Assembly Floor

Family Member Wilson notices the absence of a quorum. The sergeant in arms will prepare the chamber and bring in the absent Members. The Clerk will call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Members, a quorum is present. I ask Members to join us again in the chamber so we can start today's prayer. Thank you. 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. Sometimes I worry about the future of humanity. In a time when weapons of mass destruction can literally end life as we know it. I worry when sensing growing global tension and conflict, will we reach a point where consequences are forgotten and hate prevails?

How can we move away from world wars and towards world peace? Regarding this, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said, we can never obtain peace in the world if we neglect the inner world and don't make peace with ourselves. World peace must develop out of inner peace. He then added, weapons themselves cannot act. Man has made them.

But even given those weapons, those terrible weapons, they cannot act by themselves. As long as they are left in storage, they can do no harm. A human being must use them. Someone must push the button. Evil powers cannot push the button. Human beings must do it. Continuing down a contentious path will lead to anger.

And anger grows easily into hate and rage. The consequences of rage are rarely good. In nurturing inner peace, we nurture reason and empathy, which are the seeds of kindness and compassion. We must choose the path of empathy and kindness.

For the children of the world to have a better future, let us live with kindness and gratitude beyond words.

Please remain standing and join us for the flag salute. Assembly Member Patrick Ahrens will lead us in the pledge.

Members, please join me as we salute our nation's flag. Ready? Begin. I pledge allegiance. And to the Republic. For which it stands one nation under. God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

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

Assembly Chamber Sacramento Thursday, July 172025 the Assembly met at 9:00am The Honorable Josh Lowenthal, Speaker Pro Temporare

Mr. Garcia moves. And Mr. Flora seconds that the reading of the previous day's Journal be dispensed with presentations and petitions. There are none. Introduction and reference of bills will be deferred, Reports of committees will be deemed read and amendments deemed adopted. Messages from the Governor There are none. Messages from the Senate? There are none.

Moving to motions and resolutions the absences for the day for legislative business, Assembly Member Arambula for illness, Assembly Members Baines and Bonta Mr. Assistant Majority Leader, you are recognized for your procedural motions.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 45.5 to allow Assembly Members Gibson, Hadwick, Sharp, Collins and Valencia to speak on an adjournment in memory day.

Without objection Such shall be the order.

I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 118A to allow Speaker Rivas to have guests on the floor and to allow Assembly Members Sharp, Collins, Valencia, Cork, Silva, Gibson, Petrie, Norris, Addis and Fongs have guests in the rear of the Chamber today.

Without objection. Such shall be the order.

At the request of the authors, please remove the following items from consent Calendar file item 139Sb21Duraso file item 140Sb340Layered file item 146Sb489AraGuin file item 147Sb504Layered and file item 152Sb617AraGuain the Clerk will note at the request of the author, please return file item 5 AB14HART to the Senate. For further action without objections.

That shall be the order. Members the end of summer marks the end of session for the year, but also a time to thank the Fellows from two important programs for their contributions. We will now move to the special ceremony to recognize the 2025 Assembly and Science Fellows.

We'll first recognize the California Council on Science and Technology Policy Fellows. The California Council on Science, Technology and Technology Policy Fellows places Ph.D. level equivalent scientists and engineers in legislative offices to provide Members and staff with advice on legislation and public policy issues. During their fellowship, our Science Fellows worked as staff in our Policy Committees.

We appreciate their expertise and contributions to the people of the great State of California. Members who hosted Fellows, please make your way to the rear of the chamber. I asked Speaker Rivas and Republican Leader Gallagher to move to the front center aisle for the presentations.

Members, as we await continuing the ceremony, please join me in wishing Assemblymember Hart a very happy birthday who celebrated yesterday and tomorrow Assemblymember Ortega will be celebrating her birthday. Colleagues, please return to your seats. I am pleased to present the 2025 Science and Technology Policy Fellows, the Clerk will read.

Dr. John Bennett was placed in the Assembly's Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee. He is escorted by Committee Chair Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer Cahan. Dr. Bennett's research identified novel drug targets in the parasite that causes malaria. He earned his PhD in chemistry from Stanford University and Bas in biochemistry and Classical Studies from Colgate University. Please welcome Dr. John Bennett.

Dr. Christian Koenig was placed in the Assembly's Utilities and Energy Committee. She is escorted by Committee Chair Assemblymember Condi Petri Norris. In her research, Dr. Koenig led a lab studying the evolution and development of visual systems across animals.

She earned her PhD in cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Texas, Austin, and Bas in Molecular and Cell Biology and History from the University of California, Berkeley. Please welcome do Christian Koenig. Dr. Aaron Judd of Mindiola was placed in the Assembly's Transportation Committee. He is escorted by Committee Chair Assemblymember Lori Wilson.

In his research, Dr. Mendiola studied the role of circadian rhythms and metabolism in neural development. He earned his PhD in biochemistry, molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology from the University of California, Davis, and an Ms. In Chemistry and a BS in Biochemistry from California State University, Los Angeles. Please welcome Dr. Aaron Judd Mendiola.

Dr. Julia Mowat was placed in the Assembly Local Government Committee. She is escorted by Committee Chair Assembly Member Juan Carrillo. In her research, Dr. Mowat studied multigenerational, genetic and environmental risk factors for autism. She earned her PhD in integrative genetics and Genomics from the University of California, Davis, and a B.S. in microbiology from the University of Pittsburgh.

Please welcome Dr. Julia Mowat.

While the Science Fellows and Assembly Leadership pose for a group photo, we will welcome other guests from the program. In the gallery are executives from the California Council on Science and Technology. They are Puneet Bhullar, Director of Policy Engagement, Bethany Hopkins, Science Fellow Program Manager. Let's also welcome and thank the family and friends of these outstanding Fellows.

As the Science Fellows exit the chamber, please join me in another round of applause. The 2024-2025 class of Assembly Fellows have served us in a wide range of staff functions. Nearly half of the offices in the legislature employ former Fellows from the Executive, Judicial, Senate, or Assembly Fellowship Program programs.

Former Fellows go on to do great things. They have been elected to the legislature, have served as officers of the legislature, government officials, Supreme Court Justices, university instructors, executives, and community leaders.

Colleagues, I'm pleased to present the 2024-2025 Jesse Marvin Unruh Assembly Fellows. Members who hosted Fellows, please make your way to the rear of the chamber to escort your Fellows. I ask that Speaker Rivas and Republican Leader Gallagher remain in place as we continue to our next ceremony. All members with Fellows, please go to the rear of chamber.

Colleagues, I am pleased to present the 2025 Assembly Fellows. The Clerk will read.

Escorted by Assemblymember Addis is Gabriel Pena. He is from the San Gabriel Valley and is a graduate of the University of California, Riverside. Please welcome Gabriel Pena. Escorted by Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry is Sophia Lucio. She is from Martinez, California and is a graduate of Williamette University.

Please welcome Sophia Lucio. Escorted by Assemblymember Alanis is Matthew Kahn. He is from Sacramento, California and is a graduate of the University of Tennessee. Please welcome Matthew Kahn. Escorted by Assemblymember Berman is Jocelyn Hopps. She is from San Jose, California and is a graduate of San Jose State University.

Please welcome Jocelyn Hopps. Escorted by Assemblymember Calderon is Kayla Daniels. She is from Chula Vista, California and is a graduate of San Diego State University. Please welcome Kayla Daniels.

Escorted by Assemblymember Carrillo is Ruby Arceo. She is from Concord, California and is a graduate of the University of California, Merced. Please welcome Ruby Arceo.

Escorted by Assemblymember Chen is Callie Lichti. She is from Clovis, California and is a graduate of California State University, Sacramento. Please welcome Callie Lichti. Escorted by Assemblymember Gabriel is Genevieve McCloy. She is from San Francisco, California and is a graduate of Claremont McKenna College. Please welcome Genevieve McCloy. Escorted by Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez is Kyle Johnson.

He is from Livermore, California and is a graduate of the University of California, Davis. Please welcome Kyle Johnson. Escorted by Assemblymember Haney is Leila Romero. She is from Sacramento, California and is a graduate of the University of California, Davis. Please welcome Leila Romero.

Escorted by Assemblymember Hoover is Cyla Holiday. She is from Farmington, New Mexico and is a graduate of the University of Redlands. Please welcome Cyla Holiday. Escorted by Assemblymember Irwin is Evan Roderick. He is from Germantown, Maryland and is a graduate of the University of California, Davis. Please welcome Evan Roderick. Escorted by Assemblymember Krell is Benjamin Diaz.

He is from El Dorado Hills, California and is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara. Please welcome Benjamin Diaz. Escorted by Assemblymember Ortega is Colleen Herman. She is from Crofton, Maryland and is a graduate of the University of Maryland. Please welcome Colleen Herman.

Escorted by Assemblymember Ta is Cameron Larson-Barrera. He is from North Highlands, California and is a graduate of California State University, Sacramento. Please welcome Cameron Larson-Barrera. Escorted by Assemblymember Ward is Alfonso Campos Gomez. He is from Concord, California and is a graduate of the University of California, Davis. Please welcome Alfonso Campos Gomez.

Escorted by Assemblymember Wicks is Sophia Karperos. She is from Sacramento, California and is a graduate of Yale University. Please welcome Sophia Karperos. Escorted by Assemblymember Wilson is Melvin Ridley III. He is from San Diego, California and is a graduate of San Diego State University. Please Welco Melvin Ridley III. Escorted by Assemblymember Alanis is Ashley Cope.

She is from Bakersfield, California and is a graduate of the California Lutheran University. Please welcome Ashley Cope. The following honorees were unable to join today. From Assemblymember Bryan's Office, Osaze Osayande. From Assemblymember Lee's Office, Emily Kawada. And from Assemblymember Fong's Office, Athena Liza Sanchez. The Assembly thanks them for their service.

As the Assembly Fellows and our Assembly Leadership pose for a group photo, please direct your attention to the rear of the chamber and join me in welcoming those who manage the Assembly Fellows Program.

Executive Director of the Center for California Studies, Leonor Ehling, Director of the Assembly Fellowship Program, Ambar Carlisle Salgueiro, and President of California State University, Sacramento, Dr. Luke Wood. Please also welcome the family and friends of our Assembly Fellows in the gallery today. We have no doubt that this class of Fellows will continue the program's legacy of achievement.

