Senate Floor

Secretary, please call roll.

[Roll Call]

A quorum is present. Good morning, Members. I know it's about time for us to finish up business and move back to our districts. If you will please take your place at your desk. A quorum again is present. Would Members and our guests beyond the rail and in the gallery please rise?

We will be led in prayer this morning by Senator Cortese, after which, please remain standing for the pledge of allegiance to the flag. Senator Cortese, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. President. O extraordinary God, you reveal yourself in such ordinary ways. We pray to be more mindful of you in our daily lives. God of wonders, give us the eyes of children to respond with delight to the newness and freshness of each moment.

God of life, open our eyes to your presence in the faces of those whom we meet today. God of truth, teach us to recognize your voice in all the events of our day. God of peace, show us the way to serenity. In the midst of confusion and division. We ask this in your name. Amen.

Amen. Members, please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. I pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

Good morning, Members. I would like to introduce a special family, a guest of mine up in the gallery, the Koppel family. Known for their global tours, they give and travel throughout the world.

Welcome to the California Senate. Members, let's give them a warm welcome to the California Senate. Messages from the Governor will be deemed read. Messages from the Assembly will be deemed read. Reports of committees will be deemed read and amendments adopted. Members, motions, resolutions, and notices. Are there any Members wishing to be recognized?

Seeing no Members to be recognized, introduction and first reading of bills will be deemed read. And we will move on to consideration of the daily file. We do have several items. Item 52, under Governor's Appointments. Senator Grove, you are recognized. Item 52.

Thank you. Mr. President, colleagues, today we're asking for File Item 52 as the confirmation of Hampus Idsater for appointment to the Boating and Waterways Commission. He is a Senior Investment Manager for Sussex Marina Investors and serves in the commission position for a private harbor owner-operator.

And he was approved by the Rules Committee on a 5-0 vote on January 21st. I respectfully asked for your aye vote.

Thank you, Senator Groves. Seeing no further discussion or debate, Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Senator Grove moves the call. We will move to Item 53. Senator Grove, you are recognized. Item 53.

Thank you. Mr. President, colleagues, Item 53 is a confirmation of Peter Stern, no relation, which I did confirm to our good Senator from Los Angeles, for the appointment to the California Horse Racing Board. He is the Chief Revenue Officer for Skedulo Incorporated and also serves as Advisor for the Berkeley Sky Deck.

He previously served as an appointee on the California State Lottery Commission. He was approved by the Rules Committee on a 5-0 vote on January 21st. Respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Senator. Seeing no further discussion or debate amongst Members. Secretary, please call roll.

[Roll Call]

Senator Grove moves the call. We will move on to the next item. Item 54. Senator Grove, you're recognized for Item 54.

Thank you. Mr. President, colleagues, Item 54 is the confirmation of Diane White for appointment to the State Mining and Geology Board.

She's the Chief Financial Officer and Director of Business Operations in Dataway for Dataway US. She previously served as an assistant Executive Director and Engineering Geologist for the San Francisco Bay Region's Water Quality Control Board. She was approved by the Rules Committee on January 21st on a unanimous vote. Respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Seeing no discussion or debate amongst Members. Secretary, please call roll.

[Roll Call]

Senator Grove moves the call. We will move on to Senate. Third reading. Item 64, SCR 112. This is Senator Grove's day. Senator Grove, would you like to present?

First Secretary, please read.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 112 by Senator Grove relative to National Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

Once again, Senator Grove, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, today I rise to present SCR112, which commemorates January 2026 as National Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

I want to start by recognizing all of you the significant action that this body, the first partner and the Governor has taken to not only learn about this dark underworld of human trafficking, but but to pass meaningful legislation.

We've had a lot of work done and California should be proud of the work that we've completed in this space. Yet the truth is there is a lot more work that needs to be done. That's why this resolution is so important to raise awareness, support survivors, and to remind all of us that the fight must continue.

Together, we strengthen penalties for those who buy and sell children for sexual. We disrupted organized trafficking networks and provided new tools for law enforcement and prosecutors. We supported survivors, we funded community organizations dedicated to supporting these affected by this heinous crime.

California has now become a role model for other states when it comes to strengthening penalties for the buying and selling children for sex.

We have also worked closely with our incredible survivors to ensure that they have a seat at the table and in creating legislation as they have walked that journey and know firsthand what is best that will help other survivors escape this dark underworld.

I know these were difficult conversations, but the work is paying off and we've already seen results for children and survivors across California. Just 18 miles from here in Placer County, a traffic stop in September of 2024 led deputies to rescue two 15 year old girls from a trafficker.

