Assembly Floor

Assembly is now in session. Unfortunately, Assemblymember Wallis is not present to notice the absence of a quorum. However, fortunately, Assemblymember Calderon is here and 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. Stand. Assemblymember Ahrens will offer today's prayer. Assemblymember Ahrens.

We invoke your blessing upon the legislators gathered here. Direct them to act justly, to love tenderly, and to walk humbly with our God as they represent the aspirations of the people of California. In your name, we pray. Amen.

We ask our guests and visitors to remain standing and join us in the flag salute. Assembly member Bennett will lead us in the pledge of allegiance.

Members, please join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge I pledge 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.

You 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, Wednesday, 03/25/2026. Assembly met at 7AM. The honorable Leticia Castillo

leader, Aguair Curry moves, and miss Sanchez seconds that the reading of the previous day's journal be dispensed with. Presentations of petitions, there are none. Introduction and reference of bills will be deferred. Reports of committees will be deemed read and amendments deemed adopted. Messages from the governor, there are none.

Messages from the Senate, there are none. Moving on to motions and resolutions, the absences for the day will be deemed read and printed in the journal. Onto our procedural motions, madam majority leader, you're recognized for your procedural motions.

Good morning, mister speaker. I request unanimous consent to suspend assembly rule 45.5 to allow assembly member Caloza to speak on adjourn in memory today.

Without objection, such shall be the order.

I'll request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule one one eight a to allow Assemblymembers Caloza, Mark Gonzalez, Hart, Jackson, McKinnor, and Sharp Collins to have guests in the rear of the chamber today.

Without objection, such shall be the order. Okay. Members, it is Assemblymember Castillo's birthday today. Please join me in welcoming and wishing her a very happy birthday. Happy birthday, sister.

Happy, happy. And for your birthday, we we wish you a very healthy wrist. Okay. Okay. Members, we are going to have a grip of guest introductions.

We're gonna begin today with Assemblymember Ortega. You are recognized for your guest introduction. Why don't we do all three of your guest introductions, if that's okay? Okay. Please go right ahead.

Thank you, speaker and members, for the opportunity to introduce some very special guest in the gallery today. We are joined by fifth grade students from North Star Elementary School, along with their teacher and parent chaperones. North Star Elementary is a pre k through eighth grade Islamic faith based school located in my district in Hayward. They are dedicated to providing a holistic education that integrates classical Islamic science with both spiritual and academic education.

Their unique curriculum fosters curiosity, a love of learning, good manners, and exceptional character in each student. Members, please join me in welcoming these brilliant young students from North Star Elementary School.

Let's go North Star. Welcome to the Assembly. Welcome, welcome.

Speak speaker and members, I'm also pleased to welcome Families United to the assembly today. Families United is a community based nonprofit dedicated to empowering families and individuals with developmental disabilities through advocacy, education, literacy programs, navigation services, and community connection. Founded by Dominique Milian and cofounded by Maria Ramirez, Family United works to bridge gaps in access to services for historically underserved communities. Colleagues, please join me in welcoming Families United to Sacramento.

Welcome Families United. Welcome.

And lastly, thank you for the opportunity to introduce my district office interns, Colter Adamson and Nolan Hatcher. Colter is a senior at Cal State East Bay and is pursuing a bachelor's degree in public affairs and administration. Nolan is pursuing an an associate's degree in political science at Chabot College and will be transferring to UC this coming fall. Thank you, Colter and Nolan, for your work in my district office serving the constituents of Assembly District 20. Members, please welcome them both.

Let's go, Team Ortega. Welcome. Welcome. And never forget that most of us started our careers as interns down here. K.

Next guest introductions are going to be from doctor Sharp Collins who will be giving those from the majority leader's desk. I believe you have two introductions.

Alright. Good afternoon, mister speaker and members. It is truly an honor to rise today, not just as a member of this body, but as a proud sorer of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated. Being a Zeta has grounded me in service, strengthened my commitment to community, and reminded me that leadership is about showing up, especially for those whose voices are too often unheard. Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated is a community conscious action oriented organization founded by five women in 1920 on the campus of Howard University.

Our advocacy is rooted in power of she, social, health, and economic justice. We are here to ensure these values are reflected in the laws passed in these halls. To be able to serve here while carrying the legacy of our founders and and the work of so many incredible stars before me is something I do not take lightly.

I am honored to be joined today by more than 50 of my members of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated and also Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated in the rear of the chamber and the gallery. At this time, I would like to recognize and welcome the incredible Zetas joining us today.

Shontay Fuller from which is our Pacific Regional State Director. Michelle Gray, Northern California State Director. Sonya Jackson, Pacific Regional South Action Coordinator. Denise Green, Northern California Social Action Coordinator. Michelle Miller, Southern California Social Action Coordinator.

And thank you all for being here for your service and for your impact that you continue to have on our communities across California. Welcome to the state assembly.

Zeta Phi Beta. Yay. Let's go.

Alright. Once again, thank you, mister speaker and members. I rise again today to introduce the women black women organized for political action, also known as BWOPA. Founded in 1968 as an outgrowth of Bay Area women, BWOPA is the oldest women's political organization in California. BWOPA began with 12 women mobilizing hundreds of women to help elect the honorable Juan or dumbest to to Congress.

By 1771, the WAPA was officially formed at the Rainbow Sign in Berkeley with more than 350 women joining together to build lasting political power. Thank you for your for continuing to create pathways for black women leaders across civic, political, and community spheres. Members, please join me in welcoming members of BWOPA to the California State Assembly. They are in some are here on the floor and some are up in the gallery.

Okay. Members, continuing on with our guest introductions. Up next is assembly member Alvarez. You are recognized for your guest introduction.

Thank you very much, mister speaker. Good afternoon, colleagues. I'd like to request that you join me in welcoming two outstanding interns from my district office, Ariela Fuertes and Giancarlo Sasueta. Let me tell you a little bit about both of them. Ariela, there is a fourth fourth year political science major at San Diego State University and on track to graduate this May to pursue law school.

In fact, she spent the weekend studying for the bar. She's guided by a deeply personal conviction that no family should have to navigate our immigration system without a fierce advocate by their side. She's temporarily away from her family in Los Angeles. Attention to colleagues in LA. You have someone here that's future powerhouse attorney in Los Angeles.

She's in our district office where she's learning that meaningful policy doesn't just mean learning it from a textbook, but it starts by standing alongside the people that are impacted by laws. Standing next to her is Giancarlo, who is a fourth year administration major, who also is graduating this May. His journey began at community college in Ukiah before he transferred down to San Diego. We get a lot of talent from the state in San Diego. He understands that the most powerful engines are built, not bought.

He took apart a 1984 Toyota Celica with his own hands, fixed it up, and sold it before he moved down to San Diego. He knows what it likes to take grease into grit and putting it into action. The philosophy he brings to the work that he does for the public with our office. So whether he's eyeing a Master's in Public Policy, a Sacramento capital fellowship program perhaps, or work in local government.

He really approaches building a better community the same way he approaches the way he, works on classic cars with patience, position, and a belief that every little piece matters.

Please members, please join me in welcoming our two interiors from our district office in San Diego, Giancarlo Zasueta and Ariela Fletis.

Welcome, team Alvarez. Welcome. Okay. Continuing on with guest introductions. I think your group is coming forward.

Assemblymember, McKinnor, you are recognized for your guest introduction.

Mister speaker and members, the ocean of pink and green in the gallery and across the Capitol today is not an illusion. It's because we are fortunate to have hundreds of incredible women from across California joining us today for AKA day in the Capitol. Today, we recognize not only the legacy of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, but the continued impact of its members who lead, serve, and uplift communities across the nation.

Our notable guest today includes Nicole Starr Jartan, far western regional director, Carol R Dixon, the twenty fifth Far Western Regional District, AKA Day at the Capital twenty twenty six co chairs, Lanice Jones, LaJuana Bivens, and Patrice Marshall McKenzie, and my own district staff, Haley Hutt. Your presence here today is a powerful reminder that when women come together with purpose, there is no limit to what we can achieve.

From advancing policy to advocating for equity and justice, your voices matter deeply in these halls and across our state. We thank you for your leadership, your legacy, and your unwavering commitment to making a difference in communities across the Golden State. Please join me in welcoming the women of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated to the state capital today. Thank you.

