 1, 2026 and maintain existing enrollment based payment policies in the fiscal year.

I want to express my thanks to our the Legislative Women's Caucus, our Majority Leader, our sub 2 chair and Mr. Speaker for their deep commitment to child care and our child care providers.

We have spoken often this year about the affordability challenges in California and we know that childcare is key to meeting those challenges and so supporting our state's workforce and working families across California. Because of that, I respectfully ask your aye vote on SB120.

Thank you Assemblymember Gabriel. Floor Leader Flora, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of AB120 and this is a great Bill to take care of the people that take care of our kiddos. Respectfully ask your aye vote.

Thank you Mr. Flora. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Assemblymember Gabriel, do you wish to close?

Respectfully ask for your aye vote.

All debate having ceased, 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. Clerk will close the roll.

Tally the votes. Ayes, 65. Noes, 1. The measure passes without objection. Immediate transmittal to the Senate. Without reference to file, Senate Bill 124, presented by Assemblymember Gabriel. The Clerk will read.

Senate Bill 124 by the Senate Committee on Budgets and Fiscal Review, an act relating to public resources to making an appropriation therefore, to take effect immediately. Bill related to the budget.

Assemblymember Gabriel, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm pleased today to present SB 124, which makes statutory changes necessary to implement the budget related to natural resources and environmental protection. This Bill includes key efforts to mitigate and respond to climate change in particular, in particular, the Bill protects Californians from wildfires by beginning the transition of all seasonal wildfires to permanent positions.

We have heard loud and clear and discussed often across the state that—often on this floor—that communities across the state need robust fire response and suppression and this Bill responds directly to that need.

SB 124 includes other technical changes necessary to implement the budget act and Members, despite this year's challenging budget, our commitment to protecting the environment and the communities hardest hit by the impact of climate change remains strong.

I want to thank our Sub 4 Chair for his critical work on these efforts and respectfully ask for your aye vote on SB 124.

Thank you, Assemblymember Gabriel. Floor Leader Flora, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of AB 124 and it's time that we get our seasonal firefighters into full time positions at CAL FIRE. Respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Flora. Mr. Gabriel, do you wish to close?

Respectfully request an aye vote.

All debate having ceased, 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. Clerk will close the roll, tally the votes. Ayes, 69. Noes, 1.

The measure passes without objection immediate transmittal to the Senate without reference to File Senate Bill 127 presented by Assemblymember Gabriel. The Clerk will read.

Senate Bill 127 by the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review when apprehending to climate change and making it appropriation therefore to take effect immediately bare related to the budget.

Assemblymember Gabriel, you are recognized.

Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to present SB127, our climate change omnibus trailer bill. This bill contains several statutory provisions necessary to implement the budget act of 2025.

Include appropriating funding for zero emission trucks and buses, regulatory streamlining and helping to direct funding from the Air Resources Board to local agencies. Thank you and respectfully request your aye vote.

Assembly Member Gabriel Mr. Floor Leader, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to AB127 without demonstrating the underlying need in the challenging fiscal climate. This bill provides automatic salary increases for the Chairman or the Chairperson of the Energy Commission for the next three years.

It changes to the changes to power plant application certification fees are obscenely being made to better ensure the Commission's cost will be fully reimbursed, but the increase are significant and non refundable. This bill authorizes CARB to assess annual fees for deficiencies of the off road vehicles and off road engines, aftermark parts, and emissions related to components respectively ask for your opposition.

Thank you, Mr. Floor Leader well noted. Assemblymember Dixon, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I rise in opposition today to oppose Senate Bill 127. One of the components of this measure provides the California Air Resources Board far too much authority on assessing annual fees for deficiencies, quote unquote, in on road vehicles, off road engines, and aftermarket parts.

The California Air Resources Board, made up of non elected officials, already has too much unfettered power. Their request for broad fee authority through the budget with no public rulemaking fee schedules, caps or legislative approval to levy fees on regulated entities and recover costs associated with creating, enforcing and executing their air and climate programs is fiscally irresponsible.

The Legislative Analyst Office recommends against this broad fee authority proposal and suggests that CARB does not, has not made a compelling rationale for needing this unsustainable broad expansion. Colleagues, I can't say it enough. Please do not assist these unelected unaccountable to no one regulators with more power. Vote no SB127. Thank you very much.

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

Respectfully request your aye vote.

All debate having ceased, the 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. Clerk will close the roll.

Tally the votes. Ayes: 53, noes: 17. The measure passes. Without objection, immediate transmittal to the Senate. Without reference to file, Senate Bill 128, presented by Assembly Member Gabriel. Clerk will read.

Senate Bill 128 by the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, an act relating to transportation and making an appropriation therefore to take effect immediately. Bill related to the budget.

Assembly Member Gabriel, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm pleased to present SB 128, our transportation omnibus trailer bill. This bill contains several provisions necessary to implement the Budget Act of 2025, including facilitating implementation of a new data system at the DMV and authorizing efforts related to the Olympics as California prepares to welcome athletes from around the world and showcase our great City of Los Angeles on the global stage. With that, I respectfully request your aye vote on SB 128.

Thank you, Assembly Member Gabriel. Mr. Floor Leader, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to AB 128. It negatively impacts public health and safety, delaying the provisions of AB 3 and AB 1800, will prevent California streets from becoming safer, and complicate the efforts to assist individuals facing serious health challenges. Respectfully ask for your no vote.

Thank you, Mr. Floor Leader. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Mr. Gabriel, do you wish to close?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Respectfully request your aye vote.

All debate having ceased, the 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. Clerk will close the roll; tally the votes. Ayes: 53; noes: 17. The measure passes. Without objection, immediate transmittal to the Senate. That brings us to--without reference to file--SB 132, presented by Assembly Member Gabriel. Members, this is a 54-vote bill.

Clerk will read.

Senate Bill 132, by the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, an act relating to taxation and making an appropriation therefore, to take effect immediately. Bill related to the budget.

Assemblymember Gabriel, you are recognized.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise to present SB 132, which is our revenue trailer bill. Among other provision, this Bill provides important tax relief for military retirement pay and survivor benefits, honoring the many sacrifices of our armed services and their surviving spouses.

And I want to recognize the hard work of our member from San Bernardino who has done to support veterans throughout this proposal.

This Bill also provides tax relief for settlement amounts in connection with California wildfires and thanks to the extraordinary and tenacious advocacy of our colleague from Santa Clarita, includes compensation for specified costs and losses related to disaster at Chiquita Canyon in Los Angeles County. So, thank you to the member from Santa Clarita.

It also preserves our incredible California film industry by increasing the Film Tax Credit. And I want to thank so many members of the LA region and across the state who were part of getting that done.

This Bill also requires financial institutions to use a single sales factor apportionment formula for purposes of apportioning multi state income for taxable years beginning July 1st, 2025, and it also clarifies taxation for licensed firearm dealers, manufacturers, and vendors who transfer physical possession of any firearm to a purchaser on behalf of an out of state real estate retailer.

And finally, it more efficiently directs tax credits to support important affordable housing projects. For all of those reasons, respectfully request your aye vote on SB 132.

Thank you, Assemblymember Gabriel. Mr. Floor Leader, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in strong support of AB 132 and respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Floor Leader. Assemblymember Zbur, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Colleagues, I rise today in strong support of SB 132. This legislation does, among other things, raises the cap for California's Film and TV Tax Credit Program to 750 million.

The hard working individuals and small businesses that have built this industry, which is central to California's identity, are currently facing unemployment and business losses at levels reminiscent of the Great Depression.

The tax credit expansion outlined in this Bill for the California Film and Television Credit Program 4.0 reflects our commitment to support the workers and small businesses who fuel this industry.

The legislation is critical for the retention and creation of jobs within California, and it ensures that the Golden State remains a thriving hub for creativity and production, ultimately contributing to a vibrant and sustainable economy.

