TO BE TOUGHER AGAIN. THANK YOU,
STEVE. GOOD MORNING. WELCOME TO
THE APRIL 19TH 2023 HEARING OF
THE ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS
COMMITTEE. I DO NOT SEE A QUORUM
PRESENT, SO WE'LL BEGIN AS A
SUBCOMMITTEE IF MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. ARE MONITORING THIS
HEARING. PLEASE COME TO ROOM 44.
FOUR. 444 OF THE STATE CAPITAL
SO THAT WE CAN ESTABLISH A
QUORUM. I HAVE TWO OPTIONS FOR
THE PUBLIC TO TESTIFY. TODAY'S
HEARING IN PERSON. I SEE THERE'S
A FEW PEOPLE HERE. OR BY
MODERATED TELEPHONE SERVICE. THE
COMMITTEE HAS 18 BILLS ON ITS
AGENDA. 18 BILLS IS THE MOST
WE'VE HAD ON OUR AGENDA IN TWO
YEARS. AH, SO PLEASE BE MINDFUL
OF THAT AS WE MAKE OUR WAY
THROUGH TODAY FOR EACH BUILDING
WILL BE A MAXIMUM TWO PRIMARY
WITNESSES AND SUPPORT AND TWO
PRIMARY WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION
WITH A LIMIT OF TWO MINUTES. FOR
WITNESS. AFTER WE HAVE HEARD
FROM THE PRIMARY WITNESS, THE
PUBLIC WILL HAVE UP TO 10
MINUTES IN TOTAL TIME FOR
ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT ON
EACH BILL, STARTING WITH MEMBERS
WHO ARE HERE IN THE HEARING
ROOM. OTHER WITNESSES ARE
LIMITED TO PROVIDING THEIR NAME.
THE ORGANIZATION THEY REPRESENT.
IF ANY OF THEIR POSITION ON THE
BILL. ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
WILL BE RULED OUT OF ORDER.
AGAIN WE HAVE 18 BILLS ON THE
AGENDA. WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO
MOVE EXPEDITIOUSLY. IF YOU ARE
UNABLE TO GET THROUGH ON THE
PHONE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO
SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY THROUGH
THE PORTAL ON THE COMMITTEE'S
WEBSITE. THE WRITTEN TESTIMONY
WILL BECOME PART OF THE OFFICIAL
RECORD OF THE BILL. FOR THOSE
WHO ARE WATCHING THIS HEARING
REMOTELY AND WHO WISH TO CALL IN
TO REGISTER. THEIR POSITION TO
CALL IN NUMBER FOR THIS HEARING
IS 877692, AND THE ACCESS CODE
IS 1315444. YOU CAN ALSO FIND
THIS NUMBER ON THE ASSEMBLY
ELECTIONS COMMITTEE WEBSITE AS
WELL AS ON YOUR TV OR COMPUTER
SCREEN. IF YOU WERE CALLING IN,
PLEASE ELIMINATE ALL BACKGROUND
NOISE. THIS INCLUDES MUTING YOUR
LIVESTREAM BROADCAST AND SMART
DEVICES TO REDUCE SOUND
DISTORTION. IF YOU'RE HAVING ANY
PROBLEMS WITH THE MODERATED
PHONE SERVICE, YOU CAN CALL THE
COMMITTEE DIRECTLY AT 916319
2094, THE COMMITTEE STAFF. THE
EXCELLENT COMMITTEE STAFF WILL
BE THERE TO TRY TO HELP YOU.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US AS
WE IMPLEMENT METHODS TO CONTINUE
TO SERVE ALL OF THE PEOPLE. OF
CALIFORNIA. WITH THOSE
ANNOUNCEMENTS OUT OF THE WAY.
GONNA MOVE ON TO THE COMMITTEE'S
AGENDA. AT THIS POINT, SINCE WE
DON'T HAVE A QUORUM. SO WE'LL
TAKE UP THE WE STOPPED. BY NOT
QUITE AT A QUORUM, SO WE'LL TAKE
UP THE CONSENT CALENDAR LATER IN
THE HEARING. UH OH. FIRST ITEM.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE OTHER
BILLS ON THE COMMITTEE'S AGENDA.
A B 10 04 WELCOME. GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING CHAIR AND MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE. GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING CHAIR. I'M HERE
TODAY TO PRESENT A B CHAIN OF
FOUR, WHICH WOULD RESOLVE A
LOOPHOLE IN CALIFORNIA ELECTION
LAW AND PROVIDE VOTERS
OPPORTUNITY TO VERIFY THEIR
SIGNATURE ON INITIATIVE,
REFERENDUM AND RECALL PETITION
IF ELECTION OFFICIALS REJECT
THEIR SIGNATURE. I WANTED TO
BEGIN BY THANKING COMMITTEE
STAFF FOR WORKING WITH MY OFFICE
ON THIS BILL, AND IT WILL BE
ACCEPTING THE COMMITTEE PROPOSED
AMENDMENT TO A B 10 4. TO
INITIATE A REFERENDUM OR RECORD
SUPPORTERS MUST CIRCULATE
OPPOSITION COLLECTING SIGNATURE
TO QUALIFY FOR THE BALLOT.
HOWEVER ELECTION OFFICIAL CAN
DISQUALIFIED BUT ADDITION
SIGNATURE IF THEY DO DECAY
MISSED MUCH BETWEEN THE PETITION
SIGNATURE AND THE VOTER
SIGNATURE ON FIRE, DISQUALIFIED.
SINO ARE NEVER NOTIFIED THAT
THEIR SIGNATURE HAS BEEN TOSSED
AND I GAVE HIM NO OPPORTUNITY TO
VERIFY THEIR SIGNATURE. IT IS
ESPECIALLY PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE
VOTERS SIGNATURE ON FIRE OFTEN
COME FROM OUT, THEIR SOCKS SAYS
AT DECADE OVER VOTER
REGISTRATION FIRM SINA, WHOSE
SIGNATURE HAIR CHANGE MANY DUE
TO A OR AILMENT, OFTEN
DISQUALIFIED AND THIS FRANCHISE
FROM THE PETITION PROCESS WITH
NO OPPORTUNITY TO VERIFY THE
SIGNATURE SIGNATURE WILL ALSO BE
COMPARED TO RECORD FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF MODEL VEHICLES
WHERE VOTER USED AND FAMILIAR
STYLIST TO RECORD THEIR
SIGNATURE RESULTING IN THIS
PREGNANCY THAT LEAD TO FURTHER
THIS QUALIFICATION. THIS ISSUE
IS PERSONAL TO ME AND MY
COMMUNITY SIGNATURE MARCH
REQUIREMENT HAVE BEEN FILED TO
POST UNITS CHALLENGE TO ASIAN
AMERICANS WITH ASIAN AMERICAN
WHEN SEEING JUSTICE REPORTING
THAT FOREIGN BORN ASIAN AMERICAN
VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT MORE, WE'RE
MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE HENRY
OBJECTION DUE TO SIGNATURE, MR
MUCH THAN THEIR NATIVE BORN
COUNTERPART TO ROSS OR A ROOT IN
MY COMMITTEE NORTHWEST ON COUNTY
, SAYING THAT YOU MUST
REQUIREMENT HAVE REGULARLY THIS
FUNCTION WISE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
WHO SOUGHT TO FAIRLY PARTICIPATE
IN A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
CALIFORNIA LAW ALLOWED VOTERS TO
VERIFY SIGNATURE MISS MARCH ON
BALLOT AND REQUIRE ELECTION
OFFICIAL TO NOTIFY VOTER WHEN
THEIR VOTE BY MAIL SIGNATURE IS
DISQUALIFYING. MAYBE 10 04 WOULD
EXTEND THESE VOTED PROTECTION TO
INITIATE IT AND COMPETITION. AND
CONFIRM PETITION TO THE REST OF
ELECTION COLD. THIS LEGISLATION
WOULD REQUIRE THAT ELECTION
OFFICIALS NOTIFIED VOTERS THAT
SIGNATURE HAS BEEN DISQUALIFIED
DUE TO A SIGNATURE MISMATCH.
CHINA WOULD HAPPEN TO THE END OF
A 30 DAY VERIFICATION PERIOD TO
VERIFY THEIR SIGNATURE, MEANING
THIS LEGISLATION WOULD NOT SEAT
THAT 30 DAY PERIOD FOR ELECTION
OFFICIALS TO REVIEW THE
PETITION. ONE SIGNATURE.
UNFAIRLY THIS IN FUNCTIONALITY.
ONE THING THAT YOU'RE TOO MANY
VOTERS MUST BE ABLE TO
PARTICIPATE IN CALIFORNIA, THEN
WORK PROCESS. INSTEAD OF CURRENT
LAW, WHICH ALLOWED FOR SIGNATURE
TO BE DISQUALIFIED WITH NO
NOTICE AND NO OPPORTUNITY TO
RESERVE THE CONCERNS. THE
LEGENDARY MUST TAKE ACTION TO
CLOSE THIS SIGNATURE
VERIFICATION LUPO AND ENSURE
CALIFORNIA CAN FAIRLY BUT
DISCIPLINE PARTICIPATE IN THE
DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME. I'M PROUD TO
INTRODUCE MY WITNESS RESIDENT
YOUNG FROM COW CHAMBER. SO
WELCOME AND QUESTIONS THAT YOU
HAVE AND I ASK HUMBLY AS WELL, I
WROTE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. PRESTON YOUNG
FROM THE CALIFORNIA CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT
OF A B 10 04, CALIFORNIA LAW
ALLOWS VOTERS TO VERIFY
SIGNATURE MISMATCHES ON VOTE BY
MAIL BALLOTS AND REQUIRES
ELECTION OFFICIALS TO NOTIFY
VOTERS WHEN THEIR VOTE BY MAIL
BALLOT IS DISQUALIFIED. HOWEVER,
VOTERS CANNOT VERIFY
DISQUALIFIED SIGNATURES ON
RECALL BALLOT PROPOSITION
PETITIONS NOR THEY NOTIFIED THAT
THEIR SIGNATURE HAS BEEN
DISQUALIFIED. CONSIDERABLE
EVIDENCE EXISTS TO DEMONSTRATE
THAT SIGNATURE MATCH
REQUIREMENTS CAN RESULT AND
VOTERS BEING DISENFRANCHISED
UNFAIRLY. 2020 A. C L U REPORT
STATED THAT SIGNATURE MATCH
REQUIREMENTS PRESENT A BARRIER
TO VOTERS WHO HAVE CONDITIONS
THAT MAKE IT HARD TO
CONSISTENTLY SIGN THEIR NAME.
ASIAN AMERICANS ADVANCING
JUSTICE FOUND THAT SIGNATURE
MISMATCH IS THE MOST COMMON
REASON FOR BALLOT
DISQUALIFICATION AMONG ASIAN
AMERICAN VOTERS. SPECIFICALLY
AMONGST FOREIGN BORN ASIAN
AMERICANS. THE CENTER FOR
INCLUSIVE DEMOCRACY FOUND THAT
NON MATCHING SIGNATURES
COMPRISED THE MAIN REASON FOR
REJECTED VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTS.
MAYBE TENZER OF FORWARD EXTEND
THE SAME PROTECTIONS CURRENTLY
AFFORDED TO VOTE BY MAIL
SIGNATURES TO PETITION
SIGNATURES. LEGISLATION WOULD
CLOSE THE LOOPHOLE IN
CALIFORNIA'S ELECTION LAW AND
CONFORM SIGNATURE INTEGRITY FOR
RECALL AND BALLOT PROPOSITION
PETITIONS TO THE REST OF THE
ELECTIONS CODE. FOR THESE
REASONS. WE'RE HERE TODAY IN
SUPPORT OF 10 04. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY
IS THERE A REGISTERED OPPOSITION
ON THIS BILL? WE DON'T. SEEING
NONE. I I'M IN SUPPORT WITH WITH
AND THEN MAY I SURE YOU ALWAYS
SPEAK FROM HERE AGO UP THERE
DOESN'T MATTER. YOU FEEL
COMFORTABLE. ALRIGHT, I'LL I'LL
GO UP THERE. COME ON UP. GOOD
MORNING. MY NAME IS CALLING
BRITAIN. I'M WITH THE ELECTION
INTEGRITY PROJECT, CALIFORNIA.
AND WE SUPPORT THIS BILL WITH
WITH AMENDMENTS OF SIGNATURE
VERIFICATION IS CRITICAL TO OUR
MAIL IN BALLOTS AND TO OUR UM,
PETITIONS AND INITIATIVES,
REFERENDUMS. ALL THOSE THINGS.
IT'S KEY, AND WE REALLY APPLAUD
THIS BILLS. UH DESIRE TO
STANDARDIZE THE ACCEPTANCE
BETWEEN THE BALLOT SIGNATURES,
THE ENVELOPE SIGNATURES AND, UM
THE PETITION SIGNATURES. THAT'S
THAT'S CRITICAL. IT'S THE RIGHT
THING TO DO IN CALIFORNIA. WE
WOULD SUGGEST AMENDING THE BILL
TO STRENGTHEN THE SIGNATURE
VERIFICATION TO THREE POINTS.
RIGHT NOW IT'S VARIED IN
DIFFERENT COUNTIES. SOME
COUNTIES USE A ONE POINT SOME
TWO POINT SOME THREE POINT WE
WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT
STRENGTHENED SO THAT THAT WAS
CONSISTENT BOTH FOR UM MAIL IN
BALLOTS AND FOR PETITIONS. SO UM
, TO MAKE THAT STRONGER. WE
WOULD ALSO IN IN LIGHT OF ALL
THE EXTRA WORK, UH, REQUIRED FOR
THE CURING PROCESS TO ELIMINATE
THE CURING PROCESS FROM THIS
BILL, PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF
PETITIONS ARE DONE NOT IN
PRIVATE, BUT WITH THE
SUPERVISION SUPERVISION OF A
POSITION. OF CIRCULATOR. SO UH,
THAT PERSON IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
MAKING SURE THAT THE PETITION IS
SIGNED CORRECTLY. AND SO I DON'T
THINK THAT THE NEED FOR A
HEARING IS, IS THERE SO THAT
WOULD BE OUR SUGGESTION THAT WE,
UM, AMEND THE BILL TO THAT FOR
THAT, BUT GENERALLY WERE VARIOUS
SUPPORTIVE OF IT. SO THANK YOU.
THANK THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND
WE'RE GOING TO PAUSE FOR A QUICK
SECOND. MADAM SECRETARY. I THINK
A QUORUM IS PRESENT. CAN WE CALL
THE ROLL? BRIAN HERE. LUCKY
LUCKY HERE. BENNETT BENNETT.
HERE, SALLY SALLY HERE, LEE. LOW
PELLERIN BLANCA RUBIO RUBIO HERE
WE HAVE A QUORUM. THANK YOU AND
REAL QUICKLY. WE'RE JUST GONNA
TAKE UP THE COMMITTEE'S CONSENT
CALENDAR. BECAUSE I KNOW FOLKS
GO IN AND OUT. THERE ARE TWO
BILLS ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
THOSE BILLS ARE ITEM NUMBER 16 A
B 17 61 BY THE ASSEMBLY
ELECTIONS COMMITTEE AND ITEM
NUMBER 17 A B 17 62 BY THE
ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS COMMITTEE. WE
HAVE A MOTION BY MR RUBIO IS
SECOND BY MR BENNETT. DOES ANY
MEMBER WISH TO REMOVE AN ITEM
FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR. I
APPRECIATE Y'ALL. MADAM
SECRETARY, CAN WE CALL THE ROLL?
BRIAN? AYE. BRIAN I LACKEY I
BENNETT BENNETT IAS ALY ISLAY.
HELLO, PELLERIN. BLANCA RUBIO
BLANCA RUBIO, I WE, THE CONSENT
CALENDARS OUT. FIVE OTHER
CONSENT COUNTER HAS BEEN
APPROVED. WE WILL NOW RETURN
BACK TO ITEM NUMBER NINE. A B 10
04. IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE
HEARING ROOM WHO WOULD LIKE TO
REGISTER THEIR SUPPORTER
OPPOSITION FOR THIS BILL? SAYING
NONE. OPERATOR CAN WE GO TO THE
PHONE LINES THERE? ANYBODY ON
THE PHONE LINES WOULD LIKE TO
REGISTER THEIR SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL. PROVIDE
COMMENTS AND SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION FOR THIS BILL, PLEASE
PRESS ONE THAN 01 MOMENT,
PLEASE. LINE 25. FLYING 25. YES.
AM I ON? MY NAME IS MISSY. I'M
FROM L. A COUNTY WOULD LIKE TO
ON A B 1004 I SUPPORT IF
AMENDED. THANK YOU. 53. LINE 53
YEAR OPEN. LINE 12. HELLO MY
NAME IS APRIL BEAN. I'M FROM
SACRAMENTO COUNTY. AND I SUPPORT
THIS BILL WITH THE AMENDMENT AS
SUGGESTED BY E I P. C A. THANK
YOU. LINE 44. FIND MY NAME IS
JOHN ITSELF. SACRAMENTO COUNTY
AND I WOULD SUPPORT THIS BILL IS
AMENDED, AS RECOMMENDED BY EI P.
C. A LINE 13. MY NAME IS MYRNA
FROM OUR COUNTY. I SUPPORT THIS
BILL IS AMENDED. THANK YOU.
BLIND 11. UM ROBERT WHITE, UH,
SANTA CLARA COUNTY ELECTION
INTEGRITY. I SUPPORT THIS BILL
IF AMENDED. BY 19. YES VICKY
RANGY TALAVERA COUNTY SUPPORT IF
AMENDED. LINE 10. THIS IS CHRIS
FOSTER FROM ORANGE COUNTY. I
SUPPORT THIS BILL. IF A MAN DID
THANK YOU. ELECTION INTEGRITY
PROJECT. LINE 24. THIS IS ANDY
MISER L A COUNTY. I SUPPORT THE
BILL IF IT'S AMENDED FOR THE
ELECTION INTEGRITY PROJECT.
OKAY, LINE 47. BLAME INTO VARY
WITH ELECTION INTEGRITY PROJECT
CALIFORNIAN PLASTER COUNTY I
SUPPORT IF AMENDED. STILL 10 04.
THERE ARE NO FURTHER COMMENTS
AND QUÊ AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. WE'LL NOW BRING IT BACK
TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS WITH ANY
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WHO
COMMENT. QUESTION CONCERN
THOUGHT ABOUT THIS BILL.
BEAUTIFUL. UH, CHECK OUT, MR
SALIH. SECOND BY MR LACK, UH,
REMEMBER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE I REALLY DON'T WANT
THINGS. UH ALL THE COMMITTEE
STOPPED FOR DEDICATION TO WORK
WITH MY OFFICE AND I HUMBLY AS
WELL AND I BOW AND JUST TO
CONFIRM YOUR ACCEPTING THE
COMMITTEE'S AMENDMENTS. YEAH YES
. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE WERE
HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU. IT'S AN
IMPORTANT BILL THAT WON'T SHARE
THAT VOTER SIGNATURES. UM, ARE
NOT INVALID OR THAT HAVE BEEN
INVALIDATED. HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO RECTIFY THAT. THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING HERE TODAY ENJOYS AND I
RECORD FROM THE CHAIR. MADAM
SECRETARY, CAN WE CALL THE ROLL?
THE MOTION IS DUE PASSES AMENDED
AND BE RE REFERRED TO THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
BRIAN BRIAN. I LACKEY LACKEY. I
BENNETT, A SALLY LEE HELLO.
PELLERIN BLANCA RUBIO. BLANCA
RUBIO? AYE. THE BILL IS ON CALL
NEEDS ONE MORE GOOD ABOUT IT,
THOUGH. ITEM NUMBER ONE
VALENCIA. GOOD MORNING, BROTHER.
HOW YOU DOING, DOING ALL RIGHT?
YOU MAY BEGIN WHEN READY. THANK
YOU.
THANK YOU. ONE OF THE YES. MR
CHAIR AND MEMBERS. I WANT TO
START MY THINKING THE CHAIR AND
THE COMMITTEE TEAM FOR
DILIGENTLY WORKING ON A B 34.
AND I ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE
OUR CHIEF STAFF ERIN RYDBERG AND
OUR LEGISLATIVE INTERN KOBE
GROSSMAN. FOR THE WORK ON THIS
BILL, I LOOK FORWARD TO
CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE
COMMITTEE TO ADDRESS THE
TECHNICAL ISSUES MENTIONED IN
THE ANALYSIS. ADDITIONALLY I AM
AWARE THAT THE COMMITTEE IS
CONSIDERING A BROADER BILL THAT
IS AUTHORED BY THE CHAIR THAT
INCLUDES DISTRICT'S BEYOND
COUNTIES, AND I AM HAPPY TO
MAINTAIN AN OPEN LINE OF
COMMUNICATION WITH THE CHAIR AND
THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS. AS BOTH
OF THESE BILLS MOVED THROUGH THE
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. EXISTING
LAW DOES ALLOW FOR COUNTIES TO
ESTABLISH ADVISORY OR
INDEPENDENT INDEPENDENT
REDISTRICTING COMMISSIONS.
HOWEVER COUNTY DOES NOT
ESTABLISH AN INDEPENDENT
CITIZENRY ADDITIONAL COMMISSION
THE INCUMBENT COUNTY SUPERVISORS
DRAW THEIR OWN DISTRICT
BOUNDARIES. THIS OPENS THE DOOR
FOR POSSIBLE PARTISAN CONFLICTS
OR FAVORITISM. INDEPENDENT
CITIZENS, ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONS
HELP TO HELP WITH FAIRNESS IN
THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS AND
PREVENT THE MANIPULATION OF
DISTRICT BOUNDARIES FOR
POLITICAL GAIN BY ELECTED
OFFICIALS. DIRECTLY INCREASES
TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
IN THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS BY
PRIORITIZING LOCAL PUBLIC INPUT
AND ENSURING THAT THE PROCESS IS
CONDUCTED IN AN OPEN AND
TRANSPARENT MANNER. A B 34 IS
MODELED AFTER RECENT LEGISLATION
AND WOULD SIMILARLY CREATE AN
INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING
COMMISSION THAT WOULD DRAW
DISTRICT BOUNDARIES FOR THE
COUNTY OF ORANGE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS. HOWEVER A B 34 GOES
A STEP FURTHER AND ADDS
ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS NOT SEEN IN
PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE
LEGISLATION THAT I JUST
MENTIONED. THESE INCLUDE A
PROCESS FOR THE REMOVAL OF
COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED
ALTERNATES REQUIRING OUTREACH
MATERIALS TO BE TRANSLATED INTO
APPLICABLE LANGUAGES AND
ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS THAT WOULD
BETTER CLARIFY THE MAKEUP OF
THIS COMMISSION. IN THE LAST 20
YEARS. THE USE OF AN INDEPENDENT
REDISTRICTING COMMISSION WOULD
IMPACT POLITICAL FAIRNESS IN
REPRESENTATION OF THE DIVERSITY
AND INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY.
WITH ME TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY. I
HAVE MR PAUL MITCHELL, PRESIDENT
AND OWNER OF REDISTRICT PARTNERS
AND ALEJANDRA RAMIREZ, KARATE
POLITICAL DIRECTOR FOR OC
ACTION. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING
CHAIR BRIAN AND MEMBERS OF THE
ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS COMMITTEE. MY
NAME IS ALEJANDRO REMINISCE ART
AND I'M POLICY DIRECTOR WITH OC
ACTION REACTION IS AN API LIKE
NEXT LABOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE IN ORANGE
COUNTY RESPONSIBLE FOR
COLLECTIVE COMMUNITY AND POWER
BUILDING IN THE REGION. THE
SEVEN ORGANIZATIONS THAT ANCHOR
OUR LINES SERVE THE EMERGING
MAJORITY OF THE COUNTY'S LOW
INCOME IMMIGRANT, LATIN X AND
ASIAN COMMUNITIES DURING THE
2021, WHICH IS SEARCHING CYCLE
OC ACTION CONVENED THE PEOPLE'S
REDISTRICTING ALLIANCE. A
COORDINATED EFFORT COMPRISING 16
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
TO MAXIMIZE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IN
ORANGE COUNTY THAT DROVE THE
WORKAROUND COMMUNITY
PARTICIPATION IN REGISTERED
THING WITH THE ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
ORANGE-COUNTY-REGISTER-TOO-SOON-COUNTY-VOTE-CENTERS
MORE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICTS
FOR AT LEAST THE LAST TWO
REDISTRICTING CYCLE. A MAJORITY
REPUBLICAN BORDER SUPERVISORS
HAS USER POWER TO DRAW
LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS TO
MAINTAIN THEIR PARTY'S CONTROL
OVER CRITICAL POLICY DECISIONS
AND WHAT STANDS TODAY AS A
NEARLY $9 BILLION COUNTY BUDGET.
DURING THE 2021 REGISTERED IN
CYCLE. THE CALIFORNIA
INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING
COMMISSION DREW FAIR MAPS THAT
RESPECTED ORANGE COUNTY IS
COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST. IN
CONTRAST, THE MAP DRAWN BY THE
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, DIVIDED
COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST AND
INTENDED TO BENEFIT A SINGLE
POLITICAL PARTY, DESPITE
DEMOCRATS OUTNUMBER REPUBLICANS
AMONG REGISTERED VOTERS
COUNTYWIDE. THE BOARD APPROVED
GERRYMANDERED MAP THAT LED TO
REPUBLICAN ADVANTAGE IN THREE OF
ITS FIVE DISTRICTS INTO ACHIEVE
THAT PARTISAN GOAL. THE CITY OF
IRVINE WAS SPLIT INTO TWO
DISTRICTS BREAKING APART GROWING
LOW INCOME IMMIGRANT AND ASIAN
AMERICAN COMMUNITIES AND THUS
DILUTING THEIR COLLECTIVE VOTING
POWER. THE CREATION OF
INDEPENDENT CITIZENS FOR
DISTRICTING COMMISSION, ONE
HOUSE THE PUBLIC'S TRUST IN THE
INTEGRITY OF OTHER REDISTRICTING
PROCESS BY ENSURING THAT IS
CONDUCTED IN A NONPARTISAN AND
TRANSPARENT MANNER. A B 34
PROMOTE CIVIC PARTICIPATION IN
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP IN THE
REDISTRICTING PROCESS BY
ALLOWING COMMUNITY RESIDENTS,
ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM
HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITIES TO HAVE A GREATER
VOICE IN THE REGISTERED IN
PROCESS AND TO ENSURE THAT
COMMUNITY VOICES ARE CENTERED
FIRST IN NEIGHBORHOOD
REPRESENTATION, NOT SPECIAL
INTERESTS, AS WE'VE OFTEN SEEN
AND LASTLY, THROUGH A B 34.
ORANGE-COUNTY-REGISTER-TOO-SOON-COUNTY-VOTE-CENTERS
. ISN'T ATION FOR ALL FOR THESE
REASONS. WE STRONGLY URGE YOUR
SUPPORT OF A B 34. I APPRECIATE
THAT. WE LET YOU GO 30 SECONDS
OVER BECAUSE YOU WERE DROPPING
SOME FIRE OVER THERE, BUT
BECAUSE WE HAVE UH, 18 BILLS ON
THE AGENDA, REALLY HOPING WE CAN
STAY TO THE TWO MINUTES. I'LL
GIVE YOU A WARNING. IF YOU GET
CLOSE, I'LL BE BRIEF CHAIR,
BRIAN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
CHAIR AND MEMBERS. THANKS FOR
HAVING ME HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS
PAUL MITCHELL. I'M THE OWNER OF
REDISTRICTING PARTNERS WERE
AFFIRMED THAT HAS WORKED WITH
OVER 100 MUNICIPALITIES AROUND
THE STATE AND THE COUNTRY AND
WE'VE WORKED WITH A VARIETY OF
DIFFERENT AGENCIES, SOME CITIES
COUNTY SCHOOL BOARDS THAT ARE
DOING THEIR OWN REDISTRICTING.
SOME UNDER THE FAIR MAPS ACTS
SOME NOT AND THEN EVEN AROUND
THE COUNTRY. WE'VE WORKED WITH
ADVISORY COMMISSIONS OR FULL
INDEPENDENT COMMISSIONS, AND THE
PUNCH LINE IS THAT INDEPENDENT
COMMISSIONS ARE BETTER
EVERYWHERE. WE'VE WORKED. THOSE
INDEPENDENT COMMISSIONS PROVIDE
A BETTER, MORE COMMUNITY. FOCUS
REDISTRICTING TAKING THE
POLITICS AND INCUMBENCY AND
THOSE ISSUES OFF THE TABLE AND
MAKING THE DISTRICTS ABOUT THE
RESIDENTS AND ABOUT THE VOTERS.
BEFORE THE FAIR MAPS ACT. UH,
REDISTRICTING. THE LOCAL LEVEL
WAS THE WILD WEST. I LITERALLY
KNOW OF A REDISTRICTING FOR A
COUNTY SUPERVISORS THAT WAS
DRAWN ON A NAPKIN AT CHOPS. SO
UH, THAT IS THAT IS THE KIND OF
NORM THAT WE WERE FACING. WHEN
THE FAIR MAPS ACT CAME IN. THE
FAIR MAPS ACT HAS MADE HUGE
IMPROVEMENTS THERE.
ORANGE-COUNTY-REGISTER-TOO-SOON-COUNTY-VOTE-CENTERS
AND AT LEAST TRIED TO OSTENSIBLY
FOLLOW A PROCESS THAT HAD MORE
OF THE DRYING DISTRICTS BASED ON
RENT CRITERIA AND HAVING
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. IT WASN'T
DONE IN AS IN THE PAST,
COMPLETELY BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT IT WASN'T
PERFECT. YOU HEAR COUNTIES
AROUND THE STATE AND CITY STILL
HAD A LOT OF SHENANIGANS GOING
ON. THERE WERE STILL A LOT OF
LINES DRAWN WHERE YOU KNEW THERE
WERE POLITICAL MOTIVES BEING
DONE. YOU KNEW THAT INCUMBENCY
WAS A PRIMARY CRITERIA IN SOME
OF THESE REDISTRICTING IS EVEN
IF THEY TRIED TO USE YOU KNOW,
CATCHY PHRASES LIKE WE'RE JUST
PRESERVING THE CORE OF THE
DISTRICT OR WE'RE JUST
PRESERVING THE VOTER INTERESTS
WHEN REALLY THEY WERE TRYING TO
PROTECT INCUMBENTS. COMMON CAUSE
HAS A GREAT LENGTHY REPORT ON
THE FAIR MAPS ACT IMPLEMENTATION
, WHICH I'D ENCOURAGE YOU AND
EVERYBODY INTERESTED IN READING
. UM I THINK THEY GO THROUGH AND
REALLY EVALUATE THE RANGE OF
EXPERIENCES. WE HAD THIS
REDISTRICTING CYCLE, UM AS A
PRACTITIONER, TWO MILLION
PRACTITIONER. I SUPPORT
INDEPENDENT REGISTERING
COMMISSIONS. REALLY APPRECIATE
YOU ARE THERE ANY PRIMARY
WITNESSES AND OPPOSITION SEEING
NONE WILL RETURN IT BACK TO THE
HEARING ROOM. WHERE THERE ANY
PERSONS IN THE HEARING ROOM WHO
WOULD LIKE TO REGISTER THEIR
SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION FOR THIS
BILL? STORE ROSE IS GOOD. IF YOU
FOUND OF DISTRICT INFORMATION.
COOPERATIVE, THAT REPORT THAT
WAS MEANT.
I'M SORRY. GOOD MORNING CHAIR
COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND STAFF
CHRISTOPH MAYER WITH THE
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE,
COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES
IN SUPPORT, BUT LOOK FORWARD TO
CONTINUING CONVERSATIONS AROUND
ALL THE DIFFERENT REDISTRICTING
BILLS. THANKS. MORAL BRODZINSKY
WITH CALIFORNIA COMMON CAUSE
ALSO A TWEENER STRONGLY SUPPORT
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF INDEPENDENT
REDISTRICTING COMMISSIONS, BUT
HAVE SOME AMENDMENTS REGARDING
THE TECHNICAL COMPOSITION OF THE
COMMISSION. THANK YOU. THANKS SO
MUCH WILL NOW HEAD TO THE PHONE
LINES. ANYBODY ON THE PHONE
LINES OPERATOR IN SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION FOR THIS BILL?
PROVIDE COMMENT AND SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION FOR A B 34 PLEASE
PRESS ONE THAN ZERO. 9 41. 41,
PLEASE GO AHEAD. LINE 55. 55
YEAR LINE IS OPEN. BLIND 25.
THIS IS MISSING FROM LOS ANGELES
COUNTY. I VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED A B
34. THANK YOU. OPERATOR, IS THAT
IT? GREAT WE'RE GONNA TURN
COMMENTS. THANK YOU AT THIS
TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'RE
GONNA TURN IT BACK TO COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. ANY MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE WHO WISH TO COMMENT.
QUESTION THOUGHTS ON THIS BILL.
MS PELLERIN. THIS IS GREAT BILL
AND I DEFINITELY SUPPORT THE
INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING
COMMISSIONS. I'M JUST WONDERING
WHETHER YOU'D CONSIDER AND
WHETHER THE COUNTY WOULD LIKE TO
HAVE LIKE AN ELECTIONS OFFICIAL
ALSO BE PART OF THE PROCESS
BECAUSE THEY REALLY KNOW THE
LINES OF THE ACCOUNTANT. REALLY
APPRECIATE THAT FEEDBACK. WE'RE
DEFINITELY OPEN TO CONTINUE TO
COMMUNICATION ON HOW TO BETTER
IMPROVE OUR ELECTORAL PROCESS
THAT WAY FROM THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. MR SAILING. I JUST HAD TO
QUESTION WHAT? UM WHY JUST. MY
EXPERIENCE IN ORANGE COUNTY IS
BEING REFLECTED THROUGH THIS
BILL. SPECIFICALLY I MY
UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE
OTHER BILLS, MOVEMENTS OF THE
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS THAT ADDRESS
, UH, THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC IN A
MUCH LARGER SCOPE ACROSS THE
STATE, BUT AGAIN WITH MY
EXPERIENCE IN ORANGE COUNTY AND
JUST AS A PROACTIVE MEASURE, I
FELT IT APPROPRIATE AS OKAY. AND
THEN UM ALRIGHT. I THINK WE ALL
LIKE THE CONCEPT OF THE
INDEPENDENT COMMISSION, AND I
THINK THE WAY IT'S DONE NOW, FOR
LIKE OUR SEATS IS THERE HAS TO
BE EQUAL NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS,
DEMOCRATS AND INDEPENDENTS. AND
IT REQUIRES A MAJORITY OF EACH.
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE WAY
THIS BILL IS WRITTEN. IT JUST
REQUIRES. THE COMPOSITION TO BE,
UM PROPORTIONAL SO THERE COULD
BE MORE OF ONE PARTY, THEN
ANOTHER AND THEN IT ONLY
REQUIRES NINE OF THE 14
APPROVAL. SO THEORETICALLY, YOU
COULD DRAW THESE LINES WITHOUT A
SINGLE REPUBLICAN VOTE OR SINGLE
DEMOCRAT VOTES. SO WOULD YOU
GUYS BE WILLING TO MAKE IT MORE
PARALLEL KIND OF WITH WHAT WE
HAVE FOR THE STATEWIDE
COMMISSIONS. UH AS WE ADDRESSED
IN MY OPENING REMARKS, I'M
DEFINITELY OPEN TO TAKE AND
CONTINUED INPUT ON THIS AND SEE
HOW WE CAN PROCESS. I APPRECIATE
THAT. THANK YOU. WITH THAT, MR
VALENTI, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? YES SIR. THANK YOU. A B
34 WILL PUT ORANGE COUNTY BUT
ITS FIRST BY REMOVING THE
INHERENT CONFLICT OF INTEREST
WHEN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
ARE INVOLVED IN DECISIONS
REGARDING RETRYING POLITICAL
DISTRICT CLIENTS WITH THAT I
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR A YES VOTE.
THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE
YOU BRINGING THIS. AS YOU KNOW,
I'M A HUGE SUPPORTER OF
INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING
COMMISSIONS. WE'VE SEEN SUCCESS
ACROSS THE STATES AND WE'VE BEEN
PIECEMEAL IN THIS COUNTY BY
COUNTY AND PACE BY PLACE. UM AS
YOU KNOW, I HAVE A BILL TO DO
THIS STATEWIDE. AND USUALLY WHEN
THAT'S THE CASE, A BILL LIKE
THIS WOULD GET SIDELINED. BUT
THE REASON THIS IS NOT BEING
SIDELINED IS BECAUSE I KNOW HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS. FOR YOU TO
REPRESENT.
ORANGE-COUNTY-REGISTER-TOO-SOON-COUNTY-VOTE-CENTERS
. FORWARD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH THE
COMMITTEE STAFF, NOT JUST TO GET
TO THIS POINT, BUT GOING FORWARD
WITH THAT THE CHAIR IS
RECOMMENDING AND I VOTE. MADAM
SECRETARY. CAN WE CALL THE ROLL
MOTION? DO WE HAVE A MOTION
SECOND? QUÊ, MISS PELLERIN AND
MS RUBIO. THE MOTION IS DO PASS
AND BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE
ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT. BRIAN BRIAN
, I LACKEY VOTING, NOT VOTING
BENNETT A SALI SALI, NOT VOTING,
LEE. LOW. PELLERIN PELLERIN. AYE
BLANCA RUBIO BLANCA RUBIO AYE.
YEAH THAT BILL IS ON CALL. THANK
YOU BOTH. MS RUBIO, WOULD YOU
LIKE TO GO? Dð ITEM NUMBER FOUR
A B 334. YOU CAN BEGIN WHEN
YOU'RE READY. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, MR CHAIR MEMBERS OF FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS
MORNING. MAYBE 3 34 WOULD
CLARIFY EXISTING CONFLICT OF
INTEREST STATUTE, WHICH WAS
WRITTEN AND INTENDED FOR THE
SITUATION OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS
WHO HAD WHO HOLD A FINANCIAL
INTEREST IN ANY ENTITY
ATTEMPTING TO CONTRACT WITH THE
PUBLIC AGENCY, UH, FOR WHICH THE
OFFICIAL IS A DECISION MAKER.
SINCE THE CODES INCEPTION,
COURTS HAVE EXPANDED 10 90 SO IT
MAY APPLY TO ENTITIES THE
CONTRACT WITH THE PUBLIC
AGENCIES UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES AND
FACT PATTERNS THAT ARE MUSKY AT
BEST, MURKY AT BEST, THE STATE
MUST SET CLARITY FOR PUBLIC
AGENCIES WHEN CONTRACTING WITH
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS ON
PUBLIC PROJECTS THAT THEY'RE
NORMAL HISTORICAL CONTRACTING.
PRACTICES WILL NOT VIOLATE CODE
SECTION 10 90. THIS BILL SEEKS
TO DO SO BY ADOPTING A TWO PART
TEST LAID OUT IN CASE LAW. AND
IF PPC GUIDANCE WHICH IS USEFUL
FOR DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT A
CONTRACTING ENTITY PERFORMED
SERVICES THAT AMOUNT TO
TRANSACTION TRANSACTING ON
BEHALF OF A PUBLIC AGENCY, IN
WHICH CASE THEY ARE SUBJECT TO
GOVERNMENT CODE, 10 90, THE SAME
AS ANY PUBLIC OFFICIAL, SINCE
STATUTE HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH THE
CASE, LAW AND THE F PPC AND BE
GOOD AMBIGUITY DETER PUBLIC
AGENCIES FROM UTILIZING
CONTRACTED ENTITIES. AND MORE
THAN ONE PORTION OF THE PUBLIC
PROJECT OUT OF FEAR OF
ANNOYINGLY GETTING IT WRONG,
INCURRING CIVIL OR EVEN CRIMINAL
PENALTIES FOR ANY AND ALL
PARTIES INVOLVED. FOR EXAMPLE,
DESIGN PROFESSIONALS ARE BEING
DENIED BY PUBLIC AGENCY EVEN IF
THEY ARE THE BEST, MOST
QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS FOR THE
PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS. THIS IS
DESPITE THE FACT THAT STATE AND
LOCAL AGENCIES ARE ALREADY
REQUIRED UNDERSTANDING FEDERAL
STATUTE TO COMPETITIVELY SELECT
THESE PROFESSIONALS ON THE BASIS
OF QUALIFICATIONS. A B 3 34 6 TO
RESTORE CLARITY TO PUBLIC
AGENCIES SO THAT THESE AGENCIES
MAY RESUME UTILIZING A CONTRACT
ID AND T MORE THAN ONCE IN A
SINGLE PROJECT WITHOUT FEAR OF
BEING PENALIZED OR PROSECUTED.
ULTIMATELY THE PUBLIC DESERVES
THE BEST, SAFEST AND MORE COST
EFFECTIVE, MOST COST EFFECTIVE
PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT. IT IS THE
PUBLIC WHO SUFFERS WHEN THEIR
PROJECTS ARE NOT ABLE TO BE
DESIGNED BY THE BEST MOST
QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS I HAVE
WITH ME TODAY, JOHN MOFFITT ON
BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN COUNCIL
OF ENGINEERING COMPANIES OF
CALIFORNIA AND MATTHEW DUARTE
FOR THE ASSOCIATION OF
RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT AND
SUPPORT THE F PPC IS ALSO HERE
TO ANSWER ANY TECHNICAL
QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WHATEVER
WATER WORKS FOR YOU. GOOD
MORNING, MR CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE JOHN MOFFITT ON BEHALF
OF THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF
ENGINEERING COMPANIES IN
CALIFORNIA. WE APPRECIATE THE
STAFF WORK ON THIS BILL.
APPRECIATE THE AUTHOR BRINGING
THIS BILL FORWARD. I THINK THE
AUTHOR OUTLINED THE CURRENT
CHALLENGE. WELL, UM, COMBINATION
OF PREVIOUS CASE LAW APPROPRIATE
BILLS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE
TO INCREASE PENALTIES. FOR 10 90
VIOLATIONS HAVE LED TO A
SITUATION WHERE A LOCAL ENTITY
LOOKING TO BUILD A PROJECT THAT
THAT HAS A CONTRACTOR WORK ON AN
EARLY PHASE. IF THEY ARE LOOKING
TO WORK ON A LATER PHASE OF THE
PROJECT. THEY'VE GOT TWO PATHS
EITHER. GO TO THE F PPC AND GET
AN ADVICE, LETTER OR KICK THAT
THAT THAT CONTRACTOR OUT OF THE
FUTURE OF THE OF THAT PROJECT.
WHICH LEADS TO AT TIMES HAS LED
TO A LACK OF FIRMS THAT COULD
WORK ON PROJECTS STALLING
PROJECTS, SLOWING THEM DOWN OR
DELAY A IN IN MOVING THE PROJECT
FORWARD BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT TO
WAIT FOR YOU KNOW THE F PPC
WHO'S OBVIOUSLY VERY BUSY DOING
WHAT THEY DO TO GET THAT, YOU
KNOW. GET THAT ADVICE LETTER
BACK TO YOU SO THAT YOU CAN MOVE
FORWARD. AH AS THE AUTHOR STATED
, THE BILL IS INTENDED TO CODIFY
THE TEST THAT THE F PPC IS
DEVELOPED THROUGH THEIR ADVICE,
LETTERS AND CASE LAW. WE
CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE F PPC
ON GETTING THIS LANGUAGE RIGHT
AS IT MOVES FORWARD AND COMMIT
TO CONTINUE DOING SO IS THE BILL
MOVES THROUGH THE PROCESS. YES
GOOD MORNING, MR CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
MATTHEW DUARTE. I'M, THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF
RECREATION PARK DISTRICTS. OUR
ASSOCIATION INCLUDES OVER 70
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES FROM
THROUGHOUT THE STATE THAT
DELIVER RECREATION AND PARKS
SERVICES TO CALIFORNIANS FROM
ALL OVER. I'M HERE TODAY AND TO
SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF ASSEMBLY
BILL 334 AND THE MUCH NEEDED
IMPROVEMENTS IT BRINGS TO THE
PUBLIC CONTRACTING PROCESS. IS
PUBLIC AGENCIES. OUR FOREMOST
PRIORITY IS DELIVER
INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC
AMENITIES THAT ARE OF THE
HIGHEST QUALITY AND COMPLIANCE
WITH THE EXACTING SAFETY
STANDARDS DESIGNED TO PROTECT
THE WELL BEING OF OUR
CONSTITUENTS, AND AS A RESULT,
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT OUR
PROJECTS ARE DESIGNED AND
CONSTRUCTED BY THE BEST AND
BRIGHTEST PROFESSIONALS THAT
CALIFORNIA HAS TO OFFER. AND
UNFORTUNATELY, CALIFORNIA LAW
PRECLUDES OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES FROM UTILIZING THE
SERVICES OF THE MOST QUALIFIED
AND MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE IN
CERTAIN PHASES OF THE PROJECT.
AND I CAN ADDRESS THE MERITS OF
EXAMPLES WHERE PUBLIC SECTOR HAS
HAD TO, UM LOOK TO OTHER
DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROFESSIONALS
OR PERHAPS NOT UTILIZE A AFFIRM
THAT THEY HAD DESIRED. FOR
EXAMPLE, WE HAD AN ENGINEERING
FIRM WHO WAS INVESTIGATING
EROSION IN THE COMMUNITY ON A
LOCAL STREAM. AND AFTER
IDENTIFYING THE WHAT WOULD BE A
RESOLUTION, THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO
ENGAGE THEM TO ACTUALLY FIX IT.
SO THE DESIGNS OF OUR PUBLIC
INFRASTRUCTURE OR NOT LIKE A
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS, AND
WE SHOULD NOT TREAT THEM AS
SOMETHING THAT CAN BE
THOUGHTLESSLY HANDED OFF TO THE
NEXT PERSON ON THE STREET WITH A
HAMMER AND THESE DESIGNS ARE
HIGHLY TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS AND
RENDERINGS THAT REQUIRED THE
BEST AND BRIGHTEST TO REVIEW
PLAN AND IMPLEMENT SO WE
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND
CONSIDERATION AND AS WELL AS THE
AUTHORS AND HOPE THAT YOU CAN
CONTINUE TO SUPPORT A B 334.
THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY
PRIMARY WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION?
SEEING NONE WILL NOW RETURN IT
TO THE HEARING ROOM. ARE THERE
ANY PERSONS IN THE HEARING ROOM
WHO WOULD LIKE TO REGISTER THEIR
SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION FOR A B
334? GOOD MORNING, MR CHAIR
MEMBERS SPREAD GLADFELTER ON
BEHALF OR WITH APEX GROUP ON
BEHALF OF THE ASSOCIATED GENERAL
CONTRACTORS OF CALIFORNIA AND
THE ASSOCIATED GENERAL
CONTRACTORS OF SAN DIEGO AND
STRONG SUPPORT. GOOD MORNING,
MELISSA STILL HIGH ON BEHALF OF
THE CITIES OF MOUNTAIN VIEW IN
BELMONT, ASWAN SUPPORT GOOD
MORNING, SARAH STIVERS WITH THE
COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
AND STRONG SUPPORT. GOOD MORNING
MEMBER AND CHAIRS DAMON CONKLIN
, WITH THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA
CITIES IN STRONG SUPPORT. GOOD
MORNING, DAVID JONES ON BEHALF
OF SAN MARCOS AND SUPPORT. OKAY
WE'RE GONNA TURN TO THE PHONE
LINES. ARE THERE ANY WITNESSES
ON THE PHONE LINE IN SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL? A B
334. PASS ONE THAN ZERO TO
PROVIDE COMMENTS AND SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION FOR A B 3341 THAN.
ZERO LINE 54. MR CHAIR LINE, 54
HAS REMOVED THEMSELVES FROM QUÊ
. THERE ARE NO FURTHER COMMENTS
. BEAUTIFUL WILL TURN INTO
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. ANY MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE WHO WANT TO
SPEAK ON THIS BILL. DEVELOPED.
MOTION BY SALLY SECOND BY MR
LACKEY. MR. BILL WOULD YOU LIKE
TO CLOSE? THANK YOU. I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR MY VOTE.
BEAUTIFUL LAST FEW YEARS OF PPC
HAS REPEATEDLY BEEN ASKED TO
ISSUE ADVICE ON WHETHER
CONTRACTORS WHO WORKED ON
PRELIMINARY STAGES OF A PROJECT
AND CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE
PROJECT. THE NUMBER OF INCREASED
SUGGESTS THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM
WITH THE LAW AND THAT IT COULD
USE MORE CLARITY. UM I TRUST THE
AUTHORS ATTEMPTS TO BRING
CLARITY TO THIS AND TO CONTINUE
TO WORK WITH THE OPPOSITION,
INCLUDING THE F P P C. I HAVE NO
DOUBT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET
THIS RIGHT. AND SO I AM
RECOMMENDING AN AYE VOTE. MADAM
SECRETARY, CAN WE CALL THE ROLL?
THE MOTION IS DO PASS AND BE
REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. BRIAN BRIAN, I
LACKEY. I BENNETT. A SALLY
RILEY. LOW PELLERIN PELLERIN.
BANKER RUBIO BANKER. RUBIO. AYE.
BILLS OUT 50 PELLERIN, WOULD YOU
LIKE TO GO NEXT? WE'LL MOVE TO
ITEM NUMBER THREE A. B 292
PELLERIN.
OKAY? SO SORRY. OKAY, WHERE WE
CAN START WITH 292. GOOD
MORNING. SO VOTERS WHO
REGISTERED TO VOTE. WITHOUT
STATING A POLITICAL PARTY ARE
KNOWN AS NO PARTY PREFERENCE, OR
NPP VOTERS. WHEN AN MPP VOTER
VOTES IN A PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY
OF A POLITICAL PARTY THAT HAS
AUTHORIZED MPP VOTERS TO VOTE IN
ITS PRIMARY. THIS IS KNOWN AS
CROSSOVER VOTING. MANY NPP
VOTERS DO NOT REALIZE THAT
UNLESS THEY REQUEST A PARTISAN
BALLOT, THEY WILL RECEIVE A
BALLOT WITHOUT THE OPTION TO
VOTE FOR THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT
DURING A PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY
ELECTION. DESPITE THE FACT THAT
COUNTY ELECTIONS OFFICIALS SEND
NOTICES TO NPP VOTERS ADVISING
THEM THAT THEY MAY REQUEST A
PARTISAN ABOUT FROM PARTIES THAT
HAVE AUTHORIZED IT. MANY VOTERS
OVERLOOKED THESE NOTICES AND DO
NOT INFORM THE COUNTY ELECTIONS
OFFICIALS THAT THEY WANT A
PARTISAN BALLOT. SINCE
CALIFORNIA NOW MALES BALLOTS TO
EVERY REGISTERED VOTER COUNTY
ELECTIONS, OFFICIALS ARE
OBSERVING THAT MANY ARE WAITING
UNTIL CLOSE TO OR ON ELECTION
DAY TO OPEN THAT BALLOT AND VOTE
IT AND THAT MEANS THAT THEY WILL
NOT REALIZE THAT THE OFFICE OF
PRESIDENT IS MISSING FROM THEIR
BALLOT UNTIL CLOSE TO HER ON
ELECTION DAY. FOR VOTERS WHO ARE
UNABLE TO GO IN PERSON TO OBTAIN
REPLACEMENT BALLOT HAVE MISSED
THE DEADLINE TO OBTAIN
REPLACEMENT BALLOT TO BE MAILED
TO THEM OR CANNOT ACCESS, REMOTE
VOTING, THEIR ABILITY AND RIGHT
TO VOTE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION HAS BEEN EFFECTIVELY
REMOVED. SO A B 292 UPDATES THE
ELECTIONS CODE IN TWO WAYS. THE
FIRST THING IT DOES IS UPDATE
THE PRESCRIBED FORMAT OF THE MPP
NOTICES IN APPLICATIONS FOR
PARTISAN BALLOTS BY EXPLICITLY
REQUIRING THAT THE NOTICES
CONTAINED A CHECK BOX WITH THE
PARTY PRINTED ON THE CARD SO THE
VOTER CAN EASILY CHECK WHICH
PARTY BALLOT THEY WANT TO CROSS
OVER AND VOTE. AND UM, IT IS
CLEAR TO THE VOTER WHICH
POLITICAL PARTIES ARE OFFERING
THAT THAT OPTION. IN THE EVENT
THAT AN MPP VOTER DOES NOT
RESPOND TO THE MAIL BALLOT
NOTICE OR OTHERWISE REQUESTED
PARTISAN BALLOT FOR THE
PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTION.
80 TO 90 REQUIRES THAT ARE RIGHT
IN SPACE FOR PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES BE PRINTED ON THE
NPP BALLOTS. TO COMPLY WITH
PARTY ROLLS. THESE MPP VOTERS
WILL ALSO HAVE TO COMPLETE A
FORM THAT WILL BE INCLUDED WITH
THE BALLOT THAT IS EXACTLY LIKE
THE APPLICATION MAILED TO VOTERS
FOR THEM TO REQUEST THAT
CROSSOVER BALLOT. AND WHEN THE
VOTER RETURNS THOSE BALLOTS AND
THAT THEIR BALLOT THERE ARE BEST
PRACTICES IN PLACE FOR BALLOT
EXTRACTION THAT WILL PRESERVE
THE SECRECY, THE SECRECY OF THE
VOTER'S BALLOT. 80 TO 92 ENSURES
THAT NPP VOTERS CAN CROSSOVER
VOTE ON THE BALLOT THAT THEY
WERE MAILED. THIS MEANS THAT NO
VOTER WILL BE DISENFRANCHISED
BECAUSE THEY FORGOT TO REQUEST
THE PARTISAN BALLOT AND WERE
UNABLE TO VOTE IN PERSON WITH ME
TO TESTIFY AND SUPPORT TODAY IS
DOOR ROSE, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR
OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF
CALIFORNIA. GOOD MORNING CHAIR
MEMBERS. I AM DORA ROSE, DEPUTY
DIRECTOR WITH ILLEGAL VOTERS OF
CALIFORNIA HERE IN SUPPORT OF A
B 29 TO OUR EXPERIENCE AT THE
LEAGUE HAS BEEN THAT IN EVERY
PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTION,
MANY NPP VOTERS ARE ABSOLUTELY
SHOCKED TO FIND THAT THEIR
BALLOT DOESN'T CONTAIN
PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY CANDIDATES
. THEY'RE NOT AWARE THAT
REGISTERING WITHOUT A PARTY
PREFERENCE MEANS THAT PRIMARY
CANDIDATES WON'T BE ON THEIR
BALLOTS. THEY'RE NOT AWARE THAT
THEY MAY REQUEST A BALLOT FOR
ANY PARTY THAT ALLOWS FOR
CROSSOVER VOTING, UH THE
CONSTERNATION AND CONFUSION OF
THESE VOTERS CAN CAN AND DOES
LEAD TO WARMONGERING, AND IT
REALLY FEEDS THE PUBLIC'S TRUST
. DISTRUST IN ELECTIONS. TWEETS
START APPEARING THAT CLAIMED
BALLOTS HAVE BEEN MANIPULATED.
PEOPLE CALL THE PRESS AND THEY
LOUDLY INSISTS THAT THEY'VE BEEN
CHEATED. THIS IS HULLABALOO FOR
PLAYS INTO FALSE NARRATIVE OF
ELECTION FRAUD THAT WE NEED TO
VIGILANTLY COUNTER THE LEAGUE
DOES WHAT OUR EDUCATION EVERY
SINGLE CYCLE THROUGH A VARIETY
OF MEANS TO ALERT VOTERS OF THE
CONSEQUENCES OF REGISTERING
WITHOUT A PARTY PREFERENCE, AND
WE PROVIDE THEM WITH INFORMATION
AS TO HOW TO GET A BALLOT THAT
CONTAINS THE CANDIDATES THAT
THEY WANT TO CHOOSE. AND WHICH
PARTIES ALLOW FOR CROSSOVER
VOTING, BUT EDUCATION ON THESE
MATTERS CAN ONLY GO SO FAR. 80
TO 92 IS A PROACTIVE FIX TO THE
PROBLEM. IT MAKES EMINENT SENSE
FOR NPP VOTERS TO GET INFO RIGHT
IN THEIR BALLOTS THAT LET THEM
VOTE THEIR PREFERENCE, AND IT
MAKES SENSE THAT THE FIX IS
COMING FROM ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
PELLERIN, A DEEPLY RESPECTED
REGISTRAR. VOTERS WITH DIRECT
EXPERIENCE. FORMER REGISTRAR OF
VOTERS. WITH DIRECT EXPERIENCE
OF THE PROBLEM WHEN WHO WORKED
HARD DURING HER TENURE TO
IMPROVE CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS AND
CONTINUES TO DO SO IN HER ROLE
AS AN ASSEMBLY MEMBER, THE
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF
CALIFORNIA IS IN VERY STRONG
SUPPORT OF A B 29 TO MAKE OUR
JOB A LOT EASIER. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH ARE THERE
ANY PRIMARY WITNESSES AND
OPPOSITION? SINGING HEARING. NOW
WE'RE GOING TO HUSTLE UP. WE
GOTTA WE GOTTA TIGHT SCHEDULE.
APPRECIATE THAT. MY NAME IS
CALLING BRITAIN WITH ELECTION
INTEGRITY PROJECT CALIFORNIA WE
BELIEVE THAT A B 2 92 IS
UNNECESSARY. THERE ARE ALREADY
SEVERAL WAYS THAT THE NON, UM NO
PARTY PREFERENCE VOTERS ARE
NOTIFIED AND TO ADD ANOTHER ONE
WOULD BE AN INCREASE IN IN TAX
AND WORKED FOR THE REGISTERS. AH
WE SO PARTICULARLY TROUBLING IS
THE SECTION OF A B 2 92 THAT
STATES A VOTER WHO WRITES THE
NAME OF THE PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATE PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION
B SHALL MARK THE BOX INDICATING
THE PARTY'S CANDIDATE FOR WHOM
THEY VOTED AND COMPLETE SIGN AND
RETURN THAT DOCUMENT WITH THE
VOTER'S BALLOT. OF THIS, WE
BELIEVE IS A BREACH OF THE
VOTERS RIGHT TO SECRET BALLOT.
IT'S NOT CLEAR, UH, THE
PROCEDURES THAT HAVE SEPARATION
OF BALLOT AND IDENTIFYING
INFORMATION IS DESIGNATED. THE
BILL DOES NOT DO THIS. SO
WITHOUT THE ASSURANCE THAT THE
BALLOT PRIVACY OF THE STATE HAS
NO RIGHT TO IMPOSE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE VOTERS TO DISCLOSE THEIR
BALLOT CHOICES ON ANY DOCUMENT
THAT IDENTIFIES THE VOTER. THIS
IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE
BILL THAT WE BELIEVE SO, UM. SO
IF THE STATE WERE TO DECIDE TO
PLACE THE RIGHT IN SPACE FOR THE
NUN, UM. WHATEVER IT IS NPP
VOTER. THANK YOU. WHATEVER THEY
WHATEVER IT IS WITH BALLOT
ACCOMPANYING INSTRUCTIONS
REGARDING LEGAL CROSSOVER VOTING
, THEN IT MUST ALSO ELIMINATE
THE REDUNDANT MONTH MULTIPLE
MAILINGS OF NOTIFICATION AND
SUBSTITUTE BALLOTS, STREAMLINING
AND SIMPLIFYING THE SYSTEM,
WHICH IS MYSTIFYING TO VOTERS
TIME AND LABOR AND SENSITIVE FOR
THE ELECTION OFFICES. HIGHLY
COSTLY FOR THE STATE IS SO MUCH
BETTER THAN ADDING ANOTHER LAYER
OF COMPLEXITY. SUCH AS MORE UM
THIS MOVE WOULD SAVE THE TAX
HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS. SO THANK YOU. HOW SHORT
SO MUCH AND RETURNING TO THE
HEARING ROOM. ARE THERE ANY
PERSONS IN THE HEARING ROOM? WE
WOULD LIKE TO ENSURE THE
SUPPORTER OPPOSITION FOR THIS
BILL? LAUREL BRODZINSKY WITH
CALIFORNIA COMMON CAUSE IN
SUPPORT. HMM. VANESSA TELL US
WITH INDIVISIBLE CALIFORNIA
STATE STRONG AND SUPPORT. TRICIA
WEBER ON BEHALF OF CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION OF CLERK AND
ELECTION OFFICIALS WERE IN
SUPPORT IF AMENDED POSITION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'RE GONNA
TURN TO THE PHONE LINES
OPERATORS. ANYBODY ON THE PHONE
LINES WOULD LIKE TO RECORD THEIR
SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION FOR THIS
BILL. PROVIDE COMMENTS AND
SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION FOR THIS
BILL, PLEASE PRESS ONE THAN
ZERO. LINE. 17, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
THANK YOU, OPERATOR AND THANK
YOU. CHAIR. BRIAN THIS IS
RAJVEER. CHANGE BEGINS WITH ME
AND STRONG SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. LINE 19.
VICKI RAIN KEY CALVERA COUNTY
OPPOSED. LINE 25. MISSING FROM
LOS ANGELES COUNTING. I OPPOSE A
B 292. LINE 13. THIS IS MORINA
BAROLO FROM L. A COUNTY. I
STRONGLY OPPOSED TO STILL LINE
44. MHM JEANETTE FELT SACRAMENTO
COUNTY AND I OPPOSED THIS BILL.
9 47. 47 PLEASE GO AHEAD. AYE
LEHMAN, SPERRY PLASTER COUNTY
ELECTION INTEGRITY PROJECT
CALIFORNIA AND OPPOSITION TO 92.
BLIND 41. THE LAWRENCE BASKET IN
SAN FRANCISCO IN SUPPORT. LINE
10. CHRIS FOSTER. LINE 24. ANDY
MARCIA L. A COUNTY OPPOSE IT.
LINE 58. JENSEN HUANG AKALA
COUNTY I OPPOSE 80 TO 92. LINE
20. TREGG RATES LOSS ANGELES
COUNTY WITH THE I P C A. WE
OPPOSE. FIND 31. I STRONGLY MY
NAME IS LIZ LÀ G AND I STRONGLY
OPPOSED THIS BILL. LINE NUMBER
12. THIS IS APRIL BEING FROM
SACRAMENTO COUNTY, AND I OPPOSE
A B 2 92. LINE 26. THIS IS NANCY
LATHAM FROM OAKLAND AND
INDIVISIBLE EAST BAY STRONGLY
SUPPORT LINE 14. THIS IS DORIAN
WHITWORTH, MADERA COUNTY. I
OPPOSE A B 292. IN LINE 71. 71,
PLEASE GO AHEAD. LINE 71. MR MR
CHAIR. THERE ARE NO FURTHER
COMMENT. THANK YOU AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING TO RETURN
IT TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS. ANY OF
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WISHES
TO SPEAK ON THIS BILL. SINGING
HEARING NONE. MISS PILGRIM,
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE?
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR I
VOTE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I KNOW
THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERNS
WITH MPP S AND I KNOW THAT
THERE. UM, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
ALL VOTERS GET THE BALANCE THAT
THEY NEED, BUT ALSO THAT THE
PARTY HAS THE THINGS THAT THEY
NEED TO, UM HANDLE THE DELEGATE
ALLOCATION. I KNOW YOU'RE
WORKING THROUGH ALL PARTS OF
THIS AND I HAVE COMPLETE
CONFIDENCE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO
GET THIS RIGHT? WOULD LIKE TO
SEE THIS MOVE ON TODAY. IT HAS
AN EYE RECORD FROM THE CHAIR.
MADAM SECRETARY HAVE A MOTION IN
MOVED AND SECONDED, MR LEE AND
MR LO, CAN WE CALL THE ROLL? THE
MOTION IS DO PASS AND BE RE
REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. BRIAN BRIAN. I
LACKEY MACKEY, NOT VOTING
BENNETT. SALLY. LI I LO HELLO. I
PELLERIN HELLER AND I BLANCA
RUBIO. BLANCA RUBIO? AYE. THE
BILL IS ABOUT 50. THE CHAIR IS
GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF
PERSONAL PRIVILEGE AND MOVE ON
TO ITEM. 18 A. C A FOUR AND ITEM
FIVE D 4 21. PASSING AUTHORITY
TO MY VICE CHAIR. GOOD NIGHT, MR
BRACKETT.
OKAY IT SHOULD BE ANNOUNCED TO
THIS VERY, UM, VERY IMPORTANT
ITEM AND, UH, THE PROCEDURE IS
GOING TO BE UNIQUE. AND THAT,
UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A
CONCURRENT PRESENTATION ON BOTH
ITEMS. AND SO THE CALLERS WHO
ARE CONCERNED OR IN SUPPORT.
NEED TO BE AWARE OF THIS.
PROBABLY THE TIME TO CALL IN. TO
ADDRESS EITHER YOUR SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION. FOR THIS. VERY
UNIQUE PRESENTATION SO THAT THIS
HAS TO DO ABOUT UM, ELECTIONS
ELIGIBILITY AND ESPECIALLY THOSE
WHO ARE IN CUSTODY IN PRISON TO
BE ABLE TO CAST THEIR VOTE. SO
YOU MAY PROCEED. THANK YOU, MR
CHAIR. I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY
TO PRESENT A FOUR JOINTLY WITH A
B 15 95 BECAUSE OF THEIR DEEPLY
CONNECTED AND ENACTMENT
CONDITION. AND WE THINK ABOUT
THE HISTORY OF
DISENFRANCHISEMENT. VOTERS IN
THIS COUNTRY. WE SEE A DEEP
CONNECTION WITH OUR LEGACY OF
SLAVERY WHEN WE THINK ABOUT
FELONY DISENFRANCHISEMENT OR THE
DISENFRANCHISEMENT OF FOLKS WHO
ARE INCARCERATED. WE SAW THE
RISE IN STATES ISSUING THOSE
KINDS OF CONDITIONS IN THEIR
CONSTITUTE IN THEIR CONSTITUTION
AT THE SAME TIME AS EMANCIPATION
. THOSE SAME STATES IN THAT SAME
EFFORT IS LEADING VOTER
SUPPRESSION ACROSS THIS COUNTRY
. RIGHT NOW, WE ARE SEEING VOTER
ID LAWS WERE SEEING DULY ELECTED
ELECTED OFFICIALS REMOVED FROM
THEIR POSTS. WE ARE SEEING THOSE
SAME KINDS OF DISENFRANCHISED.
IT. MECHANISMS CONTINUE AND
EXPAND. WE ARE SEEING A FAILURE
AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO RENEW
THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT, SOMETHING
THAT JOHN LEWIS SPENT HIS
LIFETIME FIGHTING FOR AND PASSED
AWAY BEFORE WE COULD MOVE IT
FORWARD. THIS IS NOT THE WAY
COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD DO
THIS, OR EVEN ALL OF OUR STATES.
WE HAVE STATES THAT HAVE MOVED
FORWARD TO BELIEVE THAT
DEMOCRACY INCLUDES EVERYBODY.
OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTH
CANADA ALLOW. EVERYBODY INCLUDED
INCARCERATED PEOPLE TO VOTE. WE
JUST WENT TO SAN QUENTIN WITH
THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED A NEW
MODEL OF REHABILITATION. SIMILAR
TO THE NORWAY MODEL. THE
NORWEGIAN MODEL INCLUDES
ALLOWING EVERYBODY WHO'S
INCARCERATED TO VOTE. ISRAEL
ALLOWS EVERYBODY WHO WAS
INCARCERATED TO VOTE ON EVERY
CONTINENT AROUND THIS WORLD.
THERE ARE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
WHO ARE LEADING AND ALLOWING
EVERYBODY TO VOTE. INCARCERATED
RIGHT NOW OUR PARENTS HAVE OVER
200,000 CHILDREN IN THIS STATE
WHO CAN'T VOTE FOR THEIR STATE
SUPERINTENDENT THERE NEARLY
10,000 VETERANS WHO FOUGHT FOR
OUR COUNTRY. NEARLY LOST THEIR
LIVES CAME HOME LOST THEIR
ECONOMIC INSTABILITY AND, LIKE
ALL WHO LOSE THEIR ECONOMIC
INSTABILITY, FOUND THEMSELVES
INCARCERATED AND CANNOT VOTE IN
THE SAME COUNTRY THAT THEY
FOUGHT FOR. IF WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE
STATES AND PLACES WHERE PEOPLE
DO VOTE INCARCERATED, AND
SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE
LIKELIHOOD OF EVER RETURNING IS
DROPPED BY 50% IN FACT, IF WE
CARED ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, WE
WOULD BE PROVIDING CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT AND REQUIRING
INCARCERATED PEOPLE TO
PARTICIPATE IN DEMOCRACY AND BE
A DEEP CONNECTED PART OF THE
COMMUNITIES THEY CAME FROM, AND
FROM WHICH THEY WILL GO BACK TO
DEMOCRACY NEEDS EVERYBODY.
WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT THIS? A CIA
IS THAT WE AS LEGISLATORS ARE
ACTUALLY NOT EVEN MAKING THE
DECISION ABOUT WHETHER
INCARCERATED PEOPLE IN
CALIFORNIA SHOULD BE ABLE TO
VOTE. ALL WE'RE DECIDING IS
WHETHER THE VOTERS OF CALIFORNIA
WHO ARE CURRENTLY ELIGIBLE WHO
HAVE NOT BEEN DISENFRANCHISED.
SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
ALLOW EVERYBODY TO PARTICIPATE
IN OUR DEMOCRACY, AND I THINK
THAT'S THE BARE MINIMUM THAT WE
CAN DO. WITH ME TODAY, JOHN
THOMAS. AND ADRIANA GRIFFITH
FROM INITIATE JUSTICE. AND I
PASSED IT TO MY EXPERT
WITNESSES. YES THANK YOU FOR
GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK TODAY. AS YOU SAID, I'M
RAHSAAN THOMAS AND I'M ALSO THE
PRODUCER OF AIR HUSTLE,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
EMPOWERMENT AVENUE. I'M ALSO THE
BOARD MEMBER AND INITIATE
JUSTICE WHO CAME UP WITH THE
CONCEPT OF VOTING SYSTEM
IMPACTED. UM AND THAT LED THE
PROP 17, WHICH RESTORED VOTING
RIGHTS TO PEOPLE ON PAROLE, AND
NOW I'M BACK HERE TO SUPPORT A C
A FOUR. SO THAT WAY EVERYBODY IN
CALIFORNIA WILL HAVE THE RIGHT
TO VOTE BECAUSE I THINK THAT NO
ONE SHOULD BE TAXED WITHOUT
REPRESENTATION. UM I MYSELF WAS
SENTENCED TO 55 YEARS TO LIFE.
AND I REMEMBER BEING IN SAN
QUENTIN STATE PRISON WITH WINE,
HAYNES FROM SAN QUICK NEWS, AND
WE WERE ON THE PRISON YARD AND
WE WERE HOLDING A MOCK ELECTION
IN 2016 AND ALL WE WERE GIVEN
OUT WITH THESE BALLOTS LIKE
THESE SLIPS OF PAPER WITH THAT,
LIKE DONALD TRUMP, HILLARY
CLINTON WRITING CANDIDATE ON IT,
AND I RAN ACROSS ELDERLY MEN
WITH TEARS IN THEIR EYES WHO
NEVER VOTED IN THEIR LIFE, AND
THEY TOOK THE ELECTION THAT'S SO
REAL. AND AS I SAT THERE DEALING
WITH THIS, I REALIZED, LIKE HOW
ISOLATION MAKES US FEEL LIKE
WE'RE NOT PART OF SOCIETY. I
JUST WANT TO ASK LIKE THERE'S NO
EXCUSE FOR OUR CRIMES. AND I'M
TRULY SORRY FOR ALL THE HARM WE
CAUSE, AND I CAUSE PERSONALLY,
BUT HOW WOULD YOU BE DECADES
AFTER DECADES AFTER DECADES YOU
WOULD TREAT LIKE YOU'RE NOT
AMERICAN, LIKE YOU ARE NOT A
PART OF OUR SOCIETY. UH, UM TO
ME, I, HE SAID AS AN IGNORANT
TEAM. UM I FOUGHT AGAINST MY
NEIGHBORS. AND NOW AS A GROWN
MAN, I REALIZED I SHOULD HAVE
BEEN FIGHTING AGAINST RACISM. I
SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIGHTING
AGAINST ZIP CODES. ZIP CODING,
REDLINING, EMPLOYMENT
DISCRIMINATION. MY MOM WAS A
SINGLE PARENT. SHE NEEDED GENDER
EQUALITY RAISES BETTER, JUST ALL
KINDS OF THINGS THROUGH VOTING.