Welcome AKA. Welcome. Welcome. Welcome. Okay.

Continuing on members, Assemblymember Tangipa, you are recognized for your guest introduction.

Thank you, mister speaker. Members, it is my pleasure to introduce you to students from also known as the Ivy League of the Central Valley, Fresno State, who are participating in the university's agriculture leadership development program. Because of their impressive backgrounds and academic accomplishments, these students were selected to participate in this leadership development program and to research significant issues impacting California agriculture.

The program includes the class visiting the state capital and state agencies from firsthand for firsthand exposure to the process of formulating public policy, which includes watching floor session this afternoon. As a leader in agricultural research, Fresno State has showcased its impact as the first CSU to be part of the United Nations global impact.

I told you, the Ivy League of the Central Valley. This is just one of the important partnerships that Fresno State agricultural leadership has formed as it continues to recognize the importance of developing local scholars who will impact the future of agriculture. Also joining the students are their professors, Sereni Kondu Duru and Annette Levi, who should be congratulated for the dedication for developing the next generation of ag leaders. Assembly members, please join me in welcoming them to the assembly floor.

Okay. Assembly member Mark Gonzales, you are recognized for your guest introduction.

Thank you, mister speaker. Members, I'm proud to introduce for the first time on the floor, LA City council member, Isabel Jurado, who represents Los Angeles City Council District fourteen. She represents the areas of Boyle Heights, Downtown Los Angeles, Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Lincoln Heights, El Sereno, and many of the areas that you hear me talk about on this floor. Please give her a warm Sacramento welcome.

Welcome, council member. Welcome to the assembly. Okay. Continuing with our marathon of guest introductions, Assemblymember Jackson, you are recognized for your guest introduction.

Hello, members. It is my pleasure on behalf of the California Legislative Black Caucus to introduce mister Audema k Dempster, ambassador and national secretary general of the civil society human rights advocacy platform of Liberia. Mister Dempster has committed his life to the pursuit of global human rights, having served as lead campaigner of the coalition for the establishment of war and economic crimes court in Liberia, The head of civil society and human rights delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Committee and Human Rights Council in Geneva.

And is the founding director of the independent human rights investigators. Mister Dempster joins us today after a weekend in Sacramento as part of a delegation with Liberian president, Joseph, Bokai.

Escorting the ambassador today is doctor Jamilia Lan, founder and executive director for the non profit, Anti Violence Safety and Accountability Project. And some of you may recognize her as one of our CLBC Black History Month Unsung Hero honorees. Please join me in welcoming ambassador mister Audema K Dempster, and welcome back doctor Land.

Welcome Ambassador Dempster. Assemblymember Wilson, you are recognized for your guest introduction.

Members. Thank you, mister speaker. Members, it is my honor to welcome sixth, seventh, and eighth graders from Excelsior Middle School and elementary school students from Old River and Knighton Elementary Schools who have joined us in the gallery. These students are here today to advocate for the restoration of tobacco use prevention education program funding for all of Contra Costa's schools that wish to participate. The small school districts, they are from Byron Union and Knights and Elementary had program funding cut this year.

This group is a mix of students in the tobacco use prevention education peer mentor program and some members of Excelsior youth advisory group. And this is a group that meets monthly to have conversations identifying campus issues and working collaboratively towards meaningful solutions. All students reflect a genuine investment in civic engagement and advocacy. They understand that policy decisions have real impact on their school and communities, and they are motivated to be a part of that. They are particularly passionate about health and well-being.

They are acutely aware of the growing impact of vaping among youth and view education and awareness as essential tools in addressing this issue. What stands out most is their strong sense of responsibility to others, their peers, their school community, and their families. These students recognize the power of collective voice and the importance of active citizenship. They are thoughtful, informed, and committed to advocating for positive change. Mister speaker, permission to use a prop?

Without objection.

I would like to note this, the winner of the art contest, I'll have her wave her hand, Alondra Ordes. And she's showing how on one side, it's a barren tree, and it says, we do this for profit. And on the other side is a blossoming tree saying, we do this for health. And this won an art contest. I'd also like to also give a special shout out to Elsa Crowe, who is the dear family friend of our very own colleague, Robert Garcia.

I'm in I'm incredibly proud to recognize this group of young advocates. They participated in a mock committee hearing today to advocate for the tobacco use prevention education peer program. And I will tell you, it got a unanimous recommendation to us as a legislature to restore it. Please join me in in applause in welcoming these wonderful students to the state assembly floor.

Okay. Members, last but not least, our friend Assemblymember Kalra, you are recognized with your guest introduction.

Thank you, mister speaker and members. It is my honor to introduce students, joining us today in the gallery from Andrew Hill High School. In my district, in fact, only about three miles from my home in the South Side Of San Jose. They are accompanied by their dedicated teachers, Damien Kwok and Michael Horton, whose guidance helps shape these outstanding young leaders. Andrew Hill is proud to offer the East Side Union High School District's only international baccalaureate program, which challenges students who think critically and engage globally.

The students with us today are with the school social justice program and other various extracurricular clubs. Please join me in warmly welcoming these Andrew Hill Falcons to the state capitol.

And with that, we will be moving on to business on the daily file.

Okay. We are moving on to business on the daily file beginning with second reading file items 1 through 72. Clerk will read.

Assembly Bills 1619, 2561, 1837, 2062, 2595, 2103 (as amended), 1813 (as amended), 1975 (as amended), 2088 (as amended), 2313 (as amended), 2369 (as amended), 2518 (as amended), 2543 (as amended), 1945, 2163 (as amended), 2476 (as amended), 2128, 2174 (as amended), 2264 (as amended), 2320 (as amended), 2294 (as amended), 2792, 2793, 1725 (as amended), 1732 (as amended), 1740 (as amended), 1771 (as amended), 1997 (as amended), 2166 (as amended), 1795 (as amended), 2361 (as amended), 2060 (as amended), 2241 (as amended), 2303 (as amended), 2524 (as amended), 2704 (as amended), 1851 (as amended), 2189 (as amended), 2496 (as amended), 2615 (as amended), 2503, 2138 (as amended), 2626, 2013 (as amended), 2023 (as amended), 1815 (as amended), 1573, 1976 (as amended), 2568 (as amended), 2351 (as amended), 2576, 2601, 1663 (as amended), 2385 (as amended), 1946 (as amended), 1666 (as amended), 2118 (as amended), 2716 (as amended), 2008 (as amended), 2660 (as amended), 2365 (as amended), 2440 (as amended), 1772 (as amended), 1914 (as amended), 2083 (as amended), 2333 (as amended), 2764, 1643 (as amended), 2767 (as amended), 1805 (as amended), 1964 (as amended), and 1863 (as amended).

Let's go. All bills will be deemed read, and all amendments will be deemed adopted onto concurrence file item 73. We will pass retain. On reconsideration, file item 74 to 76. All items shall be continued, and that brings us to the assembly third reading file.

We will pass and retain file item 77 through 82, and that brings us to file item number 83. That's AB 2323 by Assemblymember Mckinner. The clerk will read.

Assembly bill 2323 with a my assembly member Mckinner and accolade into public notice.

Assembly member Mckinner, you are recognized.

Mister speaker and members, AB2323 modernizes California's public notice system while preserving its role in government transparency and due process. For decades, legal notices have been published in independent newspapers, creating a trusted third party record the public can rely on. As more Californians access information online, this bill ensures our public notice systems evolves without compromising public access to important information. AB2323 has received bipartisan support, and I respectfully ask for your aye vote. Thank you.

Thank you, Assemblymember McKinnor. All debate having ceased, clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote.

The clerk will close the roll, tally the votes. Size 57, no zero. The measure passes. We're gonna pass through any tandem file items 84, 85, 86. That brings us to file item number 87.

That's ACR149 by Assemblymember Hart. The clerk will read.

Assembly could grant resolution one forty nine by Assemblymember Hart and others relative to the California Coastal Act of 1976.

Assemblymember Hart, you are recognized.

