Senate Floor

The Senate will come back to order. The Senate is returning from recess. Secretary, please call the roll.

Alan, Alvarado-Gil, Archuleta, Arreguin, Ashby, Becker, Blake Spear, Cabaldon, Caballero, Cervantes, Choi, Cortesi, Dali, Durazo, Gonzales, Grayson, Grove, Hurtado, Jones, Laird, Limon, McGuire, McLerney, Menjivar, Nilo, Ochoa Bog, Padilla, Perez, Reyes, Richardson, Rubio, Searto, Smallwood Cuevas, Stern, Strickland, Humbert, Baladares, Weber Pearson,

Weiner. A quorum is present. Turning to motions, resolutions, and notices, if any members have any bills to remove from consent, take put on the inactive file or remove from the inactive file, I'm sorry, you're too late. However, without objection, Senate rule 55 is suspended to allow a videographer on the floor today. Turning now to consideration of the daily file, Assembly third reading, File item 67, Assembly Bill 113.

Secretary, please read.

Assembly Bill 113 by Assemblymember Gabriel, an act regarding the state budget, making it appropriation therefore, and declaring the urgency thereof to take effect immediately. Budget bill.

Senator Laird.

Thank you very much, Mister president. AB 113 is a budget bill junior, which amends the budget act to do a variety of adjustments reflecting the final agreement between the legislature and the governor. It was date stamped between three and 4AM, which is why we are considering it now. This bill allocates spending for specific priorities that were budgeted in the June budget agreement, but not appropriated at that time.

It increases general fund expenditures by under a $100,000,000 above the June agreement to account for the unexpected loss of federal funds at the Department of Rehabilitation and other adjustments.

It appropriates 2,660,000,000 for purposes related to safe drinking water, wildlife prevention, drug preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act, from proposition four to support a variety of projects. And it appropriates 450,000,000 from the greenhouse gas reduction fund for tier two priorities in the 2627 budget year, including 230,000,000 for SB 125 transit and funding for various legislative priorities, including investments in the implementation of the community air protection program, wildlife prevention, ag land conservation, and safe and affordable drinking water, among others. I respectfully request an Iowa.

Senator Nilo.

Thank excuse me. Thank you, Mister president. Well, here we are fully 2.5 after the constitutionally required balanced budget was passed by this legislature on June 15, And we've been working on the budget ever since. We all know that was just a placeholder. It is not in concurrence with what the constitution requires.

Now, I didn't speak to any of the individual budget bills yesterday, although our minority leader had some excellent comments on a couple of them. But I thought it might be fitting that we close this out there's lots of policy that has nothing to do with the budget. Probably every bill, if not most of them, violates the single subject rule.

Of course, nothing's gonna nobody's gonna do anything about that unless there was a lawsuit, but I would suspect that that suit would prevail relative to the single subject. And even with regard to this particular bill, if it were just a budget bill, regular and ordinary expenses, of state operations, it wouldn't have had to been keyed urgent.

It just because a budget bill that deals with just ordinary and regular expenditures of the operations of the state would qualify for being taken up after the deadline yesterday. This one clearly doesn't. It clearly does not qualify for that, which is why it has been keyed urgent. And it goes beyond the budget. We have had a multitude of increased gut and amend bills this year over what is normal, three or four times as many.

There's one bill that was gut and amended on June 4, made a completely different bill that was originally introduced in 2025, and then it was gut gutted and amended again on June 11. And, of course, we have discovered with another bill that we're dealing with this morning that we don't have to worry about setting the clocks back. All we have to do is just call a bill urgent. Whether it's urgent or not, we call it urgent. We can slop it over into today.

And for that reason, probably everybody in this room is completely sleep deprived. I give some of my best floor speeches when I'm sleep deprived. So I just hope that this process improves in our next session. And I urge a no vote on AB 113.

Thank you, Senator. Senator Wiener.

Thank you, Mister president. I too am slightly sleep deprived, but the coffee here is really good, so it keeps me keeps me going. I rise in support of AB 113 in what may be my final budget vote ever. Maybe we'll see. We'll see.

It's up to the people of San Francisco. And we're fine. Yes. And I I want to first of all, thank the budget Chair, budget committee staff, and the leadership for all their hard work on the budget both earlier in the year and now. And there's always need for additional work over the summer.

There's nothing abnormal or weird about that, and there's an enormous amount of good, in this bill. Colleagues, you will not be surprised that I do wanna just make a comment about public transportation funding, in California. And, I wanna thank our Senate leadership, not just this year, but every year for being the body that fights for public transportation funding.

Every year, it is the Senate that stands up for transit riders for all of the millions of California residents who rely on the bus or the train or the subway to get to work, to get to school, to go shopping, to live their lives. And I will just express my frustration that every year the budget that is presented to us flashes transit funding and turns it into a political football that we then have to fight about and negotiate back for.

And I know that this body always does the best that it can to get as much of that money back. This budget, overall, does not do right by public transportation. The Senate made it less bad, and I'm grateful, but does not do enough. And when you compare what what California as a state spends, invests in transit compared to Pennsylvania and Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, other large states, It is embarrassing, and we need to do more.

And I just wanna make a request, colleagues, for people who are gonna be coming back and and part of the this legislature in the coming years.

Please don't forget about transit. We all have constituents who rely on it to live their lives and to survive. I ask for an aye vote, but please let's fight for transit funding.

Senator Reyes.

