THE ASSEMBLY IS NOW IN SESSION.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER AGUIAR-CURRY
NOTICES THE ABSENCE OF A QUORUM.
THE SERGEANT AT ARMS WILL
PREPARE THE CHAMBER AND BRING IN
THE ABSENT MEMBERS. THE CLERK
WILL CALL THE ROLL. ORTEZ.
AGUIAR-CURRY ALANIZ. ALVAREZ.
ARAMBULA BAINES. BAUER-KAHAN
BENNETT. BERMAN. BERNER. BONTA
RYAN. CALDERON, JUAN. CARRILLO,
WENDY. CARRILLO. CERVANTES CHEN.
CONNELLY. DALLEY DAVIES. DIXON.
EASILY FLORA. MIKE. FONG, VINCE.
FONG. FRIEDMAN, GABRIEL.
GALLAGHER GARCIA. GIBSON.
GRAYSON HANEY. HART. HOLDEN
HOOVER. IRWIN. JACKSON. JONES
SAWYER. KALRA. LACKEY. LEE LOWE.
LOWENTHAL. MAIENSCHEIN MATHIS.
MCCARTY. MCKENNA. MERCER KHÎI.
NGUYEN. ORTEGA. PACHECO PAPPIN.
JIM. PATTERSON, JOE. PATTERSON.
PELLERIN. PETRIE-NORRIS. CORK
SILVA. RAMOS. RENDON. REYES
THREE OF US. RODRIGUEZ. RUBIO
SANCHEZ. SANTIAGO. SCHIAVO
SORIA. TO TING. VALENCIA. VÆ.
VALLAPUDUA. WALDRON WALLACE.
WARD. WEBER WICKS. WILSON. WOOD.
ZUBER MR. SPEAKER
.
MEMBERS A QUORUM IS PRESENT. WE
ASK OUR GUESTS AND VISITORS TO.
IN THE REAR OF THE CHAMBER AND
IN THE GALLERY TO PLEASE STAND
FOR THE PRAYER AND THE FLAG.
SALUTE IN HONOR OF TODAY'S
HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY.
OUR GUEST CHAPLAIN TODAY IS
RABBI SCOTT FOX FROM TEMPLE
ISRAEL, LONG BEACH, AND HE WILL
OFFER THE PRAYER. EVERY PRAYER
IS A CALL TO A GREAT GREATER A
SOURCE OF GREATER INFLUENCE TO
BE HEARD. AND SO I OFFER THIS
PRAYER TO THIS ESTEEMED GROUP OF
LEADERS AND LEGISLATORS OF OUR
BEAUTIFUL STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
ONE MY FAMILY HAS CALLED HOME
FOR FOUR GENERATIONS. AND YET WE
STILL CHECK THE DATE ON OUR
PASSPORTS AFTER EVERY ELECTION.
STILL QUIET OUR SPEECH IN THE
COFFEE SHOP. NGUYEN, A HEBREW
WORD EMERGES. I ASK, SEE US,
HEAR US, AND IF ANYONE CAN BE
JEWISH, THEN LET ME OFFER THAT
GIFT AND BURDEN TO YOU TODAY,
JUST FOR A MINUTE. YOUR
CHILDREN, CARRYING THE LOAD OF
GENERATIONS WANDERING THE EARTH
BECAUSE LAWS INSCRIBED NØ JEWS
TODAY FOR US A GREAT FEAR RISES
AGAIN IN THE COUNTRY WE LOVE AND
CALL HOME, AND WILL LIVE AND DIE
FOR. BUT WE NEED NOW THOSE SAME
LAWS TO SAY, YES, JEWS, YOU ARE
HOME HERE. YOU ARE WELCOME. HERE
WE SEE YOU. WE HEAR YOU. TODAY
IS A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE BECAUSE
IT'S EASY TO FORGET 10% OF
PEOPLE UNDER 40 IN THE US RIGHT
NOW HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THE
HOLOCAUST. SEE US, HEAR US.
NEVER FORGET GIRDA TOLD ME A FEW
WEEKS BEFORE SHE DIED. HER
BRIGHT CHILDHOOD, SPENT IN A
DARK SPACE UNDERNEATH THE
FLOORBOARDS OF A HOUSE BECAUSE A
SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE ALLOWED
HATE AND MEDIA TO MIX AND GO TOO
FAR. AND WE KNOW THAT JEWISH
HATE IS JUST ANOTHER FORM OF THE
SAME HATE THAT CHARGES FEAR INTO
THE HEARTS OF SO MANY OF OUR
SIBLING COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING
THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY. I STAND
HERE TODAY WITH THE HONOR OF
THIS MICROPHONE AND HUMBLY ADD
YOUR VOICE TO OURS AND LOVINGLY
SAY TO, I SEE YOU. I HEAR YOU.
WE REMEMBER. BECAUSE EVEN THE
BEST OF SOCIETIES CAN DEVOLVE
OVER NIGHT. WE REMEMBER BECAUSE
THE HARMLESS WORDS SHARED IN
PRIVATE HOMES THAT NOW LOUDLY
JOKE AND THEN QUESTION AND THEN
INFLUENCE THE WORLD OVER, TELL
THAT AN ANGER TOWARDS THE OTHER
LIVES STRONG AND WELL IN THE
HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE ACROSS THIS
BEAUTIFUL STATE. WE REMEMBER
BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE
NOT TO. THE TRAUMAS BURNED IN
OUR MINDS, OUR HEARTS, OUR
BODIES. AND PRAYER IS ALSO A
CALL TO LOOK UP TO SOMETHING
GREATER, AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE
A VISION WITHOUT THE BURDEN OF
HOW. AND SO I OFFER ALL OF US
THIS HOPE AT THIS SACRED
ASSEMBLY AS WE REMEMBER THE VERY
WORST OF WHAT A WORLD CAN FALL
INTO, I OFFER TO THE REMINDER OF
THE VERY HEIGHTS WE CAN REACH,
ONE WHERE EVERY PERSON LIVES
SAFE AND FREE, CAN SHARE AND BE
PROUD OF WHO THEY ARE, AND LIVE
PEACEFULLY AND HAPPILY IN THIS
BEAUTIFUL PLACE WE CALL HOME.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, RABBI FOX
SUMMIT MEMBER BERMAN WILL LEAD
US IN THE PLEDGE. PLEASE JOIN ME
IN THE PLEDGE. I PLEDGE
ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR
WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION
UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH
LIBERTY. US ALL. THANK YOU. YOU
MAY BE SEATED. BEFORE WE MOVE ON
TO OUR OPENING PROCEDURES, I
JUST WANT TO WE HAVE SOME GUESTS
IN THE HOUSE TODAY. I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT WE THAT WE
RECOGNIZE THEM JOINING US TODAY,
SPEAKER EMERITUS JOHN PEREZ.
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE, ASSEMBLY
MEMBER BONNIE LOWENTHAL. FORMER
ASSEMBLYMAN. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
JOSE MEDINA. FORMER SENATOR
HANNAH-BETH JACKSON. FORMER
SENATOR AND CONGRESSMAN ALAN
LOWENTHAL. FORMER ASSEMBLY
MEMBER MARK LEVINE. FORMER
ASSEMBLY MEMBER MIKE FEUER. ALSO
FORMER LA CITY ATTORNEY. FORMER
SENATOR MARTY BLOCK. AND FORMER
ASSEMBLYMAN. ASSEMBLY MEMBER BOB
BLUMENFELD. I HAVE ALSO HEARD
THAT ASSEMBLY A FORMER ASSEMBLY
MEMBER, DION ARONER, WILL BE
HERE IF I DON'T SEE HER. BUT.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, SENATOR,
FORMER FORMER SPEAKER EMERITUS,
FORMER ASSEMBLY MEMBER, SENATOR
BOB HERTZBERG IS SOMEWHERE IN
THE BUILDING. THAT'S ALL I CAN
TELL YOU AT THIS POINT. SO ALL
RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MEMBERS WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR
READING OF THE PREVIOUS DAY'S
JOURNAL. SO CHAMBERS SACRAMENTO.
TUESDAY, APRIL 23RD, 2020 FOR
THE ASSEMBLY MET AT SEVEN
AGUIAR-CURRY MOVES MISTER FLORES
SECONDS AT THE READING OF THE
PREVIOUS DAY. JOURNAL BE
DISPENSED WITH PRESENTATIONS AND
PETITIONS. THERE ARE NONE.
INTRODUCTION AND REFERENCES OF
BILLS WILL BE DEFERRED. REPORTS
OF COMMITTEES WILL BE DEEMED
READ AND AMENDMENTS DEEMED
ADOPTED. MESSAGES FROM THE
GOVERNOR. THERE ARE NONE.
MESSAGES FROM THE SENATE. THERE
ARE NONE. MOVING TO MOTIONS AND
RESOLUTIONS. THE ABSENCES FOR
THE DAY WILL BE DEEMED READ AND
PRINTED IN THE JOURNAL. MOVING
TO OUR PROCEDURAL MOTIONS,
MAJORITY LEADER AGUIAR-CURRY YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED FOR YOUR
PROCEDURAL MOTIONS. GOOD
AFTERNOON. I REQUEST UNANIMOUS
CONSENT TO SUSPEND ASSEMBLY RULE
45.5 TO ALLOW ASSEMBLY MEMBERS
RENDON AND CALDERON TO SPEAK ON
AN ADJOURNMENT AND MEMORY TODAY.
WITHOUT OBJECTION. SUCH SHALL BE
THE ORDER I REQUEST UNANIMOUS
CONSENT TO SUSPEND ASSEMBLY RULE
118 A TO ALLOW ASSEMBLY MEMBER
FARAKHAN TO HAVE A GUEST SEATED
AT HER DESK AND TO ALLOW
ASSEMBLY MEMBER GABRIEL AND
BONTA TO HAVE GUESTS ON THE
FLOOR TODAY. WITHOUT OBJECTION,
SUCH SHALL BE THE ORDER. AT THE
REQUEST OF THE AUTHOR, PLEASE
REMOVE ITEM 122 AB 2107 CHEN
FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR. CLARK
WILL NOW MOVING TO BUSINESS ON
THE DAILY FILE, MOVING TO SECOND
READING FILE ITEMS ONE THROUGH
43, THE CLERK WILL READ. SENATE
BILL 25, 74, 32, 45, 27, 55, 27,
29, 30, 93, 27, 67 WITH
AMENDMENTS 2038, WITH AMENDMENTS
1826, WITH AMENDMENTS 2198. WITH
AMENDMENTS 2083. WITH AMENDMENTS
2256. WITH AMENDMENTS 2537. WITH
AMENDMENTS 2666. WITH AMENDMENTS
2683, WITH AMENDMENTS 3111, WITH
AMENDMENTS 3256, WITH AMENDMENTS
3062. WITH AMENDMENTS 2489. WITH
AMENDMENTS 1825, WITH AMENDMENTS
2799, 1938, WITH AMENDMENTS
2097. WITH AMENDMENTS 2627. WITH
AMENDMENTS 2711. WITH AMENDMENTS
2816. WITH AMENDMENTS 2999. WITH
AMENDMENTS 2206, WITH AMENDMENTS
2768, WITH AMENDMENTS 2865, WITH
AMENDMENTS 2998. WITH AMENDMENTS
3010, WITH AMENDMENTS 2967. WITH
AMENDMENTS 1820. WITH AMENDMENTS
1950, WITH AMENDMENTS 2735. WITH
AMENDMENTS 2813. WITH AMENDMENTS
2946, WITH AMENDMENTS 2986. WITH
AMENDMENTS 1827, 26, 82, 24, 82,
28, 45 WITH AMENDMENTS AND 2960
WITH AMENDMENTS. ALL BILLS WILL
BE DEEMED READ AND ALL
AMENDMENTS WILL BE DEEMED
ADOPTED. ITEM 44 IS A NOTICE
UNDER RECONSIDERATION. I FILE
ITEMS 45 THROUGH 47. ALL ITEMS
SHALL BE CONTINUED. NOW UNDER
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER BAUER KHN WILL PRESENT
FILE ITEM 84 ACR 176.
THANK YOU, MEMBERS AND MR.
SPEAKER, WE WILL NOW MOVE TO THE
ASSEMBLY'S OBSERVANCE OF
HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY. I
WILL TAKE ONE MOMENT OF PERSONAL
PRIVILEGE AND WELCOME MY FATHER
TO THE FLOOR. WHO IS MY GUEST?
BOB BAUER, WHO IS HERE?
HE IS JOINING ME FOR THE SIXTH
TIME ON YOM HASHOAH TO
COMMEMORATE THE HOLOCAUST.
HAVING BEEN RAISED HIMSELF BY
SURVIVORS, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE
WILL TAKE UP FILE ITEM 84, ACR
176. THE CLERK WILL READ SENATE
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 176 BY
SENATOR GABRIEL AND OTHERS.
RELATIVE TO CALIFORNIA HOLOCAUST
MEMORIAL DAY. MR. GABRIEL, YOU
MAY OPEN. THANK YOU, MADAM
SPEAKER. AND FIRST, LET ME SAY
HOW MEANINGFUL IT IS FOR THE
JEWISH CAUCUS TO HAVE YOU
PRESIDE OVER THIS IMPORTANT
RESOLUTION. AS THE GRANDDAUGHTER
OF HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS WHO SO
PROUDLY SERVES IN THIS
LEGISLATURE AND REPRESENTS OUR
COMMUNITY SO BEAUTIFULLY, SO
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU
HAVE DONE. I AM RISING TODAY ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
LEGISLATIVE JEWISH CAUCUS TO
REPRESENT ACR 176, OUR ANNUAL
RESOLUTION FOR HOLOCAUST
REMEMBRANCE DAY, KNOWN IN HEBREW
AS YOM HASHOAH HOLOCAUST
REMEMBRANCE DAY, COMMEMORATES
THE APPROXIMATELY 6 MILLION
JEWS, INCLUDING OVER 1 MILLION
JEWISH CHILDREN AND COUNTLESS
OTHERS WHO WERE BRUTALLY
MURDERED BY THE AND THEIR
COLLABORATORS. YOM HASHOAH ALSO
HONORS JEWISH RESISTANCE DURING
THE HOLOCAUST, AND IS OBSERVED
ANNUALLY ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF
THE WARSAW GHETTO UPRISING. THIS
YEAR, HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY
IS DIFFERENT, AND FOR MANY IN
THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, THE MOST
PAINFUL IN OUR LIFETIMES. WE
GATHER TODAY AMIDST THE BACKDROP
OF A DEVASTATING WAR, HOSTAGES
WHO REMAIN IN CAPTIVITY, AND THE
HORRIFYING EXPLOSION OF
ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE UNITED
STATES AND AROUND THE GLOBE.
MANY OF US FEEL TRAPPED BETWEEN
A GENERATION OF HOLOCAUST
SURVIVORS WHO ARE QUICKLY
PASSING AWAY AND A GENERATION OF
YOUNG AMERICANS WHO ARE
UNFAMILIAR WITH THE LESSONS OF
GENOCIDE AGAINST OUR PEOPLE,
MANY IN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY AND
IN THE JEWISH CAUCUS GREW UP
WITH HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS. THEY
WERE OUR FRIENDS, OUR
GRANDPARENTS, PEOPLE IN OUR
COMMUNITIES WITH NUMBERS
TATTOOED ON THEIR ARMS WHO
SURVIVED EVERY IMAGINABLE AND
UNIMAGINED FORM OF PHYSICAL,
MENTAL AND SEXUAL ABUSE. THEY
CELEBRATED WITH US AT JEWISH
HOLIDAYS, AND THEY SPOKE IN OUR
SYNAGOGUES AND COMMUNITY
CENTERS. THEIR STORIES HAVE BEEN
SEARED INTO OUR COLLECTIVE
MEMORY AND THEIR
INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA HAS
BECOME OUR OWN. AND YET WE ARE
NOW CONFRONTING A GENERATION
WHERE FAR TOO MANY YOUNG
AMERICANS DO NOT BELIEVE THAT
THE HOLOCAUST HAPPENED. AND WHO
SEEM TOO WILLING TO EMBRACE THE
SAME HATEFUL STEREOTYPES THAT
HAVE CONSISTENTLY RESULTED IN
VIOLENCE AGAINST OUR COMMUNITY.
THE RABBI MENTIONED THIS, BUT
THERE WAS AN ECONOMIST POLL THAT
WAS DONE IN DECEMBER OF LAST
YEAR, AND IT FOUND THAT 20% OF
YOUNG AMERICANS AGREE WITH THE
STATEMENT THAT THE HOLOCAUST IS
A MYTH, AND ANOTHER 30% ARE NOT
SURE WHETHER THEY AGREE NOR
DISAGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT,
WHICH MEANS THAT, TAKEN
TOGETHER, 50% OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN
THIS COUNTRY AGREE THAT THE
HOLOCAUST HAPPENED, BUT THE
OTHER 50% DO NOT. EVEN MORE
TERRIFYING TO ME, A HIGHLY
REPUTABLE NATIONAL OPINION POLL
CONDUCTED THAT VERY SAME MONTH
BY HARVARD UNIVERSITY FOUND THAT
67% OF AMERICANS AGES 18 TO 24
HARBOR ANTI-SEMITIC STEREOTYPES.