As the Fellows exit the chamber, let's give them another round of applause. Members, this concludes our ceremony.

Colleagues, please return to your desks for guest introductions. Please give your attention to Assemblymember Petrie Norris. You are recognized for your guest introduction from the desk of the Majority Leader.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Colleagues, I rise today to recognize Brad Webb, a legend of California's Legislative Council. Brad began his career with the OLC on May 1, 2001, in the midst of California's energy crisis. As a Deputy at the OLC, Brad served in the fourth-floor branch first covering a wide range of legal issues.

Before specializing in utilities, energy and telecommunications. He played a central role in high profile legislation frequently in the public eye, including measures on climate change, the energy crisis, major natural gas incidents, the PG&E bankruptcies, transparency at the CPUC, open internet protections, and broadband expansion.

Throughout his incredible career at the OLC, Brad mentored numerous deputies and received the OLC's Capital Award for his extraordinary work in 2018. Although Brad retired from the OLC in 2021, he left a lasting legacy.

It is my sincere pleasure to honor Brad today and to be joined by his family, his former ledge council colleagues and the many, many people in the capital community who have been impacted and inspired by Brad's service. Colleagues, please join me in honoring Brad Webb.

Assemblymember Elhawary. You are recognized for your guest introduction.

Thank you, Madam Speaker and members. Good afternoon, everyone. I truly am so, so proud to represent our community up here in Sacramento. But none of this is possible without them.

I am especially grateful when young people are down to get involved in the political and legislative process, so they understand the power they have in the way things work in the state that we all live in. That's why it's so important that their voices are at the center of everything we do.

With us today are four amazing organizations that work with our young people. In the gallery there are youth from our community who came up to rally for the passage of AB 1231.

We have El Centro Del Pueblo; founded by Daisy Garcia who is a gang intervention boxing coach and law student, where they provide free trauma informed boxing with an open-door policy serving youth from South Central as well as districts represented by some of my colleagues like Pico-Union, East LA, Koreatown and beyond.

Another group is the Young Women's Freedom Center who works with systems impacted young women and trans youth of all genders. Provides outreach, coaching, healing, and advocacy to build power and stability. They have 30 plus years of impact with 85% lower recidivism and 90% who've maintained jobs or education.

We are also joined by Sister Warriors who represent powerful women who are survivors of violence, trauma and systemic oppression from incarceration to foster care, immigration and social services, fighting for real tangible change in our communities.

I also would like to highlight Linda Gomez Evans, one of their founders and one of my colleagues whose memory lives on through this work. And last but not least, the Youth Justice Coalition.

They're also with us, a youth family led movement challenging mass incarceration and racial inequities and campaign to reduce incarceration in LA County by creating community-based movement alternatives. Colleagues, please join me in welcoming these amazing young people to Sacramento.

Assemblymember Gallagher, you are recognized for your guest introduction.

Yes, thank you, Madam Speaker and members and I would like to take a moment to introduce the Live Oak Lady Lions softball team, the Majors Western Regional, sorry, Northern California champions who also played in the World Series this year.

And so, for the first time in program history, the Live Oak Little League softball team has won the Northern California State Championship, advancing to the Little League Softball World Series Western Regionals earlier this year.

Even though they are from a very small town just off of Highway 99, these girls have made a big impact with their drive, hard work, and dedication. It was great watching them on national TV as they competed. Even got a text from someone saying, are you watching this? And it was truly amazing to see.

So, with us today we have Juliana Robles, Eveya Martinez, MacKenzie Bohl, Athena Huff, Adelina Tapia, Sofia Rivera, Riley Perigo, Charlotte Dudek, Aaliyah Palacio, Yuritiz Garcia, Delilah Smith, and also their families are all with them today to celebrate this great accomplishment.

Also joining us are team manager Art Rivera, who Head Coach Mitchell Perigo, and Coaches Ive Martinez, Ryan Huff, and Juan Robles. And just one last thing, members, is I wanted to mention what an amazing thing it was for these girls and the heart that they had in the championship game.

They lost their first game in the North State. It was the first game they had lost all year. But they battled back and won two games in a row, 10 to 2 and 16 to 5, to claim that Northern California championship. Thank you girls, for all your hard work and congratulations and more things to come.

Business on the daily file. Second reading.

Senate Bills 98627 and Senate Bill 400.

All bills will be deemed read and all amendments will be deemed adopted. Without objection, we will pass and retain on item 20. Items on concurrence. Moving forward temporarily to third reading. Item number 12, ACR 12 by Quirk-Silva. Clerk will read.

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 12 by Assemblymember Quirk-Silva and others relative to Fernando Valenzuela Day.

Assemblymember Quirk-Silva, you are recognized.

Thank you, Madam Speaker and Members. As the great Vin Scully would say, it's time for Dodger baseball. Hi everybody and a very pleasant good afternoon to you wherever you may be. Colleagues, I rise today to present ACR12 designating November 1st as Fernando Valenzuela Day in the State of California. Fernando Valenzuela's journey is nothing short of remarkable.

He was born in Echoquila, Sonora, Mexico, a tiny farming village so remote that Vin Scully once called it from the back and beyond. Fernando was the youngest of 12 children raised by hard working farmers. Like many kids in the region, he first learned and practiced baseball in the dusty sand lots and open fields near his home.

His father was a farmer and the family had limited resources, so Venezuela often practiced with improvised equipment, using makeshift gloves and balls until he could play in organized local leagues. Fernando loved to play with his older brothers and was often the youngest one playing with the older boys.

By his teens, he was pitching for a local semi pro and youth teams in Sonora, where he gained a reputation for his unusual delivery and deceptive breaking pitches. Scouts from the Mexican Central League noticed him and by age 17 he was playing professionally in Mexico before being signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers Members.

Let's go back to 1981 when I was a senior at Fullerton Union High School. Preppiness and punk rock were popular and the Dukes of Hazzard were a big hit. The country was also struggling with inflation, recession and a baseball strike that had shut down part of the season. The Dodgers needed a spark.

Into the Moment stepped a 20 year old rookie with a high leg kick as screwball. The defined explanation and to the look to the heavens before every pitch, Fernandomania was born. In his first season, Fernando won his first eight starts, threw five shutouts and posted an earned run average that baffled the best hitters in the game.

But the story was bigger than the numbers. It it was about the people. Dodger Stadium overflowed. Crowds surged beyond capacity. Mexican flags waved. Fans wore sombreros. Mariachi music echoed in the parking lots. Families drove in from East Los Angeles, Boyle Heights, Pico Rivera and beyond. Sometimes, for the very first time, all of Los Angeles cheered together.

From wealthy families in the west side to working class families in the east side. From longtime Dodger fans to brand new fans. Everyone rose to their feet for Fernando. Sportswriters across the country learned Spanish phrases to capture the story. He was on magazine covers and nightly newscast and in living rooms across America.

For our younger Members here, this is before we had streaming TV, so there was only two or about three channels you can watch. Fun fact Tommy Lasorda, the fiery Dodgers manager, also lived in Fullerton, California, my hometown. Lasorda knew how to manage stars, but he also understood Fernando's cultural significance.

He trusted Fernando with the ball night after night, and together they carried the Dodgers to the World Series championship, defeating the New York Yankees in 1981. But Fernando gave Los Angeles more than a trophy for the Latino community. He was the first superstar who looked like them, spoke their language, and honored their heritage.

Off the field, Fernando stayed true to his roots. He married Linda Burgos, a schoolteacher from Mexico, and Together they raised four children, Fernando Jr. Ricardo, Linda and Maria. He visited hospitals, migrant camps and schools, showing children that if a boy from the back of beyond could make it, so could they.

In 2015, after becoming a US citizen, President Obama appointed him a special ambassador for citizenship and naturalization, inspiring countless immigrants to embrace the responsibilities and opportunities of American citizenship. Fernando Venezuela's life is more than baseball. It is the California story, the immigrant story, the story of pride, perseverance, and the belief that talent knows no borders.

Colleagues, as Vin Scully famously said in 1990, after Fernando's legendary no hitter, if you have a sombrero, throw it to the sky. I respectfully ask for your Aye vote on ACR 12.

Thank you, Assembly Member Quirk-Silva. Assembly Member Caloza, you're recognized.

Good afternoon, Madam Speaker and Members. I would like to thank my colleague from Fullerton for bringing this measure before us. It's a special honor to rise as one of the lead authors for ACR12, designating November 12025 as Fernando Valenzuela Day.

Baseball is a uniquely American tradition, and here in California, it plays a major role in our culture. With five iconic major league teams, no state represents the sport's diversity and passion quite like California does. And no player embodied that spirit more than Fernando Valenzuela. As someone who grew up loving baseball, this resolution is particularly meaningful to me.

As the Assembly Member from District 52, home to the Dodgers Stadium, I'm proud to celebrate one of the most beloved figures in baseball history. When it comes to sports, baseball stands tall as America's pastime.

Here in the Legislature, we know this all too well as we all rallied together last week for the 25th bipartisan legislative all Star Softball Game. And let's be clear. Next year, SoCal will bring home the win. That's right. I said it.

But true to America, every other generation or so, a person comes along who personifies the American Dream. In a very special way, Fernando Valenzuela transcended baseball. He became a cultural icon in Los Angeles and among Latino communities across the United States. His success inspired millions and opened doors for many Latin American players and fans.

And in that vein, Dodger baseball encapsulates all that is baseball in America and perhaps all that is America for its citizens. Make no mistake, the diamond at Dodger Stadium is a worldly stage. In a time when we are experiencing so much conflict and division, one person on a baseball field can help bring us together.

We see this even today with Shohei Ohtani and his talents on the field. Nations will follow a star making his mark in Dodger blue. It wasn't that long ago that one person exemplified this phenomenon and showcased his talents and in Dodger Stadium.

As much as Fernando Valenzuela's talents brought fans together, they also paid tribute to the sacrifices made by the residents of the Chavez Ravine. There is no irony that Fernando chasing greatness in the Dodger Stadium. This was simply a homecoming of talent to a storied land. When Los Angeles needed a star, Fernando answered the call.

Fernando was not only a threat on the mound, but he was also a threat at the plate who was used as a pinch hitter and had 10 career home runs. Fernando showed us that a defensive player could also be an offensive player.

