Senate Floor

The Senate will come to order. Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

A quorum is present. Would the Members and our guests be on the rail and in the gallery please rise? We will be led in prayer this afternoon by our guest chaplain, Chaplain Sharondalyn DuPree, after which please remain standing for the pledge of allegiance to the flag.

I invite you to join me each in your own way as we enter a moment of prayer or mindful presence. Creator, source, hope. We pause in this moment to give thanks for the privilege and responsibility of service. We recognize that leadership is more than a position, it is a calling. A calling to listen before speaking, to seek understanding.

Today, we pause to consider the responsibilities carried by those who serve in this chamber. May each leader embrace wisdom and new knowledge or revelations for difficult decisions. May they embrace courage when the way forward is not so clear. As they deliberate, may they remember that every seat in this chamber represents a tapestry of voices woven from different communities, experiences, and perspectives.

Finally, as we reflect on this month and today's recognition of our LGBTQ plus communities, may their stories and contributions be among the many threads that strengthen our common fabric and the future that we are called to build together.

Shalom. May it be so and amen.

Please join in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag. Members, without objection, Senate rule 55 will be suspended to allow guests on the floor for today's floor session. Proceeding to privileges of the floor. Members, please welcome Michelle Blake, Senator Blakespear's stepmother, who's visiting us from Portland, Oregon and is currently in the gallery with family.

Welcome to Senator Blakespear's guest. Continuing under privileges of the floor, Senator Wahab.

Alright. Colleagues, I'm excited to introduce the 2026 APICA fellowship cohort. APICA stands for the Asian Pacific Islander Capital Association. It's a non profit five zero one c three organization of legislative staffers, advocates, and other professionals based here in Sacramento. Apica's mission is to promote the success of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Southwest Asian and North African members of the capital community through professional development opportunities and community events.

A key part of this effort is the summer fellowship program, a ten week paid fellowship that places participants in legislative offices and provides weekly seminars and professional development opportunities. Since 2015, the PICA fellowship has hosted over 50 interns and fellows. Joining us on the floor are members of the twenty twenty six fellowship cohort. I'm gonna read their names. Alexia Vu, Dashiell Nakahata, Bryce Trevino, Sabrina Avenido, Jake Chang, and Marissa Duterte.

Members, please join me in giving them a warm welcome to the California State Senate. Thank you.

Thank you. Welcome to the APECO Fellows.

Right. Continuing under privileges of the floor. Senator Alvarado-Gil at the Majority Leader's desk.

Thank you, Mr. President. Let's see here.

Thank you. Today, I'm honoring the El Dorado Rose Corporation, which is a historic society of women from El Dorado County. This year marks their fiftieth anniversary of the El Dorado Rose program, a cherished tradition that celebrates the women who have dedicated their lives to serving the communities of El Dorado County. This was established in 1976. The program recognizes women ages 60 and older who volunteer, lead, and commit to having helped honor the history of the region for

generations. For five decades, the El Dorado Roses have celebrated the value that defines our state, service, civic engagement, and pride in our local history. Through events such as the El Dorado Rose Bowl, I'm sorry, El Dorado Rose Ball and the El Dorado Rose Pageant, they not only recognize outstanding women, but also preserve the rich heritage of the Gold Rush and bring residents together in celebration. Now, you'll often see our roses, arm in arm with the thorns, which we lovingly, name their plus ones.

Today, we also recognize this year's remarkable volunteers whose dedication and service embody the spirit of El Dorado Rose program.

On the floor with us today, join me in welcoming Claudia Bethke, Gail Butler, Coco DeCarlo, Jane Ferguson, Ellen Fisher, Sandra Hand, Diane Lear, Mary Meter, Sherry Phillipson, Kim Richwine, Pan Henderson, and Nancy Elrick. Through their volunteer efforts, they have helped strengthen their communities and improve the lives of those around them. These women recognized through the program have devoted countless hours to improving the lives of others, and the Eldorado roses have ensured that their contributions are acknowledged and remembered.

As the organization celebrates this important milestone, it continues to foster community spirit and honor those whose selfless service has made El Dorado County and California a better place to live, work, and raise a family. So today, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Eldorado roses on their fiftieth anniversary, recognizing its enduring contributions to people and communities of Eldorado County.

Thank you.

Welcome to the El Dorado Rose Corporation. Right. Continuing with the privileges of the floor, at the Majority Leader's desk, Senator Ochoa Bogh. Senator Ochoa Bogh, you're recognized.

Good afternoon, and thank you, Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen of the Senate. I rise today to recognize doctor Richard Hart as he retires from Loma Linda University Health after an extraordinary career of service. Doctor Hart has given fifty four years of his life to Loma Linda, including eighteen years as president, and his impact has been far felt and wide in our region.

Not only has he been a visionary leader of the institution, but he has also understands that health care is ultimately about people, families, and communities. Under his leadership, Loma Linda grew in ways that strengthened education, expanded access to care, and furthered investments in the well-being of the Inland Empire and beyond.

Doctor Hart has served with compassion, faith, and a genuine commitment to helping others live healthier lives. We thank him for a lifetime of dedication and wish him the very best in a happy, healthy, and a well deserved retirement. I would also like to welcome doctor Anthony Hillier, who will be stepping into his this important role. He brings strong leadership and a deep understanding of Loma Linda University's health mission, and we look forward to the future under his guidance. Congratulations to both of you.

Colleagues, please join me in giving a warm Senate welcome to doctor Richard Hart and doctor Anthony Hilliard.

Alright. Thank you, Senator Ochoa Bogh. We understand that, doctor Hart is still in the Assembly. We'll be we will take a moment to note his arrival when he does enter our chambers as well. Thank you.

Alright. Proceeding with business on the daily file, messages from the governor will be deemed read. Messages from the Assembly will be deemed read. Reports of committees will be deemed read and adopted. Next, we'll proceed to motions, resolutions, and notices.

First, without objection, the Senate journals for 06/15/2026 through 06/08/2026 will be approved as completed by the minute clerk. And pursuant to Senate rule Senate rule 29.1 c, the following bill is referred to the committee on rules file item 53 AB 736. Alright. Proceeding with consideration of the daily file, second reading file. Secretary, please read.

Assembly Bill a 71, 1842, 1847, 2116, 1278, 1906, 2756.

Second reading items will be deemed read. We'll proceed to Godmerner's appointments. Item 16, Senator Reyes for presentation of governor's appointments.

Thank you, Mr. President and Members. File item 16 is the confirmation of Santa Barbara County supervisor, Laura Capps, for appointment to the Board of State and Community Corrections. She joined BSCC in January and is serving in the board's position for a county supervisor. She was approved by the rules committee on June 3. I respectfully request an Aye vote.

Seeing no Members of the Senate wishing to be recognized, secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Call the absent Members.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 27, Noes 9. The appointment is confirmed. File item 17 continue with governor's appointments. Senator Reyes.

Thank you, Mr. President and Members. File item number 17 is the confirmation of

Senator Reyes, just a moment. Members, we have a lot of guests on on the floor and in the gallery today, And so if you would please take your conversations to the rear of the chambers or outside. And for our guests, please do not have conversations on in the floor or in the gallery so that we can proceed with our business. Senator Ray, sorry for the interruption. Please proceed.

Thank you, Mister president. Members, file item 17 is a confirmation of Danielle Munoz for reappointment to the board of barbering and cosmetology. She was first appointed in 2022 and is currently the board's vice president. She is the executive director of student care and basic needs at Long Beach State University. The rules committee approved her reappointment on June 3 on a five o vote.

I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Seeing no senators desiring to be recognized, secretary, please call the roll on the appointment.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 28, No 0. The appointment is confirmed. Alright. Returning the Members for privileges to the floor, we're we'll now, ask Senator Reyes to do an introduction.

Thank you, Mr. President. To Members of the Senate, it is my pleasure to introduce Shrey Parikh, the 2026 champion of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Since 1925, children across America have participated in the National Spelling Bee, a historical and academically grueling competition that inspires lifelong curiosity, celebrates their achievements, and enriches communities. This year, 247 spellers from every state were buzzing to arrive at Dar Constitutional Hall in Washington DC for b week. For these students, complex vocabulary is transformed into electrifying entertainment.

