SPEAKER RIVAS 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. ADDIS
AGUIAR-CURRY ALANIZ. ALVAREZ
ARAMBULA BAINES. BAUER-KAHAN
BENNET. BERMAN BURNER. BONTA
BRIEN. CALDERON JUAN. CARRILLO,
WENDY. CARRILLO CERVANTES. CHIN
CONNOLLY. DALLEY DAVIES. DICKSON
EASILY. FLORA. MIKE FONG.
FRIEDMAN. GABRIEL GALLAGHER.
GARCIA GIBSON. GRAYSON HANEY.
HART HOLDEN. HOOVER IRWIN.
JACKSON JONES-SAWYER. CARRA.
LACKEY LEE. LOWE LOWENTHAL.
MAYNE. SHINE MATHIS. MCCARTY
MCKENNA. MURATSUCHI QUINN.
ORTEGA PACHECO. PAPIN JIM.
PATTERSON, JOE. PATTERSON.
PELLERIN. PETRIE-NORRIS
QUIRK-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. I NEED. MY.
I ALREADY HAVE MY ONE. NO, I
HAVE TO ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT.
I THINK IT'S THREE.
I DIDN'T THINK AT THE TIME. I
MIGHT NOT WORK TODAY. NO, NO.
HEY, RICK. YES. TELL THEM. TELL
WE DID IT! I USED TO DO THAT
WHEN MY KIDS WERE LITTLE, BUT
THEY NEVER DID IT OFF. THERE YOU
GO. YES I WAS GOING TO CALL.
THEM.
I WANTED.
TO.
Þ. JUST GO ON AND KICK IT DOWN
THERE.
YEAH.
AND AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF.
I'M.
GOOD. THANK YOU.
YEAH. YEAH. YEAH.
GOOD JOB. ONE PARTY WAS ON. YEAH
.
SO WE DON'T HAVE. AND APPARENTLY
EARLIER TODAY. DON'T WORRY ABOUT
IT.
I HAVE.
I'M GOING TO. IRELAND THAT'S
RIGHT.
DO YOU GET. I DON'T KNOW. YEAH
GOOD MORNING.
IT'S NOT ONE OF THE LOCAL.
WHY WOULD YOU.
MEMBERS A QUORUM IS PRESENT. WE
ASK OUR GUESTS AND VISITORS IN
THE REAR OF THE GALLERY. AND IN
THE REAR OF THE CHAMBER. AND IN
THE GALLERY TO PLEASE STAND FOR
THE PRAYER AND THE FLAG. SALUTE
THE DAY'S PRAYER WILL BE OFFERED
BY OUR ASSEMBLY CHAPLAIN. IMAM
YASIR KHAN. IN THE NAME OF GOD,
THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST
MERCIFUL, DIVINE CREATOR, AS WE
GATHER HERE TODAY, WE COME
BEFORE YOU WITH OPEN HEARTS AND
MINDS. GRANT US THE WISDOM TO
NAVIGATE COMPLEXITIES, THE
EMPATHY TO UNDERSTAND DIVERSE
PERSPECTIVES AND THE HUMILITY TO
SEEK COMMON GROUND. ILLUMINATE
OUR PATHS WITH YOUR LIGHT AS WE
STRIVE TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT
HONOR JUSTICE AND PROMOTE
HARMONY. MAY OUR WORDS BE FILLED
WITH COMPASSION, OUR ACTIONS
GUIDED BY INTEGRITY AND OUR
UNITY STRENGTHENED THROUGH
MUTUAL RESPECT. BLESS THIS
ASSEMBLY WITH YOUR PRESENCE THAT
OUR ENDEAVORS MAY BE FRUITFUL
AND OUR OUTCOMES BENEFICIAL TO
ALL. IN YOUR ETERNAL WISDOM, WE
PLACE OUR TRUST. AMEN. THANK
YOU. PLEASE JOIN ASSEMBLY MEMBER
PACHECO AS SHE LEADS US IN THE
PLEDGE. MEMBERS, PLACE YOUR
RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HEART.
READY? BEGIN. I PLEDGE
ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO
THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT
STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD,
INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND
JUSTICE FOR ALL. YOU MAY BE
SEATED. READING OF THE PREVIOUS
DAY'S JOURNAL ASSEMBLY CHAMBER.
SACRAMENTO, WEDNESDAY, JUNE
19TH, 2024. THE ASSEMBLY MET AT
7 A.M. THE HONORABLE TREE TO MR.
FLORES, SECONDS AT THE READING
OF THE PREVIOUS DAY'S JOURNAL BE
DISPENSED WITH. PRESENTATIONS
AND PETITIONS. THERE ARE NONE.
INTRODUCTION AND REFERENCE 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. FOR MEDICAL LEAVE.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER MATHIS AND
ASSEMBLY MEMBER JOAN SAWYER
MOVING TO PROCEDURAL MOTIONS.
MAJORITY LEADER AGUIAR-CURRY YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED FOR YOUR
PROCEDURAL MOTIONS. MEMBERS,
YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE. DUE TO
THE MAJORITY LEADER. GOOD
MORNING, MISTER SPEAKER. I
REQUEST UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO
SUSPEND ASSEMBLY RULE 45.5 TO
ALLOW ASSEMBLY MEMBER CONLEY TO
SPEAK ON ADJOURNMENT AND MEMORY
TODAY WITHOUT OBJECTION, SUCH
SHALL BE THE ORDER. I REQUEST
UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO SUSPEND
ASSEMBLY RULE 118A TO ALLOW
ASSEMBLY MEMBERS BERNER CALDERON
HOOVER TO HAVE A GUEST SEATED AT
THEIR DESK, AND TO ALLOW
ASSEMBLY MEMBER BRYANT AND
WILSON TO HAVE GUESTS IN THE
REAR OF THE CHAMBER TODAY.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, SUCH SHALL BE
THE ORDER. I REQUEST UNANIMOUS
CONSENT TO SUSPEND ASSEMBLY RULE
96 TO WITHDRAW SB 168 COMMITTEE
ON BUDGET AND FISCAL REVIEW FROM
THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, AND ORDER
THE BILL TO THE THIRD READING.
WITHOUT OBJECTION. SUCH SHALL BE
THE ORDER. MOVING TO GUEST
INTRODUCTIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.
I'D LIKE TO WISH WE DIDN'T GET A
CHANCE TO DO IT IN PERSON
EARLIER IN THE WEEK. A BELATED
BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO
ASSEMBLY MEMBER GIBSON SHOWING A
LITTLE LOVE FOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER
GIBSON. THE LORD IS RISEN!
ASSEMBLY MEMBER HOOVER, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED FOR YOUR GUEST
INTRODUCTION. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. MEMBERS, I JUST WANT TO
WELCOME MY SON AUSTIN TO THE
FLOOR. HE'S TEN YEARS OLD. HE'S
FIGURED OUT THIS RUBIK'S CUBE
HERE A MILLION TIMES ALREADY.
BUT HE'S JUST JOINING US TODAY
BECAUSE HE'S VERY BORED AT HOME.
SO THANKS FOR HAVING ME. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, MR. HOOVER.
WELCOME, AUSTIN. MR. LEE, YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED FOR YOUR GUEST
INTRODUCTIONS. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. PLEASE JOIN ME IN
WELCOMING THE WINNERS OF OUR
INAUGURAL 24TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
YOUTH ART CONTEST AND THEIR
FAMILIES WHO ARE IN THE GALLERY
THERE. THIS YEAR'S WINNERS ARE
IVANA DUVAL, PENNY SURBER, KUSH
AGARWAL, ISHAAN UPADHYAY, AUDREY
CHEN. EACH OF OUR WINNERS HAVE
CREATIVELY ILLUSTRATED THE ART
CONTEST THEMES A HOME FOR
EVERYONE. I LOOK FORWARD TO
HAVING THEIR BEAUTIFUL ARTWORK
DISPLAYED IN MY CAPITOL OFFICE
OVER THE NEXT YEAR. COLLEAGUES,
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING
THESE TALENTED YOUNG ARTISTS AND
WISHING HENNEY A VERY HAPPY 10TH
BIRTHDAY AS WELL.
THANK YOU, MR. LEE. WELCOME TO
YOUR GUESTS. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
WARD, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED FOR
YOUR GUEST INTRODUCTIONS. THANK
YOU, MR. SPEAKER. MEMBERS,
PLEASE JOIN ME IN A WARM WELCOME
TO THIS YEAR'S EQUALITY
CALIFORNIA COMCAST FELLOWS. THIS
FELLOWSHIP IS A FOUR WEEK
PROGRAM MEANT TO PROVIDE
INSTITUTIONAL EXPERIENCE TO
LGBTQ COLLEGE STUDENTS AND
RECENT GRADUATES WHO WERE
INTERESTED IN LEARNING AND
CONTRIBUTING TO THE CALIFORNIA
STATE LEGISLATURE. THE CðC
FELLOWS ARE PLACED IN VARIOUS
LEGISLATIVE OFFICES WHERE THEY
RECEIVE ON THE JOB TRAINING IN
AN EFFORT TO EDUCATE THEM ON THE
COMPLEXITIES OF A CAREER AS
LEGISLATIVE STAFF. AS THE VICE
CHAIR OF THE CALIFORNIA
LEGISLATIVE LGBTQ CAUCUS, I
COMMEND THESE YOUNG
PROFESSIONALS FOR THEIR
PARTICIPATION IN THIS DECADE
LONG PROGRAM AND WELCOME THEM
TODAY. SEATED IN THE GALLERY.
THANK YOU, MR. WARD. WELCOME TO
YOUR GUESTS ASSEMBLY MEMBER
WILSON, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED FOR
YOUR GUEST INTRODUCTIONS. THANK
YOU, MR. SPEAKER, AS CHAIR OF
THE LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS, I
AM HONORED TO INTRODUCE THE US
STATE DEPARTMENT SPONSORED
MANDELA, WASHINGTON FELLOWS WHO
ARE IN THE REAR OF THE CHAMBER.
THANK YOU. ESTABLISHED THERE WE
GO. ESTABLISHED IN 2014, THE
MANDELA, WASHINGTON FELLOWSHIP,
THE FLAGSHIP PROGRAM OF THE
YOUNG AFRICAN LEADERS
INITIATIVE, EMPOWERS YOUNG
AFRICAN LEADERS FROM THROUGHOUT
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA THROUGH
ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP TRAINING,
MENTORING, NETWORKING,
PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND
LOCAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THIS
INITIATIVE SUPPORTS YOUNG
AFRICANS AS THEY SPUR ECONOMIC
GROWTH AND PROSPERITY,
STRENGTHEN DEMOCRATIC
GOVERNANCE, AND ENHANCE PEACE
AND SECURITY ACROSS AFRICA. FOR
SIX WEEKS, 24 MANDELA FELLOWS
WHO ARE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 25
AND 35, ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE
LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC MANAGEMENT
INSTITUTE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA, DAVIS. THE COHORT OF
FELLOWS, HOSTED BY UC DAVIS ARE
PART OF A GROUP OF 700 MANDELA,
MANDELA, WASHINGTON FELLOWS
HOSTED AT THE 27 EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTIONS ACROSS THE UNITED
STATES. UC DAVIS IS THE ONLY
INSTITUTION IN CALIFORNIA
SELECTED TO HOST THE MANDELA
FELLOWS. THE 2024 MANDELA
FELLOWS COHORT INCLUDES
ENGINEERS, MEDICAL DOCTORS,
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, CLIMATE
SCIENTISTS AND RESEARCHERS.
NELSON MANDELA SAID SOMETIMES IT
FALLS UPON A GENERATION TO BE
GREAT. YOU CAN BE THAT
GENERATION. LET YOUR GREATNESS
BLOSSOM. MEMBERS, PLEASE JOIN ME
IN WELCOMING TO CALIFORNIA SOME
OF THE BRIGHTEST PROFESSIONALS
THAT GIVE HOPE IN TACKLING THE
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES WE
FACE GLOBALLY, TODAY AND INTO
THE FUTURE WE HAVE WITH US.
SASWATA MANKICHI. THE DEVATHA
NYAMBO, JULIAN, CHRISTINE
KURMANJI NATASHA. SABA NHÀ
LUMINO MY UMBILO AND MY
APOLOGIES IF I MISSPOKE ANY OF
THOSE NAMES. THANK YOU. PLEASE
JOIN ME. COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU,
ASSEMBLY MEMBER WILSON, AND
WELCOME TO YOUR GUESTS.
MOVING TO BUSINESS. ON THE DAILY
FILE. SECOND READING. THE CLERK
WILL READ. ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION 210 WITH AMENDMENTS.
SENATE BILLS 278, 900 1103,
1184, 1043, WITH AMENDMENTS
1078, WITH AMENDMENTS 1238, WITH
AMENDMENTS 1423, WITH AMENDMENTS
1432, WITH AMENDMENTS 1511, WITH
AMENDMENTS 1163, WITH AMENDMENTS
299, WITH AMENDMENTS 735, WITH
AMENDMENTS 937, WITH AMENDMENTS
951, WITH AMENDMENTS 1077, WITH
AMENDMENTS 1361, 863, 1181, WITH
AMENDMENTS 1404, WITH AMENDMENTS
1243, WITH AMENDMENTS 347, WITH
AMENDMENTS 1072 1111, WITH
AMENDMENTS 1123, WITH AMENDMENTS
1193, WITH AMENDMENTS 1514 1205,
WITH AMENDMENTS 1058 1295, 445,
WITH AMENDMENTS 1091, WITH
AMENDMENTS 1248, WITH AMENDMENT
WITH AMENDMENTS 691, WITH
AMENDMENTS 1277, WITH AMENDMENTS
1440 WITH AMENDMENTS. AND SENATE
BILL 1063 WITH AMENDMENTS. ALL
BILLS WILL BE DEEMED READ AND
ALL AMENDMENTS WILL BE DEEMED
ADOPTED. MEMBERS. JUST, JUST SO
YOU UNDERSTAND, WE'RE GOING TO
BE BOUNCING AROUND A LITTLE BIT
TODAY. WE ARE EXPECTING SOME
ITEMS COMING FROM THE SENATE. SO
WE ARE GOING TO START TODAY WITH
SENATE THIRD READING FILE ITEM
98 SB 159 BY SENATOR WIENER BY
MR. GABRIEL. THE CLERK WILL READ
A SENATE BILL 159 BY THE SENATE
COMMITTEE ON BUDGET AND FISCAL
REVIEW, AN ACT RELATING TO
HEALTH AND MAKING IT A
APPROPRIATION, THEREFORE, TO
TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY. BILL
RELATED TO THE BUDGET. MR.
GABRIEL, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. I AM
PLEASED TO PRESENT SB 159, OUR
HEALTH TRAILER BILL.
IMPORTANTLY, THIS BILL
IMPLEMENTS RATE INCREASES
ASSOCIATED WITH THE MCO
AGREEMENT REACHED WITH THE
GOVERNOR. THIS INCLUDES
AUTHORIZING TARGETED RATE
INCREASES TO TAKE EFFECT ON
JANUARY 1ST, 2025 FOR FAMILY
PLANNING, COMMUNITY HEALTH
WORKERS, EMERGENCY GROUND
TRANSPORTATION, AIR AMBULANCES
AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL DOCTORS.
IT ALSO PROVIDES ADDITIONAL RATE
INCREASES ON JANUARY 1ST, 2026,
INCLUDING FOR PRIMARY CARE
OBSTETRICS CLINICS, PRIVATE DUTY
NURSES, AND NON-EMERGENCY
MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION. THIS
BILL ALSO AUTHORIZES CONTINUOUS
MEDI-CAL COVERAGE FOR CHILDREN
AGES 0 TO 5 STARTING IN 2026, SB
159 ALSO REFLECTS THE COMPROMISE
REACHED ON SB 525, WITH
IMPLEMENTATION OVER THE NEXT SIX
MONTHS TIED TO TWO TRIGGERS.
THIS BILL ALSO PROVIDES A $115
MILLION PER YEAR FOR CHILDREN'S
HOSPITALS, AS PROPOSED BY THE
GOVERNOR. COLLEAGUES, I
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR AYE
VOTE ON SB 159. THANK YOU, MR.
GABRIEL. MR. FLORA, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. I RISE IN OPPOSITION TO
SB 159. MAKES WIDE RANGE OF
CHANGES TO STATUTE GOVERNING
HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS RELATED TO
THE 20, 24 AND 25 BUDGET. SB 159
UNSUSTAINABLE MCO TAX REVENUE
SOURCES. IT ALSO ELIMINATES A
MAJOR RISK MEDICAL INSURANCE
PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH
PREEXISTING CONDITIONS, AND THIS
TRAILER MERELY MERELY DELAYS
HEALTH CARE MINIMUM WAGE ISSUES
RATHER THAN CREATING A LONG TERM
SOLUTION, I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
A NO VOTE. THANK YOU, MR. FLORA.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER BERNER, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. GOOD MORNING, MR.
SPEAKER, AND MEMBERS. I RISE IN
SUPPORT OF SB 159. I'D LIKE TO
THANK THE SPEAKER, THE BUDGET
CHAIR, THE BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE
CHAIR AND BUDGET STAFF FOR
PRIORITIZING OUR CHILDREN AND
SAFETY NET PROGRAMS DURING THIS
DIFFICULT BUDGET YEAR. THERE'S A
LOT TO BE PROUD OF IN THIS
BUDGET BILL, WHICH PREVENTS CUTS
TO MANY SAFETY NET PROGRAMS. I'M
ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL THAT SB 159
INCLUDES CRITICAL FUNDING FOR 0
TO 5 YEAR OLDS ON MEDI-CAL. THE
FUNDING ENSURES THAT CHILDREN
WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR MEDI-CAL
ARE ABLE TO GET THE MEDICAL CARE
THEY NEED, WITHOUT THE FEAR THAT
THERE WILL BE NO LONGER COVERED
SIMPLY BECAUSE OF BUREAUCRATIC
RED TAPE. AS A MOM, IT WOULD
BREAK MY HEART. AND AS A PARENT
OF ANYBODY WHO'S HERE ON THIS
FLOOR, IT SHOULD BREAK OUR
HEARTS TO THINK THAT 0 TO 5 YEAR
OLDS WOULD NOT GET THE MEDICAL
CARE THEY NEED JUST BECAUSE OF
BUREAUCRATIC RED TAPE. SO IT'S
VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DID
THIS IN THIS YEAR, THIS YEAR.
AND I REALLY THANK EVERYBODY WHO
ADVOCATED FOR IT. AS YOU KNOW,
MY DAUGHTER MAYA WAS DIAGNOSED
WHEN SHE WAS THREE AND A HALF
WITH SENSORY PROCESSING
DISORDER. SHE WAS ABLE TO GET
THE CARE SHE NEEDS. AND BECAUSE
OF THAT, SHE CAN COME TO THIS
FLOOR. AND SOMETIMES IT'S
DIFFICULT AND SHE HAS TO GO TO
THE MEMBERS LOUNGE. BUT YOU'VE
SEEN HER AND SHE'S THRIVING, BUT
THAT'S BECAUSE SHE GOT THAT
CRITICAL CARE IN 0 TO 5. AND
THAT'S WHAT THIS BUDGET DOES. IT
PRIORITIZES FAMILIES AND IT
PRIORITIZES CHILDREN AND
PRIORITIZES THE HEALTHCARE IN
CALIFORNIA. SO WITH THAT, I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
BERNER ASSEMBLY MEMBER. DIXON,
YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU,
MR. SPEAKER. MEMBERS TODAY I
RISE IN OPPOSITION TO SENATE
BILL 159. WHILE THIS MEASURE
CONTAINS SEVERAL POSITIVE
POLICIES, AS WE'VE JUST HEARD,
INCLUDING RATE INCREASES FOR
MEDI-CAL PROVIDERS, WHICH WILL
SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE ACCESS TO
HEALTH CARE, I MUST VOTE NO FOR
ONE, THIS BILL SIMPLY DELAYS THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF SB 525, THE
COSTLY HEALTH CARE MINIMUM WAGE
INCREASE. RATHER THAN SOLVE THE
LONG TERM BUDGET PROBLEM. THIS
IS NOT SUSTAINABLE FISCAL
PLANNING. SPECIFICALLY, WHAT IS
BEING PUSHED TO ANOTHER YEAR IS
AN ANTICIPATED $4 BILLION WAGE
HIKE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH CARE
EMPLOYEES. THIS WAS THE
PROJECTED COST WHEN THE GOVERNOR
SIGNED THE BILL INTO LAW WITH
LITTLE OR NO DEBATE LAST
SEPTEMBER. THE REAL COST HITS AN
ADDED ESTIMATED 18 BILLION, ADDS
AN ESTIMATED $18 BILLION IN
MINIMUM WAGE HIKES FOR PRIVATE
HOSPITALS, WHICH HAVE SERIOUS
IMPACTS TO THE FISCAL HEALTH OF
OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN
CALIFORNIA. WHEN INITIALLY
SIGNED INTO LAW, IT WAS EVEN
MENTIONED THAT THE FISCAL IMPACT
WAS, QUOTE, UNKNOWN. END QUOTE.