Thank you, Mister president. I want to first acknowledge our collaborative and truly Democratic budget process. Our president pro tem, Senator Limon, made abundantly clear at the beginning of this process that it would be one where every Senator would have an opportunity to elevate issues important to their communities. This was done not only through words, but action. The Senate Democratic caucus had a two day budget retreat.

We received frequent detailed updates at numerous meetings regarding the budget process, and subcommittee chairs were given ownership of their issues. Proposals were truly incorporated into the budget process. Even during a year of rapidly changing dynamics, the Senate state firm in our mission, creating a foundation for the future. This package of bills represents an extension of a three party budget agreement and continues to make investments that will benefit all Californians. I wanna thank our governor for his leadership.

Under governor Newsom's tenure, he has delivered a balanced budget every year, something we could dearly use at the federal level. He has consist consistently worked to provide for and protect all Californians, not an easy task, in difficult budget years. Specifically with regard to GGRF, it's important to highlight the three party deal as it relates to the greenhouse gas reduction fund. This year, we created a one year $450,000,000 solution for programs that make investments in transit, housing, vegetation management, clean drinking water, and air quality.

I wanna thank our house for consistently fighting to fund these programs, but I also want to acknowledge that we were not able to fund everything in this year's deal at the level we wanted, including investments in housing.

This is the first step in a longer conversation around the future of GGRF. I want to thank Senator Laird and the entire budget team for their incredible work. And a special thanks to our president pro tem, Senator Limon, for empowering the budget chairs. And most importantly, thank you for honoring the request of all 40 senators and for recognizing the importance of our districts. Thank you.

Respectfully ask for an aye vote on AB 113.

Senator Richardson.

Thank you, Mister president. You know, I asked my staff after our budget hearing yesterday. I said, does California I had them double check. California has the largest budget in The United States besides Congress, the largest. So to think that we wouldn't need to make adjustments along the way, the largest budget of a state in The United States, and we help to manage the fourth largest economy in the world.

So to think that we wouldn't need to make adjustments is, in my mind, not a fair assessment. Something that our budget Chair, talks about all the time, and I think it's important to recall for the record, this legislature helped to reduce our deficit. We have been. Can we do more? Of course.

But we've taken great strides to be accountable, to be transparent, and to be responsible to Californians. So we reduced our deficit. We increased our reserves. So when we do have very, horrific things that happen in this state, we're prepared. So I think it's important for the record to say what we have done and what has been positive.

And then finally, what I wanna talk about is budget sub five that I have the pleasure of serving with with the gentle lady from Los Angeles and also, my colleague, over there from, I think it's Riverside Riverside, San Bernardino. We had the opportunity to actually work really well together, And I just really wanna thank the budget Chair and our PT because one of the biggest successes that we had was actually making headway regarding our judicial system.

For one of the first times, we're actually making progress to deal with deferred maintenance that all of us see in our courthouses. Deferred maintenance and also looking at building some of those courthouses that are desperately needed. So, can we always do more?

Yes. And that's why we're elected. That's why we're here, to do more. But I think we would be remiss not to acknowledge the progress that we've made. And with that, I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Senator Laird, you may close.

Thank you, Mister president. I wanna thank everybody for their comments, because it really helped. And Aye, wanna thank the vice Chair, and I would hope that Mary Nilo won't like this, but I would hope my colleagues across the aisle would allow him to serve as as leader and as vice Chair of the budget committee, because he did a great job. Let me speak to a couple of points. I think my colleagues did it very well.

We really benefit by doing this right now. And in fact, we appropriated the amount for Prop four. We appropriated the amount for the greenhouse gas fund, but we were able to drill down on how to spend Prop four. And by the fact that we're doing this now, we benefited from higher revenues in the greenhouse gas fund, including the sale that was completed a few days ago.

That additional money allowed us to do what the Senator from San Francisco was talking about on transit and other things because we benefited by that time and that additional revenue.

And also, a federal cut to the, Department of Rehabilitation was not evident when we adopted the budget in June, and this allows us to, in essence, use extra revenue to cover the hole that was created since we adopted that budget. And it adopted it it allowed all the members to really decide what the priorities were that they had personally, and they are reflected in this budget. So we benefited from the time. It is in balance. It is as the Senator from, Los Angeles said.

The overall the message is clear, and we drew people to this debate that we balanced the budget for two years. We took the revenue that was extra from artificial intelligence in the last year and applied it to the deficit next year. We made cuts and additional revenue that will cut the structural deficit in half. We left $35,000,000,000 in reserves. We basically positioned ourselves for next year, and we did our best to triage against cuts that were beyond our ability to deal with.

And then certain ones with food and medical care, we bridged it to the next year in the hope that the better butter budget picture will allow us to address those cuts and keep vital services in food and medical care continuing to Californians. This is a good budget. It's a result of a lot of work from people across this chamber and the floor.

We really elevated the budget sub chairs this year in a good way, and they really, in in the course of almost 60 hearings, did a great job of getting public input and feeding into this budget. So with that, this is the last budget bill.

This completes the budget process. I respectfully request an item.

Senators, this measure includes an urgency clause and will require a two thirds vote. Earlier today, the secretary received the letter of resignation from the Senator from Hayward, who was on the way to Washington DC to to be sworn in to the US House of Representatives. Under the rules of the Senate, notwithstanding any vacancies, the two thirds vote is still 27 votes. So please all members come to the floor to vote. Secretary, please call the roll.

Allen. Aye. Alvarado-Gil. Archuleta. Aye.

