Senate Floor

Alright. Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

A quorum is present. Would the members and our guests beyond the rail and in the gallery please rise? This morning will be led in prayer by our chaplain, Sister Michelle Gorman, after which please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.

We gather in God's presence. As we adjourn today in memory of former president pro tem John Burton, we pray in gratitude for his life and legacy. Creator God, we bless and affirm the dedication of mister Burton to living a life of radical hospitality as he worked to create a space of belonging for all. His life was a healing balm to those in need and a challenging voice to those needing to implement change. As we remember the blessings of his life, may we continue to live with Fidelity to the ideals of our call.

May we meet the challenges of each day with enthusiasm and hope. And may those we serve experience the fruits of our commitment to the common good. We ask this in your name. Amen.

Please join in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance. The Members, without objection, Senate rule 55 will be suspended to allow guests on the floor for today's session. And the Senate is pleased to welcome some of our former members, both houses to the floor today. Former thank you, Senator Strickland former Speaker Willie Brown, former Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, former Senate President Pro Tem Tony Atkins, and former Senators Martha Escutia, Dean Flores, Richard Bolanco, Holly Mitchell, Robert Hertzberg, Frank Hill, Jim Brulte, Art Torres, Carol Migden, Didi Alpert, Jackie Spear, Patrick Johnston, Rod Wright, Rusty Arreas, Steve Peace, and Charles Calderon.

Welcome. This is both a tribute to Senator Burton, and also an admonishment to all of us. These are we welcome back our some of our most, gregarious members. Simply admonish our members to take any conversations off of the floor, so that we can proceed with our business and then proceed to the main order of the day. Moving to privilege of the floor, we have none at this time.

Messages from the governor will be deemed read. Messages from the assembly will be deemed read. Reports of committees will be deemed read and the amendments adopted. So moving now to motions, resolutions and notices. Senator Padilla, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. President. I rise to move file item number 24 to the inactive file.

The desk will note. Moving on to consideration of the daily file. The second reading file, clerk will read secretary will read.

Senate Bill 968, 996 with amendments. Senate Joint Resolution 11. Senate Bill 922, 1005, 108087 with amendments. 872 with amendments. 1039 with amendments.

Senate third reading, we'll move to Senator Grayson at the majority leader's desk for file item 27. Secretary will read.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 133 by Senator Grayson relative to California Down Syndrome Awareness Month and California Down Syndrome Awareness Day.

Senator Grayson.

Thank you, mister president and colleagues. I am honored. It is with distinct honor that I present today SCR 133 recognizing California Down Syndrome Awareness Month and Day. Down Syndrome Awareness Day is observed on March 21 every year. It's a date chosen to symbolize the triplication of the twenty first chromosome that causes Down Syndrome.

Down Syndrome occurs in one out of every 700 to a thousand births. Despite this chromosomal difference, it is crucial for us to recognize the individuals with Down Syndrome may that make a different that make valuable contributions to society. They attend school. They pursue careers. Make decisions that affect them and build meaningful relationships.

It is critical that we not only acknowledge these contributions, but also ensure that our support systems evolve to meet their needs. Every person, regardless of their genetic makeup, deserves to live with dignity, autonomy, and access to resources that empower them to thrive. We must uplift the families and communities that support individuals with Down syndrome. Today, we honor their dedication, resilience, and their unwavering belief in the potential of their loved ones. As legislators, we have the responsibility to bolster these support systems and affirm that every member of our society can achieve their full potential while receiving the respect and assistance they deserve.

And as a point of personal privilege, I'd also like to recognize someone that is very, very dear to me. It is my sister Sherry who lives with Down Syndrome. Sherry has brought to my life and family and community a life of love, joy, light.

And I tell you, we could sure use the gift that this community has, and that is unwavering love. So with that, having someone in your life who is a member of the Down Syndrome or IDD community, it truly is a blessing.

You begin to see how we are all similar instead of how we are all different. Friends and colleagues, thank you for your attention and the recognition of California Down Syndrome Awareness Month and Day. I respectfully ask for an Aye vote. Thank you.

Is there any question or debate? Seeing none. The secretary please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Secretary, please call the absent Members.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 33. Noes 0. Resolution is adopted. Returning to privileges of the floor, Senator Grayson at the majority leaders desk for intro introduction of your guests in the floor and into the gallery.

Thank you, mister president. I would like to introduce the incredible folks from the Down Syndrome Connection of the Bay Area. Their mission is to empower, inspire, and support people living with Down Syndrome, their families, and their community that serve them while fostering awareness and acceptance in all aspects of life. Today is my day to be challenged in phonetic pronunciation. I am pleased to have on the floor with us today, Teresa Devincenzi.

the Executive Director of the Down Syndrome Connection of the Bay Area. Joining her are several families who are part of the incredible community. Here on the floor, we are so honored to recognize the Erickson family, the Felice Ramirez family, the Urabella family. And then up in the gallery, we have with us Hernandez Avellino family, the Manjaras Carrillo family, the Dubose family, Fanous family, fa Favilla, and the family and Aguilar Herrera Ramos household. We're grateful for all of them as well as some special guests, from the Down Syndrome Awareness Day in the Sacramento area up in the gallery as well.

We are so delighted to have all of them with us. Colleagues, please help me welcome them to the Senate.

Senator Grayson.

I promised I promised that I would announce also my partner in this, and that's Marissa, standing right up here in the front.

Yes. Okay. Gotcha. Welcome to our guests. In returning to consideration of the daily file, we now proceed to file item 28. Senator Wahab. Secretary will read.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 134 by Senator Wahab relative to now roots.

Senator Wahab.

Thank you. Today is a wonderful day. I I really wanna highlight the fact that we are honoring a legend and at the same time have so much going on in this country. And so today, I rise to recognize Nowruz. I tell everybody Nowruz Mubarak and to honor the Afghan American community here in California and across this nation.

Nowruz marks the beginning of a new year and the arrival of spring. It is a celebration of renewal, hope, and the promise that brighter days are possible. For so many families, it is time to gather with loved ones, to reflect, to give thanks, and to welcome a new beginning with open hearts.

Nowruz carries the beauty of hope, family, tradition, and resilience. It is a time when homes are filled with warmth, tables are prepared with care, elders are honored, children are embraced, and people take time to reflect on where they have been and where they pray to go.

