Assembly Floor

The Assembly is now in session. Assembly Member Wallace notices the absence of a quorum. Sergeant in Arms will prepare the chamber and bring in the absent Members. Clerk will call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Members of quorum is present. Quorum, please. Assembly Members Ward, you are recognized.

Members. Democratic caucus of the Members lounge right now.

Members, we will caucus for. We will be meeting for 15 minutes. We'll be. Excuse me. Suspending for 15 minutes on recess. We'll gavel back in in 15 minutes.

Members, we are back in session. We ask our guests and visitors in the rear of the chamber and in the gallery to please stand for today's prayer. Reverend Oshita will offer today's prayer. Reverend Oshita.

Please join me in a moment of reflection. We concluded our recent trip to Japan in the City of Kyoto. We were able to visit with a dear teacher and friend who impacted Bob's life nearly 60 years ago.

And being much younger, maybe 30 for me, we were quietly feeling our age and how quickly so many decades have passed. Later that day, Bob and I stepped into a small shop to escape the heat. We felt ourselves surrounded by beautiful things from another era.

We chatted with the owner about how much we enjoyed the traditional music of the Gion Summer festival that was concluding. Laughing, he told us that hearing that music only reminds him of the sweltering Kyoto summer heat. Bob then asked him, how long has his shop been here? It looked very well established, the owner said, Since 1603.

Then with a smile, he added, But I'm not 422 years old. He shared that he was the 17th generation of the Nakanishi family to operate their family business. While talking, he went online and found where we could order a CD of the unique Kyoto Summer festival music that he would never play.

It was a delightful meeting that gave us a fresh outlook on the passing of time and also on the responsibilities we have in life. Like Mr. Nakanishi, who is the 17th generation caretaker of his family's tradition, we are all momentary caretakers of a dream that has been unfolding for 249 years since 1776.

It is the dream of creating a nation with liberty and justice for all. A dream that has been a beacon of hope for oppressed people everywhere. Let us continue to try our best to keep this dream alive and the beacon that is America shining bright. 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. A similar Assemblymember Chen will lead us in the Pledge of allegiance.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker. Please put your right hand over your heart. Ready, Begin.

You may be seated.

To our guests and visitors today, state law prohibits persons in the gallery from interfering with legislative, business, legislative proceedings or disrupting the orderly conduct of official business. Persons disrupting legislative proceedings are subject to removal, arrest or other appropriate legal remedies. Members, I'd further like to state quorum please.

Further like to state that our House rules require us to follow Mason's Manual Sections 120 to 126 as it relates to words and tone we use in debating public policy on this floor. Mason Section 120 and 121state in part, freedom of speech involves obedience to all the rules of debate.

The language used by Members during debate should be temperate, decorous, respectful. No Member may indulge in personalities. No Member may impugn the motives of other Members or use indecent or profane language. Members, if you choose to stray from these rules, I will admonish you.

And if the violation continues, I will mute your mic and you will forfeit your time. We're going to be moving on to a vote stage. Point of order, Mr. Demaio.

Mr. Speaker, in reviewing the file for today, there are three pieces of legislation that are on the file that are in direct violation of the California State Constitution, rendering it impossible for this body to take up these items.

My point of order pertains to Senate Bill 280, which violates Article 21, Section 2G of the Constitution, which only permits an election on redistricting on the ones this matter, on the ones of every decade. The second Bill is ACA 8. The third Bill is AB 604.

Both of these bills violate section Article 21, section 2 G, which expressly prohibits the Legislature from taking any action on redistricting, as well as adopting any maps.

Finally, a point of order to Assembly Bill 604, which violates Article 21, Section 2E, which says, quote, districts shall not be drawn for purpose of favoring or discriminating against an incumbent political candidate or political party. It is my understanding that both the Governor and Members of the Legislature have said that they have partisan goals behind these maps.

For all three of these maps bills, I ask they be removed from the file immediately and that this body cease violating the state constitution.

Thank you, Mr. Demaio. It's a lot of information. If you give me just a moment, please. Thank you for your patience, Mr. Demaio. Your point of order is not well taken, Mr. Demaio. It's. Let me explain my ruling first, and then you are more than welcome to appeal.

All the measures that you've raised are properly before the House pursuant to the Constitution. Do you wish to. It's been moved and seconded to appeal the ruling of the Chair. Clerk will open the roll. The chair is asking you for an aye vote to sustain his ruling. Mr. Demaio is asking for a no vote.

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 58, nos. 18. The chair is sustained. Assistant Majority Leader Garcia, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we move the.

There is no item before so we will recognize you once we do that. Okay. We're going to be moving to a vote on the consent calendar at the request of the author. Items 151sb 482web or Pearson has been removed. Does any Member wish to remove an item from the consent calendar?

Seeing hearing none, the Clerk will read the second day consent calendar.

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 105 by Assemblymember Mckinnor and others relative to the music industry in California.

Clerk will open the roll. In the consent calendar. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. System. Majority Leader Garcia, you are recognized. Move the call. The call. Madam Majority Leader, you are recognized.

I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly. Rule 69B to adopt late amendments on ACA 8. Revisit with consent.

We're. We're going to dispense with one item at a time. I'm going to recognize leader Gallagher. Leader Gallagher.

Mr. Speaker, the Member moved the call. I don't believe there's. State your point of order, Mr. Gallagher. The Member moved the call. I don't believe there's anything before us.

The second day consent calendar that you yourself voted on. Okay, but what we're going to move on. I've made the ruling. This point of order is not well.

Taken point of parliamentary inquiry.

State your point, Mr. Gallagher.

We voted on the consent calendar. Correct? That's what approves it. So I'm confused by what is the.

Clerk did not close the role, Mr. Gallagher. Okay, Mr. Demaio, you're recognized.

I withhold consent from the motion.

Okay, Mr. Demaio has requested withholding consent on the majority leader's motion. We will now open the roll. Majority leader's motion. All Members vote who desire to vote. Majority leader is asking for an Aye vote. Mr. Demaio is asking for a no vote. Motion was seconded by Mr. Garcia. All Members vote who desire to vote.

All Members vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes 58. Noes 19. The motion carries.

Okay. Pursuant to Assembly Rule 69, the amendments were approved by the Committee Chair, and the bill has been amended, is out to print back on file. All other amendments on this item that were pending at the Assembly desk are no longer in order to, as they are not drafted to the current version of the measure.

Madam Majority Leader, you are again recognized for your procedural motions.

Thank you. I request unanimous consent to suspend the rules to allow Assemblymember Berman to take up ACA 8 revis, as amended, without reference to file for the purposes of adoption.

Has been moved and seconded by Mr. Garcia. Assemblymember Gallagher, you are recognized.

I will have my own motion after this motion is dispensed with.

Thank you, Mr. Gallagher. Assemblymember DeMaio, you were recognized. Withhold consent. Okay. With consent has been withheld. We will move to a vote. The Clerk will open the roll. All Members vote who desire to vote. Majority leaders asking for an Aye vote. Mr. Demaio 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. Tally the votes. Ayes 57, noes 20. The measure carries. Assemblymember Gallagher, you are recognized.

Yeah. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, being that this bill was ACA, was just amended. I respectfully request that we re refer ACA 8 and SB 280 to the Judiciary Committee so we can have further vetting of these measures.

Just a moment. Okay. Members, it has been moved and seconded. Moved by Assemblymember Gallagher. Seconded by Assemblymember Demaio. Clerk will open the roll. Mr. Demaio is asking for an Aye vote. Majority leader is asking for a no vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote.

Majority leader is asking for a no vote. Mr. Gallagher is asking for an Aye vote. Clerk will close the roll. Tallied votes Ayes 19, Noes. 58. Motion fails. Mr. Demaio, you are recognized.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I move that we immediately take up AJR 21. Independent Redistricting Commission. Constitutional amendment without regard to file.

There's been a motion to suspend the rules by Mr. DiMaio to suspend the constitution without reference to file. Seconded by Assemblymember Wallace. Clerk will open the roll. All Members vote who desire to vote. Majority leader is asking for a no vote. Mr. Demaio is asking for an Aye vote. All Members vote who desire to vote.

All Members vote who desire to. Clerk will close the roll tally. Votes Ayes 19, Noes. 58. Motion fails. Assemblymember Tangipa, you are recognized.

Thank you. I move to suspend the rules to. Allow ACA 15 to be taken up. Without reference to file. Prove you don't have a vested interest.

State your point. State your point. Assembly Member Ransom, point of order.

It seems that that is out of order. Mr. Speaker, I believe earlier when you gave instructions that our comments are not supposed to be directed at anyone's intellect.

Members, we are not in the portion of motions and resolutions. It is out of order overall to be making motions on items that are not before us. We have made a motion without reference to file to bring ACA 8 to the floor.

You may make points of order and motions on the items that are before this body and nothing more. Assembly Member Gallagher, you are recognized.

Again, point of parliamentary inquiry. I believe we were in motions and resolutions. That's why the Majority Leader was making motions. And the only place that you can make motions like the one that was just passed to bring ACA 8 to the floor is during motions and resolutions.

Now, albeit you haven't put it up there on the screen, which is curious to me, but the only place that we could ever do these kinds of motions is during motions and resolutions. So I find it unbelievable that you're saying we're not in motions and resolutions right now.