The suspects were charged in a penal Code, Section 236.1 for Human Trafficking a minor. And that crime is now a serious felony and a strike offense. One perpetrator received a sentence of seven years in prison and the other received 15 years due to having a strike offense on his record for this same same crime.

Which is just horrific that you would think that once they got out of prison, they would go back after another child. That person is off the streets. And I think we can all be grateful that these traffickers are away from the people that we serve.

The Los Angeles District Attorney's office reports that human trafficking convictions are more than doubled in 2025 compared to recent years and increased more than 750% compared to 2022, showing that our legislation, combined with dedicated law enforcement and district attorneys who are working these cases and is in fact saving lives.

SCR 112 is not only about educating the public. It's about the prevalence of this terrible crime, but also about acknowledging the advocates, survivors, and the organizations who work tirelessly to eradicate this dark underworld. In the United States, studies have shown that trafficking does not affect communities equally.

Black, Hispanic, Native American women and girls, foster youth, LGBTQIA and other vulnerable populations face a heightened risk here in California. Our state remains on the front lines. In 2024 alone, more than 1700 human trafficking cases were documented involving over 4000 victims. Law enforcement consistently warns us that these figures represent only a fraction of of what is reported.

We also know that traffickers intentionally target foster youth and children from out of home placements. Far too many of these victims have prior involvement with our child welfare system, where instability and lack of consistent positive adult support make them easy targets.

Though SCR112 Californians reaffirmed that its commitment in combating all forms of human trafficking and standing with survivors and supporting law enforcement and advocates to fight for this crime, against this crime every single day. This resolution is a reminder that our work is not done.

Every child that we protect, every survivor that we support is a victory that moves California closer to being a state free from human trafficking. I'd also like to thank the Legislative Black Caucus for the request for a change in some of the language. And we did adopt the language that's in that they submitted to us.

And we'll be making those changes in the Assembly. And thank Nick for working with us on this. Respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Senator. Senator Rubio, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. President. Ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, I also rise in strong, strong support of SCR112 and I want to thank the good Senator from Bakersfield not only for introducing this resolution, but working tirelessly on this issue. I've had the privilege of working with her, co-authoring bills with her.

And this is an issue that affects all of us, regardless of party affiliation or ideology. I know, as she already stated, we've done such important work in the state, but I do hope that we continue to put a spotlight on this issue as we know that more and more stories come continue to come out.

So this is not an issue that's done. But I often want to just remind everyone listening of what we think of someone being sold, old enough to maybe think for themselves or maybe 9, 10, 14.

But the reality is, you know, I've sat with victims who were sold at the age of five, not only by a stranger, but their own mothers, their own fathers. And so oftentimes I like to really highlight this point. If you see a child struggling, even with the mother or father, we have to be vigilant.

This little girl was sold by her mother for as long as she was serviceful. When she turned 13, she was told she was too old. And so now she was recruiting other young ladies. And so I just want us to again make sure that we continue to highlight this issue.

As a good Senator for Bakersfield stated, children were being abducted, sold, and the consequences did not match the crime. And so I'm glad that I was able to partner with her as she passed meaningful legislation to make it a felony to sell our children. That should have been the case since day one.

And so I'm thankful for the fights she's had to take on this issue and I was happy to join her. Again, I want you to think of that five year old little girl who was sold for many years until she turned 13 by her own family. So it's something that happens everywhere.

It could be your neighbor, even with their own family. So be vigilant on that issue. And again, right now we see that a lot of children and adults are stuck in silence, especially this moment when we know that children are being left behind without parents. You know, young ladies are coming home to an empty house.

And so I don't know what the impact is going to be with all these children that are being taken away from parents or children left behind. But it is our job to continue to be vigilant and to continue to elevate this issue because awareness is super important.

We need to ensure that we have prevention, we identify these victims and that we have responses a response network in place that we can help these victims after they've been saved.

So again, I want to thank the good Senator for Bakersfield and I also want to make sure that again we continue to push for legislation that really holds these perpetrators accountable. And with that, I ask for an aye vote. Thank you.

Thank you. Senator Choi. You are recognized.

Thank you, President. I rise in strong support of Senate Concurrent for National Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Human trafficking is modern day slavery. It is a violent crime that strips victims of their freedom, dignity and basic human rights. Its impact is real here in California and also communities in Orange County.

According to recent local data, children have become the the fastest growing group of human trafficking victims in Orange County. With the average age of victims reported as just 14 years old. Half of all local trafficking victims identified in the last few years were under 18 years old and some were as young as 6 years old.