For the Afghan American community, Nowruz carries a deep and enduring meaning. It is a celebration of culture, tradition, poetry, resilience, and identity. It reminds us that even through hardships, displacement, and loss, people hold on to beauty, to family, to faith,

and to hope. That is the spirit of Nowruz. It is the reminder that after every winter, spring returns. Each year, when I wish a people a happy Nowruz, I share these words. On this Nowruz, I look forward to a new year, a new day filled with peace.

May you always be happier than Didruz yesterday, luckier than Imruz today, and blessed Aruz every day. That message carries the heart of this holiday, peace, joy, good fortune, and blessings, not only for one day, but for the year ahead.

Today, I extend my warmest wishes to every family celebrating and my deepest appreciation to the Afghan American community for your strength, your contributions, and the rich culture you're bringing to this state.

Nowruz Mubarak, and I respectfully ask for an Aye vote.

Senator Caballero.

Thank you very much, mister president. Today I stand in solidarity with my colleague from the Bay Area in support of SCR 134 which recognizes Nowruz , the Persian New Year, a celebration, as she said, of hope, renewal, and the arrival of spring.

Nowruz begins on the vernal equinox and has been celebrated for more than 3,000 years by millions of people across The Middle East, Central Asia, Europe, and The United States. The word, Nauruz, means new day and reflects the holiday's powerful themes.

Throughout California, Persian Americans have contributed positively to our state through their leadership in business, education, science, arts, and public service.

Families who celebrate Nauruz spend time with loved ones to reflect on the values of generosity, gratitude, and community, and they exchange gifts as sign of peace and friendship as the new year begins. These traditions remind us that even in challenging times.

The promise of spring and renewal endures. And now more than ever, it is vital that we as a representative body of California demonstrate our support for our Iranian and Persian American neighbors.

I'm proud to stand with the many cultures who celebrate Natuzz throughout California, and may the new year bring health, prosperity, and peace to all who celebrate. I respectfully ask for your Aye vote on the SCR 130.

Seeing no further question or debate, Senator Wahab may close.

Thank you. Members, on your desk, you will find a gift box in honor of Nauru's that contains a baklava, a sweet, and layered pastry. I will say we do this every single year to just also offer kindness and love to each other, and I hope that you guys enjoy this with your team. Again, Nowruz Mubarak.

I'll debate having ceased. Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Secretary, please call the absent, please.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 32, No 0. The resolution Ayes 33, No 0. The resolution is adopted. Continuing with consideration of the daily file and proceeding to item 34, Senator Wahab at the majority leader's desk. Secretary, please read.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 139 by senator Wahab relative to Afghan American Heritage Month.

Senator Wahab.

Thank you. So today, we honor Afghan Heritage Month. Afghan Americans are very much a part of this community. I have given many speeches to highlight their contributions to American history, including an Afghan American who fought in the civil war for the North. Not only is Afghan American Heritage Month, a celebration of culture, but also it is serves as a reminder of endurance, identity, and hope.

To be Afghan American is to come from a people of poetry and perseverance, a people whose history is marked by beauty and burden, a people who have carried language, faith, family, and tradition through war, displacement, and loss. And still found a way to begin again.

In modern times, Afghan heritage carries even deeper meaning. It lives in the refugee, building a life with dignity, in the mother holding together a family through uncertainty, in the student chasing opportunity while carrying generations of sacrifice,

in the small business owner, the artist, the advocate, the neighbor, all refusing to let hardship define the fullness of who they are and who they can be. Afghan American Heritage Month is not frozen in the past. It is about living.

It is the present. It is resilient. It is the sound of our language, the warmth of our homes, the prayers of our elders, the courage of those forced to leave everything behind, and the determination of a people who continue even when the world has asked too much of them for centuries.

In a time when so many feel unseen, Afghan heritage month is a declaration. We are still here. We are still standing. Our stories matter. Our future matters. Our culture matters. Our people matter.

And in honoring Afghan American heritage, we do not only remember survival, we honor strength, beauty, and the unbreakable hope that tomorrow can still be better than today. Thank you. I wanna highlight that we are also going to be honoring a number of individuals, but I respectfully ask for an Aye vote. Thank you.

Senator Grove.

Thank you. Mister P+resident, the Afghani people have been a part of the fabric of our California society for over a century, but our relationship with them became real and raw 25 years ago when the first American warriors touched down on that already war torn country.

When our troops first arrived, they found not a populace of anti Western ideologies as many had expected at the time, but rather a welcomed by Afghani people clamoring for an American style democracy and freedom and willing to do whatever it took in some cases to achieve that goal.

Many of our Afghan Americans served as interpreters, soldiers, and true freedom fighters that fought right alongside the US Army and Marine units established in that

country. Throughout the hillsides and the valleys of a nation that served as a centerpiece of the 25 year global war against terror.

They quite literally risked it all, their lives, and that the lives of their families, to help our fighting men and women in their efforts to bring security and democracy to the nation of Afghanistan.

Since the first Special Forces boots touched ground in late 2001 over 200,000 Afghan partners in arms have come to this country in search of a better life, including nine in my district that I am aware of. Guy Ritchie's award winning movie, The Covenant, is just one of the true

stories told about these incredible Afghan heroes that sacrificed so much to help our war fighters.

They were our friends on the battlefield for over two decades of war that defined a generation of both Afghani and American youth, and now they're our friends and our neighbors here at home. While not every one of them embrace the freedom this incredible nation offers.

The vast majority of these battle friend warriors have contributed greatly to the new life they have established here in The United States, and even our colleagues here on the Senate's floor. As a veteran and the senator for the 12th Senate District, I respectfully ask for an Aye vote.

Seeing no further debate, Senator Wahab, you may close.

Thank you. I'd I appreciate my colleague's comments. I will even go further. As we have stated, Afghans have actually fought in the civil war for the unity and the peace and the freedom of all Americans. With that, we have also seen that the former Afghan king,

had great relationships with president Kennedy, and it continued on into Afghans fighting, the cold war for The United States. And I will highlight that the sacrifice of the Afghan people abroad and even locally is one to honor and respect. I respectfully ask for an Aye vote.

Members, is there any objection to substituting our unanimous roll call on file item 34? Seeing none, Ayes 33. No 0, and the resolution is adopted. Returning to privileges of the floor to Senator Wahab at the majority leader's desk for introduction of guests.

