Assembly Floor Session

Good morning, California. Vamos, Mexico. Vamos, vamos, vamos. Vamos.

Assemblymember Solace will offer today prayer Assemblymember Solache Lord, help us welcome each day as if it were our first, so that we may have enthusiasm in our souls, excitement in our hearts, and warmth in our dispositions. Help us welcome each day as if it were our last, so that we may have urgency in our efforts, a deep concern for the world and our minds, and the peace and love in God in our hearts. Amen.

Assemblymember Valencia will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Good morning, members. as we initiate the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Let's show a little bit of American pride and please recite the Pledge of Allegiance with me. 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.

Good morning, Mr. Speaker. I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 45.5 to allow Assembly Members Castillo and Wynn to speak on adjournments in memory today.

I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 118A to allow Assembly Members Castillo and Berner to have guests in the rear of the chamber and to allow Assembly Members Garcia and Herobidian to have guests seated at their desks today.

At the request of the author, please remove item 46, ACR 157, Hoover, from the consent calendar.

I request unanimous consent to suspend the rules to allow Assemblymember Garcia to take

Pursuant to Assembly Rule 96, I request unanimous consent to re-refer the following bills to

I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 56 to allow the Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee

Okay, and I am re-referring the following bills to committee pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.2.

Thanks so much, Mr. Speaker. Good morning, colleagues. Today it's my honor to welcome guests from the California Society of Anesthesiologists residency advocacy program and they're seated seated up here in the gallery right now these are physician anesthesiologists in residency training who are here at the capital to learn how the legislature works and how to be effective advocates for their patients several of them train and live right here in Sacramento at the UC Davis Medical Center and are teaching in hospitals all across California they represent the next generation of physician leaders who keep patients safe before during and after surgery in our delivery rooms intensive care units and pain clinics across California California has more than 600 anesthesia residents training at institutions throughout the state growing the physician workforce our communities depend on please join me in welcoming these talented young physicians to their State Capitol. Welcome.

a very important guest introduction. Thank you, Mr. Speaker and colleagues. I am pleased to have my son Joshua here today. I have three boys. This is my middle one. He's seven, a rising third grader on summer break. And so he has been with me in Sacramento for a few days. And I think he's excited. I think he'll be excited years later looking back on it. But please help me welcome Joshua to the floor.