This may not be the most important lesson that we can take from such an iconic figure. Not only must we play defense, but we must also be prepared to showcase our offensive strength. Fernando played 17 major league seasons pitching and batting as a left hander with an unorthodox style. He was nicknamed El Toro.

Fernando made history as the first rookie to start opening day for the Dodgers. He won his first eight starts, five of them shutouts, going on to win both the National League Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in the same season. A first and still the only time it has ever been done.

Not to mention the Dodgers also won the World Series that day. And so Fernando Mania swept the nation.

Let us take this moment to be in the moment to experience Fernando Mania here in the capital and wonder of the years when an unorthodox player pitching a screwball from the left side and looking toward the skies before each delivery carried the great City of Los Angeles.

Let us honor him and all that he stands for by officially declaring November 1st as Fernando Valenzuela Day in California. And with that, I respectfully ask for your Aye vote in honor of Fernando El Toro Valenzuela. Thank you.

Thank you, Assembly Member. Assembly Member. Jeff Gonzalez, you're recognized.

Colleagues. Today I rise in strong support of ACR 12 to honor not just a baseball legend, but a cultural icon, Fernando Valenzuela. For those of us who grew up with Mexican roots and Dodger fans, Fernando was more than a pitcher. He was a symbol of pride, possibility, and representation at the highest level of America's game.

When Fernando Mania swept Los Angeles in the 1980s, it wasn't just about the strikeouts or the screwball, though he gave us plenty of those. It was about the way he carried an entire community on his shoulders. He didn't just belong to Los Angeles. He belonged to all of California, from the Imperial Valley to the Central Valley.

Families tuned in to see him pitch. He was a unifying figure in a state as diverse as ours. For me and for so many others, seeing someone who looked like us on TV, wearing that famous Dodger blue, standing tall on the mound and looking up to the sky before every pitch meant everything.

It told us that we belonged. That our heritage, our culture, our dreams had a place on the biggest stage. My own family are lifelong Dodger fans. My wife, Christine and I have spent many nights cheering them on. And we know the pride Fernando brought into household like ours all across the state. Fernando gave our community a hero.

He gave families a reason to gather around the radio, the TV, or in the cheap seats at Dodger Stadium. And most importantly, to believe. And for generations of Mexican Americans, he opened the door that could never be closed.

As a lifelong Dodger fan, as a proud Latino, and as someone who saw the hope he inspired, I stand here deeply grateful for Fernando Valenzuela's legacy on the field and in our hearts. And with that colleagues, I respectfully ask for an Aye vote.

Thank you, Assembly Member. Assembly Member Mark Gonzalez, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise today in honor to honor a legend, as a proud representative of the east side of the parking lot entrance, specifically Lot K, Fernando Valenzuela, whose story is forever woven into the fabric of Los Angeles. When Fernando took the mound, he carried more than a baseball in his hand.

He carried folks that looked like me. He carried that community and as my colleague said, a community on his shoulders. He carried their dreams of immigrants, the pride of working families, and the spirit of a city that believes in miracles. Fernando Mania was not just about those shutouts, those strikeouts. It was about unity.

It was about a City of millions, from Boyle Heights to East Los Angeles standing together in Dodger blue. It was about showing the world that Los Angeles is a place where talent, heart, and determination can make history. Fernando Valenzuela gave us championships, yes, but more than that, he gave us. He gave Mexicans, gave Latino community an identity.

He showed that greatness can come from anywhere. That when he won, we all won. And today, his legacy lives not just in Dodger Stadium, but on the walls of Boyle Heights, where artists. Fernando Vargas. Robert Vargas painted a towering mural of Fernando, larger than life, just as he has always been in our community.

Fernando is more than a player. He is a pioneer, a hero, a symbol. His name will forever echo in Dodger Stadium and in the hearts of Angelenos. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Members, I ask for your Aye vote on ACR 12.

Thank you, Assemblymember. Assemblymember Alvarez, you're recognized.

Good afternoon, colleagues. I stand in support of acr12, even though I'm a Padres fan. Want to remind everybody that Fernando Valenzuela actually played for the Padres. I was a teenager myself when I saw him play for the San Diego Padres in the mid-1990s. And I rise because his story is not a Dodger story, although congratulations.

And certainly, you know, recognize the value of Fernando Valenzuela to the community of Los Angeles and the Dodgers. But it's more of a story of immigrants, really. He came from Mexico and he came here with a dream, and he succeeded in his dream and he gave back to this country.

He loved this country and he left a lot. And I think of that story is reflective in many of us whose parents came to this country as immigrants, seeking a dream, loving this new country and hoping to give back. And I'm reminded of the time that Fernando Valenzuela, he must have.

I never had a chance to meet, but I can only imagine, just like when my parents returned to Mexico, when Mr. Valenzuela returned to Mexico in 1996 for the first ever Major League baseball game between the Padres and the Mets. And I remember it very, very clearly. He started that game.

That was the first time there was a game of baseball in the country of Mexico. And I can only imagine the pride he must have felt to return to his country. Those of you who have immigrant roots, you know, our parents often talked about going back to their country to demonstrate what they have worked so hard for.

And it must have been such a proud moment. I'm sure it was for the family. But Fernando, in my eyes, is ambassador of all good things that immigrants bring to this country. And that's why I rise in support.

It's about him, certainly about the team that he was a great Member of and won championships with, but also a story of immigrants. Such a wonderful story. Very inspiring. And I want to thank our colleague for bringing this resolution forward and ask that we vote Aye on ACR12. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Assembly Member. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Assemblymember Quirk-Silva. Would you like to close?

Respectfully ask for an Aye vote.

Would you like the first roll to be open for co authors? While debate having ceased, the Clerk will open the roll for co authors. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. Members, this is for co authors. The Clerk will close the roll.

There are 66 co authors added without objection. We will now take a voice vote on the resolution. All those in favor say aye. Opposed say no. The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Assemblymember Clerk Silver, you are recognized for your guest introduction.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. It is a true honor to welcome several distinguished guests to our Assembly floor today as we celebrate the legacy of Fernando Valenzuela and the recognition of ACR 12, designating November 1st as Fernando Valenzuela Day in California. In the back of the chamber, we are joined by Fernando Valenzuela Jr.

Son of Fernando Valenzuela and his wife, Alejandra Valenzuela, and their daughters, Carla and Bella. We also have daughters from Fernando Maria Valenzuela and Kristen Sorry. And Linda Valenzuela with the Dodgers family. I also. I think they're in the back there.

We have Kristin McCowan, Vice President of Government affairs for the Dodgers, and Carla Mainiz, manager of Community relations. And they brought us a little treat.

You can come by my office for they join us today not only as family and community leaders, but as part of the living legacy of Fernando Valenzuela, whose impact continues to inspire California, the game of baseball and generations of fans.

On behalf of the California State Assembly, I want to extend our deepest gratitude for your presence today as we honor Fernando's legacy. Colleagues, please join me in giving a warm welcome to the Los Angeles Dodgers organization and the Valenzuela family.

Just a little. Thank you, members. Continuing on with guest introductions, let's give our attention please to Assemblymember Fong. You are recognized for your guest introduction.

Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker and Members, please join me in welcoming the new President of the University of California, J.B. Milliken. President Milliken started his journey with the UC system on August 1st.

Prior to taking over the helm at the University of California, President Milliken was previously the Chancellor of the University of Texas, the Chancellor of the City University of New York, and the President of the University of Nebraska. President Milliken is no stranger to large public higher education institutions.

President Milliken has a law degree from New York University and also served as President of the ACLU. President Milliken takes over the UC system during these very precarious times when the UC is being targeted by the Federal Administration and billions of dollars of research dollars are at risk. As a proud UC graduate, go Bruins.

Please join me in welcoming President J.B. Milliken and wish him the best on his journey as the 22nd President of the University of California. Thank you.

Assemblymember Connolly, you are recognized for your guest introduction.

Thank you, Madam Speaker, colleagues, today I'm honored to introduce the Rohnert Park 11 and under Cal Ripken All Star Baseball team to the State Capitol. This incredible group of young athletes made history this summer by becoming the first team from Rohner park to win the Cal Ripken Pacific Southwest Regional Championship.

They secured the title with an impressive 11 to 5 victory over Hawaii and will now represent California on a national level. Their achievement is a point of pride not only for my district, but for the entire state as they will be the only California team at The Cal Ripken 12 and under World Series Championship.

Showing confidence and commitment, they are headed to Branson, Missouri in 2026 where we hope for more great wins. Please join me in congratulating and welcoming my district's champions and their families.

Assemblymember Patterson, you're recognized for your guest introduction.

Great. Thank you so much. Madam Speaker, it's my honor today to welcome Ann Brown to the California State Assembly.

Ann just retired as Executive Director of the Auburn Symphony and was honored earlier this month with the Executive Leadership Award from the Association of California Symphony Orchestras in recognition of her extraordinary leadership and transformative impact on the arts in Placer County.

A few of the people here have made Auburn a thriving arts community and are in the gallery joining Ann. Auburn has a very unique, very unique and as mentioned, thriving arts community of all sorts of types in Place County and really stands out statewide.

Members, please join me in welcoming not only Ann, but also Connor Fallon and Jayden Barry, also with the Auburn Symphony. April Maynard, Auburn Arts Commission, Susan Dupree, Auburn Arts Commission, Karen Killebrew with the Placer Artists Tour, Janet Nicholson with the Placer Artist Tour, Kathy Michaels with Placer Artist Tour,

Jenny Darlington, Person Arts Council, Placer County, Eden Rock, Placer Landtress, which is a partner for the Symphony under the sky and and Trissa Swardlow, she's with the Placer Artist Tour as well. Please welcome me and joining them. Thank you for coming to the California State Assembly.

Returning to items on Concurrence File item number 6 AB 359 by Assemblymember Ramos for concurrence and Senate amendments, the Clerk will read.

Assembly Rule 359 by Assemblymember Ramos. An act relating to the Political Reform act of 1974.

Assemblymember Ramos, you're recognized.

Well, thank you, Madam Speaker. AB 359 is back for concurrence. The bill was amended for minor technical changes in the Senate and it has been a support support bill with no opposition. I ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, assemblymember. Seeing and hearing no further debate. The Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. The Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. Ayes 59, no 0.

Senate amendments are concurred in. Moving ahead temporarily to Item 27: HR 56 by Assembly Member Valencia. The clerk will read.

