Assembly Floor Session

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Solace.

Addis, Agriacuri, Aarons, Alanese, Alvarez, Arambula, Avilan Fadius, Baines, Bauer-Cahan, Bennett, Berman, Berner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Castillo, Chin, Connelly, Davies, DeMaio, Dixon, El Huari, Ellis, Flora, Fong, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gibson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark Gonzalez, Hadwick, Haney, Harbedian, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Johnson, Kora, Krell, Lackey, Lee, Lowenthal, Macedo, McKenner, Marisucci, Quinn, Ortega, Pacheco, Pappin, Patel, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie Norris, Quirk Silva, Ramos, Ransom, Celeste Jose Rodriguez, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Rubio, Sanchez, Chiavo, Schultz, Sharp Collins, Solache, Soria, Stephanie, Ta, Tangipa, Valencia, Wallace, Ward, Wicks, Wilson, Sabur, Mr. Speaker.

Members, the quorum is present. We ask our guests and visitors in the rear of the chamber and in the gallery to please stand for today's prayer. Reverend Noshta will offer today's prayer.

We ask our guests and visitors in the rear of the chamber and in the gallery to please, excuse me, to remain standing and join us in the flag salute. Assemblymember Lackey will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

You may be seated. To our guests and visitors today, state law prohibits persons in the chamber from interfering with legislative proceedings or disrupting the orderly conduct of official business. persons disrupting legislative proceedings are subject to removal, arrest, or other appropriate legal remedies. Reading of the previous day's journal.

Members, a very important announcement and reminder to, before we begin today, we can adjourn at a decent hour today if you are at your desk and present to vote on bills if your item is a support support measure please keep your talking points brief okay madam majority leader you are recognized for your procedural motion good morning Mr Speaker At the request of the author please move file item 5 AB 1566 Jackson to the inactive file

okay on to business on the daily file let's do this concurrence file item number one we're going to pass and retain reconsideration file items two through four all items shall be continued brings us to the assembly third reading file file items five through fifty nine we've already dispensed with file item five We're going to pass temporarily on file item 6. We're going to pass temporarily on file item 7. File item number 8 is AB 2257 by Assemblymember Hart.

Assemblymember Hart, you are recognized.

Thank you, Assemblymember Hart. All debate having ceased, clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote.

Thank you members please report to the floor please report to the floor

Assemblymember Hart has moved the call. File item number 9 is AB 2529 by Assemblymember Johnson.

Assemblymember Johnson, just a moment. Thank you, members. Let's give our respectful attention to the authors. Thank you so much. If you need to speak, keep the volume low. Assemblymember Johnson, you are recognized.

Members. Excuse me. Members. Thank you. Ms. Johnson, you may continue.

All debate having ceased, clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote.

Assemblymember Avila Farias, you are recognized.

Thank you, Assemblymember Avila Farias. All debate having ceased, clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote.

File item number 11 is AB 1722 by Assemblymember Hadwick.

Assemblymember Hadwick, you are recognized.

Thank you. Assemblymember Hadwick, all debate having ceased, clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote.

we're going to pass temporarily on file item 12 we're going to pass temporarily on file item 13 temporarily we are going to take up file item number 14 that is a b 2071 by assemblymember Hoover clerk will read assembly bill 2071 by a

Speaker and members, AB 2071 requires the Department of Education to develop a plan to expand digital wellness instruction in our public schools. With the right skills, students are empowered to navigate digital spaces with confidence and discernment. We took floor amendments to correct the artificial intelligence definition to align with the existing definition in the code. Bill has no opposition. Respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes 54, no 0. The measure passes.

Clerk will read. Assembly Bill 1976 by Assemblymember Wicks, and I'm relating to streets and highways.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are approximately 1,000 to 1,200 pedestrian deaths per year, and there's been a 50% increase in deaths since 2014. We need to think about how to make it easier to get improvements and safety for our local streets and roads to make sure that our cyclists and pedestrians are, in fact, safe. With this in mind, I've introduced and hope to get your vote on AB 1976, which would streamline the process so that more pedestrian and bicycle projects can be developed and implemented to improve accessibility and safety in our local communities. This is to get to yes more quickly on these types of critical infrastructure projects. And with that, I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you.

Assembly Bill 2012 by Assemblymember Hoover and others in our relating to vehicles.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, AB 2012 simply clarifies that a special permit is not required to move a manufactured home if the applicant has obtained an annual permit. California's housing crisis requires creative solutions. This will help increase affordability and availability of factory-built housing and reduce costs for Californians. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Clerk will close the roll, tally the vote, ayes 57, no zero. The measure passes.

Assembly Bill 2139 by Assemblymember Garcia, an act related to surplus land.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I rise to present AB 2139, a bipartisan bill that proposes a targeted amendment to the Surplus Land Act, creating a practical pathway needed to bring a professional soccer team to the Inland Empire. The Inland Empire is one of the fastest growing regions in California and notably the largest metropolitan area in the nation without a major professional sports team. This proposal represents a significant opportunity for economic development, regional identity, and community investment, not just for the Inland Empire, but for the entire state of California. I respectfully ask for your aye vote for the IE.

Clerk will close the roll, tally the vote, ayes 58, noes 1. The measure passes.

Assembly Bill 1548 by Assemblymember Pellerin and others, an act related to conservation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and colleagues. AB 1548 establishes the Monterey Bay Area Stewardship Authority between the counties of Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz to support and enhance long-term stewardship of natural and working lands and strengthen regional climate and water resilience The authority will be governed by a nine board made up of six elected officials from across the three counties and three public members selected for their professional expertise in areas such as working with Native American tribes, ecological restoration, supporting farming and ranching, and wildlife movement corridor protection. The governing body will be responsible for making all revenue-related decisions. This authority closely resembles the San Francisco Bay Area Restoration Authority created in 2006. The Monterey Bay Area Stewardship Authority created under this bill will bring the region together to attract new resources, strengthen coordination, and support long-term stewardship of the lands and waters that sustain local communities and the Central Coast economy. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you. Thank you.

The clerk will read. Assembly Bill 1707 by Assemblymember Davies, an act relating to employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. AB 1707 will finally allow our electricians to do their license certification and renewal online instead of current snail mail protocol. This is a support support. I ask for an aye vote.

Clerk will close the roll, tally the votes. Ayes 60, no 0. The measure passes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and members. This bill is about Google Maps, Apple Maps, Waze. These apps, which we all use every day, have really altered traffic flow. And it sends traffic down local streets often that are not equipped to handle the high volume of traffic. So basically this bill is calling for CalTrans to do a study on the impacts of these third-party navigation apps that we're so reliant on now because we want to keep our local streets safe, make sure they're safe for pedestrian cyclists, etc., and ensure that our traffic is going where it's supposed to be. With that, respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes 44, noes 14. The measure passes.

Clerk will read. Assembly Bill 2051 by Assemblymember Wicks and others, an act relating to public resources.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Members, AB 2051 convenes a working group to develop a coastal resiliency permitting roadmap to recommend reforms that could improve permit issuance timelines, align agency mitigation requirements, accelerate permitting for projects that increase coastal resiliency, and assess how to recruit and retain regulatory permitting staff. And with that, I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Clerk will close the roll, tally the votes. Ayes 46, nos 6. The measure passes.

Assembly Bill 2074 by Assemblymember Haney, an act related to land use and making an appropriation therefore.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and members. I know we all agree that we have to build a lot more housing in our state. We are millions of units short, and all of our residents and constituents are struggling with housing affordability. So let's build these units where we can get the most bang for the buck, where they're desperately needed, and where they make sense. And in our state, one of those places is very clearly in our transit-rich downtown city centers. Those are places where we can build up, where we already have the infrastructure, we have the transit. And also by bringing more residents downtown, we can support our small businesses, we can support the thriving city centers that our state needs. This is a win-win. It's also a bill that is sponsored by California Yimby and the state building trades. dogs and cats lying together in support of building more housing. It will create a streamlined process for those projects to get done with strong labor standards and also create a Cal HFA-backed loan fund to be able to support the financing that these projects need. It's had very broad support, and it will help us meet our housing goals. I've also committed to take amendments from two of the cities who have put those forward in the Senate, technical amendments, and we're going to continue to work with folks to make sure that we get this right and that we provide opportunities to build more housing and build more housing downtown faster Colleagues respectfully ask for your aye vote Thank you Assemblymember Haney Assemblymember Patterson you are recognized

Thank you, Assemblymember Patterson. And Assemblymember Berner, you are recognized.

Thank you, Assemblymember Berner. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Assemblymember Haney, do you wish to close?

Thank you, Assemblymember Haney. All debate having ceased, clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. all members vote who desire to vote all members vote who desire to vote this is a 54 vote bill

is byline 20. 27. Hey, everybody. Okay, file item 27 is AB 2129 by Assemblymember Flora.

Assemblymember Flora, you are recognized.

Thank you, Assemblymember Flora. All debate having ceased, clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote.

We're going to pass temporarily on file item 28. Pass temporarily on file item 29. File item 30 is AB 2279 by Assemblymember Gibson.

Assemblymember Gibson, just a moment. Thank you, members. Assemblymember Gibson, you are recognized.

Thank you, Assemblymember Gibson. All debate having ceased, clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote.

File item 31 is AB 2282 by Assemblymember Alanis.

Assemblymember Alanis, you are recognized.

Thank you. Thank you Assemblymember Alanis. All debate having ceased, clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote.

We're going to pass temporarily on file item 32. File item 33 is AB 2316 by Assemblymember Hoover.

Assemblymember Hoover, you are recognized.

Thank you. Thank you, Assemblymember Hoover. All debate having ceased, clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote.

Assembly Bill 2337 by Assemblymember Lackey, an act related to theft. Assemblymember Lackey, you are recognized.

Thank you Assemblymember Lackey. Assemblymember Bryan, you are recognized.

Without objection.

Mr. Lackey do you wish to close on the measure all debate having ceased clerk will open the roll all members vote who desire to vote All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote.

File item 35 is AB 2374 by Assemblymember Fong.

Assemblymember Fong, you are recognized.

Minority-serving institutions were established by the federal government to address educational inequity. In order to receive a state-level designation under this bill, the college must present a plan and develop a plan with proposals and strategies to support student retention and completion. In 2024, SB 1348 by Senator Bradford established a state-level black-serving institution designation. Assembly Bill 2374 is modeled after SB 1348 and will recognize public and private higher education institutions that show effort and commitment to helping Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander students succeed. AB 2374 is a companion to SB 1255 by Senator Eloise Reyes, which establishes a state-level Hispanic-serving institution designation. Assembly Bill 2374 is the AAPI Legislative Caucus priority. I strongly ask for an aye vote.

Assembly Bill 2537 by Assemblymember Chen and others, and I'm related to cannabis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This bill is support support. I respectfully ask for aye vote.

Assembly Bill 2562 by Assemblymember Dixon, an act relating to public health.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning, colleagues. I arise today to present AB 2562. It is a support bill that would require licensed alcohol and drug treatment facilities and certified recovery programs to create and implement a suicide prevention plan. This is an important measure that will bring a new level of care to individuals in treatment settings. And it passed through Assembly Health, which I'm grateful for, on unanimous consent and received unanimous support appropriations and has no opposition. I respectfully ask for an aye vote. Thank you.

Assembly Bill 2667 by Assemblymember Hadwick and others, an app related to VATE products.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This bill has enjoyed unanimous support and has no opposition, and I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Assembly Bill 2727 by Assemblymember Nguyen and others, an act relating to corrections.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, AB 2727 is going to preserve the integrity of our elderly parole system. I want to say it again, this bill is to preserve the elderly parole system. I want to put it out there that I believe in our elderly parole system, but currently the law allows certain offenders to be considered for elderly parole at 50 years old and serving 20 years AB 2727 is going to raise that threshold to 65 years old with at least 25 years served for violent sex offenses. I'm going to say it again. This bill is to raise the threshold for those individuals that have done violent sex offenses. This bill also strengthens the review process by ensuring individuals serving licensees for violent sex offenses are included in a screening process. This bill is going to put guardrails around these individuals that qualify for elderly parole to ensure that the screening is going to say that they can be released out in the community and not commit another sexual violent offense. As members of this body, we have to do what we can to protect children. And when I talk about violent sex offenders, I'm talking about men, older men, who take eight-year-old little girls and little boys and violently raped them, used objects and penetrated them. These individuals need extra screenings. There needs to be guardrails around this so that we ensure we protect the public's safety. These victims didn't ask to serve a life sentence. These victims, in 20 years, they will have this trauma. This will be a life sentence for them with what they went through. 2727 will protect others that might go through this exact same trauma. I ask you all, as you take a look at this bill and you take a look at your district, I guarantee you there have been individuals in your district that qualified for elderly parole and have done these offenses. Would you want them out there in the community with your children, your grandchildren, your nieces, your nephew? Not just children, but your wives, your daughters, anybody. Would you want to be in a room with an individual who violently, sexually raped an individual? Would you? AB 2727 is not about getting rid of the elderly parole system. It is not about that. It is about preserving the integrity of our elderly parole system. With that, I ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I rise in support of this bill. We have to come to reality here that in the state of California, the definition elderly is 50 years old. 50 years old is considered elderly right now in the state of California. And you sit and you think about that, because I don't think 50 years old should be considered elderly right now. You think that the governor, I believe, is 58 years old. I think he is more than capable, as an older individual, to function in society. I would not consider that 50. We are here today because monsters like David Funxton, who molested seven people, seven children in between the ages of three years old and seven years old, qualified to be released from prison after being sentenced to life in prison because of the laws here in California. Gregory Vogelsang molested six children. and qualified for early release because of the laws here in California. He was sentenced to over 300 years in prison. For context, the United States is 250 years old and was going to be on our streets. Not only were they going to be on our streets, both of them applied to live in the city of Fresno. This is personal to me because David Funxton and Gregory Vogelslang targeted the community of North Highlands. I lived in North Highlands. I grew up in North Highlands. I know some of the families that were molested by these individuals. They chose that community because it was poor, it was minority, and it was an easy one to target because they believed that the police officers didn't care about the black, brown, and immigrant families that were in those areas. They used the laws to let monsters back onto our streets. And I believe the author today is asking you to make a declaration that the children of California come first before the criminals. And we should protect them. When the victims of these families were told that these monsters will never get out of prison, and then to hear that they were, because elderly in the state of California is considered 50 years old in our prison system. the only declaration that we were making was the only life sentences being served were the victims that three year old who was molested that seven year old that was molested the 11 year old that was molested the people that I know that were molested only they would have a life sentence but individuals like David Funkson to be allowed out onto our streets again should never happen. For those reasons, I respectfully ask that you make that declaration that child predators deserve to stay in prison and that we can make our laws better in this state. Thank you.

Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I look forward to supporting this measure today. I just wanted to point out and thank Placer County District Attorney Morgan Geyer for saving the entire state from this monster who because of our laws that passed in this building and signed into law by a governor allowed a creep to get out of prison early And we all recognize he had no business being let out. So this individual had committed a lot of crimes in the past and didn't think that needed a charge for those crimes because he had life sentences. But fortunately, when this person was released, the Placer County District Attorney's Office and law enforcement in and around Placer County acted swiftly, went and rearrested him for his crimes in the 90s. And because of law enforcement in Placer County and District Attorney Morton Guyer, he's back in prison and not a threat to society right now. And I hope justice comes to him swiftly. With that, I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Yeah, I'm not going to belabor this point. I'm very, very appreciative of the author from Sacramento who has addressed this issue. I also had legislation that I withdrew that addressed this very problem. Because we know that it's absurd to consider somebody elderly at 50. I don't think that's really the argument, but let me just kind of give you an example of one of the people that were eligible under this law. He indicated he still had the drives to allow him to engage in his predatory behavior, but he said he figured out a new remedy. he would splash cold water in his face to keep that drive under control. Is there anybody in here who believes that? Parole board did. And I'm telling you, we've got to do better than this, folks. This is something that is egregious, and I think we all agree on that. So let's bring some reason to this, and this bill helps remedy that. and these young people, or even if you're not young, you're just anybody that's being raped by these individuals, you deserve protection. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm going to let you know I'm 55, so this makes no sense. But I'm going to tell you some stories about my background and my experience in working with individuals on both sides of this, from the perpetrators and the victims. I used to work with the sexual offenders, and I can tell you one thing is that there is no rehabilitation for that. Once those thoughts are there, once those tendencies are there, they do not go away. And I worked with the ones where you had to put the light detector test on them to see where they were at at different points through treatment after the fact. So then working with victims, child victims, I'm also a trauma therapist. And I've gone through all the stages of trauma with a lot of children. and the experiences that they have and the time it takes for them to get through and process what happened to them, you wouldn't even be able to function if you knew that. For me as a therapist I know how to leave that stuff at the door and not take it with me but I will tell you I heard some of the worst stuff that you can imagine done to kids and I walk through all the stages for them to get better So I do thank the author for this, and I will be supporting, and I hope everyone else does as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Rise in strong support of AB 2727. I want to thank the author for all of her work on this critically important piece of legislation. And I cannot stress enough how important this bill is to my district and my community. A few months ago, it was announced that sexual predator David Funston of North Highlands in my district would be released back into the community. And to really put in context what that means, permission to read, Mr. Speaker?

So Mr. Funston was, as was mentioned, I think, by a previous speaker, sentenced to 20 years in prison, three consecutive sentences of 25 years to life. At his sentencing, the judge who oversaw the case called him the monster that parents fear the most, and said that there is no man on the face of this earth who deserves this sentence more than David Funston. Yet because of the policies that this bill is seeking to correct, he was able to lure eight victims in my district, all between the ages of three and seven years old, to his car using candy and toys. He kidnapped, he abused, and molested these children before callously dumping them on the side of the road. This was the individual that was announced to be now eligible and being released back into my community or a nearby community. And as was mentioned by my colleague from Placer County, it was only because of the work of the Placer County's District Attorney's Office that he is behind bars today. And that is only because he committed another crime in 1999 that he was not prosecuted for, that charges were able to be brought against him, new charges were able to be brought against him. Just a few weeks later, another predator from my community, Gregory Vogelsang, was announced to be eligible for release under the Elderly Parole Program. And it was only because we spoke up, our community spoke up against that release that the parole board decided to hold off on that decision for another six months. But the reality is, is that we cannot keep playing whack-a-mole with these sexual predators. We actually have to change the long-term policy in California to make sure that no one is released that is going to continue to victimize children in our communities. And so with that, again, just want to thank the author for incredible work and would strongly urge and I vote on this important bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and members. I also rise in support of AB 2027. I want to thank my colleague from Sacramento for her leadership on this issue. I rise to give a voice to survivors in my community. When I was looking at this building, what was happening here in Sacramento, it reminded me of a very tragic story that happened many years ago in the Fresno community It was the monster Rudolph Acosta who was sentenced He a serial rapist and he was sentenced to 78 years He violently raped at least nine women most of them underage, in the Fresno Tower District, a place that I called home for a very long time. And so I rise today because it is these types of stories that really call for us to reflect on what gaps exist in our current law. And this law currently is failing our survivors. We must do better. We must do better so that survivors in our community aren't having to relieve the trauma that every single time comes up when these monsters are up for parole. Because that's what my community survivors are telling me. Every single time these monsters are up for parole, they're having to relive the trauma that they've been living with for many decades. And so today, I rise in strong support of AB 2027. This is a start. I know that there's other gaps in the law that are not protecting these survivors and so today I rise in strong support of AB 2727.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of AB 2727 and I thank my colleague from Sacramento for introducing this bill. You know, I have a deep sense of responsibility, I feel, to address the imbalances in our criminal justice system, and particularly around reform, and ensuring that our system is one of rehabilitation. The majority of people who enter our prison system will be released. And we want those people that are released to have a sense of wholeness while they're in prison, to rehabilitate, so when they come into our communities, back into our communities, they're able to be contributing members. At the same time, our system needs to be one of accountability and one where we lift up the voices of those victims and make sure that our criminal justice system doesn't harm them or continuing harm in the community. And I think that this particular bill strikes the right balance. When I look at the members of this floor who are over 50 and how spry they are and abled, I think it needs to be older age. When I think of where I'm approaching in my own milestone life, I think the age is too low. And so I think that my colleague has done an exemplary job of balancing both of those values of, yes, we need to reform our system to one of rehabilitation, but we also need to ensure that we hold folks accountable to the harm that they have done to victims and the harm they could continue to do in our community. So I applaud the member for her efforts and ask for an aye vote on AB 2727.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank all the members that got up to speak on this bill, AB 2727. You know, the elderly parole program is a really good program. I'm very supportive of the elderly program, the elderly parole program. As legislators, We get to vote on policies and legislation, and we hope that it would make positive changes in our community. The best part is that, as legislators, we get to come back, and we get to fix things to make it fit our community, because things change over time. And that's what this is. This is preserving the integrity of our elderly parole program, but also ensuring that those that are serving a life sentence for a violent sexual offense have more eyes on it before they are released out into the community. I want to thank the members for all that stood up and shared stories because I know there are more in your districts. And we have to do our part in protecting our children and protecting our community. I believe AB 2727 is that right balance, does preserve the elderly pro program, but at the same time also protecting our children and our community. With that, I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Assembly Bill 1958 by Assemblymember Calra, an act relating to criminal procedure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. AB 1958 makes several clarifying changes to the procedures for establishing a disparity claim under the California Racial Justice Act. A streamlined litigation provides consistent guidance to the courts. It does so by making it clear there are multiple ways to establish a disparity claim, yet the burden on that remains on the defendant, and that to refute a disparity claim, the courts must evaluate evidence showing the disparities are explained by race-neutral factors by only a preponderance of the evidence, the lowest legal standard of proof in the criminal courts. The bill also clarifies evidence disclosure requirements, and altogether these changes continue to build upon the legislature's work to address racial discrimination and bias in the criminal legal system and make it so the RGA can be implemented as intended. Lastly, to address concerns raised by the District Attorneys Association, I'm committed to taking amendments to the Senate that will revert the reference to similar conduct in Penal Code 745A4 back to existing law and define the existing reference to similar conduct under A3. Respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Assembly Bill 2313 by Assembly Bill Berman and others, not related to energy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. AB 2313 would give customers with a planned service line replacement the option to instead discontinue their gas service and use a portion of those funds to electrify their home. In addition, this bill is written to guarantee that all ratepayers save money regardless of their participation in the program and reduce long-term costs by avoiding additional investments and long-term cost recovery for the gas system. I've also worked with California's largest publicly owned or investor owned utility to add safety safeguards to make sure that nothing in this bill would create safety issues. AB 2313 will provide long savings for all ratepayers as California manages our transition away from fossil fuels It will also promote public health and protect the environment I appreciate all the conversations that I had with practically all my colleagues on the floor Not quite all my colleagues on the floor. I've heard a lot of concerns about it. I want to recognize also, you know, that as we move towards accomplishing our climate change goals, our carbon neutrality goals, we also need to make sure that no workers are negatively impacted by that, and that's a bigger effort that I'm committed to being a supporting player in. Respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that. There was a crowd of folks around here, so my microphone was not identifiable. I appreciate that. I rise with concerns about this bill, that the intent is certainly, I believe, the right one. You know, this bill, as the author has presented and spoken to, is about a transition into where we need to be to achieve our climate goals, which I think is absolutely what we need to be doing. However, I think we can all recognize that we do not have an actual transition plan that we can point to as to how we're going to accomplish that. And so his goal, which I think is the right one, is how do you get to the transition from into electric with more sources of energy which are cleaner? And so I appreciate that. However, I remain concerned as someone who represents many, many, many communities who have, as an example, not benefited from the investments, millions and millions of dollars that have been made in California to allow individuals to electrify their homes. because I represent communities that are older. I represent communities that aren't as wealthy. And what the data has shown is that the wealthy communities are the ones that have gained from the benefits that have been put out by the state of California to allow them to electrify. And I think that is an inequitable way of our climate policy. And so I have that concern with this bill. So I'd like to ask the author. I know he has spoken to this, And in section three, A3 of his bill, he, permission to read, Mr. Speaker?

A mechanism to ensure that customers transitioning to electrical service bear equitable share of unrecovered gas infrastructure costs attributable to the departure so that customers remaining on the gas distribution system are held indifferent to their departure. I'd like to ask the author in his closing to please address this issue. I think this language is not sufficient in order to ensure that individuals who are left behind in this transition because unfortunately that is happening are not left holding the bag and the burden of the cost of those who have traditionally been wealthier communities and individuals who have transitioned to pay for that incentive that this bill is seeking to accomplish. So I'd like him to please address that issue as currently I think is not fully addressed in the bill. And also just the concern of equity and participation of the program. Again, we cannot have, as data has shown with car rebates and electrifying cars, that wealthy zip codes are the ones who benefit from these funds that are taxpayer funds so that wealthy individuals can transition from their gas-powered vehicles to their electric vehicles. That cannot be the same outcome with this program. And lastly, I'll end with this, we've seen what net energy metering has done with the cost shift. That's again something I don't want to see occur as a result of this bill, and I'd like to hear what the author has to say about those issues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, have some concerns with this bill, and I've shared some of these concerns with the author as well. We've had some really in-depth conversations in regards to this. And so when we are talking about the overall concerns, I do know that you are taking meaningful steps to narrow the bill down to address that. And my concerns is similar to my colleague also from San Diego. It is pertaining to the cost sharing itself. So while I recognize that this program itself is something that's voluntary, but the reality is that the costs are, to me, it's not. So the truth is the monetary incentive proposed in this bill may not be enough to cover the full necessary cost for our Californians to actually transition their home to fully electric. And so the other issue that I have with this is that we tend to move policy. And then as we move policy, we don't give it a chance for the data to actually come back. So when we're looking at the legislation from the CPU that was passed with Senate Bill 1221, that study, like the study there was there to study the cost, safety, and the customer impacts for similar pilot programs. But that pilot program results is still underway. So we do not have the feedback from that. So I was wondering, too, also in your closing, could you please speak to that in regards to how this is going to work? Meaning, are we now taking people to a different direction based on something that was actually already voted on and then actually implemented that we don't have the data back for that? But also the other question is whether the proposal ensures that the transition is rooted in data and lowering costs rather than shifting them and adding to the affordability crisis facing the need of our constituents. So if you don't mind addressing that as well.

All right. Thank you, Dr. Sharp-Collins.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I really, really, really want to thank my colleagues from San Diego for their very thoughtful and in-depth engagement on this bill over the past couple of days or maybe weeks. They all blur together. I want to start by addressing some of the issues around cost shift. As my colleague from San Diego noted, we have a section in here that we added in Utilities and Energy, working with the committee staff at Utilities and Energy, to write in the bill that there will be no cost shift. And if there is a cost shift, then the program will not happen. And I fully appreciate that that language is not specific enough. I have a meeting with the PUC next week to talk specifically about that section. I will continue to work with my colleagues to make sure that the final result is language that everybody is comfortable with. guarantees that there will be no cost shift and that the people left on the system won't be holding the bag for the people who participate in the program. So you have my commitment that at the end of the day, that language will be to your satisfaction. We also have in the bill that residents who live in disadvantaged communities will get a bigger credit to help them make that transition. So the reality is that without this bill, residents get no help in making the transition. And, you know, with the bill, residents will get support to make that transition, and residents who live in disadvantaged communities will get more support in recognition of the fact that it's harder, you know, they need some more support to be able to electrify their homes. And that, so that's in the bill. And again, if at the end of the day, once the PUC does the analysis, if the math doesn't math, the program doesn't happen. And so, There's a possibility that that might happen. We need to do that analysis to make sure that it does work. If it doesn't work, this never sees the light of day. In regards to the Senate bill, the PUC has said, and I obviously agree, that this bill is complementary to the Senate bill. This bill does not compete with the Senate bill. The Senate bill had to do with creating neighborhood pilot programs, whole neighborhood pilot programs. This bill has to do with individual residences. It's all sort of different tools in the toolbox for California to try to accomplish our climate change goals, our carbon neutrality goals that were set a long time ago that are going to take multiple different solutions to accomplish. But we need to make sure that in accomplishing those goals that the people who are left on the system don't suffer. So really, I commit to that. Really appreciate the engagement again from my colleagues. Respectfully ask for your aye vote.

