Assembly Floor

The Assembly is now in session. Just a few moments ago, Assemblymember Hadwick mentioned to me that she noticed the absence of a quorum, and I believed her. And yet I don't see her on the floor. And as we know, things change, politics change. But I do see Mr. Wallace. And Mr. Wallace notices the absence of a quorum.

Sergeant arms will prepare the chamber and bring in the absent members. Clerk will call the roll.

[Roll Call].

Members of quorum is present. We ask our guests and visitors in the rear of the chamber and in the gallery to please stand for today's prayer. Assemblymember Kalra will offer today's prayer. Assemblymember Kalra.

Good morning. As a Hindu, I learned from a young age in studying the Bhagavad Gita, the emphasis on seva, selfless service as a path to spiritual growth. Teaching that actions performed with compassion, without attachment to results and for the welfare of all beings, purify the self and lead to spiritual liberation, seeing the divine in everyone.

True service involves duty without ego. Making service to humanity, service to God. In the Christian faith, the Bible reads, be like Christ. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind. Regard one another as more important than yourselves. Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

In Islam in the Quran, it reads, those who believe and do deeds of righteousness and establish regular prayers and regular charity will have their reward with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

Regardless of whether your faith is rooted in a particular religion or you are drawn to a universal moral code of righteousness, the message to us all is clear.

Once we strip away our ego and attachment to those worldly temptations that simply don't matter in the grander scheme of things, we can focus on how to lift up the Least among us, with this universal guidance, may we protect the immigrant, shelter the unhoused, preserve Mother Earth, heal the sick and wounded.

We are so blessed to be in the roles that we are in, to be given awesome power and responsibility to do great good or even inflict harm. May we translate that immense sense of gratitude into a sense of obligation to protect and uplift all who call California home.

May we commit ourselves to reduce suffering wherever we may find it. To conclude, I'd like to make a call for peace. Peace in our hearts, peace in our communities, and peace in our times. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Hari Om Tat Sa.

We ask our guests and visitors to remain standing and join us in the flag salute. Assemblymember Alanis will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Good morning. Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. [Pledge of Allegiance].

You may be seated. 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, Friday, September 12, 2025: the Assembly met at 1pm the honorable Josh Lowenthal, speaker pro temporary of the Assembly presiding. Chief Clerk -

Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry moves and Mr. Lackey 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 adopted. Messages from the Governor: there are none. Messages from the Senate: there are none. Moving on to motions and resolutions.

The absences of the day will be deemed read and printed in the journal. Onto procedural motions, Madam Majority Leader, you are recognized for your procedural motions.

Good morning. I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 45.5 to allow Assemblymembers Aguiar-Curry, Wilson, Schultz, and Bennett to speak on an adjournment in memory today.

Without objection, such shall be the order.

I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 118A to allow Assemblymembers Aguiar-Curry, Krell, Kalra, Schultz and Wilson to have guests in the rear of the chamber today.

Without objection, such shall be the order.

I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 63 to allow all bills heard today: Thursday, January 22, 2026 reported by the Appropriations Committee to the desk Today or Monday, January 26 or Tuesday, January 27, to be read a second time, then ordered to the second or third reading file one legislative day prior to the day required under the Assembly rules.

Without objection, such shall be the order.

Pursuant to Assembly Rule 98, I request unanimous consent to strike items 3 through 76 from the file at the request of the authors.

Without objection, such shall be the order.

At the request of the author, I am giving a one day notice to remove item A8, AB 281 Gallagher from the inactive file.

Clerk will note.

I will move - I move to withdraw AB 739 Jackson from the Appropriations Committee and order the bill to the second reading file with recent amendments; the bill is no longer keyed fiscal.

Without objection, such shall be the order.

Members, we're going to be moving on to guest introductions, but before we do, I see somebody in a tiara in the back of the chamber. Will you please join me in wishing Assemblymember Schiavo a happy birthday? Okay, we are moving on to guest introductions. We are going to begin with Assemblymember Krell. Thank you, members. Quroum, please.

Thank you so much. Good morning, everyone. Today I have the honor of welcoming Chief Kathy Lester from Sacramento Park Police Department, along with Assistant Chief Bales and many members of the Sacramento Police Department. We are here to celebrate Detective Jason Collins, America's best human trafficking investigator, who is retiring after nearly 30 years of service.