I want to thank Governor Newsom, Speaker Rivas, our Budget Chair, and our Sub Chair from Fullerton, and to the many Assembly and Senate colleagues from across the state for fighting to bring the jobs of our film and TV workers back to work. Thank you so much. I respectfully ask for an aye vote on SB 132.

Thank you, Assemblymember Zbur. Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of, of SB 132—AB 132. Yes, this is a good first step for our veterans to make sure that they are taken care of. We're far behind other states. I support this for what, what it stands for. My hope is that next session we can, we can come back and get more for our veterans because they sacrifice every single day. So, today, I rise in support for our veterans.

Thank you so much, Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez. Assemblymember McKinnor, you are recognized.

Mr. Speaker and Members, I rise in support of SB 132 and the expansion of the California Film and Television Tax Credit. It's a false choice for anyone to say that California has to choose between retaining and growing jobs in the film and television industry and increasing the diversity of its workforce. The film industry can and must do both.

Unfortunately, this Bill does not contain language from either my colleague from Hollywood's legislation or my legislation requiring studios to opt into participating in optional diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility tax credits to actually complete the plans that the studio themselves develop and submit to the California Film Commission. It's simple math.

If the studios choose to apply for additional DEI tax credits, they actually need to do the work they're committed to do. Currently, studios only have to demonstrate a good faith effort to accomplish diversity goals in order to receive these additional tax credits. And frankly, that's just not good enough. Members, we have to do better.

We do not have to choose between retaining and growing jobs in the film and television industry and increasing the diversity of this workforce. We can and most must do both. With that, I respectfully request your aye vote on SB 132.

Thank you, Assemblymember McKinnor. Assemblymember Gipson, you are recognized.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Members, I rise today as the Chair of the Revenue Taxation Committee, in support of SB 132. This Bill includes a number of technical items but also provides a real meaningful relief for California. Among other things, this Bill provides tax relief for California's veterans and also, wildfire victims.

This Bill will also make meaningful and real investments in the critical film tax credits that provides real jobs to California. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Gipson. Seeing and hearing no further debate. Assemblymember Gabriel, do you wish to close?

Yeah. Just want to thank all of our colleagues for their thoughtful comments and respectfully request an aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Gabriel. All debate having ceased, the 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. Clerk will close the roll, tally the votes. Ayes, 64. Noes, 1. The measure passes without objection.

Without objection, immediate transmittal to the Senate. Without reference to file, Senate Bill 141, presented by Assembly Member Gabriel. Members, this is also a 54-vote bill. The clerk will read.

Senate Bill 141 by the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, an act relating to cannabis and making an appropriation therefore to take effect immediately. Bill related to the budget.

Assembly Member Gabriel, you are recognized.

All right, Mr. Speaker. I rise to present SB 141, our cannabis trailer bill. Colleagues, over 60% of cannabis sales in California occur in the illicit market, undercutting our legal market. This bill begins to address this challenge by taking three important actions.

First, the bill authorizes the Department of Cannabis Control to fund its illicit enforcement activities with cannabis tax fund revenue, which is derived from the sale of cannabis. Second, this bill authorizes the Board of State and Community Corrections' Proposition 64 Public Health and Safety Grant Program to award grants to local governments.

And finally, this bill requires that the state, that the Board of State and Community Corrections prioritize public safety grants to fight the illicit cannabis market. Because this bill will better protect our communities and support legal cannabis in a manner consistent with the will of the voters, I respectfully request your aye vote.

Thank you, Assembly Member Gabriel. Mr. Floor Leader, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of AB 141, and though we do have some concerns with enforcement on the cannabis market or the illicit market, I certainly support this. Respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Floor Leader. Assembly Member Quirk-Silva, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of SB AB 141. This bill will strengthen and sustain enforcement against the illegal cannabis market, bad actors who are targeting kids and polluting the environment. The Department of Cannabis Control falls within the jurisdiction of my Budget Subcommittee. We have discussed the issue enforcement of the illicit market at length.

I wholeheartedly support this approach. The legal cannabis market is more than eight times the size of the legal market. It is not reasonable to require legal cannabis businesses to shoulder a criminal enforcement burden of this size. We need greater enforcement of illicit cannabis activity, and this bill will provide the necessary tools and resources to address the issue.

Opponents argue that we should simply increase regulatory fees on the legal cannabis industry but this would only shrink the industry further, and as a result, reduce cannabis tax revenue. Without a healthy, sustainable, licensed cannabis market, there will be no revenue to fund the secondary benefits of legalization. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assembly Member Quirk-Silva. Assembly Member Lackey, you are recognized.

Yeah. I would just like to say real quickly that without this measure, we are completely surrendering to the illicit market. We're waving a white flag. I've never worked up a bowl of cannabis and never will, but I will tell you that we have a fight on our hands and we need to do everything we can to stand against this illicit market. They are out of control. So I hope you'll support this.

Thank you, Assembly Member Lackey. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Assembly Member Gabriel, do you wish to close?

Appreciate the bipartisan support. Respectfully request your aye vote.

All debate having ceased, the 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.

Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes Ayes 71, Noes 1. The measure passes without objection. Immediate transmittal to the Senate without reference to file. Senate Bill 142 presented by Assemblymember Gabriel. Members, this is also a 54 vote Bill with urgency. Clerk will read.

Senate Bill 142 by the Senate Committee on budget and fiscal Review an act relating to the deaf and disabled telecommunications program and declaring the urgency thereof to take effect immediately.

Assemblymember Gabriel, you're recognized.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker. I'm pleased to present SB142, which extends the sunset on a long running successful program to fund accessible phone service for deaf and disabled Californians members. I want to remind you that we approved this extension one month ago in a bipartisan vote.

And I want to particularly thank our colleague from Encinitas for her consistent and principled leadership on this issue and for her work in supporting deaf and disabled Californians. With that respectfully request an aye vote on SB142.

Thank you, Assembly Member Gabriel. Mr. Floor Leader, you were recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of AB142, respectfully ask for an Aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Floor Leader. Seeing and hearing no further debate. Assembly Member Gabriel, do you wish to close?

Respectfully request an Aye vote.

Thank you all. Debate having ceased, the 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.

Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes Ayes 68 Noes 1. On the urgency Ayes 68 noes 1 on the measure. The measure passes without objection. Immediate transmittal to the senior. Okay moving back to motions and resolutions. Madam Majority Leader, you are recognized for your procedural motion.

AB102, AB116, AB118, AB121, AB123, AB134, AB136, AB137 and AB143 have been received from the Senate. I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 63 to allow Assemblymember Gabriel to take up these bills today without reference to file for the purpose of concurrence in the Senate amendments.

Thank you, Madam Majority Leader. Mr. Flora, you are recognized.

Withhold consent, ask for a roll call vote.

Mr. Flora, your objection is recognized. The majority of the leaders motion is seconded by Assemblymember Garcia. This motion is not debatable. It takes 40 votes. Clerk will open the roll. All Members vote who desire to vote. Majority leader is asking for an aye vote. Mr. Flora is asking for a no 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 50 Noes 18. The rules are suspended.

Okay, here we go. Without reference to file Assembly Bill 102 by Assemblymember Gabriel for concurrence and Senate amendments. Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 102 by Assemblymember Gabriel, an act relating to the state budget and making an appropriation therefore to take effect immediately. Budget Bill.

Assemblymember Member Gabriel, you are recognized.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. We're now going to take up AB 102, which is which which reflects our final three party agreement with the Governor. Before I speak on the substance, I did just want to take a moment to say some very important thank yous.

We speak often in my house with my boys about how life is a team sport and budget is certainly a team sport. And so I want to thank our captain, Speaker Rivas, I want to thank the MVPs, our sub chairs, for their incredible hard work on all of this.