I LOST MY RIGHT TO VOTE AT 19.
BUT THROUGH A COMMUTATION
THROUGH GAVIN NEWSOM, I'M HOME
NOW. I CAME ON FEBRUARY 8TH A
WEEK LATER, I REGISTERED TO VOTE
. IT'S WHEN THE PROUDEST MOMENTS
OF MY LIFE AND NOW I'M HERE THAT
TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IN
CALIFORNIA UM, GETS THAT RIGHT
TO VOTE TO ESPECIALLY PEOPLE IN
PRISON. I MEAN, OF COURSE,
THAT'S THE ONLY PEOPLE LAUGH.
UM, BECAUSE THAT I BELIEVE THAT
EVERYBODY'S INCLUDED. WE FEEL
UNITED. AND IF WE'RE UNITED WERE
SAFE AND STRONG TOGETHER SO AND
SOME JUST PLEASE VOTE A. I'VE
FOR A C A FOUR. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING CHAIR AND COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
HAVING ME THIS MORNING. MY NAME
IS ADRIANA GRIFFITH AND I'M A
SURVIVOR OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING. I'M ALSO
FORMERLY INCARCERATED IN MY
EXPERIENCE OF INCARCERATION WAS
A DIRECT RESULT OF THE VIOLENCE
AND EXPLOITATION THAT I ENDURED.
AS A SURVIVOR. I AM PLEASED TO
SPEAK TODAY AND SUPPORT OF FOUR
FOR ME A SAFE OR IS ABOUT
RESTORING THE VOICES OF
COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN
FORGOTTEN, SILENCED AND LEFT
BEHIND. AND I KNEW ALL TOO WELL,
THE FEELING OF HAVING YOUR VOICE
SILENCED. THE FIRST TIME I VOICE
WAS SILENCED WAS WHEN I WAS
EXPERIENCING ABUSE. THE SECOND
TIME WAS WHEN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA TOOK IT AWAY AND TOLD
ME THAT I COULD NO LONGER
PARTICIPATE IN THE DEMOCRATIC
PROCESS OR HAVE MY VOICE HEARD
WHEN IT CAME TO MATTERS THAT
PERSONALLY IMPACTED ME. ALTHOUGH
I HAD BEEN A VICTIM, THE STATE
LABELED ME AS AN INMATE AND THUS
TOOK AWAY MY RIGHT TO BE VIEWED
AS A CITIZEN AND A WHOLE PERSON.
OPPONENTS OF THIS BILL SAY IT IS
INSENSITIVE TO VICTIMS AND
SURVIVORS, BUT IN MY OPINION
THAT CANNOT BE FARTHER FROM THE
TRUTH. IN FACT, A C A FOUR GIVES
A GROUP OF SURVIVORS LIKE MYSELF
. FINALLY THE OPPORTUNITY TO
HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD AND
COUNT. BEING A SURVIVOR IN
PRISON IS ALREADY HARD BECAUSE
YOU'RE ONLY SEEN AS SOMEONE WHO
CAUSED HARM. YOU'RE NOT SEEING
AS SOMEONE WHO EXPERIENCED HARM
OR AS SOMEONE WHO CARES ABOUT
YOUR COMMUNITY, BUT WE DO. WITH
A C A FOUR. CALIFORNIA HAS THE
OPPORTUNITY TO TRULY GET BEHIND
ALL SURVIVORS AND RESTORE THEIR
DEMOCRATIC VOICE. YOU CANNOT
CLAIM TO SUPPORT SURVIVORS AND
STAND WITH SURVIVORS IF YOU
CONTINUE TO IGNORE SURVIVOR
VOICES INSIDE PRISON WALLS. I
RESPECTFULLY URGE THIS COMMITTEE
TO PASS A C A FOR TODAY AND
DEMONSTRATED CONTINUED
COMMITMENT TO INCLUDE ALL VOICES
IN THIS IMPORTANT PROCESS. WE
CALL DEMOCRACY. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANYBODY ELSE IN
THE ROOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO, UH
ROOM. PLEASE LINE UP AT THIS
SPEAKING SUPPORT, JUST HER NAME
AND POSITION NAME AND POSITION.
ONLY NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION.
YOUR POSITION ONLY. PLEASE YOU
MAY PROCEED. VOTERS OF
CALIFORNIA CO SPONSOR AND STRONG
SUPPORT. THANK YOU STAND CLOSE
ENOUGH TO THE MICROPHONE SO WE
CAN HEAR YOU PLEASE. DORA ROSE
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF
CALIFORNIA CO SPONSOR AND IN
STRONG SUPPORT. THANK YOU. YOU
KNOW, VARGAS, INITIATE JUSTICE
ACTION CO SPONSOR STRONG SUPPORT
FOR MAYBE 15 95. SERVING A
ZOMBIE IN ISSUED JUSTICE ACTION
CO SPONSOR IN STRONG SUPPORT OF
A FOREIGN ABBY 15 95. BRITNEY
STONECIPHER FOR A C L U
CALIFORNIA ACTION, PROUD CO
SPONSOR AND SUPPORT THANK YOU. J
HOCKLEY, SENIOR, INITIATE
JUSTICE ACTION, PROUD, COSPONSOR
AND STRONG SUPPORT FOR.
STEPHANIE MENDEZ, INITIATE
JUSTICE ACTION. STRONG SUPPORT
OF A C A FOUR. THERESA MARKHAM,
A MEMBER OF CENTER OF EMPLOYMENT
OF OPPORTUNITIES. I'M STRONG
SUPPORT OF BOTH. SKY ALLEN WITH
INLAND EMPIRE UNITED AND STRONG
SUPPORT OF BOTH. THANK YOU.
JAMIE CARPER. I'M A LOCAL
ATTORNEY AND A MEMBER OF A R C.
ANTI RECIDIVISM RECIDIVISM
COALITION, AND I'M A STRONG
SUPPORTER. BOTH BILLS. LARRY
ABBOT, INITIATE JUSTICE ACTION,
STRONG SUPPORTER BOTH BILLS.
LONDON EVER READY WITH INITIATE
INITIATE. AN AGENT, INITIATE
JUSTICE ACTION AND STRONG
SUPPORT OF BOTH BILLS. GOOD
MORNING, GOING BACK INSIDE AS
ASKED BY NATASHA MINSK GROUP
SMART JUSTICE TO ENTER THEIR
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, ABBY SALIM WITH
IMPAIRING WOMEN IMPACTED BY
INCARCERATION AND STRONG SUPPORT
FOR BOTH. THANK YOU. ANGEL
WRITES WITH EMPIRE WOMEN
IMPACTED BY INCARCERATION AND
INITIATE JUSTICE AND STRONG
SUPPORT. GOOD MORNING CHAIR
MEMBERS. GREGORY FIDDLE WITH
INITIATE JUSTICE, PROUD CO
SPONSOR AND STRONG SUPPORT. GOOD
MORNING, ROBERTO RAMIREZ,
INITIATE JUSTICE ACTION, PRO
PRODUCT COSPONSOR AND STRONG
SUPPORT. GOOD MORNING.
ANTOINETTE RATCLIFFE, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR WITH INITIATE JUSTICE,
PROUD CO SPONSORS AND STRONG
SUPPORT OF FOUR AND ITS
COMPANION BILL. ROY BALLARD
CENTER FOR EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITIES. ADVOCACY FELLOW
AND MEMBER OF INITIATE JUSTICE
AND STRONG SUPPORT. MORNING THE
ANDRE BENSON CEO AND STRONG
SUPPORT OF. MORNING EVERYONE.
RICHARD ROBINSON, REMEMBER OF
CEO AND STRONG SUPPORT OF BOTH.
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
EMILIANO LOPEZ. IN ISSUE WITH
INITIATED JUSTICE, ACTION AND
PROUD CORRESPONDENCES AND STRONG
SUPPORT. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME
IS VERONICA CARRIZALEZ AND I'M
WITH CALIFORNIA CALLS AND STRONG
SUPPORT OF BOTH. OKAY. THANK
YOU. LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE MORE
PEOPLE, SO WE'LL STAND BY.
PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
GOOD MORNING CHAIRMAN MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS TONY MARGIE LAD HERE
ON BEHALF OF LEGAL SERVICES FOR
PRISONERS WITH CHILDREN ALSO
HERE ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US OR
NONE AND STRONG SUPPORT OF A C A
FOUR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
GOOD MORNING. JOHN VASQUEZ,
POLICY MANAGER WITH COMMUNITIES
UNITED FOR STARTED JUSTICE, ALSO
FORMERLY INCARCERATED FOR 25
YEARS. STRONG SUPPORT OF A CF
FOUR. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS TATIANA LEWIS WITH
LEGAL SERVICES FOR PRISONERS
WITH CHILDREN AND STRONG SUPPORT
OF A C A FOUR. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING. MY NAME IS JULIE
SVIDANIYA, MEMBER OF R C ENTIRE
CITIZEN COALITION. I STRONGLY
SUPPORT THIS BILL. GOOD MORNING
. TUNISIA HANG WITH THE
CALIFORNIA HAWAII N DOUBLE A. C
P IN STRONG SUPPORT OF A C A
FOUR. GOOD MORNING, LAURENCE COX
WITH LEGAL SERVICES FOR
PRISONERS WITH CHILDREN AND
STRONG SUPPORT. GOOD MORNING,
BARBARA CHAVEZ WITH LEGAL
SERVICES FOR PRISONERS WITH
CHILDREN AND STRONG SUPPORT,
RECENTLY COMMUTED FROM MY ALL
WALKS SENTENCE SERVING 20 YEARS
PLUS MY NAME IS DANIEL AND PART
OF THE INTERVIEW, RECIDIVISM
COLLEGE AND I'M A SUPPORTIVE
LIKE A C A FOUR. MY NAME IS JACK
CASTELLO. I'M A MEMBER OF ANTI
RECIDIVISM COALITION AND I'M IN
STRONG SUPPORT OF THE A FOUR. MY
NAME IS LOUIS SCOTT WITH THE
ANTI RECIDIVISM COALITION AND
I'M IN STRONG SUPPORT OF A C A
FORM. MY NAME IS KUMAR MELODIES
AND I'M AND I'M FROM A R C. AND
I'M STRONG SUPPORTED HIS BILL.
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JOSE.
MIRANDA I'M IRC AND I STRONGLY
SUPPORT THIS BILL. GOOD MORNING
. MY NAME IS ELIAS DAVILA AND I
STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS. A C A.
FOR THANK YOU. MORNING EVERYBODY
. MY NAME IS DOUGLAS RODRIGUEZ,
MEMBER OF A R. C. I'M HERE TO
SUPPORT IT WILL THINK GOOD
MORNING COMMITTEE, MICHAEL
MENDOZA, WITH THE ARE SEEN
STRONG SUPPORT. WHEN I WAS
MARQUEES NUNEZ WITH THE ANTI
RECIDIVISM COALITION, AND I
STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS BILL. MY
NAME IS ALLARD. ASIA GREEN. I'M
FROM THE L. A BAKER CENTER FOR
HUMAN RIGHTS, AND I'M IN STRONG
SUPPORT OF THIS BILL. TOM TRAM
POLICY ASSOCIATE, ELLA BAKER
CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND
STRONG SUPPORT. HI I'M LINDSEY
VOGT. AND I'M ALSO WITH THE L. A
BAKER CENTER AND STRONG SUPPORT
OF THIS BILL. GOOD MORNING. ERIC
MORRISON SMITH, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR FOR THE ALLIANCE OF
BOYS AND MEN OF COLOR AND STRONG
SUPPORT. DONNA ROBERTSON, PARENT
ORGANIZERS WITH CONGREGATIONS,
PARENT ORGANIZER I'M SORRY WITH
CONGREGATIONS ORGANIZED FOR
PROPHETIC ENGAGEMENT IN STRONG
SUPPORT. MICHELLE WITH INITIATE
JUSTICE, UH DIRECTLY IMPACTED
AND STRONG SUPPORT. HI I'M
CRYSTAL SYSTEM IMPACT WITH
INITIALLY JUSTICE AND STRONG
SUPPORT. VANESSA TILLIS WITH
INDIVISIBLE CALIFORNIA STATE
STRONG AND FOR COURAGE,
CALIFORNIA IN STRONG SUPPORT.
KRISTEN NUMBERS CALIFORNIA BLACK
POWER NETWORK CO SPONSOR IN
STRONG SUPPORT. MELISSA MORE
LEGAL SERVICES FOR PRISONERS
WITH CHILDREN. ALL OF US ARE
KNOWN OAKLAND CHAPTER AND
SURVIVOR OF CDC FOR 25 YEARS IN
STRONG SUPPORT. YES GOOD
MORNING. MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER
WASHINGTON AND I'M FROM INITIATE
JUSTICE AND I'M A STRONG
SUPPORTER OF A C A FOUR AND ITS
COMPANION BILL. OKAY THANK YOU.
DO WE HAVE ANY WITNESSES AND
OPPOSITION?
I THINK YOU'RE AWARE OF THE
GROUND RULES SO YOU MAY PROCEED.
MY NAME IS CALLING BRITAIN. I'M
WITH ELECTION INTEGRITY PROJECT,
CALIFORNIA. ASSEMBLYMAN BRIAN
SAYS DEMOCRACY IS FOR EVERYONE.
HE SAYS THAT. DEMOCRACY THRIVES
WHEN EVERYBODY HAS A CHANCE TO
HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD BY
ALLOWING THOSE FELONS IN PRISON
THE RIGHT TO VOTE E I P C, A
CONTENT THAT THEIR VOICES HAVE
BEEN HEARD LOUDLY AND CLEARLY BY
ALL SOCIETY, AND THEIR MESSAGE
WAS THAT THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO
TURN THEIR BACKS ON SOCIETY TO
SHOW CONTEMPT AND REPUGNANCE FOR
THEIR FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS AND
THE SOCIAL CONTRACT CONSTRUCT,
BY WHICH WE ALL LIVE IN HARMONY
WITH ONE ANOTHER. SO DEMOCRACY
DOES NOT NEED EVERYBODY. IT
NEEDS EVERYBODY WHO WILL
BELIEVES IN DEMOCRACY WHO
BELIEVES IN THE CONCEPT THAT
EVERYONE'S VOICE IS EQUAL, NOT
THOSE WHOSE ACTIONS SHOW THAT
THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE ABOVE
THE LAW THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT
TO DEPRIVE OTHERS OF THEIRS,
INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO LIVE.
INMATES AND CURRENTLY IN
CALIFORNIA ARE THERE FOR
EXTREMELY VIOLENT, SERIOUS
CRIMES. UH IT'S NOT SHOPLIFTING
. THESE CRIMES INCLUDE RAPE,
MURDER, GRAND THEFT THREATS WITH
GUNS, HUMAN TRAFFICKING CRIMES
TO UNIMAGINABLE TO BE MENTIONED.
THESE FELONS WILL BE SERVING
SENTENCES MANY YEARS, MANY
DECADES. SOMETIMES LIFE WITHOUT
THE POSSIBILITY ARE PER OF
PAROLE. THESE FELONS HAVE LEFT
IN THEIR WAKE POOR DECISIONS OF
ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOR. MULTIPLE
MULTITUDES OF VICTIMS OF FRIENDS
AND FAMILIES WHO WILL THEMSELVES
SERVE A LIFE SENTENCE. PTSD LACK
OF TRUST FEAR HAUNTING MEMORIES.
THOSE PEOPLE CAN NEVER VOTE. IT
IS THOSE VICTIMS WHOSE RIGHTS
ELECTION INTEGRITY PROJECT
CALIFORNIA ADVOCATES FOR IN
OPPOSING A FOUR THOSE ARE THE
DECISIONS OF VOTERS, UM, MAKE
FOR THEMSELVES. EITHER DIRECTLY
OR THROUGH WHOM THEY ELECT AND
REPRESENT. THAT'S THE THOSE ARE
THE CHOICES THAT PEOPLE WHO LIVE
IN SOCIETY MAKE THOSE WHOSE ANTI
SOCIAL BEHAVIOR HAS, UH, A LOT
OF AS LANDED THEM BEHIND PRISON
BARS AND STRIP THEM OF THE RIGHT
TO DETERMINE THEIR COMING AND
GOING AND THEIR DAILY LIVES
SHOULD NEVER BE GRANTED THE
PRIVILEGE TO HAVE A VOICE IN THE
LIVES OF LAW ABIDING MEMBERS OF
SOCIETY, PARTICULARLY THEIR
VICTIMS WHILE THEY'RE STILL
SERVING. AND UH, THEIR SENTENCE
THAT'S PART OF THEIR SENTENCE.
THERE'S JUSTICE. VOICING VOTING
IS A PRIVILEGE AND NOT AN
ABSOLUTE RIGHT OF CITIZENSHIP,
LOSING THE RIGHT TO VOTE AS AN
INCARCERATED FELON IS PART OF
PAYING THE DEBT TO SOCIETY. THIS
IS NOT AN ISSUE OF
DISENFRANCHISEMENT BECAUSE
FELONS ARE BEING TREATED EQUALLY
AND LOSING THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE
WHILE INCARCERATED UPON SERVING
THEIR SENTENCE. FELONS EQUALLY
CAN HAVE THEIR RIGHTS RESTORED.
IN 2010 OF THE NINTH CIRCUIT
COURT OF SEATTLE. UM THEY MADE
THE FOLLOWING THE SECRETARY OF
STATE MADE THE STATEMENT WE
ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE IN CIVIL
RIGHTS AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK
TOWARDS EQUALITY IN THE CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM. BUT WE HAVE AT
THE SAME TIME WE FIRMLY BELIEVE
THAT IS APPROPRIATE AND
REASONABLE FOR SOCIETY TO DENY
VOTING RIGHTS. TWO PEOPLE WHO
COMMIT SERIOUS CRIMES. THIS HAS
BEEN THE LAW IN OUR STATE SINCE
18 66 AND NEARLY TWO PEOPLE WHO
WHO COMMIT SERIOUS CRIMES. THIS
HAS BEEN THE LAW. OKAY, WELL,
SORRY ABOUT THAT. EVERY STATE IN
AMERICA HAS THIS SENSIBLE POLICY
. THERE'S CLEARLY NO
DISCRIMINATION INTENT. UM ALSO,
I WOULD ADD THAT ADDING VOTING
BY MAIL IN IN THE PRISON
SITUATION BECAUSE IT'S SO
CONTROLLED. CREATES ADDITIONAL,
UM, UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF
CREATING POSSIBILITIES FOR UM.
MISCHIEVOUS BALLOT HARVESTING
BALLOT MANIPULATION. THEY'RE
TIGHTLY CONTROLLED SITUATION IN
THERE AND THE PRIVACY OF VOTE,
UH, MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE
POSSIBLE. SO UM, ELECTION
INTEGRITY PROJECT CALIFORNIA
RECOMMENDS A NO VOTE ON THIS AND
THE ACCOMPANYING BILL. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY
PERSONS IN THE ROOM THAT WOULD
LIKE TO VOICE THEIR OBJECTION.
SEEING NONE. QUÊ COMMITTEE. IT'S
BACK TO. OKAY I GUESS WE CAN DO
THAT NOW. OKAY WELL, NOW GO TO
THE PHONES. IF YOU'D LIKE TO
EXPRESS YOUR SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION. NOW IS YOUR
OPPORTUNITY TO DO JUST THAT.
OPERATOR CAN WE GO TO THE PHONE
LINES, PLEASE?
OPERATOR ARE YOU THERE? PLEASE
PRESS ONE, THEN ZERO TO PROVIDE
COMMENTS AND SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION LINE. 54, PLEASE GO
AHEAD. LINE 36. UH JENNIFER
TANNER ON BEHALF OF INDIVISIBLE
CALIFORNIA STATE STRONGLY
SUPPORT BOTH BILLS. AND I'D LIKE
TO THANK ASSEMBLYMAN BRIAN FOR
KEEPING REMOTE METERS FOR
INCLUSIVE DEMOCRACY AND HOPE ALL
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEES CHAIRS
FOLLOW HIS GREAT LINK. THANK
YOU. JUST PLEASE EXPRESS YOUR
SUPPORTER OPPOSITE YOUR NAME AND
THEN SUPPORTER OPPOSITION. NO,
NO NARRATIVE IS ALLOWED AT THIS
POINT. THANK YOU. PLEASE
PROCEED. 25. SEE FROM LOS
ANGELES COUNTY. I STRONGLY
OPPOSE FOUR AND A B 1539. 84.
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS TAYLOR
HUSING WITH INITIATE JUSTICE
ACTION AND THEN SIMULTANEOUSLY A
LAW ABIDING CITIZEN AND WE
STRONGLY SUPPORT A C A FORD AND
ITS COMPANION, BILL A B 15 95.
85. GOOD MORNING. THIS IS MJ
KING WITH INITIATE JUSTICE
ACTION IN STRONG SUPPORT OF FOUR
AND ITS COMPANION BILL, MAYBE 15
95. 86. GOOD MORNING CHAIR
MEMBERS. THERE ARE TERRORISTS.
DISABILITY RIGHTS, CALIFORNIA
STRONG SUPPORT. 88. SOFIA CANDLE
WITH INITIATE JUSTICE, ACTION
AND STRONG SUPPORT. THEY SEE
FLOOR AND ITS COMPANION, 15 95.
90. LINDBERGH ON BEHALF OF THE
FRIENDS COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATION
OF CALIFORNIA AND STRONG
SUPPORT. FIND 93. HI MY NAME IS
SASHA CHALDEAN WITH CALIFORNIA
IMMIGRANT POLICY CENTER IN
STRONG, STRONG SUPPORT OF 84.
ITS COMPANION, BILL 80, 15 95.
THANK YOU. LINE 96. BRIGHT 19.
BREAD SHARES AND STRONG SUPPORT
OF 88 4. WHY 97. HI I'M DOROTHY
TO GHANA WITH INITIATED ACTION
AND STRONG SUPPORT OF FOUR AND
ITS COMPANION, BILL ÁP, 15 95.
FIND 17. THANK YOU. OPERATOR
RAJVEER WITH CHANGE BEGINS WITH
ME IN STRONG SUPPORT FOR BOTH
BILLS. THANK YOU. 35. I NEED TO
GO FOR IT WITH ASIAN AMERICANS
ADVANCING JUSTICE ASIAN LÀ
COCKPIT WE STRONGLY SUPPORT 80
EXPLORE AND ITS COMPANION BILL,
MAYBE 15 95. THANK YOU. LINE
105. GOOD MORNING. THIS IS
APRIL. GRAYSON WITH HIS SISTER
WAS FREEDOM CALLED LISTEN POLICY
ASSOCIATE AND STRONG SUPPORT OF
A C FOR AN 80 15 95. 79. GOOD
MORNING, MY NAME THEIR FINAL
CHEESE WITH INITIATE JUSTICE AND
THE FORMERLY INCARCERATED PERSON
IN STRONG SUPPORT OF A C A FOUR
AND ITS COMPANION BUILT A B 15
95. THANK YOU. BLIND 54. MY NAME
IS IRMA COOPER. I'M WITH NATE
JUSTICE AND I STRONGLY SUPPORT
FOUR AND ITS COMPANION BILL HB,
15, 95. THANK YOU. LINE 110. HI
MY NAME IS IVANA GONZALES WITH
LEGAL SERVICES FOR PRISONERS
WITH CHILDREN. CA.GOV CERNAN IN
STRONG SUPPORT OF 88 4. 120. NO
THIS IS OMINOUS. ZANOTTI I'M
CALLING WITH S W. NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS
AND I AM IN STRONG SUPPORT OF
THE FOUR AND A B 1595. THANK
YOU. 1 18. HELLO MY NAME IS
KAYLA'S DOCTOR. I'M WITH ORANGE
TALLY ENVIRONMENTS, INJUSTICE
AND I HAVEN'T AND WE ARE IN
STRONG SUPPORT OF THE FOUR AND A
B 15 95 15 95. 1 22. MY NAME IS
JESSE CLYDE BURLINGTON IN
CUSTODY PROGRAM COORDINATOR AT
LEGAL SERVICES FOR PRISONERS
WITH CHILDREN AND SPONSOR
SUPPORTED A C A FOUR AND A D 15
95. 1 24. JOSHUA TODAY ON BEHALF
OF THE CALIFORNIA ATTORNEYS FOR
CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND EXONERATED
NATION IN SUPPORT OF BOTH A C A
FOUR AND A B 15 95. THANK YOU. 1
25. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
TAQWA. BONNER I'M THE HOUSING
ADVOCATE FOR ALL OF US OR NOT,
WHICH IS THE PROJECT OR LEGAL
SERVICES FOR PRISON WITH
CHILDREN. I'M IN STRONG SUPPORT
OF A C A FOUR. THANK YOU. LINE
19. VICKI RINKY CALIBERS COUNTY
STRONGLY IN OPPOSITION. LINE 13.
WHAT BLESS YOU MY NAME. MYRNA
FROM HELICON E. I STRONGLY
OPPOSED A FOUR AND A B 50 95.
THANK YOU. WHY 98. YES HI. THIS
IS BETTY TOTO FROM FIELD OF
BURNT SAN FERNANDO VALLEY AND
ALSO AN ELECTED MEMBER OF THE L.
A COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY
CENTRAL COMMITTEE. I'M IN STRONG
SUPPORT OF A C FOUR AND A B
1595. THANK YOU. 47. LEHMAN TO
BURY AND OPPOSITION TO A C A
FOUR AND 15 95. 75. HELLO THIS
IS LINDA HENNIGAN. PALO ALTO.
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA IN
STRONG SUPPORT FOR AN A B 15 95.
THANK YOU. LINE 26. NANCY LATHAM
WITH INDIVISIBLE EAST BAY
STRONGLY STRONGLY SUPPORT BOTH
BILLS. 59. HELLO THIS IS LEAH
PRESS WOMAN. I REPRESENT THE
CULVERT CITY DEMOCRATIC CLUB WHO
VOTED TO SUPPORT THANK YOU. 24.
THIS IS ANDY FROM L. A COUNTY,
UH, STRONGLY OPPOSED 80 A FOUR
AND A B 15 95. 28. YEAH THIS IS
A BILLION GOT THEM WITH THE
AFRICAN CHILD COALITION. WE
STRONGLY SUPPORT A C A FOR AND
ÁP 15 95. 10. THIS IS CHRIS
FOSTER FROM ORANGE COUNTY. I
STRONGLY OPPOSED BOTH BILLS FOR
A B 15 95. 92. ISABEL'S STORY. I
AM REPRESENTING SANTA MONICA
DEMOCRATIC CLUB AND INDIVISIBLE
WEST LOS ANGELES IN STRONG
SUPPORT OF A C A FOUR AND A B 15
95. 16. THIS IS LILY KOTOWSKI
WITH THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
SOCIAL WORKERS, THE CALIFORNIA
CHAPTER AND WE SUPPORT THOSE
BILLS. 20. THIS IS TRADE RIGHT?
LOS ANGELES COUNTY WAS THE APE
WAS STRONGLY STRONGLY OPPOSED.
58. CHANCE AND HUANG SANTA CARLA
COUNTY STRONGLY OPPOSED A C A
FOUR AND A B ONE BY 95. 44. BEEN
ITSELF. SACRAMENTO COUNTY
STRONGLY OPPOSED A C A FOUR AND
A B 15 95. LINE 12. HMM APRIL
BEING FROM SACRAMENTO COUNTY,
AND I STRONGLY OPPOSED A B FOUR
AND 15 95. THANK YOU. LINE 108.
GOOD MORNING. THIS IS TANISHA
CANNON WITH LEGAL SERVICES FOR
PRISONERS WITH CHILDREN AND A
MEMBER OF ALL OF US OR NONE, AND
I STRONGLY SUPPORT BOTH FEELS. 1
21. YES THIS IS KAREN POWER AND
THEN CALLING FOR ELECTION
INTEGRITY PROJECTS AND I SPEAK
IN OPPOSITION TO THOSE BILLS. 1
19. HI. MY NAME IS BONNIE. WE
AND I STRONGLY OPPOSE A C A FOUR
AND A B 15 95. 78. HELLO I'M
ANDREW CROCKETT, RESIDENT OF SAN
JOSE, CALIFORNIA AND MEMBER OF
THE CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC
CENTRAL COMMITTEE. EXPRESSING MY
PERSONAL STRONG SUPPORT OF A C A
FOUR. LINE 101. RANDY HICKS,
CALIFORNIA DISAPPEAR THE RACE
AND SUPPORTED BOTH BILLS. THANK
YOU. 1 30. EVEN MORE INDIVIDUAL
. I STRONGLY SUPPORT BOTH BILLS.
THANK YOU. 1 29. HELLO. THIS IS
JANE CURRENT AND I AM WITH THE
CALIFORNIA COALITION FOR WOMEN
PRISONERS AND WE STRONGLY
SUPPORT A CH FOUR AND THE
COMPANION BILL A B 195 YOU. 1
32. HI THIS IS DAN MILLER FROM
FRESNO, CALIFORNIA I'M WHAT
JUSTICE WILL AND, UM, I STRONGLY
SUPPORT FOR AND MAYBE 15 95.
THANK YOU. 1 39. 1 39, PLEASE GO
AHEAD. THERE ARE NO FURTHER
COMMENTS IN CUBA AT THIS TIME.
OKAY WELL, THEN COME BACK TO
COMMITTEE THERE ANY COMMENTS
THAT WANT TO BE MADE. REMEMBER
LEE. I THINK THIS IS, OF COURSE
, A SENSIBLE STEP IN WHICH
ACHIEVING UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE AND
MAKING SURE THAT OUR DEMOCRACY
LOOKS LIKE EVERYONE. THAT MEANS
EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO
VOTE. I WOULD LOVE TO BE AT AS A
COOPERATIVE. BOTH MEASURES CHAIR
BRIAN, IF POSSIBLE, AND OF
COURSE, I MOVED TO SUPPORT THE
BILL. THANK YOU. YES, MR MILLER.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS
FORWARD TODAY. AND UM, AS A
FORMER COUNTY CLERK, I ACTUALLY
HAVE DONE A LOT OF VOTER
OUTREACH IN COUNTY JAILS, AND I
WAS ALWAYS VERY IMPRESSED WITH
THE DESIRE TO VOTE AND THE
DEDICATION TO THE FOLKS THAT
WERE INCARCERATED TO PARTICIPATE
AND EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO
VOTE. UM I HAVE TO ADMIT, I'VE
HAD SOME STRUGGLES WITH THIS
BILL. BUT I HAVE COME TO THE
CONCLUSION THAT IT IS
UNCONSTITUTIONAL TO LIMIT A
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT ON THE BASIS
OF A CRITERIA THAT IS NOT
RELEVANT TO THE EXERCISE OF THAT
RIGHT AND WHICH HAS A
DISCRIMINATORY IMPACT, SO I WILL
CONTINUE DISCUSSIONS WITH MY
COLLEAGUE. AND UM, BUT I AM IN A
PLACE TODAY WHERE I WILL BE
SUPPORTING THIS FILM. THANK YOU.
YES SOME MEMBERS. SALLY, YOU MAY
GO. THANK YOU. UM I RESPECT MY
COLLEAGUES HAVE TO RESPECTFULLY
DISAGREE ON THIS ONE. UM WHAT
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS WE LIVE
IN A SOCIETY WE HAVE A SOCIAL
CONTRACT. AND WHEN YOU BREAK OUR
SOCIAL CONTRACTS, YOU COMMIT A
SERIOUS CRIME THAT SENDS YOU TO
PRISON. THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES
FOR THAT. YOU LOSE YOUR RIGHT TO
A FIREARM TO OWN A FIREARM. YOU
LOSE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE. YOU
LOSE YOUR RIGHT TO HOLD OFFICE.
THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES. AND AH,
WE ALREADY ALLOW FELONS WHO HAVE
COMPLETED THEIR DEBT TO SOCIETY
TO RESTORE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE.
I DON'T I PERSONALLY DON'T
BELIEVE THAT IF YOU ARE STILL IN
DEBT TO SOCIETY. AND YOU'RE NOT
YET REFORMED. WHY YOU SHOULD
HAVE YOUR ABILITY TO VOTE GIVEN
BACK TO YOU. UM IT IS. THE
SUPREME COURT HAS UPHELD. THIS
IS CONSTITUTIONAL. THERE ARE YOU
DO LOSE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS
WHEN YOU COMMIT SERIOUS CRIMES.
SO I I'M JUST WORRIED. WE'RE
GOING DOWN THIS PATH WHERE WE
ARE TAKING CONSEQUENCES AWAY FOR
COMMITTING CRIMES. I BELIEVE
THERE'S A LACK OF RESPECT FOR
THE RULE OF LAW. YOU CAN SEE
THAT. YOU KNOW SOME OF THE SOME
OF OUR CITIES NOW WE'RE CRIMES
ON THE RISE. SO I UNDERSTAND YOU
KNOW WHERE THE AUTHOR IS COMING
FROM, BUT I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD
REPAY THEIR DEBT BEFORE THEY GET
THEIR THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE BACK.
SO I'LL HAVE TO RESPECTFULLY
OPPOSED THE BILL THAT THANK YOU
AM I AM JUST GRATEFUL THAT YOU
RECOGNIZE THAT VOTING IS A RIGHT
AND NOT A PRIVILEGE. I
APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. IT'S A
RIGHT THAT YOU YOU LOSE WHEN YOU
COMMIT A CRIME, SO YOU DO LOSE
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. I MEAN,
DO WE WANT TO RESTORE FELONS?
ABILITY TO HAVE THE SECOND
AMENDMENT RIGHTS, THEIR FIREARMS
, SO I MEAN, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT
THESE IN CONTEXT. AND YOU YOU
TALKED ABOUT BREAKING THE SOCIAL
CONTRACT, AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT
THERE ARE MANY COMPONENTS OF THE
SOCIAL CONTRACT THAT WERE NOT
DESIGNED WITH EVERYBODY AT THE
TABLE TO BEGIN WITH, AND AS WAS
MENTIONED BY THE OPPOSITION.
THIS PARTICULAR PART OF
CALIFORNIA SOCIAL CONTRACT WAS
DESIGNED IN 18 66. SO I CAN TELL
YOU MANY FOLKS WHO ARE NOT
INCLUDED AND THAT CONSTRUCTION
OF THIS SOCIAL CONTRACT YOU LOSE
YOUR LIBERTY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
TAKES FULL PLACE IN THE CRIMINAL
LEGAL SYSTEM. WE ACTUALLY ALLOW
FOR MANY REAL PRIVILEGES THAT I
WOULD ARGUE, ARE ALSO WRITES
LIKE EDUCATION LIKE JOB TRAINING
, LIKE SKILLING UP FOR PEOPLE
ARE INCARCERATED BECAUSE WE KNOW
THAT WELL OVER 95% OF PEOPLE WHO
ARE INCARCERATED ARE COMING HOME
AT SOME POINT. BUT WHAT'S BEING
SHOWN IS THAT PARTICIPATING IN
DEMOCRACY COULD HAVE AN OUTSIZED
EFFECT OVER EVEN ALL OF THOSE
THINGS, AND SO I FIND THIS QUITE
HYPOCRITICAL WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
REHABILITATION, BUT THEN PLAY
POLITICS. WITH WHAT? WE BOTH
AGREED OUR RIGHTS. I LIKE TO
TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT REALLY
ISN'T, UH, POLITICS. IT HAS TO
DO WITH THE SILENCED VOICE OF
VICTIMS. BUT WE TALKED ABOUT
SILENCE VOICE. UM VICTIMS ARE.
ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE
CONSIDERATION OR JUDICIAL
PROCESS AND JUSTICE. WE TALKED
ABOUT A LOT OF TERMS RELATING TO
JUSTICE. WHAT ABOUT THESE? THESE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE UM. LOST THEIR
LIFE OR HAVE THEIR LIVES ALTERED
PERMANENTLY PERMANENTLY. WE
DON'T TALK ABOUT THEM. AND I
THINK THAT'S AN IMBALANCE. I
THINK IT'S UNFAIR FOR 28 YEARS
AS A CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL.
