GOOD AFTERNOON. WELCOME TO THE
HEARING I. IT IS ABOUT 133.
SERGEANTS, IF YOU CAN CALL SOME
OF THE MEMBERS, BUT IN THE
INTEREST OF TIME. THANK YOU,
MAJORITY LEADER CURRY, FOR BEING
HERE ON TIME. WILL GIVE YOU THE
FLOOR TO PRESENT YOUR BILL,
PLEASE. AND WE'RE STARTING AS A
SUBCOMMITTEE UNTIL WE GET QUORUM
NØ 22. THANK YOU. CHAIR AND
MEMBERS, I WANT TO THANK THE
COMMITTEE STAFF FOR THEIR WORK
ON THIS BILL, AND I'M HAPPY TO
ACCEPT THE COMMITTEE'S
AMENDMENTS TODAY. AB 2174 WOULD
ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT OF
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL TO
PERMIT AND AUTHORIZE A LICENSE
BEER MANUFACTURER TO SELL THEIR
OWN BEER FOR CONSUMPTION AT
LIMITED SPECIAL EVENTS. CURRENT
LAW PROHIBITS LICENSED BEER
MANUFACTURERS FROM SELLING THEIR
OWN CRAFT BEER FOR CONSUMPTION
AT ANY LOCATION OTHER THAN THEIR
LICENSED PREMISES. CALIFORNIA
HAS OVER 1100 LOCALLY OWNED
BREWERIES THAT SIMPLY WANT TO
PARTICIPATE. LIKE OTHER SMALL
BUSINESSES IN LOCAL COMMUNITY
EVENTS LIKE STREET FAIRS, CRAFT
BREWERS, IMPORTANT JOBS AT CRAFT
BREWERS, IMPORTANT JOB
PROVIDERS, AND CHARITABLE
CONTRIBUTORS, AND THEIR
CONTINUED VITALITY IN A
HYPERCOMPETITIVE INDUSTRY RELIES
HEAVILY UPON CONSUMER BRAND
RECOGNITION AND SALES. AB 2174
WOULD PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
CRAFT BREWERS TO EXPAND THEIR
FOOTPRINT AND COLLABORATE WITH
THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES BY
OBTAINING PERMITS FROM ABC TO
SELL THEIR BEER AT LIMITED
SPECIAL EVENTS. WITH ME TODAY TO
TESTIFY IN SUPPORT, I HAVE LORI
AJAX, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
FOR THE CALIFORNIA CRAFT BREWERS
ASSOCIATION, AND PETER HØI FROM
THE URBAN ROOTS BREWERY HERE IN
SACRAMENTO. WELCOME THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. ASSEMBLY MEMBER, GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, MY NAME IS
LORI AJAX, AND I AM WITH THE
CALIFORNIA CRAFT BREWERS
ASSOCIATION IN SUPPORT OF AB
2174. AS WAS JUST MENTIONED,
THIS WOULD CREATE A NEW PATHWAY
FOR CALIFORNIA BREWERIES TO
PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY
GATHERINGS, STREET FAIRS, AND
PRIVATE EVENTS. AT AB 2174 SEEKS
TO BUILD UPON EXISTING LAW BY
ALLOWING BREWERIES TO
PARTICIPATE IN A LIMITED NUMBER
OF EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN
APPROVED BY BOTH LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT
OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL.
THIS WILL ENSURE THAT THESE
EVENTS ARE CONDUCTED IN A SAFE
AND RESPONSIBLE MANNER. IT ALSO
ALLOW OUR CALIFORNIA BREWERIES
TO SHOWCASE THEIR PRODUCT,
CONNECT WITH THEIR CONSUMERS,
AND ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR
COMMUNITIES, WHICH THEY DO QUITE
A BIT OF. AND THEY'D LIKE TO DO
IT MORE. I KINDLY REQUEST YOUR I
VOTE AND I WILL BE HERE IF YOU
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
HELLO. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR,
AND COMMITTEE, MY NAME IS PETER
HØI. I'M THE CO-FOUNDER AND
BREWMASTER OF URBAN ROOTS
BREWING AND SMOKEHOUSE RIGHT
HERE IN DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO, I
AM ALSO A FORMER BOARD MEMBER
FOR THE CCBA AND AN ACTIVE
MEMBER FOR THE SACRAMENTO
BREWERS GUILD. I'VE BEEN BREWING
PROFESSIONALLY 25 YEARS, AND
I'VE SEEN LOTS OF UPS AND DOWNS
OVER THE COURSE OF MY CAREER,
AND CURRENTLY WE'RE, AS AN
INDUSTRY, ARE FACING KIND OF AN
UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGE. THE
AFTER EFFECTS OF COVID MARKET
CHANGES, GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN
ISSUES RESULTING IN AN INCREASE
IN OUR COST OF GOODS, AS WELL AS
A LESSENED ACCESS TO MARKET
THROUGH DISTRIBUTOR
CONSOLIDATION. ALL OF THESE
THINGS ADD UP TO WHAT A NUMBER
OF SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE MINE
HAVE DISCOVERED. AND THAT'S THE
DIRECT TO CONSUMER INTERACTION
IS WHERE THERE'S REALLY A PATH
FORWARD FOR THE SMALLER
BREWERIES. AND WHAT THIS
LEGISLATION WILL, WILL REALLY DO
FOR BREWERIES OF ALL SIZES IS BE
ABLE TO ALLOW US TO PUT OUR
PRODUCTS RIGHT IN FRONT OF
CONSUMERS, TO HAVE A DIRECT
INTERACTION WITH THEM. RIGHT
NOW, ONE OF THE WAYS WE
PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMUNITY IS
THROUGH DONATING TO NONPROFIT
AND FREQUENTLY FOR THOSE EVENTS.
IT'S NONPROFIT VOLUNTEERS THAT
ARE POURING THE BEER, WHAT THIS
WILL ALLOW US TO DO IS TO SAY
YES TO REQUESTS THAT WE GET AT
THE BREWERY FOR PARTICIPATING IN
WEDDINGS, STREET FAIRS,
COMMUNITY GATHERING SPOTS, WE'RE
RIGHT DOWNTOWN AND WE SEE THE
REDUCED FOOT TRAFFIC IN THIS
DOWNTOWN. I TRAVEL THROUGHOUT
CALIFORNIA AND SEE IT IN OTHER
COMMUNITIES, AND ONE OF THE WAYS
FOR REBUILDING THAT FOOT TRAFFIC
AND REENGAGING IN THE COMMUNITY
AND BUILDING THAT NETWORK OF
PEOPLE THAT WANT TO COME OUT, BE
SOCIAL AND INTERACT WITH EACH
OTHER, OFTEN, BEER CAN BE A
CATALYST FOR THAT, AND SERVING
IT RESPONSIVE ALLEY IS BUILT
INTO WHAT WE DO, THIS ISN'T AN
EFFORT TO SELL MORE BEER. 36
EVENTS IS CURRENTLY WHAT IT
ALLOWS. I'M NOT WRITTEN A
BUSINESS PLAN BEING OPEN FOR 36
DAYS A YEAR THIS IS A BONUS. AND
THE REAL POWER IN THIS BILL IS
THAT CONSUMER INTERACTION PIECE
IS BEING ABLE TO DIRECTLY
INTERACT WITH PEOPLE AND MEET
THEM WHERE THEY WANT TO BE. THEY
WANT TO HAVE A BEER AT THE
STREET FAIR. THIS WOULD ALLOW US
TO HAVE A BOOTH RIGHT NEXT TO
THE LOCAL BREAD MAKER, LOCAL
RESTAURANT, ETC. THE OTHER
CRAFTSMEN THAT EXIST IN THIS
CITY AND CITIES THROUGHOUT
CALIFORNIA. SO I THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. AND AGAIN,
I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS
THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. THANK YOU,
ANYONE IN OPPOSITION? OKAY. ANY
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND
SUPPORT? BURNS. OKAY. ANY
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN
OPPOSITION OR TWEENERS, YES.
WE'RE A TWEENER. GEORGE MILLER
ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
FAMILY BEER DISTRIBUTORS, WE
HAVE SOME CONCERNS OVER THE
VOLUME. THAT'S IN THE BILL, BUT
I THINK WE'VE EXPRESSED THOSE
CONCERNS TO THE AUTHORS OFFICE
AND THE PROPONENTS, AND WE LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO
SPEAK? THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
ASSEMBLY MEMBER, MAJORITY LEADER
, YOU MAY CLOSE, YOU STILL LOCAL
JOBS AND BUSINESSES AND ALLOW
COMMUNITIES TO SUPPORT THEIR
LOCAL BREWERIES. I RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR YOUR VOTE. THANK YOU, WE
DON'T HAVE A QUORUM, SO WHEN WE
HAVE ONE, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND
TAKE A VOTE. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. AND, YES, I WILL CONTINUE
TO WORK WITH HIM. YES. THANK
YOU. AND I WANTED TO POINT OUT
THAT YOU HAVE BEEN VERY OPEN TO
WORKING. AND I KNOW THAT THE
COMMITTEE, CONSULTANT HAS BEEN
DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THIS BILL
TO MR. MILLER'S, POINT, I KNOW
THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THIS
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET IT
CORRECT, AND MAKE SURE THAT, WE
CAN AT LEAST MEET EVERYBODY IN
THE MIDDLE. THANK YOU. YES.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER GALLAGHER, I SEE
YOU IN THE AUDIENCE.
GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. AND MEMBERS, APPRECIATE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT AB
2069, A BILL THAT AIMS TO
ADDRESS AN EXISTING DISPARITY IN
CALIFORNIA ALCOHOL SALES AND
REGULATIONS. AB 2069 SEEKS TO
RECTIFY THE DISCREPANCY IN
CURRENT LAW REGARDING THE SALE
OF DOMESTICALLY PRODUCED SOJU
AND SOJU BY ON SALE BEER AND
WINE LICENSE HOLDERS. CURRENTLY,
THESE LICENSES TYPICALLY
RESTAURANTS AND TAVERNS BARS ARE
ALLOWED TO SELL IMPORTED SOJU
AND SOJU ALONGSIDE WINE.
HOWEVER, THEY ARE PROHIBITED
FROM SELLING DOMESTICALLY
PRODUCED SOJU AND SOJU DESPITE
MEETING THE SAME REGULATORY
STANDARDS AS THEIR IMPORTED
COUNTERPARTS, THIS IMBALANCE
ACTUALLY PLACES CALIFORNIA
PRODUCERS AT A SIGNIFICANT
DISADVANTAGE AND UNDERMINES
ECONOMIC FAIRNESS IN THE
INDUSTRY. AB 2069 WOULD LEVEL
THAT PLAYING FIELD BY ALLOWING
ON SALE LICENSES TO SELL BOTH
DOMESTIC AND IMPORTED SOJU AND
SOJU, THEREBY SUPPORTING OUR
LOCAL DISTILLERIES AND
ENCOURAGING THE UTILIZATION OF
CALIFORNIA SOURCED INGREDIENTS.
SO ADDITIONALLY, THE BILL ALIGNS
WITH THE US TREASURY DEPARTMENT
OF TREASURY'S ALCOHOL, TRADE AND
TRADE BUREAU DEFINITIONS, WHICH
DO NOT CONFINE DO NOT CONFINE
SOJU AND SOJU SALES TO IMPORTED
PRODUCTS. THE BROAD SUPPORT FOR
AB 2069 UNDERSCORES ITS
IMPORTANCE IN PROTECTING AND
PROMOTING ECONOMIC EQUITY, AND
SUPPORTING CALIFORNIA SMALL
BUSINESS, WITH ME TO TESTIFY IN
SUPPORT IS CHRIS KOENIG, WHO IS
THE OWNER OF GOLDEN BEAVER
DISTILLERY, A DOMESTIC SOJU AND
SOJU, PRODUCER. AND MATT WEISS
WITH DC BEVERAGE. SO I
RESPECTFULLY URGE YOUR SUPPORT
FOR THIS BILL AND ASK FOR YOUR I
VOTE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN, AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, FOR ALLOWING
ME TO EXPRESS MY COMPANY SUPPORT
FOR AB 2069. I'M ONE OF THE
FOUNDERS AND DISTILLER AT GOLDEN
BEAVER DISTILLERY IN CHICO,
CALIFORNIA. OUR DISTILLERY IS
ONE OF ONLY FIVE ACROSS THE
UNITED STATES THAT PRODUCE,
SPIRITS FROM 100% RICE. WE
PRODUCE WHISKEY, VODKA, GIN,
MOONSHINE AND SOJU, ALL FROM
LOCALLY GROWN CALROSE RICE. OUR
SPIRITS ARE AWARD WINNING,
INCLUDING OUR BY BAY SOJU, WHICH
WON BEST ASIAN SPIRIT AT THE
2022 SUNSET MAGAZINE SPIRITS
COMPETITION SOJU OF THE YEAR IN
2023 AT THE JOHN BARLEYCORN
SPIRITS COMPETITION, THÀNH, AND
JUST RECENTLY AT THE LÀ
INVITATIONAL COMPETITIONS IN
2024. EVEN WITH ALL THESE
ACCOLADES, WE ARE NOT ALLOWED
THE SAME PRIVILEGES THAT FOREIGN
PRODUCERS AND THEIR WHOLESALERS
HOLD IN OUR OWN STATE. OUR
WHOLESALERS, OUR WHOLESALERS
DENIED ACCESS TO SELL OUR SOJU
TO ON SALE BEER AND WINE
LICENSEES, LICENSEES WHO CAN
PURCHASE FROM KOREAN AND
JAPANESE IMPORTERS AND
WHOLESALERS. THIS SITUATION IS
NOT FAIR TO OUR COMPANY. OUR
EMPLOYEES, OUR FARMERS, OUR
VENDORS AND OTHER DOMESTIC
DISTILLERIES AND ULTIMATELY,
IT'S UNFAIR TO THE CONSUMER.
THEY LOSE A CHOICE. FINALLY,
THOSE THAT SAY THAT SOJU CAN
ONLY COME FROM ASIA ONCE IT WAS
BELIEVED ONLY GREAT WINES COME
FROM FRANCE. WHAT WOULD
CALIFORNIA WINE INDUSTRY LOOK
LIKE TODAY? IF THE FOLKS AT
CHATEAU MONTELENA DIDN'T PUSH
BACK IN 1970? IT'S A GREAT A
WHOLE NEW CLASS OF WORLD CLASS
WINES. PLEASE GIVE DOMESTIC
DISTILLERS THE SAME MARKET
ACCESS THAT FOREIGNERS CURRENTLY
ENJOY IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT
SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME
IS MATTHEW WEISS. I AM THE
OPERATOR OF DC BEVERAGE. WE ARE
A SMALL, DISTRIBUTOR OF CRAFT
SPIRITS AND WINE BASED OUT OF
HEALDSBURG, CALIFORNIA, WE
REPRESENT GOLDEN BEAVER
DISTILLERY AND MANY OTHER SMALL
CALIFORNIA DISTILLERIES AND
WINERIES. AS A DISTRIBUTOR, IF
I'D LIKE TO HAVE ACCESS TO A
FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF
THE MARKET, I HAVE A CHOICE TO
MAKE. WHEN IT COMES TO SOJU, I
CAN GO THROUGH THE ARDUOUS AND
COMPLICATED AND EXPENSIVE
PROCESS OF IMPORTING A SOJU FROM
OVERSEAS. OR I COULD DRIVE UP
THE I-5 OR DOWN THE 101 AND
SOURCE MY SOJU FROM A LOCAL
PRODUCER WHO SOURCES HIS
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS FROM
CALIFORNIA FARMERS. THE CHOICE
SEEMS FAIRLY OBVIOUS, HOWEVER,
FOR THE CALIFORNIA PRODUCERS
HAVE A SIGNIFICANT DISADVANTAGE
IN THAT THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED IN
A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE ABC
LICENSES COMPARATIVELY TO ITS
IMPORT COUNTERPARTS. HOW'S THAT?
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, ANY,
OPPOSED MISSION TO THE BILL?
OKAY. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN
SUPPORT OF THE BILL. GOOD
AFTERNOON. CHAIR AND MEMBERS.
NAOMI PADRON, ON BEHALF OF THE
DISTILLED SPIRITS COUNCIL.
PLEASED TO SUPPORT THE MEASURE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HI.
MICHAEL WALKER, ON BEHALF OF THE
AMERICAN CRAFT SPIRITS
ASSOCIATION TO SUPPORT THE BILL.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHERS IN
SUPPORT? OKAY. ANY MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC IN OPPOSITION TO THE
BILL? OKAY SEEING NONE, ANY
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS? YES. WE DON'T
HAVE QUORUM YET, BUT SO THANK
YOU. OKAY. YOU MAY CLOSE. THANK
YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND MEMBERS,
APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION TO
THIS BILL. AGAIN, WOULD ASK FOR
YOUR, AYE VOTE TO ENSURE THAT
OUR DOMESTIC PRODUCERS HAVE THE
SAME, MARKET ACCESS. SO THANK
YOU FOR YOUR. THANK YOU FOR
CONSIDERING CONSIDERATION. AND
ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. AND WE ARE STILL A
SUBCOMMITTEE. SO AS SOON AS WE
HAVE QUORUM, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND
TAKE A VOTE. THANK YOU. MR.
PATTERSON OKAY. MR. LOWENTHAL,
THAT'S FINE. I JUST SAW YOU
FIRST. THAT THAT'S THAT WAS
GIVING YOU THE COURTESY.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER LOWENTHAL, YOU
MAY BEGIN WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS,
AB 2009 TO BEGIN, PRESUMABLY.
