Senate Floor Session

This morning will be led in prayer by Sister Michelle Gorman, after which please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. we gather again in God's presence. As we rejoice in the recent views of Earth from the moon, and as we celebrated the 56th year of Earth Day yesterday, let us remember the significance of our place in the universe as we pray a poem by Mercy Sister Renée Jan called All Creation. Gracious and loving God, help us to remember that all creation kneels a single being to praise you. From its immense heart, creation sings myriad songs at once, mourning and even song, praise and dirge, alas and alleluia, intermingled. It sings even over its own scars, where the chasms cry out for balm. It sings both the remembrance and the hope of blessing. It sings the endurance of faith and the confidence of love. In roar and silence, darkness and light, creation kneels, a single being, to praise you, O God. Amen. Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Thank you, Madam President. I rise today to welcome representatives of the YMCA organization who are in the gallery to celebrate an extraordinary milestone. This is their 175th anniversary. Since its beginnings in the United States in 1851, the YMCA has been a constant force for good, adapting to meet the evolving needs of our communities while staying grounded in a simple but powerful mission to build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all. Over the decades, the YMCA has helped shape American life in meaningful ways, pioneering night schools and English language programs, inventing the game of basketball, and launching youth civic engagement in this state through youth and government in particular. Here in California, the YMCA has served communities for more than 170 years as support for hundreds of communities across the state, providing child care and after school programs for working families, swim lessons, water safety, and a whole host of other programs that meet critical needs in our state. Two YMCA leaders from my district are here. I know they've mobilized their YMCA's many times to provide during times of crisis. That's Amy Grimes and John Erbar. Thank you for all you do. It is more than just a place. It is a trusted partner, community anchor, and for many, a second home. And on a personal note, for my father, it was the second home. It was the thing that helped him move ahead, be the one person in his family to get a college degree, to grow in ways that I think we all are so grateful for. For me, I was in Indian Guides. I was in HiWi. I was a senator in youth and government. I went through the Y program, and it made a fundamental difference. So today, I'm happy to congratulate the YMCA on 175 years of service. I'd like to thank the thousands of staff and volunteers, and I ask that you join me in giving a warm Senate round of applause to the YMCA representatives that are up in the gallery right now.

Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues, file item 64 is the confirmation of former Judge Frank Darnell, Jr., for the appointment of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board. Judge Demerell joined the board late August and previously served as the governor's appointment on the Delta Stewardship Council, and he was a U.S. District Court judge for the Eastern District of California from 1997 to 2011. He was approved by the Rules Committee on a 5-0 vote on April 8th. respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Senator Groves moves a call.

Thank you, Madam President. Today, colleagues, file item 65 as a confirmation of Michelle Edgar for the appointment of State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Ms. Edgar is the founder and executive director of Music Unites and also the founder and chief executive officer of Edgar Talent Agency. She is serving in one of the board's positions for a public member. She was approved by the Rules Committee on April 8th. A 5-0 vote. Respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Senator Grove moves to call.

Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues, the file item 66 is a confirmation of David Galavis for appointment to the State Park and Recreation Commission. He's the associate vice president of community and local government partnerships at the University of Southern California, where he's served since 2003. Prior to USC, he served on the staff here at the Senate and the legislative director with former Senator Gil Cedillo. He was approved by the Rules Committee on April 8th. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Senator Laird. Thank you very much, Madam President. Senate Joint Resolution 12 is a measure opposing the federal government's proposal for the 11th National Ocean Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. It calls for the removal of California from the proposed plan, stronger environmental review, and opportunity for public engagement. This resolution has almost 50 co-authors and includes co-authors from both parties. Under the plan proposed by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, or BOEM, 34 permits would be issued for offshore lease sales across 1.27 billion acres of federal waters, including six potential new lease areas off of California. California has witnessed the catastrophic impacts that occur when oil facilities fail, whether it was in 2015 in Santa Barbara or 1969 with the major oil spill that happened then. The new areas have not seen any newly executed offshore oil and gas leases since the Reagan administration due to long-standing efforts by the federal and the state local leaders to protect our coasts. The development of offshore oil. operations would increase fossil fuel emissions, acting against our efforts to do the exact opposite. These proposals are allegedly in response to global fuel shortages created by the international conflict initiated by this administration. This should not be an excuse to exploit California's resources, and even if they were linked, it would take a decade to bring this online and it wouldn't affect this situation in any way. In the 1980s, 26 cities and counties in California adopted ordinances, and most of them by a vote of the people, that said that there shouldn't be onshore support facilities, zoning changes, without a vote of the people. And that reserved the right of the people to protect the coast. Those ordinances are still on the books. It is what is known in California as the Blue Wall. It passed when I was running for re-election in 1985 for the Santa Cruz City Council. It passed in Santa Cruz with over 80% of the vote. And it was said at the time that if we just improved our fuel efficiency standards by one mile per gallon, we would obviate the need for any drilling off of any coast. Well, we have done that many times over since then. So to protect marine environments and coastal communities from these disasters, to ensure the state's clean energy goals are met, we must defend California's coast from efforts to expand offshore oil drilling. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Madam President. With all due respect to my good colleague, the former Secretary of Natural Resources, my Senate colleague, and my friend, I rise in opposition of SJR 12. Colleagues, we wouldn't be in this situation if you had not decimated the entire oil industry in this state. We did make a little bit of headway and at least change the conversation last year with 2,000 drilling permits being issued for Kern County, but it takes a while to get things in process, get those permits moving. But over the last decade, the year before we got those permits, 23 permits were issued, and before that, very little were issued, even below that number. If you look at what's happening in our state over the last decade, When I first got here, we were producing about 75% of the state's oil and gas, which means that it was produced here, it was put in a pipeline, sent to a refinery, refined into fuel, and we were able to produce our own energy, not relying on foreign countries that are hostile to us. The Trump administration is doing everything possible within its power to execute immediately the ability to bring oil onto the shore of California so that we can continue to have energy security here in the United States of America. He's not just doing it in California, he's doing it in other states as well. So I oppose SJR. If we don't start getting in-state production and offshore immediate off-our coastline production started, then we are going to end up with a shortage. We're already seeing numbers go down as low as 10 days of jet fuel that's available in this state. Europe is already losing jet fuel. La Tunza has canceled flights. Many airlines are delaying flights and canceling flights over in Europe because they're far ahead of us in the destruction that they did with their industry relying on foreign countries to provide them with the fuel that they use to transport us and the fuel we use every day to take our families, have our families go back and forth to work and provide for our communities. And so I oppose this resolution. I applaud the President of the United States for making sure that we have oil that's domestically produced, where we don have to rely on foreign countries that are hostile to us and we can control our own destiny Respectfully ask for a no vote Senator Valadez Thank you Madam President I also want to thank a rise in opposition to this resolution, and I want to thank the Senator from Bakersfield for her steadfast voice on this. You know, I'm not rising in opposition because I don't care about our environment, but because I care about reality. And California is heading towards a serious supply crunch. Just before session this morning, our Problem Solvers Caucus sent a letter to the California Energy Commission asking, what is our supply? Do we have nine days? What is our supply? We've lost refinery capacity. We input the majority of our oil. And now we're being asked to symbolically oppose one of the few remaining in-state sources of energy without offering a single serious plan to replace it. And that's not leadership. That's denial. We can pass all the resolutions we want. We can make statements. We can feel good about where we're landing politically. But none of that is lowering the gas prices for a single mom from my district driving 60 miles to work. None of that keeps our supply stable when global markets are tightening. We've chosen to be energy dependent on the global market. And none of that keeps our supply stable, again, when global markets tighten. and none of it protects us from the very real risk of shortages that we could possibly be seeing in the next month. Here's the truth. If we don't produce energy here in California, we will import it from places with weaker environmental standards, with higher emissions, and that's not climate leadership. That's outsourcing responsibility. We talk a lot about equity in this building, But what's equitable about policies that drive up costs for working families while making us more dependent on foreign supply? If we're serious about a transition, then let's be serious. Let's build the infrastructure. We've tried the scarcity model. It's not working. Respectfully urge a no vote.