House Resolution 56 by Assembly Member Valencia, relative to Chicano Heritage Month.

Assembly Member Valencia, you're recognized.

Gracias, Madam Speaker. I rise today to present HR 56, a resolution that recognizes August as Chicano Heritage Month, and I mind you, for the first time in our state's history. That foundation is rooted in history. It is the Mexican American identity that generations have shown to broadcast resilience and a love for their community.

Today I stand for--today it stands for pride and strength that has been reclaimed as a legacy of political power, artistic expression, and community. When I think of Chicano heritage, I think of Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers, Sylvia Mendez, whose family fought in Mendez versus Westminster. Chicanos and Chicanas have also proudly served in our military.

During World War II, nearly half a million Hispanic Americans served. Thousands served during the Vietnam War. Fifteen percent of U.S. casualties were Mexican American, a disproportionate number when it compared to others. Make no mistake: the contributions of the Mexican American and Chicano community are second to none in this state. That is why HR 56 matters.

It would make California the first and only state to formally recognize Chicano Heritage Month. This is more than a resolution; it is a recognition of truth long fought for and a promise to future generations that their stories will be celebrated and continue to live on in California. Colleagues, I ask that you please support HR 56 for the workers, the students, the elders, and the storytellers who carry this legacy forward every day. I respectfully ask for your vote on HR 56.

Thank you, Assembly Member. Assembly Member Carrillo, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. As vice chair of the Latino Caucus, I rise in support of HR 56, recognizing August as Chicano Heritage Month. As vice chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus, I rise today in strong support of this resolution, recognizing August 2025 as Chicano Heritage Month in the State of California.

I would like to extend my appreciation to the author for bringing forward his timely and meaningful resolution. The designation of Chicano Heritage Month is not merely ceremonial; it is a formal recognition of the enduring and profound contributions that Chicanos and Chicanas have made to the cultural, political, and social fabric of California and the United States.

The Chicano Movement itself was a transformative force in American history, fighting for educational equity, labor rights, voting rights, and greater representation in public life. It was influenced by and stood in solidarity with the Black Power Movement, building a foundation for Black and Brown unity in the ongoing struggle for justice.

Colleagues, I respectfully urge your support of this resolution. Let us stand together in recognizing the rich heritage, the courageous activism, and the invaluable impact of Chicanos and Chicanas in California across the nation. Thank you.

Thank you, Assembly Member. Assembly Member Mark Gonzalez, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise today in strong support of HR 56, declaring August 2025 as Chicano Heritage Month. This resolution is not just words on paper. It is recognition, it's memory, it's legacy.

Chicano and Chicana leaders throughout our history, from labor trailblazers like Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez to countless organizers, educators, and artists whose names history books too often forget, paved the way for me, for other Mexican Americans, and for the 44 Latino legislators who now serve in this California State Legislature.

The Chicano Movement was not only a movement of protest, it was a movement of creation. It built stronger labor rights to the United Farm Workers. It demanded access to education so that farm workers, children, could hold books in their hands instead of being trapped by fields.

It gave us art, it gave us music, it gave us poetry, and a language of resistance that still empowers generations. I am proud to represent the very heart of the movement, Boyle Heights, Lincoln Heights, and historic Olvera Street, communities that have been home to struggle, resilience, and cultural pride for generations.

It was in these neighborhoods that murals became manifestos, marches became milestones, and voices that had been silenced became the soundtrack of justice. We must also remember Ruben Salazar, the first Mexican American journalist to stand as a national voice for our community whose life was tragically cut short during the Chicano Moratorium.

His pen, his truth, and ultimately his sacrifice reminds us of the cost of visibility and the power of telling our own story. Members, this is not just history. It's my story. It's our story. It's the story of Los Angeles, the story of California, and the story of America, and yet, even as we celebrate, we must confront the painful truth.

Today, in my district and across this nation, the federal government is once again targeting people who look like me. Families are being torn apart. Hardworking men and women who contribute to this country, pay taxes, and believe in the promise of the American Dream are being vilified, abducted, and treated as disposable. This narrative being pushed by this administration is not just harmful, it's dangerous.

It's meant to erase us, to silence us, to tell our children that they do not belong in the very country they help build every single day, but today on the floor, we say no. We say that we will not be erased. We will not--we will say that we will not be silenced.

We say that our history, our heritage, our humanity will not be denied. Chicano Heritage Month is not just about the past. It is about the present and the future. By uplifting Chicano heritage, we reject the dangerous agenda of division, we honor the resilience of a community that has always stood tall in the face of hate, and we remind future generations that their accomplishments, their voices, and their dreams will always be valued in this state. Thank you, Madam Speaker and members. I respectfully ask for your aye vote on HR 56.

Assembly Member Alvarez, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise in support of HR 56 and thank our colleague from Orange County, from Anaheim, for introducing this. I have to stand up as a son of Barrio Logan, where Chicano Park is the largest collection of outdoor murals anywhere, a national historic landmark recognized for its history of the Chicano Movement, not just in San Diego, but in the Southwestern United States.

In April, every single year for now 55 years, we have celebrated Chicano Park and the establishment of that park, and that park was established because of a fight from the community who fought against true oppression back in the day, taking over land to create a public space, public space that now is celebrated by people who come from literally all over the world, where the lowrider community finds its place, where many of us still find so much ability to be inspired to do good work for our community.

The Chicano Movement has always been about uplifting people, about working hard, dedicating yourself, so whether it was a Chicano studies course in college to help many of us perhaps better find our identity of who we are--were and are in this country, where our cultures often clash, where we try to be as American as we can be but also want to recognize our roots and where we come from, Chicanismo is about that, and I think it's important that we recognize that.

I'm proud to represent a community that upholds that and that uplifts that and that celebrates that so well and I'm so honored that I'll be able to support HR 56 by a colleague from Anaheim in order to recognize this as an entire state. So, for that reason, respectfully ask for your aye vote on HR 56. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Seeing and hearing no further debate, Assembly Member Valencia, would you like to close?

Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I want to express my gratitude to the eloquence that my colleagues have shared today on this Assembly Floor. I think this resolution is extremely timely considering we have so many diverse cultures clashing between what it is to be American, but being true to the roots from where we all come from, from one place or another.

From the fields of San Jose and the Central Valley to the urban neighborhoods of San Diego, Los Angeles, and of course, Santa Ana, Orange County, Chicano heritage is alive and well and thriving, and the fact that we are able to pass this here today shows the resilience and the future and promise that California has for all communities. With that, I respectfully ask for a yes vote and respectfully ask for co-authors with the roll open.

All debate having ceased, the clerk will open the roll for co-authors. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote. Members, this is for co-authors. The clerk will close the roll. There are 65 co-authors added.

Without objection, we will now take a voice vote on the resolution. All those in favor say, aye. Opposed say, no. The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Assembly Member Valencia, you're recognized for your guest introduction.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am honored to introduce elected officials from the City of Santa Ana, which is the heart of the 68th Assembly District. With me today, we have our incredible mayor, Mayor Valerie Mesqua. Council Member Thai Viet Phan, the first Vietnamese American elected to the Santa Ana City Council.

Council Member Jonathan Ryan Hernandez, who championed this resolution for the first time in the City of Santa Ana and again the first city in the nation to do so.

Council Member Phil Becerra, who represents the south portion of the city, who is of Filipino descent, and our good friend. Council Member David Penaloza, that represents the central part of Santa Ana. These leaders reflect the legacy of HR 56 and California, with it being the first in the nation to declare August as Latino Heritage Month.

I ask that you all please give a round of applause to this incredible council. And I do apologize. One more Council Member Jesse Lopez from the City of Santa Ana as well.

Returning to item 16, ACR101 by Assemblymember Addis, the Clerk will read.

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 101 by Assemblymember Addis relative to the James Dean Memorial Highway.

Assemblymember Addis, you are recognized.

Thank you, Madam Speaker and colleagues. Members, I am excited to present ACR101, designating a portion of State Highway Route 46 in San Luis Obispo County as the James Dean Memorial Highway. James Byron Dean had an incredible, incredible acting career in the 1950s, cementing his legacy as one of the most iconic movie stars of all time.

And as I was getting ready to present this acr, someone on the floor told me how much they respect James Dean and named their child after him. That's how special he was.

James Dean was born in 1931 in Marion, Indiana, but later moved to California where he attended Santa Monica City College and the University of California, Los Angeles. At age 19, he landed his first role in a Pepsi commercial and quickly began building a career that would leave a profound cultural impact.

In his brief career, Dean appeared in just three films, east of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause, and Giant, each of which became an instant classic. He earned Academy Award nominations for east of Eden and Giant, making him the only actor in history to ever receive two posthumous nominations.

Giant has since been preserved in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. Beyond his films, Dean's style and performances shaped American pop culture and helped define rebellious counterculture attitudes for generations.

The Persona he projected on screen, especially in Rebel Without a Cause, influenced Elvis Presley and countless musicians who followed, solidifying his place as a cultural icon. Tragically, Dean's life and career were short. He was killed in a car accident on State Highway Route 46 in San Luis Obispo County, where I represent.

He was only 24 years old, and anyone who has driven this part of the highway now knows it as Blood Alley due to the many, many deaths that happened there.

But now, in 2025, 70 years after James Dean's death, this portion of highway has been reconstructed, creating a safer route for tens of millions of people who come to or through San Luis Obispo county every year.

And today this Legislature has the honor of designating the portion of State Highway Route 46 in San Luis Obispo county where Dean died as the James Dean Memorial Highway.

In a testament to James Dean's remarkable contributions to American film and to the enduring cultural legacy he left behind, colleagues I would like to ask that the role be open for co authors and I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

All debate having ceased, the Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. The Clerk will reopen the roll on the resolution. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. The Clerk will close the roll and tally the vote. Ayes 62, no 0.

The resolution is adopted. Assemblymember Addis, you are recognized for your guest introduction.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Members, first, I want to introduce Neil Sheehan, a representative for James Dean fam- James Dean's family who is here with us today. And I also want to draw your attention to the postcard that our office worked collaboratively with the James Dean family on. I know many of you have commented on this handsome photo on your desk.

That is a gift from me and I wanted to share with you that this photo was chosen specifically by the family as their favorite photo of James Dean.