Thank you. Members, I'd like to introduce three special guests from my district who are empowering the Afghan community and inspiring the next generation of Afghan American leaders. I wanna be very clear, to me these guests are incredibly important to me as a human being, but also to the community. For nearly thirty years, the Afghan Coalition has provided vital support services to Afghan immigrants and refugees. Through mental health services, support groups, domestic violence, economic assistance, housing, and so much more, their work helps individuals achieve self sufficiency that they need to thrive in this country.

With me today is cofounder and board president, doctor Waheed Momand. Doctor Momand has served tens of thousands of Afghan immigrants in California and nearly thirty years and became an outspoken advocate for grassroots movements and humanitarian policies. He also supported the American, soldiers and force in Afghanistan, during the most recent war. We also have executive director, Rona Popal. For her entire lifetime, Rona has dedicated her career to the service of others as a social worker and launched numerous campaigns that empower Afghan women globally.

She is also the executive director of the Afghan Coalition based in Fremont. With us, we also have Nozma Naveen Momand. Nozma John has spent thirty years as a social worker in Alameda County, and one of her many talents is she speaks over seven languages fluently. Alameda County and and became a dedicated community leader serving as a board member of the Afghan Women Association since 1994, and joining the Afghan Coalition Board in 1998. Members, I would also like to highlight the many Afghans, who are here with us today and so many that work endlessly in so many different parts of California that are here today to just, again, highlight that we are human too.

We are Americans. We are Californians, and we are proud to serve this country. So with that, in recognition of Afghan American Heritage Month, please join me in welcoming these amazing advocates to the California State Senate. Thank you.

One more. One more.

The Senate today is celebrating the birthdays of several of our members this week, Senator Ashby, Senator Durazo, Senator Grove, and never to be in this building and be outshined, former speaker Willie Brown Jr. Please wish them all a happy birthday.

Moving on to committee announcements. Are there committee announcements by Chairs for today's hearings? Senator Hurtado.

Sub the subcommittee, four will be convening after the end of session, fifteen minutes thereafter.

Thank you. Senator Richardson.

Thank you, Mr. President. Immediately following today, we will be meeting in Room 112, with sub five, which includes corrections, judiciary, labor, and transportation. Today's meeting will focus on transportation. Thank you.

Senator Reyes.

Thank you, Mr. President. Subcommittee budget subcommittee number two of resources, environmental protection, energy will meet 15 after adjournment in Room 2200 Of The Swing Space.

Senator Menjivar.

Thank you, Mr. President. Subcommittee number three on health and human services will we'll meet shortly after a session in Room 1200 in the old building.

Thank you. And on behalf of Senator Perez, budget sub committee number one will meet upon adjournment of session in Room 2100 Of The Swing Space. Alright. Returning to motions and resolutions, this will be the time to address the adjourn in memory motions.

From the Senate. I will note, as as we begin this this part of the process that, we'll be suspending the application of Mason's Manual rule, section 121 with respect to the use of indecent language on the floor.

Solely, solely for the purpose of allowing members to provide direct quotations of our, of our honoree today and for no other purpose. And so with that, Senate President Pro Tem Limon, you're recognized for the adjourned memory motion.

Thank you, Mr. President, and I appreciate the suspension of the rules. I wanna start off by thanking all of our visitors that are here.

Members, this is the Please grant your full attention to the president pro tem as we take up this matter. Thank you. Please proceed.

Thank you. I wanna welcome all of our visitors to the Senate for this tribute to former Senate President Pro Tem, John Burton. When I first walked into the office as Pro Tem, I understood that the weight of those who came before me was present.

Pro Tem Burton has left a lasting legacy on this body and on our state and especially as the leader of the house. He was a steadfast champion of paving the way for the next generation of leaders. As evidence, look around this room in this moment. Look in the gallery.

Legacy is felt through those who are still standing and speaking about us after we are gone. And what that means in life is also that the impact of our legacy is shown and felt and heard by what people say when we aren't in the room. And you will hear that today.

I have learned from so many leaders who came before me and many who are here today and not have shared their reflections and lessons of what shaped and define their time leading the state.

And when it came to Pro Tem Burton, those moments and stories are elements and stories that we all reflect on, and there's so many of them. He was a progressive and he had a way of working across the aisle.

He always said that what was most important was that he just wanted to get, excuse my language, shit done. Another story and example of him getting it done is when they worked on the school bond in the assembly, and it came time to the PT Burton, and he had thoughts, and he might have been a little angry.

Known as someone with partial sentences and also knowing, known as someone whose sentences were very clear about what he felt and also his frustrations or angers, he sat for more than an hour with pointed and detailed questions of a highly trained prosecutor.

No profanity, shocking, just very detailed cross examination. Finally, out of frustration as they were working on this bond, someone explained the school bond to him with every second word being an f bomb.

He quietly looked at them and said, Why didn't you explain it to me like that in the first place? Despite his foul language, he had a really big heart, a heart for people, a heart for California.

A heart for the underserved, for farm workers, and for children. His heart and care also extended to the people who made this work happen in this building, the staff. Staff who loved him. And many of those staff members are listening, are watching and some are here today as well.

One reminded us that during the busiest time in the building, when things were hot, when things were stressed, They would look for him in these deadline periods to try to get feedback, to find him to get direction.

And on more than one occasion, they found him on the East Side Of The Capitol in the park feeding squirrels. Because he knew that the work was important to get done, but the state that we do this work and our state of being also mattered.

Another story that was shared was the true power of Pro Tem Burton. While he was working for the protection of some of the last remaining standing ancient redwood trees in North Coast Headwater Forest, they needed help of President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore.

And they wanted to know who they should reach out to. Well, his power, his leadership, Pro Tem Burton picked up the phone and just called the White House.

He called the White House switchboard and asked for Albert Gore. And guess what? He got through immediately to the Vice President of The United States who stepped in to help. There are so many stories and reflections.

Some a lot more colorful than others about his leadership that so many of us know that we will hear today from individuals who have worked with him. And at the core of that, those stories are a reflection of what he has meant.

The riches he has left us in legacy, in memories, in work. And those stories couldn't be possible without the Burton family. The Burton family who supported his leadership, who supported and understood that his work meant something to this state and to the people of California

and oftentimes sacrificed not just the time, but also the time they did spend with him, they would hear about these stories. We wanna thank them for being here but for allowing him to be a leader of this state, for supporting him and the work that he did to bring fairness,

justice and love to this state and the people of California. You'll hear from many members today who also share this.