AND HERE WE ARE ALMOST A YEAR
LATER, RECOGNIZING WITH THIS
TRAILER BILL THAT WE CANNOT
AFFORD TO IMPLEMENT IT RIGHT
NOW, KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE
ROAD ON A MAJOR WAGE EXPANSION
ON OUR HOSPITALS DOES NOT SOLVE
THE LOOMING ISSUE OF HAVING TO
SIGNIFICANTLY FUND WAGES THAT
CANNOT NECESSARILY BE SUPPORTED
BY OUR HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY,
ESPECIALLY OUR MEDICAL
FACILITIES AND RURAL PARTS OF
THE STATE. AN ADDITIONAL REASON
I OPPOSE THIS TRAILER BILL IS
BECAUSE IT INCLUDES NON-INDUSTRY
SUPPORTED FEE Ã NON INDUSTRY
SUPPORTED FEE THAT COULD
POTENTIALLY BE ARGUED AS
ACTUALLY A TAX. SPECIFICALLY THE
FEE WOULD BURDEN HEALTH PLANS TO
CONTRACT WITH A THIRD PARTY
ADMINISTRATOR TO PROVIDE CERTAIN
CARE. ACCORDING TO THE HEALTH
PLANS THEY ALREADY HAVE. THE
ABILITY TO PROVIDE THESE
SERVICES THROUGH THEIR EXISTING
NETWORKS. WE ALL PAY PREMIUMS TO
HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE. THIS
TAX WILL ONLY INCREASE THEM AT A
TIME WHEN CALIFORNIA IS ALREADY
FACING AN AFFORDABILITY CRISIS.
FOR THESE REASONS, I CANNOT
SUPPORT SB ONE 6959 AND I ASK
THAT YOU VOTE NO ON THIS
MEASURE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU, ASSEMBLYMEMBER DIXON.
DOCTOR WEBER, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED
. THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. AS
CHAIR OF SUB ONE, I RISE IN
SUPPORT OF AB 159. ONCE AGAIN, I
WANT TO THANK OUR BUDGET STAFF
FOR THIS MONUMENTAL BILL, WHICH
CONTAINS THE FINAL PORTIONS OF
THE SUB ONE AGENDA ON HEALTH AND
SIGNIFIES AN AGREEMENT WITH THE
SENATE AND THE GOVERNOR. WE HAVE
VERY SIGNIFICANT THINGS WITHIN
THIS BILL. AMONG THEM, AS WAS
STATED, INCLUDES THE INCREASE IN
THE PROVIDER RATES. AND I JUST
WANT TO ALSO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT
THAT WE ARE INCREASING THE
PROVIDER RATES FOR OUR EMERGENCY
MEDICINE PHYSICIANS. AND THIS IS
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE
THEY, UNLIKE OTHER PROVIDERS,
CANNOT TURN PATIENTS AWAY. THEY
CANNOT SAY, I HAVE REACHED MY
MEDI-CAL LIMIT OR I WILL NOT SEE
OR I DO NOT TAKE YOUR KIND OF
INSURANCE AND SO THESE INCREASES
THAT WILL START IMMEDIATELY IN
2025 IS VERY SIGNIFICANT FOR OUR
EMERGENCY MEDICINE DOCS WHO TAKE
CARE OF US, REGARDLESS OF WHERE
WE COME FROM OR WHAT KIND OF
INSURANCE WE HAVE. THIS BILL
ALSO INCLUDES INCREASES FOR
PRIVATE DUTY NURSES WHO KEEP AND
CARE FOR MEDICALLY FRAGILE
PATIENTS AND KEEP THEM OUT OF
THE HOSPITAL, LOWERING OVERALL
HEALTH CARE COSTS. WE ALSO
RETAIN FUNDING FOR OUR PUBLIC
HEALTH, WHICH WAS SLASHED
COMPLETELY WITHIN THE MAY
REVISION SO THAT WE WILL BE
PREPARED FOR THE NEXT VIRUSES
THAT CONTINUE TO POP UP
EVERYWHERE THAT WE GO. WE ARE
VERY ADAMANT ABOUT THAT, AND WE
WERE ABLE TO RETAIN THE ENTIRE
FUNDING. WE ALSO RETAINED THE
FUNDING FOR OUR FOR OUR INDIAN
HEALTH CLINIC PROGRAM, WHICH WAS
VERY SIGNIFICANT FOR A LOT OF
PEOPLE, INCLUDING OUR NATIVE
AMERICAN CAUCUS. UNDERSTANDING
THAT THESE ARE SOME OF THE
INDIVIDUALS THAT LIVE OUT IN
VERY RURAL AREAS WHO DO NOT HAVE
ACCESS TO CLINICS AND HOSPITALS,
AND YET HAVE BEEN
DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY A
LOT OF OUR CHRONIC DISEASES AND
ILLNESSES. WE'VE ALSO RETAINED
THE ACUPUNCTURE OPTION WITHIN
THE MEDI-CAL OPTION, WHICH WAS
ALSO VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR AAPI
CAUCUS. AND SO I AM ACTUALLY
VERY PROUD OF THE THINGS THAT WE
HAVE IN THIS BUDGET. WE DO NOT
HAVE EVERYTHING THAT WE WANTED,
BUT IN LIFE WE DO NOT GET
EVERYTHING THAT WE WANT. BUT WE
WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR SOME
OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO HAVE,
AS WE RECOGNIZE THE TREMENDOUS
EFFORT THAT THIS LEGISLATIVE
BODY WAS ABLE TO DO AND FIGHT
FOR AND GET IN THIS BILL. AND SO
FOR THOSE REASONS, I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE
ON SB 159. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
DOCTOR WEBER, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
GALLAGHER, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
YES. THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. AND
MY COLLEAGUE FROM ORANGE COUNTY,
I THINK, COVERED, YOU KNOW, A
LOT OF THE REASONS WHY WE CAN'T
SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, THIS TRAILER
BILL TODAY. BUT JUST ON ON THE
NOTE OF MEDI-CAL REIMBURSEMENT
RATES, TO ME, THIS IS A BIG
PROBLEM. WE MADE A PROMISE LAST
YEAR. AND WHEN WE SAID WE'RE
GOING TO INCREASE THE MCO TAX,
THE AGREEMENT WAS THAT WE WOULD
PROVIDE FOR MEDI-CAL
REIMBURSEMENT RATES, WHICH HAVE
BEEN LONG NEEDED AND ARE A HUGE
PROBLEM WITH PROVIDING DIRECT
PATIENT CARE. THIS TRAILER BILL
ONLY PROVIDES THAT FOR SOME
MEDI-CAL PROVIDERS. IT DOES NOT
PROVIDE THEM ACROSS THE BOARD,
WHICH WAS THE AGREEMENT LAST
YEAR. AND THE GOVERNOR CAN SAY
WHATEVER HE WANTS, BUT YOU MAKE
A PROMISE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO
KEEP IT. AND SO THIS YEAR,
BECAUSE WE'RE NOW IN BUDGET
DEFICITS, BY THE WAY, WE WARNED
YOU, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THAT
MONEY, NOT PUT THE MCO TAX THAT
WAS PASSED LAST YEAR TOWARDS
THESE THINGS, BREAK THAT PROMISE
AND THEN INCREASE THE MCO TAX
ONCE AGAIN, AND STILL NOT MEET
THE FULL PROMISE, OF PROVIDING
MEDI-CAL REIMBURSEMENT RATES TO
OUR MEDI-CAL PROVIDERS WHO
DESPERATELY NEED THIS RATE
INCREASE. SO, TO ME, THAT IS A
HUGE SLAP IN THE FACE. IT'S NOT
WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING, AND
THAT'S WHY WE CANNOT SUPPORT
THIS BUDGET TODAY. THANK YOU,
MR. GALLAGHER. ALL DEBATE HAVING
CEASED. MR. GABRIEL, WOULD YOU
LIKE TO CLOSE? YES, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. I JUST I WANT TO
CONCLUDE BY THANKING OUR
COLLEAGUE FROM SAN DIEGO, AND I
THINK SHE'S BEING FAR TOO MODEST
WHEN SHE SAYS THIS BODY FOUGHT
HARD AND THIS BODY CHAMPIONED
AND THIS BODY LED ON REALLY SO
MUCH OF THAT IS DUE TO HER
FANTASTIC WORK AND HER
LEADERSHIP AND SO MUCH OF THE
GOOD THINGS IN THIS BILL THAT I
THINK ALL OF US ARE HAPPY ABOUT
ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE ARE
VERY MUCH A TESTAMENT TO HER
LEADERSHIP AND HER ENERGY. AND
SO ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND THE
BUDGET COMMITTEE, ASK FOR YOUR
AYE VOTE ON SB 159. WITH THAT,
THE CLERK WILL OPEN THE ALL
THOSE VOTES WHO DESIRE TO VOTE,
ALL THOSE VOTES WHO DESIRE TO
VOTE, ALL THOSE VOTES WHO DESIRE
TO VOTE. THE CLERK WILL CLOSE
THE ROLL AND TALLY THE VOTES.
AYES 49, NOES TEN. MEASURE
PASSES WITH OUT OBJECTION.
IMMEDIATE TRANSMITTAL TO THE
SENATE. MOVING TO CONCURRENCE
AND SENATE AMENDMENTS. FILE ITEM
42 AB 375 BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER
DAVIES. THE CLERK WILL READ
ASSEMBLY BILL 375 BY ASSEMBLY
MEMBER DAVIES. AN ACT RELATING
TO BUSINESS MEMBER DAVIES. YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. MEMBERS AB 375 IS BACK
FOR CONCURRENCE. AMENDMENTS
TAKEN IN THE SENATE WERE
TECHNICAL AND JUST CLARIFIED WHO
THIS BILL APPLIES TO. THE BILL
WAS ON CONSENT THE ENTIRE TIME
AND HAS NO OPPOSITION. I ASK FOR
AN AYE VOTE ON AB 375. THANK
YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER DAVIES.
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. THE CLERK
WILL CLOSE THE ROLL AND TALLY
THE VOTES. AYES 66. NO'S ZERO.
SENATE AMENDMENTS ARE CONCURRED
IN MOVING TO FILE ITEM 46 AB
2474 BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER LACKEY.
THE CLERK WILL READ. ASSEMBLY
BILL 2474 BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER
LACKEY. AN ACT RELATING TO
RETIREMENT MR. LACKEY, ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. MEMBERS, FOR ALLOWING
ME TO PRESENT AB 2474. THE BILL
IS BACK ON CONCURRENCE AND I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. SEEING AND
HEARING NO FURTHER DEBATE, THE
CLERK WILL OPEN THE ROLL. ALL
THOSE VOTED WHO DESIRE TO VOTE.
ALL THOSE VOTES WHO DESIRE TO
VOTE. ALL THOSE VOTES WHO DESIRE
TO VOTE. CLERK WILL CLOSE THE
ROLL AND TALLY THE VOTES. AYES
64. NOES ZERO. SENATE AMENDMENTS
ARE CONCURRED IN MOVING TO FILE
ITEM 49. ASSEMBLY BILL 3105 BY
ASSEMBLY MEMBER LARA. THE CLERK
WILL READ. ASSEMBLY BILL 3105 BY
ASSEMBLY MEMBER FLORA. AN ACT
RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT. MR.
FLORA, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK
YOU, MR. SPEAKER. AB 3105 IS
BACK ON CONCURRENCE WITH SENATE
AMENDMENTS, 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 65. NÓ
ZERO. SENATE AMENDMENTS ARE
CONCURRED IN MOVING TO FILE ITEM
53 AB 1955 BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER
WARD. THE CLERK WILL READ.
ASSEMBLY BILL, 1955 BY ASSEMBLY
MEMBER, WARD AND OTHERS. AN ACT
RELATING TO PUPIL RIGHTS. MEMBER
WARD. YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK
YOU, MR. SPEAKER. MEMBERS. TODAY
I RISE ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE LGBTQ
CAUCUS TO PRESENT OUR PRIORITY
BILL, ASSEMBLY BILL, 1955. THE
SUPPORT ACADEMIC FUTURES AND
EDUCATORS FOR TODAY'S YOUTH ACT,
OR SAFETY ACT, WHICH IS BACK IN
ASSEMBLY ON CONCURRENCE. THIS
COMES FROM A GROWING NATIONAL
ATTACK ON LGBTQ PEOPLE AND
PARTICULARLY TRANSGENDER
INDIVIDUALS, RISING SINCE 2020,
WITH SEVERAL CALIFORNIA SCHOOL
DISTRICTS AND OTHER STATES
ENACTING POLICIES THAT
EXPLICITLY COMPEL TEACHERS TO
TELL PARENTS THAT THEIR CHILD
IDENTIFIES AS TRANSGENDER
POLICIES, WHICH ARE KNOWN AS
FORCED OUTINGS. SINCE AB 1955,
JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, THE
SAFETY ACT HAS BEEN INTRODUCED.
TWO ADDITIONAL STATES IN OUR
COUNTRY HAVE FOLLOWED THROUGH,
WITH PASSING STATEWIDE, FORCED
OUTING POLICIES, FURTHER
AMPLIFYING THE NEED FOR US TO BE
ABLE TO PROTECT OUR CONSTITUENTS
AGAINST FORCED OUTINGS. FORCED
OUTING POLICIES HARM EVERYONE,
PARENTS, FAMILIES AND SCHOOL
STAFF BY UNNECESSARILY
COMPELLING THE STAFF TO INVOLVE
THEMSELVES IN FAMILY MATTERS AND
REMOVING THE OPPORTUNITIES TO
FOR FAMILIES TO BE ABLE TO BUILD
TRUST AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS ON
THEIR OWN TERMS. ALTHOUGH MANY
LGBTQ YOUTH HAVE SUPPORTIVE
FAMILIES, SOME UNFORTUNATELY
CONTINUE TO FACE REJECTION AND
ARE EXPOSED TO SERIOUS HARM. IF
PREMATURELY FORCED TO REVEAL
THEIR IDENTITY. YOUNG PEOPLE
THRIVE WHEN THEY HAVE PARENTAL
SUPPORT, OF COURSE, AND FEEL
SAFE SHARING THEIR AUTHENTIC
SELVES AT HOME. HOWEVER, THE SAD
REALITY IS THAT NOT ALL YOUNG
PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO BE THEIR
AUTHENTIC SELVES AND IT CAN BE
HARMFUL FOR OUR YOUTH TO SHARE
THEIR FULL IDENTITIES BEFORE
THEY'RE READY. AS SUCH, THE
SAFETY ACT WAS INTRODUCED TO
STRENGTHEN EXISTING PROTECTIONS
AGAINST FORCED OUTINGS, AND I
RECOGNIZE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN
SOME CLAIMS FROM A FEW WHO
HISTORICALLY HAVE OPPOSED ANY
MEASURES THAT PROVIDE SAFEGUARDS
FOR MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND
WISH TO SEE US IN OUR COMMUNITY,
ERASED FROM THE PUBLIC THROUGH
ROBUST COMMITTEE DISCUSSION IN
BOTH THE ASSEMBLY AND THE
SENATE, WE HAVE SET THE RECORD
CORRECT ON WHAT THIS BILL DOES
AND DOES NOT DO. FIRST, THE
SAFETY ACT PROHIBITS AND
INVALIDATES ANY POLICY, RULE OR
ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS THAT
REQUIRES FORCED OUTINGS.
SECONDLY, THIS BILL AFFIRMS THAT
TEACHERS AND EMPLOYEES SHALL NOT
DISCRIMINATE BASED ON SEXUAL
ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY
OF STUDENTS AND SHALL NOT BE
COMPELLED TO DISCLOSE SUCH
IDENTITY UNLESS REQUIRED TO DO
SO BY STATE OR FEDERAL LAW, SUCH
AS DUE TO THE SUSPICION OF HARM.
THIRD, THIS BILL PROTECTS
TEACHERS FROM FACING RETALIATION
FOR SIMPLY DOING THEIR JOB,
TEACHING, AND PROVIDING A SAFE
SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT AND FOURTH,
AND IMPORTANTLY, THE SAFETY ACT
PROVIDES PARENTS, GUARDIANS AND
FAMILIES OF LGBTQ STUDENTS WITH
CRITICAL RESOURCES IN ORDER TO
SUPPORT THEM IN WORKING TOWARDS
ACCEPTANCE ON THEIR OWN TERMS
WITHOUT THE INTERFERENCE OF
OUTSIDE ACTORS. THIS BILL DOES
NOT FORCE SCHOOLS TO KEEP
SECRETS FROM PARENTS. THIS BILL
DOES NOT PUT STUDENTS AT RISK.
THIS BILL DOES NOT DRIVE A WEDGE
BETWEEN FAMILIES. IN FACT, THIS
BILL MAKES SURE THAT FAMILIES
ARE CENTERED AND EMPOWERED TO
HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS ON
THEIR OWN TERMS. OVERALL, THE
SAFETY ACT STRENGTHENS EXISTING
PROTECTIONS AND SUPPORTS
FAMILIES BY ONE ENSURING THAT
ALL STUDENTS ARE SAFE, SUPPORTED
AND NOT ISOLATED DUE TO ANY PART
OF THEIR IDENTITY AND TWO,
ENSURING FAMILIES ARE SUPPORTED
SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE PERSONAL
CONVERSATIONS AND WORK TOWARDS
FAMILY ACCEPTANCE ON THEIR OWN
TERMS. ULTIMATELY, AB 1955 SEEKS
TO PROTECT OUR CONSTITUENTS AND
OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM FROM THE
PRECARIOUS SITUATION FORCED
OUTING POLICIES HAVE PUT OUR
CONSTITUENTS IN. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER, AND MEMBERS, I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR AYE
VOTE ON OUR LGBTQ CAUCUS
PRIORITY BILL TO PROTECT OUR
CONSTITUENTS AGAINST FORCED
OUTINGS. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
PELLERIN, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER, AND
MEMBERS, I RISE IN SUPPORT OF AB
1955. THE SUPPORT ACADEMIC
FUTURES AND EDUCATORS FOR
TODAY'S YOUTH ACT, AUTHORED BY
MY COLLEAGUE FROM SAN DIEGO. AS
A COMMITTED ALLY FOR THE
WELL-BEING AND RIGHTS OF OUR
QUEER YOUTH, I STRONGLY SUPPORT
POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT
PROTECT THE PRIVACY OF OUR LGBTQ
PLUS STUDENTS. LET THEM SHARE
THEIR STORY WHEN THEY ARE READY
TO AND TO WHOMEVER THEY FEEL
SAFE TALKING TO AS A PARENT.
NOTHING IN THIS BILL TAKES AWAY
FROM THE IMPORTANT ROLE I PLAY
IN MY CHILDREN'S LIVES, AND MY
ABILITY TO HAVE CRUCIAL
CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AND I
WOULD ONLY WANT THEM TO SHARE
INFORMATION WITH ME IF THEY ARE
READY AND WANT TO CONFIDE IN ME.
AS THE DAUGHTER OF A FATHER WHO
HAD OPPOSITE VIEWS FROM ME AND
PHYSICALLY ABUSED HIS CHILDREN,
I WOULD NEVER HAVE FELT SAFE
CONFIDING IN HIM ABOUT SOMETHING
SIGNIFICANT IN MY LIFE THAT WAS
CONTRARY TO HIS ULTRA
CONSERVATIVE VIEWS AND VALUES. I
LIVED IN FEAR OF HIM, AND I
AVOIDED HIM AT ALL TIMES. FOR
THOSE REASONS, I STRONGLY URGE
YOU TO PUT OUR CHILDREN FIRST
AND VOTE AYE ON AB 1955. THANK
YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER PELLERIN.
MAJORITY LEADER AGUILAR CURRY.
YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. I RISE TODAY
IN SUPPORT OF AB 1955 BECAUSE
OUR CHILDREN SHOULD FEEL SAFE
WHEN THEY GO TO SCHOOL. FORCED
OUTING POLICIES UNDERMINE THE
TRUST BETWEEN A TEACHER AND
STUDENTS AND HARM THE MENTAL
HEALTH OF LGBTQ+ STUDENTS. THESE
POLICIES ALSO LEAD TO A RISE IN
BULLYING, HARASSMENT AND
DISCRIMINATION. THIS BILL
AFFIRMS THAT TEACHERS AND
EMPLOYEES WILL NOT DISCRIMINATE
BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR
GENDER IDENTITY OF THE STUDENTS,
AND WILL NOT BE FORCED TO
DISCLOSE A STUDENT'S IDENTITY
UNLESS REQUIRED TO DO SO BY
STATE OR FEDERAL LAW. PLEASE
JOIN ME IN SUPPORTING THIS BILL
TODAY. WE NEED TO STRENGTHEN
CALIFORNIA'S PROTECTIONS THAT
ENSURE ALL AND I SAY ALL
STUDENTS ARE SAFE AND SUPPORTED.
THANK YOU, MADAM MAJORITY
LEADER, ASSEMBLY MEMBER WILSON,
YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU,
MR. SPEAKER. MEMBERS, I RISE
TODAY IN STRONG SUPPORT OF AB
1955 SAFETY ACT, WHICH WILL
PROTECT OUR CONSTITUENTS AGAINST
FORCED OUTING OF LGBTQ PLUS
STUDENTS. AS MOST OF MY
COLLEAGUES MAY KNOW, THIS ISSUE
IS DEEPLY PERSONAL TO ME AS I AM
THE PROUD MOTHER OF A
TRANSGENDER SON. I RECALL WHEN
HE, IN HIGH SCHOOL WAS JUST KIND
OF FIGURING OUT, WHAT HIS LIFE
LOOKED LIKE, HOW HE IDENTIFIED
HE WAS OUTED TO ME BY A TEACHER,
AND I KEPT THAT IN MY BACK
POCKET. I DIDN'T GO TO HIM AND
IMMEDIATELY SAY, WHAT IS THIS?