The clerk will open the roll. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Clerk will close the roll tally the votes ayes 41 nos 21 Measure passes.

The clerk will read. Assembly Bill 1709 by Assemblymember Lowenthal and others, an act relating to business.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of AB 1709, and I know that that comes as a surprise to some that know that I almost never back bills that add more regulation. I think we have too many regulations in government as it is. But we have to recognize that with new technologies, there are problems that are created, and it requires that government constantly update our protection of the public, including vulnerable communities such as our youth. This is a bipartisan issue. And when I voted for this in committee, I actually got some blowback from some of the more conservative elements of the state, saying, you know, government's policing what our lives are. I said, well, hold on a second. individuals who are not yet 18 there are very valid reasons for government to intervene and make sure that they are protected when I grew up and I think as some of you will recall when we would go to the movies we'd be asked for an ID and there were certain movies that were age restricted And some of us probably were kind of disappointed that we couldn't see the movie that we were excited to see. But you could see the movie with parental supervision. The Internet makes it much more difficult than going to a movie theater. And that's why I think that it's going to be difficult for us to craft a bill. And I want to commend my colleague from Long Beach. No one has done more in this body on either side of the aisle to struggle with these emerging technologies and try to get it right and try to balance. And if colleagues have – or stakeholder groups have concerns about the bill, the member from Long Beach has been absolutely open to working on improvements and will continue to do that. But this is a necessary step. we know the U.S. Congress has not done its job. It would be much easier, particularly in the era of technology that transcends geography of states, if Congress would actually create a national standard that would make the situation a standardized approach. But it hasn't done that. And I think part of it is because of the influence of big money in these tech companies. To the tech companies, my message is simple. get your blank together and solve the problem. If you don't, then we will be forced to protect our kids. But I absolutely believe that with the innovative minds that you have, and I hope you're all listening, I know with all of our cell phones you probably are, you can solve this issue. Parents across the nation are concerned about what's going on online with their kids on your platforms. So do your job as a good steward in our community. Your technologies are powerful. I'm sure you can figure it out. We found the leak. I want to also point out that there are some technologies that are already available. There are various social media platforms that are already age-restricted, child-appropriate, like YouTube Kids. In Australia, they have a number of interesting models. Another compelling reason to make this a ban rather than an opt-in, an age verification system, is that remember when you were young, there are some parents that allowed your classmates to do things that your parents didn't allow you to do. How did you feel when you were left out? You felt a little ostracized. by creating a uniform standard we guard against young kids being put into two different camps and i'm not judging the parents i'm just simply saying that is a reality of youth is this perfect no but i know that the author will continue the process when if this bill does get to the senate and if it gets back here and i again challenge industry to work with this legislature to come up with thoughtful, cost-effective, and appropriate solutions. With that, I do ask for an aye vote on this bipartisan bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and members. And I want to thank the member from Long Beach for his tireless leadership on this. And it's an honor to work with you on this bill, and I'm pleased to be a joint author. And I come to this as a mom. and I think many of us are coming to this simply as parents before we are Democrats or Republicans. And it's because our parents are at their wits' end trying to keep our children safe in the current world we live in. And these products, the entire business model is built on creating addiction. That's how they make money. The whole premise of the product is to keep our children on these platforms for as long as humanly possible. And the stats, as mentioned earlier, are incredibly alarming. Teens spending three or more hours a day on social media face double the risk of depression and anxiety. 46% of adolescents aged 13 to 17 say social media makes them feel worse about their body image. 45% of teens say social media hurts how much they sleep. 40% say it hurts their productivity. Nearly one-third of adolescents use screens until midnight or later, directly impairing their sleep and their emotional health. And preteens with increasing social media use scores measurably worse on reading, vocabulary, memory tests, and also social and emotional learning. The data is very, very clear. These products are not safe for our children and they are harming them as they grow. I have spent the last eight years pushing, cajoling, forcing these companies to try to make a safer product. Those bills end up in litigation. They end up in lawsuits. Big tech fights that. We've had some wins, but it has been very difficult. And if they won't do it, we will require them to do it. They have to take responsibility for their actions We are talking about our children And the fact that they are exposed to so many harms is simply unacceptable All this bill does is says, let's give our kids just a couple more years of being able to be kids. Let's give them a couple more years. Let's delay their exposure to depression and fear of missing out. and a reduction of self-esteem. Let's let them explore their livelihood as kids before they're thrust into the new world order that we all live in now. I'm so honored to be a part of this bill. This is not just a California thing. This is happening all over the globe. So let's pass this bill unanimously with bipartisan support and send a message not just to the world but to the tech industry that they have to keep our children safe. And with that, I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Can you hear me now? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I appreciate the author in navigating what is a very tough policy issue, one that I navigated myself a few years back with AB 1138. And that concept started out of a conversation I had with our former colleague Jordan Cunningham. We both had young children, and both saw as they were growing up and dealing with both the benefits and the negative aspects of social media. You know, certainly provided an opportunity to network with friends and share interests and all of those things, but we also saw a lot of the negative side of those things as well. The addictive side of it. You know, had those arguments with our children about, hey, you know, this thing has too much influence over you, right? and decided to introduce legislation on the subject. And the concept ultimately became a parental consent bill. I started out at 16 years old. If they were under 16, that there should be parental consent to use a social media website. But as the author knows, there's a lot of headwinds in this place on those things, and we had to navigate a lot to get that through. Ultimately, we had to move that age limit down to 13. But we got it passed. We passed it through both houses of this legislature, and unfortunately, it was vetoed by the governor. And that was a frustrating day because I felt like we had done a lot to work through that. And I've watched as the author has really pushed on this issue over many years now. And when this originally was being talked about as maybe as an outright ban under 16, I was a little bit – I wasn't sure about that. But I like where the author has landed, and I like where he has actually really worked with a lot of different stakeholders to get this policy right. focusing on the algorithm setting up this committee So I really feel like this is the right way to move forward And my hope here is that we going to continue to work on this We are going to continue to get this through and that this, finally we get a policy that will get passed and will get signed and will have a law that cuts that right path. And so, you know, today I haven't formally come out in support of this policy, I am going to support this bill. And I would definitely like to be added as a co-author when the time is appropriate. And I really appreciate the author because, again, I have navigated this tough policy myself in the past. And I think we all, it is bipartisan. It's both sides of the aisle. We want to try and find the right answer here that protects our kids. And let's be honest, we're on this stuff too much too as adults. My son called me out on that not too long ago. It's true. Because we need to get off of this and have a lot more face-to-face with each other. I think that's a very important thing in our society right now. So I thank the author, proud to support this bill today, and I ask for your aye vote. Thank you.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker and members. I'm going to turn this way so I can face the author. So I want to thank the author for the way he has handled what is an important and a very difficult and complex bill. I have two 17-year-old kids who have just gone through the period of time in which we've been dealing with their engagement with social media and obviously understand completely the potential harm that's out there and the need to do something to protect our kids. This ultimately is about protecting our kids. With that said, obviously, there's also issues with respect to how we do that. And I know I want to thank the chair of the LGBTQ caucus and the chair of the Privacy Committee who held a special hearing a couple weeks ago specifically on the issues related to LGBTQ kids. And one of the really sad things about that hearing, there was a number of experts that were brought in, and I attended part of it and then watched all of it later, is that for LGBTQ kids, certain LGBTQ kids, access to social media is a lifeline and a really important one. an important one in the same ways that the suicide hotline is for some of these kids that our colleague from Los Angeles talked about yesterday. And for the kids that are in that 13 to 16-year-old age group and understand why the limitation occurred last time when this came up, that age group is a particularly important age group that we need to make sure that the benefits of connectivity with peers are retained in some way. The sad thing about the hearing is that what we know is that LGBTQ kids, and there other kids kids with disabilities that are isolated and the addictive and harmful features of these platforms are actually more harmful to those kids than they are to some of the other kids and they harmful to everyone But the other hand, the other hand is that a lot of these kids, when you look at the data, also feel safer on these online platforms than they often do in their communities. So I know that I've had a number of conversations with the author. I know that he shares the values that many of us have about making sure that kids from vulnerable communities, and also it's not only just LGBTQ kids, it's kids that are living in rural communities that may be isolated, that have lack of connectivity, kids with disabilities. but we need to make sure that I think what happens and how we define addictive and harmful features is something that really needs some attention because we need to make sure that when we do that that we don't eliminate the platforms that allow these, the real platforms that allow these to connect and that's not just about making sure that the Trevor Project is allowed because most kids in rural California have no idea who the Trevor Project is. I mean, they're going on the basic platforms and finding connectivity that way. So we need to make sure that in this 13 to 16-year-old age group that we are preserving the ability for these kids to connect. And I know we've had these conversations. I don't really know what the answer is, frankly. But I trust the author is focused on that. and I will tell the folks that are in the LGBTQ community that have expressed concerns about this bill that I have complete confidence that the author shares the values that we have about making sure that these kids are protected. I think a lot of this is going to be sort of how this eSafety Commission is captured, but I hope what will happen is that we don't have a period of time where the platforms that are important for these kids are banned and that we have to wait three, four, five years while something happens for these kids to be able to achieve and maintain the lifelines that they need. So with that, I'm going to be voting for the bill today with the confidence and thanks and gratitude to the author and also to our appropriations chair, who I know has taken this issue on. Both of you, I think, have done this with really a sensitivity to the needs of the LGBTQ community, LGBTQ kids, that I appreciate and applaud. And it's because of the confidence that I have in you that I'm going to be voting for this bill today. So with that, I urge an aye vote.

Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I, too, stand today with the humility of a parent. And I want to congratulate my colleague from Long Beach and the long hours that he's put in on this topic. And I think what concerns me is that we have these negative effects from social media, and we really have not had the tools in the toolbox to deal with it. We have a shortage of mental health care providers. We have a shortage of even training mental health care providers. We have a lack of insurance coverage for the extent of which it might take to deal with the negative effects of social media. So the thing that I really like about this bill is it kind of goes to the heart of the matter. It goes to the source of the matter. If we can cut off the illegality, effects, then I think we're getting one step ahead of it. So I just want to thank the author. As I said, young minds are just not equipped to deal with these predatory practices. And by cutting this off at a certain age, I think we are going to the heart of the matter and recognizing that children are especially vulnerable during critical stages of their brain development. We've taken similar steps. we restrict the use of alcohol. We restrict the use of cigarettes. We restrict the use of gambling. I just don't think social media companies should get a free pass. And I am sensitive to my colleague from West Hollywood who spoke so eloquently that oftentimes social media does provide an outlet as well and a much needed one for folks that might be isolated. But I just feel that this bill and the restrictions that are going to be placed by this bill ensure that technology serves our children instead of exploiting them. So I want to thank you for the work, and here's to getting it right.

Thank you very much. I also rise as a proud joint author, and I want to thank our colleague from Long Beach for leading this bold measure that is going to be watched across the country and around the world. As the innovation state, this will be a bold step for the state of California to send a strong message that we need to fight back against the excesses of big tech.

Thank you, Senator Bauer-Kahn.

Couldn't agree more with many of the comments from my colleagues on this floor today. I rise as a joint author and in strong support of AB-1709, and just so incredibly proud to stand with my colleagues on an issue that I think really should bring hope to this body after a long and sort of tough week on a lot of different issues. This is truly an issue that we can all come together on, truly an issue that is not partisan. I rise not as a Republican but as a parent in California of three amazing kids. And it is undeniable at this point what the research shows on how harmful the impacts of social media is to our kids. We have seen incredible changes in the last few years, particularly since 2010, in what our kids are experiencing what they are exposed to and the negative impacts that are coming to them as a result of that Since the smartphone was introduced and kids started getting a hold of it as my colleague from Long Beach stated five hours per day on social media websites the statistics are truly glaring. And I want to focus in particularly on the statistics of our young girls. If you look at the statistics and the increases for hospitalization rates for self-harm among young girls ages 10 to 14. In 2010, before the smartphone really became ubiquitous amongst our youth, just over 20 young girls per 100,000 were hospitalized for self-harm. As of today, that number has risen to over 113 per 100,000 young girls in the United States. Our suicide rates among young girls and young boys have skyrocketed since the early 2010s. The statistics are truly undeniable. And this is particularly meaningful for me as a parent of a 14-year-old daughter, my only daughter, someone I always tell her is my favorite daughter. You know, I was driving her to school this week, so my wife's been making fun of me because this is the last week that I'll ever be able to drive her to school because next year she's going to start going to school with her brother. And it just makes me so incredibly emotional to think about the impacts that this could have on her and her generation, which is why I don't allow her to touch social media. And to be honest with you, when it comes to the companies creating these products, I am truly tired of the excuses. And this bill is not about banning products. It is about keeping kids safe online. And if we do not act now, when will we act? So I greatly appreciate my colleague. I really do think this is one of those issues that we will look back on in 20 years if we don't act today and ask why did we not act sooner. And I wanted to close with this. It was inspired by an article by Jonathan Haidt, who is a New York University psychologist. But I just typed this into my AI and I actually encourage you all to do the same. Permission to read, Mr. Speaker. Without objection? Type this question into your AI and see what it tells you. I'm going to read this. If you were the devil, how would you destroy the next generation without them even knowing it? And this is what my chatbot responded with. Not with fire and brimstone, not with obvious chains, I'd hand them the keys to their own self-destruction and let them call it freedom, progress, and self-care. The next generation wouldn't fight me. They'd thank me, post about it, and meme the whole thing into oblivion. I would replace real life with infinite distraction, give every kid a pocket supercomputer by age eight, flood it with dopamine hits engineered by the world's smartest psychologist, short form videos, infinite scrolls, porn that rewires their brains before they've even kissed someone. Make solitude feel like punishment and real world effort feel pointless. By the time they're 18, their attention span is shot, their imagination atrophied, and they literally cannot sit with their own thoughts. They'd think they're connected. They're actually alone in the most populated era in history. The masterstroke? I'd make every single step feel like rebellion, compassion, or scientific truth. They mock anyone warning them as a conspiracy theorist a bigot or a Luddite The destruction would be voluntary celebrated and live And the best part Most of them are already doing my work for me Right now for free with their whole hearts I wouldn't even need to lift a finger. Sweet dream, kids. Keep scrolling. I strongly urge an aye vote.