Returning to items on concurrence file, item number 7 AB 594 by Assemblymember Solache for concurrence and Senate amendments. The Clerk will read.

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

Assembly Member Solache, you are recognized.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Members, I rise today to concurrent Senate amendments for AB 594, which was the very first bill that I presented under this floor. AB 594 provides necessary protections for students who are navigating college provided health insurance.

We want to say thank you to the sponsor, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, a former Member in my same district that I represent and his office for their collaboration and expertise. This bill was a support support in both houses and and I respectfully ask for your aye vote. Thank you.

Thank you, Assemblymember. Seeing and hearing no further debate, the Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. The Clerk will close the roll and tally the vote. Ayes 59, noes 0. Senate amendments are concurred in file item 8.

AB 1085 by Assembly Member Stefani for concurrence and senate amendments. The clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 1085 by Assembly Member Stefani, an act relating to vehicles.

Assembly Member Stefani, you are recognized.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today I rise to present AB 1085. This bill strengthens enforcement against a growing threat on our roads: license plate obstruction devices that help drivers evade tolls, traffic enforcement, and even law enforcement itself.

These devices--tinted covers, shaded shields, and mechanical flippers--are widely available online and in stores across California. AB 1085 responds with two clear changes: it explicitly bans the use of tinted, shaded, and mechanical plate covers and it imposes a fine per device on those who manufacture or sell them.

This bill is about fairness, it's about protecting the integrity of our enforcement systems, and ensuring that technology designed to improve public safety isn't undermined by technology designed to defeat it. And I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Assembly Member. Seeing and hearing no further debate, the clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. The clerk will close the roll and tally the vote.

Ayes, 61. Noes, 0. Senate amendments are concurred in. File item 9, AB 1286 by some Member Boerner for concurrence and Senate amendments. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 1286 by Assembly Member Boerner an act relating to the Political Reform act of 1974.

Assemblymember Boerner, you are recognized.

Good afternoon Madam Speaker and Members. AB 1286 the Public Employment Transparency act is back on concurrence. As a reminder, AB 1286 will require a public official to disclose the date of the arrangement of future employment and the identity of the prospective employer on their FPPC Form 700 while in office.

Currently, public officials are not required to disclose the date of when they accept a future job offer, creating an opportunity for conflicts of interest. By adding Prospective Employment disclosure to form 700s, AB 1286 closes this gap and creates transparency for the public.

We took some clarifying amendments in the Senate to make it clear who is required to file. Once again, if you have nothing to hide, please vote aye.

Singing Hearing no further debate, the Clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote all those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who deserves desire to vote. The Clerk will close the roll and tally the vote.

Ayes: 59; no: zero. Senate amendments are concurred in. File Item 11: AB 1505 by the Committee on Agriculture, presented by Assembly Member Soria for concurrence and senate amendments. The clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 1505 by the Committee on Agriculture, an act relating to food and agriculture and making an appropriation therefore.

Assembly Member Soria, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Members, AB 1505 is the Ag Committee's omnibus bill back for concurrence. There are senate amendments that added additional noncontroversial provisions, the bill has no opposition, and I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Assembly Members. Seeing and hearing no further debate, the clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. The clerk will close the roll and tally the vote. Ayes: 59; no: zero.

Senate amendments are concurred in. Moving to Third Reading: File Item 14: AJR 14 by Assembly Member Gipson. The clerk will read.

Assembly Joint Resolution 14 by Assembly Member Gipson, relative to tariffs.

Assembly Member Gipson, you are recognized.

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I rise to present AJR 15--AJR 14. As Assembly Chair of the Select Committee on Ports and Goods Movement, I've led the efforts to address critical challenges facing our ports. AJR 14 seeks to call upon the federal government--the federal agencies--to consider the ramifications of tariff's policies on California ports.

We seek to work towards strategies to stabilize trades and increase the competitiveness of the ports' infrastructures. The main contributors to current supply chains issues is due to the federal administration's executive orders. California's ports are essentials to the economic engines, gateway for international commerce, and key drivers to employment and industries across the state.

However, recent increases in global trade policies have imposed the federal tariffs, has interrupted the port's operation and strained the broader supply chain. These tariffs have increased costs for import/exports alike, leading to decline in cargo volumes moving across California's ports. The consequences are real.

Ports face long turnaround times, logistics backlogs, and rising costs that has impacted shipping, shipping companies, and consumers. The rippling effect has extended on a regional and depending on the trades of imports. The logistics nightmares have hurt hundreds and thousands of jobs in California. For these reasons, I respectfully ask for an aye vote on AJR 14.

Assembly Member DeMaio, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise in opposition to AJR 14. While I appreciate my colleague from Los Angeles's commitment to and interest in protecting the job base at our ports in California--and these jobs are so important and they play a critical role in our national economy, international economy--it is no one's business in this chamber what the federal administration does as it relates to tariffs in negotiating fair trade deals.

As much as I worry about our port jobs, I must also worry about the manufacturing jobs that our country has lost year after year, blue collar jobs, middle-class jobs. We've lost these jobs because of unfair trade policies and we now have a president who has said no more Wall Street enrichment, no more foreign government enrichment. We need our job base back and all we're asking for are fair trade deals.

If we have fair trade deals, I believe the American worker can compete and win, but when we have unfair trade deals, it's predatory. The billionaires at the very top of the scheme, the outsourcers, they're the ones profiting. We've made a lot of mistakes on trade policy over the years. I think President Clinton's decision to double and triple down on unfair deals really hurt these blue collar workers and undermined our ability to provide for middle-class prosperity.

So I urge this chamber, don't stick your nose into an issue that it doesn't belong in. Let's allow our president to negotiate better trade deals. Let's give that renegotiation process time. We're already seeing some very good trade deals get announced and it's not the time to--for politics try to undercut his negotiating position. I urge that we not proceed forward on AJR 14 today.

Assembly Member Ransom, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Colleagues, I rise today in strong support of AJR 14. I want to thank the member from Carson for authoring this important resolution that highlights the values of our ports while also raising the current challenges that the ports are facing due to uncertainty created by federal tariffs.

This is not the first time our ports have faced uncertainty. Our ports are just now recovering from something that we could not prevent, which is the Covid disaster which impacted our ports, our ports, but this time we have a manufactured issue that is happening across our ports. Our ports are vital to our state, national, and local economies.

It is absolutely our job to interject and to intercede for our communities and the ports when we are concerned with how the federal administration is impacting our local ports. It does not mean that we cannot work to make our trade deals better. We can do more than one thing at a time without hurting this country's ports.

I proudly represent the Port of Stockton, California's first inland port. It's also the largest inland port which creates a crucial link for the movement of agricultural, manufactured goods throughout the state, and while we support bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. and we support strengthening manufacturing jobs here in the U.S., we cannot ignore the jobs that we have at our ports and we cannot ignore that our ports are vital to our economic sustainability.

In my community, the Port of Stockton connects the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers with the San Francisco Bay, ensuring that we are a vital hub for trade. We must protect these trade ecosystems because when ports struggle, it puts our economy at risk and the real jobs and families and communities that rely on them. I want to thank you again, Mr.--the member from Carson--I want to thank you again, and I respectfully ask for your aye vote on AJR 14.

Assembly Member Papan, you are recognized.

Thank you so much, Madam Speaker. I too rise in support of this resolution and I concur with my colleagues. As a proud member of this Assembly who is home to the small but mighty Redwood City Port, I have observed firsthand the importance to a local economy that a port brings and we will speak up every time that economy is interfered with. So I thank the member from Carson for bringing this and I respectfully request an aye vote as well.

Thank you, Assembly Member. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Assembly Member Gipson, would you like to close?

Yes. I want to say thank you very much to my colleagues, both who've spoken in support of AJR 14, and simply say, for someone who actually visited all 12 ports in the State of California, when we have these tariffs being levied by this administration and seeing the impact and who also represent the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach and know that they are high volume ports, when California ports goes down--these are American ports--if anything interrupt these ports, we paralyze the United States of America because of the high volume of our ports.

We see these ports in their high volumes, but when these tariffs are actually imposed and the volume goes down, we see the significance and the impact that it has with these ports, and this AJR simply is saying--sending a clear message to this government to not to impose these kinds of tariffs that has certain implications and implications to these ports.

California needs to continue to be and speak with a high volume with the ports. This AJR is simply saying that we need to make sure that we continue to act in a high volume like we've continued to put volume in our ports.

We've seen during the pandemic what happens when these ports goes down in the State of California. We cannot afford that. Baby formulas--all the things that happens when California ports goes down. This is a clear message that we are sensitive to our ports. This AJR simply continue to send a message to Washington D.C. I ask for a strong aye vote on AJR 14.

All debate having ceased, members, this is a joint resolution, so roll call vote is required. The clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. The clerk will close the roll and tally the vote. Ayes: 44; noes: one. The resolution is adopted.

Okay, Members, we are on to file item number 15. That's AGR 17 by Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Joint Resolution 17 by Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez and others, relative to Immigration.

Assemblymember Rodriguez, you are recognized.

Thank you. Speaker and Members, AJR17 is a joint resolution that urges Congress to pass the renewing immigration provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929, a long overdue step toward justice. I bring this resolution forward not just as a Legislator, but as someone whose community and family understand firsthand the realities of immigration.

Our country's immigration laws have not been updated in nearly 40 years, beyond the lifetime of many new legislators here today on the floor. During that time, California has become home to over 10 million immigrants who have built their lives here, raised their children and contributed to our communities.

1 in 10 workers in our state is undocumented and they contribute more than 8.5 billion annually in California State and local taxes. According to a recent poll, nearly 75% of California voters, including 50% of Republicans, believe that eliminating undocumented immigrants from the workforce would negatively impact the state's economy.

No matter which side of the aisle you sit on, there is a recognition that something is broken and needs to be fixed beyond being essential to our state. And these people are our neighbors, coworkers and friends. For many of us, they are our family.

AJR urges the Assembly and the Senate to support legislation that would update the current registry statute so that immigrants may qualify for lawful permanent status if they have continuously lived in the US for at least seven years. For many, this would mean finally living without the fear of deportation, family separation, or losing everything they've worked for.

This fear is more real now than ever. What we are witnessing across our country is a drastic increase in mass deportations, family separations, and an expansion of inhumane detention centers. The majority of those caught up in enforcement sweeps are law abiding immigrants and even US Citizens.