Good morning, Mr. Speaker and members. I am honored to introduce my legislative intern, Sarah Puladej, to the Assembly. Sarah is finishing up her legislative internship and has been an invaluable member of my team this year. Sarah, thank you for your service, your professionalism, and your commitment to the constituents of AD 77. You will become part of our team and you will be missed. I wish you continued success in all your future endeavors. Thank you, Sarah.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and members. Today I rise to welcome the FIFA World Cup to California. They call it the beautiful game for a reason. Football, or soccer as we know it here, does not merely entertain. It transcends. When the World Cup arrives, the world stops. Offices empty, families gather around screens from Sao Paulo to Tokyo, from Cairo to Paris to Buenos Aires to Sacramento. For a few weeks, every four years, the divisions that separate us fade, and the world turns attention to a single field, a single ball, and a shared dream. FIFA estimates that football is played by more than 240 million people worldwide, and that passion is very much alive here in California. The growth of the sport in our state is undeniable and accelerating. We have been fortunate to witness the era of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, two players who redefined the game and gave fans around the world memories that will last a lifetime. And now a new generation of stars is emerging, ready to carry the game forward. California has long been a part of that story, and I am proud to say that my district has contributed to it. We have produced national team stars Marisa Dew, Clay Coyman, and Lola Bonta, national soccer hall of famer Carlos Pocanegra, and the legendary Landon Donovan. Their achievements bring great pride to the people I represent and to the state of California. And now the world stage comes to us. California will host 14 matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, more than any other state, out of 104 total matches played across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The economic benefits will be real, increased tourism, local commerce, and global attention on our cities, but the deeper value is something more lasting. In an increasingly divided world, the FIFA World Cup gives us a chance to come together. Beneath every flag and every border, people are looking for the same things. Joy, connection, and it's something to celebrate. This tournament offers all of that. I commend the organizers, the players, and the supporters who make this possible and who carry forward the spirit of international goodwill that defines this event. Let us welcome the world to California with open arms. Thank you, and when the time comes, I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and good morning, members. I, too, rise in support of H.R. 118, and I want to thank the member from Rancho Cucamonga for bringing this forward. Over the last several months, Orange County and the city of Irvine has been proud and absolutely thrilled to host the U.S. men's national team as they trained for the 2026 World Cup. Like fans around the world, my district and my family, we are looking forward to a summer of incredible games and wishing Team USA the very best. Respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and members. I rise and I will be very brief. I know much has been said about how exciting of a moment this is for our country, for the world, and for our state. And Mr. My friend from Palmdale looks incredible today as well. Go USA. I also rise as one of the cities that is official host city of this year's World Cup and is incredibly exciting to have two host cities. Many of our communities all over the state are not only going to be watching this World Cup, but actually helping to host some of the teams, bringing millions and millions of visitors from around the world, from dozens and dozens of nations. This is such an exciting time that brings people together, brings families together, communities together, and let's hope that the USA can shock the world and take it all the way. And so I appreciate everyone's role in making this happen for our state. I know it's going to be a joyous and fun and hopefully successful time for all of us. And with that, respectfully ask for your aye vote on H.R. 118.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today as a split fan. Many of you know how proud I am of my Portuguese heritage. And we very much have football as a centerfold in our culture. Cristiano Ronaldo is an icon. I know growing up, not only did I have a major crush on him, I was a really big fan of his, but also looking forward to Team USA potentially making history on U.S. soil. So if Portugal is playing, I'm rooting for Portugal. If USA is playing, I'm rooting for USA. And if they play each other, then Godspeed. Respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to our colleague for bringing this resolution forward. I think that with everything happening in the world right now, having the World Cup come here to our home and to our neighbors in Canada and Mexico is a wonderful opportunity for us, not just to appreciate this beautiful game, but to really gain further respect for one another. We're seeing all these stories of this, such heartwarming stories of small towns connecting with countries, soccer teams that are coming in and practicing at their practice field. At San Jose State University, we had the Paraguay team, who's been so affectionately welcomed, and they've been fantastic to have with us locally. and, of course, down the street at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, where we're going to be having group matches. The town is abuzz, so much so that in downtown San Jose, we have a public free watch party for the matches. Well over 20,000 people have already RSVP'd, the largest public watch party in this state. So we're very excited, quite clearly, to have the World Cup in San Jose, in California. And I really look forward to the next couple weeks for folks not just to root for Team USA, but as we heard from our colleague root for different countries whether you have a connection to them or you like a player It an exciting moment And I really look forward to the matches ahead to see the greatest soccer players in the world really demonstrate why they are. So thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to add my voice to the chorus and how excited I am to have my district host not only the Super Bowl this year, but all six World Cup games, and to also emphasize the fact that how much of an economic impact this is to the state of California. The Super Bowl alone generated $720 million in economic activity, and each World Cup game is projected to be another Super Bowl. And so this is not only great for our country, this is an honor for Silicon Valley to host many of these games, but the economic impact and the revenue generated from these games is enormous and badly needed in the state of California. And I am proud to host these teams and showcase not only the prowess of Silicon Valley, but uplifting our amazing diversity as well.

Thank you so much. I rise in great support of HR 118 by our colleague. You know, I am very, very excited to be able to have our district host the Australian national team for this World Cup, hosted by the Oakland Soul and the Oakland Roots and in the city of Alameda using a training facility there, which is phenomenal. and also just want to note that we all have teams that we want to support. Obviously, I'm Team USA, but for the Jogadores de Brasil and the wonderful players like Neymar and our legends, we also have wonderful legends like Brenna Bonta on the women's side and others who represent beautifully every single year, a couple years, our opportunity to be able to come together and be united in the beautiful sports of football. And now so thankful that we get to have that here in the United States and in California, along with other teams like the Philippines and others. So thank you.

Vamos, Mexico. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is my third World Cup in a host country. I want to thank the author for bringing this today. In 1986, I was 12 years old living in Guadalajara. I remember the team, the group that played in Guadalajara, Brazil, one of them, Spain, Iraq, and Argel, I think was the other one. Then in 1994, here in the U.S., great game, Mexico, Italy. Mexico was losing 1-0. They ended up tying the game. It felt like a victory to the fans. And now this is the third World Cup that I'm going to be experiencing. Looking forward to it. Today, Mexico opened the World Cup with South Africa. In 2010, the World Cup was in South Africa. And South Africa, Mexico opened the World Cup in 2010. So that's the significance of this World Cup. Now the same teams, but it's been open in Mexico City. the Stadio Azteca, the third time that they host a World Cup. So very excited about this and looking forward to enjoying the great games that we're going to see. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to all my colleagues for the wonderful comments. I'm looking forward to a great soccer tournament. As you can tell, we are a soccer family here. And so, yeah, 12 o'clock today, looking forward to an opening match victory by Mexico and a deep, deep run. And I think we are going to shock the world by the United States. So thank you, and I respectfully ask that we open the role for co-authors.

