Assembly Floor Session

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. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. . Thank you. Thank you. . Thank you. Thank you. Morning, California. The Assembly is now in session. Assemblymember Johnson notices the absence of a quorum. Sergeant-at-arms will prepare the chamber and bring in the absent members. Clerk will call the roll. Addis, Agra Currie, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Avila Fadius, Baines, Bauer-Cahan, Bennett, Berman, Berner, Bonta, Brian, Calderon, Colosa, Carrillo, Castillo, Chen, Connelly, Davies, DeMaio, Dixon, El Huari, Ellis, Flora, Fong, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gibson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark Gonzalez, Hadwick, Haney, Arbedian, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Johnson, Kaurah, Krell, Lackey, Lee, Lowenthal, Macedo, McKenner, Marisucci, Quinn, Ortega, Pacheco, Pappin, Patel, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie Norris, Quirk Silva, Ramos, Ransom, Celeste Rodriguez, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Rubio, Sanchez, Chiavo, Schultz, Sharp Collins, Solache, Soria, Stephanie, Ta, Tagipa, Valencia, Wallace, Ward, Wicks, Wilson, Zabur.

Members, a 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 Nostal will offer today's prayer.

We ask our guests and visitors to remain standing to join us in the flag salute. Assemblymember Wilson will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Please join me in renewing our pledge to the flag and for all that it stands for. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. You may be seated. 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. Assembly chamber of Sacramento, Thursday, May 7, 2026. The Assembly met at 9 a.m. The Honorable Josh Levithall, Speaker, Barton Poy of the Assembly. The authority leader Aguiar Curry moves and Ms. Sanchez seconds that the reading of the previous day's journal be dispensed with. Presentations and petitions, there are none. Introduction and reference of bills will be deferred. Reports of committees will be deemed read and amendments deemed adopted. Messages from the governor, there are none. Messages from the Senate, there are none. Moving on to motions and resolutions, the offices of the day for illness Assemblymembers Baines, for personal business Assemblymembers Muratsuchi, for legislative business Assemblymembers Celeste Rodriguez and Petrie Norris. On to our procedural motions. Madam Majority Leader, you are recognized for your procedural motions.

Without objection, such shall be the order.

Without objection, such shall be the order.

Without objection, such shall be the order.

Okay, members, we are going to be moving on to guest introductions. I'd like to start. I see in the back, members. Can I have everybody's attention, please? Thank you, members. I see out of the corner of my eye we have a few former members in the back, including former Assemblymember, former Congressmember, former LA County Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke in the back. Along with former Assemblymember Autumn Burke in the back as well. Welcome, welcome. Okay, and we are going to begin our floor introductions with our assistant, Majority Leader Garcia. You are recognized for your guest introduction.

Okay, continuing on with this very important guest introduction, Assemblymember Castillo, you are recognized.

Welcome Elijah and Josiah. We need these firefighters to fight through the group of senators in the rear of the chamber Okay, Assemblymember Johnson, you are recognized for your guest introduction.

Thank you. Thank you. Okay, Assemblymember Nguyen, you are recognized for your guest introductions.

Thank you. Thank you. All right. All right. All right. Mr. Lackey, you are recognized for your guest introduction, sir.

Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Okay, Mr. Lackey, we need you. All right. Members, if I could have everybody's attention, please. Important moment. Today we honor our colleague, Assemblymember James Gallagher, as he departs for the United States House of Representatives. The member from East Nicholas has designated two members to offer remarks, which will be followed by brief remarks from Mr. Gallagher. We begin with Assemblymember Lackey. You are recognized for the purpose of delivering remarks in tribute to Assemblymember Gallagher.

