Senate Floor

Good afternoon. On behalf of all of us in the California State Senate, we are grateful—grateful and excited that each and every one of you are here. This is a historic day for the State of California. The swearing in. The swearing in is Monique Lamont as the 50th President Pro Tempore of the California State Senate.

Senate session will convene in 30 seconds. Senate session will convene in 30 seconds. This is a special session and a celebration—a celebration of Madam Pro Tem and the State of California. Before we get into today's special ceremony, there are some individuals that we would like to be able to acknowledge and thank for their service.

Ladies and gentlemen, if we can please provide a warm Golden State welcome to the Governor of the great state of California, Mr. Gavin Newsom. Joining us as the speaker of the California State Assembly, a warm welcome for Robert Rivas. We are grateful that the Lieutenant Governor of the State of California is with us, Eleni Kounalakis.

The Governor just said, just keep on standing, so there we go. He's the hardest working Attorney General. Let's give a round of applause for California's Attorney General, Rob Bonta. Former Senator and current Insurance Commissioner, can we please give a warm welcome to Ricardo Lara?

The State Controller for the State of California, Malia Cohen. The Secretary of State for the great State of California, Shirley Weber. Representing the Board of Equalization, a warm welcome to members Sally Lieber and Antonio Vasquez.

We are so grateful that the State Treasurer is with us today, Ms. Fiona Ma. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond. We are grateful that the leadership from the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians are here. Can we please give a warm welcome to Chairman Khan, Vice Chair Lopez, Council Members Chacon and Burke.

Please welcome them to this special day. We're grateful that the Mayor of Jawalika, Jalisco is here, Wendy Limon Rubalcava. We so appreciate the Members of Congress who are here today, including Senator Limon's home district Member of Congress, Congressman Carbajal, Congresswoman Friedman, and Congressman Gray. We have California State Senate royalty with us today, former Senate President Pro Tempores of the California State Senate, Darrell Steinberg and Tony Atkins.

We are grateful that Speaker Emeritus from the California State Assembly are with us—Mr. John Perez, Robert Hertzberg, and Antonio Villaraigosa. We have a California icon here in the chambers. Can we please give a warm welcome to Labor Leader Dolores Huerta?

Ladies and gentlemen, if we can please give a warm welcome for each of the Justices from the California State Supreme Court. And finally, on behalf of the California State Senate, we want to welcome all the former Members of the State Assembly and the State Senate that are with us to celebrate today.

Can we please give them a warm welcome and applause? To each of our guests, we are so honored that you are here today. We're going to ask everyone to please take their seats. Mr. Secretary, let's convene the session. Can you please call the roll?

[Roll Call]

Thank you so much, Mr. Secretary. Ladies and gentlemen, decorum is present. Without objection, Senate Rule 55 will be suspended to allow guests on the Senate floor as well as photographers and videographers. We are now going to ask each and every one of you to please rise once again, along with our guests beyond the rail and in the gallery.

We are going to be led in prayer this afternoon by Senator Grayson. After Senator Grayson suspends the prayer, we're going to ask each of you to please remain standing. Senator Grayson, you are recognized.

Please join in prayer. Almighty God, who has gifted us this day, we will rejoice and be glad in it. We are so grateful for this monumental moment to celebrate the first Latina to serve as the 50th Senate President Pro Tempore in the fourth largest economy in the world, California's own Monique Limon.

We pray for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to encompass the Pro Tem's leadership as she navigates this House of the California Senate to address the critical, pressing needs of all Californians, provide the strength and fortitude to stand in the midst of hostile environments, render compassion and care to give ear to those who wrestle to afford the necessities of life from day to day, let humility and empathy be the motivation to lift California as a global leader to a world searching for answers for a better quality of life.

May we adopt your design that differences are simply the beauty of one body, that if you are no respecter of persons, then we too should regard all as equal, where liberty and justice is for all. And that if your desire is that none be left out, then we too should desire that all be included.

Bestow a special blessing upon this one of a kind leader to maximize her abilities to garner the powers of the House of the California Senate to facilitate a positive impact upon every household of those residing in the great state of California. For that, we give you all the glory, honor and praise. May we all say amen.

Beautiful. Thank you so much, Senator Grayson. Members and guests, again, we're going to ask each of you to please remain standing. We're honored that the Cal Fire Local 2881 Honor Guard is here today. They're going to be posting the colors. Followed, we're going to hear from Senator Valladares, who will be leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Color guard, please post the colors.

Senator Valladares, you are recognized to lead us in the nation's Pledge of Allegiance.

Ladies and gentlemen, in this historic moment, I ask that you join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag, United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Color guard, please retire the colors.

Members and guests, please remain standing. We are grateful that our majority leader, Senator Ashby, will be leading us in the Senate Land Acknowledgement. Madam Majority Leader, you are recognized.

