Floor — 2026-08-18 (partial)

after which please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Let us pray. God of all nations and peoples as a mother holds her children close spread over us a shelter of peace hold before us the wisdom where we are drawn to you not by might or power but in boundless love and forgiveness teach us to treasure people more than money relationships more than things and you above all that our lives and decisions reflect integrity and hope namaste thanks be to God amen

Without objection, Senate Rule 55 is suspended to allow a videographer and photographer on the floor today. Additionally, without objection, we will briefly move to Assembly messages for the Secretary to read a message. Please note that there is a supplemental file today Secretary please read Madam President I am directed to inform your honorable body that the Assembly amended and on this day passed as amended Senate Bill 505 799 881 941 971 994 1115 1169 1187 1193, 1196, and Senate Bill 1307. And respectfully request your honorable body to concurrence set amendments. Sue Parker, Chief Clerk of the Assembly. Thank you, Secretary. We'd like to welcome back Senator Susan Eggman, who is joining us on the floor today again. And Senator Anthony Portentino, who is also here on the Senate floor in the back of chambers. As we did yesterday, we will begin today's session with our tribute for the remaining members who are unfortunately leaving us this year. If we can kindly return to our desk and take all conversations off the floor. We will first be honoring Senator Shannon Grove. Senator Laird, you have the first word.

You might see this presenting officer cry today, so I apologize. It's emotional. Senator Jones, you're next.

Senator Grove, you may not have the floor.

The two people I want to talk about are the people that have been with me since 2010. And I probably lose it on this one Tracy came to me and started working on my campaign and I brought her in and these two people Lindsay Dietz my chief of staff was an intern that walked in the office and just needed a job and I just liked her You know I just liked her so I gave her a job My then chief of staff was like, you didn't even talk to me. And I'm like, but I liked her. And she's been by my side, these two ladies, since 2010, and they are your ride or dies. There was a joke that went around that they're going to be upset that I'm telling. A couple of years ago, I went and got my hair done, and my hairdresser goes, you need to know if you got ride or dyes. I go, I got ride or dyes. And she goes, pick up the phone and call one of them. And I called Tony Atkins with this. I said, hey, you're going to get a call from law enforcement. I was with you all day yesterday. Tony goes, absolutely. Lindsay, where were you and what did you do? Like, you know, so it's just a joke that went around, and it was really kind of cool. So I wanted to share that. They're my ride or dyes. I wouldn't be as successful in this building if it wasn't for my entire staff. and want to thank them very much. And like I said, I'm the promise maker. They're the promise keepers. Senator Caballero covered this the other day, yesterday when she did her speech, but this building doesn't operate without special services, without the CHP, without the people in the garage, without the CSTs, without the desk staff, without our rules committee. It just doesn't operate in a great way. And we're the, I don't want to say the adult house, but there's a big difference from serving in the assembly to serving in the Senate, and it just ran in a completely different manner. And so I want to thank all of them, the Republican caucus staff that goes through tons of legislation for all of us, and I appreciate it. Diane Griffith and Erica, working with them on the Rules Committee is very fun. You have an attorney, you have the president who's a Democrat that used to work for Ricardo Laura, and then you have me, right, the conservative Republican. And when we get in these rules discussions, it's a three-way argument, fun, laughing, and then we fix problems. And I love that. I love that. And what I really love about the Rules Committee is that it was mentioned one time just about a month ago that there's never been a breach out of the Rules Committee in the six years that we've served on it, and I think that speaks volumes because there's a lot of stuff you guys do that's just unacceptable. Just saying. What? What it is. So I do want to say that I really appreciate them. My bestie, like I said, I know she's watching my incredible staff, But now I want to just go to my family. My husband is a good old North Dakota cowboy. I think he's been up here three times. It's just not his thing. He'd rather be out on the ranch with the cows and all that kind of stuff. And the first time he came up, he met Jerry Brown. He was the governor when I first came into office. And I introduced him. It was at the mansion. And Jerry Brown goes, that's your husband? And I'm like, well, yeah. And he couldn't figure it out. And he goes, well, he seems like this, and you're like this. And I just don't get it. And my husband just calmly shook his hand and says, yeah, she crosses my line three or four times a day. So he holds down the fort when, you know, he holds down the fort. When I'm up here, he shared me with millions of people that we've been able to help. He's came second a lot of times because of this job, and I think all of our spouses feel that way, even though as we work really hard to make sure that they're recognized and they're all of that. But a lot of time our family does come second. I remember in 2010 when I got elected, I went to the hospital and held my first granddaughter. And then I went to the Ralph Bailey show and campaigned, ten minutes after that. So there's a lot of things that change, and life still goes on while we're up here. So family has always been extraordinarily important to me. I want to thank my staff again, never settling for the status quo. I want to thank every pastor and prayer warrior and friend or family member that covered me in prayer gave me words of encouragement spoke wisdom and blessings over my life I want to thank my children. Roger said it best. I think that grandchildren and grandparents get along better because we have a common enemy. And I have a sign outside my door, you know, those welcome signs. It says parents by appointment only, but grandchildren welcome anytime. I think that as you become a grandparent, you realize that. But I have the most greatest children that are raising my grandchildren right, and I'm just grateful that they're raising them in what I think is the right way to raise a child. So I think they're doing really just an exceptional job. I'm proud of them for all that they've done to support me. And when you said keep it real and all those people that I met with over the years that God placed in my life, like Paris Hilton and Jay Leno, I have a standing lunch or dinner thing with my girls, and Rick Perry says, hey, I'm coming in town. Can I come and talk to you? And I said, sure. So he flew me home, took me to dinner, the whole bit, and I get there, and it was that Thursday night, and all my girls are looking at me with the evil eye. And I'm like, but I was at dinner with Rick Perry, and they're like, you missed our dinner. So my kids keep it real, just so you know. All the supporters in my district that have helped me get here, I know that it was a lot, and I hope you feel like I've represented you well, that I've tried. We didn't accomplish the things a lot that we wanted to do, but I feel like we worked hard and all of you were very supportive that voted for me and that helped me get here. I don't know what the Lord holds for me next, but I do know deep in my heart that he holds my life in his hands. And it's been an honor to be one of 40 and 40 million people in the state of California coming from where I came from, basically on the streets of Orovin. I thought about what Joan says yesterday and having maybe a little bit of regret that I wasn't the best reflection of Christ as a Christ follower to some of you and I mean let's be honest I'm human and some of you make it difficult just kidding but I do want you to know that in all sincerity in all sincerity it has been really an honor to get to know all of you and work with you and I can't thank you enough for your relations I'm looking at Scott Wiener He helped save a baby's life that was important to me in San Francisco. Elena Durazo just met the mother of the girl that was killed on Figueroa Street just this past week, and she helped that mother get that body back. I shared this at the dinner. There's so many of you that have just jumped when I've called, and I just thank you very much for that. One of my favorite scriptures is a scripture I leave for all of you, and I don't mean to turn my back on my colleagues over here, but I leave this to all of you in sincerity. I do mean it. May the Lord bless you and keep you. may the Lord make his face shine upon you and may he be gracious to you and may he turn his face towards you and give you peace and if you think about that for just a second and you let it sink in it's the creator of the universe that I'm asking to turn his face towards you and every time he looks at you I want him to smile and he's our Jehovah Jireh and I just love the fact that I've asked him to just smile down on all of you and what you do and I know he has great plans for you it's an unimaginable peace that I don't know what I've got next, but I know he does. I didn't ever think I'd be a state legislator, but he did. So I have total faith and confidence in that, and I just appreciate all of you, and I'm sorry for my very long remarks, but thank you, Senator Laird. Every time I said something and he started typing and I saw the title of the thing that said Shannon Grove, I thought, holy cow, I'm in trouble. And then Jones, of course, has been just a colleague and a friend since 2010, and I really appreciate you being here, Suze. Thank you. What a great legacy in Hoyo leaving the Senate. Thank you, Senator Shannon Grove. Our next tribute is for Senator Marie Alvarado Gill.

Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues, I first heard about Marie Alvarado Gill when she did something none of us on this side of the aisle were particularly happy about. She won a Senate seat as a Democrat in a district that was Republican and that President Trump had carried pretty significantly. Republicans were disappointed. I was disappointed. But while campaigning for Senate myself, I started hearing something interesting about Marie. And that was that she loved charter schools. And that got my attention. Education choice is personal for me. My two older brothers dropped out of high school, and their experience taught me early on that every child is different, and sometimes the kid struggling the most simply needs another path, and someone willing to give them hope. So I thought, who is this Democrat that loves charter schools as much as I do? And then Marie became a Republican. And I remember calling her, her returning my call when I was driving through one of those terrible reception areas in my district. And I welcomed her to the party. And in that same conversation, she told me she was going to help me work hard to cross the finish line in my Senate race. And that's Marie. She didn't change parties because it offered an easier road. It actually made her road harder. She did it because she follows her convictions. And when she was removed from her committees, she wasn't happy about it. But in true Marie fashion, she turned it into an opportunity. If Sacramento wasn't going to give her a seat at those tables, she would spend more time at the kitchen tables of the people that she represented. Marie is authentic. What you see is what you get, sometimes with a little extra spice. She stands up fiercely when she sees injustice, especially for people who don't always have someone fighting for them. And perhaps what I admire most about Marie is her willingness to be vulnerable at the most important of times. Marie has spoken openly about growing up in foster care and surviving abuse. She didn't owe any of us that story. She shared it so that another foster child or survivor could know that the circumstances they were born into do not determine the life they can have Marie turned pain into purpose I've gotten to know Marie the Senator, but also Marie the wife, Marie the mom, Marie the grandma, and her greatest pride isn't found in this building. It's Caesar, her husband, her children Justice, and a niece and Carmen, and her precious grandbabies, Richie, Rosie, and their angel baby, Ralphie. Marie, or to your family, thank you for sharing her with us. Marie, I will always cherish working together, rocking the streets of Jaffa and exploring Israel together. Our laughter, your warm smile, and your wonderfully squirrel-like attention span sometimes. we have been a better caucus and a better body because of you i don't know what god has planned for your next chapter but i know this he isn't finished writing your story and yesterday i promise i'm not stealing this from shannon but it's an important verse and it's worth repeating jeremiah reminds us for i know the plans i have for you plans to give you hope and a future Marie, thank you for your service, for your courage, for your authenticity, and for trusting us with your story. Most of all, thank you for your friendship. Te quiero, amiga. May God bless you and your entire family.

Senator Alvarado Gill.

We wish you well, Senator. We will next be paying tribute to Senator Umberg. Senator Allen will kick off the remarks.

who served with the famous Senator Ralph Dills, whose name is mentioned right there on the dais in front of Senator Menjivar right now. Senator Dills, who started in the legislature in 1938 and who is famous on Wikipedia for having been part of a cadre that opposed Franklin Delano Roosevelt's re-election in 1940, supporting the California Lieutenant Governor Patterson. Their big critique, of course, was that Roosevelt was spending too much time on foreign affairs and not enough on domestic unemployment. This is 1940. things would get much more into foreign affairs afterwards. So Mr. Dills, of course, has so much similarity with Senator Umberg. They both served in both houses. He was famous for the both who graduated from UCLA. They were both very excellent lawyers, mastering the legislative process, negotiating difficult issues, working across interest, developing expertise over long careers. He was, of course, the legislative patriarch because of his reputation and his institutional knowledge. Umberg, of course, has also developed a similar reputation for his deep command of legal and procedural issues and the deep respect that he enjoys and engenders in our body. Umberg, of course, chairs our Senate Judiciary Committee. Dills served as chair of our Government Organization Committee for nearly three decades. They're both lawyers. But one of the great things is that Tom, a lot of his work, of course, has sought to interpret and apply the Ralph Dills Act, which is one of the most enduring legislative achievements of Mr Dills Now the biggest difference it seems between the two of them is that Mr Dills never ever lost an election I believe and whereas Tom Mumberg has lost four elections four elections. He's won five, so there's a winning record here, but, you know, it's pretty extraordinary, those of us who have gone through difficult elections, and I'm going through one right now, I can't even imagine going through this over and over and over again and somehow wanting to come back for more. But Tom, in addition to being a gentleman and a true scholar, he is also a glutton for punishment who has such a deep love of public service and the work of policymaking that he is willing to keep trying. And several of the elections that he won, by the way, were won by less than five points. I've gone back and looked at his electoral record, whether they were primaries or general elections, The number of times, of course, he's from Orange County, where it was always hard to run as a Democrat. But even some of his Democratic primaries, he won by a hair. But we're just lucky that that little, little extra group of voters saw the wisdom of putting Tom in office, because we've all benefited so much from his incredible leadership. Tom, of course, is famous for saying that the voters thought he should return to the practice of law several times throughout his career. Now, many of you know that Tom is an expert in the art of sarcasm, which he admits has gotten him to trouble on numerous occasions, like the time he panicked a whole bunch of constituents saying that he was about to introduce a law making it illegal to move your grandchildren more than 100 miles away from their grandparents. That set off shockwaves in the parent community and great cheers in the grandparent community. Not only, of course, he's the highest-ranking sarcasm expert in our legislature, but he's also, as a retired U.S. Army colonel, the highest-ranking veteran in our legislature. And his service in our military has been very special. I mean, he's served all over the world, including in the Far East. And, you know, he also was a jack and got to work in the inner workings of the military's legal system and has so many extraordinary stories, including some that we were just recounting this morning along the DMZ in Korea. He was also a former federal criminal prosecutor. He was deputy drug czar for President Bill Clinton. And in spite, though, of this extraordinary career that he's built, he's also somebody who just absolutely lacks arrogance. He is so full of humility. He's famous for his self-deprecation. And he's got deep loyalty from those who know him and love him, both amongst his colleagues and certainly his staff. very low turnover rate on his staff. I think his chief of staff, his legislative director, his deputy district director have all been in his office since he first started here in the Senate. He's so appreciative. He takes the time to show his appreciation to all of the staff and everybody who works so hard on making our place run. And, of course, the Judiciary Committee is no stranger to extraordinary workloads. Any of us who have served on that committee know how wild some of those hearings get and the amount of work that has to go in to preparing for those hearings. And yet he always makes a point of personally thanking staffers who worked on the bill by name, even if sometimes there was a conflict associated. So speaking of bills, Senator Umberg has, I think, been able to achieve over 100 bills getting across the finish line with gubernatorial signatures. And, of course, he's had signatures from so many different governors because of his long tenure here in the legislature. and most of them quite frankly are complicated difficult not glamorous but incredibly important bills that have helped to improve our legal system. Civil procedure bills that reduce the complexity of litigation, reform of the bar, which of course has been a big passion of his, improving the arbitration process, increasing attorney accountability. Of course, he created the CARE Court with Governor Newsom, and Senator Eggman is here as well, who was a part of that effort. That was such an important policy win, expanding access to care for our most vulnerable populations. He was also able to pass landmark reforms to previously untouchable areas of law, helping to broker very difficult negotiations like the Lemon Law, MICRA, PAGA. These were things that when I first was elected to this body, I thought we'd never be able to come to an agreement on. And yet Tom helped to usher through those very important negotiations. Also, remote access to courts, which have now eased the civil process for working families, which is such an important, again, unglamorous but incredibly important access to justice question. Alexandra's Law to protect our young population and address the fentanyl crisis, which I know that the senator has been so passionate about helping to address. Dozens of good government elections bills, dozens more civil procedural bills that nobody seems to understand. Serving as judiciary chair for six years to fix all the messy assembly bills that were handed every year. He's still the only practicing, the only still practicing attorney in the legislature, and he's done a number of cases while in court, oftentimes, sorry, while in the legislature, oftentimes getting very little grace from these judges who don't seem to care about the complexity of the legislative calendar and process. But it's also allowed him to be such a great judiciary chair because he's not basing his decisions on practice decades ago. He's basing on real practice that he's experiencing right now in the courts, and it's helped to inform his leadership. He's also, of course, owner and partner of the prestigious Umberg Zipser Law Firm down in Orange County. But his passion for justice goes throughout his entire career, both the work that he did as a military lawyer. What actually first inspired him to run for office was vote suppression work that was going on in 1988 in Orange County as folks were going around and trying to intimidate immigrants who were just trying to exercise their right to vote. And he was so offended by what he was seeing on the streets of his own community as vote suppression was underway that it inspired him to run for the assembly in 1990. And the rest, as we say, has been history. So though we know that in addition to this extraordinary legislative set of accomplishments, he's a devoted, devoted family man. I know this because when my two kids were born, he sent personalized notes to each of them, congratulating them on their birth and sending them voter registration forms that corresponded with their 18th birthdays. he cares so much about kids and whenever I talk to him he's always telling me get back to your family he's always given great paternal advice and it's been a wonderful additional bond that we have shared as I've been raising a young family to hear his stories of public life and how he both struggled and has succeeded in raising a beautiful family so especially through all the pains and challenges including literally getting down to the wire financially to continue his political bug while potentially putting his family at risk, but then somehow pulling out and seeing things through So he got an incredible family His kids Brett who got a wonderful wife Annamika Tommy his wife Kelly Aaron his husband Alexandra Their grandkids, Charlie, Robin, Ellie, Cooper, Carson, Collins, Mila, and Nico. I've got a chance to meet some of them over the years. Of course, the rockin' love of his life, the most supportive wife on the planet, General Robin Umberg, who outranks him in every way, who we also just voted to support for a commission not too long ago. But she definitely always helps to ground him and keep him humble. And I think it helps to shape the man that we all so know and love. So what was it when my staff came in and said, just give me a few words. What do you think about when you think about Tom Mumberg? And I mentioned humor, integrity, thoughtful deliberation, deep commitment to service, a focus on making good policy, careful decision-making, humility, self-deprecation, never mean-spirited in the spite, in the face of enormous pressure. He's so fair and even keeled. He never holds a personal grudge. It's all about the policy. And he's been a real steady hand on my shoulder, sometimes literally, to keep me grounded in difficult situations. And I just want to say, Tom, it has been such an honor to serve with you. You've been such an enormous public servant for our state. We hope that you will continue in public service and that the voters will not do as they sometimes do and turf you out unceremoniously because you bring such care and thoughtfulness and heart to this sacred work. And we just appreciate you so deeply, Senator Umberg. Thank you. Our next speaker is Majority Leader.