leader flora you are recognized thank you mr speaker and uh i certainly um agree with my dear friend mr lackey um thinking about today kind of like just saying goodbye to james it's like not a funeral it's actually you're moving on to bigger and better things but i think one of the things i'm going to miss the most about gallagher our member from east nicholas since we'll be professional here is the banter that you had with our member from Menlo Park. Yeah, you, Mr. Berman. One of my greatest memories on these floors is you guys would get heated and you'll be going off on something. Berman will point of order and I'll tell you my point of order. It's just awesome because at the end of the day, it's the look that Berman and both of them have on their face a smile because it's not personal. It's simply about differences of opinion. And I think that's one of the greatest inspiration James ever left on me. We talked about it last week, but you can be fiercely conservative, fiercely loyal to your beliefs, but also be a stand-up guy and make sure that relationships absolutely matter. Because we all know that everything in this building happens because of relationships. It's about 10% policy, about 90% relationships, and Gallagher was absolutely the quintessential person to that. And for that that memory is going to be amazing to me also none of this happens without his family that are sitting behind us right now So I would love for you guys to stand up real quick Because I know your husband is going to do it But we just want to say thank you. Thank you for giving your husband to us for so many years. We are so blessed to have him. We've all learned a lot from him. And he's going to serve us well in Congress. And just thank you. I know it's not easy raising a family when a husband is gone. But you've done it with grace. and we really do appreciate that so, so much. So to my colleague Gallagher, we love you, bud. We're so proud of you. You've been such a mentor to so many of us. And Tom is absolutely right. This caucus turned around under your leadership, and it's been an absolute example for all of us coming after you to how to be a strong, courageous leader is also respectful. So thank you, my friend. I love you so much. Thank you.

Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to my colleagues. Those were beautiful words. It's been a pleasure to serve with you both. Tom, we are the last of the 2014 class on the Republican side. And I'm glad that it's going to be you that's going to finish it off, man. You've been, like I said, you've been the heart of the caucus, and that was seen very clearly last week. What do you want to, what do you say when your time is up, right? And I know I'm a man of very few words. So, you know, I thought about what I'd want to say here at the end. And first of all, I want to thank my family who's here with me today. My wife, Jana. My daughter, Maggie. My son, Kellen. My son, Connor. And my son, Ronan. And my oldest, Catherine, would be here with us today, but she's in Japan, which is great. And she's enjoying a good time back there and learning. She's at Chico State right now. So, yeah, I couldn't be doing any of this without my family, and I'm very thankful to them. I also want to thank my staff, my amazing staff, many of who have been with me the entire time, you know, the entire 12 years. I've been so blessed to have them by my side. and so many things that got done that they did that I get the credit for. But it was really their work. So I'm very thankful for them as well. I also want to thank two guys who ministered to us over the time that I've been here. Pastor Mike Shreve and Pastor Frank Erb, who many times came into my office and gave me a word of encouragement that was really helpful to me. And so I just want to thank those guys. for their ministry here in this Capitol. I know they've ministered to a lot of people in this building, and so that's really important. When I am sworn in this week, it will be the first time ever that I've been in the majority. When I came on the board of supervisors I was the youngest and we were you know in the minority as a rural part of the of the county certainly at UC Berkeley I was in the minority and and that my time here. You know, I've been in the minority, and I think that's been really good for me. Actually, I think it's really honed my skills. It's helped me to understand how important it is that minority voices are heard, and that's why I've always been such a champion of that, and that we'd be treated fairly. And so, you know, going into the majority, that's certainly something I will take with me. And you know, it's not lost on me, right, as I stand here today that I was elected overwhelmingly by the people of my district. And if things go to plan, my district really won't be able to elect a person of their choice. And that's a frustrating thing. It's also a frustrating thing for, I know, the people of Memphis. and I think we need to change that and so I know I've heard from colleagues across the aisle that they respect that, they realize that I'm hopeful that we can change