And we know that today is a recognition of his legacy, his moment in the state of California. Thank you and thank you to Pro Tem Burton.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam President Pro Tem. Senator Jones?

Thank you, Mr. President and madam pro tem. I just wanted to, on behalf of the minority party, welcome all of the former senators that are here today, the Burton family, and the former staff members that are here.

This morning to recognize the immense contributions that senator Burton has made to the California to California. And as I look on the the back row of our distinguished guests, I can look at each face and each person and know the impact that each one of you have made.

Not just on this house, not just on this legislature, but on the state, as a whole. Thank you for joining us today. Thank you for being here.

The Burton family, thank you very much for being here. Thank you for sharing, your John with us so that, we could he could work to make California better. The Burton staff that's here joining us, thank you for being here with us.

We will have some voices, from the Republican caucus in honor of John Burton, but I just wanted to give an official welcome, and thank you for joining us. We appreciate you.

Thank you to the minority leader. Senator Maguire.

Thank you so much, Mr. President. Honored to join, madam Pro Tem, mister leader, along with former Pro Tem Steinberg and Atkins and speakers, Brown and Hertzberg. Grateful to be able to say a few words in honor of the service.

The memory and leadership of a true California giant, mister John Burton. I'm gonna try to get through this without crying. Last September, when we all started talking about honoring mister Burton. I think we all decided the best thing to do would be wait until his family and his colleagues and loved ones could join us for a fitting ceremony.

And candidly, out of personal fear facing John's out otherworldly wrath, if we scheduled a tribute during the last week of session, we are here today. That's the thing. Mister Burton was always thinking about the Senate.

He was adamant about keeping things moving on the floor. And there's so much to say about mister Burton's impact on millions of people, but especially the most vulnerable and marginalized families and kids in this state.

John Burton empowered and uplifted a generation of Californians, and he fought tirelessly for those who needed us the most, especially foster youth. I feel incredibly grateful. For some reason, many years ago, John Burton, came into my life and he was a mentor.

And if you're lucky enough to have president Burton in your life, you know you'd have a friend to the end. In a world of political chaos that we all live in today, John always represented the best of California, the best of this country.

He lived his life and dedicated his time, his effort, and his energy to doing good. That's what he was all about. The highest calling in his life was to help people. He took on the most powerful in this state, all in the name of a more just and fair society.

And he led this body with unequal passion, the leadership style that can only be described as larger than life.

He was a man that told it like it like it is. No politics, no bullshit as he would say. And as Meta Pro Tem referenced, if we had a tracker, I think it would be in this in regards to f bombs. But that was John. That was John Burton.

Hard language, no hard feelings. And in fact, as John's families and dedicated staff and friends can all attest, he actually was a big softy. He was loyal as the day is long. And he loved the Senate. And he loved his community that he represented.

As pro tem, his guiding principle was the uplift community. The belief that even in disagreement, we treat one another with civility, we treat one another with respect and understanding, and deliver for those who we work for each and every day. He came to work every single day, ready to go to the mat for his constituents, his colleagues, and the people of this great state using his political power to help those who needed it most. President Burton made every day count. And what I appreciate, you could always count on him right up to the end.

You know, our time in this chamber is temporary. The impact is what the legacy is, and there is no greater impact to this state than John Burton. And I gotta say, I am so happy to have been able to spend the time with him. And I wanna say thank you to Senator Burton.

And I wanna recognize, Kim, his granddaughter, his grandson who are here today, to the amazing staff and the rest of the family. Let's keep the Burton family in our prayers and long live John Burton and the great state of California.

Thank you, Senator. Senator Wiener.

Excuse me. Thank you very much, Mr. President. I, first of all, I wanna thank the Pro Tem and the Pro Tem Emeritus for going into such great depth about senator Burton's incredible leadership for our state and the mountains that he moved for California and at times for the country, and they articulated it beautifully.

I wanna focus on, San Francisco, because while, John Burton was a giant for California, he was also a giant, for San Francisco and helped to fashion San Francisco into what it is today politically. For those who don't know San Francisco's history, until, like, the fifties and sixties, it was basically a Republican city.

Not rock solid, but it was pretty Republican. It was old school Republican, not the what we see today, but it was Republican. And there was a certain group of people, a certain demographic that ruled the city.

And in the nineteen sixties, there were people who started to change that, including John Burton, Mayor Brown, Phil Burton, and others, and then others who came in the next wave. Like Senator Mignon, supervisor Speer, and others who changed San Francisco so that it

fully the so the politics of San Francisco fully reflect the actual diversity of the people of San Francisco. And so in the sixties, into the seventies and eighties, we started to finally see our black community come forward and lead, which at the time was 15% of the population.

Latino leaders step up. Chinese American and Filipino leaders step up. LGBTQ leaders step up. And we started to see a new breed of politician who actually recognized that these communities exist and that there is power in uniting our diverse communities.

And John Burton, along with mayor Brown, along with Phil Burton, were the early recognizers of that and helped to assemble a new coalition. And our former member of this body, George Moscone, was also part of that. And it changed San Francisco forever.

And it empowered communities, and it turned San Francisco into the progressive beacon that it has become over the last sixty years. And I am so proud of that as a San Franciscan and as representative of this great city.

And John Burton played an absolutely essential role in making this happen. And as a gay man, I will just say, you know, that he helped bring our community into the light.

And and and that changed our community forever. When you have powerful elected officials who are actually saying, I see you, and I am there for you and I represent you too and I want you to be part of my team and part of my coalition.

John, of course, also he made the big monumental changes in San Francisco and he was focused on the small stuff too. I had a complicated relationship with, Senator Burton, and when I was elected in 2016, he did not support me and that was totally fine.

But very quickly after the election, he summoned me to Potrero Hill and I went and sat with him and we talked for a while. He was very upset about the lack of parking with all the new housing in in Potrero Hill and he talked to me, at length, about that and there were

definitely a few f bombs directed to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. But he also, at one point said to me, and I guess the rules have been waived, so I can say it. He said, Wiener, don't ever fucking forget about the foster kids.

And I we've not forgotten about the foster kids. And whenever we're working on those issues, I just think of John and I sort of hear him, in my ear. And actually, a year or two after I took office, one of the things that really made my year was when someone said,

Oh, I was talking to Burton the other day and he said, that wiener is more progressive than I thought he was. And I was just like, that's all I needed for the entire year to hear that. The last thing I wanna say is, John had ups and downs, in life.