Thank you very much, Madam President. It was inferred in this debate, and I thank all my colleagues for putting these points forward, because it makes what at issue here really clear It was inferred that we have done nothing to replace oil Not true If you look at this body in 2011, setting a goal of 30% renewables in our electricity portfolio by 2020, we met that years early. There were days in the last 12 months when 100 percent of the electricity on the grid was provided from renewable sources. That is not nothing. We are putting that in place and we are working toward our goal of 2045 in a way that we are energy reliant locally and do not have to rely on outside fossil fuel and that is at the heart of this debate. The one other point to make is the initial proposal by the federal government gutted public participation. It scaled down dramatically traditional environmental review. After public pressure, a portion of the public process was restored. And that is why this resolution is so vital. This resolution is that public pressure. It is driving them to understand that what's going on in the Middle East would not be mitigated by anything that is happening here. It also shows that really we don't need this, and it is environmental degradation for the coast. And so with that, I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Senator. Thank you very much, Madam President. Today I rise to present Senate Resolution 99 which declared Tuesday, April 21st, as California Agriculture Day with the theme of California Leads. Hopefully you all had a chance to go out to the Ag Day before it started pouring rain. To have an opportunity to taste and see the bounty of California and to interact with people who live in rural California, who love the way of life, who accept the risk of growing produce and working in the agricultural industry and who really keep California at the forefront of agricultural production. We know that California is an ag powerhouse in the United States. We contribute over $50 billion annually to the U.S. economy and supply more than a third of the country's vegetables and two-thirds of the country's fruits and nuts. Australia's ag sector not only feeds America, but it feeds the entire world. We have been the nation's top agriculture producer for the last 50 years and are one of the largest ag exporters in the United States. We lead the nation in production of pistachios, grapes, strawberries, tomatoes, and broccoli, so if any of those appeal to you, they're grown here. And our state produces nearly the entire U.S. supply of almonds, artichokes, figs, and walnuts. We lead the nation in milk and cheese production, churning out over 18% of the nation's milk supply. And we lead the nation in organic agriculture, producing over 90% of the nation's organic walnuts, lemons, and celery. And so who does this? They are farmers who work the land, who put up the resources to be able to grow, and who keep the agricultural working landscape of over 40 million acres in use for agricultural purposes, creating 1.5 million jobs for California residents. California agriculture leads the way, not just in food production, but in innovation and climate-resilient ag practices as well. California has invested over $727 million in climate-smart ag programs over the past decade, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 31 million tons of CO2 and saving 1.6 million acre-feet of water. I also want to recognize and acknowledge the incredible farmworker community that has made this production possible. working hard at a hard task many times in difficult environmental conditions. People tend to say that farm production or agricultural work is not skilled, but I'm here to tell you it is skilled. Get out and spend a day in a field or in an orchard and find out how hard it is and the incredible dexterity of people that produce our agricultural abundance So in conclusion, since this is past, I want to encourage you in the future to visit all of the exhibitions, tell people how important you think their work is because they continue to make it possible for us to eat. and I respectfully ask for your aye vote on SR-99.

Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues, I echo all my colleagues' comments that she just made on the value of agricultural and in-state food production, and we are the best. We produce California-compliant energy in the state of California better than any air place in the nation, and we produce California-compliant food, the best-tasting food that you could ever imagine. People in the others, when you go back out to visit other states, they often tell me when they find out I'm from the Central Valley in California, they often say things like, wow, you guys have the freshest fruit ever. And we are totally blessed because of that. As a senator who represents the top three agri-producing counties in the nation, I rise in support of SR99, which recognizes the importance of agriculture in our state. California is known for more than its beaches and its movies. It's also known as the largest ag state, producing more than one-third of the nation's vegetables and three-quarters of the nation's fruit, bringing over $60 billion of economic impact annually. We lead the nation in dairy products, grapes, almonds, and hundreds of other commodities that my colleague mentions and Americans that they eat and use every single day. Even as we feed and fuel the nation, we must realize that food grows where water flows. Unfortunately, an estimated 50,000 acres of farmland are lost each year in our Golden State because we're threatening the nation's food supply without having water. The Central Valley this year or next year, by the end of next year, will lose more farmland because we need an initial 2.5 million acre feet of water in order to be able to sustain the farming production that we have now. Farmers are constantly trying to get out of the Williamson Act so that they can convert to solar fields, But I submit to you, colleagues, as much as you like the solar energy industry, you cannot eat solar panels. Because of SGMA alone, merely 1 million acres of prime California agricultural land will be taken out of production and followed by 2040, and that's very devastating. That affects the food we eat, where we get our food, the resupply of where that food will come from from other countries. And it also affects the jobs, the farm workers, and the communities, the transportation companies that take this product to market for us. those that work in the field that work hard, like my colleague said. Members, our food doesn't magically appear in supermarkets. There is a long supply chain that starts with the farmer and the farm worker working the soil to produce the food that we eat every day. We need to prioritize the importance of our agricultural production. I'm very disappointed that yesterday in labor, we had a bill up that would allow farm workers to be able to attain part of their overtime work hours because right now our farm workers are losing about $1,200 a month, every single month, because of the overtime law that was passed. We didn't touch the overtime bill. We just asked for a tax credit similar to the film tax credit that was given, but it wasn't essential enough. I feel like my colleagues didn't feel like farm workers were essential enough, like film workers, in order to pass that bill to give us an opportunity. It was co-authored by my Democrat colleague from Bakersfield, and I just think that we need to really seriously I won be here next year but you guys really need to seriously look at how we treat our farm workers and we need to make sure that we protect those who put food on our table and we need to protect the fertile valley that we have that produces like my colleague said all the food that the rest of the nation eats. Thank you, and I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

I want to thank my colleague from Bakersfield for standing up for farmers and I respectfully ask for your aye vote today.