that if we can't, let my people go I have a resolution on this floor AGR 23 in seriousness what do we all want for our people but to be able to govern ourselves right and to be able to allow our people to forge their way forward to pursue their happiness to have life liberty and all the blessings of being free right and that's what i've always really tried to champion. In the time that I've been here, you've probably seen me in a lot of different capacities. Maybe some you felt were positive, some that you felt were maybe not so positive. And I do appreciate my colleagues that I've had some heated banter with. I appreciate you, I really do. I'm not mad at you. And you know that I have no hate in my heart. And I just don't. I never have. I fight hard for the things that I believe in and certainly advocate for them hard, but I always leave the door open for relationship. And I think that's the thing that I, you know, if I could, if you take anything from my time here and say, hey, he stood for his convictions. He fought for his people, represented his people well. That I was always down for a righteous cause. even if sometimes that righteous cause went against the grain or even against party or other or allies and i'm proud of the work that i was able to do on that that front as well um and i would encourage you hey surprise people sometimes that's okay um but the biggest thing i you know through all the things that maybe you've seen in me I hope that the biggest thing you saw in me was Jesus and not the flesh that always at war with the spirit I didn always know the words to speak and sometimes it was God who gave me the words to speak and I hope that that resounded I hope that was heard. We're all flawed individuals. Our work here is worthy. They're good things, but they all pass away. They all pass away and I mean the most important thing is God working through us. And if there's anything that I can give, the greatest thing I can give to someone is to say that God loves you, that Christ died for you, and that he wants to give you water, living water that you'll never thirst. And that has been very central to me. I'm thankful for the many conversations that I've had with people across this aisle. You know those conversations. What people see in public is not always what we know in private between people who are in this arena and who are fighting. And there's always this dichotomy of working in this legislature, of working in any legislative body. There's times when you have to be intractable, and there's times when you have to compromise. And there's an ebb and flow to this work. there's a time when you want to be united, but there's a time when you really feel like you got to be divided. And I've navigated through that as best as I could. And so I hope what ultimately you saw out of this work product was Christ in me, the hope of glory. and I know I have brothers and sisters on this floor that I've been proud to serve with on both sides of the aisle and I've been proud to stand against what we see as evil and not being afraid to call it out and I've seen that in the members of this body and I've respected it I love and I hate this place you know I love it because of those moments that we've had and I know there has been those times where we've come together where I think I felt like I was heard and where I think we did good work as a body. Always remember this institution is the most important. The legislative branch is the most important branch. Fight for it, defend it, use your power. It is the most important branch but right now nationwide is the weakest. and that's a problem. Let's make it stronger together. And I think I see that and I know I see the heart of that from many of the people that I've served with and I've had the pleasure of serving with. Thank you for the opportunity to have been able to serve. We're stewards. We're ultimately stewards of this position. One of the best pieces of advice I got from a longtime lobbyist when I was just coming in was, when you get to the point where you think you're the only one who could do this, it's time to leave. There are many great people who can step up and add to this. I think term limits are actually a good thing because it brings in fresh perspective. It brings in new blood. It brings in new ideas. I've been proud to have this time of stewardship over the 3rd Assembly. district. And our job, I think, always is to leave it better than you came into it. I think that I've done that. I'll let history be the judge of whether or not that's so. But I certainly tried my very best to be that steward. And that's all that we can really do in this time that we have together. So I thank you for your friendship. I thank you at times for debate shall I say enmity not necessary enmity because at the end we're still all human beings who love this state and obviously came here with the best intentions and will continue to advocate for our people and for our values and so I've been honored to be a part of that in the time that I've had and so with that I will just say not goodbye but I'll see you guys later thank you