Assemblymember Bonta, you're recognized on the measure.

Thank you, Ms. Bonta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, today I rise in strong support of AB-1709. I'm not going to repeat a lot of the comments that my colleagues have already stated, which I agree with, but I rise as a grandmother of five, ages 16, 15, 13, 11, and 9. I just want to thank the author for this bill, and I urge a strong aye vote for this.

Assemblywoman Dixon, you're recognized on the measure.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Ms. Dixon.

Great. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, I could really go down the rabbit hole on this one, and maybe I will. but I want to thank the author, my friend and colleague from Long Beach for bringing me along, not only on this piece of legislation, but others that we have authored on this. I've been on this piece pretty much since day one because I think it's a really important issue, and I'm glad that you've been spearheading this along the way. This has been a process that has been very collaborative. Um, you know, this, this isn't something where, you know, a member of the majority party is strong arming, you know, to try to get out a piece of legislation. Every step of the way, the author, the lead author of this measure has worked with me and incorporated some of the changes that I've suggested in our little working group that we had. this bill also does not come just a little the elephant in the room there's political risks I think to something like this and sometimes when I think about that I say who cares if there are consequences maybe I won't be around next year I really have no idea what's going to happen in November But I am here now, and I look forward to making a decision on this bill because carpe diem, we're going to act now. But I've tested this locally because my district is a little bit different than Mr. Lowenthal's. The makeup and the partisanship of my constituents are just a teeny tiny bit different. And almost everywhere I go, I do these town halls or speaking to groups. And, you know, there's one in particular that kind of just stands out. There were a couple hundred women that I was speaking to and we had some other elected officials in the room And I had mentioned I said hey we are working on legislation to restrict the use of social media of children And I didn really know what to expect but it was borderline standing ovation for this concept in Placer County So it's a very populous idea, whether Republican, Democrat. It's something that people really appreciate on both sides. both sides of the aisle, but I've continued to test it. And the only kickback I get sometimes is, well, what about parents' involvement? Why do we say to that, can you look at your kid's phone wherever they are? I mean, you can take away their phone. You can completely take away their phone until they're 16, I guess, if you want. But the reality is you can't monitor your children at all times. We actually have pretty good locks on our children where we're, you know, we have to approve their screen time and all that kind of stuff, which means I get 100 requests an hour. uh, to approve. But, but even with that, you just can't monitor your kids at all times, but, uh, permission to read if, if you don't mind without objection and, uh, also a prop here that I'm going to be reading from, but this here is an essay that my son did this year on this topic. Uh, I didn't know he was doing this, but he came home with it. He got an A, which is, uh, pretty impressive work on this. But I do want to say his idea of banning social media is 13 years old, not 16. I will be open about that. And his birthday is next week and he'll be 13. So he's a good politician, just to say the least. He'll pick the age where he's going to be next week. But in this, he identifies some of the obvious things that we're talking about. He says, as people can agree that there is a social media crisis going on all over the world and Australia did do the right thing and plant their foot down to protect young adults. So he put that in there. And he also said something else. He said, one in three people struggle with mental health and considering the fact that social media can cause mental health and 90% plus teenagers use social media platforms, there can be a pretty decent sized portion of teens who struggle from mental health due to social media. 30 seconds. So I think the point is, is that kids recognize this themselves. This is my 12 year old son is asking for this. Now, sure. He's going to say, let's, you know, 13 sounds like a good age because I turn 13 next week. But the reality is he put it all in writing right here. Kids need this. They are asking for it. The parents were asking for it when I spoke to the hundreds of people in my district. Everybody's asking for this, and it's our responsibility to give the people what they want. With that, I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Assemblymember Tangipa, you're recognized on the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Tangipa.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and members. I want to thank the author from Long Beach and the bipartisan joint authors and co-authors, which I'm proud to be a part of. You know, I just want to put an extra point on the fact that the tech companies have 100% control of addressing this. 100%. They can choose today, tomorrow, to flip the switch, to turn off the addictive properties, and make it healthier for us. In the hearing that we had around concerns in the LGBTQ community, one of the things we talked about was remembering the old days of Facebook. and I'm old enough, I'm a senior I just found out today, that I remember those old days of Facebook when it was not addictive, when I didn't doom scroll until 12.30 and 1 a.m. And we know that they know how to do it and in fact, they're laughing at us. We saw in the court documents the LOLs when they figured out that this is as addictive as a drug, as gambling, and that they actually need to hook children earlier as tweens, not later. They're doing this on purpose. They know exactly what they're doing. And they have a huge hand in the mental health crisis that we are seeing in our children. And while we are struggling with our budget to figure out how we address that mental health crisis, taxpayer dollars going to fix this mental health crisis figuring it out on this floor and in committees and they are laughing all the way to the bank as they addict our children and monetize their attention and as a parent it breaks my heart to see a whole generation of children losing their childhood with their faces and screens I grew up playing in rivers and streams and lakes I grew up going up on mountains with my friends and taking a picnic and disappearing for a whole day. And the kind of childhood that children are having today, because they have an average of five hours with their face in a screen, being addicted with their minds hijacked, it's not what childhood should be. And so they can show, these tech companies can show that they care about children. by not addicting them, by simply not addicting them to their technology. And that, with this bill, is truly what we're asking for. It's really the least thing. can do. And with that, I ask for an aye vote on AB 1709 and thank the author again.

I'm going to ask the sergeants to invite absent members back to the floor and invite the author

Thank you, Mr. Lowenthal.

All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close roll tally votes. Ayes 72, nos 0. AB 1709 is passed.

On file item 18, the clerk will post. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. Ayes 41, nos 21. Measures pass.

Good afternoon. At the request of the author, please move item 50, AB 1788, Berner, to the inactive file.

Pursuant to Assembly Rule 96 I request unanimous consent to re SB 762 Eric Gwynn from the Local Government Committee to the Revenue and Tax Committee and then back to the Local Government Committee

