GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING
EVERYONE. WELCOME TO THIS
MORNING. ASSEMBLY JETTY
COMMITTEE HEARING TO ENSURE
MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA AND THE
PUBLIC HAVE ACCESS TO OUR
PROCEEDINGS TODAY. THIS HEARING
WILL BE STREAMED ON THE ASSEMBLY
WEBSITE. AND MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC CAN PROVIDE TESTIMONY IN
PERSON HERE IN ROOM 127, ALL
WITNESS TESTIMONIES WILL BE IN
PERSON. THERE WILL BE NO PHONE
TESTIMONY OPTION FOR THIS
HEARING. IF ANY MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC IN THIS ROOM WOULD LIKE
TO TESTIFY ON A BILL, I WILL ASK
YOU TO APPROACH THE MICROPHONE
AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO
PRESERVE THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE
HERE AND TO ENSURE THE PUBLIC
ACCESS TO THE DISCUSSIONS,
PLEASE FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS OF
OUR SERGEANTS. BEFORE WE BEGIN,
I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME. THEY'RE
NOT HERE, BUT I STILL WANT TO
WELCOME YOU. ASSEMBLYMEMBER
SORIA, THEIR NEW MEMBERS AND
MEMBERS, STEPHANIE NGUYEN. WE'LL
BE HAPPY TO THAT. HAVE JUST
JOINED THE COMMITTEE TODAY. WE
HAVE 14 BILLS, ONE RESOLUTION ON
THE AGENDA. THE FOLLOWING SIX
BILLS AND ONE RESOLUTIONS ARE ON
CONSENT. FILE ITEM NUMBER NINE
AB 2163. GALLAGHER FILE ITEM
NUMBER TEN AB 2262 REYES FILE.
ITEM NUMBER 11 AB 2559
PETRIE-NORRIS VÌ. ITEM NUMBER 12
AB TWO EIGHT 1332. WARD FILE
ITEM NUMBER 13 AB 2993. ALVAREZ
996 AND FILE ITEM NUMBER 14 AB
3033. GIBSON AND FILE ITEM 15
SCR 96 DODD. WE WILL ALLOW TWO
PRIMARY WITNESSES HERE IN THE
ROOM TODAY TO SPEAK FOR TWO
MINUTES PER SIDE. AN ADDITIONAL
WITNESS WILL BE LIMITED TO THEIR
NAME, ORGANIZATION THÀNH THEY
REPRESENT AND A POSITION ON THE
BILL. WE'RE GOING TO START
BEGINNING TODAY AS A AS A
SUBCOMMITTEE AND WITH THAT
SECRETARY. ON THE CONSENT
CALENDAR, WE HAVE FILE ITEM
NUMBER NINE AB 2163. GALLAGHER,
DO PASS AS AMENDED, TO
APPROPRIATIONS FILE ITEM NUMBER
TEN AB 2262 REYES DO PASS TWO
APPROPRIATIONS ON FILE ITEM
NUMBER 11 2559 PETRIE-NORRIS DO
PASS TWO APPROPRIATIONS FILE
ITEM NUMBER 12 AB 2832 WARD DO
PASS TO APPROPRIATIONS FILE.
ITEM NUMBER 13 AB 22 I'M SORRY
AB 2996. ALVAREZ DO PASS TO
INSURANCE FILE ITEM NUMBER 14 AB
3033 GIBSON. DO PASS TO
APPROPRIATIONS AND FILE ITEM
NUMBER 15 SCR 96 DODD TO BE
ADOPTED. OKAY OKAY. MOVING ON TO
AGENDA NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE AB
2030 DAVIS, MISS DAVIS, WHEN
YOU'RE READY, TAKE THIS FAR WALK
OUT FRONT. OKAY.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS,
TODAY I'M HERE TO PRESENT AB
2030. I FIRST WANT TO THANK
COMMITTEE STAFF FOR WORKING WITH
MY STAFF AND STAKEHOLDERS ON
THIS MEASURE. CURRENT LAW
REQUIRES CERTAIN STATE AGENCIES
TO BIDS FOR CONTRACTS UNDER
250,000, TO OUTREACH TO CERTAIN
TYPES OF BUSINESSES FOR BIDS.
HOWEVER, CURRENT LAW DOES NOT
SPECIFY WHAT TYPES OF BUSINESSES
THEY MUST OUTREACH TO. AB 2030
IS A COMMON SENSE MEASURE TO
ENSURE THAT WHEN A STATE AGENCY
IS PROCURING A BID FOR A
CONTRACT, THAT THEY MUST
OUTREACH TO WOMEN, LGBT OR
MINORITY OWNED ENTERPRISES.
MEMBERS. I WANT TO SPECIFY THAT
THIS BILL DOES NOT, IN ANY WAY,
SHAPE OR FORM REQUIRING AGENCY
TO CHOOSE ONE OF THESE
BUSINESSES. ALL THE MEASURE DOES
IS AUTHORIZE AN AGENCY TO ACCEPT
AND PROCURE BIDS FROM THESE
TYPES OF BUSINESSES. ACCORDING
TO THE UNITED STATES CENSUS,
CALIFORNIA IS 149,000 WOMEN
OWNED FIRMS EMPLOYED OVER 1.3
MILLION WORKERS, WITH 57.4
BILLION IN ANNUAL PAYROLL IN
2018. FURTHERMORE, OF THE OVER
40 MILLION SMALL BUSINESSES IN
CALIFORNIA, THE UCLA LATINO
POLICY INSTITUTE ESTIMATES THAT
46% OF THESE BUSINESSES ARE
OPERATED BY ETHNIC MINORITY
OWNERS MEMBERS. IF WE WANT
CALIFORNIA TO BE THE STATE WHERE
EVERYONE HAS A CHANCE TO SUCCEED
, WE NEED TO ENSURE EVERYONE HAS
A SEAT AT THE TABLE. AB 2030 IS
SPONSORED BY THE HISPANIC
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND HAS
SUPPORT FROM THE ASIAN PACIFIC
CHAMBER, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN
CHAMBER AND THE SMALL BUSINESS
MAJORITY, AS WELL AS THE
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN'S
BUSINESS OWNERS. WITH ME HERE
TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE SPONSOR
IS YOLANDA BENSON AND LORI
KAMMERER FROM THE NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN'S BUSINESS
OWNERS. I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
AN AYE VOTE. GOOD MORNING, CHAIR
MEMBERS YOLANDA BENSON,
REPRESENTING THE CALIFORNIA
HISPANIC CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE,
WE OBVIOUSLY REPRESENT THE 800
PLUS THOUSAND LATINO OWNED
BUSINESSES IN CALIFORNIA. VÀ
MANY OF THOSE ARE LATINA OWNED.
MANY OF THOSE ARE ALSO LATINO
OWNED. BUT WE ARE GROWING SECTOR
OF SMALL BUSINESS IN CALIFORNIA.
ENTREPRENEURS IS VERY STRONG IN
OUR COMMUNITY. WE FEEL THAT THIS
BILL JUST GIVES PARITY TO THE
25% OF SMALL BUSINESSES NEEDING
TO PARTICIPATE IN STATE
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS. SO WE FEEL
LIKE THIS IS JUST A LOOPHOLE
THAT WHEN YOU'RE REACHING OUT TO
CONTACT SMALL BUSINESSES THAT
YOU MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO ALSO
REACH OUT TO MINORITY OWNED,
MINORITY OWNED WOMEN BUSINESS
OWNED ENTERPRISES. AND WE
APPRECIATE THE AUTHOR FOR
BRINGING THIS BILL FORWARD. AND
WE ASK FOR YOUR AYE VOTE. GOOD
MORNING, CHAIR AND MEMBERS, LORI
KAMMERER WITH THE NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN BUSINESS
OWNERS, CALIFORNIA CHAPTER,
WHOSE MEMBERS ARE AT LEAST 1.4
MILLION SMALL BUSINESS WOMEN,
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, WHO, AS
ASSEMBLY MEMBER DAVIES SAID,
PROVIDES, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
INTO OUR ECONOMY. THIS IS A
PRIORITY ISSUE FOR NAVAJO,
CALIFORNIA, ENABLING WOMEN
BUSINESS OWNERS TO SECURE THESE
CONTRACTS. AND SO WE
RESPECTFULLY URGE YOUR AYE VOTE.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHERS IN SUPPORT
? GOOD MORNING. CHAIR MEMBERS
MARIA MORALES, ON BEHALF OF
HISPANAS ORGANIZED FOR POLITICAL
EQUALITY HERE WITH US SUPPORT OF
AMENDED POSITION. LOOKING
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE
AUTHOR ON THE DEFINITION OF
DIVERSE SMALL BUSINESSES. THANK
YOU. I SEE NONE ANY OPPOSITION,
I SEE NONE. SO WE'LL BRING IT
BACK. WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM
RIGHT NOW, SO WE'LL BE BRINGING
IT BACK. BUT I JUST I DO WANT TO
SAY THAT, I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR BRINGING UP THIS BILL. IT IT
INCREASES PUBLIC CONTACTS AND
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL
BUSINESSES. SO WE'LL LEAVE IT
OPEN FOR NOW. OKAY. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. OH. I'M SORRY. ANY
ANY COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES
TODAY? I DON'T THINK SO. NO
NONE. SEEING NONE. THANK YOU.
OKAY. AMBULANCE. OKAY. YEAH.
OKAY MOVING ON TO AGENDA NUMBER
TWO. AB 22448 JACKSON ASSEMBLY
MEMBER. WHEN YOU'RE READY. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR.
