Senate Standing Committee on Governmental Organization

Good morning. The Senate Government Organization Committee will come to order. But before we proceed, I would like to give you a quick update on file item number six, AB 2412 by Assembly member Ta, who's present here today. He has pulled this item from the consent calendar and will be presenting it as well. We don't have a quorum, and we will proceed as a subcommittee until we have enough members to establish a quorum.

I would like to invite Assemblymember Ta, who I see is present here, to come up and present. We are going to have to go out of order. Oh, I'm so sorry. I do see another Assemblymember out there. Okay.

Alright. So we'll we'll we'll proceed. Why don't we start with assembly member Ta item AB 2294 state holiday, Sylvia Mendez Day. Welcome. And we also wanna invite if you have any witnesses to join us in the front.

Yes. Yes. Thank you, chair and members. I'm very proud to be here to present AB 2294, a view that will declare April 14 as Sylvia Mendez Day. This day marked the his, historic position in the case of Mendez versus Westminster, a landmark moment in California and America's civil rights history.

In 1943, Sylvia Mendez, a nine years old girl, was denied entry to the 17th Street School in Westminster, California because he was Mexican American. Sylvia and other children were ordered to attend separate Mexican only school even though there was a better school much closer to their home. Sylvia parents, Gonzalo and Felicitas Mendez, along with other Mexican American families, fought back against this discrimination. Their case, Mendez versus Westminster, was a groundbreaking victory for civil rights.

The ninth circuit court ruled in favor of the Mendez family, and two months later, governor Eric Warren signed a bill that make California the first state to outlaw public school segregation.

This case was the first federal lawsuit to challenge the doctrine of separate but equal in K to 12 school. Its success set a crucial legal precedent for Supreme Court Brown versus Board education decision with what the segragated school across the nation. As a former mayor of City Westminster, I understand the profile impact of the case on our community. The legacy of Mendez versus Westminster must be celebrated, especially in the state where it all began.

I believe Latino community has played a key role in our state history, and it is important for all Californians to learn about the challenge faced by Mexican Americans in the fight for equality and civil rights.

AB 2294 serve as a reminder of importance of education and awareness in fostering a more inclusive society. To honoring Sylvia Mendez, we inspire future generation to continue the fight for equality and justice. I urge my colleagues to support AB 2294 in honor Sylvia Mendez and the legacy of Mendez versus Westminster. Let's ensure that California continue to be a beacon of progress and inclusion. Thank you so much.

And I respectfully ask for your aye vote and I have my witnesses.

Thank you. For that presentation, we have two lead witnesses, Yolanda Benson and Naomi Lujan Perez. So whoever wants to proceed first.

Mine's shorter. Sure. So I'll go first. Thank you. Welcome.

Good morning. My name is Yolanda Benson. I'm here today representing the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce. Very in very much strong support of AB 2294. We definitely wanna thank Assemblyman Ta for this bill for recognizing the historic significance of Mendez versus Westminster and California's leadership alongside Latino communities in laying the constitution constitutional and moral groundwork for ending school segregation in The United States.

California's Latino community has played a significant role in our state's history and the fact that this bill is also cost neutral is even better. Happy to celebrate the strides we have made as a state and as a nation and we respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Good morning chair and members. Thank you for the opportunity to testify in front of the Senate or a Governmental Organization Committee in support of AB 202294. My name is Noemilo Juan Perez and I am the executive director of State Government Relations of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Western Regional Office known as HACU.

Thank you. You may proceed.

Our association is in strong support of AB 2294. HACU was founded in 1986 and represents more than 600 Hispanic serving institutions nationwide including 179 here in California alone. These colleges and universities serve and support students from all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, reflecting the diversity of the communities they educate. AB 2294 provides California with an opportunity to recognize one of the most consequential civil rights victories in our nation's history.

And the family whose courage helped expand educational opportunities for generations of Americans.