YES MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS, THANK
YOU SO MUCH. I AM PLEASED TO
PRESENT AB 2389, WHICH IS PART
OF A LARGER PACKAGE OF BILLS
THAT I'M CARRYING TO ADDRESS THE
ONGOING AND UNDERREPORTING ISSUE
OF ROOFING THAT IS TAKING PLACE
ACROSS CALIFORNIA, ACROSS THE
WORLD THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED
HERE IN THIS COMMITTEE IN THE
PAST. LAST YEAR, I AUTHORED AB
1013, WHICH REQUIRES BARS AND
NIGHTCLUBS TO HAVE ANTI ROOFING
TEST KITS AVAILABLE FOR THEIR
PATRONS. I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT
THIS BILL WAS SIGNED INTO LAW,
WENT INTO EFFECT. IT GOES INTO
EFFECT ON JULY FIRST. WHILE THIS
IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
, WE STILL HAVE WORK TO DO IN
ADDRESSING THE ISSUE AS PEOPLE
WILL NOW HAVE ACCESS TO THESE
DEVICES AND BE ABLE TO TEST
THEIR DRINKS FOR THE PRESENCE OF
DATE RAPE DRUGS, WE NOW NEED TO
BE PREPARED WITH NEXT STEPS FOR
THE UNFORTUNATE EVENT THAT
SOMEONE'S TEST COMES BACK
POSITIVE. WE KNOW THAT DRINK
SPIKING IS TYPICALLY DONE SO
THAT THE PERPETRATOR CAN EASILY
COMMIT CRIMES. OTHER CRIMES,
SUCH AS SEXUAL ASSAULT AND RAPE,
IS THEREFORE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
TO PROTECT THESE INDIVIDUALS
FROM FALLING VICTIM TO FURTHER
HORRIBLE CRIMES. AB 2389
REQUIRES THAT IF AN EMPLOYEE OF
A RESTAURANT, BAR, OR A
NIGHTCLUB IS MADE AWARE THAT A
PATRON HAS BEEN OR BELIEVES TO
HAVE BEEN ROOFIED, AN EMPLOYEE
OF THE ESTABLISHMENT MUST THEN
TAKE TWO ACTIONS. NUMBER ONE
CONTACT LAW ENFORCEMENT OR
MEDICAL SERVICES. AND NUMBER
TWO, STAY WITH THE DRUGGED
INDIVIDUAL TO THE BEST OF THEIR
ABILITY UNTIL LAW ENFORCEMENT OR
MEDICAL SERVICES ARRIVE. THESE
SIMPLE EXTRA STEPS WILL HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO REDUCE LEVELS OF
SEXUAL ASSAULT, RAPE, AND EVEN
SAVE LIVES. AS A RESTAURANT AND
BAR OWNER, MYSELF, I'M EXTREMELY
SENSITIVE TO THIS ISSUE AND I
UNDERSTAND JUST HOW IMPORTANT IT
IS TO PROVIDE A SAFE AND
INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT TO ALL OF
OUR GUESTS. THIS BILL PACKAGE
GIVES RESTAURANTS, BARS AND
NIGHTCLUBS THE ABILITY TO
ADDRESS THIS ISSUE USING A
COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH AND
ULTIMATELY STRENGTHEN THE SAFETY
OF THEIR PATRONS. AND I KNOW I
HAVE ANOTHER BILL ON THIS THAT
WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING
RIGHT AFTER. AND I WANT TO MAKE
SURE THE COMMITTEE UNDERSTANDS
NONE OF THESE MEASURES BY
THEMSELVES SHOULD SOLVE THE
ISSUE OF ROOFING IN OUR STATE,
BUT RATHER COLLECTIVELY, THEY'RE
ALL GOING TO CHISEL AWAY TO
RAISE AWARENESS AND TO AND TO
CREATE AN AIR OF PREVENTION
WHERE EVERYBODY IS COLLECTIVELY
VIGILANT, PART OF THE VILLAGE OF
PEOPLE OVERSEEING THIS. SO THIS
IS ONE OF THOSE MEASURES.
PLEASED TO BE JOINED BY MICHAEL
SKIPPER OF ALCOHOL JUSTICE, WHO
IS HERE TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON MADAM
CHAIR. MR. VICE CHAIR LACHEY,
HONORED MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. I'M MICHAEL SKIPPER
WITH ALCOHOL JUSTICE, BASED IN
SAN RAFAEL. AND IT'S AN HONOR
AND A PLEASURE TO. AND I WANT TO
EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE, TO MR.
LOWENTHAL, FOR BRINGING FORWARD
YET ANOTHER BILL THAT ACTIVELY
SEEKS TO REDUCE HARM WHEN IT
COMES TO ALCOHOL, INSTEAD OF
INCREASING IT AS SO MANY OTHER
BILLS DO. DRINK SPIKING, AS YOU
PROBABLY KNOW, BUT IT BEARS
REPEATING, IS OFTEN
UNDER-RECOGNIZED, UNDERREPORTED,
OR THE BLAME IS REFLECTED BACK
ON THE VICTIM. THE PERIOD OF
INDECISION IS THE WINDOW IN
WHICH VICTIMIZATION IS MOST
LIKELY TO HAPPEN, AND OR THE
VICTIM WILL MOST LIKELY GO
SOMEWHERE ELSE WHERE THEY DO NOT
HAVE THE PROTECTION OF THE
INITIAL BARS. STAFF IF THIS
AUTOMATIC MANDATED RESPONSE IS
SIMPLE FOR PEOPLE TO ENGAGE IN
IN A STRESSFUL SITUATION, A
BARTENDER OR BOUNCER
INSTINCTIVELY DOESN'T WANT TO
BOTHER SOMEONE WHO IS HEAVILY
INTOXICATED. IF THEY'RE NOT
CAUSING HARM BUT REQUIRING THEM
TO PREVENT THEM FROM ALLOWING
HARM TO HAPPEN BY INACTION IS
UNCONSCIONABLE. LIKEWISE,
SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN DRUGGED MAY
TRY TO TALK STAFF OUT OF AN
INTERVENTION. A FORCED PROTOCOL
WILL GET THEM HELP REGARDLESS,
IT GUARANTEES THAT AN
EXCEPTIONALLY TOXIC ADULTERANT
CAN BE ADDRESSED QUICKLY AND
EFFECTIVELY. WHILE WE UNDERSTAND
THAT THERE ARE MANY SITUATIONS
WHERE THIS SIMPLY IS NOT THE
FAULT OF THE CLUB, THERE IS
ENOUGH POTENTIAL FOR GRAY AREAS
THAT WE APPRECIATE, STRIKING OUT
THE RELEASES FROM LIABILITY.
NONETHELESS, WE STRONGLY
RECOMMEND THAT MEDICAL PERSONNEL
ALWAYS BE CALLED, REGARDLESS OF
WHETHER LAW ENFORCEMENT IS. I
ASK FOR YOUR AYE VOTE ON THIS
BILL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ANYONE ELSE IN SUPPORT? OKAY.
ANY WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION?
OKAY. SEEING NONE, ANY MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC IN SUPPORT. ANY
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN
OPPOSITION. THIS IS EASY. THANK
YOU. AND, AGAIN, WE I THINK WE
HAVE CAN, WE'LL HOLD OFF. I
THINK WE CAN ESTABLISH QUORUM AT
THE MOMENT, MADAM SECRETARY, CAN
YOU TAKE THE ROLL? ON THE
QUORUM. RUBIO. YES HERE. RUBIO.
HERE LACKEY. YES, MA'AM. I'M
HERE. THANK YOU. HERE ADDIS
HERE. ADDIS HERE. BAINES BAINES
HERE. LEE DAVIES. DAVIES. HERE.
DIXON DIXON. HERE. GABRIEL.
GIBSON GIBSON. GIBSON. HERE.
HANEY HANEY. HERE. JOAN. SAWYER.
HERE. JOAN. SAWYER. HERE. LOW
MOCINHA. PACHECO PACHECO. HERE.
PEPIN HAPPEN HERE. PATTERSON.
PATTERSON. HERE. RAMOS SORIA. TO
SAWYER. VALENCIA. WALLACE WE
HAVE A QUORUM. THANK YOU. AND
JUST FOR THE RECORD, ASSEMBLY
MEMBER BRYANT AND CERVANTES ARE
ABSENT TODAY. AND ASSEMBLY
MEMBER LEE IS GOING TO BE A
SUBSTITUTE FOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER
BRYANT. THANK YOU, MR.
LOWENTHAL, YOU MAY CLOSE. OH.
I'M SORRY. QUESTIONS FROM THE
COMMITTEE. THANK YOU. ANY
QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? I
DO, IF I MAY. THANK YOU,
ASSEMBLY MEMBER DAVIES. QUESTION
IS, SAY, OF SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW,
SOMEBODY COMES UP TO. MAYBE I'M
WATCHING. WITNESSING SOMEONE.
HOW DO I KNOW? LIKE, YOU KNOW,
IS IT JUST. THEY'RE INTOXICATED,
OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT PERHAPS,
YOU KNOW, THIS THIS IS THEY'RE
BEING SPIKED WITH A ROOFIE. YOU
KNOW, IT'S. WHERE DO WE, YOU
KNOW, HOW DO I DO THAT? SO THIS
IS A WONDERFUL QUESTION. I'M
GLAD YOU'RE ASKING IT. THIS IS
SOMETHING WE SHOULD ALL BE AWARE
OF. WHAT ARE THE SCENARIOS WHERE
THIS MIGHT TAKE PLACE? WELL, LET
LET'S BE REAL ON ALL OF IT.
FIRST OF ALL, A LOT OF BARS ARE
SO BUSY THAT THE BARTENDERS ARE
EMPLOYEES ARE JUST COMPLETELY
FOCUSED ON WHAT THEY'RE DOING
RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM, AND
PEOPLE ARE ARE THEY'RE IN THE
MIDDLE OF SELLING A DRUG THAT
PEOPLE ARE GETTING INTOXICATED
OVER. ALCOHOL IS A DRUG, AND
PEOPLE ARE BECOMING INTOXICATED.
AND A LOT OF TIMES PATRONS ARE
NOT BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY IN
THEIR ACTIONS. WHATEVER'S GOING
ON. SO BY INTENTIONALLY SAYING,
I BELIEVE I'VE BEEN ROOFIED, I
BELIEVE I'VE BEEN DRUGGED, IT IS
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR THAT
STAFF MEMBER TO TAKE THAT MOMENT
SERIOUSLY. SECONDLY, WHAT OFTEN
HAPPENS IN A SCENARIO LIKE THIS
IS THE OFFENDER. THE PERPETRATOR
WILL SAY IT'S OKAY, SHE'S WITH
ME OR HE'S WITH ME. I'VE GOT
HER. THERE'S NOTHING TO WORRY
ABOUT HERE. AND THE PERSON AT
THE BAR WILL SAY, OKAY, THAT'S A
RELIEF. SHE'S BEING TAKEN HOME.
THAT'S FINE. WHEN THAT MAY BE
THE OFFENDER WHO IS GOING TO
COMMIT SEXUAL ASSAULT. AND THAT
IS PRECISELY WHY WHEN SOMEBODY
COMPLAINS TO SOMEBODY IN A BAR,
YOU KNOW THAT THEY SHOULD BE
RESPONSIBLE TO CONTACT FIRST
RESPONDERS TO COME TO THE SCENE
AND TAKE CARE OF IT. AND DO
THEIR BEST, BEST EFFORTS TO
MONITOR. I WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THERE
IS NO LIABILITY IF THE ROOFIED
INDIVIDUAL LEAVES THE
ESTABLISHMENT, NO LIABILITY FOR
THE BAR PRIOR TO FIRST
RESPONDERS ARRIVING. ORPHALI ONE
LAST SCENARIO, I WOULD LIKE TO
SAY, IN THE COURSE OF CREATING
THESE BILLS AND WORKING WITH THE
PUBLIC, I'VE HEARD MANY STORIES.
ONE OF THE STORIES I'VE HEARD IS
ACTUALLY THAT THE BARTENDERS MAY
BE INVOLVED IN IT THEMSELVES.
THAT IS QUITE POSSIBLE. SO IT IS
ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE
ONUS IS ON EMPLOYEES OF THE BAR.
ANY TIME AN INDIVIDUAL THINKS
THAT THEY MAY HAVE BEEN DRUGGED
FOR THERE, THE LAW IS FOR THEM
TO CONTACT LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THANK YOU, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
GIBSON FIRST, AND THEN ASSEMBLY
MEMBER DIXON. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. TO THE AUTHOR. I
THINK WE'VE WE'VE HEARD FOR SOME
REASON WE'VE HEARD THIS BILL
BEFORE IN OTHER COMMITTEE. AND
CERTAINLY I SHARE IT WITH YOU,
NOT MY CONCERN, BUT MY, MY
EXCITEMENT FOR THIS BILL BASED
ON A COUSIN OF MINE, WHICH WAS
MY FIRST DEATH IN MY FAMILY WHEN
I WAS TEN YEARS OLD. HE WAS
ROOFIED. AND OF COURSE, HE
DIDN'T WAKE UP THE NEXT MORNING.
THEY ROBBED HIM, AND THEN
ANOTHER STORY WAS WHEN I WAS
REMOVING THE STATUE OFF OF RAPE,
MYSELF AND A FORMER SENATOR, ONE
OF THE MALES WHO CAME TO TESTIFY
TALKED ABOUT HOW THE BARTENDER,
IN FACT, WAS WAS PART OF THE
SCENARIO, HIM BEING ROOFED, HE
ROOFIED AND ALSO BEING RAPED AT
THE SAME TIME. HE WAS RAPED
BECAUSE, HE WENT TO THE
BATHROOM. AND WHEN HE CAME BACK
FROM ONE DRINK, HE COULDN'T
REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED UNTIL HE
FOUND HIMSELF IN THIS PLACE
BEING SEXUALLY ASSAULTED. SO
ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO IN THIS
SPACE, TO MAKE IT SAFE, EVEN
YOUNG PEOPLE, BECAUSE OF
FENTANYL AND HOW IT'S EASILY,
YOU KNOW, TRANSMITTED, AND I
TELL EVEN YOUNG PEOPLE, IF YOU
HAVE TO LEAVE A DRINK, TAKE IT
WITH YOU TO THE BATHROOM, NEVER
LEAVE IT UNATTENDED. EVEN WITH
PEOPLE THAT YOU THINK YOU KNOW
AND YOU THINK YOU CAN TRUST. AND
SO, I WOULD LIKE TO BE
CONSIDERED, BUT I'D LIKE TO MOVE
THE BILL IF IT HASN'T BEEN
ALREADY. SECOND. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER DIXON
. THANK YOU. CHAIR. YOU DO HAVE
AN IMPORTANT PACKAGE OF BILLS.
SO ASSEMBLY MEMBER LOWENTHAL,
THIS IS ALL VERY GOOD, I'VE NOT
ASKED THIS QUESTION BEFORE, BUT
HOW ARE YOU WORKING WITH THE
INDUSTRY? THE RESTAURANT AND BAR
OWNERS? I KNOW YOU, OBVIOUSLY.
YOU'RE A RESTAURANT OWNER
YOURSELF. WHAT ABOUT THE
CALIFORNIA RESTAURANT
ASSOCIATION, NUMBER ONE? AND
THEN YOU MENTIONED IN THIS BILL
A PROGRAM IS THIS A VOLUNTARY
PROGRAM OR IS THIS A MANDATORY
PROGRAM TO ALL RESTAURANTS TO
TRAIN THEIR EMPLOYEES, EXPLAIN
THE INDUSTRY OPINION AND THEN
THE IMPLEMENTATION? ASSEMBLY
MEMBER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ONGOING SUPPORT AND FOR YOUR
QUESTIONS, THE BAR PROGRAM IS
ACTUALLY THE BILL I'M ABOUT TO
PRESENT NEXT, SO I'LL BE
ADDRESSING THAT NEXT AS PART OF
THIS PACKAGE, SO I'M HAPPY TO
ANSWER THAT QUESTION THERE. AND
IF, IF IT'S OKAY, I JUST WANTED
TO ALSO RESPOND TO MR. GIBSON.
IT WAS ACTUALLY IN THIS
COMMITTEE THAT YOU SO ELOQUENTLY
Kò AND SO IMPORTANTLY, TOLD YOUR
STORY HAS BEEN BOTH COMFORTING
AND ALARMING. AND HOW MANY
MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE HAVE
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES RELATING TO
BEING DRUGGED, AGAINST THEIR
WILL, YOU KNOW, OUT IN THE
PUBLIC AND SO WE DO NEED A
SERIES OF BILLS, A SERIES OF
PACKAGE, BILLS THAT ARE GOING TO
TAKE CARE OF THIS. AND, AND IN A
BETTER BUDGET YEAR, WE'RE GOING
TO TRY AND COME BACK AND RAISE
PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS
AROUND IT AS WELL. BUT THE
INDUSTRY, YOU'LL TALK ABOUT THAT
IN THE NEXT BILL, THE INDUSTRY I
CAN TELL YOU REALLY QUICKLY, THE
CALIFORNIA RESTAURANT
ASSOCIATION, HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE
OF, OF 1013 AB 1013, WHICH IS
THE STEPS IN THE PAST, I CAN
TELL YOU SOMEBODY WHO'S, WHO'S A
MEMBER OF THE INDUSTRY MYSELF,
THAT IT IS GOING TO BE A LOT
BETTER FOR BUSINESS WHEN OUR
DRINKING ESTABLISHMENTS ARE
SAFER, WAY, WAY BETTER. AND SO
TO RAISE AWARENESS COLLECTIVELY
IN ALL THESE WAYS, I THINK ON
THE WHOLE ARE POSITIVE. I'M ALSO
HAVING DIALOG RIGHT NOW DIRECTLY
WITH ALCOHOL COMPANIES AND
DISTRIBUTORS FOR THEM TO GET
INVOLVED. AND THERE'S INCREDIBLE
BRANDING OPPORTUNITIES, MUCH
LIKE THEY'RE INVOLVED TODAY IN
ANTI-DRUNK DRIVING INITIATIVES.
VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
ASSEMBLY MEMBER LACKEY. YEAH.
LET ME FIRST, CONGRATULATE YOU
FOR THE COMMENDABLE ENGAGEMENT
ON THIS VERY SERIOUS SOCIAL
PROBLEM, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING,
IS THIS JUST AN ENCOURAGED
POLICY, OR IS THERE A
CONSEQUENCE FOR NONCOMPLIANCE? I
BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A
CONSEQUENCE ASSOCIATED WITH
THIS. IF THERE WAS, WOULD ABC BE
THE ENFORCEMENT ARM? WOULD BE
THE ENFORCEMENT ARM? OKAY. THANK
YOU, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS FROM, COMMITTEE
MEMBERS SEEING NONE, YOU MAY
CLOSE. I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
YOUR. AYE, VOTE ON THIS VERY
IMPORTANT ISSUE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION BY
ASSEMBLY MEMBER GIBSON, SECOND
BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER DAVIES. CAN,
SECRETARY, CAN YOU PLEASE TAKE
THE ROLL OR. AB 2389. THE MOTION
IS DUE. PASS TO THE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE. RUBIO.