THEY BELIEVE THAT JEWS ARE,
QUOTE, A CLASS OF OPPRESSORS AND
SHOULD BE TREATED AS SUCH. SO,
GIVEN SUCH STATISTICS, IT IS
UNSURPRISING THAT SO MANY IN OUR
COMMUNITY ALSO FEEL PHYSICALLY
UNSAFE, TRAPPED BY THE EXPLOSIVE
HATE THAT WE CAN FEEL, THAT WE
CAN FEEL EMANATING FROM TOO MANY
CORNERS OF AMERICAN SOCIETY,
FROM, WHITE SUPREMACY, AND
EXTREMISTS ON THE FAR RIGHT WHO
BELIEVE THAT JEWS ARE BEHIND A
PLOT TO DIMINISH THE INFLUENCE
OF WHITE PEOPLE AND EXTREMISTS
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE
WHO PAINT JEWS AS THE WORST
EXAMPLE OF WHITE OPPRESSORS. SO
AS WE OBSERVE HOLOCAUST
REMEMBRANCE TODAY, AMIDST THIS
RISING HATE, WE ARE REMINDED
THAT THE HOLOCAUST IS BOTH
MILLIONS OF INDIVIDUAL TRAUMAS
THAT HAPPENS TO MILLIONS OF
INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES, BUT IS ALSO
A LASTING COLLECTIVE TRAUMA FOR
THE JEWISH PEOPLE, A TRAUMA THAT
HAS DEEPLY INFORMED OUR
COMMUNITY'S SENSE OF SECURITY,
BUT ALSO OUR SENSE OF PURPOSE,
ONE THAT HAS HEIGHTENED OUR
SENSITIVITY TO HATRED AND TAUGHT
US THAT WE MUST SPEAK OUT
FIERCELY AND IMMEDIATELY AGAINST
ANTI-SEMITISM. BUT ALSO AGAINST
ALL FORMS OF RACISM, BIGOTRY AND
DISCRIMINATION. YOU SEE, FOR THE
HOLOCAUST, FOR THE JEWISH
COMMUNITY, THE HOLOCAUST ISN'T A
DISTANT MEMORY. IN THE 4000 YEAR
ARC OF JEWISH HISTORY. IT'S A
RECENT EVENT, A PARTICULARLY
DEVASTATING CHAPTER IN A
LENGTHY, BOOK FILLED WITH
PAINFUL STORIES OF PERSECUTION
AND DISCRIMINATION, FAMILY
HISTORIES, AND A COMMUNAL
HISTORY THAT IS DEEPLY PERSONAL
TO ME, TO MY FAMILY AND TO MANY
PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THIS ROOM
TODAY AND ULTIMATELY, HOLOCAUST
REMEMBRANCE DAY. YOM HASHOAH IS
A CALL TO ACTION. IT IS THE
ULTIMATE REMINDER OF HOW QUICKLY
AN ADVANCED, EDUCATED AND MODERN
SOCIETY CAN UNRAVEL OF HOW
EASILY HATEFUL RHETORIC CAN LEAD
TO DEADLY VIOLENCE FOR BOTH THE
JEWISH PEOPLE AND FOR ALL OF
HUMANITY. TODAY IS A REMINDER OF
OUR COLLECTIVE OBLIGATION TO DO
MORE TO BRING THE LESSONS OF THE
HOLOCAUST TO ALL CORNERS OF THE
STATE, TO SPEAK OUT CLEARLY AND
UNEQUIVOCALLY AGAINST HATE OF
ALL FORMS, AND TO REDEDICATE
OURSELVES TO COMBATING
ANTI-SEMITISM, RACISM, AND
BIGOTRY WHEREVER AND WHENEVER WE
SEE IT IN THAT SPIRIT, AND ON
BEHALF OF THE JEWISH CAUCUS, I
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR I VOTE
ON ACR 176. THANK YOU, MR.
GABRIEL. MR. RAMOS, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, MR. SPEAKER. TODAY I RISE
ON BEHALF OF THE NATIVE AMERICAN
LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS TO URGE AN
AYE VOTE ON ACR 176. WE MUST
NEVER FORGET HOW EASILY THE HATE
AND BIGOTRY THAT SPAWNED THE
HOLOCAUST. IT CAN OCCUR
ANYWHERE, AT ANY TIME THROUGHOUT
OUR HUMAN HISTORY, WE HAVE SEEN
GENOCIDE IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF
THE GLOBE, IN DIFFERENT ERAS AND
POISON DIFFERENT GROUPS. AND
THAT HATRED SPREAD. WE SHOULD NO
LONGER STAND FOR THAT HATRED TO
SPREAD IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND
ACROSS OUR NATION AND ACROSS THE
WORLD. NATIVE AMERICANS SHARE IN
THAT SAME THAT SAME THREAD, THAT
THREAD OF GENOCIDE HERE IN THE
UNITED STATES. WE STAND UNITED
WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
WE MUST TEACH RESPECT AND
UNDERSTANDING TO OUR CHILDREN,
ESPECIALLY DURING DIFFICULT
TIMES SUCH AS THESE, SO THAT WE
ELIMINATE THE POSSIBILITY OF
REPEATING A HISTORY OVER AND
OVER OF THE SINS THAT HAVE BEEN
DONE IN THE HISTORY'S PAST. WE
HAVE TO STAND TOGETHER AS THIS
RESOLUTION REMINDS US OF THE
GREAT DEVASTATION AND INHUMANITY
THAT HAS OCCURRED THROUGHOUT
THIS WORLD AND THROUGHOUT THE
AREAS THAT WE CALL HOME. BUT WE
ALSO HAVE TO SHOW THE
RESILIENCY, THE RESILIENCY OF
THE JEWISH PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO
OVERCOME THOSE AREAS. AND THAT
VOICE TO BE STRONG TODAY ON THIS
FLOOR IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
. FOR THAT, WE SHINE ON THE
RESILIENCY OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE
TO CONTINUE THEIR VOICES MOVING
FORWARD. AND WE DO SEE YOU. WE
HEAR YOU, AND WE STAND UNITED
WITH YOU IN THIS TIMES. I ASK MY
COLLEAGUES TO VOTE AYE ON THIS
RESOLUTION, AND I THANK MY
COLLEAGUE FROM LOS ANGELES FOR
BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION FORWARD
. THANK YOU, MR. RAMOS. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER BAUER-KAHAN, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. AND MEMBERS, I HAVE
RISEN EVERY YEAR ON YOM HASHOAH
TO COMMEMORATE THE ATROCITIES OF
THE HOLOCAUST. ONE YEAR
ADJOURNING IN THE MEMORY OF MY
GRANDMOTHER, WHO EMBODIED THE
RESILIENCE OF SURVIVORS. I'VE
TOLD MY FAMILY'S STORY OF LIVING
THROUGH KRISTALLNACHT, OF LOSING
EVERYTHING AND OF SURVIVING A
STORY EERILY FAMILIAR TO THE ONE
YOU'LL READ IN THE BOOK ON YOUR
DESK. BUT TODAY, AS OUR CHAIR
SAID, FEELS DIFFERENT. ANTI
SEMITISM IS SOMETHING THAT EVERY
JEWISH PERSON IN THE DIASPORA
HAS EXPERIENCED, MYSELF
INCLUDED. BUT IN RECENT MONTHS
IT HAS BECOME UNAVOIDABLE. JUST
THIS PAST FRIDAY, LISTENING TO
THE VIDEOS OF PEOPLE AT
UNIVERSITIES ACROSS THIS COUNTRY
CHANTING GO BACK TO POLAND JUST
PUTS AN EXCLAMATION POINT ON THE
ANTI-SEMITISM THAT NOW IS SO
BLATANTLY DISPLAYED. FOR THOSE
THAT DON'T KNOW, 90% OF THE
JEWISH POPULATION OF POLAND WAS
MURDERED DURING THE HOLOCAUST.
JEWS ACROSS EUROPE WERE SENT TO
POLAND DURING THE HOLOCAUST TO
END THEIR JOURNEY AT
AUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU. THE DEATH
CAMP THAT WAS THE ULTIMATE TOOL
OF THE FINAL SOLUTION TO THE
JEWISH PROBLEM. AN EXTERMINATION
CAMP IS THAT WHERE THEY WANT ME
AND MY FAMILY TO GO? PERMISSION
TO READ ELIE WIESEL'S OWN WORDS
ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE ARRIVING AT
AUSCHWITZ IN FRONT OF US, FLAMES
IN THE AIR THAT SMELL OF BURNING
FLESH. IT MUST HAVE BEEN ABOUT
MIDNIGHT. WE HAD ARRIVED AT
BIRKENAU RECEPTION CENTER FOR
AUSCHWITZ. NOT FAR FROM US.
FLAMES WERE LEAPING UP FROM A
DITCH, GIGANTIC FLAMES. THEY
WERE BURNING SOMETHING. ELLERY
DREW UP AT THE PIT AND DELIVERED
ITS LOAD. LITTLE CHILDREN,
BABIES. I PINCHED MY FACE. WAS I
STILL ALIVE? WAS I AWAKE? I
COULD NOT BELIEVE IT. HOW COULD
IT BE POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO BURN
PEOPLE, CHILDREN, AND FOR THE
WORLD TO KEEP SILENT? NO, NONE
OF THIS COULD BE TRUE. IT WAS A
NIGHTMARE. NEVER SHALL I FORGET
THAT NIGHT. THE FIRST NIGHT IN
THE CAMP. NEVER SHALL I FORGET
THAT SMOKE. NEVER SHALL I FORGET
THE LITTLE FACES OF THE CHILDREN
WHOSE BODIES I SAW. TURNED INTO
WREATHS OF SMOKE BENEATH A
SILENT BLUE SKY. NEVER SHALL I
FORGET THOSE FLAMES WHICH
CONSUMED MY FAITH FOREVER. IS
THAT WHAT THEY WANT FOR US? IS
THAT WHERE THEY WANT TO SEND ME?
THE THING ABOUT ELIE WIESEL'S
WORDS THAT RING IN MY EARS TODAY
IS THE SILENCE IN THE FACE OF
THE ATROCITIES. HOW COULD THAT
HAPPEN? AND YET IT DID. AND WE
MUST LEARN FROM IT. LET ME
REMIND YOU WHAT THE YEARS
PRECEDING THE HOLOCAUST LOOKED
LIKE. IN 1933, HITLER
ESTABLISHED A REICH MINISTRY OF
PUBLIC ENLIGHTENMENT AND
PROPAGANDA. THERE WAS A BOYCOTT
OF JEWISH BUSINESSES IN THE
REGIME, CAPPED THE NUMBER OF
JEWS ALLOWED IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
IN 1938, BLOCKED JEWS FROM
ENTERING UNIVERSITIES AND
DESTROYED JEWISH BUSINESSES,
SYNAGOGUES, AND HOMES. DURING
KRISTALLNACHT. SO TODAY, AS WE
WATCH ANTI SEMITIC DEPICTIONS OF
THE BERKELEY LAW DEAN THAT USE
THE SAME BLOOD LIBEL THAT WAS
USED BY THE THIRD REICH IN 1933,
AS WE SEE A BOYCOTT OF JEWISH
BUSINESSES IN SAN FRANCISCO AS
JEWISH STUDENTS FLEE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS IN CITIES LIKE OAKLAND
BECAUSE OF THE ANTI-SEMITISM
TAUGHT IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. AS
JEWS ARE BLOCKED ON CAMPUSES
LIKE BERKELEY. AS WE WITNESS THE
DESTRUCTION OF JEWISH BUSINESSES
LIKE SMITTEN IN SAN FRANCISCO
AND THE PAINTING OF SWASTIKAS ON
SYNAGOGUES IN GLENDALE, WE'VE
SEEN THIS STORY BEFORE. AND WHAT
IS OUR ROLE AT THIS MOMENT IN
HISTORY? NOT FOR THE WORLD TO
KEEP SILENT, AS ELIE WIESEL SO
APTLY DESCRIBED. WE NEED YOU,
THE LEADERS OF THIS GREAT STATE,
TO STAND UP FOR YOUR JEWISH
NEIGHBORS, TO DIFFERENTIATE
BETWEEN THE LEGITIMATE PROTEST
OF A DEMOCRACY ONE DISAGREES
WITH AND THE DEMONIZATION OF A
MINORITY, I ASK THAT WE AS AS WE
MOVE FORWARD, YOU STAND WITH
EVERY ONE OF US AGAINST THE
DISGUSTING RISE OF HATE TO
ENSURE THAT NEVER AGAIN RINGS
TRUE. MY GRANDMOTHERS TAUGHT ME
MORE THAN THE HISTORY OF MY
FAMILY, THE HISTORY THAT
RESULTED IN THEM FLEEING FROM
THE ONLY HOME THEY'D EVER KNOWN,
THE HISTORY OF THEM LOSING THEIR
BUSINESSES, BEING KICKED OUT OF
SCHOOL, HIDING FROM THE ROUNDUP
OF JEWS SENT TO DEATH CAMPS, AND
FINALLY MAKING IT HERE TO THIS
GREAT COUNTRY OF SURVIVING AND
OF THRIVING. THEY TAUGHT ME
ABOUT RESILIENCE AND HOPE. THEY
BELIEVED SO DEEPLY IN THIS
COUNTRY, THE COUNTRY THAT SAVED
US, THAT GAVE US A SECOND CHANCE
AT LIFE. BUT THIS COUNTRY CAN
ONLY FULFILL THAT PROMISE IF
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US STANDS
UP TO HATE EVERY DAY, AT EVERY
OPPORTUNITY, SPEAK OUT, ASK
QUESTIONS. JUST DON'T BE SILENT.
WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE
ANSWERS. BUT WE HAVE TO BE
STRIDENT IN THE FACE OF HATE AND
ANTI-SEMITISM, THANK YOU TO
THOSE WHO HAVE STOOD WITH US
AGAINST HATE. I DON'T WANT TO
THANK THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS
WHO'VE JUST STARTED THE
CONSTRUCTION. THANK YOU TO THOSE
WHO WILL STAND WITH US IN THE
FUTURE. TOGETHER, WE CAN ENSURE
NEVER AGAIN MAY THE MEMORIES OF
ALL THOSE LOST DURING THE
HOLOCAUST BE A BLESSING AND A
REMINDER OF OUR HOLY OBLIGATION
TO STAND UP FOR HATE EVERY DAY
AND IN EVERY WAY. AND WITH THAT,
I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR AYE
VOTE ON ACR 176. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER BAUER-KAHAN.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER WARD. YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. AND MEMBERS, I RISE AS
THE VICE CHAIR OF THE CALIFORNIA
LEGISLATIVE LGBTQ CAUCUS AND A
MEMBER OF THE JEWISH CAUCUS IN
SUPPORT OF ACR 176 RECOGNIZING
YAMASAWA TODAY, WE AGAIN
REMEMBER THE VICTIMS AND THE
SURVIVORS OF ANTI-SEMITIC AND
DISCRIMINATORY TARGETED ABUSES
CARRIED OUT BY THE GOVERNMENT
AMONG THOSE TARGETED, PERSECUTED
AND HARMED ALONGSIDE THE JEWISH
COMMUNITY, LGBTQ PEOPLE ALSO
FELL VICTIM TO THE ATROCITIES
COMMITTED DURING THE HOLOCAUST.
HITLER AND THE PARTY TARGETED
GAY MEN BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED
THAT THEY WERE, QUOTE, UNFIT TO
DEFEND THE NATION AND COMBAT AND
WOULD DIMINISH OUR REPRODUCTIVE
POTENTIAL AND CONCENTRATION
CAMPS. LGBTQ VICTIMS WERE KEPT
IN SEPARATE FACILITIES FOR THE
FEAR THAT HOMOSEXUALITY WOULD
SPREAD TO OTHER PRISONERS. OTHER
HEINOUS STATE SPONSORED ABUSES
AGAINST LGBTQ INDIVIDUALS
INCLUDED MEDICAL
EXPERIMENTATION, DISAPPEARANCES,
IMPRISONMENT, SEXUAL ABUSE,
TORTURE, AND MURDER. EVEN AFTER
THE WAR, THE ALLIES GERMANY AND
SURROUNDING COUNTRIES REFUSED TO
RECOGNIZE LGBTQ PRISONERS AS
VICTIMS OF THE REGIME, A STATUS
ESSENTIAL FOR RESTITUTION. EVEN
WORSE, MANY LGBTQ VICTIMS WERE
FORCED TO CONTINUE TO SERVE
THEIR ARBITRARY PRISON SENTENCES
DURING THE HOLOCAUST. HOMOSEXUAL
JEWS WERE FORCED TO WEAR THE
PINK TRIANGLE, THE LGBTQ
EQUIVALENT OF THE YELLOW JEWISH
STAR. NOW WE RECLAIM AND UPLIFT
THE PINK TRIANGLE AS A SYMBOL OF
PERSEVERANCE, WHICH I, ALONGSIDE
MEMBERS OF OUR CAUCUS, PROUDLY
WEAR ON THE FLOOR TODAY. AND ON
A MORE PERSONAL NOTE, WE WILL
SOON RECOGNIZE TWO SURVIVORS
THAT RESIDE IN MY COUNTY. MIKE
EDMONIA WALLENFELS MONNING AND
HER FAMILY WERE ONE OF THE FEW
FROM BUSK, POLAND, NOW PART OF
MODERN DAY UKRAINE, TO HAVE
SURVIVED THE HOLOCAUST. WHEN
MANYA'S GHETTO WAS INVADED BY
GERMAN SOLDIERS. SHE RECALLS
HIDING IN THE ATTIC AND STABLES
AS SHE FLED. MIKE AND HIS FAMILY
WERE FORCED TO MOVE INTO JEWISH
ONLY APARTMENTS WHEN THE GERMANS
MOVED INTO HUNGARY. AS HUNGARIAN
GATHERED FAMILIES THAT WERE
LIVING INSIDE MIKE'S BUILDING,
HIS MOTHER INSTRUCTED HIM TO
HIDE IN THE ATTIC AND NOT COME
OUT. HOWEVER MIKE AND HIS SISTER
WERE EVENTUALLY FORCED INTO A
GHETTO STRICTLY FOR CHILDREN.
MIKE AND MANYA LATER MET IN
HUNGARY AS NEIGHBORS WHOSE
FAMILIES KNEW EACH OTHER, WHERE
THEY WOULD GO ON TO GET MARRIED.
WORDS CANNOT EXPLAIN THE
RESILIENCY IT TOOK FOR THEM TO
SURVIVE THE SYSTEMIC ABUSES AND
THE OPPRESSION THAT THEY
EXPERIENCED. I'M FOREVER
GRATEFUL FOR THEM AND APPLAUD
THE WORK THEY DO TO SUPPORT OUR
JEWISH COMMUNITY IN SAN DIEGO
AND EDUCATE OTHERS OF THE
STRUGGLES THAT THEY AND OTHER
SURVIVORS OF THE HOLOCAUST
ENDURED. SPEAKING AT SCHOOLS OR
THROUGH ONLINE FORUMS SO THAT WE
DON'T FORGET OR REPEAT THESE
ATROCITIES. NOW, IT'S MORE THAN
EVER. IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE
SPREAD AWARENESS OF THE STORIES
OF ALL THOSE PERSECUTED IN THE
HOLOCAUST, ESPECIALLY, WHOSE
NAMES, FACES AND STORIES WE WILL
NEVER KNOW. AS WE ACKNOWLEDGE
THE HOLOCAUST AS A TIME IN
HISTORY, WE MUST ALSO RECOGNIZE
THAT HATE IS STILL ALIVE AND
PRESENT IN MODERN DAY SOCIETY,
AND THUS REAFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT
TO COMBATING ANTI-SEMITISM,
ANTI-ISLAMOPHOBIA, HOMOPHOBIA,
TRANSPHOBIA, RACISM AND HATE
ABOVE ALL, WE MUST CONTINUE TO
STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH ALL
COMMUNITIES TO COLLECTIVELY
FIGHT AGAINST ANYONE WHO CLAIMS
THAT THEIR IDENTITY IS SUPREME
AND FOR A FREE, EQUITABLE AND
SAFE SOCIETY FOR ALL. I ASK YOUR
SUPPORT FOR ACR 176 TODAY. THANK
YOU, MR. WARD. MISS PELLERIN,
YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU,
MISS SPEAKER AND MEMBERS, I RISE
ON BEHALF OF THE LEGISLATIVE
WOMEN'S CAUCUS AND A MEMBER OF
THE JEWISH CAUCUS TO SUPPORT ACR
176 DECLARING MAY 6TH, 2024 AS
CALIFORNIA HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL
DAY. WHILE JEWS WERE THE PRIMARY
VICTIMS OF THE HOLOCAUST,
MILLIONS OF OTHER PEOPLE WERE
BRUTALLY MURDERED. BASED ON
THEIR ETHNICITY, RELIGION,
POLITICAL BELIEFS, AND SEXUAL
ORIENTATION WHILE THEY WERE HELD
IN CONCENTRATION CAMPS AS PART
OF A CAREFULLY ORCHESTRATED
STATE SPONSORED PROGRAM OF
CULTURAL, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL
ANNIHILATION UNDER THE REGIME.