Colonel, sir, the floor is yours.

ever encountered, and I've been very fortunate in my legal career, some of the best folks. Think about our families, our immediate and extended family. I've been around so long, by the way, thanks for calling me old several times, Senator Allen, but I've been around so long that in my first campaign, my grandmother came from Ohio to help and was here when I was sworn in. My grandmother. Now, I think about my extended family and they keep us grounded. I think Senator Jones mentioned Tuesdays. Nothing ever happens at home when we're there. But on Tuesdays, the dog gets out, the pipes break, the roof leaks. All those things happen on Tuesdays. And of course, we're not there. It's our family that bears the brunt of that. Without glory, without often recognition. And they keep us grounded. Our family keeps us grounded. And I'm reminded of when I was a newly elected member of the assembly way back in the day. And my then four year old, one of my kids, four year old was talking to his friends. We lived in a neighborhood that was populated by people who made things, carpenters and truck drivers and people who did things and made things. And a little kid asked my son, what's your daddy's job? Now this is before email and stuff like that. And he said, my daddy doesn't have a job. He said, he just talks on the phone. And so the the the the the when when when I was sworn in 2018 as you mentioned my granddaughter Ellie was here By the way, if, if, great proliferation, if you come to the Umberg staff or you come to the Umberg family during the time in the Senate, our staff, among our staff, we've had five babies and four marriages. So that's the value proposition. and come work for me. And in the Umberg family, we've had seven babies in the last six years, seven babies in the last six years. But when I got here in 2018, we just had one, my granddaughter Ellie, and she is an observer of women in leadership positions, raised for many years by a single mom. And she looks around and she uses women as role models. And she was here for Swearing In Day, and she saw then Pro Tem Tony Atkins sort of running the joint. And she asked me, she said, Opa, she goes, is that your boss? And I said, no, my boss is, I've got a million people that are my boss, blah, blah, blah, blah. She goes, like, you know, when someone looks at you like you're an idiot, she looked at me like, you don't have a million people who are your boss. She goes, well, what does she do? And I said, well, she's the person that tells us, you know, what committees we want, who we work with, where we sit, what our offices are, you know, who our staffs are. That's that person. She goes, Opa, she's your boss. You don't know what a boss, you obviously are too dumb to know what a boss is, because that's what bosses do. She's your boss. Or they keep you grounded. When a couple of years ago, Politico put out a story that called me the gatekeeper for artificial intelligence. Me, the gatekeeper for artificial intelligence. My wife circulated that. She circulated to the kids, and my kids are in tech, three of them, and their spouses, some are in tech too, got immediate responses. First response was, I'm terribly scared for California. The second response was, Dad, you don't even text. And the third was, we're totally effed. So that's the confidence, and that's how they keep us grounded. My wife, my wife, the long suffering in some sense because of what we do. Wife, yes, she is the wind beneath my wings. And she's not here because she's in Texas being honored for her service right now. And that's where I should be. But I can't. I should be there with her, recognizing her achievements. Now, she was noted many times as a general officer, outranked me. And that is a consequence of the implicit bias in the military. Senator Eggman, Senator Grove, Senator Menger, you're all aware of this implicit bias in the military. It's not the DEI bias that we talk about now. It is the implicit bias in favor of people that are smarter and better leaders. And that's the only reason she outranked me, just because she was smarter and a better leader. So the challenge for a family having us here cannot really be evaluated by us. it is only through their eyes that we can really understand service, because their service is often unheralded. So since we're quoting the Bible, I'm going to quote one of my favorite verses from the Bible, Ecclesiastics, chapter 3, verse 1. And I see Senator Grove shaking her head. For everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven And so my season here is coming to an end And my purpose under heaven is going to be different It time for me to go back home to the woman I love to the family I cherish. Thank you all for this honor. Thank you.

