Senate Floor

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

[Roll Call]

A quorum is present. Members without objection, Senate Rule 55 is suspended today to allow guests and a videographer on the floor. Will the members and our guests, beyond the rail and in the gallery, please rise. We'll be led in prayer this morning by our guest chaplain, Sharondalyn DuPree, After which, please remain standing for the presentation of the colors by the Marine Color Guard reservists to be followed by the pledge of allegiance to the flag and a special musical performance by Filo Abi.

As we gather today, creator God, source of hope and liberty, On the eve of this independence day, we gather not simply to celebrate a moment in history but to honor a living story. A story written in courage, sacrifice, struggle and the enduring hope of a nation still becoming. Two hundred fifty years ago, a flame was kindled. Not a flame belonging to one generation alone but a flame entrusted to all who would follow.

Carried through wars, hardships and season when the nation was challenged to live more fully into its own ideals.

Today, when we face a world where trust is fragile, community divided and where some may wonder whether the promise of America and freedom still resonates. Grant us the courage not to turn away from these challenges and to meet them with humility and wisdom. On this two hundred and fiftieth anniversary, may we honor the light of what has been, heal what remains broken, and faithfully carry forward the enduring torch of freedom. Renew our flame. Amen.

Color guard, please post the colors. Please join in the pledge of allegiance.

Please join in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag Members, please welcome to the Senate Chambers, our musical guest, Filo Abid, who will perform the national anthem.

Oh, say. Oh, say. Can you see by the dawn's early light? What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming, whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight. Or the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming.

And the rockets at the arms bursting in air. Gaining through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say, does that star spangled banner yet wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Color guard, please retire the colors. Before we proceed to the business of the day, the Senate would like to acknowledge and thank Senator Blakespear for organizing this morning's celebration on the Capitol Steps, and here today. And California Military Department one forty four Fighter Wing under General Beaver based in Fresno for today's profound and powerful flyover. Thank you. Members, moving to the business of the day, without objection, we will move to Assembly third reading, file item 184, Assembly Bill 126 by Senator Laird.

Secretary, please read.

Assembly Bill 126 by the Assembly committee on budget and fiscal review, enacting to education finance, making an appropriation therefore to take effect immediately, bill related to the budget.

Senator Laird.

Thank you very much, Mister President. This is the education omnibus trailer bill. It was date stamped for 9:00 in the evening, Monday, which is why we did not adopt it then. The education budget delivers for schools and kids by providing a 4.31% super cola for schools through the local control funding formula, a record 43% increase in special education funding from last year, or an additional 2,400,000,000 more than 700,000,000 in support, for teacher pipeline programs, and it also provides pregnancy disability leave up to fourteen weeks.

It provides $5,000,000,000 for discretionary block grant, dollars 500,000,000 for kitchen infrastructure and training grant funds, including family food pantries and school gardens.

It provides a $116,000,000 to support students who are experiencing homelessness. This is a package we should be proud of. I respectfully ask for an Aye vote.

Senator Niello.

Thank you, Mister President. I rise in opposition, to this measure. I have to say, as a certified public accountant, I truly marvel at the creativity that is the obfuscation of the new settle up plan, settle up repayment plan. This would quite frankly make Enron accountants blush along with the other, Proposition 98, maneuvers of, current and past budget plans.

We also continue to practice significant policy changes in the budget document. I don't know when we're gonna stop this, but it is seemingly, increasing. We have 34 different code sections with charter school accountability measures in this budget. Now the language was part of the governor's January budget trailer bills, but these proposals these particular proposals have never been heard in any subcommittee. When I talk about transparency, the answer is always, well, the facts have been out there.

We've had, subcommittee meetings, budget committee meetings, and the like. And in some cases, that's true. That is not true, for this. So for many reasons, those in particular, I urge a no vote.

Senator Choi.

Thank you, President and the Members. I rise, in opposition to AB 126. While this bill contains worthwhile education investments, it also withholds $3,900,000,000 in Proposition 98 funding that our schools have earned under California law. Those dollars belong in our classrooms, supporting teachers, special education, and the mental health services and student learning, not financing other state priorities. Even California's leading education organizations oppose this funding maneuver.

We should honor proposition 98 and fully fund our students. I respectfully ask for no vote.

Senator Perez.

Thank you, Mister President. I rise in support of AP one twenty six and, again, wanna thank our Senate budget Chair for all of the tremendous work that he's done. These are tremendous investments into our education sector here in California. We have over a $100,000,000 for the new Americans in Schools program or the CalNAS program. We also have $500,000,000 in universal school meals.

These are, once again historic investments into ensuring that our students have access even outside of school time to make sure that they have access to food and $75,000,000 for k through 12 Dream Resource Center grants. We know our dream resource centers located all across the state of California are doing such important work for students that come from mixed status families or undocumented students. This is a critical support in addition to that.