Madam Majority Leader. I request unanimous consent to suspend Joint Rule 62A, file notice requirement to allow the Utilities and Energy Committee to hear SB 1350-McNerney for their hearing scheduled on Wednesday June 10th. Without objection, such shall be the order.

Assembly Bill 1795 by Assemblymember Gibson, an act related to smoke damage and declaring the urgency thereof to take effect immediately.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker and members. Thank you for allowing me to present Assembly Bill 1795, the Smoke Damage Recovery Act. Assembly Bill 1795, which established a uniform statewide standard for the inspections of testing and remediation for residents' property damage by smoke exposure for wildfires. California has experienced record-breaking wildfires, including devastating Eden and Palisades fires, which destroyed thousands of homes and left many contaminated by smoke and other hazardous substance. Smoke damage is a crisis for thousands of wildfire survivors who are afraid to go home because of toxic contaminations. Insurance companies are required to restore homes to their pre-loss conditions, but without clear rules, that process is inconsistent and often unfair. Today, there are no minimum requirements for how homes are inspected, how smoke contamination is tested, when homes are considered safe, or who is qualified to do the work. With absence of these standards and inconsistent insurance practices, homeowners and tenants face uncertainties about whether their homes are unsafe to reenter. This bill would ensure consistency, test science-based handling of smoke damage claims by establishing science-based health-driven standards for inspections, testing, and restorations of smoke-damaged homes, creating a uniform insurance claims handling practices requiring restoration protocols. developing a health-based guidelines to determine when a home is safe for families to return home designating an appropriate state state and local agencies to comply and implement and and and enforce standards homeowners survivors deserve clear standards and protections to ensure that they can safely return back home without facing long-term health risk. And I also want to underscore this point. This is a complex issue and I want to be clear. I am committed to ongoing conversations with stakeholders, the Assembly and Senate, and the administration to address concerns that have been raised. I want to continue to work to develop amendments that carefully address, carefully address the issues related to the impact zones, testing standards, rebuttal, presumption, and over cost containment to this bill to ensure consumers are protected. And I want to also thank Mr. Herbedian and his team for working closely with my team to get us to this particular point and other stakeholders who have worked extremely hard to get us to this point. And that is my commitment, and I respectfully ask, but I vote.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, I just want to thank my colleague from Carson for taking up this very important bill and for really doing yeoman's work on it. It is very complicated. And representing Altadena, I'll tell you that smoke claims after the Eaton Fire, and I know my colleague from Thousand Oaks representing the Palisades Fire can attest, smoke claims have been a nightmare. And it has really been the biggest issue for fire survivors in our district. And I know for those of you who represent fire districts, it's really important to get this bill right. So this is an important bill, and I applaud you for taking it on. I want to thank the insurance commissioner. I want to thank the chair of our insurance committee. And with this ongoing work and with your commitment to take the amendments in the Senate, I am supporting the measure today. And I just want to be clear for members to know the big things, the three things are first, including a rebuttable presumption that contaminants found in a home after a wildfire are caused by the wildfire. We're seeing a lot of disputes between wildfire survivors and insurance companies as to whether the contaminants there were actually caused by the wildfire. And our constituents, anyone who's survived a wildfire and tried to recover, they don't have time or the resources to litigate whether any contaminants or every contaminant that they are exposed to after a fire is caused by the fire. So that rebuttable presumption is very important for all of our communities and for any fire that happens going forward. Second, making sure that we include scientific standards to determine when it's safe to return to a home. And then third and finally, including a more precise definition, as the author said, of the downwind ash zone to be inclusive of all policyholders impacted by smoke damage. With these commitments, I am supporting the bill. Again, I want to thank the author for his work and the open door policy you've had. And I urge an aye vote. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and members. And I rise in support of AB 1795 as well. A year and a half ago, we were all sitting on this floor talking about the devastating impacts to Los Angeles in the wake of the wildfires. And we have watched over the last year and a half as those survivors have tried to get home safely, bring their children back into their schools, into their homes, and know that they can breathe the air and sleep at night without being covered in toxic ash. And I want to commend both the but also the assembly member from Los Angeles and also the assembly member from Ventura, who've really been at the forefront of this conversation, ensuring that the survivors are centered, making sure they get the protections that they deserve and they need. Because as I'm aware, as the one who represents the district that everyone says is the next Palisades, this could be any one of us. And even if you're not in the wildland urban interface as I am, smoke damage can travel. And so this is something that could affect each and every one of our constituents. And so the ongoing work that both the author and our colleague have done is really critical to making sure we center consumers. And so I want to thank the author for that commitment, for the work he's done over the last couple weeks and even before that. And just I want the survivors who showed up in committee, for those of us that sit on the committees where this was heard, they came and they told us their stories and they asked for our help. And it's really critical that we do so. And I want to thank both of you for that incredible work in making sure that we fulfill the commitment to them to get them whole, healthy, and back home. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to AB 1795. I understand the author's intent is to make it easier for fire victims to rebuild and get a just reimbursement from their insurance companies. I think the bill in present form contains a lot of provisions that could actually backfire and increase costs to the consumer. There are a lot of things that keep a family, a business from rebuilding. Most of them are government, not insurance. And yet I don't see a whole lot of focus on those failures, and I'd like to see us do a lot more on that and provide remedy and relief to fire victims. It's appalling how inadequate California's fire recovery has been, particularly in L.A. But it's not just in L.A., it's other parts of our state. We have a number of representatives here who have communities that have not been able to rebuild, and it's been the failure of government in many cases that have kept them from rebuilding. I am pleased to see the author is open to amendments and refinements with some of the problems that have been raised on the bill. And perhaps I can support the bill when it comes back from the Senate, but in its present form, I cannot support the bill, And I do want to encourage this body to address the government failings that have caused fire victims not to be able to rebuild appropriately. Thank you.