Good morning, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. I rise today to present Assembly Concurrent Resolution 193 proclaiming 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer. Yahoo! This resolution recognizes the women whose hard work helps feed our families, strengthens our rural communities, and keeps California agriculture moving. The United Nations designated 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer to shine a light on the important role women play in agriculture and food production across the world, while also recognizing the challenges many still face. Here in California, we have a lot to celebrate. Women are involved in operating approximately 63% of the farms in our state and it's growing. That's more than any other major agricultural state. Women also make up nearly 38% of our agricultural producers in California and that too is growing. But this recognition is about much more than the numbers. Women are farmers, farmers, farmers, ranchers, researchers, educators, processors, marketers, and innovators. They are helping to lead efforts in soil health, water conservation, sustainable farming practices, and climate resilience. Every day they bring knowledge, leadership, and determination to one of California's most important industries. God determination is helping many of our women in agriculture overcome barriers to accessing land financing education technology and leadership opportunities The International Year of the Woman Farmer gives us an opportunity not only to recognize their contributions, but also to renew our commitments to creating paths for future generations. Let's honor their contributions, celebrate the impact they have in California and around the world. I respectfully ask for your aye vote for ACR 193.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today in strong support of ACR 193 and just want to thank the author for her leadership in this area. As a proud woman farmer, I'm very happy to celebrate the year of women in farming and agriculture. So I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Madam Majority Leader. As a proud woman in farming myself, I can tell you that when we go back generations, it's been really wonderful to watch as women now are at the forefront of the agricultural fight here in California. My family's farm where we farm almonds and citrus is called John Nevia Farms. And for those of you that maybe don't know what that means, my grandfather's name was John, My grandmother's name was Nevia, and my great-grandmother's name was Geneva. And so we put John Nevia together to honor not only my great-grandmother, who was the backbone of the farm and kept things going, then my grandmother, who always took care of not just my grandfather, but the people that worked on our farm. And now me and my mom work together on the farm, carrying on that legacy and growing that legacy so that someday my children, too, can be involved in farming. and also on my other side of my family, the livestock market started in 1939 with my great-grandfather, then my grandfather, then my dad, and now as the first woman and fourth generation at that livestock market. And I hope to carry on that legacy as well. So to the women in farming, thank you. We are truly leading the way, and as the Majority Leader says, we get things done. So respectfully ask for your aye vote.

I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

I would like that.