Families are being broken apart not because they broke the law, but because but because our immigration system is broken. It is critical we all speak up.

Just recently, hundreds of community Members who are living through the fear and pain of the attacks on immigrant communities walked from Vacaville to Sacramento to support this effort to update the registry bills. AGR 17 honors their efforts, their courage.

It also honors Jaime Alanis Garcia, Roberto Carlos Montoya, their families, and all those who have lost their lives because of the immigration raids taking place. This is not just a policy issue. It's about justice and dignity.

It's about allowing people like my own family members, like countless in each and every one of our districts to be seen and treated as full participants in the country that they call home.

This resolution reflects the values and Californians overwhelmingly support I respectfully ask for your aye vote to affirm California's commitment to a humane, workable and just immigration system and calling on Congress to vote for House Resolution 4696 and Senate Bill 2468. Thank you.

Thank you, Assemblymember Rodriguez, Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I rise today in strong support of AJR 17, which supports the modernization of the Immigration Act of 1929 and urge Congress to support the passage of SB 2606 and HR 1511. Immigrant communities are the backbone of our state and they deserve dignity, protection and a real path to citizenship. They are Californians.

They are our neighbors. They are the workers who build our homes, care for our children, harvest our. Food and lead our unions. They are doctors, they are nurses. They are teachers. They are the fabric and the foundation of what makes California the Golden State. They deserve safety, deserve dignity. They deserve a real path to citizenship.

AJR 17 acknowledges the necessity of making sure we have a clear and accessible pathways to legal status for undocumented community. Without this, our immigration system will remain broken and our undocumented community will be subject to the whims of cruel and tyrannical federal Administration, taking our communities hostage every single day. Thank you, Members, and thank you to

the author for bringing this forward today. Si se puede and I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today in strong support of Assembly Joint Resolution 17, which urges Congress to pass the renewing immigration provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929, a critical and long overdue update to our nation's immigration system. For nearly four decades, the Federal Government has failed to advance meaningful immigration reform.

In that time, millions of individuals, many of them in California, have built lives, families and communities under a system that remains fundamentally broken and outdated. California is home to the largest immigration population in the country, nearly 10 million individuals. They are our neighbors, our colleagues, our caregivers, and essential members of our workforce. They are Californians.

One in every of 10 workers in this state is an undocumented immigrant. Collectively, undocumented immigrants contribute more than 51 billion annually in estate and local taxes. The contributions of immigrants is not insignificant, and it is time this federal Administration created a pathway to citizenship for these hardworking individuals.

Members, I respectfully ask for your aye vote on AJR 17.

Thank you, Assemblymember Carrillo. Assemblymember Ortega, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Vice Chair of the Latino Caucus, I am proud to rise in Strong support the AJR 17. Like many immigrants, my family came to the United States when I was just three years old. Not just in search of the American dream, but to contribute to it.

And I watched my parents work very hard day in and day out as I drove here today to our beautiful State Capitol. I remember the Federal Building in San Francisco in which I stood in line with my parents to get our American citizenship. A path that was given to us by President Ronald Reagan.

A Republican President who did not decide to put me in a cage at 3 years old or ripped me from my mother's arms. A Republican President who didn't deploy masked men to snatch my dad, my brothers or my uncles. AJR 17 is not just an affirmation of our support for immigration reform. It is personal

for many of us. AGR 17 is a prioritization to realize that we all deserve that American dream.

Prior to realizing our U.S. citizenship status, I also grew up fearing that every door knock was going to be ICE and that they were going to take me and my family away, that my dad would go to work and never come home.

Unfortunately, Members, this is the same fear that so many families are living with today under the unjust, unjust terror that this Administration has brought on our country. This Administration is not targeting criminals. They are targeting people who look like me, who look like our families, who look like our United States Senator and Alex Padilla.

They are targeting hardworking, tax paying individuals who have been contributing to the American dream and who deserve a chance, just like my family and I had. We are not alone in this. The majority of Americans and Californians support immigration and a path to citizenship.

For these reasons, I am proud to support AJR 17 and respectfully request an aye vote.

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

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise today in strong support of AJR 17, a resolution urging Congress to create a pathway to permanent residency for millions of undocumented immigrants who have made California their home.

This resolution recognizes the reality faced by millions of hardworking immigrants who live, work and raise their families here, yet still lack the security of legal status. Many of these families have been here for decades. They pay taxes, contribute to our economy, and strengthen the social and cultural fabric of our communities.

And because of a system that has remained frozen for nearly 40 years, they're still left in limbo. Updating our broken immigration system is not radical. It's rational. And it's the right thing to do. As co chair of the Jewish Caucus, I am proud to stand with our immigrant communities whose stories echo our own.

Together, we are guided by a commitment to dignity, compassion, and a clear eyed understanding that California's strength lies in its diversity as a state built by immigrants. And Let me say, Mr. Chair, this is very personal for Members of our Jewish Caucus. We are a community of immigrants.

We all remember the stories of our friends and family that came to these shores, often to escape persecution or looking for better opportunities for our family. Exactly the same stories of people who are coming to our shores today.

And it is very personal for me because I stand on this floor as the great grandson of an undocumented immigrant who came to this country fleeing religious bigotry and who worked his entire life here as a butcher, paying taxes, supporting his family, raising a family.

And I remember being raised with stories from my grandmother about the fear that her family faced about doing simple things like traveling or going to the grocery store, doing other things that other families take for granted. And that is a fear that we are seeing echoed today in so many communities.

So this is something that is very personal for many of us, irrespective of where our families may have come from. And we find ourselves at an incredible moment in history as our colleague, the author from the San Fernando Valley and others have so eloquently spoken about.

And so I believe it is incumbent upon all of us, particularly those of us who are blessed, to be citizens, to speak up and to raise our voices and to lean into this moment and to remind people of our own family stories. Because the truth is, other than our colleague from San Bernardino, all of us are immigrants.

All of us trace our history back to immigrants who came to these shores. So to me, it is an important moment for all of us to raise our voice.

I will say, as someone from the San Fernando Valley, where we love our immigrant communities, where we value and take incredible pride in our mixed status families, our undocumented neighbors and family Members and brothers and sisters, I'm very proud to lend my voice to this. I want to thank our colleague for bringing it forward.

And on behalf of our Jewish Caucus urge a strong aye vote on AJR 17.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. I joined my colleague from the San Fernando Valley and rise today to speak in support of AJR 17. Do y' all remember When President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were trying to address the border crisis through comprehensive immigration reform.

I'm sure you also remember that Trump, even though he was out of office, reportedly called Republican Members of Congress to oppose the measure. His concern was never truly about resolving the true issue, the fact that the immigration system in the United States is outdated and inefficient.

This broken system has forced asylum seekers and those pursuing the American dream to resort to alternative, often unsafe pathways. Currently, even people who are trying to follow the process are being detained in immigration courts across the country being disappeared.

While Trump's actions, like firing immigration judges, have worsened the backlog, AJR 17 calls on Congress to act ensuring that long term law abiding residents have a fair and attainable pathway to lawful status. Unfortunately, we continue to see political gamesmanship and fear mongering instead of real solutions. This is about fairness, stability and the economic health of our nation.

We cannot allow immigration policy to be weaponized for political gain. We must push for reforms that reflect our values and reality. Instead of advancing real solutions, some leaders choose to manufacture crises for political theater. This undermines trust, deepens divisions, and ignores the human cost of inaction.

By terrorizing us with these ICE raids, Trump is creating problems just so he can pretend to be the hero who fixes them, riding in like a white knight on his white horse to be our white savior. That is hypocrisy and cruelty at its finest.

I respectfully ask for your aye vote on AJR 17 to support House Resolution 151 and Senate Bill 2606 for true comprehensive immigration reform. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today on behalf of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus in support of AJR 17. We honor the contributions, resilience and humanity of immigrants, many of whom have built their lives, communities and the futures here in California. The contributions of our immigrant communities enrich our state. California is home to nearly 10 million immigrants.

The contributions of our immigrant communities enrich our state. Our diversity fuels innovation, economic vitality. Nearly one of 10 workers in our state are undocumented. Collectively, undocumented individuals contribute more than 51 billion in state and local taxes every year.

It has been almost 40 years since meaningful federal immigration reform, while millions remain without lawful status, constrained by the outdated system, unable to address today's realities. Meaningful reform opportunities have been rejected and blocked for decades. They can't close the doors and blame people for having no way in.

Even when immigrants try to come quote the right way, there are ICE agents waiting to snatch them at their legal appointments and hearings. This is not justice. Immigration reform is long overdue.

AJR 17 urges our federal partners to make take action by allowing undocumented individuals who have lived continuously in the US for at least seven years to apply for lawful permanent residency. My parents came to this country from Leon Guanajuato to build a better life for our family. I represent large immigrant community in Southeast Los Angeles.

Immigrants are the neighbors, friends and small business owners that make our communities home fair, functional and humane. Immigration reforms are aligns with our values and support our prosperity. On behalf of the LGBTQ Caucus, I'm proud to join my colleagues in supporting this resolution and calling for meaningful humane reform. Thank you, speaker and Members.

I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assembly Member Solache. Assemblymember Soria, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. I rise today as a proud co author of AJR 17, asking and demanding our Congress to reform our immigration system. It's about time.

And we must stop politicizing this issue and we must stop politicizing and terrorizing our families across the State of California and this nation who continue to make positive contributions not just to this great state, but to this great country.

I rise today because in my district we are home to thousands of immigrants that the Federal Government classified as essential and who today continue to wake up very early to beat the heat, to pick the fruits and vegetables that you and I get the privilege of buying at our local grocery stores. But today, they live in fear.

This issue, to me, is very personal. I wouldn't be standing here if it weren't for the two brave farm workers, my parents, Jose and Maria Soria, who came to this country, yes, undocumented as teenagers, driven by the dream of giving their children a better future.

Like so many families in the Central Valley, they came to work hard not to cause harm. And yet, decades later, our families are scared again. Scared to go to the store, scared to go to the Doctor, to simply live their lives. I will tell you, and I've shared this story with others. I even carry my passport nowadays.

You guys probably read the LA Times article that said today many of us are scared to be brown. Our family has already experienced deportation. Once when I was young, my father shared his story of being deported. It was painful and it was frightening. We thought those days were behind us.