Another historic investment, we're investing in pregnancy leave for all of our k through 12 teachers. The first time in the state that we'll be doing this.

These teachers have not had access to pregnancy leave. These are historic investments and ones that we should be tremendously proud of. I urge an Aye vote.

Seeing no other Senators wishing to be recognized, Senator Laird, you may close.

Thank you. I really appreciate, the comments that were just made. And I would just remind everyone that it was just a few short years ago, we were in the bottom five in spending for education of the 50 states. We have moved up considerably since then. And this is a a good budget.

It keeps that momentum going. I ask for an aye vote.

I'll debate having ceased on file item one eighty four AB 126, secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Call the absent Members.

[Roll Call]

Senator Laird moves the call. Members, please welcome to the chamber, Senator Weber Pierson's husband, Andrew Peirson. It may be a mere coincidence, but please also wish Senator doctor Weber Pierson a happy birthday today. Also, please welcome to the chambers, Senator Smallwood-Cuevas' daughter, Lauren Cuevas, at her desk. Members, we're going to lift the call on file item 184.

Secretary, please call the absentees.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 28, Noes 8. The measure passes. Now we'll proceed to message from the governor which will be deemed read. Messages from the Assembly will be deemed read. Reports of committees will be deemed read and amendments adopted.

Members turning next to motions, resolutions, and notices. Without objection, measures reported from policy committees with the recommendation do pass as amended and re refer to appropriations will be given their second reading upon being reported amendments adopted, published, and re referred to appropriations. Alright, motions and resolutions and request to remove of items from the consent calendar. Senator Strickland.

Thank you, Mister President, Members. Under motions and resolutions, at the request of the author, please remove AB 1617, file item 238 from the consent calendar for purposes of amendment amendments.

Desk will note.

Thank you. Senator McGuire.

Thank you so much, Mister President. The request of the author, if you wouldn't mind, please removing file item 197, Assembly Bill 2588 from the consent counter and move to the inactive file.

Desk will note. Senator Stern.

Yeah. Thank you, Mister President. I request to remove file item 247, AB 2471, from the consent catalog.

Desk will note. Senator Grove.

Thank you, Mister President, colleagues. Mister President, at the request of the author, I rise to remove file item 189 AB 1918 from the consent calendar.

Desk will note. Senator Ashby.

Yes, thank you. I would like to remove file item 251 AB 2780 from consent calendar at the request of the author, please.

Desk will note. Any other motions or resolutions or requests to remove items from the consent calendar? Alright. Seeing none, members please also join us in wishing Senator Ochoa-Bogh a slightly belated happy birthday.

Okay.

Alright. Proceeding now to consideration of the daily file, second reading file. Secretary, please read.

Assembly Bill 1594, 1613, 2329, 2397, 1738, 1815, 2748, 2383, 2493, 2543, 1586, 2402

Second reading will be deemed read. Next, we're going to proceed to Senate third reading, file item 75, SR 67 by Senator Blakespear. At the at secretary, please read.

Senator Resolution 67 by Senator Blakespear, relative to the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Senator Blakespear at the majority leader's desk.

Thank you, Mister President. May I introduce the singer that we heard from earlier? May I do a short introduction of that? After? Okay.

After? Okay. Okay. I understand. We will do that after.

Okay. Good morning, Members. I rise today to present Senate Resolution 67, which commemorates our nation's first two hundred and fifty years, our 200 birthday, and honors the principles upon which our democracy was founded. The July 4 is a profound and deeply emotional holiday as so much significance is wrapped into our origin story. It's how we feel about our country and how successful we are at living up to our ideals.

Those that were enumerated in our founding documents.

Members, please give Senator Blakes for your full attention. And if any conversations, please take them off the floor.

Thank you, Mister President. I appreciate that. When I'm thinking about this holiday, the July 4, which I do every year, I reflect on what it means personally to experience those overwhelming feelings of patriotism. When you think about what is patriotism and why is it so profound, it is the strongest forces at play in our deepest psyche. It's our own identity.

It's our attachment to the land and our geography. It's about that shared sacrifice, and it's about having a multi generational history that's woven together with others around ideals. Several years ago, I was completely overtaken with the Lin Manuel Miranda Hamilton craze. Reading the book by Ron Chernow, memorizing all the lyrics of the musical and seeing the show as many times as practical. Our family of four even went as Hamilton for Halloween.

We had three Hamiltons, me and both are small kids and one King George the third, my husband. That founding father's story was told from so many different perspectives, but it included a strong liberal perspective, which I think is one of the reasons that it resonated for so many people. If you recall, one of the main songs was immigrants, we get the job done. The telling of that story connected the larger story of American greatness, of struggle, of aspiration and sacrifice and of loss.