DURING THE HOLOCAUST, WOMEN
PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE
RESISTANCE AGAINST THE AND IN
HELPING THE VICTIMS OF THE
HOLOCAUST. DESPITE BEING
DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AND
MARGINALIZED BY IDEOLOGY, MANY
WOMEN DEMONSTRATED EXTRAORDINARY
BRAVERY AND STRENGTH IN THE FACE
OF EXTREME ADVERSITY. FOR
EXAMPLE, IN THE WARSAW GHETTO
UPRISING, WOMEN SMUGGLED WEAPONS
AND SUPPLIES TO THEIR FELLOW
FIGHTERS AND ACTED AS COURIERS
BETWEEN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE
RESISTANCE. WOMEN PLAYED AN
ESSENTIAL ROLE IN SAVING LIVES
DURING THE HOLOCAUST. WOMEN LIKE
THE UKRAINIAN MAID LUDWIKA
PIMCO'S AND THE BERLIN HOUSEWIFE
JOHANNA EC, HID JEWS AND OTHERS
PERSECUTED INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR
HOMES, OFTEN AT GREAT PERSONAL
RISK. KAROLINA JASKOWSKI, A
POLISH WOMAN, WAS EXECUTED FOR
HIDING TWO JEWS IN HER HOME.
SOME WOMEN, SUCH AS IRENA
SENDLER, SMUGGLED CHILDREN OUT
OF THE GHETTOS AND CONCENTRATION
CAMPS, AND PLACED THEM IN
NON-JEWISH FAMILIES, SAVING THEM
FROM CERTAIN DEATH. MOREOVER,
WOMEN IN CONCENTRATION CAMPS
DEMONSTRATED REMARKABLE
RESILIENCE AND STRENGTH DESPITE
FACING STARVATION, DISEASE, AND
BRUTAL PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL
ABUSE. MANY WOMEN SUPPORTED EACH
OTHER AND FORMED NETWORKS OF
MUTUAL AID. FOR INSTANCE, WOMEN
SHARED FOOD AND MEDICAL
SUPPLIES, AND SOME EVEN RISKED
PUNISHMENT TO PROVIDE EDUCATION
AND ENTERTAINMENT FOR CHILDREN
IN THE CAMPS. WOMEN IN THE
HOLOCAUST ALSO FACED FORMS OF
PERSECUTION, INCLUDING SEXUAL
VIOLENCE, MEDICAL
EXPERIMENTATION, AND FORCED
STERILIZATION. DURING
DEPORTATION OPERATIONS, PREGNANT
WOMEN AND MOTHERS OF SMALL
CHILDREN WERE LABELED INCAPABLE
OF WORK AND WERE SENT TO KILLING
CENTERS WHERE THEY WERE OFTEN
THE FIRST GROUP TO BE SENT TO
THE GAS CHAMBERS. DESPITE THESE
ATROCITIES, MANY WOMEN REFUSED
TO BE BROKEN BY THE REGIME AND
INSTEAD FOUND WAYS TO RESIST AND
SUPPORT EACH OTHER. OVERALL,
WOMEN IN THE HOLOCAUST
DEMONSTRATED INCREDIBLE COURAGE
AND STRENGTH, BOTH IN THEIR
RESISTANCE AGAINST THE AND IN
THEIR SUPPORT FOR THOSE WHO WERE
PERSECUTED. THEIR STORIES SERVE
AS A POWERFUL REMINDER OF THE
HUMAN CAPACITY FOR RESILIENCE
AND COMPASSION, EVEN IN THE
DARKEST OF TIMES. TODAY MY
HONOREE, GITTA RYLE, WHO IS HERE
AT THE CAPITOL TODAY, SHE WAS
JUST SIX YEARS OLD WHEN HER
MOTHER SENT HER AND HER SISTER
AWAY FROM THEIR HOME IN AUSTRIA
TO LIVE IN FRANCE, GET HIS
FATHER WAS MURDERED BY THE IN
AUSCHWITZ, BUT SHE AND HER
SISTER AND HER MOTHER SURVIVED
TO THE END OF THE WAR. THEY
ARRIVED IN THE UNITED STATES ON
ARMISTICE DAY, NOVEMBER 11TH,
1946. DESPITE THE HORRORS THAT
GITTA AND HER FAMILY ENDURED,
SHE HAS USED HER EXPERIENCES TO
TEACH OTHERS COMPASSION AND
PERSEVERANCE. I'M SO GRATEFUL
THAT SHE HAS CHOSEN TO SHARE HER
STORY WITH SO MANY IN MY
COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH
SPEAKING AT LOCAL SCHOOLS,
JUVENILE CENTERS AND ROTARY
CLUBS, OR BY BEING HERE TODAY, I
HAD THE HONOR OF ATTENDING ONE
OF GITA'S TALKS AND I WAS SO
INSPIRED OF HER LIFE AS A YOUNG
GIRL LIVING THROUGH THE
HOLOCAUST. SHE WAS CONFUSED AND
TRAUMATIZED, LIKE WHY WAS HER
FAMILY BEING TORN APART AND WHY
WAS SHE REQUIRED TO MOVE? SHE
SPOKE ABOUT SIMPLY EXISTING FOR
THE FIRST 50 YEARS OF HER LIFE,
AND NOW SHE IS LIVING. SHE
CHALLENGES ALL OF US TO SHARE
HER STORY THAT THE HOLOCAUST
HAPPENED. AND WITH YOUR
PERMISSION, I'D LIKE TO SHOW A
PROP WITHOUT OBJECTION. THIS IS
GITA'S PASSPORT. YOU OPEN IT UP.
THERE'S A RED JAY ON IT TO
DESIGNATE THAT SHE IS JEWISH.
AND THIS BEAUTIFUL, INNOCENT
PHOTO OF SIX YEAR OLD GITA, WHO
LIVED THROUGH THESE HORRIFIC
EVENTS. AT 92 YEARS OLD, GITA
LIVES HER SANTA CRUZ LIFE TO ITS
FULLEST AND FOCUSES ON GOOD NEWS
AND LOVING ONESELF. SHE SAYS
ANGER IS A DISEASE AND REMINDS
US THAT WE CAN ONLY CHANGE
OURSELVES IF I MAY, MR. SPEAKER,
ALSO USE A PROP AND READ FROM
THIS INCREDIBLE BOOK WRITTEN BY
ISRAELI BORN ARTIST AND AUTHOR
MAIRA KALMAN. WITHOUT OBJECTION,
THIS BOOK IS A BEAUTIFUL,
SIMPLE, YET PROFOUND PAGE TURNER
OF BEAUTIFUL IMAGES OF WOMEN
HOLDING THINGS. ON ONE PAGE, THE
ILLUSTRATOR HAS HER MOTHER
GATHERED IN A HOME IN A VILLAGE
IN 1931, AND KARMA WRITES ABOUT
THE FAMILY MEMBERS. THEY ALSO
LOVED HOLDING THINGS BEFORE HALF
OF THEM PERISHED IN AUSCHWITZ
AND ON THE BACK COVER, IT TRULY
TOUCHED MY SOUL AND IT SUMS UP
THE ROLE WOMEN PLAYED IN THE
HOLOCAUST AND THE ROLE THAT
WOMEN PLAYED TODAY. WHAT DO
WOMEN HOLD? THE HOME AND THE
FAMILY AND THE CHILDREN AND THE
FOOD, THE FRIENDSHIPS, THE WORK,
THE WORK OF THE WORLD AND THE
WORK OF BEING HUMAN? THE
MEMORIES AND THE TROUBLES AND
THE SORROWS AND THE TRIUMPHS AND
THE LOVE. I THANK MY COLLEAGUE
FROM SAN FERNANDO FOR HIS
LEADERSHIP AS CHAIR OF OUR
JEWISH CAUCUS, AND I ASK YOU ALL
TO JOIN ME IN SUPPORTING ACR
176. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR.
PATTERSON. YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
MEMBERS, I, I, I RISE AS A
CHRISTIAN MAN AND I RISE TO
REMIND THIS BODY OF THE
COUNTLESS NUMBERS OF CHRISTIANS
WHO RISKED THEIR OWN LIVES, AND
MANY OF THEM DIED IN THE VERY
CONCENTRATION CAMPS THAT THEY
WERE HIDING JEWS FROM BEING
TAKEN. ONE IN PARTICULAR, A
FAMILY THAT WAS HIGHLIGHTED IN
THE BOOK THE HIDING PLACE AND
ALSO IN THE MOVIE, WAS THE TEN
BOOM FAMILY, AND THEY HID JEWS
IN THEIR HOME, KNOWING THAT THEY
COULD BE CAUGHT AND HAULED OFF
TO THE VERY CONCENTRATION CAMPS.
AND YET THEY BELIEVED THAT IT
WAS THEIR GOD GIVEN
RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE THE RISK
AND TO DO A DANGEROUS THING. AND
IN THE BOOK WE FIND THAT THE
BROKE DOWN THE DOORS OF THE
TENBOOM HOME. THEY HAULED AWAY
THE JEWS HIDING THERE, AND THEY
HAULED AWAY THE TEN BOOMS. AND
IN THE BOOK THERE IS THIS
MAGNIFICENT SCENE WHERE CORRIE
TEN BOOM IS WITH HER SISTER IN
AUSCHWITZ AND HER SISTER IS
DYING. EVENTUALLY CORRIE WAS
KILLED AS WELL. AND THERE IS A
LINE IN THIS BOOK THAT I THINK
IS PROBABLY APT FOR A TIME WHEN
WE SEE THE HORROR OF
ANTI-SEMITISM RAISING ITS UGLY
HEAD AGAIN. AND IT WAS THIS.
CORRIE WAS KNEELING OVER HER
SISTER, PASSING, AND SHE
WHISPERED IN HER EAR, THERE IS.
NO PIT. SO DEEP THAT GOD'S LOVE
IS NOT DEEPER STILL. SO IN THE
SPIRIT OF THE TEN BOOMS AND SO
MANY CHRISTIAN PEOPLE WHO SAVED
JEWS AND MANY WHO PERISHED, WE
ARE COMMITTING OURSELVES AS
CHRISTIAN PEOPLE TO STAND WITH
ISRAEL AND TO SPEAK AND TO ACT
AND TO REMEMBER. AS MANY OF YOU
KNOW, I'M KIND OF A JUNIOR GRADE
HISTORIAN. IF YOU'VE SEEN MY
OFFICE, YOU'VE SEEN A PORTION OF
MY HISTORY LIBRARY. AND TO SEE
THE EVIL OF THEN SHOWING UP ON
OUR CAMPUSES TODAY. HèA AND
SEEING ON SOME OF OUR MOST
NOTORIOUS UNIVERSITIES. THE
PHRASE THE FINAL SOLUTION. THIS
IS A TIME FOR EVERYONE OAN,
INCLUDING CHRISTIAN BROTHERS AND
SISTERS OF OUR JEWISH FRIENDS,
TO REMIND OURSELVES THAT THERE
WAS A TIME WHEN WE STOOD UP FOR
THEM, EVEN WHEN THE DANGER WAS
OUR OWN. AND LET'S STAND UP FOR
THEM AGAIN. EVEN IF THE DANGER
COMES OUR WAY. THAT'S WHAT GOD'S
PEOPLE DO IN TIMES WHEN WE HAVE
TO STAND EVEN AT THE RISK OF
PERSONAL ATTACK, THERE IS NO PIT
SO DEEP THAT GOD'S LOVE IS NOT
DEEPER STILL. I JOIN WITH OUR
JEWISH FRIENDS AND THOSE WHO ARE
HERE IN THE BUILDING. TO SAY THE
HORROR OF THAT TIME IS RAISING
ITS UGLY HEAD TODAY. AND SO THE
HEROES OF THAT TIME CHRISTIANS,
JEWS AND NONBELIEVERS, OTHERS
NEED TO RISE UP AND BE HEROES
FOR THIS MOMENT IN TIME. AND
WITH THAT, I'M ASKING YOU TO
JOIN NOT ONLY IN COMMEMORATING,
BUT ALSO IN REMEMBERING AND
THINKING ABOUT THOSE. WHO STOOD
IN THE WAY OF THE AS LONG AS
THEY COULD, RISKING THEMSELVES,
HIDING PEOPLE THEY CARED ABOUT,
NEIGHBORS THEY CARED ABOUT IN
THEIR OWN HOMES. THE MARCH OF
THAT EVIL IS COMING BACK AGAIN.
IT IS RISING. BUT WHEN EVIL
RISES, GOD'S PEOPLE MUST RISE
ABOVE IT AND BEYOND IT. AND SO
LET'S TAKE OUR WITNESS OF GOD'S
LOVE IN THE DEEPEST OF PITS IS
DEEPER THAN THAT PIT. AND THAT
WE CAN, THROUGH HIS GOODNESS AND
GRACE, SURVIVE IT, FLOURISH IN
IT, PUT OUR ARMS AROUND OUR
BROTHERS AND SISTERS. THE TIMES
ARE CALLING US AGAIN TO BE THE
PEOPLE OF THAT AGE. THE
BELIEVERS IN THE 1930S AND THE
1940S. THANK YOU, MR. PATTERSON,
WHO PUT THEMSELVES AT RISK AND
MANY DIED TO TRY AND SAVE THOSE.
THEY CARED ABOUT. WE MUST RISE
TO THAT CALLING AS WELL. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, MR. PATTERSON.
WE CALLED THOSE INDIVIDUALS THE
RIGHTEOUS AMONG NATIONS. THANK
YOU FOR BRINGING THEM INTO THE
ROOM. MR. BRYAN. YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MADAM
SPEAKER, AND COLLEAGUES. I RISE
THIS YOM HASHOAH IN SUPPORT OF
ACR 176. I'VE BEEN THINKING FOR
DAYS THAT A LOT OF THE STRUGGLES
THAT MANY FOLKS HAVE IS A LACK
OF SEEING THEMSELVES IN OTHER
PEOPLE. SO I WANT TO THANK MY
COLLEAGUES IN THE JEWISH CAUCUS
FOR THESE PHOTOS. ON EACH OF OUR
DESKS. I FOUND OUT TODAY THAT
EDITH, FRANK AND I HAVE THE SAME
BIRTHDAY, AND I IMAGINE THAT
COINCIDENCE IS NOT JUST ON MY
DESK. IT'S THAT HUMANITY THAT I
THINK GROUNDS US. I'VE KNOWN FOR
A COUPLE OF WEEKS I WAS GOING TO
SPEAK ON THIS DAY, AND I'VE
THOUGHT OVER AND OVER AGAIN
ABOUT WHAT I SHOULD SAY, WHAT I
NEED TO SAY. WHAT IS MY
COLLEAGUE FROM MENLO PARK NEED
ME TO SAY? WHAT IS MY COLLEAGUE
FROM LONG BEACH NEED TO HEAR
FROM ME AND THE BLACK CAUCUS.
AND I'VE JUST DONE A LOT OF
THINKING. I THINK ABOUT THE
CONDITIONS IN GERMANY THAT
ALLOWED FOR A TYRANNICAL
DICTATOR TO ARISE TO POWER. I
THINK ABOUT THE WAY THAT POWER
WAS USED WITH THE CONSENT OF THE
GOVERNED AND THOSE IN GOVERNING
INSTITUTIONS, TO CREATE A LOWER
CASTE. I THINK ABOUT ALL OF THE
LAWS THAT WERE MENTIONED BY MY
COLLEAGUE IN THE BAY AREA, THE
NUREMBERG LAWS THAT WERE BASED
OFF OF JIM CROW LAWS HERE IN THE
STATES. PREVENTION FROM
ACCESSING HIGHER EDUCATION, A
DENIAL AND ERASURE OF
CITIZENSHIP. THE INABILITY TO
OWN BUSINESSES. THE INABILITY TO
INTERRACIALLY MARRIAGE TO MARRY
WHO YOU LOVE. THE CREATION OF A
RACIAL IDENTITY. FOR THE
PURPOSES OF ENFORCING THIS NEW
CASTE SYSTEM. YOU WERE JEWISH.
IF THREE OF YOUR GRANDPARENTS
WERE JEWISH. VERY MUCH LIKE OUR
ONE DROP RULE FOR DESCENDANTS OF
SLAVES HERE IN THIS COUNTRY. I
ALSO THOUGHT A LOT THIS WEEKEND
ABOUT RESISTANCE AND THE WARSAW
UPRISING, AND HOW THAT WAS
SNUFFED OUT BY SS OFFICERS WHO
WENT BLOCK BY BLOCK, KILLING
JEWS INDISCRIMINATELY. I THINK
ABOUT THE CLANDESTINE ACTS OF
DISOBEDIENCE WHERE FOLKS
PRACTICED THE HIGH HOLIDAYS IN
SECRET AND CONTINUED TO BE PROUD
AND JEWISH, UNDER THREAT AND
UNDER FEAR, BUT STILL AN ACT OF
PROTEST AND DISOBEDIENCE
NONETHELESS. AND I THINK OF THE
ALLIES, THE FOLKS WHO CREATED
DOCUMENTS THAT ALLOWED FOR THEIR
JEWISH BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO
SMUGGLE HERE TO THE STATES AND
TO OTHER PLACES SEEKING REFUGE
AROUND THE WORLD. I THINK OF THE
FOLKS WHO HID FAMILIES AND
TUNNELS AND UNDER FLOORBOARDS,
WHO RISKED THEIR OWN LIFE FOR
THE LIVES OF OTHERS. AND IN
THINKING ABOUT ALL OF THOSE
THINGS, I STILL COULDN'T COME UP
WITH PERFECT ANSWERS. BUT I KNOW
A FEW THINGS I KNOW THAT THE
HOLOCAUST IS NOT A MYTH. IT'S
ABSOLUTELY NOT A MYTH. IT IS A
MOMENT IN HISTORY THAT CAN AND
MUST NEVER BE, CANNOT EVER BE
FORGOTTEN BY ANYBODY. I ALSO
KNOW THAT MY PURSUIT OF JUSTICE
AND FAIRNESS AND EQUALITY ARE
NOT AT ALL IN CONFLICT WITH
LOVING MY JEWISH BROTHERS AND
SISTERS AND STANDING IN
SOLIDARITY AND CALLING OUT HATE
WHEN WE SEE IT. I THINK HERE IN
CALIFORNIA WE HAVE CREATED A
SPECIAL PLACE FOR ALL PEOPLE,
FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS, ALL AROUND
THE WORLD TO LIVE AND THRIVE AND
TO LOVE AND TO SEE ONE ANOTHER.