Aye. Aye. Ashby. Arre, Arre, Arre, Cabaldon, Caballero, Arre, Cervantes, Arre, Cortesi, Arre, Deli, Durazo, Arre, Gonzales, Grayson, Grove, Hurtado, Jones, Noel Laird, Limon, Maguire, McNearney, Aye, Menjivar, Aye, Nilo, no, Ochoa Bog, Adia, Aye, Perez, Aye, Reyes, Aye, Richardson, Aye, Rubio, Aye. Seattle. No. Smallwood Cuevas. Aye. Stern. Aye.

Strickland. Humbert. Aye. Volodetis. Well, Webber Pearson. Aye. Weiner. Aye. Call the opposite members.

Alvrarado Gill, Choi, Dally, Grove.

No. Ochoa Bog? Strickland?

Ayes 29, Noes four on the urgency clause. Ayes 29, Noes four on the measure. The measure passes. Members, we're gonna take a brief pause. We are awaiting two measures, from the Assembly.

The Senate will stand in recess for five minutes.

The Senate is back in session. There are messages from the Assembly at the desk. Secretary, please read.

Mister president, I am directed to inform your honorable body that the Assembly amended and on this day passed as amended Senate Bill 931. I respectfully request your honorable body to concurrence that amendment. Sue Parker, chief clerk of the Assembly.

Is there any objection to taking up SB 931 without reference to file? Seeing none, Secretary, please read.

Senate bill 931 by Senator Grove, inaccuading to Dolly Parton Day and declaring the urgency thereof to take effect immediately.

Senator Grove.

Thank you. Thank you, Mister president and colleagues. Members, I could not be prouder, and it's only fitting that my very last bill in the California State Legislature to present is the cause as meaningful as it it couldn't be more meaningful than honoring the late great forever icon, miss Dolly Parton. Her immense heart and lifelong generosity changed the lives of millions of people forever.

Today, I'm proud to present SB 931 recognizing September 25 as Dolly Parton Day in California, in honor of one of the most beloved artists, philanthropists, and incredible human beings of our time.

Before I begin, I do wanna express my sincere gratitude to my dear friend from Santa Cruz, the former secretary of natural resources, for the vehicle and the measure, to put this in place on the Assembly side. I've been here since 2010, and that is the first time I've ever walked through a gut and amend on the Assembly side to bring a bill back to the Senate side. And it was truly because of my dear friend from Santa Cruz.

I wanna thank the Pro Tem and the speaker for their leadership to support this effort moving forward. This is a woman who came from very little, a sharecropper's daughter, a part time carpenter, raising a parcel full of kids in the mountains of Tennessee.

Her talents are incredibly successful despite all odds. Every step of the way, she stayed true to her heritage, her values, her faith, and her dreams. And then, and when she was successful, she used that influence to share kindness, giving, and sharing with everyone, everyone. She told him to dream and approach life with generosity. Of course, Dolly Parton's legacy goes beyond her music.

One of her greatest achievements was the Imagination Library, which provides free books for young children and helps foster a love for reading from a very early age and promotes improving literacy rates. As you know, I was incredibly honored to work alongside my bestie, Senate pro tem, former Senate pro tem, Tony Atkins, to author SB 1183. When you think about what Dolly did to bring people together, Toni and I came from way different political sides. I'm a conservative Tea Party Republican.

She's a San Diego LGBTQ Democrat from the far left side.

Well, not far left. She's kinda middle left. But I can tell you that we came together on things that we were that were that were in common with us. Both of us raised in very poor families, and we shared that same thing with Dolly. And I think that's kinda what connected us to this particular piece of legislation.

Plus, we always used to just get together once in a while and use mops or broom handles and sing Dolly Parton songs when times got tough here in the building. I'm also so grateful for the governor's partnership in getting the Imagination Library statewide. It was $68,000,000 and I'm grateful the effort has almost gotten almost 4,000,000 books into the hands of kids that are young. Throughout this historic effort, California also became the first state in the nation to offer bilingual books that were required under the legislation.

And what was so incredible about that is I had a Spanish speaking woman come to my office in the district.

She brought a six year old little girl and a three year old little boy with her, and the daughter says, the six year old says "Thank you. My mom wants to tell you thank you." And she says, thank you. "My mom wants to tell you she can now read." And the woman pulled out the book, Llama Llama Red Pajama, and read it in English and in Spanish.

And she's actually learning English by reading those books to her kids. And I thought that just really really touched my heart. Dolly Parton brought people together of all backgrounds through her unmatched generosity, her genuine love for people, the kindness that she showed everyone. She brought people together over vulnerable children, underserved communities, families, the LGBT community, the old, the young, the right, the left, anybody she came in contact with loved her.

From a scholar from scholarships to children in need, to improving literacy rates, to leaving a generous generational legacy of funding pediatric cancer research supporting children's hospitals.

She had no children, and she left her immense fortune to making sure that this United States Of America, or the world, cured cancer for kids. The list goes on and on. Her philanthropic legacy was always designed to live beyond her lifetime, particularly through the Imagination Library and the Children's Cancers, cancer treatment networks, and that's just what it will do. Fighting for cancer, expanding fighting against cancer, expanding literacy for our kids, now that's a legacy we can all live up to.

It's fitting in California that we honor this extraordinary legacy on September 25. And for those of you who have not got it yet, it's 09/25.

A date inspired by one of Dolly Parton's famous most iconic songs and my good colleagues from Santa Cruz. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Senator. By priority of the house, the Senate is subject to debate limits this morning. Senator Laird, Senator Laird, please don't take I'm begging you, please don't take five minutes. Senator Laird, Senator Laird, please don't take it just because you can.