The Committee Members who sat through dozens and dozens of committee hearings and hundreds of hours of public comment. Of course, our Democratic staff ably led by Christian Griffith, the Republican staff that I know also worked really, really hard on this, the speaker staff, including Jason Sisney and then my personal staff.

And if you will indulge me, Members, I do want to say a special thank you to my Chief of Staff, Abram Diaz, who is expecting his first child any day now and his wife Rihanna, who is a very capable consultant on our Assembly Health Committee. She was actually due to give birth five days ago. And so we've been having a debate in our office about which would come first, budget or baby.

And so right now it looks like budget is going to win, but we want to expect them, wish them a very safe and easy delivery and just take this moment really to thank all of our staff who work so hard and make such strong personal sacrifices to do the work we do here.

So with that, let me present AB 101, which amends SB excuse me, AB 102, which amends SB 101 and reflects our final three party agreement with the Governor. Colleagues, I'm proud to report that this bill in large sense mirrors our legislative budget in some really important ways.

The legislative budget plan that we passed a few weeks ago, most importantly, it is grounded in our twin goals of compassion and fiscal responsibility, which we have stuck to which we have endeavored to balance this year.

It reflects the architecture that the Legislature put forward of making tough choices and stretching our dollars, but also doing that in a way that protected our key safety net programs and preserve flexibility for the challenges ahead.

And I'm proud that this bill incorporates key investments championed by the by the Assembly, most notably housing, health care, childcare, education, wildfire, resilience, and public safety.

And as we talked about two weeks ago and we talked about in our Budget Committee, this was a painful process, often with difficult and agonizing choices as we sought to balance compassion and fiscal responsibility. But I am really confident that our sub chairs and our committee met that challenge head on.

And I'm really grateful for their hard work. I'm proud of how far we moved this budget from the May revise to the final product that we have before us today. It's the product of tough and complicated and difficult negotiations.

But I want to thank our partners in those negotiations because I believe today that we have a budget that more closely reflects our values. We know, colleagues, that we are facing unprecedented threats from Washington D.C. so this is a journey that is not over. We know that we have a lot of work ahead of us.

Unfortunately, they are contemplating choices in Washington that could, that could force us to come back and continue to do work on this budget. But we will be prepared to meet those two.

I feel that very confidently because of the able work of our budget Subcommitee Chairs and our Budget Committee, we are going to meet whatever the moment requires of us. So with that and with gratitude for the work that was done to balance compassion and fiscal responsibility, respectfully request an aye vote on AB 102.

Thank you, Assemblymember Gabriel. Mr. Floor Leader, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to AB 102. Continues unsustainable spending levels and provides insufficient funding for Prop 36. Provides no funding for wildfire prevention or surface water storage. Provides no funding or policy changes to prevent high gas prices.

And I think another important thing that's missing in 102 is over the last few years our air ambulance services have not had an increase in their reimbursement. Currently they're getting reimbursed about 20% of what they need.

If this continues, I know there's a time frame out in the in the future, about four and a half years from now that that will go up. But I'm not sure they can stay in business until then. So I think that's something we truly need to address and get those reimbursement rates a bit higher for our area providers. Thank you. Respectfully ask for your no vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Flora. Assembly Member Ransom, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise with appreciation for our budget chair, for our speaker and for everyone who worked on ensuring that we supported the Family justice centers with $10 million earlier when we saw the May revise, we saw that there were no dollars allocated for Family Justice Centers.

And these centers provide comprehensive, collaborative support services to domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, elder abuse and human trafficking victims. Each year, the Family Justice Centers support more than 70,000 Californians and nearly one in five children in 27 different Family Justice Centers throughout our state.

This funding will help keep the doors open, expand trauma informed care, support gun violence prevention, and improve coordination between courts, law enforcement and social services.

So I want to thank you all for making sure that this allocation happened and every one of our colleagues who helped in joining and advocating for this funding because this was definitely a joint effort. Family Justice Centers are not only service providers, they are the frontline crime prevention providers and partners and they are helping with restorative justice.

With 27 Family Justice Centers with six more under development, it's important that we sustain these networks and by doing so, invest in prevention, promote healing and provide long term pathways to safety and stability for survivors and their families.

So I want to thank you especially to our budget chair who welcomed the suggestion with open arms and said we're going to try and figure it out when we realize that there was no support for this very important segment of our community. So thank you Mr. Chair, and thank you all for your support of this matter and I urge your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Ransom. Assemblymember Davies, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition. I have to tell you that I'm so disappointed when it comes to this, especially when we talk about Prop 36. The voters at least 70% voted to have Prop 36, but what good is it if you're not going to fund it?

And not only are you not really funding it, we even reduced what the funding was to begin with. You have to keep in mind if we don't have the money for probation officers or treatments, you have people lined up right now needing help and waiting a year, waiting two years doesn't do it.

You have so many suicides that come up so quickly. I had an amendment to fully fund this with $400 million, but obviously that wasn't heard and didn't go forward. But we're talking about water, we're talking about fire prevention, we're talking about mental illness. Those are not extra luxury items. Those are necessities.

And yet we still push this forward. So how are we supposed to take care of those that need treatment when you're not going to fund it? You know, we're definitely letting down Californians. We're supposed to represent their voice, but this does not do that.

You basically just said, well, yeah, we know you liked it and you know you wanted this, but we're not going to fund it. And that is our responsibility when they vote on something. So I ask for opposition vote. Thank you.

Thank you, Assemblymember Davies, Assemblymember Dixon, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today also to oppose Senate Bill 102. This measure has indeed has a lot of a lot of provisions packed into it, but I have several concerns.

Primarily, it does not provide adequate funding for the implementation of Prop 36, which was, we all know, supported by historic 70% of voting Californians is really in effect is a budget veto frankly insulting to those 70% of California voters. We could have found some funds to get this proposition implemented to save our communities.

Also, it lacks no new funding for probation departments to supervise and connect individuals to treatment. This is necessary to provide support for community level interventions, house arrests in county jail and in custody treatment. This is about rehabilitation. It also is needed to partner with service providers. Courts will additionally receive $10 million less than the Legislature approved.

When there is increasing workload on our civil and criminal court system. We know that they're in dire need of additional funding to keep our court system smoothly running.

It is imperative we address the will of the voters and fully fund resources for law enforcement to ensure people are getting the treatment they need and the voters are being listened to. I respectfully request a no vote on SB 102. Thank you. Or is it AB 102?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am proud to be part of the budget Subcommitee budget sub 5, which covers a broad policy landscape including housing and homelessness, taxation, veterans technology, elections, labor, arts, cannabis regulation and more. Our Committee held 10 sub Committee hearings. We held joint hearings with our accountability and we also had several all budget sub hearings.

We work tirelessly with advocates who came asking for support in this budget. I want to thank our budget team who as has been noted, works hour after hour taking in not only the letters from members that are asking for specific funding, meeting and making sure voices are heard.

At the beginning of this year in the January budget in related to housing, there was $0 put forth and we know that housing and homelessness remain the top concerns for Californians. We know affordability is a major concern related to housing and this budget restores some of this funding.

We were able to include 500 million for the Low Income Housing Tax Credit. 120 million for the Multifamily Housing Program and 500 million for the Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention Program.

Many of our mayors throughout the State of California, our league of cities, asked specifically for this funding and we are extremely proud to retain some of this funding. We, we know there were difficult cuts. We know that there are many that will not have as many resources as we have advocated for.

But in a slim budget, I'm proud that we were able to add those dollars. This budget, again difficult for all of us. It retains the legislators values of protecting the most vulnerable, honoring our commitments to workers and veterans, supporting housing and infrastructure, and promoting fiscal responsibility while rejecting false choices. With that, I ask for your support.

Thank you. Assemblymember Quirk Silva. Assemblymember Hongipa. You are recognized.

Colleagues. I too rise in strong opposition not because of what's not funded when we're looking at Prop 36, but because what is funded. And some of the CBOs that I actually decided to do a deep dive into, one that I got that I found out in this research.