Thank you very much, mister speaker. I'm pleased to present ACR149 commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the passage of the California Coastal Act and the creation of the State Coastal Conservancy. The Coastal Act stands as one of the most important environmental protections in our state's history. It reflects the passion and determination of the people of California that our coast should be protected as a public resource for generations to come.

Since 1972, the California Coastal Commission and the Coastal Conservancy have been responsible for conserving nearly half a million acres of natural lands and restoring 50,000 acres of critical coastal habitats.

As a former coastal commissioner and a long time local government official in Santa Barbara County, I've seen firsthand how deeply our communities value and benefit from coastal protection. Our coastline is central to our environment, economy, and way of life. Please join me in celebrating fifty years of invaluable work done to protect one of California's greatest treasures. I respectfully request an aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Hart. Assemblymember DeMaio, you are recognized.

Thank you, mister speaker. And as you know, I typically either lay off these honorary resolutions or some of them are actually good, and I'll vote for them. But celebrating and commending the California Coastal Commission, have we lost our mind?

Are we not paying attention to what's going on to so many of our local governments, so many of our communities that have this out of control state agency, literally driving up the cost of housing across the state of California, infringing upon their property rights, creating a bureaucratic nightmare for even people who have lost their homes in catastrophic wildfires. It's the coastal commission that's the repeat offender.

Banning fireworks in Long Beach. As we approach the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of our country where I think we should bring people together in this divisive environment to celebrate our country, No. The Coastal Commission ruins that opportunity too. So the only resolution that this body should be bringing forward is a resolution telling the Coastal Commission, pull your head out of your you know what, lay off local government, stop terrorizing people just trying to make improvements in their homes.

This shows that this body is untethered from the problem.

We have to reign in the Coastal Commission, not give it a pat on the back, particularly after they banned fireworks in Long Beach. I urge a no vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember DeMaio. Assemblymember Addis, you are recognized.

Thank you, mister speaker, and thank you to, our colleague from Santa Barbara for bringing this important resolution forward. I'm here as co-chair of the California Legislative Central Coast Caucus, and I rise in proud support and as joint author of this ACR that celebrates fifty years of the Coastal Act. I would also like to thank and welcome the Coastal Commission and Coastal Conservancy staff. I think my colleague from Santa Barbara will be introducing them, but wanna say my own welcomes to them.

And I'll quote governor Jerry Brown when he said that the Coastal Act he said this when the Coastal Act was signed into law, that the beaches are for all people.

And so from the rocky shores of the North Coast to the pristine beaches of the Central Coast to the iconic and ever visited beaches of the South, the natural beauty of our coastline actually brings in $51,000,000,000 annually in revenue to California. And we all know that the coast is woven into both our identity and our economy. And creating this bounty are hundreds of species of marine mammals and birds, fish, turtles, and more that call our shores home and visit every year on their migratory journeys.

But our coast is also home to thousands of businesses from the Northern to the Central To Southern California, 47% of which are visitor serving and rely on the natural beauty of our coastline to make their ends meet and to thrive. And we know that these areas are also vital to combat human created climate disasters because they sequester carbon dioxide, they absorb floodwaters, and they reduce the impact of waves created by storms.

The Coastal Act has protected us for fifty years, creating important and thoughtful, balanced, decisions between development, conservation, and coastal access. And as we face a true threat of offshore oil drilling expansion by our Federal Government, it's vital that we're fighting for our coast, for our way of life, and for our livelihoods. And the Coastal Act helped us do just that. So colleagues, again, I wanna thank, the member from Santa Barbara for this important resolution and respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Addis. Assemblymember Pellerin, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mister Speaker and Members. I rise in strong support of ACR149. I am so honored to represent a district with such a strong connection to the coast and the ocean. Santa Cruz takes its role as a coastal steward very seriously. Activists and elected officials of my district were central to the success of prop the the prop 20 campaign.

Both the city and county of Santa Cruz are ahead of schedule to provide more affordable housing in the coastal zone. In fact, they've been designated by the governor as a pro housing communities with hundreds of units built consistent with the Coastal Act, demonstrating that housing and resource protection are not mutually exclusive. I can't imagine what the coast of California would look like if not for the Coastal Act, But I know what my county would look like.

All the strawberry fields and other row crops that thrive in our coastal zone would have been paved over long ago because of the Coastal Act's agricultural protection policies would not have been around to prevent them from being sacrificed for new development.

The public wouldn't be able to walk along the coastal California trail that connects two of our iconic surf breaks, Pleasure Point and The Hook, because there would be a solid wall of private oceanfront development along the bluff edge protected by sea walls and boulders on the beach below.

Lighthouse Point would be a convention center instead of a public park with a historic landmark. It's easy to take the things we love about our coast for granted, and assume that the abundant public access, the clean Sandy Beaches, the open space, and gorgeous views just happened, and will always be there, but that is not true. The only reason the California Coast is what it is today is because of the coastal act has protected it, and the Coastal Conservancy has invested in it.

So I I want to wish both agencies happy fiftieth anniversary, and may you have fifty more wonderful years serving the people of California. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you. Assemblymember Pellerin. Assemblymember Bennett, you are recognized.

Members, please hear me. Where would we be if we had let the powerful control the coastline for the last fifty years? Would we have 1,100 miles of protected shoreline? Would we have a coastline that is literally the envy of the world? Would we have a $51,000,000,000 ocean economy that's based on recreation?

Would we have preserved many of the iconic landscapes here in California on the coast? Would we have protected the critical habitats? Would we have the recreational opportunities for everyone that we have, every California. The Coastal Act has done so much, but the most valuable thing the Coastal Act has done, it has made sure that the disadvantaged, the weakest, the most vulnerable amongst us have access to beaches that would, without it, be closed off by the most powerful amongst us.

That's why we need to celebrate this fifty years of the Coastal Act.

And that's why we have to keep asking ourselves, what would the powerful have done if we didn't have the protection of the Coastal Act? The one thing I think we've heard today that we can be sure of is there would be fireworks at a local city that might be doing some environmental damage, but we wouldn't have 1,100 miles of protected shoreline for every Californian no matter how weak or vulnerable they are. I strongly urge support for ACR148. Thank you.

Thank you, Assemblymember Bennett. Assemblymember Muratsuchi, you are recognized.

Thank you very much. As a proud, representative of Coastal Los Angeles County, I rise in strong support of ACR149. And I and I I wanna share my personal experience. I I was not born and raised in in California, but I was born and raised on a tropical island of Okinawa, which folks in Japan consider Okinawa to be like the Hawaii of Japan.

And, you know, I, I saw during my childhood how uncontrolled development on beachfront, on coastline, how it destroyed the beaches, how it destroyed the ocean.

It it destroy it destroyed natural habitats. And so, you know, while I understand that there are tremendous pressures, tremendous economic business pressures to build on the coast even to the detriment of California's iconic coast. It is only because of strong laws like the Coastal Act that we continue to all enjoy the beautiful one of one of the most beautiful coastlines in the entire world.

And so that's why I feel so passionately that, you know, we need to have a check against these tremendous economic forces that want to develop our coastline, and that is the Coastal Act. And that is why I'm proud to stand in strong support of ACR149.

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

Thank you, Mister Speaker. Members, today I rise in support of ACR149. Protecting our 1,100 miles of coastline is not a partisan luxury, but a duty to preserve California's natural heritage for future generations. Supporting ACR149 reconfirms our commitment to being good stewards of the land and the sea. California's coastal economy is a powerhouse generating over 44,000,000,000 annually through tourism, recreation, and fishing.

The Coastal Act is built in a unique partnership with local governments, empowers our coastal cities and counties to lead their own planning through local coastal programs. Supporting ACR149 is a vote for local autonomy ensuring that coastal communities have the final say on their shores. Finally, ACR149 is a commitment to the California first policy that prioritizes our long term environmental health as a foundation of a long term economic prosperity. With that, I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

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

Thank you so much, Mister Speaker. I'm actually fortunate enough to represent about a fourth of the California coastline and have an opportunity to talk not just to folks who today benefit from the decision that was made fifty years ago, but folks who are actually there at the time.

And I think of local environmental leaders in my community like, like Dick Day, like Carol Hart, who's in the back and will get introduced, like, Michael Allen and other folks who have fought to make sure that we had that preservation in places, not just for our local economies, environmental principles, but really to make sure that we protected that land for folks. We have sections of the trail out on our coast named after Bill Kordom and others who have fought to keep that land available.