I'm so grateful to be one of the people that got to work with him and I wish him so well on his retirement. And I hope you'll all join me in welcoming Detective Collins to the floor.

Welcome to the California Assembly, Detective. Thank you for your service. Thank you.

Okay, continuing on, Assemblymember Chen, you are recognized for your guest introduction.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Appreciate your time. You know, every year, one of the great things I get to do for my district is to honor our Student Leader of the Year. Hundreds of people apply, but very few people are able to hit the mark.

One person that is able to hit the mark of Mr. Ethan Hsu is visiting us from the district all the way to the Capitol. Ethan is an exceptionally talented young musician whose dedication, creativity, reflect the very best of our community.

Ethan began pursuing music seriously in high school, excelling in performance, composition and music theory, and has since performed in venues such as the Colburn Music Hall.

He has devoted hundreds of hours into the community for community service and is currently studying film scoring and guitar performance at the Berklee College of Music, where he's focused on blending jazz and film music in innovative ways.

In addition to his artistic achievements, Ethan has demonstrated a strong commitment to to service and leadership, especially during our COVID-19 pandemic. When he came here to the Capitol in preparation, he looked at a lot of our Assembly preceding hearings, and one of the first questions he asked me is, "Phil, is it really true that based on the videos that I saw, that the Speaker Pro Tem Lowenthal, he's got really beautiful hair." I was like, "It's true. He does have beautiful hair.

That's why we all call him the Silver Fox of the Assembly floor. So, Ethan, the Silver Fox, the Speaker Pro Tem and the State Legislature, we welcome you to the State Capitol: the people's house.

Welcome, Ethan. Welcome, welcome. I believe, Madam Clerk, that's a matter of public record at this point. Members, we are going to move on to business on the Daily File. Oh, excuse me. We have one more guest introduction. That is for Assemblymember Schultz. You are recognized for your guest introduction.

Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Although now I'm wondering how I should address you. But I'll go with Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, it's not very often I get to welcome a friend to the floor. And I ask for just a moment of your time.

We're joined in the back of chamber today by Councilmember Ardy Kassakhian from the great city of Glendale. And I just wanted to mention something about the Councilmember. The Councilmember has been a champion and a friend, of course, to the Armenian American cause here in the State of California.

He previously served as the Director of Government Relations for the Armenian National Committee of America Western Region. He has served the city of Glendale faithfully for over 20 years, 15 years as city clerk, previously as mayor, and now as a member of the council.

And on behalf of my colleagues from Los Angeles and Pasadena, and dare I say, the entire California Armenian Legislative of Caucus, I invite all of you to warmly welcome Councilmember Ardy Kassakhian to the Assembly floor.

Okay, Members, we're moving on to business on the daily file. We're going to try and do this expeditiously, given that we have Appropriations immediately following conclusion of session. So on concurrence items, file items one and two, we're going to pass and retain. File items three through seven six have been stricken from the record. Motion to reconsider file item 77 through 79.

All items shall be continued. Now to the Assembly third reading, file items 80 through 84. We're going to pass and retain on file item 80, file item 81. That brings us to file item 82. That's AB 1184 by Assembly Member Patterson. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 1184 by Assembly Member Patterson and others, an act relating to common interest developments.

Assembly Member Patterson, you are recognized.

Great. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Present AB 1184, the Homeowner Association Accountability and Transparency Act of 2026. As many of you know, this is one of my favorite topics. This brings some very basic transparency measures to HOAs. I really enjoy living in my HOA in the community.

But also there are a lot of HOAs that need to have some just basic common sense transparency measures since they could do things like put liens on your property. But if anything, if you don't like this measure, today is my Legislative Director Chloe Bowman's birthday, and I ask for an aye vote just out of consideration of that. Thank you.

Thank you, Assembly Member Patterson. Seeing and hearing no further debate, the Clerk will open the roll. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll, tally the votes. Ayes 56, noes zero. The measure passes. Going to pass and retain on file item 83. That brings us to file item number 84. That's AB 871 by Assembly Member Stefani.

The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 871 by Assembly Member Stefani and others, an act relating to elder and dependent adults.