Let me just say I'm sorry. The presiding officer's bills are all gone. We would deal with that. And and and I note that the only time you raise a limit is when you recognize me, so I will, be according. And let me first begin by thanking the Senator from Fair Oaks for not pointing out that this was a late gut and amend by a member of his own caucus.

But, I think that it is hard to add what to what the Senator from Bakersfield said. And and the key thing here is is that if you look at what has happened the last few days since Dolly Parton passed, it's that there's an outpouring from people that are just different across the country and disagree because she reached everybody. And she reached everybody, whether it's reading or children's cancer or just any of a number of things to bring people together, which we sorely need now.

And and she did it through her music and her actions, and she did it even for her personal legacy. And it it is a pleasure to partner on this, and it even took the lead author a while to realize the nine two five part.

She thought it was a typo in the bill and a typo in the RN. But I think it's really important, and so I salute her for a presentation. I think this is something I already have a text from somebody that says if you can't get a unanimous vote for this, you all should go home. So let me just thank everybody for working on this and thank Dolly Parton for her legacy, and I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Senator. Senator Weber Pierson.

Thank you, Mister president. I rise in strong support of SB 931 and really wanna thank both the senators from Bakersfield and Santa Cruz for making this happen. Dolly Parton, someone has was mentioned before, has touched everyone, and she was loved, admired, and respected within the black community. You know, I think many people in the black community saw her beginnings as very similar to their own. As was mentioned, she was the daughter of a sharecropper.

Many of you know that my mom is a daughter of a sharecropper from the South. But she also demonstrated empathy, hustle, self determination, many qualities that we in the black community must have in order to thrive and survive here in America. She used her platform to uplift everyone.

You know, when you look at the resolution, it speaks to the fact that she used some of her royalties that she got from the song, I Will Always Love You, that she wrote as a country song, but Whitney Houston turned into a global phenomenon. And she took some of those royalties, and she put it back into the black neighborhood in Nashville, Tennessee because she understood that it was a black woman who allowed for her to get such royalties.

Her Imagination Library sent millions of free books to children in black neighborhoods. And after the murder of George Floyd in 2020, she was a very vocal advocate and made it very clear that black lives do matter. And she put her money behind the development of the COVID nineteen vaccine, a virus that we know disproportionately impacted black people and black community. And so she shows us that you don't have to change who you are.

You do not have to lose your humanity no matter how far you go in life. And no matter who you are, you should always stand on the right side of history. And with that, I respectfully ask for an aye vote on SB 931.

Thank you.

Thank you, Senator. Senator Perez.

Thank you, Mister president. I rise in strong support of SB 931 by the good Senator from Bakersfield and just wanna share how tremendous I think it is that we're recognizing Dolly Parton and her incredible work. I have to admit, as a young girl, I did not actually know who Dolly Parton was. My first reference to her, as many of you know, I have very large hair. Those are the comparisons that I had very big hair like Dolly Parton.

And over time as a child, ended up learning more and more about her, her music, her legacy, and the work that she's done for community. And in particular here, have had a chance to work with both the good Senator from, Bakersfield, as well as our former pro tem, in exploring the Imagination Library and particularly how that program had been set up, and ensuring its success here in the state legislature.

And came to realize the impact of the Imagination Library delivering thousands and thousands of books across the country to children to make sure that we're encouraging kids to read at a time when literacy rates continue to fall not just across the state but across the country. And so Dolly Parton has continued to do that work to center children, to encourage children to read, and it's been nothing short of tremendous.

And I am absolutely honored to see that this program has continued to expand across the state and provide children with access to books.

And so I'm very proud to be able to rise in support of this and, excited that we are going to be, recognizing the tremendous legacy of leadership and love that she's shown this entire country. Thank you.

Senator Padilla.

Thank you very much, Mister president. Colleagues rise honored to rise and support and make a couple comments about the impact that I think Dolly Parton had on all of us and certainly on me.

When I think about, her example, the eloquence of her example, her decency, the fact that she spoke and acted with great humility despite her global success and fortune, The fact that she always referenced everything she did artistically and personally back to a remembrance and a humility about her beginnings, and she never let go of that. And she loved unconditionally, and she preached and taught and wrote beautifully about unconditional love.

She set a walking example, not just as a brilliant lyricist and vocalist, but just as a decent human being.

And she made such a tremendous impact. She touched me personally in a couple of ways. First, as someone who nearly died of COVID, the fact that she was busy working hard to help lift up science and to lift up the effort to develop a vaccine as quickly as possible to save lives when she could have easily hidden somewhere is really inspiring and very personal to me. Nearly thirty years ago, I lost my mother very, very suddenly.

My family rushed to the hospital when we realized that she was literally dying.

And as I approached the hospital, my most vivid memory is a little song came on the radio and it was the Whitney Houston rendition of I Will Always Love You. And I felt in that moment in my grief because I knew when I got to that hospital what I would be told that my mother was gone.

I felt in that moment, my mother, through that lyric, through her pen, was saying goodbye to me and telling me I will always love you. And anytime I hear that rendition, I can hear Whitney's voice often and I can hear Dolly's voice. But I know it's Dolly's pen.

She was brilliant and she touched so many, including me. So if you'll bear with me for a second at the request of the Senator from Bakersfield, I'm thinking of another lyric, a brilliant a brilliant song that she recorded a track with the late Kenny Rogers.