WHY IS YOUR NAME CHANGED? WHY
ARE YOU DOING THIS? I LET HIM BE
AND I WAITED TILL HE CAME TO ME.
BUT I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR
IT FROM THAT TEACHER AND NOT YET
FROM MY SON. AND I THOUGHT
ABOUT, LIKE MY COLLEAGUE HERE.
IF MY TEACHER HAD TOLD MY
PARENTS AND WHAT THAT WOULD HAVE
LOOKED LIKE IN MY HOUSEHOLD, I
DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD HAVE
SURVIVED THAT DAY, BECAUSE THAT
WAS THE LEVEL OF ABUSE THAT WAS
HAPPENING IN MY HOME. SO I SAY
TO YOU, COLLEAGUES, EVEN WITH
THE MOST SUPPORTIVE FAMILIES, WE
MUST ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT COMING
OUT IS A PERSONAL DECISION. I
DON'T CARE HOW OLD YOU ARE, IT
IS A PERSONAL DECISION AND THAT
NO ONE, NO MATTER THEIR AGE,
SHOULD BE FORCED TO DO BEFORE
THEY ARE READY AND WITHOUT
AGENCY FOR THEM TO MAKE THAT
DECISION FOR THEMSELVES. NOW,
MAKE NO MISTAKE, REQUIRING
TEACHERS TO FORCIBLY OUT LGBTQ
PLUS STUDENTS BEFORE THEY ARE
READY NOT ONLY HARMS THE
STUDENTS THEMSELVES, BUT ALSO
HARMS SAFE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS
AND THE FAMILIES WHO ARE
DEPRIVED OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO
BUILD TRUST AND HAVE THOSE
CONVERSATIONS IN THE TIME AND
MANNER WHICH THEY WOULD
OTHERWISE CHOOSE. I APPRECIATE
MY COLLEAGUE FROM SAN DIEGO AND
THE MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ CAUCUS
FOR CHAMPIONING THIS EFFORT,
ESPECIALLY AS WE CELEBRATE PRIDE
MONTH, A TIME OF CELEBRATION AND
ADVOCACY FOR LGBTQ PLUS RIGHTS.
CIVIL RIGHTS IN PARTICULAR.
WHILE THERE ARE A FEW WHO WISH
TO ERASE TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS
, I STAND HERE TODAY AS A STRONG
ALLY TO REAFFIRM THAT ALL
MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ PLUS
COMMUNITY WILL NOT BE ERASED.
THEY WILL NOT BE DIVIDED, AND
THEY WILL NOT BE FORCED BACK
INTO DARK, HATEFUL CLOSETS. LET
US STAND TOGETHER AS MEMBERS OF
THIS BODY AND SAY, WE SEE YOU,
WE LOVE YOU AND YOU ARE A PART
OF OUR COMMUNITY IN THE FACE OF
SUCH BASELESS, HATEFUL RHETORIC
AND EROSION OF CIVIL RIGHTS, I
STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE
LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY AND FIGHT
BACK AGAINST SUCH ATTACKS ON OUR
LGBTQ PLUS SIBLINGS. I'M PROUD
TO STAND WITH MY COLLEAGUES OF
THE LEGISLATIVE LGBTQ CAUCUS TO
STRENGTHEN PROTECTIONS OF LGBTQ
PLUS STUDENTS AND THEIR
FAMILIES, INCLUDING ONES LIKE MY
OWN, AGAINST FORCED OUTINGS WITH
THAT, MEMBERS, I THANK YOU AND I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE
ON AB 1955. THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER WILSON, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
ASSALI YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK
YOU, MR. SPEAKER. MY BUTTON.
IT'S ON. THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
I THINK THIS BILL IS EVERYTHING
THAT'S WRONG WITH OUR POLITICS
TODAY. THIS BILL IS BUILT ON A
FOUNDATION OF DISINFORMATION,
HYPERBOLE AND FEAR MONGERING. IF
THE REALITY WAS AS MY DEMOCRAT
COLLEAGUES PAINTED, I WOULD
AGREE WITH YOU, I'D BE STANDING
IN SUPPORT WITH YOU. BUT THAT'S
NOT THE REALITY. SO LET'S FOR
ONCE, HAVE AN HONEST
INTELLECTUAL DEBATE ABOUT WHAT
IS HAPPENING AT OUR SCHOOLS AND
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS STATE.
SO LET'S HAVE A LITTLE LESSON ON
HOW WE GOT HERE TODAY. THIS ALL
STARTED WHEN THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION UNDER
SUPERINTENDENT TONY THURMOND,
ISSUED GUIDANCE TO SCHOOL
DISTRICTS. THE QUESTION WAS, MAY
A STUDENT'S GENDER IDENTITY BE
SHARED WITH PARENTS AND THE
ANSWER FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION WAS THAT NO, BECAUSE
IT WOULD VIOLATE THE STUDENT'S
PRIVACY INTERESTS. OKAY, FOR THE
FIRST TIME IN HISTORY, WE HAD
SOMEONE DECLARE THAT STUDENTS
HAVE A RIGHT TO PRIVACY FROM
THEIR PARENTS. THAT'S NOT IN ANY
LAW AND THAT'S NOT IN ANY CASE
LAW. THE COURTS HAVE NEVER HELD
THAT. AND IN FACT, THEY'VE HELD
THE OPPOSITE, THAT PARENTS HAVE
A RIGHT TO RAISE AND GUIDE THEIR
KIDS BASED ON THIS POLICY. THIS
THIS GUIDANCE, SCHOOL DISTRICTS
IMPLEMENTED WHAT WE CALL SECRECY
POLICIES. THEY TOLD TEACHERS
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES CAN YOU
SHARE THE CHILD'S GENDER
PREFERENCES WITH THE PARENT,
EVEN IF YOU'RE REFERRING TO THEM
BY A NEW NAME AND GENDER AT
SCHOOL. SO TEACHERS WERE PUT IN
A POSITION TO LIE TO PARENTS.
THEY WILL. THEY REFER TO THE
CHILD AS ONE NAME, THE BIRTH
NAME WITH THE PARENT, AND THEN A
DIFFERENT NAME IN CLASS. THAT'S
WHAT THAT'S WHAT CAUSED ME TO
INTRODUCE ASSEMBLY BILL 1314
LAST YEAR, WHICH JUST SAID, IF A
CHILD REQUESTS THE SCHOOL TO
CHANGE THEIR RECORDS TO HAVE A
NEW GENDER, THAT THAT
INFORMATION SHOULD BE SHARED
WITH PARENTS, NOT TO STOP THE
CHANGE, JUST TO INFORM THE
PARENTS. BUT THIS BODY WOULD NOT
EVEN LET THAT DEBATE HAPPEN.
THIS BODY SUPPRESSED ITS
OPPOSITION AND IT'S SILENCED ME.
MR. SEELEY, WE ARE DEBATING HB
1955. WE ARE NOT DEBATING LAST
YEAR'S BILL. ARE WE DEBATING? WE
ARE DEBATING AB 1955. YOU ARE
OUT OF ORDER. I AM NOT OUT OF
ORDER. YOU ARE OUT OF ORDER. ALL
RIGHT, WELL, LET ME GET TO 1955.
THE PROPONENTS HAVE SAID, BY THE
WAY, I AM TIRED OF BEING
INTERRUPTED BY YOU. YOU DO NOT
INTERRUPT THEM. YOU ARE NOT A
SECOND. YOU DO NOT. ALL RIGHT,
LET ME MAKE SURE WE ARE GOING TO
MOVE ON TO MR. ZUBIATE. POINT OF
ORDER. NO, I'M NOT GOING TO BE
INTERRUPTED. I'M GOING TO BE
YOU. LET THEM SPEAK ABOUT OTHER
STATES GOING OUT TO FRANCE. YOU
WERE OUT OF ORDER, MR. VISALLI.
YOU WERE OUT OF ORDER. I AM NOT
OUT OF ORDER. YOU'RE GOING TO
HAVE TO DRAG ME OUT OF HERE. I
WON'T HAVE TO DRAG YOU ANYWHERE.
YOU ARE OUT OF ORDER, MR. SALIH.
WE ASK YOU TO HAVE A SEAT
BECAUSE YOU WERE OUT OF ORDER.
YOU WERE OUT OF ORDER. IF YOU
WANT TO DEBATE THE BILL WHERE
YOU WERE NOT DEBATING THE BILL,
YOU WERE DEBATING A PREVIOUS
BILL. YOU WERE EXPLAINING YOUR
DISPLEASURE OVER SOMETHING THAT
HAPPENED THAT WAS UNRELATED TO
THIS BILL. YOU ARE OUT OF ORDER.
IF YOU WANT TO DEBATE THIS BILL,
I WILL GRANT YOU THAT PRIVILEGE.
BUT IF YOU PERSIST, WE MAY JUST
ASK YOU TO LEAVE. WITH ALL
RESPECT TO THE PROPONENTS HAVE
SAID THEY INTRODUCED THIS BILL
BECAUSE OF WHAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS
DID IN CALIFORNIA IN RESPONSE TO
MY BILL. MR. MR. SALEH, YOU ARE
TALKING AGAIN ABOUT YOUR BILL.
WE ARE NOT DEBATING YOUR BILL.
YOUR BILL IS NOT IN ORDER. SO
LET'S GO AHEAD. MR. GALLAGHER,
YOU ARE ASKING A POINT OF ORDER,
MR. SPEAKER. RESPECT
RESPECTFULLY, THE MEMBER WAS
DISCUSSING THE VERY SUBJECT
MATTER OF THE BILL WHICH DEALS
WITH THESE. NOTICE POLICIES, AND
THAT DOES RELATE BACK TO
PREVIOUS LEGISLATION. AND I
AGREE THAT YOU'RE I UNDERSTAND
WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IN TERMS OF
THERE WAS ANOTHER BILL, BUT THE
SUBJECT MATTER IS VERY MUCH ON
THE SAME SUBJECT OF THIS BILL
AND THIS LEGISLATION. SO I
RESPECTFULLY JUST REQUEST THAT
THE MEMBER BE ABLE TO FINISH HIS
HIS DEBATE ON THIS SUBJECT
MATTER. STICKING TO 1955, THIS
BILL, SO THAT WE CAN COMPLETE
THIS DEBATE ON THIS FLOOR AND
ALLOW FOR ALL VOICES TO BE
HEARD. I WILL ALLOW THAT IF THE
MEMBER WILL STAY WITH THE BILL
AT HAND, WE'RE NOT GOING TO
DEBATE A BILL THAT WAS NOT HEARD
OR PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED. YOU MAY
PROCEED WITH YOUR DEBATE ON THE
BILL ON THE FLOOR. HOW MUCH TIME
DO I HAVE LEFT, MR. SPEAKER, A
MINUTE AND 29 SECONDS. I I WOULD
LIKE MY TIME RESTORED TO WHEN I
WAS CUT OFF. WELL, WE WERE
DEBATING YOU SO YOU HAVE A
MINUTE AND 29 SECONDS AND YOU'RE
USING IT UP RAPIDLY. THIS IS.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, I DIDN'T I
WASN'T PREPARED TO ADDRESS THE
CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY HOUSE
TODAY, AND YOU'RE NOT ADDRESSING
THEM NOW I WILL. YOU WERE OUT OF
ORDER. YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER. MY
DISPARAGING THE HOUSE. I WILL DO
MY BEST TO WRAP UP. OKAY, SO WE
ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE THE
PROPONENTS HAVE SAID THAT SCHOOL
DISTRICTS HAVE PASSED DANGEROUS
PARENTAL NOTIFICATION POLICIES,
SUCH AS CHINO VALLEY'S POLICY.
MY QUESTION IS, HOW MANY OF YOU
HAVE ACTUALLY READ CHINO
VALLEY'S POLICY? I HAVE IT RIGHT
HERE. CHINO, YOU ARE NOT
DEBATING. WE ARE NOT DEBATING
CHINO POLICY. WE'RE DEBATING THE
BILL. YOU'RE. MR. SPEAKER, THEY
ARE SAYING THAT SCHOOLS ARE
FORCIBLY OUT USING THE PAPER AS
A PROP. THAT PAPER IS OUT OF
ORDER. OKAY. I WILL NOT USE THE
PAPER. YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER REYES FOR YOUR
POINT OF ORDER. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. THE MEMBER IS DESPERATE
USING DISPARAGING COMMENTS
REGARDING MEMBERS OF OUR OF OUR
COMMUNITY, MEMBERS OF OUR BODY,
AND I ASK THAT HE REFRAIN FROM
THAT. YOUR YOUR YOUR POINT OF
ORDER IS IN ORDER. POINT OF
ORDER OR DISPARAGING THE
OPPOSITION BY SAYING WE WANT TO
ERASE TRANS KIDS. WE WANT TO PUT
PEOPLE BACK IN CLOSETS. THERE
WAS AND I WOULD ASK THAT THEY
REFRAIN FROM DISPARAGING OUR
MOTIVES AND INTENTS, BECAUSE
THAT'S ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE. I
I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING
DISPARAGING EITHER. THEY WERE
NOT DISPARAGING YOU. THEY WERE
NOT DISPARAGING YOUR COLLEAGUES.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER WILSON, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED FOR YOUR POINT OF
ORDER. THANK YOU. JUST LIKE TO
NOTE THAT THERE WAS A
DISPARAGING COMMENT MADE THAT
FACTS THAT WERE STATED BY ME,
SPECIFICALLY QUOTED BY THE
MEMBER, WERE INACCURATE, AND
THEY WERE STATED AS FACTS BY ME
AS LIVED EXPERIENCE. AND SO WE'D
JUST LIKE TO NOTE THAT, FOR THE
RECORD, THAT THAT ACTUALLY
HAPPENED IN MY OWN LIFE AS I
SHARED IT AS A FACT. THANK YOU.
OKAY.
OKAY. YOUR POINT OF ORDER.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER WILSON WAS WELL
TAKEN. I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO
MR. ZABIR NOW. SECOND, I
BELIEVED YOU USED THAT UP. MR.
SALIH, WE'RE MOVING ON TO MR.
ZABIR. YOUR POINT OF ORDER IS
NOT WELL TAKEN. IT'S NOT
DEBATABLE. YOU DO NOT? WHY NOT?
YOUR POINT OF ORDER IS NOT WELL
TAKEN, IS NOT DEBATABLE. WE'RE
MOVING ON TO MR. ZAPPIA. POINT
OF ORDER IS. I HAVE RULED WE ARE
MOVING ON. I APPEAL THE RULING
OF THE CHAIR. THAT IS AN ORDER
THAT TAKES A SECOND. SECOND?
THERE'S A SECOND BY MR.
GALLAGHER. THERE'S A PEELING THE
RULING OF THE CHAIR. OKAY. CAN I
JUST ADDRESS THE CHAIR NOW FOR
TWO MINUTES, UNINTERRUPTED ON MY
POINT OF ORDER, ON YOUR POINT OF
ORDER? YES, MY POINT OF ORDER,
MR. CHAIR, IS THAT YOU
CONTINUALLY INTERRUPT ME. MR. I
AM Þ YOU ARE OUT OF ORDER NOW.
YOU ARE NOW DISPARAGING THE
CHAIR. I AM OVER. YOU ARE OUT OF
ORDER. I'M APPEALING. YOUR
RULING IS NOT DEBATABLE. I AM
APPEALING YOUR RULING. YOU ARE
OUT OF ORDER. I APPEAL YOUR
RULING. WE'LL DO THIS ALL DAY.
YOU GET TWO MINUTES, BUT YOU DO
NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO DISPARAGE
THE CHAIR. I GET TO SAY WHY
YOU'RE WRONG. I ABSOLUTELY DO.
IF THAT DISPARAGES THE CHAIR,
THEN YOU ARE OUT OF ORDER. I AM
GOING TO DISPARAGE YOU.
ABSOLUTELY YOU ARE WRONG. YOU
ARE WRONG. AND THIS BODY SHOULD
OVERTURN YOUR RULING. WE ARE ALL
EQUAL MEMBERS OF THIS BODY.
THE ITEM BEFORE US IS. SHALL THE
DECISION OF THE CHAIR BE
SUSTAINED? THE CHAIR IS ASKING
FOR AN AYE VOTE. MR. SALIH IS
ASKING FOR A NO VOTE. I'LL ASK
THE CLERK TO OPEN THE ROLL. ALL
THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE TO VOTE.
ALL THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE TO
VOTE. ALL THOSE VOTES TO SUSTAIN
THE DECISION OF THE CHAIR OR TO
SUPPORT THE MOTION. THE CLERK
WILL CLOSE THE ROLL AND TALLY
THE VOTES. AYES 50. NOES 13.
DECISION OF THE CHAIR IS
SUSTAINED. MR. ZABIR, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. GOOD MORNING, MR.
SPEAKER, MEMBERS, I'M PROUD
TODAY TO RISE IN SUPPORT OF AB
1955, A BILL THAT WOULD
STRENGTHEN EXISTING CALIFORNIA
PROTECTIONS AGAINST FORCED
OUTINGS OF LGBTQ PLUS STUDENTS
IN OUR SCHOOLS. AND I WANT TO
THANK OUR COLLEAGUE FROM SAN
DIEGO FOR HIS AMAZING LEADERSHIP
ON THIS Kò LGBTQ PLUS CAUCUS
PRIORITY BILL. AB 1955 PROVIDES
CRITICAL RESOURCES FOR PARENTS
AND FAMILIES OF LGBTQ STUDENTS
TO SUPPORT THEM IN WORKING
TOWARDS FAMILY ACCEPTANCE ON
THEIR OWN TERMS. ADDITIONALLY,
THIS BILL WILL PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS FOR
EDUCATORS WHO FACE RETALIATORY
ACTIONS FROM ADMINISTRATORS AND
SCHOOL BOARDS FOR SEEKING TO
PROTECT STUDENTS. YOU KNOW, THE
PRACTICE OF REVEALING OUTING IS
THE PRACTICE OF REVEALING THAT A
PERSON IS LGBTQ WHEN THAT PERSON
PREFERS TO KEEP THAT INFORMATION
PRIVATE. AND I WANT TO JUST TELL
YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY OWN
COMING OUT AND WHY THIS BILL AND
WHY THIS BILL, AND WHY THIS BILL
IS SO IMPORTANT TO PROTECTING
LGBTQ KIDS. YOU ARE RECOGNIZED,
MR. SALEM. YES. THE SPEAKER'S
REMARKS ARE NOT GERMANE TO THE
TEXT OF THE BILL, SO I'D ASK
THAT THEY BE DECLARED OUT OF
ORDER. WE'RE NOT DEBATING HIS
LIFE STORY. WE'RE NOT DEBATING
HIS LIFE STORY. POINT OF ORDER
IS NOT WELL TAKEN. OKAY. I
APPEAL THE RULING OF THE CHAIR.
DO YOU HAVE A SECOND FOR THAT,
MR. SALEM? SECOND. SECOND. MISS
SANCHEZ. SO, MR. AZALI IS A IS
APPEALING THE RULING OF THE
CHAIR OR NOT? YES MR. SALIH IS
APPEALING THE RULING OF THE
CHAIR. THE CHAIR IS ASKING THAT
THE POINT OF ORDER. MY RULING BE
SUSTAINED. MR. ASHLEY IS ASKING
FOR A NO VOTE, SO I'M ASKING FOR
AN AYE VOTE. MR. SALEM ASKING
FOR A NO VOTE. MR. DOCTOR
JACKSON, IS IT CORRECT THAT, THE
MEMBER, SANCHEZ SECOND, THIS
MOTION? IS IT CORRECT? I BELIEVE
SHE IS NODDING. IS THAT CORRECT?
ASSEMBLY MEMBER SANCHEZ OKAY,
JUST MAKING SURE. THANK YOU. SO
AN AYE VOTE IS MR. DOCTOR
JACKSON. DOCTOR JACKSON, DOCTOR
JACKSON, PLEASE. DOCTOR JACKSON,
PLEASE. DOCTOR.
WELL, JUST DON'T MAKE.
OKAY, LET'S LET'S COME BACK TO
ORDER. MEMBERS. THE ITEM BEFORE
US IS A CHALLENGE TO THE RULING
OF THE CHAIR. CHAIR IS ASKING
FOR AN AYE VOTE. MR. SALIH IS
ASKING FOR A NO VOTE. THE CLERK
WILL OPEN THE ROLL. ALL THOSE
VOTED WHO DESIRE TO VOTE. CHAIR
IS ASKING FOR AN AYE VOTE. MR.
