OKAY
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. THE
SENATE COMMITTEE ON RULES WILL
COME TO ORDER. AH IT'S GOOD TO
SEE EVERYONE. THE SENATE
CONTINUES TO WELCOME THE PUBLIC
IN PERSON AND STILL VIA THE
TELECONFERENCE SERVICE. WE'RE
HOLDING OUR COMMITTEE HEARING IN
THE O STREET BUILDING IN ROOM
2200 FOR INDIVIDUALS WISHING TO
PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT VIA THE
TELECONFERENCE SERVICE THAT
PARTICIPANT TOLL FREE NUMBER AND
ACCESS CODE OR POSTED ON OUR
COMMITTEE WEBSITE. AND WILL BE
DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN. YES IT
IS. TODAY'S PARTICIPANT NUMBER
IS 87722681. AND THE ACCESS CODE
IS 1618051. AND ALSO LET ME JUST
SAY ON BEHALF OF OUR INCREDIBLE
COURT REPORTER. I WANT TO ASK
ALL THE SPEAKERS, INCLUDING MY
COLLEAGUES AND WITNESSES ALIKE
TO SPEAK SLOWLY AND CLEARLY AND
DON'T SPEAK OVER EACH OTHER. AND
IF I STOP YOU AND REMIND YOU
IT'S JUST SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE
THAT THE COURT REPORTER GETS
YOUR TESTIMONY APPROPRIATE AND
CLEAR. UM BEFORE WE BEGIN THE
AGENDA TODAY, WE NEED TO
ESTABLISH A QUORUM. SO TO MY
COLLEAGUES, MEMBERS, YOU WILL
NEED TO TURN ON YOUR MICROPHONE
FOR THE ROLL CALL AND EVERY TIME
THAT WE VOTE VOTE, MADAM
SECRETARY, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL HERE HERE, SO BUG?
SMALLWOOD CUEVAS HERE. WHAT
WOULD SAVE US HERE? GROVE HERE?
GROWTH HERE. ATKINS HERE. ATKINS
HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I
KNOW THAT KOA BOGEY IS ON HER
WAY AND SHOULD BE HERE SHORTLY.
I SHOULD SAY SENATOR COBURG IS
ON HER WAY AND WILL BE HERE
SHORTLY. SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY.
EXCUSE ME TRY TO DISPENSE WITH,
UM SOME ITEMS AND I WILL BASED
ON WHAT I HAVE UNDERSTOOD FROM
THE CONSULTANT AND STAFF. I AM
GOING TO RECOMMEND THIS MOTION,
STARTING WITH ITEM NUMBER TWO
GOVERNOR'S APPOINTEES NOT
REQUIRED TO APPEAR AS A FIRST
MOTION I WOULD ENTERTAIN ITEMS
TO D. F G H AND L OKAY. THANK
YOU, MADAM SECRETARY. WE PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL. LAIRD HIÂU COBURG
SMALLWOOD CUEVAS, RIVERSIDE
GROVE GROVE, I ATKINSON AND WE
WILL PUT THAT ON CALL. I WOULD
NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEM
TWO E I. J AND K. I WOULD SO
MOVE. THANK YOU, SENATOR LAIRD,
MADAM SECRETARY, CALL THE ROLL.
LAIRD BIOCHAR BOG SMALLWOOD
CUEVAS. SMALL EQUIVALENCE I
GROVE GROVE, NOT VOTING.
ATKINSON ON CALL. WE WILL PUT
THAT ON CALL COLLEAGUES. I WOULD
ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM THREE
AND THAT IS BILL REFERRALS.
THANK YOU, MADAM. VICE CHAIR,
MADAM SECRETARY. CALL THE ROLE
SO BOGGED. SMALLWOOD CUEVAS
WOULD CUEVA SITE GROVE GROVE. I
ATKINS. I SURE BOG REFERRALS.
ROBO GUY. FIVE TO 05 TO ZERO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE
FLOOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND LET
ME RECOMMEND THE MOTION ON THAT
I WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION ON ITEM
467. AND NINE AND THESE ARE
FLORIDA KNOWLEDGE MINTS. THANK
YOU, MADAM. VICE CHAIR, MADAM
SECRETARY. OH I MISSED 10 CAN
MADAM VICE HERE, INCLUDING 10,
SO IT'S 46789 AND 10. SO MOVED
AND THANK YOU, MADAM SECRETARY
FOR THAT CATCH, WILL YOU PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL? LAIRD DIÆN COBURG
BALD GUY SMALLWOOD CREVICE I
QUIVER SAI GROVE GROVE I ATKINS
FIVE TO 05 TO ZERO. I WOULD GO
BACK AND ASK FOR A MOTION ON
FLOOR ACKNOWLEDGMENTS FOR ITEM
FIVE. THANK YOU, MADAM VICE
CHAIR. MADAM SECRETARY. WE
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. LAIRD I OR
COBURG COBURG I SMALL CUEVAS.
CUEVAS NOT VOTING GROVE GROVE I
AT CAN I INSIDE FOR 4 TO 0 AND,
UH, SENATOR KOBO GIF. I CAN I'M
GOING TO GO BACK AND OPEN THE
ROLE AND ON A COUPLE OF ITEMS I
LET PEOPLE KNOW YOU WERE ON YOUR
WAY ITEM TWO GOVERNOR'S
APPOINTEES NOT REQUIRED TO
APPEAR WE HAD TWO MOTIONS AND
THE FIRST MOTION WAS FOR ITEM
TWO D, F, G, H AND L WE SPLIT
SOME MOTIONS. SO TWO D E F G H
AND L WAS THE FIRST. MADAM
SECRETARY, WILL YOU OPEN THE
ROLE? SHOW A BOG BOG? AYE. SO
THAT'S 5 TO 0. OKAY AND THE
SECOND MOTION THAT WE HAVE ON
CALL SENATOR IS ITEM TO E I J
AND K. MADAM SECRETARY OPENED
THE ROLE. OH, BOG. NOT VOTING.
NOT VOTING, WHICH WILL VOTE NOT
VOTING. OKAY THANK YOU. SO I
THINK THAT CONCLUDES ALL THAT WE
NEED TO DO BEFORE WE BRING UP
OUR FIRST CONTRARY, AND THAT
WOULD BE MR GIDEON CRAFT COVE.
AND I HOPE YOU'RE GOING TO
CORRECT ME IF I SAID THAT WRONG,
WHO IS A MEMBER OF THE SOUTH
COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT
DISTRICT. WELCOME. PLEASE, COME
ON UP. AND AS YOU COME UP AND
GET SITUATED, I'M GLAD TO SEE
YOU BROUGHT YOUR WATER WITH YOU.
AND WE NEED TO HYDRATE.
ESPECIALLY TODAY. UM I'M GOING
TO INVITE YOU TO INTRODUCE
YOURSELF ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK
ANYONE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO
MAKE SOME OPENING COMMENTS AND
THEN WE WILL GO RIGHT TO MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE FOR COMMENTS
AND QUESTIONS. SO WITH THAT, LET
ME SAY WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR
YOUR PATIENCE. THANK YOU. CHAIR
ATKINS. VICE CHAIR GROVE,
MEMBERS OF THE RULES COMMITTEE.
IT'S AN HONOR TO APPEAR BEFORE
YOU THIS SECOND TIME AS A
NOMINEE FOR THE SOUTH COAST AIR
QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
GOVERNING BOARD. I WANT TO THANK
GOVERNOR NEWSOM FOR TRUSTING ME
WITH THIS RENOMINATION AND MY
FAMILY LIFE MISTY FOR ALL THE
SUPPORT THAT MAKES IT POSSIBLE
TO PURSUE PUBLIC SERVICE.
EVERYTHING WE DO AT THE DISTRICT
IS FOCUSED ON OUR MISSION. TO
CLEAN THE AIR AND PROTECT THE
HEALTH OF ALL RESIDENTS IN THE
SOUTH COAST AIR DISTRICT THROUGH
PRACTICAL AND INNOVATIVE
STRATEGIES. SO ACHIEVING
COMPLIANCE WITH OUR FEDERAL
AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS,
PARTICULARLY THE FEDERAL OZONE
STANDARDS FOR EXTREME
NONATTAINMENT AREAS IS A KEY
RESPONSIBILITY FOR US AT THE
SOUTH COAST GOVERNING BOARD.
MOBILE SOURCES, TRUCKS, SHIPS,
LOCOMOTIVES AND CARS MAKE UP A
LARGE MAJORITY OF OUR OZONE
SOURCES. WE'RE INVESTING,
EXTENSIVE INCENTIVE FUNDING AND
STAFF RESOURCES AND CLEANER ZERO
EMISSION TECHNOLOGIES. AND
PERHAPS THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN
ACHIEVE THE NEEDED REDUCTIONS IS
THROUGH INCENTIVE PROGRAMS THAT
TURN OVER THE EXISTING FLEETS TO
THE CLEANEST AVAILABLE MODELS.
WITH THE FOCUS ON EQUITY. AND
THE MANY DIFFERENT
CONSTITUENCIES ALL THROUGHOUT
OUR FOUR DISTRICT FOUR COUNTY
AIR DISTRICT REGION. ANOTHER
PRIORITY IS REDUCTION OF TOXIC
AIR CONTAMINANTS. WE'VE HAD
SUCCESS IN THIS AREA, BUT MORE
PROGRESS IS NEEDED. THIS WORK
RELATES TO A B 6 17, WHICH IS
DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE LOCAL
EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS IN
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. OUR
DISTRICT CURRENTLY HAS SIX A B 6
17 COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING SAN
BERNARDINO, MUSK OY, SENATOR
OCHOA, BOGUE AND ALSO IN SOUTH
LOS ANGELES IN YOUR DISTRICT,
SENATOR SMALLWOOD CUEVAS. AS A
MEMBER OF THE BOARD. I BRING A
DIVERSE EXPERIENCE AND
PERSPECTIVE. I'VE HAD A 30 YEAR
CAREER AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL
LAWYER AND MEDIATOR. I WORKED
WITH IN GOVERNMENT. INDUSTRY
LABOR AND ENVIRONMENTAL AND THE
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE SECTORS. I
VALUE COLLEGIALITY. WITH FELLOW
BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF. AND
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH
STAKEHOLDERS BASED ON TRUST AND
ACCOUNTABILITY. IT'S IMPORTANT
TO BE AN ACTIVE LISTENER AND
UNDERSTAND THE INTERESTS OF
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WITH AN OPEN
MIND. TO SHOW UP STUDY HARD. AND
MOLD CONSENSUS ON THE DIFFICULT
ISSUES THAT WE FACE, SO TO
CONCLUDE CHAIR ATKINS, VICE
CHAIR GROVE MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. I'M READY TO CONTINUE
THIS WORK. AND IF CONFIRMED,
LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH
YOU AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR
QUESTIONS TODAY. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. LET ME TURN TO MY LEFT AND
START WITH YOU, SENATOR LAYERED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THANK
YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO
SERVE AND I SHOULD SAY THAT, UM
YOU AND I WORKED TOGETHER WHEN
YOU WERE ON THE MINING AND
GEOLOGY BOARD AND YOU SEEM AND
THAT WAS WHEN IT WAS A
PARTICULARLY CRISIS TIME AND
NEEDED REFORM. AND THERE WERE
SOME PROBLEMS. AND SO YOU SEEM
TO BE A GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT
IN GOING TO WHEREVER THERE ARE
DIFFICULT ISSUES SO I THANK YOU
FOR YOUR SERVICE. I THINK THE
THING I WANTED TO DO AND IT'S
ONE GLOBAL QUESTION IS THAT. THE
BOARD SORT OF HAS THESE TWO
PRIORITIES. IT IS REALLY QUEEN
UP OR. DEAL WITH THE AIR QUALITY
IN ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING
AIR QUALITY BASINS IN THE UNITED
STATES, AND AT THE SAME TIME
DEAL WITH GREENHOUSE GAS.
EMISSIONS AND SOMETIMES THEY
COMPETE. SOMETIMES THERE'S
DIFFERENT FEDERAL REGULATIONS
AND STATE REGULATIONS. I'M NOT
SURE THE SOUND SYSTEM HAS TURNED
UP HERE, MADAM CHAIR JUST FOR
THE RECORD. I THINK THERE'S A
SOUND SYSTEM ISSUE, BUT, UM, IS
IT SO THE QUESTION IS, HOW DO
YOU DEAL WITH THESE COMPETING?
AH CONCERNS. HOW DO YOU MAKE
SURE THAT, UH THAT YOU MOVE ONE.
YOU MOVE THE OTHER. YOU'RE NOT
MOVING OUT OF FEDERAL COMPLIANCE
WHILE YOU'RE TRYING TO MEET THE
STATE THINGS THAT MAYBE
OCCASIONALLY IT'S EVEN AT WAR
BETWEEN LOWERING THE GREENHOUSE
GAS EMISSIONS AND AIR QUALITY.
HOW DO YOU FROM WHERE YOU SIT?
TRY TO MEDIATE BETWEEN ALL THOSE
DIFFERENT CHALLENGES. THANK YOU,
SENATOR LAIRD. YOU KNOW, AS I
THINK YOU ALL KNOW, I ALSO SIT
AS THE GOVERNOR'S APPOINTEE AND
THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE
SOUTH COAST TO THE AIR RESOURCES
BOARD. SO I MEAN THE WAY THAT I
EXPLAINED IT IS THAT THE SOUTH
COAST HAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR
SORT OF THE SMOKESTACK,
STATIONARY SOURCES AND
COMPLIANCE WITH THE FEDERAL
AMBIENT STANDARDS, WHICH IS
GOING TO BE PARTICULATE MATTER.
OZONE LEAD THINGS LIKE THAT. AND
THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE AIR TOXICS
WORK. CARB HAS THE MOBILE
SOURCES, THE TAILPIPE SOURCES
AND ALSO THE CLIMATE WORK. FOR
THE MOST PART CARB IS HANDLING
THE CLIMATE ISSUES. SENATOR AND
THE SOUTH COAST IS SORT OF
TRYING TO STAY IN ITS LANE ON
THE FEDERAL AMBIENT STANDARDS
AND THE AIR TOXICS WORK. I WILL
SAY. FOR THE MOST PART, I THINK
YOU KNOW THOSE ARE ALIGNED WHEN
WE INVEST IN ZERO EMISSION
TECHNOLOGIES. WE HELP BOTH
ACHIEVE OUR FEDERAL STANDARDS
AND ALSO OUR CLIMATE CHANGE WORK
. YOU KNOW, OCCASIONALLY THERE
HAVE BEEN SOME THINGS BEFORE I
WAS AT CAR, BUT CAP AND TRADE
AND SOME OTHER THINGS WHERE YOU
SEE THAT MAYBE THE CLIMATE
POLICIES NEED TO HAVE BETTER
ALIGNMENT WITH THE FENCE LINE
COMMUNITIES THAT TOXIC ISSUES.
SO THAT'S STUFF I'M PAYING
ATTENTION TO AT CARB DIDN'T
TOTALLY BONE UP ON CARB TODAY
FOR THIS HEARING, BUT WE'RE
GOING TO BE SEEING SENATOR LOW
CARBON FUEL STANDARD CAP AND
TRADE. MAYBE 905, WHICH IS THE,
UM CARBON CAPTURE AND
SEQUESTRATION WHEN WE'RE GOING
TO TRY TO INCORPORATE THE EQUITY
CONCERNS. THE FENCE LINE
CONCERNS INTO THAT WORK PART OF
MY JOB WEARING THE HATS AT BOTH
AGENCIES IS TO TRY TO GET THE
BEST ALIGNMENT THERE IN GENERAL
IS A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
AGENCIES OR WORK ON CARS, TRUCKS
. LOCOMOTIVES IS GOING TO HELP
US MEET OUR CLIMATE GOALS AND
ALSO HELP US MEET OUR ATTAINMENT
GOALS. THANK YOU. I THINK THAT
WAS A COMPREHENSIVE ANSWER. AND
IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I
THINK YOU ARE WELL SUITED FOR
THIS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
SUPPORTING YOU. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. AND IF NOT, THERE'S ALWAYS
THE MINING BOARD. UM YEAH, BOY,
YOU'RE GONNA NEED THERAPY. IF
YOU HAVE TO GO BACK THERE. YOU
REALLY DON'T WANT TO GET HIM
STARTED. UH THANK YOU VERY MUCH
. THANK YOU. SENATOR LAIRD,
MADAM VICE CHAIR. THANK YOU,
MADAM PRO TIM. THANK YOU. I, UH
WE USUALLY HAVE A CAUCUS ON
TUESDAYS, AND WE SEND OUT THE
QUESTIONS OR WHO PEOPLE THAT ARE
GOING TO APPEAR BEFORE US. AND I
DID HAVE A QUESTION FROM ONE OF
MY COLLEAGUES. I PARTICULARLY
DIDN'T HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
UM BUT ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO
REPRESENTS THAT AREA DOWN THERE
AND IS CONCERNED OR HAS
UNDERSTANDING WHERE YOU HAVE THE
DUAL ROLE ON THE CARDBOARD AS
WELL. THE CONCERN THAT SHE HAS
IS THAT CARBS HARBOR CRAFT
REGULATION IS THREATENING TO
CLOSE DOWN THE ICONIC CENTURY
OLD. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO
HER HISTORIC BALBOA ISLAND FERRY
DUE TO ITS IMPRACTICALITY OF
INSTALLING MANDATED ELECTRIC
ENGINES AND THESE SHALLOW OLD
FERRY BOATS, FERRY SER
SCHOOLCHILDREN, LIFEGUARD
TRAINEES AND COUNTLESS RESIDENTS
AND TOURISTS WHO WOULD OTHERWISE
HAVE TO DRIVE 12 MILES TO GET TO
AND FROM THE SAME DESTINATION AS
THE A Q MDS REPRESENTATIVE ON
CARB. CAN YOU ASSURE THIS
LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVE THAT
YOU WILL WORK TO SAVE THIS
ESSENTIAL SERVICE? THAT WAS THE
QUESTION SHE ASKED THE ANSWER TO
THAT IS YES. UM I GREW UP IN NEW
YORK CITY, UM, IN THE 19
SEVENTIES SENATOR AND MOVE WITH
MY MOTHER TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
WHEN I WAS 10 AND BECAME A
CALIFORNIAN. AND WE MOVED FROM
NEW YORK CITY TO THIS BEAUTIFUL
LITTLE SEASIDE COMMUNITY IN
ORANGE COUNTY CORONA DEL MAR.
AND WE TOOK THAT THAT FERRYBOAT
THERE IN BOBO ISLAND. UM THEY
SERVE LITTLE CHOCOLATE COVERED
BANANAS THAT'S LIKE THE STICK
DOWN THERE. I'LL NEVER FORGET
THAT, UM, THAT FERRY. UM UM HAVE
SOME COMPLIANCE OBLIGATIONS WERE
AWARE OF THE SITUATION AT CARB.
IT'S SORT OF AN HONESTLY IN ALL
HANDS ON DECK SITUATION WITH
CARB. THERE'S INCENTIVE DOLLARS
, IN PART THAT COME FROM THE
SOUTH COAST OF THE CARL MOYER
PROGRAM. THE LEGISLATURE PUT $60
MILLION INTO THE CARB, THE
HARBOR CRAFT PROGRAM. WE'RE
GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO
HELP THEM GET THE TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE TO ACCESS THE DOLLARS
THE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS AND
THERE'S ALSO SOME DEGREE OF
EXTENSIONS THAT ARE ARE
AVAILABLE, SO I'M AWARE OF THAT
SITUATION. IT'S IN MY DISTRICT
AND WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING
WE CAN. UM TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEY'RE FAIRIES GET UPGRADED TO
CLEAN STANDARDS AND THAT THEY
CAN CONTINUE TO INSPIRE THE NEXT
GENERATION OF FOLKS VISITING OUR
STATE. THANK YOU. LIKE I SAID,
IT'S YOUR VERY MUCH SOUTH OF ME.