CHAIR. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE
COMMITTEE FOR THE GREAT
COLLABORATION WITH MY STAFF ON
THIS MEASURE, TODAY I'M HERE TO
PRESENT, AB 2448, A BILL TO
ESTABLISH WHAT WE CALL AN
ELECTRIC VEHICLE. ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY ZONE, THE PRIMARY
GOAL OF THIS BILL, MR. CREATE
PROGRAMS WITHIN THESE ZONES TO
ENHANCE ACCESSIBILITY TO
ELECTRIC VEHICLE MANUFACTURING
JOBS AND EDUCATION, PARTICULARLY
FOCUSING ON LOWER INCOME
COMMUNITIES. AB 2448 SEEKS TO
EMPOWER THE CALIFORNIA COMPETES
TAX CREDIT COMMITTEE TO FORGE
PARTNERSHIPS WITH EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTIONS, ELECTRIC VEHICLE
MANUFACTURING BUSINESSES AND
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, WE KNOW
THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE
INVESTING MILLIONS AND MILLIONS,
EVEN BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, IN EV
INFRASTRUCTURE, EV MANUFACTURING
AND OTHER INCENTIVES. AND WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL
COMMUNITIES CAN BENEFIT, FROM
THESE INVESTMENTS AND THE
ECONOMIC ENGINE THAT THEY WILL
PRODUCE, I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
AN AYE VOTE. AND WE'LL START
WITH THE, ANY ANY ANY ONES ON
SUPPORT. DAVID QUINTANA WITH
KARMA AUTOMOTIVE, WE OPERATE IN
MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN MORENO
VALLEY, AN EV MANUFACTURING
FACILITY. AND WE CAN'T THANK THE
AUTHOR ENOUGH FOR BRINGING THIS
THIS BILL FORWARD. OKAY. ANY
OTHERS I SEE? NONE. ANY
OPPOSITION, I SEE NONE. LET'S
LET'S BRING THIS BACK TO OUR
COMMITTEE. ANY QUESTIONS HERE? I
SEE NONE. WELL, WE'LL HAVE, YOUR
YOUR BILL ON CALL. THANK YOU.
MOVING TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER
THREE, AB 2543 ARAMBULA. YOU CAN
START. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND
MEMBERS, ALL SMALL BUSINESS
OWNERS SHOULD HAVE THE SAME
ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY K¾T IN
CALIFORNIA'S ECONOMY, WHEN SMALL
BUSINESS THRIVES IN CALIFORNIA,
CALIFORNIA THRIVES. ASSEMBLY
BILL 2543 ENSURES THAT ELIGIBLE
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, INCLUDING
DACA ENTREPRENEURS, ARE ABLE TO
REGISTER THEIR BUSINESSES WITH
THE CERTIFIED SMALL BUSINESS
WITH THE STATE REGARDLESS OF
IMMIGRATION STATUS. IN
RECOGNITION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF
SMALL BUSINESSES, CALIFORNIA
ESTABLISHED THE SMALL BUSINESS
CERTIFIED PROGRAM, A SMALL
BUSINESS THAT IS CERTIFIED UNDER
THIS PROGRAM IS ELIGIBLE FOR A
NUMBER OF BENEFITS SUCH AS
BIDDING PREFERENCES, PROMPT
PAYMENT OF STATE CONTRACTS, AND
AS SMALL BUSINESS QUALIFIERS FOR
PRIME CONTRACTORS ARE REQUIRED
TO SUBCONTRACT WITH SPECIFIED
PERCENTAGE OF SMALL BUSINESSES.
DESPITE THEIR IMPORTANCE TO THE
LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND THEIR
ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION TO THE
STATE, MANY SMALL BUSINESSES ARE
UNABLE TO ACCESS THESE BENEFIT.
FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS
CERTIFICATION PROGRAM. THESE
BUSINESSES OFFER THE SAME
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES AS OTHER
CERTIFIED BUSINESSES. HOWEVER,
SOME SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS MAY
NOT HAVE PROOF OF LAWFUL STATUS
IN THIS COUNTRY EVEN WHEN THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS ISSUED
THEM AN EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION
NUMBER. THIS PREVENTS THEM FROM
ACCESSING THE BENEFITS OF SMALL
BUSINESS CERTIFICATION AND
RESTRICTS THEIR ABILITY TO
EXPAND AND TO CONTINUE TO HELP
THE STATE'S ECONOMY GROW.
ASSEMBLY BILL 2543 SIMPLY STATES
THAT ELIGIBLE SMALL BUSINESSES
MAY BE CERTIFIED REGARDLESS OF
THEIR CITIZENSHIP OR IMMIGRATION
STATUS OF ITS OWNER. FEDERAL AND
STATE LAW ALREADY AUTHORIZED
THESE BUSINESS OWNERS TO BE IN
BUSINESS. IT IS TIME FOR US TO
ENSURE THAT THESE BUSINESS
OWNERS CAN THRIVE IN BUSINESS.
TESTIFYING IN SUPPORT OF
ASSEMBLY BILL 2543 IS LUIS
PEREZ. WITH IMMIGRANTS RISING
AND JEANETTE ESPARZA WITH
ENTREPRENEUR. GOOD MORNING
EVERYONE. MY NAME IS LUIS PEREZ.
I'M HERE TO EXPRESS OUR
WHOLEHEARTED SUPPORT FOR AB
2543, AS A TECHNOLOGY LEAD FOR
IMMIGRANT RISING, WE'VE BEEN
WORKING VERY CLOSELY,
SPECIFICALLY WITH THE
ENTREPRENEURSHIP POPULATION THAT
HAPPENS TO BE UNDOCUMENTED. WE
HAVE SINCE 2006, AND WE FIRMLY
BELIEVE THAT REGARDLESS OF ANY
IMMIGRATION STATUS, EVERYONE HAS
THE POTENTIAL TO THRIVE THROUGH
ENTREPRENEURSHIP, ESPECIALLY
THOSE, HIGH SCHOOL NEW COLLEGE
AGE INDIVIDUALS THAT DON'T EVEN
HAVE ACCESS TO DACA, OUR OUR,
OUR, YOU KNOW, RESEARCH HAS
UNDERSCORED THAT IT IS IT IS ONE
OF THE FEW OPTIONS THAT A LOT OF
THESE INDIVIDUALS WILL HAVE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WORKED
TIRELESSLY FOR THE PAST FEW
YEARS ON CREATING EDUCATION,
CREATING CURRICULUM SO THAT OUR
THESE ENTREPRENEURS ARE, ARE
EDUCATED AND HAVE A AND ARE ABLE
TO PERFORM TO, TO WHAT THEY
NEED, SO WE DO FIRMLY BELIEVE
THAT AB 2543 ALIGNS WITH THE
MISSIONS AND OUR VALUES, BY
EXPANDING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS WE
SUPPORT, THE BILL WILL NOT ONLY
FOSTER ECONOMIC GROWTH, BUT ALSO
WILL PROMOTE INCLUSIVITY AND
EQUITY WITHIN OUR STATE, SO I
LOOK VERY MUCH FORWARD TO, TO
SEEING THIS PASS AND HOPEFULLY
OUR, OUR COMMUNITIES IN EVERY
COMMUNITY CAN, CAN BE ABLE TO
CONTRIBUTE TO, TO CALIFORNIA.
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
JEANETTE ESPARZA, AND I'M HERE
TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR THE
PASSING OF AB 2543. I AM THE
PROUD OWNER OF A RESIDENTIAL
CLEANING BUSINESS, WHICH I
ESTABLISHED TWO YEARS AGO.
THROUGH DEDICATION, MY BUSINESS
HAS FLOURISHED, NOW SERVING A
TOTAL OF 60 REGULAR CLIENTS IN
ACCOMMODATING UP TO 70 CLIENTS
MONTHLY. THE SUCCESS HAS
EMPOWERED ME TO PROVIDE FOR MY
FAMILY AND CONTRIBUTE TO MY
COMMUNITY. DURING THE PANDEMIC,
I FOUND MYSELF LAID OFF FROM A
STABLE JOB AFTER DEDICATING 13
YEARS OF MY LIFE. THAT DIDN'T
STOP ME, I SEIZED THE
OPPORTUNITY AND STARTED MY
BUSINESS. THE SEED GRANT
PROVIDED ME BY IMMIGRANTS.
RACING WAS AN INSTRUMENT IN
HELPING ME WITH THE NECESSARY
RESOURCES AND KNOWLEDGE TO
NAVIGATE TO DIFFICULTIES OF
STARTING A BUSINESS WITH NEW
SKILLS IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, I
TRANSFORM MY BUSINESS INTO
THRIVING SOURCE OF INCOME FOR MY
FAMILY AND MYSELF. TODAY, I
PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
TO OTHERS WITH MY COMMUNITY. I
ALSO ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN
EXPANDING MY BUSINESS OPERATIONS
TO INCLUDE COMMERCIAL CLEANING
SERVICES. I'M EXCITED TO OFFER
MY SERVICES TO GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES. THIS HELPS CREATE
PARTNERSHIP THAT BENEFITS
EVERYONE. IT MAKES OUR SOCIETY
BETTER. Ã VÆ 2543 IS NOT JUST A
BILL, IT'S A PATHWAY TO
INCLUSIVITY AND ECONOMIC
EMPOWERMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS LIKE
MYSELF WHO MAY BE UNDOCUMENTED.
BY GRANTING THIS ACCESS TO STATE
CERTIFICATION FOR ALL DESERVING
ENTREPRENEURS, REGARDLESS OF
IMMIGRATION STATUS, THIS BILL
LEVELS THE PLAYING FIELD AND
OPENS DOORS TO THE OPPORTUNITY.
IN CONCLUSION, I URGE YOU TO
SUPPORT AB 2543. IT WILL HELP
PEOPLE LIKE ME TO THRIVE AND
ENSURE WE CONTRIBUTE TO
CALIFORNIA PROSPERITY. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND
CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. ANY
OTHERS IN THE ROOM IN SUPPORT? I
SEE NONE ANY IN OPPOSITION?