I am fully personally aware as I know so many of us on this floor are of the sweep of our two fifty years of history, of the original sin of conquest of land that was not our own, of the horrors of black enslavement that began when that first ship sailed to America in 1619, of the broken promises and unfinished work of reconstruction, of the multiple brutal wars that we've had here and abroad.

And speaking to our current current day, the feeling that here in California we're actually under assault from the Federal Government and some of us are in no mood to celebrate nationalism writ large. But I would challenge that now is the time for us to dig into our patriotism, to recognize with full honesty the bumpy road that we've traveled and that we're still traveling. But all that being said, America is truly great. Our grand social experiment in self government, however you assess its current state, remains vital.

It has endured and continues to be our best hope for weathering the many storms that humans will always create for ourselves.

My patriotism is rooted in our American values, that commitment to justice and liberty and equality, but it's also mostly rooted in gratitude. It's gratitude for those freedoms that were created by the brilliance of our founding documents and have been protected through our collective commitments and through the central insights that our resilience as a country rests on a divided power structure that always goes back to the will of the people.

Our freedoms to speak and to worship and to love whomever we choose, to control our own life's course and our self determination, to pursue our own definition of meaning. Those are pro so profound and they come from our rights as Americans.

As a member of this esteemed body of the California State Senate, I feel especially patriotic today because of the shared ritual of honoring our country with all of you and also because my love of country is so intertwined with my love of the state of California.

California is the best of America. I have no question about that. As an as a lucky participant in its government, I feel that swell of pride about being both a Californian and an American on America's 200 birthday And I wanna say happy birthday, America.

Thank you, Senator Blakespear. Senator Choi.

Thank you, president, again and the members. I rise in proud support of this resolution commemorating the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the United States of America. As an immigrant who came to this country seeking opportunity, I have lived the true American dream. America welcomed me, allowed me to build a career as an educator, raise raise my family, and earn the privilege of serving the people of California in this chamber. As we celebrate 200 years of birthday and celebrating this wonderful day and weekend.

Everybody will participate in this parades and other activities. Let's remember the freedom and an opportunity that, make America so exceptional. I respectfully ask for your Aye vote.

Senator Ochoa Bogh.

Thank you, Mister President. Ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, I rise in strong support of Senate Resolution 67 commemorating our two hundred and fiftieth anniversary as a nation. I've been reflecting a lot lately just as my colleague on what Independence Day truly represents for our country and what it means for the work that we do here in this chamber. The July 4 reminds us that we are one people.

It reminds us that despite our differences, we are blessed to live in a country founded on the idea that our rights do not come from government, but from nature and nature's God.

And our love for this country, our patriotism, isn't simply an appreciation of our beautiful landscapes or mountains or beaches or our community's amenities. True patriotism is a love for what this country stands for. The values declared on 07/04/1776 and defended ever since. For two hundred and fifty years, we have persisted as a nation. And for two hundred and fifty years, we have fought and toil to improve that nation.

That declaration of independence signed in 1776 deserves to be celebrated because it marks the birth of our nation and the formal assertion of our right to self governance. The document is not just a relic of the past. It was the foundation of our future and articulates the fundamental rights that all individuals possess life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, which are just as sacred today as they were two hundred and fifty years ago.

As President Abraham Lincoln said in 1858, the declaration of independence is the electric cord that ties us together, linking the hearts of liberty loving people as long as the love of freedom exists in the minds of men and women throughout the world. Let us all remember that our work in the capital is part of keeping that promise alive.

May we continue to govern in the way that honors our founding truths. Happy birthday, America. I wish each and every every one of you and all the people of California a safe and meaningful fourth of July.

Senator Reyes.

Thank you, Mister President, colleagues. Today, I rise in strong support as a proud co author of this resolution recognizing the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Like many of you, my family came to The United States drawn by the promise of the American dream, an ideal rooted in dignity, freedom, and opportunity.

Today, we mark two hundred and fifty years since our nation found the courage to stand up to tyranny and dare to imagine a future in which all people could succeed. Our nation has changed profoundly since the signing of the declaration.

We commemorate this milestone, but we must acknowledge that many of our communities continue to face barriers to freedom and the pursuit of happiness. Families are still being torn apart. Disparities persist and much work remains to fully realize the promise of the declaration in our own time. What I do know is this, here in this chamber, we are reminded every day of our duty inscribed on these walls.

And so as long as our democracy endures, and we have the privilege of serving on this floor, Let us meet that responsibility with resolve.

Let us honor the courage of those who came before us, not only with words, but with action. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution, and in recommitting ourselves to the work of building a more perfect union, where the promise of freedom and opportunity belongs to all. I ask that you join me in voting voting Aye on this measure. Thank you.

Senator Grove.