I recall my first interaction with Senator Rahab. It was a text exchange shortly after she had made it through a really competitive and high-stakes primary in the spring of 2022, perhaps similar to today. I had reached out to her as caucus chair and congratulated her for making it out of the primary and asked to grab some coffee the next time she was in Sacramento, to which she replied, LOL, neither giving me a yes or a no reply. And I thought to myself, who is this person and what am I supposed to do with this text exchange? Little did I know that that text exchange pretty much was telling me all I was about to learn about Senator Wahab. She didn't come here or she didn't care to lollygag, her word, with folks. She was coming to Sacramento to get work done. And that is exactly what she has done over the last four years. In just four years, Senator Wahab has left her mark here in California, in our communities, and certainly in this chamber. She has worked tremendously hard for the people of California. And as she has often said on this floor, she does this on behalf of the regular people. the people and the working families who don't at times feel seen or heard through their work. We all learned that she was here to get things done. She took on issues that were hard, unprecedented, unpopular, but that mattered. early on we watch how passionately as tirelessly she worked to protect folks from discrimination taking an issue on by herself that would receive global attention and with that attention And also came the cheers of supporters and the wrath of opponents. But she did not back down in any step. She moved forward. She did this time and time again for housing, foster youth, individuals with disabilities, adoptees, public safety, and so many more issues. She has never been one who fears trying And she doesn't back down from things Because they are hard She leans in And well, she also paces this floor Many times per hour Until she talks to members Making her case for the issues that she cares about I remember this one time and I'm sure she does as well, because it was a time she has not let me live down over the last four years, when I happened to not agree with her on a policy she deeply cared about. She didn't take my first or second or third no for an answer. She just kept coming back to me time and time again because she cared, because it mattered to her, and because she was not going to give up because one person said no. A lot of people have said no to her throughout her life, but that has never stopped her. She has broken her own barriers. Senator Wahab is only the 192nd woman to ever be elected to serve in the California State Legislature in the history of this state. She is the first Afghan American elected, the first Muslim elected to the California State Senate, and she is part of the 1.8% of adult women in this country who have earned a doctorate degree. May I add, she did that while serving in the Senate. She has made history for herself and for other women because she did not take no for an answer. A history that matters, a history that is driven by hard work, defying the odds, and caring deeply. Caring deeply. If you are lucky, and I mean really lucky, Senator Wahhab lets you see just how thoughtful and caring she is. Whether she invites you to her office for what I call the fancy tea with rare saffron, or whether she cooks her homemade Afghan food never to be confused with Mexican albondigas. Or maybe she just brings you Afghan ice cream on a hot day. Under what some might characterize as a strong Senate profile, there is a compassionate and caring senator who never gives up and always works for her constituents. We know that she works this way on behalf of her constituents for one reason only and that is because she deeply cares about the work she does for the people of this state the regular people the working class the everyday folks who rely on her voice and her conviction to get things done. She does not run bills for the fun of it. She runs bills because of the impact they have for Californians. Nothing has ever been easy for Senator Wahhab. Life has not handed her things on silver platters, and she has personally overcome so much to be where she is at today. Yet, she is here. She delivers for her constituents every day. She speaks up for the voiceless. She demands answers. And she doesn't back down from a cause because it matters. That is who Senator Wahab is. Senator Wahab, thank you for being an effective safeguard of the public trust. Thank you for working every day for the people of this state. Thank you for not backing down when it was hard. Thank you for leading this state as chair of housing, public safety, and business and profession policy committees. Thank you for wanting a California that delivers for all, especially working families. Thank you for all the work that you have done for the Senate and for California. You have left your imprint on this legislature, and you will be missed, but I look forward to more LOL text messages in the future.

Thank you so much, Madam President. Colleagues, today I'm honored to join with Madam Pro Tem to honor the incredible service of our colleague, Senator Ayesha Wahha. You know, unlike anyone that I have ever met before, Senator Wahab fights for those who need a voice. She goes to the mat for those who have been historically overlooked. She's a champion of the most vulnerable and for the underserved in this state. She's the unapologetic voice for foster youth, low-income workers, renters, homeless residents. When I think of Senator Ayesha Wahab, I think of someone who's incredibly smart, tenacious, and I will not swear on the floor on other items that I know that she says. Senator Hobb is in this job to help. She doesn't take no for an answer. Her guiding light, and I know that we've all heard it, all she wants to do in this place is to do good for working people Her dedicated passion her relentless focus her tireless work ethic and yes her unique ability to piss off every senator in bipartisan fashion but then turn right around and do something that makes us all want to give her a big hug and candidly to join your fight. That is an incredible talent. Time and time again you have led with heart and it's infectious. constantly going to the mat for the people who need it most. People who need a safe, affordable roof over their heads. Foster kids who need not just a safety net, but access to education and good jobs. Californians facing discrimination and intimidation at the hands of their own government. Senator Wahab goes to the mat for them. From your time on the Hayward City Council as the first Afghan American woman ever elected to public office in the United States of America. The first. To your service here in the Senate, you've been a leader for opportunity and equality and a better California for all. And look, it has not been easy. Senator Wahab, as she says, and I quote, I'm a minority of minorities. In these hyper-partisan times, being a strong Afghan woman who doesn't shy away from swinging for the fences to do good for the most vulnerable in her legislation and righteous policy fights, she has now been a target of haters and threats of political violence. And yet, she pushes forward. She pushes forward with moral clarity. She's a leader on a mission to do good, to uplift those who need help the most, and nothing is going to stop her, as we've seen her work her bills. Senator Wahab has had an incredibly challenging childhood, but what I'll tell you, she has taken that challenge and turned it into good. And that's what gives her her drive, her passion, her mission to change lives. She wants us all to do better. She wants us also all to fight harder. to never give up and never give in for those who need help, for those who need help the most, the most vulnerable in our communities. No matter the opposition, Senator Wahhab never backs down holy crap, and we are better off because of it. Senator Wahhab, you have put so much fight and work to the highest offices of public service. And you have delivered. The California State Senate is going to be lesser because of you leaving. And we are going to have big shoes to fill. And what I will also tell you, I'm a better person for having you push me time and time again to do better and do more for those who need help the most. I'm thankful because of your push and because you also introduced me to Carmel Macchiatos. But ladies and gentlemen, it is now my honor to be able to say thank you to Senator Ayesha Wahab.