SALIH ASKING FOR A NO VOTE. THE
CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL AND
TALLY THE VOTES. AYES 49, NOES
11. THE RULING OF THE CHAIR IS
SUSTAINED. MEMBERS, PLEASE TAKE
YOUR SEATS OR YOUR CONVERSATIONS
OFF THE FLOOR. MR. ZUBIATE HAS
THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT MY
OWN PERSONAL LIFE AS A TO
EXPLAIN WHY THIS BILL IS SO
IMPORTANT, I GREW UP IN A FARM
COMMUNITY SOUTH OF ALBUQUERQUE,
NEW MEXICO. A RURAL FARM
COMMUNITY WHERE THERE WAS NOT
ANOTHER PERSON THAT I KNEW WHO
WAS LGBTQ, WHERE PEOPLE IN MY
COMMUNITY WERE SHAMED, WERE
BEATEN, WERE TAUNTED. WHERE I
WOULD NOT EVEN ALLOW MYSELF TO
THINK ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY THAT
I WAS AN LGBTQ PERSON WHEN
PEOPLE ASKED WHEN I CAME OUT, IT
WASN'T IT WASN'T EVEN IN COLLEGE
BECAUSE, AT THAT POINT, I HAD
NOT GOTTEN THROUGH. I THINK THE
TRAUMA AND HAD NOT WORKED
THROUGH THE ISSUE MYSELF TO FEEL
COMFORTABLE, TO SHARE THAT I WAS
LGBTQ PERSON, THAT I WAS AN
LGBTQ PERSON WITH ANYONE. I
SLOWLY STARTED TO COME OUT IN
LAW SCHOOL, FIRST TO MY SISTER,
THEN TO A COUPLE GROUP OF A
COUPLE GROUPS OF FRIENDS, THEN
EVENTUALLY A COUPLE YEARS LATER
TO MY PARENTS. THE REASON WHY
AND I COME FROM A LOVING FAMILY
WHERE MY PARENTS DID MORE FOR
THEIR KIDS THAN, YOU KNOW, AS
MUCH AS ANY PARENTS THAT ARE
LOVING DO FOR THEIR KIDS, BUT I
WAS AFRAID TO TELL MY PARENTS
THAT I WAS LGBTQ AS I WAS SORT
OF COMING OUT BECAUSE THEY WERE
THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN MY
LIFE. AND WHEN YOU HAVE A POLICY
THAT REQUIRES TEACHERS TO DO
THINGS THAT THEY KNOW ARE NOT IN
THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE KIDS,
IT CAUSES TRAUMA AND DAMAGE THAT
EXPERTS ACROSS THE BOARD TELL US
IS TRUE. SO THIS BILL IS AN
IMPORTANT AND IMPORTANT BILL.
IT'S A BILL THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE
TO HAVE THE DIGNITY OF DECIDING
WHEN THEY ARE READY TO SHARE THE
MOST SOME OF THE MOST PRIVATE
INFORMATION ABOUT THEMSELVES
WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.
TO HAVE TEACHERS REQUIRED TO
BASICALLY FORCIBLY OUT KIDS AND
REQUIRE TEACHERS WHEN THEY KNOW
WHEN THEY CAN ASSESS A FAMILY
SITUATION AND THEY KNOW IT WILL
HARM THESE KIDS. THERE'S A
REASON WHY WE HAVE STATISTICS
THAT ARE OUT THERE IN OUR
COMMUNITY. WHY FOUR OUT OF TEN
HOMELESS YOUTH IN LOS ANGELES,
WHERE I LIVE, ARE LGBTQ. WHY THE
DROPOUT RATES IN OUR SCHOOLS ARE
FOUR TIMES HIGHER FOR LGBTQ KIDS
THAN EVERYONE ELSE. IT'S BECAUSE
AT THIS TIME IN LIFE, KIDS ARE
GOING THROUGH A VERY DIFFICULT
SETS OF DECISIONS, AND WE SHOULD
NOT HAVE HAVE THESE HARD AND
FAST RULES THAT REQUIRE TEACHERS
TO DO THINGS THAT WE KNOW ARE
HARMFUL FOR OUR KIDS. I WANT TO
THANK MY COLLEAGUE FROM SAN
DIEGO FOR HIS EXTRAORDINARY
LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE. I WANT
TO THANK EVERYONE WHO'S SPOKEN
HERE TODAY AND FOR THE ALLYSHIP
IN THIS ROOM, AND I JUST WANT TO
TELL YOU, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT
IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT. IT
WILL STRENGTHEN FAMILIES. IT
WILL IT PUTS OUR KIDS FIRST, AND
IT'S AN IMPORTANT BILL. AND I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU. MR. MR. ZUBER,
THERE ARE OTHERS WHO WISH TO
SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. WE ARE GOING
TO TAKE A BRIEF CAUCUS NOW AND
WE WILL. RESUME SHORTLY. RECESS
UNDER CALL OF THE CHAIR.
MEMBERS OF THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS
TO THE MEMBERS LOUNGE, PLEASE.
MEMBERS I'D LIKE TO HAVE
EVERYBODY. GET READY TO RE START
OUR BUSINESS HERE TODAY.
MR. WARD, FOR WHAT REASON DO YOU
RISE? MR. SPEAKER, I WOULD.
WITHOUT OBJECTION. I'D LIKE TO
MAKE A MOTION THAT WE RESTORE
THREE MINUTES OF MR. HALEY'S
TIME. WITHOUT OBJECTION, THAT'S
GRANTED. MR. SALIH, YOU ARE
GRANTED THREE MINUTES TO DISCUSS
THE MERITS OF THE BILL. THANK
YOU, MR. SPEAKER. AND THANK YOU
TO MY COLLEAGUE FROM SAN DIEGO.
I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT.
WHAT I WANTED TO SAY WAS THAT
THE PREMISE OF THE BILL WAS THE
FACT THAT SCHOOL BOARDS, OUR ARE
GOING AND PASSING POLICIES TO
FORCIBLY OUT KIDS TO THEIR
PARENTS, AND I DISAGREE THAT
THAT IS WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE
SCHOOLS. THAT WAS THE POINT OF
MY COMMENTS. AND I REFERENCE THE
CHINO POLICY, BECAUSE THAT'S
BEEN THE MAIN TARGET OF, I
BELIEVE THIS BILL IS POLICIES OF
SCHOOL BOARDS LIKE CHINO AS
FORCIBLY OUTING. SO I WANTED TO
READ THE POLICY 55 010, WHICH
SAYS A PRINCIPAL WITHOUT
OBJECTION. OH, THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. IT SAYS A PRINCIPAL
CERTIFIED OR CERTIFIED STAFF AND
OR SCHOOL COUNSELORS SHALL
NOTIFY THE PARENTS OR GUARDIANS
WITHIN THREE DAYS FROM THE DATE
A STUDENT IS REQUESTING TO
CHANGE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN
THEIR RECORDS AND SO THAT'S WHAT
THE POLICY IS. IT'S NOT GOING
OUT AND LISTENING TO KIDS OR
SUSPECTING A KID MIGHT BE
STRUGGLING WITH THEIR GENDER
IDENTITY AND RUNNING TO THEIR
PARENTS. IT'S WHEN THE CHILD HAS
COME TO THE SCHOOL AND SAID, I
WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE MY NAME,
CHANGE MY GENDER, AND I WANT THE
SCHOOL TO RECOGNIZE, MY NEW NAME
AND GENDER. I DO NOT THINK THAT
IT'S UNREASONABLE THAT THE
PARENTS KNOW THAT CHANGE IS
HAPPENING. I DO THINK THAT'S A
SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THAT
CHILD'S LIFE. AND THE PARENTS
SHOULD BE AFFORDED THE
OPPORTUNITY TO WORK THROUGH THAT
WITH THEIR CHILD AND PROVIDE ANY
SUPPORT. WE KNOW CHILDREN WHO
STRUGGLE WITH GENDER IDENTITY
ARE AT HIGHER RISKS FOR ALL
KINDS OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
AND BULLYING, AND WHATNOT, AND I
BELIEVE THAT NOBODY CARES MORE
FOR THEIR KIDS THAN THEIR OWN
PARENTS ARE. THEY'RE BAD
PARENTS. ABSOLUTELY BUT THE
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF PARENTS
DO LOVE AND CARE FOR THEIR KIDS.
IF A TEACHER OR PRINCIPAL HAS
ANY SUSPICION THAT THIS KID IS
GOING TO BE HARMED AT THE HOME
OR THE CHILD EXPRESSES THAT,
FIRST OF ALL, THEY CAN ADVISE
THE CHILD NOT TO CHANGE THEIR
RECORDS TO AVOID THE
NOTIFICATION OR TWO. THEY'RE
MANDATED REPORTERS AND THEY CAN
CALL FOR THE AUTHORITIES. SO I
JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR. WE STAND
WITH YOU. WE DO NOT WANT ANYONE
TO BE BULLIED OR HURT, OR ERASED
OR ANY OF THIS STUFF. WE BELIEVE
THIS IS A REALLY BIG, IMPORTANT
ISSUES WHEN A CHILD IS GOING
THROUGH THIS. IT'S A VERY
DIFFICULT AND EMOTIONAL TIME AND
COMPLICATED TIME. AND WE BELIEVE
THAT THEIR PARENTS SHOULD BE
THERE TO GUIDE THEM AND HELP
THEM. AND WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT
THE GOVERNMENT, THE SCHOOLS HAVE
ANY AUTHORITY TO WITHHOLD
INFORMATION FROM PARENTS AT ALL,
PERIOD. AND SO THAT'S BEEN THIS
POLICY HAS BEEN CHALLENGED IN
COURT. IT'S BEEN UPHELD. THERE'S
BEEN MULTIPLE COURT CASES NOW
THAT THAT REAFFIRM THAT PARENTS
HAVE A RIGHT TO RAISE THEIR KIDS
AND THESE QUOTE UNQUOTE, SECRECY
POLICIES ARE NOT CONSTITUTIONAL.
SO I WISH WE COULD HAVE THIS
CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW DO WE
BALANCE MAKING SURE THESE
STUDENTS HAVE THE APPROPRIATE
RESOURCES AND PROTECTIONS WHILE
AT THE SAME TIME MAKING SURE
THAT PARENTS AREN'T LIED TO BY
TEACHERS? THAT'S THE
CONVERSATION I THINK WE SHOULD
BE HAVING, AND I WISH WE COULD
HAVE HAD THAT EARLIER. BUT BUT
I'M GLAD WE HAVE IT NOW, AND I
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK. AND I KNOW I'VE SPOKEN TO
MY COLLEAGUE FROM SAN DIEGO
ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO MORE CONVERSATIONS.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, AS DRAFTED, I
HAVE TO OPPOSE THIS BILL BECAUSE
IT WOULD OVERRIDE POLICIES LIKE
CHINO'S, WHICH I THINK IS A VERY
REASONABLE AND BALANCED APPROACH
THAT THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS
DECIDED TO TAKE. SO THANK YOU,
MR. SPEAKER, FOR ALLOWING ME TO
MAKE MY REMARKS. THANK YOU, MR.
LEE. MR. GALLAGHER, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. YES. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. I WANTED TO RISE
BECAUSE I THINK THAT BOTH SIDES
OF THIS DEBATE CARE ABOUT THE
CHILDREN INVOLVED, CARE ABOUT
THE STUDENTS IN THESE SCHOOLS,
WE JUST COME ABOUT IT FROM A
DIFFERENT STANDPOINT, AND WHAT
WE THINK IS MAYBE THE BEST
APPROACH TO HELPING STUDENTS WHO
ARE DEALING WITH GENDER IDENTITY
OR GENDER DYSPHORIA, AND I THINK
THAT'S ANOTHER THING TO REALLY
POINT OUT IS IT'S, OFTENTIMES
WE'RE DEALING WITH CHILDREN WHO
ARE IN SCHOOL, WHO ARE DEALING
WITH GENDER DYSPHORIA. THEY
HAVEN'T DECIDED THEY ARE
TRANSGENDER. THEY ARE DEALING
WITH GENDER IDENTITY ISSUES AND
WORKING THROUGH THAT, AND THE
STUDIES SHOW PRETTY
OVERWHELMINGLY THAT A LOT OF
THOSE KIDS DON'T END UP ACTUALLY
BECOMING TRANSGENDER, AND THEY
ACTUALLY REVERT BACK TO THEIR,
THEIR BIOLOGICAL SEX. AND SO
WHERE THIS REALLY BEGAN, FOR ME
IS IN MY DISTRICT IN CHICO, THIS
IS WHAT HAPPENED. AND THIS, THIS
IS, I THINK, WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO
UNDERSTAND IS THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT IN CHICO. I KNOW THIS
WAS TOLD BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION, YOU CANNOT TELL THE
PARENTS, YOU KNOW, IF A STUDENT
IS ASKING TO USE DIFFERENT
PRONOUNS OR IS ASKING TO USE A
DIFFERENT BATHROOM, YOU CANNOT
TALK TO THE PARENTS. AND WHAT
I'VE HEARD FROM SOME OF THE
FOLKS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS
DEBATE IS THAT THEY WANT
ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS TO
HAVE DISCRETION. WELL RIGHT NOW,
UNDER THE CURRENT POLICY, AND I
THINK THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM,
IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE
TALKING ABOUT. THEY'RE BEING
TOLD AT THE AT THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT LEVEL THAT THEY CANNOT
TELL. AND THAT IS A SECRECY
POLICY TO ME. THAT'S THE VERY
DEFINITION OF A SECRECY POLICY.
IT'S NOT IN STATUTE. THERE IS NO
STATUTE ON THE BOOKS THAT SAYS
THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE THE CASE.
BUT YET SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE
BEING TOLD TO DO THAT, AND
THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THESE
POLICIES GENERATED FROM THE
PARENT INVOLVED IN CHICO WAS NOT
TOLD. SHE TESTIFIED IN FRONT OF
THE COMMITTEE. AND I THINK MAYBE
SOME OF YOU GUYS SAW THAT THIS
IS A THIS IS A VERY CONCERNED
AND LOVING MOTHER. AND I
APPRECIATED THE STORY THAT OUR
COLLEAGUE FROM FAIRFIELD, FROM
FAIRFIELD, TOLD. BUT SHE GOT TO
BE TOLD BY THE TEACHER AND
THAT'S ALL THAT PEOPLE ON THIS
SIDE ARE REALLY ASKING AS WELL.
THIS MOTHER DIDN'T GET SHE WAS
NOT TOLD. SHE WAS LEFT OUT. AND
I'LL DRAW ANOTHER ANALOGY THAT,
THAT I HAVE FROM MY OWN PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE. I HAVE A CHILD THAT
HAS AN IEP, AND WHEN WE DO IEPS
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPECIAL
EDUCATION AND NEEDS THAT
PARTICULAR STUDENTS HAVE, WE DO
AN INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION
PLAN, AND WE INVITE THE PARENTS
IN. I GOT TO SIT IN ON THAT WITH
COUNSELORS, WITH SCHOOL
OFFICIALS. I GOT TO HELP BE PART
OF THAT PROCESS, AND WE HAVE
THAT IN STATUTE. THAT IS BY
STATUTE. THAT'S HOW THAT PROCESS
GOES, I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S
EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE
SITUATION, BUT THERE'S AN
ANALOGY THAT COULD BE DRAWN IS
HOW DO WE ACTUALLY MAKE SURE
THAT ALL THE PEOPLE ARE BROUGHT
INTO THIS, AND ESPECIALLY THE
PARENTS, BECAUSE PARENTS SHOULD
BE INVOLVED. AND ONE OF THE
CONCERNS I'VE HAD FROM FROM THE
BEGINNING WITH THIS LEGISLATION,
IS THAT I FEEL LIKE IT ALMOST
DRAWS A DEFAULT OF SCHOOL
OFFICIALS AND TEACHERS AND
COUNSELORS ARE ALWAYS SAFE, AND
PARENTS ARE NOT SAFE. AND THAT'S
NOT TRUE. AND I THINK WE WOULD
PROBABLY AGREE THAT'S NOT TRUE.
I THINK WE WOULD PROBABLY AGREE
ON BOTH SIDES. THAT'S NOT TRUE.
RIGHT. SO I THINK WE COULD HAVE
A BETTER POLICY THAT ACTUALLY
ENSURES THAT ALL PEOPLE ARE
INVOLVED TO HELP ENSURE THAT THE
BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILD ARE
FURTHERED, AND MAYBE NOT DRAWN
INTO POLARIZED POSITIONS. YOU
KNOW, ON THIS IS I THINK WE
COULD HAVE THAT KIND OF
DISCUSSION. WE COULD HAVE A
BETTER POLICY. BUT RIGHT NOW,
THE DEFAULT POLICY, THAT IS WHAT
IT IS COMING OUT OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. AND
IT'S ON IT IS ON DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION'S WEBSITE SAYING THAT
YOU SHALL NOT TELL PARENTS. I
THINK THAT'S WRONG. AND SO AS
WE'RE DEBATING, YOU KNOW, THIS
THIS BILL TODAY, I THINK WE
COULD, YOU KNOW, REALLY WORK ON
THIS AND MAKE IT A BETTER POLICY
FOR ALL STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS.
AND I THINK THAT'S THAT'S THE
THING THAT I WOULD HOPE THAT WE
WORK ON, NO MATTER HOW THIS GOES
FORWARD TODAY. I CAN'T SUPPORT
THIS POLICY IN THIS. THE WAY
THIS STATUTE IS DRAWN TODAY, BUT
I THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A
CONTINUED DISCUSSION ON THIS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MR.
GALLAGHER. MR. LOWE, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. I WANTED TO THANK MY
COLLEAGUE FROM SAN DIEGO FOR
PRESENTING THIS MEASURE BEFORE
US. MY MOTHER TOLD ME THAT SHE
WOULD DISOWN ME IF I WAS GAY.
WHEN I WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD. I
WAS BORN IN THE 80S DURING THE
HIV AND AIDS CRISIS. THERE
WASN'T THE INTERNET THAT
PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITIES FOR
LEARNING EXPERIENCES. WE WEREN'T
TAUGHT ABOUT WHAT IT MEANT TO BE
GAY IN OUR SCHOOLS, THAT WE
EXISTED. WE NOW HAVE THE
RESOURCES, AND I KNEW THAT IF I
EVER TOLD MY MOM THAT I WAS
DIFFERENT, THAT OUGHT TO BE
DISOWNED. AND YOU SIMPLY WANT TO
BE LOVED. AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT
I WAS. THE THOUGHT THAT I COULD
BE OUTED AT THAT TIME, KNOWING
THAT MY MOTHER WAS UNEDUCATED,
MISINFORMED ABOUT WHAT SHE SAW
ON TV, THAT EVERYONE HAD HIV AND
AIDS, THAT YOU JUST SAW WHAT YOU
SAW ON TV. IT IS OUR OBLIGATION
TO PROTECT CHILDREN IN EVERY
STEP OF THE WAY. AND
UNDERSTANDING. THAT SO MANY HAVE
COME FAR AND A LONG OF
ACCEPTANCE IS IMPORTANT FOR SO
MANY OF US. BUT JUST THINK ABOUT
THAT EXPERIENCE OF BEING AFRAID,
NOT KNOWING. IF I WAS OUTED.
WHERE DID I GO? WHAT WOULD I
HAVE DONE? MEMBERS OF THE LGBT
COMMUNITY DURING THIS PRIDE
MONTH, WE LIVE A CHARADE OF
NORMALITY EACH AND EVERY DAY,
AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO FEEL THIS
PAIN AND SUFFERING EVERY SINGLE
TIME. AND WHILE WE WERE WEARING
SUITS TO PRETEND THAT WE ARE
STRONG, THE FACT IS THAT I AM
SHAKING AND RELIVING THIS
NIGHTMARE EVERY SINGLE TIME IN
WHICH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC COME
IN FOR TWO HOURS IN COMMITTEE
TELLING US WE ARE NOT NORMAL.
GOD HATES US. WE ARE DIFFERENT.
WE ARE LESS AND YET WE PERSEVERE
. AND I JUST HOPE THAT OUR
EXPERIENCES ARE RECOGNIZED. THIS
IS NOT A PARTIZAN ISSUE. THIS IS
ABOUT HUMAN DIGNITY. AND I JUST
ASK FOR ALL MEMBERS OF THIS
INSTITUTION, ALL THAT ARE
LISTENING TO HAVE EMPATHY AND
THINKING ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE
THAT I'VE SHARED AS A SEVEN YEAR
OLD, KNOWING THAT MY MOTHER TOLD
ME THAT SHE WOULD DISOWN ME. AND
IF MY MOM IS WATCHING NOW, I'M
SORRY THAT I SHARED THAT SHE
LOVES ME. SHE HAS SOUGHT
ALLYSHIP WITH THE PARENTS OF
FAMILIES OF GAY AND LESBIAN
CHILDREN IN PFLAG, AN
ORGANIZATION OF PARENTS SEEKING
A NETWORK OF SOLIDARITY OF
PARENTS WHO HAVE LGBT CHILDREN.
AND NOW SHE MARCHES WITH ME IN
THE PRIDE PARADES. HOW FAR WE'VE
COME. BUT COLLEAGUES, PLEASE
LISTEN TO THE STORIES. THIS IS
NOT UNIQUE TO ME. THIS IS A
LIVED EXPERIENCE FOR SO MANY. I
KINDLY URGE YOUR EMPATHY AND
YOUR HEART IN SUPPORTING
CHILDREN AND THIS MEASURE.
ASSEMBLY BILL 1955. THANK YOU,
MR. LOWE. SO REMEMBER, JOE
PATTERSON, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER, MEMBERS,
I RISE IN OPPOSITION TO AB 1955.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I DON'T,
READ FROM NOTES VERY OFTEN, BUT
I HAD TO GATHER MY THOUGHTS, AS
THIS DISCUSSION WENT ON. FIRST,
I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
AUTHOR OF THIS MEASURE FROM SAN
DIEGO AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE
CAUCUS FOR MEETING WITH ME AND
HAVING A FRANK DISCUSSION ON
THIS MEASURE AND OPPORTUNITIES
FOR BOTH OF US TO EXPRESS
CONCERN. I RISE NOT ONLY AS A
PERSON CONCERNED ABOUT THIS
POLICY, BUT ALSO AS A PARENT IN
A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT HAS
RECENTLY ADOPTED ONE OF THESE
POLICIES. AND I'M CONFIDENT THE
VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN THIS
BODY HAVE NOT READ THE ACTUAL
POLICIES. AND IF YOU'RE
INTERESTED, I HAVE COPIES WITH
ME TODAY OF MY OWN SCHOOL
BOARD'S POLICY. IN FACT, MANY
SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN MY DISTRICT
HAVE ADOPTED SIMILAR POLICIES,
WITH SOME VARIATIONS. BUT I'M
GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT MY
DISTRICT. IT'S A SURPRISE.