Members, we're moving back on file. We are at file item 46. This is AB 1575 by Dr. Arambula. The clerk will read. Assembly Bill 1575 by Assemblyman Arambula, an act related to developmental services. And Senator Rambley may open on the measure. Thank you, Mr. Speaker and members. The Lanterman Act was a landmark law in our state which guarantees the rights and services for persons who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. By guaranteeing and enshrining the state's responsibility to care for persons with developmental disabilities, we also changed the landscape and disability in California by making sure that we were lessening the associated stigma that came with it. Unfortunately, despite these existing protections, adults with disabilities continue to experience discrimination in education, employment and in health care settings. AB 1575 continues this arc of progress by updating the Lanterman Act to ensure that this person first language emphasizes each person's humanity and moving away from stigmatizing language. With that I will respectfully ask for an aye vote and thank you Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Dr. Marambula. Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez, you were recognized. I want to thank the author. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the author for this nuanced piece of legislation. There's a lot of work to be done with respect to the Lantern Men Act and the fact that you're looking at it and we are partnered together in this. This is not a partisan issue. This is an issue that is affecting the most vulnerable people in all of California. So I want to thank the author for his leadership. I respectfully ask for an aye vote. Thank you. Assemblymember Gonzalez, Dr. Rambula, do you wish to close? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And before the majority floor leader reminds me, this is my last bill that I'm getting out before the House of Origination. And I'm bringing that up because after more than a decade of service here on this floor, we have oftentimes needed more champions for disability. And I'm reminding this floor to do our responsibility that began with the Lanternmen Act and needs to continue far beyond our term limits and our service. It's important that we have champions who are standing up for the vulnerable, who are listening, who are fighting for them, and figuring out ways that we can deliver on the rights and the dignity that they deserve. It's been an honor, much as it was within my practice of being a physician, where I got to choose the patients that I serve. I ask many of you to introduce pieces of legislation where you choose who you want to champion. Our disability community needs people to stand up for them, and I'm grateful that this is the final bill that I'm introducing on their behalf. With that, I respectfully ask for an aye vote. Madam Majority Leader, you are recognized. Assembly member, you beat me to the punch. Thank you. Darn. We all want to thank you for all your service you've done here on the floor. You've been a great inspiration for many of us and really taking care of our health care community and our people with disabilities. So thank you and continue on to your next life after this. But we still have bills coming back. But thank you very much for all your work. Now you all better vote for his bill. All debate having ceased, clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the votes. I's 64, no's 0. The measure passes. Violet item 47. That's AB 1720 by Assemblymember Haney. Clerk will read. Assembly Bill 1720 by Assemblymember Haney, an act relating to sales. Assemblymember Haney, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. members, I rise to present AB 1720, which is the California Fans First Act, which will protect California's fans from excessive price gouging by capping resale prices at no more than 10% of what was originally paid for it, inclusive of fees for live events and live performances. We know that live events are a huge part of who we are as a state. We are the number one state in the country for live events. It is a part of the lives of all of our constituents to be able to go and see these artists and performances that they love. It generates billions of dollars in revenue. It helps to employ many tens of thousands of people. And most importantly, it adds culture and community and connectivity to our state. For so many years, it was pretty simple how you went to access these shows. You lined up at the venue, you got your ticket, you paid for it, and you went to see the show. These shows were for fans. Unfortunately, what has happened now and what is happening at large venues and small venues all across our state is that this has been more about speculators and scalpers and gambling than it is about access for fans. The result is that fans are being priced out of shows. What happens is the tickets go on sale. Scalpers come in and take as many of them as they can, often creating scarcity, and then force fans to pay a huge markup in order to see an artist that they love. The result is that our independent venues are struggling. Fans are being priced out of shows. Artists are not being paid directly for the work that they're doing. And the scalpers and the speculators are ones that are benefiting. We have to make a change in our state to ensure that fans actually can access these shows that are taking place in our communities. This is already happening in dozens of countries around the world. We know there's an effort all over the country to make these changes. Twelve states have similar bills. New York is actually voting on theirs, a bipartisan bill today. Vermont was signed into law last week. This is something that we can do to not only ensure access for fans, but to support our venues and support our artists. Amendments were made in the Appropriations Committee. This will only apply to smaller venues, independent venues, which have been begging for this and the artists who are supporting it. And it's something that we can do to ensure that we support our artists, support our venues, and make sure the fans who just want to see the artists they love have access to those shows. I respectfully ask for your aye vote. Thank you Assemblymember Haney Assemblymember Bauer you are recognized Thank you Mr Speaker and members When I became chair of the Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee I don think I ever imagined I would spend as much time as I have on the question of how people can buy Taylor Swift tickets But yet it has been hours and hours of my life, and I don't know how many bills that have moved through my committee. And I think it is actually a really important consumer question and one that we have struggled with. I actually supported this bill moving out of my committee because I believe that the gouging that is happening, and let me be clear, I think it is mostly by people who are employing bots to buy many of these tickets. They are then reselling them on secondary platforms at enormous profit, and that profit is not going to the people that the Assemblymember from San Francisco mentioned, the artists, the small venues, the ones who put their heart and soul into putting on events for us and making our lives richer. So I like the idea of caps. I will say that the bill in its current form exempts Ticketmaster, which I think as a monopoly should be covered by this. The largest venues are often where we see the problems. So the limitation on that I think is a weakness of the bill and one that will hurt consumers. And so as much as I am here to support our small venues, I think that this needs broader application and I think we need to make sure that every consumer is protected. So I'll be supporting the bill today, but I think we need to look out for everybody and make sure our monopolies aren't getting away with something that our small venues cannot. Thank you, Assemblymember Barakian. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Assemblymember Haney, do you wish to close? I agree and echo the comments there. I do think this is a problem at small and large venues. It's a problem in Live Nation, Ticketmaster venues, and those that are independent. And just to clarify that, Ticketmaster and Live Nation were excluded from this bill, not because they wanted to be included or excluded. They wanted to be included. So this was something that they did not want. And so they're being exempted. But really, it should cover them. It should cover everyone. But this is a way for us to be able to demonstrate that these kind of caps will improve access for fans, will support venues, will support artists. And it is an important step forward. The venues want it. The artists want it. We should support it. The fans want it. And hopefully, ultimately, we can cover these larger venues as well. And respectfully ask for your aye vote. Thank you so much, Assemblymember Haney. All debate having ceased, clerk will open the roll. All members vote. Who desire to vote? all members vote who desire to vote all members vote who desire to vote Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Clerk will close the roll, tally the votes. Ayes 41, nos 15. The measure passes. Pass temporarily on file items 48, 49, 50, 51. File item 52 is AB 1805 by Assemblymember Ransom. This is a 54-vote bill. Clerk will read. Assembly Bill 1805 by Assemblymember Ransom and others, an act relating to emergency services and declaring the emergency seat air up to take effect immediately. Assemblymember Ransom, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, I rise to present AB 1805. This is an urgent bill. The Next Generation 911 project was created more than a decade ago to modernize California's emergency communication system. But after spending nearly a billion taxpayer dollars, The project has faced serious failures, including outages that left entire regions without 911 access for hours. We are known across the world for innovation and technology and dubbed the tech capital of the world. Yet, after many years and more than $450 million invested, we failed to deliver the important and long-awaited public safety project. This is unacceptable. That is why my emergency management team and my capital team have spent months working with colleagues from both sides of the aisle to figure out where we allowed this project to go wrong and where we go from here. I've met with Cal OES, administration, vendors, and stakeholders. We convened oversight hearings on the project and emergency management to examine the project's failures and the accountability gaps that led us here What we learned was appalling The signs of failure in plain sight no clear understanding of who was providing technological oversight and guidance and how the pivot from the long-awaited regional approach was pivoted to a statewide approach. How do we protect California from being locked into contracts into perpetuity? So despite many congenial win-win conversations, we still don't see a credible path forward that avoids this kind of life-threatening mistake that we've already seen. I want to be abundantly clear that NextGen 911 is a need, not a want. We do not desire to stop this project. During an oversight hearing about the active shooter preparedness, we heard real-life stories, including a story of the recent mass shooting that injured 14 people and took four lives in my district. It was reported during that incident the lack of interoperability within the 911 system slowed down response times. Again, next-gen 911 is a need, not a want. That is why I'm asking you to join me today in support of AB 1805. 1805 is about accountability and finding the pathway forward. The bill requires an audit from the state auditor so that the legislature can get a clear answer for what went wrong. Second, it strengthens oversight of the Emergency Services Office, giving the Department of Technology the ability to oversee the technological implementation of the project. Third, it strengthens the 9-1-1 Advisory Board, giving them a proper seat at the table when OES decides on project standards, budgets, and changes. The bill requires detailed quarterly reports to the legislature on the project status, challenges, and corrective actions to get us back on the rails. Californians deserve a 911 system that is reliable, accountable, and available when people need it most. We deserve to know what has gone wrong and why the Office of Emergency Services is changing direction after 15 years. when someone calls 911, the last thing they should worry about is whether anyone will answer. This bill enjoys no opposition and bipartisan support, and I respectfully ask for your aye vote. Thank you. Thank you, Assemblymember Ransom. Assemblymember Hoover, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in strong support of AB 1805. I think this audit is incredibly important. We have a serious problem with our next-generation 911 system here in California. We have spent $450 million taxpayer dollars on a system that Cal OES now tells us does not work. The legislature has a responsibility to get to the bottom of this to determine if we need to spend more money or if there's parts of that system that can be salvaged. And this audit will absolutely help us get to the bottom of this. I would be remiss if I did not mention that we currently have an audit proposal sitting in the JLAC committee with bipartisan support that could be heard on June 1st at our next audit hearing. Could have been heard a couple weeks ago in our first audit hearing of the year. And yet there continues to be pushback against that audit being brought forward. Why is that? Because the governor does not want to see this audit actually take place because this happened under the governor's watch. I would encourage the members on this floor on both the left and the right to stop allowing the governor to shirk accountability on this next generation nationals. 911 system. We could have this audit heard in just a couple of weeks and get the auditor working on it right away. Instead, the governor has proposed in his budget $141 million more taxpayer dollars to reset this, to spend more taxpayer dollars on another brand new next generation 911 system before we have even identified if there are parts of this system that can be salvaged. I think that is irresponsible. I think we as the Assembly and as the legislature have a responsibility to push back on the administration on that and would strongly urge an aye vote on this bill and an audit as soon as possible on the Next Generation 911 system. Thank you. Assemblymember Hoover, seeing and hearing no further debate, Assemblymember Ransom, do you wish to close? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, there is no secret that our approach and our attempt to move NextGen 911 forward was problematic. It is so important that we do not allow our taxpayer dollars to be wasted, and more importantly, that we invest in protecting the lives of the millions of Californians. As was stated, this bill enjoys bipartisan support, and I respectfully ask for your aye vote. Thank you. I'm going to pass temporarily on file item 53. File item 54 is AB 2168 by Assemblymember Wicks. Clerk will read. Assembly Bill 2168 by Assemblymember Wicks, an accolade of transportation. Assemblymember Wicks, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker and members. First, California's active transportation program is our state's primary funding source for biking and walking infrastructure, supporting projects that increase safety, promote public health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. AB 2168 makes a series of modest, common sense improvements to this program. The program funds are spent efficiently and effectively, and with that, I respectfully ask for an aye vote. Thank you, Assemblymember Wicks. All debate having ceased, clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll, tallying the vote. Ayes 42, noes 18. The measure passes. File item 55 is AB 2461 by Assemblymember Hart. The clerk will read. Assembly Bill 2461 by Assemblymember Hart, an act relating to oil and gas. Mr. Hart, you may open on the measure. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to present AB 2461, a bill to clarify California's oil and gas bonding requirements to ensure that oil companies, not taxpayers, are pulling the full cost of properly plugging wells and decommissioning facilities. California has tens of thousands of aging and inactive oil wells that eventually need to be plugged. According to the Carbon Tracker Initiative, California's onshore oil production, decommissioning, and site remediation liabilities could total as much as billion When operators go bankrupt or otherwise face financial trouble taxpayers are often left on the hook to properly plug wells and decommission facilities. AB 1167, which was signed into law in 2023, already requires operators acquiring wells or facilities to provide financial insurance sufficient to cover plugging abandonment and other costs. Since AB 1167 became law, large oil company acquisitions through all stock deals were determined not to trigger the expected financial assurance requirements. AB 1167 was intended to prevent operators from shifting closure costs to financially unstable operators in exactly these types of circumstances. My bill, AB 2469, will strengthen the accountability requirements by clarifying that even in the case of these all-stock transactions or corporate restructuring, existing financial requirements already approved by this legislature still apply. This legislation strengthens California's oil and gas bonding requirements to ensure that oil companies, not taxpayers, are paying the full cost of properly probing wells and decommissioning facilities. I respectfully request an aye vote. Thank you. Assemblymember Hart, Assemblymember Bryan, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker and colleagues. I rise in support of this measure. It's an important and necessary measure. I also want to point out that our colleague from Contra Costa has a similar measure. Both of these bills have contingent enactment. We have already moved the first bill, and I respectfully ask for your aye vote. Thank you, Assemblymember Bryan. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Assemblymember Hart, do you wish to close? Just request an aye vote. Thank you. Assemblymember Hart, all debate having ceased. Clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Tally the vote. Ayes 43, noes 20. The measure passes. We're going to pass temporarily on file item 56. File item 57 is AB 2499 by Assemblymember Gibson. The clerk will read. Assembly Bill 2499 by Assemblymember Gibson and others, an act relating to corrections. Assemblymember Gibson, you are recognized. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker and members. Assembly Bill 2499 directs the Cal OSHA to develop a workplace safety standard specifically tailored to employees working in California state prisons. Correctional facilities present a unique workplace conditions that can expose workers to extreme heat and other climate-related hazards. Assembly Bill 2499 ensures that Cal OSHA evaluates these conditions and develop regulatory appropriate for work for prisons workplace. This bill provides a deliberate and data-driven process to address work healthy and safety concerns in state correctional institutions. Lastly, this bill received bipartisan support. Respectfully ask for an aye vote on 2499. Thank you, Assemblymember Gibson. All debate having ceased, clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll, tally the vote, size 42, no's 13. The measure passes. Which brings us to file item number 58 that AB 2700 by Assemblymember Gallagher Clerk will read Assembly Bill 2700 by Assemblymember Gallagher and others an act relating to electricity Assemblymember Gallagher, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to present AB 2700, a bill that helps ensure fair and timely compensation for victims of utility-caused wildfires, all without shifting any new costs onto ratepayers. AB 2700 ensures that victims of utility-caused wildfires occurring before we establish the wildfire fund are fully compensated. Many wildfire victims continue to face verified restitution shortfalls year after year. People are still recovering without receiving this money that they deserve. after losing everything and after PG&E was found liable for those fires. AB 2700 is a narrow, targeted, and fiscally responsible fix. It strengthens California's commitment to those who lost everything from these natural disasters. Now lastly, I would like to thank all the members who have agreed to co-author, a bipartisan group of co-authors, all who are coming together to work on this issue, and I respectfully urge your aye vote on this important measure. Thank you. Thank you, Congressman. Excuse me. Assemblymember Gallagher. Assemblymember Rogers, you are recognized. Thank you so much, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of AB 2700. As was mentioned by my colleague, this isn't about politics. It's about people. and we have seen communities that have been devastated by wildfires that have still not been able to fully recover. We know that the longer it takes for people to be able to return home, the harder it is to maintain services in that area. And this is an acknowledgment that the previous way that we have compensated survivors was inadequate and looking for a path forward for folks still struggling to pick up the pieces of their lives. I urge an aye vote. Thank you, Assemblymember Rogers. Assemblymember Brian, you are recognized. Oh, excuse me. Assemblymember Flora, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To my colleague from East Nicholas, I think this might be your last bill on this floor. He's leaving us a little bit early this year. He's going to go fill his friend's seat and duck them off in Congress. But I just want to say thank you for being an example to all of us on how to be disagreeable without being disagreeable. how to actually be a conservative and be effective. You are an absolute privilege to work with as my leader, being on your floor team. We're going to miss you. The state of California is going to miss you, but I know you're going to go represent the east, you know, northern part of the state, East Nicholas very well in Congress, and love you, brother. We appreciate you very much. Assemblymember Brian, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I certainly don't want to belabor the point, and he may accuse me of lying later. But in our sixth House of Origins together, it's been a pleasure to serve with our colleague from Nicholas. your leadership, your steady hand, your consistency has been a betterment to this body, and I've enjoyed serving with you We will miss you Okay, seeing and hearing no further debate. Congressman, do you wish to close? Let's not count our chicks before they've hatched, but thank you guys for the support. This is a very righteous bill. and you know a long time in coming and we're trying to make sure that our victims are compensated still you know in many parts of the state people are really struggling to recover from devastating fires that have rocked all of our communities and so I really appreciate the support that's come alongside this effort we'll continue to get this done it's not done yet we're passing it out here today we need to get it done in the senate but I very much appreciate your support and ask for your aye vote. Thank you. Thank you, Assemblymember Gallagher. All debate having ceased, clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll, tally the votes, aye's 70, no's 0, the measure passes. File line number 59 is AB 2711 by Assemblymember Ellis. The clerk will read. Assembly Bill 2711 by Assemblymember Ellis and others, and I'm relating to oil and gas. Assemblymember Ellis, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, members. 