After all, as many of my colleagues have stated, President Ronald Reagan, yes, a Republican, enacted immigration reform in 1986, which granted my two immigrant parents amnesty along with millions of hardworking immigrants in this country. That's what leadership looks like. We need that kind of courage again. And these deportations as well must stop.

I've heard it from directly in my district, from agriculture producers, packing house operators and other business owners across our valley. They are worried about the future because they know, just like we do, that immigrants are essential to our economy. Without them, the crops don't get harvested. Actually, they will rot.

Businesses can't stay open, and entire communities will suffer. They, too, support comprehensive immigration reform. We need a Congress that will come together to create a real pathway to citizenship for immigrants who have contributed for years. And let's be clear, this broken system is hurting our state's economy. From the fields to the cities.

Those ICE agents don't belong in our schools. They don't belong in our churches. They don't belong in people's homes. They don't belong inside those businesses. If we don't act now, when will we act? I will keep fighting for immigration reform because it's about California's future and the future of the Central Valley.

But it's also about the future of the United States of America. It depends on it. I rise today and ask all of you to vote in support of AJR 17.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think most of us would agree the most valuable thing we could do to strengthen America is to strengthen America's families. And today there are millions of Americans that live in mixed immigration status families. Splitting those families apart weakens America.

And binding those families together and giving them the security that they need to have to hold their family together and be great contributors to America requires immigration reform for political reasons. We have stood in the way of the immigration reform we need. We've stood in the way of a path to citizenship.

If you care about the strength of America and you care about the strength of our families, you care about the strength of our immigrant families. I strongly recommend an aye vote on AJR 17. Thank you.

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

Thank you to my colleagues for standing in support of this resolution. AJR 17 is a resolution that reflects our values and the urgent need for federal action. California must reaffirm its support for Congress to modernize the immigration registry and ensure that dignity and opportunity are extended to those who have proven their deep ties to this nation.

This is needed now more than ever. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Rodriguez. Members, this is a joint resolution. A roll call vote is required. Clerk will open the roll. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes 47. No 7. The resolution is adopted.

Okay, we have already dispensed with file item number 16. We're going to pass retain on file item number 17. That brings us to file item number 18. That's HR 50 by Assemblymember Stefani.

The Clerk will read.

House Resolution 50 by Assembly Member Stefani and others relative to Elimination of Violence Against Women Day.

Assembly Member Stefani. You are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On behalf of the California Legislative Women's Caucus, I rise to present House Resolution 50, which proclaims November 252025 as elimination of Violence Against Women Day. Throughout the State of California, violence against women and girls is an absolute global crisis.

According to the United Nations, over 51,000 women were murdered by intimate partners or family Members last year alone. That's one woman killed every 10 minutes. Here in California, 86% of women report having experienced sexual harassment or assault in their lifetime. These are not just statistics.

They are lives forever changed by harm that could and should have been prevented. The United nations established November 25 as the international Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women to honor the legacy of the Maribel Sisters, three political activists from the Dominican Republic who were assassinated for the resistance to dictatorship.

Their courage is a powerful reminder that gender based violence is not only a personal issue, it's political. And ending it requires action. This year marks the 26th anniversary of that observance. And with HR50, California joins the global community in recommitting to the fight to end violence against women and girls.

This resolution is not just symbolic, it is a call to action. A call to hold ourselves accountable as policymakers, to ensure we are protecting survivors, closing legal and enforcement gaps, and doing the work year round to prevent harm before it happens. Because no woman should live in fear.

I respectfully ask for your aye vote and request to open the roll for additional co authors. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Assembly Member Stefani. Assembly Member Jeff Gonzalez, you are recognized.

Let's thank the author for this HR And I respectfully ask that my colleagues join me for an Aye vote.

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

Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker and Members. First, thank you to my colleague from San Francisco for bringing this forward. I rise as a proud co author of HR50, which recognizes November 25 as the international Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. As we heard, the state was established by the United nations to honor the Mirabal sisters who.

Who are brave political activists from the Dominican Republic who were assassinated under a brutal regime. We need to acknowledge that violence against women and girls is a devastating global issue, impacting millions and demanding urgent action. The statistic that one woman is killed every 10 minutes highlights the severity of this crisis.

In our own state, 86% of women report experiencing some sort of sexual harassment or. Or assault in their lifetime. Violence against women encompasses various forms, including physical, psychological, sexual, and financial abuse. This broader understanding helps us recognize that many dimensions of harm that women face.

Women of color, immigrant women, and LGBTQ women face even higher rates of violence. It leaves deep scars on children, on families, on communities, and on society as a whole. It disrupts education, employment, and creates cycles of fear and silence that can persist across generations.

To eliminate violence against women, a cultural transformation is necessary because it's not just about policy reform. We need to change societal norms and power structures that normalize and perpetuate this type of violence. So let us stand together and honor the courage of the Mirabal sisters and the women in our lives, Our mothers, sisters, daughters, friends, and neighbors.

This resolution is an affirmation of our commitment to creating a safer, more equitable world. And with that, I respectfully ask for your aye vote for a stronger, safer, and more just society for all. Thank you.

Thank you, Assembly Member Coloza. Assemblymember Lackey, you are recognized.

You may wonder why I'm standing. And I'm just going to share with you a very personal story that happened some time ago. I received a message on my phone from a person that was in my community that happened to know that I had interest in public safety.

She sent me a picture of her, and this was right around Christmas time, and she was injured. She showed me the picture. That was a day after an incident that had occurred with her spouse. And she had indicated that she was very scared and didn't know what to do.

And of course, with my mandate to actually report the incident, I did. And I had law enforcement go to that address and placed the husband under arrest. The reason why I'm sharing you this story is because about six weeks later went to court and the wife pled. Pled with me to not testify.

We have a real problem in our society with these women. They feel trapped, they feel desperate. And even after the appropriate action is taken, they're still very, very fearful. Our society has a long way to go on this, and I want you to know that I'll never forget that. I will never forget the sadness that I felt.

Not only from the injury. He broke the oracle in her eye. It was very severe. I still have that image in my mind. It's terrible. And the fact that she felt that she didn't want any action taken against her spouse is also very telling of the fear. I hope that we'll do a better job.

And this really deserves attention. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank my colleagues from Los Angeles, Indio, and especially from Palmdale for sharing that story. I think you nailed it in terms of the experience of a woman who's trying to leave an abusive relationship and the hardship that they face. And I thank you for sharing that with us.

And I respectfully ask for an Aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Stefani. Members, the author has asked for the first roll to be open for co authors. Clerk will open the roll for co authors. All Members vote who desire to vote. Members, this is for co authors. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to. Clerk will close the roll.

Tally the votes. There are 60 co authors added without objection. We'll move to a voice vote on the resolution. All those in favor say Aye. All those opposed no. The Ayes have it. The resolution is adopted.

File item 19, ACR by Assemblymember Hoover. The Clerk will read

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 108 by Assembly Member Hoover and others relative to the 175th anniversary of the County of Sacramento.

Assembly Member Hoover, you are recognized.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I appreciate the opportunity to present this very special resolution. This year we are celebrating Sacramento County's 175th anniversary, which they celebrated on February 18th. It is the county's official demi semi septennial.

Since its incorporation in 1850, Sacramento County has been dedicated to serving its people, becoming the cornerstone of health, welfare, justice and essential services. The county's core purpose, enriching communities to thrive drives everything county staff does. It is their promise to the people in our communities. As we celebrate the county's 175 years, we optimistically welcome the future.

Sacramento county has stood the test of time and they have pledged to continue serving residents and visitors proudly for the next 175 years and beyond. Would respectfully ask for an aye vote. Thank you.

Seeing and hearing no further debate without objection, we will now take a voice vote on the resolution. All those in favor say aye. Opposed say no. The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Item 21, ACR by Assembly Member Sharp Collins.

The Clerk will read.

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 111 by Assemblymember Sharpe Collins, relative to military sexual trauma awareness day.

Assemblymember Sharpe Collins, you are recognized.

Thank you. Madam Speaker, today I rise to speak on an issue that is deeply painful but impossible to ignore. Military sexual trauma, or MST, is something that far too many of our service Members have endured. It encompasses sexual assault and repeated threatening sexual harassment during military service.

The stats are staggering and heartbreaking. Research shows that one in three women and one in 50 men experience military sexual trauma at some point in their service, whether on active duty, in Reserve or in the National Guard.

Behind each number is a person who volunteered to serve this country, who put on a uniform with pride, and who expected to be protected and represented within their ranks. Military sexual trauma is not only a diagnosis or a medical condition. It is an experience. It is one that can change the entire course of someone's life.

Survivors of military sexual trauma carry lasting wounds that can show up in many forms, such as post traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, substance use, physical health challenges, and tragically, an increased risk of suicide. It is not just the survivor who was affected. The impact ripples outward to families, friends and fellow service Members.

Relationships suffer, trust is broken, and the readiness of our military itself is compromised. It is also important to recognize that the harm is not felt equally survivors from marginalized and minority communities often face additional barriers when they seek help.

They may experience racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of discrimination on top of the trauma they have already carried. And too often, when survivors finally gather the courage to ask for support, they are met with indifference, disrespect, or worse. They are retraumatized by the very system that are supposed to protect them.

We also have to acknowledge something different and difficult. But yet it's true. The unique and complicated nature of military relationships make these situations especially devastating. Military sexual trauma can involve abuse of power that is rarely seen in civilian life, including what some survivors refer to as command rape, where the perpetrator holds direct authority over the victim.

These dynamics of rank and command can leave survivors feeling trapped, powerless, and silenced. Too often, the standard service available to sexual assault survivors do not fully meet the complex needs of veterans and service members. So we cannot look away from this reality. But this is why this resolution matters.

By proclaiming September 25th, 2025 as Military Sexual Trauma Awareness Day, we are doing more than setting aside a date on this calendar. We are making a promise to survivors that they are seen, that they are heard, and that they are not alone.

We are committing ourselves to breaking the stigma around military sexual trauma so that no one feels shame in coming forward. We are affirming the need for compassion, trauma informed care that treats every survivor with dignity and the utmost respect. And we are reminding ourselves that prevention must remain one of our top priorities.

A culture of zero tolerance, strengthened reporting systems, and comprehensive training are not optional. These things are essential to protect our service members and to uphold the integrity of our armed forces colleagues. This is not a distant problem. Survivors live in our districts. They are our neighbors.