PERSON I WAS ON THE FRONT LINES
RESCUING VICTIMS FROM TRAGEDY.
NOW HERE IN THE STATE
LEGISLATURE. I HAVE TO FIGHT TO
MAKE SURE VICTIMS ARE NOT
FORGOTTEN IN THIS CHAMBER. AS
VICE CHAIR OF THE ASSEMBLY
COMMITTEE ON ELECTIONS. I'M
STAUNCHLY OPPOSED TO THIS
PARTICULAR MEASURE. BECAUSE
PRISONERS SHOULD NOT BE VOTING
FROM THEIR CELLS. I BELIEVE IN
THE BIPARTISAN WAY OUR BODY HAS
WORKED TOGETHER TO REFORM OUR
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM LIKE
FULL REINTEGRATION. AND BUILDING
VALUABLE SKILLS. BUT VOTING FROM
A CELL AS A STEP TOO FAR IN THE
WRONG DIRECTION BECAUSE IT
COMPLETELY COMPLETELY IGNORES
THE FACT THAT THEY CHOSE TO
COMMIT A CRIME. OFTEN A VERY
SERIOUS CRIME. LIKE ARMED
ROBBERY. RAPE. AND EVEN THE
WORST MURDER. WHEN YOU'RE IN
PRISON FOR A FELONY, YOU'RE
PAYING YOUR DEBT TO SOCIETY.
CRIMINAL ACTS SHOULD HAVE
CONSEQUENCES. BEHAVIOR SPEAKS.
AND THAT NEEDS NOT BE IGNORED.
BOARDING IS A SACRED PRIVILEGE
AND NOT AN ABSOLUTE RIGHT OF
CITIZENSHIP. THAT'S WHERE WE
DIFFER ON THIS PARTICULAR
MATTER, AND I KNOW DEBATE IS
HEALTHY. AND DEBATE AND
DISAGREEMENT. NEEDS TO BE
ADDRESSED, BUT I WOULD JUST TELL
YOU THAT. WHY SHOULD WE ALLOW
FELONS THE RIGHT TO MAKE A
DECISION ON WHO? THE SHERIFF
DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND JUDGES WHO
ARRESTED AND PROSECUTED PUT
THESE PEOPLE IN INTO CUSTODY?
WHY SHOULD VIOLENT CRIMINALS WHO
HAVE SHOWN A BLATANT DISREGARD
FOR OUR LAWS BE PART OF THE
DECISION MAKING PROCESS OF OUR
SOCIETY? THEY HAVE SELF EXCLUDED
THEMSELVES THROUGH THEIR
BEHAVIOR. BEHAVIOR SPEAKS.
PROPOSITION 17 AND 2020 PASSED
WITH 58% OF THE VOTE. PEOPLE
HAVE ALREADY WEIGHED IN ALLOWING
PEOPLE ON PAROLE FOR FELONY
CONVICTIONS TO VOTE. I BELIEVE
THAT'S WHERE THE LINE SHOULD BE
DRAWN. WE DO BELIEVE THAT THIS
IS NOT A PERMANENT THING UNLESS
YOUR ACTIONS SPOKE LOUD ENOUGH
TO DENY YOU THAT PRIVILEGE AND
YOU SELF EXCLUDED YOURSELF AND
THAT'S MY POSITION ON THIS, AND
I WON'T BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS
PARTICULAR PROPOSAL. BUT I THINK
DEBATE IS HELPFUL. AND IT'S IT
NEEDS TO NOT WE NEED TO NOT HATE
PEOPLE TO HAVE DIFFERENCES OF
OPINION. AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN
ALLOW OUR MOTION TO BE TEMPERED
AND WE CAN HAVE THIS HATE THIS.
HEALTHY DEBATE. THAT IS A VOID
OF HATE. BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DOING
A GOOD JOB OF THAT. SO LET'S
PLEASE NOT HATE THOSE WHO HAVE
DIFFERING OPINIONS, AND THIS IS
A VERY VISCERAL DISCUSSION. THIS
IS A VERY, VERY EMOTIONAL
DISCUSSION BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE
IMPACTED VERY, VERY DEEPLY. ON
THIS KIND OF DISCUSSION, SO I
APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S
TEMPERAMENT. AND I APPRECIATE
THE GOOD CONDUCT THAT'S BEEN
DISPLAYED DURING THIS VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT DISCUSSION. SO ALLOW
THE AUTHOR TO CONTINUE AND CLOSE
IF YOU WISH. SO I'M SORRY IF I
MIGHT. YES, YOU MAY PROCEED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UM THE. WE
ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE AN
ELECTION AS CHAIR WHO SHARES IN
THE RECOGNITION OF EXPANDING
VOTER ACCESS AND VOTER RIGHTS.
UM JUST OUT OF THE GATE, IT'S
IMPORTANT TO BE BEST RECOGNIZE
AND SIMILARLY, WITH RESPECT TO
THOSE WHO HAVE COME AND COME TO
THE STATE CAPITAL TO HELP
EXERCISE YOUR VOICE IS VERY
IMPORTANT TO EACH AND EVERY ONE
OF US TO SEE THE PROGRESS THAT
HAS BEEN MADE. THE SAME TIME. I
DO WANT TO, UM, MAKING REFERENCE
THAT THE VICE CHAIR OF THIS
COMMITTEE IS A DECENT HUMAN
BEING IS A GOOD MAN IS
ABSOLUTELY GOOD MAN WITH A BIG
HEART. UM AND THERE ARE ELEMENTS
OF HIS COMMENTS TO WHICH I ALSO
AGREE WITH IN TERMS OF MAKING
SURE THAT WE REFLECT A DIVERSE
VIEWPOINTS, UH, WITH RESPECT OF
THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED IN
THIS REGARD UM AND THIS IS A
CHALLENGING TIME FOR US AND BACK
TO THEM. I COME TO THE TO THE
CHAIR. HE HAS FORCED THIS
CONVERSATION FOR US TO
ACKNOWLEDGE SOME OF THE
IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE NEED TO
ADDRESS WITH EXPANDING VOTER
ACCESS AND VOTER RIGHTS AND OUR
DEMOCRACY. MY AUTHORED
LEGISLATION AND PUT ALONG WITH
FORMER ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S KEVIN
MULLIN, A CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENT TO ALLOW 17.5 YEAR
OLDS TO VOTE THAT WAS ON THE
CALIFORNIA BALLOT, AND, UM FOR
ELECTION AND THAT FAILED. BUT
THAT HAS BEEN IN THE SPIRIT OF
EXPANDING VOTER ACCESS AND
VOTING RIGHTS, TOO. UM WHERE WE
ARE TODAY WITH THE VOTE BEFORE
US IS TO PUT A MEASURE BEFORE
THE VOTERS TO DECIDE. AND WHILE
I ALSO HAVE SIMILAR CONCERNS,
THIS IS THE POLICY COMMITTEE IN
WHICH WE HELPED TO ADDRESS THIS
ISSUE AND HOPEFULLY SEEING THIS
MOVE FORWARD FOR FURTHER
DISCUSSION AND, FRANKLY, AN
HONEST CONVERSATION TO ALLOW FOR
OTHERS OUTSIDE OF THIS COMMITTEE
ROOM TO HAVE HONEST
CONVERSATIONS AND DEBATE ON THIS
NOTION OF ACCESS THIS NOTION OF
REDEMPTION AND WHAT AN EQUITABLE
SOCIETY LOOKS LIKE, WELL,
UNDERSTANDING CONSTITUTIONALITY
AND PROVISIONS. SO WITH THAT
SAID, I'LL SECOND THE MOTION AS
WELL OF SUPPORT BECAUSE IT
FURTHERS MADE MERITS FURTHER
CONVERSATION. I THINK THOSE WHO
AREN'T VARIOUS SIDES TO HELP
UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE
DIALOGUE THAT IS REQUIRED OF
THIS AND LOOKING AT FROM A LENS
OF EXPANDING ACCESS. THANK YOU.
UM AND YOU KNOW WITH WITH
RESPECT. TO THE CHAIR. HE AND I
HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP. UH
AND WE HAVE A DEEP MUTUAL
RESPECT ON MANY HARD
CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE AT
LEAST TWICE A WEEK. UM AND IT IS
A IT IS NOTHING BUT LOVE AND
RESPECT BECAUSE THIS HARD WORK
TAKES EVERYBODY, UM IN THE SAME
WAY. THIS HARD WORK TAKES
EVERYBODY. I BELIEVE OUR BROADER
DEMOCRACY TAKES EVERYBODY I ALSO
FIND IT INTERESTING THAT THE NEW
LINE THAT WE TALK ABOUT WITH
PROP 17 BEING AN APPROPRIATE
THRESHOLD, AS WAS MENTIONED WAS
NOT SUPPORTED BY THE SAME FOLKS
WHO MENTIONED IT NOW BEING
INAPPROPRIATE. LINE AND SO THERE
IS A LOT OF WORK THAT WE DO
TOGETHER TO PUSH THE NEEDLE ON
THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH RESPECT
TO VOTING. BEING A PRIVILEGE. WE
DID NOT FIGHT FOR THE VOTING
PRIVILEGES ACT. MARTIN LUTHER
KING DIDN'T DIE FOR THAT. FANNIE
LOU HAMER DIDN'T GIVE HER LIFE
TO THAT. JOHN LEWIS DIDN'T SPEND
HIS LIFETIME FIGHTING FOR THE
VOTING PRIVILEGES ACT. WE FOUGHT
FOR VOTING RIGHTS. AND VOTING
RIGHTS ARE ONLY RIGHTS IF THEY
ARE ENDOWED TO ALL CITIZENS OF
OUR COUNTRY. NOT JUST THE ONES
WHO HAVEN'T GROWN UP IN
COMMUNITIES THAT WERE LEFT OUT
OF THE SOCIAL CONTRACT
COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE LOWER LIFE
EXPECTANCIES, FEWER SCHOOLS,
LOWER PUBLIC HEALTH
INFRASTRUCTURES, HIGHER
ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS AND THE
ONLY ONLY PUBLIC CIVIC
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'RE
WILLING TO CONSTANTLY INVEST IN
IS LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THOSE
COMMUNITIES, WHICH IS WHY THEY
ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED.
BY MASS INCARCERATION AND THEN
SUBSEQUENTLY DISENFRANCHISED
FROM PARTICIPATING IN THE VERY
SAME SYSTEM THAT ULTIMATELY LED
TO THEIR SUBSIDIZATION. SO WE
HAVE A LONG CONVERSATION TO GO,
AND I'M GLAD THE CONVERSATIONS
HAPPENING HERE IN THE
LEGISLATURE, AND I THINK IT
NEEDS TO HAPPEN WITH THE VOTERS.
MORE BROADLY, THIS ISN'T OUR
DECISION. THIS IS THEIR
DECISION, AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR YOUR VOTE. OKAY SO FOR
CLARIFICATION BECAUSE WE HAVE
THIS CONCURRENT, UH,
CIRCUMSTANCE HERE IS THERE. I
NEED TO CLARIFY. WHO? AH. MADE
THE INITIAL MOTION FOR A B 15
95. AND THAT WOULD BE
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S EARLY AND
SECONDED. BYE. ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
LOW. OKAY, MADAM SECRETARY,
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. THE MOTION
IS BE ADOPTED AND REFERRED TO
THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
. BRIAN BRIAN. I LACKEY LUCKY NO
BENNETT. A SALIH. A SALLY NO. LI
HAI. I LO LO, I PELLERIN I
BLANCA RUBIO. BLANCA RUBIO? AYE.
THAT'S OUT 5 TO 2. OKAY IS THERE
ANY OBJECTION TO SOME
SUBSTITUTING THAT THE MOTION THE
SECOND AND THE ROLL CALL VOTE
FROM A B 50 95 FOR A C A FOUR.
THERE IS NO OBJECTION. IT IS SO
ORDERED.
BEFORE 21. WILL ALLOW FOR A FEW
MOMENTS TO CLEAR THE ROOM.
AS RESPECTFULLY.
THREE. YEAH.
TELEVISION THERE'S A REASON WHY
WE'RE IN DELAY. RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S JUST BEEN A LARGE NUMBER
OF PEOPLE IMPACTED BY THIS BOAT.
AND THE CHAIR HAS TEMPORARILY
STEPPED OUT. TO TRY TO BRING
ORDER AND CONTROL AND SO IT'LL
BE A FEW MOMENTS, PROBABLY
BEFORE WE'RE BACK, AND, UH AN
OPERATION. PLEASE BEAR WITH US.
OKAY. YOU MAY PROCEED. YOU HAVE
SEVERAL. THE RUMOR IS THAT YOU
HAVE SEVERAL PILLS. I DON'T KNOW
WHICH ONE YOU WANT TO ADDRESS
NOW, BUT WE'LL BE HAPPY TO GO
THERE WOULD LIKE TO DO A B 4 21
AND THEN MOVE ON WITH THE REST
OF THE AGENDA, AND I'LL DO MINE
AT THE REMAINDER AT THE END OF
THE COMMITTEE, IF THAT'S OKAY
WITH THE CHAIR. VERY GOOD. 84
21. YOU MAY PROCEED, SIR. GOOD
MORNING, MR CHAIR. UH AND
COLLEAGUES. I'M HERE TO PRESENT
A B 4 21. 4 21 LOOKS AT. OUR
DIRECT PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY
PROCESS. AND. SEEKS TO
STRENGTHEN IT AND ENGAGE VOTERS
IN A WAY THAT IS HONEST AND TRUE
TO THE FOUNDATIONS OF WHY THESE
PROCESSES WERE CREATED OVER 100
YEARS AGO. CURRENTLY WE ARE
SEEING OUR REFERENDUM PROCESS
SUBVERTED AND ABUSED IN A WAY
THAT MANIPULATES VOTERS WERE,
THE INCENTIVE IS TO LIE TO
VOTERS WERE THE CURRENT
STRUCTURE ALLOWS. FOR THE
STOPPING OF DULY APPOINTED WORK
HERE IN THE LEGISLATURE WITHOUT
TRUE PHOTO VOTER ENGAGEMENT, BUT
INSTEAD OF CONCENTRATED
COLLECTION OF SPECIAL INTERESTS
THAT HAVE DECIDED THAT THERE
WILL SUPERSEDES THE WILL OF THE
LEGISLATURE AND THE EFFORTS TO
CONFUSE VOTERS EVEN FURTHER OUR
SUPREME ABOVE. LAWS THAT PROTECT
AND ADVANCE JUSTICE IN OUR
COMMUNITIES OPPORTUNITY IN OUR
COMMUNITIES. THE PROCESS RIGHT
NOW ALLOWS FOR PAID SIGNATURE
GATHERERS WHO ARE NOT TRAINED AT
THE LEVEL OF OTHER SIGNATURE
GATHERERS, INCLUDING FOR BALLOT
MEASURES. UH IT ALLOWS FOR
BALLOT MEASURES TO ACT LIKE
REFERENDUMS AND, UH, UNDO THE
WORK OF THE LEGISLATURE WITHOUT
THE SAME RULES AND CONSTRAINTS
AS THE CURRENT REFERENDUM
PROCESS. IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR THE
FUNDERS OF THE REFERENDUM
PROCESS TO BE, UH, HIDDEN IN THE
PROCESS SO THAT VOTERS WHO ARE
LIED TO ABOUT WHAT A MEASURE
DOES DON'T KNOW WHO IS PAYING TO
LIE TO THEM AND CONFUSE THEM AND
EVEN MORE FOUNDATIONAL E. THE
YES OR NO QUESTION ON THE
REFERENDUM IS IN ITSELF
CONFUSING. WHERE A YES OR NO
REPEALS OR DOESN'T REPEAL THE
LAW. I CAN ACTUALLY BET THAT
MANY MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE
DON'T KNOW WHAT A YES DOES OR NO
DOES ON THE REFERENDUM, WHETHER
IT KEEPS THE LAW OR REPEALS THE
LAW. WE NEED TO CLARIFY THAT FOR
VOTERS. ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE
MEASURED STEPS TO MAKE THE
PROCESS. MORE HONEST, MORE FAIR
, MORE TRANSPARENT, UH, IN A WAY
THAT PROTECTS THE VOICE OF
VOTERS. MORE LARGELY, THERE'S A
LOT OF WORK THAT'S GONE INTO
THIS THUS FAR. THERE'S A LOT OF
WORK THAT'S GOING TO GO INTO
THIS. GOING FURTHER WITH ME TO
TESTIFY TODAY ARE TERRY BRENNAN.
FROM S E I U AND. VERONICA
CARRIZALEZ FROM, UH, CALIFORNIA
CALLS. I'M GOING TO DEFER TO
VERONICA FIRST, THAT'S OKAY.
GREAT THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING,
MR CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS VERONICA CARRIZALEZ.
AND I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF
POLICY AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS FOR
CALIFORNIA CALLS CALIFORNIA
CALLS IS A STATEWIDE ALLIANCE OF
GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS DEDICATED TO
AMPLIFYING THE VOICES OF LOW
INCOME COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN
THE ELECTORAL LEGISLATIVE
PROCESS. I'M HERE TODAY TO
ADDRESS WHAT WE SEE AS A GROWING
THREAT TO OUR DEMOCRACY, THE
CORPORATE ABUSE OF OUR
REFERENDUM PROCESS. OUR
REFERENDUM PROCESS IS BEING
ABUSED BY WEALTHY CORPORATE
INTEREST BECAUSE WORKING CLASS
COMMUNITIES HAVE MORE POWER IN
OUR GOVERNMENT THAN EVER BEFORE
. THE LEGISLATURE LOOKS MORE AND
MORE LIKE COMMUNITIES WE
REPRESENT IN 1990. THERE WERE
ONLY 16 STATE LEGISLATORS WHO
WERE PEOPLE OF COLOR TODAY, MORE
THAN HALF OF THE MAJORITY CAUCUS
AND NEARLY HALF OF THE
LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS ARE COMPOSED
OF PEOPLE OF COLOR. THE CHANGES
VISIBLE NOT ONLY IN WHO WE SEE
IN POWER, BUT IN THE BUT IN THE
DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE HERE IN
THE CAPITAL. WORKING CLASS
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR HAVE WORKED
HARD TO DEVELOP A GROWING VOICE
HERE IN SACRAMENTO AS SEEN HERE
TODAY, UM AND WE'VE BEEN
FIGHTING FOR WORK YOUR WORKERS'
RIGHTS FOR TENANTS RIGHTS FOR
CLEAN AIR AND WATER IN OUR
COMMUNITIES AND FOR EDUCATIONAL
EQUITY. MOST OF OUR MOST
CHALLENGING EFFORTS TO BRING
JUSTICE TO OUR COMMUNITIES
INVOLVED FIGHTS THAT THREATENED
THE MONETARY INTEREST OF
EXTREMELY WEALTHY AND POWERFUL
INDUSTRIES LIKE THE OIL, PLASTIC
, TOBACCO AND FAST FOOD
INDUSTRIES. WHEN WE ORGANIZE
NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR AND OUR
COMMUNITIES FOR YEARS OR EVEN
DECADES. WE DO SOMETIMES WHEN,
BUT TOO OFTEN THESE VICTORIES
ARE SHORT LIVED. THAT'S BECAUSE
CORPORATIONS HAVE DEVELOPED A
PLAYBOOK TO FORTIFY AND PROTECT
THEIR POWER BY ABUSING OUR
REFERENDUM PROCESS. FAST FOOD
GIANTS BIG OIL, TOBACCO AND
OTHER CORPORATE INTERESTS SHOULD
NOT HAVE THE POWER TO TAKE AWAY
OUR COMMUNITIES VOICES IN AN
INSTANT BY WRITING LARGE TEXT TO
WHICH TEXT TO FUND DECEPTIVE,
CYNICAL CAMPAIGNS TO OVERTURN
THE LAWS THAT WE FOUGHT FOR.
THEY CAN DO THIS BECAUSE OUR
CURRENT REFERENDUM PROCESS HAS
BEEN TAKEN OVER BY CORPORATE
INTEREST. THIS WAS NOT WHAT WAS
INTENDED. I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK
FOR YOUR VOTE IN SUPPORT OF
COMMON SENSE REFORMS THAT GIVE
VOTERS THE TOOLS TO MAKE GOOD
DECISIONS. VOTE A TO EMPOWER
CALIFORNIA VOTERS AND RETURN THE
POWER TO THE PEOPLE. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. YOU
MAY PROCEED CHAIR AND MEMBERS
TERRY BRENNAN ON BEHALF OF SULU
. CALIFORNIA S E I U IS A MEMBER
OF EMPOWER CALIFORNIA VOTERS
OVER A FOUL 100 ORGANIZATIONS
DEDICATED TO FULFILLING THE TRUE
INTENTION OF CALIFORNIA'S
REFERENDUM PROCESS. UM I JUST
WANT TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO
THE PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THIS, UH
THERE WAS A POLL STATEWIDE PAUL
FROM BINDER RESEARCH. THAT FOUND
OUT ONLY 4% OF VOTERS RIGHTFULLY
KNEW THERE WERE NO RESTRICTIONS
ON SIGNATURE GATHERING OR THE
PLACEMENT OF BALLOT INITIATIVES
, WHETHER REFERENDUM OR
INITIATIVE. UM 77% OF THE VOTERS
THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO REQUIRE
A VOLUNTEER THRESHOLD. THE
MEDIAN AMOUNT IN THAT POLL WAS
59% THIS BILL REQUIRES A 10%
VOLUNTEER THRESHOLD, AT LEAST
NINE OUT OF 10 VOTERS SUPPORTED
SOME OR ALL OF THE PROVISIONS IN
THIS BILL. UM INCLUDING REVOKING
THE LICENSE SURER OF THE
SIGNATURE GATHERING FIRM THAT'S
REPEATEDLY FOUND TO BE DECEPTIVE
, REQUIRING TOP FUNDERS IN
SUPPORT OF AN INITIATIVE. UM ON
THE BALLOT PROPOSITION, AND ON
THE SORRY ON THE SIGNATURE
GATHERING AND SUPPORT AND
OPPOSITION ON THE ACTUAL BALLOT
, UH, SIMPLIFYING THE QUESTIONS
SO THAT YOU KNOW IT'S A VOTE,
TOO. UH SECURE A LAW OR MAINTAIN
A LAW OR A VOTE TO REPEAL A LAW
AS OPPOSED TO STRICTLY A YES OR
NO QUESTION. UM 88% OF VOTERS
SUPPORTED THE REFERENDUM. SHOULD
BE LISTED ON EACH, UM, PAGE OF
THE PETITION TO OVERTURN THE LAW
SO THAT THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT
IT IS. THEY'RE SIGNING FOR AND
VOTING FOR, UM WE'RE PROPOSING
LONG OVERDUE REFORMS THEY SPILL
HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1911.
THAT'S OVER 100 YEARS AND WE'D
LIKE TO RETURN SOME TRANSPARENCY
AND DEMOCRACY TO THE SYSTEM AND
RETURN IT TO THE VOTERS OF
CALIFORNIA. AND FOR THAT REASON,
WE'RE IN SUPPORT. I THINK THE
CONSULTANT FOR THE ANALYSIS
THERE'S WAS THERE WILL BE
SEVERAL, UH ONGOING
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PERFECTING
THIS. I THINK WE INTENDED TO
REMOVE SECTION 29 OF THE BILL
THAT CAUSING CONFUSION ABOUT
IMPLEMENTATION, SO GOING FORWARD
WILL CONTINUE THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DO YOU
HAVE ANY OTHER PEOPLE IN THE
ROOM THAT LIKE TO EXPRESS THEIR
SUPPORT FOR THIS MEASURE? DAMON
ORGANIZATION, PLEASE. AND YOUR
POSITION. NICOLE KOREAN WITH
CALIFORNIA'S AGAINST WASTE AND
SUPPORT HAVE ALSO BEEN ASKED TO
EXPRESS THE SUPPORT OF
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS
AND VOICES FOR PROGRESS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. GOING BACK, IS
EXPRESSING THE SUPPORT OF SMART
JUSTICE, CALIFORNIA JESSICA HEY
, CALIFORNIA SCHOOL EMPLOYEES
ASSOCIATION AND SUPPORT. OUT
ASIA GREEN FROM THE L. A. BAKER
CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND
STRONG SUPPORT. I'M DR MEGAN
WHITMAN. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF
THE LOS ANGELES SAN FRANCISCO
BAY AREA IN SACRAMENTO CHAPTERS
OF PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY WHO TOGETHER
REPRESENT THOUSANDS OF
HEALTHCARE WORKERS ACROSS THE
STATE. SECURE CARTER ON BEHALF
OF SIERRA CLUB, CALIFORNIA AND
STRONG SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
MIRIAM I'D FOSSIL FREE
CALIFORNIA AND STRONG SUPPORT.
NOMBRES DE LEON ESPANA. NOMBRES
DELIA'S CALIFORNIA WHEN THIS,
OLIVER THANK, YOU KNOW. MY NAME
IS MARINA, OUR YOGA AND I'M A
LITTLE CAESARS WORKER IN THE
CITY OF CARMICHAEL AND I'M UM, A
MEMBER OF FIVE FOR 15. AND I'M
HERE SPEAKING IN STRONG SUPPORT
OF 84, 21, THANK YOU. MEAN AMRIT
JOSE HERNANDEZ AGAINST
SACRAMENTO GOING TO, YOU KNOW
THAT'S. THEY ASKED ME. YOU KNOW,
HOMBRES RAMALLAH. BINGO. THE
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA TRAVEL KHÔNG
WENDY'S YEAH. UM, BUT TANESCO UH
UM 54 15. UM. EVEN WHEN A POLIO
DELLA ABE GOING TO, YOU KNOW,
OKAY. JUST NAME AND
ORGANIZATION, MA'AM. I'M SORRY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. START UP
THERE. I'LL SEE ACTION. STRONG
SUPPORT OF 84 TO 1. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. JOHN CARD ALINO,
MEMBER OF INDIVISIBLE EAST BAY
IN SUPPORT OF A B FOR 21. MY
NAME IS FRANCISCO DE LA TORRE
AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF
SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL
UNION LOCAL 2015 IN SUPPORT OF A
B 4 TO 1. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING CHAIR AND COMMITTEE
BEN SMITH ON BEHALF OF
GREENPEACE USA, SPEAKING IN
STRONG SUPPORT OF A B 4 TO 1,
AND I WAS ASKED TO SPEAK IN
SUPPORT FROM THE CENTER FOR
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IN SUPPORT
OF A B 4 TO 1. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. GOOD MORNING, BRITNEY
STONECIPHER. W CALIFORNIA ACTION
AND SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. GOOD MORNING. GREGORY
FIDDLE WITH INITIATE JUSTICE,
STRONG SUPPORT. GOOD MORNING, MR
CHAIR MEMBERS, DOUG SUPERS ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE
UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES UNION AND
THE CALIFORNIA PROFESSIONAL
FIREFIGHTERS AND SUPPORT MR
CHAIR MEMBER. SARAH FLOCKS.
CALIFORNIA LABOR FEDERATION IN
SUPPORT. ALSO SPEAKING FOR SMART
TRANSPORT, TRANSPORTATION
DIVISION IN SUPPORT, THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING CHAIR AND MEMBERS
D'ARTAGNAN BIRD ON BEHALF OF THE
AMERICAN FEDERATION FOR STATE
COUNTY MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES IN
SUPPORT OF A B FOR 21. GOOD
MORNING RECALL MASON WITH THE
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE, ALLIANCE AND STRONG
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING
, VANESSA TILLIS FOR INDIVISIBLE
CALIFORNIA STATE STRONG AND
STRONG SUPPORT OF A BEFORE 21.
MY NAME IS DAVID GARCIA, CREW
MEMBER AT CHAPEL AND IN OAKLAND,
AND I'M A MEMBER OF FIVE FOR 15
. I'M HERE IN SUPPORT FOR A B. 4
21. WHEN WAS HE ASKED ME NUMBERS
YESTERDAY CAN SUPPORT YOU KNOW.
RIVERA AH COLA PREVENTIVA. GOOD
MORNING. MY NAME IS EMILIANO
BATES. I'M A PUBLIC SCHOOL
TEACHER IN THE BAY AREA, AND I'M
IN SUPPORT OF THE 4 21. THANK
YOU. GOOD MORNING, JULIANA MATA
WITH THE CIVIC ORANGE COUNTY
ENGAGEMENT TABLE, AND I'M A
STRONG SUPPORT OF A B FOR 21.
GOOD MORNING, IRENE GOT WITH
COURAGE CALIFORNIA HERE TO
EXPRESS OUR STRONG SUPPORT FOR
EVERY 4 TO 1. THANK YOU. OKAY?
DO WE HAVE ANY WITNESSES AND
OPPOSITION? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YES YOU MAY PROCEED. THANK YOU,
MR VICE CHAIR AND MEMBERS KELLY
JENSEN ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
AND RESPECTFUL BUT STRONG
OPPOSITION TO THE BILL. THIS
BILL IN SHORT, SEEKS TO GUT THE
MORE THAN 100 YEAR OLD SYSTEM OF
DIRECT DEMOCRACY HERE IN
CALIFORNIA, ELIMINATING
CALIFORNIANS ABILITY TO EXPRESS
THEIR POSITION ON MAJOR STATE
POLICY. STRIPS THE VOTERS OF ONE
OF THEIR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND
WHAT HAS BEEN A LONG UH,
HALLMARK OF OUR STATE THAT MAKES
IT SO UNIQUE. IN THE LAST 100
YEARS, THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN 33
REFERENDA TO GO BEFORE THE
VOTERS. THAT IS AROUND 0.1. OF
BILLS PASSED IN THIS STATE. OF
COURSE, NONE OF THESE MEASURES
TRIGGERED CALLS TO REFORM OUR
BALLOT INITIATIVE PROCESS.
THERE'S A GOOD QUOTE I READ
RECENTLY ABOUT CALIFORNIA
INITIATIVE SYSTEM. QUOTE WHEN
ELECTED OFFICIALS DON'T TAKE
ACTION ON THE ISSUES THAT MATTER
TO US BALLOT INITIATIVES ARE A
GREAT WAY FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE
CHANGE. WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER
OF INITIATIVES TO HOLD PEOPLE
ACCOUNTABLE. YOU KNOW WHO SAID
THIS S E? I U IT'S ON THEIR
WEBSITE. TITLED BALLOT
INITIATIVES THEY WORK. SO IF THE
SPONSORS OF THE MEASURE SAY THAT
BALLOT INITIATIVES WORK, WHY ARE
THEY TRYING TO GET RID OF THEM?
THERE'S FOUR MAJOR ISSUES THAT
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED. UM THE FIRST
ONE, YOU KNOW, JUST BUILD
DRAMATICALLY CHANGES THE
PETITION ITSELF THAT IS USED TO
GATHER SIGNATURES. WHILE
SIGNATURE GATHERERS ARE
CURRENTLY REQUIRED TO CARRY A
LIST OF TOP CONTRIBUTORS TO A
REFERENDA OR INITIATIVE. AN
UPDATE THAT THE TOP DONORS
CHANGE THIS INFORMATION WOULD
NOW HAVE TO BE PRINTED ON THE
PETITION AND NEED TO BE UPDATED
CONSTANTLY. THIS WOULD REQUIRE A
SIGNATURE GATHERERS TO COME OFF
THE STREET PRINT NEW PETITIONS
AND THEN AFTER A FEW DAYS BE
ABLE TO GET BACK TO SIGNATURE
COLLECTION THE BILL ALSO CREATES
A NEW CLASS OF HYBRID
INITIATIVES, WHICH ARE
INITIATIVES THAT RELATE TO
LEGISLATION IN THE PAST TWO
YEARS. THESE INITIATIVES WOULD
HAVE THEIR QUALIFYING TIME CUT
IN HALF FROM 180 DAYS TO 90
DAYS. SO NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THE
PETITION PROBLEM. WE ALSO HAVE
LESS TIME FOR THIS FOR THE
SIGNATURE GATHERERS TO DO THEIR
WORK. THE MEASURE ALSO CHANGES
THE TRADITIONAL YES, NO FRAMING
OF THE INITIATIVE TO SAY THAT
VOTERS COULD EITHER KEEP THE LAW
OR OVERTURN THE LAW. PROPONENTS
CLAIM THAT VOTERS ARE CONFUSED
BY THE CURRENT SYSTEM, HOWEVER,
OVER THE LAST 100 YEARS, 16 OF
THE REFERENDA WERE SUPPORTED BY
VOTERS. AND 17 WERE OVERTURNED A
NEARLY 50 50 OUTCOME. IT'S CLEAR
THAT VOTERS UNDERSTAND WHAT
THEY'RE VOTING ON. FINALLY THE
BILL PROVIDES A PROVISION THAT
10% OF THE SIGNATURES MUST BE
GATHERED BY VOLUNTEERS. OF
COURSE, LABOR UNIONS AND
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WOULD BE
EXEMPT FROM THIS PIECE. THIS
PROVISION OR ONE SIMILAR TO THIS
HAVE ALREADY BEEN VETOED FIVE
DIFFERENT TIMES OVER THE PAST 20
YEARS BY THREE DIFFERENT
GOVERNORS. FOR ALL THESE REASONS
AND MORE. WE ARE STRONGLY
OPPOSED TO THIS MEASURE I HAVE
HERE KIRK CORNETTO, WHICH CAN
SPEAK TO SOME OF THE
IMPLEMENTATION AND PRACTICALITY
ISSUES. AND IF YOU WOULD JUST
KEEP YOUR REMARKS AS BRIEF AS
POSSIBLE, THAT WOULD BE
APPRECIATED. THANKS HAPPY HAPPY
TO DO THAT, COLONEL NATO, I'M
GONNA ATTORNEY AT NIELSEN MARKS
MIRROR. UM I MEAN, I DO
SPECIALIZE IN DIRECT DEMOCRACY.
WORK THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS BILL
ARE NUMEROUS, BUT I'LL FOCUS ON
A FEW OF THEM. THE PETITION
REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE ONE SIDED
. THEY ONLY APPLY TO PETITIONS
FOR MEASURES THAT THAT TAKE A
POSITION THAT'S DISAGREEABLE TO
THE GOVERNMENT THAT THE
REQUIREMENTS UM ON THOSE ARE
PROBABLY IMPOSSIBLE TO COMPLY
WITH. THE BILL REQUIRES MORE
INFORMATION TO BE PRINTED ON THE
SIGNATURE PAGE ON A PETITION AND
CAN PHYSICALLY FIT ON THE
PETITION PAGE, SO IT REALLY
ATTEMPT TO SET UP A SERIES OF A
POSSIBLE HURDLES THAT CANNOT BE
CLEARED THAT THAT WILL SILENCE
VOTERS MORE THAN EMPOWERING THEM
. THE VERY PURPOSE OF DIRECT
DEMOCRACY IS FOR VOTERS TO BE
ABLE TO SPEAK WHEN THEY DISAGREE
WITH THE GOVERNMENT, AND THAT'S
EXACTLY WHAT WHAT THIS BILL
CHALLENGES AND ANOTHER SERIOUS
PROBLEM IS THAT THIS IS THE
FIRST TIME IN CALIFORNIA HISTORY
WHERE BILL WOULD DISENFRANCHISE
VOTERS FOR MINOR TECHNICALITIES.
TYPICALLY, THE STANDARD IS THAT
IF A PETITION IN THE PETITION
PROCESS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIES
THE ELECTION LAWS, THE VOTES
COUNT WERE PRO VOTER PRO COUNT
VOTES STATE AND IN THIS BILL, IT
SETS UP YOUR REQUIREMENTS WERE
TECHNICALITIES WHERE IF SOMEONE
IS NOT WEARING A BADGE, AND
THERE'S NO EVIDENCE AND NO PROOF
OF FRAUD, OR OR OR
MISREPRESENTATION, THE
SIGNATURES ON THAT PETITION WILL
STILL BE INVALIDATED. WE'VE
NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE.