Thank you. We acknowledge that California's State Capitol sits on the ancestral homelands of the Miwok and Nisenan people, where a monument stands on the Capitol grounds in their honor. The broader Sacramento region comprises the ancestral homelands of the Miwok and Nisenan, Patwin, and Southern Maidu people.

Even further, we recognize that all Native American peoples have a deep connection to the land and have made significant contributions to the broader community throughout California, our states, and the world. We respectfully honor the tribes on whose land we are meeting, the land itself, and recognize the original stewards of this land, now and into the future.

It is, without a doubt, very important for the Legislature to be inclusive, to help ensure that Native American tribes across California are able to grow and carry forward their tribal cultural knowledge and teachings. This reflects our commitment to maintaining strong relationships with Native Americans in the state of California and across our nation.

Thank you so much, Madam Majority Leader. To the Members and guests, you may be seated. Thank you. We're here today to celebrate the one and only Monique Limón. And if you know Monique Limón, you know that she likes really good music.

So, ladies and gentlemen, at this time, we're going to ask each and every one of you to welcome to the Senate Chamber our first musical guest. A round of applause, loud and proud for Mariachi Bonitas.

O say can you see, by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming, Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight O'er the ramparts we watch'd were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the bomb bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there, O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

It is a privilege to be here. It is an honor to be in the United States of America. To protect all our rights, all our freedoms. And it's a true honor to play a song of a beautiful mariachi music.

Ladies and gentlemen, get up on your feet, Mariachi Bonitas. All right. We have an additional musical guest, and this is so special. And thank you, Senator Limón, for bringing them to us. If we could, please welcome our second musical performance by the Genesis Church, right here in California's capital city, from the Sacramento Women's Choir. Can we please welcome them, please.

My name is Dr. Tecoy Porter, and I'm the Senior Pastor of the Genesis Church here in Sacramento, California. Happy New Year. It is our honor to be here with you on today, and I brought a few friends along with me to help us honor this wonderful occasion of this wonderful woman, this great leader, Monique Limón.

Today we're going to declare two things. One, it's a new season and it's a new day. Don't you believe that? Also, we're going to declare that this is the best day of our lives. Can you just say that right now? It's the best day of your life.

Welcome to the stage, if you would, or to this place, Tawana Porter, as she comes and leads our Women's Chorale.

It's a new season. It's a new day. A fresh anointing. It's flowing my way. It's a season of power and prosperity. It's a new season coming to me.

It's a new season. It's a new day. A fresh anointing. It's flowing my way. It's a season of power and prosperity. It's a new season coming to me.

Come on, put your hands! It will be the best day, the best day of my life.

It will be the best day, the best day of my life. It will be the best day, the best day of my life. It will be the best day, the best day of my life. [Choir Singing] It will be the best day, the best day of my life. It will be the best day, the best day of my life. [Choir Singing]

Let's give another round of applause for the Genesis Church Sacramento Women's Chorale. For reminding us that every day that we awake, it is truly the best day of our lives. And so now we will move into some words from some selected Senators who would love to speak on behalf of this very special occasion.

And we are going to begin with Senator Pro Tem Emeritus McGuire.

Thank you so much, Madam President, and to the distinguished Members of the Senate and the Assembly, and to all of our guests.

You know, this afternoon is a day made in California. At such a pivotal moment in our nation's history, where immigrants are under attack, women's reproductive freedom is being stripped, and health care for millions of families have been canceled. Monique Limón.

Senator Limón steps into the role as leader of the California State Senate, the first Latina in state history to serve in this position. We need to give her a round of applause. Senator Limón is effective. She is fierce. She's a trailblazer, a champion for what we believe is right here in this great state.

She is a defender of California and the freedoms that we are all sworn to protect. And it has been, in my life, a true blessing to be surrounded by smart, powerful, and effective women, including the first woman to serve as Pro Tem, and that is Toni Atkins. And we are grateful for your incredible work. Thank you.

And we serve in the Senate, that is finely composed of a majority of women. And today is a day to celebrate not just here in California, but for the rest of America. We need to give them a round of applause.

And today, we all kick off the new year being led by another smart, powerful, and effective woman, our President Pro Tem, the extraordinary Senator Monique Limón. I am enormously proud to stand here with her today and her incredible and dedicated family to honor our Senate Leader.

I know the job she has had for her, and I know she's going to bring us all together to be able to get the job done, not just for the Legislature, but for the people of California.

You know, Senator Limón started out serving on a school board, an experience that leaves an individual with an unwavering commitment to kids in strong public schools. And she knows the opportunity that good public schools bring.

And with her experience in higher education, no one will take a backseat to Senator Limón on making the dream of college an affordable reality. She proudly comes from a district that is mostly rural and hasn't always received enough attention from the state of California.

Sarah Limón values the people that she works for, and she delivers on their unique needs day in and day out. And today, today she is also going to deliver for the 40 million Californians in each and every one of our districts. Unfortunately, Senator Limón also has vast experience working to help communities before, during, and after wildfires.