NONE. I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE
MEMBERS. I JUST WANTED TO THANK
YOU FOR BRINGING THE BILL. I
THINK IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE
AND LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING
US TODAY. THANK YOU. WITH THAT,
ASSEMBLYMEMBER ANGELA, WOULD YOU
LIKE TO CLOSE? ABSOLUTELY. I
ALSO WANT TO THANK THE ASSEMBLY
MEMBERS FOR EXPANDING THIS BILL
TO INCLUDE SUPPORTERS FOR
UNDOCUMENTED PERSONS WHO ALREADY
CONTRIBUTE TO CALIFORNIA ECONOMY
AND TAX BASE. THANK YOU. IT'S ON
CALL
.
RIGHT.
OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO SKIP AND
MOVE DOWN TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.
AB 3236. HOOVER MR. HOOVER, WHEN
YOU'RE READY. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR. I APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT AB 3236.
THIS BILL WILL EXPAND THE
STREAMLINED CONTRACTING PROCESS
KNOWN AS THE SMALL BUSINESS AND
DISABLED VETERAN BUSINESS
ENTERPRISE OPTION, OR SB, DVBE
Â OPTION, BY INCREASING THE
MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT FROM
250,000 TO $500,000. THIS
STREAMLINED PROCUREMENT
CONTRACTING PROCESS IS AN
EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR INCREASING
PARTICIPATION RATES IN STATE
CONTRACTS AND INCREASING IN THE
MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT WOULD
OFFER SMALL BUSINESSES MORE
OPPORTUNITIES TO COMPETE FOR AND
SECURE STATE CONTRACTS. THIS
EXPANSION COULD LEAD TO
INCREASED REVENUE AND BUSINESS
GROWTH, IN DOING SO,
CONTRIBUTING TO ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AND JOB CREATION
WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, THE LAST
MAXIMUM ADJUSTMENT WAS IN 2009,
AND WITH THE RISING COST OF
BUSINESS IN CALIFORNIA OVER THE
PAST 15 YEARS, THIS BILL WILL
ENSURE THAT SMALL BUSINESSES CAN
REMAIN COMPETITIVE AND VIABLE IN
THE STATE PROCUREMENT MARKET.
WITH ME TODAY AS ONE OF MY
CONSTITUENTS, CARL NEIDHARDT,
FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF CARLIN
TECH LLC, A VETERAN AND MINORITY
SMALL BUSINESS. SORRY.
CARL NEIDHARDT I AM THE FOUNDER
AND PRESIDENT OF A VETERAN
OWNED, MINORITY OWNED SMALL
BUSINESS BASED HERE IN THE
SACRAMENTO AREA. AND ANTELOPE,
AS IT HAPPENS, OUR BUSINESS, IS
IT RELATED? MOSTLY RESELLING OF
COMPUTER NETWORKING AND
CYBERSECURITY PRODUCTS. AND MOST
OF OUR CUSTOMERS ARE CALIFORNIA
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES, SOME OF OUR PAST
CUSTOMERS HAVE INCLUDED INCLUDED
DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES,
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR,
FRANCHISE TAX BOARD, AND
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, AMONG
OTHERS. ALMOST ALL OF THE WORK
THAT WE'VE DONE WITH STATE
AGENCIES HAS BEEN UNDER THE SB,
DVB OPTION, WHICH ALLOWS MY
SMALL COMPANY TO COMPETE WITH
MUCH LARGER FIRMS. AS NOTED THAT
$250,000 LIMIT, THOUGH, WAS SET
IN 2009 AND 250 K DOESN'T BUY AS
MUCH TODAY AS IT DID 15 YEARS
AGO, AND I AM SEEING
PROCUREMENTS THAT ARE GETTING
OUTSIDE OF THAT RANGE WHERE IT'S
MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FOR ME TO
COMPETE. I APPRECIATE THAT
CALIFORNIA DOES A LOT OF THINGS
TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS, AND I
UNDERSTAND WE'RE IN A BUDGET
CRUNCH RIGHT NOW. AND SO, RATHER
THAN ASK FOR A PROGRAM THAT
APPROPRIATES MONEY, I SIMPLY ASK
THAT FOR MONEY YOU'RE ALREADY
GOING TO SPEND ANYWAY FOR
PROCUREMENTS OF 500 K OR LESS,
TRY TO DO IT WITH SMALL BUSINESS
FIRST, JUST AS YOU DO TODAY WITH
PROCUREMENTS OF $250,000 OR
LESS. THIS WOULD MEAN A LOT TO
US SMALL BUSINESSES AS I
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
. ANY OTHERS IN SUPPORT? I SEE
NONE IN THE OPPOSITION.
GOOD MORNING MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
PHIL VERMEULEN. I REPRESENT THE
COALITION OF SMALL AND DISABLED
VETERAN BUSINESSES. I'VE BEEN A
MEMBER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
GENERAL SERVICES SMALL BUSINESS
ADVISORY TASK FORCE FOR THE LAST
12 YEARS. INTIMATELY INVOLVED
WITH THIS SUBJECT. WE'VE KILLED
THIS BILL PRACTICALLY AT LEAST
FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES OVER THE
LAST DECADE, THERE'S SO MANY
PROBLEMS WITH IT. IF WE IF THERE
WAS ADDITIONAL WORK THAT WAS
GOING TO BE GENERATED FOR MY
MEMBERS, WE'D BE HERE SINGING
THE HIGHEST PRAISE FOR THE BILL.
THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH IT. WE'RE
GOING TO RAISE THE LIMIT PER
THIS BILL FROM 250 TO $500,000.
I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND. ADD A
BUREAUCRAT OVER IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES
MAKES TWO PHONE CALLS. THAT'S
ALL HE'S GOING TO DO IS MAKE TWO
PHONE CALLS TO HIS BROTHER IN
LAW. HIS NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR IS
BEST FRIEND, WHOMEVER. AND SAY,
BY THE WAY, WE'VE GOT THIS
$500,000, HALF $1 MILLION
CONTRACT WITH NO OVERSIGHT
WHATSOEVER. FURTHERMORE, ALL OF
A SUDDEN NOW YOU'RE GOING TO
HAVE BUREAUCRATS PUTTING
TOGETHER CONTRACTS. THEY'RE
GOING TO BE $500,000 OR MORE.
ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT POINT I
WANT YOU TO REMEMBER, WHEN THEY
MAKE THAT TWO CALLS THAT VENDOR
HAS TO HAVE THAT PRODUCT
AVAILABLE. MY MEMBERS SERVE THE
PRISONS OF CALIFORNIA VÀ
EXTENSIVELY WITH ALL THE FOODS
FROM BOXED LUNCHES, YOU NAME IT,
THAT MEANS THEN THAT THEY WOULD
HAVE TO HAVE A HALF $1 MILLION
WORTH OF WHATEVER THAT PRODUCT
IS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR IN
STOCK. HOW MANY SMALL BUSINESSES
HAVE A HALF $1 MILLION WORTH OF
A PRODUCT ON HAND? WELL, ALL
YOU'RE DOING IS CREATING MORE
PROBLEMS. THAT'S WHY WE'VE
KILLED THIS BILL SO MANY TIMES
IN THE PAST. AND I URGE YOU
TODAY TO KILL THIS BILL. IF IT
WAS A GOOD BILL, WE'D BE HERE IN
SUPPORT AGAIN. ALL OF MY MEMBERS
ARE ALL SMALL BUSINESSES AND
DISABLED VETERANS. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. ANY OTHERS IN
OPPOSITION? I SEE NONE, SOMEBODY
. HOOVER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? THANK YOU, CERTAINLY
APPRECIATE THE CONCERNS RAISED
BY THE OPPOSITION. WE ARE MORE
THAN WILLING TO CONTINUE WORKING
ON ON THIS BILL WITH THEM TO
HELP REMOVE THAT. I WOULD SAY
THAT, GIVEN THE FACT THAT THIS
HAS NOT BEEN ADJUSTED SINCE
2009, THERE, THERE HAVE BEEN
SIGNIFICANT COST INCREASES AND
THESE, THESE PROCUREMENT
CONTRACTS HAVE GONE UP. AND SO
CERTAINLY DO BELIEVE THAT THERE
IS AN ADJUSTMENT NEEDED. BUT
WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH
THEIR CONCERNS AS WELL WITH
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE
THAT I BRING IT BACK TO
COMMITTEE. JUST COMMENTS FROM
THE COMMENTS OF OPPOSITION.
YOU'RE WILLING TO CONTINUE TO
WORK WITH THEM BEFORE THIS BILL
GETS TO ITS NEXT COMMITTEE OR TO
THE FLOOR? SURE. YEAH,
ABSOLUTELY. YEAH, WE'LL
DEFINITELY CONTINUE TO SEE IF
THERE'S A, MAYBE A LEVEL THAT,
THAT IS COMFORTABLE WITH THE
OPPOSITION. I DO THINK AN
ADJUSTMENT IS NEEDED. SO I THINK
THE QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW,
WHAT'S THE RIGHT AMOUNT. ANY
OTHERS? I SEE NONE. DO WE HAVE A
MOTION. OH I'M SORRY. EXCUSE ME.
SOME MEMBERS. LET'S TAKE A QUICK
PAUSE TO ESTABLISH QUORUM.
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL ROLL VÆ
VALLAPUDUA. HERE HOOVER. HERE.
WYNN PETRIE-NORRIS. RAMOS. SORIA
WALLACE. WE HAVE QUORUM. DO WE
HAVE A MOTION? THERE'S A MOTION
BY, ASSEMBLY MEMBER NGUYEN.
SECOND BY RAMOS, WE HAVE, IS IT?