AYE. RUBIO. AYE LACKEY. AYE.
ADDIS. ADDIS AYE. BAINES.
BAINES. AYE. LEE DAVIES. DAVIES.
AYE. DIXON DIXON. AYE. GABRIEL.
GIBSON GIBSON. AYE. HANEY HANEY.
AYE. JONES-SAWYER. JONES-SAWYER.
AYE LOWE. MCKENNA. MCKENNA AYE.
PACHECO. PACHECO. AYE. PAPPIN
PAPPIN. AYE. PATTERSON.
PATTERSON. AYE. RAMOS RAMOS.
ASESORÍA TO AYE. VALENCIA
WALLACE. THAT MEASURE PASSES
WILL LEAVE THE ROLE OPEN FOR,
ADDING MEMBERS, BEFORE WE
CONTINUE ON THE NEXT ONE, CAN WE
TAKE UP THE CONSENT CALENDAR,
PLEASE? MOTION TO APPROVE. ON
THE CONSENT CALENDAR, WE HAVE A
FILE ITEM TWO, AB 13, 1935.
RUBIO THE MOTION IS DUE PASSED
TO THE APPROPRIATIONS
RECOMMENDED CONSENT FILE. ITEM
NINE, AB 2781. IRWIN. THE MOTION
IS DUE PASSED TO THE
APPROPRIATIONS RECOMMEND CONSENT
FILE. ITEM TEN AB 2886
AGUIAR-CURRY. THE MOTION IS DUE
PASSED TO APPROPRIATIONS.
RECOMMEND CONSENT FILE ITEM 12
THREE TWO FOR TWO THREE OF US.
THE MOTION IS DUE. PASS TO
APPROPRIATIONS. RECOMMEND
CONSENT AND FILE ITEM 14 AB
3285. GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
COMMITTEE BILL. THE MOTION IS
DUE PASSED TO THE APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE. RECOMMEND CONSENT. ON
THE CONSENT CALENDAR. RUBIO AYE.
RUBIO AYE. LAKI LAKI. AYE.
ADDIS. ADDIS AYE. BAINES.
BAINES. AYE. LEE DAVIES. DAVIES.
AYE. DIXON. DIXON AYE. GABRIEL.
GIBSON. GIBSON AYE. HANEY.
HANEY. AYE. JONES. SAWYER JONES.
SAWYER. AYE. LOWE. MCKENNA
MCKENNA. AYE. PACHECO PACHECO.
AYE. PAPIN. PAPIN. AYE.
PATTERSON PATTERSON. AYE. RAMOS.
RAMOS I. SORIA. SORIA. AYE TO.
TO. AYE. VALENCIA WALLACE. THANK
YOU. YOU HAVE THE VOTES. WE'LL
LEAVE THE ROLE OPEN FOR ADDING
MEMBERS. OH NOT YOU. SORRY. MR.
LOWENTHAL, AB, 2402. THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS WANT TO
START BY ACCEPTING THE
COMMITTEE'S THOUGHTFUL
AMENDMENTS AND APPRECIATE THE
EXCELLENT WORK DONE IN THE
ANALYSIS. PLEASED TO PRESENT AB
TWO 402, ANOTHER CRUCIAL PIECE
OF THE BILL PACKAGE I'M CARRYING
THIS YEAR TO ADDRESS ROOFING. WE
KNOW THAT DRINK SPIKING CAN TAKE
PLACE ANYWHERE AND HAPPEN TO
ANYONE. HOWEVER, THE MOST COMMON
PLACES ARE RESTAURANTS, BARS AND
NIGHTCLUBS, AND THE MOST
FREQUENT TARGETS ARE WOMEN AND
MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.
INCREASING THE PUBLIC'S
AWARENESS AND THE TRAINING OF
EMPLOYEES AT THESE INSTITUTIONS
IS A CRITICAL STEP IN CURBING
THE INCIDENCE OF ROOFING. AB TWO
402 REQUIRES THE DEPARTMENT OF
ALCOHOL BEVERAGE CONTROL ABC TO
ESTABLISH TWO PROGRAMS. NUMBER
ONE, A PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
ON THE ISSUE. AND NUMBER TWO, A
SAFE BAR PROGRAM TO BETTER
EDUCATE AND PREPARE RESTAURANT,
BAR AND NIGHTCLUB EMPLOYEES ON
PREVENTATIVE MEASURES AND HOW TO
HANDLE DRINK SPIKING SHOULD IT
OCCUR IN THEIR PLACE OF
EMPLOYMENT. THROUGH A PUBLIC
AWARENESS CAMPAIGN. THE ABC WILL
INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE
DANGERS OF DRINK SPIKING. THE
RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THE
PUBLIC TO PREVENT THESE CRIMES,
AND HOW TO HANDLE THE
UNFORTUNATE EVENT THAT SOMEONE
HAS HAD THEIR DRINK SPIKED. THIS
WILL NOT ONLY HELP FACILITATE
SAFER SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS, BUT
ALSO DETER PERPETRATORS FROM
ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE IN THESE
CRIMINAL ACTS IN THE FIRST
PLACE. SECONDLY, THROUGH THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SAFE BAR
TRAINING PROGRAM MODELED AFTER
TENNESSEE'S SAFE BAR PROGRAM,
THE ABC WILL CREATE AN OPTIONAL
PROGRAM FOR RESTAURANTS, BARS,
AND NIGHTCLUBS TO PARTICIPATE IN
TO BETTER EDUCATE THEIR
EMPLOYEES ON PREVENTATIVE
MEASURES AS WELL AS HOW TO
HANDLE DRINK SPIKING. SHOULD IT
OCCUR IN THEIR PLACE OF
EMPLOYMENT. INCREASED TRAINING
AND AWARENESS OF EMPLOYEES AT
THE INSTITUTIONS WHERE DRINK
SPIKING COMMONLY OCCURS WILL
HELP PROMOTE A SAFER AND MORE
ALERT ATMOSPHERE. WITH FEWER
ACCOUNTS OF ROOFING AND IN TURN,
SEXUAL ASSAULT AND RAPE. I WANT
TO NOTE, SO, I'LL TAKE THAT BACK
AGAIN. I AM PLEASED TO BE JOINED
BY MR. MICHAEL SKIPPER OF
ALCOHOL JUSTICE, WHO IS HERE TO
TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF THIS BILL.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS,
ONCE AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK MR.
LOWENTHAL FOR TAKING ANOTHER
STEP FORWARD IN REDUCING ALCOHOL
RELATED HARM. AS HE STATED
PREVIOUSLY, ANY ONE STRATEGY,
TECHNIQUE OR BILL IS NOT GOING
TO SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS, BUT
IT IS CHANGING THE CULTURE STEP
BY STEP AND MAKING FOLKS MORE
AWARE OF THE HARM AND HOW TO
PREVENT IT, WITH THIS BILL,
CREATING AN EFFECTIVE TRAINING,
IT WOULD BOTH REDUCE HESITATION
AND UNCERTAINTY ON BEHALF OF THE
STAFF AND REDUCE STIGMA AGAINST
THE VICTIM. NOTE THAT MANY
EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE
THE HARM FROM DRINK SPIKING ALSO
REDUCE HARM TO PATRONS FROM
THEIR OWN DRUG USE, OR FROM
SIMPLE, OVER INTOXICATION. IF
STAFF VIGILANCE AND VICTIM
RESOURCES CAN MAKE IT SO THAT
PEOPLE DELIVERING THE DRUG CAN
NO LONGER TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE
VICTIM, THEN THE DRINK SPIKING
PREVALENCE WILL DIMINISH. THIS
IS PREVENTION WHETHER OR NOT THE
DRUGS ARE CAUGHT. THE DEPARTMENT
OF ALCOHOL BEVERAGE CONTROL, BS
PROGRAM CURRENT PROGRAM PROVIDES
EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR
DELIVERING THESE TRAININGS, IN
MR. LOWENTHAL'S NEW BILL, WE
HOPE THAT YOU WILL SEE THE VALUE
IN THIS AND PASS IT AS WELL.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE
ANY WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION?
THÀNH OKAY. ANY OPPOSITION? DO
WE ARE YOU IN OPPOSITION? NO.
MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU,
ANDREW ANTWI WITH CHAU AND TÔI
SCHMELZER AND LAYING ON BEHALF
OF THE CITY OF WEST HOLLYWOOD,
WE THANK THE AUTHOR FOR THE BILL
AND SUPPORT. THANK YOU. SUPPORT
AS WELL. YES. OKAY. FRED JONES,
ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
COUNCIL ON ALCOHOL PROBLEMS IN
SUPPORT OF BOTH BILLS. BUT I WAS
LATE GETTING HERE FOR THE PRIOR
BILL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
OKAY, ANYONE ELSE IN SUPPORT?
OKAY. ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
IN OPPOSITION? OKAY. HEARING
NONE, QUESTIONS FROM THE
COMMITTEE. AND, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
DIXON AND THEN ASSEMBLY MEMBER
SORIA. I'M SORRY. DAVIES IT'S
NOT GIBSON. AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN ON
THE SAME PAGE WITH THIS. I'VE 40
YEARS OF BEING IN THE HOTEL
HOSPITALITY MANAGING. AND I KNOW
THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE TIPS
PROGRAM THAT YOU HAVE TO GO
THROUGH EVERY YEAR. AND I THINK
JUST, OBVIOUSLY INCLUDING THIS
IN THERE, BECAUSE YOU DO YOU ARE
TAUGHT SIGNS OF SOMEONE BEING
INTOXICATED TO BEGIN WITH. SO I
THINK HAVING THIS PART OF THIS
IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE MOST
PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IT, AND IT
DOES STAY WITH YOU AND A LOT OF
YOUR HOTELS IN THAT THEY HAVE
THEIR AIR PROGRAM WHEN YOU GET
HIRED RIGHT OFF THE BAT, TOO. SO
THEY HAVE THIS. AND I THINK IT'D
BE GREAT THAT EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT
IN THE, BEVERAGE DEPARTMENT OR
WHATEVER IT MAY BE OF A LARGE
HOTEL, THAT ALL EMPLOYEES SHOULD
BE TAUGHT THAT AS WELL. SO IF
THEY'RE SOMEWHERE ELSE, THEY'RE
ALSO BEING EDUCATED, SOMETHING
TO LOOK FOR. AND I WOULD LIKE TO
COAUTHOR THIS AS WELL. THANK
YOU. GLAD TO HAVE YOU. AS A
COAUTHOR, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE AND RECOGNIZE THE
TREMENDOUS WORK ASSEMBLY MEMBER
DAVIES HAS PUT ON THIS ISSUE FOR
SOME TIME. THANK YOU, ASSEMBLY
MEMBER SORIA. AND THEN. OKAY, SO
WE'LL GO MAKE DINNER. YES I'D
LIKE TO BE A COAUTHOR AS WELL.
100. THANK YOU. OKAY. SORIA, DID
YOU HAVE A COMMENT? NO ASSEMBLY
MEMBER. DIXON BEFORE I COMMENT,
I'D LOVE TO BE A COAUTHOR AS
WELL, JUST TO CLARIFY HOW THIS
GETS IMPLEMENTED. SO IT REQUIRES
THE ABC DEPARTMENT TO ESTABLISH
A VOLUNTARY SAFE BAR TRAINING
PROGRAM FOR BARS, NIGHTCLUBS AND
RESTAURANTS. AND REQUIRE. AND SO
THERE'S CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS TO
ESTABLISH THAT. AND IT WOULD
REQUIRE THAT ANY BAR RESTAURANT,
ETC. THAT PARTICIPATE. SO IT
DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT'S
MANDATORY. Kò. THAT'S RIGHT. BUT
THERE'S AN INCENTIVE. THEY GET A
LITTLE NOTICE, OR STICKER ON
THEIR DOOR. THAT'S EXACTLY
RIGHT. ASSEMBLY MEMBER. AND,
THERE ARE CITIES THAT ARE DOING
THIS ALREADY. A CITY OF WEST
HOLLYWOOD HAS A PROGRAM. CITY OF
LONG BEACH IS PUTTING A PROGRAM
TOGETHER ON THIS VERY THING, AND
IT'S QUITE EFFECTIVE. AND
PATRONS FEEL COMFORTED KNOWING
THAT THERE'S TRAINING TAKING
PLACE IN THAT ESTABLISHMENT. I
COULD TELL YOU A VERY SMALL
ANECDOTE REALLY QUICKLY, AND ALL
OF MY RESEARCH AROUND THESE
BILLS, I CALLED MY BEST FRIEND'S
SON, WHO'S THE SOCIAL DIRECTOR
OF HIS FRATERNITY AT OLE MISS,
AND I SAID, IS ROOFING A PROBLEM
IN YOUR FRATERNITY? HE SAID,
IT'S A MASSIVE PROBLEM TAKING
PLACE. I SAID, WELL, WHAT ARE
YOU DOING ABOUT IT? HE SAID,
WELL, WE MADE A DECISION TO STOP
A SERVING OPEN CONTAINERS
WHENEVER WE'RE SERVING ALCOHOL,
IT'S GOING TO BE CLOSED
CONTAINERS ONLY. I SAID, WOW,
THAT'S A BIG ONE. WELL, WHAT'S
HAPPENED? HE SAID OUR PARTIES
HAVE TRIPLED IN SIZE. HE SAID
OVERNIGHT ALL THE WOMEN WANTED
TO BE HERE BECAUSE THEY FELT
SAFE. AND THEN ALL THE GUYS
WANTED TO BE WHERE THE WOMEN
WERE. WELL, AND THEN JUST TO
BRING THE FULL COMPLETELY THAT I
GUESS OUR LAST MEETING, YOU HAD
THE LIDS FOR THE CUPS, CORRECT?
THAT'S RIGHT. LIDS IF REQUESTED.
IF REQUESTED. SO IS THIS THE
COMPLETE PROGRAM NOW THE THREE
OF THESE BILLS, OR IS THERE MORE
TO COME, WE'RE THE ONLY THING
THAT MATTERS IS WHEN WE'RE
CUTTING DOWN ON SEXUAL ASSAULT.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER. THAT'S THE ONLY
METRIC WE'RE LOOKING FOR. SO WE
WILL CONTINUE IN EVERY DIRECTION
UNTIL WE CUT DOWN ON IT. VERY
GOOD. YOU HAVE MY FULL SUPPORT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE WISH TO COMMENT? NO
HEARING. NONE. YOU MAY CLOSE
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU,
MADAM SECRETARY, CAN YOU CALL
THE ROLL, PLEASE? AB 2402
LOWENTHAL. THE MOTION IS DUE.
PASS AS AMENDED TO THE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE. RUBIO
I LACKEY I ADDIS ADDIS I BAIN
BAINS I LI DAVIES. DAVIES I
DIXON. DIXON I GABRIEL GIBSON.
GIBSON I HANEY. JONES-SAWYER
JONES-SAWYER I LOW, LOW I
MACKINAW. MACKINAW I PACHECO.
PACHECO I PAPPIN. HOPPIN I
PATTERSON. PATTERSON. I RAMOS.
RAMOS ASESORÍA. SORIA I TO I.
VALENCIA. WALLACE. OKAY. THE
MEASURE PASSES. WILL LEAVE THE
ROLE OPEN FOR ADDING MEMBERS.
THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER.
PATTERSON JOE PATTERSON, I GAVE
YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE FIRST.
I'D HAVE TAKEN IT
.
GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
MADAM CHAIR, AND TO THE
COMMITTEE STAFF IN PARTICULAR,
THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH ME ON
THIS, MEASURE, IS I WAS RECENTLY
DOING A TOUR. THIS IS, AB 2589,
AND I WAS RECENTLY DOING A TOUR
WITH A VERY IMPORTANT ECONOMIC
ENGINE IN MY DISTRICT. AND
THAT'S THE WESTFIELD GALLERIA
MALL, WHICH IS ONE OF THEIR TOP
PERFORMING ASSETS. AND IT'S,
OVER TIME, AS YOU KNOW,
THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY AND OUR
STATE, SHOPPING MALLS ARE ARE
HAVING TO RE RETHINK HOW THEY DO
BUSINESS TO GO MORE FROM JUST
LARGE, RETAIL TO ALSO CONSIDER
EXPERIENCE REYES AND OTHER TYPES
OF FACILITIES THAT ATTRACT
PEOPLE TO THEIR TO THEIR
RESTAURANTS, TO OR TO THEIR
FACILITIES TO MAYBE DO SOME
SHOPPING AS WELL. AND SO WE'VE
SEEN A LOT OF THAT, AT WESTFIELD
GALLERIA IN ROSEVILLE. BUT
WE'VE, WE WHAT I NOTICED IS WE
HAVE AN ISSUE ATTRACTING
RESTAURANTS AT THAT PARTICULAR
MALL BECAUSE THEY'RE UNABLE TO
OBTAIN A TYPE 47 LIKE ESSENCE.
AND SO THIS JUST CAME OUT OF
TOURING WITH OUR GENERAL MANAGER
OVER THERE, AND I SAID, HEY,
LOOK, MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING WE
CAN DO ON THIS BECAUSE WE WANT
TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SHOP AT
THEIR SHOPPING MALLS, BUT ALSO
IN ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES THAT
HAVE A SHOPPING MALL, THEY
GENERATE A LOT OF RETAIL SALES
FOR LOCAL SERVICES AND I WANTED
TO INCENTIVIZE, MORE RESTAURANTS
INTO THESE TYPES OF FACILITIES.