In 1943, Sylvia Mendez, a nine year old Mexican American girl was denied access to a public school because of her ethnicity. Rather than accept this injustice, her parents, Gonzalo and Felicitas Mendez joined other families in challenging school segregation in California. Their efforts resulted in the landmark Mendez versus Westminster decision. On 04/14/1947, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the Mendez family.

Helping end school segregation in California, this ruling established an important legal foundation that would later influence the United States Supreme Court decision in Brown versus Board of Education.

Together these cases helped dismantle the doctrine of separate but equal and open the doors for public education of students of all races, backgrounds across the nation. The significance and victory goes beyond K through 12. Access to quality public schools created pathways to higher education, workforce participation and economic mobility for generations of students who would otherwise have been denied those opportunities. Today, there are 645 designated Hispanic serving institutions nationwide. And while these schools are defined by Latino student enrollment, they serve a broad cross section of America.

Collectively, HSI's enroll an estimated 70 to 85% of the nation's African American, Asian Pacific Islander, Native American, first generation and low income students overall. That reality reflects the very promise and purpose of educational desegregation. Expanding opportunity access students, for students of all backgrounds, races, ethnicities. The growth in Latino participation in higher education and the educational opportunities enjoyed today by students from all communities did not happen by accident. It was made possible in part by pioneers like Sylvia Mendez and her family.

Whose courage helped remove barriers to educational opportunity, creating a more inclusive educational system for future generations. AB 22 appropriately honors the legacy and recognizes the role played by California's bold leadership in advancing those civil rights, educational opportunity and equal access to education. By establishing Sylvia Mendez Day, California ensures that future generations understand the sacrifices made to create a more inclusive educational system and a stronger democracy for all. HACU respectfully urges your support for AB 2294. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Thank you. Thank you for that presentation. Now, I would like to invite anyone wishing to speak in support to come up, and state your name. Okay. Now I would like to invite anyone wishing to speak in opposition of the bill to come up.

Okay. Seeing no interest, I will now bring it back to the the committee. Vice chair, Suzette Valledares. Thank you, chair.

First of all, Assemblyman, thank you for bringing this bill forward. As chair, as co chair of the California Hispanic Legislative Caucus, it is a priority piece of legislation for our caucus. And I'm happy to move the bill when it's appropriate when we have a quorum. Sylvia Mendez's legacy is really a story of of resilience, of grit, and of courage. And what always strikes me is that she was only nine years old and the same age as as my own daughter, Charlotte.

When her family decided to take on this fight. And it's remarkable to think that a child so young would become part of a case that changed the course of history right here in California. And when Sylvia was denied admission to school, to a local school because of her her heritage, her Mexican heritage, her family refused to accept discrimination as normal. And through the Mendez versus Westminster, they helped end school segregation in California and laid really important groundwork for the broader civil rights movement.

And we are all proud of the Mendez family, of the legacy, and that it's a part of California's history.

And for our Hispanic caucus, her story is especially meaningful because it reflects the determination and the perseverance of so many Hispanic families who fought for opportunity, for fairness, and for a better future for their children. Which is why her legacy reminds us that one family, even one young girl can make a lasting difference for generations to come. And I would love to be a co author if you would have me. And again, thank you for bringing this this forward.

We really appreciate that, Senator. We really appreciate it.

Thank you, vice chair. Now, I'll turn it over to Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas.

Thank you, madam chair and good morning. And I wanna commend the author for bringing this forward. So important for us to understand our history. So important for us to understand the significance of ordinary people standing up and doing extraordinary things that changes the course of direction of a country, of our communities and of our state. And I think now more than ever, we're getting to an age, where some of these stories are not known.

Our children don't understand their own power and the power of their families and the sacrifices that families have made before them and the sacrifices that our families have to make today to ensure that we have a free democracy where families are respected, where our children get the education that they deserve. But more importantly, that we celebrate who they are.

And no matter where they come from, what they look like, the color of their skin, that they have an opportunity to make a difference and to live the life that they deserve here in the state of California. So I wanna thank you for bringing this forward and I'm happy to move the bill when the time is right.

Thank you for that. Now Senator Bob Archuleta.

