Assembly Standing Committee on Appropriations

Good morning. Welcome to the July 16, 2025 Assembly Appropriations Committee hearing. We have 51 bills to consider this morning as part of our regular order hearing. Before we begin, I have a housekeeping note to cover. Assembly Member Arambula will be absent for today's hearing.

We encourage the public to provide written testimony before the hearing by visiting the Committee Website at apro.assembly.ca.gov Please note that any written testimony submitted to the Committee is considered public comment and may be read into the record or reprinted. The hearing room is open for attendance.

All are encouraged to watch the hearing from its live stream on the Assembly's website. We will accept public comment on any Bill placed on the suspense file by the Committee today and for which the author waived presentation before the close of the the regular order hearing.

Testimony on any such Bill will be limited to a statement of name, organization and position on the Bill. The Committee will allow no more than 40 minutes of testimony in total. As you came into the room today, sergeants directed your attention to the rules for public participation and attendance which were posted on the door.

I want to encourage everyone to behave here or you. I have the luxury to kick you out. That's basically what that is. Okay with that, I'd like to establish a quorum.

[Roll Call]

We have a quorum. Great. I'd like to dispense with the consent calendar. We will take up bills on the consent calendar in two different motions. The first motion is do pass to consent, which applies to bills that enjoy unanimous support in this Committee and are eligible for the Assembly floor. Consent calendar consistent with Assembly rules. Do have a motion for this so moved motion and a second.

[Roll Call]

That's out on an A roll call. The second motion. Do Pass applies to bills that also enjoy unanimous support in this Committee but are not eligible for the Assembly floor. Consent calendar consistent with Assembly rules. We have a motion on this. A motion and a second. Okay.

[Roll Call]

Okay. Do we have any authors here? No. Mr. Allen. Mr. Vontes. Okay, let's go on to the suspense calendar. So yeah.

[Suspense File]

Sorry the suspense calendar is deemed approved. We are waiting for Senator Cervantes and Alan. If anyone knows where they're at. Please come to the appropriations room and present your bills.

Hello Senator Cervantes, thank you for joining us. You are presenting SB 307. You can begin when you're ready.

Thank you Madam Chair. And good morning to Committee Members. Thank you for the opportunity to present Senate Bill 307 today which would require that the California State University implement additional precautionary measures for undocumented students who are subject to federal immigration activity.

In the event that an undocumented student is subjected to immigration enforcement activity, the institution must ensure that the student's absence or inability to satisfy academic requirements due to immigration enforcement activity does not affect their qualifications from exemption from paying non resident tuition.

The staff and the designated DREAMER resource liaison at the institution will assist undocumented students in accessing all available financial aid and academic resources.

Lastly, these precautions also include the establishment of a system wide policy that addresses course grade administrative withdrawals and re enrollment for undocumented students who are detained, deported or unable to attend classes due to actions taken by immigration enforcement activities. It also requires the Regents of the University of California to adopt similar measures.

California is home to the largest number of undocumented students enrolled in higher education, at 87,000 students. And every year, approximately 27,000 undocumented students graduate from our high schools. These challenges encompass not only employment and access to financial aid, but also the constant threat of deportation, which looms over their educational aspirations.

In an environment where the Current Federal Administration has committed to mass deportations, undocumented students face an urgent threat to their stability and safety. While all undocumented students individuals are at risk, those without DACA face even greater vulnerabilities.

Therefore, it is imperative that we take definitive and preemptive action to shield undocumented students from the fluctuating immigration policies that may jeopardize their academic pursuits and the relentless efforts they have invested in their education. By fostering a supportive and secure educational environment, we can help ensure that undocumented students can thrive and achieve their dreams.

That despite the challenges they encounter by securing continuity in their education. Respectfully asks for an aye vote.

Thank you, Senator. Do you have any witnesses, primary witnesses in support? Any additional folks in support? Please name, organization and position.

Hi. Buenos Dias. Good morning. Eric Paredes with the California Faculty Association in support and a proud sponsor of this Bill. Thank you.

Thank you. Any primary witnesses in opposition? Any additional folks in opposition? Okay, we'll bring it back to Committee. Any questions? We've got a question here by Assembly Member Elhawary.

I just wanted to thank the author. This is so important, so timely, given what's going on with the federal Administration. And being able to protect our community Members, especially our students and our undocumented students, means everything. So thank you.

Thank you. Any other questions, comments? Okay. Would you like to close? Senator, respectfully ask for your aye vote. Great. Thank you. That is out on AB roll call. Thank you. Senator Allen, you are up next. You are presenting SB413, and you can begin when you're ready.

There we go. All right. This Bill, SB413, seeks to streamline access to juvenile records in limited circumstances in order to speed up case resolution and reduce court congestion and costs. Currently, counsel representing plaintiffs child welfare agencies or probation departments in government claims and civil litigation are not able to access due juvenile court records without a petition.

This was all put in place for privacy reasons. But what ends up happening is that petitions end up requiring a lot of resources and time with costs borne by the taxpayers. The Bill would reduce litigation costs by significantly reducing the number of petitions being filed.

It includes safeguards for further dissemination of these case files to ensure that the records remain private, because that was our concern. As we entered this space. Thankfully, the Bill enjoys support not only from the government side county Los Angeles, who's the sponsor, but also the consumer attorneys and others that represent these young people.

So with me available to answer technical questions, if there are any, is Andy Liebenbaum, who's a legislative representative for the County of Los Angeles. This is ultimately about giving targeted access to juvenile case files. It would help to streamline claim resolution and reduce litigation costs while still ensuring privacy protections. And with that, I ask for an aye vote.

Great. Thank you. Any primary witnesses in support?

Ms. Liebenbaum's here.

Andy Liebenbaum from the County of LA, in strong support and sponsor of the Bill.

Great. Thank you. Any additional folks in the room wish to express support, any witnesses in opposition, primary or otherwise? Okay, we'll bring it back to Committee. We have a motion. Second. Second. Would you like to close?

Yes, ask for an aye vote

Great. That's out on the A roll call with mistakes and not voting. Thank you. Okay, now we will open it up to the public. If anyone in the public wishes to express any positions on any of the bills not presented to the Committee today, please step up to the plate. Great. Anything else? Okay, we're adjourned.