AND SO WE STARTED WORKING ON
THIS LEGISLATION AND I SAID,
HEY, LOOK, IF WE CAN COME UP
WITH A WAY TO GET MORE
RESTAURANTS INTO YOUR, YOUR,
FACILITY, THEN THAT WOULD BE A
REALLY GREAT THING. SO WE CAME
UP WITH THIS LEGISLATION THAT
ALLOWS LIMITED, TYPE 47
LICENSES, AND THEY'RE NOT
TRANSFERABLE. SO YOU CAN'T GO
THERE AND GET A TYPE 47 LICENSE
AND THEN MOVE YOUR BUSINESS TO
SOMEWHERE ELSE, SOME OTHER
NEIGHBORHOOD, AND USE THAT TYPE
47 LICENSE. SO IT'S LIMITED TO
ONE POINT 3,000,000FT² OR LARGER
TO USE ONE OF THESE LICENSES.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT AB 2589 DOES.
AGAIN, IT'S LIMITED IN SCOPE.
AND AGAIN, THANKS FOR THE
COMMITTEE TO HELPING NARROW IT
EVEN MORE. AND WITH THAT I HAVE
AUDREY RITECHECK WITH ME TO
TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF THE
MEASURE. PERFECT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. AND THEN, JUST TO BE
CLEAR, YOU'RE ACCEPTING THE
COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS. OF COURSE,
IT WOULD BE REALLY DISINGENUOUS
IF I THANKED YOU FOR YOUR WORK
AND DID NOT ACCEPT THEM. BUT
THANK YOU, THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. AUDREY
RITECHECK AND I REPRESENT
WESTFIELD. I'M HERE TODAY IN
SUPPORT OF AB 2589, AND THIS IS
A CRITICAL MEASURE TO HELPING
MOVE FORWARD ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT RETAIL
BUSINESSES IN THE STATE,
INCLUDING IMPROVEMENT IN GROWTH
OPPORTUNITIES PLANNED AT
WESTFIELD, AB 2589 WILL HELP
SUPPORT BUSINESSES AND ENSURE
RESTAURANTS IN RETAIL CENTERS,
BY ALLOWING THEM TO HAVE
ADDITIONAL LIQUOR LICENSES IN
PUBLIC EATING PLACES THAT ARE
LOCATED IN SPECIFIC RETAIL
CENTERS. MANY NEW AND GROWING
BUSINESSES THAT APPLY FOR A
LICENSE LICENSE OFTEN HAVE TO
WAIT FOR MONTHS OR LONGER
WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF
SECURING A LICENSE, AND IF
THEY'RE NOT AVAILABLE DUE TO
DIFFERENT RESTRICTIONS, GETTING
ONE FROM THE SECONDARY MARKET
CAN COST OVER $250,000, AND WE
HAVE A LOT OF PLANNED GROWTH AT
OUR WESTFIELD CENTER, BUT A LOT
OF THAT HINGES ON GETTING THE
SPECIFIC RESTAURANTS THERE, AND
WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT UNLESS
THERE ARE ENOUGH LICENSES,
BECAUSE OTHERWISE THEY WOULDN'T
WANT TO COME. SO THAT'S THE
EXACT CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE
FACING. AS THE ASSEMBLY MEMBER
MENTIONED, WE WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS. AND WITH
THAT, WE ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE.
THANK YOU. ANY WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION?
WELCOME. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR,
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, MICHAEL
SKIPPER, ON BEHALF OF ALCOHOL
JUSTICE, ALCOHOL OUTLET DENSITY
LIMITS ARE ONE OF THE
FUNDAMENTAL STRATEGIES FOR
KEEPING ALCOHOL SAFE AND LEGAL
ON SALE. OVERCONCENTRATION IS
ASSOCIATED WITH PROBLEM DRINKING
LONG TERME, HEAVY DRINKING,
OVERALL CRIME RATE AND VIOLENCE.
THIS BILL WOULD CONTINUE TO OVER
CONCENTRATE EVERY COUNTY WITH NO
CONCEIVABLE LIMIT AS LONG AS
THERE ARE MALLS FOR A BAR TO SET
UP IN. EACH ON SALE LICENSE
RIGHT NOW IS RESPONSIBLE FOR A
MEAN OF $36,182 IN HARM, TWO
ADDITIONAL LICENSES PER YEAR,
PER COUNTY WOULD EQUAL $4.2
MILLION IN ADDITIONAL HARM. THE
RETAIL CENTERS IDENTIFIED IN
THIS BILL ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE
THE KIND OF AUTOMOTIVE CENTRIC,
FAMILY CENTRIC MALLS WHICH ARE A
NOT USUALLY WALKABLE FROM HOME.
B USUALLY INCLUDE EXTENSIVE
PARKING AREAS WHERE CARS AND
PEDESTRIANS INTERSECT, AND C A
MAJOR DRAW FOR CHILDREN AND
TEENAGERS. NOT ONLY DOES THIS
RAMP UP THE POTENTIAL FOR
AUTOMOBILE CRASH DEATHS, BUT IT
RAMPS UP THE POTENTIAL FOR THESE
DEATHS TO INCLUDE TEENAGERS AND
THE CHAOS OF A SHOPPING CENTER.
IT WILL BE A CHALLENGE TO CUT
OFF DANGEROUSLY INTOXICATED
PATRONS OR PREVENT UNDERAGE
PATRONS FROM OBTAINING ALCOHOL.
FOR THESE REASONS, WE ASK FOR A
NO VOTE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION? OKAY MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC IN SUPPORT. SEEING NONE
ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. ANY
QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE?
ASSEMBLY MEMBER DIXON. THANK
YOU. CHAIR. JUST TO CLARIFY,
WITH THE AMENDMENTS AND WHAT'S
IN MY COPY OF THE BILL ANYWAY.
SO JUST RESTATE WHAT IS THERE A
TOTAL OF TEN I'M READING IN THE
REPORT. THERE'S A TOTAL OF TEN
OVER WHAT PERIOD OF TIME. AND
THEN ALLOWING ABC TO ISSUE UP TO
FOUR LICENSES IN THE FIRST YEAR.
SO FOUR IN THE FIRST YEAR AND
THEN SIX MORE OVER WHAT PERIOD
OF TIME? IF I'M READING THAT
CORRECTLY, IT'S TEN LICENSES.
IS, IN MY COUNTY AND OR IN A
COUNTY, AND IT'S ONLY FOR DURING
A PARTICULAR YEAR. BUT AGAIN, I
THINK THE ACTUALLY THE MOST
LIMITING FACTOR ON THIS IS THE
ONE POINT 3,000,000FT² THAT A
RETAIL CENTER NEEDS TO BE. THOSE
JUST AREN'T IN EVERY, YOU KNOW,
EVERY CORNER OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S SPELLED OUT IN THE
BILL. YES. OKAY SO LET ME
RESTATE WHAT YOU JUST SAID. IT
COULD STILL BE A TOTAL OF TEN
PER YEAR. NO NO NO NO. IT'S UP
TO FOUR PER YEAR. SO
INDEFINITELY NO UP TO TEN TOTAL
OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT THE
FIRST TIME. AND THEN THEN THAT'S
DONE. AND THEN YOU'LL LOOK AT IT
AND SEE WHAT, WHAT ELSE IS
NEEDED. AND THEN TO CLARIFY TWO
AS WELL, YOU REFERRED TO YOUR
COUNTY, BUT THIS REALLY APPLIES
TO EVERY COUNTY, CORRECT? OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. GREAT.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE
COMMITTEE? OKAY THANK YOU, YOU
MAY CLOSE. GREAT. THANK YOU,
JUST COMMENT BRIEFLY ON THE
OPPOSITION, YOU KNOW, I WAS
ACTUALLY A CERTIFIED, TIPS
TRAINER, WHICH IS TRAINING FOR
INTERVENTION PROCEDURES TO HELP
PREVENT, YOU KNOW, IN PUBLIC
INTOXICATION DEATHS FROM DUIS.
AND I'VE BEEN IMPACTED IN MY
FAMILY FOR, YOU KNOW, IN A MAJOR
WAY FROM ALCOHOLISM. I TAKE THAT
VERY SERIOUSLY. I'M NOT SURE
THAT, YOU KNOW, ADDING, LICENSES
TO PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN
ALREADY GO TO A FACILITY. AND BY
THE WAY, HAVE A BEER AND WALK
AROUND IN THE SHOPPING MALL, BUT
THIS CONFINES IT TO A, ACTUALLY
A CERTAIN A CERTAIN PARTICULAR
RESTAURANT. RIGHT. SO SO, SO I
ACTUALLY THINK IT DECREASES THE
DENSITY OF WHERE PEOPLE GO RIGHT
NOW, BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE
CAN OBVIOUSLY HAVE THOSE
DISCUSSIONS, BUT I TAKE THAT
VERY SERIOUSLY, YOU KNOW,
PREVENTING ALCOHOL. AND I'D
ALWAYS WOULD WORK WITH THIS
COMMITTEE AND AUTHORS OF THIS
COMMITTEE. ON OTHER LEGISLATION
TO DO THAT, JUST GENERALLY
SPEAKING. BUT THIS BILL IS VERY
LIMITED TO MAJOR RETAIL CENTERS.
AND THANKS AGAIN FOR THE WORK ON
IT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER,
ACTUALLY, I NEED A MOTION IN A
SECOND. OH, SORRY. OH, I'M SORRY
, IT WAS ADDIS. AND, PAPIN. I
APPRECIATE PAPINIANUS. THANK
YOU. WELL, WITH THAT, MADAM
SECRETARY, CAN YOU CALL THE ROLL
AB 2589 JOE PATTERSON. THE
MOTION IS DUE. PASS, AS AMENDED,
TO THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
BILL RUBIO I LACKEY I LACKEY I
ADDIS ADDIS I BAINES BAINES I
LEE DAVIES DAVIES I DIXON DIXON
I GABRIEL GIBSON HANEY. YES MIKE
. MIKE GIBSON I HANEY. JOAN.
SAWYER. JOAN SAWYER I LOW.
MCKENNA. MCKINNON I PACHECO.
PACHECO. I. PAPIN. PAPIN I.
PATTERSON. PATTERSON. I RAMOS.
RAMOS. ASESORÍA SORIA. I TO. TO
I. VALENCIA WALLACE. OKAY. THE
MEASURE PASSES. WILL LEAVE THE
ROLE OPEN FOR ADDING MEMBERS.
THANK YOU. AND I DON'T SEE
ASSEMBLY MEMBER FONG. SO
ASSEMBLY MEMBER MCKINNON, IF YOU
WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT YOUR BILL.
THANK YOU. 2615.
BEFORE SHE BEGINS, CAN I MOVE,
ASSEMBLY MEMBER GALLAGHER'S BILL
WAS HEARD BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE
MOTION. MOTION BY MR. LACKEY,
SECOND BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER ADDIS,
MADAM SECRETARY, CAN YOU CALL
THE ROLL? AB 2069 GALLAGHER. THE
MOTION IS DUE PASSED TO THE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE. RUBIO.
AYE. RUBIO. AYE. LACKEY. AYE.
LACKEY AYE. ADDIS. ADDIS. AYE.
BAINES BAINES. AYE. LEE DAVIES.
DAVIES. AYE. DIXON DIXON. AYE.
GABRIEL. GIBSON GIBSON. AYE.
HANEY. JONES-SAWYER
JONES-SAWYER. ILO MCKENNA.
MCKENNA. AYE. PACHECO PACHECO.
AYE. PAPINE. PAPINE. AYE.
PATTERSON PATTERSON. AYE. RAMOS.
RAMOS. ASESORÍA SORIA. AYE TO.
TO. AYE. VALENCIA. WALLACE THE
MEASURE PASSES AND WE'LL LEAVE
THE ROLE OPEN FOR ADDING
MEMBERS, WE ALSO HAVE, ITEM
NUMBER FOUR, AB 2174.
AGUIAR-CURRY. I NEED A MOTION
AND A SECOND. MOTION BY ASSEMBLY
MEMBER ADDIS. SECOND BY ASSEMBLY
MEMBER PACHECO, MADAM SECRETARY,
CAN YOU CALL THE ROLL AB 2174
AGUIAR-CURRY. THE MOTION IS TO
PASS, AS AMENDED, TO THE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE. RUBIO.
AYE. RUBIO AYE. LAKI LAKI. AYE.
ADDIS ADDIS. AYE. BAINES.
BAINES. AYE LEE. DAVIES DAVIES.
AYE. DIXON. DIXON. AYE. GABRIEL
GIBSON. GIBSON. AYE. HANEY
JONES-SAWYER. JONES-SAWYER. AYE.
LOW MCKINNEY. MCKINNEY. AYE.
PACHECO PACHECO. AYE. PAPINE.
PAPINE AYE. PATTERSON.
PATTERSON. AYE. RAMOS RAMOS.
ASESORÍA. SORIA I. TO I.
VALENCIA VALENCIA. AYE. WALLACE
THANK YOU. THE MEASURE PASSES
WILL LEAVE THE ROLE OPEN FOR
ADDING MEMBERS. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
MCKENNA, YOU MAY BEGIN. GOOD
AFTERNOON, CHAIR. AND MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE. I AM HERE TO
PRESENT AB 20 615, WHICH WILL
AUTHORIZE AIRPORT TERMINALS TO
SELL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN AN
EXPANDED LICENSE AREA UNDER A
COVID 19 TEMPORARY CATERING
AUTHORIZATION AND WILL SUNSET BY
JULY 1ST, 2026. DURING THE
PANDEMIC, AIRPORT PASSENGERS
WERE ALLOWED TO TAKE THEIR
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OUTSIDE OF
THE BAR AND DRINK THEIR
BEVERAGES BY THE GATE. THIS
ALLOWED FOR MORE RESPONSIBLE
ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AND REDUCE
THE LIKELIHOOD OF PASSENGERS
ORDERING ADDITIONAL DRINKS, AS
THERE WERE NO RUSH TO FINISH
BEFORE BOARDING THEIR FLIGHT.
THIS PRACTICE ALIGNS WITH THE
EASE OF ACCESS TO ALCOHOLIC
BEVERAGES, SIMILAR TO THAT IN
STADIUMS AND CONCERT HALLS,
WHILE ADDRESSING THE PRACTICAL
NEEDS OF AIR TRAVEL, IT OFFERS
FLEXIBILITY TO TRAVELERS,
REDUCES CONGESTION AT AIRPORT
BARS, ACCOMMODATES PATRONS WHO
PERFORM MORE OPEN SPACES AND
EASES SERVICE, WAIT TIMES.
AIRPORTS ARE HIGHLY SECURE
ENVIRONMENTS WITH WELL LIT
SPACES, CONSTANT VIDEO
SURVEILLANCE, AND ROUTINE
PATROLS BY AIRPORT PERSONNEL AND
LAW ENFORCEMENT, SIGNIFICANTLY
REDUCING THE RISK OF MISUSE OR
UNDERAGE OF MISUSE OF UNDERAGE
DRINKING. UNLIKE PATRONS AT
STADIUMS OR CONCERT VENUES,
AIRPORT PATRON DO NOT DRIVE
IMMEDIATELY AFTER CONSUMING
ALCOHOL, REDUCING THE RISK
ASSOCIATED WITH DRINKING AND
DRIVING. THIS POLICY HAS BEEN
EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTED IN OTHER
MAJOR AIRPORTS NATIONWIDE AND
INTERNATIONALLY FOR MANY YEARS
WITHOUT INCIDENT, INDICATING A
SUCCESSFUL MODEL FOR CALIFORNIA
TO FOLLOW. WITH ME HERE TODAY IS
JIM LITES WITH THE AIRPORT
COUNCIL AND STEVE MORA WITH THE
METROPOLITAN CULINARY SERVICES
OF BURBANK. THANK YOU, JIM
LIGHTS, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA AIRPORTS COUNCIL,
REPRESENTING THE 31 COMMERCIAL
AIRPORTS IN THE STATE. AS
ASSEMBLY MEMBER, MCKENNA NOTED,
WE HAD THIS AUTHORITY FOR ALMOST
THREE YEARS DURING EMERGENCY
COVID RULES. IT TOOK PLACE
WITHOUT INCIDENT. WE DID QUERY
ALL OF THE AIRPORTS FOR ANY
INCIDENT REPORTS RELATED TO
ALCOHOL DURING THAT PERIOD OF
TIME, AND THERE WERE NONE THAT
WERE PRESENTED TO US, THIS DOES
PROVIDE SIMPLY A SHORT 18 MONTH
PILOT PROGRAM AND THE BILL IS
NOT AUTOMATIC AUTHORITY. IT MUST
BE APPROVED BY THE AIRPORT OWNER
OPERATOR, WHICH MEANS THE CITY
COUNCIL OR COUNTY BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AND THEN THE ABC. SO
THIS BILL REALLY SETS UP A
PROCESS FOR AN AIRPORT TO GO
THROUGH. SO, IT REALLY ALSO
REALLY AFFECTS THE LARGER
AIRPORTS IN THE STATE. OUR
SMALLER AIRPORTS, CGRTS THAT
HAVE SMALLER TERMINALS ALREADY
HAVE THIS AUTHORITY. SO LONG
BEACH, SANTA BARBARA, SAN LUIS
OBISPO, SONOMA COUNTY AIRPORT,
THOSE ALCOHOL LICENSES ALREADY
APPLY TO THE ENTIRE TERMINAL. SO
THIS WILL HELP THE LARGEST 8 OR
9 AIRPORTS IN THE STATE THAT
HAVE MULTIPLE TERMINALS, AS THE
ANALYSIS POINTS OUT, THIS IS
ALREADY DONE AT AIRPORTS AROUND
THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING SAN
ANTONIO AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA
AIRPORTS THAT HAVE ALSO RECEIVED
THIS AUTHORITY PERMANENTLY SINCE
COVID, LASTLY, WE PASSED OUT TO
THE COMMITTEE, A SHEET FROM THE
FAA WEBSITE THAT SHOWS UNRULY
PASSENGER INCIDENT REPORTS, AS
YOU CAN SEE AT MAY OF 2022,
THOSE INCIDENT REPORTS DROPPED.
THAT WAS THE MOMENT IN TIME THAT
THE FAA LIFTED THE MASK MANDATE.