YOU DO SERVE ON THE CALIFORNIA
RESOURCES BOARD IN THAT POSITION
, AND THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT
QUESTION FOR ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
DIXON. SO THANK YOU FOR
ANSWERING THAT QUESTION. OF
COURSE, SENATOR THANK YOU FOR
REPRESENTING THE ASSEMBLY ON THE
SENATE RULES COMMITTEE. UM AS I
WAS, YOU KNOW, ANYWAY, UM
SENATOR ALCOA, BOGUE. THE
PLEASURE TO SEE YOU TODAY AND IT
WAS LET ME JUST BEGIN BY STATING
THAT I TRULY APPRECIATED YOUR
REMARKS IN YOUR OPENING REMARKS
WITH REGARDS TO THE IMPORTANCE
OF HAVING COLLABORATION AND
WORKING, BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
AND BEING A GOOD LISTENER. I
BELIEVE THAT I HOPE I'M
EMULATING THOSE CHARACTERISTICS
WHILE ON THIS AND THE SENATE IN
THE SENATE, AND I REALLY
APPRECIATE IT IN THE FEEDBACK
THAT I RECEIVED FROM YOUR
COLLEAGUES OR JUST, UM
COMMENDABLE. IN THE WORK THAT
YOU'RE DOING, SO I'M VERY, VERY
EXCITED. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND
IT DID. YOU ARE VERY, VERY WELL
LIKED BY MANY, MANY, UM
REPRESENTATIVES IN MY DISTRICT,
AND SO I TAKE THAT I TOOK THAT
TO HEART. CAN WE JUST END THE
HEARING HERE WITH THAT? I SAY
THAT BECAUSE I DO WANT TO
VALIDATE THE EFFORTS THAT YOU
PUT FORTH IN YOUR ROLE, SO THANK
YOU, UM SO I'M GOING TO GO AND
SORT OF REVISIT THE QUESTION
THAT WE DISCUSSED. WE MET WITH
REGARDS TO THE SOUTH COAST, MD.
IN IN THE WHAT IS TO BE THE
MULTI YEAR PROCESS TO UPDATE THE
EMPLOYER MITIGATION REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE VM T OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.
UM, COMMUTE AND MANY RESIDENTS
OF THE INLAND EMPIRE WHO LIVE
THERE BECAUSE OF THE
AFFORDABILITY AND HOW THEY WOULD
BE IMPACTED BY COMMUTING TO LA
IN ORANGE COUNTY FOR WORK, AND
THAT'S ONE OF THE GREATEST
CONCERNS THAT I HAVE, BECAUSE,
AS YOU KNOW, THE INLAND EMPIRE
IS THE FASTEST GROWING REGION.
IN CALIFORNIA IN THE UNITED
STATES AS WELL. SO WE BECAUSE OF
THE AFFORDABILITY, BUT THAT ALSO
IS, UM COULD POTENTIALLY BE
NULLIFIED BY THE FACT THAT MANY
OF OUR WORKING CLASS FAMILIES
WILL BE IMPACTED BY THE VEHICLE.
MILES TRAVELED, SO I JUST WANTED
TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO
DISCUSS SOME OF THE IDEAS AND
HOW WE COULD MITIGATE TO ENSURE
THAT WE'RE NOT DESENSITIZING
EMPLOYERS WHO HIRE AND KEEP
THEIR BLY'S WITHIN THE AREA AND
ALSO ENSURING THAT OUR FAMILIES
IN THE ILLINOIS POWER HAVE
EMPLOYMENT TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR
FAMILIES. THANK YOU. I ENJOYED
SPENDING SOME TIME WITH YOU AND
APPRECIATED UM, YOU TAKING THE
TIME TO MEET WITH ME? SO THIS IS
A RULE THAT CAME TO OUR BOARD?
UH WEST MAYBE A WEEK OR TWO AGO,
AND WE'RE STILL IN AN WE'RE
UPDATING A PRIOR RULE THAT'S
TRYING TO INCENTIVIZE CARPOOLS
AND REDUCE EMPLOYEE COMMUTES.
THINGS ARE A LITTLE BIT INFLUX
NOW WITH COVID AND UNSURE HOW
MANY FOLKS ARE COMING INTO THE
OFFICE AND WHAT THE EFFECT OF
OUR RULES ARE. SO WE'RE TRYING
TO SORT OF GATHER DATA AND SEE
IN THIS NEW ERA. HOW PEOPLE ARE
GETTING TO WORK AND, UH WHAT THE
OFFICE PLACE OF THE 20 TWENTIES
LOOKS LIKE AND THEN WE'RE GONNA
COME BACK AFTER WE COLLECT THAT
DATA AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO, UM
, TO TRY TO INCENTIVIZE A
CARPOOLING AND, UM AND THINGS OF
THAT SORT. AS WE DISCUSSED. ONE
OF THE NEAT THINGS ABOUT SOUTH
COAST, MD. IS THE DIVERSITY OF
PERSPECTIVES THAT WE HAVE ON THE
BOARD WHEN WE HAD THAT RULE COME
BEFORE US SUPERVISOR HAGMAN FROM
SAN BERNARDINO. UM YOU KNOW, I
SPOKE ABOUT IT AND ITERATED THE
CONCERNS, YOU KNOW THAT YOU
HAVE, AND IT'S GREAT TO HAVE
PEOPLE ON THE BOARD. LIKE HIM TO
HAVE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES,
FOLKS THAT REPRESENT DIFFERENT
AREAS AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO, GENERALLY
AT THE SOUTH COAST IS TRY TO
ARRIVE AT BIPARTISAN SOLUTIONS
THAT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE
STRONG OPINIONS OF THE BOARD
MEMBERS, SO I'M AWARE OF THIS
CONCERN. UM SUPERVISOR HAGMAN
SAYS RIGHT NEXT TO ME ON THE
DIET. HE IS CONCERNED THAT
COMMUTING IS A PART OF LIFE FOR
MANY OF THE FOLKS IN SAN
BERNARDINO, RIVERSIDE. I KNOW
YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE MAKE THAT
LESS SO THROUGH ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREAS AND
THAT'S OF COURSE, A PRIORITY FOR
HIM. UM, BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU
THAT YOU KNOW AFTER WE'RE DONE
COLLECTING THE DATA, WE'RE GOING
TO DO OUR BEST TO COME TO A
CONSENSUS THAT TAKES INTO
ACCOUNT THE OPINIONS OF
SUPERVISOR HAGMAN AND THE OTHER
FOLKS ON THE BOARD FROM YOUR
AREA AND DO SOMETHING THAT IS
SMART AND DOESN'T PENALIZE THE
EMPLOYERS OR THE RESIDENTS OF
YOUR DISTRICT. THANK YOU TRULY
APPRECIATE. HAVING UM, THAT ON
RECORD RIGHT ON THAT END, BUT I
THINK THERE'S ONE LAST QUESTION
THAT WE DID NOT ADDRESS DURING
OUR INTERVIEW, BUT I THINK YOU
MIGHT HAVE INCLINATION AS TO
BECAUSE THAT CONCERNED BUT JUST
THE ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO
ADDRESS WITH REGARDS TO
WAREHOUSES. AND COULD YOU GIVE
US AN UPDATE ON THE PHASE INTO
THE DISTRICTS WAREHOUSE?
INDIRECT SOURCE ROOM PROGRAMMING
WHERE WE ARE IN THAT ISSUE. AS
YOU KNOW, THE INLAND EMPIRE. WE
HAVE A GREAT NUMBER OF
WAREHOUSES AND SO. YOU KNOW,
GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO
DISCUSS THAT. THANK YOU, SENATOR
. SO AS I NOTED IN MY OPENING
REMARKS WHEN IT COMES TO THE AIR
QUALITY ATTAINMENT AND THE TOXIC
ISSUES THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING IN
THE SOUTH COAST, THE GOODS
MOVEMENT SECTOR UM IS A REALLY
BIG CHALLENGE FOR US. UM IT'S
LESS SO THAT THE SMOKESTACK AND
THE STATIONARY SOURCES THAT THE
SOUTH COAST TYPICALLY REGULATES.
WE HAVE THE TIGHTEST RULES IN
THE WORLD, PROBABLY FOR THE
STATIONARY SOURCES, BUT IT'S THE
MOBILE SOURCES THE STUFF THAT
CAR WAS WORKING ON IT. EVEN THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE SHIPS,
THE TRUCKS, LOCOMOTIVES THAT ARE
REALLY AFFECTING NOT ONLY OUR
REGIONAL AIR QUALITY, BUT ALSO
SOME OF THE FENCE LINE
COMMUNITIES. THE INDIRECT SOURCE
RULE FOR WAREHOUSES IS A PROGRAM
THAT A RULE THAT REQUIRES THE
WAREHOUSES TO INVEST IN CLEANER
TECHNOLOGIES. THERE'S A LOT OF
FLEXIBILITY, THERE'S A MENU OF
20 DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY
CAN PICK FROM, UM, DEPENDING ON
HOW MANY SORT OF DIESEL TRUCK
TRIPS THEY GET, AND THE MORE
DIESEL TRUCK TRIPS TO GET, THE
MORE THEY HAVE TO INVEST IN
THESE CLEANER TECHNOLOGY. SO
THAT WAS THE RULE. THE WAY THAT
I SEE IT. UM, IS THAT IF WE CAN
IN A PRACTICAL WAY, IN A
REASONABLE WAY. CLEAN UP THE
GOODS. MOVEMENT SECTOR CLEAN UP
THE TRUCKS CLEAN UP THE SHIP'S
CLEAN UP THE LOCOMOTIVES. IT'S
GOING TO PUT OUR ECONOMY IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ON SUCH A
BETTER FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE
IF WE CAN HAVE GOT CLEANER
LOCOMOTIVES, CLEANER TRUCKS
RUNNING THROUGH THE TO 10 TO 10
TO 60 UM, GOING THROUGH OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS TO THE WAREHOUSES
, SO WE'RE NOT AS CONCERNED
ABOUT WHAT'S COMING OUT OF THE
TAILPIPE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A
FANTASTIC FOUNDATION AS A
PACIFIC RIM ECONOMY FOR THE
FUTURE, SO I SUPPORT TRYING TO
CLEAN UP THAT SECTOR IN A
REASONABLE WAY. THE WAREHOUSES
AS PART OF IT, WHAT CARB IS
DOING AND ALL THE DIFFERENT
AREAS AS PART OF IT? WE'RE NOW
LOOKING AT RAIL YARDS AND PORTS,
WHICH IS AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT
CHALLENGE, SO THAT'S SORT OF HOW
I APPROACH THE ISSUE. THIS RULE
WAS PASSED A COUPLE OF YEARS
AGO. IT'S IN LITIGATION RIGHT
NOW, BUT WE ARE IMPLEMENTING THE
RULE. UM AND THE GIVE YOU AN
UPDATE ON WHAT WE'RE HEARING, SO
THE FIRST THING IS THAT, UM UM,
WE'VE HAD ABOUT 60% OF THE
WAREHOUSES. IT'S FOR WAREHOUSES
OVER 100,000 SQUARE FEET ABOUT
60% OF PARTICIPATING IN THE
PROGRAM. WE'VE GOT TO GET THE
WORD OUT AND GET BETTER OUTREACH
AND SO WE NEED TO GET THAT
NUMBER UP TO 100% SO ALL THE
WAREHOUSES ARE AWARE OF THE
PROGRAM AND PARTICIPATING, SO
WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF A
CHALLENGE IN GETTING THE WORD
OUT. THAT'S THE FIRST THING THE
SECOND THING IS THAT FOR THOSE
THAT ARE PART OF THE PROGRAM SO
FAR, THE COMPLIANCE HAS BEEN
EXCELLENT FOR THEM. THE NUMBER
ONE MENU ITEM THAT FOLKS HAVE
SELECTED HAS BEEN THE ZERO
EMISSION YARD TRUCKS, SO
FORKLIFTS, UM WHAT ARE CALLED
YARD GOATS THAT MOVE CONTAINERS
AROUND ALMOST 50% OF THE FOLKS
HAVE INVESTED IN ZERO EMISSION
TECHNOLOGY THERE AS PART OF
THEIR COMPLIANCE MECHANISM. 30%
HAVE INVESTED IN BASICALLY LOW
NOX OR NATURAL GAS TRUCKS, WHICH
WE DO SUPPORT IN THE RULES,
SENATOR AND ONLY, UM, ONLY 4% OF
THE TOTAL COMPLIANCE HAS BEEN
WITH THE MITIGATION FEE, AND
THAT WAS SORT OF THE ORIGINAL
CONCERN THAT FOLKS ARE JUST
GOING TO PAY THIS FEE. IT'S SORT
OF A HI FI. AND THAT WE'RE NOT
ACTUALLY GOING TO CLEAN THE AIR,
BUT IN FACT, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF
INVESTMENTS IN ZERO EMISSION
YARD EQUIPMENT AND CARGO
HANDLING EQUIPMENT IN THE
NATURAL GAS TRUCKS AND FOLKS
HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN ON SITE
INVESTING IN YOUR COMMUNITIES
CLEANING THINGS UP INSTEAD OF
WRITING SOUTH COAST TO CHECK
WHICH I THINK WE WANTED TO SEE
HOW THAT'S WORKING OUT. SO UM, I
THINK THE EARLY INDICATIONS ARE
THE RULE IS DOING OKAY ON AN
AVERAGE BASIS. THOSE MENU ITEMS
ALSO ARE CHEAPER THAN THE
MITIGATION FEE, SO IT'S LESS OF
A HIT TO THE POCKETBOOKS OF THE
WAREHOUSE. SENATOR THIS WAS
AGAIN A RULE THAT WAS REQUIRED
IN OUR FEDERAL STATE
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. IT WAS
PASSED ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS.
CARLOS RODRIGUEZ, WHO I KNOW
THAT YOU KNOW, SITS ON THE
COMMITTEE AND HE'S EYEBALLING
COMPLIANCE WITH EVERY QUARTER.
WHEN WE GET THE REPORTS, HE'S
TRYING TO HELP GET OUT THE WORD
TO INDUSTRY, SO I THINK IT'S A
LONG ANSWER. THE INITIAL
FEEDBACK IS THAT THE RULE IS
HELPING TO CLEAN THE AIR IN YOUR
COMMUNITIES IN A WAY THAT IS
COST EFFECTIVE, BUT IT'S STILL A
WORK IN PROGRESS. AND I'D BE
HAPPY TO KEEP YOUR OFFICE UP TO
SPEED ON HOW IT'S GOING. IT'S A
FIVE YEAR PHASE IN SENATOR
PERFECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
SENATOR SMALLWOOD CUEVAS. THANK
YOU. ATTEMPTING TO HEAR ME. OKAY
HERE WE GO. THANK YOU. AND THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE WITH
US, AND IT WAS A PLEASURE
MEETING YOU AND CHATTING WITH
YOU. WHAT WAS CLEAR IS YOUR
PASSION AND EXPERTISE AND
COMMITMENT TO THIS AREA OF WORK
AND REALLY YOUR UNIQUE POSITION
OF BEING BOTH PART OF, UM, THE
AIR QUALITY BOARD AND ALSO WITH
CARBON BRINGING THAT NEXUS
TOGETHER, LEARNED A LOT IN OUR
CONVERSATION, MY QUESTIONS AND
YOU AND YOU MENTIONED THIS IN
YOUR OPENING STATEMENT. I WANT
TO ALSO ADD, LIKE, UM, THE
SENATOR FROM INLAND EMPIRE. I
ALSO RECEIVED A LOT OF CALLS OUT
OF MY DISTRICT AND EMAILS JUST
REALLY TOUTING YOUR COMMITMENT
TO THIS WORK IN THE STELLAR JOB
THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING IN YOUR
CAPACITY. UM WITH THE BOARD. UM,
YOU KNOW YOU YOU MENTIONED IN
YOUR COMMENTS, THE 6 17
COMMUNITIES, AND THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT
TO MANY OF THE CONSTITUENTS AND
ORGANIZATIONS THAT REPRESENT
THEM IN MY AND MY DISTRICT. YOU
KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, AS YOU
MENTIONED, WE ARE MAKING
PROGRESS AROUND ATTAINMENT AND
ADDRESSING EMISSIONS. BUT WE
STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO. AND
EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A FAIRLY
LARGE AREA THAT HAS BEEN
DESIGNATED AND MAYBE 6 17
COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, WE OFTEN
LOOK AT HOW ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN
INCLUDE MORE AND SO MY QUESTION
HAS TO DO, AND WE TALKED A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS. YOU KNOW
, HOW IS THAT ENGAGEMENT MOVING
FORWARD WITH 6 17 COMMUNITIES
AND EVEN THOSE WHO HAVEN'T
NECESSARILY BEEN DESIGNATED? UM
BUT WHAT ARE THE WAYS IN WHICH
WE ARE ENSURING THAT THOSE THAT
ARE WITHIN THAT DESIGNATION AND
THOSE THAT ARE IN SURROUNDING
COMMUNITIES ARE GETTING THE
SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED? THANK
YOU, SENATOR. IT WAS NICE TO
MEET YOU AS WELL. UM SO AS I
MENTIONED, SOUTH COAST HAS SIX
OF THESE COMMUNITIES SORT OF
FOUR IN SORT OF THE L, A COUNTY
AREA AND THEN THE ONE IN SAN
BERNARDINO AND THEN ONE OUT IN
EASTERN COACHELLA IN RIVERSIDE
COUNTY. UM THIS IS VERY RESOURCE
INTENSIVE WORK. I KNOW. EACH
YEAR, THE LEGISLATURE IS ASKED
TO CONTINUE TO FUND THE WORK. IT
DOES NOT HAVE A DEDICATED SOURCE
OF FUNDING. UM AND THAT'S JUST
THE SOUTH COAST. I THINK THERE'S
10 OR OR MORE OF THESE
COMMUNITIES ALL THROUGHOUT THE
STATE THAT CARB OVERSEAS. THIS
IS ANOTHER THING WHERE IT'S SORT
OF, YOU KNOW, BOTH HATS AS WE
DISCUSSED, UM, GIVEN THE
RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS AND THE
AMOUNT OF TIME AND ENERGY AND
RESOURCES THAT'S REQUIRED TO
MAKE THE PROGRAM SUCCESSFUL.
CARB IS SORT OF RE EVALUATING
THE PROGRAM. IT'S CALLED THE
BLUEPRINT UPDATE THAT'S GOING TO
BE AT THE CARDBOARD I THINK ON
SEPTEMBER 24TH. IT'S BEEN SORT
OF A TWO YEAR LONG PROCESS. TO
RE ENVISION A B 6 17. TO SEE HOW
THERE'S SEVERAL COMMUNITIES ALSO
IN IN SAN JOAQUIN, UM, UH, DOWN
IN ARVIN AND SHAFTER SENATOR,
BUT BUT HOW, UM WITH A RESOURCE
CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAVE, WE CAN
MAKE THE PROGRAM BETTER MAKE IT
MORE EFFICIENT AND ALSO HOW WE
CAN TAKE SOME OF THE LESSONS
LEARNED AND EXPAND THAT TO OTHER
PARTS OF THE STATE. UM RIGHT
NOW. THE SOUTH COAST IS NOT, UM
APPROVING MORE COMMUNITIES
BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE
RESOURCES TO DO IT. SO I
ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO LOOK AT
THAT CARB BLUEPRINT PROCESS.
IT'S A VERY DETAILED PROCESS,
AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF
INFORMATION FOR YOU AND YOUR
STAFF'S ON WE'RE 6 17 IS AND
WHAT DIRECTION IT MIGHT GÒM.
TURNING TO THE TO THE SOUTH LOS
ANGELES COMMUNITY, WHICH IS ONE
OF THE NEWER 6 17 COMMUNITIES.
