THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON RULES
WILL COME TO ORDER. GOOD
AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. WE ARE
HOLDING OUR COMMITTEE HEARING IN
THE STREET BUILDING IN ROOM
2200. AS WE CONTINUE TO TAKE
SOME PRECAUTIONS TO MANAGE
ONGOING COVID 19 RISK. THE
SENATE CONTINUES TO WELCOME THE
PUBLIC AND HAS PROVIDED ACCESS
TO BOTH IN PERSON AND
TELECONFERENCE PARTICIPATION FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT. FOR INDIVIDUALS
WISHING TO PROVIDE PUBLIC
COMMENT VIA THE TELECONFERENCE
SERVICE. THE PARTICIPANT. TOLL
FREE NUMBER AND ACCESS CODE IS
POSTED ON OUR COMMITTEE WEBSITE
, AND IT WILL BE DISPLAYED ON
THE SCREEN TODAY A NUMBER OF
TIMES, BUT WE'LL START RIGHT
NOW. WITH THE PARTICIPANT NUMBER
IS 877. 2268163 AND THERE IS AN
ACCESS CODE, WHICH IS 6014832.
AGAIN WILL DISPLAY IT A FEW MORE
TIMES THROUGHOUT THE HEARING
PROCESS, BUT YOU CAN GO ON THE
WEBSITE AND FOUND THAT AS WELL.
I WILL MAINTAIN DECORUM DURING
THE HEARING, AS IS CUSTOMARY,
ANY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
DISRUPTIVE MAY BE REMOVED FROM
THE REMOTE MEETING SERVICE. OR
HAVE THEIR CONNECTIONS MUTED.
AND FOR OUR COURT REPORTER LET
ME ASK ALL SPEAKERS, MY
COLLEAGUES AND WITNESSES ALIKE
AND IF I HAVE TO REMIND FOLKS
DURING THE HEARING, I WILL TO
SPEAK SLOWLY AND CLEARLY SO THAT
WE CAN BE SURE AND GET YOUR YOUR
COMMENTS AND YOUR TESTIMONY. SO
BEFORE WE BEGIN TODAY'S HEARING
, WE NEED TO ESTABLISH A QUORUM
AND REMINDER TO MY COLLEAGUES.
YOU'LL NEED TO TURN ON YOUR
MICROPHONES FOR THE ROLL CALL,
AND EVERY TIME WE VOTE, SO WITH
THAT, MADAM SECRETARY, WILL YOU
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL GROVE?
PRESENT. GROWTH HERE. KAMLAGER
KAMLAGER HERE, LAIRD ADHERE
BATES HERE. ATKINS HERE. ATKINS
HERE, OKAY, UM, WHAT I'M GOING
TO DO AS WE START IS, UM, TRY TO
DISPENSE WITH SOME ITEMS. AND SO
WHAT? I WILL SUGGEST HAVEN'T
COMMUNICATED WITH MY COLLEAGUES
IN ADVANCE IS THAT WE TAKE UP
ITEM NUMBER TWO GOVERNOR'S
APPOINTEES NOT REQUIRED TO
APPEAR, AND I'M GOING TO LIST
THE MOTION. I WOULD APPRECIATE
SOMEONE MAKING SO FOLLOW ALONG.
WE WILL DO TOO. HE AND F, WHICH
ARE MEMBERS OF THE CALIFORNIA
WATER COMMISSION. WE WILL TAKE
ITEM G, A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF
FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION.
AND I ONE MEMBER OF THE WATER
QUALITY CONTROL BOARD FROM THE
LOS ANGELES REGION. I WOULD TAKE
THAT AS ONE MOTION TO APPROVE
IT. THANK YOU, MADAM VICE CHAIR.
MADAM SECRETARY, WILL YOU PLEASE
CALL OUR ROLE? GROVE I KAMLAGER
KAMLAGER. I LAYERED I BATES I
ATKINS 5 TO 05 TO ZERO. THANK
YOU COLLEAGUES. I WOULD
ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM
NUMBER TWO GOVERNOR'S APPOINTEE
IS NOT REQUIRED TO APPEAR FOR
ITEM H, A MEMBER OF THE WATER
QUALITY CONTROL BOARD. FROM THE
LOW HAUNTED REGION. I HOPE I
SAID THAT RIGHT AND J WATER
QUALITY CONTROL BOARD ALSO FROM
THE L, A REGION, SO MOVE. THANK
YOU. SENATOR LAIRD. MADAM
SECRETARY, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL GROVE? GROWTH NOT
VOTING KAMLAGER. AYE KAMLAGER.
AYE LAIRD, BATES BATES NOT
VOTING. ATKINS ATKINS. I 3 TO 03
TO ZERO. COLLEAGUES IS IT OKAY
IF WE TAKE ITEM THREE BILL
REFERRALS ITEM FOUR FLOOR
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 56 AND SEVEN.
THOSE ARE ALL FLOOR
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. CAN WE TAKE ALL
THOSE TOGETHER? SOME OF YOU,
SENATOR LAIRD. MADAM SECRETARY.
WE PLEASE CALL THE ROLL GROVE.
KAMLAGER KAMLAGER? AYE LAIRD
DEBATES. I ATKINS ATKINS. I 5 TO
05 TO ZERO. THANK YOU SO MUCH
COLLEAGUES AND WITH THAT I WILL
WELCOME GOVERNOR'S APPOINTEES
REQUIRED TO APPEAR WE WILL TAKE
UP ONE A FIRST AND THAT IS THE
APPOINTMENT OF TURMERIC,
TURMERIC. YOU'RE GOING TO TELL
ME IF I SAID THAT WRONG SING, JD
INSPECTOR GENERAL AND OFFICE OF
THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND
REHABILITATION. I WILL WELCOME
YOU FORWARD. AND, UM, AS YOU'RE
COMING UP, I WILL, UH, SAY FEEL
FREE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND
PLEASE CORRECT ME ON MY NAME
PRONUNCIATION. I TRY SO HARD.
BUT UM, YOUR OPENING COMMENTS
ANYONE YOU'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE
, THANK OPENING COMMENTS, AND
THEN WE'LL GO RIGHT TO MEMBERS
OF THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE
FOR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS OF
THEIR OWN. SO WELCOME. THANK
YOU. AND YOU DID PRONOUNCE MY
NAME CORRECTLY. HMM. ALL RIGHT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM PRO TEM
AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. I
WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND
THANK MY HUSBAND, MY FAMILY AND
MY FRIENDS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED ME
IN THIS JOURNEY. I WOULD ALSO
LIKE TO THANK MY FAMILY FOR
THEIR UNWAVERING SUPPORT FOR ME
AS INSPECTOR GENERAL. TODAY I
WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK MY
MOTHER RATTAN SINGH, WHO IS HERE
WITH ME TODAY. SHE HAS PROVIDED
ME SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE AND
TAUGHT ME THAT BY WORKING HARD
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. I AM A
FIRST GENERATION AMERICAN. I WAS
BORN AND RAISED IN TURLOCK,
CALIFORNIA, WHICH WAS A VERY
SMALL TOWN AT THE TIME AND WHERE
WE WERE A FAMILY THAT WAS UNLIKE
ANY OTHER. HOWEVER I TOOK THOSE
EXPERIENCES GROWING UP AND THAT
HAS LED ME DOWN THIS PATH OF
BEING A PUBLIC SERVANT, WHICH
HAS BEEN RICH WITH EXPERIENCES
IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE FIELD. I
WAS A PROSECUTOR FOR 10 YEARS I
WORKED IN CURRENT COUNTY. I
WORKED IN TILLERY COUNTY. I WAS
A COMMISSIONER FOR THE BOARD OF
PAROLE HEARINGS FOR ABOUT THREE
YEARS, BUT I HAVE SPENT THE MOST
OF MY TIME AT THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL'S OFFICE IN A VARIETY OF
DIFFERENT ROLES FOR ALMOST 12
YEARS. AND THAT HAS GIVEN ME THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM FROM ALL SIDES. I
JOINED THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S
OFFICE IN 2007. AND SINCE SINCE
THAT TIME, I HAVE SEEN THE
EVOLUTION OF BOTH THE DEPARTMENT
OF CORRECTIONS AND THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL'S OFFICE. I HAVE
MONITORED DISCIPLINE CASES. I
WAS THE PROJECT LEAD FOR THE
REVIEW OF THE STAFF COMPLAINT
PROCESS AT SALINAS VALLEY STATE
PRISON THAT RESULTED IN SWEEPING
CHANGES IN THE INCARCERATED
PERSON GRIEVANCE PROCESS. I HAVE
ALSO SUPERVISED AND HELP BUILD
THE EGGS AUDIT TEAM WHEN OUR
AUDIT AUTHORITY WAS RETURNED IN
2019. WITH THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL'S OFFICE. I ALSO HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO CONSULT AND HELP
BUILD AN OVERSIGHT AGENCY TO
BRING IMPROVEMENTS. AND
ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE DEPARTMENT
OF STATE HOSPITALS AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENTAL
SERVICES. MY 25 YEAR LEGAL
CAREER HAS BEEN ALL IN PUBLIC
SERVICE. I HAVE GAINED SO MUCH
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE, BUT
NONE HAS BEEN AS GREAT AS THE
LAST SEVEN MONTHS AS THE
INSPECTOR GENERAL. I AM
COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THE
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
THROUGH TRANSPARENCY BY
PROVIDING FAIR ASSESSMENTS AND
MEANINGFUL RECOMMENDATIONS. I AM
ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE
SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH OF OUR
OFFICE. WE HAVE 100 AND 17 NEW
POSITIONS TO FILL. I WOULD LIKE
TO THANK THE GOVERNOR FOR
POINTING ME TO LEAD THE
INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE AND
TO THE SENATE FOR CONSIDERING MY
APPOINTMENT. I AM GRATEFUL FOR
THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE FIRST
FEMALE AND PERSON OF COLOR TO BE
APPOINTED AS THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND
I LOOK FORWARD TO ANSWERING YOUR
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
LET ME START BY WELCOMING YOUR
MOTHER HERE TODAY. WHAT A
WONDERFUL THING THAT YOU COULD
BE HERE TO SEE YOUR DAUGHTER GO
THROUGH THE HEARING PROCESS. SO
WELCOME. LET ME GO RIGHT TO
MEMBERS AND MADAM VICE CHAIR.
CAN I START WITH YOU TODAY? I'M
GLAD THAT YOU STARTED WITH ME
BECAUSE I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK WITH THE INSPECTOR EARLIER
IN THE DAY, AND IT WAS A VERY
COMPREHENSIVE DISCUSSION
COVERING A LOT OF THE ISSUES
THAT WE HAVE IN OUR BACKGROUND.
UM SO I AM GOING TO ASK HER. AH
FIRST OF ALL, LET ME SAY THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR YEAR, 12 YEARS
OF SERVICE AND TO MOVE UP THE
RANKS TO BE THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL IS CERTAINLY VERY WELL
DESERVED. AND BASED ON OUR
CONVERSATION EARLIER, YOU BRING
ALL OF THE TOOLS THAT ARE
NECESSARY. I THINK TO DO THE JOB
THAT'S BEEN ASSIGNED THROUGH
LEGISLATION TO THE
RESPONSIBILITIES AND AUTHORITY
OF THIS PARTICULAR OFFICE. BUT
MAYBE YOU COULD SHARE WITH, UM
THE COMMITTEE. THE THING THAT I
WAS REALLY FOCUSED ON AFTER WE
HAD A DISCUSSION ON AND I'M SURE
THERE WILL BE QUESTIONS ABOUT SB
1 32 IN THE PROGRESS THERE, AND
YOU SHARED THAT THAT'S IN
PROCESS AND YOU SHOULD GET THE
CD CRS AUDIT REVIEW, BUT THEN
WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO A DEEPER
DIVE, FOCUSING ON SOME SPECIFIC
ISSUES, BUT I WAS REALLY
INTERESTED IN WHEN WE HAVE THE
FOCUS AND CDCR AND I THINK HERE
IN THE LEGISLATURE ON
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE THAT WE HAVE
PEOPLE WHO ARE INCARCERATED THAT
WE WANT TO RETURN TO THE
COMMUNITY AS RESPONSIBLE AND
COMMUNITY INVOLVED FOLKS WHO ARE
ENJOYING, I THINK THE FREEDOMS
THAT ARE THERE FOR THE REST OF
US, AND THEY HAVE MADE SOME
MISTAKES ALONG THE WAY. AND YOU
SHARED YOUR THOUGHTS AND I THINK
YOUR GOAL AND YOUR COMMITMENT IN
THAT AREA BASED ON YOUR OWN
BACKGROUND, SO SHARE THAT WITH
US IN TERMS OF YOUR GOALS THERE
AND WHAT YOU SEE. I KNOW YOU
SERVE ON THE BOARD, UM, OF THE
CDR AT THE REHABILITATION AND,
UM FORGET THE TECHNICAL NAME,
BUT YOU ARE ON THAT BOARD, SO
JUST GIVE US SOME SOME OF THE
THOUGHTS THAT WE SHARED THAT YOU
SHARED WITH ME TO MY MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE HERE BECAUSE I
THINK IT'S VERY, UM IT'S MEETING
THE GOALS THAT I THINK ALL OF US
HAVE HAD IN THIS PARTICULAR
AREA. YES THANK YOU. I AM THE
CHAIR OF THE CALIFORNIA
REHABILITATION OVERSIGHT BOARD,
COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS C ROB,
AND THAT BOARD LOOKS AT THE
REHABILITATION PROGRAMS FOR CDCR
. THE BOARD IS COMPRISED. IT'S
HOUSED IN O I G. HOWEVER IT'S
COMPRISED OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS,
LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS, UM AND
AS WELL AS THE SECRETARY OF
CDCR. REHABILITATION AS WE
DISCUSSED EARLIER TODAY, I THINK
IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS. I
LEARNED A LOT ABOUT
REHABILITATION, UM THROUGHOUT MY
CAREER AND REALLY TOOK ANOTHER
DEEP DIVE WHEN I WAS A
COMMISSIONER FOR THE BOARD OF
PAROLE HEARINGS BECAUSE WE
REALLY FELT A LOT WITH THE
PROGRAMS AND POSITIVE
PROGRAMMING THAT THE
INCARCERATED POPULATION. WAS
ENGAGED IN TAKING THAT KNOWLEDGE
AND APPLYING IT TO THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL'S OFFICE. I THINK
THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA
REHABILITATION BOARD IS VERY
HELPFUL BECAUSE THE GOAL IS
ULTIMATELY THAT WE WANT THE
INCARCERATED POPULATION TO BE
ABLE TO ASSIMILATE BACK INTO THE
COMMUNITY AND HAVE THE TOOLS
NECESSARY TO BE SUCCESSFUL. I
THINK THAT IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE
THAT GOAL WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK
HARD AT THE PROGRAMS THAT CDCR
HAS TO OFFER, AND WE NEED TO BE
ABLE TO MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF
THOSE PROGRAMS, HAVING SPOKEN
WITH THE DIVISION OF
REHABILITATION PROGRAMMING, DRP
IS HOW THEY GO, UM, FOUR CDCR.
THEY ALSO RECOGNIZED THAT THAT
IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT THAT IS
NECESSARY FOR THEM TO ENSURE
THAT THE INCARCERATED POPULATION
IS, IN FACT GETTING THE
REHABILITATION THAT THEY NEED.
THEY HAVE PARTNERED WITH, UM OR
ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PARTNERING
WITH UC IRVINE IN ORDER TO BE
ABLE TO MEASURE THAT SUCCESS,
AND I THINK THAT IS SUCH A
VALUABLE TOOL SO THAT WE, AS A
SOCIETY WILL BE ABLE TO
UNDERSTAND AND SEE WHICH
PROGRAMS ARE WORKING AND WHERE
RESOURCES NEED TO BE SPENT. SO
THAT ARE INCARCERATED POPULATION
CAN PROGRAM POSITIVELY AND
ASSIMILATE BACK INTO THE
COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. AND
CERTAINLY THOSE ARE GOALS WE ALL
SHARE AND IF YOU NEED MORE FROM
THE LEGISLATURE, I THINK AFTER
THERE'S THE DEEPER REVIEW ON THE
OUTCOMES AND HOW THEY'RE BEING
MEASURED AND WHERE WHERE THEY'RE
NEED MORE RESOURCES WOULD BE
VERY HELPFUL TO THOSE WHO ARE
HERE TODAY AND CERTAINLY WILL BE
HERE. I'M TRIMMING OUT SO I'M
WILL BE SOMETHING I'M BEING
WATCHING BECAUSE I AM VERY, VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT IT AND WANTING
TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE'RE
WHEN WE'RE APPROACHING THAT, AND
THAT IS ONE OF THE GOALS
CERTAINLY T REDUCE
INCARCERATION, PEOPLE
INCARCERATED BACK IN THE
COMMUNITY IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING
THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE
CALIFORNIA STAND OUT AMONG ALL
THE STATES AND MEETING THAT
GOAL, SO KEEP ALL OF US INFORMED
AS YOU TAKE ON THIS VERY
IMPORTANT ROLE THAT YOU'RE GOING
TO PLAY ALTHOUGH YOU'VE BEEN
INVOLVED, BUT YOU BRING SUCH
GREAT I THINK GREAT. ABILITY TO
THE NEW POSITION. SO YOU HAVE MY
FULL SUPPORT, AND I LOOK FORWARD
TO SUPPORTING YOUR CONFIRMATION
WHEN WE COME TO THE VOTE. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
MADAM. VICE CHAIR, SENATOR
KAMLAGER. THANK YOU, MADAM PRO
TEM. AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR TAKING THE TIME. I THINK IT
WAS YESTERDAY FOR US TO HAVE, UM
, A DISCUSSION AND
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOUR MOM FOR
BEING WITH HERE BEING WITH YOU
HERE TODAY. THIS IS A BIG A BIG
DEAL. UM, THIS IS ALSO A BIG
DEAL. THIS THIS, UM POSITION
BECAUSE IT'S A SIX YEAR
APPOINTMENT. UM AND MANY OF THEM
ARE NOT THAT LONG. AND IT'S ALSO
THE MAIN OVERSIGHT INTO T FOR
CDCR, SO IT'S A REALLY AWESOME
RESPONSIBILITY THAT YOU HAVE IN
FRONT OF YOU. SOME OF THESE
QUESTIONS WE DISCUSSED YESTERDAY
. UM BUT JUST WANTED TO ASK
AGAIN. IT WOULD BE GREAT. IF, UM
CURIOUS ABOUT HOW YOU VIEW YOUR
ROLE AS A WATCHDOG AND ALSO HOW
YOU WOULD DESCRIBE YOUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH SECRETARY
ALLISON MY ROLE AS A WATCHDOG.
THE ROLE FOR THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL'S OFFICE IS TO BRING
TRANSPARENCY TO CDCR. WE ARE THE
ENTITY. WE ARE THE AGENCY THAT
GOES BEHIND THE WALLS, AND IT'S
BEEN DESCRIBED THAT WE ARE THE
WINDOW. SO THAT THE. CITIZENS OF
CALIFORNIA THAT ARE STAKEHOLDERS
AND THE GOVERNMENT CAN SEE WHAT
HAPPENS AND ENSURE THAT THINGS
ARE GOING AS THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO
BE, AND THAT THE INCARCERATED
POPULATION IS GETTING THE
SERVICES THAT THEY NEED TO GET
THAT THEY ARE BEING TREATED
HUMANELY AND THAT THEY ARE BEING
TREATED FAIRLY AND THAT AS WELL
THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS FOLLOWING
THEIR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
WHEN IT COMES TO HOLDING STAFF
ACCOUNTABLE, AND ALSO PROVIDING
THE SUPPORT THAT STAFF NEED IN
ORDER TO DO THEIR JOBS
EFFECTIVELY. SO AS THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL, IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY
TO ENSURE WITH MY STAFF THAT WE
LOOK AT ALL OF THE VARIOUS
PROGRAMS THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS
. AND WHEN I REFERRED TO
PROGRAMS I'M REFERRING TO THEIR
, UM THEIR REVIEW OF THEIR USES
USE OF FORCE INCIDENTS THAT
REVIEW OF THEIR EMPLOYEE
DISCIPLINE THERE. UM, THERE.
MEDICAL UNIT THAT INCARCERATED
POPULATION IS RECEIVING THE
MEDICAL CARE THAT THEY NEED. SO
THAT IS THE GOAL FOR THE
INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE AND
FOR ME IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
ARE LOOKING INTO THESE AREAS
THAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO THE
PROGRAMS AND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO
REPORT UH, COMPLIANCE AND
NONCOMPLIANCE AND MY
RELATIONSHIP WITH WITH SECRETARY
ALLISON IS A VERY POSITIVE
RELATIONSHIP. UM, WE HAVE AN
OPEN LINE OF COMMUNICATION. I
SHARE INFORMATION WITH HER SO
THAT SHE MAY BE ABLE TO CORRECT
IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE NOT
HAPPENING HAPPENING
APPROPRIATELY, AND SHE IN TURN,
UH, SHARES INFORMATION WITH US,
AND THAT'S FROM THE TOP DOWN. I
HAVE. I HAVE MADE VERY CLEAR TO
MY STAFF THAT WE MUST HAVE A
POSITIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP
WITH CDCR. IT IS MUCH EASIER TO
PROVIDE OVERSIGHT WHEN WE ARE
ABLE TO HAVE THOSE OPEN LINES OF
COMMUNICATION AND THAT WE ARE
ABLE TO SHARE INFORMATION AND WE
ARE ABLE TO HELP THEM BE IN
COMPLIANCE WITH THEIR POLICIES
OR IDENTIFY WHERE THERE IS.
THERE IS A POLICY THAT'S LACKING
WHERE THERE'S ROOM FOR
IMPROVEMENT. SO THOSE ARE SOME
OF THE GOALS THAT I HAVE AS THE
INSPECTOR GENERAL, AND THAT IS
THE RELATIONSHIP I'VE
ESTABLISHED WITH SECRETARY
ALLISON AND THE RELATIONSHIP
THAT I HAVE, UM I ADVISE MY
STAFF WE NEED TO HAVE FROM THE
TOP DOWN. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
SOME WOULD ARGUE THAT IT IS
HARDER TO STRIKE AN APPROPRIATE
BALANCE AS A WATCHDOG. WHEN
YOU'RE CHARGED WITH BEING
TRANSPARENT AND OFFERING
RECOMMENDATIONS, UM THAT. MIGHT
BE, UM, DEALING WITH ARE
POINTING OUT CHALLENGES THAT
HAVE BEEN ONGOING FOR A NUMBER
OF YEARS WITHOUT CORRECTION. UM
WHEN THE RELATIONSHIP IS SO
STRONG AND POSITIVE THAT
SOMETIMES THAT CAN CLOUD UM, THE
OBJECTIVITY, UM IN FORCING
RECOMMENDATIONS OR SHARING
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT DEMAND
CHANGE. HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND TO
THAT? I HAVE BEEN CLEAR. UM WITH
SECRETARY ALLISON, THAT WE WILL
REPORT. UM WHAT WE SEE IF THE
DEPARTMENT IS FAILING IN AREAS
IF THEY ARE PERFORMING POORLY IN
AREAS WE HAVE A DUTY TO REPORT
THAT AND I'M NOT GOING TO TURN A
BLIND EYE TO SOMETHING THAT I
HAVE A DUTY TO REPORT. JUST
BECAUSE WE HAVE A GOOD WORKING
RELATIONSHIP. WE ARE. WE ARE
WOMEN VERY HIGH UP IN THIS
PUBLIC SAFETY. ROLES WE ARE. WE
ARE BOTH HEADS OF AGENCIES, AND
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT
COMMUNICATION. WE HAVE TO BE
ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH ONE
ANOTHER. IN ORDER TO SHARE THIS
. THERE IS THERE IS NO UM
THERE'S NO IF ANDS OR BUTS OF US
NOT REPORTING SOMETHING OR
SOFTENING THINGS WE MUST REPORT
THAT IS THAT IS OUR DUTY. WE
ARE. WE ARE MANDATED BY STATUTE
TO BRING THIS INFORMATION TO
LIGHT TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION
WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS TO SHARE
THIS INFORMATION WITH THE
GOVERNMENT AND WITH THE CITIZENS
. I DON'T. UM, WE HAVE SINCE
I'VE BEEN INSPECTOR GENERAL, WE
HAVE PUBLISHED REPORTS SINCE
I'VE WORKED AT THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL'S OFFICE. WE HAVE
PUBLISHED REPORTS THAT I HAVE
BEEN A CRITICAL PART OF THE
SALINAS VALLEY PROJECT. THAT WAS
I WAS THE PROJECT LEAD AND WE
DID NOT HOLD ANYTHING BACK. WE
ABSOLUTELY REPORTED WHAT WE SAW
AND RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS
THAT THE DEPARTMENT NEEDED TO
MAKE. I WAS PART OF THE PROJECT
FOR THE COVID SERIES REPORT THAT
WE DID THE THREE PART SERIES AND
WE AGAIN WE REPORTED WHAT WE SAW
AND WE RECOMMENDED TO THE
DEPARTMENT TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS
IN THOSE AREAS, SO I WILL
CONTINUE TO UPHOLD THOSE, UM,
THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. I
WILL CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY.