WELL OKAY, NOW THAT WE HAVE
QUORUM, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE
A VOTE COUNT. WE'LL DO THE
CONSENT CALENDAR FIRST FILE ITEM
NUMBER NINE AB 2163. FILE ITEM
GALLAGHER FILE ITEM NUMBER TEN
AB 2262 REYES FILE. ITEM NUMBER
11 AB 559 PETRIE-NORRIS FILE.
ITEM NUMBER 12 AB 2832. WARD
FILE. ITEM NUMBER 13 AB 2996.
ALVAREZ FILE. ITEM NUMBER 14 AB
3033 GIBSON FILE. ITEM NUMBER 15
SCR DODD. SO THERE'S A MOTION
AND A SECOND MOTION AND A
SECOND. RUSSIAN PASS DO PASS
APPROVAL. HIS SECOND WAS JUST
MOTIONED SECOND BY RAMOS. THANK
YOU. DO PASS THE APPROPRIATIONS.
THANK YOU. OKAY. AND THEN WE CAN
GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO THE BILLS
AND FILE ORDER. I HAVE AB 2030
DAVIS Dð PASS TO APPROPRIATIONS.
IT'S A MOTION. ALL RIGHT GUYS,
MOTION. AND SECOND. THANK YOU. I
HAVE AB 2448 JACKSON Dð PASS TO
APPROPRIATIONS VOTE. SORRY.
LET'S GO BACK TO AB 2030 DAVIS
Dð PASS TO APPROPRIATIONS. VÆ
VALLAPUDUA Ã HOOVER. HI NGUYEN.
HI, PETRIE-NORRIS. HI RAMOS.
SORIA WALLACE. OKAY I HAVE AB
2448 JACKSON Dð PASS TO
APPROPRIATIONS. VÆ. VALLAPUDUA
Ã HOOVER Ã NGUYEN
PETRIE-NORRIS. HI. RAMOS SORIA.
HI. WALLACE OKAY. I HAVE AB 2543
ARAMBULA Dð PASS TWO
APPROPRIATIONS. I NEED A MOTION.
OKAY. THANK YOU. VIA A HOOVER, A
NGUYEN. HI PETRIE-NORRIS. HI,
RAMOS. HI. SORIA HI, WALLACE.
OKAY. AND THEN I HAVE AB 3236
HOOVER Dð PASS TO APPROPRIATIONS
. THERE'S A MOTION MISSION.
THANK YOU. THE VALLAPUDUA Ã.
YOU HAVE TO GET THE SECOND ONE.
I THOUGHT I ALREADY GOT IT. WE
GOT IT. VALLAPUDUA Ã HOOVER. Ã
NGUYEN PETRIE-NORRIS. HI, RAMOS.
HI SORIA. HI, WALLACE. SIX. OH,
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE. AB
2543 ARAMBULA. I'M SORRY, WE DID
GRANT I'M SORRY. LET'S SEE.
WHICH ONE IS IT? THANK YOU.
SAMUEL. MEMBER. GRAYSON YOU MAY
START. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR.
AND MEMBERS, AB 2774 ESTABLISHES
THE CHILD CARE FOR WORKING
FAMILIES TASK FORCE. IT REQUIRES
THE TASK FORCE TO SUBMIT A
REPORT THAT RECOMMENDS FUTURE,
COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIES AIMED
AT ADDRESSING CHALLENGES THAT
ARE FACED BY WORKING FAMILIES IN
ACCESSING FLEXIBLE, AFFORDABLE
AND QUALITY CHILD CARE OPTIONS.
AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE IS
UNFORTUNATELY OUT OF REACH FOR
MANY CALIFORNIANS. IN FACT,
CALIFORNIA WAS RANKED THE LEAST
AFFORDABLE STATE FOR CENTER
BASED INFANT CARE IN THE NATION
AND JUST 14% OF THE STATE'S
ELIGIBLE INFANTS AND TODDLERS
HAVE ACCESS TO SUBSIDIZED CHILD
CARE. THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE
CHILD CARE HAS ALSO BECOME A
BARRIER TO WORK, ESPECIALLY FOR
MOTHERS WHO DISPROPORTIONATELY
TAKE ON CAREGIVING
RESPONSIBILITIES WHEN THEIR
FAMILY CANNOT FIND OR AFFORD
CHILD CARE. CALIFORNIA'S
CHILDREN NEED A SAFE PLACE TO
LEARN AND TO GROW WHILE PARENTS
ARE AT WORK, AND CHILD CARE IS
AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT FOR THE
LIVELIHOOD OF WORKERS AND OUR
COMMUNITIES. I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE INCREDIBLE AND
THOROUGH WORK THAT OUR STATE HAS
ALREADY DONE, AND CONTINUES TO
DO BY NAME, NAMELY BY THE BLUE
RIBBON COMMISSION AND THE
GOVERNOR'S MASTER PLAN ON EARLY
CHILD CARE AND EDUCATION. I
BELIEVE WE MUST BUILD UPON THIS
WORK AND CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE
INVESTMENTS IN ORDER TO BUILD A
COMPREHENSIVE, HIGH QUALITY
SYSTEM THAT IS ACCESSIBLE AND
THAT IS AFFORDABLE TO ALL.
FURTHER, THERE IS A GREAT NEED
FOR A NEW TASK FORCE TO TAKE A
COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF
CURRENT ECONOMIC REALITIES OF
CALIFORNIA FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY
IN THE POST COVID ERA, THROUGH
THE TASK FORCE, AB 2774 WILL
SEEK TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES
THAT WORKING FAMILIES FACE IN
ACCESSING FLEXIBLE, AFFORDABLE
AND QUALITY CHILDCARE AND CHILD
CARE OPTIONS. AND I THANK YOU
FOR THE TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE
AT THE APPROPRIATE. THANK YOU.
ANY ANY IN SUPPORT. I SEE NONE
ANY OPPOSITION IN THE ROOM?
LET'S SEE. NONE. LET'S BRING IT
BACK TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS. ANY
QUESTIONS? THERE'S A MOTION AND
A SECOND, WITH THAT, MR.
GRAYSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE
? OKAY. THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER GRAYSON, FOR CHAMPIONING
THIS BILL. WE NEED SUPPORT AND
RESOURCES FOR WORKING FAMILIES
AND ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE CHILD
CARE. THERE IS A MOTION AND A
SECOND. CALL ROLL. SECRETARY
OKAY, WE HAVE FIVE. ITEM NUMBER
FIVE, AB 2774. GRAYSON, DO PASS,
AS AMENDED, TO APPROPRIATIONS
VIA Ã. HOOVER Ã NGUYEN.
PETRIE-NORRIS. Ã RAMOS. Ã
SORIA. WALLACE YOUR BILL IS OUT.
THANK YOU. SIR MOVING ON TO
ITEM, SIX AB 2794. I DON'T SEE
BRIAN HERE. OKAY. SO WE'RE
WAITING. OKAY. DO WE NEED TO
ESTABLISH, ROLL CALL. YES. VÆ.
VALLAPUDUA Ã HOOVER. HI. NGUYEN
. RIGHT HERE. INKWIN HERE.
PETRIE-NORRIS JUST ROLL. THANK
YOU. RAMOS. HERE. SORIA WALLACE.
OKAY OKAY. WE'RE WAITING ON
BRIAN AND GARCIA
.
YEAH. SECRETARY, CAN WE ADD ON,
ROLL CALL? NOT ROLL CALL. BUT
OUR VOTES. YEAH. VOTES. YEAH. SO
YOU READ THROUGH. OKAY, SO WE
WILL START OFF WITH THE CONSENT
CALENDAR. WE HAVE FILE ITEM
NUMBER NINE AB 2163 GALLAGHER DO
PASS AS AMENDED TO
APPROPRIATIONS FILE ITEM NUMBER
TEN AB 2262 REYES DO PASS TO
APPROPRIATION FILE. ITEM NUMBER
11 AB 2559 PETRIE-NORRIS DO PASS
TO APPROPRIATIONS FILE. ITEM
NUMBER 12 AB 2832. WARD DO PASS
TO APPROPRIATIONS FILE. ITEM
NUMBER 13 AB 2996. ALVAREZ DO
PASS TO INSURANCE FILE. ITEM
NUMBER 14 AB 3033 GIBSON DO PASS
TO APPROPRIATIONS AND FILE ITEM
NUMBER 15 SCR DODD TO BE ADOPTED
. DO WE NEED A MOTION? NO, NO,
YOU JUST NEED THE SNORES. CALL
THE NAMES. OH, THAT'S RIGHT. ALL
RIGHT. HOOVER Ã NGUYEN
PETRIE-NORRIS RAMOS ASESORÍA
WALLACE. OKAY.
WE'RE JUST WAITING PETRIE-NORRIS
TO THE REST OF THE VOTES. OKAY.
SORRY SO WE'RE WAITING ON
ASSEMBLY MEMBER BRYAN AND GARCIA
.
THERE HE IS. OKAY. MOVING ON.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER GARCIA. WAIT A
MINUTE. IS THAT WHY HE HAS TWO
ITEMS? SO HE'S GOING TO DO BOTH
TOGETHER? OKAY SO FINAL ITEM FOR
YEA, AND THEN COME BACK TO THIS
ONE. YEAH. SO WE'RE GOING TO
START OFF WITH, FILE ITEM AB
2757 MR. MR. GARCIA, WHEN YOU'RE
READY. THEY WILL BE VERY BRIEF
FOR LITHIUM VALLEY COMMISSION
PUT TOGETHER A REPORT IN 2022
PROPOSING THAT THE REGION, COME
TOGETHER AND DEVELOP A ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT ZONE MADE UP OF THE
IMPERIAL COUNTY, THE EASTERN
COACHELLA VALLEY AND THE PALO
VERDE COMMUNITIES, TO TRY TO
MAXIMIZE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
INVESTMENT AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR
THESE, ECONOMICALLY UNDERSERVED
AND UNDERINVESTED REGIONS OF THE
STATE, WITH ME TODAY, WE HAVE
CRISTIANO TORRES FROM COMITÉ
CIVICO DEL VALLE AND SILVIA PAZ
FROM ALIANZA COACHELLA VALLEY TO
TESTIFY ON BEHALF OF THE BILL.
