Assembly Floor

Morning, California. The Assembly is now in session. Assemblymember hadwick notices the absence of a quorum. Sergeant at arms will prepare the chamber and bring in the absent Members. Clerk will call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Members, the 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. Reverend Oshita will offer today's prayer. Reverend Oshita,

please join me in a moment of reflection. Be kind for everyone we know is fighting a battle we know nothing about. I felt there was truth within this quote from the first time I heard it. Versions of this quote have been attributed to Plato and Socrates and a Scottish cleric from the 1870s, Reverend John Watson.

It is also a phrase that the late Robin Williams would often share. After he chose to end his personal struggle In August of 2014, this quote became an even deeper meaning. Be kind for everyone we know is fighting a battle we know nothing about. These words are now, for me, much more than just an inspiration.

They describe my life. Bob says chemotherapy is a roller coaster ride in the pitch dark. We know there are twists and turns and sudden drops, but we never know what's coming until it's happening even more. We realize how unpredictable life can be.

And life is teaching us again that we must not take for granted our loving families, the warm companionship of our friends, and the gift of each and every day. Let us hold close the people we love while we have them. And in our interactions with all people, let us try to be kind.

For everyone we know is fighting a battle that we know nothing about. Namwami Dalitsu. Let us live with kindness and gratitude beyond words.

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

Please join me in the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all,

may be seated. To our guests and visitors today, state law prohibits persons in the chamber 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 Tuesday, January 20,2026 the Assembly met at 1pm The Honorable Josh Lowenthal, speaker pro temporary of the Assembly Presiding

Majority Leader Garcia moves and Mr. Ta 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. Parts of committees will be deemed read and amendments deemed adopted. Messages from the Governor? There are none. Mess messages from the Senate? There are none.

Moving on to motions and resolutions, the absences of the day for maternity leave, Assembly Members Celeste Rodriguez for illness. Assembly Members Chen and Sharp Collins for legislative business. Assemblymember Macedo onto our procedural motions. Assistant Majority Leader Garcia, you are recognized for your procedural motions.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 45.5 to allow Assemblymember Muratsuchi to speak on an adjournment in memory today. Pursuant to Assembly Rule 96. I request unanimous consent to re refer AB 2022, Jeff Gonzalez from the Revenue and Taxation Committee to the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.

Without Objection Such shall be the order.

My apologies. And then back to the Revenue and Taxation Committee.

Without objection. Such shall be the order.

I request unanimous consent to rescind the action whereby on February 26, 2026 SCR 112 Grove was read, adopted and sent to the Senate. Please order the res back to the third reading file for further action.

Without objection. Such shall be the order. Thank you, Members. We're getting to business on the daily file. Please take your seats. Thank you, Members. Thank you. Thank you. Second reading file items 1 through 6.Clerk will read

Assembly Bills 1566-1589-1583-1656 with amendments, 1535 with amendments and Assembly Bill 1568 with amendments.

All bills will be deemed read and all amendments will be deemed adopted. Concurrence in Senate amendments file item 7 and 8 will pass retain reconsideration file items 9 through 11. All items shall be continued. That brings us to the Assembly. Third reading file file items 12 through 16.

Pass and retain on file item 12 and file item 13. Byline number 14. That's ACR 145 by Assembly Member Caloza. The Clerk will read

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 145 by Assembly Member Caloza relative to Women in Construction Week.

Assembly Member Caloza, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. Mr. Speaker, permission to use a prop.

Without objection.

Let me try to get this first. Try. All right. All right. Colleagues, today I rise to present ACR 145 to declare March 1, 2026 to March 7, 2026 as National Women in Construction Week. Thank you to all the women at the Capitol, especially our union, Trades Women in Construction.

Imagine a world where every woman can open a blueprint and see herself in every role, from apprentice to project manager, from small business owner to industry leader. She can see not just a job, but a meaningful career, one that supports her, her family and positions her as a vital contributor to California's growing economy.

For too long, opportunities for women in construction have felt out of reach. The industry has been historically male dominated and too many talented and capable women stay on the sidelines, not realizing that these opportunities are within reach.

But today, and in the days moving forward, we are showing women that they belong on job sites, in offices, in Boardrooms. And we are showing them that anything is possible and that a career in construction is not only attainable, but it's a space where they can lead and they can thrive.

In 2019, I was proud to serve on the LA Board of Public Works, where I got to oversee the Bureau of Engineering. One of the projects that I was really proud to lead was the 6th Street Bridge Project.

This was not only the largest bridge project in the history of Los Angeles, but also a project which included the largest number of female crew Members on any project in the city. 15 women out of 170 crew Members.

One of the women who worked on site, Rose Garcia, shared that there have been jobs where she was the only woman in a crew of 800 Members. Let that sink in. Currently, women hold only about 10% of construction trade jobs and apprenticeships nationally. Yet women make up more than 50% of the United States population.