Your point of order is the unbelievability of this. Yes. State your point of order that we are actually in motions and resolutions.

Otherwise, just a moment. Mr. Gallerized majority leader could not have made her motion.

Mr. Gallagher, once the Majority Leader's motion was voted on and approved, and that was consent was withheld and we voted on it as a body, we are then in the portion where we are dealing with ACA 8. And we must first dispense with ACA 8 before we take up any other bills before this House.

Your point of order is not well taken. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Constitutional Amendment 8 by Assembly Member Reavis and others in accolades or redistricting.

Assemblymember Berman, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to present ACA 8. On behalf of Speaker Rivas, let me be crystal clear. We don't want this fight and we didn't choose this fight. But with our democracy on the line, we cannot and will not run away from this fight.

We're here today because President Trump and Republicans in Texas and other states are attempting to redraw congressional districts mid decade in an effort to rig the upcoming election. Just last night, the Texas House passed their plan to rig the 2026 election. Earlier yesterday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis demanded that his state is owed an extra congressional district.

Right now. And you know that Trump will do everything he can to fulfill this outrageous request. Americans and Californians deserve better. And ACA 8, the election rigging response act is our response to these undemocratic and un American power grabs. ACA 8 allows for the temporary use of voter approved Congressional district boundaries contained in AB604.

Unlike Texas, where Republican politicians ram through maps after assigning law enforcement to trail their Democrat colleagues, every movement.

Excuse me, Mr. Berman. By all means Assembly Member Patterson, stage point of order.

Yes. Hi the. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning.

State your point of order, sir.

Yes, we have been admonished for mentioning parties on.

Mr. Patterson, state your point of order. There's no explanation needed. What is the rule that is being violated?

Your rule that a person speaking may not mention political parties? I ask that the author no longer do that.

That is not a rule of this body. That is a rule of decorum. The issue with this particular measure is affects political parties. We're going to allow that today. What I spoke with earlier was simply that you should not impugn the motives of your colleagues. Mr. Berman, you may continue.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I was saying, unlike Texas, where Republican politicians ramp through maps after assigning law enforcement to trail their Democrat colleagues every movement. It is California voters who will have the final say whether or not these new district boundaries get used. Because here in California, we respect the will of the voters.

After the 2030 census, ACA 8 returns all congressional district line drawing powers back to the Citizens Redistricting Commission. In addition, ACA 8 calls on Congress to pass legislation and propose a constitutional amendment to the US Constitution to require the use of fair, independent and nonpartisan redistricting in every state across the country.

Now here are some of the arguments we'll hear from our colleagues from across the aisle today. First, this was decided by voters who were eligible to vote in 2010, and we don't need to revisit it. At least half of the voter registration file is totally new.

In 2025, over 10 million California voters who did not have the chance to vote on this and have their voices heard in 2010. Now you might be wondering, who does that include? We got a couple of people on the floor today. My Republican colleagues from TuLare and Clovis, my Democrat colleagues from San Jose and La.

None of them were old enough to vote on this in 2010 and I think they should get the chance to vote on it this year. They will claim that this costs too much money. First, there is no cost too high to save our democracy Second, the return on investment of this election is off the charts.

Something that would make the VCs in my district blush. Trump and his cronies have terrorized our communities. They have targeted our world class institutions trying to extract $1 billion from UCLA alone. They have decimated local economies. They've even extorted California grown businesses like Nvidia.

And I have not heard one complaint from any colleague from across the aisle to these actions that have cost California billions and billions of dollars. They'll argue that there's no urgency to act. Wake up. The crisis is here and our democracy is under attack.

President Trump is taking advice on our democracy from Vladimir Putin, someone who literally kills his political opponents. And he's not even trying to be quiet about this. He's bragging about this on national television as if it's something to be proud of.

This is the same guy who called elections officials in Georgia and demanded they find him 12,000 votes so he could win the state and stay in the White House. This is someone who earnestly talks about the possibility of. Of serving a third term as President of the United States.

And now realizing that its policies are terribly unpopular and that voters will have a chance to express their opposition next year, he's now trying to rig the election to inoculate himself from the will of the voters and hold on to power.

Now, this wouldn't be a problem if any Republican elected officials had a spine like the Georgia elections officials did in 2020. And to say, no, Mr. President, this is Un American, this is undemocratic, this is wrong, and we will not participate in your steamrolling of democracy.

But that Republican elected official no longer exists when it comes between standing up for your constituents, saving their health care, saving their food assistance, saving their fathers or daughters from being snatched off the streets by masked and unidentified thugs and flown to torture chambers in foreign countries, or basking in the orange glow of Mar a Lago Republican politicians in California don't give it a second thought.

They drop to their knees and they do whatever Donald Trump tells them to. There is currently no check on Trump in Washington, only sycophants who clap like seals at the circus. Please.

Summary. Member Gallagher, you were recognized.

The gentleman is, if I can call him a gentleman, is impugning the character of people on this floor, which you already admonished him, him and everyone in this room not to do. So maybe somebody will regulate. You know that.

Decorum Assembly Member Gallagher, your point is well taken. Members, please be careful in your speech not to impugn the Motives of other Members. Mr. Berman, you may continue.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is currently no. No check on Donald Trump in Washington, D.C. only people who do whatever he demands that they do. But not here, not in California. California is responding to this emergency by empowering our voters with transparency. With respect for our independent Commission, but with an unwavering will to act.

I respectfully request your aye vote on ACA 8.

Thank you, Assemblymember Berman. Assemblymember Lackey, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the privilege to share with you a very powerful perspective. What we're spending time on at this particular moment, to me, is a bit disappointing. I will tell you that right now, what this body needs is to build trust with its constituency. Polls have overwhelmingly indicated that there's a lack of trust.

And what we're considering on doing is feeding that lack of trust. You know, I had a very respected colleague that I spoke with just recently who told me that this is all political.

You can define it as you wish, but I can tell you, no matter what your position is on this thing, and we're going to be talking a lot about it, and there's going to be a lot of blah, blah, blah. But I'm telling you, when it comes down to it, does this enhance trust with our people?

We all admit that gerrymandering is controlled by people who have something to benefit. That is not what our people want. That's been very clearly stated by their vote. So why, no matter what the justification is, why would we engage in behavior that we know is considered unacceptable by those who elect us?

I would ask for you to please reflect on that because it's very meaningful. And I know that we can be distracted by a lot of influencers in this institution, a lot of people that we admire and respect. But when it comes down to it, it's a mirror that we have to respond to. Please think about that.

Please think about is what we're doing building trust with our constituency. I think you know what the answer to that is. When we engage in supporting gerrymandering, please resist it, and please think about what you're doing. Thank you.

Thank you, Assemblymember Lackey. Assemblymember Wallis, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I rise today in strong opposition to ACA 8 not simply because of what it does, but because of what it represents. ACA represents a tit for tat strategy. It's a reactive move that erodes our credibility, not just here at home, but on the national and international stage.

If we abandon the independent redistricting process that Californians created. We don't just lose a tool, we lose trust. Our citizens. Redistricting Commission was born from voter demand for fairness and transparency.

While drawing our current maps, the Commission held hundreds of public meetings, reviewed tens of thousands of comments, and drew maps that reflect people and communities, not politicians and their preferences. That's not just good governance, it's a model for the nation. Some point to Texas as a justification for this proposal. But California doesn't follow. We lead.

We don't mirror dysfunction. We set the standard. Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger called gerrymandering the cancer of politics. He championed the Commission because he believed in a system that puts voters first. That belief still matters. I urge you, no vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember. Assemblymember Lowenthal, you're recognized from the Majority Leader's desk.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I love you, dad. I've been deeply torn by the national redistricting debate that is engulfed California.

Beyond its vastly consequential political implications, this issue has profoundly impacted me personally because indelibly seared in my consciousness is the memory of my father working tirelessly over decades to create the independent redistricting system about which we now debate. By way of background, my dad, a community psychologist, was elected to the California State Assembly in 1998.

He ran for public office with the principal goals of restoring public trust in political institutions and ensuring that elected officials listened to their constituents. To effectuate those ideals, he believed that the independent redistricting system was necessary. So in 2002, on this very floor, he introduced a constitutional amendment, ACA 19, to create an independent redistricting Commission.

But his attempt received no support and it died. Undeterred, he reintroduced the independent redistricting Commission concept once again in the Assembly. But that effort, too failed. And then, in 2006, as a state Senator, he reintroduced the concept as SCA3. And for the first time ever, the concept of independent redistricting passed one of our bicameral bodies.

However, as described by Common Cause, quote, somewhere in the one minute walk from the Senate Clerk's office to the Assembly clerk's office, SCA3 was lost for just long enough to miss key deadlines to keep the Bill alive.

The SCA's failure was devastating, but my dad's unwavering effort paved the way for the electorate to adopt an independent redistricting Commission two years later. But his work did not end there. Upon going to Congress in 2012, the first piece of legislation he introduced was HR 2978.

The let the people draw the lines act, this legislation would have required that all states establish independent redistricting commissions. Tragically, the legislation was met by political headwinds and died.

But despite that, my dad pressed forward on his quixotic request to establish reform on a national level because he knew that a system in which some states had districts drawn independently and others don't was fundamentally unfair. Because Congress refused to hold a vote on his measures, he commenced advocating for reform in the courts.