Thank you, guys. I genuinely appreciate both pro tem speaking on the work that we done together And I just really want to start by largely thanking my team And I'm very proud of the team that I've had. You know, some of them have gone on to work for the governor's office. Some of them have gone to start, you know, a master's program and really advocate for the work that they're doing. but I really want to thank my team, Nicole, Ricardo, Yvonne, Natalie, Elizabeth, Alex, Joe, and Nergis for all of their hard work and their patience. And I will say patience because I usually want to do a lot more and a lot bigger things and this system is not designed to do massive change overnight and we chip away. So I really appreciate the work that they have all done to kind of steer me in the right direction and say, yes, Senator, that sounds great, but we're going to have to deal with this, this, and this. And so what is the third rail and so forth? So I really do appreciate that. I also tell my staff all the time that this building and this institution and this two-block radius is designed where they tell you it's impossible. You can't do that. These are the things you should worry about. Stakeholders are going to come after you. Big money is not interested in this. The industry will fight this. And I've told them all that hearing that from anybody, whether it's from the highest office here in this state or all the way down to our constituents, we don't want to take no for an answer just because they don't have the vision to believe that it can be done. And I share that because that's largely what I try to do as much as possible. I also want to thank the staff that actually makes the state senate work, from our Dem Caucus staff that probably gets a lot of text messages from me to push out emails to our constituents to tell them what's going on, to the sergeants that, you know, from Katrina and every single person that has been assigned to me that has dealt with, you know, the random death threats that we get and answering some of their questions, you know, being there at different events for us, especially when you carry a civil rights bill that largely was unseen in this nation, let alone in this state. as well as DGS staff, rules staff, even the cleaning crew who usually I see when I'm leaving my office late in the night. And I really want to thank everyone that really does the work there. I also just want to thank all of you guys. For four years, I walked into this building very much feeling like, wow, the ceilings are really high. who are the paintings of all these old school men, if you will, and really just learning what is possible in this building. The reality is this, is that when we talk about what serving in the Senate really is, it's pretty much all of us. I shared a couple of different staff members, And I want to thank, again, Katrina and Kara, who leads our legal counsel, and she answers a lot of my questions, as well as the Secretary of the Senate, Erica, who I did actually a class project on her for executive leadership, so I appreciate you answering all my questions there and helping me pass that class. But this district took me in as a kid. from the foster care system, taught me the values of perseverance and service and dedication. And when I came to Sacramento with the commitment of being a voice for vulnerable communities, genuinely didn't know what we were allowed to do and not allowed to do, what is possible, what is not possible. You know, even folks like Bernie, who's, you know, not with us here, but, you know, even she texted me today, as well as Hashani and the entire team there. every single person had an input in the policies we're working on and obviously helped guide us through the right direction. You know, carrying the hopes and dreams of regular people and the desire for a world where everyone lives with dignity was the goal. To be the first Afghan American slash Muslim woman to serve in the California legislature has a big meaning that I do carry with pride and I will also say that you know with my colleagues I always say that each of our colleagues are like family members right they all have big personalities they all have you know pros and cons and I have debated with you guys on a wide variety of issues housing has been always a fun topic to discuss I will say I absolutely love going toe-to-toe with our senator from San Francisco, right? And he has challenged me because, you know, who else carries big bills that I disagree with, right? And oftentimes we also agree on so many things to help our different districts and vulnerable populations, let alone the wittiness of so many of the members here. You know, being able to make a dark joke and for somebody to follow back with an even darker joke is the brightest day of my, you know, brightest time of my day. And as I say, you know, some of the OGs here that have literally yelled at me because I got under their skin and I love it because you could, you know, never see them. They're so stoic and so respectable and so just noble in the work that they've done. And our Republican colleagues, right? I think that oftentimes I do find myself on the Republican side of the floor, primarily because I've said so many times, you guys can take a joke, right? You guys like to give it. You guys always ask me to join the party there, and we always say thank you, but no thank you. and the work of the pro tems. And I say this because I don't think people really understand the work that you guys do, even the members, and how many hours do you guys literally slave away behind the scenes to make sure that all of our bills see the light of day, but then also serve the California public as a whole, taking the hits for us, understanding what's coming down the pike, budgetary issues, you name it. As well as, as I say, you know, you guys are babysitters in a lot of ways because you have 40 members you guys have to take care of. And, you know, Pro Tem McGuire, I will say I'm deeply honored to be serving as your assistant majority leader. You know, having the ability to carry the affordability package that we did together, and we didn't need an election to tell us that people were hurting, right? And being able, you know, you have such a positive outlook on life in the sense, and I always joke with you that that not me but the fact that you always say it work itself out it will work itself out That your go line when I frustrated with something And I trust that you will work it out and work with me on you know moving something forward And pro tem limon, you know, your kindness and, you know, delicate touch on everything. And you deeply do care about kids and the environment. And I can tease you about what's really the priority for working families versus, you know, some of the work that's done in this building. and I'm very proud of the work that we've done because as colleagues, you guys have all challenged me. You guys challenged me because you may not agree with what I'm trying to do. You guys may see a different perspective and it just created more meaningful policy. It created better policy, including my Republican colleagues who every now and then tossed out a vote in support to make bipartisan bills happen. To me, public service is about the people, not about industry. And I think sometimes that's lost here. And, you know, I'm proud to know that we capped HOA fees, insulin costs, increased the renter's tax credit, put down payment assistance for people trying to buy their first home. We strengthened wage theft laws and prevented captive audience meetings from happening, let alone protected women, children, and seniors from predators across the board. And how can we forget the civil rights bill to end caste discrimination that we took all the way to the governor's office? And all of you guys took a hit on that, right? Knowing that it is the right thing to do, that we must end discrimination of all kinds in this state and let alone in this country. let alone the effort that I will say that we did in our first year of trying to provide some lobbying reforms that became a very hot topic in this building and, you know, got affected for years to come after that. And there's a lot that we did together and even more that needs to still be done. And the reality is that as a kid in the foster care system and, you know, Senator McGuire was right on this, you know, I am a minority amongst minorities. I see the world in a different way. It's not the same, right, as many of you guys sitting here. It's not from a brighter picture, if you will. But I think that also it allows you to know that things can happen, things can change, things can move forward and be better. And all of you guys have actually heard us have the conversation about different perspectives in life. And we all carry our own vision of what we want to do and why we came into the service. And the honest truth is that when you are a kid in the foster care system, I've said it on this floor a million times, less than 3% obtain a college degree. That's a government-backed system, right? And that's a failure, 3%. We talk about how kids need more, kids deserve more. and the reality is that when we are talking about some of the work that we're trying to do you know we fought and we disagreed and sometimes very publicly and I know this will shock absolutely no one in this room but I didn't always agree with you all most of the time you guys would know immediately that I don't agree with you all right and even in those fights I felt respected I knew that we could disagree about a bill or a vote and still see the humanity in each other. You know we actually even carried a human rights resolution here on the Senate floor that is trapped in the Assembly right where we all came along and said this is our shared values Republican and Democrat regardless of who we are talking about This is what we believe in together. And I think that the community that we've built here is based on respect and dignity, and I'll always be grateful to each of you for that, and being able to be the foster care kid with a seat at the table, being able to influence policy. That is something I can ever say how proud I am and how honored and how grateful I am for. Most importantly, when we talk about fighting for this, we have a real belief that I will carry for the rest of my life is that serving the California people is an honor of a lifetime. You know, every single one of us can do any other job, and many of us came from different jobs, but this is the honor of a lifetime. The work that we do, we can create policy that literally harms people or makes people's lives better. And I think all of us strive to make people's lives better. And so whatever happens next. I will always treasure my time in the Senate. I, you know, leave here a better person because of each of you and because of what you guys have taught me, your wisdom, and yes, some of our disagreements. And I thank you all for, you know, largely just giving us a shot, having a conversation, seeing me, seeing the issues that I want to bring forward. And again, just trying to work together and understanding that we may not have the same lived experience, but we do defer to each other's lived experience and we defer to people's need to get something done. And so with that, I will share just genuinely, I want to thank every single one of you guys. I want to thank everybody that's in the building that works behind the scenes. And I want to thank the people that challenge us to do more because there's so much work to still be done. So again, thank you.

Okay. Thank you, Madam President. Well, I told Mike I was going to roast him, but I thought I'd be a little nice today. Mike, how did the time roll by so fast? And seriously, how did a kid from the North Coast raised by a hardworking single mom with the mouth of a sailor end up leading the California State Senate. Your relentless drive to succeed made it happen and Mike you definitely made it happen I had the great honor of working alongside you through just every iteration of your Senate leadership and there are a few things that never change. The headphones are always on your ears, in your ears, the files are always in your hands and we have absolutely no idea who the heck you're talking to all day or why you need to carry 50 files everywhere you go. But hot damn Mike McGuire is ready for everything. And when I first arrived in the Senate in 2019, you were the overachieving assistant majority leader who showed up to everything, whether you were invited or not. And somehow you led this unlikely group of senators, myself included, and helped us build consensus on some of the toughest housing policy in California. And I remember bringing Wiener in and you yelled at me because you're like, Wiener is not invited to this housing policy debate. But then as Majority Leader, you helped lead our caucus through something none of us could have imagined. A global pandemic, more wildfires, a robust climate package, and so much more. And then, Mike, I had the honor of serving as Majority Leader alongside your term as Pro Tem. And I got to see everything up close. The 11 p.m. catch-up calls, the laps around the Senate floor, the calls on the road to Erica and Connor, The jokes and pit stops to Starbucks or a diner with really greasy food, the Safer California plan, energy price, transparency and accountability, affordability, a $10 billion climate bond in Proposition 4 with 2 a.m. calls, a fight for Firefighters Act, and of course, fisheries and aquaculture, always important to you. and somehow while doing all of that you've still managed to show up in nearly every one of our districts. I remember for me personally you came to southeast Los Angeles one of the most impoverished districts in areas in not just Los Angeles but the state of California. You met with grassroots organizers you went to Vernon the Exide plant you went to Cudahy and Maywood which has some of the least park acreage in all of the county of Los Angeles. I was really grateful and specifically I'll never forget the fires in Altadena and the Palisades. You didn't just call, you showed up. You called me and said, let's go. And on Friday, that same week of the fires, we were off. We were sitting in the fire truck, listening to calls come in. And it was really tough. You sat with people, you led round tables, you shared what your own community had endured through devastating fires. And most importantly, you consoled our colleagues who were watching their communities suffer, Senators Allen and Senator Perez. I saw that firsthand and I think what says more about you than any other title could hold is your determination to show up. You show up. You show up for the North Coast. You show up for the Golden State. You show up for your family and your colleagues on both sides of the aisle. And you show up when people need you the most. And Mike, underneath the headphones, the files, the endless phone calls, the boundless energy, the Starbucks, and all the swearing, you are one of the most kind yet tenacious legislators, and I am proud to have served alongside you. I am proud to know Erica and Connor, even though I sent Connor a little book that had a swear word in it. I'm so sorry about that. I am I'm even prouder to call you my friend. And while I have absolutely no idea what you're going to do with yourself without those 50 files in your hand, I know one thing. DC will be very fortunate to have you. A North Coast kid who is raised by a single mom, swears like a sailor, who knows and shows up for his community like no other, and shows up for your family and your colleagues, no matter what. Mike, go get them in D.C. We know you'll make it there. We're always here beside you. Thank you.