Yeah. Thank you madam chair. And assemblyman, thank you for bringing this forward. The, the Mendez family, I'm sure all of them, are looking to California of what has happened. We are about to have a Mexican American governor.

There will be a race, there will be an election and the possibility of having a Mexican American governor has happened because of this history in that family. And and to all the veterans who have served here in California and many that I served with, never forgetting their roots, never forgetting their contribution to California. And we have educators throughout the state, Superintendents, teachers, principals.

So education that was once segregated now is so integrated that it's amazing what the Mexican American has contributed over the years and is now being recognized. And this will open up so many doors.

We can get this information to our children, our high schools, into our colleges. We've got to understand that segregation is terrible. No doubt. And when we integrate our thoughts and our hopes and our dreams together as one nation, one California, we we succeed. So I thank you.

We do appreciate that, Senator.

And I too would love to be a co author on the bill.

So thank you madam chair.

Yes. Thank you. Anybody else wishing to speak? See no interest. Thank you, assembly member Ta.

It's really, saddening to me to know that so many of our great, just iconic members of our community who fought so hard for the civil rights movement, you know, are getting older and we may not get to have them around enough to tell their stories. I had the privilege of, sitting around with, Sylvia for a little while and we, we got to talk. And it's just incredible how I think in today's generation.

There's still, you know, so many of us that are scared to to to challenge the system. But yet, you know, there she was a little girl back in in the days where it wasn't popular.

In fact, she was one of the first. And and so I wanna just commend her. I met her her sister as well and and what an incredible, legacy to to leave behind. I just wanna say thank you for bringing this forward as well. I would like to also add myself as a co author.

Really appreciate that.

Just, thank you for bringing it forward. You may close.

I really appreciate all the comment from Senator, and I want to thank the committee staff for working with my office for this bill and I really appreciate that we all want to celebrate legacy of the Mendez family. I want to thank my witnesses. They're amazing. I really want to I want to tell them they they really show all of us their passion about the bill and that really that really make a difference. But thank you so much and I respectfully ask your aye vote.

Thank you. I don't think we have a quorum yet. So we're gonna have to put this on on call. We wanna thank you for presenting and thank you to your witnesses for for coming to present.

We will now move on to item number six, also by Assembly Member Ta, AB 2412. I would like to invite your witnesses to come up to the front.

My witness is on the way, but I have my staff to answer all the technical, all the technical question, if I may.

They can sit up here. They want to sit up here. Is that okay?

I really appreciate that.

Okay.

Good morning, Chair and Members of the Committee. I, again, would like to thank the committee staff for their effort and their support. As state agency in recent years generated artificial intelligence to communicate with Californians, the public deserve to know when they are interacting with AI rather than a human being. Current law requires disclosure when AI is used in communication regarding government services and benefit.

AB 2412 extend this transparency requirement to general public announcement. This bill does not prohibit agency from using AI. It simply require disclosure and provide the public with information on how to contact a human employee when needed. Government transparency is really important to maintain public trust. And I'm happy to introduce Matty Hyatt with California Civil Liberties to testify on my bill.

Yeah. Good morning. I won't, you know, I forgot to express it earlier today, but there will be time limits on presentations. You'll have three minutes to present. You may proceed.

Is it on or off? Oh, there we go. Good morning, Chair and Members. Yeah. Just running, literally running to the capitol. I was stuck in traffic this morning. So yeah, my name is Matty Hyatt. And on behalf of the California Civil Liberties Advocacy, we are in strong support of AB 2412. We feel the bill is simple, practical, and important.

When the state of California uses generative artificial intelligence to communicate with the public, the public should just simply be told that and should be given a clear way to reach a human employee. Government speech is very different from private speech. When a state agency issues a public announcement, sends guidance, posts information online, or communicates with Californians about programs, rights, rules, benefits, or responsibilities, people rely on that information.

They assume that it carries the judgment and accountability of a public agency. AB 2412 doesn't ban AI and it doesn't punish innovation. It does not tell agencies that they can't use this technology to work more efficiently. It simply says to be transparent and keep a human point of contact available.