2711 just restores predictability and efficiency to the permit process regarding drilling. Under this bill, CalGEM would be required to approve or deny a notice of detention within 30 days. I've had some comments from colleagues. Maybe that's not quite long enough. I'm willing to negotiate on that and work with my colleagues on that amount of time. And that's only, of course, if all the necessary environmental and technical reviews are complete. It does not weaken environmental review. It simply requires that permits our process in a reasonable time frame. This bill was received by the partisan support in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. I respectfully ask for your aye vote. Thank you. Assembly Member Ellis, Assembly Member Alvarez, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to rise in support of Assembly Bill 2711 and thank our colleague from Kern County for this work. it's really in line with a lot of the conversation we've been having now for some time on ensuring that processes make sense for business. This is not a giveaway. This is not a special perk. This is about certainty. People who want to invest in some way in the state of California should have a process of which creates certainty for them. And I think this is a very common sense bill, a great approach at addressing a problem that exists in California. I want to thank, again, our colleague who has been focused on this, and again, a very common sense solution to a problem that we have, and respectfully ask for aye vote. Thank you, Assemblymember Alvarez. Leader Flora, you are recognized. Thank you again, Mr. Speaker. Here, to my colleague from Bakersfield, I think this might be your last bill on this floor, and you're also leaving us this year. You talk a lot about science, and I had to go buy a Science for Dummies book just to figure out what the heck you were talking about. most of the time. But your knowledge and what you brought to Natural Resources Committee is second to none. This institution is going to miss your steady hand, your voice. We're certainly going to miss you, but it's been a privilege to serve with you for the last two years. And love you to death, my friend. Thank you. Assemblymember Ransom, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was rising in recognition of Assemblymember Ellis. This is his last bill. We got you for a short time, and you are electing to not come back because we're doing such a great job. He says, y'all don't need me. He said there's better things to do. But I just want to say that it's really been great to be able to have a colleague and a partner on the other side who will laugh with me and take my silly jokes, but also look at all of our problems as opportunities. And so I just really want to appreciate the scientific piece that you bought, the open heart, open-mindedness that you brought to the job, and just want to wish you the best of luck. I know we are still going to work with you, but good luck on this bill. Thanks for being here. Dr. Baines, you are recognized. Thank you, Speaker. I just also, I'm glad we, I was actually going to text you and say, is this your last bill? It has been such an honor to represent Kern County with you, and especially it's an honor to represent a community like Kern County, and having your expertise and your voice has been amazing to work with. So thank you for this bill, and thank you for all your work, Assemblyman Rales. Thank you, Dr. Baines. Assemblymember Avi Lafarias, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Also wanted to rise and thank the author not only for this bill, but what a joy and pleasure it has been, not only to have worked with him this last year and a half and really sad to see him go. Appreciate all the skill, the knowledge you brought to this space. We need more of you here to reach across the aisle and work collaboratively in this space. And I'm sorry we scared you away. Thank you. Assemblymember Avila Farias, seeing and hearing no further debate. Assemblymember Ellis, do you wish to close? I respectfully ask for an aye vote. and I also am tremendously honored by the intellect and the amazing people that I've got to work with. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Assemblymember Ellis, for your service. Clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll and tally the votes. Ayes 43, ayes 1. The measure passes. Okay members we are going to skip to file item number seven That is AB 1886 by Assemblymember El The clerk will read. Assembly Bill 1886 by Assemblymember El-Hawari, an act related to juveniles. Assemblymember El-Hawari, you are recognized. Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker and members. I am proud to present AB 1886, which creates a more fair and consistent system so that every young person has a real chance to move forward and not stay stuck in the system longer than necessary. This bill closes a gap in current law so that youth in out-of-home placements receive the same protections as youth living at home, helping prevent unnecessarily long probation terms. This bill also requires regular court review hearings to assess a young person's progress and ensures that probation conditions are reasonable, age-appropriate, and focused on on rehabilitation. I have had an opportunity to speak to many of you and heard some of your concerns and have committed to removing the SYTF youth from the bill. Those are young people who are in the secure youth treatment facilities, and we'll be doing that in the Senate and look forward to working with the opposition about their concerns. I respectfully ask for your aye vote. Thank you. Thank you Assemblymember El-Hawari. Assemblymember Krell, you are recognized. No. Thank you. Good morning. Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker and colleagues. I want to thank the member from Los Angeles for bringing this important bill. I will be voting for this bill today. I really appreciate her taking time to work through the opposition concerns. removing the 707 B offenses from this bill those are the the youth that are locked in a youth facility treatment are the more serious offenders and right now when we when we sorry let me back up for a sec we made several reforms in California for the rehabilitation of youth in our system one of those reforms that I didn't agree with at the time was capping probation at one year. However, the exception to that cap was for youth that are not assigned to in-home placements. So those are placements like the Secure Youth Treatment Facility, but it also encompassed foster youth, which is really unfair to foster youth. These are some of the most vulnerable kids. Many of these kids are actually victims themselves of abuse, of neglect, of human trafficking. So what this bill does now with the change that the author is making is it ensures that foster youth get the same benefits of our reforms that other youth get. So I am proud to support this bill. I'm proud to work with the author. I think it's a really important change that we're making with this bill. Thank you, Assemblymember Krell. Assemblymember Ansem, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't know who's going to speak, but I'm going to rise. just to kind of share some perspective and appreciate the author. I know she's like, what is she going to say? We have had some really deep conversations about this issue. Some of you may not know that I worked with the youth, the population that she is seeking to serve for quite some time. And I'm always careful to make sure that our good intentions don't have an unintended consequence. And so I was able to share with the author really some concerns that I completely understood that we wanted to not have our young people unintentionally, you know, left, especially the foster kids, left on out-of-home placement, left on probation. But I also was very clear that in some cases the only way they can get services is through the different process and that what we created in California unfortunately But I want to say that the author was very empathetic and very thoughtful and took everything to heart because the foster youth, if you look at our criminal justice system, foster youth are a large part of that. in some places, nearly 80% of kids that are in the criminal justice system have been in out-of-home placement. That means they don't always have safe places to go home to. They don't have safe cultures to go home to. They don't have people that are going to make sure that they get that trauma-informed care to make sure that they are making those court dates to make sure that they're getting the job training. So we have to make sure that we are building a California that will not just keep people looped in the criminal justice system, but that will give them the access. I was deeply concerned about the secure track youth, but the author has done the work. She's removed them, and it's not that she just wanted to get a bill passed. When she heard the concerns, she wanted to make sure that she was not creating harm for her kids. So I really, if you ever want to meet a member that cares deeply about restorative work and about the people that she serves, it's going to be the member from Los Angeles And so with that, I really appreciate your thoughtfulness, the time you've taken. And I know that I gave you a lot of heartburn, but I really appreciate what you've done. And with that, I will be supporting the bill and encouraging others to do the same. Thank you. Thank you, Assemblymember Ransom. Seeing and hearing no further debate, Assemblymember El-Hawari, do you wish to close? I just really want to thank the member from Oakland who started this process, who's been incredible in her work, and so much gratitude to my colleagues from Sacramento and Tracy for speaking in support of the bill and sharing your concerns as well, so that we can work together and really be committed in the next legislative session to working with probation, working with the judges to find the right solution, specifically for the SYTF youth. And I respectfully ask for your aye vote. Thank you. Thank you. Assemblymember Ahawari, all debate having ceased. Clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll. Tally vote. Ayes 43, no 17. The measure passes. Members pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.2, I'm re-referring Item 12, which is Assembly Bill 2615 by Assemblymember Zbor to the Rules Committee. Okay, we are going to file Item 44 by our Assistant Majority Leader Garcia. That's ACR 202. The clerk will read. Assembly Concurrent Resolution 202 by Assemblymember Garcia relative to 529 College Savings Day. Assemblymember Garcia, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to present ACR 202, which recognizes May 29 as 529 College Savings Day. As a lifelong educator, I know firsthand how a college education can change lives. I also understand that many families face the impossible task of sending their child to college as tuition and other fees soar beyond affordability. I'll be facing that reality here in a couple months. When families are burdened with student loan debt, basic living costs become unimaginable. The Federal Reserve has reported that student loan debt has reached trillion nationally This is up by billion since 2008 That is why college savings plans such as the ScholarShare 529 provide a critical service for students and families looking to limit or eliminate future debt. 2026 marks 30 years of 529 college savings plans that have allowed for more than $603 billion to be saved for higher education. California's 529 plan has grown to more than $17.3 billion in total assets since established in 1999, successfully supporting over 487,000 scholarship users. We must continue to grow in awareness of 529 programs and the importance of early preparation for one's future because student loan debt should never be a barrier to obtaining higher education. Thank you, and I respectfully ask for your aye vote. Thank you, Assemblymember Garcia. All debate having ceased, the clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll, tally the votes. I-66, no-0. The measure passes. The resolution is adopted. Okay, we are going to go to file item number 29. File item 29. That is AB 2261 by Assemblymember Dixon. The clerk will read. Assembly Bill 2261 by Assemblymember Dixon and I believe to protective orders. Assemblymember Dixon, you are recognized. Well, good afternoon. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. and colleagues, I am pleased to present AB 2261, which clarifies and restores judicial authority to issue criminal protective orders to a victim's family and household members. This is a support-support bill. AB 2261 closes a statutory gap, strengthens victim safety, and aligns the statute with the legislature's longstanding intent to expand, not restrict, the availability of of criminal protective orders in serious cases. This bill is sponsored by the California District Attorneys Association and is supported by the California Police Chiefs and the state sheriffs and the Riverside County District Attorneys. I would like to thank the Chair of Public Safety for working with me and my team on committee amendments to refine the bill. The bill passed Assembly Public Safety and Assembly Appropriations with unanimous support by clearly defining who may be protected and requiring competent evidence, the bill ensures due process while allowing courts to respond appropriately to demonstrated risk. Respectfully, request an aye vote. Thank you. Thank you, Assemblymember Dixon. Leader Flora, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And Diane, my colleague from Orange County, I think this is your last bill on this floor. And for those of you who have ever been in meetings with Diane, you know she asks a lot of questions all the time. and it took me to realize you came from a journal your family's in journalism in newspapers and so it's like that makes a lot of sense but through those questions you actually made us all a lot smarter on the issues because you really dug into you just didn't accept an answer you really wanted to know why but it's been an honor to serve with you I know you're going to serve the people of Orange County very well in your next you know position so we love you and we appreciate you and we're going to miss you thank you Diane Thank you. Assemblymember Bauer-Cahan, you are recognized. I rise in support of Assemblymember from Orange County. It has been, I want to refuse to allow this to be her last bill. Is that a thing? Okay, it's going to make a motion, but maybe that's not in order. But it has been such a privilege to have her on this floor, to have her serve as vice chair on my committee. There is no one who works harder for her grandchildren on this floor than Assemblymember Dixon does. She really, really believes in the future and wants to fight for it and has worked with both sides of the aisle to do so. And it has been an incredible honor to serve with you. And I want to thank you on behalf of the people of California. Thank you, Assemblymember Bauer-Cahan. Assemblymember Rubio, you are recognized. Thank you. Assemblymember Dixon, it has been an honor and a pleasure to work with you. Don't do that. You're going to make me weepy, too. I have had the pleasure to work with the kindest, kindest person I have met. I want to thank you for your service. Appreciate all of the work that you did, and thank you for being such a kind person to me and to all of the members of the Assembly. Thank you. Thank you, Assemblymember Rubio. Assemblymember Davies, you are recognized. I know I'll make myself cry here, but I had the honor of knowing Diane serving on City Council and Mayor at the same time she was in Newport Beach. But really having the opportunity to sit next to her and be desk friends and desk mates and do a lot of laughing and make fun of ourselves. But really talk about bills and the importance of what our job is. and it's not always easy, but we're so glad we had the opportunity. And when I heard that she was running for another office, you know, I can't say I really was happy. And we tried to keep her here as much as we could, but I also know that God has led her to another place where she probably will be even more effective and where they truly do need her with the common sense. So I just want to say I love you, friends forever, and you're going to be a hell of a supervisor. Thank you. None of us are happy. First we don't get retirement, then Dixon's leaving us. Assemblymember Bonta, you are recognized. I also just wanted to acknowledge the very gracious colleague that we have from Newport Beach who just has been such a warrior from her heart and in good policy, particularly in the area of health care. particularly in the area of making sure that we are addressing fully substance use disorders with her heart and passion and from the lived experience of her family that she's often shared on this floor about. It's been very meaningful to the policies that we've been able to have in the state of California and I want to thank you for your contributions over time. Thank you. yes you can change your mind you can before i hand it back to you for your close i just want to take this moment to say i'm going to miss my very favorite member of the legislature as well and i would further like to note thank you for being our conscience here in the legislature we appreciate you so much, Assemblymember Dixon. And with that, do you wish to close? I grateful for all of you It been such an honor to work with you but we not done yet We have until August I still be here but it just a pleasure It really is truly a pleasure to do the work that we need to do to help California and help the next generation And that's why we have two sides of the aisle. We all contribute, and I'm grateful to be part of that process. So thank you very much. Oh, my colleague reminded me to ask for an aye vote. We will also miss you wrestling with the microphone. On that note, clerk will open the roll. All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote. Clerk will close the roll, tally the votes. Ayes 63, no zero. The measure passes. Okay, we're going to file item number 48, everyone. File item number 48, that is AB 1752 by Assemblymember Lackey. The clerk will read. Assembly Bill 1752 by Assemblymember Lackey, an act relating to eminent domain. Assemblymember Lackey, you are recognized. All right. Support, support bill. Pretty simple one. It addresses eminent domain, an outdated reimbursement cap, and it, too, deserves your support. Thank you. Oh, you're not getting away that easily. Leader Flora, you are recognized. There we go. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To my friend from Lancaster, Palmdale, for those of you on this floor that don't know, Tom spent 28 years with California Highway Patrol, 12 years in the state assembly. That's 40 years of service. He served the state of California, bud. And your steady hand has been absolutely honorable. It's been awesome to hear you debate hard public safety bills on this floor with a compassion that only comes from a law enforcement officer who really, truly cared and why you serve. And your heart for service showed through every day on this green carpet. We are truly going to miss you. But 40 years of service to the state of California does not go lightly, and we certainly want to recognize that and appreciate you very much. Thank you. my vice chair, so I really appreciate your support and your help on everything. And, you know, somebody asked me once who would be my unlikely partner, and you all didn't know that Mr. Lackey was my partner for a very long time. We did a few things together, and I really appreciate the ability to be able to work across the aisle and, you know, have you. And he worked as a CHP officer in the Baldwin Park Division, which is in my district, so I just wanted to point that out. But thank you for your service, and we look forward. I look forward to seeing what great things you do next. Thank you. Thank you. Assemblymember Rubio. Assemblymember Krell you are recognized I echo the other comments You have been such a true friend I going to miss you so much We only got to overlap for a year and a half so far but you a real one and I greatly appreciate your perspective and your friendship. And bad news for the member from Buena Park. I think I'm your partner. Thank you, Assemblymember Krell. Assemblymember Carrillo, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also want to thank my colleague from Palmdale. We both live in the city of Palmdale because of the crazy districts that are created. We both represent Palmdale and Lancaster. Yes, but you keep showing up in my district. You were there just on Memorial Day. You were. You were. But I appreciated you coming over to my district events. And I think that you and I both serve. I don't think you and I both serve in the Palmdale City Council at different times, obviously. But I really appreciate you being here, being kind of a guide for me. I remember the first time we flew in together when I got elected, asking what it's going to be like. And you did tell me what it was going to be like. You were absolutely right. Thank you for your friendship and the leadership and for caring about the Antelope Valley and for everybody in California. I appreciate you very much. Thank you. Thank you, Assemblymember Carrillo. Assemblymember Hadwick, you are recognized. I just wanted to add a few. Tom and I are not allowed to sit together because he makes me laugh too much, but I'm really going to miss you, and I'm glad I got to be here at the last leg of your service, and thank you for giving so much to California. I think you are the model of what a representative to be, but not just an elected, just as a human. So thank you. Thank you. Assemblymember Bonta, you are recognized. I also want to just thank our assembly member. I had the pleasure and honor of serving in the most impressionable years of my career on public safety with our assembly member. and you are a person of great integrity. I so appreciated the way that you stretched and tried to reconcile our very divergent points of view and I always appreciated that you came with that integrity and that experience to the area of public safety and where we always did align was in the area of making sure that our corrections departments would do better and be better for every single Californian who was in our prisons. And I had an opportunity to visit with you in many of those. I just also want to thank you for your love and heart that you bring in particular to our children with disabilities and to our children who are a part of the court-appointed special advocates program, the CASA program, our shared loves and passions. And I want to thank you and know that we will carry on that work with you on this floor. Thank you. Thank you, Assemblymember Bonta. Assemblymember Hart, you are recognized. Yeah, I just want to add my words of congratulations to Assemblymember Lackey. In addition to his integrity and his passion and his commitment to service, he has a really great sense of humor that he practices all the time, and that's what I'm going to miss the most about being around you, Tom. Thank you. Thank you, Assemblymember Hart. Assemblymember Baines, Dr. Baines, you are recognized. Thank you Speaker I first met you when I was coming up as a doctor advocating for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities And I remember hearing your passion and your work and where does life bring you And now I serving with you right here in the legislature You have been such a passionate voice. Even before I got elected, thank you for your years. And I'll never forget when I was deployed out to the Line Fire, you showed up with a bottle of A1 sauce because you knew that I love having that A1 sauce. And thank you for knowing that about me, and thank you for all of your years of advocacy on this floor. Thank you, Dr. Baines. Assemblymember Ta, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Wow. I'm really, really emotional. It's been my honor to work with you. for the last four years. You like me mentor and really appreciate your passion. I really believe your strong commitment, your courage for always standing up for what you believe. and you are the man of honesty. So I learned a lot about you. I learned a lot from you and I appreciate you. I appreciate all your strong commitment, for your strength, for your passion. You always stand up for our state, for our community, for our children. So I appreciate you, and I really wish you the best, Tom. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to add my comments with everyone else, with the chorus of everyone else's voice. Tom, you came in with me in class 2014, So we represent the class of 2014, so I wanted to rise. I see Member Gallagher has also raised his microphone up. So in 2014, also being a police officer, I want to thank you for your years of service. But also, every time that we would see each other, I just picked up, howdy, howdy. That's what he would always, that's what you would always say, howdy, howdy. And I appreciate your humility and also your ability to, one, men can cry. And it's okay that you feel a sense of not only your compassion, but it's also your emotion. And it's okay to show your emotions as who you are on this floor because that's who you are. And I appreciate you being your authentic self on this floor and letting people know that you are a former law enforcement, but also as a state assembly member, because it's what you believe in and also the God that's inside you. And I want to say it's a privilege to serve with you on this floor for the last 12 years. Thank you very much for your service.