Thank you, Mister President. I too rise in support of SR 67. Today, we gather not just as senators or Californians, but as grateful Americans of the greatest nation in the history of the world. As we celebrate America's two hundred and fiftieth anniversary, we pause to honor the two and a half centuries of courage, sacrifice, faith, and freedom that created this nation. Two hundred and fifty years ago, ordinary men and women made extraordinary decisions.

They declared that liberty was worth fighting for. They risked everything, their homes, their fortunes, their families, and their lives because they believed that freedom comes from God and not from government. And today and because of that, they stood firm. Generations of Americans have lived in liberty. This morning, each of us should be deeply humbled to be part of that American story.

A turning point for me when I was stationed in Frankfurt, Germany, I witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. I'll never forget it. I saw people climb that wall. I saw families reunited. I saw tears streaming down the faces of people that had lost their freedom for decades.

In that moment, I realized something very powerful. America is not just a place on a map. America is an idea, an idea so powerful that people around the world risk everything for a chance to come here and live free. And today we celebrate America two years, and I believe we must remember exactly who we are. We are a nation that defeated tyranny.

We're a nation that ended slavery. We're a nation that liberated Europe from fascism. We're a nation that put a man and a woman on the Moon, and we're a nation where millions have come seeking opportunity, freedom, and hope. No country has done more to advance human liberty than The United States Of America, And yet, America's great greatness was never automatic. Every generation had to defend it.

The revolutionary generation defended it with muskets and courage. The civil war generation defended it, defended the idea that all men were created equal. The greatest generation stormed the beaches of Normandy to preserve the freedom across the globe. And today, it's our turn. It's our responsibility to inherit not inherit America casually.

Our responsibility is to preserve America intentionally. Because freedom is fragile, the founders understood this. John Adams once said that liberty once lost is lost forever. That's why America's two hundred and fiftieth anniversary is more than fireworks and celebrations. It's a moment of reflection, a moment of gratitude, and a moment of recommitment.

We must recommit ourselves to the values of this nation and which made it strong. Faith, personal responsibility, hard work, family, service, and a love of country. I see those values every day in our farmers who rise before dawn to feed America. I see them in small business owners who work tirelessly to create jobs and provide for their families. I see them in law enforcement officers who put on a uniform every day to protect our communities.

And I see them in our United States military veterans, men and women who have answered the call to defend the freedom we so graciously live in. America is free because brave Americans were willing to sacrifice, and some never came home. And today, as we celebrate two fifty years of liberty, we honor every fallen hero who gave their life so this republic could endure.

We honor the soldiers at Lexington And Concord, the Marines at Iwo Jima, the heroes of Korea and Vietnam, and we honor the warriors who are continually fighting the war on terror. Their sacrifices reminds us that freedom is never free.

America is not perfect, but America is worth believing in. I can tell you that people are all created equal and that our rights come from our creator and liberty belongs to everyone. Those truths changed the world and they still matter today. The spirit of America is alive and well across California and throughout our country. And I believe America's best days are ahead of us, but only if we have the courage to defend what made this nation exceptional.

President Ronald Reagan once said, freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction, and he was right. Freedom and the values of America must be taught. They must be predicted, and freedom must be cherished. This is our calling in this generation.

As we celebrate two fifty years in The United States Of America, let us remember that this republic was built on people of faith and courage, people willing to sacrifice something greater than themselves, and let us commit ourselves to leaving this nation stronger for our children and our grandchildren, so that when America celebrates its three hundred year birthday, the generations that come after us will say that we did our part.

We stood for freedom, we stood for truth, and we stood for opportunity, and we never stopped believing in the promise of America. I believe with all my heart that American spirit is still alive today, And I believe there still are millions of Americans who love this country deeply. And I believe that with God's help, America's future remains very bright. May we always remain one nation under God. May we never take liberty for granted.

And may God continue to bless The United States Of America. And I respectfully ask for an Aye vote on SCR 67.

Senator Perez.

Thank you, Mister President. I rise in strong support of SR 67, which the good Senator from San Diego has brought forward in order to recognize and honor our country's two hundred and fifty year anniversary celebration birthday. And as I reflect on this moment, I think about the fact that we are a nation of immigrants in my own story, my own family's story coming to this country. My grandfather immigrated here from Mexico through the Bracero program.

That was a time period when our country was in the middle of war and needed additional hands and workers to come here from Mexico.

So in exchange for their labor, they were offered citizenship. And so my grandfather along with several thousands of other men crossed the border to come here to support The United States with the expectation that one day that they would become citizens of this great country. That promise wasn't quite delivered on for those of you that are familiar with the history of the Bracero program.

My grandfather waited until he was almost 80 years old to become a citizen of The United States despite this promise that was made to him. But he stayed here and continued to wait because he so badly wanted to be a citizen of The United States, wanted to participate in our democracy and considered it to be the highest pride and the highest honor.