SO IT SHOWS THAT A LOT OF THE
INCIDENCES THAT WERE TAKING
PLACE ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFTS
SEEM TO HAVE BEEN MASK RELATED
RATHER THAN ALCOHOL RELATED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
NEXT WITNESS, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. I APPRECIATE YOU INVITING
ME HERE TODAY IN 2022. AB 1221
REQUIRED ALL BARTENDERS AND
SERVERS TO BE CERTIFIED THROUGH
THE STATE'S RESPONSIBLE BEVERAGE
SERVER PROGRAM, OR BS. THE
MISSION IS TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE
BS TRAINING FOR SERVERS AND
THEIR MANAGERS TO CURB HARM
RELATED TO UNDERAGE DRINKING AND
THE OVERUSE OF ALCOHOL IN
CALIFORNIA, THE STATE'S ABC
LICENSE IS MORE CONCERT VENUE.
STADIUMS ARENAS, THEME PARKS AND
ZOOS WITH FAR MORE RISK THAN ALL
THE STATE'S LARGEST AIRPORTS
COMBINED. OVER 85 MILLION
PASSENGERS DEPARTED FROM OUR
MAJOR AIRPORTS LAST YEAR. BY
COMPARISON, 130 MILLION PEOPLE
WENT TO SPORTING EVENTS,
CONCERTS, FESTIVALS, DISNEYLAND
AND UNIVERSAL STUDIOS SERVING
GUESTS AT SEATS AND STADIUMS,
ARENAS AND AIRPORTS IS
COMMONPLACE AROUND THE WORLD.
NUMEROUS AIRPORTS IN THE US ALSO
ALLOW CONSUMPTION THROUGHOUT THE
TERMINALS. THE BUILDING DOES NOT
MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THE PEOPLE
INSIDE DO. YOU CANNOT LEGISLATE
CIVILIZED BEHAVIOR, BUT YOU
CERTAINLY CAN LEGISLATE
EDUCATION TRAINING TO ENSURE
PUBLIC SAFETY. IN 2012, FLIGHT
ATTENDANTS WERE REQUIRED BY THE
FAA TO RECEIVE TRAINING FOR
SERVING ALCOHOL AND RECOGNIZING
INTOXICATED PASSENGERS. THANKS
TO THE LEGISLATURE, THE STATE'S
SERVERS AND BARTENDERS NOW
POSSESS THE SAME SKILLS AND
KNOWLEDGE. THE NECESSARY
INFRASTRUCTURE IS IN PLACE TO
ENSURE COMPLIANCE AND PUBLIC
SAFETY. AIRPORTS HAVE TRAINED
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND
SOPHISTICATED SURVEILLANCE
SYSTEMS. BY CONTRAST, CONCERT
VENUES AND SPORTING EVENTS HAVE
VERY FEW, IF ANY, LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, BUT HAVE
PLENTY OF NON BS CERTIFIED
USHERS AND SECURITY GUARDS. THE
ABC DETERMINES THE RISK AND
EXPOSURE OF EVERY PREMISE THEY
LICENSE. THE RISKS ASSOCIATED
WITH SERVING ALCOHOL AND AIRPORT
ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN AN ARENA
OR STADIUM. IT'S NOT THE VENUE
WE SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON.
RESPONSIBLE OPERATORS ACT
RESPONSIBLY. TAKE COMFORT IN THE
FACT THAT THE ABC, THE STATE
THROUGH AB 1221 AND THE FAA PUT
IN PLACE SAFEGUARDS WHICH SHOULD
ALLOW YOU TO FEEL COMFORTABLE
CONFIDENT IN MOVING THIS BILL
FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER WITNESSES IN SUPPORT?
OKAY. MAIN WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION. MADAM CHAIR IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU, ANDREW ANTWI
WITH CHAU YODER ANTWI SCHMELZER
AND LAYING ON BEHALF OF THE LOS
ANGELES WORLD AIRPORTS AUTHORITY
, LAX BEING THE BIGGEST AIRPORT
IN THAT. THANK YOU, CAN WE ALLOW
THE MEMBER, THE WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION, PLEASE, TO CONTINUE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR.
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE,
ALBERTO TORRICO, ON BEHALF OF
AIRLINES FOR AMERICA, THE TRADE
ASSOCIATION FOR THE MAJOR
AIRLINES AND FREIGHT CARRIERS, I
GUESS LET ME BEGIN BY SAYING
THAT WE HAVE A DIFFERENT
VIEWPOINT OF SUCCESS, ALTHOUGH
I, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND FROM
THE AUTHOR'S PERSPECTIVE AND
FROM THE SPONSORS THAT THEY
BELIEVE THE PROGRAM WAS A
SUCCESS. THE AIRLINES HAD TO
DEAL WITH THE BRUNT OF CUSTOMERS
ARRIVING AT THE TERMINAL WITH
ALCOHOL, WANTING TO TAKE IT ONTO
THE PLANE, WHICH IS NOT ALLOWED,
WAS NOT ALLOWED UNDER THE
EXEMPTION, NOR IS IT ALLOWED
UNDER THE BILL, AND WE HAD TO
DEAL WITH THE BRUNT OF CUSTOMERS
AND PASSENGERS BEING ON THE
PLANE COMPLETELY INEBRIATED. I
THINK ALL OF ALL OF YOU SAW,
REPEATED NEWSCASTS AND NEWS
REPORTS SHOWING CUSTOMERS,
PASSENGER WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF
CONTROL AND FORCING THE FLIGHT
ATTENDANTS TO DEAL WITH THEM. I
TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE OF
DIFFERENT POINTS OF INTERACTION
AND POTENTIAL, DISARRAY, SO TO
SPEAK, AT THE GATE AND ON THE
PLANE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE
OUR WORD FOR IT. THE FAA, IN
THEIR ANALYSIS, THE FAA, WROTE
IN 2021 THAT THEY HAD EXPRESSED
CONCERNS ABOUT SERVING ALCOHOL
TO PASSENGERS IN AIRPORT
RESTAURANTS AND BEFORE IN BARS,
BEFORE FLIGHTS. THEY ALSO SAID
THAT EVERY WEEK THEY SAW
INCREASED INCIDENCES REQUIRING
LAW ENFORCEMENT INTERVENTION.
THE SHEET THAT'S BEEN
DISTRIBUTED TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK,
I, I'M NOT HERE TO DISPUTE
WHETHER WHAT THE CAUSE WAS BUT I
WILL I WILL NOTE THAT BETWEEN
2020 AND 2021, WHERE THE
EXEMPTION WAS GRANTED, THERE WAS
A 500% INCREASE IN INCIDENTS. IF
YOU WANT TO GO BEFORE COVID
BETWEEN 2017 AND 2021, THERE'S A
1,000% INCREASE IN INCIDENTS.
I'M NOT ASCRIBING ALL OF THOSE
TO THE USE OF ALCOHOL OR
EXCESSIVE USE OF ALCOHOL, BUT IT
DOES CONTRIBUTE. SO WE'RE
REGRETTABLY, WE'RE OPPOSED TO
THE BILL, MANAGEMENT AND LABOR
IN THIS INDUSTRY DOESN'T ALWAYS
AGREE AS AS IN MOST INDUSTRIES,
THERE'S ORGANIZED MOST OF THE
AIRLINES ARE ORGANIZED FROM TOP
TO BOTTOM IN THIS INSTANCE, THE
AIRLINES AND THE UNIONS ARE
UNIFIED IN OPPOSITION. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE,
MICHAEL SKIPPER, ON BEHALF OF
ALCOHOL JUSTICE, ALCOHOL IS THE
DRIVING FORCE BEHIND DISRUPTIVE
BEHAVIOR AT AIRPORTS, INCLUDING
AROUND 40% OF AIR RAGE
INCIDENTS. THE PAST FEW YEARS
HAVE SET RECORDS FOR UNRULY AND
AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR BY
PASSENGERS, ACCORDING TO THE
FAA, THE SPECIAL CUPS PROVISION
IN THE BILL IS INEFFECTUAL AND
SIMPLE TO EVADE THE IDEA OF
TAKING WALK AWAY, SPACE AWAY
FROM PEOPLE TRYING TO GET TO AND
FROM AN AIRPLANE AND TURNING IT
OVER TO PEOPLE TRYING TO DRINK
WILL CREATE CONFLICTS THAT
BROADLY MAKE THE TERMINALS EVEN
MORE HOSTILE. THE CONSEQUENCES
FOR A SINGLE ALCOHOL RELATED
DISRUPTION ARE VASTLY AMPLIFIED
IN THE CONTEXT OF AIR TRAVEL. WE
ASK FOR A NO VOTE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. OKAY, NOW MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC IN, SUPPORT. SORRY
ABOUT THAT, MADAM CHAIR AND
MEMBERS, MADISON D¯ÚI, WITH
POLITICAL SOLUTIONS ON BEHALF OF
THE FAMILY WINEMAKERS OF
CALIFORNIA AND SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. GOOD EVENING. STEPHANIE
ESTRADA WITH CRUZ STRATEGIES ON
BEHALF OF THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY
AIRPORT, REGIONAL AIRPORT
AUTHORITY, AND THEN OAKLAND
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
OKAY. ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
IN OPPOSITION? FRED JONES,
AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA COUNCIL ON ALCOHOL
PROBLEMS, PRIMARILY A FAITH
BASED ORGANIZATION. THANK YOU.
WE ARE ALSO MEMBERS OF THE
CALIFORNIA ALCOHOL POLICY
ALLIANCE, WHICH IS STATEWIDE
COALITION, WHICH IS ALSO IN
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND MEMBERS,
KATHY VAN AUSTIN, REPRESENTING
UNITED AIRLINES IN OPPOSITION.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND
MEMBERS, MIKE BALLARD ON BEHALF
OF DELTA AIRLINES, RESPECTFULLY
OPPOSED. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
AND MEMBERS, ARMAND FELICIANO,
ON BEHALF OF SOUTHWEST AIRLINES.
AND THANK YOU. OKAY. ANYONE
ELSE? OKAY I'LL BRING IT UP TO
THE COMMITTEE, QUESTIONS FROM
THE COMMITTEE. COMMENTS ASSEMBLY
MEMBER JOHN SAWYER. I'M
ACTUALLY, I'M INTERESTED IN THIS
IN THAT, I'VE BEEN ON THE
AIRLINES FOR THE LAST 11 YEARS,
AND I'VE SEEN PEOPLE WHO ARE
UNRULY. AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT
MOST OF THEM, ESPECIALLY WHEN
WE'VE EVEN HAD, AIRLINES JUST
STOP THE FLIGHT ALTOGETHER
BECAUSE SOMEONE WAS THAT UNRULY
AND THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT
THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN A THREAT TO
OTHER PASSENGERS, NOW, I'VE SEEN
SOME OTHERS WHERE PEOPLE DIDN'T
WANT TO TURN OFF THEIR PHONE.
THEY GOT UNRULY. THEY DIDN'T
WANT TO PULL UP THEIR LAP SEAT
BECAUSE THEY'RE UNRULY. THEY OR
THEY JUST DIDN'T WANT TO BUCKLE
THEIR THEIR SEATBELT. THEY GOT
UNRULY, I DON'T KNOW IF MY
QUESTION WOULD BE, I DON'T KNOW
IF ANYONE KEPT ANY OF THOSE
RECORDS. DO FLIGHT ATTENDANTS
REPORT BACK THAT THAT PERSON WAS
WAS INEBRIATED OR IF THEY WERE
JUST? AND I WOULD SUBMIT THAT
THEY WERE PROBABLY PROBLEMATIC,
MORE SO THAN ALCOHOL OR DRUNK.
AND, IT WOULD BE IT WOULD BE,
QUITE FRANKLY, IT WOULD BE
INTERESTING TO SEE IF ANYONE
KEPT ANY OF THOSE RECORDS EVERY
TIME THERE WAS A DISRUPTION.
THAT HAPPENS EVERY DAY. THAT'S
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. SOMEBODY IS
BEING UNRULY AND BEING
UNCOMFORTABLE WITH A FLIGHT
ATTENDANT. RIGHT NOW, AS WE
SPEAK, BUT I'M NOT NECESSARILY
SAYING THEY WERE. ALCOHOL WAS
THE REASON OF IT. AND SO, WITH
THAT, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE
BILL TODAY UNTIL SOMEBODY CAN
SHOW ME EVIDENCE THAT ALCOHOL IS
DIRECTLY IMPACTED, ESPECIALLY
WHEN, AS I'M ON MY SOUTHWEST
FLIGHT, THEY'RE OFFERING TWO
DRINKS TO EACH PASSENGER WHO
HAVE FREE DRINKS, GOING BACK AND
FORTH, AND THEY, THEY'RE NOT,
YOU KNOW, QUESTIONING WHETHER OR
NOT THAT PERSON WAS IN THE
RESTAURANT HAVING 15 DRINKS
BEFORE THEY GOT ON THE AIRLINES.
THEY GIVE THEM DRINKS AGAIN,
WHEN THEY GET ON. SO, LET'S,
LET'S IF WE'RE GOING TO BE
SERIOUS ABOUT THIS AND, AND THE
REASON I EVEN MENTIONED THIS,
BECAUSE WE HAD MR. LOWENTHAL,
WHO'S TALKING ABOUT HOW DO YOU
GET RESTAURANTS AND OTHERS, IN
TUNE TO WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE
ARE ROOFIES OR, OR EVEN, BEING
OVERLY INTOXICATED, THAT IT'S
ALSO PUTTING THE ONUS ON THE,
THE RESTAURANTS AND MAYBE WE
NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY WE CAN
WE CAN TRAIN THE FLIGHT
ATTENDANTS AND OTHERS ON HOW WE
CAN SPOT THAT AS THEY GET ON, SO
WE CAN START TO RECORD THAT SO
THAT WE CAN HAVE BETTER
INFORMATION ON WHETHER OR NOT
THE ROOT CAUSE OF ALL OF THE
DISTURBANCES AND THE FIGHTS ON
THE PLANES, WHETHER OR NOT THAT
WAS DUE TO ALCOHOL OR SOMETHING,
SOMETHING ELSE. JUST BEING
STRAIGHT OUT RUDE. THANK YOU,
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE?
OKAY. WITH THAT, I'LL ENTERTAIN
A MOTION AND A SECOND. SO MOVED.
I'LL SECOND. OKAY MADAM,
SECRETARY, CAN YOU CALL THE
ROLL, PLEASE? OH, I'M SORRY, CAN
YOU PLEASE CLOSE? THANK YOU. AB
2615. MCKENNA. THE MOTION IS
DUE. PASS TO THE APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE. RUBIO. RUBIO A
LACKEY, NOT VOTING. LACKEY NOT
VOTING. ADDIS ADDIS I BAINES.
BAINES I LEE DAVIES. DAVIES I
DIXON. DIXON. NOT VOTING GABRIEL
GIBSON. HANEY. JOHN. SAWYER.
JOHN SAWYER I LOWE. MCKENNA
MCKENNA. I PACHECO. PACHECO I
PAPPIN HAPPEN NOT VOTING.
PATTERSON. PATTERSON. NOT
VOTING. RAMOS RAMOS I SORIA.
SORIA I TO I VALENCIA. VALENCIA
I WALLACE. THE MEASURES ON CALL
WILL WAIT FOR, MEMBERS TO COME
BACK AND ADD ON. THANK YOU. AND
THEN YOU HAVE ANOTHER BILL.
LET'S SEE ITEM 11, AB 3206.
HELLO, CHAIR AND MEMBERS, I
WOULD LIKE TO START BY SAYING I
ACCEPT THE COMMITTEE'S AMENDMENT
. I AM HERE TO PRESENT AB 33
206, WHICH WOULD AUTHORIZE A
SPECIFIC ENTERTAINMENT VENUE TO
OFFER AN AFTER HOUR ALCOHOL
SALES UNDER LIMITED
CIRCUMSTANCES, MUCH LIKE CITIES
AROUND THE WORLD, MANY
CALIFORNIA CITIES ARE SEEKING TO
NAVIGATE A GROWING DEMAND FOR
AFTER 2 A.M. RETAIL ALCOHOL
SALES BALANCE WITH THE NEED TO
MAINTAIN PUBLIC HEALTH AND
SAFETY, AB 3206 TAKES THE NEW
APPROACH TO ADDRESSING THE
DEMAND FOR AFTER HOUR ALCOHOL
SALES BY AUTHORIZING A SPECIFIC
ENTERTAINMENT VENUE, NOT AN
ENTIRE CITY, TO OFFER AFTER HOUR
ALCOHOL SALES UNDER LIMITED
CIRCUMSTANCES. THIS BILL
INCLUDES A NUMBER OF SAFEGUARDS,
INCLUDING LIMITING THE SIZE OF
THE VENUE, LIMITING THE LIMITING
THE NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS ALLOWED
IN THE VENUE, AND LIMITING THE
DAYS THAT THE VENUE CAN OFFER
AFTER HOUR ALCOHOL SALES. IN
ORDER TO MITIGATE POTENTIAL
PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY
CONCERNS. THIS BILL ALSO
INCLUDES A 2030 SUNSET. WITH ME
HERE TODAY IS JOE LANG,
REPRESENTING THE NEW INTUIT DOME
AND THE LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS.
THANK YOU. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES,
MADAM CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE, JOE LANG REPRESENTING
MURPHY'S BOWL LLC, THE HOLDING
COMPANY FOR THE NEW INTUIT DOME
ARENA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR AND STAFF, FOR YOUR
AMENDMENT RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH
WE THINK JUST FURTHER TIGHTEN
AND PROVIDE THE RIGHT SAFEGUARDS
AND GUARDRAILS TO BE ABLE TO TRY
THIS EXPERIMENT, ESSENTIALLY,
IT'S A PROMOTIONAL TOOL. IF YOU
THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU INVEST IN A
LARGE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT OF
SEVERAL BILLION DOLLARS, THE
ABILITY TO RECOVER THAT OVER
TIME TAKES MANY, MANY YEARS. AND
YOU TRY TO CREATE NEW
PROMOTIONAL TOOLS THAT WILL HELP
YOU WITH THAT, THIS IS ONE WE
THINK THAT THE LIMITATIONS IN
THE BILL THAT THE AUTHOR
MENTIONED ARE, ARE VERY STRICT,
ONLY ON DAYS WHEN THERE ARE
EITHER GAMES OR PUBLIC EVENTS
HELD ITS ONLY WITHIN A SMALL,
TINY SPACE AT THE VENUE. HIGH
SECURITY, GOOD WAY TO TRACK WHAT
GOES ON. AND WE THINK THIS IS A
GOOD LIMITED WAY TO TAKE A LOOK
AT THIS, ALONG WITH THE FACT
THAT THERE IS A SUNSET AFTER
FIVE YEARS, JUST TO MAKE SURE
THAT THAT THAT THE POLICY IS A
GOOD ONE, AND WITH THAT, WE URGE
YOUR SUPPORT. AND THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT? OKAY.