Thank you, Madam President. Today I rise as the author of SR 100, recognizing April 16, 2026, as breaking the silence day of awareness in California. April is recognized across the nation as Child Abuse Awareness Month, or Prevention Month. and a time when we reaffirm our shared responsibility to protect the children and support families. Yet child sexual abuse continues to affect far too many children in ways that often remain hidden from public view. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in four girls and one in 13 boys in the United States experience sexual abuse at some point during their childhood. Many survivors never report their abuse due to fear, stigma, pressure from abusers, or lack of safe reporting channels. The Rape Abuse and Incest National Network, or RAINN, estimates that only a fraction of cases are ever reported to authorities. Tragically, abuse frequently occurs at the hands of individuals known to the child. More than 90% of victims know their abuser, according to the child. into the U.S. Department of Justice. Incest and intrafamiliar abuse carry unique barriers of secrecy and coercion, leading to long-lasting impacts on mental health, including increased risk of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. California stands strong in its response. Now, breaking the silence is also about breaking the cycle. For the past few years, I've been very forthcoming about my experience as a victim of childhood abuse. And I wanna share that however long it takes to break that silence, there is no time clock for the impact of trauma from that abuse. There's no right or wrong time to report that abuse because it's an individual choice of when you're ready to break that silence. And the message that I wanna share is that we, as this legislature, welcome that opportunity for everyone to tell their story. Again, one in four girls and one in 13 boys. I also want to share the message that what you see on the outside often masks what's in the inside when childhood trauma is present. Now, I blamed my mother for so many years about not protecting me. I blame my mother for so many years of causing our family to break and for me to go into foster care. But I have a message for those mothers, because I've soon forgiven her and want to share that regardless of whether you are a victim of abuse, a member of the family, or did everything in your adult power to break the silence and to break the cycle, that you are forgiven and that you are loved. This is an epidemic in American households, an epidemic where regardless of tradition, culture, religion, race, ethnicity, class, we are all susceptible to the impact of childhood abuse. Now I don't have a relationship with my mother anymore and I hope that for her wellness and for the wellness of every mother, auntie, grandma, sister, family member that has endured this impact of childhood abuse, know that you are forgiven and that you are loved. I want to thank our mandated reporters, our teachers, our medical professionals, and social workers that serve as our first-line defense under the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are protected by legal immunity so that they can act without fear. Law enforcement agencies bring specialized training to investigations of familiar rape, incest, and human trafficking, while children's Advocacy centers provide multidisciplinary trauma-informed support and prioritize the children's safety and well-being. I want to thank, once again, Mrs. Muka, who, God rest her soul, who was that brave eighth-grade English teacher who reported my abuse. And I want to thank the city of Mountain View's police department, those brave men and women who probably carry still the trauma of being able to rescue me from that cycle of abuse. I want to thank them, even though here we are almost 35, 45 years later, and there's still that impact. Just this last weekend, I was invited to a memorial of a childhood friend that had passed to breast cancer. and I was asked to bring a photograph of our time together as children And it reignited that trauma deep inside and it only reminded me that even though decades have gone past those childhood trauma scars that our children our youth and our adults and our seniors carry still have a little flicker of pain now I wasn't able to attend that memorial because I still had not been able to process the image that I saw in that photograph. And that's why it's so important that breaking the silence day impacts everybody in this room and that we share that despite the real progress that we make as individuals, despite the real progress that we make as communities, that we must continue to address the complexities of intrafamiliar crimes and expand mandated reporter training across all sectors, Increasing public understanding, reducing stigma, and encouraging open dialogue are essential to breaking the silence, supporting survivors, and preventing abuse before it even occurs. Communities and schools and health professionals and public agencies all play a vital role in creating environments where children feel safe and heard. California's children and families deserve our unwavering commitment to prevention, early intervention, and survivor support. We must come together as lawmakers and families, educators, providers, and communities to raise awareness and to make it okay. Foster informed dialogue. Ensure that every child is protected, even if the child inside of them is now an adult on the outside. No excuses, no halfway measures. The vulnerable population must have the resources, recognition, and safety they need right now and for the long term. I urge my colleagues to join us in voiding eye on SCR 100 and proclaiming April 16, 2026 as breaking the silence day of awareness here in California, committing to stronger efforts and affirming the dignity, safety and healing of every survivor. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President. I rise today in support of SCR 100 and also in support of my amazing colleague from Mountain View for her voice and her bravery in bringing forward this resolution. During this Child Abuse Prevention Month, it's vital that we understand the hard facts about who we're talking about with this resolution. One in four girls, one in 13 boys. These are not simply statistics. These are children in our communities, in our schools, in our families, suffering in silence. What makes child sexual abuse particularly devastating is that more than 90% of cases, the abuser is someone that the child knows and trusts. That betrayal makes it harder to speak up, harder to believe, and harder to heal. Breaking the silence day of awareness is about changing that. It's about creating a California where every child feels safe, even enough to tell their story, and where every adult is equipped to listen, to believe, and to act. I am a long-time child advocate. For years, I owned a preschool and fought for kids in the special need community. this issue is very close to my heart. I am proud to support this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to join me in sending a very clear message. California sees these children. We believe these survivors, and we will never stop fighting for them. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you. Part of breaking the silence is supporting anonymous opportunities to tell your story. And I want to thank RAINN for the 24 hours hotline that if you know somebody or if you yourself need to break the silence, the National Sexual Assault Hotline 1-800-656-4673 is available to you. Thank you and I urge an aye vote.