In 2015, he led an amicus brief in support of Arizona's right to form an independent Commission. And then in 2017, he led an amicus brief in Gill v. Whitford, which he asked the Supreme Court to declare political gerrymandering to be unconstitutional.

Although the court did not do so, Justice Kagan, in an opinion by Justices Ginsburg, Breyer, and Sotomayor, cited my dad's brief writing, the congressional brief describes a cascade of negative results from excessive partisan gerrymandering, indifference to swing voters and their views, extreme political positioning designated to placate the party's base and and fend off primary challengers, the devaluing of negotiation and compromise, and the impossibility of reaching pragmatic.

Bipartisan solutions of the nation's problems. I vigorously agree with the evils of gerrymandering described in my dad's brief and cited by Justice Kagan. That notwithstanding, because Texas has now shamelessly affected the national balance of power, our nation's democracy is faced with the exigency of existential dimensions.

If unaddressed Texas actions, which occurred without the vote of its populace will disenfranchise Californians, and we must not allow Californians voices to be silenced. It is imperative that Californians have a voice in selecting the political party that controls Congress in 2026. The most fundamental concept in our democracy, upon which the collective value system is predicated, is fairness.

Californians vote in 2026. Our votes must be made on a level playing field. This constitutional amendment ensures that we have that balanced field. We must all continue to press Congress to create a national system that eliminates unconstrained political redistricting. But until that occurs, fair representation for Californians cannot exist without this measure.

So today I proudly join with my father, the architect of this Commission, in urging its temporary suspension. I respectfully ask for your Aye vote on ACA.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker and Members. I also stand in support of ACA8 colleagues. We are living through a dramatic and historic moment, a moment to stand up for a democracy. One that will shape our future.

For generations across the country, we have witnessed efforts to manipulate district lines, not to represent people, but to cling to power, to silence communities, and to steal representation. We saw this in Georgia, where three congressional seats were taken midterm through redistricting.

We see it again in Texas, where five seats were carved out at the request of President Trump, all without giving voters a voice. But here in California, we have chosen a different path. Not to steal, not to rig, not to silence. We have chosen to let the people decide, to let them vote on the California maps.

The California redistricting plan is about fairness. It's about trust. So when critics cry power grab, let us be clear. The plan is not a power grab. It is a power return, returning power back to the citizens of California. We did not start this fight. We did not force this issue.

It was forced upon us by a President who has threatened, cheated, and tried to steal congressional seats to cling to power. Do not waste your breath scolding those of us who refused to roll over for partisan maps that divide our communities a bully.

And yes, our President acts as one, uses power to intimidate, to harm, and to cheat. He has shown a pattern of refusing to accept the results of free and fair elections in 2020. He falsely claimed victory. When he does not get what he wants, he shouts, he insults, and lashes out like a spoiled child.

If you claim to care about justice and fairness, then answer this. Where is your outrage when states silence voters by carving up districts for partisan gain? Where is your outrage when working families, seniors, veterans, and marginalized communities are pushed to the sidelines?

And as they will be with the President's new Executive order just this week to prohibit mail in ballots, my colleague from San Diego says actions speak louder than words. On this point, we agree. California's action is clear. We are showing the nation how to rise above partisan bickering and to stand for democracy.

We are showing that the people, not the politicians, should choose their representatives. We will not stand idly by as a bully screams and threatens. We will fight every step of the way to protect our democracy. Why? Because this is what our nation was founded on.

History will remember that when democracy was tested and California chose fairness, transparency, and the people's voice. You can whine and complain or you can stand with democracy, but you cannot do both. As President Lincoln reminded us, elections belong to the people. It's their decision.

As Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time. And as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Taught us, the Time is always right to do what is right. Today, California is drawing a line in the sand.

We are standing boldly with the people and today I ask for your support for ACA 8.

Thank you, Assemblymember Quirk-Silva. Assemblymember Ta. You, you are recognized.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to ACA A. ACA A seek to destroy democracy and violating California constitution. I think you all heard about my personal story. I left the country in 1982 at the age of 19 and I came here with my family for freedom. And until today, the country that I. Left.

More than 30 years ago doesn't have any fair election. The country had been ruled by one party and that party, they make their own laws and they been violated. All lost over time. And it hooked me and my family and my community for what happening here in California.

I still remember two and a half years ago when I took an old office with all of you, my first office here. We are blessed that we follow California State institution. I understand a lot of you have different opinions from the current federal Administration and other states. However, what did we have in our office?

We may have different opinions, different ideas, but at the end of the day we have one goal, to serve the people in California.

California has been very proud of independent citizen commission for the last 15 years. And for the last several days we have built about election and we didn't have even 30 days for community inputs. That is outrageous, unbelievable. A lot of residents and community members in my district, they've been calling me.

They feel they really frustrated, they didn't know what to do. They asked me what is going on here. And you all know that in my Assembly District, heavily, heavily immigrant communities and a lot of us, we came here for freedom. So we really honor the fairness because the country that we left has no fair election whatsoever.

So I urge you, I urge you all to listen to the will of the people that the people that we've been serving. Why do we need to follow other state? We elected by the people who live in California. We are elected by the people of California.

30 seconds.

With that I ask you to have a no vote on ACA 8.

Thank you, Assembly Member Ta. Assembly Member Zbur, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I rise today to express my full throated support for ACA 8. Members, we must act today with an unfaltering commitment to our democracy. Let's be clear, today we are responding to a serious emergency for our country. Today's vote is an act of patriotism.

The vote today is about protecting health care for millions of our people. It's about making people feel safe again. All our people feeling safe again instead of fearing that they'll be snatched off the street with no warning. It's about protecting reproductive choice and safeguarding our planet.

And it's about standing up and fighting an unprecedented and exigent march towards dictatorship. You know, my dad fought for this country in the Korean War. He fought and had rheumatic fever and spent his life with health care issues because of that and died an early death.

He enlisted in the Air Force because of his love for our country and his love for our democracy. He would be turning in his grave if he understood what Donald Trump was doing today. When I look into my kids eyes and hopefully my grandkids eyes in the future, I don't want to regret that we didn't fight hard enough for them.

I want them to know that today was an important day for our country, an important day for our democracy, an important day for the United States of America that we love so much. I want them to know that we fought for them. We fought for their future.

We did everything in our power to assure that they could live in a democracy in the same way that we have lived in a democracy for over 250 years that we fought for our family, we fought for freedom.

We must give the next generation and the generation after that the same benefits of our democracy that we have had. So, on behalf of my father, of my kids, my future grandkids, of all of our kids, of all of our future grandkids, I respectfully ask for an aye vote on ACA 8.

Thank you, Assembly Member Zbur. Leader Gallagher, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I want to start by saying I thank your father for his righteous fight. And they culminated in the vote of the people that created our Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission. And it's in that spirit that I really want to encourage everybody that we should stick with that. And I want to start by saying what this is not about. It is not about Texas.

And actually, you all just conceded that by your vote this morning when you amended ACA 8 to take out Texas as a condition. And that this bill that you are voting on right now doesn't have Texas as a condition and commits California to going back to gerrymandering.

And you should really think twice before you go ahead and, and do that today. It's about power, we know that. iI's about power on both sides, rigging congressional districts to get partisan results. That's what a gerrymander is. Now, the Governor says it's about fighting fire with fire.

And what I want to submit to you all today is that fighting fire with fire is the problem. It's not the solution. President Trump is fighting fire with fire. He saw how government was weaponized against him with the Democratic majority in Washington, D.C. in his first term.

He saw how states like Illinois and Massachusetts, Hawaii, have severely gerrymandered their congressional districts in ways that ensure more Democratic members are elected. And he seeks to do the same thing in Texas. He is wrong to do so. Let me repeat again, he is wrong to do so. Gavin is fighting fire with fire.

So now he's pushing this redistricting plan, this Gavin-mander, illegally against the Constitution, as we pointed out time and time again in the Committee hearing. Well, the one Committee hearing we had on policy grounds. He's violating the Constitution and the clear will of the voters who've already spoken twice.

We really don't need to ask them a third time, guys. Twice they told us they want independent redistricting, fair representation. But where does it end? You move forward today and you have the power to do so. You can do that. And Gavin can move forward. He's the Governor. He has the power. Greg Abbott has the power in Texas.

You move forward, fighting fire with fire. What happens? You burn it all down. And in this case, it affects our most fundamental American principle, representation. Wasn't that the battle cry of our founding forebears? No taxation without representation. But the people's right to representation is exactly what will be sacrificed when we continue down this road.

When after you do it, Missouri does it, or Indiana does it, Colorado's talking about doing it. At the end of that, the parties will determine who represents, and the people will be powerless to elect their own representatives. And we've already seen evidence of that in how some of these districts are proposed to be drawn.

There's really only one way to stop it. Someone has to refrain from striking back and show a better way. And with that, I would like permission to read some very wise words that.

Without objection? Without objection.

You have heard it said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

30 seconds.

You have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be the sons of your Father who is in heaven.

For he makes the sun rise on the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust. You therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Today I'm submitting to you. Let us turn the other cheek. Let us show the better way.

What more powerful statement will we have if Republicans and Democrats together said, enough is enough? We're not going to do this. And Texas, you shouldn't do it either.

Thank you, Leader Gallagher.

One last point. I'm sorry. Our democracy will persist as long as we fight back. And if there is one weakness that we have right now in our republic is that legislators are not standing up to executives of their own party.