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION. THANK
YOU, MADAM CHAIR. COMMITTEE
MEMBERS, MICHAEL SKIPPER, ON
BEHALF OF ALCOHOL JUSTICE, THIS
BILL IS A BAD IDEA. YOU KNOW,
SINCE 2013, THERE HAVE BEEN FIVE
ADDITIONAL ATTEMPTS TO EXTEND
LAST CALL TO 4 A.M. AND ALL FIVE
HAVE BEEN MET WITH DEFEAT. THERE
WAS A SIXTH THAT WE WERE
SUPPOSED TO HEAR TODAY. IT'S
BEEN PULLED BY THE AUTHOR. THIS
I WOULD CALL A SEVENTH. THE
RISKS OF EXTENDING SERVICE APPLY
TO VIPS THE SAME AS IT DOES TO
ANYONE ELSE, ASIDE FROM THE RISK
OF ASSAULT, ACCIDENTAL INJURY,
MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES, DRINKING
AT 4 A.M. OR UNTIL 4 A.M.
CREATES CONDITIONS WHERE
EXHAUSTION PLUS ALCOHOL IS MORE
DEADLY THAN EITHER ALONE,
KEEPING IT CONFINED TO A VIP
AREA CREATES A SPACE EVEN MORE
DEVOID OF ACCOUNTABILITY THAN
MOST LATE NIGHT BARS AND CLUBS.
THERE REALLY IS NO COMPELLING
ARGUMENT FOR ITS NECESSITY, AND
GRANTING THIS WILL MAKE EVERY
MAJOR INSTITUTION WITH A VIP
ROOM DEMAND ONE. THIS IS THE
CAMEL'S NOSE UNDER THE TENT.
IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE AND WE
CANNOT ALLOW ANY INSTITUTION,
ANY ORGANIZATION, ANY ONE BAR OR
CLUB OR AUDITORIUM OR SPORTS
ARENA TO SELL ALCOHOL UNTIL 4
A.M. IT'S A PRESCRIPTION THAT
WILL RESULT IN NOTHING BUT MORE
HARM OUTSIDE OF THAT VENUE. WE
ASK FOR YOUR NO VOTE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS
FRED JONES WITH CALIFORNIA
COUNCIL ON ALCOHOL PROBLEMS,
WHICH IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE
CALIFORNIA ALCOHOL POLICY
ALLIANCE, BOTH OF WHICH ARE
OPPOSED TO THE BILL. THE MAIN
THING I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT
AND THE VICE CHAIR, I HOPE WILL
BACK ME UP ON THIS. ACCORDING TO
THE CHP STATISTICS, THE MOST
DANGEROUS TIME OF THE ROAD IS 2
A.M. TO 3 A.M. IF YOU PULL ONE
HOUR OUT OF THE DAY, AND THAT'S
BECAUSE THAT'S THE LAST CALL.
OUR BARS CLOSE AT 2 A.M. THAT'S
WHEN THE HEAVY DRINKERS GO HOME.
SO WE ARE CONCERNED PUSHING THIS
TO 4 A.M. NOW YOU'RE GOING TO
START IMPACTING MORNING COMMUTE.
THIS PARTICULAR AREA IS HIGH
DENSITY. THERE'S GOING TO BE A
SPLASH OVER EFFECT OF OTHER
COMMUNITIES BEYOND JUST THIS VIP
AREA. BOTTOM LINE IS I RECOGNIZE
THIS IS A DISTRICT BILL, BUT
WE'RE CONCERNED THAT YOU'RE
GOING TO HAVE A LOT MORE
DISTRICT BILLS PUSHING THE LAST
CALL. IF YOU ALLOW BILLS LIKE
THIS THROUGH. SO WE HUMBLY
REQUEST A NO VOTE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, ANY ONE IN THE PUBLIC
IN SUPPORT. OKAY. ANYONE IN THE
PUBLIC IN OPPOSITION? OKAY. I'LL
BRING IT UP TO THE COMMITTEE,
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM OUR
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MISTER LACKEY
. YEAH. FIRST OF ALL, THERE WAS
AN ALLEGATION HERE THAT THIS WAS
A FIFTH RETURN OF A PREVIOUS,
ATTEMPTED POLICY. THIS IS MUCH
DIFFERENT, BUT THERE ARE SOME
SIMILARITIES THAT I STILL HAVE
STRONG OBJECTIONS TO. I KNOW
THAT THIS, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS
BILL IS NOT THIS CLUB IS NOT
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. SO THAT'S A
PRETTY BIG DISTINCTION. AND I
KNOW THAT THE COMMITTEE HAS DONE
A VERY, COMMENDABLE JOB INTO
TRYING TO TIGHTEN THIS UP AND TO
LIMIT ITS OUTCOME. AND I DO
APPRECIATE THAT AND, RECOGNIZE
IT. BUT ONE THING THAT IS
UNDENIABLE AS AND I'VE WITNESSED
IT AS, AS A PERSONAL, OBSERVER
AND THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY
PATROL, WITH ALMOST 30 YEARS OF
EXPERIENCE AND 20 OF THOSE YEARS
WORKING GRAVEYARD. DURING THESE
HOURS. AND, IT'S NOT JUST THE
IMPAIRMENT THAT WE'RE DEALING
WITH. IT'S ALSO FATIGUE, FATIGUE
DURING THOSE HOURS AS
IMMEASURABLY ENHANCED. AND, AND
I, I PERSONALLY USED TO GO OUT,
DURING THESE HOURS, DURING A TWO
AND 4 A.M. AND WITHOUT
EXCEPTION, WOULD FIND AT LEAST 1
TO 2 DRIVERS THAT WERE SOBER BUT
WERE FALLING ASLEEP, I
PERSONALLY WAS IN A VERY SEVERE
TRAFFIC ACCIDENT SOME YEARS AGO
WHEN MY BEST FRIEND FELL ASLEEP
AND WE BARELY SURVIVED IT. BUT,
THOSE ARE TWO VERY, VERY SERIOUS
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THIS BILL
DIRECTLY, ADDRESSES. AND I KNOW
THAT, THERE'S BEEN ATTEMPTS TO
TRY TO MINIMIZE THE OUTCOMES.
AND I DO APPRECIATE THOSE. BUT
ONE THING I CAN TELL YOU IS
THAT, EVEN THOUGH THE AMOUNT OF
TRAFFIC REYES WILL PROBABLY BE
MINIMAL, ANY TRAGEDY THAT'S
THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH PUBLIC
POLICY THAT I, EVALUATE WHEN I
KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME
TRAGEDY. THERE JUST WILL BE,
THAT'S HUMAN NATURE. PEOPLE WILL
SHOW POOR JUDGMENT WHEN THEY'RE
IMPAIRED AND WHEN THEY'RE
EXTREMELY TIRED, THERE WILL BE
TRAGEDY ASSOCIATED. AND
THEREFORE I CANNOT SUPPORT THIS
PARTICULAR MEASURE. AND I JUST
HOPE THAT IF IT DOES PASS THAT
IT, PEOPLE WILL CONSIDER THE
REALITY OF ANY DEATH THAT'S
PREVENTABLE AND SHOULD NOT BE
SUPPORTED BY PUBLIC POLICY. AND
THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK
YOU. ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE? ASSEMBLY MEMBER
PACHECO. THANK YOU. SO I HAVE
THIS SIMILAR CONCERNS AS WELL,
BUT I HAVE A QUESTION AS TO THE
NECESSITY OF THIS BILL, I KNOW
MOST EVENTS, AND CONCERTS ARE
USUALLY OVER BY ONE TO IN THE
MORNING, AND I WAS CURIOUS AS TO
WHY THIS BILL WAS NEEDED. AND.
SOME PARTICULAR, WHAT WE FOUND.
THIS IS A MARKETING TOOL, AND
THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF
PEOPLE, NOT NOT MYSELF AND
ASSEMBLYMAN MALARKEY. I TAKE
YOUR COMMENTS VERY SERIOUSLY. I
WON'T BE AWAKE AT 2:00 IN THE
MORNING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
SOMETHING LIKE THIS. BUT BUT
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT DO AND
THERE ARE SOME ARGUMENTS TO BE
MADE THAT POTENTIALLY HAVING
THEM IN A LIMITED SPACE WITH
HIGH SECURITY OVER TIME IS
BETTER FOR POTENTIALLY THAN
HAVING THEM LEAVE AN EVENT AT
ONE IN THE MORNING AND THEN GO
SOMEWHERE ELSE, WHAT THE DEMAND
IS, THIS IS KIND OF AN
EXPERIMENT IN A WAY. IF YOU
WOULD. ASSEMBLYMAN PACHECO,
THERE WE BELIEVE THERE IS
DEMAND, AND IT'S A WAY TO, IN
SOME WAYS ATTRACT PEOPLE TO BE
ABLE TO TALK ABOUT BUYING
SWEETS, SEASON TICKETS, OTHER
THINGS THAT GIVING SORT OF THIS
SPECIAL ACCESS TO A LOUNGE WOULD
ALLOW, IT'S AN EXPERIMENT. I
DON'T KNOW. IS THERE HIGH
DEMAND? WE THINK THERE IS
SIGNIFICANT DEMAND, BUT BUT
WHETHER OR NOT THAT TRANSLATES
TO HIGH DEMAND, I'M NOT SURE, A
LITTLE BIT OF AN EXPERIMENT.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE SUNSET
CLAUSE IN TO MAKE SURE IT'S
USED. I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT,
PEOPLE BEING TIRED AND FATIGUED
AND, WITH, MAYBE THEY'RE NOT
HIGHLY INTOXICATED, BUT WHEN YOU
ADD IN FATIGUE, I'M CONCERNED
ABOUT THOSE DRIVERS WHO ARE NOW
GETTING ON THE ROAD. AND SO
THAT'S MY CONCERN BECAUSE I
REALLY DON'T SEE A NECESSITY. I
SEE THIS AS LIKE A MORE LIKE AN
AFTER HOURS KIND OF CLUB, KIND
OF THING. AND I KNOW THE STAPLES
CENTER, NOW CALLED CRYPTO,
STADIUM IS HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL
AND THEY HAVEN'T HAD ANY ISSUES.
AND THAT'S WHY I WAS WONDERING
WHY THE NECESSITY. BUT THANK YOU
, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
ASSEMBLYMEMBER DIXON, I KNOW
THAT, ASSEMBLYMAN MCKENNA IS
WANTS TO DO THE RIGHT THING. AND
FOR HER COMMUNITY, I UNDERSTAND
THE ECONOMIC IMPERATIVE. I COME
FROM REPRESENTING A NUMBER OF
BEACH COMMUNITIES. SO AND
SITTING ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOR
THE LAST EIGHT YEARS HAVE DEALT
WITH ABC LICENSES AND WORKED
WITH POLICE DEPARTMENTS. AND
WHEN RESTAURANTS, I DON'T KNOW,
A SINGLE RESTAURANT THAT DOESN'T
HAVE AN ABC LICENSE DOESN'T WANT
ONE. I MEAN, THAT IS REALLY THE
TICKET TO THEIR PROFIT MARGIN. I
UNDERSTAND IT, I HAD A
PHILOSOPHY AS A COUNCIL
REPRESENTATIVE. I REPRESENTED
THE BEACH COMMUNITIES IN NEWPORT
BEACH AND EVERY SINGLE
RESTAURANT WANTS TO SERVE
ALCOHOL. I GET THAT THE POLICE
WOULD SAY THE NEWPORT BEACH
POLICE WOULD SAY IN REVIEWING
THESE APPLICATIONS FOR
CONDITIONAL USE, WOULD SAY
NOTHING GOOD HAPPENS BETWEEN 11
AND 2 11 P.M. TO 2 A.M, AND THAT
IS WHEN PROBLEMS OCCUR. AND TO
EXTEND THIS TO 4 A.M. GIVES ME
GREAT PAUSE. AND WHILE THIS IS
INGLEWOOD AND IT WOULD BE
CONFINED, I RESPECT THAT I AM
CONCERNED. I THINK ONE OF THE
GENTLEMEN SAID THE SLIPPERY
SLOPE EVERY SINGLE RESTAURANT
OWNER CURRENTLY SERVING ALCOHOL
WILL WANT TO GO TO 4 A.M. THEY
WILL, OR 99% WILL IN MY
COMMUNITY. AND, I COULD SEE IT
AS A MARKETING PROGRAM. I THINK
A MARKETING PROGRAM THAT, YOU
KNOW, IS GOING TO ENCOURAGE
CONTINUED DRINKING AFTER MANY
HOURS OF DRINKING. I MEAN, THE
PERFORMANCE MAY HAVE BEGUN AT 6
OR 7 OR 8:00, AND THEN 6 OR 8
HOURS OF DRINKING. I'LL LET YOU
THINK WHERE THAT ENDS, I WANT TO
BE SUPPORTIVE OF MY COLLEAGUE
AND FOR HER COMMUNITY. I'M JUST
CONCERNED FOR THE EXTENSION OF
IT IN OTHER COMMUNITIES. AND
THAT'S WHERE I COME DOWN. I
CANNOT JUDGE INGLEWOOD, AND IT'S
REALLY WOULD BE GOOD AS AN
ECONOMIC, IMPERATIVE. BUT IN THE
BEACH COMMUNITIES, LIKE I SAID,
NOTHING GOOD HAPPENS BETWEEN 11
AND 2. AND IF IT GOES TO FOUR,
IT'S EVEN WORSE. I MEAN, IT IS
SUCH AN IMPORTANT THE REASON THE
RESTAURANTS WANT IT. I COULD SEE
WHY THAT'S THERE'S MONEY TO BE
MADE VERY PROFITABLE. MONEY AND
I DON'T HOLD THAT AGAINST YOU.
EVERYBODY WANTS IT. I'VE SEEN IT
AND ABC KNOWS IT BY THE VOLUME
OF LICENSE REQUESTS THAT THEY
GET. AND THEY ALL START WITH
BEER OR WINE, AND THEN IT ALL
GOES UP TO TYPE 47. AND IT IT'S
GREAT REVENUE. GREAT REVENUE TO
THE CITY, GREAT REVENUE TO THE
STATE. BUT AT WHAT COST. SO, I'M
VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IT. SO
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER JOHN SAWYER. AND SO I
I'VE BEEN READING THROUGH THE
ANALYSIS AND, THE BRILLIANCE OF,
OF, OF THIS COMMITTEE AND WHAT
THEY'VE DONE IS REQUIRED. THE
CITY OF, OF INGLEWOOD TO ADOPT
AN ORDINANCE THAT ALLOWS FOR
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES BETWEEN
THOSE SALES OF TWO AND FOUR, THE
REASON I BRING THAT UP, BECAUSE
INGLEWOOD MAY BE A LITTLE UNIQUE
IN THAT THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF
INGLEWOOD IS FORMER LAW
ENFORCEMENT. NOT ONLY HE'S NOT
JUST A BEAT COP WHO WORKED THE
STREET, BUT HE'S FORMER CHIEF OF
POLICE OF AT LEAST TWO
DEPARTMENTS THAT I KNOW OF IN
CALIFORNIA. AND I BELIEVE HE WAS
EVEN OVER, AIRPORT. SO WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT SOMEONE WITH
EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN LAW
ENFORCEMENT, AND I AND I AND I'M
SURE, HE WILL NOT ALLOW
SOMETHING LIKE THAT. TO HAPPEN
WITHOUT A FULL STUDY. I MEAN, AS
YOU GO ON, YOU ALSO, ARE GOING
TO REQUIRE, THAT THE CITY OF
INGLEWOOD PROVIDE AN ABC, ABC
WITH A REPORT ON THE IMPACT OF
THE ADDITIONAL HOURS ONE YEAR
AFTER THE AUTHORIZATION OF THE
OF THE PERMITS. SO WE GET TO SEE
IN REAL TIME, A YEAR LATER.
WELL, A YEAR LATER, WHAT THAT
IMPACT HAS BEEN ON THE CITY, ITS
RESIDENTS, PUBLIC SAFETY. AND SO
IT DOESN'T GET OUT OF HAND, BUT
ALSO IT CAN SERVE AS A, AS A
LEARNING TOOL FOR OTHER CITIES,
WHETHER OR NOT IT WORKED OR NOT
OR WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S
LESSONS LEARNED FROM THAT
EXPERIENCE. THEY CAN THEN TAKE
IT BEFORE THOSE OTHER CITIES CAN
EVEN APPLY AND THEY CAN SAY,
WAIT, BEFORE WE EVEN START.
MAYBE THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT
DIDN'T WORK OUT FOR INGLEWOOD OR
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT MADE
IT SUCCESSFUL FOR INGLEWOOD. AND
THIS IS WHY WE WANT TO MOVE
FORWARD WITH IT, BECAUSE
INGLEWOOD HAS HAS DONE THE
PIONEERING WORK OF DOING THIS IN
A LARGE SCALE BECAUSE, THE
CLIPPERS AND THE STAPLES, I
MEAN, WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A LITTLE
SMALL CITY. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE ON
A LARGE SCALE. AND THEN
HOPEFULLY ON THE BIGGEST STAGE,
WHICH IS THE WORLD CUP. SO SUPER
BOWL AND, THE OLYMPICS ONE DAY,
THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO PREPARE
FOR THAT. AND SO AND IF IT
DOESN'T WORK, WE WON'T BE HAVING
THAT WORLD CUP, OLYMPICS AND
EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH
TIME TO ACTUALLY, INVESTIGATE
AND SEE IF WHETHER OR NOT THAT
WORKS OR WHAT DOESN'T WORK. AND
SO I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS TODAY
BECAUSE OF WHAT THE COMMITTEE,
THE SAFEGUARDS THAT THE
COMMITTEE HAS PUT ON YOU, IN
THIS REPORT. YES. AND I THANK
THE, THE COMMITTEE CHAIR AND THE
STAFF FOR HELPING US IN WORKING
WITH US ON THIS BILL, MY
COLLEAGUE, ASSEMBLYMEMBER DIXON.