THEY'RE JUST STARTING TO
IMPLEMENT THEIR COMMUNITY
EMISSION REDUCTION PLAN, WHICH
IS A 10 YEAR PLAN. UM UM IT'S A
REAL COOL EFFORT DOWN THERE. WE
HAVE THREE COAL LEADS FROM THE
COMMUNITY AS WE DISCUSSED
SENATOR FROM A SCOPE, PHYSICIANS
FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND
WHAT'S CLEAN ACTION. SO OUR
STAFF IS WORKING AND TAKING SORT
OF DIRECTION FROM THE COMMUNITY
ABOUT WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE
. WE ARE DOING SOMETHING NEW FOR
OUR DISTRICT COURT,
PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING WHERE
THE BUDGETS AND I THINK THE 10
OR $15 MILLION OF INCENTIVE
MONEY, THE COMMUNITY SORT OF
GETS TO DECIDE HOW THAT'S BEING
DONE AND SPENT, WHICH IS A
TOTALLY DIFFERENT MODEL THAN
THAN NORMAL AT THE DISTRICTS. UM
THERE'S GOOD RELATIONSHIPS. UM
AND WE'RE DOING THE WORK. YOU
KNOW. FOR ME, THERE ARE CERTAIN
RULES AND CERTAIN PRIORITIES
THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS
IDENTIFIED IN SOUTH L. A WAS OIL
AND GAS NOTIFICATION IN THAT
COMMUNITY. THERE'S A LOT OF OIL
AND GAS WELLS THAT ARE LIKE,
LITERALLY RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO
FOLKS HOMES AND FORGET ABOUT A
HALF MILE BUFFER. I MEAN, YOU'RE
TALKING 10 FT, SO NOTIFICATION
OF CERTAIN DRILLING AND
ACIDIFICATION EFFORTS, SO WE
PASSED THE MOST AGGRESSIVE
NOTIFICATION RULE, PROBABLY IN
THE WORLD, WHICH WE'RE PROUD OF
AGAIN ON A BIPARTISAN WAY. UM WE
HAD A RULE FOR METAL CRUSHING. I
THINK, AS YOU KNOW, IT'S
JORDAN'S HIGH SCHOOL. THERE WAS
A METAL CRUSHING OPERATION AND
THERE'S METAL PARTICLES FLYING
INTO THE OUTFIELD. SO WE JUST
PASSED A RULE. THEY'RE TRYING TO
EXPAND OUR AUTHORITY. WE'RE
LOOKING AT INCENTIVE FUNDING FOR
DRY CLEANERS IN THAT AREA, SO
THE WORK IS JUST STARTING.
THERE'S ALSO LOTS OF COMMUNITY
MONITORING GOING ON, UM SO IT'S
A WORK IN PROGRESS. WE'RE GOING
TO TRY TO MAKE MEET OUR
COMMITMENTS WORKING WITH THE
COMMUNITY IN SOUTH LOS ANGELES,
AND THEN ALSO, I THINK IT CARB
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THIS
PROGRAM CAN CAN BE ALL THAT IT
CAN BE, AND WE'RE GOING TO LEARN
MORE WHEN THIS BLUEPRINT IS
PRESENTED IN SEPTEMBER, LOOKING
FORWARD TO SEEING THE OUTCOME OF
THE BLUEPRINT, AND, UM REALLY
UNDERSTANDING HOW PARTICULARLY
THE SOUTH LOS ANGELES, A B 6 17
COMMUNITY FAIRS, AND THAT AND
THAT FIVE YEAR REVIEW PROCESS SO
LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
YOU ON THAT AND TO YOUR
CONFIRMATION. THANK YOU,
SENATOR. OKAY THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. SENATOR SMALLWOOD CUEVAS.
UM I AGREE WITH SENATOR LAIRD.
YOU MUST BE A GLUTTON FOR
PUNISHMENT. UM AND THIS IS A
REAPPOINTMENT. THIS IS TOUGH
WORK, PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU
COMBINE. UM YOU KNOW, THE AIR
QUALITY BOARD WITH CARBS, SO I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
SERVICE AND YOUR THOUGHTFUL
RESPONSES AND OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE
INCREDIBLE PREPARATION ABOUT
WHO'S SITTING UP HERE. UM AND
WHAT WE MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN,
SO I APPRECIATE THAT LOOK
FORWARD TO SUPPORTING BUT WE'RE
GOING TO GO TO MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC AND WE'RE GONNA START
RIGHT HERE IN ROOM 2200. AND UH
, I WILL ASK FOR THOSE TO COME
FORWARD YOUR NAME YOUR
ORGANIZATION, IF ANY, AND VERY
BRIEF COMMENTS. WE HAVE MULTIPLE
APPOINTEES TODAY AND I
ANTICIPATE A LONGER MEETING. SO
WITH THAT WELCOME AND GOOD TO
HAVE YOU HERE. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. BILMA GAVIN, WITH THE
COALITION FOR CLEAN AIR AND
STRONG SUPPORT OF MR CRACK
OFFERS CONFIRMATION AS YOU CAN
TELL. HE'S HARD WORKING,
EXTREMELY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND
EFFECTIVE, AND WE VERY MUCH NEED
HIS CONTINUED LEADERSHIP AT
SOUTH COAST, WHICH CONTINUES TO
HAVE THE WORST SMOG IN THE
ENTIRE COUNTRY. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT WITNESS.
BETH WANNA ASK YOU THIS
CALIFORNIA ALSO IN SUPPORT OF
THE REAPPOINTMENT OF GIDEON
KRAKOFF MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY
THOSE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
GRATEFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WELCOME GOOD AFTERNOON, MICHAEL
CLAIBORNE WITH LEADER LEADERSHIP
COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND
ACCOUNTABILITY AND STRONG
SUPPORT OF GETTING CRACK UPS
REAPPOINTMENT. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. WELCOME. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH CHAIR MEMBERS CRISSCROSSING
WITH THE PRAYING MAKELELE ON
BEHALF OF CHARGE POINT AND VERY
MUCH IN SUPPORT OF MR CROCUS TO
REAPPOINTMENT. APPRECIATE YOUR
TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
WELCOME ADAM HARPER WITH THE
CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTION AND
INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS ASSOCIATION
AS STRONG SUPPORT OF MR KRAKOFF
THREE APPOINTMENT. WE GREATLY
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
WORK WITH HIM AND HIS
WILLINGNESS TO KEEP SERVING.
THANK YOU FROM THE MINING BOARD
DAYS. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON,
KAYLA ROBINSON ON BEHALF OF THE
BUILDING, DECRIMINALIZATION
COALITION AND SEE OUR AND OUR
ENVIRONMENT HAS SERVICES WASTE
HAULER DOWN IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA AND JUST WANT TO
SUPPORT MR CROCODILES,
REAPPOINTMENT AND THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.
THANK YOU NEXT WITNESS AFTERNOON
. MICHAELA ELDER ON BEHALF OF
CAL STAR IN THE ELECTRIC
VEHICLE, CHARGING IN ASSOCIATION
AND SUPPORT OF MR CRACKDOWNS
APPOINTMENT. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY SEEING NO
ONE ELSE. LET ME TURN TO THOSE
WHO MAY WISH TO SPEAK IN
OPPOSITION IN ROOM 2200 IN
OPPOSITION. OKAY SEEING NO ONE
APPROACHED THE MICROPHONE. WE
ARE GOING TO TURN TO OUR
MODERATOR AND THE TELECONFERENCE
. UH AND WELCOME YOU MODERATOR
AND SAY THIS WILL BE FOR ANYONE
IN SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION, SO
CALLERS NEED TO IDENTIFY THEIR
NAME THEIR ORGANIZATION IF ANY,
AND ONLY IN SUPPORT OR IN
OPPOSITION, AND NOTHING FURTHER
WITH THAT WELCOME MODERATOR. IF
YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC
COMMENTS TODAY, SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION, PLEASE PRESS 10 AT
THIS TIME. YEAH. AND WE HAVE NO
COMMENTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR
MODERATOR. WE WILL BE BACK WITH
YOU A LITTLE BIT LATER IN THE
MEETING, SO WITH THAT I WILL
COME BACK TO SENATOR LAIRD. I
WOULD MOVE THE CONFIRMATION OF
GIDEON KRAKOFF. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. AH MADAM
SECRETARY. WE PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL. THERE'D DIÆN BUG GUYS
SMALLWOOD CREVASSE, SMALLWOOD
QUIVER SAI GROVE GROVE. I CAN
SEE I CAN SAY 50.
CONGRATULATIONS 5 TO 0. WE WILL
FORWARD THIS ON TO THE FULL
SENATE. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. UM LET ME JUST CHECK
AND SEE. YES, SIR. A FEW MINUTES
TO MINUTES. WE WERE DON'T GO FAR
WE'RE GOING TO JUST TO MY
COLLEAGUES. I'M SAYING THAT
DON'T GO FAR. THE COURT REPORTER
ASKED FOR A FEW MINUTES, OKAY,
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
OKAY EVERYONE, WE'RE GONNA COME
BACK TO ORDER HERE AND GO ON TO
OUR ITEM ONE B AND THAT WOULD BE
THE GOVERNOR'S APPOINTMENT, UM,
OF LAUREL FIRESTONE TO THE STATE
WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD.
SO LET ME SAY WELCOME. I'M JUST
NOTICING ALL THREE OF OUR
CONFEREES TODAY OR ARE ATTORNEYS
UM. THAT'S NEITHER HERE NOR
THERE. IT'S JUST A COMMENT AS
YOU'RE GETTING SITUATED. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. I WILL
INVITE YOU TO. UM, UM UH,
ACKNOWLEDGE ANYONE YOU WOULD
LIKE TO MAKE OPENING COMMENTS,
AND THEN WE'LL GO RIGHT TO
COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS OF THE
MEMBERS. SO WELCOME. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU,
MADAM. PRETEND BASED CHAIR AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. I I'M
REALLY APPRECIATE THE ABILITY TO
BE BEFORE YOU FOR CONSIDERATION
OF MY APPOINTMENT TO THE STATE
WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD. I
WANT TO THANK MY FAMILY AND
FRIENDS AND PARTICULARLY MY
HUSBAND, WHO IS HERE WITH ME
TODAY FOR THE SUPPORT THAT HAS
ALLOWED ME TO SERVE IN THIS
POSITION FOR THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. THERE'S NOTHING MORE
IMPORTANT THAN ENSURING ACCESS
TO SAFE, CLEAN AND AFFORDABLE
WATER FOR ALL CALIFORNIANS
THROUGHOUT OUR DIVERSE STATE AND
NOT TRULY BEEN A GUIDING PASSION
AND FOCUS OF MY CAREER SINCE I
GRADUATED LAW SCHOOL AND BEGAN
WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES IN THE
SAME JOAQUIN VALLEY THAT LACKED
SAFE DRINKING WATER, SOME OF
WHICH FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.
THIS HAS BEEN A TOP PRIORITY FOR
GOVERNOR NEWSOM FOR THE
LEGISLATURE. AND AS I HEARD FROM
MANY OF YOU, MANY OF YOU I'M
GRATEFUL TO HAVE SERVED IN THIS
POSITION FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS
AND PROUD OF OUR PROGRESS
TOWARDS REALIZING THE HUMAN
RIGHT TO WATER AND TO PROTECTING
AND RESTORING THE WATERS OF OUR
STATE. MUCH WORK REMAINS, AND
I'M EAGER TO CONTINUE TO WORK
AND LEARN FROM AND SUPPORT
DIVERSE PARTNERS AGENCIES
LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE
THAT ARE DOING THE HARD WORK WE
HAVE AHEAD AS WE ADAPT TO OUR
CHANGING CLIMATE AND HYDROLOGY
HERE IN CALIFORNIA. AND I'D BE
HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M
GONNA TURN TO MY RIGHT NOW AND
START WITH SENATOR SMALLWOOD
CUEVAS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM
PRO TEM AND SO GLAD TO HAVE BEEN
IN CONVERSATION WITH YOU AGAIN.
I ENJOYED OUR TALK EARLIER THIS
WEEK AND YOU KNOW WHAT STRUCK ME
IS JUST HOW MUCH YOU LEAN INTO
THE COMMITMENT THAT WATER IS A
RIGHT HERE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, AND THAT'S WHAT YOUR
ROLE IS. A BOARD MEMBER IS TO
UPHOLD THAT RIGHT FOR EVERYONE
TO HAVE ACCESS TO GOOD, CLEAN
AND AFFORDABLE DRINKING WATER,
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. OUR
DISCUSSION. AND MY COLLEAGUES
KNOW MY CONVERSATION HAS IS
ALWAYS ABOUT THIS NEXUS BETWEEN
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND
ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY FOR OUR
COMMUNITIES AND FAR TOO MANY OF
OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR OFTEN
FALL AT A DISADVANTAGE AND A LOT
OF IT HAS TO DO WITH ACCESS. NOT
JUST TO, UM YOU KNOW THE BASIC
RIGHTS BUT ALSO THE ABILITY TO
AFFORD THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE
QUALITY JOBS. UM ONE OF THE
CONVERSATIONS WE HAD WAS ABOUT A
REPORT THAT WAS DONE BY U C L.
A. THAT WAS LOOKING AT SOME OF
THE BARRIERS IN THE WATER SECTOR
IN PARTICULAR, SOME PRETTY
GLARING STATISTICS. BUT ONE OF
THE TWO THINGS THAT WERE
IDENTIFIED AS MAJOR BARRIERS IN
THE SECTOR IS POOR GENDER AND
RACIAL INCLUSIVITY. AND AN
OVERALL LACK OF AWARENESS OF THE
SECTOR, PARTICULARLY AMONG YOUNG
WORKERS AND WE SEE THIS CRISIS
AND A NUMBER OF PLACES, BUT I
OFTEN FEEL IT'S REALLY ACUTE
WHEN IT COMES TO WATER BECAUSE
WE'VE HAD ALL OF THESE
INSTANCES. OF CHALLENGES WITH
OUR WATER IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW
THE LEVEL OF POLLUTANTS AND HOW
IT IMPACTS PARTICULARLY
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, UM, LOW
WAGE WORKING COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR, AND SOMETIMES I THINK WE
OFTEN FORGET THAT IF WE HAD
THOSE COMMUNITIES REPRESENTED
WITHIN THE SECTOR, THERE ARE
SOME INTERNAL CHECKS AND
BALANCES THAT WE COULD
AUTHENTICALLY HAVE, BUT BECAUSE
OF YOU KNOW THE REALITIES WHERE
AND YOU KNOW PREVIOUS TO COMING
TO THIS. AH TO THE STATE
LEGISLATURE. I SPENT SOME TIME
WORKING WITH GROUPS ACROSS THE
STATE AROUND WATER SECTOR CAREER
ACCESS AND IN SOME OF OUR
COMMUNITIES DOWN IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA, THERE WERE WATER
DISTRICTS OR 89% OF THE DISTRICT
WERE ALL WHITE MALES. DOING THAT
WORK. UM WHICH YOU KNOW, GIVES
PAUSE IN TERMS OF THE FUTURE OF
THE SECTOR. SO A LONG LEAD INTO
MY QUESTION, BUT CAN YOU TALK
ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE
WATERBOARD EFFORTS TO REALLY
BOTH DIVERSIFY IN INCLUDE
INTERNALLY BUT PARTICULARLY
EXTERNALLY AS WE BEGIN TO MAKE
LIKE HISTORIC INVESTMENTS ONCE
IN A LIFETIME INVESTMENTS IN
THIS SECTOR, AND THE FOLLOW UP
QUESTION IS, ARE YOU LOOKING TO
REPLICATE ANY OF THE SUCCESSES
THAT YOU MAY BE SEEING EARLY ON
PILOTS AND PROGRAMS PROJECTS
ACROSS THE STATE SUCH AS ONE
THAT I KNOW I E WORKS IN THE
INLAND EMPIRE AREA. THAT THE LOS
ANGELES COMMUNITY HELPED
INCUBATE WITH LEADERS THERE. YOU
KNOW, UM HOW DO WE LEARN FROM
THOSE AND EXPAND SO I'LL LONG
QUESTION BUT HOPE LOOKING
FORWARD TO YOUR ANSWER, AND
THAT'S IT MY QUESTIONS IN ONE
BECAUSE I KNOW TIME IS ALWAYS
THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND I ALSO
REALLY ENJOYED BEING ABLE TO
CONNECT AND YOUR LEADERSHIP AND
THIS ISSUE THAT I KNOW I
CERTAINLY SHARE. UM
REPRESENTATION WITHIN THE WATER
SECTOR IS FAR FROM WHERE IT
NEEDS TO BE. THAT'S BOTH IN THE
WORKFORCE AND IN DECISION MAKING
POSITIONS, AND THAT'S ACROSS THE
BOARD AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, AND IN
BOTH STAFF AND ELECTED POSITIONS
. THIS ISN'T JUST A TALKING
POINT. THIS GOES TO THE QUALITY
OF THE SERVICES THAT FOLKS GET
IN THE STATE AND SO ENSURING
THAT THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN
COMMUNITY IDEAS THAT ARE SERVED
ARE PART OF THE SERVICES TO
PROVIDE THAT AND OVERSEE THOSE
SERVICES HELPS TO ENSURE THE
QUALITY THAT EVERYONE, UM THAT
EVERYONE RECEIVES, IN ADDITION
TO ENSURING GOOD JOBS, AND THE
WATER SECTOR HAS GREAT JOBS. AND
SO I THINK IT'S A HUGE
OPPORTUNITY. UM WE ARE LOOKING
AT THE AT THE WATERBOARD. WE
ADOPTED RACIAL EQUITY RESOLUTION
. AND THEN JUST THIS JANUARY, A
RACIAL EQUITY ACTION PLAN. THAT
SUCH FORTH? NOT JUST, UM, UH,
ACTIONS AND COMMITMENT TO
ENSURING BRINGING A RACIAL
EQUITY LENS INTO OUR OWN
DECISION MAKING, BUT ALSO
LOOKING CRITICALLY AT OUR
WORKFORCE AND IDENTIFYING
METRICS TO SEE NOT ONLY WHAT
ACTION TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS
OF THE ACTIONS THAT WE'RE TAKING
TO TRY AND IMPROVE. RACIAL
EQUITY WITHIN OUR WORKFORCE. UM
WE ALSO THOUGH, HAVE A HUGE
AMOUNT OF, UM, RESOURCES IN
INVESTMENTS. AS YOU MENTIONED.
WE HAVE ARE SAFER PROGRAM THAT'S
PARTICULARLY TARGETING COMMUNITY
, LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES AND
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. AND SO
WITHIN THAT PROGRAM, WHERE
TRACKING JOBS CREATED AND
DEVELOPING SPECIFIC PROGRAMS TO
TARGET, UH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THOSE
COMMUNITIES THAT WE'RE FUNDING
AND REALLY, WHAT WE RELY ON IN
THAT IS PARTNERSHIP WITH GROUPS
LIKE YOU MENTIONED LOCALLY THAT
ARE DOING THAT ARE REALLY
CONNECTED WITH COMMUNITIES ON
THE GROUND AND HAVE THE
EXPERTISE IN WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT AND MAKING SURE THAT
WE'RE SUPPORTING THAT, AND WE'RE
INTEGRATING THAT EXPERTISE IN
THAT INFRASTRUCTURE INTO, UM,
THE PROGRAMS THAT THAT THAT
WE'RE FUNDING IN THE AGENCIES
THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH. UM WE
ALSO HAVE PUBLIC SERVICE AND
WORKING WITH THE STATE IS, UM IS
GOOD JOBS. GOOD TRAINING. UM AND
SO WE SEE ALSO OUR OWN WORKFORCE
AS A WAY OF BUILDING MORE
DIVERSITY OVERALL WITHIN THE
WATER SECTOR, BUT WE DO HAVE A
LONG WAY TO GO. AND IT'S
SOMETHING THAT WE ARE REALLY
LEANING INTO. AS AND LOOKING AT.