They are our constituents, and in many cases, they are our families members, and they are our friends. Their strength in the face of what they have endured should call all of us to action.

So today, let's stand together to recognize the profound impact of the military sexual trauma and to pledge that we will do everything in our power to ensure that survivors are supported and that future service members are safeguarded from this pain. With that, I do respectfully ask for everyone's support.

Thank you, assemblymember. Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you to my colleague for bringing this very important topic. As a survivor of military sexual trauma, it is not only just women, it's men. It happens all the time. In my two decades in the Marine Corps, I saw it on every corner all the time, and it was like a plague.

It was in every service and it was unfortunate. According to a study by the VA, 4% of male veterans experience military sexual trauma and 41% of female veterans experience military sexual trauma. Whether it's 4% or 41%, it's one too many.

The same study found that combat exposed men were 1.57 times more likely to experience military sexual trauma than their non combat exposed counterparts. 3.9% of male veterans experience sexual harassment. 41% of female veterans experience sexual harassment. Combat exposed women were 1.42 times more likely to experience military sexual trauma than their non combat exposed counterparts.

While exact numbers are unknown, one study shows that 15.7% of military personnel and veterans report military sexual trauma. Studies show that military sexual trauma significantly heightens the severity and risk of PTSD. Some might say, why did I start with my own story?

And I believe that for all of us, in all the trauma that we have, whether it's military sexual trauma or any trauma across the board, the way we lose. The way we lose its grip on us is through open communication. The way we talk about it is the way we remove the stigmas that are out there.

So I feel no shame. I feel strength. I feel strength. And then I can use my voice to share my experiences, to say whether you've had it or someone you know has had it, they need to talk about it, number one.

And number two, we need to gather around those who experience military sexual trauma or any of those type of traumas and reinforce and encourage them to feel safe and we need to protect them. So with that, I am proud to stand with my colleague on this ACR 111, because it's a very important topic.

And I urge all of you not only to vote, but to take this information back to your districts and protect the people in your districts.

Thank you. Assemblymember Schiavo, you are recognized.

Thank you, Madam Chair. As the Chair of Military and Veteran Affairs, I rise in support of ACR 111 and want to thank my colleague from San Diego for her incredible leadership on this issue and also my co chair or Vice Chair for his strength and leadership on this issue as well and bravery to share his story. Thank you.

My colleague has really shown a lot of leadership around this issue and dedication to lifting up voices of those who too often are unheard or worse, silenced and dismissed. Recently, Calvet published the findings of their 2024 Women Veterans Survey.

And the California veterans who were surveyed noted that more than half of those surveyed experienced sexual assault during their service. The majority of veterans who experienced sexual harassment or assault did not report their incidents, and those who did often experienced at least one form of retaliation.

Veterans who experienced military sexual trauma were more likely to experience housing instability. Nearly a third reported adverse health effects caused by MST, and it's the most common cause of behavioral mental health issues. Nearly 70% reporting that. And 70% did not report or seek treatment because they felt no action would be taken.

They feared retaliation or were threatened against reporting. Many respondents who reported also said that there were no repercussions to their perpetrators. Just 4.2% reported a satisfactory resolution after reporting, and 71% experienced retaliation after reporting. There's a lot of troubling statistics on this issue. There are more, but we also hear the stories of what this feels like.

Like a woman our Committee helped to get health care who did not feel safe going, going to a doctor or waiting in a waiting room surrounded by men looking like the one who had assaulted her. And there's a program, fortunately, where women will escort women veterans so that they can get the care they need.

Unfortunately, that program is now threatened with cuts because of federal cuts. With this resolution, we commit to dismantling the stigma associated with military sexual trauma.

And we reaffirm that California's pledge to enhance support for survivors and their families is truly and to truly show respect for their service and action to stop those devastating experiences that should never, ever be a part of the sacrifice to serve.

I look forward to a continued successful partnership with my colleague on taking real action to support survivors of MST and respectfully request an aye vote on ACR 111.

Seeing and hearing no further debate. Assemblymember Sharp-Collins, would you like to close?

Yes. Thank you. I'd like to thank my colleagues for speaking today on this resolution. And I would like to once again respectfully ask for your aye vote and also open up the the first roll call for co authors.

Without objection, we will now take a voice vote on the resolution. We will not be taking co authors at this time. We will take a voice vote on the resolution. All those in favor say aye. Opposed say no. The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Will pass temporarily on item 22.

Item 23, ACR 113 by Assemblymember Bauer Kahan.

The Clerk will read

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 113 by Assembly Member Bauer-Kahan relative to Intellectual Property Awareness Month.

Thank you. Madam Speaker and Members, I rise today to present ACR113, which declares October as Intellectual Property Awareness Month. Intellectual property is what drives California's creative industries, be it be our tech industry in the north or Hollywood in the South. And it allows the creators to profit off of these amazing works that they create.

Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan, you are recognized.

And so, with this, we are announcing our commitment to protecting the intellectual property that is created here in California. With that, I ask you to please. Join me in celebrating our creators with the passing of ACR113.

All debate having ceased without objection, we will now take a voice vote on the resolution. All those in favor say aye. All those opposed say no. The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. File item 24, ACR 114, by Assemblymember Pacheco. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 114 by Assembly Member Pacheco and others relative to Women's Small Business Month.

If you could pause one moment. Assembly Member Bauer-Kahan, you are recognized for your guest introduction.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Here in the gallery are Nia Bratton and Chinwe Agwu from the Mickelson Institute for Intellectual Property and Eric Johnson from the California IP Alliance. These groups work to foster a more inclusive and equitable innovation economy here in Calmore- California by promoting IP rights and empowering creators. Please join me in welcoming them to Sacramento.

Thank you for your patience. Assemblymember Pacheco, you are recognized.

Thank you. Madam Speaker and colleagues, today I rise to present ACR114, which proclaims October 2025 as Women's Small Business Month. California celebrates the achievements and contributions of women in small businesses, recognizing both their economic impact and the challenges they continue to face.

Our state leads the nation in women-owned enterprises with nearly 40% of all businesses owned by women, adding 580 billion in revenue between 2019 and 2023 alone. Through resources like California's Women's Business Centers, which provide training, mentoring, financing, and business development support to more than 14,000 entrepreneurs each year, women are equipped with the tools to succeed.

These centers have also championed child care expansion to remove barriers to women participating in business, and studied the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on women entrepreneurs, underscoring how critical their role is to a thriving economy. By recognizing October as Women's Small Business Month, we affirm California's commitment to empowering women entrepreneurs and ensuring their continued success.

I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember. All debate having ceased without objection, we will now take a voice vote on the resolution. All those in favor say aye. Opposed say no. The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Item 25, HR53 by Assemblymember Patel.

The Clerk will read.

House Resolution 53 by Assemblymember Patel relative to Back of School Month

Assemblymember Patel, you are recognized.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Colleagues, today I rise in recognition of Back to School Month. This is the first time this recognition is being brought to our Assembly floor for consideration. Each year, as summer draws to a close, students and families across California prepare to return to school.

This season is about much more than pencils and textbooks, though. It's a time when our communities come together to support learning, growth and opportunity for our next generation. Schools are truly more than just places for learning. They're vibrant hubs where community life unfolds.

It's where children feel a sense of stability, friendships begin and families come together to access resources that nurture health and well being for their families. A child's potential is truly unlocked through school. It is the bedrock for them to begin learning about stem, visual and performing arts, humanities and technical skills.

School staff are critical to connecting the dots between these passions and interests and pointing them towards rewarding career paths. For many students, school provides access to meals, counseling and mental health services. They also serve as environments where caring adults such as teachers, counselors and staff can recognize challenges early and assist students in obtaining the support they require.

But colleagues, as we mark Back to School Month, we must also recognize that that not every child has equal access to these opportunities. Staffing shortages, regional disparities, and the growing demand of mental health care reminds us that schools are on the front lines of addressing challenges that go far beyond academics.

Budget shortages, possible federal budget reductions, and highly polarized debates about curriculum and school operations generate tensions in a setting intended to unite communities. In celebration of Back to School Month, let's renew our commitment to making our schools the core of our communities.

We should ensure that every student in California has the opportunity to learn and the support to succeed, whether in the classroom, at home or in everyday life.

I ask for your support in recognizing the significance of Back to School Month and the crucial role our schools have in shaping our students futures and well beings of our community for generations to come. Colleagues, I respectfully ask for your aye vote today.

All debate having ceased without objection. We will now take a voice vote on the resolution. All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed say no. The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Item 26, H.R. 55 by Assemblymember Lackey.

The Clerk will read.

House Resolution 55 by Assemblymember Lackey relative to California disc golf day and month.

Assembly Lackey, you are recognized.

All right, I get to rise and recognize an emerging pastime and celebrate a sport that not only brings joy and camaraderie, but I also enjoy playing. HR55 recognizes August 2nd of this year as California Disc Golf Day. Disc golf has evolved into a sport that now exceeds over 11,300 courses worldwide.

75% of these courses are located in our country. It's a sport for everyone. It doesn't require expensive equipment or memberships. All you need is a few discs and a desire to play. The inclusive opportunity of disc golf allows anyone to participate, whether you're a seasoned athlete or a newcomer looking for a fun way to stay active.

As most of you remember, our former colleague Assemblymember Marie Waldron was the first one to bring this sport to our Capitol and I for one am thankful that she did. It has become a sport that my son and I enjoy playing on occasional weekends.

And in today's fast paced world, finding ways to unwind and De stress and cheap is crucial. Disc golf is just that. Let's continue to support and grow this incredible sport, ensuring that its positive impact reaches even more people around the world.

I hope you'll join me this Wednesday on the west side of the Capitol to attempt a few throws and attempt to show me up because you won't. But I ask that you join me and support this measure.

All debate having ceased because this is an HR would you like the role to be open for co authors? For ACRs? The Clerk will open the roll for co authors. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Members, this is for co authors.

The Clerk will close the roll. There are 54 co-authors added without objection. We will now take a voice vote on the resolution. All those in favor say aye. Opposed say no. They have it. The resolution is adopted. Item 28, HR 57 by Assembly Member Haney. The Clerk will read.

House Resolution 57 by Assembly Member Haney and others relative to Transgender History Month.