These figures highlight the urgency of awareness, prevention and services for survivors. That was one of the reasons I introduced my Bill AB667 when I was in the Assembly and which was signed into law, preventing any Un-documented foreign adoptees upon arrival in this country.

And so they need to establish their identity upon arrival and they were assigned into law. In 2022, the multi agency enforcement operation in Orange County led to 56 trafficking arrests and the rescue of 16 victims including juveniles under 16 and indicating the scope of trafficking in our communities.

Despite these efforts, much of the human trafficking remains unseen and under reported, commercial sexual exploitation of children continues to rise stressing the need for public awareness and strong partnerships across local, state and federal agencies. SCR112 reaffirms California's commitment supporting survivors and holding traffickers accountable. Awareness is the first step toward prevention and justice. I urge your aye vote.

Senator Valladares, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. President. I also rise in support of SCR112 today and I want to thank the Senator from Bakersfield and the Senators from Baldwin park for their steadfast voices and advocacy on this issue. I also rise today as a voice of a mom because it really is a scary time to be a parent today.

This weekend I have to go home to my daughter and explain to her why she can no longer play Roblox the way she used to. Why certain games, certain chats and certain apps aren't safe for her anymore. And that's not a conversation that a parent really prepares for. But we have to.

Millions of us are having to prepare for it. Human trafficking isn't a distant crime. It's not something that Happens somewhere else. It's happening right here in California, in our cities, in our rural communities, along our highways and hotel rooms, and increasingly, online. In Los Angeles county alone last year, there were 72 human trafficking arrests.

There were 22 rescues, and 13 of those rescues were juveniles, children. California consistently ranks at the top of the nation for human trafficking cases. Nearly one in three victims are minors, and the overwhelming majority are women and girls. Many of the victims are first targeted online through social media, gaming platforms and apps designed to look harmless.

Traffickers don't need chains anymore. They're using grooming, manipulation, and technology. And the risk is growing. So as we prepare for the World Cup and the Olympics to come to the United States, Law enforcement and survivor organizations warn us of what history shows us every time large international events bridge spikes in human trafficking, the demand and more exploitation.

Here in California, we are seeing trafficking tied to organized crime, cartel activity, and even underground illegal card rooms where girls are pulled in, isolated and controlled. Let's be really clear here. Human trafficking is not a choice. It's not about empowerment. It's coercion. It's violence. It's manipulation, it's control. Victims are often recruited as minors. Many are homeless.

Many come from foster care. Many are immigrants. They are targeted because they're already vulnerable. That's why organizations like Zoe International in my district and other nonprofits matter so deeply. They go into the darkest places. They rescue, they shelter, they restore. They offer survivors real exits. And that brings me to the policy component here. Awareness matters. Education matters.

Acknowledgement matters. But awareness alone is not. If we're serious about combating human trafficking, we must be willing to confront not just the crime, but the policy choices that make it harder to stop when we weaken law enforcement's ability to identify victims. Traffickers don't disappear. They adapt. And victims pay the price.

A few years ago, I strongly opposed decriminalizing, loitering with the intent to commit prostitution. And I still strongly oppose that because it removed critical tools that law enforcement used to identify victims and disrupt trafficking. There's a false narrative that enforcement and victim protection are opposites. They're not.

For many survivors, a law enforcement encounter is the first lifeline they ever receive. The first moment that someone asks them, are you okay? When we remove that tool, we don't create safety. We remove that moment. We create silence, and a silence where traffickers thrive. Victims deserve more than symbolism.

They deserve trained law enforcement, accountable courts, aggressive prosecution of traffickers, and fully funded services that offer real alternatives. I want to end with this message to every victim to every survivor who may never hear this speech, but I hope you hear this message. You are loved. You are not broken. What happened to you doesn't define you.

Your life matters and your future still holds purpose. I strongly urge an aye vote.

Senator Alvarad Gil, you are recognized.

Mr. President, I want to rise today as a co author of SCR 111 and recognizing January 2026 as National Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

I also want to acknowledge the heartfelt words of my colleague from Santa Clarita as she emphasized that nearly two and a half centuries here in the United States, we've advanced freedom and we've served as a beacon of hope, leading the fight for dignity and inalienable rights for every person.

Yet human trafficking, a sex crime, a violent felony, in a form of modern day slavery, continues to persist. It uses force and fraud and coercion for labor sexual exploitation, and that's why we define it.