AND I THINK IN THIS BODY, WE
HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY. K¾T, LIKE
OUR COLLEAGUE FROM ENCINO
MENTIONED TODAY, IS NOT JUST A
DAY OF REMEMBRANCE. IT'S A DAY
OF ACTION. AND THAT ACTION IS TO
SEE ONE ANOTHER AS THE JEWISH
CAUCUS HAS REMINDED US, PUTTING
THESE PICTURES ON OUR DESK AND
THAT ACTION IS TO MOVE WITH LOVE
AND COMPASSION. AND IN
SOLIDARITY. AND WITH THAT, ON
BEHALF OF THE BLACK CAUCUS, I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU, MR. BRYANT. MR.
MURATSUCHI, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WANT TO
THANK MY GOOD FRIEND FROM THE
SAN FERNANDO VALLEY FOR MAKING
SURE THAT WE ALWAYS REMEMBER AND
THAT WE NEVER FORGET. YOU KNOW,
THOSE OF US IN THE ASIAN
AMERICAN COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, WE
ALWAYS KNOW THAT WHEN THERE WAS
A DRAMATIC RISE IN ANTI-ASIAN
HATE DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE
JEWISH COMMUNITY WAS ONE OF THE
FIRST TO COME TO OUR SUPPORT
BECAUSE AS OUR FRIEND FROM THE
SAN FERNANDO VALLEY TALKED ABOUT
THE COLLECTIVE TRAUMA OF THE
HOLOCAUST WILL ALWAYS. REMIND
ALL JEWS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF
STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH
THOSE WHO ARE BEING PERSECUTED,
AND. AND AS WE ALL KNOW, I MEAN,
THIS THESE ARE SUCH PAINFULLY
DIFFICULT TIMES. NOW AND, YOU
KNOW, I WAS REMINDED OF THAT
WHEN I WAS TALKING WITH. ONE OF
OUR JEWISH FRIENDS AND THIS
CAPITAL COMMUNITY THIS MORNING.
AND I ASKED HIM ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
WHAT HE THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT'S
HAPPENING AT UCLA. AND HE, YOU
KNOW, I THOUGHT IT WAS A SIMPLE
QUESTION, BUT HE JUST LIKE,
FROZE AND, AND JUST LET OUT A
HUGE SIGH AND ALL HE COULD
MANAGE TO SAY IS IT'S
COMPLICATED. AND TO ME, YOU
KNOW, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY AS I
JUST CAME TO THIS FLOOR FROM A
MEETING WITH OUR MUSLIM BROTHERS
AND SISTERS WHO ARE HERE TO
VISIT US IN THE CAPITOL TO COME
TO THIS HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE
DAY. YOU KNOW, AS I STOOD IN
SOLIDARITY WITH OUR MUSLIM
BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO CONDEMN
THE HATE BEING DIRECTED AGAINST
THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY. AND I'M
STANDING HERE TO STAND IN
SOLIDARITY WITH OUR JEWISH
FRIENDS, IN SOLIDARITY, TO
CONDEMN ANTI SEMITISM. WE KNOW
THAT THE COMMON, THE COMMON
FIGHT THAT BRINGS US ALL
TOGETHER IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
CONDEMN HATE AGAINST ANYONE, ONE
AT ANY TIME. AS WE STRUGGLE TO
LIVE IN THIS TIME. I WANTED TO
ACKNOWLEDGE I WANTED TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE KNEW AND THAT WE
ALWAYS KEPT IN MIND HOW
PAINFULLY DIFFICULT THIS IS.
THIS PERIOD, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR
JEWISH BROTHERS AND SISTERS. AND
SO I, ON BEHALF OF THE AAPI
CAUCUS, I WANTED TO RISE TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE SAY, WE HEAR YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU,
MR. MAYOR. TSUCHI. MR. ZABAR,
YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. MADAM CHAIR,
TODAY I RISE ON BEHALF OF THE
LATINO CAUCUS AND AS AN
AFFILIATE MEMBER OF THE JEWISH
CAUCUS IN SUPPORT OF ACR 176, IN
THE MEMORY OF ROSE ORENSTEIN
TOREN. ROSE WAS BORN AND RAISED
IN A TRADITIONAL FAMILY IN A
SMALL VILLAGE, IN THE SOUTHERN
PART OF POLAND. WHEN SHE WHEN
SHE WAS 18, SHE WAS 18. WHEN THE
WAR BEGAN, AND IN 1939, THE
GERMANS CAME IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE NIGHT AND ROUNDED UP HER
FAMILY. SHE AND HER SISTER EDDA
EACH FLED. THEIR FATHER, BROTHER
AND ANOTHER SISTER WERE EXECUTED
IN A FIELD NEAR THEIR HOME.
THEIR MOTHER WAS SENT TO
TREBLINKA, WHERE SHE WAS
MURDERED. ROSE NEVER LEARNED OF
THE FATE OF HER YOUNGER SISTER
EDDA. WITH THE HELP OF A
NON-JEWISH FAMILY WHO HAD HELD
ON TO THEIR HUMANITY, ROSE WAS
GIVEN FALSE DOCUMENTS AND PASSED
AS A DISPLACED POLISH CHRISTIAN.
ROSE HID IN THE OPEN FOR FOUR
YEARS, FORCED TO DENY HER JEWISH
IDENTITY AND HER FAMILY, SHE WAS
LATER BETRAYED BY A COWORKER WHO
SHE HAD ENTRUSTED WITH THE TRUTH
. SHE WAS THEN SENT TO
AUSCHWITZ. THE AUSCHWITZ
EXTERMINATION CAMP WHERE SHE
SURVIVED FOR TWO YEARS BEFORE
ESCAPING, FLEEING INTO THE
FOREST WHILE ON A DEATH MARCH
JUST DAYS BEFORE THE LIBERATION
OF THE CAMP. AT THE END OF THE
WAR, ROSE CAME TO THE UNITED
STATES, MARRIED AND SETTLED DOWN
IN BEVERLY HILLS, AND LATER
WROTE TWO BOOKS ABOUT AFTER
ABOUT HER LIFE. AFTER HER ESCAPE
FROM THE CONCENTRATION CAMP.
ROSE IS SURVIVED BY HER
DAUGHTER, THREE TIME BEVERLY
HILLS MAYOR LILY BOSSY, WHO IS
HERE WITH US TODAY, AS WELL AS
HER HUSBAND JOHN AND THEIR TWO
SONS. LILY HAS MADE IT HER
MISSION NOT JUST TO TELL THE
STORIES OF THE 6 MILLION JEWS
WHO WERE MURDERED IN THE
HOLOCAUST, BUT OF THOSE WHO
SURVIVED AS WELL, INCLUDING HER
OWN MOTHER. WE ARE LIVING IN A
TIME WHEN OUR COMMITMENT TO
THOSE WHO SURVIVED AND WERE
MURDERED IN THE HOLOCAUST, OUR
COMMITMENTS TO THE JEWISH
COMMUNITY ARE BEING TESTED. I
THINK ABOUT ROSE WHEN I SEE
STATISTICS THAT JEWISH HATE IS
ON THE RISE IN OUR COMMUNITIES,
AND THAT ANTI-SEMITIC HATE
INCIDENTS ARE MORE COMMON THAN
ANY OTHER. I THINK ABOUT ROSE,
WHEN JEWISH HOMES AND JEWISH
OWNED BUSINESSES IN MY DISTRICT
HAVE BEEN TARGETED WITH
ANTI-SEMITIC GRAFFITI, I THINK
OF ROSE WHEN I HEAR FROM JEWISH
YOUNG PEOPLE THAT THEY FEEL MORE
AND MORE UNSAFE ABOUT BEING OPEN
ABOUT THEIR JEWISH IDENTITIES,
AS I CAN IMAGINE HOW HORRIFIED
ROSE WOULD BE TO KNOW THAT THE
SLOGAN JEWS SHOULD GO BACK TO
POLAND HAS BECOME ACCEPTABLE ON
AMERICAN COLLEGE CAMPUSES,
INCLUDING AT UCLA. IN MY
DISTRICT. IN THESE TIMES, WE'RE
BEING TESTED. WE'RE BEING CALLED
UPON TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE
PROMISES WE MADE TO NEVER FORGET
THAT THE PROMISE OF NEVER AGAIN
IS NOT EMPTY RHETORIC. AS MAYOR
LILY BASI HAS SAID MANY TIMES IN
THE PAST FEW MONTHS, NEVER AGAIN
IS RIGHT NOW IN THE MEMORY OF
HER MOTHER, RUTH ROSE ORENSTEIN
TOREN AND ON BEHALF OF THE
LATINO CAUCUS, I RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR YOUR AYE VOTE ON ACR
176. THANK YOU, MR. ZEBRA. MR.
GALLAGHER, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER AND
MEMBERS. IT'S AN HONOR TO RISE
IN SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION.
AND, THIS MORNING, I'M. I'M
THINKING ON WHEN I WAS A YOUNG
MAN IN COLLEGE AND HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND TOUR THE
HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL IN
WASHINGTON, DC. AND, ONE OF THE
IMAGES THAT STILL STICKS WITH ME
FROM WHEN I WENT TO THE MUSEUM
IS AT ONE POINT YOU'RE BROUGHT
TO A PLACE WHERE THERE ARE ALL
THE SHOES OF VICTIMS. THERE'S A
LOT OF LITTLE SHOES. MEN AND
WOMEN AND CHILDREN. WHO WERE
EXTERMINATED? MILLIONS. AND
THOSE SHOES WERE WHAT WAS LEFT.
I REMEMBER THAT IMAGE REALLY
STUCK WITH ME. AND I REMEMBER,
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE MOST
TREASURED POSSESSIONS THAT I
HAVE. AND I HAVE IT IN MY OFFICE
IS THIS POLISHED STONE THAT I
GOT FROM THE MUSEUM THAT DAY.
AND I KEEP IT IN MY OFFICE. AND
IT SAYS SIMPLY, REMEMBER. AND I
COMMITTED MYSELF ON THAT DAY
THAT I WOULD ALWAYS REMEMBER. IT
WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY MUCH
A PART OF, YOU KNOW WHO I AM.
AND I'VE CARRIED THAT, I THINK,
ALL THE WAY THROUGH THESE, YOU
KNOW, TWO DECADES LATER, NEVER
THINKING THAT WE WOULD HAVE THIS
MOMENT IN TIME RIGHT NOW, WHERE
ANTI-SEMITISM IS CLEARLY REARING
ITS UGLY HEAD ONCE AGAIN. AND SO
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I
LEARNED IS THAT ANTI-SEMITISM
CAN COME IN A VERY SUBTLE WAY,
AND WE LEARN THAT FROM HISTORY,
SUBTLE AT FIRST, AND THEN WORK
ITS WAY THROUGH SOCIETY UNTIL IT
BECOMES ORDINARY. AND STATUS QUO
. OR AS HANNAH ARENDT WOULD CALL
IT LATER, THE BANALITY OF EVIL,
TO A POINT WHERE ORDINARY PEOPLE
WOULD DO HORRENDOUS THINGS TO
THEIR FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS. AND
THAT IS WHAT WE STAND AGAINST
TODAY, AND IT'S WHAT WE NEED TO
CONTINUE TO CALL OUT.
UNFORTUNATELY, TODAY PEOPLE
AREN'T BEING VERY SUBTLE.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY BEING VERY
CLEAR ABOUT THEIR INTENTIONS.
HAMAS IS VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT
THEY INTEND. IT'S WRITTEN INTO
THEIR CHARTERS. HEZBOLLAH IS
VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT,
AND IT IS TO DESTROY ISRAEL.
THEY'RE VERY CLEAR IN THEIR
GOALS, AND WE SHOULD BE VERY
CLEAR IN OUR RESOLVE TO STAND
DOWN. THIS EVIL IDEOLOGY. AND
IT'S CLEAR THAT WE HAVE MORE
WORK TO DO. THERE'S A LOT OF
GREAT WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE
OVER MANY YEARS, BUT IT'S CLEAR
THAT WE HAVE MORE WORK TO YOU TO
DO WHEN OUR OWN YOUTH DON'T KNOW
WHAT THE HOLOCAUST IS. WE HAVE
MORE WORK TO DO. WHEN PEOPLE
DON'T UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR A
JEWISH HOMELAND AND DON'T
UNDERSTAND THAT JEWS DIDN'T JUST
SHOW UP IN THE MIDDLE EAST IN
1948, WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT MORE
WORK TO DO WHEN PEOPLE
MISREPRESENT AND DISTORT THE
TERM GENOCIDE. WE HAVE A WHOLE
LOT MORE WORK TO DO. AND SO I
STAND HERE TO SAY THAT I STAND
COMMITTED, TO STAND WITH MY
JEWISH BROTHERS AND SISTERS, TO
CONTINUE THAT WORK, TO STAND
AGAINST THAT EVIL. AND MY
COLLEAGUE IS RIGHT. WE NEED TO
MAKE THE DISTINCTION. AND I
DON'T THINK IT'S THAT HARD TO
MAKE THAT DISTINCTION BETWEEN
PEACEFUL PROTESTS AND EXPRESSION
. AND HATEFUL ACTS, HARASSMENT,
INTIMIDATION AND FORCE. SOME OF
THE THINGS THAT WE ARE SEEING ON
OUR COLLEGE CAMPUSES AND IN OUR
CITY COUNCIL HALLS WERE THE SAME
TROPES THAT WERE SAID BACK THEN
ARE BEING SAID AGAIN TODAY. THEY
NEED TO BE CALLED OUT AND WE
MUST STAND AGAINST THEM. WE CAN
DISAGREE ON GEOPOLITICAL
POLITICS AND STILL BE ABLE TO
UNIVERSALLY CONDEMN OCTOBER 7TH.
THAT'S NOT THAT HARD. SO I STAND
HERE TODAY IN SOLIDARITY, K¾T
AND TO CONTINUE THAT WORK AND TO
REMEMBER AND PUT THAT
REMEMBRANCE INTO ACTION. AND I
LONG FOR THE DAY. I THINK WE ALL
LONG FOR THE DAY IN ZECHARIAH,
WHERE THERE WILL BE PEACE IN
JERUSALEM ONCE AGAIN. WHERE THE
OLD WILL SIT IN THE STREETS, AND
THE YOUNG WILL PLAY IN THOSE
STREETS, AND THERE WILL BE PEACE
, AND THERE WILL BE NATIONS FROM
MANY NATIONS COMING TO THAT HOLY
MOUNTAIN. WE LONG FOR THAT DAY.
AND SO TODAY, MEMBERS, I JOIN
YOU IN SOLIDARITY AND ASKED THAT
WE PASS THIS RESOLUTION. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, MR. GALLAGHER.
MR. LOWENTHAL, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MADAM
SPEAKER, MEMBERS, I RISE IN
SUPPORT OF ECR 176, AND I NEED
TO APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE FOR THE
EMOTION THAT WHEN INEVITABLY
COME IN MY REMARKS, IT'S AN
EMOTIONAL TOPIC. IT'S HEIGHTENED
BY THE EXTRAORDINARY TIMES WE
FIND OURSELVES IN. FOR JEWS, THE
WORLD TODAY ISN'T JUST SURREAL.
IT'S EERILY FAMILIAR. DESPITE
HOW INTENTIONAL WE ARE TO ENSURE
THE PAST IS NEVER REPEATED.
WE'RE CURRENTLY FACED WITH HATE
TOWARD US AT AN EPIC SCALE, AND
SADLY, WE'VE SEEN THIS MOVIE
BEFORE. WE KNOW TOO WELL HOW IT
MAY END. SO TO NO SURPRISE, AS
WE ARE A PEOPLE DEEPLY OBSESSED
WITH SURVIVAL, OUR SENSITIVITY
AROUND SURVIVAL IS FOUNDED, NOT
ONLY IN EMOTION AND GENERATIONAL
TRAUMA, BUT ACTUALLY IN DATA.
WHILE WE ALL CONSIDER JUDAISM TO
BE ONE OF THE FIVE MAJOR
RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD, WE ARE
ACTUALLY ONLY A TINY FRACTION OF
THE WORLD'S POPULATION.
BUDDHISTS OUTNUMBER JEWS 33 TO
1, HINDUS OUTNUMBER JEWS 77 TO
1. MUSLIMS OUTNUMBER JEWS 127 TO
1, AND CHRISTIANS OUTNUMBER JEWS
159 TO 1. AND MOREOVER, WHILE
EACH OF THE OTHER MAJOR
RELIGIONS GREW ROUGHLY FOUR
TIMES SINCE 1933, THE POPULATION
OF JEWS IS LESS THAN IT WAS 90
YEARS AGO. WE HAVE STILL NOT
RECOVERED FROM OUR PRE HOLOCAUST
POPULATION NUMBERS, WITH ONLY 15
MILLION JEWS GLOBALLY. AND WHY?
WHY IS THAT? BECAUSE WE ARE
CONTINUALLY BLAMED THAT, MY
FRIENDS, IS WHAT ANTI-SEMITISM
IS ALL ABOUT. IT'S ABOUT BLAME.
BLAME FOR ECONOMIC DOWNTURN,
BLAME FOR SPREADING DISEASE,
BLAME FOR KILLING CHRIST OR
STARTING WORLD WAR ONE, BLAME
FOR CONTROLLING MEDIA OR
FINANCIAL PARADIGMS. BLAME FOR
MORAL AND SOCIAL DETERIORATION.
BLAME IS WHAT FORCED US TO LIVE
SEGREGATED IN WALLED CITIES,
WITHIN CITIES. THE ORIGIN OF THE
TERM GHETTO BLAME GAVE RISE TO
AND THE THIRD REICH, AND THE
SYSTEMATIC EXTERMINATION OF
JEWS. BLAME HAS DENIED US FROM
PRACTICING OUR RELIGION, OR EVEN
EXILED US FROM DOZENS OF
COUNTRIES SINCE THE HOLOCAUST.
BLAME GIVES OXYGEN TO
ORGANIZATIONS, GOVERNMENTS,
MOVEMENTS THAT TO THIS DAY
OPENLY CALL FOR OUR DESTRUCTION
AND THAT BLAME IS INDEED UNIQUE.
IT TRANSCENDS CULTURES,
BOUNDARIES, AND SOMEHOW NEVER,
EVER DISSIPATES. NOT FOR
DECADES, NOT FOR CENTURIES, BUT
FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. THIS
BLAME NATURALLY PUTS US IN A
DEFENSIVE POSTURE AND SOMEHOW
REQUIRES US TO JUSTIFY OUR
STRENGTH, JUSTIFY OUR
ACHIEVEMENT OR OUR RESILIENCE.