Mike, this is fun because your face shows how embarrassed you are and how hard this is for you. So let me just say how honored I am. It's really with great respect and cariño, which means affection or love, and trepidation that I rise to recognize, celebrate, and honor our great leader, colleague, and friend, the pro tem emeritus Mike McGuire, or PTE, right? We do letters here. Trepidation, because how can you say all you want to say and what really matters in two minutes? You notice nobody's taking two minutes, so I'm not going to worry about it. Let me start with his political accomplishments. He started his political activism at the ripe old age of 19, when he was elected to the Hillsburg School Board, and was thereafter elected to this Hillsborough City Council and then became the youngest mayor in the city of Hillsborough. And people forget that because there's all these new milestones here in the legislature, but 19 is pretty young. The residents were so impressed with his energy, his knowledge, and can-do attitude that in a few short years they elected him to serve on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. He spent 16 years in local government where he learned the critically important role of local government, how to listen carefully to constituents' wishes, dreams, and complaints, and how to negotiate compromises to make government work for everyone. Local government is the place where you see people's face every day. You go to the grocery store. You go to the gas station. You run into people. and it's where the residents had the opportunity to see him in person and to do those arm twistings that happen at local government. So these were the skills that he used to protect the beautiful North Coast and the regions of the state that felt forgotten. Resources in rural communities are scarce and people in rural communities help each other. They may do with what they have and they expect their leaders to be practical. down to earth, and when they say something, they want to know you're going to do it. They keep their promise. And these are the traits and the character McGuire brought to the second Senate district when he was elected in 2014 to represent all of the residents in this sprawling district that goes from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border. A heck of a lot of land, and if he cussed a little bit, maybe that's why, right? He won the election with 70 percent of the vote after convincing voters that a fourth-generation North Coast resident with family ties to agriculture and a commitment to local control that he understood their priorities and needs. In the Senate, Mike hit the ground running, literally. He won the respect of his colleagues and every interest group that come to the Capitol, as well as the residents that he served to become as we all know the most magical charismatic interesting and active Senate Majority Leader earning the Energizer Bunny moniker We all knew him as the Energizer Bunny Oh some of you are too young because you don't know the Energizer Bunny commercial. He never sat down. He was in constant motion, making sure that the House ran smoothly and that the business of the day was handled. When his peers, all of us, unanimously elected him to be our leader as the president of the California Senate, it was no surprise. Every disagreement, conflict or challenge in the House was given to Mikey to solve. Disagreements like developing housing for all income levels, McGuire was put in charge. And you have to understand that every housing bill that was coming through the Senate died for a period of years. We couldn't get one out of the House. And so the pro tem at the time appointed Senator McGuire to lead a group of us, a working group, to resolve the issues and to come out with a package of bills that we could all support. And there were five or six of us that hated all the housing bills and voted no every time. And five or six of us that loved all the bills and voted no all the time. And we all lined up with the side that we agreed with. And Mike took us through an exercise that lasted forever, it seemed like. But the process was time-consuming. It was frustrating. It was painful and amazing all at the same time. because Mike took us through every single disagreement that we had. Policy, why don't you like this language, and what is it going to take to get us to support it? And miraculously, we got through it, and we all were co-authors on all of the bills that we worked on, and that ended the conflicts around whether we were going to make major investments and changes to housing construction, and it was, as I said, an amazing experience to see, and I was glad to be part of that learning experience, and you led it with some incredible talent, and that always stayed with me. McGuire has the ability to be laser-focused, making him a great and attentive listener who really likes people even when he disagrees with them. His powerful voice and immense energy allowed him to work on so many of the issues that you've heard. Wildfire prevention, emergency response, utility oversight, rural health care, environmental stewardship and coastal protection, cannabis regulatory oversight. I mean, whoever takes cannabis regulatory oversight. And money to support small rural community infrastructure. And while all of this history is impressive, I'd like to talk about the PTE McGuire that I got to know, to spend time with, and to see in action. Whether it was on the floor, in committees, fundraisers, where he conducted a live auction, something you have to see to appreciate. He missed his calling. He is an excellent auctioneer. Precinct walking in Arizona, Maricopa County, for example. Meeting a contentious working group, all of us were grumpy in that housing group, or interacting with his family and longtime friends. And I want to thank you for visiting downtown Fresno and walking the street because to this day I get compliments about your coming to Fresno and talking about high rail and downtown redevelopment and the importance of us lifting rural regions that don't get a lot of attention. And your being there really made a huge impact on the people, very similar to my good friend from Long Beach. Mike McGuire is the boy next door the kid we all knew in elementary school who was our best friend the one who always had a smile, was always friendly and who had boundless energy always on the go I met friends and teachers of his who support his political work because he was a good student and they have fond memories of his time in their classrooms which is amazing they volunteer their time to work because they believe in him and what he stands for His staff love him and their loyal longtime supporters who will follow him to the ends of the earth. Mike is a dedicated servant. Whenever there was a meeting or a caucus convening, Mike would do the work himself, passing out snacks, drinks, and mostly candy. You'll remember that. All that candy kind of just appeared. And he valued and invited staff, including my staff, in leadership meetings, pre-session conversation, and high-stakes negotiations. They will never forget the experience, and they talk about it to this day. And for me, McGuire has always had my back, for which I will be eternally grateful. Even when events were stressful, he was there standing with me, and he wouldn't back down. He's loyal, smart, tough, focused, and a great friend you can count on. He speaks his mind, and you always know what he thinks. He's passionate, tenacious, and most of all, he has a really good heart. He loves deeply and backs it up with action. And he's a family man. Even when it was crunch time, during the busiest times of the session, Mike would step out of meetings for 10 or 15 minutes. What did it have to do with? The budget? GGRF? Bonds? No, it was to say goodnight to his wife, Erica, and to his son, Connor, and to read a bedtime story so that his son could hear his father's voice and know that he loved him and would be home soon. We'd all be sitting around waiting for him to come back, and he was doing the right thing, which was to show how much he loved his family and how important reading a story to a young boy is. P.T. McGuire's family means everything, and you can see it when they are together. He bought property so that Erica Conner and he could include a house for his mother and grandmother to share on the same parcel. And he has a small farm to raise animals and produce to honor his agricultural roots. What can I say about this extraordinary man? To quote the great poetess Maya Angelou, people will forget what you said, and they will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Mike, we love you, we will miss you, and know that you made us all feel very special. Hot damn. Now go win that congressional seat. Mike McGuire. Thank you Your turn Welcome to Meredith First of all I just want to take a moment to say thank you Look I don like talking about myself and it hard and I just want to say how much I appreciate the incredibly kind words from both senators Senator Gonzalez and Senator Carbillero Thank you, and grateful for our work together and grateful for our work with each and every one of you. Thank you so much. and I rise with a heart full of immense gratitude, a mind full of memories of hard work done by each and every one of you and the knowledge that the Senate, that the Senate, despite our differences, works together to make this state we all call home stronger. And I've heard this many times over the last two days, but this truly is an honor of a lifetime. It's an honor of a lifetime, and particularly work with each and every one of you. You take a look around, and the talent that is in this room, the tenacity that is in this room, the vision, the innovation, thank you. To see what can be done when complete strangers from different walks of life and personal and political beliefs can come together, establish relationships, establish trust, and then work together to fight for the golden state. That's what the state senate, is all about. And I just cannot say thank you enough for the amazing opportunity, each of you who provided me and our family. It has also been an honor to work with the tremendous staff who make this institution run, am I right, from each and every one of you. I want to say thank you to each of the staffs and the member offices. We are so grateful that they're dedicating their life to make this state stronger. Grateful to our amazing committee staff who does such tremendous work each and every day. I want to say thank you to our legislative council who keep us on the straight and narrow out of trouble. I want to say thank you to our sergeants who do tremendous work in the California Highway Patrol chief. Thank you so much. In particular I want to say thank you to Sid and Michael for all the work that they have done. To the caucus staff, both Democratic and Republican, McElena, I want to say thank you to you for everything that you do every day. To the pro tem policy unit, they are tremendous. And they're so lucky to have pro tem Lamone in the lead. But want to say thank you to the entire pro tem policy unit. To Erica Contreras and the Secretary's Office, thank you. Grateful to have worked with you. To Hyshawnee, you are amazing. Thank you. To Bernie, we are grateful for her. And who can forget Diane Griffiths for all the work that she does on behalf of this tremendous institution, the people of California. We are so lucky to be able to have their talent and dedication. But most importantly, I also want to say thank you to the people of the North Coast. It has been an honor of a lifetime to work for the people of the North Coast, who Erica and I and our family owe everything to. The North Coast is truly one of the most beautiful spots on earth, but what's even more breathtaking than the landscape are the people who call the North Coast home. The people of the North Coast have hearts of gold, they're hardworking, they're full of grit and generous beyond belief and I think in this job we all see what people are made of good and bad But we have seen so much good, especially in really tough times. And I've seen what good can be done even in the darkest times of life when entire communities in which I've been honored to work for, leveled by wildfires, lives lost and homes gone. The folks who call the North Coast home, they'll pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and then they ask, how can I help my neighbor in need, even when they're rebuilding their own life? And I'm forever grateful to them for this opportunity. In the Senate, we have accomplished so much together. We passed responsible budgets. I'm a firm believer in public education and investing in our kids in public schools. We've created transitional kindergarten, free lunch for every kid in every public school in every corner of the state. We've gone from dead last in the nation of poor people spending now finally to the top 20 with more work to go. Thanks to Madam Pro Tem and so many of the Women's Caucus, hundreds of thousands of new child care slots, more affordable college, where half of all college students in California now go tuition-free. Expediting housing build-out, doubling the number of state firefighters, billions in wildfire prevention, health care for 94 percent, 94 percent of the entire population. Thank you. The toughest climate laws in the nation in fighting for reproductive health care in an incredibly challenging time. That's what you've done and continue to do. I've got to say, I'm so proud to be part of this institution, and I want to be clear. Nothing that has been achieved, though, could have happened with the amazing humans that we work with each and every day. So if you don't mind, Madam President, I'd like to briefly mention the team that I'm honored to work with every day. I want to say thank you to Rebecca. Chief, we've been working together for like 15 years. Started at the county. I want to say thank you to Carrie, district director, who we've been working together for years, over a decade in the role that she is. Jason Lyles, who not sure would I do without over 20 years. Chris Nielsen, who started out as a fellow even before it got started. And I'm grateful to Nielsen, to Carlene, who is here. Carlene and I came together from the county. I'm grateful to Carlene. Barbara Mahandro, who is our scheduling manager. I love her deeply. I'm grateful for her. To Mercedes, who goes everywhere I'm at, and she even carried my fake tooth when it fell out. So I want to say thank you, and I'm sorry, Mercedes. That's a long story, and we won't go there today. I probably should not have mentioned it and Erica literally just kicked my kick my shin to Melinda to Emily to Marco to Mayuli to Nicole to Hannah Jacqueline, Rhett Rhiannon, Olivia Nora and Donna I am so incredibly grateful none of this could have been accomplished without you and I love you very much I going to end it right here with this Erica and Connor Best thing I think when we were at the dinner said this about Erica, but she's literally the best thing that has ever happened to me and to our family. 21 years. I'm grateful. I love you. Dear Lord. and I also the best thing that's ever happened to us is Connor didn't think that was ever going to happen and we love him so much and now we have a turkey named Mr. Peepers that he really likes as well so am I right? yeah okay and Peepers dances for you? okay just got awkward but nothing beats standing here today as a parent of an amazing kindergartner and grateful. Last thing I promise will be my last thank you is my mom and my grandma. My mom and dad had a pretty damn bad divorce and my grandma took us in and was literally our rock. Couldn't have done anything without my mom and my grandma. And they taught me early on that the highest calling in life is to help people, right? and no matter if you're a Republican or a Democrat, we got to help people and there's more that unites us than divides us. My grandma taught me to work hard, be the hardest working person in the room, to work together because that's the only way to make progress stick and to never give up and especially when times are tough. None of you give up. You go to fight, fight for a stronger California. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity. thank you for having the ability to be able to work with you over the past 10 years. Thank you so much.