I didn't want to let this day pass, especially given Really, I think the amazing comments people have made about you, but I just wanted to let you know that I have valued being able to get to know you, had the opportunity and the honor to serve with you on the Public Safety Committee and other committees. and even though we disagreed at times, we agreed at times as well. One of the things I always appreciated about you was the fact that everything you did was based upon principle and what you thought was right and good for the people of the state of California. And always, you always treated all of your colleagues on both sides of the aisle with respect and kindness. And so for that, I appreciate it. I'm going to miss you in this body. and I'm glad that we'll be seeing you in the next part of the session. So thank you.

Thank you. I'll be brief because Mr. Lackey isn't actually going anywhere for a little while. But I did want to add the chorus because I think that I am your most unlikely partner, not the member from Baldwin Park. But I, too, came in and served on public safety for, I think, three years with the Assembly Member. and there was a lot of times we disagreed but we always agreed about one thing that we cared about the people and I will never forget sitting through I think it was eight hours of testimony on police use of force went through lunch and you didn't move, you listened to every single person who wanted to come talk to that committee and that is who you are and that is who you've been and I think it is something that we should all model and just recently you changed your vote in committee after listening to me. And your ability to listen and care deeply about the outcome is what makes you such an incredible public servant. So I want to thank you for that.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to say that we are here as our title as State Assemblymember, but people often refer to us as honorable. and you truly embody that word, honorable. Everything you do is so transparent. Your love for democracy. I question your taste in music and we are divided when it comes to the banana slug. But whenever I have tough decisions to make, I often think to myself, what would Tom Lackey do? So thank you so much for your leadership. I love you. Be well.

There's a tradition in the military, so I've adapted it a little bit for Tom. For 28 years, this officer stood the watch. While families across California laid down to sleep at night, He pinned down the badge of the highway patrol and stayed awake to keep our roads safe. While some were in school learning their trades, he was out on the asphalt protecting our communities, shielding the vulnerable and holding the line for public safety. Many times he cast an eye towards home and saw his own family standing there. They needed his hand to hold during hard times. his guidance and his presence. But he knew his duty. He knew his responsibility to the people of the high desert and the Antelope Valley And so he stood the watch Then when many would have chosen a well rest he answered a new call For 12 more years, this leader stood the watch in the halls of our state capitol, in the policy rooms, and on the assembly floor. He stood up for our children, fought for our special needs community, and championed the safety of every Californian. He brought the grit of a highway patrolman and the heart of a teacher to the governance of our great state. For four decades, Tom Lackey stood the watch so that his fellow citizens could live, work, and raise their families in peace and safety. Today, as this legislative term draws to a close, we gather to say, Assemblyman, officer, leader, the watch stands relieved. Relieved by those you have mentored, those you have guided, and those you have inspired. Tom, you stand relieved. We have the watch. Thank you. opportunity and so I just wanted to say uh landslide lackey um that's how I know you and I always tell him that and that and the story behind that is if you didn't know this Tom was uh one of our top targets and in his first re-elect you know there was all this like oh man you know Tom's gonna have a tough race and you know he might not be back here and uh he won so big that I I called him landslide lackey. I can't remember the exact, but it was over 10 points. But he's the most steady guy. He's the heart of our caucus always. And Tom, I can't imagine having another guy that I go through 12 years of this with. Thank you for just your integrity, your honesty. The reason why so many Democrats here have said you're a secret partner is because you're one of the most effective legislators on the Republican side. And you find ways to get things done and you find partners and you pass good legislation. And this place is better off because you've been here. But thank you also just for the many, many times that you've given me encouragement when I needed it. And, you know, the last two of the Republican caucus 2014 team, I just truly appreciate you, friend, and wish you all the best and more to come. Thank you.

Yeah. I hate that I'm emotional. I think I in control and then all of a sudden I not But I want to tell you all something And I am overwhelmed at this level of response And I love this institution And I love most of you. But I want you to know that I never in my life imagined that I would have this privilege. I might not be alone on that. But I never, I really, really never thought that I would last 12 years. Ever. God has a personality too. And I'm thankful for that. And I'm thankful for all of you. Because we have a very unique privilege. I've never had a job where everybody spoon feeds me. We have staff that are the unsung heroes, man. So thankful for what they do. And I think sometimes we might take them for granted. And I hope that you'll repent for that if you're guilty of that. But I just want to say thank you. Thank you all because this experience has made me a better person. Sorry, contorted face is bad. But I will tell you this. Anything that makes you try to walk in someone else's shoes is a good thing. And this job forces me to do that. I wouldn't do that on my own. I wouldn't have done and thought the things I've thought unless I had this responsibility. half a million people trust us I'm overwhelmed by that thought and I hope you are too I'm just thankful because I'm thankful that you all understand and I'm so thankful that so many of you did stand up because it reminds me that we have work to do and we can do it together and we can disagree man, it's okay but don't hate man don't hate those who have a different life experience don't hate someone who needs your help maybe maybe that's what they need and that's my goal is that i might be able to at least have some influence for good because the only reason i am standing here before you is because of influencers i was a spoiled young man i didn't think so living in a desert town of 3 000 but I was spoiled because people invested in me all my life. And too many of our people, many of you, have not had that luxury. I'm going on too long, but I'm so thankful for all of you. Thank you for giving me this privilege, and God bless us all. And don't forget, it's better to be lackey than good. And please vote for this meaningful bill.

Assembly Bill 2676 by Assemblymember Gallagher and others, an act relating to land use.

Assembly Bill 2242 by Assemblymember Davies, and I'm planning the pupil's safety.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, today I'm here to present AB 2242. AB 2242 is a common sense bill to require schools to have informational posters that contain critical information for students and families on how to combat any sextortion schemes they may find themselves in. This bill passed committee unanimously, and I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Assembly Bill 2676 by Assemblymember Gallagher and others, an act relating to land use.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a support-support bill that strengthens the Housing Crisis Act, and I ask for your support. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in respectful opposition to AB 2676. In my district, we have many communities that have both received the pro-housing designation and also by voter initiatives have it enabled urban growth boundaries and community separators. My concern on this bill is that it would take away the will of the voters to not allow you to do less housing, but to dictate when and where that housing should be placed, particularly when we talk about wild and urban interfaces, when we talk about ecologically sensitive areas. I would hate to take that away from voters to be able to weigh in on those opportunities. So I respectfully ask for a no vote.

I just asked the question, do we really want to strip away the people's right to vote on a referendum? At its core, this bill is not just about housing. It's about whether the people of California retain the right to challenge local land use decisions through the referendum process, a right that has existed in California for more than a century. California's referendum power is not a procedural technicality. It's a constitutional safeguard. It exists because we understand that local elected officials do not always get every decision right. And when communities believe a decision was made without sufficient transparency, accountability, or public support, voters have the ability to step in directly. AB 2676 moves us in the wrong direction by weakening that fundamental democratic principle. Let's be clear. California absolutely needs housing. We need more affordable housing. We need workforce housing. We need infill housing near jobs and transit. and we should continue working aggressively to streamline good projects the meat community needs. But housing production cannot come at the expense of public trust. Over the past several years, this legislature has enacted sweeping state preemptions over local land use authority. AB 2676 goes a giant step further. It says that even when local residents organize, gather signatures, and seek a public vote on a controversial project, the state legislature should intervene and prevent that vote from happening. That is a profound undemocratic shift. Supporters argue that referenda can delay projects. That's true. Democracy sometimes takes time. Public participation can be messy. But inconvenience is not a justification for limiting constitutional rights. We can build housing and still respect democracy. We can streamline housing and still preserve public accountability. And we can address California's housing crisis without telling voters that their constitutional rights must take a back seat. For those reasons, I respectfully ask for a no vote on AB 2676.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We weren't going to let our friend from Nicholas move on in this world without a little fight. So I'm personally enjoying this, and I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I was mistaken about it being a support support. I do have bipartisan support for this bill. And I respectfully hear the concerns of the opposition here on the floor today. I did actually, Assemblymember Bennett and I worked on some language that we did make amendments to make it very clear that this would not apply to sprawl, to projects that are outside the scope of a general plan and zoning. What this is really trying to do is clarify that Housing Crisis Act that many of us supported. It was very bipartisan support to establish that when we have planned when the people that we elected to local office have planned for housing and our general plan and our zoning have created a density requirement in housing, and housing that needs to be built in this community, that we don't allow that to be undermined. And that can include, sometimes, referendums that are driven by nimbyism, to stop housing that a community has already decided that they need. We have made it very clear with those amendments, by the way, that this, again, would not apply where that is not the case, where we're talking about taking agricultural lands or conservation lands and trying to make that into housing after the fact. Then that would not apply, and a referendum initiative could be employed in that time. But if you have already established that, that you're going to build housing for the next generation, for that community, that it can't be undermined in that way. This has also been supported by several court cases, including a recent case involving the city of Oceanside. So I would ask for your support. I think it's a much-needed clarification of the Housing Crisis Act. It makes it stronger for all of us, and I'd ask for your support.

procedural motion. Yes, Mr. Speaker, at the request of the author, please move file item 53, AB 2095, Lee, to the inactive file. Clerk will note.

The clerk will read.

Assemblymember Gallagher, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to present SCR 156, which declares May as Stroke Awareness Month. This resolution was introduced by my colleague in the North State, Senator Megan Daly. After suffering from a stroke over two years ago, she aims to elevate stroke awareness and bring attention to aphasia, which impacts language and speech. And I got to tell you, just as someone who's watched this woman and everything that she and her family have gone through over these last two years, she is truly amazing. coming from a hospital bed where her family really worried that whether she would make it back. Man this is an emotional day um a lot of prayers prayed over her and and uh she came back to this body she fought back that has the will the iron will um and came back to this body and and as you know, continues to represent her people so ably and so well. And her actions speak so much louder than words in the way that she represents and continues to serve her community. And she wants to bring awareness to this so that others will know about this and will be able to respond in turn. One in three Americans cannot name any of the signs or symptoms of a stroke, and more than one half of Americans do not know if they are at risk for a stroke. Senator Dolly and myself would like to urge every American to reduce their risk of stroke by recognizing the warning signs, such as loss of balance, speech difficulty, and drooping of the face, and vision loss or double vision. At the first signs of stroke, dial 911 immediately because it can improve you or your loved one's chance of recovery. I want to thank Senator Dolly, who I admire and I'm proud to serve with, and for her efforts introducing this important resolution. And I respectfully ask for your aye vote. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today during Stroke Awareness Month, I want to take a moment to recognize Senator Daly, who has shown incredible strength, faith, resilience, and leadership. Megan is an absolute rock star. Not only has she continued to serve the people of Northern California with grace and determination, but she's also become a powerful example of why women, especially moms and working women, need to take our health seriously and speak up when something doesn't feel right. Too often, women put themselves last. We take care of everybody else first, our kids, our families, our jobs, our communities, and convince ourselves that we'll slow down later. In this line of work especially, time feels like a luxury. The days are long, the stress is real, and many of us push through exhaustion because it's just what women do. But Megan's experience also highlighted the very real health care challenges we face in rural California. Access to specialists, emergency care, and timely treatment can look very different in our communities, and those delays can make all the difference during a medical emergency like a stroke. I'm incredibly proud of Megan for not only fighting through recovery with strength and determination, but also for using her voice to encourage other women to prioritize their health, pay attention to warning signs, and take care of themselves. Her advocacy is already making a huge difference, and I know her story will inspire countless others to listen to their bodies and seek care when they need it. Megan, thank you for your courage, your honesty, and your leadership. We are so grateful for you and proud to stand beside you. I respectfully ask for your aye vote for our friend, Senator Dally.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to my colleagues who brought this forward and, you know, the rightful recognition of Senator Dally, who is an amazing colleague, was an amazing colleague in the Assembly and is a wonderful senator. I didn't know this was coming up and I'm glad I heard it. I'm glad I was in the room. Strokes can afflict younger people And I didn realize that until my wedding day when one of my best friends from childhood didn show up at the wedding And didn show up at the wedding with another best friend suit He was supposed to bring my buddy suit and he didn show up And all of a sudden, we got on the phone. We didn't realize, but two days before, he'd had a stroke. He was 39 years old. He was in incredibly good health. And he was paralyzed initially for half his body. And he was lucky that he had great health care and lucky that he had the ability to go through months and months and months and months and months of physical therapy and occupational therapy and all the therapies. But it was terrifying to me. I didn't realize that younger people had strokes. So it's something that we all need to really be aware of. We all need to know the signs, like my colleague said. The more people who are aware of it, the more people who can, you know, if your friend or a total stranger is suffering from a stroke. I worked for a U.S. senator who had a stroke on a conference call. And luckily there were other people who were on the call and recognized that something bad was happening. But for people to recognize that and get that person help as quickly as possible can be the difference between life or death. So I want to thank my colleagues for bringing this forward. Definitely want to recognize Senator Dolly and want to urge your aye vote on SCR 156.