CALIFORNIA NEVER DENIED VOTERS
THAT RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE. IN
DEMOCRACY ON TECHNICALITIES. YOU
KNOW, PAPERWORK ERRORS WHEN
THERE'S NOT PROVEN NOT EVEN
EVIDENCE NECESSARILY OF FRAUD OR
MISREPRESENTATION. THAT WOULD BE
A THAT WAS YOUR FIRST AND WE
CONTRARY TO ALL OF CALIFORNIA'S
ELECTION LAWS. NOW WE EMPOWER
VOTERS IN THE STATE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, OR ANY
PERSONS IN THE ROOM THAT LIKE TO
EXPRESS THEIR OPPOSITION. PLEASE
STATE YOUR NAME, ORGANIZATION
AND POSITION. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, MATTHEW ALLEN WITH
WESTERN GROWERS ASSOCIATION AND
RESPECTFUL OPPOSITION. THANK
YOU. GOOD MORNING MEMBERS. ROB
SPIEGEL, CALIFORNIA
MANUFACTURERS AND TECHNOLOGY
ASSOCIATION. ALSO IN OPPOSITION.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING MEMBERS
AND CHAIRMEN JAMES ROBERT
GONZALES WITH CRUZ STRATEGIES ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
BUSINESS PROPERTY ASSOCIATION
AND RESPECTFUL OPPOSITION. THANK
YOU. COLLEAGUE BRITAIN WITH
ELECTION INTEGRITY PROJECT
CALIFORNIA IN OPPOSITION, THANK
YOU. THE PARKS OF DISCOVERY
POSITIONS RESPECTFULLY IN
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
NOW GO TO THE PHONES. OPERATOR
IF WE HAVE ANYBODY WHO WOULD
LIKE TO EXPRESS THEIR EITHER
SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION, THIS IS
THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
ASSEMBLY BILL 4 21. SORRY AGAIN.
PRESS 10. IF YOU HAVE NOT
ALREADY WE'LL GO FIRST TO LINE 1
44, PLEASE GO AHEAD. GOOD
MORNING, VALERIE'S ENTRY HUTTON
3 50 BAY AREA ACTION IN VERY
STRONG SUPPORT. LINE 1 18,
PLEASE GO AHEAD. HELLO THIS IS
KAYLA SANTA WITH ORANGE COUNTY
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. UM, ALSO
A RESIDENT OF 80 68 IN VERY,
VERY STRONG SUPPORT. 68. LINE 1
23, PLEASE GO AHEAD. 1 23 LINES
OPEN, YOU MIGHT BE MUTED. HELLO?
GO AHEAD. THIS IS JUAN CARLOS
HAVE INNER CITY STRUGGLE. WE'RE
IN STRONG SUPPORT. LINE 1 61 GO
AHEAD, PLEASE. 1 61, YOU'RE
OPEN. YOU MIGHT BE MUTED. PLEASE
GO AHEAD. LINE 1 59 1 59, PLEASE
GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS JEANETTE
FELT SACRAMENTO COUNTY AND I
OPPOSED THIS BILL. LINE 101. GO
AHEAD, PLEASE. RAIN HICKS,
CALIFORNIANS TO DISABILITY
RIGHTS AND STRONG SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. LINE, 39 GO AHEAD. GOOD
MORNING, SARAH POLO MU WITH THE
CALIFORNIA RETAILERS ASSOCIATION
RESPECTFULLY OPPOSED. LINE. 1 21
GO AHEAD. GOOD MORNING, KAREN
POWERS WITH ELECTION INTEGRITY
PROJECT CALIFORNIA, SPEAKING IN
OPPOSITION. LINE. 17 GO AHEAD,
PLEASE. BUT SORRY. THANK YOU. UM
WHY THEY WOULD CHANGE BEGINS
WITH ME IN STRONG SUPPORT OF 82.
4 21. THANK YOU. LINE. 25,
PLEASE GO AHEAD. MISSY AND L. A
COUNTY. I ABSOLUTELY OPPOSE A B
4 TO 1. LINE. 1 12. GO AHEAD,
PLEASE. GOOD MORNING, NATALIE
BOUNCED ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE
IN OPPOSITION. LINE. 13, PLEASE
GO AHEAD. NOT FROM L. A COUNTY.
I OPPOSED A BEFORE 21. THANK
YOU. ONLINE 47 GO AHEAD. WE
MEANT BARRY WITH ELECTION
INTEGRITY PROJECT CALIFORNIA
PASTOR COUNTY IN OPPOSITION
BEFORE 21. THANK YOU. LINE, 26
GO AHEAD. NANCY LAY, SOME WITH
INDIVISIBLE EAST BAY STRONGLY
STRONGLY SUPPORT 84 21. THANK
YOU. NEXT TO HIS LINE. 1 19 GO
AHEAD. 1 19 YEAR OPEN. YOU MIGHT
BE MUTED ON YOUR END. PLEASE
CHECK I AM FUNNY. WE RESIDENT OF
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY. AND I AM
STRONGLY OPPOSED 84 TO 1. LINE 1
41 GO AHEAD, PLEASE. I'M SORRY.
IS IT ONE FOR ONE? YES, MA'AM.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE. WE CAN HEAR
YOU. THIS IS LEAH PRESSMAN,
REPRESENTING THE COVER CITY
DEMOCRATIC CLUB IN STRONG
SUPPORT OF A B 4 TO 1. IN 1 66.
PLEASE GO AHEAD. I THANK YOU. UM
KAY REMEMBERS. MY NAME IS SALLY
TOMATO AIOLI AND I'M CALLING IN
STRONG SUPPORT OF A B FOR 21 ON
BEHALF OF SAN FRANCISCO RISING.
THANK YOU. LINE. 24, PLEASE GO
AHEAD. ANDY MISER FROM L. A
COUNTY WITH EI PCA STRONGLY
OPPOSED A B 4 21. LINE 1 54 154
GO AHEAD, PLEASE. GOOD MORNING.
MR CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE CAGES STEVENS ON
BEHALF OF CATALYST, CALIFORNIA
AND STRONG SUPPORT. LINE 58
LINE. 58 AHEAD, PLEASE. THIS IS
A CHANCE IN HONG WRONG. SANTA
CARLA COUNTY STRONGLY OPPOSED A
B 4 TO 1. LINE 1 27 GO AHEAD,
PLEASE. HI THIS IS JENNIFER
CARDINI WITH ELECTION INTEGRITY
PROJECT CALIFORNIA AND I
STRONGLY OPPOSED A B FOR 21.
THANK YOU. LINE NUMBER 10 GO
AHEAD. CHRIS FOSTER. THANK YOU.
LINE, 20 GO AHEAD. TREGG RIGHT?
LOS ANGELES COUNTY WITH THE I P
A STRONGLY OPPOSE. WHY AM 31 GO
AHEAD. 31 YEAR OPEN. CHECK YOUR
MEAT BUTTON. SEE IF YOU MEET ON
YOUR SIDE. YES I'M SORRY. OKAY?
MY NAME IS LIZ WAGUIH. I'M WITH
US SACRAMENTO COUNTY AND I AM
STRONGLY OPPOSED TO THIS BILL.
LINE 1 53 153 GO AHEAD. ALRIGHT
MY NAME IS TED WOMACK AND I'M
CALLING IN SUPPORT OF 84 21 WITH
ALLIANCE SAN DIEGO. IN LINE 62
GO AHEAD. HI GOOD MORNING,
NOELLE GARCIA AND I'M CALLING IN
STRONG SUPPORT OF THE 4 TO 1 ON
BEHALF OF THE LORD OF SWEAT THAT
FOUNDATION LINE, 48 GO AHEAD.
GOOD MORNING, MR CHAIRMAN
MEMBERS, P. ANTHONY THOMAS, WITH
ALL RESPECT TO THE OUTSTANDING
AUTHOR, UM C B A AND OPPOSITION
TO HB 4 21. LINE 1 17 GO AHEAD,
PLEASE. HI. THIS IS ALEXANDRA,
FORWARD TO IN LOS ANGELES.
REGISTERING OUR STRONG SUPPORT
FOR 84 21. LINE 1 72 GO AHEAD.
AND HELICOBACTER CLARA COUNTY.
STRONG SUPPORT A B 4 TO 1. LINE
1 36 GO AHEAD. 1 36 YEAR OPEN.
CHECK YOUR MEAT BUTTON, PLEASE.
YES VICKY RANK E CALIBERS COUNTY
IN STRONG OPPOSITION. AND LINE 1
73 GO AHEAD, PLEASE. JENNIFER
TANNER ON BEHALF OF INDIVISIBLE
CALIFORNIA STATE STRONG AND
STRONG SUPPORT. AND THE QUEUE IS
NOW CLEAR. OKAY DO WE HAVE ANY
COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS THEY'D
LIKE TO MAKE YES. MR SALIH.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR, JUST A
COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR THE
SPONSORS HERE. UM YOU SAID THAT
A LOT OF THESE REFERENDUMS OR
INITIATIVES THEY'RE THEY'RE
CONFUSING OF THE VOTERS. CAN YOU
TELL ME WHICH ONES YOU'RE YOU'RE
REFERRING TO? RESPECTFULLY THIS
IS MY BILL. YES SIR. I
APPRECIATE THE SPONSORS BEING A
PART OF THIS, UH THE OPPOSITION
WITNESSED, UH, SAID THAT THERE
WERE 16 REFERENDUMS THAT WERE
SUPPORTED. 17 OVERTURNED. WHAT
DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU? WHAT DOES
IT MEAN TO ME? YES 17 REFERENDUM
ARE OVERTURNED OVERTURNED. THAT
MEANS THAT THE PUBLIC DISAGREED
WITH THE DECISIONS OF THE
LEGISLATURE WRONG. IT MEANS THAT
THE REFERENDUM TO STOP WAS
OVERTURNED IN THE LAW WAS
AFFIRMED. THAT'S MY POINT. OKAY
SO CAN YOU GIVE ME EXAMPLES OF
WHICH WHICH LAWS WERE TALKING
ABOUT THAT THE VOTERS
RESPECTFULLY I THINK I JUST MADE
THE POINT PRETTY CLEAR. WE MADE
IT TOGETHER. OKAY SO, UH, WHEN
VOTERS, UH APPROVED THE LAW FOR
THE GAS TAX. DO YOU THINK THEY
GOT IT WRONG? I THINK THAT THE
QUESTION ITSELF AND THE WAY A
REFERENDUM IS WORDED IS
INHERENTLY CONFUSING, EVEN FOR
THOSE OF US WITH ADVANCED
DEGREES, LAW DEGREES AND ELECTED
POSITIONS WHERE WE MAKE THESE
LAWS YOU ASK WHETHER A
REFERENDUM IS TO BE AFFIRMED OR
OVERTURNED, AND THE ANSWER IS
THE OPPOSITE OF WHETHER THE LAW
IS AFFIRMED OR OVERTURNED. THAT
IS CONFUSING. IT'S CONFUSING IN
THE ELECTIONS COMMITTEE, AND
IT'S CONFUSING TO EVERYDAY
VOTERS. DON'T WE JUST CHANGED
THE WORDING ON THE BALLOT? I
MEAN, BUT WHAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT
HERE IS WE'RE MAKING IT HARD.
ORDER TO EVEN GET WHAT WE'RE
DOING. WE'RE MAKING IT HARDER TO
PUT IT ON THE BALLOT. THAT'S THE
CONCERN. YES, WE ARE. YOU'RE
LOWERING THE DAYS FROM 180 TO 90
TO COLLECT SIGNATURES. YOU'RE
PUTTING OWNERS REQUIREMENTS ON
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ABLE TO
COLLECT SIGNATURES. YOU
REQUIRING 10% TO BE COLLECTED BY
VOLUNTEERS UNLESS THERE ARE
UNION WORKER, SO LET'S NOT PLAY
POLITICS HERE. IT'S VERY OBVIOUS
THAT ONE SIDE HERE IS VERY UPSET
THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE EXERCISED
THEIR POWER TO OVERTURN LAWS
THAT ARE VERY HARMFUL, VERY
HARMFUL TO THE PUBLIC WHEN YOU
ARE INSTITUTING $25 OUR MINIMUM
WAGE ON FAST FOOD. THAT MEANS
THAT THE PRICE OF FOOD FOR THE
PUBLIC IS GOING UP AND THEY'RE
SUFFERING. SO YES, THEY ARE
GOING TO OVERTURN THAT AND THEY
HAVE THE ABSOLUTE RIGHT TO DO
THAT. BUT TO SIT HERE AND
PRETEND THAT THIS IS ABOUT TO
MOCK RASI AND PROTECTING VOTERS
IS WRONG. THIS IS ABOUT SECURING
THE POWER OF THE SUPER MAJORITY
IN THE LEGISLATURE. AND YES,
SOME PEOPLE ARGUE, WE DO HAVE
TYRANNY OF SUPERMAJORITY IN
TENNESSEE, AND THERE SHOULD BE
CHECKS ON THAT. WE HAVE TYRANNY
HERE, TOO. AND THE CHECK IS THE
PEOPLE. SO NO, I DISAGREE.
RESPECTFULLY WITH MY COLLEAGUES
VERY MUCH RESPECT MY COLLEAGUE,
BUT I DISAGREE. I THINK THIS IS
RAW POLITICAL POWER AND POLITICS
. I ALSO THINK THAT THIS IS
UNCONSTITUTIONAL. I THINK IT
VIOLATES THE RIGHT TO FREE
SPEECH, FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION
AND THE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE
AND IF THIS IS SOMEHOW SIGNED
INTO LAW I HOPE THAT THERE WILL
BE A REFERENDUM TO REPEAL IT. SO
WITH THAT I YIELD BACK. THANK
YOU, MR CHAIR. I WOULD JUST LIKE
TO DO IT ALL THOSE REMARKS. AND
THAT'S PROBABLY NOT SURPRISING
TO THE AUTHOR. BUT THAT IS WELL
STATED BY MR STALEY. I
APPRECIATE THOSE EXPRESSED, UH,
OPINIONS AND VIEWPOINTS. YOU MAY
CLOSE. OH, I'M SORRY. YOU MAY
GO. I JUST WANT TO SAY I SPEAK
IN STRONG SUPPORT AS A PROUD CO
AUTHOR OF THIS MEASURE, VERY
COMMON SENSE TO ME THAT LOOK,
EVEN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE
CONFUSION THAT JUST HAPPENED. WE
WANT THE LANGUAGE TO BE MUCH
MORE TRANSPARENT AND ACCESSIBLE
TO VOTERS. SO IF EVEN IF IT HAS
THE CASE WE WANTED TO BE CLEARLY
THAT IF YOU WANT TO OVERTURN THE
LAW, YOU SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT
TO VOTE TO DO SO. RIGHT. IF YOU
DON'T YOU'RE GONNA KEEP IT. YOU
WANT TO KEEP IT? I MEAN, THIS IS
NOT ROCKET SCIENCE IN THE SENSE
THAT OBVIOUSLY WE HAD A BIG, YOU
KNOW, STAY OR GO OUT. VOTE
MEASURES HAPPEN. THE UNITED
KINGDOM, RIGHT. PEOPLE CLEARLY
SAID STAY OR LEAVE, RIGHT AND
THEY DID THE SAME THING SO WE
SHOULD HAVE LAWS IN THE SAME
WAY. WE WANT TRANSPARENCY.
ADDITIONALLY WHY I'M EXCITED
ABOUT THIS MEASURE IS ABOUT THE
VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENT. I THINK
VOTERS ACROSS CALIFORNIA
RESIDENTS ACROSS CALIFORNIA ARE
PROBABLY USED TO THE VERY
ANNOYING FACT THAT THEY GET
ACCOSTED OUTSIDE OF THEIR
GROCERY STORE OR SOMEONE THAT
SOMEONE IS BOUNTY HUNTING,
BASICALLY FOR SIGNATURES, RIGHT?
BUT WE WANT IF SOMETHING TRULY
IS ON THE BALLOT, WHETHER IT BE
RECALL OR ABOUT REFERENDUM, THEY
WANTED TO BE THE TRUE WILL OF
PEOPLE NOT JUST SPONSORED BY
CORPORATIONS. AND I FIND THE
ARGUMENT THAT, UM IT WOULD MAKE
ABOUT REFERENDUMS JUST ONLY
AVAILABLE FOR THE WEALTHY,
SPECIAL INTERESTS KIND OF FUNNY
AND IRONIC SINCE LOOK TO
MEASURES THAT WE JUST PASSED IN
THE LEGISLATURE LAST YEAR ARE
NOW GOING UP FOR REFERENDUM AND
WITHIN 180 DAYS, SPECIAL
INTEREST CORPORATE SPECIAL
INTERESTS PUT TWO MEASURES ONE
TO PREVENT US FROM THE RENT US
FROM PUTTING OIL WELLS. SORRY
FRIENDLESS FROM PREVENTING OIL
WELLS FROM BEING CITED IN YOUR
SCHOOLS TO RENT US FROM
PROTECTING FAST FOOD WORKERS.
THEY DROPPED $20 MILLION EACH IN
THAT, SO IT'S LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE
THE MONEY TO SPARE. I MEAN, YOU
CAN KEEP DOING THIS IF YOU HAVE,
IF YOU REALLY WANT TO, BUT I
MEAN IT DISINGENUOUS IN THAT
ASPECT, BECAUSE WE WANT OUR
PROCESS TO BE MORE REFLECTIVE OF
THE VOTERS, AND I THINK THIS IS
WHAT WE'RE GOING TOWARDS AND I
REALLY COMMEND THE CHAIR FOR
PUTTING THIS FORWARD. IT'S A
BUILD BIG, BOLD REFORM AND WE
NEED IT. AND JUST BECAUSE IT'S
WORKED FOR 100 YEARS DOESN'T
MEAN IT DOESN'T NEED UPDATING
AFTER 100 YEARS. THANK YOU. YOU
MAY CLOSE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
I WOULD ARGUE THAT MOST THINGS
THAT ARE OVER 100 YEARS OLD NEED
TO HAVE A NEW CONVERSATION. UM
AND I'M ALSO OPEN TO A
NEGOTIATING TABLE. I HAVE A LOT
OF RESPECT FROM MY FRIENDS AT
THE CHAMBER. WE RECEIVED A
LETTER OF OPPOSITION. NOT EVEN A
WEEK AGO. UM I'M WILLING TO HAVE
A CONVERSATION ABOUT THOSE 90
DAYS BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A
GENUINE CONVERSATION. AND I'VE
EXPRESSED THAT TO MY SPONSORS
THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN PAUSING A LAW. FROM
JANUARY FROM SEPTEMBER TO
JANUARY, WHICH IS THE 90 DAY
WINDOW AND A BALLOT MEASURE THAT
ACTS LIKE A REFERENDUM BUT
DOESN'T STOP A LAW THAT'S
ALREADY BEEN ENACTED, BUT WE
HAVEN'T MET AT THE TABLE TO HAVE
THE CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE WE
WEREN'T APPROACHED UNTIL LESS
THAN A WEEK AGO. UM THIS IS THE
FIRST POLICY COMMITTEE FOR AN
IMPORTANT PIECE OF LEGISLATION
THAT HAS MANY, MANY DIFFERENT
COMPONENTS TO IT THAT I THINK
ARE ALL WORTHY OF DISCUSSION.
AND I THINK THE DEBATE HERE EVEN
ON THE DIET HAS SHOWN EVEN FOR
MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE.
THERE ARE PARTS OF THE
REFERENDUM PROCESS THAT ARE
DEEPLY CONFUSING. I WOULD
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR I VOTE
NOT BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS
PERFECT TODAY. BUT BECAUSE IT
HAS MANY MORE POLICY HEARINGS TO
GO THROUGH, AND MANY MORE
CONVERSATIONS THAT I'M WILLING
TO HAVE WITH ANY AND ALL
STAKEHOLDERS. TO GET THIS TO THE
PLACE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE. I
RESPECTFULLY ASK YOUR I VOTE.
OKAY, WE HAVE A 1ST AND 2ND.
MADAM SECRETARY CALLED. THE
MOTION IS DO PASS AND BE
REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. BRIAN BRIAN. I
LACKEY LACKEY. NO BENNETT. A
SALI SALI. NO LI LI I LO
PELLERIN PELLERIN II BLANCA
RUBIO BLANCA RUBIO NOT VOTING.
OKAY THAT MEASURES ON CALL YOU.
YES.
IT'S GONNA BE BACK. MS PELLERIN
WOULD YOU LIKE TO WOULD YOU LIKE
TO PRESENT?
OKAY, OKAY. ALL RIGHT. A SECOND.
ALRIGHT. BE MY WITNESSES COMING
UP. YAY! SO THANK YOU, CHAIR AND
MEMBERS. A VOTING SYSTEM CANNOT
BE USED IN A CALIFORNIA ELECTION
UNLESS IT HAS BEEN BOTH
FEDERALLY QUALIFIED AND
CERTIFIED BY THE CALIFORNIA
SECRETARY OF STATE. THERE AND
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT? YEAH THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS WELL.
THERE ARE FOUR VOTING SYSTEMS
THAT HAVE MET BOTH FEDERAL AND
STATE STANDARDS IN CALIFORNIA. A
VOTING SYSTEM INCLUDES THE
ELECTRONIC VOTING HARDWARE AND
SOFTWARE, INCLUDING VOTING
MACHINES AND TABULATE EAR'S.
THESE VOTING SYSTEMS AND THEIR
CONTRACTS ARE EXPENSIVE AND NOT
EASILY INSTEAD. INSTATED OR
CHANGE, FOR INSTANCE, IN MY
DISTRICT THAT COUNTY SANTA CLARA
HAS AN ANNUAL LEASE PAYMENT OF
$1.7 MILLION IN JANUARY OF THIS
YEAR, THE SHASTA COUNTY BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS TERMINATED THEIR
VOTING SYSTEM CONTRACT AND LEFT
THE COUNTY WITHOUT A STATE
CERTIFIED, FAIRLY QUALIFIED
VOTING SYSTEM. AND WE ARE NOW
JUST 11 MONTHS AWAY FROM A
PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTION.
HASTILY TERMINATING TERMINATED
VOTING SYSTEM CONTRACTS, RESULTS
IN HIGH COSTS AND UNCERTAINTIES
CONCERNING HOW ELECTIONS
OFFICIALS WERE RUN THEIR
UPCOMING ELECTIONS. AS EACH
VOTING SYSTEM HAS UNIQUE
FEATURES, ELECTION STAFF AND
VOLUNTEERS WILL HAVE TO BE
RETRAINED AND A NEW VOTER
INFORMATION MATERIALS WILL NEED
TO BE PRODUCED. WHAT A B 969
DOES IS SIMPLE. IT PREVENTS A
COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM
TERMINATING AN EXISTING VOTING
SYSTEMS CONTRACT WITHOUT HAVING
EVERY PLACEMENT CONTRACT IN
PLACE AND READY TO GO. THIS
SIMPLE LANGUAGE ENSURES THAT A
COUNTY ELECTIONS OFFICIAL WILL
KNOW WHAT VOTING SYSTEM THEY
WILL BE USING IN ADVANCE OF THE
UPCOMING ELECTIONS AND WILL HELP
MINIMIZE THE DISRUPTIVE NATURE
OF TRANSITIONING FROM ONE VOTING
SYSTEM TO ANOTHER. THIS BILL
ALSO ENSURES THAT THERE WILL BE
A VOTING IN SYSTEM IN PLACE OF
VOTERS ARE NOT DISENFRANCHISED.
AND I HAVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE
ARE READY. TO BE CLEAR. THIS
BILL DOES NOT PREVENT A COUNTY
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM
DECIDING TO TERMINATE A VOTING
SYSTEM CONTRACT. THAT IS THEIR
RIGHT. IT SIMPLY REQUIRES THAT
THEY MUST HAVE A REPLACEMENT
SYSTEM READY TO GO. WITH ME TO
TESTIFY AND SUPPORT IS JOANNA.
HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR LAST NAME?
FRANCISCO THANK YOU AND THE
SHASTA COUNTY ASSISTANT COUNTY
CLERK, REGISTRAR VOTERS AND
TRICIA WEBER, REPRESENTING THE
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF CLERKS
AND ELECTION OFFICIALS. THANK
YOU. CHAIR AND COMMITTEE. I AM
JOANNA FRANCISCO AND THE
ASSISTANT COUNTY CLERK AND
REGISTER VOTERS FOR SHASTA
COUNTY. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME
TODAY AS I SHARE OUR STORY AND
WHY THIS BILL IS IMPORTANT TO
CREDIT, PROTECT VOTERS AND
ENSURE ELECTIONS OFFICIALS IN
CALIFORNIA CAN CONDUCT FREE,
FAIR AND ACCURATE ELECTIONS.
THAT IS WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES
AND WHAT VOTERS DESERVE. BEFORE
I DIVE DOWN INTO MY EXPERIENCE.
I WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW
ELECTIONS ARE CONDUCTED LOCALLY
NATIONALLY AND TRADITIONALLY
THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.
ELECTIONS OF OFFICERS ARE UNDER
RESOURCED AND STAFF ARE SPREAD
THIN DUE TO INCONSISTENT FEDERAL
FUNDING, AND CALIFORNIA HAS
RECENTLY PROVIDED FUNDING TO
SECURE UPDATED SYSTEMS AND
EQUIPMENT, AND OUR OFFICE HAS
BENEFITED WITH UPDATED
TECHNOLOGIES, INCLUDING VOTE BY
MAIL BALLOTS ORDER, ANDY
PUBLICS. THESE TOOLS HAVE
ENHANCED SERVICES WE HAVE
PROVIDED TO VOTERS. THIS LACK OF
CONSISTENT FUNDING FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MEANS THAT
CALIFORNIA ELECTION LAWS AND
VOTING SYSTEMS PROVIDE THE BOARD
OF SUPERVISORS THE ABILITY TO
APPROVE A CONTRACT RIGHT THEY
DESERVE AS MONIES ARE PULLED
DIRECTLY FROM THE GENERAL FUND
IN THE BUDGET THEY SUPERVISED
CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS QUOTE ALSO
REQUIRES USE OF CERTIFIED VOLUME
TECHNOLOGY TO CREATE BALANCE AND
AGGREGATE RESULTS. THIS VOTING
TECHNOLOGY IS THE FRAMEWORK OF
HOW ELECTIONS IN CALIFORNIA ARE
CONDUCTED. A VOTING SYSTEM HELPS
US COUNT THOUSANDS OF PAPER
BALLOTS EACH ELECTION OFFICIALLY
INACCURATELY. THESE TOOLS ENSURE
THAT THOSE WITH VISUAL PHYSICAL
COMMUNITY DISABILITIES CAN
INDEPENDENTLY CAST THEIR VOTE
FROM THE VIEWPOINTS OF ELECTIONS
OFFICIAL THIS SYSTEM IS A STRONG
FOUNDATION AND THE BASE
FOUNDATION OF HOW THE
MINISTRATIONS OF ELECTION IS
CONDUCTED. ON JANUARY 24TH 2023
THE CHEST, A KIND OF A BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS ADVISORS VOTED TO
CANCEL THE CURRENT CONTRACT FOR
LEAST VOTING EQUIPMENT WITH
DOMINION VOTING SYSTEMS. THIS IS
A FACT THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE
EFFECTIVE AFTER THE MARCH 7TH
SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION, THIS
ACTION WAS TAKING TAKEN WITH
LITTLE REGARD TO THE FINANCIAL
BURDEN. IT PLACES ON OUR
COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE
COUNTY PROCUREMENT PROCESSES AND
WITH NO PLAN OF ACTION TO
INSTALL NEW THE NEW VOTING
EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY. AND
WITHOUT ANY INPUT FROM THE
ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT. AND THE
ELECTED COUNTY CLERK REGISTER OF
VOTERS. CATHY DARLING NOW AND
WHO'S ON HER FIRST CURRENTLY ON
HER FIFTH TERM OF OFFICE. AMELIA
AFTER THAT DECISION OR OFFICE
STARTED TO WORK, AND WE CREATED
A PLAN TO REPLACE THE VOTING
SYSTEM AND SECURE CONTRACT PRIOR
TO THAT MARCH 7TH 2023 ELECTION
IN THIS ATTEMPT TO INFORM THE
PUBLIC WE HAVE HOW THE OPEN
HOUSE AND THEN PRESENTED OPTIONS
TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. ON
FEBRUARY 28TH. OUR OFFICE
PRESENTED THE GENDER ITEM TO
RECOMMEND THE BOARD SELECTED
VOTING SYSTEM OR VOTE TO RECENT
THE CANCELATION OF THE DOMINION
AGREEMENT. AND INSTEAD, THE
BOARD VOTED TO EXPLORE HAND
COUNTING OPTIONS OF PAPER
BALLOTS. DURING THIS EXPLORATION
WE MET WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS
AND THE COUNTY MINISTRATIONS
TEAM, UM AND COUNTY COUNCIL TO
REVIEW THE POSSIBILITY OF THE
MANUAL. ITALIAN PROVIDE OPTIONS
THESE BOARD MEMBERS BROUGHT IN
INDIVIDUALS THEY REGARDED AS
EXPERTS TO DISCUSS HOW VOTING
MACHINES ARE NOT ACCURATE AND
HOW IT HAND COUNTING THIS MORE
EFFICIENT THAN MACHINE
TABULATION. WELL THAT DISCUSSION
WAS ONGOING. KATHY AND I WORKED
AROUND THE CLOCK TO ANALYZE
CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS LAW AND
DETERMINATE IF EMMANUEL TALIA'S
ACHIEVABLE WHILE MEETING
ESTABLISHED DEADLINES OF
STATEWIDE ELECTIONS ON MARCH
28TH. WE ATTEMPTED TO REQUEST
ONCE AGAIN FOR THEM TO SELECT A
VOTING SYSTEM INSTEAD OF THE
BOARD VOTED TO DIRECT STAFF TO
ESTABLISH A PROCEDURE FOR THE
MANUAL. TALIA BALLOTS SELECT
EITHER E S AND S OUR HEART TO
PROVIDE A VOTING EQUIPMENT TO
MEET STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS
REGARDING TO VOTING WITH UM,
ACCESS FOR VOTERS WITH
DISABILITY AND THEN TO SUBMIT A
PLAN TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE
FOR APPROVAL FOR USE THAT THE
NEXT COUNTY IS NEXT ELECTION.
THIS DIRECTION DID NOT PROVIDE
OUR DEPARTMENT WITH THE ABILITY
TO RECRUIT A CONTRACT FOR ALL
NEEDED COMPONENTS OF THE VOTING
, MRS DISTANT SYSTEM TO CONDUCT
EVEN EMANUEL TALLY. AGAIN THE
NEXT WEEK AT A SPECIAL BOARD
MEETING IN APRIL, 6TH. OUR
DEPARTMENT ONCE AGAIN REQUESTED
THE BOARD TO SELECTIVE VOTING
SYSTEM AND THE BOARD BUT IT
UNANIMOUSLY TO PUT HER AS A NEW
VENDOR OF VOTING EQUIPMENT AND
SERVICES IN THE COUNTY. WHILE WE
ARE GRATEFUL THAT BOARD SELECTED
A VENDOR THAT WILL ALLOW US TO
CREATE BALLOTS AND SERVER VOTERS
WITH DISABILITIES AND PRIOR TO
THE CANCELATION OF DOMINIONS OF
THE DOMINION SYSTEM CONTRACT WE
HAVE IN PLACE OUR OFFICES
RUSHING TO ENSURE THIS CONTRACT
IS A NEGOTIATED AND THE
EQUIPMENT IS PLACED PRIOR TO A
SPECIAL ELECTION THAT WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE ON NOVEMBER 7TH
2023. THIS IS NOT OUR GOVERNMENT
BUSINESS. THIS IS NOT HOW
GOVERNMENT WAS HIS BUSINESS
SHOULD BE CONDUCTED. SELECTING
THE VOTING SYSTEM AND VENDOR IS
A LARGE PROJECT. AT MINIMUM. THE
SELECTION SHOULD FOLLOW BEST
DANGERS OF COUNTY PROCUREMENT
PROCESS AND NOT COMPLETED WITHIN
A FEW MONTHS, AND IF POSSIBLE,
NOT ON THE HEELS OF THE
PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTION.
CALIFORNIA VOTERS DESERVE TO
KNOW THAT THEIR VOTES WILL BE
CONDUCTED COUNTED AND THEIR
VOICES WILL BE HEARD. THIS
PROPOSED LAW WILL ALLOW LOCAL
ELECTIONS OFFICIALS WHO ARE
COMMITTED TO THE HIGHEST
STANDARD OF ACCURACY TO PLACE A
VOTING SYSTEM IN A WAY THAT
ENSURES THERE IS A SYSTEM IN
PLACE. AND TO PROVIDE THE
EXPECTED SERVICES OF THE
ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT IN
CALIFORNIA. THE EXPERTS THAT
CONDUCT ELECTIONS HAVE FULL
IMPACT AND SAY THE PROCESS IF
IT'S NOT RUSHED AND THROUGH, UM
AND MADE WITH HASTY DECISIONS.
WITHOUT A VOTING SYSTEM IN PLACE
TO CREATE BALANCE AND AUDIT THE
RESULTS OF A MENTALITY. THE
ELECTIONS OFFICIALS CANNOT HAVE
AN ACCURATE ELECTION AND THAT IS
UNACCEPTABLE. NO COUNTY REGISTER
ARE ELECTED, APPOINTED OR
ELECTED REGISTER SHOULD BE
WITHOUT A VOTING SYSTEM CONTRACT
. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND
LISTENING TO OUR EXPERIENCE, AND
I HOPE THIS UM THIS BILL WILL BE
SUPPORTED. OKAY? DO YOU HAVE
ANOTHER WITNESS? PLEASE BE BRIEF
KIND OF WENT FOR THE FIVE MINUTE
LIMIT THEIR WORRIES. THIS IS HOW
I'M I'M TRADE NAME IS TRICIA
WEBER. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF CLERK
AND ELECTION OFFICIALS. UM I
GUESS I JUST WANT TO REITERATE
THAT A VOTING SYSTEM IS NOT JUST
WHAT IS THE MACHINE THAT WE
WOULD TABULATE VOTES ON AND THEN
AUDIT LATER. A VOTING SYSTEM IS
THE ENTIRE PROCESS FROM START TO
FINISH. IT HELPS IT IS INTEGRAL
FOR, UH, CREATING BALLOTS AND
WHAT BALLOTS CAN BE CREATED ITS
INTEGRAL ON MAKING THE AUDIO
SYSTEMS OR, UH, FOR THAT, AND
THAT'S FOR ANYONE WHO NEEDS TO
HEAR THE BALLOT IN IN AUDIO OR
SPOKEN. IT ALSO CREATES THE
BALLOT MARKING DEVICES TO HELP
PEOPLE INDEPENDENTLY AND
PRIVATELY MARK THEIR BALLOT,
WHICH IS AGAIN STILL ON PAPER AS
CALIFORNIA ONLY REQUIRES PAPER.
IT ALSO IS PART OF WHAT YOU'RE
VOTER GUIDE LOOKS LIKE IT'S HOW
YOU DO YOUR OUTREACH. IT'S WHEN
YOU SEND OUT NOTICES TO YOUR
VOTERS AND INSTRUCTIONS AND SO
WE NEED TIME IN ORDER TO CREATE
THOSE TO MAKE THOSE AND TO
EDUCATE THE VOTERS ON WHAT THE
VOTING SYSTEM IS SO HAVING A
VOTING SYSTEM IN PLACE AND
HAVING A NEW VOTING SYSTEM IF
YOU'RE CHANGING IT, SO YOU HAVE
THE LEAD TIME IS VERY NECESSARY
FOR A GOOD ELECTION. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE A EXCUSE
ME? DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER
WITNESSES WHO WOULD LIKE TO
EXPRESS THEIR SUPPORT FOR A B
969. UH D'ARTAGNAN BIRD ON
BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN
FEDERATION OF STATE COUNTY, AND
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING A
FORMAL POSITION RIGHT NOW. BUT
WE ARE MOVING TOWARDS SUPPORT.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CAN WE
HAVE ANY WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION? LIKE TO EXPRESS
THEIR OPPOSITION. LOOKS LIKE.