YES, THE YOUR CITY COUNCIL WILL
GET A CHANCE TO SAY NO. I DON'T
WANT THIS IN MY CITY. AND SO I
THINK THAT'S A GREAT SAFEGUARD.
AND LIKE, MY COLLEAGUE FROM LA
SAID, THE MY MAYOR IN INGLEWOOD
IS A FORMER POLICE CHIEF OF FROM
SANTA MONICA, FROM INGLEWOOD AND
OVER LAX. AND SO, HE HAS TO
APPROVE THIS FIRST BEFORE IT CAN
BE DONE. AND I'M PRETTY SURE
HE'S GOING TO PUT SAFEGUARDS. I
DON'T KNOW, I'M GOING TO INVITE
YOU TO INGLEWOOD. SO YOU CAN
COME DOWN AND SEE WHAT WE'RE
DOING DOWN THERE, BUT, YEAH,
IT'LL HAVE A LOT OF SAFEGUARDS,
IT IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC,
WHICH MAKES IT JUST, YOU KNOW,
IT'S. AND I THINK IT'S LIKE 200
PEOPLE. 100, NOT EVEN 200, 100
PEOPLE IN A, IN A IN A PRIVATE
CLUB. AND SO I THINK THIS IS A
GOOD PILOT PROGRAM FOR THIS, AND
SO I AM THIS IS MY CLOSING. I AM
REQUESTING AN AYE VOTE. THANK
YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY.
YES. ASSEMBLY MEMBER, BARNES AND
THEN ASSEMBLY MEMBER SORIA. I
JUST WANTED TO MAKE A QUICK
COMMENT, THERE IS A MISNOMER IN,
IN, ADDICTION MEDICINE THAT
PEOPLE THINK THAT PEOPLE WITH
OUT MONEY ARE THE CULPRITS OF
DRUG ABUSE, AND THAT IS
ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE. ACTUALLY
PEOPLE WITH MONEY HAVE THE
HIGHEST, OPIOID DODD OVERDOSE
AND OPIOID ABUSE HAPPENS IN
POPULATIONS, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE
THAT HAVE A LOT OF MONEY, SO
THIS IS CREATING AN AVENUE
SPECIFICALLY FOR PEOPLE WITH
MONEY. AND THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT
HAVE ACCESS TO EVEN HIGHER
POWERED DRUGS ON THE STREETS. SO
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS BILL,
AND UNFORTUNATELY I WILL NOT BE
ABLE TO SUPPORT IT TODAY. THANK
YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER SORIA.
YEAH. SO I WANT TO THANK THE
AUTHOR, OBVIOUSLY FOR THE BILL
AND THE COMMITTEE FOR BEING
THOUGHTFUL, WITH THE AMENDMENTS,
BECAUSE I TOO, DO HAVE JUST SOME
OF THE CONCERNS THAT I THINK
WERE EXPRESSED BY OTHER FOLKS.
AND SO FOR ME, I THINK HAVING,
THE CITY OF INGLEWOOD HAVE THE
LAST SAY AND THE COMMUNITY HAVE
AN ACTUAL DISCUSSION, DO THEY
REALLY WANT THIS IN THEIR
COMMUNITY? I THINK IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT FOR ME, BECAUSE I DO,
SHARE AGAIN, SOME OF THE SAME
CONCERNS, BUT BECAUSE IT IS VERY
LIMITED IN SCOPE. AND AGAIN, THE
CITY HAS THE LAST SAY AND
ESSENTIALLY THE COMMUNITY,
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IF THE
COMMUNITY HEARS ABOUT IT AND
THEY REALLY DON'T WANT IT, THEY
WILL SPEAK OUT. SO YOU GUYS HAVE
SOME WORK TO DO TO, YOU KNOW, IF
YOU GUYS REALLY WANT TO MAKE
THIS HAPPEN, TO CONVINCE THE
COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS A GOOD
IDEA FOR THEM, AND SO, BECAUSE
OF THAT, I WILL BE SUPPORTING
THE BILL, TODAY. BUT THOSE WERE
SOME OF THE SAME CONCERNS THAT
WERE RAISED EARLIER, I HAD SO
THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE FOR
THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DID IN
REALLY NARROWING, THE BILL.
THANK YOU, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
DAVIES. THANK YOU, I MY QUESTION
IS, AND THIS IS WHAT I HAD WITH
SENATOR WIENER WHEN HE HAD THE
BILL COME UP, IS THAT ALTHOUGH
YOUR COMMUNITY MAY SAY, GREAT,
WE WANT THIS. DOES THAT MEAN
THAT EVERY PERSON THAT'S STAYING
AT THAT CLUB LIVES IN THAT CITY?
BECAUSE OUR CONCERN WITH SENATOR
WIENER WAS HOW MANY OF THESE
PEOPLE SINCE ARE ACTUALLY
TRAVELING, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE
DRIVING FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES
GOING GREAT, I'M GOING TO THIS
PARTY. I'VE BEEN INVITED. BUT
WHEN I'M DONE, I'M GOING BACK
HOME. IT COULD BE 60 MILES. IT
COULD GO THROUGH MANY, MANY
TOWNS OR CITIES. AND THAT WAS
ONE OF THE CONCERNS, ESPECIALLY
WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT GOING. AND,
MAYORS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE
DON'T WANT THEM COMING THROUGH
OUR CITY, YOU KNOW, AFTER
THEY'VE BEEN DRINKING TO 4:00 IN
THE MORNING. THIS ISN'T JUST
THEIR CITY, IT'S ALSO NEARBY
CITIES, AND WE DON'T KNOW HOW
FAR. SO HOW DO YOU CONTAIN THOSE
PEOPLE IN THAT DISTRICT AT THAT
EVENT FROM NOT CROSSING THE
BORDER OF THE CITY? IT IS A IT
IS ALREADY ILLEGAL TO BE IN TO,
YOU KNOW, INTOXICATED OVER THE
LIMIT, REGARDLESS IF THEY'RE
LEAVING AT TWO OR THEY'RE
LEAVING AT 4:00, IT'S ALREADY
ILLEGAL FOR ANYONE TO DRIVE
DRUNK. AND SO THAT, THAT THAT'S
JUST IT'S ALREADY ILLEGAL. NO,
BUT I MEAN, THIS IS A, THIS IS
AN EVENT ACTUALLY, IT'S THAT IS
GOING ON AND SERVING UP TO 4:00.
SO OTHER BARS AND RESTAURANTS
DON'T HAVE THAT AUTHORITY TO DO
THAT. SO YES, YOU COULD
DEFINITELY SAY, AS WE SAY,
PEOPLE BAR CLOSES AT 2:00 AND
THEY KNOW THAT THAT'S WHEN MOST
OF YOUR PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUT
THERE LOOKING AT. I GUESS I'M
JUST SAYING THAT YOU'VE GOT TWO
MORE HOURS NOW. SO THAT'S THAT
WAS MY CONCERN. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. OKAY.
MOTION BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER
JONES-SAWYER. SECOND BY ASSEMBLY
MEMBER SORIA. ASSEMBLY. SORRY,
MADAM SECRETARY, CAN YOU CALL
THE ROLL, PLEASE? AB 3206
MCKINNEY. THE MOTION IS TO PASS,
AS AMENDED. RUBIO. RUBIO. AYE.
LACKEY NO. LACKEY. NO. ADDIS
BAINES. BAINES. NOT VOTING. LEE
DAVIES. DAVIES. NO. DIXON DIXON.
NOT VOTING. GABRIEL. GIBSON
HANEY. JONES-SAWYER
JONES-SAWYER. AYE. LOW LOW. AYE.
MCKENNA. MCKENNA. AYE PACHECO.
PACHECO. NOT VOTING. PAPPIN
PATTERSON. HAPPEN NOT VOTING.
PATTERSON. NOT VOTING. RAMOS.
RAMOS. NOT VOTING. SORIA SORIA.
AYE TO VALENCIA. VALENCIA. AYE.
WALLACE. WALLACE AYE. THE
MEASURES ON CALL WILL WAIT FOR
OTHER MEMBERS TO ADD ON. THANK
YOU. NEXT. MR. FONG
.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER. FONG, YOU CAN
BEGIN. MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS, I
WOULD FIRST LIKE TO ACCEPT THE
COMMITTEE'S SUGGESTED AMENDMENT.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO YOUR
CHIEF CONSULTANT FOR ALL HIS
HELP AND GUIDANCE ON THIS BILL,
AS AMENDED, THE BILL WILL
INCREASE THE CAP PLACED ON THE
TOTAL NUMBER OF THOROUGHBRED
RACES IMPORTED BY ASSOCIATIONS
OR FAIRS WHEN LIVE THOROUGHBRED
OR FAIR RACING IS BEING
CONDUCTED FROM 50 TO 75 AS THANK
YOU AS NOTED IN THE ANALYSIS, ON
MANY DAYS THEY WERE ALL OVER 150
THOROUGHBRED RACES CONDUCTED AT
RACETRACKS THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY. THE 50 RACE PER DAY
LIMIT FORCES, ASSOCIATIONS AND
FAIRS TO CHOOSE JUST 50 RACES,
THEREBY PREVENTING A CUSTOMER
FROM THE ABILITY TO WAGER ON A
RACE OR RACES THAT DIDN'T MAKE
THE SELECTED LIST. THERE WAS NO
CAP FOR LICENSE. ADVANCED
DEPOSIT WAGERING BUSINESSES
CONDUCTING ADVANCED DEPOSIT
WAGERING IN OUR STATE. THIS BILL
WILL NOT ACHIEVING PARITY, WILL
PROVIDE CUSTOMERS WITH MORE
OPTIONS. HERE TO TESTIFY IN
SUPPORT IS SCOTT WETSCH,
REPRESENTING THE LOS ANGELES
TURF CLUB AND SAN DIEGO PARK,
WHICH IS LOCATED IN MY DISTRICT.
MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS SCOTT WELSH,
ON BEHALF OF THE LOS ANGELES
TURF CLUB INCORPORATED, WHICH
OPERATES ALL LIVE THOROUGHBRED
RACING AT HISTORIC SANTA ANITA
PARK. AS DESCRIBED BY THE
AUTHOR, THIS BILL IS RATHER
SIMPLE. UNDER CURRENT LAW, WHEN
SIMULCASTING, WE ARE RESTRICTED
AS ARE THE OTHER SIMULCAST
FACILITIES SUCH AS THE FAIRS,
FROM IMPORTING MORE THAN 50 OUT
OF STATE RACES IN ANY GIVEN DAY,
THIS IS AN ARBITRARY NUMBER. AND
AS THE AUTHOR STATED, IT PUTS
CUSTOMERS AT A DISADVANTAGE
BECAUSE THERE MAY BE RACES THAT
THEY REALLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO
WATCH AND WAGER ON, BUT THEY
CAN'T BECAUSE THEY JUST WEREN'T
SELECTED. IN ADDITION, THERE IS
NO SUCH LIMITATIONS FOR ADW
PROVIDERS, WHICH ARE LOCATED OUT
OF THE STATE AND THIS PUTS, YOU
KNOW, THE IN-STATE SIMULCAST,
INDUSTRY AT A DISTINCT
DISADVANTAGE TO THOSE OUT OF
STATE ADW PROVIDERS. SO WITH THE
COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS, WE THINK
THIS IS, A VERY REASONABLE
SOLUTION. AS YOU KNOW, THE HORSE
RACING INDUSTRY IN CALIFORNIA IS
HURTING, IT IS ON THE ON ON THE
PRECIPICE OF, OF PERHAPS EVEN
CLOSING. AND I DON'T THINK
THAT'S AN EXAGGERATION, TO SAY
THAT, JUST AT SANTA ANITA ALONE,
WE HAVE OVER 6000 JOBS JUST
RIGHT THERE AT SANTA ANITA PARK.
THERE'S OVER 60,000 JOBS
SUPPORTED BY THE CALIFORNIA
HORSE RACING INDUSTRY IN
CALIFORNIA. THIS IS A VERY
MODEST, CHANGE, BUT IT WILL
PROVIDE SOME RELIEF. AND SO WE
WOULD URGE YOUR. AYE VOTE. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT? GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR JUSTIN
FANSLAU, ON BEHALF OF DEL MAR
RACETRACK AND THE THOROUGHBRED
OWNERS OF CALIFORNIA IN SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. ANY WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION? OKAY. ANY MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC IN OPPOSITION, ANY
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN
SUPPORT? OKAY. QUESTIONS FROM
THE COMMITTEE. SO JUST A
SUGGESTION WHEN USING ACRONYMS,
BE CAREFUL. A.W. TO ME IS AN
ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT WHAT
YOU MEANT. SO JUST BE CAREFUL.
THANK YOU, MR. LACKEY. SO QUICK
QUESTION, ASSEMBLY MEMBER DIXON.
HI. I'M IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL,
BUT I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT.
WHERE DID THE 50 NUMBER 50 COME
FROM? I BELIEVE THAT WAS AN
ARBITRARY NUMBER. DO YOU HAVE
ANY MORE? I WOULD DEFER TO MR.
JOHNSON ON THAT, HE PROBABLY
WROTE THAT 50, YOU KNOW, SOME 20
YEARS AGO.
RACE IN CALIFORNIA PRODUCT. BUT
OVER THE YEARS, THEY'VE LEARNED
THAT YOU DO DUE TO THE LACK OF
LIVE RACING IN CALIFORNIA, THEY
NEED TO FURTHER SUPPLEMENT THEIR
RACING PROGRAMS, ADDITIONAL RACE
. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS
FROM THE COMMITTEE? OKAY, I'LL
ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO. OH. I'M
SORRY, I HAVE A MOTION BY
ASSEMBLYMEMBERS JONES-SAWYER.
SECOND BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER
WALLACE, MADAM SECRETARY, CAN
YOU CALL THE ROLL? AB 3261
ASSEMBLY MEMBER FONG. THE MOTION
IS DUE. PASS AS AMENDED TO THE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE. YOU
ARE ACCEPTING ALL THE AMENDMENTS
, CORRECT? CORRECT. I AM
ACCEPTING THE COMMITTEE'S
AMENDMENT, AND I RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. RUBIO, A RUBIO, A
LACKEY, A LACKEY. IRIS BAINES.
BAINES AYE. LEE. DAVIES. DAVIES
AYE. DIXON. DIXON. AYE. GABRIEL
GIBSON. HANEY. JONES-SAWYER
JONES-SAWYER. I LO LO. AYE.
MCKENNA. MCKENNA. AYE. PACHECO
PACHECO. AYE. PAPIN. PAPIN. AYE.
PATTERSON PATTERSON. AYE. RAMOS
RAMOS. ASESORÍA. SORIA. AYE TO
VALENCIA. VALENCIA AYE. WALLACE.
WALLACE. AYE THE MEASURE PASSES
AND WE'LL LEAVE THE ROLL OPEN
FOR, ADDITIONAL MEMBERS. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. WHILE WE WAIT FOR
ASSEMBLY MEMBER HEANEY, HE'S THE
LAST BILL TODAY. CAN WE, GO
AHEAD AND CALL ABSENT MEMBERS?
ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR, LEE
GABRIEL LOW, LOW. AYE VALENCIA.
VALENCIA. AYE WALLACE. WALLACE.
AYE. FILE ITEM THREE AB 2069.
GALLAGHER LEE. GABRIEL. HANEY
LOW. LOW AYE. VALENCIA VALENCIA.
AYE. WALLACE WALLACE. AYE. AB
2174. AGUIAR-CURRY LEE. GABRIEL.
HANEY LOW. LOW. AYE. WALLACE
WALLACE. EYES AB 2389. LOWENTHAL
LEE. GABRIEL LOW. LOW. AYE
SORIA. SORIA. AYE. VALENCIA
VALENCIA. AYE. WALLACE. WALLACE
AYE. AB 2402. LOWENTHAL. LEE
GABRIEL. HANEY VALENCIA.
VALENCIA. AYE. WALLACE WALLACE.
AYE AB 2589. PATTERSON LEE.
GABRIEL. LOW LOW. AYE. VALENCIA.
VALENCIA AYE. WALLACE. WALLACE.
AYE. AB 2615. MACKINAW. LEE
GABRIEL. GIBSON. GIBSON. AYE.
HANEY LOW. LOW. AYE. WALLACE
WALLACE. AYE AB 3206. MCKENNA
ADDIS. LEE. GABRIEL GIBSON.
GIBSON. AYE. HANEY. TO MEASURES
ON CALL. WE'RE WAITING FOR MR.
HANEY. IF YOU'RE IN THE
BUILDING, PLEASE COME DOWN.
OKAY, WE'RE OPENING THE ROLL
AGAIN ON, ASSEMBLY MEMBER FONG'S
BILL. AB 3261, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
FONG GIBSON. GIBSON. AYE THANK
YOU.
I'M CALLING
.
THANK YOU, MR. HANEY. LEFT IN
THE MIDDLE OF MY PRESENTATION
OVER THERE. YES. IT'S FUN. IT'S
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. HANEY.
GO. OKAY GO AHEAD, THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR. AND MEMBERS. AB
1775 IS A REINTRODUCTION OF AB
374, WHICH MANY OF YOU SUPPORTED
LAST YEAR, WHICH RECEIVED STRONG
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT THROUGHOUT
THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. IT WILL
LEGALIZE CANNABIS CAFES BY
ALLOWING CANNABIS RETAILERS TO
SELL NON-CANNABIS FOODS AND
NONALCOHOLIC DRINKS. IT ALSO
ALLOWS THEM TO HOLD LIVE
PERFORMANCES AT THEIR VENUES
ONLY IF THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
ALLOW FOR IT, AS YOU KNOW, THIS
WAS VETOED LAST YEAR AND WE
WERE. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING
DILIGENTLY TO ADDRESS THE
CONCERNS AND THE GOVERNOR'S VETO
, AND WE WERE ENCOURAGED TO
REINTRODUCE THE BILL. WE HAVE
AMENDMENTS THAT WILL CLARIFY
THAT FOOD PREPARATION AND
CONSUMPTION ARE TO REMAIN
SEPARATE. WE ALSO HAVE LANGUAGE
THAT WILL MAKE IT CLEAR THAT
FOOD AND CANNABIS CANNOT BE
MIXED TOGETHER. AND WE WORKED ON
THIS LANGUAGE WITH THE
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DIRECTORS.