ABSOLUTELY NO ONE THAT THESE
POLICIES HAVE BEEN, AT BEST
MISCHARACTERIZED. AND TO BE
HONEST, JUST COMPLETE LIES ABOUT
WHAT THESE POLICIES DO. IN MY
DISTRICT, THE NOTIFICATION TO
PARENTS OCCURS ONLY AFTER THE
STUDENT REQUESTS A RECORD
CHANGE. A NAME CHANGE, A GENDER
CHANGE, OR TO UTILIZE SEGREGATED
BATHROOM FACILITIES THAT DON'T
MATCH A GENDER IN WHICH THEY
WERE BORN. IT IS NOT AN OUTING
POLICY. THE STUDENT IS ALREADY
OUT. THEY'VE ASKED THE SCHOOL TO
CALL THEM BY A DIFFERENT NAME. I
I'VE HEARD, I'VE HEARD FROM SOME
OF MY COLLEAGUES SAY THAT THESE
POLICIES REQUIRE PARENTAL
NOTIFICATION IMMEDIATELY IF
HEARD ON THE PLAYGROUND OR IN
CLASS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THAT IS COMPLETELY FALSE.
NOTIFICATION DOES NOT OCCUR EVEN
WHEN SPEAKING TO A COUNSELOR
ABOUT GENDER DYSPHORIA. IT DOES
NOT OCCUR WHEN A PERSON IS
SPEAKING WITH A TEACHER, A PEER,
OR BEING INQUISITIVE. IT ONLY
OCCURS WHEN THERE IS ACTUAL
CHANGE OF HOW THE STUDENT IS
PUBLICLY RECOGNIZED AT SCHOOL.
FINALLY, MOST OF THESE POLICIES
DON'T EVEN TAKE EFFECT UNTIL
THEY'RE ACTUALLY NEGOTIATED. THE
ONLY PEOPLE LEFT OUT OF THIS
DISCUSSION ARE THE PARENTS. THE
REASON YOU ARE SEEING THESE
POLICIES IS BECAUSE CDE IS
ACTUALLY TELLING DISTRICTS THEY
MUST KEEP IT A SECRET, THE
AUTHOR SAYS IT IS NOT HIS INTENT
AND INSTEAD IS TO ALLOW A
CONVERSATION AND TO LEAVE
DISCRETION. BUT I AM SORRY, THAT
IS NOT HOW THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS DOING
IT RIGHT NOW THEY ARE ACTIVELY
SUING MY SCHOOL DISTRICT WHERE
MY CHILDREN ATTEND. I'M SORRY
FRIENDS, BUT THIS BILL MAKES AN
ASSUMPTION THAT THE GOVERNMENT
AND TEACHERS AND SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATORS ARE BETTER OFF AT
WHAT IS BETTER THAN ME. IT
ASSUMES THAT THEIR COMPASSION
AND THEIR LOVE IS MORE THAN MINE
. AND TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE
MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ CAUCUS, I
APPRECIATE YOU. I CONSIDER MANY
OF YOU, MY FRIENDS, YOUR GREAT
COLLEAGUES. WE DISAGREE FROM
TIME TO TIME ON SOCIAL ISSUES,
AND THAT'S FINE. AND TO MY
FRIENDS WHO ARE LESBIAN, GAY,
QUEER, I WANT THE BEST FOR YOU.
I WANT YOU TO HAVE A LIFE OF
HAPPINESS AND FULFILLED. DEBATE
ON THIS BILL IS CLEARLY
EMOTIONAL FOR MANY OF US. SO I
WANT TO SAY THIS. WE'VE HAD
TALKS PRIVATELY AS COLLEAGUES
ABOUT THE WAY WE FRAME THINGS ON
SOCIAL MEDIA, ETC. HOW WE FRAME
THEM IN DISCUSSIONS HERE ON THIS
FLOOR IN WAYS THAT DON'T ELICIT
HARM TO US AS PUBLIC OFFICIALS.
WHEN FOLKS GO OUT THERE AND MAKE
STATEMENTS THAT THESE POLICIES
ARE MADE TO APPEASE EXTREMISTS
OR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HATEFUL
TO OTHER PEOPLE, I TAKE GREAT
DEAL OF OFFENSE TO THAT. I'M NOT
HATEFUL. YOU KNOW THAT I LIKE
YOU. I WANT WHAT IS BEST FOR MY
FAMILY AND FOR YOU AND YOUR
FAMILY AND ALL OF CALIFORNIANS.
MY OWN CHIEF OF STAFF, WHO
SERVES AS PRESIDENT OF THE
SCHOOL BOARD OF THE DISTRICT
THAT HAS ADOPTED THIS POLICY,
SHE'S CONSTANTLY FRAMED IN A
PAPER HERE, HERE, LOCAL PAPER
AND CONSTANTLY ATTACKED AS SOME
KIND OF HATEFUL PERSON. GO MEET
HER. REPORT BACK TO ME. IF YOU
THINK SHE'S THE TYPE OF PERSON
WHO'D ADOPT A POLICY THAT IS
INTENDED TO CAUSE HARM, DO YOU
BELIEVE THAT I'M THE TYPE OF
PERSON WHO COMES FROM A PLACE OF
HATE OR HARM? I DON'T BELIEVE
YOU THINK THAT MY VIEWS ON THIS
POLICY ARE CONSISTENT WITH
EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN
REGARDING PARENTAL NOTIFICATION,
FROM GIVING MY CHILD THEIR OWN
RIGHT TO BE TAKEN FROM THEIR
HOMES FOR MENTAL HEALTH
TREATMENT TO SEEKING MEDICAL
TREATMENT. I CONSISTENTLY OPPOSE
THESE POLICIES. MY COMMUNITY IS
GROUND ZERO FOR THIS, AND I
INVITE ALL OF YOU TO READ THE
POLICY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO
ENCOURAGE THE AUTHOR OF THE
BILL. IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, TO
DO SOMETHING IF THIS BILL WERE
TO PASS, PLEASE WRITE THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUT. THE
INTENT OF THIS MEASURE IS TO
ENCOURAGE A CONVERSATION, AND
MAYBE THERE WILL BE TIMES WHERE
THAT CONVERSATION CAN OCCUR WITH
THE PARENTS. WE CANNOT ALLOW THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO BAN
THE CONVERSATION OF PARENTS. AND
BECAUSE OF THAT, I RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR A NO VOTE. THANK YOU,
MR. PATTERSON. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
LEE, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK
YOU, MR. SPEAKER. YOU KNOW, I
THINK WE AS THIS BODY AGREE THAT
ALL VOICES AND LIVED EXPERIENCE
SHOULD BE VALUED, SHOULD BE
HEARD. AND IF YOU'RE EVER
FEELING FRUSTRATED THAT YOU'RE
NOT HEARD, I CAN GUARANTEE YOU
IT IS ONLY A FRACTION OF THE
EXPERIENCE THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY
FEELS WHEN THEIR REALITY IS
CHALLENGED. THE OPPOSITE OF
SHAME IS PRIDE. THAT'S WHY WE
CELEBRATE PRIDE ON THIS FLOOR.
THAT'S WHY I BRING PEOPLE FROM
ACROSS THE STATE HERE TO
CELEBRATE WITH PRIDE. AND YOU
HEARD FROM MANY OF MY OTHER
LGBTQ COLLEAGUES ABOUT THEIR
PERSONAL JOURNEYS. AND WHILE
EACH ONE WAS DIFFERENT ERA
CHARACTERIZED BY DIFFERENT
BOOGEYMAN THAT VICTIMIZED US,
THE MODERN ERA IS CHARACTERIZED
BY THIS IF WE REALLY HAVE THE
BEST INTERESTS OF OUR KIDS AT
HEART, THIS IS THE STRUGGLE THAT
ADULTS TALKING ABOUT THEM AND
WHO THEY CAN BE AND WHO THEY
WILL BE. IT'S THE STRUGGLE THEY
HAVE TODAY. WHEN I WHEN I WAS
GROWING UP, I'M NOT AS BRAVE AS
MY COLLEAGUE FROM THE SILICON
VALLEY. TALK ABOUT MY MOM.
THEY'RE VERY MY PARENTS ARE VERY
SUPPORTIVE AND THEY REQUESTED I
NEVER TALK ABOUT THEM IN PUBLIC,
BUT SO I WILL NOT TALK ABOUT
THEM. I'M NOT AS BRAVE AS MY
COLLEAGUE. WHEN I WAS GROWING
UP, GOING THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL,
MIDDLE SCHOOL AS AN AWKWARD
TEENAGER, FIGURING OUT WHO MY
FRIENDS ARE, FIGURING OUT WHO I
AM, YOU KNOW WHAT ADULTS SAID
ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE US IS THAT IT
IS ILLEGAL FOR YOU TO GET
MARRIED. THAT WAS ON TV. THAT
WAS ON THE INTERNET, THE
PRE-INTERNET, THE EARLY
INTERNET, AND ALL THE BALLOTS.
RIGHT? THE ADULTS SAID THAT IT
IS A SIN. IT IS NOT. YOU'RE NOT
ALLOWED TO GET MARRIED. THE
BASIC THING, AND WHAT A LOT OF
MY FRIENDS WHO ARE NOW OUT FELT
AT THE TIME THAT, OKAY, THAT
THAT'S NOT US. WE'RE NOT THE
STEREOTYPE THAT PEOPLE SAY AND
WE CHOSE TO STAY WITHIN THE
CONFINES OF HETERONORMATIVITY.
WE SAID WE'RE ANYTHING BUT GAY
OR WE'RE HETEROFLEXIBLE, WE'RE
ALL THESE THINGS. BUT, YOU KNOW,
WE'RE METRO, WHATEVER THESE
THINGS ARE. BUT WE'RE NOT GAY.
THAT'S NOT US. RIGHT AND THAT'S
THE SHAME THAT WE FEEL. AND THAT
WAS VERY, VERY HARD. AND IT WAS
STILL HARD GROWING UP TO FIGURE
OUT WHO WE ARE. AND I THINK A
LOT ABOUT HOW PAINFUL IT IS
TODAY, THAT TODAY, EVEN SO, WHEN
WE WANT TO BE SUPPORTIVE AND
EVEN IF THE INTENTION OF OUR
POLICIES IS SUPPORT LGBTQ KIDS,
THE IMPACT CAN STILL BE VERY,
VERY HARMFUL. I STILL GET REALLY
DISHEARTENED WHEN I GO TO
SCHOOLS TODAY AND I ASK THEM,
WHAT ARE YOU DOING? EVEN IN MY
DISTRICT, RIGHT? I ASK THEM,
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO SUPPORT
LGBTQ KIDS? AND SOME PRINCIPALS
SAY WE DON'T HAVE ANY LGBTQ
KIDS. AND I'M LIKE, WELL, THAT'S
REALLY FUNNY BECAUSE ALL MY
FRIENDS AND EVERYONE WE CAME
THROUGH HERE NOT TOO LONG AGO
AND WE ALL TURNED OUT THE WAY WE
DID TOO. SO SOMETHING'S A LITTLE
OFF, BUT IT IS REALLY PAINFUL.
AND IF WE TRULY HAVE THE BEST
INTERESTS OF KIDS AT HEART,
LISTEN TO THEM. IF THEY ARE
REQUESTING DIFFERENT NAMES,
DIFFERENT BATHROOMS. WHEN YOU
WERE 12 AND YOU HAD TO ASK AN
ADULT TO DO SOMETHING, YOU KNOW
IS PAINFULLY AWKWARD AND
PAINFULLY HORRIBLE, THAT TOOK A
LOT OF BRAVERY. AND, YOU KNOW,
WITH MY TRANS FRIENDS AND
NON-BINARY FRIENDS TODAY, WE
JOKE ALL THE TIME GLEEFULLY
THAT, MAN, YOU HAVE 15 NAMES.
I'M GOING TO REMEMBER ALL THESE
NAMES CONSTANTLY, RIGHT? WE
COULD JOKE ABOUT THESE THINGS
BECAUSE IT'S FUNNY, BUT IT'S
ALSO THE STRUGGLE. BUT THAT
STRUGGLE WHEN YOU GO TO SOMEONE
THAT YOU DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE
GOING TO RECEIVE IT WELL OR
THEY'RE GOING TO BE HOSTILE TO
THIS, THAT'S SCARY. ESPECIALLY
IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN WHO ARE
TEN, 11. LIKE ASKING FOR
SOMETHING THEY KNOW IS
CHALLENGING IS REALLY HARD. AND
THE POLICY TODAY AND I KNOW OUR
COLLEAGUE FROM SAN DIEGO HIT IT
HOME AND TALK ABOUT IT TODAY IS
JUST NOT FORCING SCHOOLS TO OUT
KIDS, NOT FORCING THEM BECAUSE
THE KIDS, WHEN THEY FEEL RIGHT
AND COMFORTABLE, ESPECIALLY WITH
SUPPORTIVE PARENTS, WILL HAVE
THAT RIGHT TIME TO DO SO. BUT
EVEN ME, WITH SUPPORTIVE PARENTS
AND EVEN WITH A LOT OF OUR
COLLEAGUES WHO HAD GREAT
PARENTS, WE NEED A LITTLE BIT
MORE TIME. WE NEED TO FEEL OUT.
WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT, IS THIS
RIGHT FOR US? IS THIS RIGHT IN
OUR PEER GROUPS? AND IT'S
REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT. AND
LISTENING TO THE REALLY
EMOTIONAL STORIES TODAY, I JUST
REMEMBER HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS
FOR ME AND MY PARENTS WERE VERY
PROUD OF ME AND SUPPORT OF ME
TODAY, BUT IT WAS NOT ALWAYS
EASY TO DO THAT, YOU KNOW, EVEN
IN THIS MODERN ERA. AND TODAY I
JUST WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT IS
IF YOUR CHILDREN ARE TRYING TO
FIGURE IT OUT, AS COMPLICATED AS
YOUTH IS AND TEENAGER IS, THIS
IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT'S
TRYING TO JUST FIGURE OUT FOR
THEMSELVES AND JUST GIVE THEM
THAT TIME, GIVE THEM THAT GRACE
TO DO SO. AND I THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING TO ALL OUR VERY LIVED
EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE IT'S
IMPORTANT, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW,
ALSO, THERE IS NO TRANS OR
NON-BINARY REPRESENTATION IN
THIS HOUSE RIGHT NOW, AND THEY
CAN'T TELL YOU HOW AWFUL IT IS
TO GO THROUGH BEING DEADNAMED
IMAGINE IF EVERY ONE OF YOU
CONSTANTLY CALLED ME ALAN EVERY
DAY AND I'M LIKE, MY NAME'S NOT
ALAN. YOU KNOW, IT'S CONSTANTLY
DOING THAT. BUT THAT'S JUST THE
MICRO, MICRO, SMALLEST THING
THAT NON-BINARY TRANS PEOPLE
HAVE TO GO THROUGH EVERY SINGLE
DAY. AND WE'RE JUST ASKING YOU
NOT TO POLITICIZE, NOT TO MAKE
IT WORSE FOR THEM. JUST LET THEM
UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY ARE AND
HAVE THEIR OWN TIME. THANK YOU,
MR. SPEAKER. THANK YOU, MR. LEE.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER BAUER-KAHAN, YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. AND MEMBERS, I RISE IN
SUPPORT OF AB 1955. I COME FROM
AN INCREDIBLY LOVING FAMILY AND
I'M A MOM WHO LOVES MY KIDS, AND
I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH MY
COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE AISLE THAT
THE VAST MAJORITY OF PARENTS
HAVE THEIR BEST. THEIR KIDS BEST
INTEREST AT HEART. BUT AND I
KNOW THAT MY PARENTS ALWAYS DID.
MY SISTER HAD A BOYFRIEND IN
HIGH SCHOOL, AND FOR THE FIRST
TIME SHE WENT OFF TO COLLEGE
ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SHE GOT TO
FIGURE OUT WHO SHE WAS, AND SHE
REALIZED SHE IDENTIFIED LGBT,
LGBTQ. SHE TOLD MY PARENTS THEY
STRUGGLED. THEY DIDN'T STRUGGLE
BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T LOVE HER,
JUST THE OPPOSITE. THIS WAS THE
SAME PERIOD WHEN OUR COLLEAGUE
FROM CUPERTINO, HIS PARENTS,
WERE GOING THROUGH THIS, AND IT
WAS A SCARY TIME TO HAVE A CHILD
WHO WAS LESBIAN OR GAY, AND THEY
WANTED MORE THAN ANYTHING FOR
HER TO A HAPPY AND HEALTHY LIFE.
THAT'S ALL THEY WANTED. AND IT
SCARED THEM. AND SO THEY MADE
CHOICES THAT NOW, TO BE HONEST,
THEY REGRET IN HOW THEY THE
CHOICES THEY MADE DURING THAT
PERIOD. AND NOW THEY MARCH IN
EVERY PRIDE PARADE AND THEY
COULDN'T BE PROUDER AND THEY
COULDN'T LOVE HER MORE. AND THEY
HAVE TWO BEAUTIFUL GRANDCHILDREN
THAT SHE AND HER WIFE ARE
RAISING, THAT THEY SPOIL ROTTEN
JUST LIKE THE REST OF THEIR
GRANDKIDS. AND THE LESSON FROM
THAT IS WHAT WE HEARD FROM OUR
COLLEAGUE IN CUPERTINO, THAT
EVEN WHEN PARENTS LOVE THEIR
CHILDREN, IT MIGHT BE FROM A
PLACE OF LOVE THAT THEY DO HARM
IN THOSE MOMENTS. WE'RE NOT
SAYING IT'S NOT. WE'RE NOT
SAYING WHY PARENTS ARE DOING
THINGS THAT CAUSE THEIR CHILDREN
TO NOT BE ABLE TO PROTECT
THEMSELVES AND MAKE THE CHOICES
THEY NEED. WE'RE SAYING THAT
KIDS NEED THAT ROOM AND THAT IF
THEY'RE AT SCHOOL MAKING THE
CHOICES THAT MY SISTER MADE WHEN
SHE WAS IN COLLEGE ABLE TO MAKE
THOSE CHOICES, THEN WE NEED TO
GIVE THEM THAT SPACE. WE NEED TO
TRUST THAT THEY'RE GOING TO
FIGURE IT OUT. AND WHEN THEY
FEEL SAFE TELLING THEIR PARENTS
OR THEIR FRIENDS OR WHOEVER IT
MAY BE, THEY WILL. AND FOR SOME
REASON, THOSE CHILDREN WHERE
THEY DON'T WANT TO BE OUTED TO
THEIR PARENTS, HAVE MADE THE
CHOICE THAT SCHOOL IS THE SAFE
PLACE. AND THEY WANT TO. THEY
WANT TO PUT IT ON AT SCHOOL, AND
THEY'RE NOT READY TO TELL THEIR
PARENTS. AND IF WE LOVE THOSE
KIDS, WE ARE GOING TO LET THEM
DO THAT. AND WE'RE GOING TO
TRUST THAT THEIR PARENTS WILL DO
THE RIGHT THING FOR THEM, LIKE
MY PARENTS DID. AND LIKE WE
HEARD FROM OUR COLLEAGUE FROM
CUPERTINO, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO
LOVE THEM AND SUPPORT THEM, BUT
THAT WE'RE GIVING THE KIDS THE
TIME TO DO WHAT THEY NEED AND,
YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING AS I
SAT HERE TODAY IN MY
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW PROFESSOR
TAUGHT ME A CONCEPT WHEN I WAS
IN LAW SCHOOL ABOUT
PRECOMMITMENT THAT SOMETIMES IN
LAW WE PRE-COMMIT TO THINGS TO
DO WHAT IS RIGHT, BECAUSE WE
KNOW THAT IN THE MOMENT WE MAY
NOT ALWAYS MAKE THE RIGHT
CHOICE. AND THAT'S WHAT THIS
FEELS LIKE TO ME. WE ARE
PRE-COMMITTING TO OUR CHILDREN
THAT WE WILL GIVE THEM THAT
SPACE, THAT THEY WILL TELL THEIR
PARENTS AND THEIR LOVED ONES
WHEN AND IF THEY'RE READY. AND
IN THE MEANTIME, THEY GET TO
FIGURE OUT WHO THEY ARE AND THAT
WILL NOT DO HARM. WE KNOW BY
LISTENING TO THE KIDS WHO THIS
AFFECTS THAT IT'S WHAT THEY'RE
ASKING FOR AND IT'S WHAT THEY
NEED. AND SO I THINK WE NEED
LOOK NO FARTHER THAN THE KIDS AS
LOVING PEOPLE AND AS PARENTS TO
DO THE RIGHT THING AND VOTE IN
SUPPORT OF AB 1955. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER BARRETT KHN,
ASSEMBLY MEMBER CERVANTES. YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. AND MEMBERS, I RISE AS
A PROUD MEMBER OF THE LGBTQ
CAUCUS AND A PROUD CO AUTHOR OF
AB 1955, THE SAFETY ACT. I WANT
TO THANK OUR VICE CHAIR, MY
FRIEND, MY COLLEAGUE FROM SAN
DIEGO, FOR TAKING THIS ON ON
BEHALF OF OUR CAUCUS AND ON
BEHALF OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS
ACROSS OUR GREAT STATE. AND OF
COURSE, IT IS SO APPROPRIATE
THAT WE ARE HERE AND READY TO
SEND THIS BILL TO THE GOVERNOR'S
DEATH DURING PRIDE MONTH.