And with all of our state at risk all year round, I think that we can all. We can all be glad to have a Pro Tem with the experience and the empathy to be there to help the people the Golden State prepared for and rebuild from wildfires and other disasters.

I want to end it right here with this. Madam President, Pro Tem. I can't pretend to know everything that you're thinking about today, but I can guess.

And I believe part of what you're feeling is wanting to do everything that you can to help every Member of the California State Senate do their very best for every Californian in every neighborhood, in every community, in every corner of this great state. Congratulations, Senator Limón.

Our state and the people of California will be stronger because of your leadership. Round of applause, please.

Thank you. Pro Tem Emeritus Senator McGuire. Senator Menjivar, you are recognized for your remarks.

I'm very honored, friends, guests, to rise today to speak on behalf of my friend, our new Pro Tem. You are no stranger to making history.

And my colleagues, my Senate colleagues heard a couple of numbers I threw out, and I apologize. I'm gonna throw some of those numbers out again, so you see, as female legislators, we're given a number of when you become elected official, because we're still not even close to how old the United States is.

And Senator Limón is the 151st woman to be elected to the California State Legislature. 146 to be elected as a female Assemblymember, the 55th woman to be elected to the State Senate, the 50th Pro Tem. And she has these numbers, will forever be carved in her history.

But one number as of now will stand out, atop of all of those, that she is the first woman of color to be elected to the fourth largest economy of the world. In fact, today I made sure to wear shoes with the extra traction and thickness at the bottom because of all the glass that's on the floor right now.

Because even though in her short stature, she jumped up and broke that glass ceiling for so many women of color today. You are the first Senator, but you won't be the last. You are the future. You embody the future of California. You are California.

You will carry all of the 39 other State Senators' hopes and dreams of our district with you for your tenure here. The granddaughter of Mexican farm workers, you are no stranger to the stories of 40% of Latinos in California, even more so, immigrants in California. The first, as you heard, to graduate from college.

An accomplishment that many of us in our families of immigrants hold as a key to the American and Californian dream. You paid it forward as a college advisor. And I know the Pro Tem Emeritus talked about you being a School Board Member.

I think you also carried wounds because I think anybody who's a School Board Member, you come out stronger than ever. You can't pay me to be in that position Pro Tem.

Your expertise in coalition-building skills allowed you to bring all types of coalition together, from farm workers, construction workers, hotel, restaurant workers, to accomplish great things, ensuring that the future generations have the skills and pathways available to them to build a stronger future.

And as the Vice Chair of the Women's Caucus, we owe a lot to you for what you've done in the space for women and girls, and ensuring that positions had their salary on job descriptions, fought really immensely for childcare, ensured that we're tracking the demographic of people who are being appointed to positions of power.

Major wins for California. You have been an unwavering champion for Californians as a woman, a mother, first Latina to serve in this position. Congratulations, Pro Tem.

Thank you, Senator Menjivar. Senator Reyes, you are recognized for your remarks.

Madam PT, Colleagues, I rise today to congratulate our new Senate President, Pro Tem Senator Monique Limón, my roomie. This is a historic moment for this body. Today marks the 50th time a President Pro Tem has been sworn in here in California at a historic chapter in the leadership of this Senate.

And for the women in the room, especially Latinas, the moment is deeply personal and significant. Today marks just the second time a woman has led this body and the first time a leader reflects so many of our lived experiences.

Making this moment even more special, the first Latina to be elected to the State Senate is here with us today. The Honorable Hilda Solis was elected to this body in 1994 and now serves as LA County Supervisor. Thirty years later, we have our Latina President Pro Tem. As you look around, you'll notice women in this chamber are wearing shades of red.

I don't want to just say red, shades of red, because we are shades of everything. We celebrate this occasion, and we are unified in our excitement for this day. The role of Senate President Pro Tem is one of the most demanding positions in this institution. It requires someone who can uplift and fight for the entire caucus.

Someone who understands that our work is difficult, our challenges are complex, and our perspectives are as diverse as a great state of California. Fortunately, we have before us exactly that kind of leader. Senator Monique Limón is a unifier, a collaborator, and someone who approaches every decision with care and intention. She is intelligent, and she's thoughtful.

Under her leadership, decisions will be made in the best interest of this body and ultimately, in the best interest of the people of California. Now, I've had the privilege of knowing Senator Limón for nine years. This year marks our 10th year as colleagues, friends, and, as I mentioned, roommates.

When you live in close quarters with someone, you learn very quickly who they really are. And I trust Monique both as a leader of this body and as the kind of partner who will absolutely do the dishes if I cook the meal without being asked.

Because in my book, anyone willing to share the gritty work, whether at home or in service to the public, is someone you can count on. A home much like California is constantly growing and shifting. It demands adaptability. It requires patience.