$7.5 million for an organization called Soldier Entrepreneurs for Economic Development. What do you have to do and what is one of the requirements to qualify for this $7.5 million? It says on their website, individuals who are neither U.S. citizens nor lawful permanent residents. Money for individuals who are illegal.

What a slap in the face to the 20% of ratepayers who can't afford their rates to the Californians who can't afford groceries and services. Here we're allocating more money for other families instead of prioritizing Californians. Another organization that I was able to look into is $2 million for initiating change in our neighborhoods and community development.

This morning I spent time on that website and what was it? I filled out the document and I got to find out that it's cash assistance for those families that also were involved with illegal immigrant activities. What about the California families that are begging us, begging us to do something to fix their costs of living?

I think about again, my family, my mother, which all of you have met, makes $24,000 a year. After losing my father last year. The only way we make ends meet is I send our par diem to go and pay for groceries. I just paid the taxes on our property. What about those families?

What about the Californians that are demanding that we need more services before expanding it to so many others that we are prioritizing funding? And not only that, creating barriers for legal Californians, for generational Californians that don't qualify for this funding. What insanity. This budget is a reflection of our priorities and unfortunately it doesn't prioritize Californians. And I respectfully ask for your no vote.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I asked for a no vote on Assembly Bill 102. There's been a lot of congratulations today and I guess I'll give you recognition for effort. But the result is not a real budget. You know it and soon our constituents will know it. This is a phony budget. It's a budget with accounting gimmicks.

It's a budget based on rating reserves. It's not balanced. When you take your reserves, when you pretend like bills are actually not going to come in this year, that's a phony budget. It's something that Enron would do. We have Enron style accounting in this budget.

We know that we're going to be coming back in a matter of weeks or months saying oops, it looks like we have a deficit. Well, the deficit is hidden in plain sight with these accounting gimmicks. We ought to stay and make the tough decisions to do right by California taxpayers.

Now we could easily balance the budget today if we eliminated the billions of dollars, 12.5 billion in health care benefits alone for people who are non citizens, people who are not here legally.

Now, While you're funding $12.5 billion in illegal immigrant health care under Medi Cal, putting the system in jeopardy, you are cutting health services for the neediest Californians. You also are underfunding health care benefits for state government employees. I know that many in this chamber have expressed their support for the labor unions for state government employees.

This budget doesn't support them because it literally doesn't fund their health benefits. Under opeb, we also are seeing hundreds of millions of dollars for far left wing political groups. Again, I have no problem with them raising private money. It's a First Amendment right that each group has.

But as my colleague from Fresno points out, with $8.5 million are going just to two groups. The number is actually northward of $400 million going to left wing groups and we're still counting. All that should be eliminated.

Now what would we be able to do if we got rid of $400 million for left wing groups, many of which are attacking law enforcement and organizing protests? We could actually fulfill the commitment voters made to public safety by fully funding Prop 36.

I acknowledge that my colleagues on the other side did a much better job than the Governor at Prop 36 by providing $85 million. But we know the real cost is at least $400 million. And we ought to respect the votes of Californians for Prop 36 by fully funding it. We prop up the failed high speed rail project with $1.0 billion commitment this year.

And then we allow the Governor to proceed forward with his scheme, his scam, to tie the hands of future legislators, to tie the hands of future taxpayers with a bond program so that high speed rail will continue on into the future without any sort of oversight or input from, from this body.

We won't be able to stop it. And finally, we know that we're going to be coming back in a few weeks or months under the guise that Donald Trump made us do it, that it's all Trump's fault.

The budget was not a problem until Donald Trump did this, that the other thing, when in fact we've had a fiscal crisis for 5, 6, 7 years. The COVID 19 bailouts in 2020 and 2021 just masked it. It gave us a lifeline for a few years.

But now the bar tab is coming due, the hangover is being felt and you know Trump isn't going to bail you out. So what are you going to do? You're going to turn to the California taxpayers and say that it's time for a massive tax increase?

I'm just saying it today so that when we pull this clip later on, we can say we told you so. You can't blame Trump. It was all your own doing. With a bad budget adopted on June 27, 2025. Own it. It's now your budget crisis. I ask for a no vote on AB 102.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had no plans to speak today. I was really supportive of this process, our chair, and all the great work that has happened in this process. But today I rise because as I vote for this specific part of the budget, I represent a high immigrant, high undocumented community.

And what I don't forget is my lived experience. My mother, who I lost 5 years ago this August, was once undocumented. My mother is one of the people represented in this budget today. My mother took me to dentist appointments on El Medical. On medical. My parents are hard workers. They benefited from amnesty.

My mom went to school, learned English and was so proud of learning about our history and took that exam and became a US Citizen. But before that, she was undocumented. She was a human being who loved her child. Her little Josecito Solachito, whatever she called me.

A son of immigrant parents, parents that live in Lingwood, California, Bellflower, Lakewood. People that I proudly represent today. You know, into my district yesterday, and I just was reminded of who I represent every single day.

But staying focused on today's conversation, I proudly represent a comunidad with a lot of heart that when they go to the clinic, they just want service. They want to attend their children's medical needs, their grandparents, their neighbor. So today, as I vote for this budget,

Mr. Chair and colleagues, I think of my mom, who was once undocumented, but before she left this world, she was a proud American, and she loved to vote every single time she could. She earned her way to where she had before she left. From undocumented to a citizen. This beautiful country gave her that opportunity.

And so, as people like to use other terms, I respectfully ask my colleagues that let's not forget that we were all undocumented or from another country one day. I wish we were all pure Native Americans, but we're not. We're beautiful, we're different. We're short, we're tall, we're fluffy, we're skinny. We're all beautiful. As I vote on this Bill today, it's not perfect. It's not. Lord knows it's not perfect.

But we have a responsibility, and I will proudly cast my vote on that green button today for my mother, for that grandmother lives in my district, for every almost 500,000 people that I represent in my community, regardless of how they identify, because at the end, they're contributing to this beautiful State of California. Let's get this done. Let's approve this budget and think about the people you represent. Gracias.

Assemblymember Solache. Assemblymember Bryan, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and colleagues. I'll be very quick. First, I want to thank our colleagues from Paramount for always being his authentic self in reminding us of our shared humanity. I also want to thank our colleague from San Diego for reminding us that it's all about the clip and being able to run it back later.

That was not surprising to us at all. Of course our budget is impacted by this federal administration. For the first time in three years, the US GDP has contracted during the first three months of this presidency. There are many, many factors, including the tariffs, the haphazard waste. Let's not talk about what's going on in Los Angeles.

I resent that from somebody who hasn't been to Los Angeles all year, especially when the federal government is spending hundreds of $1.0 million that we could be spending on the people of Los Angeles. California stepping up to fill those gaps.

And about Prop 36, I hope our budget chair talks about the funding for Prop 36 that's in this budget because I am going to vote today.

But I disagree with it because taxpayers were lied to all last year during Prop 36 when we blamed poor people for stealing toothpaste and deodorant and suggested the solution was to put them in cages without any funding in the measure.

What so ever, the measure did not call for a single penny of funding and we warned about this, we said this was going to come off the backs of children and families who are struggling across California.

We campaigned across the state talking about how righteous it was to protect the everyday affordability needs of families and not waste that money putting people in a cycle of incarceration that's going to put them right back out on our streets struggling. But voters chose differently and we're respecting that.

And even though I don't think we should put a penny towards the implementation implementation of Prop 36 because we should be investing in families, this budget does it nonetheless because we have a collaborative caucus and brilliant leadership by our budget chair. I hope he goes into those details in his close and I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you. Assembly Member Bryan seeing and hearing no further debate. Excuse me. Excuse me. Mr. Patterson. Mr. Patterson, you are recognized.