WEAKNESSES BUT I WILL ALSO GIVE
THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT
THOSE AREAS. UM I DON'T FEEL
LIKE ANYONE SHOULD BE PLAYING
THE GOTTI A GAME. I BELIEVE THAT
IF WE SHARE THAT INFORMATION,
ALLOW THEM TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES
AND STILL REPORT. THIS IS WHAT
WE SAW. AND THIS IS WHAT THE
DEPARTMENT IS DOING NOW TO
CORRECT THAT. APPRECIATE. UM.
WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT, UM YOU KNOW
, COMPLIANCE AND NONCOMPLIANCE
AND LOOKING AT PROGRAMS AND
OFFERING RECOMMENDATIONS,
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU SEE THINGS
THAT HAVE BEEN OUT OF WHACK FOR
SOME TIME, AND IN FACT,
PRESIDENT BUSH SIGNED INTO LAW
THE 2003 FEDERAL PRISON RAPE
ELIMINATION ACT.UM AND
SERIOUSLY ARE HAS NEVER BEEN
CERTIFIED AS A P R E A COMPLIANT
TO DATE 2022 THAT WAS SIGNED
INTO LAW 2003. UM THAT CONCERNS
ME. UM NOT ONLY DOES NOT BEING
IN COMPLIANCE MEAN THAT WE'RE
LOSING OUT ON FEDERAL FUNDING,
BUT IT ALSO MEANS THAT THERE IS
A PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE YET TO
SOLVE. UM ALMOST 20 YEARS LATER
, SO I WOULD LOVE YOUR RESPONSE
OR THOUGHTS ON THIS. YES I WE
SPOKE ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY AND
I'VE REALLY BEEN THINKING ABOUT
THE PREAH PR A THE RULES. THE
REGULATIONS, UM. THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL'S OFFICE DOES RECEIVE
COMPLAINTS. THERE ARE INTAKE
UNIT FROM THE INCARCERATED
POPULATION OR THIRD PARTIES. UM
WHAT WE DO WITH THOSE THOSE
COMPLAINTS. WE REVIEW THEM. WE
FOLLOW UP WITH THEM, AND WE
ENSURE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF
CORRECTIONS IS IN FACT.
INVESTIGATING THESE MATTERS
THOROUGHLY AND APPROPRIATELY,
AND IF WE DO SEE SOMETHING THAT
IS NOT BEING DONE COMPLETELY, WE
WILL RAISE THAT TO THEM. WE HAVE
WE HAVE SEEN THEIR REPORTS THE
DEPARTMENT ITSELF HAS
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS THAT DO
ANNUAL AUDITS OF THEIR, UM OF
THEIR PREAH CASES. THEY GO TO
EVERY INSTITUTION IN THE STATE.
AND SO WE HAVE SEEN THE, UM THE
REPORTS THAT THEY HAVE GENERATED
. WE WERE TO TAKE THESE
ALLEGATIONS VERY SERIOUSLY. THEY
ARE, UM THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR IS
JUST UNACCEPTABLE AND WE FEEL
THAT THE DEPARTMENT REALLY NEEDS
TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE DOING
EVERYTHING TO PREVENT, UM, TO
PREVENT THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR
FROM OCCURRING. I COULDN'T AGREE
WITH YOU MORE. I AM SURE PEOPLE
WONDER WHY I REPEATEDLY TALK
ABOUT RAPE IN PRISONS. BUT IT IS
A POPULATION THAT IS OFTEN TIMES
MADE MORE INVISIBLE IN
DEHUMANIZED IN THE FACT IS THAT
THERE ARE ABUSES THAT HAPPEN, UM
, SEXUAL ABUSES THAT HAPPEN TO
PEOPLE. UM AND IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT THAT WE WORK AS A
SYSTEM TO TALK ABOUT IT, YOU
KNOW, AS MR ROGERS SAID, IF IT'S
MENTION HERBAL, IT'S MANAGEABLE
. AND SO WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A
WAY TO MANAGE IT. BUT IN 2021 IN
THE ANNUAL PRAYER REPORT, CDCR
ONLY SUBSTANTIATED NINE OUT OF
305 ALLEGATIONS. OF MISCONDUCT
THAT IT RECEIVED, UM THERE ARE
LOTS OF NOTIFICATIONS OF SEXUAL
MISCONDUCT AND THEN VERY LOW
SUBSTANTIATION NUMBERS. AND SO,
UM WHY DO YOU THINK SO? FEW OF
THESE ALLEGATIONS ARE
SUBSTANTIATED. AND I MEAN, YOU
KNOW, I THINK NINE OUT OF 305
WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE KINDS OF
NUMBERS ON A RECURRING BASIS
WOULD RAISE A RED FLAG RIGHT
THERE. THERE ARE A LOT OF
FACTORS THAT GO INTO THE
INVESTIGATION OF AN ALLEGATION
OF A PRAYER ALLEGATION. THE.
DEPARTMENT ITSELF. EVERY
INVESTIGATOR HAS TO BE A
CERTIFIED INVESTIGATOR. THEY
HAVE PROTOCOLS THAT THEY MUST
FOLLOW IN REGARDS TO ANY
ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL ABUSE OR
SEXUAL MISCONDUCT. WITHOUT
HAVING TO ACTUALLY PULL THE
CASES AND LOOK AT EACH ONE AND
GET A SENSE OF WHAT DIRECTION
THESE ARE GOING IN. I WOULD
HESITATE, I WOULD HESITATE TO
SAY THAT THAT SOMEONE IS NOT
DOING SOMETHING CORRECTLY. UM I
THINK WE WOULD WE SHOULD DO A
DEEPER DIVE INTO THAT TO GET A
BETTER SENSE OF THESE NUMBERS TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT WHAT IS LACKING
OR WHAT IS RESULTING IN THIS
INFORMATION BEING SO LOW. I
KNOW. PERSONALLY I HAVE
MONITORED CASES THAT INVOLVE
ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT
AND SEXUAL ABUSE, AND THEY ARE
DIFFICULT. THERE ARE DIFFICULT
CASES TO INVESTIGATE. EVEN IN MY
ROLE AS A PROSECUTOR, THEY'RE
DIFFICULT CASES TO INVESTIGATE
AND TO UNDERSTAND AND VICTIM.
IT'S HARD FOR VICTIMS TO COME
FORWARD. IT'S HARD TO VICTIMS TO
KEEP CONTINUALLY REPEAT THEIR
STORY, AND IT'S HARD FOR VICTIMS
TO REALLY UM, TO PURSUE IT, AND
THAT'S IT'S REALLY UNFORTUNATE.
THE STIGMA ATTACHED TO A SEXUAL
ASSAULT IS STILL EXISTS TODAY
AND IT EXISTS IN SOCIETY AND IT
EXISTS IN THE INCARCERATED
SETTING AS WELL. ABSOLUTELY THE
ARE INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED CASES
, AND IT'S UM. BUT THAT'S WHY WE
HAVE THE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO HAVE
TO UNPACK THOSE. SO YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE VICTIM AND
A PERPETRATOR, UM THEY NUANCED
IS THERE, SOMETIMES BETWEEN
THOSE TWO DEFINITIONS. AND YET
EVERYONE'S STILL DESERVES TO BE
HEARD AND HAVE SOME JUSTICE. I
KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU'VE
SEEN THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SPACE
FROM ALL SIDES, AND I APPRECIATE
THAT, BASED ON YOUR RESUME BEING
ON THE PAROLE HEARING. BOARD AND
THEN YOUR TIME AS A PROSECUTOR,
AND THEN ALSO AT THE O I G IN MY
MIND, ONE ANOTHER COMPONENT OF
THAT SPACE IS DEFENSE. UM BUT I
DIDN'T NECESSARILY SEE THAT ON
YOUR RESUME. SO I WAS WONDERING
IF YOU COULD SORT OF SHARE HOW
THAT IS PART OF YOUR
COMPREHENSIVE OUTLOOK ON THE
CRIMINAL LEGAL SPACE, SO I HAVE
NOT EVER WORKED AS A DEFENSE
ATTORNEY OR A CRIMINAL DEFENSE
ATTORNEY. HOWEVER, I. IN MY ROLE
AS AS THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
THERE ISN'T PROSECUTION THERE
ISN'T DEFENSE, ITS IMPARTIALITY
AND IT'S ENSURING THAT IF
SOMEONE IS BEING PROSECUTED OR
SOMEONE IS BEING HELD
ACCOUNTABLE FOR DISCIPLINARY
MATTER, YOU HAVE TO ENSURE THAT
THE EVIDENCE IS THERE. AND YOU
HAVE TO ENSURE THAT IT'S FAIR.
IT'S BEEN APPROPRIATELY AND
THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED. AND SO
I SEE MY ROLE AS THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL AS BEING IMPARTIAL AND
THAT'S THAT'S WE'RE NOT HERE TO
SIDE WITH THE INCARCERATED
POPULATION. WE'RE NOT HERE TO
SIDE WITH THE STAFF MEMBERS. WE
ARE HERE TO ENSURE THAT THE
POLICIES ARE BEING FOLLOWED, AND
INVESTIGATIONS ARE DONE
COMPLETELY AND THOROUGHLY. EVEN
AS A PROSECUTOR WHEN A CASE IS
PRESENTED TO YOU FOR FILING OF
CRIMINAL CHARGES, YOU HAVE TO
CONSIDER ALL SIDES OF THAT CASE
YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER WHETHER THE
EVIDENCE IS THERE. WHETHER THERE
ARE ANY DEFENSES THERE. IT'S NOT
JUST A CASE CAME TO YOU WERE
FILING CRIMINAL CHARGES AND
MOVING FORWARD. YOU REALLY HAVE
TO LOOK AT THESE THINGS
COMPLETELY AND ENTIRELY AS AS A
WHOLE PACKAGE. YES AND PRETEND
THIS WILL BE MY LAST QUESTION.
IN FACT, THIS WAS A QUESTION
THAT I ASKED OUR APPOINTEE
YESTERDAY. UM YOU KNOW, WE
TALKED ABOUT A NUMBER OF CASES.
I MEAN, WE HAD SOMEONE BEFORE US
FOR CONFIRMATION AND SHARED SOME
STORIES ABOUT AN INCARCERATED
PERSON WHO WAS DECAPITATED
HOUSED IN THE SAME CELL. AND HE
WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE WITH A
SATANIST AND HAD HIS HEAD CUT
OFF. I SHARED WITH YOU, UM, A
STORY OF, UM UM, A PERSON WHO,
ACCORDING TO THE RULES, IS
SUPPOSED TO BE WALKING AGAINST
THE WALL NOT CLOSE TO THE CELL,
AND, UM THE EMPLOYEES HAD HIM
WALK NEXT TO THE SELLING. IN
FACT, HE HAD HIS EYES GOUGED OUT
BY SOMEONE ELSE WHO WAS
INCARCERATED. EXAMPLES OF REAL
DEEP, YOU KNOW, TRAUMA. KILLINGS
MISCONDUCT TO SAY THE LEAST, I'M
SURE YOU SEE MANYTHINGS THAT
COME BEFORE YOUR DESK AND
HOPEFULLY YOU'RE HAVING THESE
CONVERSATIONS WITH CDCR AT SOME
LEVEL. AND SO ULTIMATELY THE
QUESTION IS. WHERE DO WE GO FROM
HERE? BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE DO
NOT WANT TO SEE THE O I G AS AN
EXTENSION OF CDCR. THE GOAL IS
TO HAVE A WATCHDOG WHO IS
TRANSPARENT AND OBJECTIVE, AND
IT'S REALLY PUSHING FOR, UM CDCR
TO TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY WHEN IT
IS FAILING, AND WE ALL FAIL. UM
BUT WHEN IT IS FAILING SO THAT
IT CAN BE A BETTER SYSTEM FOR
THE STATE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO
WORK WITHIN CDCR AND THE PEOPLE
WHO ARE HOUSED IN C, D. C. R, AS
WELL AS THE ADVOCATES AND LOVED
ONES ON THE OUTSIDE. SO WHERE DO
YOU THINK WE GO FROM HERE? WELL.
THE O I G IS A SEPARATE
INDEPENDENT AGENCY. WE ARE NOT A
PART OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
CORRECTIONS. WE ARE NOT AN ARM
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
. WE PROVIDE OVERSIGHT. WE ARE
SEPARATE AND APART FROM THEM.
ANY TIME THERE IS A CRITICAL
INCIDENT, AN INCIDENT THAT
SHOCKS THE CONSCIOUS OF WHEN WE
HEAR SOMETHING THAT VERY
EGREGIOUS. SOME CONDUCT HAS
OCCURRED IN THE PRISON SETTING.
IT IS CRITICAL FOR OUR OFFICE TO
LOOK AT STEP AWAY FROM THE
SHOCKING PART OF IT. BUT LOOK AT
AN INCIDENT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
DID THE DEPARTMENT DO WHAT
HAPPENED PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT?
WHAT LED UP TO THAT? WHAT DID
THEY DO DURING THE INCIDENT?
WHAT COULD THEY HAVE DONE TO
ALLEVIATE WHAT WAS HAPPENING?
AND WHAT HAVE THEY DONE AFTER SO
WE LOOK AT BEFORE? DURING AND
AFTER WHAT HAVE THEY DONE NOW
THAT THIS AGREE JUST BEHAVIOR
HAS OCCURRED. WHAT HAVE THEY
DONE TO SEE? HOW DID IT HAPPEN?
HOW CAN WE STOP IT FROM
HAPPENING AND DO WE NEED TO HOLD
PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE? I THINK
THOSE ARE THE CRITICAL AREAS
THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT EVERY
INCIDENT FROM WHETHER IT'S
SOMETHING THAT IS SHOCKING OR
SOMETHING THAT IS JUST, YOU
KNOW, A SIMPLE SOMETHING THAT IS
NOT A SHOCKING BUT I THINK EVERY
INCIDENT THAT THAT RESULTS IN
ANY TYPE OF USE OF FORCE ANY
TYPE OF, UM AGREE THIS BEHAVIOR
. I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT
FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, AND WE
WOULD LIKE THE DEPARTMENT TO
REALLY START LOOKING AT EACH
OTHER INCIDENTS. IN THAT
PERSPECTIVE AS WELL PRIOR TO
DURING AND AFTER AGREED. AND
HOPEFULLY YOU ADD TO THAT LIST.
HOW STAFF ARE FEELING BECAUSE
WE'VE ALSO HEARD OF, UM
EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE COMMITTED
SUICIDE AND THOSE ARE ALSO
ISSUES. I THINK THAT SHOULD BE
LOOKED AT. SO I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I WILL BE
HOLDING OFF ON THIS VOTE TODAY,
BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR CANDOR AND
YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE WORK.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
SENATOR GROVE. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR WELCOME. UM I APPRECIATE
YOUR BACK FROM DID YOU LIKE
LIVING IN KERN COUNTY? I DID
GOOD RIGHT ANSWER. UM DISTRICT
ATTORNEY. DID YOU SURRENDER?
OKAY OKAY. HE'S SINCE RETIRED,
BUT I WAS JUST CURIOUS. SO I'LL
JUST GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS, AND I APPRECIATE THE
QUESTIONS THAT ADVANCE BEING
ASKED SO FAR. MY COLLEAGUE VICE
TERRY ASKED THREE OF THE
QUESTIONS THAT I HAD. SO ARE YOU
ANSWERED THOSE SO AH, THE
QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE ARE
SIMILAR TO WHAT? MY COLLEAGUE
FROM LOS ANGELES ASK YOU. UM AND
I APPRECIATED YOUR ANSWER. BUT I
WAS JUST CURIOUS IF YOU IF IT
WAS, IF THIS WAS A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT THAN WHAT SHE ASKED
YOU SO UM, WHEN YOU REVIEW
POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
, ASSIGNING STAFF TO AUDIT OR
SPECIAL REVIEW. HOW HOW, UM, HOW
MANY FORMER CDC? OUR STAFF ARE
ON YOUR STAFF. NOW ON THE I G
AND DO YOU SEE OR PERCEIVE A
CONFLICT OF INTEREST BECAUSE
THEY'RE ACTUALLY INVESTIGATING
THEIR FORMER COLLEAGUES. AND IF
YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, OR
HAVE NO CONCERNS ABOUT THAT, UM
, WHAT ARE YOUR WHAT ARE YOUR
WAYS FOR CHECKS AND BALANCES? I
GUESS. SO WE DON'T TRACK HOW
MANY OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS HAVE
WORKED AT CDC ARE EITHER
CURRENTLY OR IN THE PAST. THAT
IS NOT THAT IS NOT DATA THAT WE
COLLECT. EVERY EMPLOYEE OF THE
INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE IS
MUST SIGN A CONFLICT OF INTEREST
FORM, AND THAT FORM IS PRETTY
DETAILED, AND IT LISTS OUT ALL
OF THE POTENTIAL AREAS OF
CONFLICT RATHER TO RELATED TO A
CERTAIN PERSON HAVE A CLOSE
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP, AND IT'S
A PRETTY ROBUST LIST. WE HAVE
EACH MEMBER FILLED THAT FORM
OUT. WE MAKE SURE THAT FORM IS
UPDATED ANNUALLY. AND THEN IF
THERE IS A SPECIAL PROJECT OR IF
THERE IS A SPECIAL REVIEW OR
AUDIT THAT'S BEING CONDUCTED, WE
ACTUALLY GET THE FORM OUT AGAIN
PRIOR TO THE STAFF MEMBER BEING
ASSIGNED. WE ARE SMALL ENOUGH
AGENCY WHERE EVERYBODY DOES HAVE
CONVERSATIONS SO WE KNOW WHERE
PEOPLE HAVE COME FROM. AND WE
HAVE, UM, WE HAVE A THAT ETHICAL
DUTY TO DISCLOSE THIS TYPE OF
INFORMATION, AND WE. WE ARE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PUBLIC, AND
WE WILL ENSURE THAT SOMEBODY
ISN'T INVESTIGATING OR ISN'T
MONITORING OR AUDITING SOMEBODY
THAT THEY HAVE A CLOSE PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIP. IN THE ONE OR TWO
INSTANCES THAT I CAN THINK OF
OFF HAND, THE STAFF MEMBER HAS
INDICATED THIS IS YOU KNOW I
CANNOT. ADEQUATELY MONITORED
THIS CASE BECAUSE THIS PERSON IS
A CLOSE FRIEND OF MINE AND
PEOPLE HAVE RECUSED THEMSELVES.
SO WE HAVE THAT LEVEL WE HAVE WE
HAVE A GROUP OF PROFESSIONAL
EMPLOYEES, AND IT HAS NOT BEEN.
IT HAS NOT BEEN A PROBLEM IN OUR
AGENCY BECAUSE OF OUR SIZE, BUT
IT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE ARE
COGNIZANT OF. SO JUST IT'S I
JUST I JUST BASED ON WHAT YOU
SAID. I WOULD SAY YOU HAVE A
HIGH LEVEL OF INTEGRITY WITH
YOUR STAFF, SO I APPRECIATE THAT
. DO YOU HAVE VACANCIES IN THE I
G? AND IF YOU DO WHAT ARE SOME
OF YOUR EFFORTS ON RECRUITING
GOOD STAFF? WE DO HAVE PLENTY OF
VACANCIES WE JUST RECEIVED. 70
PLUS POSITIONS AS OF JULY ONE,
SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF
VACANCIES. WE ARE RECRUITING
THROUGH THE NORMAL COURSE OF
STATE RECRUITMENT WERE
ADVERTISING THROUGH THE STATE
SYSTEM. WE'RE THINKING OUTSIDE
OF THE BOX, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT
COMES TO POSITIONS IN THE MIGHTY
REALM. ON WHAT OTHER RESOURCES
THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE. WE TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF UM. SOME OF THE
PUBLIC AREAS THAT PEOPLE USE
SOME OF THE COMPANIES, UM, THAT
PEOPLE USE TO TRY IT AND GET THE
WORD OUT THERE. WE ALSO TRY AND
ADVERTISE WITH LOCAL BAR
ASSOCIATIONS, THE COUNTY STATE
BAR ASSOCIATIONS WE'VE
ADVERTISED IN THE DIFFERENT
LEGAL, PERIODIC ALS FOR OUR
ATTORNEY POSITIONS. SO WE'RE
TRYING TO BE CREATIVE BECAUSE
WE'RE FEELING THE EFFECTS THAT I
THINK EVERYBODY IN THE NATION IS
FEELING IS RECRUITING FOR OUR UM
, ARE VACANCIES. ONE OF THE BEST
THINGS WE HAVE, THOUGH, IS WE DO
HAVE A LOT OF WORD OF MOUTH.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE COME
TO US BECAUSE THEY KNOW SOMEBODY
AND THEY WANT TO COME WORK AT
THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE,
AND WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD AN INFLUX
OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE LEFT OUR
AGENCY AND ARE NOW GETTING ON
THE LIST TO COME BACK, SO THAT'S
DEFINITELY A POSITIVE MOVE FOR
OUR AGENCY. GOOD THANK YOU. UM
YOU GUYS I THINK I DON'T KNOW.
BUT YOU GUYS DO YOU DO SOME TYPE
OF REVIEW PROCESS OF EVERY WORD
IN CANDIDATE? IS THAT TRUE OR
NOT? THAT IS TRUE. OKAY, AND SO
THERE HAS BEEN BASED ON THE
INFORMATION I HAVE 28 OF 27
WARDENS. UM. ARE IN EXISTENCE
NOW IN THE LAST SINCE 2017 SO
WE'VE LOST 19 WARDENS IN 2017.
IS THERE A DIFFERENT PROCESS
THAT YOU PLAN TO PUT IN PLACE?
OR WHY DO YOU THINK WE HAVE SUCH
HIGH TURNOVER WITH OUR WARDENS?
IT COULD BE. I MEAN, IT COULD BE
JUST BECAUSE THEY'VE ELEVATED TO
THE HIGHEST POSITION AVAILABLE
AND THEN THEY CAN RETIRE. I
DON'T KNOW, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS
ABOUT YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT.
WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THAT AND
ONCE THE NUMBERS WERE PULLED FOR
THE LAST FIVE YEARS FULL
DISCLOSURE. I HAD NOTHING TO DO
WITH THE WARD VETTING PROCESS
UNTIL I TOOK THE ROLE OF
INSPECTOR GENERAL. SO WE KEEP
THAT PROCESS VERY CONFIDENTIAL
AND IT'S VERY CONFIDENTIAL IN
THE VETTING TEAM, SO IT'S NOT
EVEN SHARED WITHIN OUR AGENCY.
BUT BEING IN MY NEW ROLE AS OF
JANUARY, I REALLY LOOKED AT
THAT. AND GETTING THESE NUMBERS
PULLED. I'VE REALIZED THAT WE
HAVE. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF WARDENS
THAT HAVE MOVED ON. THEY HAVE
EITHER RETIRED BECAUSE THEY'VE
THEY'VE GOTTEN TO THAT POINT IN
THEIR CAREER WHERE THEY'RE AT
THAT PLACE. THEY WORKED A FEW
YEARS AND NOW THEY'RE READY TO
RETIRE AND BEING AWARDED IS A
VERY DIFFICULT JOB AND THEN WE
ALSO HAVE THE GROUP OF PEOPLE
WHO HAVE MOVED UP AND THEY'VE
MOVED UP TO BE AN ASSOCIATE
DIRECTOR OR GONE EVEN HIGHER
WITHIN THE EXECUTIVE TEAM OF
CDCR. UM SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS
THAT WE'VE STARTED HAVING WITH
THE DEPARTMENT IS WHAT THEY CAN
DO TO KEEP WARDENS IN IN THE
INSTITUTION WHERE THEY'VE
THEY'VE BEEN VETTED, AND NOW
THEY ARE THERE, THE WARDEN AND
THEY HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED THERE.