Islands in the stream, that is what we are. No one in between. How can we be wrong? Sail away with me to another world, and we rely on each other. Uh-huh. Hey, Dolly. We'll rely on each other. Uh-huh. Request and aye vote.

Thank you, Senator. Senator Alvarado-Gil.

Thank you.

I rise in support of this resolution and would like to share a homage to Dolly Parton by celebrating her confidence, beauty, and her self worth. He spent a lifetime reminding women and girls that confidence is one of the most beautiful qualities that a person can possess. It was through her music, through her philanthropy and her unapologetic authenticity. She inspired generations to embrace who they are and to live with courage and joy. Dolly never allowed others to define her.

Instead, she showed the world that individuality is the strength. Whether walking onto stage or speaking from the heart, she carried herself with confidence that encouraged women everywhere to do the same. Her songs have often reflected resilience and determination and self respect. In nine to five, she celebrated the hard work of everyday people striving for a better life. In coat of many colors, she shared a story that taught us that dignity and love are worth far more than material possessions.

And in the light of clear blue morning, she offered hope that brighter days are always ahead. Dolly's life and career embody the spirit of moving forward with optimism, even when faced with obstacles. She reminds us that we can rise above criticism, believe in our own potential, and find beauty in our unique stories.

Perhaps, no song title captures her message better than just because I'm a woman. Dolly has consistently championed the idea that women deserve respect, opportunity, and the freedom to define themselves in their own terms.

From women and girls everywhere, Dolly Parton is more than an icon. She's a role model who teaches that confidence is powerful, kindness is beautiful, and authenticity is something to celebrate. Determined by appearances, but by our character, perseverance, and heart.

I wanna thank Dolly Parton for helping generations of women just I wanna thank Dolly Parton for helping generations of women just like me, and girls stand tall, dreaming boldly, and love themselves exactly who they are, and exactly how God made them. Thank you, Mister president.

I promise I'm not gonna see exactly who they are and exactly how God made them. I wanna thank all of you because every single person in here has a bit of Dolly in you. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Senator Niello.

Thank you, Mister president. I promise I'm not gonna sing. That's an applause line. And and, I won't go over, five minutes. And with regard to the gut and amend, I don't like gut and amends.

I know I don't. But as was once said by a wise man, mindless consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. I like this gut and amend, and I propose another one that we gut and amend SB 925931 into that one. And that way, this can be 925 the bill consistent with the spirit of the resolution. But I have always loved Dolly Parton.

I love her singing. I love her incredible songwriting. Her great sense of humor, particularly the self deprecating part of it. One of her favorite one of my favorite lines of hers is, you know, it costs a lot of money to look this cheap. But she in the wake of her dying and I've read so much about where she came from, which I didn't know much about before, I am in awe of that life.

And I would like to point out that I think that it's only fitting quite a life to talk about also, which she has mentioned on the floor. But to see people come from a youth, which is maybe somewhat challenged, and then become what they are. Dolly Parton, Senator Grove, to me is remarkable. And I salute you, and I urge an aye vote on what I'd like to be SB 925, but it's SB 931.

Thank you, Senator Niello. Your motion is out of order to amend SB 925. Senator Wiener.

Thank you very much. I rise in support of SB 931. Dolly Parton is the closest thing we had to a a saint in this in this country, and the fact that her death was immediately commemorated ranging from Donald Trump to the American Communist Party, I think tells you all you need to know, and it's just extraordinary. I do wanna just say she was such a great friend and ally to LGBTQ people, including trans people.

And she had trans folks in her life and and just queer people all around, and she was amazing. And my favorite Dolly quote was, if I hadn't been born a woman, I would be a drag queen for sure. I ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Senator. Seeing no other senators wishing to be recognized, Senator Grove, you may close.

Thank you, Mister president. I'll treasure this. We actually got this in the mail when we were working on the Imagination Library, Tony and Aye, and they were autographed and we also have a picture of her autographing it. But, 39 senators are on this bill, and I just am grateful for each and every one of you. In first Corinthians 19 or thirteen thirteen, it says, and now these these three things remain, faith, hope, and love.

Faith in God, hope in humanity, and love unconditionally. And I think that that's something that Dolly stood by. She had faith, she hoped in humanity, and she loved unconditionally. And like my good colleague from San Francisco said, when president Donald Trump and the Communist Party of America can come together and say incredible things about this extraordinary woman, there's no reason why we can't have a day in California, on 09/25 or 09/25, I guess.

And hopefully, if we get this signed by the governor, we'll have this capital lit up in pink on 09/25, and you guys all come back in your famous Dolly where we'll celebrate like California should be celebrating, for this iconic, incredible woman.

Respectfully ask for an aye vote.

All debate having seats. Secretary, please call the roll.

Allen. Aye. Alvarado Gil. Aye. Archuleta.

Aye. Aye. Ashby. Aye, Becker, Aye, Blakespear, Aye, Cabaldon, Aye, Caballero, Aye, Cervantes, Aye, Choi, Aye, Cortese, Aye, Dahle, Aye, Durazo, Aye, Gonzales. Aye, Grayson.

Aye, Grove. Aye, Hurtado. Aye, Jones. Aye, Laird. Aye, Limon. Aye. McGuire. Aye. McNerney. Aye. Menjivar. Aye. Niello. Aye. Ochoa Bogh. Aye. Padilla. Aye. Perez. Aye. Reyes. Aye. Richardson. Aye. Rubio. Aye. Seyarto. Aye. Smallwood-Cuevas. Aye. Stern. Aye. Strickland. Aye. Humbert. Aye. Valladares.Aye. Weber Pierson. Aye.Wiener. Aye.