Thank you, Leader Gallagher.

And that's what we need to do today.

Thank you, Leader Gallagher. Assembly Member Carrillo, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members, I rise in support of ACA 8. This is a rough position that our country and our democracy is in these days.

Leaders in this sea and across the country have time and time again proven that they are willing to bend, stretch, and outright break the law if it means they are gaining more power. They are unashamedly trying to change the rules in the middle of the game, undermine our institutions, and chess flat cheat because they know that is what it will take for them to have a chance to win. I urge you to support this measure, to give our constituents and our state a chance to fight with even odds.

If at halftime, one team decides they're going to play the second half with 15 players instead of 11, we can disagree and cry foul all we want. But if we play the second half by the same old rules with 11 players, we put our team and the people we're playing for at a huge disadvantage. And for what? Pride?

Principle? No Members. There is far too much at stake. They have made that painfully clear. Obviously, all of us on this floor would rather not be spending our time on this issue. There is certainly no shortage of pressing issues our constituents need us to address. But the unfortunate reality is that this President has manufactured this issue.

And I would argue that there is no issue more pressing than ensuring Californians get the opportunity to play by the same rules as the rest of the country, even if we don't like what those rules are. Members, I urge you, aye vote on ACA 8. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members, I rise today in strong support of ACA 8, the map that leads to you. Because this is not just about redistricting. It is about the survival of our democracy. I was born in Mcallen, Texas, where voter suppression wasn't theory, it was reality. I saw neighbors turned away at the polls.

I saw families silenced. I saw entire communities erased from the map. As a Latino, I know exactly what it looks like when politicians draw racist maps to hold power, when they decide some voices count and others do not. That memory never leaves you.

And now I see Trump and his allies running the same playbook across Texas, across Florida, across this country. They cannot win on ideas. They cannot win on compassion. They cannot win on the merits. So what do they do? They change the rules. They rig the lines.

And as our Texas Democratic colleagues said yesterday, they shield their racism with their party line. That is not patriotism. That is oppression with a ballot in its hand. This is an emergency. Trump has already shown us the length he will go.

He sent ICE agents to the schools where our children learn, the churches we pray, the fields where we work, to intimidate, to divide, and to silence dissent. He weaponized fear against immigrant families because he knows cruelty is cheaper than compassion. He tore families apart not to keep our country safe, but to score political points. California protects families, we do not divide them.

And look at health care. Trump's big ugly bill ripped $900 billion out of Medicaid just to line the pockets of the wealthy few. That is not reform. That is robbery. It threatens coverage for 3 million Californians, puts our seniors at risk, and sends rural hospitals to their graves.

Seniors, children, working families left with nothing. That's not policy, that is punishment. This is life and death. And yet, while they strip our people of health care, while they weaponize immigration raids, while they tilt the scales of democracy, what they fear most is not us. What they fear most is the people. This is why ACA matters.

This measure does not force maps on anyone. It gives California a choice and lets the people hold the pen and draw their future. So I ask, why are Republicans so afraid of the people? Why are they so afraid of democracy itself? Every state in America should have independent redistricting. Every voter should have a choice.

But until they do, California cannot and will not play by rigged rules. If Texas wants to carve up districts to keep their wannabe dictator in power, we will not bow. If Florida wants to silence voters of color, we will not sit quietly. Because when democracy is attacked, silence is surrender.

And California has never been and will never be a state that surrenders. California will fight back. Because this is not just about the maps, this is about dignity. This is about whether a Latino child in Texas, a black family in Florida, or an immigrant community in California has a voice in their own democracy.

Members, history is watching. Our communities are watching. And they will remember not just what we said in this chamber, but whether we had the courage to act. ACA 8 is that act. It's not just a bill. It's a shield. A shield against racist maps, a shield against voter suppression, a shield for democracy itself. It's not just a policy.

It's a promise. A promise that democracy in California will not be dictated by the hand of tyranny, but written by the will of the people. I did not come to this floor, like many of you, with a polite request. I came with a call. A call to conscience, a call to courage, and a call to history.

Democrats fight to survive. Republicans fight to dominate. And when you fight to dominate, you stop at nothing. You cheat, you rig, you kill democracy in the process. Because democracy may bend, but here in California, it will not break. Not on our watch, not on this floor, not in this state. [Spanish] I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. I rise today on behalf of the beautiful people of 8018 of Oakland, Alameda and Emeryville. And as a proud co author of ACA 8, which would allow each and every Californian the opportunity to weigh in on our very future.

The President and the congressional majority have been so focused on implementing the deeply unpopular policies of Project 2025 that they forgot about the will and needs of the people that they serve. Since the policies of the Federal Administration and that majority are so incredibly unpopular, they decided they needed to rewrite the rules to win.

From Texas to Florida to Indiana, this Administration is pressuring governors to create new red districts to silence Americans nationwide. ACA 8 is a direct response to the life threatening policies that Trump and this majority Congress have taken. And this ACA 8 is our opportunity, the people's opportunity to empower Californians to neutralize that threat.

Californians are witnessing for the firsthand the very devastating effects of this President. See, that's why we must treat this like the emergency that it is now. Illness and suffering have no party preference. And the lives of people in these districts are our collective responsibility.

So I want to remind you, as chair of the Assembly Health Committee, what is at stake. Just this week, our Committee has gotten to hear from the public, from our agencies, from health care facilities across the state, from our advocates, what HR1, Trump's big ugly bill will have, what kind of impact that will have.

How it will ensure that $900 billion in Medicaid funding to pay for tax breaks for the ultra wealthy. How these tax cuts will take care of out of reach, take care out of reach of many of our seniors, children and families. How over 3 million Californians could lose their medical coverage under the new Republican provisions passed.

How over 100 Planned Parenthood clinics across the state may be forced to close their doors, robbing 22,000 people a month, a month, of reproductive care, STI testing, cancer screenings, of women's health care, and put out of reach for decades, for the first time, over 1 million Californians who rely on those services annually.

Let's be reminded of the fact that our hospitals, our rural hospitals as well, Kern Valley Healthcare District, Oroville Hospital, Fairchild Medical Center, and the countless other health care facilities that are scraping by as the Trump cuts away at crucial funding for them.

How this impacts every single one of our health care systems, decimating our ability to provide care for millions of Californians. So when we talk about what is at stake today, what is at stake is the very lives of our constituents. We cannot be mistaken about that.

So today we must ensure that every Californian has the ability to be protected to be represented in Congress and to continue to stand up against the attacks on our democracy wherever they may rise.

And I just have to say this as a woman, the never ending executive orders, the insistence on basically taking us back to a time when women have no voice, when our people have not the ability to love who they want to love and marry who they want to marry, and have that be recognized and be able to have the care that they need, whether that be abortion care or basic health care.

That is the world that this majority Congress is trying to turn us back to. And I absolutely refuse to stand here on this green carpet and let Congress and this Trump Administration do that to us, do that to Californians, do that to this country. So make no mistake. We are taking these actions because we are in unprecedented times.

30 seconds.

Absolutely. And we must take protective action. With that, I respectfully ask for your aye vote on ACA 8.

Thank you, Assembly Member Bonta. Assembly Member Demaio, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Gavin Newsom's corrupt redistricting scheme is worse than snake oil. It's arsenic to our democracy. You stand here, he's out there pontificating that in order to save democracy, we must destroy it. In order to empower the people, we must silence them and strip power from the Citizens Redistricting Committee.

No one is going to fall for this. The voters want citizens to draw the lines, not politicians. You sit here and say, let the voters decide. They have already decided in 2010 over your objection, over the political class's objection. They gathered signatures and they put an initiative on the ballot that said, enough is enough. No more gerrymandering.

They saw the ill that gerrymandering represents to our democracy. They saw the corruption. They saw the lack of transparency. They saw the bribery, the vote rigging, politicians carving out communities, silencing voices. And they said, enough. No more gerrymandering. In California, our voters are just, well, they're more advanced than other states voters.

They got it right a lot earlier. They gave us a gold standard in the Citizens Redistricting Commission. And what you're doing is saying, no, we don't care what they said in 2010. We are not listening to them.

What they voted for, to strip this body of the power that you are now apparently exercising in violation of the state constitution. The fact that we're even talking about redistricting on this floor today is a violation of the oath to uphold the state constitution.

The fact that we're voting on a map today purportedly drawn up by the Legislature. It's in violation of Article 21. You don't possess the authority to to do this. The voters already decided and took you out of the process. But here we are today.

Here we are today violating the state constitution by even voting on these three items. You know what we've witnessed in the last three weeks? This circus, is exactly underscoring the wisdom of the voters in 2010.

Let me go through the differences between what they created with the independent citizen redistricting Commission and what all of you have shown you're capable of in the last three weeks. Citizens draw the map under the citizens redistricting process. Under this process, politicians are manipulating the lines.

Under the Redistricting Commission that the citizens created, all of their meetings are open meetings. Under their rules, the commissioners are barred from having any conversation ex parte. You lawyers in the room know what that means. You're not allowed to take proposals or talk about lines or draw maps.

All the map drawing occurs in real time on camera, in open session. We know that these maps were drawn behind closed doors by a bunch of political consultants and yet none of you are willing to put your names or reveal the names of who drew the maps. The Citizens Commission has to do it on a nonpartisan basis.