And it calls on us to make room for new challenges and new blessings as they come our way. You all know we've experienced great growth in our Sacramento home. We started with just my Christopher. Then we experienced the birth of Senator Cervantes' triplets, Noah, Penelope, and Julian. A year later, Senator Limón gave birth to our Gianna.

And with a change in roommates, now Congresswoman Laura Friedman brought her Rachel. From this growth, I know that Senator Limón understands adaptability, and she leads with that same flexibility and steadiness. And like at home, our children often leave for many reasons. Sometimes they grow away. They go away to college, start a new job, grow a family.

Sometimes they're forced to leave. But when they come home, we welcome them back into our homes with love and open arms. I have known Senator Limón to be a fierce protector of our environment, of our education, of equity, of businesses, and families. And when she became a mother, those values were not only reaffirmed, they were strengthened.

Before becoming a parent, Senator Limón was already leading conversations on childcare in California, because she understands that supporting families is not a side issue; it is foundational to our future. For women to be fully represented in the workplace, in elected office, and as leaders of the world's largest economies.

We must have safe, reliable institutions of care and learning for our children. As parents and as legislators, we are called to protect what we hold dear today while investing in the promise of tomorrow. Senator Limón does both with clarity and conviction. I respect and trust Senator Limón because of her character. She has a strong sense of self.

She is not swayed by flattery or pressure. She is a thoughtful and thorough decision maker, a tested and proven leader, a skilled negotiator, and an ethical public servant deeply committed to justice. Now, a few words in Spanish, if I may.

I am so proud of my roomie and so looking forward to supporting her and the rest of this body as she leads us through a successful term. This will be the last time I use the word roomie in public, because from this day forward, she is Madam President Pro Tem.

Colleagues, it is with great confidence and pride that I celebrate Senator Monique Limón as she begins her term as Senate President Pro Tem. Thank you.

Thank you, Senator Reyes. Senator Cabaldon, you are recognized for your remarks.

Thank you, Madam President. It was 165 years ago to this month that this Senate elected the Senator from Santa Barbara as President Pro Tempore of the California State Senate. In 1861, when Pablo de la Guerra from Santa Barbara was elected President Pro Tem.

Now he's already been outlasted as President Pro Tem by Senator Limón, because just a few days later, he became Lieutenant Governor of California.

As the Governor went on to bigger and better things, this mattered because Senator de la Guerra was one of the two Californios, one of the two Mexican and American citizens elected to the Senate in the first place. In a time, on this floor, the debate was about whether we should engage in supporting the South or the North in the Civil War, when it was whether or not Chinese Americans in California should own property or have any rights whatsoever, as Native Americans throughout the state were being murdered.

This was a critical time. And this Senate elected one of the two Mexican Americans as President pro tem of the Senate. It was a powerful moment. And just a few years later, there was a legal challenge to that election, saying that Mexican citizens could never serve in public office. It was because this Senate took that action, because this Senate made history, that the Supreme Court said, nope, nope, no. This is who we are as California.

We will be not fully inclusive. I couldn't have served then. Our presiding officer couldn't have either. But it was the start. And so today is not just about symbolism. Santa Barbara and the Senate broke ground 165 years ago in ways that fundamentally transformed the future of what California was going to be.

Now, what does that leadership look like? Because I pray that Senator Limón does not become Lieutenant Governor in the next few days. But what does leadership mean? Because as we make history and change the world, it is about a different kind of Senate. It's about a different kind of what leadership means.

And growing up, working in colleges, helping young people and not so young people figure out how to achieve their dreams, figure out what their dreams are, to see each of them individually and unleash what was within them. That is exactly the kind of leader that this body needs and deserves.

Because leadership, especially in these times, legislative leadership, whether it's in this Senate or across the country, it is about bringing life to democracy, to the profound disagreements, to amplifying the voices, to being a force multiplier for innovation, for change, for the battles, but for the fights.

And when I first met Senator Limón after I was elected to the Senate, she said, you know, you'll learn this. But when people walk up to me, they think they already know what I believe about everything. They see a Latina, and they think they know what I believe about AG issues and water issues and labor issues.

And she was right. As a gay man, people seem to think they know what I believe about podiatry, scope of practice, for some reason. And she knew in that moment that there's so much more to each of us as there is to each part of the state of California that we bring to the table, that she sees each and every one of us.

Where others see cacophony and fighting and crazy ideas on the floor of the Senate, she sees it as the breadth and the diversity and the excitement, the energy, the potency of California to make a better state for ourselves in a better world. She does not see the Senate as something to be tamed.

She sees the Senate as something to be unleashed. And so I could not be more proud today that we are entering as we do each time, but as we enter this time, someone with the heart of a teacher, the heart of a counselor, to see in each of us, each of our districts, and each of the possibilities that we can model for real.