COLLEAGUES, THE SAFETY ACT IS
ONE OF THE MOST FORMATIVE AND
SOMETIMES TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES
FOR MEMBERS OF OUR LGBT
COMMUNITY. COMING OUT. THIS
INVOLVES NOT ONLY COMING TO
TERMS WITH YOUR OWN IDENTITY,
BUT THE POSSIBILITY, WHICH IS A
TERRIFYING POSSIBILITY OF THE
IDEA OF PRESENTING THIS IDEA OF
AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF YOURSELF
TO THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE MOST IN
THIS WORLD. THANKFULLY, THERE
HAVE BEEN SHIFTING ATTITUDES
ABOUT THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY
MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE BEING
EMBRACED AND ACCEPTED BY THEIR
OWN FAMILIES. WHEN THEY DO COME
OUT. BUT AS THE AUTHOR SO
BEAUTIFULLY PUT IN COMMITTEE
HEARING YESTERDAY, AS MEMBERS OF
OUR COMMUNITY, WE HOPE THAT THE
PEOPLE WHO BROUGHT YOU INTO THIS
WORLD WOULD BE THE PEOPLE WHO
ARE MOST WILLING TO ACCEPT YOU.
BUT THAT IS OFTEN NOT THE CASE.
THAT IS WHY THIS BILL IS SO
IMPORTANT. IT ALLOWS MEMBERS OF
OUR OWN COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY
OUR STUDENTS, TO CHOOSE THEIR
OWN PATH TO COMING OUT. I DIDN'T
GET TO CHOOSE MY PATH. IT WAS
CHOSEN FOR ME. BUT I CLEARED THE
WAY AND MADE IT EASIER FOR MY
TWO YOUNGER SISTERS TO COME OUT.
BUT THE DECISION OF WHO TO TELL
AND WHEN MUST BE MADE BY THE
INDIVIDUAL, NOT BY TEACHERS OR
SCHOOL OFFICIALS, WITHOUT THE
CONSENT OF STUDENTS. THAT IS WHY
THE FORCED OUTING POLICIES THAT
THE SAFETY ACT SEEKS TO BAN ARE
SO DANGEROUS. THEY REMOVE THE
FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENT OF FREEDOM
AND CHOICE FROM ONE OF THE MOST
FORMATIVE EXPERIENCES FOR
MEMBERS OF OUR LGBTQ PLUS
COMMUNITY. THE SAFETY ACT
REPRESENTS THE BEST PARTS OF
CALIFORNIA VALUES OF DIVERSITY
AND COMPASSION. YOU NEED NOT
ONLY LOOK AT THE COUNTY THAT I
REPRESENT IN RIVERSIDE FOR PROOF
. JUST THIS MONTH, VOTERS IN
TEMECULA VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT VOTED TO RECALL ITS
SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT. HE
SPEARHEADED EFFORTS TO IMPOSE
ONE OF THESE FORCED OUTING
POLICIES IN TEMECULA SCHOOLS,
THE KIND OF MISGUIDED
MANIFESTATION OF BIGOTRY THAT
THIS BILL SEEKS TO END. AND
THROUGH THIS RECALL ELECTION,
VOTERS IN THIS HISTORICALLY
CONSERVATIVE PART OF THE COUNTY
I REPRESENT ARE SENDING A
MESSAGE TO US AS MEMBERS OF THIS
BODY. THEY WANT OUR SCHOOLS TO
BE SAFE, WELCOMING AND NURTURING
ENVIRONMENTS FOR OUR STUDENTS.
FOR EVERY ONE OF US WHO WALK
THESE HALLOWED HALLS OPENLY AS
MEMBERS OF BOTH THE LEGISLATURE
AND THE LGBTQ, PLUS COMMUNITY,
WE KNOW THAT THOUSANDS AND
THOUSANDS OF OUR LGBTQ PLUS
SIBLINGS IN CALIFORNIA ARE STILL
FORCED TO HIDE IN THE SHADOWS,
AND IT IS INCUMBENT UPON US TO
SHINE A LIGHT FOR THEM BY
PASSING THIS BILL TODAY. THE
MEMBERS OF THIS BODY WHO VOTE
FOR THIS BILL, NOT MERELY STAND
IN SOLIDARITY WITH MEMBERS OF
OUR COMMUNITY, BUT WE'RE TELLING
STUDENTS THAT WE SEE THEM, THAT
WE HEAR THEM, THAT WE LOVE THEM,
THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT
FOR THEIR SAFETY. COLLEAGUES, I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE
ON AB 1955. THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY
MEMBERS. CERVANTES SEEING AND
HEARING NO FURTHER DEBATE. MR.
WARD, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE
FROM THE MAJORITY LEADER'S DESK?
YES. THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. I
WANT TO THANK ALL MY COLLEAGUES
FOR YOUR PERSONAL AND HEARTFELT
WORDS, I ALMOST WANT TO REFLECT
THEM IN MY CLOTHES BECAUSE THEY
WERE SO ELOQUENT AND POINTED OF
WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH
HERE, COMING OUT, AS YOU'VE
HEARD, IS A VERY PERSONAL
DECISION. EVERY PERSON HAS A
RIGHT TO MAKE THAT FOR
THEMSELVES. AND IT INCLUDES IT
INCLUDES THE RETENTION OF
PRIVACY, WHICH HAS BEEN UPHELD
IN COURTS. LGBTQ STUDENTS DO NOT
WAIVE THAT RIGHT TO PRIVACY JUST
BECAUSE THEY COME OUT TO SOME
PEOPLE AND NOT TO OTHERS. EVERY
CONVERSATION IS ITS OWN
INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE, AND IT
COMES WITH ITS OWN RISKS AND IT
IS UP TO THAT INDIVIDUAL TO
DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES WHEN AND
TO WHOM AND IN WHAT MANNER TO
HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND THAT
PROCESS AND THAT THAT MOMENT OF
CONNECTION IS IMPORTANT, AND IT
SHOULD NOT BE INVOLVING AN
OUTSIDE ACTOR. THRUST UPON THEM.
IN JUST A FEW MONTHS SINCE SOME
OF OUR CALIFORNIA SCHOOL
DISTRICTS HAVE PASSED, THESE
FORCED OUTING POLICIES, THE
RESULTS HAVE BEEN TESTED AND
THEY'RE NOT GOOD. SCHOOLS HAVE
BEEN RIPPED APART. YOU KNOW
WHAT'S GOING ON AT THESE SCHOOL
BOARD MEETINGS? THE FRACTURING
OF COMMUNITIES. BUT BACK TO THE
SUBJECT OF THE MATTER. THE YOUTH
THAT ARE HARMED AND NOT JUST
LGBTQ YOUTH, THEIR FRIENDS, THE
DISCORD AMONGST THE STUDENT
BODY, THE BULLYING, THE
HARASSMENT. THIS IS ALL
INCREASINGLY EVIDENT,
EXPONENTIALLY EVIDENT IN THESE
VERY SAME SCHOOL DISTRICTS. IT
IS THE WRONG DIRECTION, WHICH IS
WHY WE NEED TO BRING THIS BILL
FORWARD HERE, THIS BILL FORWARD
TODAY TO BE ABLE TO REESTABLISH
THAT BASELINE FROM WHICH WE WERE
BEFORE THESE POLICIES STARTED TO
PERCOLATE INTO THE CALIFORNIA
COMMUNITY. AGAIN, I THINK IT'S
IMPERATIVE THAT WHAT WE WANT TO
CORRECT SOME OF THE RECORD WITH
FACTS, THIS BILL DOES NOT FORCE
SCHOOLS TO KEEP SECRETS FROM
PARENTS. THE SAFETY ACT MERELY
PROHIBITS SCHOOL STAFF FROM
BEING FORCED TO OUT STUDENTS.
THIS BILL DOES NOT KEEP DOUBLE
RECORDS FROM PARENTS, PARENTS
AND GUARDIANS. THEY HAVE THE
RIGHT TO ACCESS THEIR STUDENTS
RECORDS THROUGH FERPA, AND
PARENTS WILL STILL BE ABLE TO
REQUEST AND ACCESS TO STUDENT
RECORDS. I DID HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO GO AND
REVIEW SOME OF THE LOCAL
POLICIES AND THE CHALLENGE
THERE, AND MAYBE WE'RE TALKING
PAST EACH OTHER. IS THAT IF A
STUDENT IS REQUESTING TO CHANGE
SOMETHING IN THEIR RECORDS,
FIRST OF ALL, YOU CAN'T CHANGE
OFFICIAL SCHOOL RECORDS WITHOUT
THE PARENTS INVOLVED. THAT IS
THE LAW. RECORDS, AS BROADLY
DEFINED, IS A PIECE OF HOMEWORK
PAPER. A RECORD IS A NOTE.
ANYTHING COULD BE SUBJECT TO A
RECORD SEARCH. WE KNOW THAT IN
OTHER AREAS OF GOVERNMENT TOO.
SO THE PROBLEM IS HOW THESE ARE
BOTH WHAT THESE ARE DOING TO
THESE LOCAL COMMUNITIES. BUT
ALSO HOW THEY CAN BE FINED. WE
BELIEVE ABSOLUTELY IS GOING TO
CAUSE NET HARM, AND WE KNOW IT'S
CAUSING HARM TO THE STUDENTS IN
CHINO VALLEY ALONE. IN A SHORT
TIME AFTER THEY ADOPTED THAT
POLICY, THERE WERE 1200 CALLS
FROM YOUTH WITHIN THAT
GEOGRAPHIC AREA TO YOUTH MENTAL
HEALTH CRISIS LINES, COMPARED TO
4000 STATEWIDE. THAT'S THE
MAGNITUDE OF HOW THINGS HAVE
REALLY BLOWN UP. AND LIKE I
SAID, NOT ALL OF THEM WERE LGBTQ
MEMBERS, BUT JUST IT IS THE
WRONG DIRECTION. IT IS THE WRONG
BASELINE FOR OUR SCHOOLS. NEXT,
THE BILL DOES NOT TAKE AWAY
PARENTS RIGHTS, AND AS A PARENT
MYSELF, WE KNOW THIS, THAT
PARENTS DO HAVE A CRUCIAL ROLE
IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT STUDENTS
LGBTQ IDENTITY. AND THIS BILL
DOES NOT PREVENT FAMILIES FROM
HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN FREE TO
HAVE, AND THEY SHOULD HAVE. THIS
BILL WILL NOT INCREASE
RETALIATION AGAINST ANY
TEACHERS. IN FACT, THIS BILL
STRENGTHENS EXISTING RETALIATION
PROTECTIONS AGAINST TEACHERS AND
SCHOOL STAFF. AND IT IS BUILT ON
THE FOUNDATION THAT'S BEEN
TESTED IN SOME OF THESE EXACT
SAME COURT CASES, WHICH I AM
GRATEFUL TO. OUR ATTORNEY
GENERAL, A SUPERINTENDENT OF
PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, FOR HAVING
THESE IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS
THAT FUNDAMENTALLY, WHAT HAS NOT
BEEN THROWN OUT IS THAT UNDER
OUR STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS, WE
HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO
PRIVACY. IN CLOSING, I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OUR LGBTQ STAFF
AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO
ARE LISTENING IN HAVE HAD TO
ENDURE SOME COMMENTS THAT DEEPLY
AFFECT THEM PERSONALLY AND I. I
APPRECIATE THAT IT AFFECTS US
TOO. IT AFFECTS IF YOU KNOW
SOMEBODY WHO IS LGBTQ OR JUST
CARE ABOUT ANYBODY IN GENERAL,
YOU'VE PROBABLY FELT THAT PAIN
AS WELL. NOW, ON THE SUBJECT OF
THIS BILL, I'M CISGENDERED. I'M
NOT TRANSGENDER, BUT I KNOW WHAT
IT'S LIKE TO FACE COMING OUT. I
KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE
OTHERS TARGET YOU, QUESTION YOU,
AND DENY YOU. PART OF WHAT IS
HAPPENING HERE IS STEMMING FROM
A NATIONAL ISSUE THRUST UPON OUR
COMMUNITY TO BE TARGETING
TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS, A
SUBSET OF OUR COMMUNITY. YES, A
UNITED COMMUNITY. WHY? MAYBE
IT'S POLITICALLY EASY. MAYBE I'M
NOT GOING TO REPEAT WHAT
OPPOSITION WOULD SAY ABOUT
PEOPLE, BECAUSE IT'S WRONG. BUT
GUESS WHAT? TRANSGENDER
INDIVIDUALS ALSO STARTED OUT AS
YOUTH, AND THEY GO THROUGH A
VERY AWKWARD TEENAGE TIME, JUST
LIKE THE REST OF US DO TO I KNOW
SOME OF THOSE YOUTH IN MY LIFE,
I KNOW LEO, I KNOW SAM, I KNOW
RYLAN, I KNOW CYRUS, AND THEY
ARE AWESOME. THEY ARE REAL, THEY
ARE AUTHENTIC. THEY ARE GOING TO
BE GREAT HUMANS AND THEY THEY
MORE OR LESS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE
CONVERSATIONS ON THEIR OWN
TERMS, WHICH IS EXACTLY HOW ONE
SHOULD HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
NOW, OUR CAUCUS THOUGHT DEEPLY
AS THIS WAS THRUST IN CALIFORNIA
COMMUNITY SINCE LAST SUMMER
ABOUT HOW TO RESPOND, HOW TO
WRESTLE WITH SOME OF THE ISSUES.
WE HAVE TO GET THIS RIGHT. AND
AT THAT TIME, WE TOLD TRANS
YOUTH THAT FELT UNDER ATTACKED
THAT WE HAD THEIR BACK AND WE
MEANT IT. AND WE ARE HERE TODAY
TO SEND THIS BILL TO THE
GOVERNOR. IT'S NOT THE JOB OF
TEACHERS TO BE THE GENDER POLICE
. THEY WANT TO TEACH, AND THEY
WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A
SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT.
AND WHEN THEY DO, STUDENTS WILL
THRIVE. NOTHING IN THIS BILL
GETS INVOLVED IN THE PARENT
CHILD RELATIONSHIP. AND IF WE
CAN TAKE THIS MOMENT IN TIME
THROUGH CONVERSATION OF THIS
BILL TO REMEMBER THE BEST
PRACTICES THAT WE SHOULD ALL TRY
TO DO AS PARENTS, IS THAT YOU
CAN TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN AND
YOU CAN HAVE THOSE
CONVERSATIONS. THEY ARE THE LAST
PERSON THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO
FEEL REJECTION FROM. AND AS YOU
ARE, YOU SHOULD AS YOU ARE
HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
PLEASE TELL THEM NO MATTER WHAT,
THAT YOU LOVE THEM. AND I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR AYE
VOTE AND CONCURRENCE. THANK YOU,
MR. WARD.
THE CLERK WILL OPEN THE ROLL.
ALL THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE TO
VOTE. ALL THOSE AYE VOTE. WHO
DESIRE TO VOTE. ALL THOSE VOTE
WHO DESIRE TO VOTE. THE CLERK
WILL CLOSE THE ROLL AND TALLY
THE VOTES. AYES. 60, NOES 15.
SENATE AMENDMENTS ARE CONCURRED
IN. MADAM. MADAM MAJORITY
LEADER, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. MR.
SPEAKER, I REQUEST UNANIMOUS
CONSENT TO REFER SB 1481
CABALLERO TO THE APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE PURSUANT TO ASSEMBLY
RULE 51. WITHOUT OBJECTION, SUCH
SHALL BE THE ORDER AB 228 CALL
HAS BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE
SENATE. I REQUEST UNANIMOUS
CONSENT TO SUSPEND ASSEMBLY RULE
63 AND 77, TO ALLOW ASSEMBLY
MEMBER CARRA TO TAKE UP AB 2288
WITHOUT REFERENCE TO FILE TODAY
FOR THE PURPOSES OF CONCURRENCE
IN SENATE AMENDMENTS. WITHOUT
OBJECTION, SUCH SHALL BE THE
ORDER. I'D LIKE TO NOW MOVE TO
FILE ITEM 64, ACR 217 BY
ASSEMBLY MEMBER BRYANT. THE
CLERK WILL READ. ASSEMBLY
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 217 BY
ASSEMBLY MEMBER BRIAN RELATIVE
TO PLAY DAY SUMMONED MEMBER
BRIAN, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK
YOU, MR. SPEAKER. AND
COLLEAGUES. IT'S MY HONOR TO
RISE TODAY AND OFFICIALLY
DECLARE JUNE 29TH, 2024, AS PLAY
DAY IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
THE LA84 FOUNDATION AND THE PLAY
EQUITY FUND ARE NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE STATE
THAT HAVE CREATED ANNUAL
NATIONAL CELEBRATIONS. IT'S A
CALL TO ACTION TO UPLIFT THE
LIFELONG BENEFITS OF SPORTS PLAY
AND MOVEMENT FOR ALL KIDS, AND
ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES. SPORT,
PLAY AND MOVEMENT ARE ESSENTIAL
TO POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
AND TO BUILDING HEALTHY AND
THRIVING YOUNG PEOPLE. RESEARCH
HAS SHOWN THAT PLAYING SPORTS
IMPROVES MENTAL AND PHYSICAL
HEALTH, INCREASES COGNITIVE
PERFORMANCE, BUILDS SELF-ESTEEM,
CULTIVATES LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND
LEADS TO HIGHER ACADEMIC AND
CAREER ACHIEVEMENT. HOWEVER,
ACCESS TO SPORTS, PLAY AND
MOVEMENT VARIES ACROSS RACE AND
SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS. THOSE AT
GREATER RISK FOR POOR HEALTH AND
WELLNESS OUTCOMES OFTEN HAVE THE
HAVE THE LEAST ACCESS TO PLAY
OPPORTUNITIES. ACCORDING TO THE
LOS ANGELES COUNTY YOUTH SPORTS
PARTICIPATION SURVEY,
COMMISSIONED BY THE LA84
FOUNDATION, CHILDREN FROM
HOUSEHOLDS WITH AN ANNUAL
INCOMES GREATER THAN 150,000 HAD
A 93% SPORT PARTICIPATION RATE.
HOWEVER, ONLY 68% OF CHILDREN
FROM HOUSEHOLDS WITH ANNUAL
INCOMES BELOW 35,000 PARTICIPATE
IN SPORTS. ACCESS TO SPORT, PLAY
AND MOVEMENT IS NOT EQUITABLE.
THERE'S A CRISIS HIDDEN IN PLAIN
SIGHT. KIDS ACROSS THE COUNTY
ARE MISSING. ACROSS THE COUNTRY
ARE MISSING OUT ON THE BENEFITS
OF PLAY DUE TO BARRIERS LIKE
HIGH COSTS OF YOUTH SPORTS, LACK
OF FACILITIES, FEW TRAUMA
INFORMED AND TRAINED COACHES,
EXCLUSION BASED ON DISABILITY.
THERE'S A PLAY EQUITY GAP. EVERY
CHILD SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO
PLAY. THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT WE LIFT UP THE EFFORTS OF
PLAY DAY THIS YEAR. THE LA84
FOUNDATION IS CELEBRATING ITS 40
YEARS OF IMPACT AS A LEGACY TO
THE 1984 SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES,
AND IT'S DOUBLING DOWN ON PLAY
DAY WITH THE ADDITION OF A BLOCK
PARTY IN LOS ANGELES ON JUNE
29TH. IN THE HEART OF MY
DISTRICT AND THE HISTORIC WEST
ADAMS CORRIDOR TO CELEBRATE THE
ENDURING LEGACY OF THOSE OLYMPIC
GAMES, I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT
AND ESTABLISHING TODAY AS PLAY
DAY ACROSS CALIFORNIA. THANK
YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER BRIAN,
ASSEMBLY MEMBER QUIRK-SILVA YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. AND MEMBERS, ON A
PLAYFUL NOTE, I RISE TO PROUDLY
SUPPORT ACR 217 AND WOULD LIKE
TO THANK MY COLLEAGUE FROM LOS
ANGELES FOR BRINGING THIS
FORWARD. JUST THE WORD PLAY.
BRING SMILES TO OUR FACE AS A
TEACHER FOR 30 YEARS, I KNOW
FIRSTHAND THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAY
FOR YOUNG MINDS. I HAVE SEEN HOW
IT INSPIRES CREATIVITY,
ENCOURAGES TEAMWORK, AND BUILDS
RESILIENCE. RESILIENCE HEALTHY
HOBBIES ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF OUR YOUTH. WHEN
YOUTH ENGAGE AND PLAY IN OUTDOOR
ACTIVITIES, THIS FOSTERS
PHYSICAL HEALTH BUT ALSO
NURTURES MENTAL WELL-BEING AND
COGNITIVE GROWTH. PLAY AND
MOVEMENT ARE VITAL IN PROVIDING
CREATIVE AND ATHLETIC
OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CHILDREN.