IT'S TIRING. IT'S TIRING FOR US
INDIVIDUALLY, COLLECTIVELY,
HISTORICALLY, AND IN RESPECT TO
THIS UNIQUE PHENOMENON, JEWS CAN
BE DEEPLY OFFENDED AND TRIGGERED
BEYOND MEASURE WHEN ANY
INDIVIDUAL OR ORGANIZATION
COMPARES THE GENOCIDE WE'VE
ENDURED WITH TRAGEDY OF ANY FORM
ELSEWHERE, WHETHER DELIBERATE OR
NOT. BECAUSE OUR PAIN OR
ANYBODY'S PAIN CANNOT BE
NEGOTIATED OR DEBATED. LOSS
CANNOT BE NEGOTIATED OR DEBATED,
GRIEF CANNOT BE NEGOTIATED OR
DEBATED. THE TOTALITY OF THE
SCOPE OF INTENT OF THE. THE GOAL
OF KILLING EVERY LAST JEW, MAN,
WOMAN, AND CHILD THROUGHOUT THE
REACH OF THE EMPIRE USING THE
ADMINISTRATIVE, BUREAUCRATIC AND
TECHNOLOGICAL CAPACITIES OF A
MODERN NATION STATE AND WESTERN
SCIENTIFIC CULTURE DESERVES NO
COMPARISON NOR DOES IT REQUIRE
US TO USE THAT PAIN AS A FORM OF
COMPASSION. YET, REMARKABLY, SO
MANY JEWS DO. COLLEAGUES, MANY
OF YOU REMEMBER ME SPEAKING AT
OUR OBSERVANCE OF YOM HASHOAH
LAST YEAR, AND I SPOKE ON TOPICS
THAT RIGHTFULLY SHOULD MAKE US
ALL VERY UNCOMFORTABLE.
SPECIFICALLY OF THE EXPERIMENTS
THAT WERE CONDUCTED ON US BY THE
, THE LAMPSHADES USED FROM OUR
SKIN, THE GOLD EXTRACTED FROM
OUR TEETH, THE DEHUMANIZATION,
THE TORTURE, MURDER, RAPE ALL
DONE WITH PRECISION, PRECISION,
AND AUDACIOUSLY DOCUMENTED AS IF
HISTORY WOULD REWARD NOT ONLY
THE OUTCOME, BUT THE PROCESS
THAT WOULD RESULT IN OUR
COMPLETE ELIMINATION. I SPOKE OF
THAT NOT ONLY TO EDUCATE, AND
CERTAINLY NOT FOR POLITICS, BUT
FOR STRENGTH, STRENGTH FOR
MYSELF, STRENGTH FOR MY FAMILY,
STRENGTH FOR MY JEWISH
COMMUNITY. STRENGTH AS WE FACE
THE PAST HEAD ON, AND STRENGTH
AS THE ONLY WAY TO SURVIVE IN
THE FUTURE, I NEED STRENGTH AS I
REMIND MYSELF THAT HAD THE BEEN
SUCCESSFUL, I WOULD NOT BE
STANDING HERE BEFORE YOU LOOK
AROUND AT THE JEWISH CAUCUS
MEMBERS IN HERE, NONE OF US
WOULD BE STANDING HERE. WE WOULD
NOT BE HERE. SO DO WE GET
TRIGGERED WHEN SOMEONE TELLS US
TO GO BACK TO POLAND? WHERE WE
WENT FROM 3 MILLION JEWS TO
45,000? YES, WE DO. DO WE GET
EMOTIONAL WHEN WE LEARN THAT
MOST YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE SEEN
HOLOCAUST DENIALISM ONLINE AND
SOCIAL MEDIA? YES WE DO. DO WE
ACTIVATE WHEN SOMEONE SENDS
SWASTIKAS ONLINE TO OUR KIDS TO
REMIND US THAT THEY ARE
VULNERABLE? YES WE DO. DO WE
RESPOND TO SUPPORT AND
UNDERSTANDING BY OTHERS THAT ARE
NOT OF OUR FAITH? LIKE SO MANY
OF YOU IN THE CHAMBER TODAY? YES
WE DO, ON A SCALE THAT I CAN'T
POSSIBLY ARTICULATE IT. WE LIVE
AND TEACH AND PERPETUALLY
REFLECT ON OUR PAST AS A MEANS
TO SURVIVE. WE GAIN STRENGTH ON
DAYS LIKE TODAY, SUPPORTING EACH
OTHER AND FEEDING OFF THE
EMPATHY FROM THE LARGER
COMMUNITY ACROSS GENERATIONALLY.
WE REMAIN STEADFAST IN OUR
PHILOSOPHY OF HEALING THE WORLD,
BUT NEVER AT OUR OWN PERIL.
GIVEN THE REALITY THAT WE FACE,
WE REPEAT THE WORDS OF THOSE
THAT SURVIVED TO STOP THE
SLIPPERY SLOPE OF ANTI-SEMITISM,
SO THAT ONE DAY WE MAY ALSO GROW
THE WAY THAT OTHER PEOPLES HAVE
GROWN. WE SAY TODAY AND EVERY
DAY, NEVER FORGET, NEVER FORGET.
COLLEAGUES, I RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR YOUR AYE VOTE ON ACR 176.
THANK YOU, MR. LOWENTHAL. SEEING
AND HEARING NO FURTHER DEBATE,
ASSEMBLY MEMBER GABRIEL, WOULD
YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? THANK YOU,
MADAM SPEAKER. FIRST, LET ME
THANK EVERYBODY WHO SPOKE TODAY
FOR THEIR BEAUTIFUL AND
HEARTFELT WORDS. I AM DEEPLY
GRATEFUL, AND I KNOW THAT OUR
CAUCUS IS INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL
FOR THE SOLIDARITY THAT YOU HAVE
SHOWN. AND I WANT TO THANK IN
PARTICULAR, OUR SISTER CAUCUSES
FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL ALLYSHIP AS
YOU HAVE OBSERVED THE LAST
SEVERAL MONTHS, HAVE BEEN
INCREDIBLY PAINFUL AND DIFFICULT
FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND YOUR
ALLYSHIP, YOUR SOLIDARITY, YOUR
SENSITIVITY, THE WAY IN WHICH
YOU HAVE CHECKED IN WITH YOUR
JEWISH COLLEAGUES HAS MEANT THE
WORLD TO US, AND I WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT I IMPRESS UPON ALL OF
YOU HOW MUCH THAT HAS MEANT. AND
THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT,
BECAUSE IT DOES MEAN THE WORLD
TO US, AND TO SEE ALL OF OUR
SISTER CAUCUSES RISE TODAY AND
SPEAK SO BEAUTIFULLY AS SO MANY
OF YOU HAVE DONE. IT REALLY,
REALLY DOES GIVE US STRENGTH. I
HAVE HAD THE INCREDIBLE HONOR
AND PRIVILEGE OF VISITING YAD
VASHEM, ISRAEL'S NATIONAL
MEMORIAL TO THE HOLOCAUST, WITH
MANY OF YOU IN THIS ROOM. AND
WHAT IS ALWAYS STRUCK ME ABOUT
THAT MUSEUM IS THAT WHEN YOU
ENTER, IT BEGINS WELL BEFORE THE
HOLOCAUST, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT
THE HOLOCAUST DIDN'T BEGIN WITH
GUNS. IT DIDN'T BEGIN WITH GAS
CHAMBERS. IT BEGAN WITH RHETORIC
. IT BEGAN WITH LANGUAGE. IT
BEGAN WITH DEHUMANIZATION. IT
BEGAN WITH DISCRIMINATORY
POLICIES. THE DISCRIMINATION
THAT WAS AT FIRST SUBTLE AND
THEN MAINSTREAM, ACCEPTED INTO
SOCIETIES. AND I THINK THAT IS
WHY YOU ARE HEARING TODAY THE
CONCERN THAT WE HAVE ABOUT THE
LACK OF AWARENESS FOR YOUNG
PEOPLE ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST,
ABOUT WHAT SEEMS TO BE MORE
BROADER ACCEPTANCE OF SUBTLE
ANTI-SEMITIC, SEMITIC
STEREOTYPES IN AMERICAN SOCIETY,
THAT THOSE ARE THINGS WHICH ARE
SO DEEPLY WORRISOME TO OUR
COMMUNITY. BUT WHAT WE ALSO KNOW
IS THAT IF RHETORIC AND LANGUAGE
AND DEHUMANIZATION CAN FOMENT A
GENOCIDE, CAN CREATE THE
CONDITIONS FOR GENOCIDE, CAN
ALLOW PEOPLE TO WAKE UP ONE DAY
AND BELIEVE THAT IT'S ACCEPTABLE
TO KILL THEIR NEIGHBORS,
ACCEPTABLE TO KILL PEOPLE THAT
THEY HAVE LIVED WITH FOR
HUNDREDS OF YEARS. WE KNOW THAT
LANGUAGE CAN DO THE OPPOSITE,
AND WE KNOW THAT RHETORIC CAN DO
THE OPPOSITE. WE KNOW THAT
PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO STAND
UP AND TELL THE TRUTH ARE
WILLING TO STAND UP AND PUSH
BACK AGAINST HATE, NOT WHEN IT
BECOMES VIOLENT, BUT WELL BEFORE
IT PRECIPITATES VIOLENT, THAT
THAT CAN SAVE LIVES, THAT THAT
CAN CREATE A FAIRER AND MORE
JUST SOCIETY AND ALL OF YOU IN
THIS ROOM ARE INCREDIBLY
FORTUNATE. ALL OF US IN THIS
ROOM ARE INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE TO
BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE CAN
SPEAK AND PEOPLE WILL LISTEN,
WHERE WE CAN TALK TO THE VARIOUS
BEAUTIFUL, DIVERSE COMMUNITIES
THAT MAKE UP THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. AND SO OUR ASK OF
YOU TODAY, WHICH YOU HAVE SO
BEAUTIFULLY DONE IN SUPPORTING
THIS US IN THIS RESOLUTION, IS
TO SPEAK OUT TO TEACH YOUR
COMMUNITY, TO TEACH YOUR
COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT IS A, A, A
COMMUNITY OF FAITH OR NOT, AN
ETHNIC COMMUNITY, A COMMUNITY
THAT IS FORMED BY GEOGRAPHY TO
SPEAK ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST AND TO
SPEAK OUT AGAINST HATE AND
VIOLENCE OF ANY FORM. AND THAT
IS WHY, AS OUR COLLEAGUE FROM
THE SOUTH BAY MENTIONED, THE
JEWISH COMMUNITY FELT A MORAL
IMPERATIVE TO SPEAK OUT WHEN WE
SAW RISING HATE AGAINST THE AAPI
COMMUNITY, NOT AT THE POINT AT
WHICH IT WAS WIDESPREAD
VIOLENCE, BUT WELL BEFORE THAT,
BECAUSE THAT IS A SOLEMN
OBLIGATION THAT WE ALL HAVE TO
EACH OTHER. SO I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR THE INCREDIBLE
SENSITIVITY AND ALLYSHIP THAT SO
MANY OF YOU HAVE SHOWN FOR US,
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR WHAT
I KNOW WILL BE THE SOLIDARITY
THAT YOU WILL SHOW GOING
FORWARD, BECAUSE THE LESSON OF
THIS DAY IS THAT WE ARE ALL IN
THIS FIGHT TOGETHER, AND THE WAY
THAT WE WILL PREVENT ANOTHER
GENOCIDE AGAINST ANY GROUP OF
PEOPLE, THE WAY THAT WE WILL
PREVENT TARGETED VIOLENCE
AGAINST ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE IS
BY ALL OF US, STANDING SHOULDER
TO SHOULDER AND CONDEMNING THAT.
THANK YOU. AND ON BEHALF OF THE
6 MILLION VICTIMS OF THE OF THE
SHOAH, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST
AND I VOTE ON ACR 176. MR.
GABRIEL, WE'D LIKE THE FIRST
ROLL. BE OPEN FOR COAUTHORS.
SPEAKER. THANK YOU, ALL DEBATE
HAVING CEASED, THE CLERK WILL
OPEN THE ROLL FOR COAUTHORS.
THIS IS FOR COAUTHORS ON THE
RESOLUTION. ALL MEMBERS VOTE.
WHO DESIRE TO VOTE. THIS IS. FOR
COAUTHORS ON THE RESOLUTION, ALL
MEMBERS VOTE WHO DESIRE TO VOTE.
CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL AND
TALLY THE VOTE. THERE ARE 75
COAUTHORS ADDED. WITHOUT
OBJECTION, WE'LL TAKE A VOICE
VOTE ON THIS RESOLUTION. ALL
THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ALL
THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. THE AYES
HAVE IT. THE RESOLUTION IS
ADOPTED TO COMMEMORATE HOLOCAUST
REMEMBRANCE DAY. THE LEGISLATIVE
JEWISH CAUCUS HAS INVITED
SURVIVORS AND DESCENDANTS OF
SURVIVORS TO JOIN US ON THE
ASSEMBLY FLOOR. TODAY. WE HONOR
THESE INDIVIDUALS FOR THEIR WORK
TO TEACH THE LESSONS OF THE
HOLOCAUST, UPLIFT UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES, AND WORK TOWARD
SOCIAL JUSTICE FOR EVERY
COMMUNITY. MR. GABRIEL, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED FOR YOUR INTRODUCTORY
REMARKS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
MADAM SPEAKER. AND YES, AS YOU
SO BEAUTIFULLY MENTIONED, THE
JEWISH CAUCUS IN CONDUCTING THIS
CEREMONY, AND WE'RE VERY
FORTUNATE TO HAVE A NUMBER OF
DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE OF
THE JEWISH CAUCUS WITH US TODAY.
WE HAVE ALWAYS WORKED TO CENTER
THE VOICES OF SURVIVORS, AND FOR
MANY YEARS WE WERE ABLE TO BRING
UP SURVIVORS FROM MANY COURSES
FROM MANY CORNERS OF THE STATE.
SO FOLKS CAN MEET WITH THEM
TODAY. UNFORTUNATELY, AS WITH
THE PASSAGE OF TIME THAT IS NO
LONGER POSSIBLE, BUT WE HAVE
BROUGHT UP A FEW SURVIVORS WHO
HAVE BRAVELY, BRAVELY MADE THE
JOURNEY WITH US AND ALSO SOME
DESCENDANTS OF SURVIVORS AND
EDUCATORS WHO ARE WORKING TO
SPREAD AWARENESS OF THE
HOLOCAUST. AND AS YOU WILL SEE,
SO MANY OF THOSE WHO COME FROM
FAMILIES OF SURVIVORS HAVE
DEVOTED THEMSELVES TO SOCIAL
JUSTICE, HAVE DEVOTED THEMSELVES
TO STANDING UP FOR MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITIES. AND WE ARE GRATEFUL
TO HAVE THEM WITH US TODAY. I DO
WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT, MADAM
SPEAKER, JUST TO EXPLAIN TO YOU
A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT YOU
HAVE ON YOUR DESK TODAY. WITHOUT
OBJECTION. SO ONE IS THAT EACH
OF YOU HAS A FRAMED TWEET FROM
THE AUSCHWITZ MEMORIAL. THIS IS
THE OFFICIAL MEMORIAL ASSOCIATED
WITH THE CONCENTRATION CAMP IN
POLAND, WHERE OVER A MILLION,
1.1 MILLION PEOPLE WERE
MURDERED, INCLUDING ABOUT A
MILLION JEWS. AND EVERY DAY THE
MEMORIAL WILL TWEET OUT 5 OR 6
BIOGRAPHIES OF PEOPLE WHO WERE
KILLED THAT DAY. AND SO EACH OF
YOU HAVE A FRAMED TWEET FROM A
VICTIM OF THE HOLOCAUST THAT
SHARES YOUR BIRTHDAY AS A WAY TO
TRY TO MAYBE BRING A LITTLE BIT
OF A PERSONAL CONNECTION TO
THIS. WHEN YOU HEAR THAT 6
MILLION PEOPLE WERE KILLED,
THAT'S AN ABSTRACT THING THAT'S
DIFFICULT TO PROCESS. BUT WE'D
ASK YOU TO TAKE A MOMENT TO
REFLECT, TO LOOK AT THE NAME AND
THE STORY OF THE PERSON WHO
SHARES YOUR BIRTHDAY. I'M
LOOKING AT THE A DUTCH JEWISH
GIRL, FREDERICA, WHO SHARES MY
BIRTHDAY, WHO WAS MURDERED WHEN
SHE WAS FOUR YEARS OLD AND I
CAN'T HAPPEN BUT LOOK AT HER AND
SEE THE FACE OF MY FOUR YEAR OLD
NOAH. AND SO I'D ASK EACH OF YOU
TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND BE
REMINDED OF THOSE WHO WHO WERE
VICTIMS. WE ALSO ARE VERY
FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU A
WONDERFUL BOOK CALLED WHAT ROSA
BROTT TELLS THE STORY OF A YOUNG
WOMAN FROM VIENNA WHOSE FAMILY,
WAS WAS FORCED OUT OF AUSTRIA
UNDER OCCUPATION. AS YOU HEARD,
HAS SOME INTERESTING PARALLELS
TO OUR PRESIDING OFFICER TODAY,
TO THOSE FAMILY OF HER STORY AND
WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE
WITH US AS ONE OF OUR HONOREES,
A REALLY WONDERFUL, PROMINENT
LITERARY AGENT. CHEN ROFÉ, HERE
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA WHO
WAS HELPED, HELPED TO PUT THE
REPRESENT THE ILLUSTRATOR OF
THIS BOOK. AND ALSO JEN'S
FAMILY, THE PICTURES OF HER
FAMILY AND WHO THEY'RE SHE'S A
DESCENDANT OF HOLOCAUST
SURVIVORS, ACTUALLY HELPED TO
INFORM THE ILLUSTRATION OF THIS.
SO THIS IS, AS I HOPE AS YOU
READ THIS, WE'LL KNOW THAT THIS
AND SHARE THIS WITH YOUNG
PEOPLE, WITH PEOPLE IN YOUR
FAMILY. THIS IS THIS IS THE
PERSONAL HISTORY OF MANY PEOPLE
IN OUR COMMUNITY. IT MAY NOT BE
EXACTLY THE HISTORY, BUT THIS IS
THE FAMILY STORY OF MANY OF YOUR
JEWISH CONSTITUENTS, FRIENDS,
RELATIVES, NEIGHBORS, AND OF
PEOPLE, YOUR COLLEAGUES HERE AT
WORK. SO WE'RE WE'RE HONORED TO
BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
AND FINALLY, LET ME JUST SAY A
HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR COLLEAGUE
FROM LONG BEACH ASSEMBLY MEMBER
LOWENTHAL, WHO WAS INSTRUMENTAL
IN ORGANIZING TODAY. AND A HUGE
THANK YOU TO OUR FORMER MEMBERS
OF THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE
JEWISH CAUCUS, SO MANY OF WHOM
TOOK TIME OUT OF THEIR BUSY
SCHEDULES TO JOIN US TODAY. SO
THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER, AND WE
APPRECIATE THIS MOMENT TO
REMEMBER THOSE WHO ARE VICTIMS
OF THE HOLOCAUST. THANK YOU, MR.