Our state's economy, workforce and construction industry will not only reach its fullest potential if half the population is unrepresented. We must act. We must expand apprenticeship programs and build workplaces where women are not simply welcomed, but empowered. Empowered to lead, innovate and shape the future of the industry. We must also expand childcare services.

We must champion and uplift women owned construction businesses so that they can have the opportunity to succeed. We must make training more accessible so that more women can turn their potential into real careers. But ultimately, investing in women is also investing California's future.

When women thrive, our communities grow stronger, our economy flourishes, and the next generation of women see what is possible for themselves and their families. This march let us not just celebrate women in construction, let us commit to equipping them with the tools, training and opportunities they need to build our future.

Let us ensure that women in construction can write their own blueprints, lead with confidence and thrive in an industry where they once thought the doors were closed. With that colleagues, I ask for your aye vote on ACR 145.

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

Thank you Mr. Speaker. Members, today I rise in support of ACR 145 in California. A journey level electrician or carpenter wanting to go into construction can earn over $100,000 plus full health care and pension.

For a high schooler, this is the ultimate ticket to the middle class providing the financial power to buy a home, build a life in California without the wait and see of a traditional four year degree. To ensure nothing holds back, California has invested over 50 million into .... grants.

This isn't just a nice to have, it's a game changer that pays for childcare, provides one on one mentorships and funds anti harassment training to make sure every job site is a professional respectable workplace. Nationally, women in the trades earn about 95% to 99% of what their male co workers make.

One of the narrowest pay gaps in America industry. In union construction that gap disappears entirely. The contract guarantees equal pay for equal work. Period. California is currently leading the world in climate resilience infrastructure. We need a new generation of women to build our massive solar farms or EV charging networks.

Yet you can outsource billings, building a bridge in San Diego or a housing development in Orange County. As California works towards Governor Newsom's goal of the 500,000 active apprenticeships by 2029, the demand for sports skilled trade women is skyrocketing. This isn't just a job, it's a recession proof career that will always be in demand.

For these reasons I'm proud to stand with our tradeswomen in construction industry who are shaping our future and urge your aye vote on ACR 145.

Thank you Assemblymember Davies, Assemblymember Bauer Kahan, you are recognized.

Thank you Mr. Speaker and Members. I rise in support of academic and want to thank our colleague from Los Angeles for bringing this critically important resolution A few years ago I was sitting at coffee with one of my IBEW leaders who also happens to be a woman in the trades, just having coffee.

And I said to her, if you had a magic wand, what would you do to make things better for women in the trades? And she said, you know what? I'd give us a porta potty. I said, what?

And she said, you know, when we go onto a work site now, there are no female porta potties, and it's unsafe, it doesn't feel right, and it makes us not want to be there. And I said, I think I can get you a porta potty. Like that seemed like something we could actually do.

And so I had the privilege of partnering with women in the trades to move a Bill that required the Labor Department to look at whether we would add female porta potties at work sites. There was no opposition. The building trades were our partner. We were changing things for women on the work site.

Do you know what happened to that Bill? Went to the labor agency, and they denied women the porta potty this body had demanded they have on the work sites. And they still to this day, do not have restrooms with dignity for women on work sites.

So today, as we pass this resolution, I think we also need to think about how we and our agencies are ensuring these are safe and equitable workplaces every day to get more women into the workforce. Workforce.

The women's Caucus has led in ensuring there's childcare for women in the trades, and we have worked to pass legislation that would make these workplaces better when it comes to ppe to restroom facilities and the like. And yet it still isn't happening.

And so we must vote for this resolution, and we must be committed to making sure that these are safe and equitable workplaces for every women. And with that, I respectfully ask your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Bauer Kahan. Dr. Arambula, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. I want to thank my colleague from Los Angeles for bringing this resolution before the body, as well as my colleagues from Orange County and Orinda for speaking up on this issue.

As a male, I felt it important to stand up as an ally, in part because I have three daughters, I'm a feminist, and I voted for every women's caucus Bill that I've had an opportunity to vote for while on this floor, my entire career.

But I wish to speak about a budget ask that I helped to champion for my district back in 2022, which was Valley Build Now. The now is an acronym that stands for non Traditional occupations for women. And in that budget ask, we secured $3 million, which helped us to have cohorts of women enter into pre apprenticeships.

Pre apprenticeships prior to the opportunity to being an apprentice. Because we needed them to have experience to find out which trade they wanted to enter, Whether or not it was a laborer or an iron worker or an electrical worker or a carpenter. We found that we needed to address their specific barriers.