RESEARCH IS SHOWING KIDS ARE
SITTING LONGER. THEY ARE USING
TECHNOLOGY FOR LONGER PERIODS
AND TALKING LESS. I AM A FIRM
BELIEVER IN MORE RECESS AND
LIMITING TECHNOLOGY FOR OUR
YOUTH MEMBERS. I ASK YOU TO
THINK OF YOUR HAPPIEST CHILDHOOD
MEMORIES. FOR ME, GROWING UP IN
THE 80S, COMING FROM A FAMILY OF
TEN, MY MOTHER OFTEN SAID, GO
OUT AND PLAY AND DON'T COME BACK
UNTIL DINNER. AND WE PLAYED ALL
DAY. WE PLAYED HIDE AND SEEK. WE
BUILT FORTS, WE PLAYED TAG, AND
WE RAN BACK AND FORTH TO EACH
OTHER'S HOMES. WE PLAYED BOARD
GAMES, WE BUILT THINGS AND WE
CREATED. I KNOW MUCH HAS CHANGED
SINCE THE 80S AND WE HAVE OTHER
SAFETY CONCERNS, BUT I WOULD
ENCOURAGE PARENTS TODAY TO BRING
BACK UNSTRUCTURED PLAY. LET OUR
KIDS GET BORED, LET THEM FIND
WAYS TO PLAY AND CREATE. SAVE
YOUR PAPER TOWELS AND TOILET
PAPER ROLLS. SAVE YOUR WRAPPING
PAPER AND LET KIDS PLAY AND
CREATE THIS SATURDAY. HAVE A
GREAT PLAY DAY AND I URGE AN AYE
VOTE FOR ACR 217. THANK YOU,
ASSEMBLY MEMBER QUIRK-SILVA
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE MR.
BRIAN, JUST RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
THE FIRST ROLL TO BE OPEN FOR
COAUTHORS. ALL RIGHT. SEEING AND
HEARING NO FURTHER DEBATE. WOULD
YOU LIKE COAUTHORS ON THE
RESOLUTION? YES, SIR. MR. MR.
BRIAN IS ASKING FOR COAUTHORS,
SO WE'LL HAVE THE CLERK OPEN THE
ROLL FOR COAUTHORS FOR THE
RESOLUTION. ALL THOSE VOTE WHO
DESIRE TO VOTE AS A COAUTHOR,
ALL THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE TO
VOTE AS A COAUTHOR. THE CLERK
WILL CLOSE THE ROLL AND TALLY
THE VOTES. AYES 72. NO ZERO.
THERE ARE 72 COAUTHORS ADDED.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL TAKE A
VOICE VOTE ON THE MEASURE. ALL
IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. OPPOSED? SAY
NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. THE
MEASURE IS ADOPTED. MR. BRIAN,
WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOUR
GUESTS? ABSOLUTELY, COLLEAGUES.
WE ARE JOINED TODAY ON THE
ASSEMBLY FLOOR BY SOME
INCREDIBLE PEOPLE. RENATA
SIMRIL, A FRIEND AND MENTOR OF
MINE, THE CEO OF THE LA84
FOUNDATION AND PRESIDENT OF THE
PLAY EQUITY FUND, IS HERE WITH
US. BILL O'BRIEN, THE BOARD
CHAIR OF THE LA84 FOUNDATION
BOARD, WAS HERE WITH US, BUT
BECAUSE WE HAD SUCH AN EXCITING
FLOOR SESSION, HE HAD TO LEAVE
AND CATCH HIS FLIGHT. FERNANDO
RAMIREZ, THE CHIEF POLICY AND
PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER FOR THE
LA84 FOUNDATION AND PLAY EQUITY
FUND, IS ALSO HERE WITH US.
COLLEAGUES, COULD WE PLEASE
WELCOME THEM TO THE ASSEMBLY
FLOOR?
THANK YOU, MR. BRIAN, AND
WELCOME TO YOUR GUESTS.
MEMBERS. WE'RE NOW MOVING TO
FILE ITEM 109. SB 292. SENATOR
UMBERG BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER KALRA.
THE CLERK WILL READ. SENATE BILL
92 BY SENATOR UMBERG AND OTHERS.
AN ACT RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT
AND DECLARING THE URGENCY
THEREOF TO TAKE EFFECT
IMMEDIATELY. MR. KALRA, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. IN 2004, THE CALIFORNIA
LEGISLATURE PASSED THE PRIVATE
ATTORNEY GENERAL, A PRIVATE
ATTORNEYS, TO BOLSTER THE
STATE'S LABOR ENFORCEMENT
CAPABILITIES UNDER EXISTING LAW,
PAGA ENABLES AGGRIEVED EMPLOYEES
TO ENFORCE THE CALIFORNIA LABOR
CODE BY PURSUING LAWSUITS
AGAINST EMPLOYERS TO RECOVER
CIVIL PENALTIES ON BEHALF OF
THEMSELVES AND OTHER EMPLOYEES
FOR VIOLATIONS OF STATE LAW.
PAGA CASES ARE MOST OFTEN FILED
TO ADDRESS A MAJOR LABOR CODE
VIOLATIONS AND ENFORCE
FUNDAMENTAL LABOR RIGHTS SUCH AS
OVERTIME, MINIMUM WAGE, AND SICK
LEAVE. IN ADDITION TO LIMITED
PUBLIC ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES.
THE INCREASED USE OF ARBITRATION
CLAUSES HAS PREVENTED AGGRIEVED
WORKERS FROM FILING INDIVIDUAL
OR CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS AGAINST
THEIR EMPLOYER, INSTEAD
REQUIRING THEM TO GO THROUGH
ARBITRATION, WHICH SOME BELIEVE
BELIEVE HISTORICALLY FAVORS
EMPLOYERS. TWO DECADES SINCE ITS
ENACTMENT, NEED FOR REFORM IN
PAGA HAVE COME TO LIGHT DUE TO
SOME BAD ACTORS. UNDER THE
CURRENT SYSTEM, SMALL
BUSINESSES, NONPROFITS, LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS, LABOR UNIONS, AND
OTHER EMPLOYERS HAVE BECOME
MAJOR TARGETS FOR LAWSUITS,
OFTEN FOR MINOR TECHNICAL
VIOLATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, IT'S
100 $200 PENALTY STRUCTURE
APPLIES NO MATTER THE SEVERITY
OR DURATION OF THE VIOLATION.
FINALLY, ALMOST NO VIOLATIONS
MAY BE CURED, EVEN IF AN
EMPLOYER QUICKLY REMEDIES THE
ALLEGED VIOLATION. THE SAME
PENALTY APPLIES IN ORDER TO
ADDRESS THESE DEFICIENCIES.
WHILE BOLSTERING PROTECTIONS FOR
WORKERS. SB 92 AND MY COMPANION
BILL, AB 2288, MAKE IMPORTANT
REFORMS TO PAGA. THESE BILLS
REPRESENT A ROBUST COMPROMISE
BETWEEN ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS
INTERESTED IN PAGA, INCLUDING
THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY,
ORGANIZED LABOR AND LABOR LAW
ATTORNEYS. SPECIFICALLY, SB 92
INCLUDES TWO CRITICAL COMPONENTS
OF THIS COMPROMISE. FIRST, THIS
BILL CREATES A FORMAL RIGHT TO
CURE PROCESS FOR SMALL AND
MIDSIZE COMPANIES. SO LONG AS
THESE COMPANIES CURE A LABOR
CODE VIOLATION TO THE
SATISFACTION OF THE LABOR AND
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AGENCY,
THEN GENERALLY A PAGA SUIT
CANNOT BE COMMENCED. SECONDLY,
THIS MEASURE AFFORDS ALL
BUSINESSES, INCLUDING THOSE WITH
MORE THAN 100 EMPLOYEES, THE
ABILITY TO SEEK AN EARLY
EVALUATION CONFERENCE SHORTLY
AFTER THE COMMENCEMENT OF A PAGA
SUIT TO ATTEMPT TO DEVELOP A
PLAN FOR ADDRESSING LABOR CODE
VIOLATIONS AND SETTLING MATTERS
WITHOUT PROTRACTED LITIGATION.
THIS IMPORTANT BILL TO PROTECT
WORKERS AND PROMOTE THE EARLY
RESOLUTION OF VIOLATIONS IS
SUPPORTED BY A BROAD COALITION
OF BUSINESS, LABOR, AND ATTORNEY
GROUPS, INCLUDING THE CALIFORNIA
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE
CALIFORNIA LABOR FEDERATION, THE
CONSUMER ATTORNEYS OF CALIFORNIA
, AND THE CALIFORNIA EMPLOYMENT
LAWYERS ASSOCIATION. THANK YOU.
SEEN IN MR. FLORA, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU. MR.
SPEAKER. I RISE IN SUPPORT OF SB
92, AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE A
SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE HARD WORK,
THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, LABOR,
EVERYBODY THAT CAME TOGETHER. I
KNOW A LOT OF THEM ARE IN THE
GALLERY TODAY, BUT PAGA HAS BEEN
SOMETHING WE NEED TO DEAL WITH
FOR A LONG TIME. AND THIS IS HOW
GOVERNMENT ACTUALLY SHOULD WORK
WHEN PARTIES COME TOGETHER,
ACTUALLY WORK IT OUT AND MOVE
THINGS FORWARD FOR THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA WHILE PROTECTING YOUR
OWN PERSONAL INTERESTS AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY THAT'S
WORKED ON THIS. A LOT OF LONG
HOURS THAT WENT INTO THIS, AND
APPRECIATE EVERYBODY COMING TO
THE TABLE. RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
AN AYE VOTE. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, MR. FLORA. 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. THE CLERK WILL CLOSE,
ROLL AND TALLY THE VOTES. AYES
64. NØ ZERO. ON THE URGENCY.
AYES 64. NOES ZERO ON THE BILL.
WITHOUT OBJECTION. IMMEDIATE
TRANSMITTAL TO THE SENATE.
MADAM, MAJORITY LEADER, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. BILLS HAVE BEEN
RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE. I
REQUEST UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO
SUSPEND ASSEMBLY RULE 63 AND 77,
TO ALLOW ASSEMBLY MEMBER MCCARTY
TO TAKE UP AB 2927, AND TO ALLOW
ASSEMBLY MEMBER WILSON TO TAKE A
AB 628 AND AC EIGHT WITHOUT
REFERENCE TO FILE TODAY FOR THE
PURPOSE OF CONCURRENCE.
INCENTIVE SENATE AMENDMENTS.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, SUCH WILL BE
THE ORDER. WITHOUT REFERENCE TO
FILE, WE'LL NOW MOVE TO AB 2288
BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER CARRA. THE
CLERK WILL READ. ASSEMBLY BILL
2288 BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER CARRA
AND OTHERS, AN ACCOLADE TO
EMPLOYMENT AND DECLARING THE
URGENCY THEREOF TO TAKE EFFECT
IMMEDIATELY. SO, MEMBER CULVER,
YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU,
MR. SPEAKER. I RISE TO PRESENT
AB 2288, WHICH WOULD MAKE
SEVERAL REFORMS TO THE PRIVATE
ATTORNEY GENERAL ACT, OR PAGA,
THAT IMPROVE ITS EFFECTIVENESS
AS A VITAL TOOL TO ENFORCE LABOR
RIGHTS, PROMOTE MAKING WORKERS
WHOLE, AND INCENTIVIZE EMPLOYER
COMPLIANCE. AS MENTIONED IN THE
PRIOR BILL PRESENTATION, SINCE
2004, PAGA HAS SERVED AS A
CRITICAL ENFORCEMENT TOOL OF
CALIFORNIA'S LABOR LAWS,
RECOGNIZING THE REALITY THAT THE
STATE'S LABOR ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES OFTEN LACK THE
RESOURCES TO INVESTIGATE AND
TAKE ACTION AGAINST EVERY
VIOLATION. WHILE PAGA CASES ARE
MOST OFTEN FILED TO ADDRESS
LEGITIMATE, LEGITIMATE, AND
SERIOUS VIOLATIONS OF
FUNDAMENTAL LABOR RIGHTS SUCH AS
OVERTIME, MINIMUM WAGE, AND SICK
LEAVE, IT HAS BEEN PRONE TO
PROLONGED LITIGATION THAT
UNDERMINES THE CORE ENFORCEMENT
TOOL OF PAGA FOR WORKERS. AB
2288 AND ITS COMPANION BILL, SB
92, ARE A PRODUCT OF LENGTHY
STAKEHOLDER NEGOTIATIONS TO
PRESERVE PAGA AND REFORM IT IN A
WAY THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY
IMPROVE THE OUTCOMES FOR BOTH
WORKERS AND EMPLOYERS.
SPECIFICALLY, THIS BILL
ENCOURAGES EMPLOYER COMPLIANCE
BY REDUCING PENALTIES FOR
EMPLOYERS WHO TAKE REASONABLE
STEPS TO QUICKLY FIX UNLAWFUL
POLICIES AND PRACTICES, WHILE
ALSO CREATING HIGHER PENALTIES
FOR BAD ACTORS WHO ACT
MALICIOUSLY. AB 2288 ALSO
IMPROVES OVERALL OUTCOMES BY
ADDING INJUNCTIVE RELIEF AS A
REMEDY, UPDATING THE SPLIT OF
PAGA PENALTIES, INCREASING
WORKERS ABILITIES TO GET BACK
WAGES WITH INTEREST, AND
ALLOWING JUDICIAL DISCRETION TO
INCREASE PENALTIES WHERE THE
OUTCOME WOULD OTHERWISE BE
UNJUST. I'M HAPPY THAT
STAKEHOLDERS WERE ABLE TO REACH
AN AGREEABLE OUTCOME, AND BY
PASSING AB 2288, AS WE JUST DID
WITH SB 92, THIS ALLOWS US TO
AVOID A POTENTIALLY DIVISIVE
BALLOT INITIATIVE MEASURE
DESIGNED TO CIRCUMVENT THE
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AND INSTEAD,
AS WAS MENTIONED BY OUR
COLLEAGUE FROM LODI, ACTUALLY
DEMONSTRATES HOW THINGS SHOULD
BE DONE WHEN ALL SIDES COME
TOGETHER TO RESOLVE A LONG
STANDING ISSUE OF DIVISION WITH
THAT, I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
YOUR AYE VOTE. THANK YOU, MR.
KALRA. 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.
THE CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL
AND TALLY THE VOTES. AYES 67. NO
ZERO ON THE URGENCY. AYES 67. NO
ZERO ON CONCURRENCE IN THE
SENATE. AMENDMENTS WITHOUT
OBJECTION. IMMEDIATE TRANSMITTAL
TO THE GOVERNOR. MOVING NOW
WITHOUT REFERENCE TO FILE TO AB
2927 BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER MCCARTY,
THE CLERK WILL READ. ASSEMBLY
BILL 2927 BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER
MCCARTY AND OTHERS. AN ACT
RELATING TO PUPIL INSTRUCTION TO
MAKE AN APPROPRIATION. THEREFORE
DECLARING THE URGENCY THEREOF TO
TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY. MR.
MCCARTY, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. THIS
BILL IS BACK ON CONCURRENCE.
THIS IS THE BILL THAT WOULD ADD
A PERSONAL FINANCE CLASS,
FINANCIAL LITERACY TO THE HIGH
SCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
FOR ALL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
FIRST, I WANT TO THANK OUR
SPEAKER, OUR PRO TEM, AND THE
GOVERNOR FOR WORKING WITH US AND
THE ADVOCATES TO BRING ABOUT A
SOLUTION. THIS MEASURE WILL BE
SIGNED THE GOVERNOR JUST
ANNOUNCED TODAY. THE BALLOT
MEASURE WILL BE PULLED FROM THE
BALLOT, AND WE WILL HAVE MOST
IMPORTANTLY, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
KIDS CALIFORNIA TO FOCUS ON
LEARNING MATH AND ECONOMICS
THROUGH PRACTICAL EXPERIENCES
ABOUT WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN A CREDIT CARD VERSUS A
DEBIT CARD, RIGHT. WE'RE TALKING
TO YOUNG PEOPLE ALL THIS SUMMER
ABOUT HOW THEY GOT INTO COLLEGE.
AND YOU MAY ASK THEM, HOW ARE
YOU PAYING FOR IT? AND THEY MAY
SAY, I'M GETTING FINANCIAL AID.
YOU ASK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION,
ARE YOU GETTING A LOAN OR A
GRANT? SOMETIMES THEY DON'T
KNOW. THESE SKILLS ARE
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOUNG
PEOPLE. A LOT OF STRESSES FOR
YOUNG PEOPLE THESE DAYS. WE
TALKED ABOUT SOME IN THE LAST
HOUR. ONE OF THE STRESSES IS THE
DEBT CRISIS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. WE
KNOW WHAT YOUNG PEOPLE SHOW UP
TO COLLEGE WHEN THEY WALK AROUND
THEIR FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS OF
COLLEGE BEFORE THEY FIND THE
LIBRARY, THE BOOKSTORE THEY WANT
ACROSS TABLES WITH CREDIT CARDS.
AND SO THESE ISSUES ARE SO
IMPORTANT. THEY SHOULD BE TAUGHT
IN THE CLASSROOM DURING HIGH
SCHOOL, NOT ON TIKTOK. SO THIS
IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING ABOUT
A POWERFUL TOOL FOR OUR YOUNG
PEOPLE AND OUR HIGH SCHOOLS. 25
STATES AROUND THE NATION ALREADY
DO THIS, THIS IS A WIN FOR OUR
STATE'S FUTURE AND FOR OUR YOUNG
PEOPLE. AND RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
YOUR AYE VOTE IN CONCURRENCE ON
SENATE AMENDMENTS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. MCCARTY. SEEING
AND HEARING NO FURTHER DEBATE,
THE CLERK WILL OPEN THE ROLL.
ALL THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE TO
VOTE, ALL THOSE VOTES WHO DESIRE
TO VOTE. ALL THOSE AYE VOTE WHO
DESIRE TO VOTE. THE CLERK WILL
CLOSE THE ROLL AND TALLY THE
VOTES. AYES 71. NO, ZERO ON THE
URGENCY. AYES 71. NO ZERO ON
CONCURRENCE AND CONCURRENCE OF
SENATE AMENDMENTS WITHOUT
OBJECTION. IMMEDIATE TRANSMITTAL
TO THE GOVERNOR. MOVING NOW
WITHOUT REFERENCE TO FILE ACR.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER WILSON, THE
CLERK WILL READ ASSEMBLY
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT EIGHT
BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER WILSON AND
OTHERS. RELATIVE TO SLAVERY.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER WILSON, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. MEMBERS, I AM EXCITED.
I RISE TODAY TO PRESENT ACR
EIGHT, A MEASURE THAT WOULD
ALLOW VOTERS TO ONCE AND FOR ALL
, BAN SLAVERY AND INVOLUNTARY
SERVITUDE WITHOUT EXCEPTION IN
OUR STATE. THIS MEASURE WAS
INTRODUCED ON FEBRUARY 17TH AND
WALKED TO THIS ASSEMBLY FLOOR BY
MY ASSEMBLY FELLOW, ALDO GARCIA.
IT IS ONE OF THE CALIFORNIA
LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS
REPARATION PRIORITIES AND IT
WOULD, IF PASSED AND APPROVED,
AMEND ARTICLE ONE, SECTION SIX
OF THE STATE CONSTITUTION TO
REMOVE THE EXISTING EXCEPTION TO
THE BAN ON INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE
AS A PUNISHMENT FOR A CRIME, AND
WOULD ENSURE THAT PRISONS CANNOT
PUNISH INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS
FOR PRIORITIZING REHABILITATIVE
WORK OVER WORK ASSIGNMENTS.
TODAY, SLAVERY TAKES ON THE
MODERN FORM OF INVOLUNTARY
SERVITUDE, INCLUDING FORCED
LABORS IN PRISON. SLAVERY IS
WRONG IN ALL FORMS, AND
CALIFORNIA SHOULD BE CLEAR IN
DENOUNCING THAT IN ITS
CONSTITUTION. THIS SHOULD NOT BE
CONTROVERSIAL. IT IS OFTEN
ASSUMED THAT SLAVERY AND FORCED
LABOR ARE THINGS OF THE PAST,
BUT TO OUR DETRIMENT. WE
CONTINUE PRACTICES TODAY THAT
HAVE THEIR ROOTS IN A CARCERAL
SYSTEM THAT MAINTAINS VESTIGES
OF SLAVERY. WHEN, AFTER THE
EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION AND
THE PASSAGE OF THE 13TH
AMENDMENT, WHICH OSTENSIBLY
BANNED SLAVERY, THE FORMER SLAVE
SLAVE STATES AND EVEN FREE
STATES TO WOULD TARGET BLACK
AMERICANS FOR CRIMINAL
PROSECUTION AND USE THE
EXCEPTION TO INVOLUNTARY
SERVITUDE TO EXPLOIT FORMER
SLAVES AND THEIR DESCENDANTS
THROUGH FORCED PRISON LABOR.
CALIFORNIA IS AMONG ONLY 16
STATES WITH AN EXCEPTION CLAUSE
FOR INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE IN ITS
STATE CONSTITUTION. MOST
RECENTLY, VOTERS IN ALABAMA,
OREGON, TENNESSEE, AND VERMONT
REMOVED INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE
LANGUAGE FROM THEIR STATE
CONSTITUTIONS. INCARCERATED
PEOPLE HAVE LONG FACED CRUEL
TREATMENT FOR ANY WORK ABSENCES.