GABRIEL, I, AS I SAID, I'M THE
DESCENDANT OF SURVIVORS. TODAY,
I'M WEARING A PIN THAT MY
GRANDMOTHER WAS MY
GRANDMOTHER'S, WHO WHEN YOU READ
THAT STORY, YOU'LL KNOW MUCH OF
WHAT SHE EXPERIENCED ON HER WAY
OUT OF AUSTRIA, I WILL BE
APPOINTING AN ESCORT COMMITTEE
TO BRING OUR HONOREES ON TO THE
FLOOR FOR OUR CEREMONY. MEMBERS
SHOULD RETIRE TO THE REAR OF THE
CHAMBER. AS I CALL YOUR NAME.
ASSEMBLY MEMBERS GABRIEL
LOWENTHAL, PELLERIN WARD
FRIEDMAN, ZABIR AND ADDIS.
ADDITIONALLY, AS YOU HEARD, WE
HAVE MANY FORMER MEMBERS OF THE
LEGISLATIVE JEWISH CAUCUS WITH
US TODAY. THANK YOU ALL FOR
BEING HERE. IT MEANS A LOT, AND
THEY WILL ALSO BE ESCORTING OUR
DISTINGUISHED HONOREES TO THE
FRONT OF THE CHAMBER. I ASK THAT
SPEAKER RIVAS AND LEADER
GALLAGHER MOVED TO THE FRONT
CENTER OF THE AISLE TO RECEIVE
OUR HONOREES.
MEMBERS. IT IS NOW TIME TO
INTRODUCE AND WELCOME OUR 2024
HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE HONOREES.
THE CLERK WILL READ, ESCORTED BY
SOME MEMBER, GABRIEL AND FORMER
SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY JOHN
PEREZ IS JENNIFER RAFEAL.
JENNIFER IS THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF
HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS AND CUBAN
JEWISH REFUGEES. HER
GRANDPARENTS MET AT DISPLACED
PERSONS CAMP IN GERMANY, WHERE
THEY MARRIED AND GAVE BIRTH TO
JENNIFER'S FATHER, LARRY. AS A
LITERARY AGENT FOR AUTHORS AND
ILLUSTRATORS OF CHILDREN'S
LITERATURE, JEN'S CLIENTS
INCLUDE AWARD WINNING AND
BESTSELLING CREATORS SUCH AS THE
ILLUSTRATOR OF WHAT ROSA BROUGHT
, A POWERFUL PICTURE BOOK ABOUT
A YOUNG JEWISH GIRL FLEEING
OCCUPATION. PLEASE WELCOME
JENNIFER
.
ESCORTED BY SENATOR LOWENTHAL
AND FORMER ASSEMBLYMEMBER BONNIE
LOWENTHAL IS PETER LEVI. PETER
SERVES AS THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR
OF THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE,
ORANGE COUNTY, AND LONG BEACH.
HE HAS BEEN DEEPLY INVOLVED IN
INTERFAITH RELATIONS, INCLUDING
FOSTERING JEWISH MUSLIM
RELATIONS THROUGH DIALOG AND
SHARED COMMUNITY PROGRAMING. HE
HAS WORKED TO COMBAT
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST
MARGINALIZED GROUPS, ADVOCATED
FOR GENDER EQUALITY, AND PUSHED
BACK AGAINST THE RISING TIDE OF
DELEGITIMIZATION OF ISRAEL.
PLEASE WELCOME PETER LEVI
.
ESCORTED BY SARAH PELLERIN AND
FORMER ASSEMBLYMEMBER MARC
LEVINE IS GUITAR. REAL GUITAR.
WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD WHEN HER
MOTHER SENT HER AND TEN YEAR OLD
SISTER, RENEE, FROM THEIR HOME
IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA, TO FRANCE TO
HIDE FROM THE. WHAT FOLLOWED WAS
SEVEN YEARS OF SEPARATION, FEAR,
HIDING AND CONSTANTLY HOPING
THEY WOULD NOT BE CAUGHT AND
KILLED. GET. HIS FATHER WAS
KILLED IN AUSCHWITZ. NOW GITTA
TELLS HER STORY AND REFLECTS ON
WHAT IT MEANS IN OUR TIME AND
HOW THERAPY HELPED HER WANT TO
LIVE AND SHED THE ANGER THAT WAS
WEIGHING HER DOWN. SHE RECENTLY
CELEBRATED HER 92ND BIRTHDAY AND
FINDS PURPOSE IN TELLING HER
STORY SO NO ONE CAN DENY
HISTORY. PLEASE WELCOME GUITAR
RILEY
.
ESCORTED BY SOME MEMBER WARD AND
FORMER ASSEMBLYMEMBER MIKE
FEUER. IS MIKE AND MANYA
WALDENFELS. MIKE IS A SECRETARY.
AND MANYA IS THE VICE PRESIDENT
OF THE NEW LIFE CLUB UNDER THE
JEWISH FEDERATION OF SAN DIEGO.
FOUNDED IN 1953, THE NEW LIFE'S
CLUB IS AN ORGANIZATION OF
SURVIVORS OF THE HOLOCAUST. THE
NEW LIFE CLUB'S MONTHLY MEETINGS
INCLUDE SPEAKERS, FILMS, THEATER
AND MUSICAL PERFORMANCES. MIKE
AND MANYA SPEAK AT SCHOOLS
THROUGHOUT SAN DIEGO AND AROUND
THE WORLD TO HELP DRIVE
HOLOCAUST EDUCATION. PLEASE
WELCOME MIKE AND MANYA
WALLENFELS
.
ESCORTED BY SUMMER FRIEDMAN AND
FORMER ASSEMBLYMEMBER BOB
BLOOMFIELD AS CAROLYN SEGAL,
CAROLYN IS THE FOUNDER AND
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF IF YOU
HEARD WHAT I HEARD, A NONPROFIT
DOCUMENTING STORIES OF
GRANDCHILDREN OF HOLOCAUST
SURVIVORS AFTER AN ANTI-SEMITIC
INCIDENT IN LOS ANGELES IN MAY
2020, CAROLYN THOUGHT IF MORE
PEOPLE TODAY HEARD WHAT SHE
HEARD HER WHOLE LIFE, THERE
WOULDN'T BE SUCH HIGH AMOUNTS OF
ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE WORLD.
THERE ARE NOW 47 INTERVIEWS ON
THE ORGANIZATION'S WEBSITE, WITH
MORE ON THE WAY. IF YOU HEARD
WHAT I HEARD HAS AN EXTENSIVE
WAIT LIST OF GRANDCHILDREN OF
HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS WHO ARE
READY TO SHARE THEIR STORIES,
PLEASE WELCOME CAROLYN SEGAL
.
ESCORTED BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S AND
FORMER ASSEMBLYMEMBER ALAN
LOWENTHAL IS LILY BOSS. LILY IS
THE ONLY CHILD OF HOLOCAUST
SURVIVORS WHO MET IN ISRAEL
SHORTLY AFTER WORLD WAR TWO AND
IMMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES.
HER MOSER MOTHER, ROSA, WROTE
TWO BOOKS ABOUT HER EXPERIENCES
AFTER ESCAPING AUSCHWITZ. LILY
IS THE FORMER MAYOR OF BEVERLY
HILLS AND HAS LONG BEEN AN
EDUCATION ADVOCATE. IN 2022, SHE
JOINED MUNICIPAL LEADERS FROM 53
CITIES AND 23 COUNTRIES TO SIGN
A HISTORIC DECLARATION COMMITTED
TO FIGHTING ANTI-SEMITISM IN ALL
OF ITS MANIFESTATIONS VIA
COOPERATIVE EDUCATION, RAISING
AWARENESS AND PROMOTING
INTERFAITH RELATIONS. PLEASE
WELCOME LILY BOSS
.
AND ESCORTED BY A MEMBER, ADIS
AND FORMER ASSEMBLYMEMBER JOSE
MEDINA IS KATE DANIELS. KATE IS
THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF A HOLOCAUST
SURVIVOR. KATE WORK AS AN
EDUCATOR IN PUBLIC SERVANT,
ESPECIALLY IN AREAS OF HUMAN
RIGHTS AND JUSTICE, EQUITY AND
CLIMATE CHANGE IS THE DIRECT
RESULT OF HER FAMILY'S LEGACY.
SHE HAS SPENT A LIFETIME HELPING
COMMUNITIES AT HOME AND ABROAD.
ON MARCH 5TH, SHE WAS ELECTED TO
THE DISTRICT FIVE SEAT ON THE
MONTEREY COUNTY BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS. PLEASE WELCOME KATE
DANIELS
.
ON BEHALF OF CO-CHAIR GABRIEL
AND THE MEMBERS OF THE
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE JEWISH
CAUCUS. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR
WORDS TODAY, YOUR SOLIDARITY,
AND FOR HELPING US OBSERVE
HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY AND
RECOGNIZING THE INSPIRATIONAL
WORK OF THIS YEAR'S HONOREES.
THANK YOU EACH FOR EVERYTHING
YOU DO IN OUR COMMUNITIES TO
HELP EDUCATE ABOUT THIS
ATROCIOUS PART OF OUR HISTORY.
THIS CONCLUDES TODAY'S CEREMONY
.
MEMBERS. WE HAVE ADDITIONAL
BUSINESS BEFORE THE HOUSE. WE
WILL BE MOVING BACK TO ASSEMBLY.
THIRD READING. AND GET YOUR
RESPECTFUL ATTENTION FOR YOUR
COLLEAGUES, MEMBERS.
MEMBERS, WE ARE MOVING TO FILE
ITEM 66. EXCUSE ME. 56 AB 3024
BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER WARD MEMBERS,
YOUR RESPECTFUL ATTENTION TO
ASSEMBLY MEMBER WARD
.
THE CLERK WILL READ ASSEMBLY
BILL 3024 BY SENATOR WARD AND
OTHERS. AN ACT RELATING TO CIVIL
LAW, DECLARING URGENCY THEREOF
TO TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER WARD, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. MEMBERS APPROPRIATE FOR
TODAY. ACCORDING TO THE
ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE, LAST
YEAR HAD THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF
REPORTED HATE INCIDENTS IN THE
UNITED STATES SINCE 1979. THIS
INCLUDES A STAGGERING 38% RISE
IN HATE MOTIVATED PROPAGANDA
EFFORTS, INCLUDING HATE
LITTERING IN THE FORM OF RACIST,
ANTI-SEMITIC AND ANTI-LGBTQ K¾T
FLIERS PLACED DIRECTLY ON A
VICTIM'S PERSONAL PROPERTY WITH
THE INTENT TO MAKE THEM FEAR FOR
THEIR SAFETY. TO ENCOURAGE
NEIGHBORS TO HATE THEIR
NEIGHBOR. AND I, AND TO TELL YOU
I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE. THIS HAS
RAPIDLY BECOME A PREFERRED
TACTIC BY HATE GROUPS BECAUSE IT
IS EFFECTIVE. IT ALLOWS FOR
INCREASED PERSONAL IMPACT, AND
IT EXISTS IN A LEGAL GRAY AREA,
MAKING IT AN EXTREMELY HARD FOR
LAW ENFORCEMENT TO PROSECUTE.
WHILE CALIFORNIA DOES HAVE SOME
OF THE STRONGEST HATE CRIME
STATUTES IN THE COUNTRY, THESE
ACTIVITIES OFTEN DO NOT RISE TO
THE LEVEL OF A HATE CRIME OR
TRIGGER CALIFORNIA'S ANTI-HATE
PROHIBITIONS ON ACTIVITIES SUCH
AS CROSS BURNING. AB 3024, THE
STOP HATE LITTERING ACT WILL
MAKE NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS TO
EXISTING LAW BY STRENGTHENING
THE RALPH CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF
1976 TO ENSURE THAT VICTIMS ARE
PROVIDED ADEQUATE PROTECTIONS
AGAINST HATE LITTERING, AND
CREATES NEW LEGAL TOOLS TO HOLD
OFFENDERS ACCOUNTABLE. THE RALPH
ACT STATES THAT ALL CALIFORNIANS
HAVE A RIGHT TO LIVE FREE FROM
VIOLENCE OR INTIMIDATION, BY
THREAT OF VIOLENCE, AND THIS
BILL CLARIFIES THAT THE
DEFINITION OF INTIMIDATION BY
THREAT OF VIOLENCE UNDER THE
RALPH ACT INCLUDES THE
DISTRIBUTION OF HATEFUL
MATERIALS WITH THE INTENT TO
TERRORIZE. FOR THESE REASONS, I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR AYE
VOTE. SEEING AND HEARING NO
FURTHER DEBATE, WE'LL ASK THE
CLERK TO OPEN. EXCUSE ME, MR.
SALIH, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK
YOU, MR. SPEAKER. WHILE I
APPRECIATE THE INTENT OF THE
BILL, MY CONCERN IS THIS LAW AS
WRITTEN IS TOO BROAD, AND IT
ENCOMPASSES CONSTITUTIONALLY
PROTECTED FREE SPEECH. I WOULD
NOTE HATE SPEECH IS PROTECTED
FREE SPEECH WITHOUT SUCH
PROTECTIONS, WE WOULD NOT HAVE
FREE SPEECH. I WOULD SAY THE
ANTIDOTE TO FREE SPEECH. I'M
SORRY. THE ANTIDOTE TO HATE
SPEECH IS TO ENGAGE IN DEBATE,
PROTEST, QUESTIONING, SILENCE,
OR WALKING AWAY. AND THE FAIR
MARKETPLACE OR FREE MARKETPLACE
OF IDEAS. THE GOVERNMENT CANNOT
WEIGH IN ON THE SCALES AND
REGULATE SPEECH. SO WITHOUT
SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENTS TO THIS
THAT CLARIFY THAT ONLY SPEECH
THAT INCITES IMMINENT LAWLESS
ACTION OR THAT IS CONSTITUTES A
TRUE THREAT, OR OTHERWISE
FIGHTING WORDS, UNLESS IT'S ONE
OF THOSE THREE THINGS, IT CANNOT
BE PROHIBITED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
SO I RESPECT THE AUTHOR AND
WHERE HE'S COMING FROM. BUT AS
WRITTEN, IT'S TOO BROAD. IT'S
UNCONSTITUTIONAL, AND IT WILL
FAIL IN COURT. SO I IMPLORE MY
COLLEAGUES TO UPHOLD THE FIRST
AMENDMENT AND TO VOTE NO ON THIS
BILL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR.
SALIH. MR. WARD, WOULD YOU LIKE
TO CLOSE? YES, THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER, MEMBERS, IF YOU READ
THE TEXT, YOU WOULD NOTICE THAT
THIS LAW SIMPLY UPDATES A 50
YEAR OLD, NEARLY 50 YEAR OLD
CIVIL RIGHTS ACT ALREADY ON OUR
BOOKS HERE TODAY. THE UPDATE
ITSELF IS MEANT TO INCLUDE THE
DEFINITION OF WHAT HATE
LITTERING IS TO INCLUDE, AND
BASICALLY DIRECT IT TO BE
INCLUDED IN THE DEFINITION OF
THE INTIMIDATION, WITH THE
THREAT OF VIOLENCE. AND THAT
VERY NARROW DEFINITION THAT WILL
BE RESPONSIVE TO WHAT WE ARE
SEEING ON OUR STREETS, IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS, THE VERY TARGETED
AND VERY SPECIFIC, ACTIVITY THAT
IS DIRECTED TOWARDS TERRORIZING
MEMBERS BASED ON CERTAIN
PROTECTED CLASSES, FOR THAT, WE
HAVE HAD A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF
LEGAL CONSULT THAT UNDERSTANDS
THAT FREE SPEECH IS AN IMPORTANT
INSTITUTION WITHIN OUR COUNTRY,
BUT IT DOES NOT WHEN IT COMES IN
COMPETITION WITH THE THREAT OF
VIOLENCE OR TERRORIZING SOMEBODY
ELSE'S RIGHT TO BE ABLE TO
EXIST, STAND UP AND IN THE TEST
OF COURTS AS WELL. SO FOR THOSE
REASONS, I ASKED FOR YOUR AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU, MR. WARD. THIS
IS A 54 VOTE BILL. THE CLERK
WILL OPEN THE ROLL. ALL THOSE
VOTE. WHO DESIRE TO VOTE. ALL
THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE TO VOTE.
ALL THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE TO
VOTE. WE'LL CLOSE THE ROLL AND
TALLY THE VOTES. AYES 57. NOES
THREE. MEASURE PASSES ON THE
URGENCY AND AYES 57. NOES THREE
ON THE URGENCY. AYES 57. NOES
THREE ON THE MEASURE. THE
MEASURE PASSES. MOVING TO FILE
ITEM 60 AB 1778 BY MR. CONNOLLY.
THE CLERK WILL READ A SENATE
BILL 1778 BY SOME MEMBER COLONY.
AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL. MR.
CONNOLLY, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MR. EXCUSE ME, MR.
SPEAKER, AND MEMBERS AB 1778
WOULD AUTHORIZE MARIN COUNTY AND
ITS CITIES TO ESTABLISH A
VOLUNTARY PILOT PROGRAM FOR
PROHIBITING INDIVIDUALS UNDER
THE AGE OF 16 FROM OPERATING
CLASS TWO ELECTRIC BICYCLES. IF
AN ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION IS
ADOPTED, THE COUNTY MUST SUBMIT
A REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE BY
JANUARY 1ST, 2028 THAT INCLUDES
TRAFFIC STOP AND CITATION DATA.
THIS BILL IS GROUNDED IN THE
COMMITMENT TO SAFEGUARD OUR
YOUTH FROM POTENTIAL HAZARDS
ASSOCIATED ASSOCIATED WITH THESE
BICYCLES IN OUR COMMUNITIES. WE
BELIEVE THAT SETTING AN AGE
LIMIT FOR OPERATORS AND
COLLECTING MORE DATA ON THIS
ISSUE WILL SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE
CRASHES AND HELP ENSURE THAT OUR
STREETS REMAIN SAFE FOR
EVERYONE. OUR PRIORITY IS TO
STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN
ENCOURAGING THE USE OF
SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION AND
ENSURING THE SAFETY OF OUR
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PARTICULARLY
OUR YOUNG RIDERS. I RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE. SEEING AND
HEARING NO FURTHER DEBATE, THE
CLERK WILL OPEN THE ROLL. ALL
THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE TO VOTE.
ALL THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE TO
VOTE. ALL THOSE VOTE. WHO DESIRE
TO VOTE. CLERK WILL CLOSE THE
ROLL AND TALLY THE VOTES. AYES
64. NØ ZERO. MEASURE PASSES.
MOVING BACK TO GUEST
INTRODUCTIONS. ASSEMBLY MEMBER.