We feel this matters for civil liberties, due process, and public trust. AI generated communications can be wrong, they can be incomplete, they can be confusing, and overly generic. And people most likely to be harmed by unclear government communications are often the people that are least able to navigate an automated system.

People like seniors, people with disabilities, working families, people with English as a second language, and people that are just simply trying to access public services that are under a lot of stress. Transparency is not anti technology. Transparency is what makes responsible technology possible. For these reasons, we respectfully support AB 2412 and ask for your aye vote.

Thank you. And that was your witness. Correct? Okay. So now I'd like to invite anyone in the audience wishing to speak in support of the bill to come up. State your name and your organization. Seeing none. I would like to invite anyone wishing to speak in opposition to please join us. Anybody from the audience wishing to speak against the bill?

Welcome to come up. Okay. Everyone's very collaborative this morning. So I will now bring it back to our Committee Members. Anybody wishing to speak on this bill? Alrighty. So thank you so much for this bill. I know that there is a Member that had concerns about state agencies being able to do this.

But, you know, for clarification, there was already a bill, SB 869 by Senator Dodd, that already put this in motion and already gives the state the ability to, state agencies to do this. So I cannot vote since we don't have a quorum. We're gonna have to leave your bill open for... We're just gonna leave it up for a call. Thank you so much. Oh, I'm so sorry. You may close.

Oh, I really thank you for your support and might be really, really simple if the government agency employee using AI, any form of AI. So I believe that the public, they deserve to know. So that category is really simple. Other than that, I think that the agency, I think they have their authority to control their communication. And I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you. Thank you so much. Again, as we mentioned, we don't have a quorum, so we're gonna have to put the bill on call. And thank you for your testimony. We're going to go in order. I think I see Mr. Rogers up there. You wanna come up here and invite your witnesses to join us. Thank you, gentlemen. We will now move over to item number nine, AB 2663 by Assembly Member Rogers. And when you're ready, you may proceed.

Yeah. Absolutely. Good morning, everybody. AB 2663 is a simple sunset extension. And we will accept the chair's amendments to the bill as well.

During the pandemic, we had to get creative on how we supported our restaurants and our our community that was really struggling. This legislature passed a law to allow for cocktails to go with control and with parameters built around it as a way to try to bolster a struggling industry. This bill would extend that sunset. It actually is set to expire at the end of this year.

So we have an urgency clause that is also in it to allow simply for, New Year's Eve to be included as opposed to waiting for the bill to kick in the next day for restaurant tours as well.

With me to present on the importance of the bill is Matt Sutton, who's the senior vice president for government affairs for the California Restaurant Association. And Juan Barajas who's a restaurant owner of Savory Cafe.

You'll have two minutes to present each. You may proceed when you're ready.

Thank you, madam chair and member. Thank you madam chair and members. Matt Sutton with the California Restaurant Association. We are here in support of the bill. And I think the best part about this policy proposal is it's been renewed a number of times.

That it's had a chance to act as effectively a pilot project. It's been successful by every measure. It's got this public safety safeguards in terms of the limitations on how alcoholic beverages can be transported from a restaurant. And how they can be exchanged in terms of the packaging to secure the alcoholic beverages. And again, this is an option for restaurant tours.

And many have taken advantage of it. And many more would like to. And without an extension, this goes away. And then the other thing that I would just mention that we continue to notice is hugely changed consumer preferences and expectations from the pandemic. And so in some sense, we're basically continuing to to serve those expectations from our guests.

So with that, I'll turn it over to mister Juan Barajas from Savory Cafe to say a few words about his experience with this law. Thank you.

Thank you, Matt. Thank you. Assemblymember Rogers and Madam Chair, members. Just wanted to be here. First, my name is Juan Barajas.

We've been in business for about twenty five years. We operate Savory Cafe. And throughout the last few years, we have seen the effect both COVID, and we still see some of those trends happening right now. Right? So it's it almost seems like it's the restaurant industry has not been the same.