At only 14, our Inland Empire native from Rancho Cucamonga not only took home the Scripps Cup trophy, but broke a b record by correctly spelling 32 words in ninety seconds for the spell off. And as a coincidence, Shrey was the number 29 in the competition, the same number as a Senate district that represents him. Buzzing through words like Harabedian, Campernel, and Monadnik. I may have put the accent marks in the wrong place, but that's just the way I'm saying them. His winning word was bromocriptine.

No, I'm not gonna put it in a sentence, but he will. Which is a compound that mimics the activity of as dopamine of dopamine in the brain. His tenacity and perseverance led him to this moment, as this was Shrey's third time in the competition, making this victory sweeter than honey. Shrey said it best. Trying is the best thing you can do, and it's the most important thing you can do.

He is joined here today by his parents, Kayati and Gaurav, and siblings Yash and Arya, who have supported him through every letter and every word. We are also proud of this bright young man for representing the Inland Empire so well and being a testament to dedication and hard work. Please help me welcome Shrey Parikh.

Yep. Welcome to Chey Parikh. Any other Members that would wish to join in the photo of Mister Parikh? Please move to the rear of the chambers.

Alright, Members.

Proceed proceeding with consideration of the daily file, we'll now turn to Senate third reading, beginning with file item 41, SCR 116. Senator Cervantes is ready and at the Majority Leader's desk. Secretary, please read.

Senator Resolution 116 by Senator Cervantes relative to Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer LGBTQ plus Pride Month.

Members, please give the Vice Chair of the LGBTQ caucus your full attention for presentation of the pride honorees following debate on the resolution. Senator Cervantes.

Thank you, Mr. President. I rise today as Vice Chair of the LGBTQ caucus to present SR 116, which recognizes June 2026 as LGBTQ plus pride month. The galvanizing force of the Stonewall Inn uprising on 06/28/1969 ignited a liberation movement, a call to action that continues to inspire us to fulfill our nation's promise of equality, liberty, and justice for all. We celebrate pride in June to honor that uprising and to remind ourselves that the first pride was an uprising.

The LGBTQ plus community, like so many other minority communities, has had to fight for every single inch of progress over the decades.

Now, we are fighting to hold onto that progress. While there is no doubt that there is still a difficult time for our community, we learned a long time ago that how to keep our progress and our movement sustainable. It is done by investing in joy, leaning into love, and surrounding yourself with those who see you for who you are. This critical lesson is embodied in our ballroom theme this year.

When I talk about ballroom for many members on this floor, that may bring to mind classical music or the waltz.

But for the LGBTQ plus community, it carries with it an entirely different meaning and significance. Ballroom, as we know it historically in our community, started as drag balls in the night in the eighteen eighties, when William Dorsey Swan, the first person known to describe themselves as a drag queen, hosted secret balls in Washington DC known as House Swan. Swan himself and the majority of attendees were formerly enslaved black men. The intersection of their black and LGBTQ plus identities made them frequent targets of the police.

But the balls continued and began to grow in popularity in the black LGBTQ plus community.

By the early nineteen hundreds, Harlem, New York had become the epicenter for drag ball culture. Writer Langston Hughes described his experience at a New York drag ball in the nineteen twenties as the strangest and godiest of all Harlem spectacles. Space where primary black and brown people could come together and live their life out loud. In the nineteen sixties, these drag balls had become white dominated and exclusive. Black and brown performers faced racism, discrimination, and were rarely awarded the prizes they deserved.

This led to the creation of House Ballroom created by black LGBTQ plus performers to reclaim part of their culture and assert themselves in a world seeking to erase them. In this ballroom's place, black and Latino drag performers formed houses led by their mothers. This created a culture of family and support within the houses, giving rise to a space where black and brown performers could achieve glory, find surrogate families, and fill a sense of belonging.

Today, House Ballroom is internationally known, showcased to mainstream audiences through shows like Pose and Legendary. Today, we honor the legacy of legendary members of the ballroom community, like Willie Ninja, Hector and Angie Extravaganza, and Crystal La Bella La Bella.

As our community faces daily assaults from the highest office of the United States government that seeks to roll back our rights and push us back into the closet, today we take pride in the joy we create with one another. Today, we take pride in the families we have chosen and built. And today, we take pride in our honorees who continue to move our community forward to a better and more equitable world. I strongly urge an aye vote on SR 116.

Senator doctor Weber Pierson.

Thank you, Mr. President. I rise today as Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus in support of SR 116. Let us start with the truth that we all know to be true. We don't live in single issue lives. From the very beginning, the fight for civil rights and the fight for LGBTQ plus equality have been shared the exact same heartbeat.

You cannot tell the story of modern pride without the architects of color. Pride is a celebration, yes, but it is deeply rooted in a legacy of rebellion led by black and brown bodies. It was the fierce spirit of black trans women like Marsha p Johnson that helped spark the riots at Stonewall. It was the brilliant behind the scenes organizing of openly gay black men like Bayard Rustin that built the foundations for the march on Washington.

For generations, black members of the LGBTQ plus community have had to navigate the heavy intersections of race and sexuality.

Yet even when the mainstream movement tried to keep them in the shadows, black queer people found a way to lead, to love, to organize. Icons like Audre Lorde and James Baldwin who reminded us that one's identity is not a burden but an undeniable magic. Today, as we look around at the progress that has been made, we must also recognize the work that remains.

True pride demands that we dismantle all systems of oppression, not just the ones that target the ones we love, but also the systemic racism that threatens our very lives. Let us honor them not just by celebrating our joy for this month, but also showing up for one another year round.

Let us be a community that ensures that every black, brown, and queer voice is valued, protected, and heard. And on behalf of the California Legislative Black Caucus, I respectfully ask for an aye vote on SR 116. Thank you.

Senator Becker.

Thank you, Mr. President. I rise today as Vice Chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus in support of SR 116. Thank the Center from Inland Empire for introducing this resolution. Pride Month is a celebration of identity and the fundamental right of every person to live openly and authentically. I've been incredibly fortunate to represent a vibrant LGBTQ plus community in Senate District 13.

I just was at Mountain View Pride this weekend. We had Palo Alto Pride weekend before. A lot of fun celebrations. Born out of resistance against injustice, Pride has become a celebration of the countless LGBTQ plus individuals who enriched our culture and made our communities more vibrant and inclusive. It's also remained a defiant check against cruelty, discrimination of those most marginalized.

Very simple truth that every person deserves to be seen, respected, and valued for who they are. These are our neighbors, friends, family members, and colleagues. They represent every sector of our society. That represent every sector of our society. And Jewish Americans have been part of the LGBTQ plus story all along.

We all know the story of Harvey Milk. I would mention a couple other stories, today. Edith Windsor, the plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court case that paved the way for marriage equality nationwide. Robert Bernardo, the first openly gay Jewish Filipino commissioner in the city of South San Francisco whose identity framed his alliance building mentality. And many more that I could mention, but I will save for future celebrations.

I recently had the honor of emceeing the annual Drag Purim celebration that we've done here in the capital last few years. Super fun, joyful event hosted jointly between the Jewish caucus and the LGBTQ caucuses. Not only fun and lively, it's demonstrated that communities coming together makes us stronger. Pride is also a time where we see that our work towards full equality is not finished. Recently, several transgender young people in my district have tragically taken their own lives after incredible struggles.

There are far too many who are still facing rejection, isolation, bullying, discrimination, violence for living their true lives. And that's why pride matters. That's why visibility matters. And that's why every young person deserves to know they are valued, that they belong, and they know that we stand besides them. Our Jewish teacher tradition teaches us tzedek tzedek turedoff, Justice, Justice, how you pursue.

And that is what pride represents. And that is why California must continue to be a beacon of hope and a place of equality inclusion. So on behalf of the Jewish caucus and the community, I'm proud to stand with our allies, to celebrate this pride month and respectfully urgent aye vote on s SR 116. Thank you.

Senator Menjivar.