And he it was a a roller coaster. And talk about a storied history in assembly and Congress and not in Congress and back in the in the Senate movie mountains.

And he had struggles, and he, I think, for a lot of people became a role model of someone who had struggles, had to step back, and then got healthy, and then step back into public life and led in an extremely powerful way.

And for people who are struggling and don't always see hope and don't always see that light in the future and everything just seems so dark, to see someone like John Burton come back roaring like he did after such intense struggles, that creates hope for people.

So, John, rest in peace, rest in power. We love you, and I ask that we adjourn his memory.

Thank you. Senator Duarzo.

Thank you, mister president. Good morning. John Burton was a man of few choice words. The kind of words that weren't very kind. Words that took down the hottie and lifted the humble.

John Burton never looked down on those who looked up to him. That's why I was honored to help prioritize John's commitment to foster youth in our budgets. But no matter what he sounded like, John was kind. He embodied the B-attitudes, the poor in spirit.

The merciful, and those who hunger and thirst for justice. So we cannot honor a man of deeds with words. In 1973, John Burton authored AB 134. It created California's SSI, SSP program, supplemental security for the aged, blind, and disabled.

Not surprisingly, John included an automatic cola in it, and governor Ronald Reagan signed it. John left the legislature in 2004, and not long after he was gone, the SSI, SSP automatic cola was gone too. It left quietly, barely noticed, buried in the budget, and justified by the state's budget deficit.

So ask yourself this, would John Burton have let us do that? Or would he have used a few choice words to put the fear of God in us? I propose today that we sign on as co authors to A 17 for the 2028 ballot.

ACA 17 is as short as John's temper and as sweet as his heart. ACA 17 says that no disability checks can be reduced quietly, unnoticed, or obscured in the complexity of a budget trailer bill.

We honor John Burton by preventing what the legislature did so carelessly to what John did with such care. I am signing my name next to senator Becker and asking 25 more of you to do the same. Geviva John Burton.

Alright. Senator Umberg.

Thank you, mister president and colleagues. I stand to recognize the life, the legacy, and the love of John Burton. I love John Burton. I served with John Burton over thirty years ago in the California assembly. Now for some of you, that's like reading in the newspaper there's a Confederate widow still alive.

I got a chance to see John Burton up close because I served on the public safety committee where John chaired it along with Barbara Lee and the mayor or former mayor of Berkeley, Tom Bates. You might think that committee leaned a little bit left.

It's kinda like saying that the war in Iran was well planned. Now, some of you are going, that was a gratuitous comment about the war in Iran, but John would be proud of me for saying something like that. John would be proud of me for taking a shot during this moment of great solemnity.

I know John was also fond of me. And the reason I know that is based on the number of times he told me to f off or that I was all f'd up. Couple years ago, he called me. I saw his name appear on my phone. And the conversation began, what the f is wrong with you?

And it was about a bill. And and as we started to talk, I started to tear up. And I said, John, this is really nostalgic. This reminds me of when I was a freshman in the California Assembly and how you used to deal with me. But John, you know, John, it's been said, and and he had a gruff exterior, but a heart of absolute gold.

A heart of gold. I had a chance not long ago to go to lunch with John, and we talked about important things in life. And John's got an incredible legislative legacy. We didn't talk about that. What John talked about and what he wanted to talk about was Kimmy, and Nkala, and Juan.

And he wanted to talk about foster youth. He would be very happy to see so many of his friends and colleagues here today. He'd be honored. But what really, really light him up would be the fact there's so many folks here, so many alumni from the Burton Youth Foundation.

So many people that he touched, directly touched, and that legacy is continuing. John was a great example. John's very close he treated everyone, although he could be a bit gruff, but he treated everyone with respect.

His one of his closest friends was a fellow named Ross Johnson. You all know who Ross Johnson is. Ross Johnson was the Republican leader, and this is when we were nearly divided.

I actually some of you, maybe Speaker Brown, may remember when the Republicans took control of the California Assembly. Yeah. That's like telling the folks who are here on the floor that I remember when Martians invaded the Earth.

But John treated everyone with respect. And Ross Johnson was a close, close friend of his. And I watched how John dealt with others. And that was a great example for a young legislator. John, sadly, Ross is not with us, but John continued to visit his widow, continued

to demonstrate his kindness. John was a great human being. I've been fortunate to serve with many, many great human beings, many great Americans, and John was certainly the greatest among them.

And so it's appropriate today that we do adjourn, and we do recognize, and we do honor the life and legacy of John Burton, and I join in asking that we adjourn in John's memory.

Senator Laird. And Senator Laird, just to note, I know some of our former colleagues might think our rules have changed. It remains the custom and practice of the house. We neither boo nor applaud each other's speeches on the floor. So Senator Laird, you're up next.

I'm enjoying that you're invoking rules when you're talking about John Burton. It is hard to imagine a time in my life where John Burton wasn't part of it. When I was 18, I was a senior in high school and I worked in my first campaign for Eugene McCarthy in my hometown of Vallejo,

and I organized a rally and John was the speaker. It was the first time I experienced an f bomb because he walked in and he said, this is all the fucking people that are here. And it's because, he said to me, you haven't learned the primary example.

If you're have 200 people, you have a room for a 150. You don't have a room for 400 or 500. It was a lesson right out the gate. And then I was one of those 20 that was a George McGovern delegate in 1972. It's how I met another 20, Pat Johnston, who was a a delegate as well.

And our three leaders were Dolores Huerta, the former speaker, and John Burton. And and for those of us that weren't gonna vote for Thomas Eagleton for vice president and we were all broke, Mayor Brown threatened our ride home on the campaign plane unless we voted for for Thomas Eagleton. And, since then, I've always guaranteed that I've had a ticket on my own, so I'm not, stuck. But the interesting thing was is when the delegation hotel was chosen, it's when they thought the California political establishment was gonna stay there. So it was the Doral Country Club.

And, and John got such a kick out of the fact that there were delegates of every color, sexual orientation, wearing tashikis and sandals and cowboy hats occupying the Doral Country Club for the Democratic National Convention. He said, this is just fucking cool.

He he really I can't believe I get to say that. That is, really fun. One of the highlights of.

Senator Laird, for just one moment to acknowledge our our elementary school guests who are in the gallery.