ZERO OKAY, WELL, NOW GO TO THE
PHONES. OPERATOR DO WE HAVE
ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO
EXPRESS THEIR SUPPORT FOR
OPPOSITION FOR ABC 969. PROBABLY
NOT IN THE QUEUE. LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN, IF YOU'D LIKE TO
EXPRESS SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION
FOR 9 69 OVER THE PHONE, PLEASE
PRESS 10 AT THIS TIME AND ONE
MOMENT WE DO HAVE A COUPLE THAT
ARE LOADING UP FOR US. WE'LL GO
FIRST TO LINE 25, PLEASE GO
AHEAD. THANK YOU. THIS IS
MISSING FROM L. A COUNTY. I
STRONGLY OPPOSE OPPOSE THE
PUNITIVE A B 969. NEXT WILL BE
LANE 31 GO AHEAD, PLEASE. YES MY
NAME IS LIZ LÀ G SACRAMENTO
COUNTY AND I AM IN STRONG
OPPOSITION TO THE BILL. LINE. 1
21, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HELLO MY
NAME IS KAREN POWERS. I'M
SPEAKING FOR MYSELF. I LIVE IN
SOLANO COUNTY. I WOULD LIKE TO
EXPRESS OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL
BECAUSE I FEEL YEAH. OKAY JUST
NAME AND NAME AND POSITION. I'M
SORRY. BUT COULD BE USED AS A
STALL TACTIC. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME. AT THIS TIME. WE HAVE NO
ADDITIONAL COLORS IN QUÊ. OKAY
THANK YOU. COMMITTEE MEMBERS ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I JUST
WANT TO SAY, APPRECIATE THE
AUTHOR AND WHERE YOU'RE COMING
FROM, UM, JUST FOR ME
PHILOSOPHICALLY. AYE. I DON'T
THINK WE SHOULD BE
MICROMANAGING. LOCAL
JURISDICTIONS, SO THAT'S MY ONLY
HESITATION WITH THE BILL IS THAT
YOU KNOW THE SUPERVISORS?
THEY'RE THEY'RE ACCOUNTABLE TO
THAT TO THE TO THE VOTERS THERE,
SO THE VOTERS AREN'T HAPPY WITH
HOW THEY'RE RUNNING IT THEN.
THEY SHOULD DEAL WITH IT. SO
THAT'S MY ONLY CONCERN ABOUT.
IT'S ONE OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL
THING. BUT I APPRECIATE THE
ALTAR AND THE CONCERNS THAT ARE
THAT ARE BROUGHT WITH
DISRUPTIONS OF CANCELING THESE
CONTRACTS. THANK YOU. ALAN, YOU
MAY CLOSE. THIS IS A BILL THAT
SUPPORTS VOTERS AND MAKE SURE
THAT THEY ARE NOT LEFT WITHOUT A
VOTING SYSTEM AND I RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR YOUR VOTE. ANYWAY HAVE
EMOTION. OKAY WE HAVE A MOTION
AND A SECOND. SECRETARY PETER
COLORADO. THE MOTION IS DUE PASS
BRIAN CRYING, I LACKEY NO E NO
BENNETT. A SALIH. NOBODY NOT
VOTING LI LI I LO PELLERIN
PELLERIN, I BLANCA RUBIO RUBIO.
AYE. THAT BILL REMAIN ON
CULTURE. WE GET THE FULL VOTE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. MR BERMAN,
YOU GOT TWO BILLS BEFORE US. WHO
MOVED THE ITEM NUMBER 10 IN ITEM
NUMBER 13. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
I'LL DO MY BEST TO MAKE THEM
FAST. GOOD. GREAT START. Y'ALL
DON'T EVEN KNOW WHICH ABILITY IS
. WHICH ONE DO YOU WANT TO MOVE?
10 37. DEAR MR CHAIR AND
COLLEAGUES DURING MY TENURE IN
THE LEGISLATURE. WE HAVE TAKEN
NUMEROUS STEPS TO ENSURE THAT
VOTING IN CALIFORNIA IS BOTH
SECURE AND MORE ACCESSIBLE TO
VOTERS, HOWEVER, VOTE BY MAIL
BALLOT RELATED SIGNATURE ISSUES
STILL RESULT IN FAR TOO MANY
INVALIDATED BALLOTS. A REPORT
FROM U. S. C. CENTER FOR
INCLUSIVE DEMOCRACY. STUDYING
DATA FROM THE 2020 ELECTION
NOTED THAT MISSING AND
MISMATCHED SIGNATURES ARE
PRIMARY DRIVER FOR REJECTING
VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTS. IN 2020
SIGNATURE ISSUES WERE
RESPONSIBLE FOR NEARLY 77% OF
REJECTED BALLOTS. THE STUDY ALSO
FOUND THAT SIGNATURE ISSUES MORE
SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED LATINO
AND ASIAN AMERICAN VOTERS AS
WELL AS OUR YOUNGEST VOTERS.
MAYBE 10 37 WOULD PROVIDE ONE
MORE TOOL TO ASSIST CALIFORNIA
VOTERS. IF THE ELECTIONS
OFFICIALS DETERMINES THAT THE
SIGNATURE ON THE VOTE BY MAIL
BALLOT ENVELOPE DOES NOT MATCH
THE SIGNATURE ON FILE OR IF THE
IDENTIFICATION ENVELOPE DOES NOT
CONTAIN A SIGNATURE.
SPECIFICALLY THE BILL AUTHORIZES
A COUNTY ELECTIONS OFFICIALS TO
OFFER THE OPTION FOR VOTER TO
CURE THE SIGNATURE PROBLEM
ELECTRONICALLY. COLORADO AND
NEVADA HAVE SUCCESSFULLY
UTILIZED A TEXT TO CURE PROCESS
WHEREBY A VOTER CAN ADDRESS A
MISSING SIGNATURE OR SIGNATURE
MISMATCH VIA TEXT OR SIMILAR
TECHNOLOGY. WHILE THE BILL WOULD
LOOK TO ADD ANOTHER OPTION FOR
VOTERS, THE TEXT RETURN THE TEXT
RETURN METHOD DOES NOT SHORT
CIRCUIT. THE IMPORTANT REVIEW
AND VERIFICATION PROCESS BY THE
REGISTRAR OF VOTERS.
RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS AND I VOTE
AND I'M PLEASED TO BE JOINED. I
HOPE TODAY BY TRICIA WEBER, THE
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY REGISTRAR OF
VOTERS ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF CLERKS
AND ELECTIONS, OFFICIALS.
PERFECT. I HOPE YOU KNOW THAT
YOU WERE COMING OUT. WELL THERE
WE GO TO ANSWER TECHNICAL
QUESTIONS IF NECESSARY. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. DONUT HIGH. I
WILL ALSO TRICIA WEBER, UM,
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF CLERK
AND ELECTION OFFICIALS.
LEGISLATIVE CO CHAIR. I ALSO
WANT TO MENTION THAT THAT THIS
IS JUST AN AND ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
. BERMAN SAID IT VERY NICELY.
THIS IS JUST ANOTHER OPTION OF A
WAY TO NOTIFY VOTERS AND ALLOW
THEM TO HAVE A RETURN. UM VIA
TAXED, UM, WHERE THEY WOULD GO
ON TO A FORM. THERE WOULD STILL
BE A SIGNATURE DONE WITH YOUR
FINGER ON YOUR PHONE OR YOUR
IPAD OR, HOWEVER YOU WISH TO
SEND IT AND THEN IT WOULD COME
BACK TO US, AND WE WOULD STILL
DO THE SIGNATURE VERIFICATION AS
WE DO WITH IT BEING RETURNED VIA
MAIL BEING DROPPED OFF. EMAILED
ETCETERA, SO IT'S JUST ANOTHER
WAY TO RETURN A CURE LETTER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH PRIMARY
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION. SEEING
THEN WE'LL TURN IT TO, UH PEOPLE
IN THE HEARING ROOM IF YOU'D
LIKE TO REGISTER YOUR SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL, STEP UP
TO THE MIC. THANK YOU, MISS
ROSE. SIGNAL OTHERS WILL HEAD TO
THE PHONE LINES, OPERATORS AND
ONE OF THE PHONE LINES WOULD
LIKE TO REGISTER THEIR SUPPORT
OR OPPOSITION FOR THIS BILL. AS
I REMINDED EVERY SPOT TO
REGISTER YOUR SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION PRESS 10 AT THIS TIME
, WE WILL GO TO LINE ONE. OH,
ONE. GO AHEAD, PLEASE. RANDY
HICKS, CALIFORNIA'S ARE JUST
REALLY RIGHTEOUS, STRONG
SUPPORT. LINE 25, PLEASE GO
AHEAD. FROM L. A COUNTY. I
STRONGLY OPPOSED. THIS LACKS A B
ONE. OH, 37. ONE LAST REMINDER.
PRESS 10 TO REGISTER SUPPORTING
OPPOSITION WILL GO NEXT TO LINE
31 GO AHEAD, PLEASE. YES NAME IS
HOLD ON. MY NAME IS LIZ WAGUIH
AND I AM WITH SACRAMENTO COUNTY
AND I'M IN STRONG OPPOSITION TO
THIS BILL. LINE 38 GO AHEAD. 58.
I'M SORRY LINE, 58 GO AHEAD.
IT'S A TENSE IN HONG CARLA
COUNTY. I STRONGLY OPPOSED A B
ONE. CAN 1037. LINE 1 59 GO
AHEAD. MY NAME IS JOHN ITSELF.
SACRAMENTO COUNTY AND I STRONGLY
OPPOSE THIS FILM. LINE, 86 GO
AHEAD. 9 86 YEAR OPEN CHECK TO
SEE IF YOU'RE NOT MEET IT ON
YOUR SIDE. ERIC HARRIS.
DISABILITY RIGHTS, CALIFORNIA
STRONG SUPPORT. ONLINE. 21,
PLEASE GO AHEAD. 11 21 21 GO
AHEAD. MY NAME IS KAREN POWERS
AND I'M SPEAKING AND OPPOSITION
TO THIS BILL. AT THIS TIME. WE
HAVE NO ADDITIONAL RESPONDENTS
IN. Q THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'LL
NOW TURN IT TO COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. ANY MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON
THIS BILL. APPRECIATE THAT
BECAUSE WE HAVE A HEALTHY
AGENDA. UM MR BERMAN. WOULD YOU
LIKE TO CLOSE? RESPECTFULLY
ASPIRIN? I VOTE. THIS BILL
ENJOYS A DO PASS FROM THE CHAIR.
MADAM SECRETARY. DO WE HAVE A
MOTION? WE DON'T HAVE A 2ND 2ND
2ND 2ND. THIS PILLAR IN SECONDS.
CAN WE CALL THE ROLL? THE MOTION
IS DO PASS AND BE REFERRED TO
THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
. BRIAN BRIAN. I LACKEY LUCKY NO
BENNETT. A SALI SALI. NO LI I LO
. PELLERIN HALLORAN. I BLANCO
RUBIO RUBIO. I. THAT BILL IS ON
CALL YOU MR BERMAN. WOULD YOU
LIKE TO GO WITH YOUR NEXT BILL?
THANK YOU AGAIN, MR CHAIR AND
COLLEAGUES. IT'S SO GOOD TO BE
BACK HERE. BY THE WAY. I FORGOT
TO MENTION THAT EARLIER. UH
MAYBE 15 39 WOULD FILL A VOID IN
EXISTING LAW. RIGHT NOW A VOTER
IS PROHIBITED FROM VOTING OR
ATTEMPTING TO VOTE TWICE IN AN
ELECTION IN CALIFORNIA. HOWEVER
NO SUCH PROHIBITION EXISTS
AGAINST VOTING OR ATTEMPTING TO
VOTE IN CALIFORNIA AND ANOTHER
STATE FOR AN ELECTION THAT
OCCURS ON THE SAME DATE. AS I'VE
SAID MANY TIMES DURING MY TENURE
ON THIS COMMITTEE WHILE VOTER
FRAUD IS EXCEEDINGLY RARE. IT UH
, IT CAN HAPPEN AND IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT WE DO DO WHAT WE
CAN TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T. THE
SCENARIO COVERED BY THIS BILL
RECENTLY CAME TO LIGHT IN SANTA
CLARA COUNTY WHEN IT WAS
DISCOVERED THAT A COUPLE WHO OWN
PROPERTY IN CALIFORNIA AND
OREGON CAST BALLOTS IN BOTH
STATES IN THE NOVEMBER 2010
2012, 2014, 2016 AND 2018.
ELECTIONS BECAUSE CALIFORNIA LAW
DOES NOT PROHIBIT THE ALLEGED
CONDUCT, THE SANTA CLARA COUNTY
DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE COULD
DO NOTHING IN RESPONSE AND
DEFERRED PROSECUTION TO OREGON
OFFICIALS AS OREGON DOES HAVE A
LAW THAT ANNENBERG UNAMBIGUOUSLY
OUTLAWS AND MULTI STATE DOUBLE
VOTING. THIS BILL WOULD ENSURE
THAT CALIFORNIA DOES NOT HAVE TO
RELY ON ANOTHER STATE'S LAWS TO
ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF MULTI STATE
DOUBLE VOTING. RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR MY VOTE. SO THANK YOU, MR
BERMAN, ANY PRIMARY WITNESSES
AND SUPPORT PRIMARY WITNESSES
AND OPPOSITION. D'ARTAGNAN BIRD
ASKED ME CALIFORNIA. WE DON'T
HAVE A FORMAL, UH, POSITION ON
THIS, BUT WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
OPPOSITION. COME ON UP. YOU HAVE
TWO MINUTES WILL BE QUICK, VERY
SHORT. CALLING BRITAIN WITH
ELECTION INTEGRITY PROJECT
CALIFORNIA UM, I SUPPORT THE
IDEA OF, UM NOT DOUBLE BULL 30
OF YOU KNOW THAT THAT THAT'S
WHAT I SUPPORT. WHAT I WHAT I
DO. I'M SORRY TO HEAR IS THAT
IT'S JUST A MISDEMEANOR. I THINK
ANYTIME SOMEONE DOUBLE VOTES IN
SINGLE ELECTION, IT IS WITH
INTENT, AND I THINK THAT'S A
VIOLATION OF. OF YOUR VOTE. IT
DISENFRANCHISES A SECOND VOTE.
AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE NOT A
MISDEMEANOR, BUT I THINK IT
SHOULD BE A FELONY. NOT A SLAP
ON THE HAND. WHOOPS I'M SORRY. I
SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THIS, BUT
IT'S A IT'S AN INTERFERENCE OF
THE ELECTION, SO I THINK IT
SHOULD BE A LARGER PENALTY.
THANK YOU. THAT WAS SHORT. THANK
YOU. ANYBODY IN THE HEARING ROOM
WHO WOULD LIKE TO REGISTER THEIR
SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION FOR THIS
BILL? SAYING NONE. UH OPERATOR,
CAN WE GO THE PHONE LINES? ANY
SUPPORTER OPPOSITION FOR THIS
BILL? SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION FOR
THE BILL. PLEASE PRESS 10 AT
THIS TIME. WE'LL GO FIRST TO
LINE 58 AHEAD. THIS IS JENSEN
HUANG, FRANCE IN THE KARAOKE
COUNTY STRONGLY OPPOSED 81 SIDE.
39. LINE. 13 GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
MARINA FROM L. A COUNTY. I
APPROACHED ABC 15 39. LINE 1 89
GO AHEAD. 1 89 GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
1 89. YES GO AHEAD WHERE WE CAN
HEAR YOU CAN'T JONES FROM THE
VILLAGES IN SAN JOSE AND SUPPORT
LINE, 47 GO AHEAD. 47 YEAR.
LINES OPEN. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
LEAH MEANT BARRY. I OPPOSE THIS
BILL. LINE. 1 21 GO AHEAD. YES
THIS IS KAREN POWERS FOR
ELECTION INTEGRITY PROJECT
CALIFORNIA AND I OPPOSE THIS
BILL. LYING ON ONE. OH, ONE. GO
AHEAD. RANDY HICKS WITH
CALIFORNIA'S TO DISABILITY
RIGHTS AND STRONG SUPPORT. LINE
1 59 GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
SACRAMENTO COUNTY AND I OPPOSE
THIS BILL. LINE 1 79, PLEASE GO
AHEAD. ROBERT WHITE SANTAS, A
LECTURING INTEGRITY. I OPPOSE
THIS BILL. ONE LAST REMINDER TO
QUEUE UP TO EXPRESS YOUR
OPPOSITION OR SUPPORT FOR 15 39
PRESS 10 WILL NEXT GO TO LINE 24
24 AHEAD. ANDY MISER. L A
COUNTY. I OPPOSE THIS BILL. AND
LINE 1 91 GO AHEAD. HI THIS IS
JENNIFER CARDONA'S WITH
ELECTORAL INTEGRITY PROJECT
CALIFORNIA AND I OPPOSE THIS
BILL. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME.
WE HAVE NO ADDITIONAL
RESPONDENTS IN QUÊ. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR ME AND YOU THAT WE'VE
WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF LATE
COMING FROM QUICKLY HAVE LINE 1
51 1 51 GO AHEAD, PLEASE. JULIE
JALAPA FROM ORANGE COUNTY. I
OPPOSE THIS BILL. AND LINE 1 25.
LINE 20. I'M SORRY LINE 25 9 25
GO AHEAD. MISSING IN L. A COUNTY
. I STRONGLY OPPOSED THIS BLACK
A B 15 39. LINE, 31 GO AHEAD. MY
NAME IS LIZ WA G. I'M FROM
SACRAMENTO COUNTY AND I STRONGLY
OPPOSE A B 15 39. IN LINE 1 36
GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. FRANKIE
CALIBERS COUNTY IN OPPOSITION.
FOR ADDITIONAL COMMENTERS PRESS
10 AT THIS TIME, PLEASE. WITHOUT
ADDITIONAL PRACTICE CHAIR. WE
HAVE NO ADDITIONAL RESPONDENTS.
BEAUTIFUL NOW TURN IT TO
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. ANY
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS CONCERNS.
THIS COMMENT. I APPRECIATE THE
BILL, AND, UM I'D LIKE TO MAKE
IT BIPARTISAN AND BE A CO AUTHOR
. IF YOU'LL HAVE ME AND I
COULDN'T AGREE MORE SO THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. WOULD YOU
LIKE TO CLOSE? MR BERMAN?
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR VOTE.
THANK YOU. I MEAN, PROHIBITING
SOMEBODY FROM VOTING AND
ELECTION IN CALIFORNIA AND THEN
VOTING IN ANOTHER ELECTION IN
ANOTHER STATE ON THE SAME DAY
MAKES A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE TO ME
RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH THE
OPPOSITION, SUGGESTING, THOUGH,
THAT YOU SHOULD THEN BE SLAPPED
WITH A FELONY AND BE UNABLE TO
EVER VOTE AGAIN IN CALIFORNIA
WHILE YOU ARE SERVING YOUR TIME.
WE TALKED ABOUT THAT EARLIER
TODAY, BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR WORKING WITH THE COMMITTEE
STAFF. THIS THIS ENJOYS A TWO
PASS RECOMMENDATION. WE HAVE A
MOTION MOTION AND A SECOND. OKAY
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL MOTIONS DO PASS AND BE
REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. BRIAN BRIAN. I
LACKEY. I BENNETT BENNETT, I
ASTLEY LI LI I LO PELLERIN
PELLERIN. I BLOCK RUBIO RUBIO.
AYE. THANK YOU. THAT'S OUT. 70
APPRECIATE. THANKS. WE'RE
GETTING DOWN TO THE NITTY GRITTY
MR. LEE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO
PRESENT FOR YOURSELF AND MR
LOWE? START WITH ITEM NUMBER 2
82 70. IS THAT OKAY? PERFECT. SO
I'M GOING TO START WITH FILE
ITEM TO MAYBE TO 70 IN RELATION
TO PUBLIC FINANCING. THANK YOU,
MR CHAIR MEMBERS. THIS BILL
PROVIDES VOTERS THE OPPORTUNITY
ON THE NOVEMBER 2024 BALLOTS.
REMOVE THE CURRENT PROHIBITION
OF PUBLIC FINANCING OF CAMPAIGNS
IN CALIFORNIA SINCE 1988 PUBLIC
FINANCING OF CAMPAIGNS HAVE BEEN
PROHIBITED IN CALIFORNIA
JURISDICTIONS OTHER THAN CHARTER
CITIES. FIVE CHARTER CITIES
ACTIVELY HAVE PUBLIC FINANCING
OF CAMPAIGNS, WHICH INCLUDE THE
CITIES OF BERKELEY, LONG BEACH,
LOS ANGELES, SAN FRANCISCO AND
OAKLAND, WHICH WE HAVE
REPRESENTATIVE TODAY. PUBLIC
FINANCING CAMPAIGNS IS THE BEST
WAY TO POWER VOTERS, INCREASED
DIVERSITY OF CANDIDATES RUNNING
FOR OFFICE AND GIVE VOTERS
CONFIDENCE THAT BIG MONEY CAN'T
JUST BY THEIR ELECTIONS. THE
BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE
CONDUCTED A STUDY LAST YEAR
DETAILING BENEFITS OF PUBLIC
FINANCING PROGRAMS AROUND THE
NATION. IN BERKELEY. THE AVERAGE
CONTRIBUTION SIZE DECREASED BY
60% FROM THE PREVIOUS ELECTION
DUE TO MORE INDIVIDUALS DONATING
IN WASHINGTON, D C. THE ZIP CODE
WITH THE MOST CONTRIBUTIONS HAD
ONE OF THE LOWEST MEDIAN INCOMES
ENCOMPASS ONE OF THE MOST
DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS IN D. C.
IN PORTLAND MAYORAL CANDIDATES
PARTICIPATING IN PUBLIC
FINANCING PROGRAM RECEIVED NINE
TIMES MORE INDIVIDUAL
CONTRIBUTIONS AND NON
PARTICIPANT CANDIDATES. MOST
IMPORTANTLY, THIS EFFORT IN
CALIFORNIA IS ABOUT RESTORING
LOCAL CONTROL FOR JURISDICTIONS
ASIDE WHAT ELECTORAL FUNDING
SYSTEM WORKS BEST FOR THEIR
LOCALITY. MAYBE 2 70 PROVIDES
LOCAL JURISDICTIONS MORE
AUTONOMY TO DECIDE WHAT IS BEST
FOR THEM. SOME PROPOSED THIS
IDEA MAY REFERENCE TO HOW VOTERS
REJECTED THE SAME QUESTION 13
YEARS AGO IN 2010, HOWEVER,
SINCE 2010 WE HAVE SEEN VOTERS
IN CHARTER CITIES EXPRESSED
IMMENSE SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC
FINANCING MEASURES AND AN
OVERALL SHIFTING OPINION ON THE
ISSUE IN 2016 BERKELEY'S MEASURE
, X ONE RECEIVED 65% OF THE
VOTE. AND IN 2022 OAKLAND'S
MEASURE, W MEASURE W RECEIVED
74% OF THE VOTE. IT IS TIME WE
RIGHT VOTERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO
DECIDE WHETHER WE REMOVE THE
PROHIBITION ON A PROVEN CAMPAIGN
FINANCING SYSTEM THAT EMPOWERS
EVERYDAY VOTERS WOULD BE
STRICTLY ASKING FOR YOUR VOTE.
AND TODAY I'M PLEASED TO BE
JOINED BY MY WITNESSES AND
SUPPORT TRENT LANG FROM THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
CALIFORNIA CLEAN MONEY CAMPAIGN
, AND DAN CALLED THE OAKLAND
CITY COUNCIL MEMBER. GOOD
MORNING CHAIR AND MEMBERS. TRENT
LANG, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
CALIFORNIA MONEY CAMPAIGN. WE'RE
PROUD TO SPONSOR A B 2 70 ARE
VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE LEADERSHIP
ASSEMBLY RELIEF FOR AUTHORING
THIS AND FOR THE WORK OF THIS
COMMITTEE. VOTERS ARE
INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE
PROBLEMS OF MONEY IN POLITICS
AND A RECENT GALLUP POLL ONLY
20% OF RESPONDENTS REPORTED
BEING SATISFIED WITH AMERICAN
CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS. POLL
CONDUCTED BY THE CALIFORNIA
CLEAN MONEY CAMPAIGN 79% OF
LIKELY VOTERS SAID THAT BIG
MONEY CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTORS HAVE
TOO MUCH INFLUENCE OVER ELECTED
OFFICIALS IN CALIFORNIA. AND 68%
SO THAT ORDINARY VOTERS HAVE TOO
LITTLE INFLUENCE. 15 STATES IN
19 MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY HAVE ADOPTED VOLUNTARY
PUBLIC FINANCING SYSTEMS THAT
ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS TO
EMPOWER VOTERS AND HELP
CANDIDATES RUN CAMPAIGNS THAT
ARE MORE FOCUSED ON THE PEOPLE
THEY'RE RUNNING TO REPRESENTS.
SANDRA, SAN FRANCISCO AND
BERKELEY HAVE MATCHING FUNDS
SYSTEMS THAT PROVIDE A 6 TO 1
MATCH FOR SMALL DONATIONS FROM
INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN THE CITY,
MAGNIFYING THE IMPACT OF SMALL
DONORS. OAKLAND JUST PAST THE
DEMOCRACY DOLLAR PROGRAMS
SIMILAR TO SEATTLE'S IN WHICH
RESIDENTS GET 4 $25 VOUCHERS. UH
STUDY BY GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
FOUND A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE
NUMBER AND DIVERSITY OF
PRESIDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED.
MAINE ARIZONA, CONNECTICUT HAVE
HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL FULL PUBLIC
FUNDING CLEAN ELECTIONS SYSTEM
SO CANDIDATES DON'T HAVE TO
RAISE ANY PRIVATE DOLLARS AT ALL
AFTER THEY QUALIFIED. IT'S TIME
TO RETURN CONTROL TO LOCAL
GENERAL LAW CITIES, DISTRICT
COUNTIES AND THE STATE TO
EXPERIMENT PUBLIC FINANCING
SYSTEMS LIKE THESE THAT WORK FOR
THEM IN THE SAME WAY THE CHARTER
CITIES HAVE 82 70 WOULD ALLOW
THE VOTERS TO MAKE THIS UH UH,
DECISION THEMSELVES. IT WILL NOT
IMPOSE ANY PUBLIC FINANCING
ANYWHERE. IT'S JUST ALLOWING THE
CITIES AND COUNTIES TO DO SO. SO
WE RESPECTFULLY WHILE ADDING
IMPORTANT RESPECT SHINS
PROTECTIONS, SO WE RESPECTFULLY
REQUEST THAT I VOTE. THANK YOU.
UH IT'S CHAIR. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH MEMBERS. MY NAME IS DAN
COLLEGE IN OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
MEMBER. AS YOU KNOW, OAKLAND IS
FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ONE OF
THE CHARTER CITIES IN THE STATE,
WHICH MEANS THE COURTS HAVE
ALLOWED US TO ADOPT OUR LOCAL
PUBLIC FINANCING AS WE SEE FIT,
MAINTAINING LOCAL CONTROL OVER A
THREE YEAR PERIOD RECENTLY AS
YOU JUST HEARD A COALITION LED
PROCESS IN OAKLAND, LISTEN TO
RESIDENTS AND LOCAL COMMUNITY
LEADERS AND URGED THEM TO DO
SOMETHING BOLD TO GIVE AVERAGE
VOTERS MORE IMPACT ON LOCAL
CAMPAIGNS AND ALLOWS CANDIDATES
TO RUN FOR OFFICE. WITHOUT
HAVING TO RAISE SO MUCH MONEY
FROM PRIVATE CONTRIBUTORS, IN
PART BECAUSE MOST OF THOSE
PRIVATE CONTRIBUTIONS CAME FROM
JUST A FEW ZIP CODES WHERE THEIR
UPPER MIDDLE CLASS WEALTHY AND
PREDOMINANTLY WHITE PEOPLE LIVED
, NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
ENTIRE CITY AFTER A LENGTHY
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, I
AUTHORED THE COALITION BALLOT
MEASURE LAST YEAR MEASURE W THAT
IS CREATED HAS CREATED A
DEMOCRACY DOLLARS PROGRAM AS YOU
JUST HEARD DESCRIBED A MOMENT
AGO. THE MEASURE WAS SUPPORTED
BY A BROAD AND DIVERSE COALITION
AND PASSED BY AN OVERWHELMING
74% OF THE VOTE IF YOU GIVE
VOTERS AN OPPORTUNITY, RESIDENTS
AND OPPORTUNITY AND LOCAL
JURISDICTIONS TO ENGAGE IN A
PUBLIC FINANCING SYSTEM FOR
THEIR COMMUNITY, MOST LIKELY
THEY'RE GOING TO SAY YES,
UNFORTUNATELY AND WE WERE WE HAD
OUR RESIDENTS WERE VERY EXCITED
TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.
UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE HUNDREDS
OF INCORPORATED GENERAL LAW
CITIES IN CALIFORNIA AND 58
COUNTIES. THAT ARE PROHIBITED BY
A 35 YEAR OLD BALLOT PROPOSITION
FROM PASSING LOCAL PUBLIC
FINANCING, NO MATTER HOW MUCH
THE VOTERS IN THAT COMMUNITY MAY
WANT, AS I MENTIONED NOT JUST
CITIES, BUT THE COUNTIES AS WELL
, THAT'S WHY I STRONGLY BELIEVE
THAT PASSING A B 2 70 IS
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO GIVE
EVERY LOCAL EVERY LOCAL
GOVERNMENT THE SAME OPPORTUNITY
TO PASS PUBLIC FINANCING LAWS
LIKE OAKLAND AND OTHER CHARTER
CITIES HAVE DONE AND FINALLY, OF
COURSE, TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR THE STATE IF THEY SO CHOOSE
TO PASS THE PUBLIC FINANCING
SYSTEM. I RESPECT LATER. ROGER I
VOTE AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. BEAUTIFUL
PRIMARY WITNESSES AND
OPPOSITION. S¼ NANO THINK WE'RE
GONNA HAVE TO GET YOU A CLOSER
SEAT. DO YOU WANT TO SIT OVER
HERE THEN? TWO MINUTES. OKAY WHO
I AM. ELECTION INTEGRITY PROJECT
CALIFORNIA IS OPPOSED TO THIS
BILL, PRIMARILY BECAUSE IT
DOESN'T REALLY ACHIEVE THE GOAL
THAT IT SETS ABOUT, AND THAT'S
UH, ESTABLISHING AN EQUAL
PLAYING FIELD AMONG CANDIDATES
FINANCIALLY, SO, UM IT WHAT IT
DOES IS DOES NOT ADDRESS UH,
INCUMBENTS AND THEY WOULD HAVE
EQUAL ACCESS TO THE SAME MONEY
FUNDS SO UM IT. IT'S WOULD KEEP
THE SAME RATIO OF, UM OF FUNDING
IT BE STILL ON UNEQUAL. SO THE
FINANCIAL DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN
INCUMBENTS AND CANDIDATES WITH
SPECIAL INTEREST BACKING YEAH.
AND THAT WOULD CHALLENGERS WOULD
REMAIN THE SAME. SO UNLESS
PUBLIC FUNDS ARE THE ONLY SOURCE
OF CAMPAIGN FINANCING, UM AND
DISTRIBUTED EQUALLY AMONG ALL
CANDIDATES MEETING REASONABLE
STANDARDS OF VIABILITY OF THE
BILLS, PURPOSE TO INCENTIVIZE
AND ASSIST IN WOULD BE FIGHTING
THE SAME FINANCIAL DISADVANTAGE
AS BEFORE DIPPING INTO PUBLIC
FUNDS. SO THERE WOULD BE NO
CHANGE IN THE STATUS QUO. THE
BILL DOESN'T ADDRESS SUPER PACS
. IT DOESN'T ADDRESS DARK MONEY
. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT
ARE LEFT OUT OF IT, AND CITIZENS
. MONEY IS NOT VOLUNTARY
CONTRIBUTION IS OPPOSED TO OF
NORMAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO A
CANDIDATE. SO, UM WE ARE OPPOSED
TO THIS, SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU
. WE WILL NOW TURN OVER TO
PEOPLE IN THE COMMITTEE ROOM.
ANYBODY IN THE ROOM AND SUPPORT
OR OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL ROSE
LAGOON, VOTERS OF CALIFORNIA AND
VERY, VERY STRONG SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, MR ROSE. DENNIS
ATTILA'S FOR INDIVISIBLE
CALIFORNIA STATE STRONG AND
STRONG SUPPORT. HELLO SKY ALLEN
WITH INLAND EMPIRE UNITED AND WE
SUPPORT THIS BILL. GREGORY
FIDDLE WITH INITIATE JUSTICE,
STRONG SUPPORT. GREAT WELL, NOW
TURN INTO THE PHONE LINES,
OPERATORS, EVERYBODY THE PHONE
LINES AND SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION
TO THIS BILL. AS A REMINDER TO
REGISTER SUPPORTER OPPOSITION TO
ABBY TO 70. IF YOU'RE NOT
ALREADY DONE SO PRESS 10 AT THIS
TIME, WE'LL START WITH LINE
NUMBER 70 GO AHEAD. JUNE HENRY
WITH CALIFORNIA CLEAN MONEY,
CAMPAIGN AND SUPPORT OF A B 2
70. LINE 1 94 GO AHEAD. THANK
YOU. JOHNNY EDWARDS, FORMER SAC
. CLARA COUNTY ELECTIONS
COMMISSIONER. I'M STRONG SUPPORT
OF A B 2 70. LINE. 1 48 GO
AHEAD. 1 48. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
YOUR LINES OPEN. 1 48, YOU MIGHT
BE MUTED ON YOUR END. CAN YOU
CHECK? MOVING ON LINE. 1 59 1 59
GO AHEAD, PLEASE. I DIDN'T FELT
SACRAMENTO COUNTY IN OPPOSITION
TO THIS BILL. LINE ONE. OH, ONE.
GO AHEAD. RAINY HICKS IN
CALIFORNIA. DISABILITY RIGHTS,
STRONG SUPPORT. LINES 72 GO
AHEAD. ME. HI THIS IS SHIRLEY.
SHELLING GOT THE WOOD COUNTER
CUSTOM MOVE ON IN CALIFORNIA.
CLEAN MONEY AND STRONG SUPPORT
OF MAYBE 70 TO 70. LINE, 13 GO
AHEAD. LINE 13. WE CAN HEAR YOU.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE. OH, AH! MYRNA
BAROLO L A COUNTY EXPOSED A B
270. LINE, 17 GO AHEAD. THANK
YOU. RAJVEER CHANGE BEGINS WITH
ME AND STRONG SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. LINE 1 87 GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
UM LINE 1 87 MARY BEVANS. SEND
THE TAIL. STRONGEST SUPPORT.
MAYBE 2 70. THANK YOU. LINE. 25
GO AHEAD, PLEASE. MISSY AND LOS
ANGELES COUNTY STRONGLY OPPOSED
TO FLAWED A B 270. LINE, 75 GO
AHEAD. LINDA HENNIGAN, PALO ALTO
, SANTA CLARA COUNTY IN STRONG
SUPPORT OF A B 2 70. THANK YOU.
LINE, 74 GO AHEAD. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MICHELLE SUTTER OF
MOVIE MONEY OUT VOTERS IN AND WE
ARE IN STRONG SUPPORT OF ABBY TO
70. THANK YOU. LINE, 41 GO
AHEAD. LAWRENCE BASKET,
INVISIBLE SAN FRANCISCO AND
VISIBLE CALIFORNIA STAY STRONG
CAUSE IN FULL SUPPORT. 91 21 GO
AHEAD. SORRY ONE MOMENT. 11 21.
OKAY, PLEASE START AGAIN. WE
DIDN'T HAVE YOU OPEN. GO AHEAD,
1 21. NO PROBLEM. THIS IS KAREN
POWERS FOR ELECTION INTEGRITY
PROJECT, CALIFORNIA. SPEAKING IN
OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL. LINE,
47 GO AHEAD. EXPLAIN THAT TO
BURY ELECTION INTEGRITY PROJECT
CALIFORNIA PASTOR COUNTY AND
OPPOSITION OF 2 70. LINE, 31 GO
AHEAD. YES LIZ WAGUIH WITH
SACRAMENTO COUNTY AND I AM AS
STRONG OPPOSITION TO BUILD A B 2
70. LINE 1 36 GO AHEAD. I THINK
THE RANKING CALIBERS COUNTY AND
STRONG OPPOSITION. LINE, 20 GO
AHEAD. GREAT LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
WITH ELECTION INTEGER GREEK
PROJECT OF CALIFORNIA AND STRONG
OPPOSITION. LINE, 10 GO AHEAD.
CHRIS FOSTER FROM ORANGE COUNTY.
I OPPOSE A B 2 70. THANK YOU.