Ayes 39 no's none. The measure passes.

Turning next to motions and resolutions, Senator Grayson.

Thank you. Mister president, I request unanimous consent for a letter to be printed into the journal relating to SB 328. This letter has been approved by leadership and the secretary.

Without objection, yes, we'll note.

Minority leader, Senator Jones, you're recognized under announcements.

Announcements or personal privilege. Either way. Should I ask for a parliamentary inquiry on to which one? Members, good morning. Still, fairly.

It is an honor to stand up this morning and participate in the final comments of the 2025- 2026 session for the California State Senate. I've had the honor and privilege of being elected almost for a quarter of a century, since 2002 till well, I guess November 30 will be my last day as an elected official in the State of California and it has flown by very, very quickly. When I got elected to the Senate in 2018, very very quickly.

And believe it or not, I was already looking forward to this day on on the day that we got sworn in in 2018. Because after serving in the Assembly, I know that time flies here.

I know that the Pro Tem is gonna close us out with some acknowledgments of staff and organizations that help support our work here. And obviously, all of us will be participating in those things as well, but I have some particularly special things that I wanna give from my perspective.

We have a couple of folks in the Republican Caucus staff that are retiring. Joe Parra and Jennifer Allen have given over 40 years combined service to the people of California in state service.

That kind of dedication is rare and it deserves to be recognized on this floor.

Joe and Jennifer, on behalf of our caucus, and I'm gonna presume the Democratic Caucus, and the people of California as a whole, thank you. Your careers were spent in service to something bigger than any one of us, and your work made a huge difference. Can we please give Joe and Jennifer a round of applause?

For anybody that's ever led an organization, you know, you can't be a one man or or one woman show. And I have to take some time to thank my staff.

The team that made my office and kept it running through every session, every fight, every win, and every loss. On my personal staff, folks that were been with me almost the entire eight years, but a couple that bugged off a little early for opportunities outside the building, Danielle Parsons, who was my Capital Director, Nina Krichell, who was my Communications Director. And I appreciate all the positive feedback I get on my on my social media, my communications, and everything.

At one point in time, I don't know if I still am, but at one point in time, I was the most followed legislator on Instagram. I would love to take credit for that but my comms team, as you all know, did that.

I walked into the Senate with two people.

Sorry. This one surprised me actually because they're crump, they're grumpy old guys. But I called them the, I call them the national treasure because between the two of them, the bipartisan efforts that you get to experience from our side of the aisle when we are able to cooperate with you all. And we try to cooperate with you as much as possible.

I do want you to know that. But Craig Wilson and Jim Cajole, we walked in together and I think one of them is walking out with me. And one of them I'm leaving behind to make sure you guys don't mess up things next year.

But and then another one that came in with me that's going out with me is in my district office, my Constituent Services Director who has been recognized by the Senate and departments in the state as one of the top constituent service managers in the state, Lori Brown. And she directs our our internship program in the district.

We've had over hundreds of interns in the eight years that we've been here. We've had interns from over 50 countries, 30 states. At one point in time, we had 18 different languages spoken in our internship program. It's been phenomenal. Robert Roque, who started out as an intern when he's at UCSD and is now sits here as one of my policy consultants in my office, has been along for the long haul as well.

And then my my left hand and my right hand, my District Director, Nick Brust, and my capital Director, Jake Donahue, who both have stepped up to be two people that I really, really rely on. But one thing I really that's my personal staff. But one thing I really wanna recognize and share with you the importance of the Republican Caucus staff. The ladies and gentlemen that worked for us in the Legislative Office Building.

Our policy team led by Greg Ma, our budget team led by Kirk Feeley, our communications team ran led by Maxie Douglas Holmberg, and our two rules consultants, Chris and Julie.

You all obviously, the Republicans are the benefit of their work and they really work hard. And and one of the things I always try to share with the, with our my colleagues across the aisle where you have multiple consultants on each committee. We have consultants that cover multiple committees.

Some of our consultants have one committee, and they do all of the analysis for that one committee. But some of our committees have two or some of our consultants have two committees or three.

I'll just give you one example. Joe Parra, who's retiring covers health and human services. They are the backbone of our messaging of the good work that's done here, in the capital. We obviously get to take advantage as members of the work that they do, but I think you all can admit you get to take advantage of the work that they do because their analysis is are so well written that sometimes I have members across the aisle come and ask me for the input from our consultants on certain things.

And I'm not gonna throw any names out there, but I know I appreciate you all respecting and admiring our staff to that level when you're trying to articulate your arguments on a particular issue that you rely on our consultants for their work. And that means a lot to me. It means a lot to our members and it means a lot to our staff that you honor and respect them in that way.

I gotta throw out a surprise appreciation I wasn't expecting to experience as leader. When I, when I when McGuire took over as Pro Tem, one of the things he insisted on that I did not want to do was be on rules committee. Now he ganged up on me and got my Chief of Staff behind it as well. And so between the two of them, I got roped into being on rules committee.

And as a result of that, I met two fantastic ladies that do an awesome job for all of us here in the capital, and that's Erica Contreras and Diane Griffiths.

And I'm just gonna say some history. Erica and I tussled a couple of times, during COVID and other issues regarding the district and staffing. And once I became leader though, I got to learn how hard her job is and a level of respect for the multiple personalities. There's 40 senators, but I gotta believe there's about 400 personalities represented on this floor that Erica has to deal with. And then Diane Griffiths has just been awesome on the Rules Committee.