Well, these lovely women that are standing here, I'm so excited that you all were able to join us today. We have the very special people in the chambers today. Please welcome our partners and guests from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, American Farmland Trust, California Women for Agriculture, and our agriculture advocates, our community leaders, and the many women farmers whose expertise, your innovation, and dedication to help strengthen our agricultural communities every day. We are very, very grateful for your commitment to advancing agriculture, supporting working lands, and creating opportunities for current and future generations of farmers. Thank you very much for joining us, and I'll see you in a bit. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. ACR 20 would create a sister state relationship with the Haoteng province of South Africa. It's the smallest province by landmass, but the largest by economic output. Haoteng contributes 35% of South Africa's total GDP, making it the financial and industrial heart of the continent, a natural peer to California as the world's fourth largest economy. This ACR is meant to strengthen already existing partnerships with the province and country, as South African foreign direct investment in the U.S. has contributed to over 6,700 American jobs and $1.1 billion in U.S. exports. A formal sister state relationship with Houtang will deepen and institutionalize that economic connection on the West Coast. Houtang's universities, green energy sector, and technology corridors are producing the next generation of African leaders, scientists, and entrepreneurs. California's sister state relationship creates a door for students, scholars, and innovators from Haoteng to connect with Silicon Valley, our universities, and our communities, and for Californians to bring those lessons home. With that, Mr. Speaker, I request for the first roll to be open for co-authors at the appropriate time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I rise today in support of ACR 210, and I want to thank the member from Moreno Valley for bringing this forward. I spent three years living in Hautang province. I moved to Johannesburg when I was 24 years old in 1999, a few years after the end of apartheid. And Hautang was alive with hope, with possibility, with a dynamism that was palpable. I fell in love with the place, and I also fell in love with the people. I met and married my husband, Colin, while we were living and working in Haoteng. Haoteng in Sissutu, which is one of South Africa's 12 official languages, Haoteng means place of gold. And like California, like the Golden State, the early years of Haoteng's prosperity were indeed based on that river of gold running through the land. And in the generations since, as the member from Marina Valley shared, how Tang has become the heart and soul of California, not California's, of South Africa's economy and the hub for financial services, for technology, for so much that drives South Africa's growth. So very excited about this sister relationship and I cannot think of a better sibling for the state of California I respectfully ask for your aye vote Thank you Assemblymember Petrie Norris Seeing and hearing no further debate Assemblymember Jackson do you wish to close I would like to thank the member from Orange County for her kind words and sharing her story, one that I recently learned as well. Actually, Sacramento is closer to Haotang than they know it. So, Haoteng Province actually has an official MOU with Sac State, and it's been going on for some time now. And there are people at Sac State who are actually family members of our counterparts in Haoteng as well. And so this just continues our work to making sure that we recognize that subnational relationships and partnerships are ever more important as federal governments become more unstable. It's the subnational relationships that will continue our work in terms of global climate change, that will continue our work in cultural exchanges and continue our work in innovation. So with that, Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Just a moment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to adjourn in memory of Norman L. Ford, Jr., a beloved husband, father, grandfather, business owner, man of faith, and dedicated member of the corona community whose life was marked by service to others and an unwavering love for his family. Norman was born on September 5, 1961 in Los Angeles under memorable circumstances, arriving in the backseat of his parents' car as they rushed to the hospital. He later made Corona his home, where he and his wife of 39 years, Tracy, built a life centered on faith, family, and community. Together they raised their sons, Norman III and Nathan opened their home to more than 18 foster children and became legal guardians to two children, including their beloved daughter, Lola. Norman was a devoted husband a proud father and a loving grandfather who found great joy in his family This adjournment is especially meaningful to me because Norman was not only a constituent of the 58th Assembly District but also the parental grandfather of my two grandsons who were here with me on Monday. Through them, his values, faith, and example will continue to influence future generations. Throughout his life, Norman demonstrated a servant's heart. A man of deep Christian faith, he dedicated countless hours to ministry, serving as a Sunday school teacher, a deacon, men's ministry leader, choir member, prison minister, homeless outreach volunteer, and mentor. He never missed an opportunity to encourage someone, offer a prayer, or share a message of hope. Norman also embodied the entrepreneurial spirit that helped strengthen our communities. What began as cooking meals for church breakfasts eventually grew into Thelicious Catering, a successful Inland Empire business that he operated for more than 25 years. Known for its generous portions and outstanding food, the business became a fixture in the community. Norman proudly provided catering services for the Women's Improvement Club of Corona and numerous community events throughout the region. Through his work, Norman became a member of the Corona Chamber of Commerce and built lasting friendships and relationships throughout the city he loved. Whether he was serving a meal, leading a ministry, supporting a neighbor, or spending time with family, Norman approached life with generosity, kindness, and genuine care for others. Those who knew him remembered a man who never met a stranger and who always found ways to make people feel welcomed, valued and loved. Norman leaves behind his devoted wife Tracy, his children Norman III, Nathan, Lola and his grandchildren, extended family and countless friends and community members whose lives were touched by his faith, service and compassion. While we mourn his passing, we also celebrate a life well lived, a life dedicated to faith, family, community, and service. Joining us today is Norman's, in Norman's memory, in the rear of the chamber is his beloved wife, Tracy, who is here to celebrate the remarkable life of her late husband and recognize the profound mark he left on so many. Members I ask that you adjourn today in the memory of Norman L Ford Jr and extend our deepest condolences to all who loved him Thank you Thank you Assemblymember Castillo

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I rise to adjourn in memory of an amazing man, James McCain, Sr., who was born in Niagara Falls, New York, and later moved to California, dedicating his life to faith, family, service, and community. A proud United States Air Force veteran, he served honorably for 24 years as a Master Sergeant, earning numerous accommodations before continuing his public service as a United States poster worker. Known for his strong work ethic, love for gardening, sports, fishing, and family traditions, James was deeply devoted to his wife, Teresa, of 55 years, their children, grandchildren, and church community at St. Paul Church of Sacramento. He peacefully passed away on February 17th, making sure that he kept February 14th, Valentine's Day, with his beautiful wife at the age of 76, leaving behind a legacy of love, discipline, laughter, and unwavering faith. Joining us in the gallery is his beautiful wife, Teresa, of 55 years, his daughter, Melina, son, James, and granddaughter, Zora. Members and Mr Speaker I ask that we adjourn in memory of the amazing Mr James McCain Sr Thank you Assemblymember Nguyen