And really the roots of the Coastal Act come from my district, from two different incidents that happened.

The first was local activists who are organizing to prevent a nuclear power plant from being built on the fault lines right along our coast on Sonoma County. You also had an incident where if they were successful, by the way, one where they were not successful, where in Sea Ranch, in my district, locals were trying to block off access to the coast for folks who didn't live in that specific community.

And there was a push to make sure that there was guaranteed access, and that failed at the time. That it really started this conversation about who the coast should be for, And if it was going to be California's icon, how do we make sure that that represented everybody? My colleague from Ventura asked, what would our coast look like if we had not passed the coastal act fifty years ago?

It's really not that difficult for us. We'd be Florida. If you look at Florida, it is the wealthy few who have access to their coastal resources at the detriment of the public.

And this isn't just a conversation that happened fifty years ago in California, even just as recently as ten years ago when state parks was proposing an Iron Ranger program to charge for additional parking for people to access the coast, you had an entire groundswell of community members who looked at that and said even that would have a detrimental impact on allowing people to access this natural resource.

So I rise in full support of ACR149 for the environmental reasons, for the economic reasons, but also for the cultural reasons, because California would not be California without its iconic coast.

Thank you, Assemblymember Rogers. Assemblymember Alvarez, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mister Speaker. I rise in support of ACR149, inspired by all of the colleagues who've spoken on behalf of the coast that they represent. Our colleague from Sonoma just mentioned the representation at the northern part of the coast of California. I represent the complete opposite end of the state in the South touching Mexico. And often and I wanna rise and thank, in this case, certainly, the the coastal acreage has worked to help to maintain access because that has been the case.

I was a young boy from Barrio Logan who the bay was only literally a few blocks away from where I live, and I actually our access to the water has been walled off by uses that have been permitted along our bay, and so I did not have access to to our bay. I grew up as a kid from San Diego who actually never really went to the beach, because there was no access to the water and the communities that I come from.

To in this day, we see that we have kids who have no access to the water and the bay or the beach, excuse me, in Imperial Beach because of that closure that you hear about me talking about Tijuana River Valley on a regular basis here before you. And I wanna recognize the Coastal Act for trying to make sure that the access there is defended through actions on behalf of of our communities.

But the same way, I do want to, call attention to us as we celebrate today that, the world has changed and California is growing.

And all that was done, which was to be celebrated to protect the coast, we need to be careful that we do not and unfortunately, some of the data does show that the ZIP codes along the coast are significantly higher income communities. And while there are some public access points to the coast, which is a good thing, there must also be opportunities for people to live in the coast of all income levels. And so I wanna just call attention to that.

That work remains to be done in the spirit of the coastal act of access to the coast. It should also be access to living on the coast.

As we have a lot of workers who travel from miles and miles away for hours sometimes to go and work at the coastline, we also should give them the opportunity to live there.

So I ask that as we celebrate today, and we should, that as we continue to celebrate the coastal act and the work that we do, that we keep everybody in mind, and that we create that access that we've all fought for, that the visionary individuals fifty years ago fought for, and that we should continue to fight for, by the way, and not allow bad development and bad things to happen on the coast, but that the access can be continued through its natural resources and also just being able to spend a day on the beach, on the bay with your family.

For that reason, I rise in support of ACR149. Thank you, Mister Speaker.

Thank you. Assemblymember Alvarez. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Assemblymember Hart, do you wish to close?

Yes. Thank you, Mister Speaker. And I really appreciate the the comments from colleagues all the way from San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, Ventura, the Southway, Laguna Niguel, San Diego, Santa Rosa, for their bipartisan, comments in support of this resolution. I think the conversation highlighted the complexity and the challenge of protecting California's greatest treasure, our coastline. It is not an easy job.

It requires diligence and persistence and commitment. And it is the the issues facing coastal protection change as our environment changes and as our economy changes, and having the Coastal Commission as a backstop with a mission to protect coastal access. Every one of our constituents in California depends on the Coastal Commission to make sure that we have access to our coast.

And the fifty years of work that has preserved that right, that has enhanced that right, that has restored habitat and wetlands, and con and coastal habitats is critical. And the next fifty years going forward will be that much more challenging.

But I know the people who are committed to this work will continue to persevere. This resolution honors the legacy and reaffirms our commitment to protecting California's coast for years to come, ensuring that this extraordinary resources are preserved for local families, visitors, and future generations. I respectfully request an aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Hart. Mister Hart, do you wish for the first roll to be open for co authors?

Yes, Mister Speaker. Thank you.

K. All debate having ceased, the clerk will open the roll for co authors. 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. This is for co authors. The clerk will took close the role, tally the votes. There are 46 co authors added. Without objection, we'll we'll, do a voice vote on the resolution.

All those in favor, say aye. Aye. All those opposed, no. The ayes have it. The resolution is adopted.

Assemblymember Hart, you're recognized for your guest introduction.

Thank you very much, Mister Speaker. Colleagues, please join me in welcoming on the floor, former Coastal Commission Chairs, Carol Hart, Donna Brownzey, and Justin Cummings, along with Coastal Conservancy Vice Chair Marcela Gutierrez, and Susan Jordan, founder of the California Coastal Protection Network. Also joining us up in the gallery is Coastal Commission executive director Kate Huckelbridge, Coastal Conservancy executive director Amy Hutsell, former Conservancy Executive Officer Sam Schickett, and former Commissioner Coastal Commission Executive Director Jack Ainsworth. Thank you and welcome to the California State Assembly.

Members, while we're waiting for Mr. Hart, who has another bill right after this, we're waiting for you, Mr. Hart. I just wanted to let all members know at the conclusion of the adjournment in memory today, those that are wearing denim, please remain in the chamber. We will be taking a member's photo for all members wearing denim. We’re going to pass on file items 88 and 89. That brings us to file item number 90, AB 2011, also by Assemblymember Hart.”

The clerk will read.

Assembly bill 2011 by Assemblymember Hart and others and activate the health care coverage.

Assemblymember Hart, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. AB 2011 will codify existing federal mental health purity standards into state law. Last year, the Trump administration stopped enforcing federal protections that require insurers demonstrate that they provide equal access to mental health and substance use disorder care as they do with traditional physical medicine. California has continued enforcing these regulations through the Department of Insurance and the Department of Managed Health Care, but the state's authority to do so could be revoked depending on federal changes.

AB 2011 enshrines these protections in state law, so state regulators can continue to enforce parity requirements.

This bill does not expand covered benefits, create any new mandates, or impose any new duties on regulators. It only codifies existing standards the state is already enforcing in full effect. At a time when our state is working to expand behavior or health care, AB 2011 ensures that the promise of equal access becomes a reality for all Californians. I respectfully request an aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Hart. All debate having ceased, clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote.

The Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. Ayes 46, Noes 5. The measure passes. We will pass and retain on file items 91 through fill item 98. That brings us to file item number 99.

That's AB 2691 by Assembly Member Addis. The clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 2691 by Assemblymember Addis and others and accolade to elections.

Assemblymember Addis, you are recognized.

Thank you so much, Mr. Speaker. I rise to present AB 2691, the Public Trust Protection Act, which expands the list of felony convictions that disqualify someone from running for or holding state or local elected office to include sexual assault and human trafficking. And I respectfully ask your Aye vote.

Thank you. Assemblymember Addis. All debate having ceased. Clerk will open the roll. All Members vote who desire to vote.

All Members vote who desire to vote. All Members vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll, tally the votes. Ayes 53, No 0. The measure passes. We're gonna pass through intent on file items 100, 101, 102, 103, 104.

That brings us, ah, there you are, to file item number 105. That's HR 31 by the Assistant Speaker Pro Tem Celeste Rodriguez being presented today by Assembly Member Schiavo from the Majority Leader's desk. Clerk will read.

House Resolution 31 by Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez and others relative to sexual assault awareness month and denim day.

Assemblymember Schiavo, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. On behalf of Assembly Member Celeste Rodriguez today, I present House Resolution 31 recognizing April 29, 2026 as Denim Day in California.