Yes. I want to say thank you very much. And to my colleague from Pasadena and also my other colleagues who have spoken, one of the things that I would simply say that I've survived for 12 years. and my word is my bond. And I do have an open-door policy and one of the things I've been able to do is listen to opposition on both sides and it's not lost on me to having those survivors come up here and talk in committee and heard their voices. Not to mention I've shared my own narrative. We have a colleague who sits on this floor who talked about her own story, her own family who've lost everything and I've said in committee about my own family member who lost everything, but they're resilient. They're going to rebuild. And so it's not lost. We have to get it right. No other state in the union has a policy like this. So it's important for us to one get this right We have to do this methodically We have to do this right And my commitment as well as I believe the insurance commissioner is that we want to make sure that no one has to go through this and we at a crossroads at a juncture that we want to make sure that we do it right We want to make sure that we set up the guidelines and the provisions so when this happens again, because it will happen again, it will happen again, that no one has to go through this nightmare ever again in the state of California because we have done it the correct way. I respectfully ask when I vote.

The Senate current resolution 137 by Senator Ashby relative to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today as the chair of the Legislative Women's Caucus to present SCR 137 on behalf of my colleague, Senate Majority Leader Ashby. This resolution proclaims March 15th as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Day. Justice Ginsburg began her career as one of only nine women at the Harvard Law School. In 1993, she became the second woman appointed to the United States Supreme Court. During her tenure, she fought for gender equality, reproductive freedom, and equal rights under the law. Because of her work, women today can pursue education and careers as leaders and change makers. Her legacy continues to inspire women and girls to lead and serve. As legislators, we have a responsibility to continue that progress. Justice Ginsburg showed us that the women belong in every place where decisions are made. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise in support of SCR 137. Justice Ginsburg was a trailblazer in her own right, winning five cases she argued before the United States Supreme Court in the 1970s before a long federal career that eventually elevated her to the role of Supreme Court Justice. When we speak of trailblazers on the Supreme Court, I also thought it would be important to mention another trailblazer on the Court, and that is Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who was the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court and graduated from Sanford with a law degree. Ginsburg was a principled liberal and O'Connor was a pragmatic conservative. They developed a profound professional respect and personal friendship that fundamentally shaped the court. They were especially united on cases involving gender discrimination and jury service So again I rise in support of SCR 137 to honor the career of Justice Ginsburg and look forward to having resolutions honoring every woman who has made history and being appointed on the highest court.

I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Senate Joint Resolution 11 by Senator Cervantes relative to the city of Eastville.

Larry Vane dedicated his life to serving others and uplifting his community. I first met Larry in the aftermath of the devastating 2025 Palisades fire when thousands of residents were overwhelmed by loss and uncertainty. Larry became a trusted source of hope and support. Through his Pali Strong recovery campaign, he shared critical recovery information, organized community events, and reminded survivors that they are not alone. During one of the darkest moments in Palisades history, Larry stepped forward to help his neighbors navigate the confusion and the trauma left by the wildfire. His optimism, compassion, and tireless energy brought comfort to countless families struggling to rebuild their lives. Many in the community described him as a bright light who always showed up for others with a smile and a willingness to help Born and raised in Encino Larry carried an entrepreneurial spirit and a deep commitment to giving back He built a career in real estate but his greatest pride was his family especially his two children, whom he loved deeply and spoke often about. Friends and colleagues remember him as a devoted father, a loyal friend, a brother, and someone who genuinely cared about the well-being of others. In response to the fire, Larry founded the Pally Strong Foundation to help streamline recovery information and create a sense of community for residents who had not only lost their homes, but also the spaces and connections that made Palisades feel like home. He poured his time, energy, and even his own resources into helping others recover. Larry's passing is also a solemn reminder of the importance of supporting our communities through recovery efforts. As we honor his memory, we should also remember recovery is not only about rebuilding homes and infrastructure, but also about supporting mental health and emotional well-being of those impacted. As communities continue to heal from tragedy, we must remember the importance of compassion, grace, and looking out for one another. Larry Vane leaves behind him a legacy of service, resilience, and kindness. He is survived by his children, Amelie and Sammy, his mother, Sylvia, and his brothers, John and Stephen. Today we honor Larry's life, his dedication to his community, and the hope that he gave so many during their time of need. May his memory continue to inspire us to care for one another and to lead with empathy and compassion. And joining us today in the gallery is John Vane, Larry's brother. May we adjourn in his memory.