I remember after he became a citizen, he was able to vote. He would vote in every single election. He was very active at that time, lived in Nevada. And Nevada politics, he just wanted to participate so badly in American politics and American society and just took it with such great pride that he had finally attained his United States citizenship.

And yet as we're celebrating the two hundred and fifty year founding of this country, I can't help but reflect on everything that's happening around us, not just across the country, but even in the state.

Activists reported in the New York Times that this past week, we saw some of the highest numbers of undocumented folks taken during raids across The United States. There are estimates that over 10,000 people were taken this past week alone. We often don't see the raids even reported on anymore in the news because it's become so normalized. We just celebrated the anniversary of when the raids began almost a month ago.

And on that anniversary, I took my father and my family to go to Manzanar so that my father and my family could see the internment camps that have been set up because I think it's a very important moment to think about what happened, that moment in history so long ago when we discriminated against Japanese Americans, when we targeted people based off their skin color.

And so many years later, we're back here doing the exact same thing. As I reflect on this moment and the founding of this country, I can't help but wonder two hundred fifty years from now, how will we reflect on what's happened today? How will we reflect on how we've treated our immigrant community when we call ourselves a nation of immigrants? I love this country for all of the values that it espouses, many of which have been spoken by today by my colleagues.

But at the same time, what I love even more is the people that are here, the incredible diversity that our country has continued to celebrate.

And part of doing that is making sure that we are treating people equally. We're treating people with respect and love and kindness. And at a moment when we have a president who has indicated that he wants to remove birthright citizenship, something that's been built into our country's constitution, I worry. I really do. I take it with great pride that I'm a Senator here in the state of California when just a few generations ago, my own grandfather wasn't even able to vote.

And he's not here anymore, but I can't even imagine what his reaction would be to know that I get to be a Senator representing this state. We have such a tremendous responsibility, every single one of us in this room. And I think on a day like today as we're celebrating our country's founding, I hope that each and every one of us can continue to work towards not just representing this country's values, but also protecting the people that are in it. I urge an Aye vote.

Senator Weber Pierson.

Thank you, Mister President. I rise today in support of SR 68 and wanna thank my colleague and seatmate from San Diego for bringing this resolution forward. As The United States turns 02/1950, I look upon this milestone with a deep sense of our nation's complex history. It is not lost on me that when our founders declared, quote, all men are created equal, they excluded the millions of souls whose uncompensated labor built the foundations of this very nation.

Yet the story of black America is not merely one of survival through enslavement, segregation, and structural disenfranchisement.

It is a story of a people who took those founding words and forced America to live up to them. We remember patriots like Crispus Attucks who was the first to fall in the revolutionary war. We honor the abolitionists like Frederick Douglass who famously laid bare the hypocrisy of a nation celebrating liberty while enslaving millions. We carry the legacy of those who marched through Jim Crow era facing down fire hoses and dogs to demand the right to vote.

As we mark this semi quincentennial, our patriotism is not blind.

It is rooted in memory. We celebrate our ancestors who bled for the constitution and who generation after generation renewed the American promise. Black history is the unyielding anchor of American democracy. Our work is unfinished. True celebration comes not from glossing over the darker chapters of our history, but from protecting the hard won rights of every citizen today.

This anniversary must be a collective charge to defend the voting booth, eliminate economic disparities, and build a more just and inclusive future for all. Let us use this milestone to build the America that has been promised but is still being per per perfected. And with that, I respectfully ask for an Aye vote on SR 67.

Senator Wahab.

Thank you. I first wanna thank the author for bringing this forward. This is incredibly important. You know, I have had a lot of conversations with many of you guys on the floor, and we often talk about the importance of serving our nation and our country and our community and the people that we serve and how important it is.

It's not lost on me when we walk through this capitol and we see the ceilings and we see all the paintings and the history that this building alone has in this state and in this country, and just the people that really make this country the greatest country in the world.

I do wanna highlight, I'm very, very proud and fortunate to be one in my family that was actually born in The United States. I have a lot of family members that chose to come to The United States, and many with different statuses of immigration because of that choice, because of how they came here, and much more.

And, you know, when you see that, you understand the importance of why we have to defend our rights and who we are defending when we are making policy and so much more. But the reality is that we are very fortunate to be in a position where we can make this country a better nation. And I wanna highlight that two hundred and fifty years ago, a people declared that liberty was not the privilege of the powerful, but the birthright of all.

America is not merely a place on a map. It's an idea, a constitution, a covenant, a promise that free people can govern themselves. And I wanna highlight that the promise has endured because generations chose to defend it against tyranny abroad, corruption at home, and every force that would trade our rights for fear, our laws for power, and our union for division. We must meet that duty still, today. The constitution is not self executing.