But I wanna take a moment not to just to talk about Denim Day, but to be clear why we're still here talking about it. This year, Denim Day hits differently. It's not just about raising awareness of sexual assault.

It's about facing something deeper, How often people who cause harm stay in positions of power protected by systems that were never really built to hold them accountable.

We've seen that play out again and again with Dolores Huerta and other woman speaking about the abuse by Cesar Chavez or women who came forward about the harassment and assault they faced with Eric Swalwell.

When survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump continue to speak out and and still don't see the accountability that they deserve.

And just last month, a global CNN investigation exposed the horrifying rise of rape academies. Online communities where predators are not only celebrated, but they're systematically trained on how to drug their victims, commit sexual assault, and evade justice.

We're now seeing rape culture being proliferated and flourishing and even celebrated online. All of this doesn't happen by accident. People don't get away with harm for years or even decades because no one noticed.

It happens because systems, our systems, allow it, protect it, excuse it, and that includes spaces like this one. So today isn't just about wearing jeans or posting something online.

It's about being honest with ourselves about the role that we play in either maintaining those systems or changing them. Because the truth is, we do have power.

Not just the kind written into our titles or positions, but the kind that comes from using our voices, from refusing to look away, from calling things what they are, even when it's uncomfortable, and maybe especially when it's uncomfortable.

And I wanna say something to anyone in this room and beyond who has experienced harm. You're not alone.

There are too many of us, more than we often realize. People who carry these experiences quietly, showing up to work, to serve, to lead, to keep going. And that's why this matters so much.

Because sexual violence exists in our communities, in our workplaces, and in spaces where decision decisions gets made. And it continues in part because of the silence and the doubt and the questions that get asked of survivors instead of those who caused the harm.

We can't be the people who ask what were they wearing, or why didn't they say something sooner. Because those questions are part of the problem. They're what keep people quiet. They're what allow harm to continue.

So if denim day means anything, it should mean this, that we chose to show up differently, that we choose to believe people, and that we choose to hold power accountable, including when it's inconvenient, including when it's close to us.

So today, we wear our denim, but more than that, we must use our voices. That's how we will continue to make the change that matters. And if anyone is listening today who is still in the shadows of your experience, please hear me that it is not your fault.

Help is available right now. You can call the national sexual assault hotline at 1(800)656-4673 or chat 24/7 at rainn.org, R A I N N.org.

There's a community ready to help, and I appreciate all of those who do this work day in and day out to to support survivors in our community. Thank you, and I urge a Aye vote on HR 31.

Thank you, Assemblymember Schiavo. Assemblymember Wilson, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to thank, the author from San Fernando for introducing this important, resolution, and thank you to my colleague, for presenting it on her behalf. I rise in support of HR 31 on behalf of the California Legislative Black Caucus.

I remember it, really like it was yesterday. I was a young girl, early elementary, coming home from school.

And my friend had diverted to the right, and I was gonna go two more blocks to get home from school. And I remember that day because I had on a really cute dress, and I was twirling around in it at recess.

Well, when my friend departed to the right, two boys who were behind me waited until she did, and one of them grabbed me as the other one tried to put his hand under my dress.

And I saw a familiar vehicle driving by, and it was my aunt. And I was so excited to see her and felt like refuge had come, safety.

And she said, oh, Lori, I'm a tell your mama. And she kept going to my house.

Well, thankfully, that was enough to startle the boys, and they stopped and let me go and took off running. But on the way home as I walked two more blocks, all I can think about was I was gonna be in trouble, and what happened to me was my fault.

And I was so thankful that when I got home, my mom wasn't home, and she didn't have a chance to tell on me.

But I tell you, in that moment, it stayed with me. I didn't wanna wear dresses for a long time after that. And when abuse would later come, I didn't tell anybody because in my mind, it was my fault. I had somehow welcomed it.

Today is a symbolic day around sexual assault awareness, and we wear our jeans as an act of symbolism.

But I will tell you that the impact on people who are seeking help or justice from sexual assault, they're plagued. So many of them by harmful myths and stereotypes, and even people in your own family who don't understand and don't believe you.

And so I rise on behalf of the California legislative backed caucus telling my story, and I will tell you I've unwound that and in a place of healing and survivorship and help others.

But I stand on behalf of the black caucus because we know that black women are disproportionately impacted. These harmful myths and stereotypes impact a marginal marginalized groups the most.

Those who often face intersectional intersexual challenges as it relates to seeking justice, to seeking help when it comes to sexual assault. And as my colleague said, I'm not alone.

There are so many women walking around from the trauma of the past related to instances like this where they weren't believed or where they were assumed that what came to them was their fault.

And I will say having been a pastor, well, still a pastor, but having done pastoral work that it wasn't just women who came to me, it was men who came struggling with that same thing. It doesn't matter your gender.

So many of us have experienced sexual assault. So I'm glad that we're doing the symbolic act today of wearing our denim, but let it not end there.

Let it be action where we support survivors, where we believe them when they say that something happened, and we fight like tooth and nail to ensure that they have justice. With that, members, I strongly ask you to support HR 31 by our colleague from San Fernando.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. Thank you to my colleague from the Black Caucus for sharing her story and for her bravery. On behalf of the California Legislative Native American Caucus, I rise in support of HR 31 to commemorate Denim Day.

Thank you to my colleague from San Fernando Valley for elevating the voices that are too often unheard and shedding light on the experiences of survivors and the work that remains before us to support them.

Thank you as well to my colleague from Santa Clarita for presenting this item on her behalf.

Four out of five Native American women experience violence in their lifetime. And California is among the top five states in the nation for unresolved missing and murdered indigenous peoples.

These crimes are not rooted in what women wear, the places they go, or the time of day they choose to leave their homes, but from the actions of those who perpetuate them.

Too often, blaming the victim has shifted attention away from accountability, placing it unjustly on survivors and reinforcing silence instead of calling for justice. This is unacceptable.

We must do more to demand accountability and offer support for the survivors across our state. It's not enough to acknowledge the harm caused. We must ensure survivors have access to care and pathways for healing.

As a member of the Native American Caucus, I made a pledge to bring awareness to the missing and murdered indigenous peoples crisis in which Native American women experience sexual assault at the highest rates per capita of any demographic group.

Thanks to the leadership of our chair and the member from San Bernardino, next week, we will learn more and deepen our understanding of this crisis as we observe MMIP Week here at the Capitol.

And as we continue to reflect on this important work, today, I wanna take a moment to stand in solidarity wearing denim in support of survivors and victims of sexual assault, and in recognition of the courage and the resilience of every woman and man who has

experienced gender based violence. For these reasons, I ask for your Aye vote on HR 31. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Assemblymember Coloza. Assemblymember Addis, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I wanna say, first thank you to those who have already spoken, very eloquently from the Black Caucus and Native American Caucus.

Thank you to the author from the San Fernando Valley, and, thank you to the presenter from Santa Clarita who spoke so truthfully on this issue.

I rise as Vice Chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus and proud support of HR 31 in honor of sexual assault awareness month and in honor of denim day.

And I will say first that believing survivors and expanding their access to justice are foundational to my personal legislative work.

The very first bill that a constituent ever asked me to carry was about survivors' access to justice. And every year since, I have worked to create exactly that because I believe our job here in the legislature is to protect the most vulnerable,

to prevent the most heinous crimes, and to amplify the voices of those who have been the most silent. And that commitment is deeply rooted in Jewish faith, tradition, and culture. For Jewish people, justice is not optional. It is literally commanded.

The Hebrew word Tzedek or justice appears again and again in Jewish texts, prayers, and values. And central to that justice is a fight for survivors to be believed.

This goes back to biblical times such as when Tamar fought against her half brother, Amnon, trying to stop him from raping her and then truly spoke truth to power saying aloud what had happened to her in the face of overwhelming opposition.

And this work has carried forward today with organizations like the National Council of Jewish Women in San Francisco who work to preserve human dignity and freedom and are fighting to end sex trafficking and other forms of sexual violence

or scholars like doc like doctor Rochelle Zidell focused on uncovering the sexual violence of the holocaust, breaking through the denial and silence so that every survivor is remembered and respected.

And yet, as you have heard on this floor time and time again and also today from our colleague from Santa Clarita, we govern in a moment of profound contradiction.