Thank you, Mr. President. We celebrate June as pride month in memory of a turning point in the fight for LGBTQ plus rights. And as vice Chair of the women's caucus, I rise in support of SCR 116 and to talk a little bit about the queer women in this history. Women have always been in such show in this fight, from the lavender scare of the nineteen fifties to the Stonewall uprising to the fight for marriage equality.

In fact, many of the LGBTQ plus first were achieved by women, and some of our colleagues here in the women's caucus can be included among them.

Assembly Member and Senator Sheila Kill was California's first openly gay state legislator. The first openly LGBTQ plus leader of this house was none other than previous pro Emeritus pro tem Tony Atkins. And as the Senator from Santa Cruz can recall, the three founding members of what was then the LGBT caucus were women, including our first chairs, then Senator Christine Kehoe. Lesbians have played a massive role during the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and the 1990s.

Groups like the Blood Sisters organized blood drives, while the broader Lesbian community provided direct medical care, advocacy, and social support to the gay men when societal rejection was high.

And when we turn to those who led the fight for equality and equity in sports, we think of lesbians Billie Jean King, who secured equal pay at the US Open and famously won the nineteen seventy three Battle of the Sexes to prove female athletic capability to the world. Federation. LGBTQ plus women and women allies have long fought the same battles for control of our own bodies, for workplace rights, for personal privacy, and more.

In fact, the reason why we wear pants is because a queer woman long time ago defied societal norms and started wearing jeans. Thank you because I cannot do skirts.

I'm proud to stand with the legislative women's caucus and our LGBT plus caucus colleagues in support of this resolution and respectfully ask for an Aye vote.

Senator Arreguin.

Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of the Latino Legislative Caucus, it's my honor to rise today in strong support of SR 116 relative to LGBTQ plus pride month. During pride month, we recognize the resilience and determination of the many individuals who have fought and continue to fight to simply live their lives freely and authentically. LGBTQ plus Latinos have been major contributors to The United States in everything from arts, social justice movements, and even politics, including members of this body.

From the famous Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo, to Jose Julio Sarria, the first openly gay candidate to run for public office in United States.

He ran for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1991 1961. LGBTQ Latinos have had a significant influence on US culture. Many contributions of LGBTQ plus individuals across our nation, and the Latino caucus reaffirms our commitment to fight against all forms of discrimination and injustice. This means standing with our friends and allies in

the face of increasing This means standing with our friends and allies in the face of increasing political and legal attacks by the Federal Government and other states. Too many hard fought legal advancements are now threatened, and it's incumbent on all of us to stand united. Stem the tragic spike in violence and hate against our transgender community and LGBTQ youth who are disproportionately at risk of self harm.

So as we celebrate LGBTQ pride month, we must all be vigilant and steadfast in our commitment to help end violence and discrimination against the LGBT community so that we can ensure a just and equitable America for all. With that, I would like to thank the author, the Senator from Riverside, and the legislative LGBTQ caucus for your leadership and work on this important resolution.

And colleagues, please join me in support of SR 116.

Senator Wahab.

Thank you. I rise today as the Vice Chair of the AAPI Legislative Caucus in strong support of SR 116, which recognizes pride month. Pride month began as a response to injustice and erasure, tracing back to June 1969 at the Stonewall Riots led by two trans women of color, Marsha Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. Today, Pride is a celebration of the progress that has been made in the fight for LGBTQ and civil rights.

Pride promotes the need for visibility and representation to demonstrate that there is a place for everyone at the table.

In a world that pressures people to conform to unrealistic standards, authenticity is powerful. I do wanna highlight that the Asian American community still has a long way to go to ensure that all community members feel accepted and seen. Specifically, I think it was mentioned on the floor earlier that there are a lot of young individuals that commit suicide because they are so afraid of the social stigma, and that is something that we all have to chip away at and work towards.

Every single person deserves to be respected, seen, and heard. And Pride Month is just a reminder for all of us to, again, respect everybody. I respectfully ask for an Aye vote. Thank you.

Senator Ochoa Bogh.

Thank you, Mr. President. Ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, I rise on Senate re Resolution 116 by my colleague from the Inland Empire. The theme for the Greater Palm Springs Pride Month this year is be included, and I stand by that sentiment. It is my hope that each and every one of you who is passionate about this resolution feels included. Your voice is important and your voice is needed.

Regardless of how you identify yourself, your ethnicity, your religion or any other qualifier, I care about each individual that I have had the opportunity to interact with. And most importantly, I think your content of your character is of most worthy. Notice, although today sexuality or identity is being highlighted, I want to thank all of my local LGBT elected officials, residents, family members, friends and youth who have had who have come to know in my district, whose kindness, thoughtfulness, creativity, work ethic and professionalism are all commendable.

And are qualities in which, in my opinion, stand out even further than the subject of their sexuality. I also want to highlight my local city, Palm Springs of of Palm Springs, whose City Council has been so committed to the safety and well-being of its residents.

I'm proud to have a positive and collaborative relationship with all of them. This city experienced the worst this past year this past year when the inexcusable bombing of the Reproductive Health Clinic occurred. Thank you to this legislature for prioritizing financial relief for them and for supporting my constituents. I also want to highlight an organization close to me that I've had the honor of working with extreme extensively over the past six plus years.

The Log Cabin Republicans of California is a well respected and established member of the Republican Party that has an active role in our communities.

There are log cabin Republicans with members in all 50 states of our great nation and official chapters in over 40 states. They have a full time staff in Washington DC who actively advocate on issues of the gay community and will continue to enforce legislation that supports personal freedom and equality. The Log Cabin Republicans got its start in California during the late nineteen seventies.

They partner with former governor Ronald Reagan to defeat a ballot measure that would prohibit gay community members from public schools from teaching in public schools. And this organization has been a collaborator with the Republican Party ever since.

In fact, the name of the organization is a reference to the first Republican president of The United States, Abraham Lincoln, who was born in a log cabin. President Lincoln built the Republican Party on the princess of liberty and equality under the law. At the federal level, the president has made it priority to appoint LGBT individuals to high ranking members of his administration. Scott Besant serves as a Treasury secretary, making him the highest ranking LGBT official in the nation's history.

Richard Grenell was nominated as special missions envoy and previously served as the ambassador to Germany during the president's first administration, being the first openly gay Republican member of president Trump's cabinet.

Tammy Bruce is a deputy ambassador to the United Nations. Bill White was nominated as the ambassador to Belgium. Art Fisher was nominated as the ambassador to Austria. Charles Moran, associate administrator for external affairs in the energy department. Here in California, state Assembly member Carl de Maio and the California GOP budget committee Chair Gregory Grandad, just to name a few.

For LGBTQ youth, nearly one of every two young people seriously consider attempting suicide. This is more than four times as likely as compared to their peers. To our youth, you are here for a purpose and a valuable member of our community. And most important, to our human race. In my time in the Senate, my focus has been on unifying Californians and emphasizing our shared humanity rather than the ways we are different.

We have so much more in common with one another than we realize. To my colleagues, I will always respect and honor you. For my constituents, our youth and LGBTQ families, I see you. We are Californians. We are Americans, and we are all here to make our communities better. Thank you.

Senator Wiener.

Thank you very much, Mr. President. I rise, proudly today to ask for an aye vote on SR 116, as, the representative of, the great city, of San Francisco, which helped give birth to our modern LGBTQ movement for equality and for civil rights and for basic human dignity, something that we need to remind ourselves of today. Basic human dignity because it's at risk.

San Francisco was the home of the Compton's cafeteria riot, which no disrespect to our brothers and sisters in New York City, but happened in 1966, three years before Stonewall. When trans women in particular rose up against police violence and said no more.

Now here we are again in the year 2026 when we thought we had made so much progress, which we did. And LGBTQ people are once again under brutal assault in this country. We have a federal regime, that is hell bent on erasing the existence of big swaths of our LGBTQ community, particularly trans people.

We have a president who on as one of his very first actions upon taking the oath of office with all the huge problems facing our country, one of his very first actions was issuing an executive order proclaiming that transgender people do not exist. He built on that in subsequent weeks with executive order after executive order after executive order dehumanizing trans people, and essentially, instigating violence against transgender people.