It lives only when citizens and leaders have the courage to protect it, something that we are supposed to face every single day as leaders of our community. And there is no sight more hopeful than seeing people from every corner of the world choose America. Every corner of the world, there are people, little kids, that want to come to this nation and become Americans.

One of the things that literally we take for granted every single day, that there are people that will do anything to be in this country and to become a citizen. Not because we are perfect, but because our ideals are worth joining, strengthening, and passing on.

That we are treated equally regardless of background, religion, language, education. That is the beauty of The United States and America. That is the ideal throughout the world, and we have to protect it and defend it. So at two 150 years old, let us celebrate not only our history, but our responsibility to guard liberty, preserve the constitution, and leave this republic more united, more just, and more free than when we found it. God bless America.

Senator Jones.

Thank you, Mister President. Since it's my last July 4 here with the esteemed Senate of California, I just wanted to share one of my favorite quotes, regard regarding our founding fathers and the celebration of the July 4. Mister President, may I have permission to read?

Without objection, permission granted.

Thank you, Mister President. John Adams, in a letter to his wife, Abigail, on 07/03/1776 said this quote regarding July the independence celebration. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and and parade, with shows and games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward and forevermore. Happy birthday, America, and I'm glad that we're living up to John Adams' quote.

Thank you, Members.

Members, thank you for what has been an elevated, profound, inspiring, urgent debate, that is worthy of this body. Senator Blake your Blakespear, history has its eyes on you. You may close.

Oh, I love that Hamilton quote. I so appreciate the diversity and depth of commentary here on the floor today and the embrace of this two hundred and fifty year milestone. At base, SR 67 is encouraging all Californians to celebrate this milestone with pride, and I think we're doing that here on the California on the floor of the California State Senate, and I urge an Aye vote. Thank you.

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

[Roll Call]

Call the absent Members.

[Roll Call]

Ayes, 36. No 0. The resolution is adopted. Returning to privileges of the floor, Senator Blakespear at the majority leader's desk for introduction of guests.

Thank you, Mister president and members. I would just like to say a few words about our incredible singer today. Filo Ebid is an Egyptian born, multi genre vocalist who rose to national attention as a standout contestant on season 23 of American Idol. He now lives about an hour from here in Tracy. From his formative years in Egypt, Filo has been deeply fascinated by the beauty of human connection through music.

I think he's such a perfect choice for today as we talk about America as a nation of immigrants. In 2019, Filo enrolled at the University of the Pacific where he earned a bachelor's degree in music while pursuing a pre med track. He then earned a master's degree from the prestigious Berkeley College of Music in 2024, where he studied world music in Spain and began writing and recording songs that reflect his personal journey. His music tells stories that transcend borders, blending genres with honesty and emotional depth.

We are delighted to have invited him and have him be here with us today on the floor of the Senate.

And I encourage all of you to come up and say a few words, to him, welcome him if you would like to. And I would like to also thank him for his stirring renditions on the West Steps this morning. So with that, we have behind I have behind me, Mr. Filo Ebid.

Welcome to Mr. Ebid and thank you for filling our chambers and our hearts with pride, patriotism, spirit, and meaning. Members of anyone who would wish to join, Senator Blakespear, Senator McNerney, who represents both Tracy and the University of the Pacific, as well as all of the other your colleagues, please return to the rear of the chambers for the photo.

Alright. Con continue with consideration of the daily file. The Senate will now proceed to governor's appointments.

Senator Grove, we'll we'll begin with file item 52 under governor's appointments.

Thank you, Mister President. Colleagues, file item number 52 is the confirmation of, Jesse Melgar for appointment to the Kern Community College Board of Governors. Mister Melgar is currently the senior advisor at UC Berkeley, possibility lab with the Goldman School of Public Policy. He previously served as a communications director in the governor's office as deputy secretary in the secretary of State's office and also as a communications director here in the California State Senate.

He was approved by the rules committee on January or excuse me, June 17 on a unanimous vote respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Senator Reyes. I join in this, request for confirmation. Jesse Malgara, a very qualified, appointee, it's my honor to make sure that or to request that you all vote aye on this particular, nomination.

Seeing no other senators, wishing to be recognized. Senator Grove, would you like to close?

Yes. And I failed to mention that Mister Melgar was, tutored, mentored, and raised up in this building by our secretary of the Senate, Erica Contreras, and that's probably why he has the success that we are voting on him today.

Alright. All debate having secretary, please call the roll. File item 52.

[Roll Call]

All the absent Members.

[Roll Call]

Ayes, 37. No 0. The appointment is confirmed. Senator Grove, file item 53.

Thank you, Mister President. Colleagues, file item 53 is the governor's appointment for Tom Epstein, JD, California Community College Board of Governors, where he served on the board since 02/2014. Now retired, he was the vice president of public affairs at Blue Shield California from 2001 to 2016. Prior to that, he served as vice president of communications and public broadcasting service. He was approved by the rules committee again on June 17.