Yes, thank you, members, and I thank you for the comments of my colleagues here, and would certainly request that the roll be open for co-authors. Thank you.

Assembly Bill 1758 by Assemblymember Wynn, an act relating to sellers of travel to take effect immediately tax levy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So members, if you use a travel agency, and I'm not quite sure how many of you use a travel agency, but this, for the first time ever, I'm presenting a bill where the industry themselves are asking to increase a fee, a fee that they would pay to be able to increase a consumer protection program. Let me say that again. It's a consumer protection program. Simply put, if you came to me as a travel agency for service, to book your flights, your hotel, or whatnot, and for whatever reason there was fraud, insolvency, or the business closed, this fund would reimburse you the service that you did not receive and that you paid me for. very simply put currently right now the fee is only $35 a year they are asking to increase their fees to $60 a year $60 a year so that they can then make sure this consumer protection program is funded for consumers there is no opposition on this bill This bill is being brought up by the travel agency themselves I respectfully ask for your aye

Thank you. Thank you.

Ayes 55, noes 14.

Thank you. Thank you. . Thank you. Thank you.

The clerk will post. All members vote who desire to vote All members vote who desire to vote Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you.

AB 1560 by Assemblymember Tangipa. The clerk will read. Assembly Bill 1560 by Assemblymember Tangipa, an act relating to the Political Reform Act of 1974.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First and foremost, I not only want to thank you, Mr. Speaker, but I want to thank the Speaker of the Assembly as well for allowing me to bring this bill up because I believe that it is something of extreme importance. And I know that this is a 54-vote bill as well, but it is a very simple bill. AB 1560 is a declaration that corruption will not be welcomed here in the state of California. This is a very straightforward government accountability bill. And right now in the state of California if you are an elected official and you are convicted of corruption you are no longer allowed to run for office but you can influence the government We have worked with the Secretary of State office to even amend this bill to a 12 ban for any lobbyist that has been convicted of corruption. You are not welcome into the halls of California. This bill is a support, support bill, and I ask that all of you join me in making the declaration that corruption is not welcome in the state of California. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

All members vote who desire to vote.

All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote. Thank you. Thank you.

I move the call.

That is AB 1863 by Assemblymember DeMaio. The clerk will read. Assembly Bill 1863 by Assemblymember DeMaio, an act relating to fire protection districts.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And members, I do appreciate the opportunity to present AB 1863 that will ensure that local governments cannot charge citizens simply for dialing 911. This bill came up in response to a local government that announced they would be charging fees for 911 calls, and it created a lot of confusion. And that local government did clarify that they would only charge if a service was rendered. Californians all deserve the right to know that they do not have to worry about paying a penalty or a charge simply if they dial 911 and inquire for assistance. Now, let me make it quite clear. The language in this bill specifically allows local governments to still be able to charge fees if aid is rendered so that they can recoup any associated costs with services provided. The bill has had no no votes. I will continue to work with all stakeholders if the bill goes to the Senate and bring it back. And I respectfully ask an aye vote on AB 1863.

Thanks so much, Mr. Speaker. I rise in respectful opposition to AB 1863. I'm particularly concerned about the impact that this will have on fire districts and rural communities where we have already stretched thin budgets and people, personnel, that can't keep up with the demand. The definition of emergency services is overly broad in this bill. That makes it difficult for them to do cost recovery on the services that are rendered. So I respectfully ask for a no vote.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A question for the author?

Is this the first bill that you've been bringing to the floor for a presentation?

Well, I also appreciate the opportunity that you came over to walk through the merits of the bill. I think we share a lot of comment for our concerns, particularly for the East County, San Diego neighborhoods. and I think that you have a lot of thought put into this bill and I'm happy to be able to support it today.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to rise. As Chair of Emergency Management, we worked with the author and his team to remove ambiguity from the bill that would create a situation where folks didn't know if they could charge for reimbursement for responding to calls. And so with that being said, I appreciate that the author has offered to continue to work with stakeholders who put in late opposition just a few days ago. So we do appreciate and respect their concerns. But I do appreciate that the author has been willing to work with us, and I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Hi. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just have a question for the author in regard to this. Given that there has been late opposition, and so I would like you to respond specifically about what you committed to with that opposition in regard to fixing the bill, as well as noting that when an emergency service is called and actually arrives at the location that is providing a level of service, and how does your bill actually address that? You can respond now or at your close.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you for the members. We did note the late opposition and were kind of blindsided and surprised by it However we want to make sure that any service provided by our local governments can be a cost recovery service if the local government chooses to charge a fee We are welcome to continue to take input, and as we go to the Senate, if we do go to the Senate, there will be an opportunity for refinements. I want to make sure that this does not handicap our local governments in cost recovery. That is an absolute legitimate way to finance our emergency response programs. However, we need to make sure that people are not deterred from making a 911 call for the fear that they may be charged some sort of fee by the local government. If a service is provided, a cost recovery absolutely should be allowed under this bill, and I commit to making sure that that language is clarified if necessary. With that, I ask for an aye vote. Thank you.

All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you.

Clerk will post. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote.

Ayes 56, nos 0.

Thank you.

Clerk will read the resolution on the consent calendar. Assembly Concurrent Resolution 209 by Assemblymember El Harari relative to Behavioral Health Awareness Month Clerk will now open the roll to allow any member to add on as a co to the resolution All those wishing to be co please vote

All those for co-authors, please vote.

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 209 by Assemblymember El Hawari relative to behavioral health awareness month.

All members vote who desire to vote. All members vote who desire to vote.

All members vote who desire to vote.

Ayes 65, no 0.

Senate concurrent resolution 163. Ayes 65, no 0. Senate concurrent resolution 170. Ayes 65, no 0. And Senate concurrent resolution 171. And ayes 65, no 0. Thank you. Thank you.

will post. All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote.

Ayes 35, nos 22.

Thank you. Thank you.

This is Assembly Bill 2497. The clerk will read. Assembly Bill 2497 by Assemblymember Johnson, an accolade in healing arts.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to present AB 2497. This is a bill to bring California into alignment with 20 other states on physical therapy issues by modernizing our Physical Therapy Practice Act. I'm looking forward to meaningful conversations with the opposition in the Senate, and I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in respectful opposition to this bill. On behalf of the API caucus, this is a bill that is not just scope encroachment, but also cultural approachment. This bill started as an encroachment on acupuncture, which is a field-dominant Eastern Chinese medicine, and there has been attempts over the years to try to appropriate Chinese culture and Chinese medicine into dry needling. Now, today, the language is ambiguous about electrode needle tissue puncture, and so I think this is a bill that is not necessary, and we should trust in the acupuncture professional to get these medical treatments done. Respectfully ask for no vote.

Thank you very much. I also rise in respectful opposition. Let me first state that I have nothing against the physical therapists. I love my physical therapists. The issue here is the needling issue. I know that this was raised at the Appropriations Committee. However, it's my understanding that there's still some kind of an electrode needling. that my acupuncturist community is still telling me that this is disrespecting 3,000 years of traditional Chinese acupuncture medicine, and for that reason, I'll be opposing the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in respectful opposition of Assembly Bill 2497, and thank you to the author. We've had conversations as well on this. And in terms of the concerns, in terms of the dry needling, we have concerns also about the electrode needles, penetrating tissues for diagnosis. But to echo my colleagues from the San Jose area and the South Bay of Los Angeles, a number of our colleagues still have a number of concerns around the dry needling aspect and making sure that it does not impact the work of acupuncturists. So with that, I will respectfully oppose the bill today. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First, I want to thank the author for her work on this. I rise in opposition to this bill. This is an API caucus priority bill opposing this Unfortunately during the Business and Professions Committee hundreds of acupuncturists from the Asian American community woke up really early took the bus and came and opposed this bill. Unfortunately, I know a lot of their concerns are still not addressed. I respect the author and her work on this, but respectfully ask for everyone's no vote on this today. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I want to thank my colleagues for their comments. And I think it's really important that we're clear here. I have had so many conversations on the floor. And it is absolutely vital that we clear up one component. As amended, this bill has nothing to do with dry needling. You did hear my colleagues say that it was amended in appropriation, but what needs to be explicit is every single reference to solid filiform needles for treatment has been completely removed. So while I understand that there is a lot of opposition, I also say that I have been very respectful in making sure that all of my conversations have treaded lightly, especially because of the cultural references that were brought up in committee. I have the deepest appreciation for the culture. The only remaining needle language simply restates existing law, which allows physical therapists to use, what you heard, electrode needles for diagnostic testing for evaluation, not treatment. I worked exhaustively with the chair for business and professions and his committee, and that was cited as existing law. Not new law, not something this bill, but what is existing and approved in law. The needle debate is settled. It is out of this bill. To get to this point, we have gone through six amendments, including just the one last week. I have listened to all of you. I have listened to every piece of feedback to get this right. I've worked directly with you. We've had lots of consultations. Especially I want to thank the chair of BMP and his committee and the staff, my staff, the sponsor. I've had conversations, as you heard, with the chair of the API Legislative Caucus. We've had conversations with acupuncturists, CMA, who's here today in the gallery with us, to radiologists, pharmacists, and every other stakeholder who cares about this issue. We've stripped out imaging, we've stripped out prescriptive authority for non-opioid drugs, and now we've stripped out dry needling. With those issues completely off the table, what's left in this bill is a modest modernization of physical therapy scope. California is currently grappling with a severe shortage in physical therapists. We are training physical therapists students in our CSU campuses, private university, but we're losing them to states like Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona where they actually are allowed to use the full range of their skills. The core of this bill removes, this is the part everybody's concerned with, the core of this bill removes the arbitrary 45 day or 12 visit limit for direct patient access. patients are forced to put the recovery on hold to get a physician sign off just to underscore continue a care plan that's already working so guys I can continue to talk I know that it late and everybody wants to wrap this up but this is a really extremely important topic to me and as you know I don raise my mic or even speak on the floor very often so I would really appreciate if I had your attention while we wrap this up Under current law, if a person had a back injury, real, and I will tell you this came from our local government committee staff member. He has a back injury, severe lower back pain. He finds a physical therapist, which he did. He starts treatment, and then that treatment is working well enough that he can put it on pause, and he did. He continued his recovery outside the clinic, but a month later he suffers a sudden flare-up, which he did. Under current law, because he's outside of the arbitrary 45-day window, he can't go back to his physical therapist. He was forced to wait two full months to get an appointment with his primary care physician for a referral for something that was already working. By the time he finally gets back into physical therapy, his condition has severely regressed. The delay is completely avoidable, and it's a consequence of our restricted access. Patient safety does remain top priority. I've heard all of your concerns about the issue in almost every conversation I've had with members on this floor. That's why I want to underscore that AB 2497 explicitly requires physical therapists to refer a patient to a physician or a specialist if their condition is beyond the PT scope of training. Finally, the bill proposes a modest increase to the supervisor to assistant ratio from one to two to one to three. This simple change will help clinics manage overwhelming demand and significantly reduce wait times for everyday California. Californians, my apologies. This bill is about making our health care system more efficient, ensuring Californians have the same access to care that all our neighboring states already enjoy, in 21 other states and all our surrounding states. Every single district represented on this floor in California is home to physical therapists and physical therapy patients. This is an issue that affects all of our constituents. This bill is not about giving physical therapists a massive scope of practice enhancement. It's simply about moving to a model of direct access that nearly two dozen states already follow with no increase of malpractice claims or insurance premiums. I really want to just thank all the conversations I've had. I want to thank those that have committed to support. Your word has meant a lot to me. I continue to look forward to opposition conversations in the Senate. And with that, I am asking for an aye vote.

All those vote who desire to vote. All those vote who desire to vote.

Thank you

all those vote who desire to vote all those vote who desire to vote Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. . Thank you.

all those vote who desire to vote all those vote who desire to vote

Thank you. Thank you.

Members, we have completed 47 items today. We have survived our House of Origin deadline and are able to be wrapped up this afternoon. I want to thank you all for your hard work and patience during these long days. and let's take this all back on on Monday. Thank you.

vote change gibson ab 2461 from i to not voting vote change assembly member gibson assembly bill 2461 I cannot vote totally vote change AB 27-11 I cannot vote vote changers simply for the reason why does something wrong? vote change Pellerin AB 1722 I cannot vote-ing hope changes to the member Pellerin soon leave bill 1722 I cannot vote-ing M. AB 2676, aye, to not voting. Vote change, Assemblymember Patterson, Assembly Bill 2676, aye, to not voting. Assemblymember Pappin, AB 1958, changing from aye, to not voting. Vote change, Assemblymember Pappin, Assembly Bill 1958, aye, to not voting. Vote change, Chiavo, AB 1958, aye, to not voting. Vote change, Assemblymember Schiavo, Assemblymember 1958, aye to not voting. Thank you Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Vote change Ortega. Ortega, AB 2711, from an aye to not voting. Vote change, Assemblymember Ortega, Assembly Bill 2711, aye to not voting. Thank you. Thank you. I'm going to vote for the vote. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you Thank you. Thank you.