GOOD MORNING. COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS CHRISTIANE TORRES,
DIRECTOR OF CLIMATE EQUITY AND
RESILIENCE AT COMITE CIVICO EL
VALLE. AND OUR MENTAL JUSTICE
ORGANIZATION IN BRAWLEY,
CALIFORNIA. IS SPONSORING AB
2757 BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER EDUARDO
GARCIA AND SENATOR PADILLA, A
DISTRICT MEASURE THAT WOULD
DESIGNATE THE SOUTHEAST
CALIFORNIA ECONOMIC REGION FOR
ALIGNING STATE AND FEDERAL
PROGRAMS TO BENEFIT COMMUNITIES
IMPACTED BY LITHIUM AND OTHER
MINERAL EXTRACTION AND CLEAN
ENERGY DEVELOPMENT. THIS MEASURE
ALSO ALLOWS FOR REGIONAL
COLLABORATION TO CREATE A
STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF
THE SALTON SEA REGION, AS
RECOMMENDED BY THE BLUE RIBBON
COMMISSION ON LITHIUM EXTRACTION
IN CALIFORNIA. KOMITET STANDS
FIRM IN ITS MISSION TO AMPLIFY
THE VOICES OF UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES RESIDING IN IMPERIAL
COUNTY, LITHIUM VALLEY, AND THE
SALTON SEA REGION. WE STRIVE TO
REPRESENT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE,
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, ALONG WITH
GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT BUILDING FOR
THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. WE ARE
A Kò ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
ORGANIZATION. IMPERIAL COUNTY
WORKING TIRELESSLY TO ENSURE
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS AT THE
FOREFRONT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF
LITHIUM VALLEY'S RENEWABLE
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY AND LITHIUM
RECOVERY INDUSTRY. AB 2757 IS A
DIRECT RESULT OF THE LITHIUM
VALLEY COMMISSION'S REPORT
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CREATION
OF A NEW SOUTHEASTERN CALIFORNIA
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ZONE FOR
THE BENEFIT OF THE SALTON SEA
REGION IN 2022. THE COMMISSION
CALLED FOR THE RECOGNITION OF A
SALTON SEA REGION THAT INCLUDES
ALL OF THE COUNTY OF IMPERIAL
AND EASTERN COACHELLA VALLEY AND
PALO VERDE VALLEYS OF THE COUNTY
OF RIVERSIDE, EXTENDING FROM THE
CITY OF COACHELLA TO THE
UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES NEAR
THE SALTON SEA, AND THEN FURTHER
EAST TO THE CALIFORNIA ARIZONA
BORDER TO INCLUDE IMPERIAL
COUNTY, THE EASTERN COACHELLA
VALLEY, AND PALO VERDE. THE
PURPOSE OF AB 2757 IS TO
CULTIVATE, STIMULATE, AND
AGGREGATE TARGETED INVESTMENTS
BY THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
SECTORS IN CALIFORNIA'S
SOUTHEAST EASTERN DESERT REGION,
WHICH HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN
OVERLOOKED AND LEFT BEHIND BY
THE STATE'S EXISTING ECONOMIC
PLANNING AND FUNDING ACTIVITIES.
CURRENTLY, OUR DESERT REGIONS
HAVE BEEN ATTACHED TO REGIONAL
PLANNING AND PROGRAM AREAS THAT
LIE BEYOND SIGNIFICANT
GEOGRAPHIC AND SOCIOECONOMIC
BARRIERS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE
COUNTY OF IMPERIAL HAS BEEN
GROUPED WITH THE PRIMARILY URBAN
COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO AND THE
COACHELLA VALLEY WITH THE INLAND
EMPIRE. HOWEVER, OUR
SOUTHEASTERN COMMUNITIES HAVE
VASTLY DIFFERENT NEEDS,
RESOURCES, AND DEMOGRAPHIC
PROFILES FROM OTHER AREAS WITHIN
OUR HOMES. THIS SHORTSIGHTED
STATE GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATIVE
PRACTICE DILUTES THE INTERESTS,
VOICES, AND OPPORTUNITIES OF OUR
PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES THAT
COMPRISE THE IMPERIAL AND
COACHELLA VALLEY'S LAST YEARS AB
1562 COULD HAVE MOVED IN JANUARY
WITH OVERWHELMING SUPPORT BY
IMPERIAL COUNTY STAKEHOLDERS,
BUT HAS NOT BEEN REINTRODUCED AS
AB 2757 TO PROVIDE THE BEST PATH
FORWARD BY ENGAGING ALL
STAKEHOLDERS AND GATHERING AS
MUCH INPUT ON THE MEASURE AND
ACHIEVING THE BEST POSSIBLE
OUTCOMES FOR OUR REGION. THE
BOUNDARIES AND PURPOSE OF AB
2757 DESIGNATION ALIGN WITH THE
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE BLUE
RIBBON COMMISSION'S REPORT. THIS
BILL ALSO FACILITATES FURTHER
REGIONAL COLLABORATION ON A
STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT IN THE REGION. AB
2757 IS INTENDED TO ENHANCE THE
COUNTY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
TOOLBOX BY AUTHORIZING THE
SALTON SEA REGION TO MORE
AUTHENTICALLY ALIGN COMMUNITIES
OF INTEREST AND ATTRACT PUBLIC
AND PRIVATE CAPITAL MORE
EFFECTIVELY. GOOD MORNING,
SYLVIA PAZ. I AM THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF ALIANZA COACHELLA
VALLEY, AND I SERVED AS THE
CHAIR OF THE LITHIUM VALLEY
COMMISSION DURING. ALIANZA IS AN
ORGANIZATION THAT IS BASED IN
THE COACHELLA VALLEY, AND OUR
VISION IS TO TRANSFORM THE
SOCIOECONOMIC CONDITIONS OF A
REGION THAT FACES A LOT OF
OBSTACLES. HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT
RATES, AND LOW QUALITY OF LIFE,
DURING THE DELIBERATIONS OF THE
LITHIUM VALLEY COMMISSION, IT
WAS IMPORTANT FOR US THAT IF WE
WERE TO REALIZE THE TRUE PROMISE
OR POTENTIAL OF THE LITHIUM
INDUSTRY, WE NEEDED TO HAVE
TOOLS THAT AT OUR DISPOSAL THAT
WOULD INCENTIVIZE AND INVEST IN
THE SUPPLY CHAIN OR THE OTHER
RELATED COMPONENTS. BEYOND
LOOKING AT AN EXTRACTION. AB
2757 IS A TOOL THAT WOULD ALLOW
US TO DO THAT, AND THAT IS WHY
IT WAS A RECOMMENDATION OF THE
LITHIUM VALLEY COMMISSION. AND
IT IS SOMETHING THAT ALIANZA
COACHELLA VALLEY SUPPORTS AS
WELL. THERE'S A MOTION AND A
SECOND, IS THERE ANY OTHERS IN
THE ROOM IN IN SUPPORT? GOOD
MORNING. JEFF NEIL REPRESENTING
IMPERIAL COUNTY, ALSO IN SUPPORT
OF THE BILL. ALEJANDRO SOLIS, ON
BEHALF OF LOS AMIGOS DE LA
COMUNIDAD, IN SUPPORT AND AS A
PROXY FOR AUTHORITY AND CITY OF
COACHELLA, ALSO IN SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. NOW WE'RE MOVE TO
OPPOSITION, I SEE NONE. LET'S
BRING IT BACK. LET'S BRING IT
BACK TO COMMITTEE. ANY QUESTIONS
FOR COMMITTEE MEMBERS? I SEE
NONE, MR. GARCIA, JUST THANK YOU
FOR YOUR ATTENTION ON THE
MATTER. RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
YOUR SUPPORT ON THE BILL. THERE
WAS A MOTION AND A SECOND BY
PETRIE-NORRIS AND MISS NGUYEN.
SECRETARY, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL
ROLL? FILE ITEM NUMBER FOUR, AB
2757. GARCIA Dð. PASS TO
APPROPRIATIONS. VÆ VALLAPUDUA A
HOOVER. NGUYEN. PETRIE-NORRIS
RAMOS. SORIA WALLACE. YES. TO
PASS. YOU. NOW THE BILL IS OUT.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO RIGHT.
FINALLY. YEAH, I GOT IT, I GOT
IT. FILE FILE NUMBER SEVEN, AB
2873. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND
THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE STAFF
FOR THE ANALYSIS, THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS BILL
, ALLOWS US TO TAKE A BILL FROM
2017 AB 1111, REFERRED TO AS
BREAKING BARRIERS PROGRAM, TO
MAKE SOME CHANGES THAT WOULD
STRIVE TO MAKE THE PROGRAM A
BETTER PROGRAM, THERE ARE
.