The unanimous vote respectfully asked for an Aye vote.

There being no other Senators wishing to be recognized, secretary, please call the roll and file item 53.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 37, No 0. The appointment is confirmed. File item 54. Senator Grove.

Thank you, Mister President colleagues. File item 54 is a confirmation of Joseph Williams for the reappointment to the California Community Colleges Board of Governors where he served since 2020. He was an elected member of the San Bernardino County Community College District Board and the senior director of strategic partnerships for the Rialto Unified School District. He previously served as a public affairs manager for Southern California Edison and has held various positions at the county of in the county of San Bernardino. The rules committee approved this appointee.

His reappointment on June 17 respectfully asked for an Aye vote.

Senator Reyes.

Thank you, Mister President. Another superstar from the Inland Empire respectfully ask for a Aye vote.

Alright. Seeing no other Members wishing to be recognized, secretary, please call the roll.

Allen. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye, Becker, aye, Blaisebearer, aye, Caballero, aye, Cervantes, aye, Choi, aye, Cortezi, aye, aye, aye, Durazo, aye, Gonzalez, aye, Grayson, aye, Grove, Aye, Hurtado. Aye, Jones. Aye, Laird. Aye, Limon. McGuire. Aye, McNerney. Aye, Menjivar. Aye, Nilo. I Ochoa Bog, I Padilla, I Perez, I Reyes, I Richardson, Rubio, Sayardo, I Smallwood Cuevas, I Stern, I Strickland, I Humber, I Volodares, E

Ayes 36, No 0. The appointment is confirmed. And finally, file item 55.

Senator Grove?

Thank you, Mister President. Colleagues. File item 55 is the confirmation of Mark Beckley for reappointment as a chief deputy director of operations at the Department of State Hospitals. Prior to this role, he had been serving as a chief deputy director of the Department of Aging since 2019. His career in state service started in 2001 at the Department of Finance.

He was approved by the rules committee on June 17. A unanimous vote respectfully asked for an Aye vote.

Seeing no other Members wishing to be recognized, secretary, please call the roll and file item 55.

[Roll Call]

Call the absent Members.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 37, no 0. The appointment is confirmed. Members, we'll turn next to unfinished business. File item 74, Senator Arreguin. Secretary, please read.

Senate Bill 830 by Senator Arreguin, an act relating to transportation and declaring the areas that are to take effect immediately.

Senator Arreguin.

Thank you, Mister President. SB 830 is back on concurrence. Colleagues, SB 830 is an election administration measure. Assembly amendments make minor clarifying changes to the election administration duties and procedures related to Senate Bill 63, and these changes are only specific to the San Francisco Bay Area.

This is consistent with previous Multi County measures in the Bay Area, such as regional measure three, which the legislature authorized in 2017. The narrow changes we are seeking under SB 830 have no effect on the intent or substance of existing law, and do not change the funding levels or accountability measures in SB 63. Respectfully ask for an Aye vote.

Senator Cortese.

Thank you, Mister President and colleagues. I rise in support of SB 830, and I wanna thank the author and the co authors, certainly our colleague from San Francisco for continuing to put this work together. I do want to acknowledge my own county, which has agreed to be the lead county in terms of the work that will ultimately need to be done through the registrar of voters, including their unbelievable generosity in, at this point, assuming the cost for doing that work.

And again, just wanted to make sure that that's acknowledged and pointed out in a in a time of such difficulty in terms of budget deficits and so forth. So with that said, thank you, Mister president.

I would urge an Aye vote on SB 830.

Senator Arreguin, you may close.

Well, I wanna thank the Senator from San Jose for his support and his comments. And, you know, we continue to be engaged with the county of Santa Clara on, the administration of this, Multi County regional ballot measure. And I think these are conversations that can continue, in the coming months. Respectfully ask for an Aye vote.

On file item 74, SB 830. Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Call the absent Members.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 29, Noes 4 on the urgency. Ayes 29, Noes 4 on the bill the the Assembly amendments are concurred in. Proceeding next to the consent calendar second day, secretary, please read.

I'll start with bill 2134, 2692, 1781, 2042, 2106, 2333, 442, 643, 1626, 1778, 1951, 2003, 2018, 2175, 2324, 2559, 2779, 2781, Assembly Concurrent Resolution 168, 210, and Assembly Bill 2781.

Does any Member wish to remove any item from the consent calendar? Seeing none, secretary, please call the roll on file item 230, after which we will apply that vote to the remaining items on the consent calendar.

[Roll Call]

Alright. Call the absent Members.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 37, Noes 0.On file item 230. We'll, that measure passes and we'll apply the Ayes 37, Noes 0 on the consent calendar. Senator Ashby.