But what my colleague so eloquently helped us also to define is the impact on what it has on real people outside of what we write in legislation. And we also know that one of the most underrepresented or under reported crimes is sex trafficking.

Accurate surveys are extremely difficult and we must confront this tragedy head on if we're truly going to eradicate it. As I was listening to the words of my colleagues here on the floor, a trauma response kicked in.

And I remembered as a young girl coming from a broken home, having to walk to the bus stop to get to my school to get to fifth grade, and the white escort that would park by the bus stop talking to me and other young girls as we walked to the bus stop.

And I remember that sickening feeling that you would get in your stomach of like, know what is going on, what is this about? But not being mature enough to understand that this was grooming, this was picking.

But as I got older and saw some of my friends and classmates fall victim to this white escort, I felt voiceless, like, who could you tell? And now as an adult looking back, saying, what could I have done differently? So we have the power to do things differently, and we're doing it.

And so part of what I want to share with all of you is the gratitude that I have for this entire body because we have stood strongly, we have stood united on this issue to wipe out this terrible evil, forever protecting all families and keeping women and children safe, building a future without sex slavery with no excuses, with no halfway measures, with no partisan lines.

We are working together to completely eradicate human trafficking from our stories One thing that I wanted to share with you is the plight of the tribal nations in my district and those that we have across the indigenous community here in California.

I must underscore that Native American women and young girls are victimized at a much higher rate as well as foster youth. Some of my colleagues have been quite vocal about their walk of life through foster care, as I have as well.

But I now stand in front of you as a proud grandma of my newest grandbaby, a proud indigenous California Pomo Dry Creek Indian. And I fear for her life and I fear for her journey in California.

But I also have hope, because I have hope for every single person in this body and love for you because you have taken not only the Senate resolution, but you've taken this issue through the leadership of my colleague from Kern county to say that no more are we going to tolerate sex slavery in California.

This is a story that I'm going to be telling my granddaughter as she grows up. And every single one of you are going to have a place in that story. So thank you for bringing your passion to the floor. Thank you for bringing your stories and your commitment to working together on this very important issue. And I encourage an aye vote.

Thank you, Senator Wahab. You are recognized.

Thank you. Human trafficking is not rare. It's not hidden overseas. It's happening right now in our neighborhoods. Online bus stop, in hotels and in workplaces. This is modern day slavery. Children are bought and sold, women are trapped through violence and fear. And workers are exploited through debt, threats and lies. Human trafficking comes in all forms.

These are not statistics. They are human beings. No one chooses trafficking. What traffickers exploit is vulnerability, homelessness, poverty, foster care, domestic violence, immigration status and desperation. Traffickers do not need chains. They use fear. They use manipulation. They use silence and violence. And too often, our systems fail survivors twice. First through exploitation, then through disbelief, stigma and punishment.

Let me be clear. Survivors are not criminals. They are victims of violence. Justice means holding traffickers accountable, not arresting the very people that they abuse. Human trafficking is not just a criminal issue. It's a housing issue. It's a child welfare issue, a labor issue, a public health issue, a human rights issue.

We cannot arrest our way out of slavery. We must prevent it. We must fund survivor services. We must ensure safe housing, trauma-informed care, and real pathways to recovery. And as we are talking about budget cuts, I want that to be at the forefront of everybody's mind, the most vulnerable that are not in these rooms.

I will share that even in Alameda county in their social services system regarding Foster youth, children in their care. There was a 12 year old that was prostituted in their care. We have case after case. It's not just one county, it's all counties.

You take a look at the children that do not have a voice, that do not know what's happening, that do not have somebody in their corner. And so I want to highlight why foster youth, adopted youth, the kids on the streets that are homeless, all of them deserve more care, more attention and more support.

Because freedom should not depend on luck, safety should not depend on a zip code or a skin color. And dignity should never be negotiated. I believe this with every fiber of my being. A society is judged by how it protects its most vulnerable. We will not look away, we will not normalize this exploitation.

And we will not accept a system where traffickers, profit, survivors, suffer. Every person deserves to live free, not owned, not afraid, and not invisible. And I want to highlight some of the bills that have come forward that they do highlight modern day slavery in a different form.

Whether it's online, through even AI generated child, sexually exploited images, we have seen it over and over again. When there are big games in our state, human trafficking rises. And the reality is there are consumers in this state that we also have to hold accountable.

And they hide behind a screen, they hide behind a window of a pickup truck. They hide in a hotel room thinking that they won't get caught. So as we develop our laws, we also need to ensure that we prioritize the victim first and foremost and make sure that every single criminal is held accountable.