LINE 1 93 GO AHEAD. THIS IS
ISABEL STORY. I AM REPRESENTING
INDIVISIBLE WEST LOS ANGELES AND
INDIVISIBLE CALIFORNIA STATE
STRONG IN STRONG SUPPORT OF A B
2 70. LINE 58 58 GO AHEAD,
PLEASE. THERE'S A CHANCE THAT
FROM SANTA CARLA COUNTY STRONGLY
OPPOSED 82 70. THANK YOU. LINE 1
95 GO AHEAD. GINNY MADISON AND
SAN LEANDRO. FIRST WEDNESDAYS IS
IN SUPPORT OF A B 2 70. LINE, 87
GO AHEAD. CREATE DUNKERLEY,
CALIFORNIA CLEAN MONEY CAMPAIGNS
STRONG SUPPORT. LINE, 24 GO
AHEAD. AS ANDY MISER L, A COUNTY
WITH GI PCA STRONGLY OPPOSED.
LINE, 100 GO AHEAD. ELAINE ALIBI
SERIE IN PALO ALTO, SANTA CLARA
COUNTY STRONGLY IN SUPPORT OF A
B 2 70. LINE, 34 GO AHEAD. JOE
ELY, BUT WOULD CONTRAST ECONOMY.
I SUPPORT 82 70. ALIGN 1 51 GO
AHEAD. HI THIS IS JULIE JALAPE
TOP FROM ORANGE COUNTY. I
STRONGLY OPPOSED TO 70. LINE, 99
GO AHEAD. THIS IS DAVID SMITH
FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO VOLUNTEER
FOR THE CALIFORNIA CLEAN MONEY
CAMPAIGN, CALLING IN STRONG
SUPPORT OF A B 2 70. IN 1 77 GO
AHEAD. YES THIS IS HAROLD
TIPPING FROM SAN JOSE AND SANTA
CLARA COUNTY. I AM S SUPPORT OF
A B 2 70. LINE. 69 GO AHEAD. 69
YOUR LINES OPEN. YOU MIGHT BE
MUTED. CHECKING ME BUTTON,
PLEASE. 1 69. WE CAN HEAR YOU GO
AHEAD. LINE 1 98 LINE 1 98 GO
AHEAD, PLEASE. GRAND KIWI FROM
ON A CREEK IN STRONG SUPPORT OF
A B 3 70. LINE 1 16 GO AHEAD. 1
16 YEAR OLDS. JOAN HANA FROM
SHANNON'S A AND SUPPORTED BABY
TO 70. LINE. 78 GO AHEAD,
PLEASE. LINE 78. YOUR LINE IS
OPEN. GO AHEAD WITH YOUR COMMENT
WAS ON MUTE. ANDREW CROCKETT OF
SANTA CLARA COUNTY MEMBER OF THE
CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL
COMMITTEE IN CALIFORNIA CLEAN
MONEY CAMPAIGN EXPRESSING THE
STRONGEST POSSIBLE SUPPORT FOR A
B 2 70. ONLINE 91 GO AHEAD. GARY
APPEL, CALIFORNIA CLEAN MONEY,
STRONG SUPPORT FOR ABBY TO 70.
LINE 1 92 GO AHEAD. 1 92. WE CAN
HEAR YOU. GO AHEAD, PLEASE. AND
THROWN TOOKER FROM PETALUMA. I
AM IN SUPPORT OF A B 2 70. THANK
YOU LINE 1 89 GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
KENT DUANE JONES, THE VILLAGE OF
SAN JOSE AND STRONG SUPPORT FOR
82 70. LINE, 200 GO AHEAD.
STOPPABLE 80 GROUPS, INDIVISIBLE
CALIFORNIA STATE STRONG AND
STRONG SUPPORT FOR ABBY TO 70.
THANK YOU. ONE LAST FEW MINOR TO
COME IN TO SUPPORT HER
OPPOSITION TO 70 PRESS 10 WITH
THIS TIME NEXT WE GO TO LINE 1
31 30. GO AHEAD, PLEASE. I AM A
INDIVIDUAL CALIFORNIA STRONG AS
WELL AS EVEN MORE INDIVIDUAL.
STRONG SUPPORT. THANK YOU. LINE,
81 GO AHEAD. DAVID DONALDSON,
SANTA CLARA STRONG SUPPORT. LINE
69 YOU'RE BACK IN. Q. GO AHEAD
AGAIN, PLEASE. 69 GO AHEAD. CAN
YOU CHECK ON YOUR PHONE LINE? 69
WE CAN GET YOUR COMMENT. PAT
LANGUAGE SOUTH OF HILLS. STRONG
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. NEXT LINE.
204 GO AHEAD, PLEASE. SPENDING
WITHOUT COUNTING ON YOUR
SUPPORT. THAT BROKE UP YOU JUST
SAY IT AGAIN, PLEASE. LINGERED
FROM. PERFECT WE GOT YOU. THANK
YOU. LINE 1 63 1 63 GO AHEAD, GO
TO LUNCH. 1 63 GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
1 63, CAN YOU CHECK YOUR MUTE?
MAKE SURE NOT MEET IT. ON YOUR
END. YOUR LINE IS OPEN ON HERE.
COME ON, LET'S GO. OKAY LINE. 1
91 1 91 GO AHEAD, PLEASE. HI
THIS IS JENNIFER CARDINI WITH
ELECTION INTEGRITY PROJECT
CALIFORNIA AND I OPPOSE THIS
BILL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MR
CHAIRMAN. QUÊ IS NOW CLEAR.
RETURNING TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS THAT
SOME MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE MR
BENNETT. WELCOME. IF A FEW
THINGS FIRST, JUST A QUESTION
FOR THE OPPONENT, YOU HAD
MENTIONED THAT THIS WOULDN'T
ACHIEVE THE GOAL OF EQUALIZING
THE MONEY, AND THAT WOULD ONLY
HAPPEN IF THE ONLY SOURCE OF
MONEY IS PUBLIC FINANCING. DO
YOU SUPPORT HAVING THE ONLY
SOURCE OF MONEY BEING PUBLIC?
FINANCIAL I DON'T KNOW I MIGHT.
THAT'S MY CONCERN, THOUGH, IS
THAT THE INCUMBENTS WOULD HAVE,
YOU KNOW A BIG ADVANTAGE AND
THEN YOU DOESN'T ADDRESS SUPER
PAC MONEY. SO YOU DON'T KNOW
WHETHER YOU PARDON ME. YOU DON'T
KNOW WHETHER YOU SUPPORT HAVING
IT ONLY BE PUBLIC FINANCIAL IF
IT GOES, IF THAT'S THE ONLY
SOURCE OF MONEY THAT, UM, THAT
WOULD BE EQUAL SUPPORT PUBLIC
FINANCING. I GIVE IT A
CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU AND TO
THE AUTHOR APPRECIATE YOU YOUR
LEADERSHIP ON THIS AND SO MANY
OF EACH OTHER'S APPRECIATE
SEEING YOU AGAIN. TRENT BE
HONORED TO BE A CO AUTHOR ON THE
BILL. THANK YOU. AND I'LL MOVE
TO MOVE THE BILL MOTION BY MR
BENNETT'S SECOND BY MS PELLERIN.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? I
RESPECTFULLY ASK DR Ó. THIS
ENJOYS THE DO PASS FROM THE
CHAIR. MADAM SECRETARY CAN CALL
THE ROLL. THE MOTION IS DO PASS
AND BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE
ON APPROPRIATIONS. BRIAN BRIAN.
I LACKEY LACKEY. NO BENNETT
BENNETT. I SALI. A SALIH NO, LI
, I LO PELLERIN AND I BLANCA
RUBIO RUBIO. AYE. EDU. THAT
BUILDS OUT 5 TO 2. WHAT WOULD
YOU LIKE TO PRESENT A B 12 27
FROM MR LOWE. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU TO COME UP. OH OKAY. AFTER
THIS SO. I'LL BE PRESENTING
ASSEMBLY BILL 12 27 FOR
SOMEWHERE BELOW. SO JUST FOR THE
T V PEOPLE. I'M NOT
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S LOW JUST IN
CASE. I'M HAPPY TO ACCEPT THE
COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS AND ALSO TO
ALSO PUT ON THE RECORD THAT I
WILL BE JOINING ON AS A CO
AUTHOR AS WELL. I DON'T THINK
I'M PRESENTLY A CO AUTHOR ON
THIS A B 12 27 IS A DISTRICT
BILL TO ALLOW SANTA CLARA COUNTY
TO ADOPT RANKED CHOICE VOTING
FOR LOCAL ELECTIONS WITH ME
TODAY, MY WITNESSES, ALI HUGHES
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ALI
HUGHES WORKING FOR CANYON SNOW
CONSULTING REPRESENTING CALOR CV
AND I'M HERE TO AND I'M HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
THANKS MUCH. ANY OTHER WITNESSES
IN SUPPORT PRIMARY WITNESSES AND
SUPPORT NO PRIMARY WITNESSES AND
OPPOSITION. WE'LL DO THE ROOM IN
THE SECOND, ANY PRIMARY
WITNESSES AND OPPOSITION. NO
PRIMARY WITNESSES AND
OPPOSITION. WE'LL TURN IT TO
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ROOM
AND HE WITNESSES OR ANY PEOPLE
IN THE COMMITTEE ROOM WHO WOULD
LIKE TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL, WOMEN
VOTERS OF CALIFORNIA AND STRONG
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
MISS ROSE. SURE IF YOU WANT
PAULA LEE CALIFORNIANS FOR
ELECTORAL REFORM IN STRONG
SUPPORT. BEAUTIFUL. HI ALI
HUGHES AGAIN WEARING TWO HATS
REPRESENTING BAY MECH, THIS TIME
IN STRONG SUPPORT, BEAUTIFUL. UM
WELL, NOW TURN IT TO THE PHONE
LINES. ANYBODY ON THE PHONE
LINES WOULD LIKE TO REGISTER
THEIR SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION.
THAT ONCE AGAIN REGISTERED
SUPPORTER OPPOSITION FREEBIE FOR
27 PRESS 10 AT THIS TIME IF
YOU'VE NOT DONE SO ALREADY, BUT
FIRST GO TO LINE 1 97 1 97 GO
AHEAD, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M BILL JAMES I'M CHAIR OF THE
SANTA CLARA COUNTY DEMOCRATIC
PARTY REPRESENTING OVER 500,000
VOTERS IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY,
AND WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THE
BILL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. LINE,
101 GO AHEAD. RAINY HICKS.
SACRAMENTO COUNTY GREEN PARTY
AND STRONG SUPPORT. LINE 1 49 GO
AHEAD, PLEASE. 1 49. YOUR LINE
IS OPEN. GO AHEAD. HELLO CAN YOU
HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU. HI.
THANK YOU. THIS IS ERIC QUITE
GONE CALLING ON BEHALF OF THIS
SILICON VALLEY. YOUNG DEMS
CALLING AND STRONG SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. LINE, 25 GO AHEAD.
LET'S SEE FROM LOS ANGELES
COUNTY. I STRONGLY OPPOSED, UM
OH, RANKED CHOICE VOTING,
ESPECIALLY A B 1227. LINE. 69 GO
AHEAD. LINE 69. YOUR LINE IS
OPEN AGAIN. GO AHEAD WITH YOUR
COMMENT, PLEASE. HAPPENING
RANKED WAS STARTING. YES, THANK
YOU. LINE, 204 GO AHEAD. TWO OF
FOUR. GO AHEAD WITH YOUR
COMMENTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
OKAY, LINE. 24 GO AHEAD. AND UM
ISA L. A COUNTY STRONGLY OPPOSED
. ALRIGHT VOTING. LINE, 58 GO
AHEAD. 58 LINES OPEN. IT'S A
CHANCE TO TOM CONTI STRONGLY
OPPOSED A B WANTS YOU TO SEVEN.
LINE 1 78 LINE, 78 GO AHEAD.
THIS IS ANDREW CROCKETT OF SAN
JOSE, CALIFORNIA AND FORMER
CANDIDATE FOR SANTA CLARA COUNTY
ASSESSOR EXPRESSING STRONG
SUPPORT FOR A B 1227. LINES 31
GO AHEAD. YES MY NAME IS LITTLE
AUGIE AND I STRONGLY OPPOSE THIS
BILL. I OPPOSE ALL RANKED
VOTING. THANK YOU. LINE TWO. OH,
THREE. GO AHEAD. HI THIS IS
STEVE CHESSON. I LIVE IN
MOUNTAIN VIEW IN SANTA CLARA
COUNTY. AND I STRONGLY SUPPORT A
B 12 27 IS A PERSON BEHIND
MEASURE. F. AND ONE LAST
REMINDER TO SUPPORT OR OPPOSED
12 27 ON THE PHONE PRESS 10 NEXT
WE GO TO LINE 1 77 GO AHEAD. 1
77 GO AHEAD, PLEASE. YEAH. YES
THIS IS HAROLD TIPPING FROM SAN
JOSE AND SANTA CLARA COUNTY. I'M
STRONGLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS
BILL. THANK YOU. LINE 1 51 GO
AHEAD. OH HI. MY NAME IS JULIE
JALAPA FROM ORANGE COUNTY. I
STRONGLY OPPOSED TO STILL. IN
LINE TWO. OH, NINE. GO AHEAD,
PLEASE. HELLO. WE CAN HEAR YOU
GO AHEAD WITH YOUR COMMENT. OH
HI. MY NAME IS VAL MCMACKIN. I'M
FROM SAN JOSE, SANTA CLARA
COUNTY. AND I STRONGLY SUPPORT A
B 1227 AND RANKED CHOICE VOTING
IN GENERAL. THANK YOU AND MR
CHAIR THAT DOES CLEAR THE QUÊ.
ONCE AGAIN. WE HAVE NO
ADDITIONAL RESPONDENTS. THANK
YOU SO MUCH WHEN I TURN IT TO
COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND THE
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WOULD
LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS BILL,
SAYING NONE. MR. LEE, WOULD YOU
LIKE TO CLOSE FOR MR LOWE? I
WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT YOU
KNOW, NO MATTER HOW YOU FEEL
ABOUT THE CONCEPT RANKED CHOICE
VOTING, THIS BILL SIMPLY ALLOWS
MY HOME COUNTY TO ELECT TO
SWITCH THE RANK CHOICE VOTING SO
THAT'S SIMPLY ALLOWS HIM TO DO
SO. THEY COULD ALSO CHOOSE NOT
TO DO SO RESPECTFULLY ASKED FOR
YOUR IVO DO WE HAVE A MOTION?
CHECK. MOVED BY MS PELLERIN,
SECONDED BY MS RUBIO SLASH MR
BENNETT. UM THE CHAIR AGREES
WITH YOU. THIS ENJOYS A DO PASS.
MADAM SECRETARY, CAN WE CALL THE
ROLL? THE MOTIONS DO PASS AS
AMENDED AND BE REFERRED TO THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
BRIAN BRIAN. I LACKEY LACKEY NOT
VOTING. BENNETT BENNETT. I SALI.
LEE. THE I LO. PELLERIN AND I
BLANCA RUBIO RUBIO. AYE. THAT'S
ABOUT ZERO. THAT'S OUR 50 SOME
OF THE MEMBERS SANCHEZ IF YOU
ARE WATCHING, YOU ARE LAST
MEMBER WHO WAS NOT A MEMBER OF
THIS COMMITTEE TO PRESENT, BUT
IN HER ABSENCE, I'LL GO AHEAD
AND FINISH MY STAG. WE FIND THAT
.
REMEMBER BRIAN, TWO DOWN, THREE
TO GO. READY. GO. SHOULD WE
START WITH A B 544? SOUNDS
GREAT. 44. YES? UM. IN THE
INTEREST OF TIME I WILL BE
SUCCINCT OR AS A SINK AS I CAN
BE, UM, CHAIRING COLLEAGUES.
CALIFORNIA LAW CURRENTLY ALLOWS
FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE INCARCERATED
IN COUNTY JAILS TO VOTE. THEY DO
VOTE. THEY ARE ALLOWED TO VOTE.
MANY PEOPLE IN COUNTY JAIL
ROUGHLY HALF THE PEOPLE IN
COUNTY JAIL HAVEN'T EVEN HAD
THEIR FIRST DAY IN COURT OR
COULD NOT AFFORD TO BAIL OUT. IT
WOULD BE A PART OF THE PUBLIC
WITH THE REST OF US. AND THE
PROBLEM IS THAT THE COUNTY JAIL
SYSTEMS DON'T HAVE A
STANDARDIZED WAY OF FACILITATING
ELECTIONS. WE HAVE SOME
OUTSTANDING COUNTY CLERKS WHO
WILL GO CELL BY CELL HANDING
BALLOTS TO FOLKS LIKE A MEMBER
OF THIS COMMITTEE PASSED IN. YOU
HAVE OTHER SITUATIONS LIKE AN L.
A COUNTY JAIL, THE LARGEST JAIL
SYSTEM. IN THE WORLD 17,000
PEOPLE, UM, WHERE THE JAIL CAN
BE TURNED INTO A POLLING PLACE.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF STATEWIDE
PROVISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN
IMPLEMENTED IMPLEMENTED IN THE
LAST SEVERAL YEARS OUT OF THIS
COMMITTEE AND IN THIS BODY THAT
SHOULD BE STANDARDIZED FOR FOLKS
WHO ARE INCARCERATED IN COUNTY
JAILS AS WELL WITH THIS BILL
DOES IS IT IMPROVES ACCESS FOR
PEOPLE WHO ARE DETAINED IN
COUNTY JAIL? AND AFFORDS THEM
EVERY FULL OPPORTUNITY TO
EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO
PARTICIPATE IN DEMOCRACY. IT
ALSO, UM. ENSURES THAT THERE'S
GREATER STANDARDIZATION ACROSS
THE STATE SO THAT IT'S NOT
COUNTY BY COUNTY, WHERE THE
ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN
DEMOCRACY IS AFFORDED IN A WAY
THAT'S ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WHO
ARE INCARCERATED ARE COUNTY JAIL
SYSTEMS WITH US HERE TODAY TO
PROVIDE TESTIMONY ARE THANH TRAN
POLICY ASSOCIATE WITH THE L. A.
BAKER CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
AND A CHIEF ARCHITECT OF THIS
IDEA. UM AND FRAMEWORK AND AS
WELL AS BRITTANY. DON'T HAVE FOR
A STAFF ATTORNEY WITH A C L U
NORCAL. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
BRITNEY STONECIPHER. FOURTH
CALIFORNIA ACTION AND THERE ARE
CURRENTLY 60,000 PEOPLE IN
CALIFORNIA'S JAILS THAT
PRACTICALLY ALL OF THEM HAVE THE
RIGHT TO VOTE WHO ARE ADULT
CITIZENS. HOWEVER INCARCERATED
PEOPLE HAVE DRAMATICALLY LOWER
TURNOUT THAN NON INCARCERATED
VOTERS. THIS LOW TURNOUT STUNS
FROM CRIMINAL DISENFRANCHISEMENT
LAWS ENACTED IN THE 18 HUNDREDS
DISTRICT POLITICAL POWER FROM
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. BECAUSE OF
CONTINUING STRUCTURAL
DISCRIMINATION IN OUR CRIMINAL
LEGAL SYSTEM. THESE POLICIES
HAVE THE SAME DISPROPORTIONATE
IMPACT THAT THEY HAD OVER A
CENTURY AGO. DESPITE BEING
LEGALLY ENTITLED TO VOTE. PEOPLE
IN JAIL ARE UNDERSERVED BY
ELECTIONS OFFICIALS AND OFTEN
UNAWARE OF THEIR RIGHTS. PEOPLE
IN JAILS ALSO EXPERIENCED UNIQUE
OBSTACLES WHEN THEY REACH FOR
THE BALLOT BOX. FOR EXAMPLE,
JAIL POLICY IS LIMITED ACCESS
DEPENDS OR IF DELIVERY OF VOTE
BY MAIL BALLOTS OR DELAYED IN
THE JAILS, MAILROOM OR IF A
PERSON IS TRANSFERRED TO A
DIFFERENT FACILITY AND MAYBE
IMPOSSIBLE FOR EVEN A VERY
DETERMINED INCARCERATED VOTER TO
CAST A BALLOT IN ELECTION. BY
BRINGING IN PERSON VOTING
DIRECTLY INTO JAILS. MAYBE 5 44
WILL ALLOW INCARCERATED VOTERS
TO REGISTER TO VOTE AND CAST A
BALLOT ON ELECTION DAY, JUST AS
NOT INCARCERATED, VOTERS ARE
ABLE TO DO 85 44 WILL ALSO
IMPROVE TRANSPARENCY BY
ESTABLISHING OF JAIL VOTING
COORDINATOR AND EACH JAIL AND BY
REQUIRING JAIL VOTING PROGRAM
INFORMATION TO BE POSTED ONLINE.
THIS BILL IS BASED ON EXISTING
MODELS AND OTHER COUNTIES AND
OTHER DEAREST JURISDICTIONS, AND
THEY'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE
JAILS WHERE THEY'RE AVAILABLE.
IN L. A THAT WE ALL VOTE OR
WE'LL COUNT PROGRAM HAS
REPORTEDLY ENABLED OVER 2000
VOTERS TO REGISTER AND VOTE FROM
A WOMEN'S COUNTY WOMEN'S JAIL
AND DURING THE 2020 ELECTION.
SIMILARLY CHICAGO JAIL VOTERS
HAD ONLY 7% TURNOUT WHEN ALL
VOTING WAS DONE BY MAIL. BY
CONTRAST, THE FIRST YEAR THAT
POLLING STATIONS WERE INTRODUCED
INSIDE VOTER TURNOUT INCREASED
TO 37% WHICH IS HIGHER THAN THE
OVERALL TURNOUT FOR THE CITY OF
CHICAGO. ABC 5 75 44 WILL BRING
THESE PRACTICES INTO ALL
CALIFORNIA JAILS, HELPING PEOPLE
TO EXERCISE THEIR FUNDAMENTAL
RIGHT TO VOTE. FOR THESE
REASONS. WE RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
YOUR GUEST VOTE. THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT MY NAME IS TOM TRAN
POLICY ASSOCIATED WITH THE L. A
BAKER CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
AND I'LL MOVE RIGHT INTO IT.
WHEN DEMOCRACY WORKS. IT WORKS
REALLY WELL AND EXAMPLE OF WHEN
IT WORKED REALLY WELL WAS A GOOD
FRIEND OF MINE. SO I WAS
INCARCERATED WITHIN THE MARCUS
SO MARKETS SHARED WITH ME, A
RARE OCCURRENCE THAT HAPPENED
WHEN HE WAS IN COUNTY JAIL KIND
CORRECTIONAL OFFICER VOLUNTEERED
ON HIS SHIFT TO TELL THE POD
MARCUS WAS INCARCERATED IN THAT
THEY HAD THE RIGHT TO VOTE, AND
NOT ONLY THAT THIS OFFICER
VOLUNTEERED. TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEY CAST A BALLOT, AND MARCUS
HAD NEVER VOTED BEFORE. HE NEVER
KNEW IF HE WAS ELIGIBLE,
ELIGIBLE TO VOTE, OR EVEN IF HE
COULD VOTE. SO WHEN HE CASTED
HIS FIRST BALLOT, AND HE SAW A
LINE BY LINE TWO DIFFERENT
ISSUES, HE WAS VOTING ON ISSUES
THAT AFFECTED HIS FAMILY. HIS
MOTHER, HIS KIDS HE FELT
CONNECTED TO HIS COMMUNITY IN A
WAY THAT HE HAS NEVER FELT
BEFORE. HIS WHOLE LIFE. HE
BELIEVED HIMSELF TO BE
UNACCEPTED AND APART FROM
SOCIETY, SO TO FINALLY VOTE FOR
THE FIRST TIME EVER, MARCUS TOLD
ME HOW HE FELT LIKE HIS VOICE
MATTERED FOR THE FIRST TIME AND
THAT COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED THE
WAY HE VIEWED HIMSELF, BUT IT
TRANSFORMED THE WAY HE FELT
CONNECTED TO HIS COMMUNITY, AND
I'LL END BY SHARING THE DAY THAT
MARCUS CASSIDY'S FIRST BALLOT
WAS THE DAY THAT MARKETS LEFT
THE GANG IN COUNTY JAIL. THE
SAME DAY HE CASTED. HIS FIRST
BALLOT WAS THE DAY THAT HE
RECOMMITTED TO BEING A FATHER.
IN SPITE OF HIS INCARCERATION
THE SAME DAY HE CASTED HIS
BALLOT. DEMOCRACY WORKED RIGHT,
SO IT'S A B 544 IS ABOUT TAKING
THIS RARE INSTANCE OF
TRANSFORMATION IN DEMOCRACY AND
REPLICATING THIS EXPERIENCE.
IT'S ABOUT EXPANDING THAT
EXPERIENCE AND NOT RELYING ON
ONE KIND OF OFFICER BUT RELYING
ON US AS CALIFORNIANS TO SAY
THAT THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF
DEMOCRACY. NEEDS TO BE
ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE,
ESPECIALLY BLACK AND BROWN
COMMUNITIES WHO OVER REPRESENT
ARE INCARCERATED POPULATION, SO
I'M POOR YOU TO PLEASE PASS A B
544. OKAY DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER
WITNESSES IN THE ROOM THAT WOULD
LIKE TO EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR THIS
MEASURE? FOR ROSE LEAGUE OF
WOMEN VOTERS OF CALIFORNIA. I'M
VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS BILL AND
STRONG SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. GREGORY FIDDLE WITH
INITIATE JUSTICE, PROUD CO
SPONSOR AND STRONG SUPPORT. ON
BEHALF OF SMART JUSTICE
CALIFORNIA GLENN BACCHUS IN
SUPPORT. ON BEHALF OF INLAND
EMPIRE UNITED, WE STRONGLY
SUPPORT THIS BILL. RAHSAAN
THOMAS. IN THIS SHADE JUSTICE
STRONGLY SUPPORT. CRYSTAL
CARDONA'S WITH INITIATE JUSTICE
OR PROUD CO SPONSOR AND STRONG
SUPPORT. IN A LITTLE BIT. SEN.
FRANCISCO EDUCATOR HERE ON
BEHALF OF MYSELF AND MY
INCARCERATED YOUNG SON, WE ARE
BOTH IN STRONG SUPPORT OF THIS
BILL. KRISTEN NUMEROUS
CALIFORNIA BLACK POWER NETWORK
AND SUPPORT THANK YOU ANY
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION? TO THIS
BILL. LIKE TO TESTIFY. ANYBODY
WHO WOULD LIKE TO STAND AND SHOW
THEIR OPPOSITION. SAYING NONE
WILL GO TO THE PHONES. ONCE
AGAIN TO REGISTER HIS SUPPORT
OPPOSITION FOR A B 544 PRESS 10
AT THIS TIME FIRST WE GOTTA LINE
86 9 86 GO AHEAD. 9 86 YEAR OLD.
ERIC HARRIS. DISABILITY RIGHTS,
CALIFORNIA STRONG SUPPORT. LINE
2 13 GO AHEAD, PLEASE. GOOD
AFTERNOON, JIM LINDBERG ON
BEHALF OF THE FRENCH COMMITTEE
ON LEGISLATION OF CALIFORNIA IN
STRONG SUPPORT. LINE 1 46 GO
AHEAD. HIÂU GO FOR IT WITH ASIAN
AMERICANS EVENT FROM JUSTICE AND
LAW POCKETS AND WE STRONGLY
SUPPORT THIS, BILL. THANK YOU.
IN 101, PLEASE GO AHEAD. WHEN
TEXAS CALIFORNIA DISABILITY
RIGHTS AND STRONG SUPPORT. LINE.
25 GO AHEAD, PLEASE. THE THING
IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY STRONGLY
OPPOSED TO FLAWED A B 544.
ONLINE. 58, PLEASE GO AHEAD. 58
CHECK AND SEE IF YOU MEET IT ON
YOUR END. YOUR LINE IS OPEN.
THANK YOU. THIS IS THE JUANFRAN
CINDA COLLAR COUNTY. I STRONGLY
OPPOSED A B 544. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU AND 1 36 GO AHEAD,
PLEASE. THANK YOU, FRANKIE
TALAVERA COUNTY. STRONGLY
OPPOSED. ONLINE. 1 31, PLEASE GO
AHEAD. I'M SORRY LINE 31 LINE.
31 GO AHEAD, PLEASE. YES, LIZ
LOGGIA WAS SACRAMENTO COUNTY
STRONGLY OPPOSED? ONLINE. 1 21,
GO AHEAD. YES KAREN POWERS.
ELECTION INTEGRITY PROJECT,
CALIFORNIA IN OPPOSITION. IN
LINE 1 51 GO AHEAD. HI JULIE.
HALA POSSIBLE. FINE TO 14 GO
AHEAD. ALASKA CLARA COUNTY
SUPPORT THIS BILL. ONLINE 47 GO
AHEAD, PLEASE. LEHMAN TO BURY
ELECTION INTEGRITY PROJECT
CALIFORNIA AND OPPOSITION 5 44.
24 GO AHEAD, PLEASE. LINE 24
YOUR LINES OPEN. GO AHEAD,
PLEASE. ANDY MISER L, A COUNTY
ELECTION INTEGRITY PROJECT OF
CALIFORNIA STRONGLY OPPOSED THIS
ONE. THANK YOU. LINE 1 59 GO
AHEAD. JEANETTE CELT, SACRAMENTO
COUNTY. AND I OPPOSE THIS BILL.
THANK YOU, ELAINE 212. GO AHEAD,
PLEASE. MY NAME IS ALICE CARL
CLARA COUNTY. I STRONGLY OPPOSED
. AND A QUICK REMINDER FOR 85 44
PRESS 10 FOR COMMENT WILL NEXT
GO TO LINE 2 16 TO 16 GO AHEAD,
PLEASE. ROMAN DYLAN PERIL.
HUMBOLDT COUNTY STRONGLY OPPOSE
THIS BILL. IN LINE 1 18, PLEASE
GO AHEAD. HELLO KAYLA THOUGHTFUL
FROM ORANGE COUNTY, AND I AM
LIKE MOST THE OTHER COLLARS
STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS BILL.
ONLINE TO 15 GO AHEAD, PLEASE. 2
15 YEAR LINES OPEN CHECK TO SEE
YOU NOT MUTED ON YOUR END. OKAY?
9 TO 15. I THINK WE CAN HEAR
YOU. GO AHEAD WITH YOUR COMMENT.
MY NAME IS SHERRY. I'M WITH
INITIATE JUSTICE AND I STRONGLY
SUPPORT A C A FOUR. THANK YOU.
AND NEXT LINE TO 18 TO 18 GO
AHEAD. SORRY. ONE MOMENT TO 18.
I THINK THEY'VE DROPPED OUT OF
QUÊ. OKAY WE HAVE NO ADDITIONAL
RESPONDENTS IN Q AT THIS TIME.
OKAY, WELL, NOW BRING IT BACK
TO, UH THE COMMITTEE. DO WE HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? WE
HAVE A MOTION. THANK YOU. IT'S A
GREAT BILL. THANK YOU. AND I
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
CONFIDENCE. THANKS. ANOTHER
COMMENT. GO AHEAD. YEAH, THE
ONLY THING THAT'S GREAT, BILL. I
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
WORKING WITH ELECTIONS OFFICIALS
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DAY AND
HOURS WORKED FOR THEM AS WELL.
SO ABSOLUTELY CAN YOU MAKE
CLOTHES? RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR MY
VOTE. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A 1ST
AND 2ND COFFIN QUESTION, PLEASE.
HMM DO PASS AND BE REFERRED TO
THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
. BRIAN BRIAN. I LACKEY. NO
BENNETT BENNETT IAS ALY. LEE.
LOW LOW I PELLERIN HALLORAN, I
BLANCA RUBIO. BLANCA RUBIO? AYE.
THAT'S OUT 5 TO 1. THANK YOU.
AND WITH THAT IN A FULL
COMMITTEE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO
LIFT THE CALL ON BILLS ON CALL.
YES. ON ITEM NINE. A. B. 1004.
BENNETT BENNETT, I LI HELLO. I
PELLERIN, HELEN AND I THAT'S OUT
7 TO 0. ITEM ONE A. B 34
VALENCIA BENNETT BENNETT. I LI I
LI I LO. I LO. I. OUT 6 TO 0.
ITEM 5, 84 21. BRIAN BENNETT
BENNETT. I LO. BISHOP MAY ASK
FOR CLARIFICATION SINCE I WASN'T
IN THE ROOM FOR THE DEBATE AND
DISCUSSION. UM UNDERSTAND THAT
DURING THE DISCUSSION THAT THERE
WAS A CONVERSATION AND
ADDRESSING SOME OF THE
IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES, I KNOW
THAT YOU AND I HAVE DISCUSSED,
UM OUR CONVERSATION WAS SUCH
THAT YOU WOULD STATE DEEPLY
COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING SOME OF
THOSE IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES
EARLIER WITH THE RESPECT OF THE
TOP THREE FUNDERS MOVING FORWARD
, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST POLICY
COMMITTEE THAT YOU'RE COMMITTED
TO CONTINUALLY WORK IN
ADDRESSING THOSE IN GOOD FAITH.
IN ADDITION, TALKED ABOUT THE 90
DAY SPECIFICALLY AND WILLINGNESS
TO SIT DOWN WITH THE OPPOSITION
TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NO, I. THAT
BILL IS OUT 5 TO 2. ITEM EIGHT.
MAYBE 969 PELLERIN, BENNETT
BENNETT, I LO LO. I THAT'S ABOUT
6 TO 1. ITEM 10, MAYBE 10 37
BERMAN. BENNETT BENNETT. I LO I
. THAT'S ABOUT 62. WE CAME IN
THE ROOM AFTER YOU DID THE FOOD
WE WANT TO ADD ON TO CONSENT
REAL QUICK. AND 10 SHOULD BE 62.
THEY'RE NOT VOTING US. YOU HAVE
A NON VOTING FOR LACKING. I'M
SORRY. MY MISTAKE. OKAY,
CONSENT. LEE. LEE I LO, I LO I
PELLERIN AND I THANK YOU. MISS
SANCHEZ. IT'S OUT. PERCENTAGES
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. THANK
YOU FOR HAVING ME. YOU MAY BEGIN
WHEN READY. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR
AND MEMBERS HAPPY TO BE
PRESENTING A BEAST. 1688 THIS IS
A STRAIGHTFORWARD BILL WITH NO
OPPOSITION, SO I'LL TRY TO BE
BRIEF VOTER REGISTRATION LIST.
MAINTENANCE IS AN IMPORTANT DUTY
FOR OUR ELECTION OFFICIALS. IT
IS FEDERALLY REQUIRED AND HELPS
ENSURE THAT OUR ELECTIONS RUN
SMOOTHER. A VITAL PART OF OUR
LIST. MAINTENANCE IS REFERENCING
CREDIBLE DATA TO DETERMINE IF
SOMEONE HAS DIED. AND SHOULD BE
REMOVED FROM THE VOTER ROLLS.
CURRENTLY CALIFORNIA USES
MULTIPLE SOURCES FOR MAINTAINING
DATABASES BUT DOES NOT USE THE
DEATH INDEX MAINTAINED BY THE
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION.
USE OF STATE LEVEL DATA, AND THE
DEATH INDEX IS REQUIRED IN
STATES LIKE MARYLAND, MINNESOTA
, WASHINGTON AND MULTIPLE
OTHERS. A B 1688 HELPS PROVIDE
CALIFORNIA'S ELECTION OFFICIALS
MORE DATA TO IMPROVE LIST
MAINTENANCE EFFORTS AND ENSURE
THAT OUR ELECTIONS RUN AS
SMOOTHLY AS POSSIBLE. TESTIFYING
WITH ME TODAY IN SUPPORT OF A B
1688 IS TRICIA WEBER, WHO IS THE
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, CO CHAIR
OF THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF
CLERKS AND ELECTION OFFICIALS.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN.