This administration is gutting scientific research and health care that absolutely saves lives and that has saved so many lives. They're gutting they're gutting science research at the very institutes that created protease inhibitors that turned HIV from a likely death sentence into a manageable chronic health condition. So many members of our community died during the worst of the HIV disaster when we had another Federal Government that was rooting for our community to die faster.

And now here we are again gutting the very science institutes that created the medicine that allows people living with HIV to not just survive, but thrive. We have a congress that enables all of this, that enables the fueling of more HIV infections, that enables the demonization of LGBTQ youth.

Yes. A far too many LGBTQ youth contemplate suicide and there is a reason for that. When you when you as a child see messaging every single day from powerful people that your life doesn't matter, that you're not real, that you're a scam artist, dehumanizing you, it is no wonder that so many contemplate suicide.

And tragically, we now have an extremist Supreme Court that empowers all of this, that upheld a law banning gender affirming care for trans young people, that has is empowering the return of conversion therapy, which is psychological torture of LGBTQ young people. We're seeing book bans forced outing and so many other practices that harm our community.

But the good news is that we have been here before. This is not the first time that LGBTQ people have been subjected to a government that wants us to just disappear. And it won't be the last. We see it not just with this government, but in governments around the world, in Russia, in Iran, in so many other places. And despite all of that, queer people are still here and we will always be here.

And there is nothing that they can do to make us go away. And the joy in our community is one of the things that makes me so proud to be a gay man, to be part of this community. When I look at San Francisco in the month of June, it is exhausting. Yeah. But it is exhausting in an exhilarating and joyous way.

The number the numbers of parties and just celebrations, all of the rainbow light shows, and we're not gonna let them take the rainbow away from us like those Giants players tried to do the other night. It is absolute joy, and this is a community that even with so many attacks continues to find joy. I am so proud, of our community. I am so proud of our allies who stand with us.

And I wanna thank all of our straight allies, in the Senate and in the Assembly, and the governor for standing with us, not just when it's easy, but when it's hard and when the politics are hard.

I am so grateful from the bottom of my heart. So happy pride, everyone, and I urge an Aye vote.

Seeing no further Senators wishing to be recognized oh, sorry, Senator Laird. Senator Laird is a pride resolution unto himself. Senator Laird, you're right.

Thank you. That's that tees it up very nicely, Mr. President. I rise in support of this resolution, but I thought I would take off a little bit on the Senator from San Francisco talking about joy, and it's in the arc of history. Because when I marched the first time in Santa Cruz pride in the nineteen seventies, we had more demonstrators than we had marchers. We had to have the sheriff's department march with us for protection.

When I was one of the founders of the gay elected officials in the mid nineteen eighties, we had 14 in the entire United States. And now we have that many in the California legislature. And we have that many in my home area of the Monterey Bay area, including the Chair of the Santa Cruz board of supervisors, who we will honor in a moment.

And what was interesting about that time is if people took polls I mean, polls were taken about what you thought of LGBT civil rights. And overwhelmingly nationally, it was always in opposition.

And yet, if you looked at the subtext, the crosstabs, for those that said they knew somebody that was LGBT, they supported civil rights. And what it really meant was is coming out was a political act, and it was part of that change that has led to where we are today. And if you fast forward, the weekend before last, I spoke for the forty sixth year in a row at the Santa Cruz pride. It is now the largest political event in the county every year.

And we do celebrate it with joy.

I mean, I'm I find that I get choked when I see the high school marching band, and this year they had the middle school with them, all marching down the main street as as part of the community celebration. And I think I've told the story on the floor, but one of my favorite stories about how history has moved is we moved from that point where we needed the sheriffs to march with us and protect us because there were more demonstrators than marchers.

And then a few years ago, as I lined up for the parade, the medical Marijuana float was about three in front of me. It had about a 12 foot joint, and it was puffing out smoke in the parade. And who did they assign to walk with it but the sheriff and his top deputies?

So the sheriff came back and said, would you mind if we marched with you? And I thought, there is the arc of history. At the beginning, we needed them to protect us, and now we are the safe port in the storm in the largest political demonstration in our county every year. And and it is the joy that goes with that that really makes the difference.

And, yes, we have to fight because it is always two steps forward and one step back, and the Senator from San Francisco out.

I was at the Giants game, for pride night, and it was interesting because we didn't know that was going on if you were in the stands. We saw the disco drag queen having everybody on their feet during batting practice. We saw couples renew their vows. We saw the kiss cam only focus on gay couples that night when they went around the stadium at the seventh inning, and we thought it was a joyous celebration.

We had no idea there were a few giants that weren't on the same page with us.

But I think the overwhelming majority there showed that we were on the right side of history. We are there for the change that has been made. We are there to protect the change. We are there for people that still need it and still struggle, and that's what this resolution supports. I ask for an Aye vote.

Alright. For for our first time guests, it is improper under the rules of the Senate for applause to be led from the gallery or from the rear of the chambers. We will almost likely have applause during the award ceremonies, but not during the speeches on the floor. Now that they are complete, except for one. Senator Cervantes, there are no senators other wishing to otherwise wishing to be recognized.

Would you like to close?

Yes. I just wanna thank all my colleagues for your comments today. I am proud to not just be a member of this caucus, but it wasn't long ago where I didn't think that I could be living the life that I live today, with a beautiful family and a wife. And I'm so grateful for the allies who've supported us, through my own journey, but through many of our journeys.

And, grateful for the histories that we continue to learn here on the Senate floor, and to all the Members who came before me, to allow us to walk this red carpet today, I respectfully ask for an Aye vote.

And all debate having ceased, miss secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Please call the absent Members.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 28, No 0. The resolution passes. Moving back to privileges of the floor, madam vice Chair, please proceed with your guest introduction.

Thank you. As we transition to introductions of our pride honorees for this year, you will see on your desk a gift from the LGBTQ caucus. There are a few fun items in there, but I wanna welcome you to, join us this evening at the ace of spades, for a reception. We'll have a mock ball, so you can see firsthand the talent and passion of some of the world renowned ballroom performers.

I hope you can join us, but for this next portion, I'm going to invite Senator Cabaldon to introduce his honoree. Senator Cabaldon, please kick us off.

Thank you so much, madam president. And I would like to take the privilege just to, also acknowledge, the meeting of today. I I was a staffer in the Assembly when Sheila Kuehl was first elected, to that body and then to this body as well. I was in the closet and would be for many, many years after that, and this was an institution in a place of fear.

The idea that you could be in public service and be who you were was so far from thinking about other than to worry about what it would mean for the for the rest of your life if you were to have one.

And to be here on this floor today, to have been elected and to be presiding during the ceremony, and then in order to make this presentation, to turn the gavel over to my colleague, Senator Menjivar, is such a deeply profound moment, and I wanna say thank you. It was an it was we didn't announce any of this. It's just the normal business of the Senate. Thank you so much to our president pro tem, for that.

And I am also pleased, to introduce our first honoree for LGBT Caucus Pride Month and that is doctor Amy Carter, the Sonoma County Superintendent of Schools.

Doctor Carter was born and raised in Utah as in the Mormon faith and earned the learning the early tension between belonging and authenticity, an experience that continues to shape her leadership or her unwavering commitment to inclusive student centered systems. She began her career as a high school English teacher before serving as a principal, an assistant superintendent in large district senate county offices.

And in 2002, she was elected Sonoma County superintendent of schools, the first woman ever elected to that role, and the first woman and LGBTQ person to hold this this office in the county's one hundred and seventy six year history and the first LGBT county wide electrogicial in all of the counties of the North Bay. As an l l LGBTQ leader, doctor Carter has worked to ensure that belonging isn't just a value, but built into the infrastructure of schools through policy, professional learning, and student support systems.

A proud mother of five daughters and two grandchildren, she lives in Sonoma County with her wife, nurse practitioner Annika Carter, who is with us as well as well today, and remains focused on building durable, equitable systems where every student can learn without fear, feeling a true sense of belonging and to achieve. Please welcome and congratulate doctor Amy Carter.

Congratulations, doctor.

Senator Laird?