Thank you Madam President and good afternoon members. I'm proud to present AB 2624, the Safe at Work Act on behalf of Assemblymember Mia Bonta. This bill comes forward as a direct response to requests from immigrant support service providers, including legal aid organizations, humanitarian relief providers, case managers and advocates who are facing targeted harassment because of the work that they do. Unfortunately, due to our current political climate, immigrant support providers across California report the following. Doxing of staff and volunteers at immigration legal aid organizations, coordinated death threats against service providers, anti-immigrant vigilante activity directed at organizations by name and address. AB 2624 will expand California's Safe at Home program to include immigrant service providers, their employees, and volunteers this opportunity. Since its inception nearly 30 years ago, the Safe at Home program has protected thousands of victims of stalking and domestic violence victims, along with reproductive health care workers. The Confidentiality Protection Program provides participants with a substitute address to shield their real address, requires the Secretary of State to act as an intermediary for mail and legal service, forwarding documents within a short time frame, keeps individual participants' home, work, and school addresses confidential and protected from public disclosure, and it also is essential to ensure the continued delivery of legal, social, and humanitarian services. This bill is a Latino caucus priority, and I respectfully ask an aye vote from my colleagues.

Thank you, Madam President. Members, I rise

I'll sign a bill 2067 by Senate member Patel, an act relating to school facilities.

Thank you, Madam President. AB 2067 merely extends the sunset date for the provisions of state law that allow school districts to use a lease arrangement for the construction of their capital projects This is a provision that was put into the law a decade ago following some judicial uncertainty but the practice itself has been going on for a long time. It was the sunset was extended five years ago. This bill would once again extend the sunset for an additional five years. It has no opposition, and I would urge an aye vote.

Allen. Aye.

Abraudio. No. Archuleta. Aye.

Iragine. Aye.

Ashby. Aye.

Aye. Blakespeare. Aye.

Caballero. Aye.

Aye. Choi. Aye.

Aye. Daly. Aye.

Aye. Gonzalez. Aye.

Grove.

Aye. Jones.

Limon.

Aye.

Menjavar. Aye.

Ochoa Boa.

Perez.

Aye. Richardson.

Aye. Ciarto.

Aye. Stern.

No. Umberg.

Wahab.

Weber-Pearson.

Wiener.

Grove. Jones. Limon. Nilo. Padilla. Baladez.

Assembly Bill 2004 by Assemblymember Alanis, an act relating to peace officers.