You are openly admitting you're doing it for partisan advantage. Citizens on the...

Assembly Member Demaio. Assembly Member Demaio, you're out of order. Please do not impugn the motives of Members. Thank you.

Citizens on the Redistricting Commission are barred for 10 years for seeking, from seeking any election, county, state or federal. We know that legislators that are involved in this process are actively preparing campaigns to run for these districts. The citizens process created competitive districts where voters voices are paramount and determine the outcome of the election.

The maps that you're trying to impose are not competitive. And in fact, you take rural voters and you shove them in with urban voters to dilute their voice. How undemocratic. You want to talk about stripping people of of their voice?

I heard my colleague from Los Angeles and many of you say we're doing this to protect health care.

30 seconds.

We're doing this because California is losing money. I wish you fought harder to solve the problems of this state as hard as you're fighting for some of these congressional districts for yourself and your colleagues.

I wish you would fight to actually solve real problems happening here in California that actually matters. Look, the voters are ultimately going to be forced to decide this again. I think that once they understand what's going on, they will vote you down. Now I know you're trying your hardest with a dishonest ballot title.

Thank you, Assembly Member.

To deprive them of a fair election.

Assembly Member Demaio. Thank you, Assembly Member.

Assembly Member Schultz, state your point of order.

Yes, I would strongly encourage my colleague to adhere to the rules of this body. I have a copy of those rules if you'd like to read it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Assembly Member Schultz. Point is well taken. Assembly Member Bryan, you are recognized.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, I rise in strong support of ACA 8. And like at least 2/3 of you in this room, I read the Constitutional amendment which makes it very clear that we are not approving any maps in this body. We are giving the voters the decision. Something that isn't happening in Texas.

And even doing that was something we had to debate fiercely. California's responsibility to Californians and Californians who responsibility to this country. We didn't want to be in this situation. The authoritarian in the White House put us in this situation when he used House Republicans in Texas to disenfranchise vulnerable people. After those maps in Texas are approved.

A Latino voice in Texas is worth one third of the representation as a white voice. A black voter in Texas is worth one fifth of the representation of a white voter in Texas. I didn't say three fifths. There was no compromise. I said one fifth.

That is the kind of gerrymandering, that is the kind of theft that they are perpetuating. And we can't just sit by and let it happen. We won't just sit by and let it happen, but that doesn't mean we lose ourselves.

That's why when I was chair of the Elections Committee, I authored an update to the Fair Maps act that prevented incumbency from being a consideration in map drawing. And every single Republican on this floor voted against it.

That's why I authored legislation calling for independent redistricting commissions on school boards and counties and special districts all throughout the state. And every Republican in this House voted against it. How convenient to switch your tone when you are now on the line.

When we are stepping up and speaking the way Californians deserve for us to stand up and fight because we are tired of being the punching bag of this country. When we freely give. When North Carolina is on fire, we show up. When a hurricane hits Florida, we show up. When Texas is flooding, we show up.

We don't wait for Canada and Mexico to show up first like Texas did, supporting Los Angeles this year. We come immediately. When we pay $80 billion more in federal taxes than we get back, we don't complain. We know our role is to support others.

And when the biggest disaster to ever hit our state hits and we ask for a portion of our own dollars back and you withhold it. We have to change our tone. We have to step up because your silence is deafening.

When they took health care and food and veterans assistance and they made it harder for students to go to college and they put trillions of dollars in national debt and you said nothing that forced us to step into the void.

When they held our number one public University hostage for $1.0 billion of California tax dollars and you have said nothing. We had to step into that void.

You talk about fighting fire with fire and how we shouldn't do that while simultaneously a Member of your own caucus just yesterday asked the Department of Justice and Pam Biondi to investigate us criminally. I took that personally that you didn't say anything. We are not just going to sit by and let our democracy crumble here in California.

We're standing on business. And I respectfully ask for your Aye vote Assemblymember Bryan.

Assemblymember Gipson, you are recognized.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. That was a mic drop. I wasn't going to say anything, but two of my colleagues just said something about being silent that caused me to reflect on what I said on this floor over the 11 years that I've been on this floor.

And let me just say and just repeat what I said since I've been on this green carpet from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Life begins in Life begins the moment you start being silent about the things that matter. In the end, you will not remember the words of your enemies but the silence of your friends.

So being on this floor today, I cannot sit by and be silent on the things that matter. This is a defining moment in history in California.

So I know we referenced our Governor multiple times on this floor, but I am proud of Gavin Newsom, who had the courage to stand up and be bold when a lot of governors refuse to stand up and be bold to stand up and let California to stand up and be bold and be courageous in this moment, saving democracy.

Understand this, that our democracy in the United States is on life support right now. And it takes courage, courage to stand up and be counted. We are in a defining moment in America and I am so proud to be a Member of the California State Legislature right now that no other state is standing up and being counted.

When this President, I am embarrassed. I am embarrassed to even call him President. Picking on the most vulnerable people among us, sending in ICE agents to snatch our students wearing masks. That's what happened in third world countries. How can we not stand up and do what we're doing?

It's About a third term doing something that no other President dared to do. It's about taking back. It's about changing the Constitution of the United States of America. And make no mistake about it, they didn't hide what they were trying to do. Right now. It's about Project 2025.

And it's been said time and time again, if California do not do this, we are just handing over the Constitution of the United States of America. And it started with the the United States Supreme Court. It is about our human rights.

So to my colleague who's not here, who talks about the phone calls that he received, and it's about him coming to this country, what is about the little old ladies who fought in the 60s and the 50s in order to get human rights, civil rights, women's rights, LGBTQ rights in this country, who can right now be taken away from us in this country, in the United States of America.

It's about the next generation that we may not even have any black people serving in office to have representation. It's about 10 African American Members of Congress that could be wiped away in Congress if we don't stand up and be counted. And California stands in the way of that happening. So we cannot afford not to do anything.

So I'm proud of Speaker Revis standing up and being counted and being bold and being in this time, making sure that California is counted. It's about making sure that we stand in the way of this man and his power. So yes, it's about ACA 8.

It's about us walking out of this room today and holding our head up high for the next generation.

30 seconds.

We can make a difference, and we shall make a difference. Making sure that we save the democracy for not only for the next generations who will sit in this seat, stand on this floor, but it's about our grandchildren and the legacy that we will leave behind.

So I'm asking for the 54 courageous Democrats because we already know what the other side won't do with a strong Aye vote, give.

Assemblymember Gipson, Assemblymember Dixon, you are recognized.

Well, a lot has been said. It's been a very emotional morning, I think to bring the temperature down. I'm struck by what we're trying to do today with Acaid and I respectfully am opposed to it. A lot of things I was going to say have already been said.

Just to remind everyone, the independent and thanks to your father, Mr. Speaker, the best words were said about the Independence of a citizen driven Committee to decide to draw the lines of the vote.

So all this talk today about democracy does not do honor to Congressman or State Senator Lowenthal and Congressman Lowenthal, who fought for the rights of the people to have a voice in our democracy. What strikes me is yesterday, if I may read a portion of an editorial on the Wall Street Journal, Mr. Speaker.

Without objection.

I'm a real practical, pragmatic person, so I'm seeing where problems happen and how we can fix problems. So the super majority in this Legislature is speaking loud, in loud terms, often rude, about democracy. You have democracy in your hands. You are in the super majority.

It's the minority that is concerned about democracy and the signs of a lack of democracy. When commissions are being ignored, the voters are being ignored, the people are being ignored, the people who want their voices heard in an independent way. Yesterday's Wall Street Journal said, and I quote, the real House. This is the House of Representatives, Congress.

We were just making reference to Democratic nightmare. This is all about numbers. Democrats could lose 10 seats in 2030 because voters are fleeing the blue states. Remind us all, California is a blue state. So let me give you the numbers. Start with the numbers. Between 2020 and 2024, California lost 1.4 million people. And where did they go?

They may have gone to Kansas. That is larger than the population of Kansas have left California. And that resulted in 2020 in the loss of four congressional seats in California. So you're fighting, the super majority is fighting to protect seats that you think are going away. You've already lost them. Why did you already lose those four seats?

And why are you continuing? Why is the other party continuing? Why is California losing population? Why is that affecting California? And the projection is in 2030, California will lose four more seats. Why? And also an additional fact I did not know, between 2020 and 2024, California's population under the age of 18 shrank by 523,000 people.

We have to ask ourselves, why are people leaving California? It's because of laws that have been enacted in this state in the last 15 years that have driven out business, that driven out people for reasons related to education, the quality of education, quality of safety in our communities. They have left the state.

They're going to other states which, whether it's Texas, whether it's Ohio, whether it's Florida, whether it's Nevada, they're going to other states because they do not like the policies that are coming out of this state.

So until California and its representatives in this body begin to realize what is not connecting with the laws that are being passed and the People, the voters of California, all this histrionics today. All this. The sky is falling. Chicken Little. Democracy is failing.

30 seconds.

Democracy is being saved by people who realize it's not being represented by the super majorities that have been holding power in this state for the last 10 or 15 years. Look at our policy. But we can find $250 million for a special election when health care, when community safety prospect, Prop 36, wildfire management out of the budget.

But $250 million magically appears to protect democracy. Democracy starts here. Keep people in California, keep our businesses in California, keep our families in California. And you know what? You'll have more votes probably, and more congressional representation.