I respectfully ask for an aye vote. Thank you.

Seeing no further discussion or debate. Senator Grove, you may close.

I'd like to thank all my colleagues for commenting on SCR112. It is very important that we keep this issue prevalent and in front and center. I can tell you that I appreciate my colleagues commenting on Roblox. These perpetrators are way ahead of us. These perpetrators are in the gaming system.

We just got a report of a child missing for two weeks that went to go meet somebody on roblox. There are 13,000 child exploitation cases reported already to the national center for Missing and Exploitation. Exploited children because of roadblocks. Get your kids off of it. I mean, just get your kids off of it.

I appreciate the comments about adoption. One of the hardest things that I read when we were working on human trafficking that we could not address and could not fix and could not get the Bill passed and I'm hoping that someone pick that up is that they're in, these perpetrators are in our foster care system.

There's a scripture in the Bible, and it says, train up a child in the way they go, and when they're old, they won't depart from it. That's good or bad. You can train a child to accept certain ways of living from an infant, and that child knows no difference.

The people adopting some of our children are part of this ring that is in the dark web. And it is sickening and it's disgusting. And it doesn't give those children in the foster care system an ability to even have a way out. It's scary, but it exists. They're already in the system.

These perpetrators are way ahead of us when they target individuals in different neighborhoods. These perpetrators are good at what they do. And we are far behind when it comes to making them accountable for their actions. But we did take steps forward over the last three years.

It took three years to get stuff done, but we did take steps forward and we did make sure that. That there are tools in the toolbox for our district attorneys and our law enforcement to keep perpetrators away from the children that they are constantly targeting. I want to thank everyone for their comments. I do appreciate that.

Respectfully ask for an aye vote on SCR112.

Thank you, Senator Grove. Secretary, please call roll.

[Roll Call]

Secretary, please call absent Members.

[Roll Call]

Okay, Ayes 38. Noes 0. The resolution is adopted. We will move to item 68. SCR 74. Senator Ashby, you are recognized for your resolution.

Secretary, please read.

Senate Resolution 74 by Senator Ashby relative to the standing rules of the Senate for the 2025-26 regular session.

Senator Ashby, you are now recognized.

Thank you, Mr. President. I rise to present SR 74, which amends the rules of the Senate to add the Emergency Management Committee as well as the Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection Committee.

The Emergency Management Committee will focus on issues relating to the California Emergency Services Act as well as the Office of Emergency Services statewide and local disaster and emergency responses, including wildfire response, earthquake mitigation, mutual aid systems, and emergency communications.

The Privacy Digital Technologies and Consumer Protection Committee will focus on bills relating to data privacy, artificial intelligence, digital and information technologies and systems, and the consumer protection and security of personal information. SR 74 establishes two different committees which will ensure these issue areas are more thoroughly examined by the Senate and therefore the public. Respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Seeing no discussion or debate amongst Members. Secretary, please call roll.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 39. No's, 0. The resolution is adopted. Members, we are going to move back and lift calls on three particular items. Item 52. We are lifting the call on Item 52. Secretary, please call absent Members.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 39. No's, 0. Governor's appointment is confirmed. Item 53. Item 53. Secretary, please call absent Members.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 39. No's, 0. Governor's appointment is confirmed. Lifting call on Item 54. Secretary, please call absent Members.

[Roll Call]

Ayes, 39. No's, 0. Governor's appointment is confirmed. Members, we are moving to special consent calendar for the day. Are there any Members wishing to remove an item from the consent calendar? Seeing no one to move any item. Secretary, read items on the consent calendar.

Senate Bill 557, 574, 623, and Senate Bill 837.

On the consent calendar. Secretary, please call roll.

[Roll Call]

Ayes, 39. No's, 0 on item 72, SB 557, and Ayes, 39. No's, 0 on the remainder of the consent calendar. If there is no other business pro tem, Limón, you are recognized.

Thank you very much. Colleagues, I want to say thank you to all of you members, to your staff, to committee staff, to our floor staff, to everybody involved, because this was a deadline week.

We got our two-year bills out this week and so very much appreciate how much work you all put into this, including Majority Leader, our, you know, Senate Leadership Team, floor team, you know, our Minority Leader, as well as the floor team there. So thank you all for your work and getting through a busy week.

Our next floor session is going to be scheduled for Monday, February 2, 2026, at 2:00 pm. Enjoy your weekend.

The Senate is in recess until 3:30 pm, at which time the adjournment motion will be made. We will reconvene Monday, February 2, 2026, at 2:00 pm. Members, have a good weekend in your district.