Those who have committed sexual assault have been permitted to inhabit our highest halls of power, from president Trump in the Oval Office, to the Swalwells of Congress, to Epstein and his donor class, to Chavez who led a vital worker movement.

And these perpetrators of sexual violence have been allowed to reach the highest of heights simply because people around them either chose not to believe or chose not to act. And so that's the culture that denim day works to interrupt.

It's a culture that is about more than staying silent and allowing perpetrators to continue. Denim Denim Day wants us to do more, to be more.

We wear our jeans today, but really what we're trying to do is to dismantle the myths that a survivor's clothing or behavior or silence determines their culpability.

We are about ending a culture of retaliation and fear that keeps so many from ever coming forward as you have heard from colleagues right here on this floor. This movement of denim day is about replacing sympathy with true prevention.

It is about demanding that our institution reflects the values that we hold dear.

And so I ask you colleagues to join with the Jewish caucus, the Native American caucus, the Black caucus, and others that you're gonna hear from today to deliver on the promise of denim day by focusing on justice and dignity, by ensuring prevention,

and most importantly, by sending legislation out of this body to the governor's desk that truly uplifts and centers survivors. So on behalf of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, I urge your support for HR 31.

Thank you, Assemblymember Addis. Assemblymember Solace, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. I rise today on behalf of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus in support of HR 31. We recognize denim day during sexual assault awareness month to support survivors and stand against victim blaming.

Engrained by the 1988 Italian court case that overturned a conviction because the victim wore tight jeans. We continue to carry that global movement.

We wear jeans as a sign of protest and solidarity for survivors. Denim day serves as a powerful reminder that survivors are not at fault because of the clothes they wear. No means no.

We must speak out against the harmful myths, jokes, and stereotypes that silent survivors, embolden abusers, and contribute to a violent culture.

We must empower survivors to share their stories without fear or shame and teach society and the next generation an affirmative consent.

I would like to thank my colleague from Susan City for sharing her story and the many survivors that maybe today didn't share their story and that lived throughout our state of California for being, courageous in their journey and for speaking up in their own very way.

It's never the victim's fault. Thank you, Speaker and Members. On behalf of the LGBTQ caucus, I respectfully request an Aye vote on HR 31. Thank you.

Thank you, Assemblymember Solace. Assemblymember Quirk-Silva, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. I rise to in strong support of HR 31. And I wanna thank the Member from Susan for sharing her childhood, girlhood story.

Because I wasn't planning on speaking and yet her memory reminded me of myself being 8 and 9 years old with my sister and I walking home from school where a car pulled up to us and the man drove driving exposed himself to us. Thankfully, we were able to run and report.

And at that time being just 8 years old, we called the police and the police came to our house and we had to explain what had happened. But of course, it could have been much worse.

We know that with sexual assault, it often happens within the family circle from relatives, even family members living within the home.

We know that sexual assault often happens from somebody that the individual knows, perhaps a date where we get the term date rape, date rape. But sexual assault happens everywhere.

Whether it's at churches or schools, in bathrooms, everywhere. And we know for women, it's always that alert that we have to think about as we walk even around the capitol, even to our homes.

It's always a thought. We also know that it happens to boys, and men, and girls, and women, and even children, and babies. So we have to ask ourselves, what is happening in our culture?

What is happening in our world that perpetuates this? What is happening that there are online date rape sites? What is happening when we look at predators that are out there? And it goes back to what can we do about it? And certainly, the first step is believing individuals.

But the second step is educating. And when we talk about educating, it's about respect for women. It's about understanding when no means no. And sometimes it's the simplest form, and yet that is not understood.

Many of us hold self defense workshops and those are often done by your local public safety.

And what they teach us is how do you defend yourself. And yet, we have to understand who these perpetrators are and what they're looking for. And often it's a woman who's not prepared. So ladies, be on alert. Put your cell phones away when you're walking.

Notice your surroundings. We have to start somewhere. But with that, we have to begin with believing women. Thank you, and I support HR 31.

Thank you, Assemblymember Quirk-Silva. Assemblymember McKinnor, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of HR 31, recognizing Denim Day, a day that stands with survivors of sexual violence and send a clear message, we believe you. This issue is not abstract to me. It's deeply personal. I'm a survivor of workplace sexual violence.

I was proud to be a part of the We Said Enough Movement. Women in this very capital who stood up, spoke out, and demanded that this institution do better. We stood strong to make sure women are safe in these halls. But let me be clear, standing up is not easy.

When I chose to speak out, I paid a price. I was fired. Not from one job, but from two. I was blackballed out of Sacramento, but I didn't stay down, my friends. I came back as an Assembly Member.

And now I stand here with the commitment to make sure no woman has to choose between her safety her safety and her livelihood.

I wanna thank the leaders of We Said Enough, Adama Awoo and Samantha Corbin and the others for their courage and their leadership. They helped build a movement that changed this capital and continues to push us forward.

Because here's the truth, it's hard to report, it's hard to come forward. But when there's an infrastructure in place where survivors are supported, believed, and protected, it becomes possible. That is what denim day rep represents.

It's not just about awareness. It's about accountability. It's about culture change. It's about ensuring that every workplace, including this one, is safe for everyone. So today, I stand not just as a legislator, but as a survivor.

And I say we will continue this work. We will continue to build systems that protect support and support and uplift survivors. Because enough was said, and now we act. Thank you.

Thank you. Assembly member McKennor. Assemblymember Lackey, you are recognized.

Thank you, everybody. I have no prepared remarks, but I do have something that I believe deserves to be spoken about. And that is it is heartwarming to see this body rally around inappropriate behavior at the expense of another individual.

But let me just tell you, we've got work to do. I've been part of supporting legislation that has failed here.

And it's shocking to me when we rally around this degree of inappropriate behavior, but we can't rally around finding it within us to punish those who sexually assault developmentally disabled individuals.

It doesn't even in most cases rise to the level of felony. Shame on us. Who in the world wants to stand and defend individuals who would prey upon these vulnerable people? Shameful.

We've definitely got work to do and I want you to know that I will do all I can whether I'm here in this body or whether I'm not here in this body to fix this problem. It's shameful, and I'm thankful we're rallying around this aspect.

And I'm I wanna thank all the women who have had the courage to stand here and expose the fact that they were abused in this manner. It's wicked. It's hurtful.

It's painful. And I think in our effort to try to be balanced in the way we hand out penalties, we need to be mindful of the victims. And the fact that, you know, I heard in public safety just not long ago, someone on the other side talk about healing for the perpetrators.

I think that, we need to think about the healing of those who have been assaulted and try to I don't know how you balance that. I just don't.

But I one thing I do know is you need to hold people to a degree of accountability for being so hurtful because their actions are many times permanent. Thank you for your time.

Thank you, Assemblymember Lackey. Assemblymember Jeff Gonzales, you are recognized.

Mr. Speaker, colleagues, there's an old saying that the truth is the best armor. Today, many of us stand on this floor wearing a different kind of armor, Denim.

Now to some, a pair of jeans might seem like a common everyday thing, but in the context of today, this fabric represents a profound moral statement.

It stands as a reminder of a time not so long ago when a court suggested that the clothes a woman wore could somehow excuse the inexcusable.

We wear this denim today to say with one clear and unwavering voice, no.

Consent is not a matter of fashion. It's a matter of fundamental human dignity. But as we look at this symbol of justice, my thoughts turn to those who have worn a much heavier uniform, the the men and women of our armed forces.

We often speak of America as that shining city on a hill, a beacon of hope for the world. That beacon is kept lit by the sacrifice of our veterans.

Yet, for too many of our heroes, the greatest threat they faced wasn't on a foreign battlefield, but within their own ranks. Military sexual trauma is a quiet crisis that strikes at the very heart of the trust that holds our military together.

When a soldier, a sailor, an airman, or a marine is betrayed by one of their own, it isn't just a crime. It's a breach of the sacred bond that makes our nation's defense possible.

I think of of of the veterans returning home to California, perhaps the quiet community of the 36th Assembly District or the bustling streets of our great cities.

They carried our flag with honor, but many returned carrying a heavy weight, a silent burden. Statistics tell us that nearly one in four women veterans and many thousands of brave men have faced this trauma.