Thank you very much, Mr. President. I am pleased to recognize and honor Santa Cruz County supervisor, Monica Martinez. She's a lifelong public servant, a parent of two school age children. She's committed to ensuring that all can have access to care and support they need to live healthy and stable lives.

She was raised in Bakersfield, and after receiving her bachelor's degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a master's degree in public administration from USC, she served as CEO of Encompass Community Services in Santa Cruz County for more than a decade, operating one of the largest nonprofit organizations offering health and family services in the Santa Cruz, region.

In 2024, she became the first openly LGBTQ person elected county supervisor in Santa Cruz County history, where she now helps oversee a county budget of over $1,000,000,000 working to protect essential services and expand services to care for the more than 260,000 county residents. This year, she serves as Chair of the board of supervisors. She's been

been

a long time supporter of LGBTQ youth and inclusive health care access. She advocates for protecting and expanding, service access for gender affirming health care and reproductive rights. Her leadership is grounded in the belief that everyone deserves to have safe, as they're seen, supported, and her career reflects a broad commitment to strengthening public systems so they work for all communities. Please join me in honoring Santa Cruz County supervisor, Monica Martinez.

Senator Menjivar.

Mister president, thank you. My honoree from Senate District 20 is Elizabeth Padilla, a dedicated community advocate and program leader at ICON CDC, where she works to expand economic opportunities for underserved entrepreneurs across not just the San Fernando Valley, but the greater LA. She's more than a program leader, but a living example of the values she champions every day.

Daughter of immigrant parents, the first in her family to attend college, Elizabeth carries with her a deep and personal understanding of what it means to face barriers and to rise above them through sheer hard work and resilience. That lived experience drives everything she does at her work where she has served as a dedicated advocate for underserved entrepreneurs across the area since 2019.

She leads outreach, education, program implementation efforts for the sidewalk vending program, helping vendors navigate complex permitting processes, access resources, and then build sustainable businesses. Elizabeth brings something rare and invaluable to her work in the San Fernando Valley. The ability to make people feel safe, seen, and comfortable. In in fact, she has been instrumental in uplifting queer vendors across the region, helping them get, not only build their business, but get certified as an LGBTQ plus owned small business.

A recognition that when I see that at a business, makes me feel visible, seen that it's a credible business, and has a connection to the community that I love.

Her impact extends beyond any single program, and she continues to play a key role multilingual workshops across multiple council districts, collaborating with partners, and supporting initiatives to distribute free vending cards and reduce barriers for small business owners to be, following the rules. Her strong leadership, collaboration, and commitment to equity consistently goes above and beyond to connect with vendors where they are, whether through outreach and local communities or hands on support. As a LGBT plus leader, Elizabeth is proud to uplift and represent our community.

And a small plug to her fiance, Claudia, who is here in the gallery with us today, as they will be tying the knot this October. Elizabeth is the best of what community leadership looks like, rooted in her own story and dedicated to writing new ones for others.

Please welcome me any please help me in celebrating my honoree of this year.

Senator Padilla.

Thank you very much, Mister president and colleagues. I'm very proud to welcome and recognize Lauren Casillas, the vice mayor of the city of La Mesa and the associate director of political affairs and equality California, the nation's largest statewide LGBTQ plus civil rights organization. Proud lesbian woman of Mexican American heritage, she is the first and only openly LGBTQ plus municipal level of elected official in Eastern San Diego County.

Leading by example, Lauren has advanced LGBTQ plus rights at the local, state, and national levels, serving as interim executive director and board Chair of the religious exemption accountability project and contributing therefrom to an amicus brief before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in the case of Hunter versus the US Department of Education. She is a first generation college graduate of Point Loma Nazarene University.

She founded the Loma LGBTQIA plus alumni and allies association. She currently serves as sergeant at arms for San Diego Democrats for equality, a board member of the San Diego Association of Governments, SANDAG, and East Area vice Chair for the San Diego County Democratic Party. You can see she breaks barriers, and she leads by example. Please join me in honoring and welcoming my honoree from my Senate district, Lauren Casares.

Senator Perez.

Thank you, Mister president. Colleagues, I rise to introduce you to my pride honoree. Keely Mardell Carrera is the board president and director of underground Underdog Bookstore in Monrovia. Keely Mardell Carrera founded the Underdog Bookstore nonprofit to offer a safe community space for the LGBTQ community in the San Gabriel Valley. I've had the pleasure of visiting Underdog Bookstore in the city of Monrovia and seeing firsthand their amazing community work from providing resources to families impacted by immigration rates to creating care kits for our unhoused community.

After immigrating from England in 2015, Keeley spent many years helping disabled and neurodivergent students build their skills, confidence, and love of reading. When their local bookstore was at risk of closing in the face of hatred, Keeley stepped up to save the space and continue the mission of uplifting marginalized voices. When not at the bookstore, Keeley and her many beloved and unusual pets work with the local animal therapy nonprofit, The Little Zoo, to bring joy, love, and healing to seniors, foster youth, and complex needs communities.

Please join me in honoring Keeley, an LGBTQ plus trailblazer in the San Gabriel Valley community.

Senator Cervantes.

Thank you. Now I have the pleasure of introducing my honoree, doctor Jonathan P. Hidgens, professionally known as doctor John Paul, an award winning educator, media critic, and social justice leader. Their work centers on the intersections of race, gender, and identity in education and entertainment.

They serve as director of strategic communications and advocacy programs at Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance, executive producer of the Iheartmedia podcast, BFF, Black Fat Femme, and author of Black Fat Femme, revealing the power of visibility, queer voices, and media, and learning to love yourself.

Widely recognized as a leading voice on equity, representation, and cultural change, their work continues to amplify LGBTQ plus youth and marginalized communities. Please help me welcome them to the state senate.

And Senator Wiener?

Thank you very much, Mister president. I rise today to introduce, Chris Verdugo, in honor of pride month. Chris is a visionary, arts leader, a strategist, and fundraiser whose work has advanced the cultural and civic impact of LGBTQ communities in San Francisco and nationally. As the CEO of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, and for those who don't know, the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus came into existence upon the murder of Harvey Milk in 1978. It is a long term pillar institution in San Francisco.

As CEO of the Chorus, he's led a decade of transformative growth, expanding artistic programming, increasing national and international visibility, and deepening the organization's role as a force for equity, belonging, and social change. Chris is also the founding CEO of the Chan National Queer Arts Center on Valencia Street, in San Francisco, where he spearheaded a campaign to create a permanent home for LGBTQ artists, musicians, stories, establishing a first of its kind multidisciplinary arts hub in San Francisco.

Chris is a respected voice in the art sector generally, serving on the board of directors of Chorus America and contributing to conversation shaping the future of choral music and nonprofit leadership. Across his career, Chris has built a reputation for cultivate cultivating transformational partnerships, mentoring leaders, and aligning artistic vision with strategic growth to drive lasting, impact.

Chris has had an indelible impact for our LGBTQ community in San Francisco and for the chorus, and we are, sad that he is, ending his tenure, at the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, but he has transformed the organization and given so much to San Francisco, and we are grateful for his incredible leadership and work.

So please join me in welcoming Chris Verdugo.

Honor to now introduce LGBTQ caucus chairs, honoree, Assembly member awards. We have major Veronica Czar. Major Czar served twenty two years in the US Army, including with the first and thirty fifth infantry divisions, retiring in 1998. In her civilian career, she has worked as a building contractor, managed homeless shelters, supported a Native American tribe as a grant writer, and served in leadership roles with nonprofit organizations.

She currently sits on the California veterans board and is a council member of the San Diego LGBTQ Center's Veterans Wall of Honor advisory council.

Please help me give her a warm welcome. For our next honoree, I'm proud to present Assemblymember Elawari's honoree, Luis Vasquez. A community builder, youth champion, and proud Navy veteran, Luis is a Salvadorian American deeply rooted in advocacy work across South Los Angeles. He brings years of experience in nonprofit leadership, public service, and youth development, and currently serves as commissioner for the Los Angeles County LGBTQ plus Commission and cofounder of Rainbow Labs, where he works to expand opportunities and create equitable pathways for LGBTQ plus youth.