THIS INCLUDES PHYSICAL VIOLENCE,
SOLITARY CONFINEMENT, DENIAL OF
PHONE CALLS, AND FAMILY VISITS,
AND LIMITING PARTICIPATION IN
SELF-HELP GROUPS, AS WELL AS
DISCIPLINARY WRITE UPS THAT
RESULT IN LONGER PRISON TERMS.
SUCH PUNISHMENTS ARE THREATS OF
SUCH PUNISHMENTS ARE OFTEN
ISSUED EVEN WHEN ABSENCES ARE
DUE TO ILLNESSES OR INJURIES
SUSTAINED THROUGH THE WORK. THE
CURRENT PRACTICE OF FORCED LABOR
DOES NOT PREPARE INCARCERATED
PEOPLE FOR SUCCESS. UPON
REENTRY, AND SUPERSEDES
PARTICIPATION IN REHABILITATIVE
SERVICES, EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES, AND RECEIVING
HEALTH CARE. INCARCERATED
PEOPLE'S RELATIONSHIP TO WORK
SHOULD NOT BE ONE OF
EXPLOITATION AND LITTLE TO NO
AGENCY. LET US TAKE THIS STEP TO
RESTORE SOME DIGNITY AND
HUMANITY AND PRIORITIZE
REHABILITATIVE SERVICES FOR THE
OFTEN FORGOTTEN INDIVIDUALS
BEHIND BARS. LET US GIVE THEM A
VOICE TO THE VOICELESS. THIS
BILL HAS NO OPPOSITION AND HAS
PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED BIPARTISAN
SUPPORT. MEMBERS. THE LEGACY OF
SLAVERY AND FORCED LABOR RUNS
DEEP IN CALIFORNIA'S HISTORY,
FROM THE EXPLOITATION OF
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN SPANISH
MISSIONS TO BLACK SLAVES FORCED
TO MINE FOR GOLD. TODAY WE HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A STEP IN
THE DIRECTION TOWARDS ENDING
THAT LEGACY. I URGE A STRONG AYE
VOTE ON AC EIGHT. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER WILSON, ASSEMBLY
MEMBER WALDRON, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. AND MEMBERS, MORE THAN
A CENTURY AFTER THE END OF
SLAVERY, CALIFORNIA'S
CONSTITUTION STILL HAS LANGUAGE
THAT SANCTIONS FORCED LABOR FOR
INCARCERATED PEOPLE. WHEN THE
13TH AMENDMENT WAS DRAFTED, THE
EXCEPTION CLAUSE WAS
INCORPORATED TO REACH A
COMPROMISE WITH SENATORS FROM
SLAVE STATES THAT WANTED
CONTINUED ACCESS TO FREE LABOR.
IT IS IN THAT SPIRIT THAT LABOR
WAS CREATED IN PRISONS, WHERE IT
SHOULD BE FORMED IN THE SPIRIT
OF REDEMPTION, REHABILITATION,
AND PUBLIC SAFETY. WE CAN END
THIS RACIST LEGACY WITH A
CONSTITUTION REFLECTING OUR
VALUES. CALIFORNIA IS NOT ALONE
IN RECOGNIZING THAT IT'S TIME TO
CONSIDER THIS AMENDMENT. IN THE
LAST FIVE YEARS, SEVEN STATES
WITH BROAD BIPARTISAN SUPPORT
HAVE AMENDED THEIR STATE
CONSTITUTIONS TO END THE
EXCEPTION AND ABOLISH SLAVERY
FOR ALL. COLORADO LED IN 2018,
FOLLOWED BY UTAH AND NEBRASKA IN
2020, AND ALL THREE HAD
UNANIMOUS BIPARTISAN LEGISLATIVE
SUPPORT IN 2022. ALABAMA OREGON,
TENNESSEE AND VERMONT PASSED
STATE AMENDMENTS AS WELL, AND
THERE ARE MANY OTHER STATES
ORGANIZING TO AMEND THEIR STATE
CONSTITUTIONS. SIMILARLY,
SEVERAL OF WHICH HAVE AMENDMENTS
EXPECTED TO BE ON UPCOMING
BALLOTS. CALIFORNIA CANNOT
CONTINUE TO FALL BEHIND AC EIGHT
DOES NOT END WORK PROGRAMING IN
PRISON, BUT IT DOES ROOT IT IN
DIGNITY AND REHABILITATION.
INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE MEANS
FORCED LABOR, ALSO KNOWN AS
SLAVERY, FOR PEOPLE IN
CALIFORNIA PRISONS, INCARCERATED
PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE THE CHOICE TO
PARTICIPATE IN EDUCATION.
VOCATIONAL TRAINING, AND OTHER
REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS FOR
BETTER POST-RELEASE SUCCESS.
INCARCERATED PEOPLE HAVE LONG
FACED CRUEL TREATMENT FOR ANY
WORK ABSENCES, EVEN IF THEY ARE
ABSENT BECAUSE THEY ARE SICK,
SUSTAINED INJURIES DUE TO THE
WORK OR THE WORK IS UNSAFE.
PHYSICAL VIOLENCE, SOLITARY
CONFINEMENT, DENIAL OF PHONE
CALLS, AND FAMILY VISITS, AND
LIMITING PARTICIPATION IN
SELF-HELP GROUPS AND
DISCIPLINARY WRITE UPS. RESULT
IN LONGER PRISON TERMS. HAVE
BEEN, WHAT'S HAPPENED? THE
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE SHOULD
PASS AC EIGHT SO VOTERS CAN
DECIDE AND HAVE THE POWER TO
REMOVE THIS LANGUAGE FROM THEIR
STATE. OTHER STATES, INCLUDING
FORMER SLAVE STATES ALABAMA AND
TENNESSEE, PASSED SIMILAR ACRES
THAT BECAME BALLOT INITIATIVES
APPROVED BY THE VOTERS. FOR
CENTURIES, OUR STATE AND COUNTRY
HAS HAD A RELIANCE ON CHEAP AND
FREE LABOR. IT'S PRECISELY THIS
RELIANCE THAT HAS KEPT THIS
PRACTICE ALIVE LONG AFTER THE
ABOLITION OF PLANTATION SLAVERY.
THE TIME HAS PASSED TO FINALLY
END THIS PRACTICE. PUNISHMENT
SHOULD NOT INVOLVE EXPLOITATION
AND MASS PROFITEERING. THIS ONLY
SERVES TO INCENTIVIZE
INCARCERATION. LET'S DO THE
RIGHT THING AND VOTE AYE ON AC
EIGHT. ASSEMBLY MEMBER WILSON,
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? I
WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY
COLLEAGUE FROM VALLEY CENTER
LENDING HER SUPPORT TO THIS AC
FROM ACROSS THE AISLE, WHICH
SHOWS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. I'D LIKE TO
THANK MY COLLEAGUES FROM THE
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE BLACK
CAUCUS WHO MADE THIS A PRIORITY
WHEN WE DIDN'T GET IT ACROSS THE
FINISH LINE IN THE PREVIOUS
LEGISLATIVE SESSION WITH THEN
SENATOR KAMLAGER DOVE, WHO IS
NOW A CONGRESSWOMAN, WORKING
EXTREMELY HARD TO GET THIS DONE
AT A FEDERAL LEVEL. THIS IS A
HISTORIC MOMENT TO GIVE THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR VOTERS TO
VOTE THEIR VALUES AND REMOVE THE
LAST VESTIGES OF SLAVERY FROM
OUR CONSTITUTION. WITH THAT,
MEMBERS, 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. THE CLERK WILL CLOSE
THE ROLL AND TALLY THE VOTES.
AYES 66. NOS ZERO. ON THE
URGENCY. AYES 66. NOS. ZERO. ON
THE CONCURRENCE OF SENATE
AMENDMENTS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
IMMEDIATE TRANSMITTAL TO THE
SECRETARY OF STATE. MOVING TO
WITHOUT REFERENCE TO FILE AB 628
BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER WILSON, THE
CLERK WILL READ. ASSEMBLY BILL
628 BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER WILSON.
AN ACT RELATING TO PRISONS.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER WILSON, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. I FORGOT THERE WAS A
NEXT ONE. CAN YOU GIVE ME ONE
MOMENT? DO YOU WANT ME TO? WE
WILL NOT HAVE FLORA PRESENT FOR
ME. HE'S ASKING. HOLD ON ONE
SECOND.
I KNOW, HOLD ON A SECOND. CAN WE
GIVE ME ONE MOMENT? CAN WE PASS
A MOUNTAIN PASS TEMPORARILY?
WE'VE GOT SOME AMENDMENTS. WE'D
LIKE TO TAKE UP, SO WE'LL MOVE
TO FILE ITEM 75, SB 940. SENATOR
UMBERG BY MR. HANEY. THE CLERK
WILL READ SENATE BILL 940 WITH
AMENDMENTS BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER
HANEY. MEMBER HANEY, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU. I RISE TO
PRESENT. THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
I RISE TO PRESENT AMENDMENTS ON
BEHALF OF SENATOR UMBERG FOR SB
940, THESE AMENDMENTS MOVE
SEVERAL OPPOSITION GROUPS TO
NEUTRAL BY DELETING SECTION FOUR
OF THE BILL, WHICH WOULD HAVE
PROHIBITED ARBITRATORS FROM
TAKING CASES THAT A PARTY DURING
THE PENDENCY OF ANOTHER CASE
WITH THAT PARTY. THESE ARE
AMENDMENTS THAT WILL MOVE THE
BILL FORWARD AND RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR YOUR AYE, VOTE ON THE
AMENDMENTS ON BEHALF OF SENATOR
UMBERG. THANK YOU, MR. HANEY.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL TAKE A
VOICE VOTE ON THE AMENDMENTS.
ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. OPPOSED
SAY NO. THE BILL IS THE
AMENDMENTS ARE ADOPTED. THE BILL
IS OUT TO PRINT AND BACK ON FILE
. MOVING TO FILE ITEM 83, SB
674. SENATOR GONZALEZ BY MR.
ZUBIATE. THE CLERK WILL READ
SENATE BILL 674 WITH AMENDMENTS
BY ASSEMBLY MEMBERS OF HER
MEMBERS OF HER, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED, MR. SPEAKER.
MEMBERS, I RISE TODAY TO PRESENT
AMENDMENTS TO SB 674 ON BEHALF
OF SENATOR GONZALEZ THAT WE WORK
Kò DEFINITION THAT CLARIFY THAT
REFINERIES AND RELATED
FACILITIES ARE ONLY RESPONSIBLE
FOR MONITORING THEIR OWN
EMISSIONS, AND THAT FENCELINE
MONITORING ISN'T REQUIRED WHERE
THERE AREN'T COMMUNITIES NEARBY.
THEY ALSO ADD COAUTHORS,
INCLUDING SPEAKER RIVAS. I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU. MR. MR.
ZUBIATE, WITHOUT OBJECTION,
WE'LL TAKE A VOICE VOTE ON THE
AMENDMENTS. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY
AYE. OPPOSED? SAY NO AMENDMENTS
ARE ADOPTED. BILL IS OUT. THE
PRINT BACK ON FILE. MOVING TO
FILE ITEM 107 SB 675 LIMÓN BY
ASSEMBLY MEMBER WICKS. CLERK
WILL READ SENATE BILL 675 WITH
AMENDMENTS BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER
WICKS. ASSEMBLY MEMBER WICKS,
YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU,
MR. SPEAKER. I RISE ON BEHALF OF
SENATOR LIMÓN TO PRESENT
AMENDMENTS TO SB 675,
LEGISLATION THAT WILL
INCORPORATE PRESCRIBED GRAZING
INTO THE STATE'S WILDFIRE
PREVENTION POLICIES.
SPECIFICALLY, THESE AMENDMENTS
DEFINE THAT THE THAT PRESCRIBED
GRAZING PROJECTS MAY INCLUDE THE
INSTALLATION OF FENCING OR WATER
IMPROVEMENTS AND EXTEND THE DATE
FOR THE RANGE MANAGEMENT
ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP
GUIDANCE TO JULY 1ST, 2025.
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE
VOTE. WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL
TAKE A VOICE VOTE ON THESE
AMENDMENTS. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY
AYE. OPPOSED? SAY NO. THE AYES
HAVE IT. AMENDMENTS ARE ADOPTED.
BILL IS OUT TO PRINT. BACK ON
FILE. ASSEMBLY MEMBER WILSON,
YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. THIS IS AB
628. THE CLERK WILL READ.
ASSEMBLY BILL 628 BY ASSEMBLY
MEMBER WILSON. AN ACT RELATING
TO PRISONS. YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER, AND ALSO
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
MEMBERS. I'M PLEASED TO PRESENT
AB 628, A COMPANION BILL TO AK
EIGHT, A MEASURE THAT IF THAT
NOW THAT IT'S PASSED BY THE
LEGISLATURE, IF APPROVED BY OUR
VOTERS WOULD REMOVE THE
EXCEPTION IN OUR STATE
CONSTITUTION THAT CURRENTLY
ALLOWS FOR INVOLUNTARY
SERVITUDE. THIS BILL IS
CONTINGENT ON THE PASSAGE AND
APPROVAL OF AK EIGHT. AB 628
REQUIRES THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND
REHABILITATION, ALSO KNOWN AS
CDCR, TO CREATE A VOLUNTARY WORK
PROGRAM. FURTHER, IT CLARIFIES
THAT CDCR AND LOCAL
JURISDICTIONS SET COMPENSATION
FOR INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS AND
STATE PRISON FACILITIES AND
LOCAL JAILS, RESPECTIVELY. THIS
IS WHEN THE STATE LEGISLATURE OR
LOCALS ARE SILENT ON THE ISSUE
OF COMPENSATION. ON THE ISSUE OF
WAGES. NOW IF AC EIGHT IS
APPROVED BY THE VOTERS, IT WILL
END THE PRACTICE OF VOLUNTARY
SERVITUDE, WHICH IS THE RULE
THAT HAS ALLOWED CALIFORNIA
STATE PRISONS TO USE FORCED
LABOR. AND NOW, BY REMOVING THE
LONG STANDING EXCEPTION TO
INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE FOR
PUNISHMENT OF A CRIME, AND BY
EXPLICITLY PROHIBITING SLAVERY
AND INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE, IT
WOULD FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THE
NATURE OF WORK WITHIN OUR
STATE'S CARCERAL SYSTEM. AND
NOW, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR
STATE'S HISTORY, THE BILL WOULD
REQUIRE THAT WORK ASSIGNMENTS
FOR INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS IS
VOLUNTARY, AND THEY WOULD NOT BE
SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINE FOR
REFUSING A WORK ASSIGNMENT, AND
ALSO ALLOWING FOR GREATER
PARTICIPATION IN REHABILITATIVE
SERVICES AND HELPING TO RESTORE
THE DIGNITY AND BODILY AUTONOMY.
AUTONOMY TO INCARCERATED
INDIVIDUALS. THIS BILL CLARIFIES
IMPLEMENTATION OF ACA EIGHT AND
HAS NO OPPOSITION WITH THAT.
MEMBERS, 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. THE CLERK WILL CLOSE
THE ROLL AND TALLY THE VOTES.
AYES 65, NOES ZERO. ON THE
URGENCY. AYES 65. I'M SORRY. NO
URGENCY. OKAY OKAY. AYES 65. NO,
ZERO ON THE BILL. SOME SENATE
AMENDMENTS ARE CONCURRED IN.
IMMEDIATE. WITHOUT OBJECTION.
IMMEDIATE. TRANSMITTAL TO THE
GOVERNOR. A COUPLE MORE ITEMS
HERE, FOLKS. AND THEN WE ARE
WAITING ON A BILL FROM THE
SENATE. SO WE WILL MOVE TO FILE
ITEM 63, ACR 215 BY ASSEMBLY
MEMBER WALDRON. THE CLERK WILL
READ. ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION 215 BY ASSEMBLY
MEMBER WALTER. RELATIVE TO THE
POWER GÓMEZ HIGHWAY. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER WALDRON, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. AND MEMBERS, I RISE TO
PRESENT ACR 215 TO NAME A
PORTION OF STATE ROUTE 76 TO
PIMCO'S HIGHWAY. HIGHWAY IN
RECOGNITION AND PRESERVATION OF
THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF THE
NATIVE LUISENO TRIBES IN THE
AREA. HISTORICALLY, STATE ROUTE
76 WAS VITAL ARTERY FOR THE
LUISENO PEOPLE USED DURING THEIR
SEASONAL MIGRATIONS BETWEEN THE
VALLEY AND THE COASTLINE. I URGE
AND I VOTE HEARING AND SEEING
AND HEARING NO FURTHER DEBATE.
THE CLERK WILL OPEN THE ROLL.
ALL THOSE VOTE WHO DESIRE TO
VOTE, ALL THOSE VOTES, WHO
DESIRE TO VOTE, ALL THOSE VOTES
WHO DESIRE TO VOTE. THE CLERK
WILL CLOSE THE ROLL AND TALLY
THE VOTES. AYES 71 NÓ ZERO.
MEASURE IS ADOPTED. MOVING TO
FILE ITEM 82 SB 1097. SENATOR
LAIRD BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER SZABO.
CLERK WILL READ. SENATE BILL
1097 BY SENATOR LAIRD. AN ACT
RELATING TO VETERANS. SOME OF
THE MEMBERS. SZABO. YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER, AND MEMBERS, AS THE
CHAIR OF THE MILITARY AND
VETERAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, I
RISE TO PRESENT SB 1097 ON
BEHALF OF SENATOR LAIRD, SENATE
BILL 1097 WILL UPDATE THE
MILITARY AND VETERAN CODES FOR
USE OF GENDER INCLUSIVE
LANGUAGE, CLARIFYING THAT
BENEFITS AND PROTECTIONS
PROVIDED TO SURVIVING SPOUSES
ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FOR DOMESTIC
PARTNERS, AND IT CLOSES A MINOR
LOOPHOLE TO CLARIFY ONLY SERVICE
MEMBERS ON ACTIVE MILITARY
ORDERS SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM JURY
DUTY. SENATOR LAIRD ADVANCED A
SIMILAR BILL TWO YEARS AGO. SB
272, FOR CHP COMMISSIONER AMANDA
RAY. SHE WAS APPOINTED THE FIRST
WOMAN TO BE THE COMMISSIONER OF
THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL.
AND YET THE ENTIRE CODE REFERRED
TO THE COMMISSIONER AS HE. THE
DEDICATED SERVICE OF THESE
INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING
INDIVIDUALS LIKE SECRETARY
LINDSAY SIN OF THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS,
DESERVED TO BE REFLECTED IN
STATE LAW. AND SO SB 1097
UPDATES NUMEROUS INSTANCES IN
THE MILITARY AND VETERAN CODE,
WHICH FEATURES MALE SPECIFIC
LANGUAGE. SB 1097 ALSO ENSURES
CERTAIN BENEFITS AND PROTECTIONS
PROVIDED TO SURVIVING SPOUSES
ARE ALSO AVAILABLE TO DOMESTIC
PARTNERS. IT'S FAR PAST TIME
THAT WE UPDATE OUR LAWS, AND I
THANK THE SENATOR FOR BRINGING
THIS BILL FORWARD. THE BILL HAS
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, NO
REGISTERED OPPOSITION AND NO NØ
VOTES. THANK YOU, ASSEMBLYMEMBER
, 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 55 NÓ ZERO. MEASURE
PASSES. MEMBERS. AS I MENTIONED,
WE ARE WAITING FOR AN ITEM FROM
THE SENATE, SO WE WILL PAUSE
MOMENTARILY. QUORUM CALL IS IN
PLACE.
IF ANY MEMBERS HAVE ANY
CONCURRENCE ITEMS, THEY WOULD
LIKE TO TAKE UP, PLEASE LET US
KNOW. WE'D BE HAPPY TO DO THAT
AT THIS TIME.
WE CAN ALSO ENTERTAIN VOTE
CHANGES. SO, MEMBER DIXON, YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU MUCH,
MR. SPEAKER. YES, I'M CHANGING
AC EIGHT FROM YES TO NOT VOTING,
PLEASE. THANK YOU. VOTE CHANGE.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER. DIXON ASSEMBLY,
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT EIGHT.
AYE TO NOT VOTING.
MEMBERS WERE BACK FROM THAT
BRIEF PAUSE. MOVING TO
ANNOUNCEMENT. THE SESSION
SCHEDULE IS AS FOLLOWS. FRIDAY,
JUNE 28TH, NÓ FLOOR SESSION. NO
CHECK IN SESSION. MONDAY, JULY
FIRST FLOOR SESSION AT 1 P.M.
ALL ITEMS REMAINING WILL BE
PASSED AND RETAINED. ALL MOTIONS
SHALL BE CONTINUED. SEEING AND
HEARING. NO FURTHER BUSINESS. I
GET TO DO THE BEST PART. I AM
READY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO
ADJOURN. MISS AGUIAR-CURRY MOVES
, AND MR. GALLAGHER SECONDS THAT
THIS HOUSE STANDS ADJOURNED
UNTIL MONDAY, JULY 1ST, AT 1
P.M. THE QUORUM CALL IS LIFTED
AND THE HOUSE IS ADJOURNED.