But we're here today just to talk a little briefly about AB 2663 and extending the to go beverages and also the impact that that has had in our businesses as an operational basis increasing rising cost of goods, labor and so on. Having items have a smaller margins or larger margins to as an value added when we are consumed for meals has been extremely helpful through our operation. We are a very small independent restaurant scaling it at a California level.

That can really benefit where you have an option in the buy in by continuing continuing AB 2663. And that is why we are in very strong support.

As Matt mentioned also, it's economic stability of our some of our restaurants with a smaller margins. We have also seen the consumer habits that have changed throughout where we have have seen different ways in which restaurants are now even remodeling some of their kitchens to offer that to go business. But having that option to to go with the alcoholic beverages, if restaurants prefer, we will highly support for that for that to to happen. That is why we're in strong support of doing 663.

We are sure to vote yes on that.

Thank you.

Good morning, chair and members. Naomi Padron on behalf of the Distilled Spirits Council. We support the bill. Thanks. Thank you.

Thank you for that presentation. And now, I would like to invite anyone in the audience wishing to speak in support of this bill to please join us. State your name and, your organization.

Good morning, madam chair, members. Madison Dwelley with political solutions on behalf of the California Travel Association, and the Family Winemakers of California. Thank you.

Thank you. Anyone else wishing to speak in support? Seeing none, I would like to invite no, any witnesses in opposition to please come up to the front. Anyone in the audience wishing to speak to state your name and your position? I see no interest.

We're gonna bring it back to the members. Any members wishing to speak on this item? Okay. Okay. Senator Lola Smallwood Cuevas moves the bill.

I I just wanna thank you for this. I know it's important to support our small businesses. We know that they're struggling. And, this came out of the pandemic, which we know our small businesses were really in a difficult situation. So so I'm glad that this will take you over all the the FIFA and the Olympics and and see what what happens after that.

See if it's necessary to continue this. And with that, Senator Smallwood Cuevas moves the bill. Madam, do we have enough?

We don't have enough.

Oh, we're still one short of that quorum. So thank you for that presentation. We're just gonna hold off and put that on call. And, thank you for your presentation, gentlemen. We will now move on to. Let's see.

We don't have enough.

Any other I see Assemblymember Addis in the front. We will now move over to item number 10, AB 2731, by Assemblymember Addis. I'd like to invite our our witnesses to come to the front. And when you're ready, you may proceed.

Thank you so much madam chair and members. I'm here to present AB 2731 that would expand the number of type 47 alcohol licenses available just in Santa Cruz County to account for disparities in population across the county. I'm going to let my witness talk about why this is needed. But the gist is that six of the licenses, there would be 12 licenses total. Six would be reserved for the city of Watsonville.

The other six would be reserved for cities in Southern San Luis Obispo County, such as where I represent, the area of Aptos. Five of the licenses could be issued in a calendar year until the limit of 12 is met. And the licenses could not be resold, for more than their original purpose, purchase price. So we would be preventing price spikes in the secondary market that have become such a problem for those that are trying to acquire the licenses.

Joining me to testify in support is Jean Hurst representing the County Of Santa Cruz who can tell you a little more about boots on the ground there.

Thank you. You'll have also two minutes to present. Thank you.

Thank you, madam chair and members. I'm Jean Hurst here today on behalf of the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors of proud cosponsor of AB 2731. We are here today to respectfully request your aye vote on the bill which would authorize the ABC to issue an additional 12 licenses to entities within the county.

As assembly member Addis mentioned, six licenses would be issued to entities within the city of Watsonville, while the remaining six would be issued to entities within the communities of Aptos, Capitola, Live Oak, Soquel, and the other remaining unincorporated communities. The board has supported this effort to assist small businesses seeking to locate in these parts of the county as well as to advance equitable economic development opportunities for these communities.

Santa Cruz County, as you can imagine, a tourist destination has reached its population based cap on general liquor licenses as of 06/30/2025. And as a result, no new businesses can apply for or obtain a license locally under current law. Business seeking to preserve spirits must therefore purchase an existing license on the secondary market where inflated costs create significant barriers for small and locally owned establishments.