WE ALSO ACTIVELY ENGAGING WITH
UFCW, WHO ARE REPRESENTING HERE
TODAY, ON ADDITIONAL WORKPLACE
PROTECTIONS, WHICH WAS THE
CONCERN THAT WAS LISTED IN THE
GOVERNOR'S VETO. HERE. TO
TESTIFY WITH ME TODAY IS PAM
LOPEZ FROM CALIFORNIA NORML. AND
KRISTIN HELBACH FROM UFC. W
THANK YOU, GOOD AFTERNOON,
MEMBERS PAMELA LOPEZ K STREET
CONSULTING ON BEHALF OF
CALIFORNIA NORML AS MR. HANEY
SAID, WHICH ADVOCATES FOR
CANNABIS CONSUMER RIGHTS AND
SAFETY. EXISTING LAW ALREADY
AUTHORIZES LOCAL JURISDICTIONS
TO PERMIT CANNABIS CONSUMPTION.
LOUNGES AB 1775 SIMPLY IMPROVES
THE CONSUMPTION LOUNGE
EXPERIENCE BY ALLOWING FOOD TO
BE PREPARED AND SOLD, AND BY
ALLOWING THE SALE OF PERFORMANCE
TICKETS. THIS WILL INCREASE THE
BENEFITS OF CONSUMPTION. LOUNGES
IN JURISDICTIONS THAT CHOOSE TO
ALLOW LOUNGES, BOTH FOR CANNABIS
CONSUMERS AND NON CONSUMERS, THE
FIRST BENEFIT IS THAT MANY
CANNABIS CONSUMERS ARE NOT
ALLOWED TO CONSUME IN THEIR
HOMES IF THEY RENT, THEY NEED
SAFE PUBLIC PLACES WHERE THEY
ARE ALLOWED TO CONSUME AND WHERE
THEY CAN RESPECTFULLY BE AWAY
FROM PEOPLE WHO DO NOT WISH TO
BE NEAR CANNABIS CONSUMPTION.
THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN
DENSE URBAN COMMUNITIES WITH
HIGH POPULATIONS OF RENTERS LIKE
ASSEMBLY MEMBER HAINES DISTRICT
AND MANY OTHERS THROUGHOUT
CALIFORNIA. SECOND, IT IS
IMPORTANT FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH
OF ALL CALIFORNIANS, INCLUDING
CANNABIS CONSUMERS, TO HAVE
FELLOWSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP IN
PUBLIC PLACES AND NOT BE
ISOLATED AT HOME. THIS IS
ESPECIALLY TRUE AFTER THE
PANDEMIC, WHICH DROVE ADULT
LONELINESS AND ISOLATION. THÀNH
IMPROVING THE CONSUMPTION LOUNGE
EXPERIENCE WILL ENCOURAGE MORE
ADULT CONSUMERS TO GO TO PUBLIC
PLACES WHERE THEY CAN MEET A
NEIGHBOR OR MAKE A FRIEND. WE
HOPE THAT MEMBERS OF THIS
COMMUNITY CAN SUPPORT THIS
MODEST STEP OF ALLOWING
CONSUMPTION LOUNGES, WHICH
ALREADY EXIST IN COMMUNITIES IN
CALIFORNIA, TO IMPROVE THE
EXPERIENCE BY OFFERING FOOD AND
PERFORMANCE. GOOD AFTERNOON,
CHAIR AND MEMBERS. APOLOGIES. MY
NAME IS KRISTIN HEIDELBACH HERE
ON BEHALF OF UFCW WESTERN STATES
COUNCIL IN PROUD SUPPORT OF AB
1775, WANT TO START BY THANKING
ASSEMBLY MEMBER HANEY FOR THIS
BILL AND HIS INTENT TO OFFER A
POTENTIAL LIFELINE TO STRUGGLING
CANNABIS BUSINESSES BY
BROADENING THEIR ABILITY TO
CONNECT WITH CALIFORNIA
CONSUMERS, ALLOWING CANNABIS
CONSUMPTION LOUNGES THE ABILITY
TO PREPARE AND SERVE FRESH FOOD
AND NONALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES GIVES
THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND
THEIR BUSINESS MODEL, WHILE ALSO
EDUCATING CURIOUS CONSUMERS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT
CANNABIS CONSUMPTION LOUNGES
ALREADY EXIST IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, THEY ARE ALLOWED BY
JURISDICTION. THIS BILL WOULD
SIMPLY ALLOW THEM TO PROVIDE
FRESH FOOD. SO CREATE MORE OF A
CAFE EXPERIENCE. IF A NEW
CANNABIS CONSUMER HAS THE OPTION
TO SIT DOWN IN A CAFE, ORDER A
COFFEE, AND HAVE A CONVERSATION
WITH A BARTENDER, THEY'RE NOT IN
A RUSH TO DISPENSARY SETTING.
THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO LEARN
MORE ABOUT THE PRODUCTS AND
WHERE TO BEGIN, AND THEY CAN ASK
QUESTIONS AND UNDERSTAND SAFE
DOSAGE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY,
THEY'RE ABLE TO PURCHASE A
CANNABIS PRODUCT AND ENJOY IN A
SAFE SPACE AND OUT OF THE EYE OF
THE PUBLIC EYE. EXCUSE ME? OUT
OF THE PUBLIC EYE CONSUMPTION
LOUNGES PROVIDE A BETTER
ALTERNATIVE FOR AGE APPROPRIATE
PATRONS TO CONSUME CANNABIS AND
NOT DO SO IN A PARK OR OTHER
PUBLIC SETTING WHERE FAMILIES
AND CHILDREN CONVENE. FINALLY,
NO PART OF THIS BILL SHUNS
CALIFORNIA LABOR LAW. CALIFORNIA
EMPLOYERS HAVE MANY DIFFERENT
RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER CAL OSHA
AND THE HEALTH ACT. EXCUSE ME?
IN TITLE EIGHT OF THE CALIFORNIA
CODE OF REGULATIONS, THOSE UNDER
CURRENT LAW, EMPLOYERS MUST MAKE
NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE
SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF ITS
EMPLOYEES AND ARE REQUIRED TO
MAINTAIN, IMPLEMENT AND REVISE
IF NEEDED, AN INJURY AND ILLNESS
PREVENTION PROGRAM. FOR THESE
REASONS, WE URGE YOUR AYE VOTE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MAIN
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION.
WELCOME YEAH, EACH OF YOU HAVE
TWO MINUTES. GOOD AFTERNOON,
MADAM CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE. MY
NAME IS KISHA BRUCE. I'M HERE ON
BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN LUNG
ASSOCIATION IN BRINGING
BREATHING IN SECONDHAND SMOKE
CAUSES LUNG DISEASE, HEART
DISEASE AND CANCER. CALIFORNIA
RESPONDED TO THIS PUBLIC HEALTH
CRISIS IN 1995 BY IMPLEMENTING A
STATEWIDE SMOKE FREE LAW IN
RESTAURANTS, THEN EXTENDED THOSE
WORKPLACE PROTECTIONS TO WORKERS
IN BARS. IN 1998. IN 2016,
CALIFORNIA PASSED PROPOSITION
64, LEGALIZING ADULT USE OF
CANNABIS AND THE SAME
PROTECTIONS AND SAFETY
GUIDELINES RELATED TO SECONDHAND
SMOKE WERE INCLUDED, ALLOWING
NON CANNABIS FOOD TO BE PREPARED
AND SOLD AT CONSUMPTION LOUNGES.
EXCUSE ME AT CONSUMPTION LOUNGES
EXPOSES A NEW CLASS OF WORKERS
TO SECONDHAND SMOKE. THE SCIENCE
IS CLEAR THAT SECONDHAND SMOKE
EXPOSURE, WHETHER FROM
COMBUSTIBLE CANNABIS OR TOBACCO
PRODUCTS, IS TOXIC AND IT'S
DANGEROUS. ACCORDING TO THE
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND
PREVENTION. THERE IS NO RISK
FREE LEVEL OF SECONDHAND SMOKE
EXPOSURE. THE SCIENCE IS ALSO
CLEAR THERE IS NO VENTILATION OR
FILTRATION SYSTEMS THAT CAN
CONTROL OR PREVENT EXPOSURE TO
SECONDHAND SMOKE. LAST YEAR, THE
GOVERNOR CHOSE TO PROTECT THE
HEALTH OF WORKERS BY VETOING THE
SAME BILL, AB 374. I WOULD LIKE
TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
THANK THE AUTHOR STAFF FOR
HAVING A CALL WITH US THIS YEAR.
HOWEVER, SINCE THEN WE HAVE NOT
HAD ANY FURTHER ENGAGEMENT ABOUT
ADDRESSING THE HEALTH IMPACTS OF
SECONDHAND SMOKE, PROTECTING
WORKERS FROM SECONDHAND SMOKE
EXPOSURE MUST BE PARAMOUNT IN
YOUR CONSIDERATION. PLEASE
UPHOLD THE GOVERNOR'S VETO BY
ENSURING A SAFE, HEALTHY, SMOKE
FREE WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE
GENERATIONS. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, AND I
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR NO
VOTE ON AB 1775. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON JAMIE MORGAN. ON
BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN HEART
ASSOCIATION, ALSO IN OPPOSITION,
IN ADDITION TO THE CLEAR SCIENCE
ABOUT THE NEGATIVE HEALTH
IMPACTS OF SECONDHAND SMOKE, I
WANT TO UNDERSCORE THE FACT THAT
VENTILATION SYSTEMS CANNOT
ELIMINATE EXPOSURE TO SECONDHAND
SMOKE. ASHRAE, THE ORGANIZATION
THAT REPRESENTS PROFESSIONALS IN
THE HEATING, VENTILATION, AND
AIR CONDITIONING INDUSTRY AND
ALLIED FIELDS, DETERMINED IN
THEIR 2023 POSITION STATEMENT ON
ENVIRONMENTAL TOBACCO SMOKE THAT
NEITHER DILUTION, VENTILATION,
AIR DISTRIBUTION NOR AIR
CLEANING CAN BE RELIED UPON TO
CONTROL EXPOSURE TO
ENVIRONMENTAL TOBACCO SMOKE. FOR
THESE REASONS, WE OPPOSE THE
BILL AND URGE YOU TO Tð AS WELL.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANY
MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE IN
OPPOSITION? OKAY. ANY MEMBERS OF
THE AUDIENCE IN SUPPORT? HI.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MARY CREASY. ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
CANNABIS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
AND SPARC IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS IN THE PUBLIC?
OKAY. MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE,
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER JOHN SAWYER AND I WANT TO
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING
THIS FORWARD AND CONTINUING TO
PUSH THIS FORWARD, YOU KNOW,
WHEN, MR. LACKEY AND I WORKED TO
LEGALIZE CANNABIS HERE IN
CALIFORNIA, WE NEVER THOUGHT IT
WOULD GET TO THIS, TO THIS LEVEL
. I'M SURE MR. LACKEY NEVER
THOUGHT IT WOULD GET TO THIS
LEVEL, AND I AM, I, FOR ONE, AM
GLAD THAT WE'RE WE'RE REALLY
LOOKING AT THE SAFEGUARDS, OR AT
LEAST THE CONCERNS THAT THE
GOVERNOR HAD AND THAT YOU'RE
BRINGING IT BACK. RESOLVING ALL
OF THOSE CONCERNS BECAUSE I
THINK THEY WERE VALID. AND WHEN
WE NEEDED TO, TO ADDRESS THEM,
AND THAT, AND HOPEFULLY IT'S
ENOUGH, NOT ONLY TO GET OUT OF
THIS COMMITTEE, BUT HOPEFULLY TO
GET HIS SIGNATURE AS WE MOVE
FORWARD TO TAKE THIS TO THE NEXT
LEVEL, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE IT
NEEDS TO BEGIN. OBVIOUSLY, WITH
ALL THE PROPER PRECAUTIONS AND
SAFEGUARDS, THAT YOU NEED TO
HAVE. BUT, SO I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR, FOR MOVING THIS FORWARD
. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
WISH TO COMMENT? I DO, MR.
LACKEY. I GOTTA VINDICATE MYSELF
TO SOME DEGREE. IT'S PROBABLY NO
SURPRISE THAT, I WASN'T A BIG
SUPPORTER OF PROP 64, BUT IT IS
THE LAW OF THE LAND. AND I DO
SUPPORT DEMOCRACY, AND I DO
SUPPORT THE FACT THAT IT IS A
COMMODITY. THAT'S, IN MY
OPINION, A OVERREGULATED AND HAS
AN UNFAIR. CIRCUMSTANCE OF
SURVIVAL BECAUSE OF THE ILLICIT
MARKET THAT IS RUNNING RAMPANT
AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ABOUT 80%
OF THE MARKET RIGHT NOW. AND SO
THIS INDUSTRY WITH HONEST PEOPLE
, BEALL WITH A COMMODITY THAT
I'LL NEVER ENJOY. BUT
NONETHELESS, THE PEOPLE HAVE
STATED IT SHOULD BE LEGAL. SO IT
IS LEGAL AND THERE'S ALWAYS
HEALTH CONCERNS WITH THAT THAT
ARE NOT IRRELEVANT. BUT BUT I
WILL TELL YOU TO THE POINT THAT
YOU ARE THE ONLY HOPE AGAINST
THE ILLICIT MARKET SUPPORTING
YOUR INDUSTRY. THAT IS WHY I
SUPPORT YOU IN EVERY REASONABLE
APPROACH THAT YOU BRING FORWARD.
IT DOESN'T BECAUSE I LOVE
CANNABIS, BUT IT IS THE FACT
THAT I BELIEVE YOU DESERVE TO BE
SUCCESSFUL AND RIGHT NOW, THE
ILLICIT MARKET HAS A REALLY,
REALLY UNFAIR ADVANTAGE AND THEY
ARE DOMINATING THAT SPACE. AND
SO I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO
TRY TO HELP YOU COMBAT THOSE WHO
ARE DOING A LOT OF HARM. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER
COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE?
OKAY. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION
AND A SECOND. OH WOW. THE
DYNAMIC DUO IS THE FIRST AND THE
SECOND. OKAY, MR. HANEY, CAN.
YOU ARE WELCOME TO. THANK YOU.
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR I VOTE
APPRECIATE IT. AB 1775 HANEY.
THE MOTION IS Dð PASS RUBIO A
RUBIO A LACKEY A LACKEY I ADDIS
BAINS. BAINS NOT VOTING. LEE LEE
I DAVIES DAVIES. NO. DIXON.
DIXON. NO. GABRIEL GABRIEL I
GIBSON. HANEY. HANEY I
JONES-SAWYER. JONES-SAWYER I
LOW, LOW. I MCKENNA. MCKENNA. I
PACHECO. PACHECO. I PAPPIN.
PAPPIN I PATTERSON. RAMOS.
RAMOS. ASESORÍA. TO CALL NOT
VOTING VALENCIA. VALENCIA. I
WALLACE. WALLACE. I THANK YOU.
OKAY. MOTION PASSES. OKAY. I
THINK THAT'S THE END OF THE
BILLS. WE HAVE SOME BILLS STILL
ON CALL. IF YOU. MADAM
SECRETARY, CAN YOU CALL THE ROLL
FOR ABSENT MEMBERS? ON THE
CONSENT CALENDAR, LEE. LEE I THE
CONSENT CALENDAR IS OUT
.
GABRIEL. GABRIEL, I. FILE ITEM
ONE AB 1775. HANEY HAS 13 VOTES,
AND THAT MEASURE? NO, NO VOTES.
AND THAT MEASURE IS OUT. NO
VOTES AND THAT. 13 EYES, TWO NO
VOTES. AND THAT MEASURE IS OUT.
FILE ITEM THREE AB 2069.
GALLAGHER LEE. LEE I GABRIEL
GABRIEL I HANEY. HANEY I THAT
MEASURE HAS 21 EYES AND NO NO
VOTES. FILE ITEM FOUR AB 2174
AGUILAR CURRY, LEE LEE I GABRIEL
, GABRIEL, I HANEY. HANEY I THAT
MEASURE HAS A 21 EYES AND NO NO
VOTES THAT MEASURES OUT FILE
ITEM FIVE AB 32389. LOWENTHAL
LEE LEE I GABRIEL GABRIEL I.
THAT MEASURE HAS A 21 EYES AND
NO NO VOTES. IT IS OUT AB 2402
LOWENTHAL LEE LEE I GABRIEL
GABRIEL I HANEY. HANEY I THAT
MEASURE HAS 21 EYES AND NO NO
VOTES AB 2589 PATTERSON. LEE LEE
I GABRIEL GABRIEL I THAT MEASURE
HAS 21 EYES AND OH I'M SORRY
HANEY HANEY I THAT MEASURE HAS
21 EYES AND NO NO VOTES. AB 2615
MCKENNA LEE LEE I GABRIEL
GABRIEL I HANEY. HANEY I. THAT
MEASURE HAS A 15 EYES AND NO NO
VOTES. AB 3206 MCKENNA. SORRY
ADDIS. LEE. LEE, I GABRIEL.
GABRIEL I HANEY. HANEY. I HAPPEN
HAPPEN NOT VOTING TO I. TO FOR
NOT VOTING
.
YES.
CALLING ABSENT MEMBERS ON AB
3206 MCKENNA ADDIS. ADDIS I
.
CHANGE FROM I TO NOT VOTING. AB
3206 VALENCIA. I TO NOT VOTING.
THE MEASURE PASSES WITH 12 I
VOTES AND TWO NO VOTES. PAY THE
BILLS OUT. AB 3261. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER FONG ADDIS. ADDIS I LEE
LEE I HANEY. HANEY I TO. THAT
MEASURE IS OUT WITH 20 I VOTES.
THAT'S IT. THE MEETING IS
ADJOURNED. YES, YES