AND WHAT? WHAT CAN THEY DO TO
KEEP THEM THERE, PERHAPS
REQUIRED THAT THEY STAY AT A
PRISON FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF
YEARS OR ACT AS A WARDEN, FOR
INSTANCE, SOME CERTAIN NUMBER OF
YEARS BEFORE THEY CAN PROMOTE TO
AN ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR. IT'S
THERE'S JUST A LOT OF DIFFERENT
. UM I THINK MOVING PARTS WHEN
IT COMES TO THAT THERE'S A NEED
WHEN THERE'S A NEED AT THE
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT AND THE
HEADQUARTERS OF CDCR. OBVIOUSLY
THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK OUT INTO
THE FIELD TO SEE WHERE THEY HAVE
THE GOOD STRONG CANDIDATES TO
BRING THOSE PEOPLE UP. SO IT'S
ONE OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT
WE'VE CONTINUED TO HAVE. WE'VE
ALWAYS WE STRESS TO THE
DEPARTMENT THAT THEY NEED TO
REALLY WORK ON, UM, SUCCESSION
PLANNING, UM AND REALLY START
EVEN AT THE LOWER LEVELS IN THE
INSTITUTIONS WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR
SERGEANTS AND LIEUTENANTS AND
YOUR CAPTAINS AND IF THEY'RE
DOING IF THEY'RE DOING A GREAT
JOB, LET'S START WORKING ON ON A
SUCCESSION PLAN. LET'S START
DEVELOPING DEVELOPING THEM
BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO BE THE
FUTURE LEADERS OF CDCR. SO
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS
THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED WITH THEM.
I WISH I HAD THE ANSWER BECAUSE
I WOULD LOVE TO PROVIDE THAT,
BUT IT'S JUST A LOT OF DIFFERENT
MOVING PARTS THAT HAVE TO BE
TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. THANK
YOU. MY LAST QUESTION IS
COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE. ARE
YOU TELL AGO OR PUNJABI OR HOBBY
PUNJABI AND HIS.THIS? SO
OBVIOUSLY THE FIRST PUNJABI EVER
APPOINTED TO THIS POSITION. IT
IS. IT IS WHAT A GREAT WHAT A
GREAT EXAMPLE OF REPRESENTING A
BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY THAT CARES
DEEPLY ABOUT FAMILY
ENTREPRENEURSHIP, JUSTICE IN
AMERICA. SO UM, I APOLOGIZE FOR
THE QUESTION, BUT I JUST WANTED
TO KNOW BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT I
THINK THAT'S REALLY INCREDIBLE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO APPOINTING YOU
TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I AM
PROUD. I AM PROUD TO BE SITTING
HERE TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, SENATOR. GROVE SENATOR
LAIRD. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR
AND, UH, SORRY, I DIDN'T GET A
CHANCE TO MEET WITH YOU
BEFOREHAND, BUT I HAVE
APPRECIATED THE AH EUROPE AND
STATEMENT AND THE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS IN YOUR QUALIFICATIONS.
AND THEY'RE ABOUT THREE THAT I
HAD THAT. WEREN'T DEALT WITH
FROM THE OTHERS, AND SO I'LL
JUST GET RIGHT TO IT. AND THE
FIRST ONE ACTUALLY WAS SORT OF
ASKED BY SENATOR KAMLAGER AND
SENATOR GROWTH, BUT LET ME ASK
IT IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WAY.
UM, JUST FOR CLARITY, AND THAT
IS HIS THERE'S THIS VIEW THAT.
ANY AGENCY THAT REGULATES
ANOTHER AGENCY OR REVIEWS. IT
BECOMES CAPTURED BY THAT AGENCY
. AFTER SIX OR SEVEN YEARS. HOW
WOULD YOU MAKE SURE THAT THAT
DOESN'T HAPPEN WITH YOU AND YOUR
RELATIONSHIP? UH, THE PRISON
SYSTEM. WE ARE USING CHECKS AND
BALANCES. QUITE FRANKLY, I HAVE
AN EXECUTIVE TEAM. AND I DISCUSS
ISSUES WITH THEM. I HAVE I
ENSURE THAT THEY FEEL
COMFORTABLE POINTING THINGS OUT
WHEN THEY FEEL THAT THAT, YOU
KNOW, PERHAPS WE SHOULD BE GOING
IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
PERHAPS WERE BEING COMPLACENT.
PERHAPS WE SHOULD LOOK AT THINGS
IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT. SO IT'S
DEFINITELY CHECKS AND BALANCES.
I HAVE AN EXECUTIVE TEAM OF SIX.
UM SO WE'VE HAD OPEN LINE OF
COMMUNICATION SINCE SINCE THE
DAY I DIDN'T TAKE OFFICE. BUT
SINCE THE DAY I WAS APPOINTED,
AND SINCE I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH
MY EXECUTIVE TEAM, I HAVE
ENSURED THAT THEY ARE CONFIDENT
AND COMFORTABLE BY BASICALLY
TELLING ME HOW IT IS AND THAT
HAS BEEN CRITICAL BECAUSE WE
COME FROM SUCH A VARIETY OF
DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS. EVERYONE
SEES THINGS DIFFERENTLY. WE
DEFINITELY LOOK TO, UM UH, ANY
PERSPECTIVE THAT WE GET FROM THE
PLAINTIFF'S ATTORNEYS WILL SHARE
THEIR PERSPECTIVES WITH US. WE
WILL LOOK TO MEMBERS OF THE
LEGISLATURE IF TO SHARE THEIR
PERSPECTIVES WITH US, AND SO WE
DEFINITELY EMPLOYED LOTS OF
CHECKS AND BALANCES TO ENSURE
THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN THAT WE
DON'T BECOME COMPLACENT AND WE
DON'T START JUST REPORTING
THINGS AND CHECKING BOXES
WITHOUT REALLY GETTING INTO INTO
, UM, THE MEAT OF IT AND REALLY
GETTING INTO WHAT WE SHOULD BE
LOOKING AT AND REPORTING WHAT WE
SHOULD BE LOOKING AT CONFIRMING
YOU FOR A VERY FIXED TERM THAT
ACTUALLY RELATIVE TO WHAT WE
USUALLY DO IS A LONG TERM. AND
SO WE JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE
AWARE OF THAT THROUGH YOUR TERM.
JUST REMIND YOURSELF SOMEHOW.
BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
ANSWER. AND THEN MY NEXT
QUESTION HAD TO DO. IF YOU READ
THE BACKGROUND MATERIAL. THERE'S
DIFFERENT WAYS. THINGS COMING.
YOU YOU,YOU, YOU GET COPIES OF
COMPLIANCE. HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE
THAT YOU'RE USING EVERY AVENUE.
TO GET AT ANYTHING THAT IS GOING
ON IN THE SYSTEM. HOW DO YOU
MAKE SURE THAT SOMETHING'S NOT
HAPPENING? THAT DOESN'T GET TO
YOU. THAT'S WORTHY OF OVERSIGHT,
TOUR OR ACTION. UM WELL, WE HAVE
WE HAVE AN NUMBER OF DIFFERENT
TEAMS WITHIN OUR AGENCY. SO WE
HAVE DISCIPLINE MONITORING AND
PART OF OUR DISCIPLINE
MONITORING IS GETTING
NOTIFICATIONS OF CRITICAL
INCIDENTS WE'VE SHARED WITH THE
DEPARTMENT. A LIST OF INCIDENTS
THAT OCCURRED THAT WE EXPECT TO
BE NOTIFIED ABOUT SO THAT WE CAN
MAKE IT TO AN ASSESSMENT AND
MONITOR THE SITUATION. WE HAVE A
MEMBER OF OUR TEAM THAT SITS AT
THE UM, DEPARTMENT OFFICE OF
INTERNAL AFFAIRS. CENTRAL INTAKE
PROCESSING, WHICH IS BASICALLY
WHERE ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS COME
IN THE REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION
FROM THE ALL OF THE INSTITUTIONS
, AND WE REVIEW THOSE WEEKLY SO
THAT WE HAVE A HANDLE ON THOSE
WE HAVE STAFF THAT GO TO THE
MONTHLY WARDENS MEETING SO EVERY
MONTH, THEY SAID AT THE MEETING
, THEY TALK ABOUT ISSUES THAT
ARE OCCURRING. THEY TALK ABOUT
UH UM. MATTERS THAT COULD
POTENTIALLY TURN INTO
INVESTIGATIONS. WE HAVE A STAFF
COMPLAINTS MONITORING UNIT WHERE
WE DO REVIEW THE INCARCERATED
PERSONS GRIEVANCES. UM AND THAT
PROCESS HAS JUST STARTED IN, UM
IN THEIR THEIR NEW, ROBUST
PROCESS, WHERE THEY HAVE A
CENTRALIZED SCREENING TEAM.
WHERE ALL OF THE GRIEVANCES COME
IN. WE HAVE PEOPLE SITTING AT
THAT TABLE TO REVIEW THOSE AS
WELL. WE ALSO GET DAILY BRIEFING
, THE DEPARTMENT PUTS OUT A
DAILY BRIEFING THAT IS SENT TO
US THAT WE REVIEW SO WE CAN READ
ABOUT THE DIFFERENT INCIDENTS
THAT ARE OCCURRING AT ALL OF THE
DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE. SO THAT IF
THERE IS SOMETHING THAT THAT WE
FIND NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO, WE
ABSOLUTELY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO
DO THAT AS WELL. WE HAVE TEAMS
THAT GO OUT TO THE INSTITUTION.
UH IF NOT MONTHLY, IF NOT WEEKLY
, MONTHLY TO MONITOR INCIDENTS
INVOLVING USE OF FORCE. SO WE
HAVE A LOT AND THEN OF COURSE WE
HAVE OUR MEDICAL INSPECTION
UNIT, ALTHOUGH THEIR PURVIEW IS,
UM, LOOKING AT THE MEDICAL CARE
THAT ARE THAT'S RECEIVED BY THE
INCARCERATED PERSON. UH THAT
DOESN'T MEAN THEY TURN A BLIND
EYE TO ANYTHING ELSE, SO WE HAVE
A LOT OF DIFFERENT UM, STAFF
MEMBERS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE
INSTITUTIONAL SETTING. AND THEN
WE ALSO HAVE A COMPLAINT LINE.
WE HAVE AN EMAIL. WE HAVE AN 800
NUMBER AND THEN OBVIOUSLY MALE,
WHERE WE CAN RECEIVE COMPLAINTS
DIRECTLY FROM THE INCARCERATED
POPULATION. EXCUSE ME FOR
INTERRUPTING OR THEIR TIMES YOU
EVER DISCOVERED THAT THAT SYSTEM
DIDN'T UNCOVER SOMETHING THAT
YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT. HAVE YOU
HAD INSTANCES LIKE THAT HAPPEN?
I'M I'M SURE THERE ARE. I'M SURE
THERE ARE INSTANCES JUST WORKING
FOR THE FACT THAT THERE'S
ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT AND
CONSTANTLY MAKING SURE THAT THAT
YOU'RE GETTING AT THINGS THAT
ARE GOING ON. YES ABSOLUTELY.
AND I THINK WITH ANY SYSTEM,
ESPECIALLY WITH THE DEPARTMENT
CDCR BEING SO LARGE IT IS IT IS
I. THERE ARE INCIDENTS AND
INSTANCES OF THINGS THAT WE WILL
NOT GET NOTIFIED OF. UM, AND
THAT'S JUST THERE'S JUST A PRIOR
JOB I HAD WHERE I ASKED THIS
QUESTION ALL THE TIME BECAUSE
THERE WERE THINGS AND IT WAS
REALLY ROUGH TO TRY TO FIGURE IT
OUT. SOMETIMES SINCE MY LAST
QUESTION IS WE HAVE WE HAVE
INFORMATION AND IN OUR
BACKGROUND MATERIAL. ABOUT 2019
INVESTIGATION OF THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL INTO VARIOUS THINGS THAT
SALINAS VALLEY STATE PRISON AND. IT WAS REALLY THE STAFF
COMPLAINT PROCESS WAS
FUNDAMENTALLY BROKEN. THERE WAS
OVERALL LACK OF TRAINING.
REVIEWING THE STAFF CHARGED WITH
HIS EWING COMPLAINTS WERE ALL
CLOSE TO STAFF MEMBERS, AND IT
JUST DIDN'T GET FOLLOWED UP. AND
THERE WAS EVEN A BIAS WHERE
CORROBORATING EVIDENCE OFFERED
BY INCARCERATED WITNESSES WAS
NOT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. AND
COMPLAINTS DISMISSED BY THE
PRISON INCLUDED EXCESSIVE USE OF
FORCE THREATENING BEHAVIOR.
UNWANTED CELL SEARCHES,
CONFLICTS. CONFISCATION OF
PERSONAL PROPERTY, INCLUDING
THROWING AWAY ONE PERSON'S
DENTURES. AND SO THERE'S THIS
LIST HERE. AND INSPECTOR GENERAL
DID A CLEAR, EXCELLENT REPORT.
WHAT'S THE PROCESS FOR
MONITORING AFTER A REPORT ON
WHETHER OR NOT THINGS WERE
IMPLEMENTED, WHETHER OR NOT
PRACTICES WERE CHANGED IF YOU DO
SOMETHING LIKE THAT, HOW DO YOU
MAKE SURE? THAT IT ACTUALLY
LEADS TO CHANGE AND YOU'RE
MONITORING WHAT THOSE PRACTICES
OR AFTER THAT HAPPENS. WILL SET
SALINAS VALLEY ASIDE FOR JUST A
SECOND BECAUSE THAT TOOK OFF IN
A WHOLE SEPARATE REALM, BUT
NOTWITHSTANDING SALINAS VALLEY
FOR OUR OTHER REPORTS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS, WE DO TRACK
THOSE. WE PUT THEM IN A
DASHBOARD. WE FOLLOW UP WITH THE
DEPARTMENT IN 60 DAYS. WE FOLLOW
UP WITH THEM ON 1 880 DAYS AND
WE FOLLOW UP WITH THEM IN A
YEAR. MY PREDECESSORS HADN'T
REALLY BUILT A PROGRAM WHERE WE
SHOULD NOW GO THROUGH, AND THAT
IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE BEEN
DISCUSSING WITH MY EXECUTIVE
TEAM AND MY STAFF MEMBERS OF
LET'S GO IN THAT DIRECTION. IF
THERE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT
WE HAVE MADE, AND THE DEPARTMENT
HAS NOT IMPLEMENTED OR PARTIALLY
IMPLEMENTED OR JUST IGNORED, WE
NEED TO START LOOKING AT THOSE
AND WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHERE
WHAT IS LACKING? WHAT ARE THEY
NOT DOING? WHAT WAS OUR
RECOMMENDATION NOT APPROPRIATE,
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS
GOING TO BE AN ONGOING PROJECT
AT FUTURE PROJECT I SHOULD SAY
FOR THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S
OFFICE. SALINAS VALLEY WAS A
LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. I SPENT A
YEAR ON THAT PROJECT. THAT WAS
MY PROJECT, AND I DID, AND I DID
SEE THOSE THINGS FIRSTHAND THAT
WERE WRITTEN IN OUR REPORT. BUT
THE DEPARTMENT HAS IMPLEMENTED
NEW REGULATIONS IN REGARDS TO
THE STAFF COMPLAINT PROCESS, SO
THAT REPORT ITSELF DID BRING
SWEEPING CHANGES TO THE
DEPARTMENT WHEN IT CAME TO THE
GRIEVANCE PROCESS, THEY HAVE
IMPLEMENTED NEW REGULATIONS
THEY'VE HIRED. THEY PUT AN
ENTIRE NEW PROCESS TOGETHER.
BASED ON OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, UM
, THEY'VE REMOVED THE GRIEVANCE
PROCESS FROM THE PRISON ITSELF,
AND THEY'VE MOVED IT TO BE
SCREENED BY A CENTRALIZED
SCREENING TEAM. SO THAT THEY'RE
ALL REVIEWED, AND THERE'S A
DETERMINATION MADE WHETHER THERE
IS STAFF MISCONDUCT AND WHETHER
IT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BY A
BRANCH OF THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS
OR IF IT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED
BY ONE OF THE LOCALLY DESIGNATED
INVESTIGATORS WHO ARE SPECIALLY
TRAINED TO CONDUCT THESE
INVESTIGATIONS, AND WE ACTUALLY
HAVE BEEN GRANTED THE STAFFING
TO MONITOR THIS PROCESS. SO THAT
REPORT ACTUALLY DID BRING
SWEEPING CHANGES TO THE
DEPARTMENT INDEFINITELY IN A
POSITIVE WAY TO IMPROVE THAT
GRIEVANCE PROCESS. OKAY I REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR RESPONSE AND
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR
WILLINGNESS TO SERVE IN WHAT IS
REALLY A DIFFICULT ROLE. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, SENATOR LAIRD.
UM I WOULD. I APPRECIATE ALL THE
COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS OF MY
COLLEAGUES BECAUSE I CAN BUILD
OFF OF THAT. UM, I THANK YOU
HAVE AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT
POSITION FOR A NUMBER OF
REASONS. UM, SOME OF US TO
REFERENCE ONE OF THE EXAMPLES
SENATOR KAMLAGER GAVE ABOUT
STORIES THAT WE HEAR AND GET. I
MEAN, I'VE BEEN ON THE RULES
COMMITTEE SINCE I GOT TO THE
SENATE, UM IN 2016. AND YOU
KNOW, I HAVE SAT THROUGH, UH, A
CONFIRMATION, A RE RE
APPOINTMENT CONFIRMATION AND A
NEW CONFIRMATION OF THE HEAD OF
CDC ARE UM AND VARIOUS OTHER
MEMBERS AT CDCR. SO I THINK WHEN
YOU HEAR COLLEAGUES ASKING
QUESTIONS RELATED TO THAT IT IS
BECAUSE WE GET CONFRONTED WITH
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ASKED
US WHAT IS YOUR ROLE? WHAT ARE
YOU DOING, AND IT'S VERY
COMPLICATED. CALIFORNIA HAS THE
LARGEST PRISON SYSTEM IN THE
WORLD. AND THESE ARE NOT EASY
POSITIONS TO FIND, UM FOR
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT. IT IS HARD
. I RECOGNIZE WE KNOW VERY
LITTLE. ABOUT ABOUT, UM, THE DAY
TO DAY WORKINGS IN THE
COMPLEXITY OF WHAT YOU HAVE TO
DO TO MANAGE. UM, SUCH A LARGE
WORKFORCE. BUT I THINK THAT WAS
THAT GOT TO ONE OF THE
QUESTIONS. SENATOR GROVE. ASKED
ABOUT HOW MANY OF YOUR STAFF ARE
FORMALLY CDCR, AND YOU DON'T
TRACK THAT I CAN UNDERSTAND FROM
A HR PERSPECTIVE HOW THAT MIGHT
BE THE CASE, BUT I WOULD ASK
ABOUT HOW DO YOU DETERMINE IF
YOU IF YOU HAVE STAFF WHO COME
IN, AND CLEARLY THE ROLE IS VERY
IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF ALL THE
COMPONENTS, YOU MENTIONED
ENFORCEMENT, THE TEAMS UM, YOU
KNOW, I WANT TO GET TO KIND OF A
CULTURE CHANGE QUESTION. WHEN I
LOOK AT SOME OF THE CASES THAT
WE HAVE READ ABOUT IN THE PAPER
AND THEN HAD TO ASK CDCR ABOUT
LAWSUITS BROUGHT BY FEMALE STAFF
WHO THE COURTS RULED IN THEIR
FAVOR TO THE TUNE OF ALMOST $2.5
MILLION, AND THEN THEY HAD TO
RETIRE FROM CDCR. UM A
SETTLEMENT BY A TRANSGENDER
WOMAN WORKING AS A CORRECTIONAL
OFFICER. UM THAT WAS 20. I DON'T
HAVE A YEAR ON THAT IN 2020, A
FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERED
CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS AT R. J.
DONOVAN IN MY, UM COMMUNITY IN
SAN DIEGO COUNTY TO WEAR BODY
CAMERAS AFTER HEARING EVIDENCE
OF REPEATED UNNECESSARY
EXCESSIVE FORCE. BY OFFICERS
AGAINST INCARCERATED PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES 2021. CORRECTIONAL
OFFICER WHO OVERDOSED AND DIED
AFTER ENDURING HARASSMENT. I
THINK I THINK SENATOR KAMLAGER
REFERRED TO THAT. SO ARE WE'RE
LIMITED HERE. WE GET A SNAPSHOT
AND WE GET APPOINTMENTS THAT WE
HAVE TO ADDRESS IN THE SENATE.
AND WE GET COMMENTS FROM THE
PUBLIC. UM WHO ARE CONCERNED? SO
I GUESS. DO YOU HAVE A SENSE?
ARE YOU ABLE TO DETERMINE IF IN
YOUR ROLE THAT THAT YOU ARE
SEEING A CHANGING CULTURE WITHIN
THE DEPARTMENT? I MEAN, THAT'S
KIND OF A VAGUE QUESTION. BUT
IT'S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO GET
AT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SOME OF
OUR WORRIES AND CONCERNS ABOUT
OUR ROLE. YOU HAVE A ROLE AND
YOU'RE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE. WE
HAVE A ROLE TO ENSURE THE SAME
JUST DIFFERENT. SO TELL ME A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR THOUGHTS
OF CULTURE CHANGE AND THEN IN
TERMS OF EMPLOYEES, UM UNDER
YOUR DIRECTION. DO YOU HAVE
IMPLICIT BIAS TRAINING THAT
MIGHT INCLUDE A PERSPECTIVE THAT
UM HOW YOU PERCEIVE,
INCARCERATED OR EVEN EMPLOYEES
WHO MAY HAVE COMPLAINTS. HOW DO
YOU LOOK AT THAT KIND OF
TRAINING? THOSE ARE MULTIPLE
QUESTIONS. I APOLOGIZE. OKAY SO
FIRST OF ALL THE CULTURE CHANGE.
I THINK THAT IS A VERY BIG AREA,
AND THAT HAS BEEN A DISCUSSION
THAT WE'VE HAD INTERNALLY IS
THERE HAS TO BE A CHANGE IN
CULTURE. THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S
OFFICE EXPERIENCED IT BY CDCR.
WHEN I FIRST STARTED, THEY WERE
RESISTANT. THEY DIDN'T WANT US
THERE, AND THEY JUST THOUGHT WE
WOULD GO AWAY AND NOW FAST
FORWARD IN 2022. THEY'RE THEY'RE
ACCEPTING OF US. THEY HAVE, UM
BUILT US INTO THEIR THEIR
PROCESS IS WHEN THEY WERE
BUILDING THEIR NEW STAFF
COMPLAINT MONITORING PROCESS.
THEY ACTUALLY HAD AREAS THAT
WERE IDENTIFIED AS THIS IS WHERE
OH, IT FITS IN SO THERE IS A
CULTURE CHANGE. I THINK WHAT'S
CRITICAL IS THEY DO NEED TO
START FROM THE ACADEMY LEVEL
WHEN THEY WHEN THEY BRING IN
THESE NEW CADETS, AND THEY BRING
IN THE NEW STAFF MEMBERS AND
HIGHER THEY NEED TO START WITH
THAT CULTURE CHANGE THEIR THE
DEPARTMENT ITSELF HAS HAS SOME
AH, TRAINING GOALS THAT THEY
HAVE TO HELP. UM MHM IMPROVE IN
THOSE AREAS. THEY I KNOW WHAT
THEIR REHABILITATION PROGRAM
THAT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE
CULTURE SHIFT. THEY ARE TRYING
TO ADOPT THE, UM. THE NORWAY
PROJECT NORI MODEL BUT A
REHABILITATION PROGRAM BASED ON
HOW NORWAY IS DOING THIS AND
IT'S THE AMEND PROJECT. I KNOW
THAT IS GOING TO BE A BIG
CULTURE CHANGE AND HAVING GONE
TO VALLEY STATE PRISON AND
ACTUALLY SPOKEN WITH STAFF
MEMBERS THAT IS ONE OF THE
CRITICAL AREAS THAT THEY HAVE
TALKED ABOUT BECAUSE THE CULTURE
CHANGES GOING FROM, UH FROM
PUNISHMENT AND INCARCERATION TO
REHABILITATION IN IN REALLY LIKE
HUMANISTIC REHABILITATION. THE
ESCALATION IS A DEVOTION ON DE
ESCALATION AND BASICALLY
REFERRING TO THE INCARCERATED
PERSON BY THEIR FIRST NAME AND
REALLY ENGAGING THAT, AND THAT
WAS SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS.