What does democracy look like at its best? A vigorous, robust, energized democracy. A Senate that stands up and does its job under the Constitution. Congratulations. Ms. Michael, thank you for agreeing to share along with Gianna, Senator Limón, with all of us.

And thank you to the people of Santa Barbara once again for making history here in California.

Thank you, Senator Cabaldon. Senator Blakespear, you are recognized for your remarks.

Thank you, Members and guests. I am honored to rise today in recognition of a phenomenal person who is a proven, outstanding legislator. And now the very deserving, capable 50th leader of our chamber, Monique Limón. I'm beginning my fourth year today in the State Senate, and it's been my great fortune to have served under the only two women who have ever been chosen by their peers to serve as Senate President Pro Tem in the 177 years that we have had a State Senate in California.

The first one, Senator Toni Atkins, served as the leader of both houses historically. We are so honored that she is here joining us today. When you look across both chambers, the Assembly and the Senate, we've had only four total female leaders of either House out of a total of 4,525 people who have served in the Legislature since it first convened in 1949. Now is a fitting time to have our second female President Pro Tem, as we now have achieved gender parity in the State Senate.

What all of this context shows is the historic nature of this moment. And Senator Limón's ascendance to the President Pro Tem reflects all of our evolving understanding, acceptance, and specifically celebration of what leadership looks like. When I was newly elected three years ago, I had the great pleasure and good fortune to be seated on the Senate floor right here next to Senator Limón. She was my seatmate.

We immediately hit it off, as I think she does with nearly everyone. And we represent similar coastal districts. We both come from local government before serving in the Legislature, and we both fly to the capitol every week and balance the realities of having children at home.

Through getting to know Senator Limón, I became impressed with her many qualities. She's reflective. She's emotionally even-keeled. She's methodical about taking input and listening. She's a joiner who participates in many things, and she leads with yes. She's also not an attention seeker or an attention hog. And she graciously shares the spotlight with her colleagues.

She's also personally caring, smart, professional, no-nonsense, effective. Senator Limón is the right person to lead this historic chamber at this crucial moment in time. She has had valuable experience in both houses, serving in the Assembly for four years and in the Senate, giving her a full understanding of how the Legislature as a whole operates.

She also knows California, its diversity, its complexity, its history, its problems, but also its promise. And she knows politics, policy, and Administration. That's the trifecta of legislative leadership, politics, policy, and Administration. And crucially, she knows how to and is committed to building consensus and creating action among her colleagues.

I'm excited as a Californian and as a fellow Senator about what we can do with Senator Limón serving as our President Pro Tem. So many congratulations to you. I know you will excel as our state leader, and all Californians, all nearly 40 million of us, will be the better for it.

Thank you, Senator Blakespear. Our last Senator to speak this afternoon will be Senator Richardson.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm going to build on a comment of Senator Cabaldon. We are making a lot of history today, but before I begin my comments, I'd like to acknowledge our first gentleman, the first in the history of California. Mike, we love you. Thank you.

Well, since I'm last and a lot has been said, I guess I get to roast you, our new Senate Pro Tem. I'm just kidding. Today, I rise with a distinct honor to recognize. But where I'm from, we call it. I'm going to testify about Senator Pro Tem, Monique Limón.

With just five days into the new year, many have written and talked about how bleak and gloom it is for California. We've seen the Legislative Analyst report stating that we're going to be in debt of $17 billion, and it's going to grow to 30 over the years. The federal Administration is not smiling on California.

In fact, it's cutting needed programs. In 2026, we're losing the institutional memory of 20% of our incredible members here and 62.5% of our Constitutional Officers. And in our districts, we're facing turmoil. We're worried about whether hospitals are going to close, housing that people can't even afford.

These are tough times that are ahead for all of us and for you, our Senate Pro Tem Leader. So you might ask, why am I of such good cheer and optimistic thought when I see all these collective moments happening before us? Well, let me tell you four things that I've observed of our Senate Pro Tem Leader.

The first is preparation. For the last year, I sat just about two feet from her here, and every time we came on the floor, she was reading and writing and papers and papers. And as an assistant whip, my job was to go around and make sure people were ready.

And when I come to her, I was like, worried. Like, would she be ready? Every time she was ready, her notebook was open, it was ready for the Bill. She stood up, she never paused, she never stuttered, she delivered her bills flawlessly.

So, when I think about that next person practice that I've seen in her, it's skillfulness and competitiveness. Now, that one sounds a little odd because most of us think, and you hear people write about she's petite, she's quiet spoken, she doesn't go ahead of others, none of the traits that the rest of us Senators have.

But it was interesting. We had softball practice, and Senator Limón came out to practice. And she was cordial, polite as usual. And she started warming up and throwing. And when it came time to scrimmage, she said, I want to be the catcher. And I thought, what the? Limón? Catcher? I played catcher. That's a tough spot.