Tourism is the county's leading industry and as a result, we are seeking to support local businesses that help sustain our status as a must see California destination. We greatly appreciate Assemblymember Addis' leadership on this important measure and respectfully request your aye vote this morning on behalf of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Cruz.

Thank you. And I apologize to have to interrupt the presentation. We just, I think we have enough for a quorum. So it's we're gonna establish a quorum. Madam secretary, please call the roll.

Thank you.

Rubio?

Rubio present. Valladares?

Present.

Valadares here. Alvarado-Gil, Archuleta?

Here.

Here.

Archuleta here.

Ashby? Blakespear?

Blakespear here. Cervantes? Dahle?

Here.

Here.

Here.

Dahle here. Hurtado? Ochoa Bogh.

Here.

Here.

Ochoa Bogh, here. Padilla. Richardson?

Richardson here. Smallwood-Cuevas?

Here.

Smallwood-Cuevas, here. Wahab. Weber Pierson?

Weber Pierson, here.

We have established a quorum. So we're going to continue thank you for that presentation. I will now invite any, member wishing to speak in opposition of the bill to please come up. Any main witnesses in opposition? Anyone wishing to speak in support of the bill? I think I skipped that. So you may proceed.

Please just state your name and.

Good morning. Madam Chair, Senator Laurie Johnson on behalf of the City Of Watsonville, we wanna thank the author and Santa Cruz County and we urge your aye vote. Thank you.

Thank you.

Good morning. Again, Madison Dwelley on behalf of the Family Winemakers in support.

Thank you. Now, anybody wishing to speak in opposition, please come up. Okay. Seeing no interest. Anyone on any member of this dais wishing to speak on behalf of this bill.

Okay. So you know interest. I just wanna say thank you. I know that I just wanna highlight that this is important because I I understand this is meant to to boost those areas that are needing this economic boost. So so it is for underserved communities with, that'll allow for, not only, restaurants and activity, but also jobs, I suppose.

And I hope that this works out well. And with that, would you like to close?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I respectfully ask for you aye vote.

Thank you. Please call the roll. Item 10. Senator. Oh, is there a motion to move this bill forward?

Move the bill.

Moved by Senator Richardson.

Item 10 AB 2731. Motion is do pass to Appropriations Committee. Rubio.

Aye.

Rubio, aye.

Valladares.

Valladares, aye. Alvarado Gil. Archuleta.

Aye.

Archuleta, aye. Ashby. Blakespear.

Aye.

Aye.

Dahle, aye.

Blakespear, aye. Cervantes. Dahle.

Aye.

Aye.

Hurtado. Ochoa Bogh.

Ochoa Bogh. Aye.

Aye.

Smallwood-Cuevas, aye. Wahab. Weber Pierson?

Richardson, aye. Smallwood-Cuevas?

Weber Pierson, aye.

Padilla. Richardson?

Aye.

Aye.

Thank you and we'll leave that open for members that are absent. Thank you for that presentation, and before we move forward to another bill presentation, I don't see mister Alverez is here. We're gonna, make sure that we do the consent calendar. Please.

Motion.

Motion by, Senator Archuleta.

The following items are on consent. File item number one, AB 1245 by Assembly Member Stefani. File item number two, AB 1982 by Assembly Member Lowenthal. File item number three, AB 2006 by Michelle Rodriguez. File item number four, AB 2173 by Assembly Member Wallis. File item number seven, AB 2455 by Assembly Member Haney. File item number eight, AB 2539 by Assembly Member Ramos. Please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

We don't see the Assembly Member Alvarez. If someone can reach out. See if we can get him to come. But in the meantime, I'm gonna lift the calls on the items placed on call. We will begin with item... Okay. So we have a motion on item number six, AB 2412 by Assembly Member Ta. Madam Secretary, please call the roll. Oh, I'm sorry. Item number five, AB 2294 by Assembly Member Ta. Madam Secretary, please call the roll.