EXPLICITLY AS WE'RE MOVING
FORWARD WITH BOTH OUR INVESTMENT
PROGRAMS AND AS WE DISCUSSED,
UM, ARE OPERATOR CERTIFICATION
PROGRAMS. THESE ARE REALLY GOOD
JOBS WERE IN REAL SHORTAGE IN
THE STATE TO AND SO WE'VE BEEN
PARTNERING WITH LOCALS IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND
ELSEWHERE THAT TO SEE HOW WE CAN
HELP WITH TRANSLATION AND SURE
ONLINE ACCESS SO THAT FOLKS
DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL UP TO
SACRAMENTO TO TAKE TESTS AND
WORK ON PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT
VETERANS AND OTHER PIPELINES TO
GET INTO THIS SECTOR. THANKS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
ANSWER, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH YOU, AND
PARTICULARLY ON THE
CERTIFICATION PROCESS. I KNOW WE
TALKED ABOUT THE CHALLENGES IN
TERMS OF THE PREREQUISITES FOR
THAT AND ALL OF THE CRITERIA
THAT MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE OR
RELEVANT NOW THAT WE MAY NEED TO
UPDATE AND MODERNIZE, SO I LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON
THAT. THANK YOU. AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO YOUR CONFIRMATION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SENATOR.
SENATOR OH, KOBACH. THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR. MADAM BROUGHT, UM
UM THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
HERE. I HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF
AREAS I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS
AND I THINK YOU'RE PROBABLY VERY
FAMILIAR WITH THEM, AND ONE HAS
TO DO WITH THE CONCERNS THAT I
RECEIVED FROM MY DISTRICT WITH
REGARDS TO, UM THE UM BOARD
PROGRAMS THAT DO NOT GIVE
DISTRICTS WILL CREDIT FOR THE
AMOUNT OF WATER REDUCTION THAT
THEY GENERATE WITH THESE TYPE OF
PROJECTS, WHICH DOESN'T SOUND
LIKE A VERY GOOD WAY OF
INCENTIVIZING DISTRICTS TO BE
ABLE TO REUSE AND RECYCLE. HOW
DOES THE BOARD ENSURE THAT WE
MAXIMIZE INCENTIVES FOR WHAT ARE
WE USE AND RECYCLING PROGRAM? DO
YOU FOLKS CONDUCT SURVEYS OR
WORSHIP WITH THE APPLICANTS SO
THAT THEY CAN ADJUST THE PROGRAM
INCENTIVES TO BOOST
PARTICIPATION IN FUTURE PROJECTS
? BECAUSE I KNOW AND JUST
SPEAKING PERSONALLY FROM MY
DISTRICT OR MY PERSONAL CITY.
THEY'RE VERY, VERY ENGAGED IN IN
IN THESE PROJECTS AND HAVE BEEN
VERY PROACTIVE PRIOR TO STATE
COMING IN AND MANDATING A LOT OF
THESE. REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY
HAVE BEEN VERY PROACTIVE, VERY
VISIONARY IN THEIR EFFORTS, BUT
YET THEY DO NOT GET COMPENSATED
OR GIVE FULL CREDIT FOR THE
WORK. I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR
THOUGHTS ON THAT. YES. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. AND I'M I AGREE THIS
WATER RECYCLING NUMBER YEARS IS
A FUNDAMENTAL PILLAR OF THE
GOVERNOR'S WATER SUPPLIES,
STRATEGY AND THE TRANSITION WE
NEED TO MAKE TO BE RESILIENT IN
THIS NEW CLIMATE, FUTURE, YOUR
DISTRICT AND MUCH OF SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA HAS REALLY BEEN A
LEADER IN THE WORLD AROUND AND
INSTITUTING REUSE AND RECYCLING
AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE. THIS IS
AN AREA WHERE ARE WE ON OUR
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ARE PUTTING
A HUGE EMPHASIS AND I DON'T HAVE
THE TOP OF MY HEAD. THE EXACT
DOLLAR AMOUNTS, BUT WE'VE
INVESTED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN
, UH, WASTEWATER AND DRINKING
WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL.
I'M AT TO SUBMIT AND HAVE
PROGRAMS CONTINUING TO SUPPORT
WATER RECYCLING AND REUSE. AND
SO THIS CONTINUES TO BE A FOCUS
ON OUR FUNDING SIDE. AND WE ALSO
ARE, UM WE HAVE ADOPTED, UH AND
TRACK WATER RECYCLING VOLUMETRIC
, VOLUMETRIC WATER RECYCLING AND
HAVE AMBITIOUS GOALS TO INCREASE
THAT, UM AND HAVE I OR WORKING
WITH THE WATERY SECTOR TO
IDENTIFY HOW TO FURTHER SUPPORT
AND ACCELERATE THOSE PROJECTS.
UM I BELIEVE THIS SPECIFIC
FRUSTRATION HAS BEEN AROUND
DEVELOPMENT OF OUR WATER
EFFICIENCY CONSERVATION AND
EFFICIENCY REGULATIONS, WHICH
ARE LOOKING AT HOW TO MAKE
CONSERVATION A WAY OF LIFE. IT
WAS IN CONJUNCTION WITH
LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS. I'M
AND THE R. PROPOSAL HASN'T COME
OUT YET. WE'VE JUST DONE AN
ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT, BUT WE'VE
BEEN WORKING WITH THE WATER
SECTOR AND STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS
THE STATE, BUT PARTICULARLY WITH
WATER REUSE AND RECYCLING
AGENCIES TO IDENTIFY HOW TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE ARE GIVING CREDIT
FOR THE WATER, RECYCLING AND
REUSE THAT'S GOING ON. JUST AS
WE'RE STUDYING TIGHT BUDGETS,
AND WE ARE RECOGNIZING THAT A
LOT OF FOLKS HAVE PUT IN THAT
TECHNOLOGY, UM, IN ORDER TO
BECOME MORE RESILIENT, AND THAT
NEEDS TO BE REFLECTED AND I DO
BELIEVE THAT WILL BE IN THE I'M
REFLECTED IN THE DRAFT THAT
COMES OUT SOON AND THERE WILL BE
A FULL PUBLIC PROCESS AROUND IT
SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE GET
IT RIGHT. AND JUST FOR
CLARIFICATION. YOU'RE REFERRING
TO FULL SERVICE CREDIT. FOR THE
WATER THAT'S BEING RECYCLED IN
THOSE IN THOSE REGIONS THAT HAVE
BEEN VERY PROACTIVE IN BUILDING
THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE PAST
COUPLE OF DECADES BECAUSE THAT'S
THE THAT'S THE CONCERN, RIGHT?
THE FACT THAT THEY'RE NOT
GETTING FULL CREDIT. FOR ALL OF
THE EFFORTS AND WATER THAT THEY
ARE RECYCLING AND NOT IS, UM
KIND OF UNDERMINING THE EFFORTS
AND THE INVESTMENT THAT THEY'VE
ACTUALLY MADE IN THAT. SO I JUST
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
LOOKING INTO ENSURING THAT ALL
OF THE DISTRICTS AND BY THE WAY,
THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENT ON
ACKNOWLEDGING THE EFFORTS THAT
WE'VE HAD IN THEIR DISTRICT
BECAUSE IT'S THEIR REMARKABLE
AND I WISH THE REST OF THE STATE
COULD USE THEM AS AS MODELS OF
WHAT IS POSSIBLE WHEN IT COMES
TO BEING VERY VISIONARY. AND
ENGAGE IN THOSE EFFORTS BEFORE
THE STATE HAS TO COME IN AND
TELL YOU YOU HAVE TO DO IT. SO
THANK YOU FOR THAT. BUT THAT IS
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
ARE CLEAR ON THAT THAT THESE
DISTRICTS SHOULD GET FULL
SERVICE CREDIT FOR THE WORK THAT
THEY'VE DONE RECYCLING. I MEAN
IN THE RECYCLING A PORTION OF IT
THE SECOND AREA THAT I WANTED TO
DISCUSS WITH YOU. HAS TO DO WITH
REGARDS TO THE STAFFING LEVELS
AT THE AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL. UM
AND IN THE CONCERNS AND I'M SURE
YOU ARE PROBABLY AWARE AND LOVE
TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT
ISSUE THEY HAVE TO DO WITH THE
FACT THAT IT'S TAKING UP TO FIVE
YEARS FOR SOME PROJECTS TO BE
APPROVED FOR THE REVIEW, SO I'M
NOT SURE IF THAT IS SOMETHING
THAT IS WITHIN YOUR POWERS ARE
YOUR PURVIEW HOURS. WITHIN THE
BOARD TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE
ENOUGH STAFFING LEVELS TO REVIEW
PROJECTS SO THAT THEY ARE
APPROVED IN A TIMELY MANNER
BECAUSE OTHERWISE OF COURSE, WE
KNOW THAT THE LONGER THESE
PROJECTS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF
BEING APPROVED THE COST. OF
DOING THIS PROJECTS INCREASE
EXPONENTIALLY, SO IT'S IN. IT'S
IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ALL OF
US TO ENSURE THAT THESE PROJECTS
ARE APPROVED AND REVIEWED AND
APPROVED QUICKLY AND RECEIVED
THAT FEEDBACK AND SO YOUR
THOUGHTS AND THE FACT THAT WE
DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFFING AND
THE ONES WE DO BY THE WAY, I
RECEIVED GREAT FEEDBACK ON THE
ON THE INDIVIDUALS ARE CURRENTLY
REVIEWING THESE PROJECTS HAS
BEEN VERY COMPETENT IN GREAT TO
WORK WITH, BUT WE JUST DON'T
HAVE ENOUGH INDIVIDUAL. THAT'S
SO WHAT ARE ARE YOU AWARE OF IT?
WHAT? WHAT IS THE PROCESS THAT
WE HAVE TO DO? MOVING FORWARD?
IS IT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO
DO LEGISLATIVELY WITH REGARDS TO
ENSURING THAT WE HAVE THE FUNDS
TO, UM. FUND THESE POSITIONS OR
IS IT SOMETHING ON YOUR SIDE
THAT YOU FOLKS HAVE TO BE? CAN'T
FIND THE WORKFORCE TO MEET THE
DEMAND OR IF WE JUST DON'T HAVE
THE MONEY FOR THAT, SO, YEAH,
THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, AND
I'M JUST TO MAKE SURE I'M
UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS IS
FOR PERMIT APPROVAL OR FOR
FUNDING APPROVAL, OR BOTH. THIS
IS. THIS IS FOR REVIEWING THE
PROJECTS IN ORDER TO BE TO BE,
UM CONSTRUCTED. I GUESS IT'S THE
REVIEW PROCESS OF THE PROJECTS.
GREAT UM YES. THANK YOU FOR THE
QUESTION I WOULD SAY ABOUT, YOU
KNOW. MAYBE I'LL START ON THE
FUNDING PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IN
THE STATE WHEN WE, UH WHEN WE
GET A CONSTRUCTION APPLICATION,
IT HAS TAKEN US FAR TOO LONG TO
BE ABLE TO APPROVE THAT, UH,
THOSE THOSE PROJECTS AND THERE'S
A NUMBER OF REASONS FOR THAT.
BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE
HAVE TAKEN HEAD ON IN THE LAST
FEW YEARS, AND IN PARTICULAR, WE
HAVE A GROUP OF STAKEHOLDERS
THAT ARE HELPING US REVIEW.
WELL, WE'VE COMMISSIONED THAT WE
HAD AN AUDIT, BUT WE ALSO
COMMISSIONED AN INDEPENDENT.
REVIEW TO BE ABLE TO HELP US
LOOK AT OUR OWN PROCESS ABOUT
HOW TO MAKE ACCELERATE OUR OWN
PROCESSES OF APPROVAL, AND WE
HAVE, UH, IT'S WE'VE WE'VE
ALREADY ADOPTED AND TAKEN ACTION
ON ALL OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS
. AND SO WE ARE, UM I SEEN
DRASTIC IMPROVEMENTS IN
ACCELERATION OF THAT PROCESSING.
I'M ON THE I, UM, REGIONAL
BOARD. UH, PROJECT REVIEW ON THE
REGULATORY SIDE. YOU KNOW, WE AT
THE STATE BOARD, I'M WE HAVE WE
EACH HAVE OUR LIAISONS WITH, UM
, SOME OF THE REGIONAL BOARDS
AND SO WE REGULARLY MEET AND
FOLLOW THOSE BOARDS. IDENTIFY UM
, WHAT PRIORITIES ARE AND LOOK
AT HOW THE STATE BOARD CAN BE
SUPPORTING THEM. THERE ARE TIMES
WHEN THE STATE BOARD CAN TAKE
ACTION LIKE CREATION OF, UM, A
STATEWIDE PERMIT THAT WILL
STREAMLINE WHAT HAS TO BE DONE
AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. BUT YOU KNOW
THERE IS THERE ARE LIMITATIONS
OF STAFFING. ONE REALLY
IMPORTANT THING TO KEEP IN MIND
THAT THAT IS ON THE FOREFRONT OF
OUR MIND IS WE ARE A FEE FUNDED
ORGANIZATION. SO THAT MEANS
STAFF FOR THE REVIEW OF ALL
THOSE PROJECTS IS FUNDED BY
FEARS ON THEN PERMIT HOLDERS AND
SO AS WE RAISE, UM AS WE
INCREASE STAFF THAT RAISES THE
FEARS THAT FOLKS ARE THAT
PROJECTS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO
PAY. AND SO WE REVIEW THAT
ANNUALLY. WE WORK WITH
STAKEHOLDERS TO REVIEW THAT AND
MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THAT
BALANCE RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU KNOW
, I THINK, AS YOU SAID, EVERYONE
IS FEELING COST PRESSURES, UM
EACH YEAR EACH MONTH. COSTS ARE
GOING UP AND SO ANYTHING WE CAN
DO TO REDUCE THE NEED TO
INCREASE COSTS AND IS ON THE
FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS AS WELL.
SO JUST THE FINAL COMMENTS
INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT, UM
WE'VE WE'VE PLACED THESE
REQUIREMENTS AND MANDATES ON.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO HAVE THESE
GOALS FOR WATER RECYCLING AND
REUSE AND BUILD THAT
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS NEED TO
BE REVIEWED IN IN AND APPROVED
AND BY THESE BOARDS AND BOTH AT
LOCAL AND REGIONAL AND YET WE'VE
PASSING ON THE COST. UM TO THESE
PROJECTS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO
DO THAT, SO THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT WE PROBABLY NEED TO LOOK
INTO IN ORDER TO BE MORE
EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT IN THE
IN IN OUR GOALS FORWARD, AND I
WONDER WHAT THEY THE FACTORS
WOULD BE AS FAR AS THE COST OF,
UM PERHAPS MAYBE FINDING A WAY
TO FUND THE ABILITY TO EXPEDITE
THIS PROCESS OR HAVE MORE MORE
MORE STAFF AVAILABLE VERSUS WHAT
IT WOULD COST FOR THE PROJECTS
IN THE LONG TERM TO BE, YOU
KNOW, TO BE APPROVED OF YOU KNOW
THE TIME PERIOD OF THE APPROVAL
PROCESS OF THESE PROJECTS IN THE
LONG TERM, SO THANK YOU. THANKS.
THANK YOU, SENATOR. MADAM VICE
CHAIR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRO TIM
. UM FIRST OF ALL, MR FIRESTONE.
THANK YOU FOR MEETING WITH ME
YESTERDAY. I APPRECIATED IT VERY
MUCH. AND I APPRECIATED THE
LENGTH OF TIME THAT YOU SPENT
WITH ME. SO WE GET ADDRESSED
SEVERAL, UM, ITEMS, SEVERAL
QUESTIONS AND SEVERAL PROJECTS
THAT WE HAVE GOING. MY COLLEAGUE
FROM SAN BERNARDINO DID THE
INLAND EMPIRE DID ASK QUESTIONS
THAT I HAD, BUT I DO HAVE A FEW
QUESTIONS, SOME THAT WE TALKED
ABOUT YESTERDAY. IN MY AREA. WE
HAVE A LOT OF SMALL WATER
DISTRICTS, NOT MAJOR
METROPOLITAN DISTRICTS. SOME OF
THEM HAVE LESS THAN 100 MEMBERS.
UM THE SAME PERSON RUNNING THE
WATER DISTRICT IS RUNNING HIS
FARM AND JUST TRYING TO MAKE
SURE THAT HIS NEIGHBORS HAVE
WATER WE TALKED ABOUT THEY DON'T
HAVE A LOT OF ACCESS OR STAFF TO
BE ABLE TO ACCESS RESOURCES FOR
GRANTS OR PROGRAMS. WHAT'S YOUR
COMMENT ON THAT ABOUT
AVAILABILITY FOR THE SMALL WATER
DISTRICTS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE
ACCESS TO THOSE THINGS WHERE A
MAJOR METROPOLITAN DISTRICT
WHICH HAVE YOU KNOW 20 STAFF
MEMBERS WORKING ON IT TO WHERE
THIS THE SMALL DISTRICTS WOULD
NOT? THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND
LEADERSHIP. UH SO, UM, OUR SAFER
PROGRAM, WHICH BEGAN JUST AS I
WAS APPOINTED IS REALLY FOCUSED
SPECIFICALLY ON IDENTIFYING
WHERE THOSE THOSE COMMUNITIES
ARE. THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO
ACCESS THE FUNDING PROGRAMS
WITHOUT ASSISTANCE, AND
TYPICALLY WHEN WE HAVE HAD
FUNDING PROGRAMS WE LET
APPLICANTS COME TO US AND
WHOEVER COMES WE ANALYZE AND
GIVE FOLKS MONEY ON FIRST COME
FIRST SERVE. WE'RE REALLY
PUTTING THAT ON ITS HEAD AND
IDENTIFYING WHERE THE NEEDS HOW
CAN WE PROACTIVELY IDENTIFY
RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THOSE
PROJECTS BEING DEVELOPED AND
PRIORITIZE THOSE FOR FUNDING
WHERE IT'S NEEDED? MOST? WE'VE
ALREADY WE HAVE CONTRACTED FOR
WELL OVER 100 MILLION OVER THE
LAST FEW YEARS WITH TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS SERVING AT
THIS POINT OVER 500 COMMUNITIES
THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND
PROVIDING PLANNING RESOURCE IS
THOSE SORT OF, UM TECHNICAL
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP I
DON'T DEVELOP GRANT APPLICATIONS
, IDENTIFY WHAT SOLUTIONS ARE
AND SUPPORT, REALLY, AS YOU SAID
, THE LOCAL VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE
, YOU KNOW, HAVE DAY JOBS AND
STILL TRYING TO KEEP THE WATER
FLOWING. I YOU KNOW, WE STILL
HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO TO MAKE
SURE THAT THOSE SYSTEMS, THOUGH
, HAVE TRULY SUSTAINABLE
SOLUTIONS, AND THAT IT'S THEY'RE
NOT HAVING TO RELY ON THE STATE
FOR ASSISTANCE WELL INTO THE
FUTURE, BUT THAT WE'RE HELPING
THEM HAVE RESILIENCE AND THE
ECONOMIES OF SCALE THAT THEY
NEED TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE THEIR
CUSTOMERS HAVE SAFE DRINKING
WATER FROM THE TOP. I APPRECIATE
THAT VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. WE
TALKED YESTERDAY. SIGNIFICANTLY
ABOUT JESUS AND JESUS THAT ARE
NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE
CRITERIA SET FORTH IN THIS SIGMA
PLANS THAT WERE PASSED OUT OF
THIS BUILDING. AH! WHAT'S YOUR
TAKE ON THE WATER BOARD AND
WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE ON THE
DEFICIENCIES IN THESE PLANS AND
YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY
WANTS THE STATE TO TAKE OVER
RIGHT. BUT THERE IS A THREAT
UNDER THE LEGISLATION THAT IF
THIS IF THE AGENCIES THESE GSA'S
DON'T MEET THIS DEMAND, WHICH IS
VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO MEET
100% PARTICIPATION, VARIOUS
VARIOUS INDUSTRIES, WHETHER IT'S
WHITE SPACES, FARMING
MUNICIPALITIES, OR I MEAN IT'S
EVERYBODY THAT HAS TO
PARTICIPATE. WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHT
? ON THE SIXTH GROUNDWATER
BASINS THAT HAVE NOT OR THEY
HAVE DEFICIENCIES IN THEIR PLAN
AND WHAT WHAT'S THEIR FATE? YEAH
THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, THIS SIX, SO
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES
HAS IDENTIFIED THESE SEX AND
THAT ARE DEEMED INADEQUATE. ALL
OF THESE ARE REALLY THE AREAS OF
THE STATE THAT HAVE BY FAR THE
BIGGEST CHALLENGE. IT'S NOT FOR
LACK OF EFFORT AND COMMITMENT
FROM LOCALS TO DEVELOP
SOLUTIONS. IT'S REALLY THAT UM,
THESE CHALLENGES ARE IMMENSE.