Thank you, Assemblymember Dixon. Thank you very much. Assemblymember Jackson, you are recognized.

Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker. Permission to have a Prop.

Mr. Jackson, we are not going to allow props today.

Not a problem. Mr. Speaker. I wanted to rise because it's hard to have a thorough discussion or debate in which today has been a very good debate. When we talk about the role of democracy, it simply cannot happen without a real consideration and a real review. Of.

Our U.S. constitution and the Federalist Papers themselves to understand the real wisdom of our founders and just how much thought they put into all the different checks and balances that were necessary to ensure that this democracy can hold.

And one of those things is found in the Federalist Papers number 10, where Madison specifically talks about the roles of the state. And over 200 years ago, Madison said that there will be a time. Where. A fractious leader will emerge and that fractious leader will begin to do things to consolidate power.

There will be a time when the Executive and the legislative and the judiciary fail their constitutional responsibility to properly provide a check and balance. So Madison says, therefore is now up to the states to provide yet another stopgap to begin to hold on to slow down this fractious movement until the next election cycle.

So there is something special that we are doing today. There is something very constitutional that we are doing today to ensure that we do our part of having the most fair election process as possible given the circumstances of the nation.

And then in the Federalist Papers number 16, Hamilton says that at the end of the day, when our three branches of government may fail, even the actions of states may fail. But Hamilton says something beautiful. He says when it all else fails, that the number one protector of our democracy he calls the natural guardians.

And those natural guardians are the people themselves.

And so an Assembly constitutional amendment says the Legislature has a recommendation for you natural guardians that we believe is important enough for you to consider. But at the end of the day, this democracy is not ours. We are only your representatives.

At the end of the day, the democracy and the preservation of this democracy lies in your hands. 30 seconds. Therefore, there's nothing more democratic, there is nothing more constitutional, there is nothing that fulfills both the letter and the spirit of our democracy than to allow the people of California to make the final say.

I respectfully asked for an aye vote.

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

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. There have been many powerful, logical, cogent arguments made today. And so I hope my humble comments can just add a little bit.

I would like to direct my comments to those Democratic advocates in our state who are questioning whether this is the right move for us to make, who are wondering whether this political effort to counter Texas is the appropriate thing.

But I'd like to say to them, let's put this moment in national perspective, let's put it in global perspective, let's put it in historical perspective, and that is that there's always been a fundamental question, how do you transfer power? How do governments transfer power?

And it can be done by violent brute force, or it can be done by democratic actions. And our founding fathers, to their great credit, and I wish there were mothers there also, right, they sent us down on a path where we transfer power peacefully by following certain democratic rules and norms as we move on.

And following those rules has been essential for us as we move. But today, in the world, in this country and in the world, we have autocrats that are desperately trying to consolidate their power by weakening democracy, by changing the rules of the game.

And so to my friends out there that are questioning whether this is the right move, I want to say autocrats are counting on you to stand by and say, you know, I like the old rules. I want to play by the old rules. I don't like the new rules.

And they're counting on you to do that while they consolidate power with their new rules. And it's a false scenario to say that we can defeat that, that we can win by holding onto the old rules while somebody consolidates power.

A few decades ago, Russians had democracy, but Russians lost that democracy as autocrats and the oligarchs consolidated power. They only have to get enough to be at a tipping point. And now, today, and I want to compliment my colleague across the aisle who admitted that what Texas is doing is wrong. I really Admire that.

But turning the other cheek is not the way to fight this particular situation. Russians turn the other cheek, and they no longer have the ability to fight back. Today, Texas is changing the rules in a way that weakens California's ability to have input on who controls the vast powers of the Federal Government.

If Californians don't take this opportunity to block Texas's action, we come one step closer to losing our ability to block the autocrats and the oligarchs out there.

We come one step closer to becoming a country dominated by those oligarchs, and one step closer to letting intimidation and deceit and false outrage that's paid for by the oligarchs with media outlets that put daily false outrage that appeals and confuses the voters of the United States.

And we come one step closer to that kind of society if we don't take this very important step to counter this. Because once you lose, once you cross that critical threshold, you may never be able to go back to what we had.

So, to my dear friends that are out there that have contacted me and say, I don't know, I hope you will remember and keep in mind the historical moment that this is here today. Thank you very much. I'll concede my 30 seconds and respectfully ask for the aye vote on ACA. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bennett. Members, the drilling that you hear is not inside your head. It's actually taking place in the construction. I want to remind all Members that is not picked up on your microphones. Please continue. Assemblymember Elhawary, you are recognized.

Good morning, Mr. Speaker and Members. I rise in support of ACA 8 because the only reason we're here today is Donald Trump. And Republicans are terrified of voters. They know people aren't buying their lies, so they're trying to rig the rules and cheat the game at the same time. Trump has weaponized immigration to create fear.

And what did Republicans in Washington do? They responded by giving ICE more money to tear even more families apart. In my district, that means neighbors who are being racially profiled American citizens who are picked up by federal agents just for the color of their skin. It means families who are too scared to leave their homes.

Families like my own, my Guatemalan mother and my Mexican stepfather, both American citizens who are afraid to leave their home because this is not about democracy. It's about intimidation and it's unconstitutional. And now Trump is repeating some of the ugliest times in our nation's history. He wants a census that excludes undocumented immigrants.

The same way they tried to ensure that enslaved people were not fully counted back when they first created the Constitution. And as if that were not enough, he's also pushing to cancel mail in ballots, silencing millions of voters who depend on their right to vote.

To those on the other side, explain how silencing voters is the same thing as protecting them. Or is it just about protecting your power at the federal level? So when Republicans stand up here talking about transparency or protecting voters, don't be fooled. The truth is, the crisis started in a Republican state.

Texas lit a match, and California is simply leveling the playing field instead of waiting until Abbott and Trump burn our own house down. ACA 8 does not give us an advantage. It gives us fairness. And let's not forget, this is going to to the voters.

So if you are opposing this, you are siding with hypocrisy and voter suppression because you want to talk about what's unconstitutional. You only want to talk about what's unconstitutional when it comes to what you believe is happening in California. But when it's the United States of America, you're okay with Trump mandering and Trump pandering.

I urge an aye vote.

Thank you. Thank you, Assemblymember Elhawary. Assemblymember Gabriel, you are recognized.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, colleagues, I rise today with sadness and also with conviction. And I think it's important, as many of our colleagues have said, that we take a moment to and step back and ask ourselves, how did we arrive at this moment?

And I see it as I often do, through my lens as a parent, as a father of young kids. And I will tell you, everyone who has had the blessing of being a parent understands what is going on here. Start playing a card game with my five year old. He feels like it isn't going his way.

He feels like he might lose. And so he starts to change the rules. And that's what we have, that is transparently what is happening with this President. He understands that his policies are not popular. He understands that people do not want him to continue to be able to be unchecked in Washington.

And so rather than change his policies or play by the rules, he's trying to change the rules. And they are moving forward in changing the rules in the most undemocratic fashion. And that has put those of us in California in a very difficult position. How do we respond? What do we do in this moment?

And what we have from our colleagues on the other side of the aisle is saying, close your eyes, be willfully blind, ignore what is happening in the rest of the country, as if we in California are immune to that stand down, do nothing, unilaterally, surrender. But to me, there are deep moral implications to that unilateral surrender.

There are real impacts to our people, to our population, to our planet and to our democracy. And so there are many of us that feel that California cannot stand idly by in this moment, will not stand idly by in this moment. We owe it to our children to stand up and be counted.

And so what do we do when we have these two arguments? Those who say California should do nothing, and those who say California should stand up and fight back? We do what is fundamentally the most democratic thing that we can do. We ask the people of the State of California to weigh in on that.

Our colleagues have sat here and lectured us about what the people want. They have sat here and told us, they talked to us repeatedly about democracy. Well, good. Let's let democracy decide.

The one argument here to which they cannot rebut and will never be able to rebut is that the ultimate decision here rests with the people of the State of California. Donald Trump will not decide this. Gavin Newsom will not decide this. Congress will not decide this. This Legislature will not decide this.

The people of the State of California will get to decide what they want to do at this pivotal moment in history. And that, to me, is what makes this the right approach. So we heard from our colleague from Westminster. He said, listen to the people. I agree. Let's listen to the people. Let's let the people vote.

Let's let the people have their moment to make this decision. They have the wisdom, they have the judgment. And I am confident that they will want to stand up and fight back to protect our democracy.

And with that, and in the spirit of giving our citizens and our voters the opportunity to make this consequential decision making, respectfully request an aye vote on ACA 8.

Thank you, Assemblymember Gabriel, Assemblymember Solache, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Members and to everyone watching out there, Americans, international community. This is not a Republican, Democrat or independent issue. This is an American issue. People have died, people have suffered to save democracy.

I assure you that if today we took a vote in this same floor and that board, that we all like to watch the outcomes of the votes.

If we put a vote about the independent Commission taking their action every 10 years, it would be a unanimous vote because not only have the Republicans, but Democrats have acknowledged that that's the way to go. I agree. It's the gold standard that California has set for the nation.

And as they say, as California goes, so does the nation. So I couldn't agree with you more, that we have to protect that in California for the sake of not only Californians, but for America.

But, ladies and gentlemen, to our communities, our LGBT community, our immigrant community, we have to raise our voices for Californians and for America today.