THERE ARE THAT THAT WAS GOING TO
BE A HUGE SHIFT IN THE CULTURE
AND IT'S THAT MENTALITY OF
YOU'RE NOT JUST A GUARD. YOU'RE
ACTUALLY A PERSON DEALING WITH
ANOTHER PERSON. AND SOME OF THAT
YOU SEE HAPPENING NOW, EVEN AT
AT AN INSTITUTION I WAS AT LAST
WEEK YOU SEE THE STAFF AND THE
INCARCERATED POPULATION
INTERACTING AND HAVING
DISCUSSIONS AND IT'S NOT THE US
VERSUS THEM TYPE OF MENTALITY,
SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A
SLOW AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO
BE SOMETHING THAT THE DEPARTMENT
REALLY HAS TO ENGAGE IN IN ORDER
TO SHIFT THE CULTURE INTO TO GET
TO GET RID OF SOME OF THAT THAT
STIGMA WE HAVE TO BE GUARDS AS
OPPOSED TO. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE AN
OFFICER WHO HAS A ROLE, AND
OBVIOUSLY PART OF THAT ROLE IS
TO ENGAGE IN THE REHABILITATION
PROCESS FOR THE INCARCERATED
POPULATION. FOR MY STAFF. WE
DON'T HAVE THE DAY TO DAY
INTERACTONS. WE ARE NOT. WE ARE
NOT IN THE INSTITUTION EVERY
SINGLE DAY SUCH AS A
CORRECTIONAL OFFICER IS, BUT
WE'RE COGNIZANT OF ANY BIASES
THAT WE HAVE. WE HAVE WE HAVE
OUR OUR STAFF WHO ASSESSED
SITUATIONS ASSESSED INCIDENTS
AND THEN OUR SUPERVISORS FOR
REVIEW. THOSE ARE MANAGERS
REVIEW THOSE INCIDENTS AND IT
PRETTY MUCH GOES UP THE CHAIN.
UNTIL IT GETS TO ME WHERE I
ACTUALLY REVIEW ONCE THE CASES
ARE FINALIZED, WE ACTUALLY WE
REVIEW THOSE MY CHIEF DEPUTY,
AND I BOTH REVIEW THOSE AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE LAYERS BUILT IN TO
ENSURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE A BIAS
. UM WE HAVE THE DIFFERENT
LAYERS AND IF THAT'S THE CASE,
AD WE WILL, YOU KNOW, WE'LL
PULL PEOPLE ASIDE AND WE'LL HAVE
THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND WILL
ENGAGE IN THAT TYPE OF TRAINING
AND OR WILL SEEK OUTSIDE
TRAINING TO ENSURE THAT THERE
ISN'T A BIAS ON OUR END OF
THINGS. THANK YOU. WELL I
APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR
THOUGHTFULNESS AND YOUR YOUR
THOUGHTFUL RESPONSES. UM I THINK
YOU HAVE A BIG JOB AHEAD OF YOU
BECAUSE I THINK THE CONCERN AND
THE LACK OF, UM WELL, THE
CONCERN ABOUT CDCR GIVEN THE
MYRIAD OF ISSUES AND HOW
DIFFICULT IT IS, I THINK, IN
PART FALLS ON YOUR SHOULDERS TO
DETERMINE IF YOU SEE IMPROVEMENT
. HOW DOES THE PUBLIC MEASURE
THAT? HOW DO WE MEASURE? IT
OBVIOUSLY IS THE PERSON WHO IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR LEADING YOU HAVE
YOUR OWN MANAGEMENT TEAM AND
MEASUREMENTS FOR HOW YOU WHAT
YOU DEFINE AS SUCCESS. BUT I
REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT. AND I
WAS CERTAINLY WISH YOU THE BEST
OF LUCK BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY
CRITICAL. IT'S IMPORTANT. I KNOW
THAT MY COLLEAGUES FEEL THAT WAY
AS WELL. AND THANK YOU FOR
STEPPING UP. AND BEING WILLING
TO TAKE THIS ON. THANK YOU. UM I
THINK WE WILL GO TO MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC AND WE'RE GOING TO
START OBVIOUSLY WITH THOSE WHO
ARE IN ROOM 2200 THAT MAY WISH
TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT. PLEASE
FEEL FREE. IF YOU'RE HERE AND
WANT TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT TO
BECOME FORWARD. OKAY? AH WHAT WE
WILL DO IS NOW GO TO THOSE WHO
WISH TO SPEAK. AND SUPPORT, UM
FROM TELECONFERENCE, AND I THINK
WE GAVE THE NUMBER OUT BEFORE.
REMINDER TO FOLKS THAT THAT
NUMBER IS THE TOLL FREE
PARTICIPANT NUMBER 87722681. THE
ACCESS CODE AGAIN IS 6014832.
AND I WILL WELCOME OUR MODERATOR
TO T S UP FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO
SPEAK IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU. IF
YOU WISH TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT,
PLEASE PRESS 10 AT THIS TIME.
AND THANK YOU AS PEOPLE ARE
TEEING UP, MADAM MODERATOR. I
WOULD REMIND FOLKS TO SPEAK
SLOWLY AND CLEARLY SO THAT OUR
COURT REPORTER CAN GET YOUR
COMMENTS YOUR NAME YOUR
ORGANIZATION, IF ANY, AND YOUR
SENTENCE OF SUPPORT. GO AHEAD,
MADAM MODERATOR. AND I HAVE NO
COMMENT. THANK YOU AT THIS TIME,
OKAY? I GAVE SUCH GREAT
INSTRUCTIONS FOR NO COMMENTS. UH
SO, UM, WE WILL HEAR FROM ANYONE
IN THE ROOM WHO MAY BE IN
OPPOSITION. IF YOU ARE HERE TO
SPEAK IN OPPOSITION, PLEASE COME
FORWARD. SEEING NO ONE
APPROACHED THE MICROPHONE. I
WILL COME BACK TO YOU, MADAM
MODERATOR FOR THOSE WHO MAY WISH
TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION, SAME
CRITERIA APPLIES NAME
ORGANIZATION, IF ANY AND
SENTENCE OF OPPOSITION. THANK
YOU. IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK IN
OPPOSITION, PLEASE PRESS 10 AT
THIS TIME. I HAVE NO COMMENT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE
HAD A MODERATOR WILL BE BACK
WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT LATER IN
THE HEARING. I WOULD FOR THE
RECORD. LET FOLKS KNOW THAT WE
DID GET LETTERS FOR THE RECORD
IN SUPPORT AND LETTERS WITH
CONCERN AND OPPOSITION AND NO
DOUBT THAT WAS THE RESULT OF
SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE
ASKED DURING THE PROCESS. HAVING
SAID THAT I WOULD ENTERTAIN A
MOTION FROM ONE OF MY
COLLEAGUES. A MOTION FROM
SENATOR GROVE. MADAM SECRETARY,
WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
GROVE GROVE? I KAMLAGER KAMLAGER
NOT VOTING. LAIRD I BATES I
ATKINS ATKINS, I FOR 20420.
CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND AGAIN TO
YOU ALSO MISSING.
CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. OKAY LET ME SEE IF WE
SHOULD TAKE A FEW MINUTE BREAK.
YES WE'LL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE
BREAK AND GET SET UP FOR ITEM
ONE B SO FIVE MINUTES AND WE'LL
BE BACK TOGETHER. HAVE A GOOD.
GO AHEAD AND CALL THE MEETING.
BACK TO ORDER. UH WE'LL CONTINUE
NOW TO ITEM ONE B AND THAT'S THE
APPOINTMENT OF CLOTHES HELD.
HEWLETT JD COMMISSIONER AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL
PROTECTION AND INNOVATION. SO
COMMISSIONER LET ME WELCOME YOU
AND AS YOU COME ON UP, UM, I
WILL, UM, GIVE OPENING. KIND OF
DIRECTIONS, WHICH IS TO DO
EXACTLY WHAT THE, UH FORMER
APPOINTEE DID, WHICH IS TO FEEL
FREE TO RECOGNIZE ANYONE YOU
WOULD LIKE TO THANK ANYONE MAKE
OPENING COMMENTS AND THEN I WILL
GO RIGHT TO MY COLLEAGUES. FOR
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. SO WITH
THAT I TALK UNTIL I CAN SEE
YOU'RE READY TO GO WELCOME.
THANK YOU AND GOOD AFTERNOON.
MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY AND
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF MY
APPOINTMENT AS COMMISSIONER OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL
PROTECTION AND INNOVATION. THANK
YOU AS WELL TO GOVERNOR NEWSOM,
WHO PLACED HIS TRUST IN ME.
SERVE CALIFORNIA AND FOR
RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF
SETTING STATEWIDE PRIORITIES TO
ENCOURAGE SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE
INNOVATION IN THE FINANCIAL
MARKET PLACE. I WANT TO.
ESPECIALLY THANK MY SONS. STEVEN
AND EVAN. THE WIND BENEATH MY
WINGS. MY HUSBAND, SKIP AND MY
SISTERS MARYANNE AND SUSIE JONES
, WHO ARE JOINING VIRTUALLY
TODAY. I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR
THEIR UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT.
THAT HAS KEPT ME FOCUSED AND
MOTIVATED TO DO ALL I CAN DO TO
SERVE CALIFORNIANS. IT IS MY
HONOR TO SERVE S COMMISSIONER OF
THE D F P I A TEAM OF
EXTRAORDINARY DEDICATED PUBLIC
SERVANTS. WORKING DAY IN AND DAY
OUT TO PROTECT CONSUMERS AND
STRENGTHEN OUR STATES FINANCIAL
INDUSTRY. WHILE I STARTED THIS
JOB. ONLY IN DECEMBER OF LAST
YEAR. I AM NO STRANGER, THE
STATE GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC
POLICY. I HAVE WORKED FOR THREE
GOVERNORS IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES
. I'VE WORKED IN THE PUBLIC
SECTOR AS A PEACE OFFICER AND
ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY
STATE DIRECTOR AND UNDER
SECRETARY I DID A REGULATOR AS
DIRECTOR FOR THE MORAL CHARACTER
DETERMINATIONS WITH THE STATE
BAR OF CALIFORNIA AND I HAVE
WORKED IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AS
AN ATTORNEY. AND STATE AND
FEDERAL LOBBYISTS FOR NATIONAL
AND INTERNATIONAL LAW FIRMS.
MOST RECENTLY I SERVED AS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT THE CAL
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION FOR THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA,
BERKELEY. AND THE WILD. MY
CAREER HAS PROVIDED. ME WITH
INVALUABLE EXPERIENCE HAS GIVEN
ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND
GROW AND OWN MY SKILLS. IT IS MY
PERSONAL BACKGROUND THAT DRIVES
MY DECISIONS. GROWING UP IN BOTH
RURAL POVERTY AND ETHICALLY,
YORK. AND AN INNER CITY POVERTY
AND NORTH PHILADELPHIA. AND IN
SAN FRANCISCO. I KNOW WHAT IT'S
LIKE TO EXPERIENCE. THE
DESPERATION. OF POVERTY. I KNOW
WHAT IT'S LIKE. TO BE HUNGRY.
AND HOMELESS. AND WHETHER IT IS
RURAL POVERTY IN THE BACK WAS OF
ITHACA. OR URBAN POVERTY. IN
NORTH PHILADELPHIA AND THE
WESTERN ADDITION IN SAN
FRANCISCO. POVERTY IS POVERTY.
AND THE PAIN AND SUFFERING AND
SOMETIMES THE FEELING OF HOPE
WAS IS EXACTLY THE SAME. THIS IS
WHY EVERY DAY AND THROUGH EVERY
STEP OF MY CAREER, I STRIVE TO
MAKE SURE THE DECISIONS WE MAKE
WILL BUILD A BETTER AND MORE
INCLUSIVE TOMORROW. I'M ALSO A
STRONG PROPONENT OF ESTABLISHING
ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS WITH
METRICS TO ENSURE PROGRESS TO
THAT END. I RECENTLY CONVENED MY
EXECUTIVE TEAM TO ESTABLISH
GOALS INTO DEVELOP KEY
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND THE
GOALS ARE THE FOLLOWING NUMBER
ONE. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
CALIFORNIA CONSUMER FINANCIAL
PROTECTION LAW, SPECIFICALLY
PROVIDING GUIDANCE TO COMPANIES
ON HOW TO RESPOND TO CONSUMER
COMPLAINTS. STRENGTHENING OUR
ENGAGEMENT WITH INNOVATORS WHO
ARE OFFICE OF FINANCIAL
TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION AND
ESTABLISHING REGISTRATION
PROCEDURES. NUMBER TWO.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GOVERNOR'S
EXECUTIVE ORDER TO CREATE
POLICIES THAT STRENGTHEN
CONSUMER PROTECTION WHILE
PROMOTING RESPONSIBLE INNOVATION
AND CRIPPLE CRYPTO ASSETS THAT
ARE ACTIVELY INCLUSIVE AND
CONSIDER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
AND NUMBER THREE IN THE LABELING
GENERATIONAL WEALTH BUILDING FOR
UNDERSERVED AND HISTORICALLY
EXCLUDED COMMUNITIES LIKE THE
ONES I GREW UP. NUMBER FOUR
REVIEWING THE DEPARTMENT'S
REGULATORY PROCESS FOR HIGH
RISK. SECURITIES AND NUMBER FIVE
THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL.
INCREASING CALIFORNIA'S
AWARENESS OF THE FPS WORK TO
BETTER SERVE CONSUMERS. I'M
ALWAYS SAID WE CANNOT WAIT. FOR
THE PEOPLE TO COME TO GOVERNMENT
. WE HAVE TO GO. WHO THE PEOPLE
AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE
DOING. IT IS CLEAR THAT THE FBI
HAS A CLEAR FUTURE AND I FEEL SO
PRIVILEGED. TO BE AT THE
INTERSECTION OF HIS WORK AT THIS
IS EXTRAORDINARY MOMENT IN TIME
AND TO BE ABLE TO LEAD OUR
EFFORTS TO ENCOURAGE SAFE,
RESPONSIBLE AND INNOVATIVE
GROWTH AS WELL AS TO WAR THROUGH
THE WORK REQUIRED TO IDENTIFY
THE AREAS WERE CONSUMERS NEED
ADDITIONAL PROTECTION. I BELIEVE
THAT CONSUMER PROTECTION IS A
SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUE. AND I AM
DEDICATED TO MAKING THE
FINANCIAL SECTOR MORE DIVERSE,
EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE. AND I
WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY. TO
ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS
TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU AND. IT WAS GREAT TO
HEAR YOU ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR
FAMILY. UM SENATOR LAIRD, DO YOU
WANT TO START? THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, MADAM CHAIR AND WELCOME TO
THE COMMITTEE. I APPRECIATE YOUR
OPENING STATEMENT BECAUSE IT IT
GOT TO SOME OF THE PLACES I WANT
TO ASK ABOUT. SO LET ME JUST ASK
SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT COMES TO
ESTABLISHING THE CONSUMER
FINANCIAL PROTECTION DIVISION.
WHAT STEPS YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE
TO DO THAT IN ESTABLISHING IT?
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE SURE
IT MEETS THE PROMISE THAT WAS
EXPECTED IN ITS CREATION. I
THINK, AS I MENTIONED FIRST AND
FOREMOST, UM IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
TO SET YOUR KEY PERFORMANCE
INDICATORS AND TO MEASURE
EXACTLY WHAT YOUR GOALS AND YOUR
OBJECTIVES ARE. AND ONE OF THE
KEY THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING IS
THROUGH OUR COMPLAINT PROCESS.
IF YOU WERE TO CALL OUR
COMPLAINT HOTLINE RIGHT NOW, UM
YOUR CALL WILL BE ANSWERED
WITHIN THREE MINUTES. EVERY
SINGLE COMPLAINT. IS ADDRESSED.
WE TRY FIRST AND FOREMOST TO
MEDIATE THE COMPLAINT WITH THE
CONSUMER AND THE COMPANY
INVOLVED. AND WHEN THAT CONDUCT
IS SO HARMFUL THAT WE CANNOT
MEDIATE IT, THEN WE BRING IN OUR
ENFORCEMENT DIVISION. THEY
INVESTIGATE AND WE TAKE ACTION.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO
RESPOND TO WHAT WE'RE HEARING
FROM THE PUBLIC ALSO. WHAT ARE
IN PARTICULAR, UM DIVISION IS
DOING IS THEY'RE GOING OUT TO
THE PUBLIC THERE. MEETING WITH
COMMUNITY GROUPS. THEY ARE IN
FEDERAL PARTNERS, AS WELL AS
OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. SUCH AS OUR
CONSUMER PROTECTION ADVOCATES,
SO WE ARE HEARING ON A DAILY
BASIS WHAT IS HAPPENING WITHIN
THE FIELD WILL EXCUSE MY
CONFUSION. I THOUGHT YOU WERE
STILL IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING
THIS AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE
IT UP AND RUNNING. YES, IT IS
VERY MUCH UP AND RUNNING AND.
AND WE ARE DOING NUMEROUS
INITIATIVES AS A RESULT OF WHAT
THEY'RE DOING, PARTICULARLY IN
THE AREA OF DEVELOPING
REGULATIONS IN THE AREA OF
ENFORCEMENT AND IN THE AREA OF
ANALYZING THE MARKET DATA AND
RUNNING, BUT YES, YES. AND WE'RE
STILL WE ARE BUILDING IT, BUT IT
HAS BEEN UP AND RUNNING FOR, UM
, AT LEAST TWO YEARS NOW. OKAY
AND THEN I WAS GOING TO ASK THE
QUESTION OF BECAUSE YOU TALKED
ABOUT INNOVATION AND THAT IS
SOMETHING. HOW DO YOU BALANCE
SORT OF THE AH, INNOVATIVE
FINANCIAL PRODUCTS AND
PROTECTING CONSUMERS AGAINST
RISK. BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE WE
ALL WANT TO ENCOURAGE INNOVATION
. BUT HOW DO WE DO THAT IN A WAY
THAT IDENTIFIES WHAT THE RISKS
ARE, TOO CONSUMER SENT PROTECTS
THEM IN IT. THIS IS WHY I THINK
IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. TO HAVE
NUMEROUS STAKEHOLDER GROUPS AND
HEAR FROM DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVES. BECAUSE ON ONE
HAND YOU WANT TO HAVE STRONG
CONSUMER PROTECTION. AND YOU
WANT TO HAVE A REGULATIONS THAT
ENSURE THAT CONSUMER PROTECTION
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU DON'T
WANT TO HAVE REGULATIONS THAT
ARE SO ONEROUS. THAT IT
BASICALLY BLOCKS ANY TYPE OF
INNOVATION. PARTICULARLY WHEN
YOU'RE LOOKING AT SMALL
BUSINESSES WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING
AT, UM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES
THAT CAN BENEFIT FROM ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT. AND SO THE REAL
CHALLENGE. IT IS. FINDING WHERE
THAT BALANCES. AND THAT'S WHY
IT'S SO IMPORTANT. UM, TO BRING
PEOPLE TOGETHER FROM DIVERSE
PERSPECTIVES SO YOU CAN FIND
EXACTLY WHERE THAT MIDDLE GROUND
THIS AND WHAT THEY FOUND IS THAT
RESPONSIBLE BUSINESSES DO WANT
TO INCREASE THEIR BRAND. THEY DO
WANT TO PROSPER. AND MANY
INSTANCES RESPONSIBLE BUSINESSES
WANT TO KNOW. JUST TELL US WHAT
THE REGULATIONS ARE WHAT THE
STANDARDS ARE. SO. THAT IS WHY
WITHIN, UM THE D F P R OFFICE OF
TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION IS SO VERY
IMPORTANT BECAUSE ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT THAT PARTICULAR
DIVISION DOES IS IT HELPS TO OF
ISA BUSINESSES OF WHAT THEY NEED
TO DO. TO COMPLY. TO YOUR, UH.
THE RESPONSES COUPE DEFAULTING
TO THE REGULATIONS AND WHAT THAT
IS, BUT AS YOU AS A LEADER. HAVE
TO SORT OF CREATE A SYSTEM. THAT. FIGURES OUT HOW TO IDENTIFY
THOSE RISKS, AND IT SOUNDS IN
MANY WAYS LIKE YOU'RE DRIVEN BY
THE INPUTS LIKE SOMEBODY MAKES A
COMPLAINT OR YOU TALK TO
STAKEHOLDERS. DO YOU HAVE A WAY
THAT YOU AFFIRMATIVELY LOOK OUT
AND TRY TO IDENTIFY WHERE THOSE
THINGS ARE IN MANAGING THE
DEPARTMENT. YES SO, UM, THERE
ARE NUMEROUS WAYS THAT WE HAD
DOWN FIVE. THE RISK. UM ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT WAS AUTHORIZED,
BUT, UM, BY THE LEGISLATION IN
WHICH WE ARE BUILDING UP NOW IT
IS IN PLACE WITHIN THE OFFICE.
UM UH, A TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION.
WE HAVE A MM SECTION FOR
MARKETING AND RESEARCH AND WE
HAVE STARTED THE PROCESS OF
HIRING DATA SCIENTIST, WHICH ARE
ANALYZING THE TRENDS. WE ARE IN
COMPETITION CONFIDENTIAL
AGREEMENTS WHEN NUMEROUS
COMPANIES RIGHT NOW THAT ARE
PROVIDING THEIR DATA, AND ONCE
WE, UM. FINISH OUR RESEARCH. UM
THOSE REPORTS WILL BE AVAILABLE
FOR THE PUBLIC. UM AS AS WELL AS
A LEGISLATURE TO HAVE A GOOD
IDEA OFWHAT'S GOING ON IN
CALIFORNIA. IN ADDITION TO THE
RESEARCH THAT WE'RE DOING IN THE
MARKETING DATA THESE ARE THE
OTHER THINGS THAT WE TAKE IN
CONSIDERATION TO IDENTIFY THE
RISK, BUT ALSO TO IDENTIFY WHERE
WE ARE DOING OUR INVESTIGATION
AND ENFORCEMENT. EVERY SINGLE
COMPLAINT IS REVIEWED. WE TAKE
INTO CONSIDERATION THE
INFORMATION THAT WE GET FROM OUR
STAKEHOLDER ROUNDTABLES. WE HAVE
NUMEROUS TAKEOVER ROUNDTABLES IN
SEVERAL DIFFERENT AREAS WE TAKE
IN ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE
GET OUT IN THE FIELD. NHIàU LET
ME INTERVENE AND I APOLOGIZE FOR
INTERRUPTING. ALL THAT IS GOOD.
AND ALL THAT IS CLEAR IN WHAT
THE PROCESS IS, BUT IF WE WERE
INTERESTED TO THE EXTENT YOU'RE
NOT VIOLATING CONFIDENTIALITY
THAT REFERRED TO WHAT SOME
SPECIFIC. EXAMPLE OF WHERE
SOMETHING. CAME TO YOU AND YOU
DIGESTED IT AND YOU APPLIED
THESE THINGS AND CAME TO A
RESOLUTION. I MEAN, WHAT? GIVE
US AN EXAMPLE. SO WE UNDERSTAND
WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. WITH
THAT PROCESS. OKAY FOR INSTANCE
, UM IN THE CRYPTO AREA,
PARTICULARLY DURING THE
PANDEMIC. WE HAVE SEEN A HIGH
DEGREE OF FRAUD AND SCAMS. AND
PONZI SCHEMES. AND ONE THING
WHEN WE. SEE THAT TYPE OF TREND
THAT'S COMING FROM DIFFERENT
COMPANIES. WE THEN WILL MOVE IN.
UM WITH OUR ENFORCEMENT
MECHANISMS. SO, FOR INSTANCE, UM
YOU MAY HAVE, UM, A ROMANCE TYPE
OF SCAM, WHEREAS IT'S ALMOST
LIKE A DATING AND WIND TYPE OF
SCAM WHERE SOMEONE IS CONTACTING
A MEMBER OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE
POPULATION, AND IT'S SAYING
PLEASE TRANSFER UM, THESE CRYPTO
ASSETS TO ME BECAUSE I AM IN
NEED, UM, IN ORDER TO BUILD UP
MY BUSINESS. THOSE ARE THE TYPES
OF SCAMS OR A SCAM SUCH AS IF
YOU INVEST IN THIS TYPE OF
ACCOUNT, UM I PROMISE YOU YOU'RE
GONNA GET AT LEAST 10% MORE AND
AN INTEREST RETURN. AND HOW DO
THOSE SPECIFIC CASES COME TO
YOU? COMPLAINT AFTER SOMEBODY
HAS BEEN BUILT? IN SOME CASES,
UM AND I REALLY WANT BECAUSE WE
HAVE MANY DIFFERENT DIVISIONS.