AND SO WE REALLY SEE TAKE TAKE
SERIOUSLY OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO,
UH TO BE THAT THAT BACKSTOP OR
SAFEGUARD TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE
PROTECTING OUR GROUNDWATER
RESOURCES ARE TOWNS FROM GOING
TRY AND SUBSIDENCE. AND JUST AS
WE'RE TRYING TO SUPPORT LOCALS
BEING ABLE TO CRAFT SOLUTIONS
THAT ARE SUSTAINABLE AND ALSO
CREATE OPTIMAL, OPTIMAL
APPROACH. WHICH IS LOCALLY FOR
HOW TO NAVIGATE WHAT WILL BE
WHAT ARE HUGE IMPACTS AND WILL
CONTINUE TO BE WE HAVE A
TIMELINE THAT WE'VE OUTLINED,
UM, EARLIER THIS SUMMER TO GO
THROUGH THOSE SIX. WE'RE DOING
INDIVIDUAL NOTICES. HEARINGS UM,
TO FIRST BRING THEM ONE BY ONE
AND TWO PROBATION. THAT TRIGGERS
UM THROUGH THAT PROCESS WHERE I
WILL WORK WITH THEM, AND WE
ALREADY HAVE BEEN AND BUT EVEN
MORE FORMALLY IDENTIFYING WHAT
THE DEFICIENCIES ARE AND WHAT WE
CAN DO TO HELP ENSURE THAT
THEY'RE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE
AND CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH
LOCAL MANAGEMENT. BUT IF WE NEED
TO, UH AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO
ACT AS THAT BACKSTOP AND
SAFEGUARD AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO
ENSURING THAT OUR GROUNDWATER IS
ULTIMATELY ACHIEVE
SUSTAINABILITY. THANK YOU.
BEFORE YOU GET PASSED OFF TO MY
COLLEAGUE TO THE LEFT OF FORMER
SECRETARY OF NATURAL RESOURCES
WHERE'D YOU GROW UP? WELL I WHEN
I WAS BORN DOWN IN LOS ANGELES
AND I AM AFTER LAW SCHOOL MOVED
TO TULARE COUNTY AS WE DISCUSSED
AND MY HUSBAND AND I STARTED OUR
FAMILY AND OUR CAREERS THERE AND
LIVED THERE FOR A LONG TIME. AND
I THEN MORE RECENTLY MOVED UP
HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
MADAM. VICE CHAIR, SENATOR LAIRD
. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M NOT
ENTIRELY SURE HOW TO FOLLOW THEM
. UM BUT FIRST, UH, I APPRECIATE
YOU MEETING WITH ME AND WE GET
LISTS OF PEOPLE THAT SUPPORTER
OF POST PEOPLE, AND YOU HAD ONE
OF THE LONGEST LISTS OF
SUPPORTERS THAT WE HAVE HAD IN
RECENT TIMES, SO I JUST WANTED
TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON THAT BY
COLLEAGUES WENT INTO A LOT OF
THE AREAS THAT I WAS GOING TO GO
INTO. SO LET ME DUE TO THAT WE
TALKED ABOUT YESTERDAY AND ONE
IS THAT THE WHOLE ISSUE OF CRUMB
? SIX CONTAMINATION IS COMING TO
A HEAD AND, UH, AS SENATOR,
GROWTH, SAID, I SIMILARLY HAVE
SMALL WATER DISTRICTS, AND SOME
OF THEM ARE DRAMATICALLY
AFFECTED BY THIS, AND SOME ARE
IN AMONG THE MOST DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE IN MY
SENATE-DISTRICT. SO TALK TO US
ABOUT THE STATUS OF IT'S SORT OF
WHATEVER YOU CALL IT, SETTING
THE LEVEL AND WHAT IS THE STATUS
OF BEING ABLE TO ASSIST?
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES IN
WHAT IS AN EXPENSIVE PROCESS TO
HAVE CLEAN AND SAFE DRINKING
WATER. YES THANK YOU. THIS IS AN
AREA THAT'S BEEN A MAJOR
PRIORITY. I'M I KNOW. WELL
THERE'S COMMUNITIES THAT ARE
DEALING WITH VERY HIGH LEVELS OF
CRIME. SIX HAVE BEEN FOR A WHILE
, AND ONE OF THE CHALLENGES FOR
COMMUNITIES IS BECAUSE WE HAVE
NOT YET ESTABLISHED AND OR WHAT
THAT LEGAL LIMIT IS. IT'S HARD
SINCE I'M ON THE ACRONYM. SORRY
MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT LEVEL,
RIGHT? MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT LEVEL
. SO THE SAFE DRINKING WATER
STANDARD. OKAY I REMIND THE
FORMER SECRETARY OF NATURAL
RESOURCES NOT TO TALK OVER EACH
OTHER. NOT YOU. HIM UM NO, THANK
YOU. ACRONYMS ARE JUST SUCH A
PROBLEM AND THE WATER SPACE. SO
AS WE ARE, UNTIL WE SET WITH
THAT LEGAL LIMIT IS WATER
AGENCIES DON'T KNOW WHAT THE
SOLUTIONS ARE THAT ARE NECESSARY
TO, UM BE IT OR AT WHAT LEVEL
THEY NEED TO TREAT YOU. SO ONE
OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS IS JUST
ENSURING THAT WE ARE
ESTABLISHING THAT WE'VE STARTED
THAT PROCESS WHERE WE WILL BE
FINISHING IT OVER THE COURSE OF
THE OF THE NEXT YEAR, HOPEFULLY
BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR WE,
UH. PART OF THAT PROCESS OR A
CORE. PART OF THAT PROCESS IS,
OF COURSE, UNDERSTANDING PUBLIC
HEALTH PROTECTION. THIS IS A
VERY TOXIC CONTAMINANT, MUCH,
ESPECIALLY IN YOUR REGION IS
VERY MUCH NATURALLY OCCURRING
AND A LOT OF AREAS SO THERE'S
NOT RESPONSIBLE PARTIES AND ALL
CASES AND I'M AND SO WE NEED TO
ENSURE PEOPLE ARE PROTECTED IN
THEIR HOMES AND CAN TRUST THE
WATER THAT THEY DRINK. WHAT ARE
SO ENSURING THAT THEY CAN AFFORD
THE WATER BILLS TO GET WATERS
INTO THEIR HOMES? SO AS WE DO
THIS, WE IN THIS PROCESS WHERE
IDENTIFYING WHAT ARE POTENTIAL
TECHNOLOGIES. WHAT THOSE COSTS
WOULD R WILL BE AND WHAT
ASSISTANCE WE HAVE. AND SO WE'RE
EVALUATING ALL OF OUR GRANT
PROGRAMS. WE ARE ALREADY WE HAVE
ALREADY EVEN BEFORE THIS IS
ESTABLISHED, THEN. UM FUNDING,
UH, PROGRAM FUNDING PROJECTS
THAT ADDRESS CRUMBS SIX EVEN
BEFORE THE M C L IS ESTABLISHED
TO SUPPORT COMMUNITIES THAT ARE
ALREADY TRYING TO GET SOLUTIONS
IN PLACE RATHER THAN WAIT. UH
AND BEING PROACTIVE, UM BUT AS
WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, AND
I THINK THE FEEDBACK FROM THIS
FIRST HEARING WAS LAYING OUT
EXPLICITLY WHAT FUNDING DO WE
HAVE TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN COVER
MANY OF THOSE COSTS THAT ARE
VERY REAL. THIS IS EXPENSIVE
TREATMENT, AND THERE'S FUNDING.
WE HAVE TO BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE
BY A LOT OF THE BIG COSTS WITH
CRUMBS, SIX OUR OPERATIONS AND
MAINTENANCE AND THAT IS MUCH
HARDER TO COME BY, AND TENDS TO
FALL AND REPAIRS. IT ALSO JUST
GOES TO I THINK WATER IS
BECOMING MORE EXPENSIVE AS WE
DEAL WITH INCREASING
CONTAMINATES INFRASTRUCTURE,
INVESTMENTS, RESILIENCY. ALL
THIS AND WATER REUSE AND AH, AND
SO I'M IDENTIFYING HOW WE ARE
DEVELOPING AFFORDABILITY
PROGRAMS IS ONLY GOING TO BE
MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT. THANK
YOU. AND AS I SAID IN OUR
MEETING WILL WANT TO CONTINUE TO
WORK WITH YOU AND ADVOCATE FOR
SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE
WATER DISTRICTS TO MAKE SURE
BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT FISTIC ATED
THAT THEY WILL NEED TO BE
CONNECTED IN A WAY THAT SOMEBODY
HELPS THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT
ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE, SO I
WILL LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING
TO WORK WITH YOU. THEN THE OTHER
ISSUE WE TALKED ABOUT. INVOLVES
A VERY FAMOUS CONSTITUENT THAT I
HAVE, WHO ONCE SAID. MAKE MY DAY
IN A MOVIE. AND HE WAS TRYING TO
GET A WATER RIGHTS FINDING FROM
THE WATER PORTS IN ORDER TO
DONATE 58 ACRES OF LAND NEAR THE
CARMEL RIVER. AND IT TOOK FOUR
YEARS AND EVERY YEAR I TOLD YOU
EVERY YEAR HE WOULD ASK FOR A
MEETING AND HE WOULD SAY I'M NOT
GETTING ANY YOUNGER. AND WHEN
THE WHOLE THING WAS OVER. AND IT
TOOK FOUR YEARS. EVERYBODY AT
THE WATER BOARD SAID. DO YOU
UNDERSTAND HOW QUICK THIS WAS?
AND I WAS ASTONISHED? AND SO MY
QUESTION YESTERDAY IN THE
MEETING IS WHAT ARE THE ISSUES
HERE IN TRYING TO GET FOCUSED ON
THIS BEING DONE? IN A REASONABLE
AMOUNT OF TIME. YEAH I
APPRECIATE THAT. SORRY I'M WATER
. UH YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, THE
LEGISLATURE IS SUPPORTED, UH, UM
, FUNDING FOR WATER RIGHTS
MODERNIZATION PROGRAM. ONE OF
THE BIG PIECES IS JUST BEING
ABLE TO DIGITIZE MANY OF THE
PAPER RECORDS THAT EXISTS AS WE
GO THROUGH ANY KIND OF
ADJUDICATION PROCESS, WHETHER
IT'S THROUGH THE COURTS OR
THROUGH OUR ADMINISTRATIVE
HEARINGS, OFFICE OR WATERBOARD
PROCESS. I'M JUST GETTING ACCESS
TO THE TO WHAT? OUR PAPER
RECORDS THAT OVER AND FILE
CABINETS, UM IS DOESN'T LEND
ITSELF TO A FUNCTION IN WATER
RIGHTS SYSTEM. AND SO, UH, YOU
KNOW, CRITICAL TO ACCELERATING
THIS PROCESS AND CASES LIKE YOU
MENTIONED IS JUST LOOKING AT HOW
WE CAN MAKE OUR EXISTING SYSTEM
WORK EFFECTIVELY. WE ARE SEEN
BOTH. I AND PROGRESS IN, UM IN
THAT SORT OF DIGITIZATION
EFFORTS AS WELL AS UM, YOU KNOW,
IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE
HAPPENING HERE AROUND, UH AROUND
HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SYSTEM
IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO, UM,
FUNCTION BOTH IN THIS NEW
HYDROLOGY AND WITH THE DROUGHT.
BUT ADJUDICATION IS A BIG
CHALLENGE. IT'S SOMETHING THAT
IS, UH, THE SCALE OF WHAT NEEDED
ACROSS THE STATE AND THE EXPENSE
AND TIME THAT GOES INTO IT
THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM IS
PROHIBITIVE IN MANY CASES, AND
SO THERE'S A LOT THAT WE NEED TO
DO TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO, UM,
MODERNIZED OR WATER RIGHTS
SYSTEM IN CALIFORNIA, AND I KNOW
JUST AS A COMMENT CLOSE ON THIS
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME BILLS
THAT ARE VERY CONTROVERSIAL
RIGHT NOW THAT GET INTO THIS.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THEM
AND I HAVE THE QUIET MAMA VALLEY
. FOR NOW, IN MY SENATE-DISTRICT
AND THEIR TWO CARED FARMERS THAT
YOU 70% OF THE WATER, AND THEN
THERE'S THESE PEOPLE THAT USE 10
ACRE FEET A YEAR. THEY'RE THE
ONES THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE
CUT. AND WHEN YOU DETERMINE THE
WATER RIGHTS, IT'S DONE ON THE
BASIS OF USAGE. SO SOMEBODY HAS
BEEN OVER USING THEY GET THIS
ADVANTAGE IN THE WATER RIGHTS
SYSTEM. AND IF YOU'RE CONSERVING
, YOU GET PUNISHED IN THE WATER
RIGHTS SYSTEM, AND IT'S
SOMETHING I THINK OVER TIME WE
HAVE TO LOOK AT AND I DON'T
THINK IT CAME UP YESTERDAY. THE
DIGITIZATION AND. AH WHAT DID
COME UP IS THAT YOU'RE A BOARD
MEMBER, AND THEN THE
ADMINISTRATION MAKES THE BUDGET
REQUESTS AND SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T
INFLUENCE THEM. BUT IT SEEMS TO
ME THAT IF THERE IS DIGITIZING
THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO
EXPEDITE THE PROCESS IN SENATOR
GROVES AREA OF INTEREST WE HAD
THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH OIL
PERMITS. WE HAD 50,000 THAT WERE
ON PAPER, AND WE HAD TO FUND A
STRIKE TEAM TO COME IN AND
DIGITIZE THEM SO THAT PEOPLE
DIDN'T HAVE TO GO TO SOME FILING
CABINET TO FIND OUT WHAT THE
HISTORIC RIGHT HAD BEEN OR
APPLICATION AND IF THAT'S WHAT'S
GOING ON HERE, IT'S LIKE I HOPE
THE LEGISLATURE HAIRS IN A WAY
THAT WE CAN APPROPRIATELY HELPED
FUND SOMETHING THAT WOULD MOVE
THIS PROCESS MUCH MORE
EXPEDITIOUSLY. I APPRECIATE THAT
, AND ACTUALLY, WE HAVE RECEIVED
$30 MILLION AND NOW I CAN'T
REMEMBER AS THE LAST WHICH WHICH
YOUR BUDGET IT WAS, UM AND WE
HAVE A CONTRACTOR UNDERWAY TO
HELP US DEVELOP THAT PROCESS, SO
I APPRECIATE THE LEGISLATORS
LEGISLATED CHAIRS. LEADERSHIP
ALREADY AND STARTING THAT
PROCESS OF DIGITIZATION AND I'M
I'M YOU KNOW, HOPEFUL THAT THAT
CAN BE COMING ONLINE IN THE NEAR
FUTURE, BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE
TO DO AND I REALLY APPRECIATE
YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THE
IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE
HAPPENING HERE. THANK YOU. I
APPRECIATE YOUR RESPONSE TO MY
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, UM, A LOT
OF GROUND TO COVER. I KNOW. I
ONLY HAVE ONE COMMENT BECAUSE MY
COLLEAGUES COVERED SO MANY
IMPORTANT ISSUES. I KNOW THAT
THE BOARD ON IN JULY RELEASED A
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO ITS POWER
PLANT COOLING POLICY. I KNOW
THAT YESTERDAY THE BOARD
APPROVED THAT AMENDMENT TO THE
ONCE THROUGH COOLING POLICY FOR
POWER PLANTS, AND I'M PRETTY
SURE I UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE
TO ENSURE AVAILABILITY OF
ELECTRICITY AS WE MOVE IN LATER
INTO THE SUMMER. YOU WERE PART
OF THAT DECISION. I JUST BECAUSE
I KNOW THAT I HAVE COLLEAGUES
THAT ARE NOT SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
THIS HAS BEEN A LONG DISCUSSION
FOR MANY BOARDS BASED ON
CIRCUMSTANCES ON THE GROUND AND
WHAT THE GOVERNOR HAS PROPOSED
AND WHAT WE HAD TO DO. BUT I'M
JUST CURIOUS TO GIVEN YOUR
HISTORY AND YOUR, UM INVOLVEMENT
. UM AND YOUR PERSPECTIVE, I
THINK FROM PREVIOUS
CONVERSATIONS AND APPOINTMENTS,
YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND INSIGHTS ON
YOUR APPROACH TO THAT DECISION
MAKING ON THIS ISSUE AND MAIN
FACTORS THAT INFORMED YOUR
DECISION ON THAT. THANK YOU FOR
THAT QUESTION. OUR BOARD MEETING
YESTERDAY WENT UNTIL 11 30 AT
NIGHT AND WE HAD MORE THAN 60
COMMENTERS, INCLUDING, UM
SENATOR START ON THIS. IT'S IT
WAS, IT IS REALLY NOT THE
POSITION THAT WE WANT TO BE IN,
AND, UM IT'S ODD POSITION FOR US
, BECAUSE REALLY, OUR PURVIEW IS
WENT THROUGH COOLING ON ITS
INTAKE AND DISCHARGE FROM INTO
THE OCEAN FOR SEA LIFE, AND IT
WAS NEVER ABOUT CLOSURE OF GAS
FIRED PLANTS VERSUS OTHER
RENEWABLES. AND SO THE WAY THAT
OUR PROGRAMS SET UP IS REALLY TO
RECOGNIZE AND RELY ON OUR SISTER
AGENCIES THAT ARE EXPERTS IN THE
ENERGY SECTOR AND TO PROVIDE
ADVICE ON WHAT'S NEEDED TO HAVE
A RELIABLE GRID. AND SO IT'S YOU
KNOW, AS I PERSONALLY FELT IT
WAS A VERY DIFFICULT DECISION
FOR ME PERSONALLY, AS I SAT
THERE YESTERDAY, I'M I. I WE
HEARD FROM COMMUNITIES AND, UM,
IT IS EXTREMELY TRUE THAT, UM,
THAT. UH, BLACK INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR ARE
DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED AND
OUR FRONTLINE COMMUNITY IS ON
CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON GAS
FIRED PLANT AIR QUALITY IMPACTS
ON AND THAT THAT'S THAT'S THE
LAST THING WE NEED TO DO IS, UM,
IS PERPETUATE THAT. AND ALSO WE
NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T
HAVE BLACKOUTS IN THE SHORT TERM
AS WE'RE MAKING TRANSITIONS AND
THERE ARE DISPROPORTIONATE
IMPACTS WHEN THE ELECTRICITY
GOES OUT AS WELL. AND I WHERE I
LANDED IS I DIDN'T I DEFER TO
THE I'M I JUST DON'T HAVE THE UM
. THE ENERGY SECTOR EXPERTISE. I
REALLY RELY ON THE ARRAY OF
STATE AGENCIES THAT DO OVERSEE
THAT. BUT I ALSO THINK OUR ROLE
IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
ASKING THE TOUGH QUESTIONS
HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE TO STAY
ON TARGET BECAUSE I WILL SAY
THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IN THE
LAST FOUR YEARS THAT THEY HAVE
COME TO ASK US FOR EXTENSIONS ON
THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE
GRID RELIABILITY THAT WE NEED
TO. AND SO I THINK WE MADE IT
VERY CLEAR THAT I'M WE NEED
MILESTONES, AND WE NEED REGULAR
REPORTS TO SEE THAT WE DON'T
THEY DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK TO
US AGAIN TO DO THAT. I REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR RESPONSE ON
THAT. I FELT COMPELLED BASED ON
THE TESTIMONY AND THAT SOME OF
OUR COLLEAGUES HAVE CONCERNS AND
CLEARLY WAS A DIFFICULT
DISCUSSION FOR US AS WE
CONSIDERED, YOU KNOW THE
PROPOSAL FROM THE GOVERNOR, UH,
LAST YEAR, SO I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL COMMENTS
TO ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS. WE'RE
GOING TO GO TO MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC. UM AND SO WITH THAT. I
SHOULD THROW UP THE REMINDER OF
THE TELECONFERENCE LINE, WHICH
THAT NUMBER IS 8772268. THE
ACCESS CODE IS 1618051. BUT
WE'RE GOING TO START RIGHT HERE
IN ROOM 2200 WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE
IN SUPPORT AND YOUR NAME YOUR
ORGANIZATION, IF ANY, AND VERY
SHORT COMMENTS WELCOME THANK
YOU. AND GOOD AFTERNOON, KYLE
JONES POLICY AND LEGAL DIRECTOR
WITH COMMUNITY WATER CENTER IN
STRONG SUPPORT OF OUR FORMER CO
FOUNDER LAUREL FIRESTONE. AND
JUST TO BE BRIEF, THE WATER
BIRDS DID AN AMAZING JOB GETTING
FUNDING AT THE DOOR. THEY HAVE
RECENTLY GOTTEN OUT $3.3 BILLION
, AND THIS YEAR THE FUND
EXPENDITURE PLAN FOR SAFER IS
PROJECTING TO GET $778 MILLION
INTO DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.