Thank you, Madam President, for the opportunity to present AB 2004. On behalf of Assemblymember Alanis, colleagues at its core, AB 2004, it's about fairness, recognition, and consistency in how we treat the men and women who protect our county jails. every single day. Correctional officers in Fresno and San Joaquin County supervise incarcerated individuals respond to assaults, break up fights, transport inmates, and manage emergencies inside secure detention facilities. They work in a high-risk environment, often with limited backup and no margin for error. Yet, despite performing these duties, the same duties as their counterparts in 39 other California counties, they do not have access to the same peace officer designation under penal code Section 830.1, subsection C. AB 2004 corrects that. Not only will it ensure parity and consistency, the designation also provides a meaningful benefits, including eligibility for recognition on the California Peace Officers Memorial. And the importance of this bill is best illustrated by Fresno County Correctional Officer Scanlon, and we had many members of Scanlon's family and colleagues who came to the Senate Public Safety Committee when we heard this bill and moved it on a six to zero vote. In 2016, when an armed individual entered the Fresno County jail lobby and opened fire on staff, Officer Scanlon responded without hesitation. He was shot while attempting to protect others. After five years of hospitalization and rehabilitation, sadly, Officer Scanlon passed away due to his injuries. Despite that extraordinary sacrifice, he was not eligible for inclusion on the California Peace Officers Memorial because of this classification. AB 2004 moves us forward towards correcting that mistake and making sure that when the worst happens, the men and women who protect our jail facilities have our support. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Madam President. because this does affect Fresno County, an area that I represent, I wanted to concur my thoughts with the presenter that giving the peace officer status to Fresno County correctional officers is supported by retired, very well-loved Margaret Mims, the former sheriff, and concurrent sheriff John Zanoni. It won't change anything in their job duties. It's critically important that they get peace officer status so that they can retain, so that the sheriff's office can retain and recruit qualified individuals. It's a recruiting tool, mostly for the Fresno County Jail. Just over two years ago, they had a 100-person vacancy, and it was difficult to recruit new employees. These employees work really hard in the jail to keep the jail safe and the people that come into the facility safe. The Fresno County Deputy Sheriff's Association Deputy Sheriffs have so by getting a peace officer status. There will be no changes in their retirement. They actually are paid lower than what the regular sheriffs are made. And I just think it's a way that we can honor these individuals who do similar work but not the same work with the Fresno County Sheriff's Office and respectfully ask for an eye vote.

Yes, Madam President. I very briefly just want to concur with the author and everyone who worked so hard on this bill. And also, on a personal basis, I want to do it in appreciation to my niece, Serena Castillo, who is one of those correctional peace officers. Thank you.

Thank you to my colleagues for their comments in support of this bill. This is about ensuring parity and honoring the sacrifice and the work that our correctional officers do in these two counties. We've done this for many other counties in California. We should do it for Fresno and San Joaquin counties. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Assembly Bill 1944 by Assemblymember Lee, an act relating to vehicles.

Thank you, Madam President and members. I rise to present AB 1944 by Assemblymember Lee. AB 1944 extends the implementation timeline for axle weight limits on zero emission buses, giving transit agencies more time as battery technology continues to advance. When the legislature established these weight limits, we anticipated that battery technology would become lighter over time while maintaining the performance that's needed for transit service. While battery technology has improved, transit agencies are still struggling to purchase zero-emission buses that meet the axle weight limits while providing the range needed for longer routes. AB 1944 provides additional time for technology to advance while allowing transit agencies to maintain reliable public transportation. This measure is supported by the California Transit Association, and I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Allen. Alvarado Gil.

Archuleta.

Aragon.

Ashby.

Becker.

Aye. Blake Spear.

Cabaldon.

Caballero.

Cervantes.

Choi.

Cortese.

Daly.

Durazo.

Gonzalez.

Aye Grayson Grove Hurtado Aye Jones Laird aye Limon McGuire aye Mcnerney aye Menjivar aye Nilo no Ochoa Bog, no Padilla, aye Perez, aye Reyes, aye Richardson, aye Rubio, aye Ciaro,

Smallwood Cuevas?

Stern?

Strickland?

Umber?

Valadeus?

Wahab?

Weber Pearson?

Wiener?

Allen?

Grayson?

Grove?

Jones? Limon?

Assembly Bill 1601 by Assemblymember Rogers, an acronym to Public Employees Retirement.

Thank you, Madam Chair. 22 years ago this legislature gave special authorization to Sonoma County to be able to provide an enhanced retirement benefit for its employees who had lost purchasing power through an increased COLA. That was to be triggered only to the extent to which Sonoma County retirement had excess earnings. This bill allows for that benefit to be paid from any retirement system funds, not only excess earnings. It's a technical fix to allow Sonoma County to target its resources. It cannot afford to provide the colas at these levels for all of their retirees, but seeks to do so simply for those who have lost purchasing power. It applies to no other counties and builds on the legislation that's been enacted in 2004. I would urge an aye vote.

Allen. I'm Roderick Hill.

Archuleta.

Aragon.

Ashby.

Becker.

Blakespear.

Cobaldon.

Caballero.

Cervantes. Aye, Choy. Aye, Cortese. Daly. Aye, Durazo. Gonzalez. Aye, Grayson. Aye, Grove. Hurtado. Aye, Jones. Laird. Aye, Limon. McGuire. Aye, McNerney. Aye, Menjabar. Aye, Nilo. Aye, Ochovo. Aye, Padilla.

Reyes. Aye.

Rubio. Aye.

Smallwood Cuevas. Aye. Stern. Aye. Strickland. Umber. Aye. Valadares. Aye. Wahab. Aye. Weber Pearson. Aye. Wiener. Aye.

Cortese. Aye. Durazo. Aye. Grove. Jones. Limon. Padilla.

Assembly Bill 2292 by Assemblymember Ward, an act relating to unemployment insurance.

Thank you, Madam President. I rise today to present AB 2292 on behalf of Assemblymember Ward AB 2292 ensures that workers can access state disability insurance and pay family leave benefits they have already paid into without being charged an administrative fee And this is a fee for medical certification forms required to receive those benefits. The bill prohibits physicians and other practitioners from charging a separate administrative fee for completing required certification forms while continuing to allow providers to bill for medical examinations, evaluations, and other clinical services. And more importantly, AB 2292 aligns with our SDI and PFL with existing practices for other public benefit programs, such as Medi-Cal and SNAP, where providers are already prohibited from charging administrative fees for completing eligibility forms. This measure has received bipartisan support and has no votes against it, and I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Allen.

Alvarado Gil.

Archuleta.

Aragin.

Ashby.

Becker.

Blake Spear.

Cobaldon.

Caballero.

Cervantes.

Choy.

Cortese.

Dally.

Durazo.

Aye. Limon.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Ochoa Bog. Padilla.

Reyes.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Wahab?

Weber-Pearson?

Weiner?

Padilla, aye. Ochoabog, aye.

Jones, Limon, Nilo.

Senate Bill 2180 by Assemblymember Ward in accordance to local government finance.

Thank you, Madam President. Please present AB 2180 on behalf of Assemblymember Ward, a measure which provides clarity, consistency and a practical framework consistent with long-standing industry vet practices for water agencies and setting proportional rates that follow the constitutional requirements of Proposition 218. To meet the strict proportionality requirements of Prop 218, public water suppliers routinely hire experts to develop proportional rates supported by rigorous cost of service data and analysis. Despite this diligence, high water users have regularly challenged these rates in court. Now recent appellate court cases have reached conflicting decisions regarding the methodologies used by water providers when setting water rates, and this has caused widespread uncertainty for water agencies attempting to comply with Proposition 218's proportionality requirements. AB 2180 addresses this issue by establishing clear legal standards that protect water agencies and rate payers by reducing costly litigation and ensuring that low use customers are not subsidizing infrastructure costs driven by high use customers while preserving the core constitutional requirement that race do not exceed the proportional cost of service I respectfully ask for an aye vote Thank you Senator Secretary please call the roll Allen. Aye.

Alvarado Gil.

Archuleta.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Assembly Bill 1562 by Assemblymember Jackson, an act relating to elections. Thank you Madam President, colleagues. I am pleased to present AB 1562 on behalf of Assemblymember Jackson, which aims to encourage civic engagement and strengthen our democracy by authorizing counties to randomly select individuals to serve as poll workers for elections this approach has been in practice in nebraska since the 1950s giving counties another tool for recruitment ensuring fair and free elections preliminary research shows that when one serves as a poll worker they continue to engage in the process throughout their lifetimes lifetimes urgent i vote thank you senator secretary please