UM WE HAVE THE BANKING DIVISION
. WE HAVE THE SECURITY DIVISION
. I'M TRYING TO DRILL DOWN TO
JUST UNDERSTAND WHAT THE HIGH
LEVEL THINGS YOU'RE DESCRIBING
MEAN ON THE GROUND. SOME OF THEM
COME TO US, UM, THROUGH THE
COMPLAINTS THAT ARE MADE OR
HOTLINE. SOME OF THEM COME TO US
IN LETTERS OF COMPLAINTS. SOME
OF THEM COME TO US THROUGH OUR
STAKEHOLDERS. UM AND IN OUR
MEETINGS WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS,
PARTICULARLY OUR CONSUMER
ADVOCATES ARE LEGAL AID. UM
ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE MEETING
WITH AND THEY WEIGH POINT OUT TO
US. WE'RE SEEING A HIGH DEGREE
OF X. IN OUR COMMUNITIES. AND
SOME OF THEM MAY ACTUALLY COME
TO US THROUGH, RESPECTIVELY.
LEGISLATORS WHO ARE MAKING
COMPLAINTS ABOUT SOMETHING
THAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN THEIR
DISTRICTS OR THEIR
CONSTITUENCIES. OKAY THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE YOUR
RESPONSE TO THE QUESTIONS. THANK
YOU, SENATOR LAIRD, SENATOR
GROVE. THANK YOU, MADAM PRO TIM.
I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS MINUTES. COLLEAGUES
ASKED SOME OF THE ONES THAT I
WANTED, BUT, UM, JUST BASED ON
YOUR COMMENTS BECAUSE HE ASKED
EVERYTHING THAT WAS PRE WRITTEN
TO ASK YOU, UH, YOU SAID THAT,
UM YOU DEVELOPED A SYSTEM WHERE
METRICS ARE IN PLACE SO THAT YOU
CAN DETERMINE OUTCOMES AND
PROGRESS OF OUTCOMES. CAN YOU
DESCRIBE THE KEEP DEPARTMENT
PRIORITIES ALONG WITH THE
METRICS AND HOW YOU APPLY THOSE
METRICS TO THE SOLUTIONS THAT
YOUR TEAM IS GOING TO COME UP
WITH? I LISTED THE PRIORITIES
FROM WHETHER DESCRIBED ONE. HMM.
BECAUSE I THINK THIS ONE IS SO
VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. INCREASING
CALIFORNIANS AWARENESS. OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL
PROTECTION AND INNOVATIONS WORK.
SO THAT'S A GOAL. AND HOW DO YOU
ESTABLISH METRICS? NUMBER ONE.
YOU LOOK AT YOUR WEBSITE. YOU
MEASURE AND WE ARE IN THE
PROCESS OF REVISING OUR WEBSITE.
BUT YOU MEASURE HOW MANY HITS
ARE YOU GETTING ON YOUR WEBSITE?
YOUR MED RING. HOW MANY CONTACTS
ARE MADE? BY YOUR STAFF WITHIN
THE DEPARTMENT. WE'RE MEASURING.
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE
ATTENDING OUR EVENTS AND OUR
WEBINARS. AND THROUGH
ESTABLISHING A BASELINE AND.
ESTABLISHING THE METRICS, WHICH
SHOW THE PROGRESS OF HOW MANY
PEOPLE THAT WE'RE REACHING OUT
TO AND HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE
REACHING BACK TO US IS LETTING
US KNOW. TO WHAT DEGREE? ARE WE
REACHING THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES
THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA? THANK YOU
, AND I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER
QUESTIONS, MA'AM PROTEIN. THANK
YOU. UM SENATOR BATES, MADAM
VICE HERE. THANK YOU AND THANK
YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. HAVE A
ACTUALLY ONE QUESTION ON YOUR
GOALS. I KNOW THAT MY COLLEAGUES
ADDRESSED THE FIRST ONE ON THE C
P O. UM, LAW, BUT MINE IS ON.
THE GOAL NUMBER THREE ENABLING
GENERATION, GENERATIONAL WEALTH
BUILDING AND DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES. AND I ASK YOU THAT
, UM, COMMISSIONER BECAUSE I WAS
A SOCIAL WORKER MANY YEARS AGO,
AND MY BEAT WAS SOUTH EAST L A.
AND IT ALWAYS TROUBLED ME THAT
PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN THE PROJECTS
LOOK LIKE THERE WAS NEVER GOING
TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO
MOVE OUT, AND I THINK RECENT
STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN DONE IN
LOS ANGELES IN PARTICULAR SURE
THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE BORN,
RAISED AND PASS AWAY, NEVER
ACHIEVING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR
HOME OWNERSHIP AND THE WAY THAT
GENERATIONAL WEALTH HAS BUILT,
AND I HAVE BASICALLY OPPOSED A
FEW BILLS HERE THAT I THOUGHT
REALLY IMPEDED THAT PROCESS. SO
TELL ME HOW YOU SEE IT. HOW YOU
MIGHT BE ABLE TO, UM ASSIST.
WITH THAT, UH, IT IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT. I THINK AS WE LOOK AT
POVERTY, HOMELESSNESS AND ALL OF
THAT WHICH THE UNDERPINNING IS
LACK OF EDUCATION. UM PARENTAL.
UH, HOW TO BE A GOOD PARENT.
INSPIRE YOUR CHILDREN. THEY ALL
HAVE TO INCENTIVIZE THEM AND
KNOW THAT THERE IS A FUTURE FOR
THEM ALWAYS FELT I WAS VERY
YOUNG AT THE TIME AND ALWAYS
FELT I HAD SUCH AN INCREDIBLE,
YOU KNOW, PRESENT AND FUTURE
THAT WAS PROVIDED TO ME,
ACTUALLY BY PARENTS AND YOU KNOW
MY BACKGROUND. THEY WERE VERY
POOR DEPRESSION PEOPLE. MUCH OF
THAT LOST CHILDREN AT BIRTH
BECAUSE OF POOR HEALTH CARE ALL
THE THINGS THAT MANY OF US
EXPERIENCE BUT THERE I WAS. IS A
SOCIAL WORKER HAD A GREAT
COLLEGE EDUCATION, AND I'M
LOOKING AT PEOPLE THAT ARE MAYBE
23 YEARS YOUNGER THAN ME AND NO
FUTURE. SO WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT
THAT? THAT'S AN EXCELLENT
QUESTION. AND YOU'VE REALLY GOT
TO THE KEY OF MY PASSION. AND
I'M GOING TO NAME A COUPLE OF
INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE TAKING ON
IN THE DEPARTMENT. I'M A REAL
BELIEVER. EDUCATION WILL SET YOU
FREE. AND THAT THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING THAT WE CAN DO
IS SUPPORT OUR NEXT GENERATION
OF LEADERS. IT'S ONE OF THE
REASONS WHY WE ARE LEADING THE
MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
EFFORT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. TO ENSURE THAT OUR
STUDENT BORROWERS ARE AWARE OF
THE ADVANTAGES THAT ARE COMING
FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IN
ORDER TO HAVE THEIR STUDENT
LOANS FORGIVEN. AS WELL AS THEIR
RIGHTS AS STUDENTS. AND
PARTICULARLY EVEN AFTER THEY
GRADUATED IN TERMS OF THE.
CONDITIONS OF ANY LOAN THAT THEY
TAKE OUT. A LOT OF PEOPLE, THEY
SAY, WELL, DON'T THEY GET
FINANCIAL AID? ISN'T THAT
ENOUGH? BUT WHAT WE DON'T
REALIZE IS BUT YEAH. BETWEEN THE
AID AND ASSISTANCE ONE MIGHT GET
FROM THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT AND WHAT IT COSTS TO
GO TO COLLEGE IS HUGE, AND
THAT'S WHY SO MANY OF OUR
STUDENTS POWERS ARE PICKING OUT
LOANS. AND TO THE EXTENT THAT WE
CAN SUPPORT THEM. WITH THE HELP
OF THE LEGISLATURE, WHO IN THE
2022 23 BUDGET ALLOCATED $10
BILLION TO OUR DEPARTMENT TO
LEAD A MARKETING AND
COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN IN WHICH
WE'RE REALLY OUT THERE IN THE
COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION TO GIVING
OUT OVER $7 MILLION IN GRANTS TO
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS,
SUCH AS THE LEGAL AID
ORGANIZATIONS THE NONPROFITS
THAT WE WORK WITH TO WORK WITH.
THESE STUDENTS IS ONE WAY WE CAN
ADDRESS THE GENERATIONAL WEALTH.
THE OTHER AREA, WHICH IS A
PASSION OF MINE IS HOW DO WE
DELIVER FINANCIAL SERVICES TO
THOSE WHO ARE. UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES, WHETHER IT IS IN
THE INNER CITY OR IN THE RURAL
AREAS, AND THIS IS I HAVE BEEN
SO DEDICATED TO THIS ISSUE THAT
I HAVEN'T LOOKED FAR BEYOND THE
UNITED STATES AND I'VE LOOKED AT
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OTHER
COUNTRIES. IRIS RECENTLY IN
INDIA, FOR EXAMPLE. AND AS A
RESULT OF THAT EXPERIENCE, WE
WILL BE CO HOSTING A SUMMIT.
WITH THE CENTER FOR RESPONSIBLE
, DECENTRALIZED INTELLIGENCE AT
U. C. BERKELEY FOR THE PURPOSES
OF BRINGING OUR CONSUMER
ADVOCATES ARE VENTURE CAPITAL
COMMUNITY TOGETHER MEMBERS OF
OUR LEGISLATURE. MEMBERS OF OUR
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR TO LOOK AT
HOW THE TECHNOLOGIES WHICH
PRIMARILY HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED IN
CALIFORNIA. CAN HELP TO SERVE
THESE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES BY
NUMBER ONE BEING ABLE TO DELIVER
FINANCIAL SERVICES. AND BY
NUMBER TWO BY ENABLING THEM TO
CREATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND
WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING
ON A GLOBAL LEVEL IF THE U. N IS
SUCCESSFUL AND EVEN USING
BLOCKCHAIN. TO DELIVER FINANCIAL
SERVICES TO REFUGEE CAMPS WITH
ALL THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE HAVE
IN CALIFORNIA, WE SHOULD BE ABLE
TO CREATE A PILOT. BUT THAT'S IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL OF OUR
STAKEHOLDERS AS DIVERSE AS THEY
MAY BE, I BELIEVE WE CAN ADDRESS
THAT PROBLEM. WELL THANK YOU FOR
THAT RESPONSE, BECAUSE THAT'S A
VERY NOBLE GOAL, AND CERTAINLY
ONE THAT I'LL BE WATCHING WHILE
I'M TURNING OUT. KEEP MY EYE ON
THAT PARTICULAR BALL. SO WITH
THAT, THANK YOU FOR AGAIN. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, AND I WILL
CERTAINLY BE SUPPORTING YOUR
NOMINATION CONFIRMATION. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM. VICE
CHAIR, SENATOR KAMLAGER. THANK
YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND, UM, I
CERTAINLY WANT TO ECHO THE
COMMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE
COMMITTEE. UM, YOU KNOW,
CONSUMER PROTECTION, ALLEVIATING
POVERTY, GENERATIONAL WORD
WEALTH ARE ALL PHRASES THAT I
LIKE TO HEAR AND HOW WE'RE ABLE
TO INTEGRATE THOSE. ASPIRATIONS
AND EFFORTS INTO WHAT WE DO AS
GOVERNMENT. IS ALSO REALLY
IMPORTANT. MANY QUESTIONS WERE
ASKED. I THINK THAT, UM, PROVES
THAT WE ARE ALL SORT OF THINKING
ALONG THE SAME LINES ABOUT HOW
THESE DEPARTMENTS CAN REALLY
PUSH FORWARD AND GET INTO
COMMUNITIES TO TACKLES. THE MANY
CHALLENGES THAT SO MANY
CONSUMERS GRAPPLE WITH. UM I
THINK ACTUALLY, THIS DEPARTMENT
IS REALLY INNOVATIVE. I JUST
THINK THAT THERE'S SUCH
POSSIBILITY. THAT CAN COME OUT
OF. COME OUT OF IT, SO I'M I'M
ROOTING FOR YOU. UM MY COLLEAGUE
TO, UM MY LEFT DID ASK ABOUT
STUDENT LOANS. SERVANTS
SERVICING. I WAS GREAT TO HEAR
YOU TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAM THAT
YOU'RE ROLLING OUT. UM THE
AWARENESS AROUND THE FINANCIAL
SUPPORTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND
HOW TO HELP PEOPLE NAVIGATE THE
SYSTEM. UM WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU
COULD JUST DIGGING A LITTLE
DEEPER AROUND. SORT OF HAVE A
DEPARTMENT IS ADDRESSING THE
COMPLAINTS. A SPECIFIC TO POOR
STUDENT LOAN SERVICING. YES AND
THAT IS ANOTHER AREA THAT IS
VERY SIGNIFICANT. AH! AS YOU
PROBABLY ARE AWARE OF CALIFORNIA
THAT PASSED THE STUDENT BORROWER
BILL OF RIGHTS. HOWEVER MANY
STUDENTS DON'T EVEN KNOW THERE
IS A BILL OF RIGHTS EXIST. AND
ANOTHER REASON WHY I'M SO
SENSITIVE TO THIS AREA, AND WHEN
I WAS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
CAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, ONE OF
THE THINGS I RAN WAS A
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR OUR MOST
UNDERSERVED STUDENTS. THOUSANDS
OF STUDENTS AND YET THEY WERE
NOT AWARE OF ALL THE
OPPORTUNITIES. UM THAT THEY
COULD AVAIL THEMSELVES UP. NOR
WERE THEY AWARE OF THEIR RIGHTS
AS STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY WHEN
YOU'RE IN THAT AREA OF LENDING.
AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING THROUGH
OUR INVESTIGATIONS AND WHAT
WE'RE SEEING TOO WELL COMPLAINTS
WITH SOME STUDENT LOAN SERVICES
. YES IS THERE'S NOT FULL
DISCLOSURE. FIRST IN FOR MOST,
OR THERE IS A MISREPRESENTATION
OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS. AND
I WOULD SAY THAT WE HAVE
MULTIPLE INVESTIGATIONS GOING
ON. AS WE SPEAK. AND ALTHOUGH
THOSE INVESTIGATIONS ARE
CONFIDENTIAL, UM YOU PRETTY MUCH
WILL KNOW THAT THERE ARE
OCCURRING WHEN WE HAVE A
CONSUMER ALERT THAT GOES OUT.
WARNING CONSUMERS OF WHAT IS
HAPPENING AS WELL ASASKING
CONSUMERS TO PLEASE CONTACT US
IF THEY'VE BEEN, UM THE FRIED
IT, BUT OUR ENFORCEMENT
INVESTIGATORS AS WELL AS OUR
TEAMS OF ATTORNEYS, AND I WOULD
HAVE TO SAY WE HAVE SOME OF THE
MOST HIGHLY TRAINED LITIGATORS
THAT I'VE EVER ENCOUNTERED ARE
REALLY PURSUING THIS PARTICULAR
AREA VERY, VERY AGGRESSIVELY,
AND THAT'S IN ADDITION TO OUR
RULE MAKING IN THAT PARTICULAR
AREA, SO WHEN YOU GET INTO, UM
UH, THE AREAS OF IN PARTICULAR
THE PRIVATE POST SECONDARY UM WE
ARE GOING TO BE COMING OUT WITH
A NUMBER OF PACKAGES REALLY
DEFINING WHAT THOSE STANDARDS
WILL BE AND WHAT HAS TO BE
DISCLOSED BEFORE ANY LOAN WILL
BE MADE TO A STUDENT BORROWER.
AND ANY VIOLATION OF THAT WILL
HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. THANK
YOU FOR THAT RESPONSE. IF YOU
DON'T MIND FOR ONE MINUTE, I'D
LIKE TO FOR THIS QUESTION. PUT
ON MY, UM VICE CHAIR HAD OF THE
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE BLACK
CAUCUS. AND JUST ASK THAT
BESIDES STUDENT LOAN DEFAULTS
WHAT OTHER PRODUCTS HAVE YOU
FOUND THAT HAVE AN EQUITABLE
OUTCOMES FOR THE AFRICAN
AMERICAN COMMUNITY. I THINK IT'S
APPROPRIATE TO ASK GIVEN ALL OF
THE INNOVATIONS. THAT YOU ALL
ARE IN CHARGE OF SORT OF
MANAGING AND HELPING TO PUSH OUT
INTO COMMUNITY AND HOW YOU'RE
MANAGING, YOU KNOW, SMALL
BUSINESS EFFORTS. CONSUMER
PROTECTION, LENDING, ETCETERA.
PROBABLY HIGH ON THE LIST IS
PREDATORY LENDING. AND IT'S ONE
AREA THAT, UM, SO I CANNOT
COMMENT ON THE LITIGATION. IT IS
OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE. UM IT'S
PROBABLY THE FIRST AREA THAT I
HAVE CRACKED DOWN ON VERY, VERY
HARD. UM AND WHAT? WE'VE SEEN
THAT MOST OF THE COMPANIES ARE
COMPLYING, BUT THERE ARE A FEW
COMPANIES THAT TARGET THE MOST
VULNERABLE, WHICH ARE STUDENTS.
IMMIGRANTS MILITARY SENIORS AND
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. AND
MAYBE POPULATIONS THAT FOR ONE
REASON OR ANOTHER OR WHAT WE
CALL THE UNDERBANKED DON'T HAVE
A BANK ACCOUNT. I MEAN, NEED TO
OBTAIN ALONE TO SURVIVE. AND
THEN. THROUGH THE TERMS AND
CONDITIONS OF THEIR LOAN. ONE
DON'T DISCLOSE ALL THE FULL
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
MISREPRESENT, BUT EVEN WORSE.
TRY TO CHARGE. INTEREST RATES
THAT ARE IN VIOLATION OF
CALIFORNIA'S USE. RECAPS AND THE
COMMUNITIES. THAT SUFFERED THE
MOST. IN THOSE AREAS, BUT IN
PARTICULAR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN
COMMUNITY. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT
PREDATORY LENDING WHAT. WE ARE
SEEING IS HEAPS PEOPLE IN A
CYCLE OF POVERTY. THANK YOU FOR
THAT. UM I THINK MY LAST
QUESTION WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT,
UM, DURING OUR TIME TOGETHER. IS
A TWO PARTER. I KNOW IN ONE OF
YOUR RESPONSES. YOU SAID THAT D
F P VALUES A STRONG PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE LEGISLATURE. SO HAPPY
TO HEAR YOU SHARE THAT BECAUSE
WE ARE THE ENTITY THAT MAKES
POLICY. UM YEAH, I CAN ONLY
SPEAK FOR MYSELF. I HAD, YOU
KNOW, UM, A DIFFERENT KIND OF
EXPERIENCE SPECIFIC TO, UM, A,
UM SOME BLOCKCHAIN OR DIGITAL
CURRENCY LEGISLATION. UM AND
WOULD HAVE WISHED FOR A MORE
TRANSPARENT. UM PARTNERSHIP. UM
WITH ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS
INVOLVED AS IT RELATES TO THAT.
JUST DISCUSSIONS AROUND HOW WE
CAN THOUGHTFULLY. UM. AND
ASPIRATIONAL E ENTER INTO THAT,
YOU KNOW SPHERE AS IT RELATES TO
GOOD POLICY AROUND DIGITAL
CURRENCY REGULATIONS WITH THE
STATE CAN DO HAVING SAID THAT,
UM THE LARGER ISSUE IS SO ON THE
ONE PART IS GREAT THAT YOU
SHARED THAT AND HOW, AS, UM, THE
AT THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN,
ARE YOU GOING TO, UM HOW ARE YOU
GONNA LEAD WITH THAT MANTRA TO
MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE
PARTNERING WITH THE LEGISLATURE
BECAUSE WE DON'T LIKE TO BE UM,
YOU KNOW, KICKED TO THE CURB OR
JUST, YOU KNOW, FORGOTTEN. THE
SECOND PART OF IT ACTUALLY DOES
HAVE TO DO WITH DIGITAL CURRENCY
. UM AND WANTING TO KNOW YOU
KNOW, BECAUSE I THINK AT THE END
OF THE DAY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT IS MOVING IN THIS
PLACE. YOU KNOW, THE PRESIDENT
ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER. I
THINK THERE ARE 30 SOME ODD
STATES THAT HAVE ACTIVE
LEGISLATION RIGHT NOW AROUND
DIGITAL CURRENCY. YOU KNOW HOW
TO ALLOW THE STATE TO EXCEPT IT
HAD A REGULATED. WE ACTUALLY
HAVE A BANK HERE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. I THINK THE BANK OF
LA HOYA THAT ACTUALLY ACCEPTS IT
. WE KNOW THAT THE TRADITIONAL
BANKING AND LENDING INDUSTRY HAS
INVESTED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN
THIS SPACE. UM SO IT IS HERE.
FRAUD IS HERE. FRAUD IS ALSO
HERE WITH PREDATORY LENDING AND
YOU KNOW, E, D, D AND CREDIT
CARDS AND PAYMENTS, SO THAT'S
ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE JUST HAVE
TO MANAGE THROUGH. UM AS WELL.
BUT YOU SO HOW DO YOU SEE
YOURSELF DRIVING? HELPING
COMPANIES, YOU KNOW, DISCERN THE
RULES OF THE ROAD, YOU KNOW, AS
IT RELATES TO PUBLIC GUIDANCE,
UM, HOW YOU SEE YOUR DEPARTMENT
PROVIDING GUIDANCE TO HELP
POLICY IS CREATED. A REGULATIONS
ARE CREATED. HOW YOU SEE THE
DEPARTMENT'S ROLE IN PUSHING FOR
INNOVATION, ALSO, IN A WAY THAT
PROTECTS CONSUMERS BUT ALLOWS
CALIFORNIA TO LEAD BECAUSE I
WOULD SURMISE ON THIS PARTICULAR
AREA. WE'RE NOT SO, UM, FIRST
AND FOREMOST IN TERMS OF THE
FIRST QUESTION AND PARTNERSHIP,
UM WITH THE LEGISLATURE, AS I
INDICATED PREVIOUSLY IN MANY
DIFFERENT AREAS, ONE IS A
STUDENT BORROWER EFFORT. THE
OTHER IS IN FINANCIAL EDUCATION.
WE HAVE BEGUN A MASSIVE, UM,
OUTREACH CAMPAIGN. AND I CAN
THINK OF NO BETTER PLACE TO
BUILD UP. UH STRONG PARTNERSHIP
. UH AS AS SOME OF OUR WEBINARS
SO FAR, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH
THE DISTRICT OFFICESWHO HAVE
BEEN VERY, VERY INSTRUMENTAL AND
REACHING THE CONSTITUENCIES THAT
WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEY HAVE FULL AWARENESS OF
PARTICULARLY IN WHAT WE SEE AS
THE PREVALENT SCAMS, FRAUDS,
ETCETERA. AH AND SO, UH, THAT
PARTNERSHIP WILL CONTINUE MY
SELF, UM, IS IN CONSTANT
COMMUNICATION, PARTICULARLY WITH
MEMBERS OF THE SENATE AND THE
HOUSE. UM BANKING COMMITTEES AND
THEIR STAFF AS WE MOVE FORWARD
IN THESE AREAS, WHICH SOME OF
THEM ARE VERY NEW, NOT JUST US
IN CALIFORNIA, BUT NEW TO THE
NATION. IN THE AREA OF CRYPTO
ASSETS AND WHAT MOST PEOPLE
DON'T REALIZE IS CALIFORNIA'S
VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND
CRYPTO ASSETS. IS NINE TIMES THE
SIZE OF ALL THE OTHERS STATES
TOGETHER. OUR KANA ME IN THIS
AREA AND CALIFORNIA. NOT JUST
LEAVES THE UNITED STATES. IT'S
LEADING THE WORLD. WHEN WE LOOK
AT MANY OF THE DIFFERENT AREAS
OF CRYPTO ASSETS. THEY WERE
DEVELOPED. HERE IN CALIFORNIA.
AT THE SAME TIME, WHAT IS VERY
IMPORTANT. IS TO REALIZE THAT
NOT ALL CRYPTO ASSETS ARE THE
SAME. THERE ARE CRYPTO ASSETS
THAT ARE SECURITIES THAT COME
UNDER A WHOLE NEW SET OF LOSS.