Now, let's not forget that in this action, the Commission will continue doing the work so that we don't have to take any more votes, that they will continue doing the work after the 2030 process. This is a temporary approach to react to what's happening with other states. And so I agree with the minority leader.

The President is wrong on this one, and Texas is wrong on this one. I agree with him wholeheartedly. And that's why I am proud, as I have had some concerns about this process, that California will continue to have its independent Commission process.

But you see, ladies and gentlemen, and everyone here today, I was sent to Sacramento to represent almost 500,000 constituents. I proudly represent a high immigrant, undocumented community. Con mucho ruyo, con mucho corazon.

I'm here representing them and being a voice, because just this morning on Atlantic Boulevard in my City of Lynwood, at the barbershop, there's three ICE agents trying to force themselves into the barbershop. And once I'm done, I will happily, you know, drop that video for you to watch.

I'll airdrop it so you can all have it happened this morning in my own community. The very same people that send me to represent them, people who look like me, are being racially profiled and kidnapped on the streets on the way to work, accessing health care while taking their kids to school or even going to church.

How disgusting is that? Immigrants are not the problem. Our diversity makes our state and our country strong. California's immigrant communities are vital part of this prosperity through all our nation. I will not sit back and watch ICE kidnap more members of my community. Our community. I ask all of us that we temporarily do this for America.

People are watching not only locally, but internationally. And I bring not only my heart, my voice today to this Capitol to ensure that the 500,000 people that I represent in my community of Lynwood, Southgate, Maywood, Huntington Park, Walnut Park, Lakewood, Bellflower, and Paramount have a voice. I invite all of you to help protect America.

This is not a Republican, Democrat, or independent issue. Let's save humanity. Let's save democracy and temporarily respond to this horrible situation that we're living. And then California will continue leading the way by protecting our independent Commission and our independent maps so that all Californians have a voice. And if some are leaving, we welcome you back.

And those that want to leave other states, welcome to California.

30 seconds.

We have great beaches, great parks, and of course, some of the best restaurants that our community gets to offer. Thank you. Let's continue to lead. And America, we have your back. Gracias.

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

Great. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I'm going to take you up on this unique offer to talk about political parties. It's not something I like to do, but some of these comments like quote unquote, dropping to the knees of the President. What does that mean? I take offense to that.

My grandpa used to say when something miraculous happened, not bad for swirling gases. What he was doing was mocking evolution. Piper wasn't an overly religious man. He loved God and he loved our nation. Especially as he defended it in the military for entire career. He was a man that believed in a higher power.

He believed there were no coincidences these miracles were divine. Despite thousands and thousands of years of authoritarian governments, kings, dictators, it wasn't swirling gases that created our form of government. And our founders said as much when they declared us an independent nation.

The Declaration of our Independence proclaims, the people are endowed by their Creator and our inalienable rights, which are not granted by the government, they are inherently bestowed upon us.

I believe, as the Founders did in divine providence, meaning that I firmly believe any internal threats to our democracy, whether from the national level or right here in the chambers of the California State Assembly, that we will be okay. The Divine providence will secure inalienable rights to self determination.

And despite attempts by this body or attempts by the Governor, from the moment he went unchallenged by Members on this floor, when he exerted so much power with no Democratic input, what did you do? Mention me sitting by idly? You sat idly by. And he chose to close schools. He closed businesses.

And at least partially responsible for the pain and suffering you see in our streets. And we continue to see to this day. And guess what? To address my colleague from Los Angeles about Republicans in this body that sat idly by, I take great offense to that kind of stuff.

Mr. Speaker, when someone talks about what Republicans here have and haven't done. Please. Democrats have been in charge of this state for my entire natural life. I know as individual legislators, some of you have tried, but you gonna talk about sitting idly by as they say on X lol.

Democrats, maybe not as individuals, but as a ruling dictator party of this state for my entire life, are sitting idly by and have effectively done nothing that has resulted in a better education for our children. Has done nothing to effectively address the people laying in our street just blocks from this building.

These things have gotten worse, especially since Democrats have taken full control of every lever of our government right here in California. I believe in democracy. Why? Because it's rooted in our fundamental inalienable right to be free. And you cannot take that away. And neither can Gavin Newsom.

What this body is likely to do in a few minutes highlights the flaws of man. Many of you will vote not to turn the other cheek. You will vote under your own admission to fight back, to punch back, to fight fire with fire.

I believe at the end of the day, despite your best efforts to participate in attempt to erode democracy, we will be fine.

When history looks back, California will not succeed in its mutual goal of joining with entrenched partisan Democrats throughout our nation to throw out democracy in its fight for fire with fire because it cannot override the fundamental protections our founding documents guarantee us. History will not look proudly on this moment.

It will look highly on potential changes to any map in this state. It's going to be frowned upon. And it certainly won't look highly on the partisan gerrymandered maps here in California. And those are the words from one of the co authors in Committee of this measure.

I don't ever want to be lectured ever again by a Democrat anywhere that their party's the party of democracy. 30 seconds. Because what you're doing, even by amending this proposal this morning without any input, is showing you are no better. Democracy is flawed. Mankind is flawed. The measure is flawed and you know it.

How many people in this body testified by Texas? The public got to know that you struck out the language this morning. I didn't even know it until I walked in the building. To even talk about Texas, no matter what Texas does, if they do nothing, you are asking the people to erode their rights.

Thank you, Assembly.

Me, I ask for a no vote.

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

Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, permission to read.

Without objection.

The people will save their government if the government itself will allow them. You know, I thought as I've sat here, I want to first of all mention to my colleague from Lancaster, sorry, from Palmdale. I appreciated your comments at the beginning, sir.

I didn't raise my mic right away. I wanted to listen. I Wanted to listen to my colleagues speaking in favor of ACA 8. I wanted to listen to some of you who have concerns about ACA 8. I also want to thank our esteemed minority leader. We don't agree on much, but I appreciate your words today, sir.

The President is wrong. He is wrong to be doing what he's doing. And your point about two wrongs not making a right and burning the entire House down? There's a lot of truth in that statement. I agree with you, sir. And yet, over the last week, I've struggled with this issue. I have consulted the Good Book.

I've spent time in thought and prayer at the cathedral. I've been trying to find the right answer on this issue. And the remarkable thing is, as I sat here on this floor listening and really giving thought to what we're being asked to do, it was this portrait that hangs above us that really centered my thoughts.

The people will save the government. They will save themselves if the government simply allows them to do so. The words of probably one of the greatest presidents we ever had, a portrait that hangs over our chamber.

A man who, with General Order 141, had to suspend habeas corpus and take unprecedented action because of the risks that face the Republic in an unprecedented time. We're absolutely in unprecedented times. I bring all this up to say that I'm not here to stand with righteous indignation. I'm not here to point fingers at any of you.

But what I can say is the house is burning. Democracy is at risk. What is happening in Texas, what is happening across the country, is fundamentally wrong. I don't believe the answer to how we save democracy can be decided among the 119 legislators in our state capitol. I don't believe the Governor alone can make that answer.

What I do believe, though, is we have to give the people the chance to weigh in on this matter. And that is exactly what ACA 8 does. I believe that this question should be returned to the people. And I'll simply close with 1.0.

Never in the course of history, in the State of California or in any state, have the people been directly given an opportunity to vote on a map. I believe that is democracy in its finest hour. Let the people respond and tell us how we should fight to continue saving democracy.

I will be voting I and I encourage everyone to vote I on ACA 8. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Assemblymember Schultz, Assemblymember Ahrens, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I give remarks, I just wanted to mention that I'm a proud co sponsor of ACA 8. So when the opposition continues their unserious lawsuits, they know who to direct them towards. I rise in support of standing up and defending the rights of freedoms for all Californians and Americans.

We must decisive, take decisive action to stand up to Donald Trump's unprecedented call for Republican led states like Texas and Florida to redraw the Congressional lines and unfairly rig the 2026 midterm elections for Republican politicians to benefit.

Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress passed their big ugly federal budget which is set to obliterate health care access for millions and already struggling Californians colleagues.

Each and every single one of you in this room, regardless of political party, have tens of thousands of constituents who will lose health care because Donald Trump and Washington D.C. Republicans recently adopted that budget and Republican Congress Members passed this big ugly federal budget with which cuts hundreds of billions of dollars in funding to America's health system.

Without any alternative plan to protect health access for anyone, how will your community's hospitals and health clinics benefit from the suffering of this federal budget, the result of massive divestment of federal dollars in health care? Trump's big ugly federal budget will indeed result in lives being lost.

Donald Trump and MAGA extremist Republican politicians will make no plan to protect health care access for any Californians or any Americans.

MAGA extremist Republicans in D.C. have decimated our health care in every corner of the United States for no reason and no alternative plan just to give tax cuts to their super wealthy campaign donors and millionaires like themselves.

These Trump cuts will kick poor people off of their health care but also result in higher health insurance premiums for all of us because without health insurance we will have to get care at the most expensive place and time in whatever emergency rooms that are left in our communities.

And now Americans are pissed off at Republican politicians for obliterating their access to health care. Trump is leading a republic Republican led states like Texas and Florida and demanding that they exert their state legislative power to unilaterally redraw their Congressional districts to make it easier for more Republican politicians to win Congressional seats.