I've had the opportunity to serve with three pro temps. I don't know the last minority leader that had that opportunity, Tony Atkins, who I, who I've been friends with for a long time because we served together in San Diego. Mike McGuire, who's become honestly one of my best friends, and really did a lot for us, all of us and I appreciate it.

And then, Monique Limon, man, she just jumped right in there and didn't skip a beat, didn't miss a beat, and has been an awesome Pro Tem and an awesome friend as well and look forward to collaborating with you for a long time, I hope on different things. I wanna acknowledge my colleagues across the aisle who we all work with to get things done this session.

The best moments in this chamber happen when both decide, when both sides decide that the people of California matter more than politics. And I'm gonna say we've had some fantastic bipartisan wins this year, all 40 of us. We've actually done some really good work together.

And I hope that the camaraderie, the debate, the demeanor, and even when we're a little salty with each other is an example for the rest of the country and for 49 other legislatures and the federal legislature to take our example and live by. One of the things that has amazed me, and I had the opportunity to share this this morning, is you all signed this flag in a bipartisan manner, and I appreciate that.

I'm a difficult person to surprise because I usually catch on to things. I had no idea this was coming. And when my staff gave it to me this morning, this is gonna be one of my most prized possessions because all of you are on it. And I thank you for that. I appreciate it.

Sorry. I'm getting blubbery. I didn't mean to get blubbery this morning. When I became Senate minority leader in 2022 because I was late to to the caucus meeting, the Republicans were at their lowest numbers in history. We were down to eight.

That's the lowest point Republicans have ever ever been out. Now I'm thankful that Democrats at one point in time were at a lower number. You guys actually got down to three in the 1930s. So I knew I had a goal that to stop the bleeding and start growing from there, and we've been able to do that. I wanna thank my caucus members for the opportunity to serve as minority leader.

I'm not sure they knew what they were getting themselves into when voted for me originally, but it has been it has been an honor. And I don't take the trust lightly that you put in me to lead this caucus and now through the end of the year, which is unprecedented. The only other person that we could find that has served to the end of their term is John Burton, and I don't mind being in that company.

Today, our caucus is strong, is unified, and is in great hands with Senator Niello, to lead in the next years as Senate minority leader elect. And I wish you all the luck because you're gonna need a lot of it.

The and the best is yet to come for California. It's been an honor of my life to serve with all of you here on the floor and in the Senate. The work is not finished, but the people of California on good hand are the people of California are are in good hands with Pro Tem Limon, minority leader elect Niello, and majority leader Ashby, and all of the public all of you public servants that are returning in December and January. God bless you.

God bless California, And God bless The United States Of America.

The minority leader has given the house much to reflect upon, and to that end, we're going to take a brief pause.

Members of the Senate is not in recess, and we do we will we will resume business momentarily.

The Senate will start anew in fifteen seconds.

The Senate will come to order. Senator Becker, for what purpose do you rise?

With regard to the file?

To speak on the condition of the file? You're a recognized to do so.

I would like to speak on condition of the file. Members, it's simply unfortunate that after months of carefully crafting a balanced first step to implement the recommendations of the SB 254 report. SB 492, will not advance today. We have spent months, and I wanna thank the huddle group in particularly, but really the whole caucus.

We spent months listening to wildfire victims, working through difficult issues, and bringing together stakeholders, legislators, and the Governor around reforms that could make a meaningful difference now. We had a three party agreement to do so.

Again, because we've heard directly from wildfire survivors, and they are hurting. Families have lost their homes, their livelihoods, and their loved ones. Many are still struggling to rebuild and waiting for the compensation they need to move their lives forward. They need relief, and delay only prolongs suffering.

SB 492 would have helped victims receive compensation faster, strengthen wildfire prevention and preparedness, protect survivors from profiteering, and hold utility executives personally accountable when their utilities equipment causes catastrophic fires.

The bill is a balanced and meaningful first step with the understanding that we would continue working on larger structural reforms next year. But this work was not for nothing. We've advanced new ideas and discussions that will be the foundation for future progress to deliver for the people of California. The Senate and I look around. I can look at every person here.

We're working for years to improve how California prevents catastrophic wildfires and supports the peoples whose lives are devastated by them. And I will continue that work. I know the Senate will continue that work. While I'm disappointed, we cannot deliver these reforms today. We will not stop working on behalf of survivors.

California needs to act. These families have already waited long enough. Thank you.

Thank you, Senator Becker. Senator Padilla.

Thank you, Mister president and colleagues. I rise to just associate myself with the remarks.

Are you also speaking on condition?

I am speaking to the condition of file as well.

You're recognized for that purpose

Thank you.

I wanna associate myself with the remarks of my distinguished colleague and partner and just echo that it's a deep disappointment that there were I think there were many partners in our sister house that understood the importance of the three party agreement and the importance that as with all things legislative and with all things imperative and all things important that we cannot and must not ever continue to allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good because all elements desired were not landed by all parties.

The package of benefits that was before us and was part of this agreement and was a result of many, many months of hard work and negotiation and agreement had real benefit to help Californians today, here, today, now. And it is unfortunate that they did not muster the political will to do just that.

I'd also echo that I remain committed, as I know this chamber does, to working in an adult and sober fashion, in an appropriate process to resolve the many complex issues that still remain to help benefit Californians in the future.

Alright. President Pro Tem, Senator Limon, you're recognized for for your final session remarks.