TRICIA WEBER, CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION OF CLERK AND
ELECTION OFFICIALS. UM A B 16 88
IS ASKING FOR THE SOCIAL
SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
INFORMATION WHICH WILL
SUPPLEMENT INFORMATION THAT WE
ALREADY RECEIVED THROUGH VOCAL
FROM AGENCIES LIKE DMV. AND ON
THE LOCAL LEVEL. LOCAL PUBLIC
HEALTH OFFICIALS. UM, WHAT IS
MISSING IS WHEN WE WHEN SOMEBODY
ONE OF OUR VOTERS PASSES AWAY
OUTSIDE OF THE STATE AND GETTING
ESSAY INFORMATION WOULD ASSIST
IN OUR VOTER MAINTENANCE AND
CONNECT THE DOTS THAT WE ARE
CURRENTLY MISSING AND FILL THE
GAP. RESPECTFULLY ASKED FOR AN I
VOTE. ANY PRIMARY WITNESSES AND
OPPOSITION SEEING NONE WILL TURN
INTO THE HEARING ROOM. ANYBODY
WHO WOULD LIKE TO RAISE YOUR
THEIR SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION FOR
THIS BILL. SEEING NONE ALTERNATE
TO THE PHONE LINES AND GOT ON
THE PHONE LINES WOULD LIKE TO
REGISTER THEIR SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION FOR THIS BILL.
REGISTER OF SUPPORTING
OPPOSITION FOR 16 88 PRESS 10 AT
THIS TIME, PLEASE. WE HAVE LINE
ONE. OH, ONE. GO AHEAD. MANDY
HICKSON, CALIFORNIANS FOR
DISABILITY RIGHTS AND STRONG
SUPPORT. THANK YOU ANY OTHER
RESPONDERS? PRESS ONE PRESS 10,
PLEASE. AH! AND WE HAVE NO
ADDITIONAL RESPONDENTS IN QUÊ.
BEAUTIFUL. ANY QUESTIONS?
COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE. THE
BELL SANCHEZ. WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE EMOTIONAL INITIAL LACKEY?
SECOND BY MR RUBIO. I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR I VOTE.
VOTER ROLL MAINTENANCE IS VITAL
TO ENSURING INTEGRITY IN OUR
ELECTIONS. I THINK YOU FOR
BRINGING THIS FORWARD. IT HAS
THE SUPPORT OF THE CHAIR. MADAM
SECRETARY, CAN WE CALL THE ROLL?
THE MOTIONS DO PASS AND BE
REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. BRIAN BRIAN. I
BLACKIE BLACKIE. I BENNETT
BENNETT IAS ALY. LI LI I LO
PELLERIN AND I BLANCA RUBIO
RUBIO. AYE. THAT SOUNDS 60.
WE'RE DOWN TO OUR FINAL TWO
BILLS. I PROMISE. WE'LL MAKE
THIS QUICK. 764. THAT'S WHEN WE
STARTED. YOU COULD DO I ARE
FEVER. WE START WITH 7764. I
THINK YOU EITHER WAY. YOU START
WITH 12 48. OKAY, WE'LL GO. 12
48, THEN. YOU MAY BEGIN. GOOD
MORNING CHAIR AND MEMBERS. I'M
PLEASED TO PRESENT A B 12 48.
OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE
HAVE BEEN PIECEMEAL NG
INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING
COMMISSIONS ALL ACROSS THE STATE
, RIVERSIDE COUNTY, FRESNO
COUNTY WHERE TO BUILD JUST TODAY
ABOUT. HAVING ELECTED OFFICIALS
GERRYMANDER OR HAVE THE
POTENTIAL TO GERRYMANDER TO
PROTECT INCUMBENCY AND OTHER
THINGS ABOVE THE INTEREST OF
KEEPING COMMUNITIES HOLE IN
PRESERVING COMMUNITIES OF
INTEREST IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD
SEEK TO CHANGE AT A STATEWIDE
LEVEL, AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE
INTRODUCING THIS BILL. GRATEFUL
TO MY CO AUTHOR BEN ALLEN,
SENATOR ALLEN AND ALL OF THE
WORK THAT'S GONE INTO THIS
THROUGH THE YEARS. THIS IS A
MEASURE THAT WERE REQUIRE ANY
JURISDICTION OF OVER 300,000
PEOPLE. TO ESTABLISH AN
INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING
COMMISSION BY THE NEXT
REDISTRICTING SESSION IN 2030. I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR I VOTE
JOINING ME TODAY TO TESTIFY AND
SUPPORT. ARE LARA BRODZINSKY OF
CALIFORNIA COMMON CAUSE AND
FAITH LEAVE FROM ASIAN AMERICANS
ADVANCINGJUSTICE. THANK YOU.
LAUREL BRODZINSKY, LEGISLATIVE
DIRECTOR WITH CALIFORNIA COMMON
CAUSE THIS COMMITTEE HAS ALREADY
DISCUSSED TODAY THE INHERENT
CONFLICT OF INTEREST THAT ARISES
WHEN LEGISLATIVE BODIES DRAW
THEIR OWN DISTRICTS. HOWEVER
PUTTING THE AUTHORITY TO ADOPT
NEW DISTRICT BOUNDARIES INTO THE
HANDS OF AN INDEPENDENT BODY
MEANS COMMUNITIES ARE PUT FIRST.
IN OUR REPORT THAT WE AUTHORED
WITH PARTNERS, INCLUDING ASIAN
AMERICANS, ADVANCING JUSTICE,
THE A C L U AND LEGAL WOMEN
VOTERS. WE FOUND THAT IN THE
2020 LOCAL REDISTRICTING CYCLE
ACROSS THE STATE, INDEPENDENT
COMMISSIONS WERE MORE LIKELY TO
DRAW MAPS THAT KEPT COMMUNITIES
WHOLE. ESPECIALLY MARGINALIZED
OR UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES.
WERE MORE LIKELY TO ENCOURAGE
AND BE RESPONSIVE TO COMMUNITY
FEEDBACK. WERE MORE LIKELY TO
RUN TRANSPARENT AND HIGH
INTEGRITY PROCESSES AND SHOWED
NO EVIDENCE OF TRYING TO PROTECT
INCUMBENTS OR DRAW MAPS THAT
ADVANCED THE INTERESTS OF ONE
POLITICAL PARTY OVER ANOTHER.
INDEPENDENT COMMISSIONS ALSO
GENERALLY LEAD TO SIGNIFICANTLY
HIGHER PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
BECAUSE THEY OFFERED MORE
HEARINGS AND PUBLIC AND
COMMUNITY GROUPS HAD MORE
CONFIDENCE THAT THEIR TESTIMONY
WOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO THE
NEW MAPS AND IF ELECTED
OFFICIALS WERE DRAWING THEIR OWN
LINES. EVERY 12 48 RECOGNIZES
THAT LOCAL GERRYMANDERING IS A
PROBLEM ACROSS THE STATE IN NEED
OF A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION TO
TRULY EMPOWER CALIFORNIANS. 12
48. WOULD REQUIRE LARGER
COUNTIES, CITIES AND EDUCATIONAL
DISTRICTS. FUTURE REDISTRICTING
PROCESSES TO UTILIZE INDEPENDENT
COMMISSIONS. IN 2013 GOING
FORWARD AND INSTITUTED DEFAULT
STRUCTURE IF THEY FAILED TO
DEVELOP ONE LOCAL AID. WELL MOST
JURISDICTIONS WOULD BENEFIT FROM
ADOPTING AN INDEPENDENT
COMMISSION. HAVING ONE IS
ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR LARGER
JURISDICTIONS. HIS REDISTRICTING
PROCESS IS GENERALLY MORE
COMPLICATED AND MORE POLITICALLY
CONTENTIOUS, WHICH ALSO HAVE
GREATER RESOURCES TO STAFF, A
COMMISSION AND SUFFICIENT
POPULATION BASE FROM WHICH TO
DRAW A DIVERSE AND QUALIFIED
APPLICANT POOL. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS FAITHFULLY
WITH ASIAN AMERICANS. ADVANCING
JUSTICE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, ONE
OF THE CO SPONSOR OF A B 12 48
AJ SOCAL, MOST AT THE MOST
RECENT, JUST RESISTING CYCLE. WE
WORKED WITH THE API AND A MENSA
STATE REDISTRICTING
COLLABORATIVE TO CAPTURE OUR
COMMUNITY'S DIVERSITY AND
INTEREST IN DEVELOPED,
RESPONSIVE AND EQUITABLE
DISTRICT MAPS. OR EXPERIENCE AND
MOBILIZING COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO
ADVOCATE FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES
AND NEIGHBORHOODS AFFIRMED THE
BEDROCK IMPORTANCE OF
INDEPENDENT. WE DISTINCT
COMMUNITIES THROUGH IRC
RESIDENTS HAVE A PLATFORM TO
SHARE WHAT UNITES THEIR
NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES.
THEY ARE ABLE TO LEARN FROM EACH
OTHER TO IDENTIFY DISTRICT LINES
THAT EMPOWER THOSE MOST OFTEN
DISENFRANCHISED AND
UNDERREPRESENTED. BIPARTISAN
MAPPING OUR R C. FOR THE MOST
PART, DID THE DELIBERATION AND
LINE DRAWING IN PUBLIC
SOMETIMES. EVEN ADJUSTING
DISTRICT LINES IN REAL TIME IN
RESPONSE IN RESPONSE TO
COMMUNITY TESTIMONY, FOR EXAMPLE
, IN SAN DIEGO, MORE THAN 300
REFUGEE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND
THE BLACK ARAB MIDDLE EASTERN
MUSLIM AND SOUTH ASIAN, BUT
MEANS THAT COMMUNITY
PARTICIPATED IN THE STATE,
COUNTY AND CITY REDISTRICTING
PROCESS THESE MEMBERS REPORTED
ARE STARKLY DIFFERENT,
EXPERIENCING EXPERIENCE
ORGANIZING IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY,
WHICH USED TO HIRE WHICH USED AN
I R O. C COMPARED COMPARED TO
THE CITY OF ALCOHOL, WHICH WAS
LOCATED IN THE COUNTY BUT DID
NOT HAVE AN I R O. C THEY DID
NOT FEEL THAT THEIR TESTIMONY
WAS WELL RECEIVED BY THE CITY OF
ALCOHOL, ALCOHOL OAN AND SOME
SHARE THAT THEY FELT INTIMIDATED
BY SUPPORTERS OF INCUMBENT
COUNCIL MEMBERS. THE CITY
COUNCIL ENDED UP ADOPTED
EXISTING MAPS WITHOUT ANY
CHANGES, AND WHEN THEY
PARTICIPATED IN THE SAN DIEGO
COUNTY IRC PROCESS, THEY FELT
MUCH MORE WELCOME TO SPECIFY
REMOTELY AND IN PERSON. THE IRC
ALLOWED TIME FOR REPRESENTATIVE
FOR A PRESENTATION BY THE GROUP
AND MADE COMMUNITY MEMBERS FELT
THAT THE SAN DIEGO IRC WE'RE
COMMITTED. TO GROWING THEIR
UNDERSTANDING OF THE BURMESE, A
COMMUNITY. THAT RESULTED IN THE
UNIFICATION OF MOST OF THE
COMMUNITIES HAVE INTERESTS INTO
ONE SINGLE SUPER HISTORIAL
DISTRICT. I URGE YOUR SUPPORT ON
PASSING AND PASSING A B 12 48 SO
MORE CALIFORNIANS ARE EMPOWERED
TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD AND
PARTICIPATE IN THE DRAWING THEIR
DISTRICT DISTRICT LINES THAT
SUIT THEIR COMMUNITIES. THANK
YOU. OKAY DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER
WITNESSES WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS
THEIR SUPPORT FOR THIS MEASURE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, DORA ROSE,
DEPUTY DIRECTOR WITH THE LEAGUE
OF WOMEN, VOTERS OF CALIFORNIA,
CO SPONSORS AND, OF COURSE, IN
VERY STRONG SUPPORT. GOING BACK
ACELA BAKER CENTER FOR HUMAN
RIGHTS AND INITIATE JUSTICE AND
SUPPORT. RUTH DOESN'T REALLY
CALIFORNIA ACTION AND SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. VANESSA TILLIS,
INDIVISIBLE CALIFORNIA STATE
STRONG IN SUPPORT. SKY ALLEN
WITH INLAND EMPIRE UNITED AND
FULL SUPPORT OF THIS BILL.
KRISTEN NUMEROUS CALIFORNIA
BLACK POWER NETWORK AND SUPPORT
. CHRISTOPH MAYER AMERICAN
FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY AND
MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES AND SUPPORT
OKAY. WE HAVE ANY WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION.
YOU MAY PROCEED. THANK YOU, MR
CHAIR. THANK YOU. MEMBERS JEAN
HURST HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF
THE URBAN COUNTIES OF CALIFORNIA
WITH AN OPPOSING LESS AMENDED
POSITION. DO YOU WANT TO EXTEND
OUR APPRECIATION TO CHAIR BRANDS
STAFF AND THE PROPONENTS FOR THE
THOUGHTFUL ANALYSIS AND THE
EARLY OUTREACH ON THIS ISSUE? UM
I JUST WANT TO REITERATE WORK
COMMITTED TO WORKING ON
IMPROVING THE BILL TO ENSURE
THAT COUNTIES AND THEIR
COMMISSIONS ARE SET UP IN A WAY
THAT ENSURES SUCCESS. THINK ONE
OF THE BENEFITS OF THIS ISSUE IS
WE DO. ACTUALLY HAVE TIME. TO
GET THIS RIGHT AND TO LEARN FROM
SOME OF THE PRACTICAL
IMPLEMENTATION, CHALLENGES AND
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE I. R. C S
IN LOS ANGELES SAN DIEGO IN, UM
SANTA BARBARA, SO WE APPRECIATE
THE OPPORTUNITY FOR AN ONGOING
DIALOGUE. LOOK FORWARD TO THE
CONVERSATION. AND, UM I
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE HAVE
ANYBODY IN THE ROOM, THE LACK TO
EXPRESS THEIR OPPOSITION TO THIS
BILL. CERTIFICATE ON BEHALF OF
THE ROYAL COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES
OF CALIFORNIA AND THE CALIFORNIA
STATE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES
AND LANDING OUR COMMENTS WITH
URBAN COUNTIES. OPPOSITION
OPPOSED UNLESS AMENDED, AND WE
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE
AUTHOR ON AMENDMENTS. THANK YOU.
OPERATOR WE NOW NEED TO GO TO
THE PHONES AND SEE IF ANYBODY
WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS THEIR
OPPOSITION OR SUPPORT. TO A B 12
48. AS A REMINDER TO EXPRESS
OPPOSITION OF SUPPORT PRESS 10
AT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO
START WITH LINE 1 18 1 18 GO
AHEAD, PLEASE. THAT'S ME. UM. DR
OR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN
STRONG SUPPORT OF THIS BILL AS
PART OF. LINE 22 23, PLEASE GO
AHEAD. THIS IS ISABEL STORY, AND
I AM REPRESENTING SANTA MONICA
DEMOCRATIC CLUB. INDIVISIBLE
WEST LOS ANGELES. AND
INDIVISIBLE CALIFORNIA STATE
STRONG ALL AND STRONG SUPPORT OF
A B 1248. THANK YOU. LINE. 1 30,
PLEASE GO AHEAD. KYOKO TAKAYAMA
COALITION FOR FAIR DISTRICTING
AND EVEN MORE INDIVIDUAL STRONG
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. LINE 1 46,
PLEASE GO AHEAD. TO GO FIRST
WITH THE ASIAN LAW PROFITS AND
WE'RE IN VERY STRONG SUPPORT
THIS BILL. ONE QUICK REMINDER TO
EXPRESS OPPOSITION OR SUPPORT
PRESS 10 NEXT WAS LINE 1 17,
PLEASE GO AHEAD. IN 1 17. WE CAN
HEAR YOU. GO AHEAD, PLEASE WITH
YOUR COMMENT. YOU MIGHT BE MUTED
ON YOUR END. CHECK YOUR MUTE
BUTTON, PLEASE. MOVING ON. WE'RE
GOING TO LINE ONE LINE NUMBER 25
LINE. 25 GO AHEAD, PLEASE. èC
IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY. I OPPOSE
THE STATE MANDATED A B 1248. AT
THIS TIME. WE HAVE NO ADDITIONAL
RESPONDENTS IN QUÊ. CAN YOU COME
BACK TO COMMITTEE AND YOU? ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. I JUST
WOULD SUGGEST MAYBE CONSIDERING
ADDING THE LOCAL COUNTY
ELECTIONS OFFICIALS AS AN
ADVISOR TO THE COMMITTEE.
ABSOLUTELY THANK YOU, MR
BENNETT. JUST LIKE TO REQUEST TO
BE A CO AUTHOR OF THE BILL. I
THINK IT'S A REQUEST. OKAY? ANY
OTHER COMMENTS. I JUST WOULD
LIKE TO SAY, FIRST OF ALL, I
THINK WE NEED TO RESPECT DIRECT
DEMOCRACY AND AS AN WE KNOW IN
2008 PROPER 11, ACTUALLY, UH
FORM THE CITIZENS REDISTRICTING
COMMISSION. WHICH PUT ME IN A
VERY WEIRD POSITION, BY THE WAY
. SO PERSONALLY, I WILL TELL YOU
THAT I WASN'T A HUGE FAN, BUT
NONETHELESS, I THINK IT'S MORE
LIKELY TO BE POLITICALLY
NEUTRAL. BECAUSE CLEARLY
REDISTRICTING AS UH, AS A HOTBED
OF CONTROVERSY CLEARLY ALWAYS
WILL BE. AND IT'S A VERY TOUGH
ISSUE. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT UM
, WE NEED TO RESPECT DIRECT
DEMOCRACY, SO I WON'T BE ABLE TO
SUPPORT THIS BILL THIS TIME. SO
YOU WILL NOT CLOSE UNDERSTOOD?
UM I LIVE IN A CITY THAT HAD A
NUMBER OF ELECTED OFFICIALS AND
POWERFUL STAKEHOLDERS CAUGHT ON
TAPE TALKING AND CONSPIRING
ABOUT GERRYMANDERING AND
DILUTING POWER AND PRESERVING
THEIR OWN POLITICAL POWER AT THE
EXPENSE OF DIRECT COMMUNITY
POWER. WE HAVE SEEN INDEPENDENT
REDISTRICTING COMMISSION
SUCCESSFUL ALL ACROSS THE STATE
PRIOR TO BEING AN ELECTED
OFFICIAL. I WAS APPOINTED
REDISTRICTING COMMISSIONER FOR
L, A USD OUR LARGEST SCHOOL
DISTRICT, WHICH WAS NOT AN
INDEPENDENT PROCESS, HAVING
SERVED ON THAT COMMISSION. THERE
IS A NEED FOR, UM, NEUTRAL,
INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY. FOCUSED
PERSONS INVOLVED IN DRAWING
DISTRICT BOUNDARIES. BUT I DON'T
THINK THIS IS A TOP DOWN STATE
APPROACH, WHICH IS WHY THIS BILL
ALLOWS FOR LOCAL JURISDICTIONS
PROVIDES THAT THEY HAVE TO COME
UP WITH AN INDEPENDENT PROCESS
LOCALLY BY 2030. THAT IS THE
GOAL. THEY SHOULD STAY IN
COMMUNITY. IT SHOULD START AND
COMMUNITY BUT WE HAVE TO PUT
THOSE GUARD RAILS IN PLACE. TO
MAKE SURE THAT THIS PROCESS
CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD, AND
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S
FORGOTTEN AND BROUGHT UP AT THE
LAST SECOND EVERY 10 YEARS. I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR I
VOTE. YOU HAVE EMOTION, A
SECOND. OKAY WE HAVE 1ST AND 2ND
. SECRETARY PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
MOTIONS DO PASS AND BE REFERRED
TO THE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL
GOVERNMENT. BRIAN LACKEY LACKEY.
NO BENNETT BENNETT. I, SALLY A
SALLY IS NOT VOTING. LI LI I LO
PELLERIN AND I BLANCA RUBIO.
BLANCA RUBIO? AYE. OUT 5 TO 1.
OKAY GO DOWN TO OUR LAST ONE.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AND
COLLEAGUES. FOUR YEARS AGO, THE
LEGISLATURE APPROVED THE FIRST
MAJOR CHANGE THE LOCAL
REDISTRICTING RULES AND DECADES
OF THE ADOPTION OF THE FAIR MAPS
ACT. THE RESULT WAS A MORE
TRANSPARENT AND PARTICIPATORY
REDISTRICTING PROCESS IN 2021
2022. THERE'S A LOT TO CELEBRATE
WHAT THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT
CALIFORNIA HAS MADE ABOUT THE
IMPROVEMENTS OF CALIFORNIA'S
MADE TO REDISTRICT PROCESS, BUT
THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO
DO AS WE'VE ARTICULATED IN
PARTICULAR. WE CONTINUE TO SEE
INCUMBENCY PROTECTION
PRIORITIZED AT THE EXPENSE OF
KEEPING NEIGHBORHOODS AND
COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST TOGETHER
. FURTHERMORE, THE FIRST ROUND
OF REDISTRICTING CONDUCTED UNDER
THE RULES OF THE FAIR MAP, ZACH
HIGHLIGHTED THE POTENTIAL FOR
REFINEMENT TO FURTHER IMPROVE
THE PROCESS. A BEE 7 46 BUILDS
ON CALIFORNIA'S GOOD WORK AND
PROMOTING A TRANSPARENT AND
INCLUSIVE REDISTRICTING PROCESS.
IT PROHIBITS THE CONSIDERATION
OF INCUMBENCY PROTECTION AND
REDISTRICTING AND STRENGTHENS
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS
AND TRANSPARENCY MEASURES BASED
ON LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE 2021
REDISTRICTING CYCLE. A B 7 64
ALSO EXTENDS KEY REFORMS FROM
THE FAIR MASS MAPS ACT TO
INCLUDE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND
SPECIAL INTERESTS OR SPECIAL
DISTRICTS. FINALLY A B 7 64
CREATES A CLEAR PROCEDURE,
INCLUDING A NOTICE AND CURE
PROCESS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE
WITH THESE IMPORTANT REFORMS
BEFORE I CONCLUDE I WANT TO
BRIEFLY ADDRESS THE OPPOSITION
TO THIS BILL. I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE GOOD WORK THAT
MANY JURISDICTIONS DID DURING
THE 2021 REDISTRICTING PROCESS
NOTWITHSTANDING SIGNIFICANT
CHALLENGES DUE TO THE COVID 19
PANDEMIC AND IN BUILDING ON THE
REFORMS OF THE FAIR MAPS ACT. I
AGREE THAT IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT
WE ENSURE ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
HAVE THE TOOLS TO CONDUCT
SUCCESSFUL REDISTRICTING PROCESS
IN 2031. BEYOND SO I AM
COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TO WORK
WITH COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS,
ELECTIONS OFFICIALS AND ALL
INTERESTED PARTIES ON THIS BILL
TO ENSURE THAT IT CAN BE
SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED.
JOINING ME TO TESTIFY AND
SUPPORT TODAY ARE LARA
BRZEZINSKI WITH CALIFORNIA
COMMON CAUSE AND SKY ALLEN WITH
INLAND EMPIRE UNITED. I'LL TURN
IT TO THEM. THANKS STILL LAUREL
BRODZINSKY, LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR
FOR CALIFORNIA COMMON CAUSE, UM
, AS I MENTIONED CALIFORNIA
COMMON CAUSE, ALONG WITH OUR
PARTNERS CONDUCTED A REPORT ON
THE 2020 LOCAL REDISTRICTING
CYCLE THAT ANALYZED BOTH WHAT
WENT RIGHT. A LOT OF THE
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S MENTIONED WENT
RIGHT, INCLUDING INCREASED
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AS A RESULT
OF REMOTE TESTIMONY OPTIONS DUE
TO THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC. BUT
ALSO A LOT STILL WENT WRONG. UM
THERE WERE LOOPHOLES,
DEFICIENCIES AND AMBIGUITIES IN
THE LAW THAT DO NEED FIXING.
THIS INCLUDED CONFUSING
DEADLINES, LOOPHOLES ALLOWING
FOR JURISDICTIONS TO NOT POST
WRITTEN PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
ATTEMPTS TO CAP TESTIMONY TO
ONLY 15 MINUTES. JURISDICTIONS
WHICH DIDN'T SEEM TO BE
COMPLYING WITH THE FEDERAL
VOTING RIGHTS ACT UNTIL AFTER
BEING PROMPTED BY CIVIC
ORGANIZATIONS AND, OF COURSE
ACROSS THE STATE. INCUMBENCY
PROTECTION TAKING PRECEDENCE
OVER EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES. IN
ADDITION TO THESE PROBLEMS
VARIOUS EXPLICIT VIOLATIONS OF
THE FMS PROCESSES ALSO OCCURRED.
FROM FAILING TO PROVIDE LEGALLY
REQUIRED DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ABOUT
MAPS TO FAILING TO POST REQUIRED
INFORMATION ON REDISTRICTING
WEBSITES AND WHEN VIOLATIONS
WERE DISCOVERED IT WAS DIFFICULT
TO HOLD LOCAL JURISDICTIONS
ACCOUNTABLE BECAUSE THE FM A LAX
, DEFINED PROCESS FOR A PARTY TO
RAISE AND THE JURISDICTION TO
CURE VIOLATIONS, WHICH IS
ESPECIALLY PROBLEMATIC, GIVEN
THE TIGHT TIMELINES OF
REDISTRICTING. 87 64 RESPONDS TO
THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FAIR MAPS
ACT. IT WOULD STRENGTHEN THE
THERMAL SOCKS, REDISTRICTING
CRITERIA AND MINISTER OF
REQUIREMENTS. PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
TRANSPARENCY MEASURES, INCLUDING
EXPLICITLY PROHIBITING
INCUMBENCY PROTECTION,
INCREASING PUBLIC ACCESS THROUGH
CODIFYING REMOTE TESTIMONY,
OPTIONS AND EXTENDING THE
MANDATORY CRITERIA TO ADDITIONAL
JURISDICTION TYPES TO ESTABLISH
A MINIMUM STANDARD. WE URGE YOUR
SUPPORT TODAY. GOOD AFTERNOON,
EVERYONE. MY NAME IS SKY. ALAN
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
INLAND EMPIRE UNITED CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT, COLLECTIVE IMPACT
TABLE SERVING SAMMARTINO AND
RIVERSIDE COUNTIES. THANK YOU
FOR HAVING ME AND THANK YOU
CHAIR FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON
THIS BILL. ONCE WE CONCLUDED OUR
SENSES, OUTREACH, I IMMEDIATELY
COMMITTED MYSELF TO TRYING TO
MEMORIZE AS MANY OF THE
REDISTRICTING RULES AS POSSIBLE
SO AS TO STRENGTHEN OUR ADVOCACY
AND EDUCATION AND THE COMMUNITY.
UM AND AS A RESULT, THE FAIR
MAPS ACT BECAME MY NORTH STAR.
THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PIECES
TO REDISTRICTING. AS WE ALL
KNOW, AND THE FM AGAVE ARE
GROUPS A STRUCTURE THAT WE COULD
RELY UPON. FOR ONE. WE KNEW THAT
WE WOULD WE WERE ENTITLED TO A
WEEK NOTICE BEFORE HEARINGS,
WHICH GAVE US TIME TO EDUCATE
AND REACH OUT TO COMMUNITY
MEMBERS. UM WE ALL HAD VERY
SPECIFIC CRITERIA THROUGH WHICH
TO DRAW AND EVALUATE PROPOSED
MAPS, AND THERE WILL BE AT LEAST
THOUGH OFTEN ONLY FOUR HEARINGS
TO GET OUR PREFERENCES ACROSS. I
BELIEVE THAT ALL OF OUR MAPS ARE
WITHOUT A DOUBT STRONGER THAN
THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN WITHOUT THE
F M. A. STILL THERE ARE WAYS
THAT WE CAN STRENGTHEN IT AND
FURTHER PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF
OUR COMMUNITIES AHEAD OF THE
NEXT REDISTRICTING CYCLE. AN
EASY PLACE TO START WOULD BE TO
INCLUDE SPECIAL DISTRICTS. UM IN
MY OPINION, THE PROCESS FOR
REDRAWING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT
SHOULD BE THE SAME AS REDRAWING
A CITY. UM NEXT, I'D SAY OUR
BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN BOTH OF THE
COUNTIES THAT WE SERVE WAS THAT
CITIES WERE TREATED EQUAL TO C
O. I S OFTEN COMMUNITY PROPOSED
MAPS WERE DISCARDED FOR CITY
SPLITTING. REGARDLESS OF THE C.
E. O. S THAT WERE DOCUMENTED AS
REASONS WHY WHEN REGULARLY.
CITIES WERE REFERRED TO AS
COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST IN ORDER
TO SWAY ABOARD AWAY FROM
COMMUNITY SUBMITTED ALTERNATIVES
FURTHER FROM MY EXPERIENCE,
LOCAL OFFICIALS DO HAVE A LOT ON
THEIR PLATES. UM AND AS A RESULT
, THEY OFTEN STICK WITH THE
MINIMUMS. IF THEY DON'T FEEL
THEY NEED TO DO MORE. DESPITE
THE SIZE OF MY REGION, MOST
OFFICIALS DID THE MINIMUM AMOUNT
OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFTEN
DID NOT OFFER REMOTE OPTIONS TO
PARTICIPATE BECAUSE THEY WERE
NOT REQUIRED AND ONLY SCHEDULED
THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF HEARINGS.
IF YOU ALL RAISE THE BARN NOW
THAT MINIMUM WILL BE A LOT MORE
ACCESSIBLE NEXT TIME AROUND, SO
I HOPE YOU ALL WILL TAKE
SERIOUSLY. BUT THE PROPOSAL
ALTERATIONS IN THIS BILL, AND I
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SHARE THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. DO WE HAVE ANY
OTHER WITNESSES WOULD LIKE TO
EXPRESS THEIR SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. WOMEN VOTERS OF CALIFORNIA
DOOR ROSE. UH WE ARE CO SPONSORS
AND STRONG SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
GLENN BACCHUS, ELLA BAKER CENTER
FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND INITIATE
JUSTICE AND SUPPORT. RUTH
DAWSON. AZEALIA CALIFORNIA
ACTION, PROUD CO SPONSORS OF THE
BILL. THANK YOU. GREATLY WITH
ADVANCINGJUSTICE SO COWARD AND
SUPPORT. VANESSA TILLIS WITH
INDIVISIBLE CALIFORNIA STATE
STRONG AND SUPPORT. KRISTEN
NUMEROUS CALIFORNIA BLACK POWER
NETWORK AND SUPPORT. CHRISTOPH
MAYER APPS ME IN SUPPORT. OKAY
WE HAVE ANY WITNESSES AND
OPPOSITION ELECT TO EXPRESS
THEIR OPPOSITION. THIS IS YOUR
OPPORTUNITY. WELCOME BACK. THANK
YOU, MR CHAIR MEMBERS JEAN HURST
HERE AGAIN TODAY ON BEHALF OF
THE URBAN COUNTIES OF CALIFORNIA
, UH, WITH AN OPPOSING LESS
AMENDED POSITION ON THE BILL, I
DO WANT TO REALLY EXPRESS MY
APPRECIATION TO CHAIR BRIAN AND
TO HIS TEAM FOR COMMITTING TO
WORKING WITH US ON THIS ISSUE,
AND I DO THINK THAT THERE'S AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO IMPROVE
THE FAIR MAPS ACT WITHOUT AN
UNFAIRLY BURDENING LOCAL
AGENCIES. WE JUST WANT TO MAKE
CLEAR THAT WE DO SUPPORT AND
ACCOUNTABLE AND TRANSPARENT
REDISTRICTING PROCESS. WE ARE
JUST CONCERNED ABOUT SOME OF THE
OBLIGATIONS IN THE BILL. THAT,
UM WILL CREATE SOME CHALLENGES
TO EVENTUAL COMPLIANCE, AND WE
WANT TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE
CAN ENSURE COUNTIES CAN BE
SUCCESSFUL IN IN REDISTRICTING
IN 2031, SO APPRECIATE THE
COMMITMENT AND I APPRECIATE YOUR
TIME TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
OTHER THAN ANY OTHERS WHO WOULD
LIKE TO EXPRESS THEIR
OPPOSITION. ON BEHALF OF THE
RURAL COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES OF
CALIFORNIA AND THE CALIFORNIA
STATE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES
ARE COMMENTS WITH URBAN COUNTIES
OPPOSING LESS AMENDED. WE LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE
AUTHOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OPERATOR NOW. PHONE LINES ARE
NOW OPEN TO EXPRESS THEIR, UM
SUPPORTER, OPPOSITION. QUICKLY
MINDED TO COMMENT ON A B 7 64
PRESS. 10 WILL START WITH LINE 1
18 GO AHEAD. OH, HELLO, KAYLA,
WITH THE WORDS COMING FROM MR
JUSTICE, STRONG SUPPORT OF THIS
STUFF. UM ARE SOME OF OUR CITIES
THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON HAVE
BEEN IMPACTED BY THIS, SO THIS
IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THANK
YOU. LINE 2 27 GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
WE HAVE TWO SEPARATE LAW I MEAN,
GIVEN GIVEN 22 27. WE CAN HEAR
YOU GO AHEAD TO THE COMMENT.
THANK YOU, UM STEVENS CALLING
AND SUPPORT OF A B 76 4 ON
BEHALF OF CATALYST, CALIFORNIA.
LINE 2 28 GO AHEAD, PLEASE. THIS
IS ISABEL STORY OF REPRESENTING
SANTA MONICA DEMOCRATIC CLUB.
AND INDIVISIBLE WEST LOS ANGELES
INSTRUCTION PORTS OF ABC 764. IN
LINE 1 46 GO AHEAD, PLEASE. HI
PIZZA GO FORWARD WITH ASIAN
AMERICANS ADVANCING JUSTICE
ASIAN LAW PRACTICE. WE ARE PROUD
SPONSORS OF THIS BILL, AND WE
ARE VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. LINE. 1 30 GO AHEAD. MÀ
COUNTY COALITION FOR FAIR
REDISTRICTING, INDIVIDUAL
CALIFORNIA STATE SONG AND MORE
INDIVIDUAL IN STRONG SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
PRESS 10 AT THIS TIME NEXT HIS
LINE 25 GO AHEAD, PLEASE. LOS
ANGELES COUNTY OPPOSED TO A B
764. YOU KNOW AND LINE 17 GO
AHEAD. THANK YOU, RAJ. TODAY
WITH CHANGE BEGINS WITH ME AND
STRONG SUPPORT. THANKS. WE HAVE
NO ADDITIONAL RESPONDENTS IN
CUBA AT THIS TIME. OKAY COME
BACK TO THE COMMITTEE. ANYBODY
LIKE TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS OR
EXPRESS ANY CONCERNS OR
QUESTIONS? HEY WE HAVE A MOTION
IN SECOND. YOU MAKE CLOTHES. I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR VOTE
CALLED FOR THE QUESTION. PLEASE
DO PASS AND BE REFERRED TO THE
COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
BRIAN BRIAN. I LACKEY, BLACKIE.
NO BENNETT BENNETT, SALI SALI,
NOT VOTING. LI LI I LO PELLERIN
, HELEN AND I, BLANCA RUBIO.
RUBIO. AYE. THAT'S OUT 5 TO 1.
WE WILL OPEN THE ROLE FOR
AUTHORS TO ADD ON MEMBERS,
ADDING ONTO A B A B 34 SORRY
THAT ONE IS CONCLUDED. WE HAVE
TO 70 LOW. MAYBE 2 92 PELLERIN.
BENNETT BENNETT I SALI SALI NÓ.
ITEM FOUR A. B 334 BENNETT
BENNETT. I LI I LO ITEMS. SIX A
B 55 EXCUSE ME 544 BRIAN ASTLEY
SALINO LEE. WHICH NUMBER IS I AM
RYAN 6 85 44. L E IS I. I AM.
BETTER CHECK ITEM NINE A. B 1004
LI I. ITEM 11 A B 12 27 LOW,
ASTLEY. NOT VOTING IS NOT VOTING
LOW. AND ON. ITEM 12 A B 12 48
LOW. ITEM 13 80 15 39 LOW. AH,
ON. ITEM 15. MAYBE 16 88. SALLY
SALLY, I LO. ON. ITEM 18 A C A
FOUR. YEAH. AND. ITEM 15 95.
BENNETT. WHY I. THIS CONCLUDES A
HISTORIC ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
HEARING.