Through his leadership and advocacy, Luis continues to advance equity, increase visibility, and create lasting change for future generations.

Please help me give him a warm welcome. Unfortunately, this honoree could not be here today. However, I would like to, still recognize Assemblymember Corey Jackson's, pride honoree. That is Matthew Sanchez, who is the founder and CEO perfumer of Mateo perfumes, an award winning fine fragrance company backed by L'Oreal that is redefining the fragrance industry by blending cultures, perspectives, and innovation. I'd like to now honor Assemblymember Lee's pride honoree, TJ Bruce.

Bruce is the owner and CEO of Splash Bar Inc. And Western Pacific Depot, two popular LGBTQ plus nightlife destinations in the heart of Sacramento. For nearly thirty years, he has dedicated himself to creating welcoming spaces where LGBTQ plus individuals and allies from all backgrounds can feel safe, celebrated, and strongly connected. His deep commitment to cultivating community, fostering belonging, and creating spaces where people can come together with pride and feel empowered is deeply commendable. Please help me welcome Louis TJ Bruce.

For our next honoree, I am pleased to introduce Trinidad Garcia and Adam Vasquez Garcia, honorees of Assembly member Mark Gonzalez. Trino and Adam are Chicano artists, digital creators, and LGBTQ plus advocates dedicated to amplifying queer voices and celebrating cultural identity. Through authentic storytelling and relatable content, they have built a powerful platform that uplifts the Chicano community while connecting with diverse audiences. Their work has been recognized by paper magazine, Espanol.

They were honored as a twenty twenty five Los Angeles Pride Community Grand Marshals and have served as guest speakers at events, including a pride celebration at San Diego State Prison.

Through their creativity and advocacy, they continue to inspire communities across California and beyond. Please help me welcome them both. It's my pleasure to introduce Assemblymember Salatje's honoree, Arianna Bates, who is dedicated high school counselor with twenty six years of service at Paramount High School. Beyond her role as a counselor, she serves as co advisor for the school's Unity Club GSA, a student organization that has provided a welcoming and supportive space for more than thirty years.

In 2011, Ariana founded the Unity Day Conference to connect local communities with LGBTQ plus resources, suicide prevent prevention initiatives, and wellness services.

She also made history within the Los Angeles Unified School District as a co writer of the district's first suicide prevention handbook through her work on crisis response efforts. Please help me welcome her and celebrate. It is my pleasure to introduce Assemblymember Ziburrs, pride honoree B. Scott, who is a trailblazing media maven and founder of lovebscott.com, one of the world's largest LGBTQ plus media brands that educates, energizes, and celebrates bold LGBTQ plus narratives while reaching millions of individuals every day.

Through their online presence and digital platforms, they have championed LGBTQ plus voices of color by building the foundations of inclusivity and authenticity self expression.

B Scott is a pivotal figure in helping create the visibility and representation that is celebrated across LGBTQ plus communities today. Please, let's give them a warm welcome. To close our pride honorees, it is my pleasure to introduce insurance commissioner Lara's honoree, Lazaro Concepcion, better known as Lola Veronica, who is an acclaimed drag performer, host, and community icon with more than four decades of impact. Lola began performing at just 14 years old.

Born in Cuba and raised in California, she went on to become one of the state's most celebrated Latina drag personalities, appearing at iconic venues and productions, including circus, disco, and Club Papi.

Beyond the stage, she has hosted pride celebrations, LGBTQ plus community events, and shared the spotlight with some of Latin music's biggest artists, leaving a lasting mark on generations of LGBTQ plus Californians. Please, let's give them a warm welcome.

Alright. Thank you, Senator Cervantes. Members, please, once again, join us in congratulating and honoring the pride award winners from this year. Will And now, members of which to join the honorees and members of the caucus for the group photos, please move to the rear of the chambers. Majority leader, Senator Ashby.

For what purpose do you rise?

Yes. Thank you, Mister president. I rise to request reconsideration of file item number 41SR116 by Cervantes, which we just heard. Again, requesting reconsideration.

Alright. The motion is to reconsider. Secretary, please call

the roll. Alan. Alvarado-Gil. Archuleta. Aye.

Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye.

Aye. Aye, Blake Spear, aye, Cabaldon, aye, Caballero, aye, Cervantes, aye, Choi, Cortesi, aye, Dali, Durazo, aye, Gonzales, Aye, Grayson, Grove, Hurtado, Aye, Jones, Laird, Aye, Limon, Aye, McGuire, Aye, McNearney, Menjivar? Aye. Nilo? Ochoa Bog?

Aye. Padilla? Aye. Perez? Aye.

Reyes? Aye. Aye. Richardson? Aye.

Aye. Rubio? Aye. Aye. Aye.

Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye.

Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye.

Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye.

Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye.

Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye.

Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye.

Aye. Aye. Stern? Aye. Strickland?

Humbert? Aye. Volodares? Aye. Wahab?

Aye. Weber Pearson? Aye. Weiner? Aye.

Call the absent members.

[Roll Call]

It's 31 to zero. The motion to consider to on reconsider passes. It's granted.

We'll now proceed to reconsideration of the bill. This motion the vote now is on the bill itself, file item 41. Secretary, please read. Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Senator Ashby moves the call. Members, returning to consideration the daily file, we'll now proceed to file item 37, SCR 166. Senator Choi is already at his desk. Senator Choi, you're recognized.

Senator Choi, pardon me for just a moment. We're gonna suspend, consideration of file item 37 for just a moment and return to privileges of the floor to complete the introduction of guests by Senator Ochoa Bogue. Yes. Senator Ochoa Bogue. Welcome there.

Thank you, Mister president, ladies and gentlemen of the Senate. This is take two on my introduction this on the floor today. Colleagues, please join me in giving a warm Senate welcome to doctor Richard Hart and doctor Anthony Hillard.

Senator Reyes.

Thank you, Mister president. I too rise with my colleague from Yucaipa in recognition of doctor Hart, president of Loma Linda Health and the pillar of the Inland Empire community. Doctor. Hart not only gave the last twenty years to Loma Linda Health as president, but first joined the institution as a student, making this more than a line of work, but a calling to serve the community in this capacity. Doctor Hart has worked in many capacities.

One of those was to help found a community health center, the Inland Empire Community Health Center, of which I was a cofounder in the early nineteen eighties. Doctor Hart in 2016 began opened the organization's San Bernardino campus. Additionally, the Loma Linda community health needs assessment was introduced, completed, offering a roadmap to building a more vibrant and equitable community. These are just some of the things that doctor Hart has done over the years.

And with that, I also ask that you welcome doctor Hart, as the outgoing president. He will be leaving us, but not very far. He's still staying locally. He'll be working globally and making sure that we open up more community health centers for the entire community. Thank you for allowing me to say a few words about doctor Hart as well.

Returning to consideration of the daily files, Senator third reading, we'll now proceed back to file item 37. Senator Choi, at the majority leader's desk following this one final photo. Senator Choi, you're recognized. Secretary, please read.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 166 by Senator Choi relative to Soju Day.

Finally, my correct turn has come. Thank you, Mister president and fellow members. I'm so pleased to present the Senate Concurrent Resolution 166, which designates 09/20/2026, as California's second annual soju day. You may remember we passed it last year for the first time. Soju is not just a traditional Korean beverage.

It represents community, hospitality, and sharing of culture across generations and backgrounds. Soju is part of a tasteful wave that Korean food is enjoyed by all people with no boundaries. Cuisines that you may enjoy when you enjoy Korean food with the bulgogi, kimchi, and the galbi won't be complete without the soju. Soju will open up the dialogues and the friendship even further. SAR one hundred and sixty six celebrates the tremendous contributions of California's Korean American community and the growing appreciation of Korean culture throughout our state.

I respectfully ask for your aye vote, and I invite all members and the staff to join me at the Leland Sanford mansion for our Soju Day Festival, where we'll be celebrating Korean culture with food, games, refreshments, right after following this session. Most importantly, when you are there, there will be gift goodies waiting for you. And I urge your aye vote. Thank you.