Thank you. I think I'm going to start off with the obligatory what everybody else says. I wasn't planning on speaking, but once my colleague from Los Angeles stood up, it sparked some ideas in my head. So they're not finally tuned. You know, some of us like to speak, not only because we make clips, by the way.

It's not our caucus, you know, with cameramen on the floor zooming in to make videos of us. But you know, we have a right to obviously share with our constituents the videos that we make. But. But beyond that, I don't think the voters were lied to when it came to Prop 36 unless they were lied to.

With every store they went to, they saw simple items locked up, unless they were lied to driving down the street of basically every city and saw people who needed help, some people who needed accountability for their actions. Those aren't lies. People saw it with their own eyes, you know, and I,

And I also was listening to my colleague from Paramount and we'll share a conversation separately about it. And I understand what he's talking about. Like I've mentioned before that my stepdad immigrated here from Mexico and he too now is a citizen of this country.

And actually he's leaving today to go back to his hometown or his home, I guess state Guanajuato right now, actually, with my brothers.

But I think the problem with Medi Cal and I mean, we have another item coming up on our health care, is that we already weren't properly funding Medi Cal in the first place, and we just added millions of more people to it.

Right or wrong, you can disagree or agree with the policy of us doing that, but everybody now is getting lackluster support from Medi Cal. We've underfunded Medi Cal for decades. Actually, when I was a staff person here 20 years ago, it was what we were talking about.

But not only are we underfunding it, we don't have enough providers. And so the access for everybody, even people with health insurance that are paying for it through their employer. You can't find a provider, go through a medical directory and try to find a Doctor, especially if you are an individual with a disability or something like that.

But I think it's really difficult to argue, to add a lot of people to the Medi Cal system when we weren't. We're not providing the care that we need all the way. And that's the fair. That's a fair debate. That's a debate we should have in this state, no matter what, how you feel about adding millions of people to the rolls.

So I don't really like that to be dismissed and not saying my colleague from Paramount was dismissing that concern, but that's a real discussion we need to have if this body intends to continue to add people to the Medi Cal rolls. With that, I respectfully ask for a no vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Patterson. Okay. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Assemblymember Gabriel, do you wish to close?

Yeah. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank so many of our colleagues for their, for their thoughtful comments. I want to thank our colleague from Linwood for sharing such heartfelt remarks. I can't even imagine how proud your mom must be of you and knowing that you're here on the floor representing your community so ably.

So thank you for that. Thank you also to our colleague from Los Angeles since, since the Prop 36 conversation came up. I do think it's important because I think there's a narrative out there, with all due respect to our colleagues from Orange County, that is simply not accurate. It's not.

It is not consistent with what's in this budget. And you know, as our colleague mentioned, there are, there were differences of opinion in the Democratic caucus about Proposition 36. And that took place outside the building.

But what is, what is sincere is a commitment to honor the will of the voters and to deeply honor the will of the voters. And that's why this budget has about $350 million in it in various ways that are linked to Proposition 36.

That includes 50 million for county behavioral health grants, $20 million for increased judicial workload, 15 million for pre trial services, $30 million for CDCR, $127 million to the Board of State and Community Corrections grant funding that was already gone out in April of this year. I know that our Public Safety chair talked about that in committee.

The money that's already gone out and another $90 million that's going to go out for grants next year for substance use, disorder and mental health treatment programs. So you are entitled to your own opinions, but you're not entitled to your own set of facts.

And the facts are clear in this budget that there is funding for Proposition 36. That is something that the Legislature did the work of putting into the budget. And I really hope people will take the time to educate themselves on what is in this budget.

Because is it irresponsible and not accurate to go out and tell people something that simply isn't true? With that, let me speak more broadly. I know there's been a lot of conversation. This has been a tough and challenging process.

And again, our colleague from Los Angeles highlighted the fact that what has made this process inherently tougher is the threats from Washington that have already impacted us. We have all watched the chaos, the economic chaos and the political chaos in Washington, D.C. somebody announces tariffs in the morning and by lunch we're in a totally different direction.

And the way that has impacted the California economy, the way that has impacted the US Economy, the way that has impacted our revenues, is a challenge.

And we know if you're talking about protecting California taxpayers, then the single greatest thing that you can do is go to Washington and tell them not to pass the legislation that they are contemplating, because that will force us to come back and redo this budget. It will devastate communities across California, by the way.

It will devastate a lot of red communities. It will devastate a lot of your constituents. And I know that you all know that. So if you care about California taxpayers, you will talk to your colleagues in Washington and, and beg them and plead with them not to move forward with what they're doing.

Because we know that it is not Washington that's bailing out California. California has been bailing out Washington, D.C. we are the largest donor State by many ordinars of magnitude, hardworking Californians are paying taxes that folks in Washington are sending to other states.

So I hope that you will join with us in opposing what folks in Washington are trying to do and make sure that together we're standing up for communities across the State of California. With that, respectfully your question, aye vote on AB 102.

Thank you Assemblymember Gabriel. All debate having ceased, the 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. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes 55, Nos 16 Senate amendments are concurred in without objection.

Immediate transmittal to the Governor. Reference to file, Assembly Bill 116, by Assemblymember Gabriel. Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 116 by the Committee on Budget, an act relating to health and making an appropriation therefore, to take effect immediately. Bill related to the Budget.

Assemblymember Gabriel, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to present AB 116, our healthcare trailer bill. Among many other provision, this Bill backfills federal cuts to HIV programs and services. It enables the health and human service agencies to enter into partnerships for the development, production, and distribution of low-cost generic and brand name drugs and medical devices.

It establishes a licensing and regulatory framework for pharmacy benefit managers, and I want to acknowledge that it contains some difficult choices but—around Medi-Cal—but thankfully, this Bill delays many of the most painful reductions originally proposed by the Administration, providing us with time and flexibility to consider possible alternatives.

And I really want to thank our Budget Subcommittee Health Chair and the Members of the Health Subcommittee for engaging in months of challenging conversations and ultimately, making significant progress to protect California's most vulnerable communities and on their behalf, respect an aye vote on AB 116.

Thank you, Assemblymember Gabriel. Mr. Floor Leader, you are recognized.

Thank you Mr. Speaker.

I rise in opposition to AB 116. This Bill implements questionable funding sources by establishing a skilled nursing facility minimum staffing penalty account and authorizes the funds to be used in that account for cash flow loans in the General Fund and authorizes penalties collected from a clinic, health facility, home health agency, or hospice, deposit into, into the Internal Department Quality Improvement Account, which can also be used for General Fund.

I respectfully ask for a no vote.

Thank you, Mr. Floor Leader. Assemblymember DeMaio, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, the advantage of having all these mini bills is that we can have a conversation about the budget. We obviously talked about the top lines with Assembly Bill 102, but on 116, as we talk about these health care issues, I want to continue the conversation.

I understand that the super majority in this Legislature, you have the votes. I understand math. I respect democracy as it relates to you hold more seats than our caucus does. You have the votes, but that does not mean we get to be deprived of a voice. And frankly, I have an obligation to stand and voice concerns.

Whether you choose to weigh those concerns in your votes is ultimately up to you. But this is what we call a democracy, and I know a lot of people throw that term around. We have a democracy. Look what look at the people in the streets are doing. This is what we're doing. This is a democracy.

We should defend it. Absolutely. As long as they remain peaceful. They have a First Amendment right to voice their point of view. Even if I disagree with them, I've always held that point of view. My hope is that some of you will do the same. And I don't know if it will set in.

And again, that's not up to me. It's ultimately up to your voters. When they hear the opposition voice a concern about something that's about to happen, it's our obligation to speak up and voice that concern. Whether you like it or not, whether you take it into account or not, I don't know.

But it is my job and I'm going to continue to do my job. And yes, I hope that California voters and residents pay more attention to what's happening behind closed doors in this building because it has a profound impact on their lives, day in and day out.

Point of order.

Make your point. Assemblymember Wilson.