For them, the war didn't end at the homecoming parade. It followed them home in the form of isolation, PTSD, and a struggle to find their place in the civilian world. We owe them more than just our gratitude.

We owe them a state that is as committed to their healing as they were to our protection. Government's first duty is to protect the people. And our highest calling is to stand up for those who have been silenced.

Today, as we wear this denim, let us recommit ourselves to the work of justice. Let us ensure that every veteran who has suffered knows that they are not alone.

They are not forgotten. And their courage in speaking out is just as heroic as their service in uniform. We can do better. We must do better. And by the grace of God, we will.

As someone who was, as I've said on this floor many times, sexually assaulted as a seven year old boy, and then in the military again. I choose to heal out loud and tell these things because that's what that's how I live my journey.

Because there are other men out there and women who are struggling with just talking about it. So I talk about it.

Not you know, some people might fear that they they will be looked at in a weird way or looked at and put in a corner.

But let me tell you this. Your vulnerability is your strength. Your truth is your strength. So today, colleagues, I rise in support of HR 31, and I ask you to rise in support of the men and women who serve this nation and those who have been assaulted,

who have not served, who are just our community members, to rise and protect them, not only in voice, but in action. Mr. Speaker, I yield.

Thank you, Assemblymember Gonzalez. Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. I like my seatmate, wasn't planning on speaking today. But when I got here in this legislature, we were at about a quarter women, maybe 25%.

We are now at almost 50% women, and it has been amazing to watch the transformation that representation means in this body and in this legislature.

In the beginning of my career, I here, I sat on the public safety committee with my colleague from Palmdale, and there was a bill coming forward right around Denham Day by now Senator Cervantes.

When I got here, the law said that women who were or men who were sexually assaulted had to have a hearing during the course of their trial to determine here in California whether what they were wearing justified the sexual assault.

Most judges were deeming the evidence inadmissible, and so what was the harm in putting a sexual assault survivor through this hearing? And so the law sat on the books. It was literally what denim day was about. We had to fight like hell to get that bill passed.

I remember the day it was up in public safety. Senator Cervantes was sick or her children were sick. And, we did her proud, and we got that bill out, but it was a fight. And so things have changed, and representation, frankly, is better.

I wanna thank all of my colleagues who've stood up to speak about their own experiences.

It's not surprising so many can. Thirty to fifty percent of women have experienced sexual assault, and it isn't just women as we heard from our colleague. Thank you for sharing your story. It's so important that we all speak. But we do need our actions to follow this.

But I wanna be clear that when we act to protect sexual assault survivors, like every space we legislate in, we should allow the survivors to lead us. We should listen to the people who are most impacted by any work we do.

And that's true here in this context as well. And through listening and acting, listening to the survivors, the people who are most impacted, I truly believe we can move our law to a way that is more just.

Because honestly, sexual assault isn't just about using our bodies in ways in which they should never be used. It is about subjugation and control. It is about making women and others feel less than. It is about so much.

And we deserve a world where we are equal, where we are empowered, and where we get to sit in this floor and carry the same power that our male colleagues have.

And I will say the last thing I wanna say because the congressman from the fourteenth has been mentioned many times today, the former congressman.

I want the survivors out there to know that we are here. We are here to change the law. We are here to hear them. We are also here to speak up for them. These seats are not worth anything if we are not preventing people from being sexually assaulted in the workplace.

And so I ask them to if they can and they know it's hard to allow us to do the work, to make sure the people who serve in the highest offices in California are not people who would ever do such a thing. With that, I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Assemblymember Schiavo, do you wish to close?

I wanna thank my colleagues today. There are too many. There's too many of us to to speak. And and there is more work to do. There's a lot more work to do. I don't think anyone would say that our job is done.

But if we truly come together, if we truly work together, we can make impactful change, in a way that brave voices in this in these halls and in this capital community have done and throughout our state have done to truly make a difference and to change the culture.

So we know it can happen. We know it can happen if we have brave voices, if we are a part of that change that needs to happen.

And so on this day, we ask that everyone be a part of that solution and ensure that we are protecting everyone who has experienced sexual assault and preventing it from happening in the future.

And with that, I respectfully request an aye vote on HR 31 and for the first roll call to be open for co authors.

Thank you. Assemblymember Schiavo. All debate having ceased, clerk will open the roll. 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.

Clerk will close the roll. There are 68 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.

Members, again, those of you that have dressed in Denim today, if you wish, please remain in the chamber immediately following session to take a photo. We're gonna pass and retain on file items 106 all the way through 116.

That brings us to file item number 117. That's AB 1621 by Assembly Member Wilson. Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 1621 by Assemblymember Wilson and others, and accurately the planning and zoning.

Assemblymember Wilson, you are recognized.

Good afternoon. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I'm pleased to present AB 1621, which aims to strengthen the integrity and efficiency of California's housing approval process.

AB 1621 streamlines the housing approval process by closing loopholes and local permitting timelines, holding agencies accountable when they cause delays, and helping ensure California can build housing faster and more efficiently.

By cutting red tape, the bill supports timely housing development to better meet the state's growing needs. I'm thankful that this bill has strong bipartisan support, and I respectfully ask for your Aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Wilson. All debate haven't ceased, clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote.

All members vote who desire to vote. The clerk will close the roll, tally the votes, Aye 64, Noes 0. The measure passes. Passing retained on file items 118, 119. File item 120 is AB 174 by Assembly Member Mark Gonzales.

Clerk will read.

Assembly bill 1704 by Assembly member Mark Gonzalez, an accolade in the greenhouse gases.

Assembly member Gonzalez, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to present AB 1704, which would direct the California Air Resources Board to assess the cost of using low embodied building materials compared to conventional materials. If CARB determines that cost parity between materials is not achieved, the new lower embodied carbon standards would be paused for up to ten years. Our goal is simple. We must support housing that is both affordable and environmentally responsible.

These new standards are about to take effect, yet we still don't know whether the housing market is prepared for such a major shift. If costs rise, we risk increasing building and home prices beyond what our low income and vulnerable communities can actually afford. Californians are already facing severe housing shortages and affordability challenges. This bill ensures that we don't get worse. We need data driven responsibility, policy information.

We often talk about affordability here. Now we must deliver it in every decision that we make. This bill is balancing environmental standards with affordability. Thank you, and I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you. Assembly member Gonzalez. Assembly member Demaio, you were recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I truly approach every bill trying to get the yes. And I often don't get there as my colleagues across the aisle know. I don't speak out against every bill that I vote against.

For a variety of reasons. But this bill, I am proud to urge a yes vote on. And I was kinda shocked when I read it, AB 1704 by my colleague from Los Angeles. And and here's the thing, buddy, we gotta keep it going. This is a good start, alright.

As we are in the water with our floaties on, trying to tame the bureaucratic beast that the state government has become, that's exactly what AB 1704 does. This body passed a well intentioned, but very misguided unrealistic bill years ago, then handed it off to a bureaucracy that has no concept of cost. All they do is they look at regulation and restriction and mandate.

And I I'm assuming that they're well intended, but I just don't think they're balanced or tethered by what it costs Californians to comply with a lot of the good intentions, but untethered from reality bills that are passed from this body.

This bill, I hope you will read it again. After you vote for it, take it back to your office and read it again. And then think of some other costly part of state government and take this model and apply it. What we're basically saying to the bureaucracy is, if we pass a bill and cause a mandate to be enforced, don't do it until the market can come up with a cost neutral way to comply. I firmly believe in the power of human innovation.

I believe that Californians are the smartest out there, that we have an amazing market. And if we say, hey, we think we need to do more on the environment. And so here's the goal for the environment. Come back to us with a cost neutral solution. If we approached every problem that way, we wouldn't have to sacrifice our environment.

We could actually have both, an affordable cost of living and a good environment. So here is the homework assignment on AB 1704. Anyone wanna take these items. How about we apply this bill to all CARB regulations. California Air Resources Board.

How about we I would love to amend it. Yes. Would you accept a friendly amendment on the floor. How about we apply it to every mandate issued by the public utilities commission that causes someone's electricity bill to go up. How about we do it for the entire darn, cap and trade program, that was just reauthorized by this body.