AND IT TAKES LEADERSHIP. WHO
KNOWS? WHAT IT TAKES AND HAS
WORKED ALONGSIDE RESIDENTS TO
GET THAT DONE OR DRIVE OUT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY
NAME IS CODY PHILLIPS ON THE
POLICY ANALYST FOR CALIFORNIA
COAST KEEPER ALLIANCE AND VERY
STRONG SUPPORT JUST TO SAY, HOW
DOES THAT THAT MEETING UNTIL 11
30 LAST NIGHT AND REMEMBER,
FIRESTONE LISTENED INTENTLY AND
HAD AN EXCELLENT DISCUSSION THE
ENTIRE LONG, LONG DAY. THANK YOU
. THANK YOU. I GUESS I SHOULD
SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE
TODAY AFTER THAT LONG, LONG
NIGHT. WELCOME GOOD AFTERNOON,
MICHAEL CLAIBORNE WITH
LEADERSHIP COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE
AND ACCOUNTABILITY HERE IN
STRONG SUPPORT OF BOARD MEMBER
FIRESTONE'S CONFIRMATION. HAD
THE PLEASURE TO WORK WITH HER
FOR MANY YEARS ON ACCESS TO SAFE
AND AFFORDABLE DRINKING WATER
AND APPRECIATE HER LEADERSHIP.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WELCOME GOOD AFTERNOON MATTER
PRO MADAM PROTHOM AND SENATORS
TIM VALDERRAMA WITH THE VITAMIN
GROUP. HERE ON BEHALF OF OUR
CLIENT, CAL WATER. WE PROVIDE
WATER SERVICE TO 2 MILLION
CALIFORNIANS FROM CHICO TO PALOS
VERDE IS I HAVE HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY OF WORKING WITH MISS
FIRESTONE FOR MANY YEARS.
THERE'S A REASON THAT YOU GUYS
HAVE RECEIVED SO MUCH SUPPORT
FOR HER. IT'S REALLY BECAUSE NOT
ONLY DOES SHE HOLD THE BELIEF
AND SAFE AND AFFORDABLE AND
CLEAN DRINKING WATER FOR ALL OF
CALIFORNIA, BUT SHE'S REALLY
DEDICATED HER LIFE TO THE
PURSUIT OF THAT GOAL, AND WE ARE
IN STRONG SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WELCOME.
THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER PRO TEM
DANIEL COATS WITH RANCHO
CALIFORNIA WATER DISTRICT IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. I'M PLEASED
TO ENCOURAGE THE SUPPORT FOR THE
NOMINATION OF UM, BOARD MEMBER
LARA FIRE SNOW BACK TO THE BOARD
AND BOARD MEMBER OF FIRESTONE
HAS BEEN A LONGTIME ADVOCATE AND
PROVIDING THE VOICE TO THE
VOICELESS AND ALL ASPECTS OF THE
CONVERSATION OF THE HUMAN RIGHT
TO WATER. AND DESPITE HAVING
SOMETIMES BILL ON VARIOUS SIDES
, THE TABLE IS ALWAYS A PLEASANT
AND THAT PROVOKING EXCHANGE AND
SHE HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB AS
A MEMBER OF THE BOARD MAKING
TOUGH DECISIONS. WE WOULD LIKE
TO ENCOURAGE YOUR PARTICIPATION
. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
OTHERS AND SUPPORT. OKAY HAVING
HEARD FROM THOSE IN SUPPORT. LET
ME SEE IF THERE'S ANYONE IN ROOM
2200, WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN
OPPOSITION. OKAY SEEING NO ONE.
LET ME RETURN TO OUR MODERATOR
AND WELCOME HIM BACK AND ASK IF
YOU WILL TEE UP PEOPLE TO SPEAK
IN SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION NAME
ORGANIZATION, IF ANY, AND JUST
YOUR POSITION IN SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION. WELCOME BACK, MR
MODERATOR. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT AND
SUPPORT FOR OPPOSITION, PLEASE
PRESENT 10 AT THIS TIME. AND WE
DO HAVE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE
QUEUING UP. IT'LL JUST BE ONE
MOMENT, PLEASE, WHILE WE PROVIDE
THEM WITH LINE NUMBERS.
AND FIRST WE WILL HEAR FROM LINE
. 21, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOUR MIC
IS OPEN. GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR
AND MEMBERS CAITLIN JOHNSON WITH
POLITICAL SOLUTIONS ON BEHALF OF
CALIFORNIA WATER ASSOCIATION AND
CALIFORNIA AMERICAN WATER AND
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A COMMENT FROM
LINE. 25, PLEASE GO AHEAD. LINE
25. YOUR MIC IS OPEN. YES THIS
IS EMILY LAM FROM THE SUMMER
SCHOOL PUBLIC UTILITIES
COMMISSION. IN SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION. IN SUPPORT. THANK
THANK THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. AND MADAM CHAIR.
THERE ARE NO FURTHER COMMENTS AT
THIS TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
AGAIN. WE'LL BE BACK WITH YOU
SHORTLY. LET ME COME BACK TO THE
MEMBERS. MADAM VICE CHAIR. THANK
YOU. I MOVED THE CONFIRMATION.
THANK YOU. WE HAVE EMOTION.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL. CHIYOKO BOG ELBOW GUY
SMALLWOOD CUEVAS. SMALL LIQUID
ASIDE GROWTH BY GROVE, I CAN SEE
INSIDE FIVE TO 05 TO ZERO. WE
WILL MOVE THIS ON TO THE FULL
SENATE AND LET ME SAY THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE YOUR
TIME AND YOUR THOUGHTFUL
CONVERSATION TODAY COLLEAGUES.
THE CHAIR NEEDS FIVE MINUTES AND
WITH GREAT APOLOGIES TO MR WEISS
. WE WILL BE RIGHT BACK. I
PROMISE YOU AND GET UNDERWAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
BACK TO ORDER AND, UH, TAKE UP
ITEM ONE C AND THAT IS JACK
WEISS. JD TO THE BOARD OF PAROLE
HEARINGS. LET ME THANK YOU FOR
YOUR PATIENCE, INCREDIBLE
PATIENTS TODAY, BUT I GOT TO
COMPLIMENT MY COLLEAGUES WERE
ACTUALLY MOVING ALONG QUITE WELL
, UM SO THANK YOU. I KNOW HI.
YOU'RE YOU ARE SO RIGHT, SENATOR
LARRY, BUT LET ME SAY WELCOME TO
YOU ASK YOU TO ACKNOWLEDGE
ANYONE YOU WOULD LIKE, MAKE ANY
OPENING COMMENTS YOU WANT AND
THEN, AS YOU HAVE SEEN, WILL GO
RIGHT TO MEMBERS FOR COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS. WELL, THANK YOU,
MADAM PRO TIM. THANK YOU, MADAM
VICE CHAIR. THANK YOU. MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE FOR HAVING ME
TODAY. AH I'M JACK WISE. I'M
FROM LOS ANGELES. AND I'M HERE
TODAY AND REALLY WHEREVER I AM,
I'M ONLY THERE BECAUSE OF MY
WIFE, LESLIE, AND SHE'S NOT
PHYSICAL HERE TODAY, BUT SHE'S
WHY I'M HERE TODAY AND I WAS
BORN AT THE HOSPITAL AT U. C L.
A AND THEN 28. YEARS LATER, I
GRADUATED FROM THE LAW SCHOOL AT
U. C L. A AND SO I'VE SPENT MOST
OF MY LIFE IN LOS ANGELES AFTER
LAW SCHOOL, I CLERKED FOR A
FEDERAL JUDGE. FOR A SOMEWHAT
CONSERVATIVE FEDERAL JUDGE.
SHE'D BEEN THE UNITED STATES
ATTORNEY AND SHE ENCOURAGED ME.
TO BECOME A FEDERAL PROSECUTOR
MYSELF. UM BUT SHE ALSO TAUGHT
ME SOME IMPORTANT LESSONS ABOUT
LAW ENFORCEMENT. SHE TAUGHT ME
THAT THE POWER TO INDICT IS THE
POWER TO DESTROY AND THAT THE
MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU COULD
DO AND THE THING I SAW HER DO
DAY IN AND DAY OUT IN HER COURT
WAS HOLD THE GOVERNMENT TO A
HIGHER STANDARD SHE HELD.
GOVERNMENT LAWYERS, PROSECUTORS.
A HIGHER STANDARD THAN ANYONE
ELSE. AND WHEN I APPEARED IN
FRONT OF HER MYSELF, THAT IS HOW
SHE ACCORDED ME AND I KNEW
THAT'S BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT
GOVERNMENT HAS ALL THE POWER, SO
I BECAME A FEDERAL PROSECUTOR AT
HER ENCOURAGEMENT. I WAS A FRAUD
PROSECUTOR. I WAS A WHITE COLLAR
CRIMES PROSECUTOR. I WAS
ASSIGNED TO OUR MAJOR FRAUD
SECTION AND OUR PUBLIC
CORRUPTION AND GOVERNMENT FRAUD
SECTION BROUGHT CASES UNDER WAS
VARYING FROM SECURITIES FRAUD,
BANKRUPTCY FRAUD, HEALTHCARE
FRAUD, UH, CONSEQUENTIAL PUBLIC
CORRUPTION CASE AND A
CONSEQUENTIAL CIVIL RIGHTS CASE
THAT WAS ACTUALLY BROUGHT UNDER
THE 13TH AMENDMENT. THE UNITED
STATES CONSTITUTION INVOLUNTARY
SERVITUDE. UM AFTER THAT, I
SERVED ON THE LOS ANGELES CITY
COUNCIL FOR EIGHT YEARS AND MY
PRINCIPAL FOCUS. THERE WAS
PUBLIC SAFETY. I SERVED ON THE
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. AND FOR
MANY YEARS I CHAIRED THAT
COMMITTEE AND I USED MY TIME TO
WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR THEN
POLICE CHIEF BILL BRATTON TO
IMPROVE AND REFORM THE LOS
ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH
I KNOW WE'RE NOT HERE TO TALK
ABOUT TODAY. THERE'S A LOT THAT
ONE COULD TALK ABOUT. BUT I'M
PROUD OF MY SERVICE. THEY'RE
PROUD OF THE EFFORTS THAT WE
MADE. AH. TO IMPROVE THE LAPD.
AND UM FOR SEVERAL YEARS AFTER
THAT, I WAS IN THE PRIVATE
SECTOR BUT MY HEART IS IN THE
PUBLIC SECTOR LOVE GOVERNMENT.
I'VE WORKED IN ALL THREE
BRANCHES OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT. I'VE WORKED FOR A
CITY GOVERNMENT. I EVEN SPENT A
SUMMER IN THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT
AND NOW I'M IN THE STATE
GOVERNMENT AND I REALLY NEVER
WANT TO LEAVE PUBLIC SERVICE. UM
THE MORE AND MORE I LEARNED
ABOUT THIS POSITION, THE MORE
AND MORE CONVINCED I WAS. IT WAS
PERFECT FOR ME. WE HAVE A PAROLE
BOARD IN CALIFORNIA. THAT IS, UM
, ABSOLUTELY THE VERY FINEST IN
THE UNITED STATES, UM, IN TERMS
OF MEMBERS IN TERMS OF TRAINING
IN TERMS OF A SYSTEM OF LAW
SYSTEM OF LAW AND A SYSTEM OF
REVIEW, BECAUSE THAT'S THE
HALLMARK OF A SYSTEM OF LAW. IS
ALL LEVELS OF REVIEW BEFORE,
DURING AND AFTER A CASE IF IT
WEREN'T FOR GOVERNOR, BROWN
GOVERNOR NEWSOM AND THE
INCREDIBLE EFFORTS OF OUR
EXECUTIVE OFFICER JENNIFER
SHAFFER, OVER THE PAST 10 OR 12
YEARS, UM THIS WOULD NOT HAVE
BEEN A POSITION THAT I WOULD
HAVE WANTED. BUT THEY HAVE
CREATED SOMETHING SPECIAL AND IT
HAS BEEN A REAL PRIVILEGE TO
SERVE HERE AND TO MAKE DECISIONS
AND WE HAVE A BUSY AS ALL OF YOU
KNOW, WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE
CASELOAD TO MAKE DECISIONS EVERY
DAY TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC AND TO
RECOGNIZE THE INCREDIBLE EFFORTS
THAT INCARCERATED PERSONS. MAKE
THESE DAYS EVERY DAY IN EVERY
INSTITUTION IN CDCR TO
REHABILITATE. SO I'VE BEEN VERY
PRIVILEGED TO BE HERE AND I
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. I AM GONNA START
SENATOR LAIRD WITH YOU. I GO
FROM SIDE TO SIDE AS YOU
NOTICED, BUT WE'LL START WITH
YOU NOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
AND I KNOW THAT WE MET ACTUALLY
BEFORE THE RECESS, SO THANK YOU
FOR THAT TIME. I THOUGHT I'D GO
RIGHT TO THE HEART OF THE THERE
WERE SOME CONCERNS EXPRESSED UH
, ABOUT YOUR CONFIRMATION AND I
FELT LIKE OUR MEETING WAS GOOD,
AND I FELT LIKE YOU BRING SOME
VERY GOOD SKILLS TO THIS AND HE
AND THE ONE LETTER OF CONCERN
WAS INTERESTING TO ME BECAUSE IT
IGNORES KNOWLEDGE IN IT. AND IN
THE QUOTE IS THAT THERE WAS A
VAST IMPROVEMENT IN COMMISSIONER
WISE IS ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOR IN
HEARINGS. AND HE IMPLYING THAT
IT WAS RAISED AND IMPROVED, BUT
THEY STILL EXPRESS CONCERN THAT
SOMEHOW YOU WOULD BE WHERE YOU
WERE BEFORE THE VAST IMPROVEMENT
AND I WOULD ASK THAT YOU WOULD
SPEAK TO THAT BECAUSE I THINK
THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT CONCERN
AND ITS SUPPORT TO ACKNOWLEDGED
IMPROVEMENT AND IT'S IMPORTANT
TO SEE WHERE YOUR HEART IS IN
THAT. THANK YOU, SENATOR. LET ME
UM LET ME ADDRESS THAT QUESTION
IN THE FOLLOWING WAY. BEING A
PAROLE COMMISSIONER IS TWO VERY
UNUSUAL POSITION. UM WE HOLD OUR
HEARINGS ON TEAMS, WHICH IS ZOOM
, AND IT COULD BE UP TO A DOZEN
TIMES A WEEK THAT I AM EATING
FOR HOURS AT A TIME WITH AN
INCARCERATED PERSON GOING OVER
THEIR CASE. AND INVARIABLY THE
FOCUS OF A HEARING IS SPEAKING
WITH SOMEONE WHO. USUALLY DONE
SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARILY.
SEVERE AND AWFUL AND WHO MAY
HAVE. BEEN SUBJECTED TO A
LIFETIME OF TRAUMA AS A CHILD
AND LIKELY DIDN'T HAVE MUCH IN
THE WAY OF RESOURCES THEN AND
REALLY DOESN'T HAVE MUCH IN THE
WAY OF RESOURCES. NOW THEY'RE IN
PRISON. AND I TALKED WITH THEM.
ABOUT THEIR CHARACTER DEFECTS.
ABOUT THEIR PURSUIT OF SELF HELP
PROGRAMMING. AND THEIR ATTEMPT
TO UNDERSTAND TO DIG DOWN IN A
WAY THAT IT'S VERY HARD FOR
ANYONE TO DO TO UNDERSTAND. WHAT
WENT WRONG AND WHAT THEY COULD
DO BETTER. AND SO I AM IN THE
POSITION OF ASKING PEOPLE. WHO
HAVE RELATIVELY LITTLE TO MAKE
SELF IMPROVEMENT. AND THAT'S
WHAT I DO EVERY DAY. SO THAT'S
WHAT I DO EVERY DAY WITH OTHERS.
THAT'S WHAT I NEED TO DO EVERY
DAY WITH MYSELF. AND WHEN I WAS
HERE IN MARCH, I HEARD THERE
WERE SOME SOME CONCERNS THAT I
WAS CONDUCTING MY HEARING'S IN A
WAY THAT WAS ABRUPT. AND THAT
WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S TRUE, IT
DOESN'T MATTER. WHAT MATTERS IS
HOW PEOPLE FEEL. AND PEOPLE NEED
TO FEEL HEARD, AND THEY NEED TO
FEEL AH. THAT THEIR POSITION WAS
CONSIDERED. LOOK I COME FROM A
FEDERAL COURT BACKGROUND, WHICH
IS THE WORD ABRUPT IS LIKE THE
NICEST THING YOU CAN SAY ABOUT
FEDERAL COURT. OKAY, IT'S NOT A
FRIENDLY PLACE. IT'S A SEVERE
PLACE. UM IT MAKES ME THINK OF
WHAT YOU'RE ALL GOING THROUGH.
YOU'VE GOT 4.5 WEEKS AND YOU'VE
GOT A RIFLE THROUGH A MILLION
ISSUES. SO FEDERAL COURT IS
ABOUT BREVITY, AND I BROUGHT TOO
MUCH OF THAT INTO MY FIRST FEW
MONTHS OF HEARINGS IN THIS JOB.
SO WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THOSE
CONCERNS, I SPOKE WITH ONE OF MY
COLLEAGUES. WE HAVE INCREDIBLE
COLLEAGUES AT THE PAROLE BOARD.
WE ARE NOT JUST THAT WERE
SUPPORTIVE OF ONE ANOTHER AND
THAT WE'RE COLLEGIAL, BUT IT IS
AN INCREDIBLE PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT. SOCIETY WE ARE
CONSTANTLY ACTUALLY REVIEWING
EACH OTHER'S CASES, AND THIS
COLLEAGUE TOLD ME SOMETHING VERY
IMPORTANT. SHE SAID. SHE'D BEEN
A SPIRIT COURT JUDGE, SHE SAID
IN HER VIEW. LAWYERS HAVE
DIFFICULT AND STRESSFUL JOBS.