Motion is do pass to the floor. [Roll Call]

We'll continue to leave that item on call. We will now move over to item number 9. 6. Sorry. 6, AB 2412 by Assembly Member Ta. Madam Secretary, please call the roll.

Motion is do pass your Privacy Committee. [Roll Call]

We will continue to leave that item open. I believe everyone here has voted on all items except nine. We're gonna lift the call number, item nine for item, for Members that just arrived. Item number 9, AB 2663. Moved by Senator Valladares. Madam Secretary, please call the roll.

Motion is do pass as amended to Appropriations Committee. [Roll Call]

That bill has 10-0. We'll leave it open for absent Members. We're still waiting on Assembly Member Alvarez. Three minutes. We're gonna take a brief, a brief pause until he gets here.

We're back from break.

We are giving Assemblymember Alvarez a few more minutes.

If not, we're gonna have Senator Akilah Weber present that bill for him. So, two more minutes.

We like to invite Assemblymember Alvarez to join us, to present item 11 AB 2751. We wanna invite your witnesses to come up and present. House none.

Whenever you're ready, you may proceed. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam chair. And thank you to the rest of the committee. Appreciate you all for giving me opportunity to just speak on 2751, which establishes parity for travelers entry in California from outside The United States by standardizing the personal importation limit of alcoholic beverages to 6 liters every 31 days. The current limit is for 1 liter per 31 days for Californians and up to six cases for non Californians as your analysis states.

Right now, if you fly home from a trip abroad or if you come through a seaport, state law allows you to bring back a reasonable amount of alcohol for your own consumption to share with family and friends.

However, if you drive or walk across into my district at the San Ysidro or the Otay Mesa Port Of Entry, you are actually allowed to bring in only one liter as I said, much less than what is allowed by those who fly home or who come through a seaport of entry.

AB 2751 corrects that inconsistency by establishing a clear standard as I said, traveling by land, you could now cross into The US through our ports of entry, bringing in 6 liters every 31 days. This change reflects what thousands of of border community residents, and we have a 175,000 people across the border every single day. Majority of them to work, but some to visit our region.

This allows them to return from a family weekend trip in Baja with a bottle to share with their family.

This is particularly important for strengthening our relationship and exchange with, Mexico. The Guadalupe Valley, which is the wine region in Baja California, which is only about an hour and a half away from the border from my district, is Baja California's culinary scene where major attraction of to major a major attraction of tourists from California and other parts but a lot of Californians, particularly Southern Californians who would go there.

AB 2751 ensures that a California returning from that weekend went tasting trip to Baja can reasonably bring back a few bottles without facing confusing, more restrictive rules at the land border simply because they drove instead of flying across the border. So we don't have any witnesses but have to answer any questions. Thank you very much.

Just wanna invite anyone wishing to speak in support to state your name, organization. Seeing none, we'll invite opposition to state their name in opposition. Seeing none, we have the bill that's been moved by Senator Villadares. I'm sorry. Anybody else on the vice wishing to speak on this bill?

Okay. With that, would you like to close?

Thank you very much. Appreciate your help in closing this loophole to be able to create some parity for our border crossers down in South California. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Madam secretary, please call the roll.

Item 11, motion is do passed to Appropriations Committee. Rubio?

Aye.

Rubio, aye. Valladares?

Aye.

Valladares, aye. Alvarado-Gil? Archuleta?

Aye.

Archuleta, aye. Ashby? Blakespear?

Aye.

Blakespear, aye. Cervantes? Dahle?

Aye.

Dahle, aye. Hurtado? Ochoa Bogh?

Aye.

Ochoa Bogh, aye. Padilla? Richardson?

Aye.

Richardson, aye. Smallwood Cuevas? Wahab?

Aye.

Wahab, aye. Weber Pierson?

Aye.

Weber Pierson, aye. We 'll hold it open.

We will hold that open for absent members. We're just making an announcement. We're gonna be lifting calls for those absent members. We have several members don't adhere.