BONTA, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED AND
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. AND
MEMBERS, I AM SO VERY EXCITED TO
WELCOME SOME VERY SPECIAL GUESTS
FROM MY DISTRICT TO THE ASSEMBLY
CHAMBER THIS AFTERNOON. JOINING
US TODAY ARE THE 2024 CALIFORNIA
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
CHAMPIONS, OAKLAND HIGH SCHOOL
AND OAKLAND TECHNICAL HIGH
SCHOOL. ON MARCH 8TH, THE
OAKLAND HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS
BASKETBALL TEAM BEAT MONTGOMERY
OF SAN DIEGO 56 TO 0 WITH THEIR
BEST PERFORMANCE OF THE SEASON,
GO WILDCATS! ON MARCH 9TH, THE
BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM FROM
OAKLAND TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL
BEAT CENTENNIAL OF BAKERSFIELD
79 TO 55. THIS VICTORY IS THE
FIRST STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE
TEAM. GO BULLDOGS! I'M
INCREDIBLY PROUD OF BOTH THE
WILDCATS AND BULLDOGS FOR SUCH
AN AMAZING, HARD WON SEASON. TO
MY COLLEAGUES FROM THE 80TH AND
32ND ASSEMBLY DISTRICT, BETTER
LUCK NEXT TIME. NOW IF YOU ARE
ALL EXPERIENCING A LITTLE DEJA
VU, THIS IS BECAUSE LAST YEAR,
OAKLAND ALSO TOOK HOME THE
CALIFORNIA STATE HIGH SCHOOL
BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP. YES,
YOU HEARD IT. OAKLAND HAS
DOMINATED THE BASKETBALL SCENE
AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL FOR TWO
YEARS IN A ROW. NOW, SEVERAL OF
THE STUDENTS AND ATHLETES WILL
RETURN NEXT SEASON, AND I AM SO
EXCITED TO SEE WHAT YOU ACHIEVE
AS A TEAM NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE
SUPPORTING AND LIFTING UP THE
ACHIEVEMENTS OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN
OAKLAND IS IMPORTANT. I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE COLLEGES
THAT ARE CHAMPION SENIORS WILL
BE ATTENDING IN THE FALL OR HAVE
BEEN ACCEPTED TO UC BERKELEY,
HOWARD UNIVERSITY, NORTHEASTERN
UNIVERSITY WITH A FULL RIDE. UC
SAN DIEGO, UC IRVINE, CSU, CAL
STATE EAST BAY, DRAKE
UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF
MICHIGAN, LOS MEDANOS COMMUNITY
COLLEGE, LOYOLA MARYMOUNT, AND
MANY MORE. CONGRATULATIONS. TO
OUR STUDENT ATHLETES. YOUR
DETERMINATION AND HARD WORK IS
PAYING OFF AND YOU ARE ALL HERE.
HAVE PROVEN YOURSELVES AS
LEADERS BOTH ON AND OFF THE
COURTS. THESE STUDENTS DO THIS
FOR THEIR THEMSELVES, THEIR
TEAMMATES AND THEIR FAMILY
MEMBERS, THEIR FELLOW STUDENTS
FOR THEIR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND
FOR OAKLAND. THEY DO THIS WHILE
THEY HAVE TO ENDURE GUN VIOLENCE
AND COMMUNITY VIOLENCE. THEY DO
THIS WHILE THEY HAVE TO ENDURE
PEOPLE TELLING THEM ALL BEALL
MANY TIMES, MORE OFTEN THAN THEY
SHOULD HEAR IT, THAT THEY ARE
NOT WORTHY. THEY DO THIS ENOUGH
AND SO WELL BECAUSE THEY RISE
DESPITE IT ALL, AND BECAUSE THEY
ARE STRONG AND THEY ARE PROUD,
AND THEY MAKE OAKLAND PROUD OF
WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY ARE
ABLE TO DO. THEY SHOW CALIFORNIA
AND THE COUNTRY WHAT THE TOWN IS
ALL HEART, ALL SPIRIT, ALL
RESILIENCE, ALL LOVE. JOINING US
ON THE FLOOR ARE THEIR COACHES
CAPTAIN AND CO-CAPTAIN FROM
OAKLAND HIGH SCHOOL AND OAKLAND
TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL FROM
OAKLAND HIGH TECHNICAL HIGH
SCHOOL, WE HAVE CORY CARREGA
HEARTS, ZANE MAYER PLETTNER
AHMED GULEID ASHER K KRAMER,
ARDARIUS. GRAYSON SAADIQ
AL-HARBASH FROM OAKLAND HIGH
SCHOOL GIRLS TEAM. WE HAVE NITA
SIMPSON, OJOUGBOH EGONU TALINA
VELASQUEZ, KYLA SMITH, REMEMBER
CHEAT AND DEJA TEAGUE FROM OAK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE REST OF
THE TEAM COACH, PARENTS AND
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS ARE UP IN
THE GALLERY. MEMBERS, PLEASE
JOIN ME IN A ROUSING SUPPORT AND
APPLAUSE FOR THESE BEAUTIFUL
YOUNG PEOPLE. THE CHAMPION TEAMS
OF CALIFORNIA. FOR. OH SO SORRY,
56 TO 50. SORRY SORRY. OKAY. ALL
RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER BONTA
. AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE
AMAZING ATHLETES
.
THANK YOU. MEMBERS. MOVING ON TO
FILE ITEM 63, AB 1842 BY
ASSEMBLY MEMBER REYES. THE CLERK
WILL READ A SENATE BILL 1842 BY
ASSEMBLY MEMBER REYES. AN ACT
RELATING TO HEALTH CARE COVERAGE
. THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. THANK
YOU, MR. SPEAKER. MEMBERS
CALIFORNIA IS DEALING WITH AN
OVERDOSE CRISIS AND TREATMENT
OPTIONS. DO EXIST. AB 1842
PROHIBITS COMMERCIAL HEALTH
INSURERS FROM IMPOSING PRIOR
AUTHORIZATION RULES THAT CREATE
BARRIERS TO ACCESS MEDICATION
ASSISTED TREATMENT, MEDICATIONS
SUCH AS BUPRENORPHINE OR
NALTREXONE CAN SIGNIFICANTLY
IMPROVE TREATMENT FOR MANY
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS BY
TREATING CRAVING AND WITHDRAWAL
SYMPTOMS. HOWEVER, IT IS
UNDERUSED DUE TO PRIOR
AUTHORIZATION REQUIREMENTS,
WHICH CREATE UNNECESSARY
BARRIERS THAT DELAY OR INTERRUPT
ACCESS TO EFFECTIVE TREATMENT.
THIS MEASURE IS URGENTLY NEEDED
TO ADDRESS THE CURRENT OVERDOSE
CRISIS IN OUR STATE. I
RESPECTFULLY ASK YOUR AYE VOTE.
THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
REYES, ASSEMBLY MEMBER WALDEN,
YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU,
MR. SPEAKER, AND MEMBERS LIFE
SAVING MEDICATIONS SHOULD NOT BE
SUBJECTED TO THE BUREAUCRATIC
HURDLES OF PRIOR AUTHORIZATION
OR STEP THERAPY THAT CAN DELAY
ACCESS TO CARE OVERDOSES AND
DRUG ADDICTION ARE CRITICAL
HEALTH ISSUES, WITH ALMOST
11,000 CALIFORNIANS DYING IN
2021 ALONE AS A RESULT OF
PREVENTABLE SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDERS, MAT OR MEDICATION
ASSISTED TREATMENT HAS BEEN
SHOWN TO WORK WELL IN HELPING
PEOPLE AVOID GOING BACK TO
ADDICTION, THÀNH AND OVERDOSING
BY REDUCING THEIR STRONG DESIRE
FOR USING DRUGS. WHEN SOMEONE IS
READY FOR TREATMENT, THE TIME IS
NOW TO GIVE THEM ACCESS TO LIFE
SAVING HELP. I URGE AN AYE VOTE.
THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
WALDEN, ASSEMBLY MEMBER JO
PATTERSON, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. IF
SOMEBODY FINDS HIMSELF IN A
SITUATION IN WHICH THEY NEED
NALOXONE, POTENTIALLY ALMOST
DYING, THEY SHOULD NOT NEED
PRIOR AUTHORIZATION AND
SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WAIT TIME TO
SAVE THEIR LIVES. UNFORTUNATELY,
IN MY OWN FAMILY, FAMILY MEMBER
HAD TO WITNESS THE DEATH OF A
FAMILY. ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER OF
MINE WHO DIDN'T GET PROPER
ACCESS, IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO THIS
TYPE OF TREATMENT. SO WITH THAT,
I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS
MEASURE AND ENCOURAGE AN AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER PATTERSON, WOULD
YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? ASSEMBLY
MEMBER REYES, I RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR YOUR AYE VOTE. SEEING AND
HEARING NO FURTHER DEBATE, THE
CLERK WILL OPEN THE ROLL. ALL
THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE TO VOTE.
ALL THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE TO
VOTE. ALL THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE
TO VOTE. CLERK WILL CLOSE THE
ROLL AND TALLY THE VOTES. AYES
66. NO ZERO. MEASURE PASSES.
MOVING BACK TO GUEST
INTRODUCTIONS. ASSEMBLY MEMBER.
SORIA, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MR. SPEAKER, AND
MEMBERS, TODAY I RISE, TO
INTRODUCE, STUDENTS THAT I HAVE
IN THE GALLERY, THEY ARE THE
GIRLS SOCCER, BOYS BASKETBALL
AND GIRLS BASKETBALL OF
CARRUTHERS HIGH SCHOOL, A SMALL
UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITY IN
FRESNO COUNTY IN MY DISTRICT.
AND SO THEY ARE HERE TODAY VERY
EXCITEDLY. I THINK THEY PACKED
THE ROOM. THERE'S ABOUT 85
STUDENTS, THEY ARE HERE BECAUSE
ALL THREE OF THE TEAMS BECAME
CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS, THE GIRLS
SOCCER TEAM WON THE DIVISION
SIX, A SECTION TITLE. THE BOYS
BASKETBALL TEAM WON THEIR FIRST
CENTRAL SECTION DIVISION SIX
TITLE SINCE 2015. AND THE GIRLS
BASKETBALL BASKETBALL TEAM CAME
OUT ON TOP AND WON IT ALL,
BRINGING HOME THE TROPHY FOR THE
DIVISION THREE STATE TITLE,
THESE THREE WINS ARE A HUGE
ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THE SMALL
COMMUNITY, THAT I REPRESENT IN
THE CENTRAL VALLEY. I WANT TO
GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE
STUDENTS, FOR THEIR GRIT, THEIR
DETERMINATION AND THE TOUGHNESS
THAT THEY SHOWED OUT EITHER ON
THE FIELD OR OUT ON THE COURT,
OBVIOUSLY, IT IS REPRESENTATIVE
OF THE THEIR GREATEST
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WHICH WAS,
BEING CHAMPIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY
AND IN THE STATE. SO I DO WANT
TO THANK, THE HEAD COACHES WHO
ARE ALSO HERE WITH US. JONATHAN
ALLEN, FOR THE GIRLS SOCCER.
ANNA ALMEIDA WITH THE GIRLS
BASKETBALL. JORDAN DANCER WITH
THE BOYS BASKETBALL AND
PRINCIPAL PRINCIPAL BARRY WATTS,
WHO ARE HERE, ALSO VERY PROUD TO
REPRESENT, CARUTHERS AND TO
BRING THE STUDENTS, BECAUSE I
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE
HIGHLIGHT, ESPECIALLY FROM THESE
SMALL RURAL COMMUNITIES, THAT WE
TOO ARE WINNERS. AND SO I WANT
TO CONGRATULATE THEM AND,
ACKNOWLEDGE THEM AND WELCOME
THEM HERE TO SACRAMENTO, TO THE
STATE CAPITAL. AND THEY ARE UP
IN THE GALLERY. FOR YOU. THANK
YOU, ASSEMBLY MEMBER SORIA. AND
WELCOME TO YOUR GUESTS. WELCOME
TO THE CAPITAL. MOVING BACK TO
FILE ITEM ASSEMBLY. THIRD
READING FILE ITEM 60 4AB 2037 BY
MISS PAPPIN. THE CLERK WILL READ
A SENATE BILL 2037 BY SENATOR
PAPPIN AND OTHERS, AND ACT
RELATING TO WEIGHTS AND
MEASUREMENTS. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
PAPPIN YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK
YOU SO MUCH, MR. SPEAKER. I RISE
TO PRESENT AB 2037. THIS BILL IS
ABOUT MAKING SURE YOU GET WHAT
YOU PAY FOR, AND WHAT IT DOES IS
IT ENSURES THAT MUNICIPALLY
OWNED EV CHARGERS ARE REGULATED.
IT WILL GIVE COUNTY SEALERS THE
AUTHORITY TO TEST AND TO VERIFY
YOU MUNICIPALLY OWNED EV
CHARGERS. COUNTY SEALERS ARE
TASKED WITH TESTING AND
VERIFYING COMMERCIAL
MEASUREMENTS, MEASUREMENT
DEVICES AND THINGS LIKE GROCERY
STORE SCALES AND GAS PUMPS.
WELL, THIS MODERNIZES THEIR JOB.
THEY MAKE SURE YOU GET WHAT YOU
PAY FOR. GENERALLY, THEIR
JURISDICTION COVERS PRIVATELY
OWNED EQUIPMENT, BUT THIS BILL
SAYS THAT NO ENTITY IN CHARGE OF
A PUBLICLY OWNED EV CHARGER CAN
OPERATE WITHOUT BEING REGULATED.
TO ENSURE CONFIDENCE,
IMPARTIALITY AND CONSUMER
PROTECTION, IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT
COUNTY SEALERS HAVE CLEAR
AUTHORITY TO TEST AND VERIFY
MUNICIPALLY OWNED EV CHARGERS
WHEN EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS, IT'S
CRITICAL THAT YOU GET WHAT YOU
PAY FOR. RESPECTFULLY REQUEST
AND I VOTE. THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER PAPPIN SEEING AND HEARING
NO FURTHER DEBATE, THE CLERK
WILL OPEN THE ROLL. ALL THOSE
VÚI WHO DESIRE TO VOTE, ALL
THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE TO VOTE,
ALL THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE TO
VOTE. WILL CLOSE THE ROLL AND
TALLY THE VOTES. AYES 63. NO
ZERO. MEASURE PASSES. MOVING TO
FILE ITEM 81 AB 1805 BY ASSEMBLY
MEMBER TO. CLERK WILL READ.
ASSEMBLY BILL 1805 BY SIR MURATA
AND OTHERS. AN ACT RELATING TO
PUPIL INSTRUCTION. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER TO YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. I'M
HONORED TO PRESENT AB 1805 BY
PARTIZAN MEASURE WITH A CARE
DEEPLY ABOUT TO ENSURE
CALIFORNIA'S STUDENTS LEARN THE
TRAILBLAZING CIVIL RIGHTS STORY
OF MENDEZ VERSUS WESTMINSTER IN
1943, THE CHILDREN OF GONZALEZ
AND FACILITATES MENDEZ WERE
DENIED ENTRY INTO THE 17TH
STREET SCHOOL IN WESTMINSTER,
CALIFORNIA, BECAUSE THEY WERE
MEXICAN AMERICAN. THE CHILDREN
WERE TOLD INSTEAD THEY WOULD
HAVE TO ATTEND THE SEGREGATED
MEXICAN ONLY SCHOOL. NINE YEARS
OLD SYLVIA MENDEZ HAD TO WALK
PAST THE WHITE SCHOOL TO THE
SCHOOL FOR MEXICAN CHILDREN.
FURTHER DOWN THE STREET, THE
MENDEZ FAMILY, ALONG WITH OTHER
MEXICAN FAMILIES, SUCCESSFULLY
CHALLENGED THIS. THIS REGULATORY
POLICY IN COURT. IN THE CASE NOW
FAMOUSLY KNOWN AS WESTMINSTER
VERSUS WESTMINSTER, TWO MONTHS
AFTER THE NINTH CIRCUIT COURT
RULED IN FAVOR OF THE FAMILY.
GOVERNOR EARL WARREN SIGNED BILL
THAT MADE CALIFORNIA THE FIRST
STATE TO OUTLAW ALL PUBLIC
SCHOOL SEGREGATION. MENDEZ
VERSUS WESTMINSTER WAS THE FIRST
FEDERAL LAWSUIT TO OPENLY
CHALLENGE SEPARATE BUT EQUAL
SEGREGATION IN K TO 12 SCHOOL.
THIS LANDMARK CASE LED TO
CALIFORNIA BECOMING THE FIRST
STATE TO OUTLAW ALL PUBLIC
SCHOOL SEGREGATION. THE END OF
SEGREGATED SCHOOL FOR MEXICAN
AMERICAN CHILDREN ACROSS THE
AMERICAN SOUTHWEST, AND PAVED
THE WAY FOR NATIONWIDE SCHOOL
DAY SEGREGATION BY SETTING THE
LEGAL AND STRATEGIC PRECEDENT
FOR BROWN VERSUS BOARD OF
EDUCATION. AS A FORMER MAYOR OF
WESTMINSTER, I KNOW THE POWER OF
MENDEZ VERSUS WESTMINSTER CASE.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR CALIFORNIA
STUDENTS TO LEARN THE CIVIL
RIGHTS CHALLENGE FACED BY
MEXICAN AMERICANS IN THIS STATE.
SADLY, MANY CALIFORNIANS DO NOT
KNOW THIS IMPORTANT STORY. AB
1805 WILL ELEVATE THE AWARENESS
OF MENDEZ VERSUS WESTMINSTER BY
REQUIRING THE INSTRUCTIONAL
QUALITY COMMISSION TO CONSIDER,
INCLUDING THE CASE OF MENDEZ
VERSUS WESTMINSTER INTO NEW
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL FOR
CALIFORNIA STUDENTS. THIS
LEGISLATION WILL HELP GET THE
STORY OF MENDEZ VERSUS
WESTMINSTER INTO CALIFORNIA
HISTORY SOCIAL TEXTBOOK, WHERE
IT CAN HAVE THE RECTOR'S ABILITY
TO REACH TEACHERS, STUDENTS AND
CLASSROOMS ACROSS CALIFORNIA.
CALIFORNIA STUDENTS WOULD
BENEFIT FROM LEARNING OF THE
HISTORICAL LINK BETWEEN MENDEZ
VERSUS WESTMINSTER AND BROWN
VERSUS BOARD OF EDUCATION, AND
OF HOW CALIFORNIA LED THE WAY AS
THE FIRST STATE TO OUTLAW ALL
PUBLIC SCHOOL SEGREGATION. THIS
LEGISLATION HAS NO OPPOSITION.
IT'S OPPOSED BY THE CALIFORNIA
HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND
THE CALIFORNIA FEDERATION OF
TEACHERS. THE STATE PTA, VARIOUS
CITY AND SCHOOL DISTRICT FROM
ACROSS THE STATE, AND ENJOYED
SUPPORT FROM A BROAD COALITION
OF COAUTHORS BEFORE. BEFORE I
CONCLUDE, I WANT TO THANK SYLVIA
AND SANDRA MENDEZ, THE DAUGHTERS
OF GONZALO AND FELICITAS MENDEZ,
FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP ON THIS
LEGISLATION. SYLVIA MENDEZ HAS
SPENT YEARS ADVOCATING TO RAISE
AWARENESS OF THE MENDEZ VERSUS
WESTMINSTER CASE, AND WAS
AWARDED THE PRESIDENTIAL AWARD
OF FREEDOM BY PRESIDENT OBAMA
FOR HER WORK. IT HAS BEEN AN
HONOR TO WORK WITH THEM ON AB
1805. LOOK FORWARD TO AB 1805
BECOMING LAW IN CALIFORNIA.