Members Bryan, you are recognized for your adjournment in memory. Today I rise to adjourn in the memory of Dr. William A. Burke, a visionary leader, civic entrepreneur, and the founder of the LA Marathon, whose life and work left an enduring mark on California and on countless people around the world. Bill Burke understood that great cities are defined not only by their buildings and institutions, but by the experiences that bring people together. Following the excitement and inspiration of the 1984 Olympic Games in L.A., he saw an opportunity to create an event that would capture the spirit of achievement, perseverance, and community that the Olympics had ignited. That vision became the L.A. Marathon. What began as an ambitious idea grew into one of the most iconic marathons in the world. Year after year, the L.A. Marathon welcomed elite athletes, weekend runners, first-time participants, and people of every age and background became a celebration of human determination determination and a showcase for diversity, beauty, and the resilience of Southern California. But Bill Burke's contribution was never about a race. It was about a tradition that inspired people to challenge themselves, pursue goals they once thought were impossible, and discover strength they never knew they possessed. Through his leadership, nearly one million individuals have experienced the satisfaction of crossing a finish line, whether measured in miles, personal accomplishment, or the bonds formed through mutual achievement. Bill Burke's commitment to public service extended way beyond athletics. As a member of the Southern California Air Quality Management District for over two decades, he helped advance efforts to improve air quality and protect public health for millions of Californians. His work reflected a deep understanding of that the quality of life in our communities depends not only on opportunity and achievement, but also on responsible stewardship of the environment and a commitment to future generations. Bill Burke also leaves behind a remarkable family legacy of public service. He shared a distinguished partnership with his wife, Yvonne Burke, whose groundbreaking career included service in the California State Assembly, the United States Congress, and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Together, they exemplified a lifelong dedication to civic engagement and public leadership. That commitment continued through their daughter, our former colleague, and my friend Autumn Burke, who served with distinction in the California State Assembly, carrying forward the family's tradition of service to the people of California. Bill Burke leaves behind a legacy that extends far beyond athletics. He exemplified the qualities of innovation, determination, and public spirit. He saw possibilities where others saw obstacles. He devoted his talents to creating opportunities for people to come together in pursuit of something greater than themselves. As we remember Bill Burke, we honor a man whose vision transformed an idea into an institution and whose work continues to inspire generations of runners, families, volunteers, and spectators. His legacy lives every time participants gather at the starting line with hope, courage, and determination, and every time they cross the finish line knowing they accomplished something meaningful. On behalf of the people of the state of California, we express our deepest condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and all those whose lives we touched. In the back of the chamber, we have his beloved wife, Yvonne Burke, his daughter, Autumn Burke, granddaughter, Isabella Burke, daughter, Christine Adams, Brian Adams, and John Butemere. In honor of Bill Burke and his extraordinary legacy, I respectfully ask that we adjourn in his memory.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and colleagues. I, too, rise in the memory of Dr. William A. Burke, Bill Burke. I wasn't sure if I was going to rise today because I know some of my colleagues knew Bill Burke quite a bit longer. but I could actually hear him in my ear telling me, you're the only light-skinned brother on the floor. You better get up and say something. For more than five decades, Dr. Burke helped shape Los Angeles and California through his work in government, business, environmental policy, and community service. As was mentioned he founded the Los Angeles Marathon creating one of the most iconic civic events in our state and bringing together people from every community and every walk of life Dr. Burke dedicated more than two decades to improving public health as chair of the South Coast Air Quality Management District. In fact, he was the first black person to serve in that position, where he worked hard to reduce pollution and improve air quality for millions of Californians. In fact, when we talk about environmental justice, we have to think Dr. Bill Burke. He championed environmental justice. Dr. Burke believed that clean air is a right, not a privilege, and made environmental justice a central focus of his work for many decades. But his public service extended far beyond South Coast Air Quality Management District. He also served on the California Coastal Commission as president of the California Fish and Game Commission, chair of the wildlife conservation board the commissioner of tennis for the 1984 olympic games and many many other civic positions dr burke was a respected political strategist and an advisor who worked alongside many of california's most influential leaders and helped open the doors for future generations of public servants i know this personally about five years ago i was told by mr danny bakewell that if you're going to be a brother in politics there's a lunch you have to come to and it's with him and Dr. Bill Burke at their favorite spot where they're gonna put you on game and I sat down at that lunch terrified because between these two brothers there was a wealth of knowledge that I could only hope to grasp and as intimidated as I was I'll never forget how Mr. Burke opened up with levity. He made us laugh the entire lunch, cracking jokes the entire time. And I thought, man, if these are two of the most powerful brothers I've ever seen, and they can be this funny all the way through life, I hope I can keep that humor as I do this important work. Bill and I crossed paths several other times through the years, and most recently, last April, this April. two months ago. That was our last lunch. I didn't know that was going to be our last lunch. But in the same way that he welcomed me the first time we sat down, he started with a joke and he made me smile. And that's what he did for everybody who came across with him. And for all the many accomplishments he had professionally and civically for California, the thing he was most proud of was his family. And so I'm grateful that they are here with us today and were just introduced by our colleague from Malibu. And I respectfully ask that we adjourn in the memory of Dr. Bill Burke.