THE BILL ALSO GRANTS FLEXIBILITY
IN SETTING PROGRAM GOALS,
CONSIDERING THE SPECIFIC
CHALLENGES OF GROUPS LIKE
UNDOCUMENTED AND FORMERLY
INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS, THE
UNIQUE THING ABOUT US BRINGING
THIS BILL FORWARD IS THAT WE
WATCHED THE IMPLEMENTATION SINCE
2017, AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED AREAS
WHERE THE BILL COULD BE A MUCH
MORE STRONGER AND INTENTIONAL,
WITH ITS OUTCOMES. SO THIS BILL
IS BEFORE YOU TO TRY TO
STRENGTHEN THE WORK THAT'S BEING
DONE BY OUR WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT BOARDS ACROSS THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. I CAN
ATTEST THAT IN OUR REGION, THE
ORGANIZED NATIONS WORKING
CLOSELY WITH THE WORKFORCE BOARD
HAVE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB AND
HAVE BEEN ABLE NOT ONLY TO
OBTAIN SOME OF THESE RESOURCES,
BUT TO REALLY TRANSFORM AND
CHANGE, THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
FOLKS WHO MET THE REQUIREMENTS,
WITHIN THE BREAKING BARRIERS
COMMUNITY. SO I WILL PASS THIS
ON TO TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL
BE TESTIFYING ISIS ORELLANA
POLICY ANALYST FOR CALIFORNIA
WORKFORCE ASSOCIATION, AND
JENNIFER KERR, AN ENGLISH
LANGUAGE INSTRUCTOR AT GOODWILL
OF SAN FRANCISCO, BAY. THANK
YOU, CHAIR. AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT
MEASURE TODAY. MY NAME IS ISIS
MEDINA, AND I'M WITH THE
CALIFORNIA WORKFORCE
ASSOCIATION. AND I'M HERE TO
DISCUSS AB 2873 BY ASSEMBLY
MEMBER GARCIA. AB 2873 SEEKS TO
MAKE SMALL BUT IMPACTFUL CHANGES
TO ENHANCE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
THE BREAKING BARRIERS TO
EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE AT A VERY
HIGH LEVEL, BREAKING BARRIERS
ESTABLISHES A GRANT PROGRAM THAT
PARTNERS LOCAL COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS WITH THEIR LOCAL
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD TO
PROVIDE SERVICES TO TARGETED
POPULATIONS WHO HAVE
HISTORICALLY HAVE DIFFICULTIES
IN OBTAINING AND RETAINING
EMPLOYMENT. IN THE SEVEN YEARS
SINCE THE PROGRAM'S INCEPTION,
BREAKING BARRIERS HAS BEEN
INSTRUMENTAL IN CONNECTING
THOUSANDS OF CALIFORNIA'S MOST
VULNERABLE POPULATIONS TO
MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT,
EDUCATION, AND TRAINING FOR
SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND ECONOMIC
MOBILITY. THE BREAKING BARRIERS
TO EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM HAS
DEMONSTRATED SIGNIFICANT SUCCESS
IN DEMAND PROGRAM ENROLLMENT IS
SOON TO EXCEED 8000 INDIVIDUALS
SERVED THROUGH 68 GRANTS. THE
PROGRAM HAS OVERWHELMING
INTEREST, EVIDENCED BY 193
PROSPECTIVE GRANTEES SEEKING A
TOTAL OF $97 MILLION IN FUNDING,
A STAGGERING $58.8 MILLION MORE
THAN WHAT WAS MADE AVAILABLE.
THE HIGH LEVEL OF INTEREST IN
THE PROGRAM HAS HAD THE
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF
CREATING A BURDEN ON BOTH LOCAL
WORKFORCE BOARDS AND SMALL CBOS.
WHILE THESE PARTNERSHIPS WITH
LOCAL WORKFORCE BOARDS AND CBOS
REMAIN A CRITICAL PIECE TO THE
BREAKING BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT
IN A PROGRAM, WE MUST
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IN SOME
INSTANCES, THE POPULARITY PAIRED
WITH TIMELINES CREATED BY THE
GRANT HAVE CREATED BOTTLENECKS,
ESPECIALLY FOR SMALLER CBOS
ATTEMPTING TO FORMALIZE THESE
PARTNERSHIPS. THE AMENDMENTS TO
THE BREAKING BARRIERS TO
EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE MAKE THE
PROGRAM MORE FLEXIBLE,
ACCESSIBLE, AND EQUITABLE, ALL
WHILE MAINTAINING THE PROGRAM'S
INTENDED GOALS. WE APPRECIATE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO
THIS IMPORTANT DISCUSSION AND
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR I
VOTE. I VOTE ON AB 2873
AVAILABLE TO ANSWER YOUR
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. VERY THERE
IS A MOTION AND A SECOND BY WHO
WAS RAMOS OKAY. PETRIE-NORRIS
ANY ANY OTHERS IN? WE DO. OKAY.
SORRY GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M
JENNIFER KERR. I REPRESENT
GOODWILL OF THE SF BAY, WHERE I
WORK AS AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE
INSTRUCTOR. AND I'M HERE TO
SHARE AN EXAMPLE OF THE SUCCESS
OF THE PROGRAM. GOODWILL OF THE
SF BAY IS A MISSION DRIVEN,
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION
THAT HELPS THOSE WITH BARRIERS
TO EMPLOYMENT TO SECURE
MEANINGFUL WORK. OUR
ORGANIZATION APPLIED FOR AND
RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE
BREAKING BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT
INITIATIVE TO CREATE A PROGRAM
THAT INCREASES LANGUAGE
PROFICIENCY AND IMPROVED JOB
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE WITHIN
OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES WHO
HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY EXCLUDED
FROM QUALITY JOBS. LAST YEAR, WE
ENROLLED A WOMAN NAMED ANNIE WHO
WAS REFERRED TO US BY ANOTHER
CBO AFTER ARRIVING TO THE USA
FROM CHINA. IT TOOK HER MANY
YEARS FOR HER RIGHT TO WORK
DOCUMENTS TO ARRIVE, AND WHILE
WAITING, SHE BECAME AN IMPORTANT
PART OF HER NEW COMMUNITY.
THROUGH VOLUNTEER WORK AT THE
YMCA, HER CHURCH AND THE CHINESE
FOR AFFIRMATIVE ACTION GROUP. IN
2023, HER WORK AUTHORIZATION
ARRIVED, BUT SHE WORRIED THAT
HER LEVEL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE
COMPETENCY COULD BE A BARRIER.
SHE WAS EXTREMELY NERVOUS TO DO
JOB INTERVIEWS IN ENGLISH, SO
SHE ENROLLED AT GOODWILL INTO MY
JOB COACHING FOR ENGLISH
LANGUAGE LEARNERS COURSE, WHERE
I TAUGHT HER HOW TO CREATE A
STRONG RESUME, SEARCH FOR JOBS,
AND SUCCEED. IN AN INTERVIEW.
AND IN JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS,
ANNIE SECURED A POSITION AS A
CHILD CARE ASSISTANT WITH CHI
MING, A NONPROFIT COMMUNITY
BASED AGENCY. HER STORY
EXEMPLIFIES THE WAY IN WHICH THE
BREAKING BARRIERS INITIATIVE
ALLOWS US TO EMPOWER LEARNERS TO
BREAK DOWN THE BARRIERS THAT
HAVE BARRED THEM FROM ECONOMIC
PROSPERITY. THE PROGRAM IS NOT
SOLELY ABOUT EMPLOYMENT, BUT
ALSO ABOUT RESTORING DIGNITY AND
PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD
STRONGER COMMUNITIES. ANNIE IS
JUST ONE OF THE STORIES I COULD
HAVE SHARED WITH YOU TODAY. TO
DATE, WE HAVE ENROLLED 270
PEOPLE LIKE ANNIE INTO OUR
PROGRAM. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. THANK YOU.
ANY OTHERS IN SUPPORT? SEEING
NONE ANY IN OPPOSITION, I SEE
NONE. I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE
COMMITTEE. ANY QUESTIONS? HEAR
NONE, SOME OF THEM ARE. WOULD
YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? THANK YOU.
AND RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR
ABLE. THANK YOU, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
GARCIA, FOR THIS BILL, SUSTAINED
FUNDING AND BREAKING BARRIERS TO
EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE. ADDRESSED
LABOR ISSUES AND PRIORITIZED
DEMOGRAPHICS AND LANGUAGE DATA
FOR CALIFORNIA WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT. I FULLY SUPPORT
THIS BILL AND WILL LOVE TO BE
ADDED AS A COAUTHOR. THANK YOU.
WITH THAT, THERE WAS A MOTION BY
PETRIE-NORRIS ASSEMBLY MEMBER,
PETRIE-NORRIS AND ASSEMBLY
MEMBER SORIA. SO THE MOTION WAS
BY RAMOS. IN THE SECOND WAS BY
PETRIE-NORRIS CLOSE. OKAY, LET'S
GO AHEAD AND TAKE A COUNT. SO I
HAVE FIVE. ITEM NUMBER SEVEN AB
2873. GARCIA Dð PASS TO
APPROPRIATIONS. VÆ VALLAPUDUA A
HOOVER NGUYEN PETRIE-NORRIS A
RAMOS A SORIA. WALLACE OKAY.
THANK YOU. BUILDS OUT. OKAY.
MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER SIX AB
2794 BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER BRYANT.
WHEN YOU'RE READY, SIR. THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR.
GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR. AND
COLLEAGUES. IT'S MY FIRST TIME
EVER PRESENTING BEFORE THIS
COMMITTEE TODAY, I'M HERE TO
PRESENT AB 2794, A BILL THAT
WOULD CREATE THE ANTI
DISPLACEMENT COMMERCIAL PROPERTY
ACQUISITION PROGRAM. WHEN WE
THINK OF GENTRIFICATION AND
DISPLACEMENT, WE OFTEN THINK OF
RESIDENTIAL TENANTS. BUT WE
FORGET THAT OUR MOM AND POP
BUSINESSES ARE LOCAL VEGAN
COFFEE SHOPS, OUR LOCAL BARBER
SHOPS, OUR DRY CLEANER WHO
CLEANS OUR SUITS EVERY DAY.
THEY'RE ALL VULNERABLE TO BEING
PRICED OUT OR EVICTED AS WELL.
THESE BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN A
PART OF OUR COMMUNITIES FOR
YEARS, SOMETIMES EVEN DECADES.