Senator Jones. Thank you,

Mister president. Members, I rise in support of SCR 166 and ask for all of our colleagues to also support today. Soju is a traditional Korean distilled beverage that holds significant cultural, historical, and social importance, not only within the Korean community, but increasingly across The United States. Soju has become an emblem of unity, celebration, and tradition for Korean Americans serving as a bridge of cultural exchange and enhancing cross cultural understanding in our diverse society. I ask your aye vote.

Senator Choi, you may close.

I urge your aye vote.

Alright. Secretary, please read. I'm sorry. Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Senator Choi moves the call. Returning to privileges of the floor, Senator Choi, for introduction of your guests.

Thank you, president. I'm so pleased to introduce a special guest this morning or this afternoon or the almost 04:00. I would like to introduce one by one by name, honorable Chung Taek Lim, counsel general of Republic Of Korea in San Francisco, Min Cheol Song, president, representing, Hye, Jil Ho from Korea. So Jin Han is a famous singer and a composer who will be singing at the ceremony. I hope the ceremony hasn't started yet.

Press Mister doctor Jonathan Kim, president, San Francisco Bay Area Korea Association. Robert Cho is president of US Korea Alliance Association. And Paul Cho, I don't see him. Shin Su Sim is marketing director of Haiqilong. Finally, you may recognize Mona Lee who is the president of Sacramento Valley Korean Association who has been leading a Korean festival for the second year in the KP Plaza, and she has such a character, everybody, and was entertained by her. And please welcome our special guest.

Welcome to the Senate. We'll pause briefly for a photo if any members would wish to join Senator Choi and his guests. Alright, please no more demonstrations. We're gonna take the photo and then continue with the Senate's business. Thank you.

Thank you. Members, we're we're now returned to consideration of the daily file center. Third reading, file item 48, SCR 155 by Senator Jones. We would ask our guests to please please exit the chambers or return to the rear of the chambers and take conversations outside. Senator, Jones secretary, please read.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 155 by Senator Jones relative to the officer Kirkland and Johnson Memorial Interchange.

Senator Jones, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mister president and members, and thank you for your, SCR 155. This SCR is forty three years in the making, and it's about time that the Senate has properly recognized this police officer. Mister president, I rise today to present SCR 155, which designates the interchange of State Route 52 and Interstate 805 in San Diego County as the officer Kirk Leland Johnson Memorial Interchange. Officer Johnson served his country as a as a start excuse me, let me start over on that one.

Officer Johnson served his country as a sergeant in the United States Army before joining the San Diego Police Department.

In 1980, he joined the San Diego Police Department, graduating third in his academy class and quickly establishing himself as a hardworking and dedicated patrol officer. Officer Johnson was known for routine routinely volunteering for radio calls right up until the end of his shift and for taking great pride in serving the San Diego community. Officer Johnson lost his life in the line of duty on 02/20/1983. He was only 26 years old at the time.

Although his life was tragic tragically cut short, his service and sacrifice left a lasting impact on his family, fellow officers, and the San Diego community at large.

SCR 155 ensures that officer Johnson's legacy will continue to be remembered by Californians for generations to come. The memorial designation serves as a reminder of the courage, dedication, and service demonstrated every day by the men and women of law enforcement in all of our communities. I respectfully ask for an aye vote on SCR 155.

Seeing no senators wishing to be recognized, secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 33. No zero. The resolution is adopted. Senator Ashby, under motions and resolutions.

I'm so sorry. Sorry, Senator Jones, for introduction of guests in the gallery.

Thank you, Mister president. And I just wanna thank all of the members for their vote and especially our call my colleagues from San Diego, that will have the opportunity to remember this for generations to come. Today with me in the gallery, I have the great honor of introducing John Bailey, who was officer Leland's partner at the time, officer Kirk Leland Johnson. Officer Bailey was his partner at the time.

This has been a personal, project, for officer Bailey for forty three years to have this, recognition granted officer Johnson. And I just wanna say to officer Bailey, thank you very much for your efforts on this, and God bless you. Thank you.

Returning to motions and resolutions, majority leader Senator Ashby.

Thank you, presiding officer. I rise to request members move that the joint rule 62 a be suspended to allow the committee on budget and fiscal review to hold an informational hearing on Wednesday, June 24 without sufficient notice. I ask for an aye vote.

Senator Valadares?

Thank you. Thank you, Mister president. Respectfully asking for a no vote.

Alright. Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Yes. Mister president, thank you. I would like to move the joint rule 62 a be suspended to allow the committee on judiciary to hold an informational hearing on the substance of SB 623 on Tuesday, June 23 without sufficient notice. I ask for an aye vote.

Senator Valadares.

Thank you, Mister president. I also rise in opposition and would like to use a previous roll call vote.

Alright. Is there any objection to the use of the prior roll call? Seeing none, ayes 26, Noes seven. Joint rule 62 a is suspended. Senator Ashby.

Thank you, Mister president. I move that joint rule 62 A B suspended to allow the committee on local government to hear AB 736 this week. Without sufficient notice, I ask for an aye vote.

Senator Valadares.

I'd like to ask for, the previous roll call vote as well, Mister president.

Alright. Is there any objection to use of the prior roll call? Seeing none, ayes 26. No, seven. Joint rule 62 a is suspended. Senator Ashby.

Thank you, Mister president. I move that joint rule 62 a be suspended to allow the committee on education to hear AB 745 on Wednesday, June 24 without sufficient notice. I ask for an aye vote.

Senator Valadares.

Thank you, Mister president, requesting the previous roll call vote as well.

Is there any objection to use of a prior roll call? Seeing none, ayes, 26, no seven. Joint rule 62 a is suspended. Senator Ashby.

Thank you, Mister president. I move that joint rule 62 A Be suspended to allow the Committee on Labor, public employment, and retirement to hear AB 1564 on Wednesday, June 24 without sufficient notice. I ask for an aye vote.

Senator Valadares.

Thank you, Mister president. I object to the motion and requesting the previous, roll call vote.

Is there any objection to the substitution of the prior roll call? Seeing none, ayes 26, no seven, joint rule 62 a is suspended. Senator Umberg, under motions and resolutions.

Thank you, Mister president. Under motions and resolutions, please move AB 2294, file item number 61 to the inactive file at the request of the author.

Desk will note. Alright. Members, we're gonna proceed to lift the call on file item 41.

I had my mic raised for the previous motion. Oh. With that objection, I request that file item 32 SB 1189 be sent back to the Assembly for further action.

Alright. Is there any seeing no objection, that will be the order. Senator Umber.

Under motion and resolutions? No. I've done I've done my motion.

Alright. Final item 41, we're gonna begin lifting the call. Secretary, please call the absent members.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 28. No zero. The resolution is adopted. Next file item 37, Senator Choi. Secretary, please call the absent members.

[Roll Call]

Ayes, 34. No zero. The resolution is adopted. Continuing to continue into committee announcements, Senator Archuleta.

Thank you, Mister president. The Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs will be meeting in Room 2200 at the swing state immediately after this meeting, our meeting.

Alright. In addition, the Committee on Privacy, Digital Technology, and Consumer Protection will be convening in Room 1200, one half hour after adjournment of session. Now we're turning to motions and resolutions. This is the time for the Senate to consider motions to adjourn in the memory of Californians. We'll begin with Senator Umberg.

Thank you, Mister president and colleagues. I rise to honor the life and legacy of Judith Helaine Ware, president of Ware Disposal Inc. Born on 09/23/1948 in Los Angeles, Judy was the youngest of three children. She graduated from UCLA in 1968. Shortly after her graduation, Judy and her husband, Ben, founded Ware Disposal Inc, in Los Angeles, and later moved to Irvine to continue growing their business and their family.

Judy was a pioneer in the waste management industry at a time when few women held executive leadership roles. And under her leadership, Ware Disposal Inc grew from a two truck operation into a major Southern California solid waste and recycling company, ultimately operating more than 150 vehicles and generating over $100,000,000 in annual revenue.

In 2000, Judy played a pivotal role in securing approval of Madison Materials, a large transfer station and material recovery facility in Santa Ana that opened in 2002 and has since diverted millions of tons of material from local landfills. In addition to her business accomplishment, Judy served on the city of Newport Beach's environmental quality committee and frequently traveled to Sacramento to advocate on issues affecting the solid waste industry.