THERE'S CRYPTO ASSETS THAT ARE
NON FUNGIBLE TOKENS. THERE ARE
CRYPTO ASSETS THAT ARE. SERVICES
AND PRODUCTS OR WHAT WE NORMALLY
MIGHT SAY IN PRODUCTS
COMMODITIES. ALL COMING UNDER
DIFFERENT SETS OF LAWS. YOU
MENTIONED A BANK. UM THERE IS A
BANK SILVER GATE. UM IN SAN
DIEGO, WHICH IS ONE OF THE
LEADING UM CRYPTO Ó BANKS FOR
INSTITUTIONAL, UM, CRYPTO
INVESTORS INCOMES UNDER A WHOLE
NOTHER SET OF LAWS BANKING LOSS.
SO WE ARE PROCEEDING VERY
CAREFULLY IN THIS AREA WITH THE
AWARENESS THAT DEPENDING UPON
WHAT TYPE OF CRYPTO ASSET IT IS.
DIFFERENT STANDARDS MAY APPLY.
SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE STARTED
OUT FIRST. WITH AN INVITATION
FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. THAT PUBLIC
COMMENT JUST CLOSED. UM AUGUST
5TH. AND THAT WENT OUT TO
NUMEROUS GROUPS. NUMEROUS
INDIVIDUALS, UM THROUGHOUT
CALIFORNIA. WE'RE GONNA TAKE
THAT INFORMATION FROM THE PUBLIC
COMMENT. WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW
ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE
RECEIVED FROM OUR COMPLAINT
DATA. WE HAVE OUR DATA
SCIENTISTS WORKING ON IT AS I AM
SPEAKING HERE TODAY OF FULL
ANALYSIS OF THE MARKETING AND
SURVEY TRENDS. AND WE'RE TAKING
ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE
RECEIVED FROM EVERY SINGLE
ENTITY AND STAKEHOLDER GROUP WE
HAVE MET WITH AND I WOULD LIKE
TO SAY THEY HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS
FROM THE VENTURE CAPITAL
COMMUNITY TO THE CONSUMER
PROTECTION COMMUNITY TO NUMEROUS
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. NUMEROUS
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AS WELL.
AND ONCE WE TAKE ALL THAT
INFORMATION. AND CONSIDERATION
OF THE DIFFERENT STANDARDS. THE
BATTLE OF PLY WE WILL BE
DEVELOPING STANDARDS FOR
CALIFORNIA. THAT WILL BE
BALANCED WITH THE FEDERAL
STANDARD. AND IN CASES WHERE WE
MAY DIFFER FROM THE FEDERAL
STANDARD. WE WILL STILL BE
WORKING ALONGSIDE OUR FEDERAL
PARTNERS SO WE DON'T RUN INTO
SIGNIFICANT PREEMPTION ISSUES.
BUT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
HERE. TO PAVE THE WAY FOR THE
FUTURE. AND I DO BELIEVE THAT
WEB THREE, WHICH IS THE VALEK
CHAIN? WHICH I CONSIDER THE
HIGHWAY. AND SOME OF THE CRYPTO
ASSETS AGO. THROUGH THE HIGHWAY
WILL HAVE SOME PART IN OUR
FUTURE. JUST LIKE THE INTERNET
HAD SOME PART OF OUR FUTURE. BUT
THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN
THAT WILL BE EXCLUSIVE TO OUR
FUTURE BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE
STILL WE HAVE THE INTERNET, WE
STILL HAVE US MAIL. I THINK THE
REAL ISSUE IS TO ENSURE THAT OUR
FUTURE. HAS A STRONG CONSUMER
PROTECTION. REGULATORY
INFRASTRUCTURE. AT THE SAME
TIME. THAT WE ARE STIMULATING-THE INNOVATION. FOR ALL RAPID
TECHNOLOGY CAN BRING TOWARDS THE
BETTERMENT OF SOCIETY. AND I SAY
THIS AND I BECAUSE ONE OF THE
THINGS I LEARNED. FOR THE PAST
SIX YEARS OF BEING IN THE MILL
OF U C. BERKELEY CAMPUS. BIâU.
INDIVIDUALS THAT TAUGHT ME WHAT
THE FUTURE MAY LOOK LIKE IN SOME
PORTION. IS THOSE VARY STUDENTS.
THOSE VERY STUDENTS THAT WERE
COMING OUT OF THE SCHOOLS OF
ENGINEERING THOSE VERY STUDENTS
THAT WERE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER
THEY WERE COMING OUT OF THE
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WELFARE OF
POLITICAL SCIENCE. EACH ONE OF
THEM HAD THEIR OWN STARTUP GOING
AND THEY ARE THE ONES THAT
REALLY TAUGHT ME. ABOUT WHAT
THESE CRYPTO ASSETS COULD DO FOR
THE BETTERMENT OF SOCIETY. BUT
THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER SIDE OF
THAT COIN, JUST LIKE THERE'S
ANOTHER SIDE OF THE INTERNET. IT
CAN ALSO WORK TO THE DETRIMENT
OF THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR
POPULATION, AND THAT'S WHERE
YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE THE STRONG
CONSUMER PROTECTION, BUT YOU
ALSO HAVE TO KEEP THE BALANCE
OTHERWISE. THE INNOVATION THAT
WAS STARTED HERE IN CALIFORNIA
WILL LEAVE. HMM. HMM. I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR THAT, UM, IN VERY
COMPREHENSIVE. I WOULD SUMMARIZE
IT BY SAYING THAT EDUCATION
LEADERSHIP AND DIRECTION ARE
NEEDED IN THIS SPACE BY THIS
STATE, AND NONE OF THAT HAPPENS
WITHOUT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
LEGISLATURE. UM, I THANK YOU FOR
YOUR COMMITMENT TO ELEVATING ALL
OF THESE ISSUES AND LOOK FORWARD
TO BEING PART OF THE GROUP THAT
CONFIRMS YOU. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, SENATOR KAMLAGER. UM I
REALLY APPRECIATE THE BROAD
NATURE OF THE CONVERSATION AND
CERTAINLY HIGH LEVEL IN MANY
RESPECTS. VALUES ORIENTED, UM.
BUT I HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION.
I'D LOVE YOU TO HELP ME TELL ONE
OF MY CONSTITUENTS. HOW CAN I
RESPOND TO THIS TO THE POINT
THAT SENATOR KAMLAGER JUST MADE
ABOUT LEADERSHIP, UH AND ACTUAL
WORK TO DO IN THIS AREA RIGHT
NOW, UM, YOU KNOW, IT FEELS A
LOT LIKE THE WILD WEST WHEN
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CRYPTO. AND
THERE'S CRYPTO MACHINES POPPING
UP ALL OVER CALIFORNIA IN
COMMUNITIES LARGELY IN LOW
INCOME COMMUNITIES. THE MACHINES
ARE NOT REGULATED AT ALL. LIKE
BANKS. IN FACT, YOU CAN. AS I
UNDERSTAND FROM SOMEONE WHO
TALKED TO ME RECENTLY, YOU CAN
DEPOSIT OR RECEIVED OVER 20,000
INSTANTLY AND THE TRANSACTIONS
ARE ENTIRELY IRREVERSIBLE. SO TO
THE POINT OF FRAUD AND SCAMS.
THESE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN, UH,
YOU KNOW, USED FOR FRAUD AND
CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. IF YOU LOOK
ON THESE MACHINES, COMPANIES,
WEBSITES, AND IT'S GOT ALL SORTS
OF INFORMATION ABOUT FRAUD, BUT
PEOPLE GO TO THE WEBSITE AFTER
THEY'VE BEEN DEFRAUDED, AND
THERE'S LITERALLY ZERO RECOURSE
FOR THE CONSUMER. UM AND YOU%
SAID THERE'S A HIGH DEGREE OF
FRAUD AND SCAMS. UM SOMEONE CAN
GET DEFRAUDED AND YOU KNOW,
RIGHT AS WE'RE IN THIS HEARING,
AND I'M SURE IT HAS HAPPENED SO
I'M SURE YOU SEE THIS AS A
PROBLEM. I GUESS I NEED TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT THE STATE IN A
STATE LIKE THIS. UH HOW HAVE WE
NOT STOPPED? UM EITHER THIS OR
STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE TO
ADDRESS IT. AND MAYBE THAT'S
PART OF WHAT SENATOR COM LOGGERS
WERE FOREIGN TO AND THEN TO
SENATOR LAIRD'S QUESTION. ABOUT
MARKET THEIR MARKET MONITORING
UNIT ACTING ON COMPLAINTS. I
GUESS I WOULD ASK, IS THERE A
WAY TO ACKNOWLEDGE CONSUMERS ARE
BEING DEFRAUDED? THERE'S GOT TO
BE ACTIVE ENFORCEMENT
MONITORING. SO CAN YOU JUST I
KNOW WE'VE TAKEN A LOT OF YOUR
TIME, BUT I WANT TO BE ABLE TO
SPECIFICALLY TELL MY
CONSTITUENTS WHO OBVIOUSLY WENT
THROUGH THIS WHAT THE STATE IS
DOING, AND IF WE NEED TO BE
DOING MORE THAN WE NEED TO GET
ON IT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE LOSING
LIFE SAVINGS AT THESE SCHEMES,
AND YOU TALKED ABOUT VULNERABLE
COMMUNITIES. UM SO IF YOU COULD
EXCELLENT QUESTION. SOMETIMES
WHAT OCCURS, UM WITH NEW
TECHNOLOGIES. THE TECHNOLOGY.
HMM. MOVE SO FAST. AND
REITERATES SO FAST THEN IT MAY
GET A HEAD OF GOVERNMENT. AND
WHEN THAT HAPPENS. WHAT IS
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. THAT WE DO
, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DOING
RIGHT NOW. IS TAKING OFF FULL
REVIEW. AND EVERY SINGLE AREA
THAT IT TOUCHES WHAT IS
HAPPENING. WHAT'S HAPPENING.
WHERE IS THE GREATEST DEGREE OF
BROADWAY RIGHT NOW? AND HOW IS
IT OCCURRING AND WE ARE IN THE
PROCESS OF THAT REVIEW AS WE AS
I'M SPEAKING HERE TODAY. AND I
CAN TELL YOU FROM THAT REVIEW. I
DO ANTICIPATE. IN THE NEAR
FUTURE. THAT THERE WILL BE.
FURTHER REGULATION. OF THE
INDUSTRY. ONE OF THE THINGS UM
THAT WE ARE REALIZING,
PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT THE BLOCKCHAIN. IS THIS
FULLY TRANSPARENT? WHAT IS
OCCURRING? IT'S FULLY
TRANSPARENT. HOWEVER. IN ORDER
TO UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING THAT IS
OCCURRING. YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE
TO READ THOSE ALGORITHMS. TO BE
ABLE TO UNDERSTAND. BUT THE
BASIC TYPES OF FRAUD. THAT YOU
SEE AND NON CRYPTO. WHETHER A
SCAM IS A SCAM. FRIDAY IS A
FRAUD. PONZI SCHEME IS A PONZI
SCHEME. THEY TAKE ON THE SAME
CHARACTERISTICS. THE
DIFFERENCES. IS BEING ABLE TO
TERM IN THAT IT IS HAPPENING.
PRIOR TO THE COMPLAINT COMING
IN. AND IT'S MAY VERY WELL BE.
IN THE FUTURE AFTER WE HAVE
COMPLETED OUR REVIEW. THAT WE
WILL FIND THAT WE WILL HAVE A
GREATER NEED. FOR REGULATORY
TECHNOLOGY. AS WELL AS
TECHNOLOGIST. IN ORDER TO BE
ABLE TO DO THAT TYPE OF PRE
INVESTIGATION THAN I KNOW IS OF
GREAT INTEREST TO EVERYONE, SO
WE ARE ABLE TO CATCH IT BEFORE
IT HAPPENS. THANK YOU QUITE SURE
THAT IN TERMS OF OUR REGULATIONS
, WHICH WE WERE VERY, VERY
CLOSELY, UM, WITH THE SENATE AND
THE ASSEMBLY BANKING COMMITTEES
ON I MEAN, WE WORK HAND IN HAND
WITH THEM, UM, THAT THEY WILL BE
EXPRESSING TO US. AREAS WHERE,
UM THEY ALSO FEEL THAT THERE
NEEDS TO BE GREATER CONSUMER
PROTECTION. FEEL CERTAIN THAT IS
TRUE. I FEEL CERTAIN. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. I SO
APPRECIATE IT. UM I THINK WE
COVERED EVERYONE. UM OKAY. I'M
GONNA GO AHEAD AND GO TO MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC. WE WILL START, OF
COURSE IN ROOM 2200 OF THOSE
WISHING TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT.
PLEASE COME FORWARD YOUR NAME.
YOUR ORGANIZATION, IF ANY, AND,
UM VERY BRIEF COMMENTS. MADAM
CHAIR, MADAM VICE CHAIR MEMBERS
. MY NAME IS ROBERT LAPSLEY,
PRESIDENT, CALIFORNIA BUSINESS
ROUNDTABLE. PLEASURE TO BE HERE
TODAY. WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THE
CONFIRMATION OF THE COMMISSIONER
PARTICULARLY APPRECIATIVE OF HER
POLICY THAT SHE IS CLEARLY
ESTABLISHED OF TREATING ALL
STAKEHOLDERS EQUALLY AN OPEN
DOOR POLICY, BUT ONE THAT TRULY
WILL HELP US GET TO THE RIGHT
POLICIES FOR CALIFORNIA FOR OUR
BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AND WE
PROVED WE ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE
HER PERSPECTIVES ON THE
GENERATIONAL WEALTH. THAT IS
CRITICAL FOR ALL OF US, AND WE
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH HER
ON THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH, MR LASKY. UM NEXT WITNESS
, PLEASE GET AFTERNOON DAILY
CANDLE KAISER ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA LOW INCOME CONSUMER
COALITION. I WANT TO NOTE THAT
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN
AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE VERY
WELL SERVED BY THE COMMISSIONER.
AT THE HELM OF THE DLP, AND THEN
SHE HAS THE FULL SUPPORT THE
CONSUMER ADVOCACY COMMUNITY IN
CALIFORNIA. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO
RELAY ON BEHALF OF THE C
BERKELEY CENTER FOR CONSUMER LAW
AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE. THE
SUPPORT OF THE C BERKELEY
COMMUNITY FOR COMMISSIONER
HEWLETT AND HER DEDICATION TO
MAKING SURE THAT UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES ARE ABLE TO ACCESS
SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE FINANCIAL
SERVICES AND OPPORTUNITIES. WE
URGE YOUR I VOTE. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH NEXT WITNESS. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND
MEMBERS CHRISTOPHER SANCHEZ
POLICY AFRICAN, THE WESTERN
CENTER AND LAW AND POVERTY IN
STRONG SUPPORT OF THE
APPOINTMENT OF THE COMMISSIONER
AND ALSO ON BEHALF OF THE
COALITION WERE PART OF
CALIFORNIA'S FOR ECONOMIC
JUSTICE AND OUR FRIENDS AT THE
EAST BAY COMMUNITY. LAWCENTER
COMMISSION HAS BEEN GREAT WITH
ENGAGING WITH ADVOCATES TO
ENSURE THAT UNDERREPRESENTED
COMMUNITIES ARE FULLY THEIR
ISSUES ARE FULLY PRESENT. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH NEXT
WITNESS. GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM
CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. I'M STUFF WONG AND
I'M ON BEHALF OF POINT OF
FINTECH STARTUP AT PALITO. WE
SUPPORT THE CONFIRMATION OF
COMMISSIONER HEWLETT. WE REALLY
APPRECIATE THE COMMISSIONER'S
WILLINGNESS TO MEET WITH
STARTUPS LIKE POINT POINT HOME
EQUITY INVESTMENT PRODUCT
DOESN'T FIT NEATLY INTO THE
FBI'S LICENSING SCHEME, AND THE
DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMISSIONER
HAS SPENT THE PAST FEW MONTHS
REALLY SINKING IN WHAT POINT AND
CHEWING THROUGH THE DATA TO
REALLY BALANCE, YOU KNOW,
CONSUMER PROTECTION WITH
INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS, SO WE FULLY
SUPPORT HER CONFIRMATION. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT WITNESS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM PRO TEM.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. THIS IS
LINDSAY GOAL HORN HERE TODAY ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
COMMUNITY BANKING NETWORK. WE
ARE HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE
CONFIRMATION OF MS HEWLETT TO
THE D F P. I THINK HER LONG
CAREER BOTH IN THE PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE SECTORS HAS GIVEN HER
THE SKILLS AND THE KNOWLEDGE TO
EFFECTIVELY RUN. THE DEPARTMENT
HAS WORKED WITH THE FINANCIAL
SERVICES INDUSTRY DURING HER
TIME PRACTICING LAW AND HAS%
SERVED CALIFORNIA. IN OUR
VARIOUS ROLES, LEADERSHIP ROLES
IN STATE GOVERNMENT, SO WE THINK
THAT SHE WILL DO AN EXCELLENT
JOB AND ADVOCATING FOR CONSUMERS
, WHILE ENSURING THAT THE
FINANCIAL SERVICES SECTOR CAN
CONTINUE TO EVOLVE, AND BARRY OF
IN URGED YOU TO CONFIRM HER
TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. NEXT WITNESS AFTERNOON,
MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE I'M EZRA GARRETT WITH
OPPORTUNE WERE CERTIFIED BY US
TREASURY AS A LENDER. THAT IS
MISSION FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT WERE ALSO A LICENSEE
OF THE D F P WERE THE MOST
ACTIVE AND LONGEST TENURED
LICENSEE IN THE D. F. P S
SPECIAL PILOT LENDING PROGRAM TO
ENCOURAGE RESPONSIBLE. SMALL
DOLLAR LOANS FOR UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES WERE PLEASED TO BE
HERE TO OFFER OUR SUPPORT FOR
MISS HEWLETT'S CONFIRMATION IN
HER SHORT TIME IN THE ROLE, SHE
HAS DEMONSTRATED STRONG
COMMITMENT TO FINANCIAL
INCLUSION, CONSUMER PROTECTION.
AND IT'S ALSO SHOWN A KEEN
OPENNESS AND REAL INTEREST IN
ENGAGING WITH LICENSES, CONSUMER
ADVOCATES AND ALSO THE
COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE. WE
RESPECTFULLY ENCOURAGE YOUR
SUPPORT FOR HER CONFIRMATION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
NEXT WITNESS. YES MARGARET
GLADSTEIN HERE ON BEHALF OF BOTH
ROCKET MORTGAGE AND THE AMERICAN
FAIR CREDIT COUNCIL. THE
COMMISSIONER HAS SHOWN AN
OPENNESS AND WILLINGNESS TO BE
FAIR MINDED WITH BOTH THE
LICENSEES THAT SHE WORKS WITH IN
THE REGULATED COMMUNITY. THAT IS
THE NEW RESPONSIBILITY OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL
PROTECTION INNOVATION. I BELIEVE
SHE'LL BE CONTINUE TO HAVE A
VERY FAIR BALANCE BETWEEN BOTH
CONSUMER PROTECTION AND
ENCOURAGING INNOVATION, AND WE
ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONFIRM HER
THIS AFTERNOON. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH NEXT WITNESS. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND
MEMBERS OF THE RULES COMMITTEE.
MY NAME IS ARNIE SO WELL, AND
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
NEXT GEN POLICY. WE DO WORK ON
ECONOMIC JUSTICE AS WELL AS
SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES. THERE'S
SO MUCH I WANT TO SAY ABOUT
CHLOE. I'VE KNOWN HER FOR OVER
20 YEARS. SHE ACTUALLY RECRUITED
ME TO WORK WITH HER AT THE STATE
AND CONSUMER SERVICES AGENCY,
WHERE SHE WAS THE
UNDERSECRETARY, AND I SAW HER
LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND CONVENING
SKILLS AT AT WORK WHEN WE WERE
EMBROILED IN THE ENERGY CRISIS,
AND SHE WAS TASKED BY THE AGENCY
SECRETARY WITH DEVELOPING AND
CREATING THE ROLE THAT STATE
GOVERNMENT WOULD PLAY IN
REDUCING THEIR ENERGY USAGE IN
ORDER TO RESPOND TO THE ENERGY
CRISIS, AND SUBSEQUENTLY THERE
SHE HAS BEEN A MENTOR, A FRIEND
, AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK
TOGETHER EVEN EVEN TODAY AS OUR
AGENCY OR OUR ENTITY NONPROFIT
ENTITY WORKS ON, IN PARTICULAR
ON STUDENT LOAN DEBT. UM AS YOU
HEARD BRINGS A VERY UNIQUE SKILL
SET TO THIS POSITION LIVED
EXPERIENCE THAT IS MULTIFACETED
AND MULTILAYERED. SHE IS SHE'S
HAD A VERY EXTRAORDINARY, UM,
PROFESSIONAL CAREER, AND SHE HAS
MAILED IT ALL THAT TOGETHER TO
FIGURE OUT HOW YOU'RE POOR
PEOPLE TOGETHER BOTH INDUSTRY
AND COMMUNITY. IN ORDER TO BRING
GOOD POLICY, GOOD PROGRAMS AND
RESPONSIBLE REGULAR ARE
RESPONSIBLE REGULATORY
ENVIRONMENT TO BEAR. AND SO I
KNOW I'M PROBABLY GOING A LITTLE
BIT LONGER THAN OTHERS HAVE, BUT
REALLY URGE CONFIRMATION. SHE'S
A FRIEND OF FORMER COLLEAGUE AND
MENTOR AND I WOULD JUST ALSO SAY
THAT I WAS ALSO A AUTHORIZED BY
THE STUDENT BORROW PROTECTION
CENTER TO LEND THEIR SUPPORT TO
CONFIRMATION AS WELL. SO I THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING HE
TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OTHER
WITNESSES. OKAY UM, MADAM
MODERATOR, WE'RE GOING TO
WELCOME YOU BACK AND ASK IF YOU
WILL. T UP THE LINE FOR PEOPLE
WHO WISH TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT AND
AGAIN. I'M GOING TO TOSS HAVE
STAFF TOSS THE NUMBER UP ON THE
SCREEN 877226816. ACCESS CODE
6014832. MADAM MODERATOR. THANK
YOU. IF YOU WISH TO BEGIN
SUPPORT PRESS ONE THAN ZERO AT
THIS TIME. WE'LL START WITH
LINE. 21, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
EXCUSE ME. WE'LL START WITH
WIND. 34, PLEASE GO AHEAD. THIS
AFTERNOON. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK
THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. MY NAME IS
WALTER PICKED I'M A FORMER
BANKER AND COMMISSIONER OF THE
DEPARTMENT HERE IN CALIFORNIA. I
CURRENTLY SERVE AS AN ADVISOR TO
BANKS. FINANCIAL SERVICES
COMPANIES AND TECHNOLOGY FIRMS.
I ALSO CHAIR DISCUSSION
EDUCATIONAL GROUP CALLED BACK OR
INTERNATIONAL BANKERS,
CALIFORNIA. IN MY VIEW,
COMMISSIONER HEWLETT POSSESSES
THE EDUCATION. AND THE
EXPERIENCE TO ADDRESS THE
PRESSING ISSUES OF THE DAY.
WHICH INCLUDE CRYPTOCURRENCY AND
FINTECH, AS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED.
BUT ALSO SAFETY AND SOUNDNESS
AND CONSUMER PROTECTION WHICH GO
HAND IN HAND IN MY VIEW. AS YOU
KNOW, SHE HAS THE EXPERIENCE
WORKING WITH THE GLOBAL AND
NATIONAL LAW FIRM AND SHE BEGAN
HER CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THE KEY IS GOING TO BE
FORMULATING AND IMPLEMENTING.
THOUGHTFULLY DESIGNED POLICIES
AT THE FBI IN THIS IMPORTANT
TIME. HE'S DONE MY EXPERIENCE
WORKING WITH HER AND INTERACTING
WITH HER. SHE'S VERY FAIR MINDED
AND OPEN TO HEARING DIFFERING
VIEWS. FOR THESE REASONS. I
BELIEVE THAT COMMISSIONER
HEWLETT WILL BE VERY SUCCESSFUL
IN OFFICE CONFIRMED. THANK YOU
AGAIN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK THIS AFTERNOON. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. MADAM MODERATOR. I'M
GOING TO MAKE A COMMENT RIGHT
NOW. I UNDERSTAND. WE HAVE 16
PEOPLE IN THE CUTEST SPEAK. WE
HAVE HAD QUITE A NUMBER OF
WONDERFUL SPEAKERS IN SUPPORT.