AND WHEN SHE WAS A JUDGE, SHE
MADE IT A POINT NOT TO MAKE
THEIR LIVES MORE STRESSFUL AND
DIFFICULT. BUT TO MAKE THINGS
EASIER FOR THEM. AND THAT WAS
GREAT ADVICE. WE WENT THROUGH A
COUPLE OF JUST SORT OF TIKTOK
DETAILED THINGS TO DO DURING A
HEARING TO IMPLEMENT THAT AND I
HAVE CHANGED THE WAY I IMPLEMENT
MY HEARINGS AS A RESULT OF THAT
, AND I'M COMMITTED TO THAT. AND
I APPRECIATE YOUR GIVING ME THE
CHANCE RIGHT AT THE TOP OF THE
HEARING TO ADDRESS THAT. THANK
YOU, AND I ASSUME IT'S VERY
IMPLIED, AND I THINK THAT WAS A
WONDERFUL DIRECT. AND HEARTFELT
STATEMENT. BUT I ASSUME YOU FEEL
LIKE YOU'VE LEARNED FROM THIS
AND THE WAY YOU HAVE BEEN THE
LAST FEW MONTHS IS THE WAY YOU
WILL BE GOING FORWARD.
ABSOLUTELY SENATOR. IT'S FUNNY
IF YOU WERE TO ASK THE
LEADERSHIP OF OUR AGENCY, THE
EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND OUR AGENCY
COUNCIL, UM ALL I WANT IS
FEEDBACK BECAUSE ALL I WANT IS
TO IMPROVE AND CONTINUE TO
IMPROVE. I'VE BEEN IN THIS JOB A
YEAR IF I HAVE THE CHANCE TO BE
IN FRONT OF YOU IN TWO YEARS, I
HOPE I HOPE I'M LEAPS AND BOUNDS
BETTER THAN I AM TODAY. SO, YES
, I WILL STAY ON THAT PATH AND I
HOPE TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
WILLINGNESS TO GO WITH THAT IS
THE FIRST THING RIGHT OFF THE
TOP. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ASK
ME ANYTHING. YEAH. THANK YOU
WITH THAT. I'M GOING TO GO TO
MADAM VICE CHAIR. THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR, MR RICE. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR MEETING WITH ME
MONDAY. I BELIEVE WE MET ON
MONDAY AND I'M SURE IT WASN'T
THE BEST OR MOST IT WAS. IT
WASN'T THE BEST MEETING THAT YOU
HAD. I THINK YOU ANSWERED A LOT
OF MY TOUGH QUESTIONS THAT I HAD
. AND I APPRECIATE YOU ALLOWING
ME TO BE ABLE TO ASK YOU THOSE
QUESTIONS AND, UM, BECAUSE I DID
HAVE CONCERNS IN MARCH. AS I
SHARED WITH YOU YESTERDAY OR
MONDAY THAT, UM, I WAS DEEPLY
CONCERNED ABOUT SOME OF THE
COMMENTS THAT HAD COME INTO MY
OFFICE. UH ABOUT THE WAY YOU
CONDUCTED YOUR HEARINGS. UM BUT
I DID TELL YOU THAT I REALLY
HAVE A DEEP, UM. YOU KNOW, I
REALLY CAN'T EVEN RECOLLECT A
WORD. THE RECOLLECT THE WORD
RECOLLECT THE WORD THAT I
BROUGHT FORWARD. BECAUSE IT'S A
SHEER BALANCE THAT PAROLE
COMMISSIONERS HAVE RIGHT YOU
GRANT FREEDOM AND THEN THE
WEIGHT ON YOUR SHOULDERS. IF
THAT DOESN'T WORK OUT THE WAY
THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE BASED
ON SOMEONE'S ACTIONS AT A
HEARING AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO
HELP. UM LIKE YOU SAID IN ONE OF
YOUR STATEMENTS, CDCR ARE
REPRESENTS REHABILITATION. UM
AND THEN NOT TO GRANT FREEDOM
AND KEEP SOMEONE IN PRISON WHO
MAYBE DESERVES TO BE OUT FOR
SOME TIME PERIOD AND THEN TAKING
IN ALL THE CONSIDERATIONS OF THE
VICTIMS, THE VICTIMS, FAMILIES
AND ALL OF THOSE, SO I
APPRECIATE YOU LETTING ME I
DON'T WANT TO SAY VENT TO YOU,
BUT I REALLY DID HAVE SEVERE
CONCERNS ABOUT SOME OF THE
COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE. UM AND
ONE LETTER THAT CAME IN FROM
VICTIM TO VICTIM. IT'S VERY HARD
FOR VICTIMS TO COME FORWARD. AND
A LOT OF TIMES AND I SHARED THIS
WITH YOU. A LOT OF TIMES WE HEAR
FROM PEOPLE THAT ARE PRO RELEASE
OR PRO KEEPING INDIVIDUALS IN
AND I ALSO SHARED WITH YOU THAT
I HEARD FROM EVERYBODY WHEN IT
CAME TO YOUR CONFIRMATION. UM I
DID. I DO. ANTICIPATE TAKING UP
THE CHALLENGE THAT YOU GAVE ME
TO WATCH FROM YOUR MARCH
HEARINGS FORWARD TO SEE HOW
YOU'VE CHANGED THE CONDUCT IN
YOUR HEARING, AND I APPRECIATE
YOU AND LEARNING FROM THAT
PROCESS. AND I MENTIONED TO YOU
ALSO YESTERDAY THAT I ALMOST
REGRETTED YOU HAD NOT HAVING
BASED ON WHAT I HAD READ ABOUT
YOU NOT HAVING YOU IN THE
HEARING ROOM WITH THE OTHER
COMMISSIONERS BECAUSE I THOUGHT
THEY DISPLAYED A HUGE SENSE OF,
UM OF WEIGHT. AND HOW YOU WOULD
TAKE AN OVERSEE THOSE THOSE
HEARINGS. I WAS SURPRISED THAT
YOU WATCH THE HEARING, AND I
APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS THAT YOU
MADE ABOUT, UM ABOUT LISTENING
TO HOW YOUR COLLEAGUES PERFORM
THEIR HEARINGS AND RECOGNIZE
WHERE YOUR FAULT WAS. OR MAYBE
NOT FAULT BUT WHERE YOU NEEDED
TO IMPROVE. SO I APPRECIATE ALL
OF THOSE COMMENTS. I JUST I JUST
WANT THE COMMITMENT FROM YOU
BASED ON I THINK AFTER ONE OR
TWO PEOPLE CONTENT CONTACTED OUR
OFFICE. MORE PEOPLE ROLLED IN.
AND FOR THEIR, UM. FOR THEIR
CONCERN. I WANT YOUR COMMITMENT
THAT WHAT YOU'VE DONE FROM MARCH
TO IMPROVE VERSUS PREVIOUS MARCH
DAYS OF BEING VERY ABRUPT, VERY
DIS WHAT PEOPLE DESCRIBED AS, UM
. AND PROFESSIONAL AND ARROGANT
AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS IN THE
DESCRIPTIONS THAT WE GOT. I WANT
YOUR COMMITMENT THAT YOU'RE
GOING TO CONTINUE MOVING
FORWARD. FROM THE MARCH
HEARINGS. FORWARD IN A WAY TO
CONDUCT YOURSELF AS AN OVERSEER,
ADJUDICATOR, SOMEONE WHO HAS TO
LISTEN TO BOTH SIDES, ALL SIDES
AND THAT YOU'RE GOING TO
CONTINUE FROM THE MARCH FORWARD
VERSUS WHAT YOU WERE PREVIOUSLY.
YES SENATOR. YOU HAVE MY
COMMITMENT. CAN I CAN I JUST SAY
A WORD ABOUT OUR BEATING? SURE.
UH, PLEASE DON'T APOLOGIZE. FOR
OUR MEETING. YOU WERE DIRECT.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR BEING
DIRECT WITH ME AND IN THE
FUTURE. IF YOU HAVE REASON TO
CONTACT ME OR WANT TO CONTACT
ME. UM I'M CONFIDENT YOU WILL
NOT BEAT AROUND THE BUSH AND
THAT'S AND THAT'S A GOOD THING.
THAT'S A GOOD THING. BECAUSE I
HEARD YOU LOUD AND CLEAR. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. MAYBE YOU SHOULD
COME TO THE FLOOR AND TALK TO MY
COLLEAGUES, UM, ABOUT BEATING
AROUND THE BUSH. NO BUT I JUST
WANT TO MAKE SURE WE PUT IT ON
THE RECORD. I REALLY DO. I WANT
TO SHARE WITH YOU AGAIN. LIKE I
SHARED WITH YOU THE MEETING. UM
YOU WERE NOT THE PERSON THAT SET
BEFORE ME ON MONDAY THAT I
EXPECTED TO HAVE SET BEFORE ME.
BUT YOU WERE A AN INDIVIDUAL WHO
REALLY REFLECTED ON WHAT WAS
HAPPENING IN MARCH, UM, WHEN YOU
WEREN'T WILL APPEAR WITH YOUR
COLLEAGUES, AND I APPRECIATE YOU
TAKING ACTION TO MAKE SURE THAT
THOSE THINGS CONTINUE MOVING
FORWARD IN A VERY POSITIVE
MATTER. AND CAN I SAY, SENATOR,
I APPRECIATE YOUR TAKING YOUR
TIME DURING THIS HEARING TO
ARTICULATE WHAT YOU JUST DID
EXACTLY HOW YOU DID. THANK YOU,
SIR. I AM MORE THAN NOTICE IT.
THANK YOU, SENATOR. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MADAM. VICE CHAIR,
SENATOR ACTUALLY BOG. PERFECT
GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD TO SEE YOU
AGAIN. GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU HERE
. NOT JUST APPRECIATE THAT
INTERACTION. ALL THE QUESTIONS
OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE, UH, ASKED
. SO, UM. LET ME SEE. I THINK
YOU'RE GOING TO START WITH, UH,
THE QUESTION WITH REGARDS TO, UM
MARCIE'S LAW. AND WHAT IT SAYS
WITH REGARD TO THE BOARD SHALL
CONSIDER THE ENTIRE AND
UNINTERRUPTED STATEMENTS OF THE
VICTIMS, VICTIM OR VICTIMS NEXT
WEEK IN IMMEDIATE FAMILY,
MEMBERS OF THE VICTIM AND THE
DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
VICTIM OF NEXT OF KIN. UM I
WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU WITH
REGARDS TO GIVING THE LEGAL
DEFINITION OF UNINTERRUPTED AND
WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU. AND HOW
THAT IMPACTS THE VICTIMS AND
THEIR ABILITY TO SPEAK ON. YOU
KNOW WHEN THEY HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. IS IT ALL
ENCOMPASSING IS IT'S SPECIFIC TO
CERTAIN AREAS. IF YOU COULD GIVE
A LITTLE BIT OF A FOUNDATION IS
YOUR UNDERSTANDING ON ON THAT
NOTION? SURE AND LET ME JUST SAY
BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION THAT, UM
PAROLE HEARINGS. WHETHER OR NOT
A VICTIM IS PRESENT PHYSICALLY
OR VIRTUALLY BECAUSE WE'RE
ONLINE OR WHETHER OR NOT, UM
SOMETIMES A VICTIM OR A NEXT OF
KIN REPRESENTATIVE WILL BE
PRESENT JUST TO OBSERVE THE
HEARING AND WON'T SPEAK WHETHER
OR NOT WE'RE DEALING WITH SOULS.
WE'RE DEALING WITH SOULS WE'RE
DEALING WITH AND INCARCERATED
PERSON AND WE ARE DEALING WITH.
MANY SEVERAL, SOMETIMES DOZENS
OF LIVES THAT HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY
AND INDIRECTLY INTO EFFECT
AFFECTED BY AN AWFUL CRIME. AND
THAT IS A LOT UNDER MARCIE'S
LAW. VICTIMS HAVE A RIGHT. TO
APPEAR AND PROVIDE A VICTIM
IMPACT STATEMENT AT A PAROLE
HEARING. AND, UM I HAVE. I HAVE
SEEN ON A HANDFUL OF OCCASIONS.
UM AYE. WHEN I SEE ALWAYS
AFFECTS ME, BUT SOMETIMES I SEE
THINGS THAT ARE JUST SO DRAMATIC
THAT THEY. YOU WOULD WONDER HOW
WE CAN DO THIS JOB. DAY IN DAY
OUT BECAUSE IT'S SO IT'S SO GUT
WRENCHING, UM AND IT IS
IMPORTANT THAT VICTIMS BE
ALLOWED TO SPEAK ON INTERRUPTED
AND PROVIDE THEIR IMPACT
STATEMENT. THERE IS A STANDARD
ADMONITION THAT, UM, MY
COLLEAGUES AND I USED AT THE
BEGINNING OF A HEARING WHEN
THERE IS A VICTIM OR A NEXT OF
KIN PRESENT. AND WE LED BOTH THE
INCARCERATED PERSON NO. THAT HE
OR SHE IS NOT TO SPEAK DIRECTLY
TO THE VICTIM OR THE NEXT OF
KIN. HERE SHE IS TO SPEAK TO US
DIRECTLY, AND WE LIKEWISE LED
THE VICTIM OR THE NEXT OF KIN
KNOW THAT THE SAME RULE APPLIES
TO THEM. BUT I'VE SEEN BUT IT'S
IT ISN'T. NECESSARILY REASONABLE
TO EXPECT SOMEONE TO REMEMBER
THAT TWO HOURS LATER WHEN IT'S
TIME TO GIVE THEIR STATEMENT SO
I KNOW. REMIND EVERYONE OF THAT
BEFORE. IT'S TIME FOR VICTIMS TO
SPEAK, BECAUSE I WANT THEM TO BE
ABLE TO SPEAK FREELY AND
UNINTERRUPTED FOR AS LONG AS
THEY WANT AND EXPLAIN. EXPLAIN.
EXPLAIN WHAT'S IN THEIR HEART.
AND, UM AND THIS IS SOMETHING
I'VE DONE IN CONSULTATION WITH
MY COLLEAGUES THAT IT'S. IT'S
DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
THRUST INTO THE PAROLE HEARING
ENVIRONMENT TO KNOW. OH THIS IS
THIS IS THE WAY DECORUM HAS TO
WORK IN THIS PROCEEDING. AFTER
ALL, IT'S ON A COMPUTER. IT'S AN
ODD THING. AND SO I HAVE. MADE
IT MY PRACTICE. TO REALLY
EMPHASIZE THE BASIC DECORUM
RULES SEVERAL TIMES SO THAT WHEN
IT IS TIME TO HEAR FROM THE
VICTIM OR NEXT OF KIN BUT THEY
CAN SPEAK AS LONG AS THEY WANT.
HOWEVER, THEY WANT THANK YOU. SO
UM, THE REASON I ASKED FOR THAT.
I'M JUST GONNA, I SHOULD HAVE
PROBABLY GIVEN A LITTLE, UM,
CONTEXT AS YOU KNOW, WE RECEIVED
LETTERS OF CONCERN TO YOUR
APPOINTMENT WITH REGARDS TO YOUR
UM, DEMEANOR IN THE. IN THE
PROCESS OF, UM. RUNNING THE
MEETINGS, PROVISION MEETINGS,
BUT I WANTED TO JUST FOR THE
RECORD ALSO SHARE YOUR YOUR
STATEMENTS YESTERDAY WITH
REGARDS TO YOUR GROWTH IN THIS
POSITION BECAUSE I ASKED YOU
ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED AND
HOW YOU'VE GROWN IN THIS
POSITION BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL
GROW IN OUR RESPECTIVE ROLES.
I'M STILL IN THAT PROCESS AS A
STATE SENATOR, SO I COMPLETELY
UNDERSTAND. THE UM THE GROWTH
PROCESS, BUT FOR ME, I THINK IT
WAS REALLY, UM SORT OF. UM, I'M
NOT SURE WHAT THE WORD IS. BUT,
UM WAS IMPACTFUL OF YOUR
STATEMENT YESTERDAY WAS THE FACT
THAT I REALLY APPRECIATED HOW
YOU RECOGNIZE THAT YOU CAME IN
FROM A PROSECUTORIAL MINDSET.
AND WHAT YOU STATED EARLIER IN
TRYING TO BE, UM UM BUT YOU SAID
IN IN SECURE AS A PROSECUTOR,
THERE'S BREVITY AS AN IMPORTANT
ASPECT OF CONDUCTING THESE
HEARINGS, AND YOU BROUGHT IN
THAT MINDSET AND THAT WAS
PRACTICES INTO THIS SPACE. WHERE
SHOULDN'T IT WASN'T IDEAL AND
THEREFORE, THE WAY THAT IT WAS
INTERPRETED BY, UM BY THOSE IN
IN THE PROGRAM WAS, YOU KNOW NOT
WELL TAKEN TO SAY THE LEAST. AND
HOW YOU'VE ACTUALLY MODIFIED
YOUR UM YOUR PRACTICES YOUR
CONDUCT TO BE MORE CONSIDERED
MORE REFLECTIVE OF THE SPACE
THAT YOU'RE WORKING IN RIGHT NOW
AND NOT NECESSARY FROM A
PROSECUTE PRIVACY PROSECUTE.
CAN'T EVEN SAY THE WORD.
PROSECUTORS. AH, AH! PERSPECTIVE
SO I JUST WANTED TO HAVE THAT
FOR THE RECORD MY SECOND
QUESTION, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE WANT
TO BE, UH QUICK HERE, BUT, UM,
THIS HAD TO DO WITH OUR SEXUAL
OFFENDERS, AND WE DISCUSSED THIS
IN OUR MEETING. GIVEN THE LACK
OF SEXUAL OFFENSE TREATMENT
PROGRAMS IN OUR PRISONS. HOW DO
YOU EVALUATE THOSE INMATES WHO
HAVE A HISTORY OF VIOLENT SEXUAL
CRIMINAL OFFENSES AND WHETHER
THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ADDRESS
THOSE CRIMES AND BECOME MORE
SUITABLE FOR PAROLE? UM HOW DO
YOU WEIGH THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
THE CDCR SEXUAL VIOLENCE
TREATMENT PROGRAMS WHEN
CONSIDERING WHETHER OR NOT TO
GRANT THOSE INDIVIDUALS WITH A
HISTORY OF SEXUAL VIOLENT
ACTIONS, AND WE BRIEFLY
DISCUSSED IN OUR MEETING THAT
SOMETIMES WE TEACH BUT NOT AS
LEARNERS. WE DON'T ALWAYS OAN.
WHAT IS TAUGHT SOMETIMES YOU
KNOW, YOU LEARN IT HERE,
REGURGITATE, BUT NOTHING
NECESSARILY REALLY OWNED WHAT IS
BEING TAUGHT HERE. COMMENTS ON
THAT. THANK YOU, SENATOR. AND I
FIRST WANT TO SAY, ACKNOWLEDGE
AND APPRECIATE YOUR EARLIER
FIRST STATEMENT AS WELL. AS TO
THIS QUESTION. I APPRECIATE YOU
DID BRING THIS UP IN YOUR
OFFICE. IT'S I KNOW IT'S A LONG
STANDING CONCERN OF YOURS AND
YOUR RIGHT TO BE CONCERNED
ABOUT. HOW CDCR, UM PROVIDES
SELF HELP, PROGRAMMING AND
THERAPY AND OTHER ALTERNATIVES
FOR PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN CONVICTED
OF VIOLENT SEXUAL OFFENSES TO,
UM. TO DO THE WORK TO MAKE
THEMSELVES NO LONGER CURRENTLY
DANGEROUS AND YOU ARE RIGHT TO
ASK ABOUT HOW PAROLE
COMMISSIONERS DO THAT JOB. THE
MOST IMPORTANT THING, AND THERE
ARE PLENTY OF THINGS BUT THE
MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT GOES
INTO A PAROLE COMMISSIONERS
PREPARATION ON THAT TYPE OF
CASE. IS THE PSYCHOLOGICAL RISK
ASSESSMENT DONE BY OUR FORENSIC
ASSESSMENT DIVISION ARE
PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS WHO
HAVE INTERVIEWED THOUSANDS OF
OFFENDERS, UH AND THOUSANDS OF
SEX OFFENDERS AND GO THROUGH
STANDARD. UH BATTERIES, UM AND
PROVIDE US WITH CONTEXT,
BACKGROUND HISTORY OF TRAUMA. UM
. RISK RATINGS, UM AND DISCUSS
WITH THE INDIVIDUAL WHETHER OR
NOT THEY HAVE NOT JUST TAKEN
PROGRAMMING, AND THERE IS
PROGRAMMING THIS CORRESPONDENCE
. THEY HAVE TO REACH OUT ON
THEIR OWN TO DO, UM AND TRY TO
DISCOVER WHETHER THEY HAVE
INTERNALIZED THAT PROGRAMMING,
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT ABOUT WHETHER THEY WHETHER
THEY HAVE TRULY CHANGED. THESE
ARE ALL THESE CASES THAT WE DO
ARE HARD. THEY'RE ALL HARD CASES
BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL VIOLENT.