STUDENTS LEARNING THE STORY OF
THE MANDATES FAMILY AND
CALIFORNIA A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE
CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR I
VOTE. THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
TO ASSEMBLY MEMBER BONTA, YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED. GOOD AFTERNOON
MEMBERS. TODAY I RISE IN
SUPPORT. AND AS PRINCIPAL
COAUTHOR OF AB 1805, FIRST, I
WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUE, OUR
ASSEMBLY MEMBER FROM
WESTMINSTER, FOR BRINGING
FORWARD THIS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT PIECE OF LEGISLATION
AND ACTUALLY FOR HAVING THE
MENDEZ FAMILY TESTIFY IN HEARING
ON THIS. THE MENDEZ VERSUS
WESTMINSTER CASE STANDS AS A
LANDMARK IN THE STRUGGLE FOR
EDUCATIONAL EQUALITY AND CIVIL
RIGHTS IN THE UNITED STATES, AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR LATINOS TO BE
ABLE TO LEAD IN THE EDUCATIONAL
SPACE, AS WELL. THROUGH THIS
PIVOTAL LEGAL BATTLE, CALIFORNIA
BECAME THE FIRST STATE TO OUTLAW
ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL SEGREGATION
AND PAVED THE WAY FOR NATIONWIDE
SCHOOL DESEGREGATION BY SETTING
THE LEGAL AND STRATEGIC
PRECEDENT THAT BROWN V BOARD OF
EDUCATION WAS BASED ON. ITS
LEGACY RESONATES BEYOND THE
COURTROOM, INSPIRING GENERATIONS
TO ADVOCATE FOR EQUALITY AND
INCLUSIVITY IN EDUCATION AND
SOCIETY AS A WHOLE. WE MUST
ENSURE THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE
TAUGHT ABOUT MENDEZ VÆ
WESTMINSTER SO THAT THEY CAN
LEARN AND UNDERSTAND THE ONGOING
STRUGGLE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND
THE IMPORTANCE OF CHALLENGING
SYSTEMIC DISCRIMINATION. I
RESPECTFULLY URGE YOUR AYE VOTE.
THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER BONTA
. ASSEMBLY MEMBER WENDY
CARRILLO, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. AND
MEMBERS, I RISE IN STRONG
SUPPORT OF AB 1805. AS A PROUD
COAUTHOR, AND I THANK THE MEMBER
FROM WESTMINSTER FOR INTRODUCING
THIS VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF
POLICY INTO THE LEGISLATURE AND
THE IMPORTANCE OF LEARNING AND
KNOWING ABOUT MENDEZ VERSUS WEST
WESTMINSTER WHEN IT COMES TO
EDUCATION AND WHEN IT COMES TO
THE HISTORY AND STORY OF
CALIFORNIA, IT IS NOT A PARTIZAN
ISSUE. IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE
CAN ALL GET BEHIND TO REALLY
LEARN AND UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE
FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE IN
CALIFORNIA MADE SUCH A
SIGNIFICANT AND IMPORTANT
HISTORY AND CHANGE IN IN OUR
EDUCATION SYSTEM, WHEN WE
CELEBRATED OR COMMEMORATED, I
SHOULD SAY, THE, HR RESOLUTION
68 BY OUR COLLEAGUE FROM REDONDO
BEACH WHEN IT CAME TO JAPANESE
AMERICAN CONCENTRATION CAMPS, I
TALKED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN
WESTMINSTER. AND IN ORDER FOR US
TO RECOGNIZE THE HISTORY BEHIND
WESTMINSTER, THE MENDEZ VERSUS
WESTMINSTER CASE, WE ALSO HAVE
TO UNDERSTAND AND BRING INTO THE
SPACE SIMA MUNEMITSU, MOSAKA
MORIOKA, OTHER CHILDREN, PSYCHO
AND CIRILO, AND THEIR GIRLS
KAZUKO AND AKIKO, WHO WERE THE
JAPANESE FAMILY THAT WERE
REMOVED FROM THEIR FARM AND PUT
IN A CONCENTRATION CAMP, AND IT
WAS THEIR FRIENDS, THE MENDEZ
FAMILY, WHO MOVED INTO
WESTMINSTER TO TAKE CARE OF THAT
FARM AND TAKE CARE OF THE LAND,
AND IT WAS THEIR ABILITY FOR
THEIR CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO GO
TO A SCHOOL THAT HAD NOT BEEN
DESEGREGATED AT THE TIME FOR
THIS TO EVEN OCCUR, AND FOR THIS
TO EVEN BE PART OF OUR NOW
CALIFORNIA HISTORY. THAT CASE,
WAS HELD IN 1947, AND THE
ATTORNEY THAT TRIED THAT CASE
WAS THURGOOD MARSHALL, WHO A FEW
YEARS LATER WENT ON TO THE
SUPREME COURT. AND WE HAVE THE
NOW FAMOUS CASE BROWN VERSUS
BOARD OF EDUCATION, WHICH
DESEGREGATED ALL SCHOOLS IN THE
UNITED STATES. AND IT STARTED IN
CALIFORNIA. IT STARTED WITH THE
JAPANESE AMERICAN FAMILY, A
MEXICAN AMERICAN LATINO FAMILY
THAT LATER ON WENT TO CHANGE ALL
OF THE EDUCATION THÀNH
DESEGREGATION OF ALL SCHOOLS
WITH AN AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY
LEADING THE WAY. AND SO THAT IS
THE HISTORY AND STORY AND BEAUTY
THAT WE ARE COMMEMORATING AND
THAT WE ARE HONORING AND PUTTING
INTO THE BOOKS WITH AB 1805. AND
WITH THAT, I RESPECTFULLY
REQUEST AN AYE VOTE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER.
CARRILLO. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
QUIRK-SILVA YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. AND
MEMBERS, I ALSO RISE IN SUPPORT
OF AB 1805 AS A Ã ELECTED
OFFICIAL THAT LIVES IN FULLERTON
AND VERY CLOSE TO WESTMINSTER,
THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION MEANS
A LOT PERSONALLY, AS SYLVIA
MENDEZ, THE DAUGHTER OF GONZALO
AND FELICIA MENDEZ, LIVES RIGHT
IN FULLERTON, SYLVIA, WHO IS NOW
IN HER MID 80S, REALLY DIDN'T
EVEN KNOW THE STORY OF WHAT HER
PARENTS HAD DONE UNTIL SHE WAS
MUCH OLDER. AND ONE OF THE
REASONS SHE STARTED TELLING THE
STORY IS SHE REALIZED NOT ONLY
DID SHE NOT KNOW THE STORY, BUT
IN FACT HER SIBLINGS AND OF
COURSE, OTHER PEOPLE KNEW VERY
LITTLE ABOUT MENDEZ VERSUS
VERSUS WESTMINSTER. SO SHE TOOK
IT UPON HERSELF TO BEGIN TO TELL
THIS STORY. SHE WENT TO LOCAL
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, INCLUDING MY
OWN CLASSROOM, TO SHARE HER
STORY. SHE WORKED WITH OTHERS TO
CREATE A CHILDREN'S BOOK ON
MENDEZ VERSUS WESTMINSTER TO
REALLY GET YOUNGSTERS TO
UNDERSTAND THAT AT ONE POINT IN
THE 1940S, THERE WERE SCHOOLS
FOR CHILDREN OF MEXICAN
BACKGROUND, BUT THEY COULD NOT
GO TO OTHER SCHOOLS. SO THIS
SEPARATION OF SCHOOLS WAS REALLY
THE BASIS FOR THE LANDMARK CASE
THAT WE KNOW, OUR SUPREME COURT,
THIS STORY HAS BEEN NOW SHARED.
BUT WHAT WE KNOW FOR SURE THAT
THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION WILL
DO IT, IT WILL ALLOW IT TO BE IN
OUR INSTRUCTIONAL CURRICULUM.
AND THEN ALL CALIFORNIA STUDENTS
WILL BE ABLE TO KNOW ABOUT THIS
STORY. BUT I'LL END WITH THINK
ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO
BE LIVING IN THE 1940S, PARENTS
WHO, SPOKE SPANISH TO ACTUALLY
GO AND SAY, I WANT MY OWN
CHILDREN TO GO TO THIS SCHOOL
THAT IS NEAREST TO ME, NOT THE
MEXICAN SCHOOL ACROSS THE OTHER
SIDE OF TOWN. AND THEY TOOK THAT
ON. THINK ABOUT THAT COURAGE.
THINK ABOUT THAT, EFFORT THAT
THEY TOOK ON, AND THEY REALLY
CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE OF AMERICA
FOREVER. SO WITH THAT, I'M PROUD
OF THIS LEGISLATION, BEING AN,
CO AUTHOR, AND I ASK FOR YOUR
SUPPORT FOR AB 1805. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER QUIRK-SILVA
ASSEMBLY MEMBER TODD, WOULD YOU
LIKE TO CLOSE, I REALLY I REALLY
APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS
ABOUT AB 1805 AND I RECENTLY AND
I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR
VOTE. THANK YOU. MR. TO CLERK
WILL OPEN THE ALL THOSE VOTE WHO
DESIRE TO VOTE ALL THOSE VOTE
WHO DESIRE TO VOTE. ALL THOSE
VOTE WHO DESIRE TO VOTE. CLERK
WILL CLOSE THE ROLL AND TALLY
THE VOTES. AYES 66 NØ ZERO.
MEASURE PASSES. MOVING ON TO
FILE ITEM 85 AB 3277 ASSEMBLY
MEMBER ONE CARILLO YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED AND. AS SOON AS THE
CLERK READS AKZONOBEL 3275. SO
THE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL
GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
NOW YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK
YOU, MR. SPEAKER, AND MEMBERS,
THIS IS THE ASSEMBLY, LOCAL
GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE'S ANNUAL
BILLING RELATED TO LOCAL AGENCY
FORMATION COMMISSION, OR LAFCOS.
THIS BILL MAKES A MINOR CHANGE
TO LAFCO LAW TO ENSURE THE
EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE USE OF
LIMITED RESOURCES. I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AND I VOTE.
THANK YOU. SEEING AND HEARING NO
FURTHER DEBATE, THE CLERK WILL
OPEN THE ROLL. ALL THOSE VOTE
WHO DESIRE TO VOTE. ALL THOSE
VOTE WHO DESIRE TO VOTE. ALL
THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE TO VOTE.
CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL AND
TALLY THE VOTES. AYES 65. NÓ
ZERO. MEASURE PASSES. MOVING TO
FILE ITEM 92 AB 3090 BY ASSEMBLY
MEMBER MAIENSCHEIN. THE CLERK
WILL READ. ASSEMBLY BILL 1390 BY
SENATOR MAIENSCHEIN. ACT
RELATING TO DRINKING WATER. YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED, MR. MAIENSCHEIN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR.
SPEAKER. AND MEMBERS UNDER
EXISTING LAW, PUBLIC WATER
SYSTEMS ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE
EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION WITHIN 24
HOURS FOLLOWING THE DISCOVERY OF
CONTAMINANTS IN PUBLIC DRINKING
WATER SOURCES THAT MAY POSSIBLY
BE HAZARDOUS TO HUMAN LIFE. AB
3090 AIMS TO ADDRESS A GAP IN
RESPONSE TIME BY AUTHORIZING AND
ENCOURAGING PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS
WHEN UPDATING THEIR EMERGENCY
RESPONSE PLAN TO INCORPORATE
VARIOUS URGENT NOTIFICATION
PRACTICES, INCLUDING TEXT
MESSAGES, EMAIL OR SOCIAL MEDIA.
THANK YOU, AND I RESPECTFULLY
REQUEST YOUR AYE VOTE. SEEING
AND HEARING NO FURTHER DEBATE,
THE CLERK WILL OPEN THE ROLL.
ALL THOSE VOTED WHO DESIRE TO
VOTE. ALL THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE
TO VOTE. ALL THOSE VOTE WHO
DESIRE TO VOTE. CLERK WILL CLOSE
THE ROLL AND TALLY THE VOTES.
AYES 69. NÓ ZERO. MEASURE PASSES
. MOVING ON TO SENATE. THIRD
READING. PASS AND RETAIN ON
ITEMS 111 AND 112. MEMBERS. WE
WILL NOW MOVE TO THE SECOND DAY
CONSENT CALENDAR BEFORE WE VOTE.
WE WILL TAKE UP A RESOLUTION ON
THE CONSENT CALENDAR FOR THE
PURPOSE OF ADDING COAUTHORS. THE
CLERK WILL READ THE RESOLUTION
ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR. A
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 147
BY MEMBER ALVAREZ RELATIVE TO
CALIFORNIA'S FIRST GENERATION
COLLEGE CELEBRATION DAY. THE
CLERK WILL NOW OPEN THE ROLL TO
ALLOW ANY MEMBER TO ADD ON AS A
COAUTHOR TO THE RESOLUTION.
MEMBERS. THIS IS A VOTE FOR
COAUTHORS. ALL THOSE VOTE WHO
DESIRE TO VOTE. ALL THOSE VOTE
WHO DESIRE TO VOTE FOR
COAUTHORS. ALL THOSE VOTE WHO
DESIRE TO VOTE. CLERK WILL CLOSE
THE ROLL AND TALLY THE VOTE.
THERE ARE 71 COAUTHORS ADDED.
MOVING TO A VOTE ON THE CONSENT
CALENDAR DOES ANY MEMBER WISH TO
REMOVE AN ITEM? SEEING AND
HEARING NONE, THE CLERK WILL
READ THE SECOND DAY CONSENT
CALENDAR. ASSEMBLY BILL 2232 BY
SENATOR MAIENSCHEIN ATALANTA.
EMERGENCY SERVICES. CLERK WILL
OPEN THE ROLL ON THE CONSENT
CALENDAR. ALL THOSE VOTE WHO
DESIRE TO VOTE. ALL THOSE VOTE
WHO DESIRE TO VOTE. ALL THOSE
VOTE WHO DESIRE TO VOTE ON THE
CONSENT CALENDAR. CLERK WILL
CLOSE THE ROLL AND TALLY THE
VOTE. AYES 72. NOES ZERO.
MEASURE PASSES. CLERK WILL READ
THE REMAINING ITEMS ON THE
CONSENT CALENDAR. SENATE BILL
3288. AYES 72. NØ ZERO. ASSEMBLY
BILL 3289. AYES 72. NØ ZERO.
ASSEMBLY BILL 3121. AYES 72. NØ
ZERO. ASSEMBLY BILL 2898. AYES
72. NØ ZERO. HOUSE RESOLUTION
58. AYES 72. NØ ZERO. SENATE
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 147. AYES
72. NØ ZERO AND ASSEMBLY JOINT
RESOLUTION 14. AYES 72. NØ ZERO.
MEMBERS A QUORUM CALL IS STILL
IN PLACE. WE HAVE A MEMBER WHO
HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY GRANTED
PERMISSION TO SPEAK ON AN
ADJOURNMENT IN MEMORY. MÁS YOU
GIVE YOUR RESPECTFUL ATTENTION
TO ASSEMBLY MEMBER CALDERON.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER CALDERON, YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED AND. THANK YOU,
MR. SPEAKER. I RISE TO ADJOURN
IN MEMORY OF YOLANDA PERU,
AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS YOLI.
BORN IN 1955, YOLI SPENT MOST OF
HER LIFE IN THE CITY OF PICO
RIVERA. WHILE WORKING AS A
WAREHOUSE CLERK AND SERVING AS A
PROUD MEMBER OF THE
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF
TEAMSTERS. YOLI RAISED TWO SONS,
HER ELDEST, GABRIEL ROBBIE, AND
HER YOUNGEST, KENNY. SHE WAS AN
ACTIVE COMMUNITY MEMBER,
VOLUNTEERING WITH THE LOCAL PTA,
FUNDRAISING FOR THE EL RANCHO
HIGH SCHOOL BAND BOOSTERS, AND
SERVING AS A CUB SCOUT PARENT.
YOLI WAS A GREAT PERSON OF GREAT
FAITH, AND FOR NEARLY A DECADE
SERVED AS THE HEAD OF
HOSPITALITY FOR HER CHURCH. ON
FEBRUARY 5TH, 2024, SHE PASSED
AWAY PEACEFULLY IN WHITTIER,
SURROUNDED BY HER FAMILY. HER
GENEROSITY, LOVE OF FAMILY AND
PASSION FOR MAKING THE WORLD A
BETTER PLACE WILL BE GREATLY
MISSED. YOLI IS SURVIVED BY HER
HUSBAND, JULIAN. HER SONS
GABRIEL, ROBBIE AND KENNY. HER
STEPCHILDREN SHARON, JULIAN,
LUPE, RINA, JOHNNY, SANDY, BOBBY
AND BRITNEY. HER 19
GRANDCHILDREN AND A GREAT
GRANDSON. MEMBERS ARE
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT WE
ADJOURN IN THE MEMORY OF YOLANDA
YOLI. PERU THANK YOU, ASSEMBLY
MEMBER CALDERON. MEMBERS PLEASE
BRING THE NAMES TO THE DESK TO
BE PRINTED IN THE JOURNAL. ALL
REQUESTS TO ADJOURN IN MEMORY
WILL BE DEEMED READ AND PRINTED
IN THE JOURNAL. MOVING TO
ANNOUNCEMENTS. COMMITTEE
HEARINGS. BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE
ONE ON HEALTH MEETS AT UPON
ADJOURNMENT IN CAPITOL ROOM 127.
REVENUE AND TAXATION MEETS UPON
ADJOURNMENT IN CAPITOL ROOM 126.
SESSION SCHEDULE IS AS FOLLOWS.
TUESDAY, APRIL 30TH. CHECK IN
SESSION WEDNESDAY, MAY 1ST.
CHECK IN SESSION THURSDAY, MAY
2ND FLOOR SESSION AT 9 A.M. ALL
OTHER ITEMS WILL BE PASSED AND
RETAINED. ALL MOTIONS SHALL BE
CONSIDERED CONTINUED. GOOD
SEEING AND HEARING. NO FURTHER
BUSINESS. I'M READY TO ENTERTAIN
A MOTION TO ADJOURN. MISS
AGUIAR-CURRY MOVES. MR. LACKEY
SECONDS THAT THIS HOUSE STAND
ADJOURNED UNTIL MONDAY OR EXCUSE
ME. THURSDAY, MAY 2ND, AT 9 A.M.
THE QUORUM CALL IS LIFTED AND
THE HOUSE IS ADJOURNED