Assembly Member Stefani, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, I rise to present AB 871, which is a bill addressing financial elder abuse. As I stated in both the Banking and Judiciary Committees, I told a story about my mom last year, who was almost scammed out of a lot of money because she thought she was talking to her bank, and she wasn't.

And we were able to stop that. Thank goodness that I was able to have a conversation with her, but that doesn't always happen. We all know stories of people who have lost so much. It's an absolute crisis. Over the interim recess, I had two senior scam stopper events in my district, and I heard from hundreds of seniors that are so confused, and this bill is really an attempt to address this crisis.

It builds upon existing protections against elder fraud and financial crimes by ensuring that financial institutions have appropriate reporting processes and training for their employees. It also requires suspected financial abuse and fraud to be reported to appropriate federal entities.

We're adding on some additional people to report to. And this allows even small dollar scams to be aggregated and shared across law enforcement jurisdictions, really strengthening the efforts to combat cyber related crimes. I want to thank all of those who joined on as co-authors in both committees, and I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assembly Member Stefani. All debate having ceased, Clerk will open the roll. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes 56, noes 0. The measure passes. Moving on to the Senate third reading file.

We're going to pass and retain on file items 85 and 86. That brings us to file item 87. That's SB 25 by Senator Umberg, presented by our Majority Leader. The Clerk will read.

Senate Bill 25 by Senator Umberg, an act relating to business.

Madam Majority Leader, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. I rise to present SB 25 on behalf of Senator Umberg. Under federal antitrust law, businesses are required to file a Notice of Proposed Mergers with the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice. However, the California Attorney General's Office does not have access to these filings, leading to a lengthier legal process.

This bill creates a smoother and more efficient merger review process by giving the Attorney General access to these filings at the same time as federal agencies. This will give the Attorney General more time to review mergers and give businesses more time to respond to concerns before a merger is final. The author has taken amendments to address all concerns and make sure these filings are secure. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Madam Majority Leader. All debate having ceased, Clerk will open the roll. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes 43, noes 14. The measure passes. Members, we're moving on to adjournments in memory.

Quorum call is still in place. Let's give our respectful attention to those who are granted prior permission to speak on their adjournment in memory. Please take conversations off the floor, Members. Thank you, Members. It is time for our adjournments in memory. Thank you, Members. Assembly Member Schultz, you are recognized for your adjournment in memory.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, this morning I rise to ask that the Assembly adjourn in the memory of a dedicated public servant, a truly legendary Californian, and a Glendale native, Paul R. Ignatius.

In 1911, his family settled in the City of Glendale, where his father built their first home on San Fernando Road, the same street that later became the home of the Paul Ignatius Post Office in 2024. Nine years after his Armenian immigrant family settled in Glendale, Paul was born.

He graduated from Herbert Hoover High School in 1938 and later worked as a clerk in the Glendale Post Office that would later bear his name. He often noted that his Glendale upbringing shaped his commitment to public service and fueled his lifelong gratitude to the community that gave his family its start here in America.

During World War II, Paul served with distinction as an ordinance officer in the United States Navy. And perhaps most notably, he later became the 59th United States Secretary of the Navy under President Lyndon B. Johnson, a post that made him, even to this day, the highest ranking Armenian American official in United States government history.

He also served in senior positions under President John F. Kennedy and President Johnson within the Department of Defense. Beyond his government service, Paul Ignatius was a respected leader in business, academia, and philanthropy. And throughout his life, he remained deeply committed to his Armenian heritage and to the City of Glendale.

Mr. Ignatius passed away late last year on November 6th at the ripe old age of 104. His devotion to public service endures, and I'm proud to say that his name is proudly displayed on the Glendale Post Office on San Fernando Road, which stands now as a permanent tribute to a proud Glendalian with a global impact.

I ask that we adjourn today in his memory, and I extend heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones and the many people that he leaves behind. But certainly, he has a tremendous legacy to our country and to the State of California. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Assembly Member Schultz. Assembly Member Bennett, you are recognized for your adjournment in memory.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to adjourn in memory of Oxnard Police Commander Scott Aaron. I rise this afternoon to adjourn in memory of him. He passed away earlier this month. Before a career in law enforcement, Scott enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, serving with the Marine Corps Security Force Company in Yorktown, Virginia.