But what did she do? She stood behind the plate. A couple batters came up, and one batter tipped the ball back. And what did she do? She caught it, and she tagged them out. So she has skills, and yes, you may not realize it, but you will find out she is competitive.

So, then that brings me to the third point, a truth teller. This last year, we covered Cap-and-Invest, and we had many incredible members who were on that team, but it was led by Senator Limón.

And I remember many members stood there, and they talked about the needs of their district, how they needed mitigation in their communities. And Senator Limón stood, and she didn't hesitate, but she looked at us, and she told us the truth. She told us that there were limited resources, that not everything was going to happen.

But she looked at us. She didn't give us a line of whatever. She told us the truth. Which brings me to the fourth and final trait, and that's the personal part of Senator Limón. Over the district work period, I attended the Women's Caucus, and after many meetings, this was when she was first recognized as being the speaker.

Excuse me, not speaker, Senate Pro Tem Leader. And everybody wanted to talk to her. Everyone wanted to get her ear. She couldn't move five steps, and the next person was there. And so after the meetings and all the serious business that had to occur, a little music happened, a little dancing, a little karaoke.

And I saw her standing to my left there, and she was talking to people, being very gracious and kind. And next thing I know, real quietly, she came to the front and she broke out in this dance. And I said, my goodness, I didn't know she could catch a softball. She can actually dance and get it on.

And I was just like, you know what? It's going to be okay. But what was interesting was as quite quietly as she came to the front and she busted that move better than most that I've seen, she also quietly returned back to the side, and she continued those conversations and continued to talk to people who wanted to make sure she knew what was important to them.

So, what is the moral of my story that I'm sharing with you today? Don't underestimate Senate Pro Tem Leader Monique Lamone. She's listening, she's aware, she's prepared. She knows the pros and cons, and she won't be fooled by the rope-a-dope. Senator Pro Tem Limón is ready. She's skillful, she's competitive, she's capable.

She knows how to pick up the ball and catch the ball. And yes, she knows how to tag you out. But most of all, despite all the challenges that we face, all the barriers and the bleak future that people talk about, Senator Pro Tem Limón will find some joy in it. She'll shock us.

She'll make us laugh in those deep moments when it's tough and we've all faced those moments. But after that smile, I know she'll return back and she'll get the job done. We're in good hands. Godspeed, Speaker Pro Tem, Monique Limón.

Thank you, Senator Richardson. Senators and guests, the next order of business is the oath of office. The oath will be administered by our own Chief Justice, Patricia Guerrero. Will the following Members please move to the back of the room? They have been selected as the Escort Committee. Senators Padilla, Rubio, Cortese, McNerney, and Smallwood-Cuevas.

Senators, please proceed to the rear of the chamber and escort President Pro Tem and her family to the rostrum.

And repeat after me. I, Monique Limon.

I, Monique Limon.

Do solemnly swear.

Do solemnly swear.

That I will support and defend.

That I will support and defend.

The Constitution of the United States.

The Constitution of the United States.

And the Constitution of the State of California.

And the Constitution of the State of California.

Against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

That I will bear true faith and allegiance.

That I will bear true faith and allegiance.

To the Constitution of the United States.

To the Constitution of the United States.

And the Constitution of the State of California.

And the Constitution of the State of California.

That I take this obligation freely.

That I take this obligation freely.

Without any mental reservation.

Without any mental reservation.

Or purpose of evasion.

Or purpose of evasion.

And that I will well and faithfully discharge

And that I will well and faithfully discharge.

The duties upon which I'm about to enter.

The duties which I'm about upon to enter.

Congratulations.

Senators and guests, I introduce to you the 50th President Pro Tempore of the California State Senate, Monique Limon.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. Colleagues, honored guests, friends and family, thank you all for being here to mark the start of the 2026 legislative year and my service as the 50th President Pro Tempore of the California State Senate.

Thank you to the many distinguished college colleagues, family, friends, and leaders who have joined us today, including our tribal leaders who are here today, who are the stewards, the original stewards, of this great state. Thank you to our labor community, educators, business leaders—the heart of California's economy.

I want to start off by thanking my predecessor, Senate President Pro Tempore Emeritus, Mike McGuire. Thank you for your kind words this afternoon, for your years of leadership in the Senate, and your continued partnership. Senator McGuire, when you stood here at this podium as our leader of the Senate, you talked about your grandmother and the important lessons that she taught you, to always work hard and to never give up.

All of us who have served with you know that you have lived her teachings every single day. Your teachings, her teachings, have been part of the memory that you have honored.

We know that you will continue to do so and honor her memory and her teachings and the lessons, because we know that her spirit will continue to drive you. Because no one, and I mean no one, can outwork Senator Mike McGuire.

Governor, Governor Gavin Newsom, thank you for your leadership through countless storms, wildfires, natural disasters, and for your unequivocal support of California communities that feel under attack.