In recognition of her contribution and her contributions to our community, she was named legislative woman of the year in 1996 by Assemblyman Jim Morrissey.

Ware Disposal and Judy Ware and her family have been great contributors, both philanthropically as well as civically to our community. While growing a thriving waste management company, Judy and her husband of fifty eight years Ben raised two children, Jay and Christy. One of the things that I came to know about Judy, besides her business acumen, was her intense pride, both in her business and in her family.

You couldn't have a conversation with Judy without her talking about how wonderful her family was, and it was an inspiration for anyone who knew her. Among her many passions, she raised and showed champion whippet dogs and champion hunter jumper warm blood horses throughout the Western United States.

Sadly, Judy was predeceased by her daughter Christy and her brother Harvey. I ask that the California state Senate adjourn in the memory of Judith Helaine Ware.

Senator Umberg, with the Senate's condolences are with you and the family. Please bring miss Ware's name to the desk for appropriate recognition.

Thank you, Mister president. Also, I wanted to recognize, in the gallery today joining us in the gallery today are Judy's son, Jay Ware, his girlfriend, Rene RHNA Reynana Nasser, and Reynana's mother, Ellen Nasser, Judy's niece, Lisa Meyer. Additionally joining us are members of the Ware disposal team, Jason Rush, Brad Timmons, Sydney Timmons, and Rob McVicker. Please join me in welcoming them to the Senate chamber today.

Welcome. As you are as you are with us, our thoughts are with you. Senator Wiener.

Thank you, Mister president. It's with great sadness that I rise today to ask that the Senate adjourn a memory of Huntley Gordon, affectionately known as Pope Dementia the last or Popy. As an iconic member of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a drag nun philanthropic organization, his major work with the sisters was protesting for, LGBTQ rights and against the lack of care during the HIV AIDS, crisis.

He spent decades fighting for the arts, for queer rights, for HIV AIDS awareness, and the sacred right to dance until closing time. Popi embraced life fully and vibrantly with a love for travel, culture, and art.

His career truly reflected this. He cofounded a record label that brought Sylvester's music to the world, and in later years, he worked at a bookstore. He dedicated the final decades of his life to activism with the sisters and to public service. He cofounded San Francisco Art and Film for Teens, a non profit organization that opens the doors for young people to experience art, film, and culture. Pope was an irrepressible, larger than life personality.

But to San Francisco, he was something even more rare. A living reminder that compassion could be flamboyant, radical, mischievous, and deeply human all at once. Honestly, there may be no better ending to a life so fully lived than this. At the age of 91, Papy spent his final night exactly where he wanted to be, on the dance floor, surrounded by music, community, and love. Please join me in a journey and memory of the remarkable life and legacy of Huntley Gordon, AKA Pope Dementia, the last.

And may heaven be ready for sequence, sharp wit, and a little divine chaos. Rest in power.

Thank you, Senator, for bringing this forward. Please please bring the name to the desk for appropriate recognition. And finally, Senator Valadares.

Thank you, Mister president. Members, today, I rise to adjourn the memory of my grandfather, or as I called him, Tata. Adolfo Franceschi Colon. Matata passed away late Monday night, last Monday night, June fifteenth at the age of 94 here in Sacramento. I was blessed to sit beside him that evening, to hold his hand, to pray with him, and to tell him goodbye just hours before he entered eternity.

It's difficult to explain how much of who I am comes from him. My grandfather, Adolfo Franceschi Colon, was born in Calle, Puerto Rico on August 1931 to Adolfo Colon, Goyazo and his mother, Lucia Franceschi. His mother died of tuberculosis when he was a young child. He was raised primarily by his father and his stepmother, Eduardo Vasquez De Colon. Life during the depression on an island with 10 siblings was not easy, but it shaped him into a man of resilience, of determination, of curiosity, and adventure.

He loved Puerto Rico deeply. He loved its mountains, its beaches, its people, its music, its culture. Yet he also dreamed of seeing the world beyond the island. At 17 years old, he enlisted in the United States military. And like so many of his generation, he answered the call to serve his country.

And that service helped shape the life of discipline, sacrifice, and patriotism that followed. He eventually became an engineer and an electrician, learned five languages including German, and traveled the world. He visited New York and admired the Nuyorican community there, but after coming to California, he knew this was what he wanted to this was where he wanted to build his future. While stationed in Fort Huachuca, Arizona, he crossed paths with a young woman named Ivan Helena Pinson in a border town of Naco, Sonora in Mexico.

They fell in love, married, and eventually made their home in the San Fernando Valley in the nineteen fifties.

Together they built a family of six children, two sons and four daughters, including my mother Elizabeth Miroslava. Growing up, I didn't realize how unique our family was. I thought every family gathering was involved with salsa music, dancing, laughter, stories, and enough food to feed an army. I thought that every grandfather spoke multiple languages, fixed everything with his own hands, and had a story about some faraway place that he had visited. And that was my Tata.

He was a small man in stature, but larger than life in every way. Barely five foot five, barely, he had the personality that could fill any room. He was handsome, he was quick witted, funny, incredibly smart with his unmistakable Puerto Rican accent and a natural charm. He could strike up a conversation with anyone and leave them smiling. He welcomed people from every background and every walk of life with warmth, with kindness, and with genuine acceptance.

He loved to build things and was always working on some project. Even at eight years old, we'd have to watch him because he insisted on framing some structure in his backyard. If you ever met my grandfather, my Tata, you would never forget his charm. But when my nana, his wife, suffered an aneurysm that left her in a vegetative state for nearly twenty years, he never abandoned her. He visited constantly.

He held her hand. He brought her home when he could. He talked to her, cared for her, and remained devoted to her until she passed away in 2013. And that kind of loyalty says more about a person's character than any title ever could. My grandfather loved his family fiercely.

He was proud of his children, his grandchildren, proud of his great grandchildren. He was proud to be Puerto Rican, proud to be American, proud to be a Californian. And much of the pride I carry today in my family, in my community, in my state, in my country comes from him. There's a beloved Puerto Rican song called En Mevia Hel San Juan. The song speaks of a dream formed in childhood, first loves and memories that never leave the soul.

It tells a story of someone who leaves for a distant land because life takes them there, yet their heart never truly leaves home. That was my grandfather. He left Puerto Rico as a young man in search of opportunity. He served his country. He traveled the world.

He learned new languages and he built a beautiful life here in California, but Puerto Rico never left him. Last week as I sat beside him, I told him how how much he was loved. I told him that every one of his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren loved him. I told him that what we wish that things were different, that my brothers and siblings could be there to say goodbye.

I told him that we know that families are complicated, but I also told him that none of that mattered.

What mattered is that he knew Jesus. What matters is that he believed in a savior who forgives. What matters is that he was about to meet him face to face. I told him to say hello to my mom, to say hello to my nana, that I miss them every day.

I told him that soon he would have a new body, free from pain, free from dementia, free from suffering, and that he would once again be able to sing, dance, laugh, and rejoice in the presence of God.

His legacy lives on through six children, Lucy, Laura, Leticia, David, and Fifine, through 14 grandchildren, 29 great grandchildren, and two great great grandchildren. While our family mourns his passing, we also celebrate a life well lived and a legacy that will endure for generations. Tata, thank you for teaching us to love family, to work hard, to laugh often, to travel far, and to never forget where we come from. I love you. Members, please join me in adjourning in the memory of a beautiful Franceschi Colon.

Senator, please bring your grandfather's name to the desk so that he and his life can be properly memorialized. Majority leader, the desk is clear, there is no further business.

Thank you, Mister president. Blessings to the family of the Senator from Santa Clarita. That is not an easy task to do, and you did it beautifully. Colleagues, thank you so much for your incredible patience and partnership today and always. And to the senators from the LGBTQ caucus, thank you for leading a beautiful celebration for pride on the Senate floor today.

The Senate will, floor session is next scheduled for this Thursday, June 25 at 9AM. We will see you then.

The Senate is in recess until all legislative business has been received. We will reconvene Tuesday, 06/25/2026 at 09:00am.