Members, thank you. Today, we are about to conclude the business of the California State Senate for the 2025- 2026 legislative year. Over the course of the year, this body has worked tirelessly on crafting legislation, ensuring thoughtful debate and partnership at every stage of this legislative process.

While these bills differed in topics and ultimately shared one goal, making sure we do our best and that we deliver for the people of California. And that is what we have done.

This year, the California State Senate passed a balanced budget. We focused on protecting critical services that Californians rely on of all backgrounds. We delayed proposed MediCal reductions, protected in home supportive services for seniors and people with disabilities. We invested in hospitals. We preserved access to health care for millions.

We also took important steps to safeguard programs like the homeless the homeless housing assistance and prevention grant program, Cal Food, immigration legal aid services, programs that support the underserved. The Senate also stepped up to maintain funding for the Victims of Crime Act to continue standing up for survivors and provide important prevention and supportive services.

We crafted and supported youth education by providing a $121,300,000,000 for K through 12 education in our state. Funding that we know our schools, our youth need, and that they deserve to have.

This chamber also made history in passing the Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026.

This bond will provide one of the largest investments that this state has ever seen in housing construction, preservation of affordable housing, and the expansion of home ownership opportunities. Something that this state needs to preserve because we know that the dream of owning a home is a piece of also the California dream.

And as this legislative year comes to an end, it's also important to reflect on the work that this body has done to protect the integrity of our democracy. Our democracy depends on the will of the voters. We must ensure that we have the tools that our voters need to be heard, to be seen, and to be counted.

This body move forward critical policies to support the election process, protect voter rights, and ensure eligible voters can cast their vote without intimidation or fear. Everyone should be proud of what this body has accomplished and what we have done for our golden state.

I wanna thank you all for your commitment, your collaboration throughout this very busy year, and focus on the important work that we have done and the ways that we've come together to deliver for Californians.

I wanna say a few special thank you's and I wanna start with thanking our Majority leader, Senator Ashby, for the incredible, for the incredible work to make sure that this house is able to get policy out in a way that matters and impacts Californians.

I also wanna thank our assistant majority leaders, Senator Richardson, Senator Wahab, who resigned this morning, our majority whip, Senator Grayson, our assistant majority whips, Senators Padilla, Senator Rubio, and Senator Cortese. Our Democratic Caucus Chair, Senator Menjivar, to all of the presiding officers for ensuring that this house did the work that we needed to do.

A special thank you to every member of the Democratic Caucus who helped keep us on track, who provided input, who moved forward, who ensured that Californians were heard. We as a house were able to vote on 1628 bills this year. And we couldn't do it without our partners. Our partners and I wanna start with our minority leader, Senator Jones, and every member of the Republican Caucus who have been partners across the aisle and who have helped us pass bipartisan legislation.

A story that is not told enough and often. Thank you.

And a special recognition to the incoming minority leader, Senator Niello who I look forward to continuing to partner with. We also could not have done this without the people who are here in all hours, helping ensure that the vision and voices of the Senators is one that moves through this house.

We've done this with a phenomenal Senate desk team led by Secretary Erica Contreras and Chief Assistant Secretary Hashani, our committee staff, our office staff, whether in the district, whether in the capital, every hour that every member of this staff in this house puts in helps us deliver. Staff is part of this equation, and we are grateful for every role that you have played and continue to play.

There are staff who don't always help us work on the bills, but help us in other ways. And that includes our sergeants, the California Highway Patrol, the parking staff, the capital security team, everyone who works the hours to make sure we can come in and out of this building and that we have a place to do this work. DGS and the ground staff who help our offices, who help ensure that when we come in, we can get the work done.

Capital health staff and services that make sure we are taken care of in a moment's notice and also who put in the hours. On behalf of every member of this Senate today, thank you to all the staff.

I wanna personally thank some of my staff as well. My Chief of Staff, Mariana Corona Sabenano, for her hard work for many years and her dedicated service to our state and to this office and this house. Thank you, Mariana, wherever she's hiding right now. I wanna also thank Chris Woods for helping us deliver our budgets for this golden state.

Year after year. Our Policy Director, Misa Lennox and our Deputy Policy Director, Eric Ding. Alongside some of the best policy leaders that make up the policy team, and their work is so phenomenal. I cannot thank you enough for all that you all do to make sure that we're delivering.

I also wanna thank our communications team led by Christina Montoya, and everyone who works to make sure that the message of what we are doing is one that our constituents are hearing. Thank you all.

Thank you to every member of our floor teams who are here, who are doing this work. I wanna take a moment to extend more gratitude to our outgoing nine members who are departing, who have contributed so much to this legislature. I'd like to ask Senator Allen to please stand. Senator Alvarado-Gil, Senator Caballero, Senator Durazo, Senator Jones, Senator Umberg, Pro Tem Emeritus McGuire. Please stand.

Thank you.

Senator Grove

Senator Grove. Senator Grove, I didn't wanna let you go. Thank you. In your last moments, we wanted you to know that this house would not be what it is, what it has been without your work. Thank you to our outgoing Senators for your contributions to the state.

We are thinking of you in these final moments as you serve, and we are grateful with deep gratitude for everything that you have contributed to this state. Members, we will head back home to our districts, and we will continue to do the work. And I am proud to have served and continue to serve with each and every one of you and grateful for what you do for this state. Members, the California State Senate has adjourned.

The desk having been cleared, the Senate is adjourned. The motion to adjourn Cine Die will be made automatically at midnight on November 30. Until then, the Senate is adjourned.