Thank you, Madam President. Immediately following the adjournment, the budget sub 5 will be meeting here in the Capitol in room 113. Today is going to be Labor Day. We're going to talk about the Employment Development Department, the California Workforce Development Board, and the Department of Industrial Relations. Also, the EDD Next Modernization Project will be reviewed as well. Thank you. Room 113.

Good morning. Sub-4 will meet in Room 113, 15 minutes upon adjournment.

Thank you, Madam President. Senators, I rise today to adjourn in memory of Alwyn Ben Holman, a trailblazer, a public servant and a man whose courage helped reshape opportunities in San Diego and beyond. Born in Alton, Illinois, Mr. Holman answered the call to serve his country in the United States Navy during World War II before making San Diego his home for more than 80 years. He met and married his lovely wife Ruby on March 27, 1948. Before joining the San Diego Fire Department, he had a career as a mail carrier. In 1951, he decided to begin his firefighting career with the San Diego Fire Department at a time when segregation still defined where black firefighters could serve. And black firefighters were only confined to a single station, Station 19. But Mr. Holman would change that. He became one of the first black firefighters assigned outside of Station 19 integrating Fire Station 14 and breaking a long color barrier That assignment was more than a transfer. It was a turning point. Despite resistance and discrimination, Mr. Holman carried himself with dignity, professionalism, and resolve. His presence opened the doors for others and helped transform a segregated system into one that better reflected the values of fairness and opportunity. Over a distinguished 32-year career, he rose through the ranks from firefighter to captain and ultimately to become San Diego's first black deputy fire chief. But his legacy cannot be measured by rank alone. describe him as a mentor and a trailblazer. Like so many pioneers, he did not just break barriers. He bore the weight of them so that others would not have to. Because of Mr. Holman, generations of firefighters who followed were able to serve in integrated stations, pursue leadership roles, and envision a future that once seemed out of reach. His life is a reminder that progress is not inevitable. It is built by individuals willing to step forward and insist on something better, even when barriers are put in front of them. Today, we honor not only his service, but his impact on a department, a city, and a legacy of equity in public service. Mr. Holman lived a full life, reaching the age of 100 and leaving behind a legacy of courage, dignity, and change. We extend our deepened condolences to his family, his loved ones, and the many firefighters and community members whose lives he touched. Mr. Holman was preceded by his beloved wife of 71 years, Ruby, in 2020, followed by his son, Alwyn Darrell Holman, in 2021, and his grandson, Demetrius Holman. but he is survived by his daughter Kyra Randall, his granddaughter Erica Randall, who provided care for him over the last six years, and several other cherished family members. May we continue to build on the path that he helped forge. And in honor of Alwyn Ben-Holman, I respectfully ask that we adjourn in his memory. Thank you.