Mr. Speaker and members, I rise to adjourn in memory of Dr. William Burke, one of the true pillars of our community. Dr. Burke was many things throughout his remarkable life, a brilliant campaign strategist, respected policy expert, successful businessman, an agency leader, community advocate, and trusted mentor. His impact can be seen across California through the leaders he helped shape, the policy he helped influence, and the countenance of lives he touched. But of all the roles he held the one he cherished most was being a husband father and grandfather and a family man When I worked on Assemblymember Autumn Burke campaign it was truly a Burke all Burke on deck You could see and feel the deep love he had for his family. During the campaign planning meetings, I was always struck by how proud he was of his daughter, Autumn. He guided her with his wisdom and love, but never overshadowed her with all of his expertise. He completely had faith in her abilities, trusting her to lead and get the job done. I was also blessed to spend time with Mr. Burke as a mentee. As a first-time campaign manager, I often sought his advice. He would encourage me by saying, kid, you can do this. Just make sure you do your homework, know who's in the room, and anticipate their next move. Those words stay with me and have shaped my own approach to leadership and service. Dr. Burke was a giant, not only because of his accomplishments, but because of his generosity to sharing his knowledge, wisdom, and encouraging others. I am deeply grateful to have learned from him. To Yvonne, Autumn, Christine, Isabella, and the entire Burke family, please know that California mourns with you, my sister. We pray that God grants you peace, comfort, and strength during these difficult times. Dr. William Burke leaves behind a legacy of service, leadership, and mentorship, and mostly love. His influence will continue to be felt for generations to come. California will never forget Dr. William Burke. May he rest in eternal peace.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to honor a man that I saw his name on a boardroom just like this, full of governing board members called a South Coast AQMD. and even though he was appointed in 1993 when I graduated elementary school, Mr. Berg, Dr. Berg left a legacy, not only in his family, but the work that he championed for so many years. He served on that board for 27 years and 23 of those years he was a chair of the board. I sat down on that board representing 51 cities of LA County and even though he was appointed by the speaker at the time, Mr. Brown, someone that we all know, to serve on that board, I got to represent a lot of the communities that he got to represent. So today, in honor of his legacy, of his championship of environmental justice, of being such a champion for our youth and for the environment, I wanted to stand here and just honor him for his years of service, because I got to sit just for two years on that board, and he sat there for 27 and did the people's work. and I think his work, his legacy, we still are living that today of all the work that he did in our community. So with that, I want to just stand here and honor him for the service of his many years of service. And as someone that has lost a loved one, I want to just let you know that I should ask my mom to give him a big hug when I learned that he passed. So just know that we are in prayer with you and family and send him a big hug. Thank you.

Thank you very much Mr Speaker and members I too rise and ask his body to adjourn in the memory of Dr William Dr Burke Dr Burke passed away a few weeks ago at the age of 87 a pioneer with business with a business mind as a steady, as the finish line. He was a man who founded the Los Angeles Marathon and turned a bold ideal into a beloved tradition that stretches across generations and miles. A builder of community and culture. He was a black man with an eye on opportunity and tireless advocate for the quality of air and public health. And a leader who understood the power of sport and united and community. He built more than just a race. He built a community that ran together, that healed together, and strived together towards a brighter future. A family that leaders, he was a leader and a public servant. He was a beloved husband to his beautiful wife, Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, the former Los Angeles supervisor. And he was a girl dad to Christina and to Autumn, a grandfather, and to my colleague who came in and was elected in 2014 with me who shared this green carpet. His life was defined by his courage and his commitment to his community. Dr. Burke spoke truth to power and was so unapologetic