SO TO THOSE LISTENING, I NEED
YOUR NAME YOUR ORGANIZATION, IF
ANY, AND JUST THAT YOU SUPPORT I
IN WITH RESPECT TO MY COLLEAGUES
AND TWO MORE APPOINTMENTS AND AN
EXECUTIVE SESSION. I APPRECIATE
ALL THOSE WHO HAVE SPOKEN IN
SUPPORT. I THINK THAT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT. AND UM, WE WILL ALSO
HOLD THAT TRUE IT SHOULD THERE
BE ANYONE IN OPPOSITION. SO
MADAM MODERATOR, GO RIGHT AHEAD
. NEXT WITNESS NAME ORGANIZATION
, IF ANY, AND SUPPORT POSITION
VERY BRIEFLY. THANK YOU. RYAN.
21, PLEASE GO AHEAD. AYE PARTNER
IN CEO WITH THE RABBIT STATE AND
STRONGLY URGE SUPPORT FOR MISS
HILLARY. SHE CAN BE PHENOMENAL
FOR THE STATE AND FOR THE
COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, SIR. WILL
YOU SAY YOUR NAME AGAIN IF
YOU'RE STILL STILL WITH US?
SURE. HUNAN MERCHANT. A U. N A L
MERCHANT REPUTATION, WHICH IS A
FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANY AND
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. THAT WAS FOR A COURT
REPORTER. THANK YOU NEXT
WITNESS. THANK YOU. RYAN 40,
PLEASE GO AHEAD. SURE MY NAME IS
KIRK TREMBLE, AND I SERVED AS A
BOARD MEMBER ON THE CALIFORNIA
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION. AND I CALL
HIM STRONG SUPPORT OR
COMMISSIONER HEWLETT. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. NEXT WITNESS, PLEASE.
THANK YOU. RYAN 27, PLEASE GO
AHEAD. DANIEL GUTIERREZ ON
BEHALF OF THE CONSUMER
FEDERATION OF CALIFORNIA, WHICH
STANDS STRONG SUPPORT OF THE
CONFIRMATION OF COMMISSIONER.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH
NEXT WITNESS. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. 16, PLEASE GO AHEAD. 16
MHM. WE'LL TRY LINE. 31, PLEASE
GO AHEAD. THANK YOU, CAROLINE
BILL HUNTER TODAY BEFORE YOU IN
MY CAPACITY AS A STATE TREASURER
OF THE CALIFORNIA HAWAII STATE
CONFERENCE OF THE A. A. C P, THE
OLDEST CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION
IN THE NATION WITH A LONG
HISTORY OF MONITORING FINANCIAL
INSTITUTIONS AND THEIR POLICIES
AND PROTECT PRACTICES THAT HAVE
WIDENED THE RACIAL GAP FOR
AFRICAN AMERICANS AND PERSON OF
COLOR, HONORED HERE TO BE HERE
TODAY TO SUPPORT PROBABLY HERE
TO BECOME THE PERMANENT
COMMISSIONER OF THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL
PROTECTION. INNOVATION. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH NEXT
WITNESS. THANK YOU. RYAN 20,
PLEASE GO AHEAD. AFTERNOON MY
NAME IS LUCY A MADDOX AND I'M
WITH THE CENTER FOR RESPONSIBLE
LENDING. CRL IS GRATEFUL FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO STRONGLY SUPPORT
YOU TO MISS YOU. CONFIRMATION AS
THE FBI COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. NEXT WITNESS. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. 13, PLEASE GO
AHEAD. HELLO GOOD AFTERNOON. MY
NAME IS ORLANDO CAVALLO. I'M
WITH THE STUDENT DEBT CRISIS
CENTER. AND WE'RE CALLING IN FOR
A STRONG SUPPORT FOR
COMMISSIONER HEWLETT. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. NEXT WITNESS, PLEASE.
THANK YOU. RYAN 33, PLEASE GO
AHEAD. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME
IS LEO WIGS ON BEHALF OF THE NEW
FINANCIAL. I'M CALLING IN WITH
STRONG SUPPORT OF COMMISSIONER
CHLOE HEWLETT AND RESPECTFULLY
REQUEST HER CONFIRMATION AS
COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF FINANCIAL PROTECTION AND
INNOVATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NEXT WITNESS, PLEASE. THANK YOU.
RYAN 10, PLEASE GO AHEAD. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS BETTY, CALIFORNIA
STATE CONTROLLER AND A LONGTIME
COLLEAGUE OF COMMISSIONER
HEWLETT AND A FORMER CO DIRECTOR
OF THE CALUMNY ASSOCIATION BOARD
AND STRONG, SUPPORTIVE
COMMISSIONER. HEWLETT'S
CONFIRMATION. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU SO MUCH, MADAM CONTROLLER.
NEXT WITNESS, PLEASE. THANK YOU.
BRIAN 39, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI
GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M REGINA BROWN
WATSON, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
FOR CALIFORNIA BLACK MEDIA, AND
WE'RE HERE IN STRONG SUPPORT OF
MISS HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH
NEXT WITNESS. THANK YOU. RYAN
15, PLEASE GO AHEAD. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JUDY
JOHNSON. I'M A RETIRED SUPERIOR
COURT JUDGE WHO'S KNOWN AND
WORKED WITH CHLOE HEWLETT FOR
OVER 40 YEARS. I CAN AFFIRM HER
WORTH ETHIC, HER CHARACTER AND
HER OVERALL FITNESS TO HEAD THE
STATE'S FINANCIAL REGULATORY
AGENCY AND URGED YES VOTE. THANK
YOU SO MUCH NEXT WITNESS. THANK
YOU. RYAN 25, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
THIS IS JOHN PALMER, PARTNER AT
WORK HERE, RINGTONE AND
SUTCLIFFE AND BOARD MEMBER OF
THE TALIBAN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION.
KIND OF EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR
COMMISSIONER, HE WOULD
CONFIRMATION THANK YOU VERY MUCH
NEXT WITNESS. THANK YOU. RYAN
23, PLEASE GO AHEAD. MADAM CHAIR
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. THIS
IS ALFONSO SAL ASSAD. I AM THE
PRESIDENT AND BOARD CHAIR OF THE
CALIBER ASSOCIATION. I AM PROUD
AND HONORED TO LEND MY SUPPORT
AND ENCOURAGE THE CONFIRMATION
OF CHLOE HUMAN. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT
WITNESS, PLEASE. THANK YOU. RYAN
41, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YES GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS BRENDA
RIGHT? A LONG TERM FRIEND,
EMPLOYEE, HEWLETT AND RETIRED
EXECUTIVE. FROM FROM THE
FINANCIAL SERVICES AREA THAT
OVERSAW PHILANTHROPY AND.
COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT. AND I AM JUST
HONORED TO GIVE MY ASKED THE
YEAR SUPPORT TO CONFIRM
COMMISSIONER WHO CHAIRS
DEMONSTRATED. THAT WITH HER
EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE,
COMMITMENT. CHANGING THE LIVES
OF PEOPLE IN NO INCOME COMMUNITY
. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. NEXT WITNESS, PLEASE.
THANK YOU, RYAN. 44, PLEASE GO
AHEAD. HELLO MY NAME IS HEIDI
PICKMAN FROM CAMILO THAT
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION FOR MICRO
ENTERPRISE OPPORTUNITY CALLING
IN STRONG SUPPORT OF
COMMISSIONER NOMINATION. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH NEXT WITNESS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 38, PLEASE
GO AHEAD. THREE. GO AHEAD,
MA'AM. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK
YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, PRESIDENT
PRO TEM ASKINS AND MEMBERS OF
THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE. MY
NAME IS BRENDA HARGON FORTE. I'M
A RETIRED JUDGES, THE ALAMEDA
COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT AND
PLEASED TO BE HERE TODAY ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION OF BLACK LAWYERS ARE
45 YEAR OLD ORGANIZATION THAT
REPRESENTS THE INTERESTS OF OVER
5000. AFRICAN AMERICAN ATTORNEYS
, JUDGES, LAW PROFESSORS AND LAW
STUDENTS IN CALIFORNIA CABLE.
THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF
BLACK LAWYERS STRONGLY SUPPORT
THE CONFIRMATION OF THIS UNIT
COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT.
FINANCIAL PROTECTION AND
IMMIGRATION HAVE KNOWN HER FOR
MORE THAN 40 YEARS AND WENT TO
LAW SCHOOL. TOGETHER. WE HAVE
WORKED TOGETHER ON NUMEROUS
PROJECTS, SHE IS INCREDIBLY
QUALIFIED TO SERVE AS
COMMISSIONER. AND THE CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION OF BLACK LAWYERS.
ONLY URGENT YOU TO CONFIRM HER.
THANK THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT
WITNESS, PLEASE. THANK YOU. RYAN
45, PLEASE GO AHEAD. GOOD
AFTERNOON. THIS IS TIMOTHY ALLEN
SIMON, FORMER APPOINTMENT
SECRETARY IN CALIFORNIA PUBLIC
UTILITIES COMMISSIONER, UM I
ALSO CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF THE
CALIFORNIA AFRICAN AMERICAN
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. WE HAVE
VOTED TO ENTHUSIASTICALLY
SUPPORT THE CONFIRMATION HOTEL
HEWITT I'VE KNOWN HER FOR OVER
40 YEARS, SHE HAS AN
EXTRAORDINARY ATTORNEY.
REGULATOR AND THOUGHT LEADER, UM
THE AFRICAN AMERICAN ECONOMY
NEEDS A REGULATOR LIKE HER. TO
ADVANCE OUR ECONOMIC INTEREST IN
THE FIFTH LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE
WORLD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH NEXT WITNESS. THANK YOU. I
HAVE NO FURTHER COMMENT. THANK
YOU. MADAM MODERATOR. THANK YOU.
WE'LL BE BACK IN JUST A MOMENT.
OKAY HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THOSE
WHO SPOKE IN SUPPORT. WE WILL
NOW TURN TO THOSE WHO MAY WISH
TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION. ANYONE
IN ROOM 2200, WHO WISHES TO
SPEAK IN OPPOSITION. OKAY SEEING
NO ONE, MADAM MODERATOR. I'M
GOING TO COME BACK TO YOU NOW.
TO SEE IF THERE ARE THOSE WHO
NEED TO QUEUE UP TO SPEAK IN
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. IF YOU
WISH TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION,
PLEASE PRESS ONE, THEN ZERO AT
THIS TIME. LINE. 18, PLEASE GO
AHEAD. I WAS CALLING ME TO SPEAK
FOR, UH OH, YOU AND NOT IN
OPPOSITION. GO AHEAD, SIR. GO
AHEAD. WAYNE MY NAME IS WAYNE
PERRY AND I'M THE CEO OF AN
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
COMPANY, AND I HAVE ALSO A SMALL
BUSINESS ADVOCATE. I WAS
FORMALLY A CALIFORNIA SMALL
BUSINESS COMMISSIONER, TASK
FORCE MEMBER. LIKE WORK WITH
CHLOE. SHE IS AN IMPECCABLE
PERSON WAS INTEGRITY, A TALENTED
THOUGHT LEADER AND NAVIGATOR AND
ALSO A RESPECTFUL LISTENER,
WHICH IS WHAT WE NEED IN OUR IN
OUR STATE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH, UH, ANYONE WHO WISHES
TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? GO
AHEAD, MADAM MODERATOR. I HAVE
NO FURTHER COMMENT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'LL TALK
WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT LATER IN
THE HEARING. OKAY HEAVEN HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FOR THOSE
AND SUPPORT AND GIVEN THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE WHO MAY
WISH TO HAVE SPOKEN IN
OPPOSITION WILL BRING IT BACK TO
THE COMMITTEE. SENATOR GROVE
MAKES EMOTION. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. MADAM SECRETARY, WE PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL GROVE. BYE BYE.
KAMLAGER KAMLAGER I LAYERED
LAYERED I BATES I ATKINS ATKINS
. I 5 TO 05 TO ZERO. THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND
CONGRATULATIONS. WE WILL MOVE
THIS ON TO THE FULL SENATE
CONFIRMATION. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. WE WILL TAKE, UH, A VERY
SHORT BREAK SO THAT WE CAN GIVE
WELL, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A VERY
SHORT BREAK. WILL BE RIGHT BACK
. DON'T GO FAR WITH GREAT
APPRECIATION TO THOSE TWO
APPOINTEES REMAINING. THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENTS. WE
WILL BE RIGHT BACK.
BACK TO ORDER. AND WE WILL
CONTINUE NOW TO ITEMS ONE C AND
D WITH MY PUBLIC INCREDIBLE
APPRECIATION FOR YOUR BEING WITH
US. TODAY WE HAVE TWO
APPOINTMENTS TO THE HORSE RACING
BOARD, MR DAMASCUS CUSTODY JANOS
AND MR THOMAS HUDNUT. IS THAT
HOW YOU SAY YOUR NAME, SIR? OKAY
THANK YOU. I WANT TO SAY WELCOME
TO BOTH OF YOU. AND WE'RE GONNA
TAKE UP THE INTRODUCTIONS IN
ORDER. I STATED ORDER OF THE
AGENDA, BEGINNING WITH MR
CASTANO'S AND YOU CAN GIVE YOUR
OPENING COMMENTS THANKS TO
ANYONE YOU WOULD LIKE TO, UM AND
THEN WE WILL MOVE TO YOU, SIR,
AND THEN WE'LL GO RIGHT TO
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE FOR
COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS. SO
WELCOME AND GO RIGHT AGAIN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES UM,
FLORIDA SENATORS AND STAFF.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
PRESIDENT WITH ME TODAY IS MY
WIFE, KATHY. UM I LIKE TO SAY
THAT MY WIFE AND OUR CHILDREN
ANTHONY, ALYSSA, SABRINA AND OUR
GRANDSON, LIAM. AND OUR
GRANDDAUGHTER ALI IS WHAT DRIVES
ME AND ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE.
ESPECIALLY IN THIS WORLD OF THE
CHRB. I AM HUMBLED AND HONORED
TO BE BEFORE YOU TODAY. I WOULD
LIKE TO THANK THE GO. I'D LIKE
TO THANK GOVERNOR NEWSOM FOR
THIS OPPORTUNITY AND THE CHRB
STAFF FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE. AND
I AND I STRONGLY SAY THIS
WITHOUT THEM. THIS WOULD NOT BE
POSSIBLE, SO I APPRECIATE THEM
AND WHAT THEY HAVE HELPED US DO.
SINCE MY FIRST APPOINTMENT TO
THE CHRB IN MARCH OF 2020. I
HAVE PARTICIPATED IN HISTORIC
CHANGES AND MODIFICATIONS TO
ENHANCE HORSE AND JOCKEY SAFETY
. MY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS A
TEAMSTER REPRESENTATIVE HELPS ME
CONFRONT THE MATTERS THAT SOME
PEOPLE MAY FIND DIFFICULT. I AM
VERY PROUD AND HONORED TO SIT
AND SERVE. WITH MY FELLOW BOARD
MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR THIS
TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GO
AHEAD, MR HARTNETT. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH, SENATOR AND ALL OF
YOU ON THE COMMITTEE. I AM
GRATEFUL TO THE GOVERNOR FOR HIS
APPOINTMENT TO THE CALIFORNIA
HORSE RACING BOARD. AND WHILE
MIKE PROFESSIONAL CAREER HAS
BEEN IN EDUCATION, I SHOULD NOTE
THAT MY CAREER WITH HORSES HAS
BEEN LIFELONG. I STARTED WRITING
AS A BOY AND WORKED AS A
WRANGLER IN COLORADO DURING MY
TEENAGE SUMMERS AND HORSE RACING
HAS BEEN A PART OF MY LIFE FOR
MANY, MANY YEARS, I MOVED TO
CALIFORNIA IN 1982 AND WAS
SERVED AS A HIGH SCHOOL
PRINCIPAL. INMARIN COUNTY AND
IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY FOR 31
YEARS THEREAFTER BEFORE RETIRING
IN 2013, SINCE WHICH I HAVE BEEN
AN EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANT
SERVING BOARDS THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY AND IN OTHER COUNTRIES
IN THE WORLD, AND I ENJOY THAT
WORK, AND I GREATLY ENJOY MY
WORK AS A MEMBER OF THE CHRB.
THANK YOU. WELL THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. UM LET ME GO AHEAD AND SEE
IF MISS KAMLAGER WOULD LIKE TO
START, SENATOR. SURE THANK YOU.
UM MADAM KAREN, THANK YOU FOR
STILL BEING HERE AND BEING AWAKE
. YOU KNOW THIS HOOCHIE, WOULD
SHE WOULD SHE SO I KNOW. SORRY I
KNOW. SORRY MOOCHIE. WOOCHI
WOULD OKAY UM SO, UM. BY
QUESTION AND THANK YOU FOR
GIVING ME SOME TIME EARLIER
TODAY. I WANTED TO KNOW, UM WHAT
YOU THINK ABOUT HIS SIDE OF THE
FEDERALLY ENFORCED HORSE RACING
INTEGRITY AND SAFETY ACT, AND IF
SO, I WANT TO ASK YOU IF IT
HELPS OR HINDERS CALIFORNIA, BUT
I WON'T INSTEAD, I WILL ASK YOU
HOW CAN IT BETTER SUPPORT
CALIFORNIA RACING? I THINK IT
CAN SUPPORT CALIFORNIA RACING BY
EXPORTING TO OTHER STATES AROUND
THE COUNTRY. SOME OF THE GOOD
WORKS THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THIS
STATE TO MINIMIZE TO MINIMIZE
ACCIDENTAL DEATH AND INJURY TO
HORSES TO ENSURE DRY WRITER AND
DRIVER'S SAFETY TO MAINTAIN THE
HIGHEST POSSIBLE LEVEL OF DRUG
DETECTION IN RACING. AND TO KEEP
RACING IS FREE FROM EQUINE
DRUGGING AND JOCKEY DRUGGING AS
POSSIBLE. CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN A
LEADER IN THAT, AND I'M HAPPY TO
SAY THAT ALL OUR REGULATIONS IN
THOSE REGARDS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED
BY HIGH, SO THE ONLY AREA OF
SIGNIFICANCE WHERE WE DIFFER
FROM HIGH PSA RIGHT NOW IS THAT
WE HAVE A MORE RESTRICTIVE CROP
USE RULE IN CALIFORNIA, THEN
HYSON DOES. IN THIS STATE, A
JOCKEY CAN ONLY STRIKE A HORSE
SIX TIMES WITH A RIDING CROP, UH
AND UNDER HIGH, SO REGULATIONS
THAT PERMITS ONE MORE. EXCUSE ME
. IT'S FIVE IN CALIFORNIA IN SIX
UNDER HIGH PSA. WE WISH THAT
THEY WOULD ADOPT HOURS AND
THEY'RE WORKING TO SEE TO IT
THAT THEY WILL. I, UH. I AGREE
WITH EVERYTHING THAT TOM HAS
SAID ALSO, ACCORDING TO THE WHIP
RULE. IT'S WE IN CALIFORNIA WE
CHANGED IT TO UNDERHAND AND WITH
HIGH PSA, THEY REVERSED IT BACK
TO OVERHAND. THE OPTICS OF
OVERHAND IS A LITTLE MORE
SERIOUS THAN IT WOULD BE OF
UNDERHAND. AND SO THAT'S ONE OF
THE THINGS ALONG WITH EVERYTHING
ELSE. THEY BASICALLY TOOK OUR
POLICIES AND RULES. AND CREATED
HIGH PSA, SO WE'RE VERY PROUD. I
TELL EVERYBODY. I'M VERY PROUD
OF THAT. BECAUSE WE'VE MADE WE
KIND OF WE KIND OF PAVED THAT
ROAD AND WE ARE NORMALLY THE
OTHER STATES FOLLOW. THEY'VE
BEEN KIND OF SLOW TO FOLLOW THIS
TIME, AND I THINK WITH HIGH PSA,
IT'S GONNA KIND OF HELP THAT
THANK YOU. SO YOU TALKED ABOUT,
YOU KNOW OTHER STATES AND SO I
WANT TO KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ON IF
CALIFORNIA'S BREEDING INCENTIVES
ARE COMPARABLE IN NEW YORK'S
YEAH. WELL WE'VE IT'S BEEN
DIFFICULT FOR US. WE DON'T HAVE
THE MEANS OF THE FINANCES THAT
THE OTHER STATES DO, WHICH IS
THROUGH SPORTS, GAMBLING AND THE
AND THE OTHER MACHINES AND STUFF
THAT THEY GET THE MONEY FROM TO
ANHEUSER TO ENTICE THOSE, SO WE
DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF REVENUE
THAT, BUT WE FEEL THAT HOPEFULLY
WE CAN WORK TOWARDS THAT LITTLE
BY LITTLE, AND WE HAVE BEEN WITH
THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE. UM AND
I JUST MY LAST QUESTION BECAUSE
IT HAS BEEN A LONG DAY AND I
KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT MANY OF
THESE, UM EARLIER TODAY. I OF
COURSE I'M HOPING THAT YOU KNOW,
THE BONUSES FOR CAL BREADWINNERS
ARE INCREASED. I DO THINK WE
SHOULD BE LOOKING AT WAYS. TO
INCENTIVIZE SO THAT WE CAN
CREATE SOME SUSTAINABILITY
WITHIN THE INDUSTRY. UM SOME OF
US HAVE LONGSTANDING, YOU KNOW,
CONNECTIONS TO, UM THIS WORLD,
UM. FOR SO MANY REASONS,
INCLUDING, UM, THE JOBS THAT IT
CREATES, UM IF IT'S BREEDING IF
IT'S THE FARMS IF IT'S THE
DOCTORS, IF IT'S THE JOCKEYS, IF
IT'S THE TELLERS, I MEAN, THE
LIST GOES ON AND ON AND SO YOU
KNOW? WHAT ARE THE BOARD'S IDEAS
ON MAKING HORSE RACING? THIS
INDUSTRY IN CALIFORNIA?
SUSTAINABLE WHAT CAN WE BE DOING
TO SECURE THOSE JOBS? UM TO NOT
CLOSED TRACKS? UM BECAUSE IF YOU
CLOSE TRACKS, I DON'T KNOW WHERE
THOSE JOBS WILL GO. SO AND GIVEN
THE HIGHLY POLITICAL DISCUSSIONS
AROUND. SPORTS BETTING AND
GAMBLING. YOU KNOW IF THOSE
KINDS OF PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN,
YOU KNOW, SHEPHERD THROUGH, UM,
THE BOARD? I DON'T KNOW. BUT
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW WE
CAN CREATE A MORE SUSTAINABLE
INDUSTRY? THAT'S ALSO SAFE,
OBVIOUSLY FOR THE ANIMALS. WELL
LOOK, I'LL LET DAMASCUS SPEAK TO
THE JOB SIDE. I WILL SPEAK TO
THE MONEY SIDE. AND OF COURSE TO
IMPROVE PERSONS TO MAKE CAL
BREEDING. UM MORE PROFITABLE FOR
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ENGAGED IN
IT, WE WOULD NEED MORE MONEY AND
WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GET MORE
MONEY. WE ARE PREVENTED FROM
GETTING MONEY FROM CASINO
GAMBLING BY STATUTE HERE IN
CALIFORNIA, SO A REVENUE SOURCE
THAT WE ARE EXPLORING IS TO TAKE
A BIGGER PIECE OF THE AH
ADVANCED DEVICE WAGERING THAT IS
DONE BY COMPUTERS THROUGHOUT THE
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. ACTUALLY,
YOU CAN BET ON HORSE RACES IN
CALIFORNIA FROM ANYWHERE IN THE
WORLD. IF YOU HAVE THE PROPER
ACCOUNT, AND WE SHOULD BE
GETTING A BIGGER PIECE OF THAT
ACTION THAN WE ARE, AND WE COULD
USE THAT THAT INCREASED REVENUE
BOTH TO SUPPORT AND IMPROVE
BREEDING PROGRAM. AND ALSO TO
INCREASE THE MONIES THAT ARE
AVAILABLE FOR JOCKEY AND HORSE
RETIREMENT FUNDS, EACH OF WHICH
IS FED BY THOSE AND NEITHER OF
WHICH IS RECEIVING AS MUCH AS WE
WOULD LIKE AT THE MOMENT, SO
THOSE ARE A COUPLE OF RESPONSES
TO THE REVENUE QUESTION BECAUSE
REVENUES FELL DURING COVID.
PEOPLE STOPPED GOING TO BRICK
AND MORTAR SITES. THEY INCREASED
THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY
WERE BETTING THROUGH ADVANCED
DEVICE WAGERING ADVANCED DEPOSIT
WAGERING AROUND THE COUNTRY AND
THE WORLD. SO ACTUALLY THE
AMOUNT OF MONEY BEING BET ON
RACING IN CALIFORNIA IS GOING UP
IN TOTAL, EVEN WHILE THE NUMBERS
OF PEOPLE GOING TO THE RACES IN
CALIFORNIA AND BETTING ACTUALLY
IN CALIFORNIA IS GOING DOWN, SO
HOW CAN WE CAPTURE SOME OF THAT?