Thank you, Mr.

Mr. Speaker, I've yet to hear my colleague speak to the merits of the Bill. And so, if you can stick to AB 116, I would appreciate that. Thank you.

Mr. DeMaio.

Your point is well taken, but I think you're getting to the point, correct, Mr. DeMaio?

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm just responding to some of the other points raised on AB 102, since this is an overall package of bills for the budget. I want Californians to pay more attention to what's going on in this building.

And that's why I do reference clips because they need to see what's going on behind closed doors and many times, you know, they're busy with their lives and that's again, that's their right. It's our job to do this.

But it's also important that they know what we're doing on their behalf in this building, and I will not apologize for that. And if you want to criticize me for that, that's—again, you're right.

As it relates to Assembly Bill 116 on health care, I've raised my points about the illegal immigrant health care funding to my colleague from Los Angeles. We have all expressed our support for immigrants. Let's be very clear. This is not about whether you support or oppose immigrants. We are a nation of immigrants. We value that.

We are stronger because of it. What this is about is whether someone should be able to come here illegally, not go through the process and then be given taxpayer funds. That's what this debate is about. It's not whether we value your mother, whether we value immigrants. We do. And let's be very clear about this.

But I think a lot of Californians have concerns about prioritizing non-citizens with scarce taxpayer resources sources, at the same time that we're cutting services for the neediest citizens in our communities. That is what our concern is about.

If that's being lost in translation, I want to rise and say on this Bill, we do not agree that we should be giving $12 billion in this Bill, Assembly Bill 116, to non-citizens for free health care. Because what it means is that we're going to have a deficit.

What it means is that Medi-Cal is put at risk. What it means is that, as Mr. Patterson points out, people will have a longer wait time for life saving medical care. What it means is that we are going to be back cutting more health care services.

And what it means is that we already are cutting health care services.

30 seconds.

As an example in AB 116, and I'm hoping that we may be able to fix this, we require prior authorization for hospice.

What it means is that a dying patient in a hospital will be told stay in that hospital room at a much higher cost to Medi-Cal, a much higher cost to taxpayers, while bureaucrats debate whether we're going to give authorization for hospice. That's not even—that's not good budget practice. It's going to cost us more money.

But worse, when your loved one is dying, you don't want to be in a hospital room. You want them to be comfortable at home. And that's what this provision is going to take away from those families and those dying patients.

Thank you, Mr. DeMaio.

I urge you to go back and revisit that provision. I know that we're not going to be able to do it today because of the action by the Senate, but I urge you to please raise this with the Governor. Please raise it with budget discussions, as we come back and adjust the budget throughout the year.

Thank you, Assemblymember. And a kind reminder to please refer to Members by their districts as opposed to their names. Assemblymember Ransom, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think it's very important, as we're having these conversations and we're talking about clips, that we paint a full picture. We have a really tough job and really tough decisions that we have to make and we're trying to balance the budget while people at home are struggling to balance their budget as well.

When we hear the conversations here on the floor, we often talk about the undocumented people and their impact, but we're not talking about the tens of billions of dollars that are being paid in taxes for people who cannot access services. We only talk about this one way.

We talk about the undocumented people and their impacts on our system. So, as we vote on this budget, we've made tough cuts that go all the way around.

And while many of these are necessary to keep the lights on and to keep, you know, keep people safe, there are concerning cuts to Medi-Cal that I think people should understand that we've made something better, not best. We know that this is a work in progress. We definitely need to do some work.

But this Bill freezes enrollment for Medi-Cal for undocumented individuals, 19 and older, beginning in 2026. It allows a three-month grace and cure period and still creates a barrier to care for the people that some people just don't want to see served. This Bill reinstates the Medi-Cal asset test.

$130,000 for a single person with $65,000 added for each household member. There are some really tough things that had to happen. It also penalizes low-income families for trying to save for stability. But these are the tough choices that we have to make.

So, beginning July 1st, the state will impose a 30—a $30 a month—premium on undocumented medical recipients. This is a new cost burden on folks who are often contributing to our community struggling to afford basics. Even worse, full scope dental coverage for undocumented individuals, age 19 and older, will be eliminated through this Bill.

And while we all understand that we are in financial trouble, we are sending a message that we are considering everyone. We're balancing the needs of everyone across our state and unfortunately, that—everyone is being hit, including undocumented who are paying tens of billions of dollars here in our community.

This Bill also repeals the community health worker certificate which has been instrumental in helping non-English people—non English-speaking Californians—navigate access to medical care when they need it.

And so, if we are really looking to have a healthy, sustainable community, we need people who work here, people who live here, people who are navigating the documentation process. We need those people to be healthy, especially if we want them to show up to the jobs that they are showing up to pay taxes to.

Finally, I want to emphasize the point that we are choosing to delay coverage requirements for infertility diagnosis and fertility treatment, pushing the effective date from 2025 to 2026. So, for many families hoping to grow, this delay is more than bureaucratic, it's personal.

So, we're telling all of our constituents who aren't independently wealthy enough to afford treatment that we all have to give in this process. And so, this budget is not us taking away from people who are documented and giving to people who are undocumented. This is finding balance as we are making really tough choices.

And I think if we're going to tell the story, we need to tell the whole story. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Assemblymember Ransom. Assemblymember Bains, you are recognized.

I was not prepared to speak today, but I've heard a lot of crazy things on this floor. And let me reiterate one thing that everyone keeps forgetting. Hi, I'm a Doctor. I see Medicaid patients. I was there on Sunday actually providing health care. So, a lot of people want to talk about health care, saving health care.

Everybody has an opinion on how to save health care. How about you spend a day with me in my clinic? Open invitation. Because there's a lot of opinions on this floor on how we're going to save health care when you have zero experience.

And I understand you're not going to become a physician overnight because it takes 11 years. This is my entire career. I know what I'm talking about. I am sick and tired as a woman being told, "You don't know what you're talking about." Guess what? I spent 11 years of my life studying to become a Doctor.

I'm spending my weekends providing health care. One thing that is not going to change, and people need to understand, providing early preventative services decreases health care costs all around.

Making sure people can get into a clinic and getting things like access to valley fever treatment instead of them showing up to the emergency room and costing a million dollars in an ICU state, that's called human decency, guys. And guess what? It turns out, it actually decreases health care costs.

So, yes, you want to talk about the solvency of health care system. How about we stop telling the Doctor in the room to shut up and listen to her and maybe spend a day with her on Sunday as she provides health care in her hometown of Delano, across the street from where she went to preschool.

Across the street from where she first learned to read at the library. Across the street from where these ridiculous immigration raids started in California.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I, too, rise to live in reality. A question that I was able to ask, Members who analyzed the budget, the Department of Finance, the LAO, the one question—could we even vote on this budget in three years with our current reserves? And the scary answer is no.

Not with the expected projections, not with the cost of spending, and not with the current trajectory that we are on right now. So, outside of the arguments of altruism and compassion and whether we love our mama or not, I live in reality.

And hospitals are shutting down in my district left and right because we have not fixed the reimbursement rates before we expand them to more and to other people. We talk about labor and delivery. There's not a single place in the County of Madera that applies labor and delivery. You can't have a baby there.

And it's inflowing into Fresno County and putting other hospitals at risk.

And it is a snowball effect that we will all have to realize, sooner or later, to live in reality that the system is collapsing because our responsibility is to make sure that we can balance the budget, that we can provide the services available for all, prior to expanding, because more and more hospitals are collapsing.

I think about fixing the immersment—the reimbursement rates—first because Air Medical is so vitally important to my district. And yet, we're not fixing their reimbursement rates, which will lead to a consolidation and closures of more, which is lifesaving transportation that happens in the rural counties and areas of California. We haven't fixed that yet. It's collapsing.

The numbers will show you the way, whether we like it or not, whether we feel one way or not. It's numbers. It's data. You can argue with that, but we cannot keep going down this path.