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and members. It is with great sadness that I ask to adjourn in memory of Colonel Alfred P. Glover, a dedicated small business owner, loving father and husband, friend, and dedicated member of the seaside community who passed away in March at the age of 94. Colonel Glover was born in 1931 to a single mother as his father sadly died in a car accident before he was born. He attended South Carolina State University where he enrolled in the Reserve Officers Training Corps with his mother encouragement And there he met his wife whom he went on to have four children with His military career encompassed 23 years where he achieved the rank of colonel and received the Silver Star Medal for Valor in Combat. After his retirement from the military, he became a successful real estate developer in Seaside and a founding member of several banking institutions in the county, including Cypress Coast Bank, Community Bank, and First Capital Bank. During his life, he was also a member in several organizations dedicated to the empowerment of black Americans and residents of Monterey County, such as the NAACP, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the Salvation Army Board of Directors, and the Community Hospital of Monterey Peninsula Board of Directors. He is remembered by his friends as a reliable man who they could ask anything about business, and he constantly worked to improve the city of Seaside. His impact on the people he cared about was immense, and he will be missed by the entire Seaside community. So thank you, members, and I ask to adjourn today in memory of Colonel Alfred P. Glover.

Jewish communities and respectfully ask that we adjourn in her memory. Rita lived an extraordinary 104 years and for much of that time she served as one of the moral voices in our city. She dedicated her life to bringing people together across lines of faith, race, culture, and background, always believing that dialogue, understanding, and service could build a stronger and more compassionate community. A proud Jewish leader, Rita helped shape generations of civic life in San Francisco. She served as the executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council, helped found the San Francisco Council on Religion and Race, co-founded the United Religions Initiative, and was the founding heart and soul of the San Francisco Interfaith Council When Mayor Art Agnos challenged faith communities to come together to serve people experiencing homelessness, Rita helped transform that effort into what would become the San Francisco Interfaith Council, an organization that continues to strengthen our city today. Her leadership extended far beyond any one institution. She served on countless boards and commissions, including Congregation Emmanuel, Grace Cathedral, Catholic Charities, Jewish Family and Children's Services, the San Francisco Human Services Commission, and many others. Whether she was fighting discrimination, advancing civil rights, strengthening interfaith cooperation, or serving vulnerable communities, Rita was always at the center of the work. The arc of Rita's life mirrored some of the most important chapters of the last century. During World War II, she went to work at the San Francisco Chronicle in a role then known as Copy Boy, a title that reflected the gendered assumptions of the time, even though Rita was one of the women breaking those barriers. While there, she covered the signing of the United Nations Charter in San Francisco in 1945. She later said that day felt like the beginning of a whole new world. That sense of optimism and belief in our shared humanity would guide the rest of her life. She was recognized throughout her life for these contributions, including receiving the San Francisco Foundation's Community Leadership Award, being honored by Muslim community leaders as an interfaith pioneer, and being recognized as one of the Assembly's Women of the Year in 2019 by former Assemblymember David Chu. Yet, despite those accolades, Rita remained remarkably humble. When asked about her lifelong service, she simply said, I'm just a busybody. The last time I saw Rita was just days before her passing at a Shalom Bayet event at the Jewish Community Center. She was there to honor the work of Shalom Bayet, an organization that provides domestic violence support, counseling, and prevention education. Even at 104 years old, she was still showing up, still engaged, still bringing people together. That was Rita. She never stopped believing that each of us has a responsibility to make our community stronger and our world a little better. Joining us today in Rita's memory is Michael Pappas, Executive Director of the San Francisco Interfaith Council. Michael worked closely along Rita for many years and now carries forward the mission she devoted her life to advancing. Michael, thank you so much for being here with us today. And thank you for your continuing the work that Rita loves so deeply and always, always taking Rita to all the events. For me and for so many others, Rita was a role model and an inspiration. I'll never forget meeting her for the first time over a grilled cheese sandwich at Absinthe. I was running for supervisor in 2018, and I so wanted to impress her. I so wanted her to like me and make sure that I had her approval as I was running. and thankfully I did get it but I also gained a friend and a mentor and someone who would constantly ask what would Rita do in situations I found myself in that were hard to decide what would Rita do her passing leaves a profound void but her legacy endures in every bridge she built every institution she strengthened and every life she touched and there were many I extend my deepest condolences to her daughter, Elizabeth Semel, her family, Michael, and all those whose lives were enriched by knowing her. Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask that we adjourn in her memory.