Senator Ashby, Senator Cervantes, Senator Padilla.

Smallwood. Miss Akilah

And Senator Smallwood Cuevas. I think she voted on most of them, but we will be lifting calls. We're gonna do one round for those that are already here.

We'll be lifting calls on the consent calendar. Madam secretary, please call the roll.

Absent members, Ashby? Cervantes? Padilla? Wahab?

Aye.

Wahab, aye.

Okay. We'll leave that open

We will now move over to item number

Item number 10, AB 2731 by Assemblymember Addis, Madam Secretary, please call the roll.

Absent members, Ashby? Cervantes? Padilla? Wahab?

Aye.

Wahab, aye. 10-0. We'll still hold it open.

10-0, that will remain on call. I believe we have voted on most items. We're gonna move now to item number, 11. AB 2751 by Assemblymember Alvarez.

Madam secretary, please call the roll.

Absent members, Ashby? Cervantes? Padilla? Small Cuevas?

Aye.

Small Cuevas, aye. 10-0. Still for that open.

Padilla? Padilla, aye. That's 11-0 on that, still hold it open.

That that will remain open. On call for absent members. I wanna invite all the absent members to to join us. We are done. We have concluded the the item.

So we will take a brief pause to allow members to to join us.

We're looking for Ashby and Cervantes. Padilla had just walked in.

Hello, everyone. We are back. We're gonna lift calls for the members that just joined us. We're gonna start with consent calendar.

Madam secretary, please call the roll.

Absent members, Ashby? Cervantes?

Oh. Consent.

Padilla?

Aye.

Padilla, aye. Cervantes?

Aye.

Cervantes, aye. Okay.

We'll keep that open on call. We're gonna move over to file item number five, AB 2294 by Assemblymember Ta. Madam secretary?

Absent members Ashby? Cervantes?

Aye.

Cervantes, aye. Padilla? Padilla, aye.

Leaving that open for absent members, file item number six, AB 2412 by Assemblymember Ta.

Absent members, Ashby? Cervantes?

Aye.

Cervantes, aye. Padilla?

Aye.

Padilla, aye.

Leaving that open, on call, file item number nine AB 2663 by Assembly member Rogers. Madam secretary?

Absent members Ashby? Cervantes?

Aye.

Cervantes, aye. Padilla?

Aye.

Padilla, aye.

We'll leave that open. File item number 10 AB 2731 by Assembly Member Addis. Absent members Ashby? Cervantes?

Aye.

Cervantes, aye. Padilla?

Aye.

Padilla, aye.

Moving over to file item number 11, AB 2751 by Assemblymember Alvarez.

Absent members Cervantes?

Aye.

Cervantes, aye. Ashby?

We are going to leave that open for absent members. We'll pause for a brief moment to ensure that we give her enough time to arrive.

We are ready to resume. We have our absent member who has joined us.

We're gonna start with the consent calendar. Madam secretary, please call the roll.

Ashby?

Here.

Oh. The other one.

Aye.

Ashby, aye. That's 13-0. That's out.

13-0. That bill is out. We will be moving over to item number five, AB 2294 by Assembly member Ta.

Ashby?

Aye.

Ashby, Aye. 13-0 that's out.

That bill has 13-0. It is out. Moving over to item number six, AB 2412 by Assemblymember Ta.

Ashby?

Aye.

Ashby, aye. That's 12-1.

That bill is 12-1. We will be moving over to item number nine, AB 2663 by Assemblymember Rogers.

Aye.

Ashby?

Ashby, aye. 13-0, it's out.

That bill is 13-0. That is out. Moving over to item number 10, AB 2731 by Assemblymember Addis.

Ashby?

Ashby, aye. 13-0.

Aye.

That bill is 13-0. It is out. Moving item to Moving over to item 11, AB 2751 by Assemblymember Alvarez.

Ashby?

Aye.

Ashby, aye. That is 13-0.

That bill is 13-0, I believe. We have everyone. Thank you, for those that have joined us and those that are watching at home. And this meeting is adjourned.