I owe you, Mr. President. But one of the great things was is that John and I, in 1990, were official credentialed election observers in the Nicaraguan presidential election. We went to Nicaragua, and there were two distinct memories involving him.

One is is that there was such inflation in Nicaragua that the biggest bill was $5,000 pesos or whatever it was, but our bill was 5,000,000. John took over counting the money to pay the bill, took an hour.

Every time he got to a million, the waiter would come over and sweep the million away until we were able to pay the bill. But on the morning of the election, they got us up really early because they were gonna take us on a bus to see the president vote.

And they gave us coffee, and then what do you think is gonna happen when you're on an hour and a half bus ride after that happens? John was the first one that it hit. So he was saying, Laird, you fucking speak Spanish.

Tell the bus driver to pull over. And and then every time we went up, hit a pothole, he would go, oh, god. And that went on until we got there, and we have a wonderful picture of the entire delegation with the president in the background, but John is nowhere to be seen.

He had to go find something that was of of greater urgency. He also and I resided in the same condo complex that's just a couple of blocks from here.

And when I was staying up here for the budget, when I was in the assembly, I walked out the back door on a weekend, and there is John in Speedos with a reflector thing holding it up to the sun, making sure he's getting his tan.

That is just a vision that you cannot unsee. That that that's all I can say. And the interesting thing was, in relation to the comments we've heard already, there was a big campaign to raise our condo fees dramatically. And John said there's a lot of retirees that are on a fixed income.

And he led the campaign in our condo complex against the fees because he thought it hurt people that were just living everyday lives. That is who he is. And when I was appointed secretary of resources, I'm there a few weeks and I looked down at my phone and it's John.

And I answered the phone and he says, did you know that such and such who you're working with is a crook? Did you know he's a crook? And a few weeks later, I looked down and it's him again, and he says, this is a pocket dial, but did I tell you that guy was a crook?

And I think he called back a third time to say, just in case, that guy's a crook. He he really wanted me to know the thing about it is is he was right, and and it was just his vision of ethics that spilled over. Then there was the time that we were all really nervous and upset because

John had a major heart event while he was here in the legislature. But his staff, true to form, issued a statement and they said, our hearts and prayers go out to the doctors and nurses that have to treat him in the hospital.

And additionally, in the statement, it said that when he first heard the word angioplasty, he thought angioplasty was somebody he had known in North Beach. And that and that was showed the love that his staff had for him.

The we see these, megaphones here, and they are awards from the John Burton youth advocates. And he called me when I was first in the Senate and said, you're the only fucking one that can do this bill.

So the next thing I knew, I was doing a bill for foster kids, and we quadrupled the amount of money in community colleges that go to foster kids.

So I have one of those in my office, and the reason I enjoy it is every day I look at him smiling with people around him that appreciate him. And then in his last, couple of years, he spent a lot of time in pharmacies.

And I would get these calls where he was in a pharmacy line, and he would tell me, you can't believe that I get this prescription and the box is in five layers. You gotta get Lipper. You gotta do a bill.

You gotta stop this. We need to not waste. And so the very last time I saw him, I walked up to say hi, and he said, oh, I knew I'd see you. And he reached into his pocket and pulled out this box and said, here, you need to do a bill. This is just too much wrapping.

And it was just the way he was to the end. So I think that I love the fact that he was for the small person. I love the fact that between the gruff exterior was this incredible guy that was a friend forever.

And I just love the color he gave to doing the right thing in the legislature for his entire career. I am honored to stand to adjourn in the memory of John L. Burt.

Thank thank you, senator. With without objection, we will be reimposing section 121 of Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure for the remainder of today's floor session. And next we'll proceed to Senator Wahab.

Thank you. You know, I in the words of too short, I guess, you know, what's our favorite word? I think many of us share the same word that, John Burton loved, and I will respect the rules and and not use it today.

But I think so many of us here, if you take a look at the individuals in the room, and I even said that we have literally living OGs in this room today. We have Tony Atkins, Willie Brown, and so many others here just to honor the real OG, right, John Burton and his leadership for the state of California and so much more.

And so today, I rise with deep love and respect for John Burden. And here's the thing, people always wonder like how does a leader bleed after they're done serving in their official capacity with a title? What do they do next? What do they do next? Right?

And John exemplified exactly what you do next. The fact that so many of us are here to speak about him, myself included, when, you know, you could retire, live on an island, and move on with your life, but he was always involved. John was a giant in California politics,

but to me, he was also very personal. He supported me personally as a former foster youth. He was excited when I ran. He reached out. He donated. He didn't have to. He didn't have to do any of it. He didn't have to have a conversation.

He didn't have to pick up the phone and call. He didn't have to hunt me down but he wanted to because that's who he was. And he spoke with the kind of honesty that stays with you long after the moment has passed. When John spoke, he did not waste words, and he gave

you truth clear, unpolished, and real. And I will never forget him telling me that one of his biggest regrets was not doing more on the issues he cared about. To have a regret like that, to share that, yes, I could have done more. I should have done more.

And I hope you know this. That stayed with me. Here is a man who gave so much of his life to public service, who fought for working people, for dignity, for foster youth, for those pushed aside and counted out, and still, what weighed on his heart years later was the unfinished work.

Not the titles, not the praise, not the legacy, but the work left undone. There is something deeply beautiful in that and there is a lesson in it for us all. Too many people today in public life are consumed by image, by caution, by calculation, by reelection, by industry, by the

fear of saying, the hard thing are taking the harder stand. The hard thing are taking the harder stand. And that's what's missing today is taking the harder stand. And so he would tell me, you know, so how do you like it there? And I would tell him, oh, this, that, I've gone

through this, whatever. And he would say, the reason why you're angry is because you know what's right more than the others. You know what's right more than others Because if people really knew what's right, they would be pissed off too. And that's the reality.

So with that, John Burton had the rare courage to shut out the noise and stay in the fight for the people. The people we are here to serve, the privilege we have, the honor of a lifetime. John did the work. He understood that when you are truly fighting for people, you cannot let

criticism steer your conscience. You move, you act, you keep going, and that is what made him so loved by so many and what made others so uncomfortable.

He was unvarnished, unapologetic, deeply compassionate, and completely uninterested in pretending for the sake of acceptance. And nowhere was that clearer than in his care for foster youth. He did not treat them as a talking point. He saw them when so many don't see them. He fought for them.

He understood that government means very little if it does not reach the child who has been left with the least. That is who John was, a man of grit and heart, a man who cared more about justice than approval, a man who understood that there will always be more to do.