Any takers. Look, take the bill. Take it back to your office. I will work with you. My colleagues on this side, I will work with you.

There is there are ways to do this in a bipartisan manner. We don't have to sacrifice some of the intentions that you have put into law over the years, but when it's not cost neutral, we are committing a sin of trying to impose the cost on working families because those are the ones that always get hit. So I urge us, let's not let it die with this one small step. It's a good step. It's an important step.

It's something that the member from Los Angeles deserves great praise and kudos for, but let's expand it to other areas. With that, I ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Demaio. Mr. Demaio, you had me today at fireworks in Long Beach, by the way. Assemblymember, Tangipa, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too wanna rise in support of this bill. And, now that the assemblymember from San Diego and the one from Clovis has signed off, I expect unanimous support for it. But I did just wanna make a mention to the author as well as I really do appreciate what this bill is looking at when it comes to studying the cost.

The only suggestion that I would ask would be if there could be a third party that actually commissions the study instead of asking CARB itself to do it because I think that would help provide efficacy when the study is committed.

So Aye, again, thank the author for bringing this bill as we look at these studies. Thank you.

Thank you, Assemblymember Tangipa. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Assemblymember Gonzalez, do you wish to close.

Thank you to my colleagues from Clovis and from San Diego for their positive comments today, which happens to be National Tell a Story Day today. So thank you for that. I hope my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will remain in support of this bill today, as this is a support support bipartisan support bill. Thank you, mister speaker, and ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Gonzalez. All debate having ceased, clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote.

Clerk will close the roll, tally to vote size 58. No zero, the measure passes. We're gonna pass through a tandem file items 121, 122, 123. That brings us to file item 124. That's AB 1916 by Assemblymember Lee.

The clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 1916 by Assemblymember Lee, an act relating to courts

Assembly member Lee, you are recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker members. AB 1916 simply updates definition of certified interpreter in law to include American sign language interpreters, allowing them to participate in the existing collective bargaining framework. Respectfully ask your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Lee. All debate having ceased. Clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote.

All members vote who desire to vote. The Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. Ayes 59, Noes 2. The measure passes. We will pass and retain on file items 125, 126, 127, 128, and 129. File item 130, AB 2559 by Assemblymember Ward. The Clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 2559 by Assemblymember Ward, an act relating to solid waste.

Assemblymember Ward, you are recognized.

Good afternoon, Mister Speaker. Members, AB2559 requires local governments which collect refundable deposits as a condition of issuing a construction and demolition permit to return the full deposit if the permit holder submits all required documentation demonstrating compliance with the deposit's terms within three years of the project's final inspection. This bill is enjoyed broad by by broad bipartisan support and has received no no votes. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Ward. I'll debate having ceased. Clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote.

All members vote who desire to vote. The clerk will close the roll, tally the votes. Ayes 61, noes zero. The measure passes. File item one thirty one, that's AB 2663.

This is a 54 vote bill by assembly member Rogers. The clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 2663 by Assemblymember Rogers and others, an act relating to alcoholic beverages, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.

Assembly member Rogers, you are recognized.

Thanks much, Mr. Speaker. AB 2663 is a support support sunset extension bill, and I urge an aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Rogers. All debate having ceased, clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote.

Clerk will close the roll, tally the votes. Aye 64, Noes 0 on the urgency. Aye 64, Noes 0 on the measure. The measure passes, which brings us to our last item of the day, file item 132. That's AB 2731 by Assemblymember Addis.

The clerk will read.

Assembly Bill 2731 by Assemblymember Addis, and act relating to alcoholic beverages.

Assemblymember Addis, you are recognized.

Thank you, mister speaker. I rise to present AB2731 that expands the number of on sale general alcohol licenses in Santa Cruz County to account for disparities in the population, and I respectfully request your aye vote.

Thank you, Assemblymember Addis. All debate haven't ceased. Clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote.

All members vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll tally votes. Ayes 63, noes zero. The measure passes. We're gonna pass and retain on file item one thirty three.

That brings us to the Senate Third Reading File. File items 136 through 140, we will pass and retain on those, which brings us to a vote on the consent calendar. File item 153. 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.

Assembly Bill 2280 by Assemblymember Johnson, an act relating to liens.

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.

Aye 64, Noes 0. Consent calendar is adopted. Members, we are going to be moving to adjournments in memory. Before I lift the quorum call, please a reminder that anyone in Denim to remain after the adjournment in memory to take a photo on the on the floor. The quorum call is lifted.

Let's give our respectful attention to those who were granted prior permission to speak on their adjournment in memory. And please take conversations off the floor. Thank you. Assembly member Caloza, you are recognized for your adjournment of memory from the majority leader's desk.

Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker and members. Today, we gather to celebrate the life of Josado Dado Banatao, a man whose story inspires us to see that where we start in our lives does not limit nor define how far we can go. As a young boy in small rural town in Cagayan, Philippines, Dado would walk barefoot on a dirt road just to reach his elementary school. In the face of hardship, he never lost sight of his education or his future.

His passion and desire to learn outweighed every obstacle placed in his path.

Though he may not have carried the privilege that many others have, he did carry something far more valuable. Hope, resilience, and an unshakable belief in the power of education. This purpose carried him forward. He pursued his studies with dedication and perseverance, graduating cum laude and earning degrees in electrical engineering and computer science from Mapua Institute of Technology in The Philippines.

After college, he served as a trainee pilot with the Philippine Airlines before join joining Boeing, where he worked as a design engineer on the Boeing seven forty seven.

That journey brought him to The United States, where he earned his master's degree in electrical engineering and computer science from Stanford University in 1972. From his humble beginnings, Dato rose to stand as one of the greatest visionaries and innovators of our time. His persistence led him into the heart of Silicon Valley, where he developed the first 10 Mbps Ethernet, a breakthrough that helped transform computer networking to what it is today. Faster, smaller, and more affordable.

And yet, what made Dado truly remarkable is not just what he achieved, but how he saw success as a means to create opportunity for others.

Through his work with the Philippine Development Foundation and his lifelong efforts to advance access to education, Datto devoted himself to lifting up young minds who, like him, simply needed a chance to begin. He believed that brilliance can be found everywhere, especially in places where opportunity is too often out of reach. In The Philippines, through the Dado Banatao Educational Foundation, he offered annual scholarships to Filipino students who showed promise in engineering and technology, investing directly into the next generation of innovators.

In our great state of California, through the Banatao Filipino American Fund, he supported high school students in their journey to pursuing degrees in engineering. Through his leadership and innovation and his deep commitment to philanthropy in California, Dato not only helped build the technologies that power our modern world, but also opened doors for future generations, especially Filipino American students.

He built a legacy that allowed others to access education, help guide and mentor them, and also created so many opportunities for people in the tech industry. Behind the seat the screens we touch and the systems we rely on every day, lies the legacy of a man whose strength and passion began with barefoot walks to school. As we adjourn in his memory, let us be inspired. Not only by the life he lived, but by the example he had set.

Let us believe that no dream is too distant and no beginning is too small.

And that success is not measured by what we gain, but what we are able to give. Today, Dato is survived by his wife, Maria Banatao, his daughter, Tala Banatao Groney, and his family and friends, Paul De Jesus, Olivia De Jesus, Paul De Jesus, and Regina Sani. And with that, Mr. Speaker, I respectfully adjourn in his memory to an incredible human being. Thank you for allowing us to honor his legacy at the state capitol today.

Thank you, Assemblymember Caloza. Members, let's now observe a moment of silence to honor the life of this historic Californian, Dado Banatao. Thank you. Members, please bring the names to the desk to be printed in the journal. A request to adjourn a memory will be deemed read and printed in the journal.

Moving on to announcements, the following committee hearings are scheduled to meet right now. Budget subcommittee one in Capital Room 127 and revenue and taxation in Capital Room 126. Session schedule is as follows, Tuesday, April 28, check-in session. Wednesday, April 29, check-in session. Thursday, April 30, floor session at 9AM.

Seeing and hearing no further business, I am ready to entertain a motion to adjourn. Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry moves, and Mr. Lackey seconds that this House stands adjourned until Thursday, April 30, at 9 a.m. The quorum call is lifted, and we are adjourned.