And what are we to do? We cannot sit by and let Donald Trump and Republicans rig the next election so that they cannot be held accountable and have no chance to be voted out or lose control of Congress. Heaven forbid they actually are held accountable by their failed policies in America.

California is honoring our Constitution unlike Republicans and in Texas by defending our liberty and giving Californians a choice to defend themselves against Donald Trump's attacks on our country and our state I rise in support and ask all of my colleagues to join me in fighting back for all of California regardless of where you represent and stop the robbing of Californians rights, the robbing of our liberty and our lives.

We must stop Trump, MAGA Republicans steal of our congressional and the desecration of our founding father's dream for a government by and for the people. I urge all of my colleagues, all Californians and all Americans to join California's efforts to defend ourselves against the rising tide of fascism and authoritarianism in this country.

And I urge your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Ahrens. Assemblymember Boerner, you are recognized.

Thank you. I rise in support of ACA 8, for this simple reason, Californians should be given the right to choose. The right to choose, to fight partisanship with partisanship, the right to do something rather than nothing, and the right to have a voice. Let's be clear.

There's only one reason a sitting President calls for states to stack Congress in his favor for five years. When our grandchildren look back in a few decades, I want Californians to be able to say that they had a voice, they did something and they had a choice. I respectfully urgent I vote on ACA 8.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today because democracy is on the line. Freedom is on the line. Liberty and justice is on the line. Free and fair elections for all is on the line today. I don't know about anyone else, but I was raised to stand up for people who cannot stand up for themselves.

We can't just be bystanders when bullies come to push us around, especially when people already don't have a voice. That's what the people elected us to do and that's what this is all about. We're not forcing anything down anyone's throat. We are giving Californians a choice.

Do you want to bow down or do you want to fight back? ACA 8 gives the voters, the people that we represent, the decision making power. To those who suddenly have so much to say, I have to say that I have been baffled by the silence that we have heard. It's been very loud.

Where was all of the noise when the President and Congress slashed federal funding, cut Medicaid, imposed tariffs that hurt small businesses? Where was the noise? There's been complicity as the Constitution has been undermined as partisan gerrymandering. Maps have been pushed on the people in Texas, which ultimately affects the entire United States.

Where was all the noise while America was being hijacked today with all of the objections and with all of the noise, I'm clearly concerned that it is our job to stand up and to speak out.

We must ask, can you tell us, please, what I've not heard is why are we so afraid to give the voters a choice? What are we so afraid of? And we should also ask, with all the tears to protect the President's gerrymandering plan, where were all the tears for the poor people, the people who have been silenced?

People are suffering and dying because we need to lead. People are not leading and that hurts America. So we have a voice and we have a choice. Do we deny the citizens a chance to have democracy, freedom, free and fair elections and liberty and justice for all?

Like we say when we stand up and we pledge allegiance to this same flag when we come into this chamber, this is about citizens that are being terrorized. When those who are being bullied need someone to stand up, California is not going to sit down and be a bystander.

If you want to be taken seriously, you need to be able to explain to us why you don't want to give this to the voters. The rules have been changed and that means we have to act accordingly. We have a choice.

Do we want to allow the entire nation to be disenfranchised or do we ask the citizens of California to lock arms with us and to march forward to save democracy in the world where the US has now become an authoritarian government and has adopted the strategies of dictatorship to rig a system?

I say that it's our duty to give it to the voters so that we can have a chance to fight back on behalf of the citizens of the United States. And I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise as a proud co author of ACA 8.

For years, Trump's Administration has targeted our state, holding California wildfire and disaster relief, hostage taking food out of the family's mouths by cutting SNAP benefits, terrorizing immigrant communities with brutal raids and no due process, and kidnapping our community members, imposing tariffs that have punished the working families.

And now Trump and his allies, his domestic terrorists, are trying to dismantle democracy with California's redistricting proposal. We're not racing to the bottom. We're drawing the line. While Republican led states rampartisan maps through in secret, we're doing the opposite. Voters made it clear they want independent redistricting, not partisan power grabs.

For those who know me, I have dedicated much of my public service to protecting the right to vote and to ensure that historically disadvantaged communities enjoy a voice at the table. Every state should have an independent redistricting commission. And guess what? This measure, we still do. But let's be clear. We're also defending against the coordinating power grab.

This isn't politics as usual. This is an emergency. This is an emergency for our state. This is an emergency for our country. It's an emergency to protect our democracy. California will always defend the right to vote. And we will. And the will of the people. Unlike Texas, we won't be silenced. That voice.

We will send the issue to the ballot box where it belongs. California voters will see maps. California voters will decide. California will not back down. We will protect our vote, our voice and our values. Thank you.

Thank you, Assemblymember Avila Farias. Assemblymember Michelle Rodriguez, you are recognized.

Mr. Speaker, I wasn't going to talk on this Bill today and I'm still not. We just needed a little break and get our minds on something else.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I just have a simple question for you. In your hearts, do you honestly believe this ACA 8 is the right thing to do? For a second, let's ignore the partisan noise. I think we can all agree gerrymandering anywhere is wrong. It's not hard or controversial to say that.

Imagine what we could Fund with $235 million.

We could use pardon decorum in the chamber. Please, let's respect the speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We could use this money to help with the state's insurance crisis or pay raises for first responders. Members, let me remind you that our independent redistricting commission held 196 public meetings, had 3,800 public comments and received 32,000 written submissions.

Compare that to the process where Californians had four days to view the public maps and submit comments through a portal and had one Assembly hearing to voice their support and opposition. That wasn't even put into record. Has anyone in this chamber ever seen the 16,000 written comments we have supposedly received on this issue? Anyone?

Need I remind you that voters approved the Commission drawing congressional districts via Prop 20 with 61% of the votes. Californians gave our government a mandate that it should be everyday citizens who will be given the power to draw fair maps using these six principles.

Population equality, compliance with Federal Voting Rights Act, geography and geodic geographic integrity and geographic compactness. And lastly to nest State Senate and Assembly districts into compact areas. Democrats, Republicans and Independents Came together believed politicians should not draw their own maps. On a personal note, let me tell you how ACA 8 will affect Assembly District 74.

This proposal splits my Assembly District into three congressional districts and divides communities of interest and goes against the principles of geographic integrity. That's absurd. Communities of interest are supposed to remain together. What does a desert community have in common with a suburban city? You have chosen to stifle the voices of California.

You say you know what is best. Well, I believe that their voices matter. I hear. Listen. Listen to the people. Well, that's what I do. I listen to the people. It's not my agenda, it's their agenda. Through LCMS, I sent out a five question poll. My district is the most purple and balanced district in the state.

So you should be all interested in these results. The first question that was asked stated, currently California has an independent citizens redistricting Commission that draws election district maps. Do you think redistricting should be done by an independent Commission? The Legislature are unsure. These answers might surprise you.

65% of Democrats favored an independent Commission, 96% of Republicans favored an independent Commission, and 92% of independents favored an independent Commission. The second question that was asked stated, how important is it that the redistricting division be made through a process that is open to the public and allows for community input?

78% of Democrats said very important, 97% of Republicans said very important, and 96% of independents said very important. At the beginning of this year and session, it was very clear what the concerns of Californians were. 30 seconds they needed from this Legislature. I think everyone agreed the people know what's right and what's wrong.

And in my district they have responded and told me, Mr. Speaker, question to the author.

Without objection, your time is about to elapse.

Yep. Just to finish up here, my final question to the author is, did you or do you know anyone that signed an NDA? Thank you.

Thank you, madam. Thank you, Ms. Davies. Assemblymember Rogers, you are recognized.

Thank you so much, Mr. Speaker. I agree with many of my colleagues. We know that gerrymandering is bad for representative democracy. Our system was built on checks and balances.

And unfortunately, right now we have a temu dictator in the White House and we have a Congress that has completely abdicated their responsibility to act as that check on that dictator.

And I do not for a moment want us to leave here with sound bites of sanctimonious pearl clutching from my colleagues about protecting Californians without making sure we talk about what our Legislature has been doing this year to protect Californians.

Not one of my colleagues across the aisle has condemned the President for turning our military against our own people in LA and in DC, not one of my colleagues across the aisle condemned the President for sending armed thugs to a press conference that the Governor and the Legislature was having last week in an act of intimidation.

Not one of my colleagues across the aisle has condemned the President for being in the Epstein files. Not one of my colleagues across the aisle has condemned the President for withholding funds for fire victims in California. If we're going to talk about protecting Californians, we're going to talk about how this Legislature is protecting Californians.

To quote and paraphrase Ben Franklin, it's a democracy if they choose to keep it. Every time we go to the ballot box, we get to choose if we are going to fight for democracy. And this November, Californians and Democrat Democrats in California are going to fight for democracy.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise as a proud co author of ACA 8 and its importance in defending our democracy. We didn't ask for this fight and we need to fight back against President Trump's power grab. This is more about defending our democracy and making sure that every voice counts.

This is our chance to stand up and raise our voices to fight for our democracy. The stakes couldn't be higher. The President Federal Administration is denying Wildfire Relief, targeting our diverse immigrant communities, targeting our number one public University with an extraction request of $1 billion and pulling millions off of health care.

We will stand up and we will defend the Voting Rights Act and protect our historically marginalized communities. We must fight fire with fire and we will let the voters decide. That is democracy at its best. I strongly urge, and I vote on ACA 8. Thank you.