And later with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines in Twentynine Palms, California. Scott commenced his career in law enforcement in 1996 with the Norfolk Sheriff's Office in Virginia before returning to California in 2002. In 2004, he joined the Oxnard Police Department and served there with distinction through multiple departments.

He was a founding member of the Oxnard Police Department University, which provides low cost and free training to department members to enhance their careers. Oxnard Police Chief Jason Benites notes, Scott served our department and community with the utmost dedication, compassion, and professionalism. He was a very hardworking and talented officer, an example for others to follow.

If we needed something handled and handled with excellence, we called on Scott. He loved Oxnard. He was proud of his service, and he was a dedicated husband and father. He will be remembered fondly with love and respect. He's survived by his wife Alice, his daughter Cheyanna, and son Cameron, grandson Jayson, and his mother Ruth. I appreciate the Assembly adjourning in his memory.

Thank you, Assembly Member Bennett. Assembly Member Wilson, you are recognized for your adjournment in memory.

We are joined today by the family, Mark Rubio, Jill Rubio, Gladys Rubio, Chris Rubio, and Ashley Castelman. Good morning, Members. I rise today... I'm a Marine mom, so this one hits close to home. Thank you. I rise today to adjourn in memory of Private First Class Tanner Fermin... I gotta say it right.

I think I gotta roll the R is what I heard. Rubio of the United States Marine Corps. Private First Class Rubio was born on December 28, 2003 in Dixon, California, to loving parents Mark and Jill Rubio. He was raised in Dixon alongside his three siblings, Annabel, Madison, and Chris, surrounded by family, community, and care.

In January 2025, Tanner answered the call to service to serve his country by joining the United States Marine Corps. He trained as an infantry rifleman and was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 1st Regiment, 1st Marine Division, where he served with dedication, discipline, and deep commitment to the values of the Corps.

On December 3, 2025 PFC Rubio was tragically killed in a training accident at Camp Pendleton. It reminds us that the environment into which we send our service members are often the same environments in which they train. From the moment they say yes to service, they accept risk so that the rest of us may live in freedom, safety, and security. That is a burden that few are willing to carry and one we must never take for granted.

Today, I join Tanner's family, friends, and community in honoring a young man who said yes to serving our nation, who embodied the Marine Corps values of honor, courage, and commitment, and who live with great love. As the scripture teaches us, greater love has no one than this to lay down one's life for a friend.

Though his life was far too short, it speaks powerfully to the good that can be accomplished by those who strive to give their best in service to something greater than themselves. Members, on behalf of the Assembly and the entire State of California, thank you for your service and your sacrifice. Let us honor the life and service and sacrifice of Private First Class Tanner Fermin Rubio and adjourn in his memory and honor. Thank you.

Thank you, Assembly Member Wilson. Assembly Member Jeff Gonzalez, you are recognized for your adjournment in memory.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I want to begin by thanking my colleague, the Assemblywoman from Suisun City, for extending the invitation to participate in this adjournment in memory. Today I rise to honor her constituent, Private First Class Tanner F. Rubio. While Tanner was not from my district, he was a Marine. And in the Marine Corps, that makes him family.

As a Marine Corps veteran, I know the commitment it takes to raise your right hand and volunteer to serve something greater than yourself. I know the pride that comes with wearing the uniform. And I know the deep bond that exists between Marines, past and present. That bond is why I felt it was important to speak today. I also stand before you as a father. There are no words that can fully capture the pain of losing a child. It is a loss no parent should ever have to endure.

To Tanner's family who are with us, please know that your hearts, that our hearts, are with you. We grieve with you. We honor your son, and we recognize the immense sacrifice your family has made. Tanner chose to serve his country. He stepped forward with courage, discipline, and a willingness to put others before himself.

For that, we thank him. For his service, his commitment, and the life he gave in service to our nation, we are forever grateful. To Tanner's family, I want you to know this. You are not alone. You are now and will always be part of the Marine family. That family does not end with the uniform.

It lasts a lifetime. Marines look after their own, and we will never forget Tanner or the sacrifice he made. Thank you, Private First Class Tanner F. Rubio, for your service to our country. May we honor your legacy through our actions and our commitment to those who serve. Private First Class Youth Rubio, we have the watch. Semper fidelis.