Since you became Governor of our state, you and I have had the opportunity to work on establishing our state's consumer protection agency, tackling predatory lending medical debt, advancing pay equity, and unionizing 40,000 childcare workers in our state. And perhaps no one—okay, well, maybe just Senator Wiener—knows what it means to have to work so hard to get a signature on your Bill from you.

So, maybe it did take five years and perhaps four vetoes to get our boards and commission's bill signed, but we did it. But we did it.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for your partnership and your graciousness throughout this transition. You and I have served together and partnered on many issues, including your work to expand farm worker housing and ensure that all communities in California have access to clean drinking water and clean air. We both represent areas with urban hubs and also rural lands.

We know that no matter what cities or counties we represent, no matter whether you're on the red carpet or the green carpet, in this Legislature, there is only one California, and we must work together to make it better.

I look forward to partnering with you to tackle the needs of California from the Northern Foothills to the Golden Gate, from the Central Valley to the San Fernando Valley, from the Inland Empire to the San Diego Border. Thank you. To the entire caucus, thank you all for your support and for putting your faith in me to lead this body and do this work in service for the people of California with you all.

As I look out to you today, I see diverse skills and experiences, walks of life, histories, expertise, and passion for all the issues that impact all of our communities.

I'm honored and humbled that you elected me to serve as your next leader, to be surrounded by the best of the best who lead with courage, who lead with strength and resilience to do what is often hard, but what is right for California. Thank you.

I also want to recognize my husband, Michael, who has been by my side since the first day, when now Congressmember Carbajal thought it would be a good idea to encourage me to run for office.

I couldn't do this without you and the sacrifice and the hours that you put into making sure our family does right while I do this work. Thank you. As I take on this role, I think it's important to share who I am and where I'm going, because who I am defines where I am going.

I am proud to be the daughter of immigrant parents who are here with me today—Jesus Limon and Oralia Limon, my mom and dad. My parents are from Yahualica, Jalisco, whose mayor is here with us today, and El Citio Zacatecas.

Like many immigrants, like many immigrants believe, the United States and California are the lands where hard work meet opportunity. I saw what it's like to watch my parents work multiple jobs and juggle raising my brother and I. One would take an early bird shift at work, while the other would take the night shift so that one could be there to take us to school and one could be there to pick us up from school.

All with the goal of ensuring one thing, that we had their support and we were able to take advantage of the opportunities that they did not have.

Today, I see my husband and I committed to working hard for our families and our communities and for our daughter, as does my brother, Christian, and his wife, Sandra, and my niece—to do the same for my niece and my nephew and godchildren, Emma and Matteo.

Because for us, these values and this purpose isn't something that we leave just amongst our family. We know we have to pass it on for generations. And that is a story of many immigrant families.

So, when I see the attacks on immigrants in this country, I know that it's immigrants who fuel our state and our country for their economic contributions and also the cultural contributions, and I can't help but see the sacrifices and contributions of my family also under attack.

And that's why, even today in this momentous occasion, I, the leader of the California State Senate, carry a copy of my passport on my phone. I see that people are being targeted because of the way they look, the language they speak, and the jobs they hold.

To some, it doesn't matter how much of the American and California dream we have achieved or how much we have given back in return. But you know what? In California, we do care and it does matter. And I am proud.

I am proud to serve in this Legislature with Senators, with Assembly Members, with leaders, who care and who do not back down from protecting what truly makes this state great—the people. The people who, day in and day out, do everything to keep this economy running. Thank you. I'm proud to be the—thank you.

I am proud also to be from the 21st Senate District in the Central Coast, representing some of the best that California has to offer. We are home of the modern environmental movement, protecting natural resources that we know we cannot live without.

Numerous world class institutions, scholars, future leaders reside in our region, driving innovation, informing policy, and preserving cultural and scientific understanding. And we have a collaborative business community that is expanding our region's reach from tech to agribusiness, to tourism to the wine industry.

Yet even with all of this, we have seen the forces that we've had to grapple with, with the powers of Mother nature. From the 1925 earthquake that leveled our city center, to the 1969 oil spill that disseminated our ocean, to the 2017 Thomas Fire, where our community saw unprecedented impacts. We are a resilient community.

We are a community that shows up and that moves forward, and I'm proud to bring that and represent that in the Legislature. The experience of the people who live in the state continue to inform my understanding of how the work that we do in the Legislature impacts Californians every day.

If you know me, you know I roll deep when it comes to family. And I just want to give a shout out to the 149 Limon and Gil family members and friends who are here today. And some of you may think that's a lot, I will just say, you should have seen the wedding.

So, like most big families, we have a little bit of everything in the family. We have some family members who have small business, who are small business owners, who I see work hard every single day. They work seven days a week.

They're always on call and have to fill in on demand and always have a sense of what's happening in our community and how our community feels based on the people who frequent their business.