LONG TERM OFFENDERS. THEY'RE
LIFERS, MOSTLY UM, BUT I THINK
MY COLLEAGUES WOULD AGREE THAT
THE SEX OFFENDER CASES AMONG THE
WORLD OF HARD CASES ARE THE
HARDEST CASES AND WE DO REQUIRE,
UM I WANT TO SAY WITHOUT
EXCEPTION, BUT IN PUBLIC SAFETY
, THERE ARE ALWAYS EXCEPTIONS.
ONE HAS TO LEARN THAT BUT
BASICALLY WITHOUT EXCEPTION, UM
THAT SOMEONE HAS BEEN CONVICTED
OF A VIOLENT SEXUAL OFFENSE. UM
THEY ON THEIR OWN, REACH OUT AND
DO THE PROGRAMMING. IF IT'S NOT
AVAILABLE IN THE PRISON, THERE
ARE RECOGNIZED PROGRAMS AND
CORRESPONDENCE COURSES AND BOOKS
AND OTHER FACILITIES THAT THEY
CAN USE. AND THAT THEY NOT JUST
READ THE MATERIAL. BUT THAT THEY
APPLY IT TO THEMSELVES AND USE
THAT AS APPLIED UNDERSTANDING TO
PROVIDE. NOT JUST TO SAY.
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY DID IT,
BUT WHY THEY DID IT. AND MAKE
SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE TOOLS IN
PLACE TO NOT RECITED EIGHT AND
WE GO THROUGH A STANDARD SERIES
OF QUESTIONS, AND WE AS
COLLEAGUES ALWAYS REVIEW EACH
OTHER'S CASES ON A MONTHLY
BASIS. AND, UM IT'S ONLY IF
SOMEONE SATISFIES BASICALLY ALL
OF THESE CONCERNS THAT, UH WE
WOULD FIND A SEX OFFENDER
SUITABLE, IT DOES HAPPEN. IT'S
AN INTERESTING THING. I'LL JUST
MENTION IF I CAN JUST ONE SEG.
WE DO THIS INCREDIBLE THING AT
THE PAROLE BOARD CALLED
CONSULTATIONS FIVE YEARS BEFORE
SOMEONE'S HEARING, WE MEET WITH
THEM ONE ON ONE. THEY MEET WITH
THE COMMISSIONER. THEY'RE TOLD
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A HEARING IN
FIVE YEARS. YOU NEED TO GET
READY FOR IT NOW AND I MEET WITH
PLENTY OF SEX OFFENDERS. UM AND
I TELL THEM THAT THERE IS A PATH
THERE IS A PATH AND WE TRY TO
PROVIDE THEM WITH SPECIFIC
MILESTONES AND GUIDELINES ON THE
PATH. UM AT THE END OF EVERY
SINGLE HEARING, SENATOR WHETHER
I FIND SOMEONE SUITABLE OR NOT,
I WISH THEM LUCK AND I TELL THEM
WE WANT THEM TO SUCCEED. SO
THAT'S THAT'S MY APPROACH. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, MR RICE. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. SENATOR SMALLWOOD
CUEVAS. THANK YOU, MADAM
PRESIDENT. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR BEING HERE WITH US AGAIN, MR
WEISS, AND I FEEL LIKE MY
COLLEAGUES HAVE HAVE ADDRESSED
THE CONCERNS THAT WERE RAISED.
IN OUR PREVIOUS DATE, BUT I
WANTED TO JUST SAY THAT OF 40
YEARS OF WORK IN LOS ANGELES,
DOING A NUMBER OF PUBLIC SERVICE
DUTIES. WE DID NOT GET ONE
COMPLAINT. ABOUT YOU BEING
REAPPOINTED TO THIS BOARD, AND
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
SERVICE. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR LISTENING AND TAKING TO
HEART AND MAKING THE UM UM
CHANGE THAT YOU FELT NECESSARY
TO DO THE JOB THAT YOU NEED TO
DO BETTER. AND I THINK THAT'S
WHAT WE'RE HERE TODAY ABOUT IS
ABOUT THE PAROLE BOARD, AND, UM
AND ITS ABILITY TO DO THE WORK
THAT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
WANTS IT TO DO, AND YOUR RECORD
STANDS UP AGAINST OTHER
COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE COME
BEFORE US IN TERMS OF YOUR GRANT
RAID IN TERMS OF THE INCREDIBLE
WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING UNDER THE
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT I PERSONALLY
WOULD NOT WANT TO FACE DAY IN
AND DAY OUT, AND YOU KNOW, WE
ARE PROUD TO SAY THAT WE HAVE A
90% RATE OF FOLKS WHO DON'T
ACTIVATE AFTER GOING THROUGH. UM
THE PAROLE HEARING PROCESS AND
THAT CONSULTATION AND THAT'S
WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. THIS IS
ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS WHO
HAVE DONE HARM UNDERSTAND WHAT
THAT MEANS ARE PREPARED TO MAKE
THE CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE
AND THAT WE HAVE A STRUCTURED
PROCESS TO MAKE THAT DECISION ON
WHETHER THEY'RE ABLE TO REENTER
AND SO I JUST WANTED UM TO ALSO
LIFT UP A POINT WHEN WE MET YOU
TALKED ABOUT WHO ENCOURAGED YOU
TO APPLY FOR THIS JOB, AND WE
HAVE A MUTUAL ALLY IN OTHER
STRUGGLE OF FOLKS WHO ARE RE
ENTERING THE MISS SUSAN BURTON,
CNN HERO OF THE YEAR AND
INCREDIBLE WOMAN IST LEADER WHO
IS MAKING SURE THAT OUR
COMMUNITIES ARE SAFE AND THOSE
WHO ARE RETURNING FROM PRISON
HAVE A REAL START, AND THAT'S
THE QUOTE THAT YOU SAID IT'S NOT
ALWAYS ABOUT A SECOND CHANCE,
BUT A REAL START, AND I WANTED
YOU TO ELABORATE ON THAT FOR THE
COMMITTEE IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU
MEAN BY THAT, AND THE DECISIONS
THAT YOU COME TO THE PAROLE
HEARING PROCESS, I WILL CLOSE BY
SAYING ONE THING I WANTED TO
MAKE A DISTINCTION ON AND YOU
MADE IN YOUR OPENING STATEMENTS.
UM AND I WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW,
I THINK THIS PROCESS AND WE
TALKED ABOUT THE STRUCTURE,
DECISION MAKING PROCESS. UM WAS
REALLY IN RESPONSE TO BROKEN
WINDOWS POLICIES RIGHT IN THE
STOP AND FRISK POLICIES OF THE
EIGHTIES AND NINETIES AND I WANT
TO SAY THAT WE ARE MOVING AWAY
FROM THAT. AND I THINK THAT THIS
MUST BE GIVING YOU A NEW
PERSPECTIVE. ON SOME OF THOSE
POLICIES. BUT IF YOU COULD JUST,
YOU KNOW, GO BACK TO THAT
STATEMENT. IN TERMS OF REAL
START. I APPRECIATE YOU. SHARING
IT WITH THE REST OF THE DIESS
FIRST IS THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER
OF HER AGENCY WOULD HATE IT IF I
TOOK THE BAIT AND STARTED
TALKING ABOUT THE LAPD, BUT I
WOULD LOVE TO TALK ABOUT THE
LAPD WITH YOU, SENATOR. I REALLY
WOULD. AND I WOULD LOVE TO
CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH YOU IN
THE YEARS AHEAD BECAUSE I KNOW I
KNOW THE POLICY ISSUES THAT YOU
CARE ABOUT. AND I THINK YOU KNOW
THAT YOU AND I, UM SHARE PRETTY
MUCH ALMOST EVERY OBJECTIVE
ALMOST ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY
PUSHES ME BACK IN MY SEAT. WHAT
TO HEAR YOU SAY SUSAN BURTON'S
NAME AND, UM, FOR FOLKS WHO
DON'T KNOW SHE IS SOMEONE WHO
SUFFERED A LIFETIME OF TRAUMA
AND. AND SEVERAL ROUNDS OF.
INCARCERATION AND WHEN SHE GOT
OUT, SHE MADE IT HER 0.2. START
REALLY FIRST OF ITS KIND AND NOW
NATIONALLY DING MODEL TO HELP.
UM UH, RE ENTRY FOR INCARCERATED
WOMEN, AND SHE'S EXTRAORDINARY.
AND UM, I GUESS WHAT I WOULD
JUST SAY TO YOU, SENATOR IS
THAT, UM THERE ARE, UM. 1500
SUPERIOR COURT JUDGES IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA WHO CAN SEND
YOU AWAY FOR LIFE? THERE ARE
ONLY 21 PAROLE COMMISSIONERS WHO
HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIND THAT
YOU HAVE MADE THE NECESSARY
REHABILITATION THAT YOU DON'T
POSE A CURRENT DANGER AND FIND
YOU SUITABLE. AND I VERY MUCH
WANTED TO DEDICATE THE NEXT
SEVERAL YEARS OF MY LIFE TO THAT
WORK, BECAUSE IT'S SO IMPORTANT
AND THE THING I'LL SAY ABOUT
DOING THAT WORK IN CALIFORNIA
UNDER GOVERNOR BROWN, GOVERNOR
NEWSOM AND OUR EXECUTIVE
OFFICER, JENNIFER SHAFFER, IS
WE'RE BECAUSE WE FOLLOW THE LAW
BECAUSE WE FOLLOW A STRUCTURED,
RESPECTIVE FORM OF ANALYSIS. AND
BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY LEVELS
OF REVIEW FOR OUR DECISIONS. OUR
DECISIONS ARE NOT UNIVERSALLY
BUT BY AND LARGE MET WITH
RESPECT AND UNDERSTANDING, AND
REALLY, I THINK WILL PAVE THE
WAY FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY
, AND THERE'S SO MANY PARTS OF
THIS COUNTRY THAT SO DESPERATELY
NEED. A REAL PAROLE SYSTEM, SO
I'M REALLY PROUD TO WORK EVERY
DAY ON MAKING CALIFORNIA'S
CONTINUE TO BE THE BEST IN THE
NATION. SO THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
THANK YOU, SENATOR. WELL THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. COLLEAGUES I
THINK I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE
SENATOR LAIRD, BRINGING UP THE
PARTICULARLY THE ONE LETTER FROM
THE CRIME VICTIMS ALLIANCE AND
THE FEEDBACK THAT THEY GAVE
THEM. YOU KNOW, AND I VERY MUCH
LIKE THE VICE CHAIR I REALLY
ENJOY ALWAYS HERE AND FROM
MEMBERS OF THE PAROLE BOARD. I
LEARNED SOMETHING EACH AND EVERY
TIME AND I THINK WE SAID THAT
BACK IN MARCH AS WE HEARD YOUR
COLLEAGUES, UH, BEING
REAPPOINTED WHAT WE CONTINUALLY
LEARN FROM FROM THIS VERY TOUGH
JOB. I CAN'T IMAGINE BEING IN
THE ROLE THAT YOU'RE IN AND THE
WORK THAT YOU HAVE TO DO. UM WE
GOT A SECOND LETTER FROM
OBVIOUSLY, UM, A RELATIVE OF
SOMEONE THAT WENT THROUGH, UM
THE PROCESS. WITH YOU AND SOME
OF THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU'VE
ALREADY GIVEN US ABOUT WHAT YOU
LEARNED FROM SOME OF THAT
FEEDBACK AND HOW YOU RESPOND TO
FAMILY MEMBERS, ETCETERA. UM AND
YOU KNOW, I THINK MOSTLY I'M
THINKING OF THE LETTER THAT I
THINK SHE SENT UM AND TO, YOU
KNOW, I DON'T KNOW. WE'LL SEE IF
PEOPLE ARE ON THE PHONE LINES
BUT TO HER I CERTAINLY
UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFICULT IT MUST
BE TO BE, UM A VICTIM'S FAMILY
MEMBER. UM IN FACT, I DO
UNDERSTAND MOST PEOPLE DON'T
KNOW THAT MY BROTHER WAS
MURDERED MORE THAN A DECADE AGO
. UM AND SO HAVE BEEN THROUGH
THAT PROCESS AND ANOTHER STATE.
I ALSO HAVE A VERY DEAR CLOSE
FRIEND WHO HAS GONE THROUGH THAT
PROCESS HERE IN CALIFORNIA. AND
WHAT I WOULD SAY FROM THAT IS AS
SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY SUPPORTS
PROGRESSIVE POLICIES FOR
REHABILITATION. MY COLLEAGUES
KNOW MY VOTING RECORD AND EVEN
VOTING ON PROPOSITIONS THAT
FOCUS ON REHABILITATION. UM, I
COULDN'T DO YOUR JOB. BUT I'M
GLAD THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO DO
IT AND I APPRECIATE VERY MUCH
YOUR ACCEPTING THE FEEDBACK. I
THINK THIS HAS BEEN A VERY
UNIQUE PROCESS AT THIS COMMITTEE
TO HOLD UP AN APPOINTMENT SO
THAT WE COULD TAKE THE TIME THAT
WE NEED TO ALLOW COLLEAGUES TO
ASK THE QUESTIONS AND TO DO A
LITTLE MORE RESEARCH. UM BUT TO
THAT ONE LETTER FROM THAT ONE, I
BELIEVE WOMAN. YES. I WOULD JUST
SAY I CERTAINLY FEEL YOUR PAIN,
AND IT CERTAINLY IS DIFFICULT TO
BE IN A PROCESS WHERE WE HAVE
THE ABILITY TO WEIGH IN AND HAVE
INFLUENCE IN APPOINTMENTS AS
WELL AS POLICY. AND UM, I WANTED
HER TO FEEL LISTENED TO AND
HEARD FROM THIS BODY AS WELL AS
, UM, YOU AND YOUR ROLE. AS A AS
A COMMISSIONER. SO I JUST WANT
TO THANK YOU FOR GOING THROUGH
THIS PROCESS WITH US, AND
HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW TO THE VICE
CHAIRS, COMMENT TO FOLLOW
THROUGH AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MOVES
FORWARD IN A WAY THAT YOU'VE
HEARD THE FEEDBACK BUT AGAIN, I
DON'T WANT TO BE. I DON'T WANT
TO BE RIGHTEOUS HERE BECAUSE I
THINK THE JOB YOU DO IS VERY
DIFFICULT. VERY DIFFICULT. SO I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT, AND
I WANTED TO MAKE THE COMMENT TO
THAT ONE LETTER I GOT FROM AN
INDIVIDUAL OUT THERE WHO IS THE
SISTER OF THE VICTIM, AND WE
HEARD YOU. SO THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. WE'RE GOING TO GO TO
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND WE'RE
GOING TO START RIGHT HERE IN
ROOM 2200. ANYONE WHO IS HERE TO
SPEAK IN SUPPORT. IN SUPPORT.
OKAY SEEING NO ONE. ANYONE WHO
WISHES TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION.
OKAY UH, MR MODERATOR, WE ARE
COMING BACK TO YOU ONE LAST TIME
TO SEE IF YOU WILL TEE UP ANYONE
WHO WISHES TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT
OR OPPOSITION AND AS REMINDER TO
GIVE THEIR NAME THEIR
ORGANIZATION, IF ANY, THEY
REPRESENT, UH AND THEIR SUPPORT
OR OPPOSITION. WELCOME BACK.
THANK YOU IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENTS IN
SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION PRESENT 10
AT THIS TIME. AND WE DO HAVE A
COMMENT COMING THROUGH. IT'LL BE
ONE MOMENT, PLEASE, WHILE WE
PROVIDE THEM WITH THEIR LINE
NUMBER.
ONE MORE MOMENT, PLEASE. AND UM
, FOR WE WILL HEAR IT. WE WILL
NOW HEAR FROM LINE 26. YOUR MIC
IS OPEN. PLEASE GO AHEAD. HELLO
MY NAME IS MICHAEL ROMAN AND I
APOLOGIZE FOR THE BACKGROUND
NOISE. I TEACH CRIMINAL LAW AT
STANFORD LAW SCHOOL, AND I'M IN
THE CHAIR OF THE CALIFORNIA
COMMISSIONER. REVISION OF THE
PENAL CODE. I WANT TO SPEAK IN
STRONG SUPPORT OF JACK WEISS'S
APPOINTMENT TO THE PAROLE
COMMISSION. UM I JUST COULD SAY
BRIEFLY THAT I'VE, UM, KNOWN
JACK FOR A BIT OF TIME NOW, AND
I'VE SPOKEN TO MANY TIMES ABOUT
THE JOB, AND THERE'S NOBODY THAT
I'VE KNOWN AND REALLY ANY LEVEL
OF GOVERNMENT WHO HAS WORKED
HARDER AT THE JOB TO LEARN THE
JOB STUDY THE RULES THE LAW TO
GET THE EXPERIENCE. I MEAN, I'VE
BEEN THOROUGHLY IMPRESSED FROM
DAY ONE. AND I THINK THAT WE
SHOULD HAVE MORE PEOPLE LIKE HIM
ON THE BOARD CANDIDLY. AND I'M
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS,
BUT I JUST WANT TO GIVE MY FULL
QUOTED SUPPORT FOR HIS
APPOINTMENT TO THE BOARD. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH, AND CERTAINLY
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON
THE COMMITTEE ON THE REVISION OF
THE PENAL CODE. WE THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TESTIMONY. AH. MR
MODERATOR, OTHER WITNESSES.
MADAM CHAIR. THERE ARE NO
FURTHER COMMENTS AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE
APPRECIATE SO MUCH YOUR SERVICE
ALWAYS. OKAY COLLEAGUES. I AM
HAPPY TO RETURN FOR A MOTION.
SENATOR LAIRD UP, SENATOR. SMALL
LIQUID SO MOVED. A MOTION IS
MADE. MADAM SECRETARY. WE PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL. I TRIED BOG. NOT
VOTING. SMALLWOOD CUEVAS. I
WOULD QUIVER SAI GROVE GROVE,
NOT VOTING ATKINS HIGH 3 TO 3 TO
0. WE WILL MOVE THIS FORWARD TO
THE FULL SENATE FOR CONFIRMATION
. LET ME THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME. THANK YOU, OKAY.
COLLEAGUES THIS CONCLUDES THE
PUBLIC PORTION OF TODAY'S AGENDA
. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE
INDIVIDUALS WHO PARTICIPATED IN
PUBLIC TESTIMONY TODAY. IF HE
WERE NOT ABLE TO TESTIFY. PLEASE
SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS OR
SUGGESTIONS IN WRITING TO THE
RULES COMMITTEE OR VISIT OUR
WEBSITE FOR INSTRUCTIONS. YOUR
COMMENTS AND YOUR SUGGESTIONS
ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO US, AND
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR
TESTIMONY IS INCLUDED IN THE
OFFICIAL HEARING RECORDS. SO
THANK YOU, EVERYONE FOR YOUR
PATIENCE, COOPERATION AND
WITHOUT THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON
RULES WILL NOW MOVE INTO
EXECUTIVE SESSION. THANK YOU.