Thank you, Assembly Member Gonzalez. Members, let us observe a moment of silence to honor the life of this historic Marine, this historic Californian, this historic American, Tanner Rubio. Madam Majority Leader, you are recognized for your adjournment in memory.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I rise today to adjourn in memory of Betsy Marchand. She passed away on October 22, 2025 at 91 years old. Betsy was a devoted servant and the first woman elected to the Yolo County Board of Supervisors. She was a real trailblazer. Long before it was common, comfortable, or socially acceptable, Betsy took her seat at the table.

Because of that, she was a mentor to so many women of us who sought public office. And, oh, boy, Betsy never hesitated to encourage us women to speak up and to lead. She was tough because she had to be, and she was my friend.

Betsy was born in West Covina in 1934 and raised on a ranch in Pasadena, an upbringing that shaped her lifelong respect and advocacy for agriculture, water, and our rural communities. She earned her bachelor's degree in Pomona College and her master's degree from Vanderbilt University, where she was a Ford Fellow.

She met her husband, Roland Marchand, on the Pomona College library steps, and they married in 1959. In 1964, they made Davis their home, when Roland accepted a faculty position at UC Davis. Davis and Yolo County are better for it.

She became a high school teacher, once returning to California. Because for Betsy, education and public service always went hand in hand. In the late 1960s, she became active in local government and politics, and in 1972, she made what was then a bold and even unthinkable decision. A decision to run for Yolo County Supervisor.

One soon to be retired supervisor infamously said it would be a cold day in hell before a woman wins a seat in Yolo County. Well, guess what? Betsy won. And you know what happened? It actually snowed in Woodland that day she was sworn into office. She truly was a force of nature and a force to be reckoned with.

Betsy went on to serve six terms in the Yolo County Supervisor and five times as a board chair. Having grown up on a ranch, she was a fierce advocate for Yolo County's rural and agricultural communities and was respected for her knowledge of water issues. In 1996, Betsy stepped down to care for her husband, Roland, as his health declined. And after his passing in 1997, guess what? She was right back at it.

She advocated for organizations, including Families First, Yolo County Flood Control, and the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, and was a big part of the founding of the Vic Fazio Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area and Yolo Basin Foundation. Yes, it's really foggy over there today, but that big sign is because of her.

She served as President of the California Bureau of Reclamation from 2001 to 2005 and was named the 2016 Woman of the Year by Congressman John Garamendi. Even after she retired, Betsy remained a trusted and sought after mentor to those seeking office, especially women. Offering us honest advice, encouragement, and the occasional real time kick in the pants.

She would hold your hand and look you in the eye and tell you the things you could do and the things she was going to oppose on anything she brought policy forward. Her legacy reminds us of the greater good each of us can achieve when courage and integrity meets service.

And she'll forever live in the hearts of those of us who knew her. Betsy is survived by her daughters, Suzanne and Jeannette, their husbands, Victor and Sotirios, and and her beloved grandchildren, Charles, Henry, Vex, and Costas. Members, I respectfully ask you to join me in adjourning in the memory of my friend Betsy Marchand, our devoted public servant.

They spitfire who blazed the trail for so many community leaders, especially us women. Betsy, we're grateful for your leadership, integrity, and passion, and we're all better because of it. I ask to remember her as... I can't even speak because I'm so upset about her leaving us. Respectfully ask you to think of her today as we close our session.

Thank you, Madam Majority Leader. Members, please bring the names to the desk to be printed in the Journal. All requests to adjourn in memory will be deemed read and printed in the Journal. We're moving on to announcements. The Appropriations Committee meets today right now on adjournment, Swing Space, Room 1100.

Members, January 26th is the deadline to amend measures on the Assembly floor. Prior to the January 29th floor session, to satisfy the 72 hour publishing requirement, please submit any floor amendments to the Assembly desk by 5pm tomorrow. Again, please submit any floor amendments to the Assembly desk by 5pm tomorrow morning.

The desk to be held open to process committee reports. Session schedule is as follows. Friday, January 23rd, no floor session, no check in session. Monday, January 26th, floor session at 1pm. Seeing and hearing no further business, I'm ready to entertain a motion to adjourn. Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry moves and Mr. Patterson seconds. This House stands adjourned until Monday, January 26th at 1pm. Quorum call is lifted. We are adjourned.