NOT ONLY DO THEY CONTRIBUTE TO
THE CULTURE AND VIBRANCY OF THE
NEIGHBORHOODS THEY SERVE, THEY
ALSO CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO
OUR STATE'S ECONOMY. ACCORDING
TO A 2023 REPORT FROM THE
CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF SMALL
BUSINESS ADVOCATE, MINORITY
OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES
CONTRIBUTE $192.8 BILLION IN
ECONOMIC OUTPUT, MORE THAN THE
ANNUAL GDP OF 18 US STATES
GENERATES 28.7 MILLION IN TAX
REVENUE AND SUPPLY NEARLY 2.5
MILLION JOBS ACROSS CALIFORNIA.
DESPITE THEIR ECONOMIC
CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR STATE,
SMALL BUSINESSES AND
PARTICULARLY MINORITY OWNED
BUSINESSES ARE STRUGGLING IN A
POST-PANDEMIC WORLD. MORE THAN
40% OF PANDEMIC INDUCED
BUSINESSES, BUSINESS CLOSURES
WERE THAT OF BLACK OWNERS, AND
RECOGNITION OF THESE HARDSHIPS.
THE CITY OF SAN JOSE, WHERE
SMALL BUSINESSES STRUGGLED WITH
DISPLACEMENT SINCE BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC, ESTABLISHED THE
COMMUNITY STABILIZATION AND
OPPORTUNITY PATHWAYS FUND TO
STABILIZE LOCAL SMALL
BUSINESSES, ACCORDING TO A STUDY
BY UC BERKELEY. BUSINESSES THAT
OWN THE PROPERTY, WHERE THEY
OPERATE THEIR BUSINESSES ARE
LESS VULNERABLE TO DISPLACEMENT.
HOWEVER, THE STUDY SHOWED ONLY
ONE THIRD OF BUSINESSES ARE
OWNER OCCUPIED, AND WITHIN THAT
ONE THIRD, MANY ARE OWNER
OCCUPIED. BECAUSE THEY ARE CHILD
CARE PROVIDERS OR ART TEACHERS
OPERATING OUT OF THEIR HOMES. AB
2794 DIRECTS GO-BIZ TO ESTABLISH
THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT COMMERCIAL
PROPERTY PROGRAM, WHICH WOULD
PROVIDE LOW INTEREST LOANS TO
NONPROFITS OR LAND TRUSTS TO
PURCHASE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY IN
AREAS THAT ARE VULNERABLE TO
DISPLACEMENT. IT BUILDS OFF THE
RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY LAND TRUST
MODEL, A PROVEN METHOD FOR
REDUCING DISPLACEMENT AND
PRESERVING AFFORDABILITY. HERE
TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF THIS
BILL IS ROB LEE, THE CEO FOR
BLACK OWNED AND OPERATED
COMMUNITY LAND TRUST AND PROFIT
WALKER, AND FOUNDER AND CEO OF
TREEHOUSE CO-LIVING. COMMITTEE
CHAIR. COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS THIS
MORNING, MY NAME IS ROBBIE LEE
AND I'M THE CEO OF BLACK OWNED
AND OPERATED COMMUNITY LAND
TRUST IN LEIMERT PARK, WHERE WE
WORK TIRELESSLY TO SUPPORT AND
UPLIFT LOCAL COMMUNITIES,
CONCENTRATING ON OUR EFFORTS ON
THOSE MOST VULNERABLE TO
ECONOMIC DISPARITIES AND
GENTRIFICATION IN MANY OF OUR
COMMUNITIES IN LOS ANGELES
COUNTY AND SO MANY OTHERS
THROUGHOUT OUR STATE ARE
EXPERIENCING A CRISIS. THE COVID
19 PANDEMIC EXACERBATED AN
ALREADY DIRE SITUATION FOR OUR
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, RESULTING
IN UNPAID COMMERCIAL RENTS.
ESTIMATING BETWEEN 993 MILLION
AND $2.3 BILLION, THESE
BUSINESSES, MANY LED BY WOMEN
AND BIPOC INDIVIDUALS, ARE NOT
JUST COMMERCIAL ENTITIES, BUT
CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS THAT HOLD
OUR COMMUNITIES TOGETHER. THEY
PROVIDE ESSENTIAL JOBS, SERVICES
AND SERVE AS A FOUNDATION FOR
THE CULTURAL IDENTITY OF OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS. AB 2794 PROPOSES
A VISIONARY SOLUTION THROUGH LOW
INTEREST LOANS TO COMMUNITY
BASED ACQUISITION PARTNERS. THIS
WILL ENABLE THE PURCHASE OF
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY IN AREAS AT
RISK OF GENTRIFICATION, THEREBY
ENSURING THAT THESE BUSINESSES
CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE BY
FOCUSING ON PRESERVING
BUSINESSES OWNED BY BLACK
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF COLOR AND
WOMEN. THIS BILL NOT ONLY
ADDRESSES ECONOMIC INEQUALITIES,
BUT ALSO SERVES AS A MODEL FOR
SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. AS
CALIFORNIA PREPARES TO HOST
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EVENTS,
INCLUDING THE UPCOMING LOS
ANGELES OLYMPIC GAMES IN 2028,
THE ECONOMIC SPOTLIGHT WILL
INEVITABLY SHINE ON OUR GOLDEN
STATE. WHILE SUCH EVENTS PROMISE
SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC BENEFITS
ESTIMATED AT OVER $11 BILLION
AND BRINGING CLOSE TO 79,000
THOUSAND JOBS, THEY ALSO
ACCELERATE URBAN DEVELOPMENT
PRESSURES THAT CAN LEAD TO
DISPLACEMENT WITHIN CULTURAL
COMMUNITIES. AB 2794 IS CRUCIAL
IN THIS CONTEXT, AS IT AIMS TO
FORTIFY OUR COMMUNITIES AGAINST
THE PRESSURES, ENSURING THAT
BENEFITS OF HOSTING GLOBAL
EVENTS WILL BE EQUITABLY,
EQUITABLY SHARED. I'D LIKE TO
INTRODUCE OUR BOARD CHAIR AND
CO-FOUNDER OF OUR ORGANIZATION,
PROP WALKER. HONORABLE MEMBERS.
CHAIR OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE
ASSEMBLY. THANK YOU FOR HAVING
US, TO HEAR ABOUT THIS. MY NAME
IS PROPHET WALKER. I'M THE BOARD
CHAIR OF THE BLACK OWNED AND
OPERATED COMMUNITY LAND TRUST,
FOUNDED IN LEIMERT PARK, OUR
WORK IS DEDICATED TO PRESERVING
THE CULTURAL INTEGRITY AND
ECONOMIC VITALITY OF OUR
COMMUNITIES THROUGH STRATEGIC
LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT. TODAY,
I STAND BEFORE YOU AS AN
ADVOCATE ON A VITAL PIECE OF
LEGISLATION. AB 2794, WHICH
OFFERS A LIFETIME, WHICH OFFERS
A LIFELINE TO THE HEART AND SOUL
OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, OUR SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS AND CULTURAL
INSTITUTIONS. THESE PILLARS OF
THE COMMUNITY, OFTEN STEWARDED
AS ROBBIE SAID, BY WOMEN AND
BIPOC COMMUNITY, ARE MORE THAN
ECONOMIC DRIVERS. THEY ARE
GUARDIANS OF OUR HERITAGE AND
OUR COLLECTIVE IDENTITY. THEY'RE
THE FIRST PLACE THAT THE
AMERICAN DREAM IS ACTUALLY BEGAN
TO BE EXPERIENCED IN
COLLABORATION WITH THE COUNTY OF
LOS ANGELES, WE PILOTED AN
INITIATIVE, THAT BAND THAT BEGAN
WITH THE ACQUISITION OF A SINGLE
BLOCK IN LEIMERT PARK TO
PRESERVE THE HERITAGE. THIS
PILOT NOT ONLY PROVED SUCCESSFUL
IN RETURNING POWER TO THE LOCAL
BUSINESS OWNERS, BUT IT ALSO
LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR A MORE
EXTENSIVE EFFORT, LEADING TO A
$10 MILLION FUND TO UPLIFT TO A
$10 MILLION FUND TO EMPOWER
OTHER COMMUNITIES TO FOLLOW THIS
MODEL. THROUGHOUT LOS ANGELES,
THE OUTCOMES HAVE BEEN
INSPIRING. THERE'S BEEN
INVESTMENTS IN LOCAL BUSINESSES
THAT HAVE THAT HAVE SPURRED THE
SUCCESS FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND
OTHERS. PASSIONATE MERCHANTS
HAVE DIVED INTO THEIR OWN
COMMUNITY TO BEGIN TO UPLIFT IT
AND CARE FOR IT TODAY. JUST
TODAY, WHILE I WAS ON THE PLANE,
ON THE PLANE, I SAW THAT A CDFI
FOLLOWED SUIT AND PUT ANOTHER
$10 MILLION BEHIND THIS EFFORT
IN LOS ANGELES TO HELP PEOPLE
ACQUIRE. AS WE LOOK TO THE WORLD
CUP, AS WE LOOK TO THE OLYMPICS
IN LOS ANGELES, BUT AS WE LOOK
AT CALIFORNIA MORE BROADLY, WE
SEE THE IMPACTS, IMPACTS OF
COVID AND WE ALSO ARE THINKING
ABOUT HOW DO WE STEP FORWARD
INTO A NEW FUTURE WHERE
BUSINESSES CAN CONTINUE TO
THRIVE AND UPLIFT OUR FAMILIES.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. IS
THERE ANY OTHERS IN THE ROOM, IN
SUPPORT? NATALIA WITH CRUZ
STRATEGIES ON BEHALF OF
CALIFORNIA BUSINESS PROPERTIES.
ASSOCIATION IN SUPPORT. I WILL
MOVE ON TO OPPOSITION. ANYONE IN
OPPOSITION IN THE ROOM? SEEING
NONE. I'LL BRING IT BACK.
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM
MEMBERS IS A MOTION AND A SECOND
BY MISS NGUYEN AND PETRIE-NORRIS
A SECOND. ALL RIGHT. OH YOU DO?