And again, until we fix the problems in front of us, until we make sure that the rates leave hospitals that don't shut down. I think about how I'll probably be coming here soon telling you all how Madera community has run out of money.

Cahuilla, potentially, in the Central Valley, is running out of money because we didn't fix it yet. And when we have that conversation again, I hope you all remember why I asked for a no vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Tangipa. Seeing and hearing no further debate. Assemblymember Gabriel, do you wish to close?

Respectfully request an aye vote.

All debate having ceased, the 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.

Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes ayes 52. Noes 13. Senate amendments are concurred in without objection. Immediate transmittal to the Governor that reference to file Assembly Bill 118 by Assemblymember Gabriel. Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 118 by the Committee on Budgets an act relating to human services and making an appropriation therefore to take effect immediately Bill related to the budget.

Assemblymember Gabriel, you are recognized.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker. I'm pleased to present AB 118 our Human Services Trailer Bill. This Bill includes new safeguards to better protect children served in the adoption assistance program.

It also codifies the practice of child and family team meetings for family maintenance cases, encourages counties to prioritize IHSS workload to avoid future penalties and creates better preparedness to administer disaster CalFresh so that we can provide critical food benefits during emergencies and natural disasters.

This Bill also facilitates the use of a pre populated semiannual report for CalWORKS which should help reduce red tape and retain eligible families on this important basics need program. Before I close, I want to acknowledge the very able leadership of our budget sub 2 chair.

His commitment to human services has enabled the preservation of many important programs that we can all be grateful for in this budget. So with that respectfully request your aye vote on AB118.

Thank you, Assemblymember Gabriel. Mr. Floor Leader, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I respectfully ask for an aye vote for AB118.

Thank you, Mr. Floor Leader. All debate having ceased, the 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. Clerk will close the roll tally the votes Ayes 62 Noes 0.

Senate amendments are concurred in without objection. Immediate transmittal to the Governor. Without reference to file, Assembly Bill 121 by Assembly Member Gabriel. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 121 by the Committee on Budget, an act relating to education finance making it appropriation therefore to take effect immediately. Bill relating to the budget.

Assembly Member Gabriel, you're recognized.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker. I rise to present AB 121, a bill that implements TK through grade 12 education provisions of the 2025 Budget Act. Importantly, this provides record funding for public schools in 25-26. Per pupil funding grows in this budget to over $25,000 per student. This budget also prepares for a rainy day ahead and protects our public education investments.

It also creates a $1.7 billion one time student support and discretionary block grant to support local priorities and unanticipated one time costs for local education agencies over the next four fiscal years while also funding hard fought priorities related to literacy, student mental health, streamlining career technical education, after school programs, and the Special Olympics. I want to express my thanks to our Budget Sub 3 Chair for his hard work on this very important part of the budget. And because this budget doubles down on our state's commitment to public education, I respectfully request your aye vote.

Thank you, Assembly Member Gabriel. Mr. Floor Leader, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I respectfully ask for an aye vote on Assembly Bill 121. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Floor Leader. All debate having ceased. Mr. Gabriel, you wish to close?

Respectfully request an aye vote.

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. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes 65, noes 0. Senate amendments are concurred in without objection. Immediate transmittal to the Governor. Without reference to file, Assembly Bill 123 by Assembly Member Gabriel.

The clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 123 by the Committee on Budget, an act relating to postsecondary education and making an appropriation therefore to take effect immediately. Bill related to the budget.

Assembly Member Gabriel, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to present AB 123, the higher education trailer bill. This bill builds on our work in the budget bill to protect higher education by supporting both university and community college students in several important way.

The bill includes an extension through 2026 of the Golden State Teacher Grant Program, which provides stipends to students in teaching certification programs and funds numerous important programs and services for students, including those related to enrollment growth and basic need.

Finally, this bill authorizes the creation of a new grant program to improve Career Technical Education in areas impacted by the Palisades and Eaton Fires. Thank you, and respectfully request your aye vote on AB 123.

Thank you, Assembly Member Gabriel. Mr. Floor Leader, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Respectfully ask for an aye vote on Assembly Bill 123.

Thank you, Mr. Floor Leader. Assembly Member McKinnor, you are recognized.

Mr. Speaker and members, I rise in support of AB 123. Our state's higher education systems are one of California's most impressive, impressive successes. Our UC and CSUs have helped to create some of the most impactful minds in U.S. history, including many of us in this Chamber today. I am proud to be part of that important legacy as a CSU Dominguez Hills graduate myself.

This year's budget realizes the difficult economic times we are in and provides the UCs and the CSUs with a zero-interest loan to help address the short-term physical challenge that our universities are facing.

I support these zero-interest loans, and while I was told earlier this year by some of my colleagues that the state does not give out free money in the form of zero-interest loans to educational institutions, I am glad our legislative leaders--thank you, Speaker and Budget Chair--had the wisdom to look past these naysayers and recognize that these loans are not free money, that they are a responsible commitment to our higher education system during challenging times.

Inglewood Unified School District, a majority Latino-serving school district which I represent, received an emergency loan to maintain its solvency and has been under state receivership since 2013. The district is making bold progress to return itself to local control, and I'm confident that it will get there.

And yet, the commitment to higher education and the grace that was offered to our public colleges and universities in the form of a zero-interest loan, that commitment and grace has not been shared by this body when it comes to our public TK through 12 schools.

Members, this is unacceptable and inconsistent with our shared goals and values to ensure that every California student is successful. Let's do better, and I respectfully ask for your aye vote on AB 123.

Thank you, Assembly Member McKinnor. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Assembly Member Gabriel, do you wish to close?

Respectfully request an aye vote.

All debate having ceased, the 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. Clerk will close the roll.

Tally the votes I 73 knows 1 Senate amendments are concurred in without objection immediate transmittal to the Governor without reference to file Assembly Bill 134 by Assemblymember Gabriel.

The Clerk will read. Assembly Bill 134 by the Committee on Budget and Apprehending the Public Safety and making an appropriation therefore to take effect immediately. Bill related to the Budget Assemblymember Gabriel, you are recognized.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. I rise to represent AB 134, our Public Safety Trailer Bill. This bill includes a number of provisions to implement the 2025 Budget act, including eliminating obsolete and redundant boards and reporting requirements under CDCR and the Office of Inspector General and updating new classifications for mental health staffing and health testing procedures at CDCR.

This bill also allows full time incarcerated college students to pursue other rehabilitative programming and provides classification on the delegation of responsibilities for the Board of State and Community Corrections. This bill Also establishes a tribal pilot police program to assist with a number of issues facing tribal communities, including the missing and murdered indigenous people crisis.

I want to thank our sub six chair and the sub six Committee Members for their hard work. I want to thank the chair for his very able leadership and with that respectfully request an aye vote on our public safety trailer bill.

Thank you, Assemblymember Gabriel. Mr. Floor Leader, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I stand in support of AB 134 and respect last year I vote.

Thank you, Mr. Floor Leader. All debate having ceased, the 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. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes69 knows one. Senate amendments are concurred in without objection.

Immediate transmittal to the Governor without reference to file Assembly Bill 136 by Assemblymember Gabriel. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 136 by the Committee on Budget and Act related to courts an act relating to courts making it Appropriation therefore to take effect immediately related to the budget.

Assembly Member Gabriel, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to present AB136, our Carts Trailer Bill. This Bill includes provisions to implement the 2012 Budget act including streamlining and updating annual reporting by the Judicial Council to the Legislature, authorizing the sale of surplus courthouse Property and providing $4.7 million to backfill the state court facilities construction Fund. With that respectfully request your aye vote on AB136.

Thank you, Assemblymember Gabriel. Mr. Flora, Leader, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of AB136. I respectfully asked for aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Flora. All debate having ceased, 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. Clerk will close the roll tally. The votes Ayes 76. Noes 1. Senate amendments are concurred in without objection.