I also have family members who have had full time jobs and even with full time jobs, still needed housing assistance to be able to make it and meet and make ends meet, who looked at the grocery store list and said we simply can't afford to buy meat this week, it's just not in the budget.

I have family who has taught me that we should always find a way to break bread together despite our political differences. So we put aside our political differences and for some, that means putting aside their die-hard love for former President Reagan as we sit down to have a meal.

I am so grateful for a family who is big, that is diverse, and that reflects so much of what works for people, but has also taught me that despite best intentions, sometimes we fall short, but we never give up.

I know that without my family, and yes, even the romantico cousins, all my loved ones, I would love—I would not be here today, I would not be able to do the work that I do, and I know that my ability to lead is shaped by those loved ones who have surrounded me every day.

A family who has both instilled in me the good of working in community, but also the importance of working hard. And working hard means meeting that with opportunity and that was true then and it is true today.

I am also an example of what happens in the Golden State when we invest in our education system and more importantly, our students. I attended a state preschool program and was blessed to have teachers who invested in my own personal success.

Teachers like Mrs. Delfonso who took time to work with me, an English language learner creating opportunities for success, for learning, for growth, no matter what background students came from. So, it's no surprise to anyone who knows me that childcare, early learning, civic education are also important to me today.

But it wasn't just preschool and grade school that made deep impacts on me. As the first in my family to go to college, I am a product of how our higher education institutions in this state transformed the lives of futures.

That is why I dedicated 14 years to higher education at both our UC and California community college campuses. On these campuses, I saw firsthand how our public higher education institutions not just train our workforce but also create the workforce of the future. I saw that talent is universal, even when opportunity is not.

This is why we must continue to create more opportunities for California talent through the middle class scholarships, FAFSA reform, service incentives program, and basic aid centers. As a former member of the Classified School Employees Association, I know if there are challenges that arise in our community, they always show up in our classroom.

A classroom with the best teacher, the best technology, the best curriculum, and state of the art campuses can't solve what students and families experience outside of the classroom. If you can't afford to seek medical care, that impact shows up in the classroom. If you don't have a stable place to live, that shows up in the classroom.

If you can't find a mental health care provider, it shows up in the classroom. And if you're living in a community with exposure to harmful toxins, that too shows up in the classroom. Our academic institutions shape the state's future economically, socially, and civically.

I also, like many in this state, know what it's like to be a working parent, to do everything that we can to make sure that our children are healthy, they're happy, and have opportunities to prosper, to know how hard it is to find affordable child care options in our community and the challenges that come along with it.

I know what it's like to get a pit in your stomach when you get a call from your child's school because your child doesn't feel well and you have to figure out in the moment what you're going to do to make it all work out.

And we always do. I know what it feels like to see a child ill or sick and second guess how much insurance will cover if you have to visit urgent care, if you're lucky enough to be able to afford insurance.

And as the first mother to ever hold this role, I also know that I will work as hard as we can for the future of our children in this state. And as only the second woman ever to lead this role after Pro Tem Emeritus Atkins, I know that we are not deterred by hard or impossibles.

We have overcome hard and we are the ones that make impossible possible in this state. And in this moment, we are showing just that. When I got elected to the Assembly, as has been said, I became the 151st woman to serve in the State Legislature.

I know that place in history, as does every single woman legislator serving in our state. Every member of the Legislative Women's Caucus knows their number. The first woman was elected in 1918 and 108 years—and in 108 years, the people of California have gone from electing one to reaching parity in the Senate.

And we are well on our way to reaching that parity in the Assembly in the coming years. So, my message to you all is please don't doubt us. Please don't underestimate us or question whether we can make history. We have, we can, and we will continue to. Who I am defines where I'm going.

This state and this country have allowed for the daughter of immigrants, first generation college bound, ESL learner, granddaughter of Abracero, to lead the incredible State Senate. This is what we fight for so that these opportunities and experiences are not limited to history but make the way for the future. This is what California is about.

This is what the United States is about. This is what we are about. And I want to end with a message to my daughter, Gianna. Gianna, you are my heart. You are my world. Every day that I'm away from you is hard.

But you should know that mommy works this hard not just to be able to afford Disneyland, but because your future, the future of generations who dream about going to college in California, working in California, coming up with new ideas in California, who want to be able to own a home in California, and who want to be able to raise family in California, all of that is important.

Mommy won't stop working for the future of our state, your state, and the state that every single person in this room calls home. And that is the great state of California. Thank you everybody. We are now going to get to work. Thank you. Thank you.

Please give another round of applause to our 50th President Pro Tem, Senator Monique Limon. I want to thank you all for joining us today on this very historic occasion. Please be sure to join us in the Capitol historic rotunda for a reception immediately following adjournment.

And if there is no other business, the Senate will be in recess until all legislative business has been received. We will then reconvene Thursday, January 8th, 2026, at 9:00 AM. Thank you.