And when you listened to women, what they told us oftentimes is, yes, they needed child care. Oftentimes, they were the primary caregiver for their household. So they needed a stipend. They needed transportation dollars. And these cohorts of women have helped us to increase the pipeline so that they could get an apprenticeship and have a good living wage.

Here in Fresno, we have the largest public infrastructure in all of America going. And we need more women to be participating, to be in those pipelines. And I'm grateful for the opportunity to stand up and to vote for ACR 145 today. And I encourage all my colleagues to do the same. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Dr. Arambula. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Assemblymember Caloza, do you wish to close?

Yes. Mr. Speaker, if I could ask the first roll be open for co authors.

No problem. Okay. Clerk will open the roll for co authors. Members. This is for co authors. All Members vote who desire to vote. This is for co authors. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. The Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. There are 67 co authors added without objection.

We'll take a voice vote on the resolution. All those in favor say aye. All those opposed no. The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. Assemblymember Caloza, you are recognized for your guest introduction.

Colleagues in the gallery, I'd like to introduce Women in construction. Thank you. To the Sacramento Regional Builders Exchange. If you want to stand, we can recognize you for your tremendous work in the industry. They're here to my right. Let's give them a round of applause. Thank you to all of our guests.

Thank you as well to the building trades and to all of our women workers who are here and support as well as on your desk from Team Coloza, our pink shovels and stickers to commemorate ACR145 marking women in Construction Week. Thank you colleagues, for all of your support. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Assemblymember Coloza. We are going to pass and retain them. File items 15 and 16. That gets us to the Senate third reading. File file items 17 through 19 we shall pass and retain Members. We will now move on to the second day consent calendar.

Before we vote, we'll take up item 20 ACR 135 on the consent calendar for the purpose of adding co authors. Clerk will read the resolution on the consent calendar.

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 135 by Assembly Member Patel relative to school breakfast week.

Clerk will now open the roll to allow any Member to add on as a co author to the resolution. All Members vote who desire to vote. Members this is for co authors. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll.

There are 66 CO authors added. Moving on to a vote on the consent calendar. File items 20 through 22. Does any Member wish to remove an item from the consent calendar? Seeing and hearing none, the Clerk will read the second day consent calendar.

Still meet. Concurrent Resolution 135 by Assembly Member Patel relative to school breakfast week.

Clerk will open the roll on the consent calendar. 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 and tally the votes. Ayes 65, Noes, 0. Consent calendar is adopted. Clerk will read the remaining items on the consent calendar.

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 144.

And Senate Concurrent Resolution 122.

Ayes 65, Noes 0.

Ayes 65, Noes 0.

Members. We are moving on to adjournments in memory. The quorum call has been lifted. Quorum call is lifted. Let's give our respectful attention to those who are granted prior permission to speak on their adjournment in memory. Please take your conversations off the floor. Thank you. Members, Please take your conversations off the floor. Members,

Assemblymember Muratsuchi, you are recognized for your adjournment and memory.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise and to adjourn in memory of my dear friend, Eileen Hupp. Eileen served as the President and the chief Executive officer of the Palos Verdes Chamber of Commerce for over 14 years. She was also I had the honor of recognizing her as my woman of the year in 2022.

But Eileen was so much more than titles and recognitions. Eileen was such a kind, warm hearted person, full, always so full of positive energy. You know, we started today's session talking about how we need to be kind to all because we don't know what battles they're fighting. That really hit home because that was Eileen.

You know, I realize until I heard the news that she had resigned from the Chamber of Commerce. And she only after that did she tell me that she received her diagnosis of cancer a year prior and that she had been receiving chemotherapy and battling cancer.

But she never missed a day of service because she loved her job and more importantly, she loved her community. The Palos Verdes Chamber is so much more than just a local business organization.

They really spearhead so many of the traditions in the Palos Verdes community that make living and working in Palos Verdes such a special place in particular, you know, for me and my family. She was always the leader of organizing the Palace Verdict Street fair, which always comes on the day after school gets out.

So it's really, you know, especially for all the parents and all the kids, it's really the beginning, the unofficial beginning of summer on the hill in Palos Verdes. And Eileen was always, you know, that person who made these traditions happen in our community. And I'm going to miss her dearly.

She's survived by her children, Robert, Sarah and Emily, her sister Dorothy, and her dear partner, Joey Martinez. I ask that the Assembly adjourn in her memory.

Thank you, Assemblymember Muratsuchi. Members, please bring the names to the desk to be printed in the journal. All requests to adjourn a memory will be deemed read and printed in the journal. Moving on to announcements, session schedules as follow Friday, March 6th no floor session. No check in session.

Monday, March 9th Floor session at 1pm Seeing and hearing no further business, I'm ready to entertain a motion to adjourn. Assistant majority leader Garcia moves and Mr. Lackey seconds that this House stands adjourned until Monday, March 9th at 1:00pm.