Maybe that is the final lesson he leaves us. The work is never finished. We are all a work in progress. There will always be more people to protect, more injustice to confront, more courage required of us. The question is not whether the road will be hard, It will be.

The question is whether we will keep our eyes on the people and stay in the good fight anyway. John Burden did. May we honor him not by making him smaller or softer or forgotten, but by remembering him for what he truly was, bold, honest, compassionate and restless in his pursuit of justice.

May we all be less concerned with pleasing others and more committed to the work that remains undone. Rest in power, John Burden. Thank you.

Senator Strickland.

Thank you, Mr. President, members. What an amazing special day we have here today. I just have to say from my perspective, you look in the back row and you see the legends of California, the legends that came before us who made a big difference in California.

I wanna thank you all for taking the time to be here. And all of you love John Burton. I love John Burton, and I'll go through that. But I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Bob Giroux. It takes a lot of work to get these folks here, and we should give Bob Giroux a big round of

applause for organizing today, who's my friend. Bob Giroux is my friend through senator Burton. But let me share the story when I first met senator John Burton.

You can visualize. I was president of the College Republican Club. And I was Frank Hill, who's here today. He was my mentor. By the way, if you have a problem with me, it's his fault. But Frank Hill's here today. He was my mentor.

And I was 19, 20 years old, and he brought me up to Sacramento. And he introduced me to Speaker Willie Brown and Senator John Burton, and he says these are one of my best friends in the world. I have to say, as president of College Republicans, I was, like, perplexed.

I was malfunctioning. I'm like, I thought they were on the other team. But then Frank Hill, Speaker Brown, and John Burton, they gave me a lesson that is with me today. In fact, my staff is sick of me saying it. And it's just a living that I live by now.

You can agree to disagree without being disagreeable. And this building and what we do is all about relationships. And I learned that from Frank Hill. Thank you. And I learned that from Speaker Brown and Senator John Burton.

It's a privilege today to talk about my friend, the legend of California politics, John Burton. John, Senator Burton was gruff on the outside. No question about it. But I've never met someone who's more all heart on the inside. John Burton had a bigger heart than anybody I know.

In fact, nobody, and I mean nobody, fought more for the poor, the aged, the blind, and the disabled than Senator John Burton. His lasting legacy, as was mentioned before, is his nonprofit that does everything they can for foster youth.

Senator Durazo, please let me know, on that. But, you know, no one fought more for, foster kids than John Burton, and it's his continuing legacy through his nonprofit. You know, I played sports, and and they have a thing about coaching legacies, about coaches that come

from other coaches and kind of a and and I'm writing a book right now on politics, and and you have that when it comes to politics. And there's no bigger coaching tree or legacy than comes from John Burton, his brother Phil, representative Phil Burton.

Because if you look at where we are today in California politics, it's a dynasty that comes from congressman Phil Burton, John Burton, speaker Willie Brown. And by the way, tomorrow is his 90 birthday. Speaker Brown, thank you so much for your leadership in California. Let's give him a big round of applause.

But it goes from John Burton to to Speaker Brown, then Nancy Pelosi got her start in that in that. Barbara Boxer started out working for Senator Burton, and then we have our governor, Governor Newsom, came from that what I call coaching tree, Kamala Harris, and that tree

continues to grow today because of the leadership of John Burton and and his brother, Rep Phil Burton.

Again, as I mentioned, I'm writing a book, and one of the chapters is agree to disagree without being disagreeable. And I heard this story from from my friend Frank Hill. But when John Burton became pro tem, a lot of times the pro tem doesn't serve on committees because they're so busy with other things.

But the pro tem want to be with his best friend, Senator Ross Johnson. And so they set aside two seats that absolutely were together and on five committees, and John Burton wanted to make sure he was with his best friend, Ross Johnson.

For those of you who don't know who Ross Johnson is, you couldn't find a more conservative individual from Orange County. He was part of the Prop 13 babies. They call him the cavemen.

But they were best friends, And they did everything together. They had a love for country music together. And again, it's something that I think is missing in politics today because a lot of times people think if you disagree, you're evil.

One thing I've learned is everybody that's in this building is trying to make a difference for their community, and they have different life experiences and different ways to solve problems. And I learned that from a previous generation, and John Burton's that previous generation.

I find it interesting and great that we're doing this during March because like John Burton, I have a love for basketball. We're in March Madness. And if you know, John Burton was an amazing basketball player, for those of you who don't know.

He's actually in the Hall of Fame for San Francisco State College playing basketball. In fact, one of his proud moments that he talked about frequently was he scored 20 points against University of San Francisco against one of the best NBA players of all time, Bill Russell.

He scored 20 points, and he always bragged about, you know, when he played against Bill Russell, he scored 20 points. And then I heard this story from Steve Swat, who was a KCRA reporter. John was very into basketball.

In fact, he went to a high school basketball game up here up north, and then he asked Steve, do you have a connection to anybody at Cal Berkeley basketball in their program? So Steve connected John with that person.

And Senator Burton said man, this kid's something special, I saw him. You need to start recruiting him because he needs to go to Cal. That kid, a player named Jason Kidd, who was famous if you don't know, he was one of the best players, best point guards ever in the NBA.

One of the things I learned when I was a freshman in assembly serving with Senator Burton was this legislature was an equal branch of government. One of the things that people ask me, what was the biggest difference with where we are today, where we were back then?

Members, I think I learned from John Burton that we could be an equal branch of government through leadership. And one classic example, we went down to Governor Gray Davis' office, I believe I was 29 or 30 at the time.

We went down there to talk about a program. Senator Burton was there as a leader of the Senate, and Governor Davis talked about what he wanted to do. You see John Burton going back and forth. He had a little ADD, and then all of a sudden he blew, and he told him to go pound sand.

I'm being very kind about that language. He says, we ain't doing that. I dropped my job because it was colorful language, and he made sure that the legislature was an equal branch of government, and he led.

And I think we could do a little bit more and learn from John Burton on that today. I wanna say three stories I have personally with Senator Burton. One was I was a freshman assemblyman representing the Reagan Library.

And I was asked by the executive director of the Reagan Library to carry this bill, what was a commemorative license plate bill to honor president Reagan. Now for those of you members, Reagan was my inspiration to get involved.