THAT'S A POLICY QUESTION, NOT
THE JOBS AND ONCE AND ONCE WE
ONCE WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO
CAPTURE ALL THAT, THEN ROUGHLY
THE CURRENTLY AROUND 3000 PEOPLE
THAT THERE'S RACING INDUSTRY
EFFECTS. WE COULD GROW THAT IN
EVERY ASPECT THAT WE HAVE
EVERYBODY THAT COLLECTS AND
CLEANS OUT THE STALLS AND
COLLECTS THE HAY. PROCESSES THAT
TO THE TICKET TAKERS IN THE
GATES. SO IF WE WERE ABLE TO
INCREASE OUR HORSE POPULATION
THAT INCREASES EVERYBODY THAT'S
WORKING IN THE STABLES AND
WORKING ON THE BACKSIDE. SO OUR
HOPE, OF COURSE, IS NOT TO HAVE
THESE TRACKS. SHUT DOWN. OUR
HOPES IS TO CREATE THAT MONEY
AND CREATE THE POSSIBILITIES OF
GETTING MORE HORSES, BIGGER
FIELDS SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE
AND PROSPER. THANK YOU. I JUST
WANT TO SAY THAT ONE OF YOUR
MORE FORMIDABLE UM, OPPONENTS IS
KENTUCKY AND CHURCHILL DOWNS,
BUT I DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN THAT
ROAD. SO I WILL JUST SAY THANK
YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. IT'S ALSO
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT MANY OF
THESE JOBS ARE GENERATIONAL,
THEIR FAMILIES AND FAMILIES AND
FAMILIES WHO STAY IN THIS
INDUSTRY WHO LOVE UM, THE EQUINE
WORLD AND LOVE THIS WORK AND
WANTED TO SURVIVE. AND HOW DO WE
AS A STATE ALLOW FOR THAT TO
HAPPEN WHILE PROTECTING? UM YOU
KNOW, THE LIVES OF THESE
BEAUTIFUL AND MOST AMAZING,
MAJESTIC ANIMALS. SO THANK YOU
FOR YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, SENATOR KAMLAGER
MADAM VICE CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR SERVICE AND MR CASIANO. I
SUPPORTED YOU LAST TIME DONE A
GREAT JOB SINCE THEN. SO YOU
HAVE MY SUPPORT ON THIS ROUND.
YOU AND MR HAD NOT FIRST TIME
I'VE MET YOU. I MISSED YOUR
INTRODUCTION, BUT I WAS VERY
CURIOUS LISTENING TO YOUR
COMMENTS ON MY COLLEAGUE'S
QUESTION ABOUT HOW HOW CAN YOU
CAPTURE BILLS RESOURCES AND DO
EITHER OF YOU HAVE IDEAS ABOUT
THAT THAT YOU COULD PUT ON THE
PUBLIC RECORD? OR IS THAT
SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT INDIVIDUALLY BECAUSE IT'S
A IT WAS A GREAT DISCUSSION OF
RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION, AND IT
SEEMS WHEN YOU PUT IT THE WAY
YOU DID. IT'S SIMPLE, BUT IT
ISN'T SIMPLE. IN TERMS OF THE
WAY YOU CAN CAPTURE IT. IT MAY
BE THAT IS POLICY. WHICH COMES
BACK TO THOSE OF US HERE AND IN
THE BIGGER ROOMS. ON EACH SIDE
OF THE HOUSE HERE, SO JUST SOME
THOUGHTS, SENATOR, I WOULD HAVE
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION WITH THE
QUESTION. WHICH WOULD BE, UH HOW
MIGHT WE. APPROACH THE IDEA OF A
LARGER TAKE FROM ADVANCED
DEPOSIT WAGERING. THROUGH
ENABLING LEGISLATION OR AH.
COMMISSION ACTION TO FURTHER
THAT AND MAKE IT REALITY. UH
SOME OF THAT WILL HAVE TO WAIT
IN THE BAY INCENSE PENDING A
COUPLE OF REFERENDA THAT ARE
GOING TO BE VOTED ON THIS FALL,
NEITHER OF WHICH I THINK WILL
PASS BASED ON WHAT I'VE HEARD,
UH, BUT WE NEED CONSTANTLY TO
REVISIT THE SUBJECT OF HIM
IMPROVED REVENUES FOR HORSE
RACING, LEST IT CONTINUED TO
DECLINE. THANK YOU. WELL WE
CAN'T REALLY PURSUED THAT. BUT
SOMEBODY WILL HAVE AN IDEA TO
INTRODUCE SOME LEGISLATION. IT
DOESN'T HAVE THAT BLACK CLOUD OF
OH, MORE BETTING OR GAMBLING.
IT'S NO MY, UM WE'RE NOT
ADVOCATING MORE BETTING. WE'RE
ADVOCATING A BETTER PIECE OF THE
BETTER, BIGGER PIECE OF THE
BEDDING DOLLAR. EXACTLY IF THE
INITIATIVE WAS THE PAST. HAVE
YOU HAD ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW
THAT WILL AFFECT THE INDUSTRY?
AH, ANY PREPARATIONS OR. WE HAVE
WE HAVE NOT ON THE BOARD HAD
THAT DISCUSSION. I HAVE HAD THAT
DISCUSSION WITH PEOPLE INVOLVED
IN THE INDUSTRY AND THEY'RE
FEELING UH, IS THAT, UH, IT
WOULD IT WOULD. INCREASE ACCESS
TO SOME. I FORGET THE FIGURE. I
THINK IT'S AROUND 40 MILLION
PEOPLE WHO HAVE ONLINE BETTING
ACCOUNTS, AND IT WOULD, UH,
INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF THERE
BEING A BLUE EXCESS, OUR RACING
PROGRAMS AND VIDEO FEEDS AND
PRESUMPTIVELY. INCREASE OUR
HANDLE. HMM. AS A AS A BOARD. UM
WE HAVE NOT DISCUSSED IT. BUT
YES, INDIVIDUALLY AND WITH WITH
SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE
BEHIND IT. CONVERSATION HAS BEEN
HAD AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS A
GREAT POSSIBILITY THAT WE WOULD
OF COURSE ENTERTAINED, BUT WE
WOULD HAVE TO BE FIGURED OUT ON
OUR END SIMILAR TO HEIS A. WE
WOULD YOU KNOW, WE WOULD HAVE TO
LOOK AT IT AND SEE HOW IT
AFFECTS US. AND THEN HOW DO WE
GET INVOLVED AND MAKE IT WORK
FOR US? OH GOOD. I AM OBVIOUSLY
BEING PREPARED BUT GOING TO WHAT
MR HARTNETT SAID THAT IF THE
CURRENT PROGNOSTICATORS SEE THAT
NEITHER A PASS THAT KIND OF
SEEMS THAT THE DUAL THAT'S GOING
ON CONFUSES PEOPLE AND THE
ONIONS BY DESIGN, EITHER DON'T
VOTE OR EASIEST ANSWER. WHEN YOU
DON'T UNDERSTAND. IT IS NO
CORRECT, RIGHT. SO THANK YOU FOR
YOUR SERVICE AGAIN. AND I WANT
TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE
DONE. AROUND 2019 WHEN ALL OF
THE EQUINE FATALITIES CAME TO
LIGHT IN A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION
THAT WENT ON. I THINK THE BOARD
REALLY STEPPED UP AND TOOK A
VERY SERIOUS APPROACH ON THIS
CAN'T HAPPEN, AND HERE'S WHAT WE
NEED TO DO, AND YOU HAVE DONE A
LOT OF THAT. SO WE ALL
APPRECIATE THAT. MY RELATIVES
LIVED. ADJACENT TO THE SANTA
ANITA RACETRACK WHEN WE WERE
KIDS, AND MY COUSINS USED TO GO
OVER THERE AND PICK UP ALL THE
TICKETS THAT PEOPLE THREW AWAY
KIND OF GAVE THEM, YOU KNOW
THEIR ALLOWANCE. THAT WAS YOUR
JOB, SO IT WAS SOMETHING THERE
ARE PEOPLE WHO DO THAT FOR A
LIVING THERE CALLED STUPORS. UH
SO IT WAS. IT WAS KIND OF THE
FAMILY. FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT.
LET'S SAY THAT IT IS A IT'S A.
IT'S A WONDERFUL SPORT WHEN IT'S
DONE, RIGHT. THANK YOU RESPECT
AND ADMIRE. AS MY COLLEAGUE
SAID. THOSE INCREDIBLE ANIMALS
THAT ARE OUT THERE WHO ARE IN
THE GAME BASED ON WHAT I READ
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE VERY
MUCH A PART OF WANTING TO WIN
WHATEVER THEIR BRAINS TELL THEM,
BUT BUT THANK YOU AGAIN. I'M SO
HAPPY THAT YOU'RE BOTH WILLING
TO SERVE AND IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT
. DIFFICULT THANK YOU, SENATOR.
THANK YOU JOB, SO THANK YOU FOR
THAT. AND YOU WILL HAVE MY
SUPPORT AGAIN. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, MADAM. VICE CHAIR, SENATOR
GROVE. THANK YOU, MADAM PROTEIN
. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR
PATIENCE AND WAITING FOR THE
OTHER COUNTRIES. I REALLY
APPRECIATE YOU GUYS BEING
WILLING TO SERVE ON THIS. I
REALLY DO THINK AND I ECHO MY
COLLEAGUE FROM CNN, DIEGO ORANGE
COUNTY THAT, UM, I THINK YOU
GUYS ARE ON THE DOWNHILL OF A
GOOD THING. NOW I THINK THERE
WAS A LOT OF NEGATIVE IMPACT AND
STUFF THAT WAS GOING ON. BUT I
REALLY DO THINK THAT THE WAY THE
BOARD RESPONDED THAT YOU GUYS
DID ANNOUNCE STANDING JOB IN
MITIGATING, UM WHAT COULD HAVE
BEEN A REALLY WORSE AND
CATASTROPHIC SITUATION. MY
QUESTIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN
ANSWERED. UNLESS I DID MISS THE
ANSWER TO I BELIEVE ONE OF THEM
. IT WAS REGARDING MY COLLEAGUE
FROM LOS ANGELES ASKED YOU ABOUT
THE HORSE RACING INTEGRITY
SAFETY ACT, AND I WASN'T SURE IF
WE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO A DOLLOP
ABDUCT FEDERAL REGULATIONS OR
THAT THEY WOULD ADOPT OURS. AND
I WASN'T SURE IF, UH THAT YOU
HAVE ALREADY HAD A MEETING
REGARDING THE RULEMAKING PROCESS
THAT MAY IMPACT US AS
CALIFORNIANS. MANY OF THE RULES
THAT HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO
HIGH PSA R CALIFORNIA RULES. SO
WE'RE PROUD OF THAT, AND WE CAN
WE CAN LIVE WITH IT WERE
SUPPORTIVE AS A BOARD AND AS THE
STATE OF HAMZA. AND THEN AGAIN,
JUST TO ECHO MY COLLEAGUE'S
COMMENTS. THE VICE CHAIR. HOW
HOW? WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP US
GET A BIGGER PIECE OF THE PIE? I
MEAN, IF SOMEBODY IN TEXAS IS
BETTING ON CALIFORNIA RACING AND
MAKE A TON OF MONEY, AND IT'S
HAPPENING IN OUR STATE, AND
WE'RE FOOTING THE BILL FOR THE
FACILITY, THE TRAINERS THE ALL
OF THE STUFF THAT WE DO THAT TO
MAINTAIN THE FACILITY. HOW DO WE
DO THAT? WHAT'S THE RULE? IS IT
A FEDERAL WALL? I'M SURE THAT
YOU COULD TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON
IT. BUT I'M SURE THAT JUST US
HAVING THIS CONVERSATION IS
STIRRING THE POT. AS WE SPEAK,
BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
LISTENING. ER UH AND BETWEEN HIM
AND I, WE COULD DO THAT PRETTY
GOOD. BUT YEAH, I THINK IT'S A
MATTER OF SPEAKING TO THESE
GROUPS AND TRYING TO NEGOTIATE.
I GUESS IN A SENSE OF FIGURE
SOMETHING OUT THAT WE DO GET A
BIGGER PIECE OF THAT PIE. BUT I
KNOW THAT TOM HAS A LOT TO SAY
ON IT, BUT I THINK IT JUST TO
SAY THAT WE HAVE. WE ARE KIND OF
JUST A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
LISTENING. THEY'RE PROBABLY
LISTENING RIGHT NOW. GO. THEY GO
WANT ONE. SO ARENA BIGGER PIECE
OF THE POT, BUT THAT'S THAT'S
FINE. I WOULD LIKE TO BRING
TOGETHER A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS
IN IN IN ONE ROOM AND SEE WHAT
WE COULD GENERATE IN TERMS OF
IDEAS, AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE
LEGISLATURE WOULD INCLUDE PEOPLE
FROM THE THOROUGHBRED OWNERS OF
CALIFORNIA WOULD INCLUDE PEOPLE
FROM THE THOROUGHBRED TRAINERS,
CALIFORNIA'S THOROUGHBRED
TRAINERS. AND IT WOULD INCLUDE
THE TRACK OPERATORS AS WELL AS
MEMBERS OF THE CHRB. I HAVE A
FEELING THAT THERE ENOUGH SMART
PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THOSE
DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE
COULD COME UP WITH A DECENT IDEA
AND PROPOSAL AND ONE THAT WOULD
PASS AND ONE THAT MIGHT BEGIN TO
SATISFY THE NEEDS OF RACING IN
THIS STATE. DO YOU ANTICIPATE
THAT YOU'LL PULL THAT GROUP
TOGETHER? AND THE NEXT YEAR OR
SO? WELL I JUST THOUGHT ABOUT IT
ABOUT 90 SECONDS AGO. I DON'T
KNOW HOW OPTIMISTIC I AM SENATOR
, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE IT A
TRY. THANK YOU. I LOOK FORWARD
TO BOTH YOUR CONFIRMATIONS. YOUR
BACKGROUND SAYS YOU'RE
DEFINITELY QUALIFIED FOR THE
POSITION THE WAY YOU HANDLED THE
CAST CATASTROPHES THAT WERE
GOING ON. PREVIOUSLY IN THE WAY
YOU ADDRESS THAT WAS, UM, WAS
EXCEPTIONAL. AND I APPRECIATE
YOU GUYS BEING WILLING TO TAKE
THE POSITION THAT YOU'RE TAKING.
THANK THANK YOU. I WOULD JUST
LIKE TO STATE IN REFERENCE TO
THAT TO GET ON THE RECORD. THE
FACT THAT IN IN THE FIRST SEVEN
MONTHS OF 2017. THERE WERE 108
HORSE DEATHS AT CALIFORNIA
RACETRACKS. AND IN THE FIRST
SEVEN MONTHS OF 2022, THERE WERE
38. THROUGH THE ACTIONS OF THIS
BOARD AND COOPERATING RACETRACKS
AND VETERINARIANS. WE HAVE
REDUCED THE NUMBER BY 70% THAT'S
UM I DID SEE THAT DATA AND
THAT'S WHY I MADE THAT COMMENT
THAT I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE DONE
HAS BEEN JUST INCREDIBLE AND TO
TAKE THE HEAT THAT YOU DO AND
YOU HAVE TO HAVE VERY THICK
SKIN. I CAN TELL. YOU DO, UM,
YOU MUST DO BETTER ANYWAYS. BUT
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
YOUR WILLINGNESS TO TAKE THIS
POSITION. YOU SHOULD GO. OH, AND
HANG OUT AFTER THE RACISM
AFTERNOON. SEE THE STUPORS AT
WORK. THAT'S SENATOR BATES'S KID
. YEAH BUT YOU YOU HIT ME YOU
LIKE IT WHEN I SAID YEAH. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, SENATOR. SENATOR
LAIRD. FRANKLY I ALL I COULD
THINK OF AS A STUPOR. AS WHAT
WE'VE BEEN IN THE LAST. ER YEAH
. UM IS THAT YOUR ONLY QUESTION
? THAT'S MY ONLY COMMENT, BUT
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY CLOSE
BECAUSE I HAVE VOTED FOR ONE OF
YOU. IN A PREVIOUS HEARING
ALREADY, AND YOU'VE
DISTINGUISHED YOURSELF. YOU
ANSWERED ALL THE QUESTIONS. I
WOULD HAVE ASKED. I'M GOING TO
BE VERY HAPPY ONCE WE HEAR FROM
MANY PUBLIC MEMBER TO VOTE FOR
YOUR CONFIRMATION AND THANK YOU
FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THANK YOU
FOR WAITING THROUGH ALL THIS
HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THE REST WAS
INSTRUCTIVE. WE DIDN'T MIND
WAITING. THANK YOU. YOU COULD
OVER TIME. GET OVER THAT, BUT
I'M NOT RUNNING FOR OFFICE. I UM
I THINK TO CLOSE OUT I WOULD
JUST SAY I TO APPRECIATE THAT
THE CHANGES THAT REFORMS HAVE
BROUGHT AND I HOPE WE CONTINUE
TO SEE THAT AS SOMEONE WHO
REPRESENTS DELMAR. UM, I HEAR A
LOT FROM CONSTITUENTS BOTH PRO
AND CON. AND SO WE TOOK ALL THAT
VERY SERIOUSLY. YOU HEARD OUR
QUESTIONS BEFORE. SO I JUST WANT
TO ADD MY APPRECIATION FOR THE
ROLE THAT YOU HAVE PLAYED. HERE
IN CALIFORNIA, AND I AGREE WITH
SENATOR KAMLAGER. UM, THIS IS A
LEGACY INDUSTRY HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. AT DEL MAR AND THE
AG DISTRICT THERE, SO I'LL JUST
ADD MY THANKS AND WE WILL GO
RIGHT TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
UM I THINK I COVERED EVERYONE SO
WE WILL START RIGHT. YOU
PROBABLY KNOW THE SCRIPT BY
HEART RIGHT NOW. WE WILL START
RIGHT HERE IN ROOM 2200 ANYONE
WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN
SUPPORT. AH TO ENTER TO COME UP
TO THE MIC. OKAY UM, SEEING NO.
ONE AT THIS POINT. MADAM
MODERATOR, I AM GOING TO WELCOME
YOU BACK TO T ANYONE UP THAT
WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT
OF THE APPOINTEES TODAY. THANK
YOU. IF YOU WISH US TO BEGIN
SUPPORT, PLEASE PRESS ONE THAN
ZERO AT THIS TIME. JUST ONE
MOMENT FOR OUR FIRST COMMENT.
I DO HAVE A COMMENT AND QUÊ.
IT'LL JUST BE ONE MOMENT HERE.
OKAY? THANK YOU, MADAM
MODERATOR. DID YOU CALL
SOMETHING?
37 PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU.
MADAM. CHAIR MEMBERS BOILS ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION OF RAISING FARES, MR
CALLING TO EXPRESS OUR SUPPORT
OF THE CONFIRMATION. MR.
CASTELLANOS, MR HODGES. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OTHER
WITNESSES, MADAM MODERATOR.
THANK YOU. I HAVE NO FURTHER
COMMENTS IN. Q THANK YOU. WE'LL
BE RIGHT BACK WITH YOU IN A
MOMENT. OKAY HAVEN'T TAKEN
SPEAKERS AND SUPPORT ANYONE IN
ROOM 2200 IN OPPOSITION. OKAY
SEEING NO ONE APPROACHED THE MIC
, MADAM MODERATOR. I'M GOING TO
COME BACK TO YOU TO TEE UP
ANYONE WHO MIGHT WISH TO SPEAK
IN OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. IF YOU
WISH TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION,
PLEASE PRESS 10 AT THIS TIME. I
HAVE NO COMMENTS. THANK YOU,
MADAM MODERATOR. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR ASSISTANCE
. TODAY. WE GREATLY APPRECIATE
IT. HAVE A GOOD EVENING. AH LET
ME BRING IT BACK TO MY CHAIR. I
HAPPILY MOVED BOTH CONFIRMATIONS
BOTH CONFIRMATIONS. I SEE NO
OPPOSITION TO TAKING BOTH AT THE
SAME TIME. SO, MADAM SECRETARY,
WE PLEASE CALL THE ROLL GROVE. I
KAMLAGER AYE KAMLAGER. I LAYERED
I BATES I ATKINS ATKINS. I 5 TO
0. HOPEFULLY THE WAIT WAS WORTH
THE OUTCOME. WE WILL, UH, SEND
THESE ON TO THE FULL SENATE FOR
CONFIRMATION, WHICH WILL HAPPEN
BEFORE THE END OF AUGUST. SO
CONGRATULATIONS WITH OUR THANKS,
MADAM CHAIRMAN, I ASK A QUESTION
. IT DEPENDS ON THE QUESTION. GO
AHEAD. WHERE IS THE MODERATOR?
THE VOICE OF GOD. GREAT ODDS
BEHIND ALL OF THIS. WE WE'VE
GOTTEN QUITE USED TO THAT. THAT
IS AN AT AND T OPERATOR THAT WE
HAVE WORKED WITH SINCE THE
PANDEMIC TO MAKE SURE WE CAN DO
PUBLIC COM MEANT WHEN WE
COULDN'T HAVE YOU HERE EVEN
PUBLICLY. BE THANKFUL YOU'RE NOT
ON A COMPUTER SCREEN. WHICH WE
REALLY DID NOT ENJOY. YOU MIGHT
HAVE ENJOYED IT HAD TO DO IT.
YEAH OKAY, MEDALS, SO THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. ALL THANK YOU. THANK
ALL OF YOU APPRECIATE IT. HAVE A
GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, I. BEFORE WE
CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC PORTION. I
WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY
AND WITH THANKS TO OUR
INCREDIBLE SUPPORT STAFF WHO
HAVE JUST ENTERED THE ROOM.
TODAY IS OUR LAST RULES
COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE
LEGISLATIVE YEAR AND WE HAVE TWO
INCREDIBLE MEMBERS WHO WILL NOT
BE RETURNING NEXT YEAR. MY VICE
HERE OUR VICE CHAIR, SENATOR
BATES. SHE MENTIONED SEVERAL
TIMES DURING THIS HEARING THAT
SHE IS TERMED OUT. AND SO, UH, I
DIDN'T WANT YOU TO HOLD IT
AGAINST ME, GUYS, BUT WE HAVE
FLOWERS FOR HER. HER INCREDIBLE
SERVICE. I HAVE TO SAY. COME ON
FORWARD, GRACE. THANK YOU. UM WE
HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO HAVE AS
VICE CHAIR, SENATOR BATES. UM
AND WE HAVE SERVED AS LEADERS
TOGETHER AND THE RULES COMMITTEE
. OUR SECRETARY, OUR STAFF.
EVERYONE WANTS TO SAY THANK YOU
FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE SERVICE. I
DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO
REPLACE THE INCREDIBLE PRAGMATIC
, UM, SOCIAL WORKER WITH
COMPASSION YET ASKED ALL THE
TOUGH QUESTIONS. WE APPRECIATE
YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, K. S OH, THAT SENATOR
KAMLAGER, WHO HAS SERVED SO WELL
ON THE RULES COMMITTEE WILL NOT
BE RETURNING. SHE IS GOING ON TO
GREATER THINGS. WE JUST HOPE
THAT SHE REMEMBERS THIS KINDLY
WHEN SHE GETS TO THAT GREATER
PLACE. UH AND JUST WANT TO SAY
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
INCREDIBLE SERVICE TO THIS
COMMITTEE. WE APPRECIATE SO MUCH
FROM THE STAFF. WELL NOW THAT
WAS THE PUBLIC PORTION OF THE
AGENDA HIGHLIGHTED BY THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU TO
A COUPLE OF OUR INCREDIBLE
SENATORS. SO TO ALL OF THE
INDIVIDUALS WHO PARTICIPATED IN
PUBLIC TESTIMONY TODAY, IF YOU
WEREN'T ABLE TO TESTIFY, PLEASE
SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS OR
SUGGESTIONS IN WRITING TO OUR
RULES COMMITTEE. YOU CAN VISIT
OUR WEBSITE FOR INSTRUCTIONS.
YOUR COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS
ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO US, AND
WE WANT TO INCLUDE THAT IN OUR
TESTIMONY FOR THE OFFICIAL
HEARING RECORDS. SO THANK YOU,
EVERYONE FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND
YOUR COOPERATION. TODAY THE
SENATE COMMITTEE ON RULES WILL
NOW MOVE TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.