I'M SORRY. THANK YOU, WELL. AND
THANK YOU, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
BRIAN, FOR BRINGING THIS MEASURE
FORWARD. IT'S, YOUR WITNESS
SAID, I AGREE THAT CALIFORNIA'S
SMALL BUSINESSES AREN'T JUST THE
HEART AND SOUL OF OUR ECONOMY.
THEY ARE THE HEART AND SOUL OF
SO MANY OF OUR OF OUR
COMMUNITIES. AND I REALLY
APPRECIATE THIS CREATIVE
APPROACH TO INVESTING IN SMALL
BUSINESSES AND HELPING THEM
THRIVE AND HELPING OUR
COMMUNITIES THRIVE. SO JUST A
COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. SO WHAT ARE
THE PARAMETERS AROUND LIKE WHAT
IS A COMMUNITY BASED ACQUISITION
PARTNER. AND THEN HOW DO WE
ENSURE THAT THERE'S GUARDRAILS
SO THAT THE STATE SUPPORT IN THE
FORM OF THESE LOW INTEREST LOANS
ACTUALLY IS GOING INTO THE
COMMUNITY, IS GOING TO ACTUALLY
SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY. AND, YOU
KNOW, AS THE EXAMPLE THAT YOU
SHARED, ACTUALLY DELIVER ON ON
THE PROMISE OF THE PROGRAM. YEAH
THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST
FRAMEWORK HAS BEEN EXPLORED ALL
ACROSS CALIFORNIA AND ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, AND IT'S REALLY A
COLLECTION OF, SMALL BUSINESS
OWNERS AND COMMERCIAL TENANTS
COMING TOGETHER AS A COLLECTIVE
GROUP TO THEN APPLY, OFTEN, YOU
KNOW, REPRESENTING A THE SAME
REGION OR CULTURAL AREA THAT'S
IN DANGER OF DISPLACEMENT AND
GENTRIFICATION, THAT THE STATE'S
INVESTMENT THROUGH THE PROVIDING
OF LOW INTEREST LOANS. I THINK,
HAS THE GUARDRAILS THAT FIRST
EXTEND TO THE FACT THAT THEY'RE
NOT INTEREST FREE LOANS, WHICH I
THINK COULD EVEN BE BETTER
POLICY, BUT THE STATE SHOULD
MAKE MONEY OFF OF THESE
BUSINESSES THRIVING. IT'S
ACTUALLY THE SITUATION WHERE YOU
CAN SUPPORT BUSINESSES WORKING
TOGETHER, SMALL BUSINESSES AND
CREATING A STRENGTH. C ,
COLLABORATING IN A FORMALIZED
COMMUNITY LAND TRUST MODEL,
APPLYING FOR RESOURCES FROM THE
STATE AND THE STATE, MAKING
MONEY. SO NOT ONLY CAN YOU
PRESERVE THE CULTURAL INTEGRITY
OF THESE PLACES, YOU CAN
ENCOURAGE BUSINESS TO BUSINESS
COLLABORATION. YOU CAN CODIFY
THAT IN THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST
MODEL AND THE STATE CAN MAKE
MONEY. I'M ACTUALLY VERY EXCITED
ABOUT THIS EFFORT AND BRINGING
THIS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE TODAY,
I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT NOT
ONLY LEIMERT PARK IN LOS ANGELES
IS LOOKING FORWARD TO, BUT
VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES ACROSS
THE STATE. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS? NO.
SEEING NONE. MR. BRYANT, WOULD
YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? YES. I WAS
LAMMERT PARK VILLAGE. IF YOU'RE
NOT FAMILIAR IN LOS ANGELES,
IT'S THE SOUL OF LOS ANGELES.
IT'S WHERE THE LARGEST
JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL WEST OF THE
MISSISSIPPI TAKES PLACE. IT IS,
A SPOT OF GREAT CULTURAL PRIDE.
AND IT IS, A BEACON OF
OPPORTUNITY IN MY DISTRICT. I
WAS WALKING THROUGH ONE DAY AND
TALKING WITH BUSINESS OWNERS AND
FOUND OUT THAT AN OVERWHELMING
MAJORITY OF THEM WERE ON MONTH
TO MONTH LEASES. SOME WHO WERE
DOING $1.52 MILLION IN SALES.
AND IT TERRIFIED ME HOW ARE YOU
ON A MONTH TO MONTH LEASE DOING
THAT KIND OF COMMUNITY BASED
BUSINESS? AND THEN I THOUGHT
ABOUT THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE
WERE MAKING PUBLICLY IN THE
AREA. WE PUT UP A NEW RAIL LINE,
THE K LINE, RIGHT ON CRENSHAW
BOULEVARD. WE ARE BUILDING $100
MILLION PUBLIC ART DISPLAY RIGHT
OUTSIDE THE VILLAGE. THAT'S
GOING TO RAISE THE PROPERTY
VALUES. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, I
COULD SEE A FUTURE WHERE HOT AND
COOL CAFE, WHERE I WAS SWORN IN
TO THIS BODY, COULD BECOME
COFFEE BEAN. RIGHT? AND WE LOSE
THAT CULTURAL IDENTITY BECAUSE
THESE BUSINESSES DON'T OWN THE
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, THAT
THEY'RE GENERATING SIGNIFICANT
REVENUES FOR. AND THEN IN
LOOKING ACROSS THE STATE, WE
REALIZE THIS ISN'T JUST A LOCAL
LEIMERT PARK PROBLEM. THIS IS A
PROBLEM FOR MANY CULTURAL
DISTRICTS ALL ACROSS CALIFORNIA.
AND THE ONLY WAY WE CAN STEP
INTO IT IS IF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT PLAY
THEIR ROLE, PLAY THEIR ROLE IN
LOS ANGELES COUNTY, THE COUNTY
OF LOS ANGELES PLAYED THEIR ROLE
IN ESTABLISHING ONE BLOCK OF
LEIMERT PARK AS A COMMUNITY LAND
TRUST THAT WAS FUNDED BY THE
COUNTY, AND WE'VE SEEN THAT
SUCCESS. THAT'S WHAT THESE TWO
WITNESSES WERE TESTIFYING TO.
BUT WE KNOW THAT THIS CAN BE
EXPANDED, THIS CAN GROW, THIS
CAN HELP DISTRICTS FROM NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA TO SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA TO CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA. AND I RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR YOUR AYE VOTE. WITH
THAT, MR. BRYANT, I WANTED TO
SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
LOOKING OUT FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES
AND RETAINING LOCAL BUSINESSES.
SO MUCH NEEDED HERE. SO WITH
THAT, THERE IS A I SAW A MOTION
AND A SECOND SECRETARY. FILE
ITEM NUMBER SIX AB 2794 BRIAN DO
PASS TO JUDICIARY VÆ VALLAPUDUA
A VÆ VALLAPUDUA I HOOVER NGUYEN
NGUYEN I PETRIE-NORRIS
PETRIE-NORRIS I RAMOS. RAMOS
ASESORÍA I SORIA I WALLACE NØ.
WALLACE. NÓ FILLS OUT. THANK
YOU, SIR. WITH THAT NOW WE'LL
JUST ADD WE'LL JUST BE ADDING
RIGHT. SAID IT WAS JUST.
OKAY. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE
ADDING MR. WALLACE AND MR.
HOOVER, RIGHT. YEAH FOR THE VOTE
COUNT. OKAY WITH THE CONSENT
CALENDAR, I HAVE FILE ITEM
NUMBER NINE AB 2163. GALLAGHER.
DO PASS AS AMENDED TO
APPROPRIATIONS FILE, ITEM NUMBER
TEN AB 2262 REYES DO PASS TO
APPROPRIATIONS. OWENS FILE ITEM
NUMBER 11 AB 2559 PETRIE-NORRIS
DO PASS TO APPROPRIATIONS. FILE
ITEM NUMBER 12 AB 2832. WARD Dð
PASS TO APPROPRIATIONS FILE.
ITEM NUMBER 13 AB 2996. ALVAREZ
DO PASS TO INSURANCE FILE. ITEM
NUMBER 14 AB 3033 GIBSON, DO
PASS TO APPROPRIATIONS AND FILE
ITEM NUMBER 15 SCR 96 DODD TO BE
ADOPTED. WALLACE A, WALLACE I
OKAY, MOVING ALONG. I HAVE FILE
ITEM NUMBER ONE AB 2030 DAVIS DO
PASS TO APPROPRIATIONS. WALLACE.
THANK YOU. FILE ITEM NUMBER TWO
AB 2448 JACKSON. DO PASS TO
APPROPRIATIONS. WALLACE FILE
ITEM NUMBER THREE AB 2543
ARAMBULA DO PASS TO
APPROPRIATIONS. WALLACE FILE.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR AB 2757.
GARCIA. DO PASS TO
APPROPRIATIONS. HOOVER Ã
WALLACE A FILE ITEM NUMBER FIVE
AB 2774 GRAYSON. DO PASS, AS
AMENDED, TO APPROPRIATION.
WALLACE. FILE ITEM NUMBER SIX AB
2794. BRYAN DO PASS TO
JUDICIARY. WALLACE OR I'M SORRY,
NOT WALLACE HOOVER, I I'M SORRY.
THIS IS THE FILE. WHICH FILE?
ITEM NUMBER SIX AB 2794. BRYAN.
NO OKAY. I HAVE FILE ITEM NUMBER
SEVEN AB 2873. GARCIA. DO PASS
TO APPROPRIATIONS. HOOVER I
WALLACE I FINALLY FILE ITEM
NUMBER EIGHT AB 3236. HOOVER. DO
PASS TO APPROPRIATIONS. WALLACE
THANK YOU, THANK YOU. MEMBERS.
THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. NO NO
NO NO NO NO NO. I THOUGHT YOU
SAID