Presiding officer, as to file item 250, AB 2779, I would ask for reconsideration and removal from the previous consent calendar vote. Only as to that item.

Alright. The without objection, reconsideration on on file item two fifty is granted and the item will be removed from the consent calendar. Seeing no objection, that will be the order. Members, now is the time we will return to motions and resolutions to consider a motion to adjourn in memory. So we would ask all members to please return to their desks or to the rear of the chambers, and please give the adjourned memory motion your full attention.

Senator Caballero.

Good morning, Mister President. Today I rise to adjourn in the memory of former Madera County supervisor, Max Rodriguez, a devoted public servant, respected community leader, and proud lifelong resident of Madera County who passed away at the age of 86. Supervisor Rodriguez lived a life of service. Born and raised on Madera's East Side, he dedicated himself to helping others in every chapter of his life. He served his country as a member of the California Army National Guard and proudly as a farmworker.

Later as a resaw operator at the Northfolk Sawmill, he became a leader within the lumber and sawmill workers local twenty seven sixty two, serving as both financial secretary and president. Supervisor Rodriguez went on to work as a farmer's insurance agent helping local families and businesses while continuing his commitment to civic life and community service. Long before he was elected to public office, supervisor Rodriguez served on the Madera Fair Board, the Madera County Mosquito Abatement Board, and the Madera County Planning Commission.

Wherever he was asked to serve, he brought the same steady commitment, practical wisdom, and genuine concern for the people around him. In 2004, the people of Madera County elected the supervisor to represent District 4 on the board, a position they entrusted to him for four consecutive terms.

During his sixteen years, supervisor Rodriguez worked tirelessly on behalf of the community. He adv advocated for public safety, educational opportunities, youth programs, parks, economic development, transportation, and major infrastructure projects that he believed would benefit future generations. He was a champion of the effort to clean up the Fresno River, supported the construction of new schools, helped advance the John Wells Youth Centennial Park, and became one of the region's most recognized advocates for high speed rail.

His dedication to supporting jobs and opportunity earned him the nickname the godfather of high speed rail. His service extended far beyond the board of supervisors.

He served on numerous local and regional commissions, councils, and nonprofits, including First Five Madera County, the Madera County Transportation Agency, LAFCO, the Community Action Partnership, San Joaquin River Conservancy, and the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley. He was also active in organizations such as the Pan American Club, Madera Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the New Hope Madera, and the American Heart Association and the NAACP.

Yet those who know new supervisor, Rodriguez, will remember him not simply for the positions he held, but for the way he treated people. He was generous with his time, quick to offer encouragement, and deeply invested in the success of his neighbors and his community. He believed public service was about showing up, listening, and doing the work.

On a personal level, I met supervisor Rodriguez many years ago. He was an incredible servant of the public, a sensitive character, and a true gentleman who loved his community. He was also a good friend and a confidant of mine. Supervisor Rodriguez was preceded in death by his beloved wife of fifty nine years, Sarah Rodriguez, his parents, six sisters, and his brother. He's survived by his children and by his two grandchildren.

On behalf of the California State Senate, I extend my deepest condolences to the Rodriguez family, his friends, former colleagues, and those all those around Madera County whose lives were touched by his kindness and leadership. We join them in mourning his loss and in celebrating a life that was spent serving others, his country, his coworkers, and the community love. I ask that we adjourn in the memory of supervisor Max Rodriguez.

Senator Caballero, thank you for bringing the story of supervisor Rodriguez to the Senate, and truly we join in their condolences. Please bring his name to the desk so that he may be properly memorialized. Members, if there is no other business to come before the Senate, president Pro Tem Limon, the desk is clear.

Thank you, Members. I wanna start off by thanking the Member from Encinitas, who did a phenomenal job of reminding us that even if it was just fourteen minutes of our day, for fourteen minutes, we were able to come together to reflect on the two hundred and fifty years of this country's independence, and also reflect on the constitution, the values, the protections of what this constitution grants to our state and to every other state in this nation.

Despite the imperfections and the challenges, the moment was a special one. You looked outside, colleague to colleague, member to member, and we remembered. And we felt something inside that reminded us why we do this work.

Despite our differences, it was a moment and it was fourteen minutes where we got to reflect on those things that unite us, and that gives us the strength to keep moving forward. May you all go back to your districts and celebrate the two hundred and fifty years, and reflect on the work that has happened, and the work that we need to continue to do. Enjoy your independence day, and we will be back in, with the in August 3.

Monday, August 3 is our next section at 2PM, and we have approximately fifty eight days before this legislature adjourns. With that, we will see you all on Monday, August 3.

Alright. The Senate is in recess until 3:30pm, at which time the adjournment motion will be made. We will reconvene Monday, 08/03/2026 at 02:00pm.