Immediate transmittal to the Governor that reference to file AB137 by Assemblymember Gabriel.

The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 137 by the Committee on Budget, an act relating to state government, making an appropriation therefore, to take effect immediately. Bill relating to the budget.

Assembly Member Gabriel, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to present AB 137, the general government trailer bill, which makes various technical and cleanup adjustments to the 2025 Budget Act. Among other adjustments, this bill expands eligibility for the Hope for Children Trust Account Act, modifies the federal match requirement for technical assistance for small businesses, creates a standard operating definition for vulnerable communities, and extends the sunset date for the Climate Catalyst Revolving Fund. I want to thank our Sub 5 Chair for all of the efforts this year in making this possible and respectfully request an aye vote on AB 137.

Thank you, Assembly Member Gabriel. Mr. Floor Leader, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to AB 137. It fails to achieve administrative savings before enacting a fee increase. The trailer bill raises $49 million in fee increases by statute and the commissioner's office is using extreme authority to enact another 30 million of fee increases as well. In all, DFPI is raising fees by 80 million for existing workload as a revenue solution to a fiscal unsound financial problem. Respectfully ask for a no vote.

Thank you, Mr. Floor Leader. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Assembly Member Gabriel, do you wish to close?

Respectfully request an aye vote.

All debate having ceased, the 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. Clerk will close the roll.

Tally the votes Ayes 57 Noes 17. Senate amendments are concurred in without objection immediate transmittal to the Governor without reference to file Assembly Bill 143 by Assemblymember Gabriel. Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 143 by the Committee on Budget and App relating to Developmental Services and making an appropriation therefore to take effect immediately bear related to the budget.

Assemblymember Gabriel, you are recognized.

Thank you very much Speaker. Just since we are getting close to hand here, I do want to take a moment to acknowledge a lot of our Assembly Budget Committee. The incredibly hardworking staff have joined us in the the chamber.

So members as you exit today, if you can thank them, I know that they would appreciate the opportunity to be thanked for their hard work. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I am pleased to present AB143, our Developmental Services Trailer Bill which includes provisions intended to minimize adverse impacts for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities while implementing thoughtful reforms to produce General Fund savings.

This Bill includes changes to the self determination program based on feedback from individuals and families served by the program that are intended to protect and strengthen the program for future years.

The Bill also includes the Governor's proposal on new requirements for developmental service providers to earn quality incentives and accelerates the ending of the hold harmless policy by four months. Colleagues, we are the only state in the nation with an entitlement to developmental disability supports and services and as we face significant budget headwinds and unprecedented threats from Washington.

We have made tough choices to stretch our dollars and create programmatic efficiencies in ways that minimize harm. But we have also maintained our bedrock commitment to this important entitlement and continue to lead the nation in protecting and serving our IDD community. Because this Bill protects that community. I respectfully request your aye vote on AB143.

Thank you, Assembly Member Gabriel. Mr. Floor Leader, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to AB143. Sadly, this Bill balances a budget with cuts to programs are most vital to our most vulnerable and respectfully asked for no vote.

Thank you, Mr. Floor Leader. Assembly Member Jeff Gonzalez, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to this. This just doesn't go far enough. So many of friends, family, I get it. We're in a fiscal crisis. Got it. But let's talk about the person who has a trach and needs to get cleaned. Let's talk about the 2am calls to the emergency room.

Let's talk about the families who have multiple autistic kids. We need to keep going farther and protecting our most vulnerable our. I thank you for the steps, but these steps are not far enough.

I will continue to rise and continue to fight for more and more for this vulnerable population because it impacts the sons and daughters of California. I get where we're at, but it doesn't go far enough. So I rise in opposition.

Thank you, Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez. Seeing and hearing no further debate. Assemblymember Gabriel, do you wish to close?

Yes. Thank you very much. Thank you colleagues for the thoughtful conversation on the budget. And with that, respectfully request your aye vote on AB143.

Thank you, Assemblymember Gabriel. All debate having ceased, the 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. Clerk will close the roll tally. The votes Ayes 56, Noes 17. Senate Amendments are concurred in without objection, Immediate transmittal to the Governor.

Moving on to business on file items. On concurrence file item eight, we're going to pass and retain. That brings us to Assembly third reading. We have one item today on Assembly third greeting Members. Okay, we're going to pass retain on file items nine through 14. That's going to bring us to file item number 15.

AB 470 by Assembly Member McKinnor. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 470 by Assembly Member McKinnor, an act relating to communications and making an appropriation therefore.

Members, can I ask for decorum please? Assembly Member McKinnor, you are recognized.

Mr. Speaker and Members. Members, the January 2025 fires in Los Angeles County destroyed over 18,000 structures and forced the evacuation for over 150,000 people. No copper landline customers were able to receive a single emergency evacuation text alert as the fires raced towards them.

No copper landline customer whose home or business burned down or who were evacuated by the fires were able to use that technology to connect with their family members, neighbors, their insurance provider, or necessary emergency services. None.

Copper landline phones have served the public for generations but no longer meet the modern telecommunications needs of the 40 million people that call California home. Just as telecommunication needs are evolving, it is time for our telecommunication laws to evolve.

AB 470 creates a framework to facilitate the largest private investment in advanced fiber optic networks in the state history and to ensure that all California households will continue to be able to make affordable, reliable telephone calls and connect with emergency services when they need it. Members, customer demand is driving this technology evolution.

With less than 5% of California still using copper lines and most residents using either a wireless phone service or a fiber based VoIP phone service for telecommunication needs. That means 5% of Californians do not have a home phone. Members, AB 470 will change telecommunication in California and it would change it for the better.

A more connected, globally competitive economic economy is needed now more than ever in California. Let us not be limited by our reliance on obsolete technologies of the past. Let us look to the future and build a future that will keep all Californians connected. I want to thank the Speaker for leading negotiations that led to Rural County Representatives of California, the California State Association of Counties, and the Urban Counties Caucus to all remove their opposition.

I've also had productive conversations with our labor partners and look forward to continue conversations with labor, local governments, and the business communities to build on this important legislation. I am committed, Members, to making sure that labor will do the work on the build out of fiber in the underserved and economically disadvantaged areas of the State of California. And with that, I respectfully ask for your aye vote on AB 470 and request immediate transmittal to the State Senate. Thank you.

Thank you, Assembly Member McKinnor. Assembly Member Boerner, you are recognized.

Good morning, Mr. Speaker and Members. Today I rise in support of as Chair of Communications and Conveyance. I wanted to remind Members about the amount of work that went into this bill to strike a balance and move the policy forward. When this bill passed out of C&C the first go around, I believe our committee amendments put this bill on the right track.

We required process, we included guidelines, and we ensured that there would be a commitment to public benefits as part of the process. Since then, the author, the Speaker's staff, and the Committee staff have only continued to work with the opposition to make this an even better bill.

While I understand their concerns about Californians getting left behind in this transition, I believe we have strong guardrails in place to ensure that this does not happen and also procedures should it happen. Californians will continue to have access to multiple options under this bill. Some telephone corporations may get relief of their COLR obligations and the public will benefit. Moving forward, I know the author is committed to to working with our friends in the labor movement.

I know that they remain opposed right now, but I'm encouraged that they are now coming to the table with suggestions that I believe only make this bill more robust in ensuring a just transition. What I've said before is this transition away from copper networks to advanced telecommunications infrastructure is not happening because of this bill.

It is happening despite this bill. However, if we want to ensure the public and workers benefit, I continue to believe that legislation is necessary to ensure that we reach this goal. This bill can be a win win for all parties, and I'm confident there's a path forward towards that end.

There's absolutely more work that needs to be done in the Senate, but I am confident based on where this bill is today that it is worth moving forward and this bill and the work will continue. This is just the first House and we will have an opportunity to review the policy on concurrence. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.