And, you know, we all have our different folks. Some of you are Robert Kennedy or John F. Kennedy Democrats. Some of you are Willie Brown Democrats. Some you know, we all have our mentors. Right?

And I felt enormous pressure that the executive director says, Mrs. Reagan's counting on you to pass this bill. And I felt a lot of pressure. We got through the assembly, through relationships, but then I heard it was gonna die over in the Senate.

I didn't even have one of the Republican votes because they didn't like this commemorative plate. Didn't know what to do. I felt the pressure, so I asked missus Reagan, Nancy Reagan, the first lady, if she could call senator John Burton because I think that's the only way we can get this done. Well, missus Reagan called, senator Burton, and Burton said, I would honor do anything to honor the former governor, governor Reagan. He deserves that honor.

And yes, missus Reagan convinced John Burton to help me with my bill. The bill got done, it got passed. And and and senator Burton made that happen, because he understood that that president Reagan, governor Reagan deserved to be honored here in California.

The other one, I think it's a funny story, but like, Senator Burton came up to me and there was an issue with a friend of his in my old district in Ventura County and had an issue in the city of Ventura. And Senator Burton asked me to fix it.

Now that's a lot of pressure, because you want to obviously deliver for the legend of California politics. And I did everything I could to make sure I got that done. So I worked very hard, we solved the issue in the city of Ventura. I called him back.

Senator Burton, not missing a beat, and he goes, and by the way, I think he was Chair of the Democratic Party at that time, and he says, You know what, Tony?

I'm really proud of you. You always deliver, and that's what I really appreciate about you. And if you know my background, I was always the number one target every year because I was in a tough district every year.

So at the end of that, he says, you always deliver, so we're not gonna come after you this election. And then there was a pause. And he says, unless we think we can win. In 2004, I was termed out of the state assembly, and I went up to Senator Burton, and I just shook his hand.

And I said, Senator, I just want to thank you for everything you've done for the state of California. It was on the same day he was termed out in the Senate. I was termed out in Assembly. And I walked up to him, I shook his hand, I said, you know, you've been here and

making a difference, and when you got elected in 1966, I wanna just tell you, you've been here longer than I've been alive making a difference. And he said, Tony, go eff yourself. And that's how I knew that Senator Burton liked Tony Strickland, because he told me to go F myself.

You know, his legacy lives on. And I just want to say I've had the privilege and the honor to work with one of the biggest giants in California politics and California history. And God bless John Burton. California's a better place because of John Burton. And God bless his family. And God bless California. Thank you so much.

Thank you, senator. Majority Leader Ashby.

Thank you, mister president. I did not know the former pro tem personally, and I do not have stories of my personal relationship with him, nor could I deliver them as well as the senator from Santa Cruz anyway.

But what I did know early in my life was that there was this person who had served in the legislature, held a high position, and when he left, decided to focus on foster youth. My world before coming here revolved a lot around working with former foster youth, emancipated youth.

My dad ran foster care for the state of California at 1.0 and he was my business partner.

I knew of an organization called JBEI, named after a guy named John Burton who wanted to advocate for youth. I knew the person who was the executive director, a lovely woman named Amy Lemley.

I knew a lot of the young people who were looking to him to change rules and regulations to make life better for them. I was advocating in that space as well. When I got here, I had one big audacious goal.

I wanted to make college more attainable for former foster youth. I shared that goal with so many of you, including our pro tem emeritus. And together, we authored a bill that you all helped us pass, and we made that a reality.

The sponsor of that bill was JV and John Burton, which is why I get to have this cool megaphone on my desk now that I keep proudly in my office. My dad is already gone too, and I like to imagine that he and the former pro tem and others are up there helping us navigate these

systems and do better for young people, particularly foster youth.

The question I would like to pose today and leave us with as we close out this journey in memory is, in my experience, most people who operate in the space of working with foster youth do so because of a deep personal connection.

They themselves, their parents, their family. Somebody experienced that system. What is truly unique about pro tem John Burton is that that's not why he did it. Didn't actually have a personal relationship.

Rather, he was raised in San Francisco by his father and mother. His father was a doctor, a position he earned a little bit later in life. It was his second career choice. And John Burton, at some point, recognized the extraordinary advantage he had from being from a

middle class family, as opposed to what he just casually observed from young people who he didn't necessarily know well, but were emancipating out of a foster care system that he would later call, as many have, a pipeline to either prison or homelessness.

And we all know that over half of the people who experience homelessness in our state identify as former foster youth. So he was right, and that is why he set out to address this issue. His dad had a saying. His dad told him never pass a blind man without putting a penny in his cup.

John Burton turned that lesson from his dad into his very own legacy of taking government and using it to serve those who need it the most. May all of our times in service live up to the standards of the former pro tem John Burton and may he rest in peace.

Thank you, majority leader. The Senate offers its condolences to the family, expresses our gratitude to the family, to the his Senator Burton's colleagues, the people of San Francisco for sharing him with us, our deep pride to be able to serve in an institution that he loved.

And our amplified inspiration, in our commitment to, as Senator Durazo said, honor Senator Burton with deeds. It's been a particular honor for the presiding officer. I came here in 1989, with virtually everyone in the all of our guests' former members and with Senator Burton.

It's been a particular honor to preside today and thank the members and our guests for their decorum and at those appropriate moments their lack of it to honor a true Titan in legend in California.

I would ask Senator Limon to please bring forward the name to the desk so that Senator Burton may be properly memorialized and also invite the Members to join us for a reception in Room 205 following the conclusion of the floor session. Alright.

With that, we have there is no other business at the desk. So President Pro Tem Limon, the desk is clear.

Thank you. Members, as we approach March 31, this week we were met with troubling and horrific accounts that impacted legacies and history that we all know. We stand with survivors as they navigate decades of trauma and abuse.

We honor the stories and bravery by acting swiftly. As such, the speaker and I will move forward a bill to rename the March 31 state holiday. Today, we celebrated the start of a new year, Nowruz. And we recognized the contributions of many Californians from diverse backgrounds and communities.

We also ended with a grateful recognition for the memory and the work of John Burton. May we leave today with the memory of his fairness, of justice, and the love he had for the Golden State. Our next floor session is scheduled for Monday, March 23 at 02:30pm.

The Senate is in recess until 03:30pm at which the motion to adjourn in memory of Senator Burton will be made. We will reconvene March, Monday, March 23 at 02:30PM. Go forth and find your squirrel. Thank you, members.