FOR TODAY'S FLOOR SESSION. TODAY
THE SENATE WILL ELECT SENATOR
MCGUIRE AS THE 49TH PRESIDENT,
PROTEIN PORI AND BEFORE WE BEGIN
, I WANT TO INTRODUCE SOME VERY
SPECIAL GUESTS WHO JOINED US TO
SHARE IN THIS VERY IMPORTANT
OCCASION. OUR GOVERNOR, GAVIN
NEWSOM. OUR FORMER GOVERNOR,
JERRY BROWN. OUR CHIEF JUSTICE
OF THE CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT.
PATRICIA GUERRERO. MY ASSEMBLY
PARTNER, SPEAKER ROBERT RIVAS. A
NUMBER OF FORMER PRO TEMPORARIES
ARE HERE WITH US TODAY. I SAW
JOHN BURTON, DARRELL STEINBERG.
AND DON PERATA. OUR LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR, ELENI CUDDLE NAKASE.
OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL ROB BONTA.
OUR STATE COMPTROLLER MALIA
COHEN. OUR SUPERINTENDENT OF
PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, TONY
THURMAN. OUR BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION MEMBERS. TED GAINS
SALLY LABOR AND ANTONIO VASQUEZ.
AND OF COURSE, OUR ICONIC CIVIL
RIGHTS CHAMPION DOLORES HUERTA
IS WITH US TODAY. AND I HOPE
THEY WILL STAND WHERE HONORED
THAT SEVERAL FORMER SENATORS AND
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S ARE HERE
CELEBRATING WITH US TODAY WE
WELCOME YOU BACK TO THE CAPITAL.
FORMER MEMBERS.
IF EVER THERE'S A DAY TO COME
BACK TODAY IS THAT DAY. THANK
YOU. WE WANT TO ALSO WELCOME
LOCAL ELECTED LEADERS FROM
ACROSS THE STATE, INCLUDING A
FEW DOZEN FROM THE NORTH COAST.
WE WELCOME YOU HERE TODAY. WE
ARE ALSO GRATEFUL TO HAVE SO
MANY TRIBAL CHAIRPERSONS AND
TRIBAL LEADERS JOINING US THIS
AFTERNOON. WE ARE HONORED BY
YOUR PRESENCE. THANK YOU. I HOPE
I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN ANYONE. BUT
LET ME JUST SAY EACH AND EVERY
ONE OF YOU ARE VERY IMPORTANT
GUESTS TODAY AND WE THE SENATOR
HONORED TO HAVE YOU HERE WITH US
TODAY WITH THAT SECRETARY, WILL
YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? ALLEN
ALVARADO, GIL ARCHULETTA, ASHBY,
ATKINS, BECKER, BLAKE SPEAR,
BRADFORD CABALLERO, CORTEZ E
DOLLY DODD, DURAZO, EGGMAN
GLASER, GONZALEZ, GROBE OR TATO
JONES LAYERED LIMÓN MCGUIRE
MENJIVAR. MEN NEWMAN NGUYEN ALOT
OF KOA, BOGUE BADIA, PORTANTINO
ROTH. RUBIO SEYARTO TOÀN ER
SMALLWOOD CUEVAS STERN, HAMBURG
HUB WIENER WILK. QUORUM IS
PRESENT WITHOUT OBJECTION.
SENATE RULE 55 WILL BE SUSPENDED
TO ALLOW GUESTS ON THE SENATE
FLOOR AND A PHOTOGRAPHER FOR
TODAY'S SESSION. AT THIS POINT
WITH THE MEMBERS AND OUR GUESTS
BEYOND THE RAIL AND IN THE
GALLERY, PLEASE RISE. WE WILL BE
LED IN PRAYER THIS AFTERNOON BY
OUR CHAPLAIN, SISTER, MICHELE
GORMAN. LET US GATHER IN THE
PRESENCE OF ONE ANOTHER. AND IN
THE PRESENCE OF OUR CREATOR OF
MANY NAMES AND MANIFESTATIONS.
GOD OF ALL PEOPLES IN TIMES AS
WE CELEBRATE THE TRANSITION OF
SENATE LEADERSHIP TO SENATOR
MIKE MCGUIRE. WE CELEBRATE? NOT
ONLY THE PERSON BUT ALSO THE
STORY OF THE ENTIRE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. WE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR
ANCESTORS, THE INDIGENOUS NISSAN
AND PEOPLE OF THIS AREA. AND ALL
OUR ANCESTORS BOTH PHYSICAL AND
SPIRITUAL THROUGHOUT OUR
HISTORY. CALIFORNIA IS THE STATE
THAT OVER THE MILLENNIA AS IF
SOLVED INTO MAJESTIC LANDSCAPES
OF RUGGED MOUNTAIN RANGES, VAST
CANYONS AND VALLEYS, WINDSWEPT
DESSERTS AND PRISTINE
COASTLINES. THE ABUNDANCE OF
THIS PIECE OF EARTH. HAS
PROVIDED RESOURCES OF FOOD,
WATER, FABRIC AND SHELTER. FROM
THE VARIETY OF FARMLANDS, LAKES
AND RIVERS, PLANTS AND TREES.
ENABLING THE FLOURISHING OF LIFE
AND MANY PARTS OF OUR WORLD
ECONOMY. TODAY WE CELEBRATE
CALIFORNIA'S ALMOST 40 MILLION
PEOPLE OF DIVERSE ANCESTRY,
TALENT, TREASURE AMBITIONS AND
DESIRES. ALL CONTRIBUTING TO THE
ONGOING GROWTH AND EVOLUTION OF
THE STATE, RESILIENT AND
ADAPTABLE TO ITS MULTIPLE
CHALLENGES. MAN WE PRAY IN
GRATITUDE FOR THIS LEGISLATURE.
WILLING TO SERVE AS LEADERS.
PLANTING NEW SEEDS THAT ONE DAY
WILL GROW. WHY DURING SEEDS
ALREADY PLANTED. KNOWING THE
FUTURE PROMISE THAT THEY HOLD.
AND WE PRAY IN THIS NEW SESSION,
SENATOR MCGUIRE AND SENATE
MEMBERS. MAY INTEGRITY OF SOUL
BE YOUR FIRST IDEAL. AS THE
GROUND WHERE LEADERSHIP AND
PROSPERITY INTERSECT. MAYOR WORK
BEING FUSED WITH PASSION AND
CREATIVITY. MAY YOU WELCOME YOUR
OWN VULNERABILITY. OPENING YOUR
HEART TO THE SOURCE THAT WILL
GUIDE AND BLESS YOUR WORK. AND
YOUR HEART. MAY THERE BE A
SANCTUARY FOR THE STILLNESS
WHERE CLARITY AND TRUTH ARE
BORN. AND MAY YOU FIND SUPPORT
AND ENCOURAGEMENT FROM ALL
MEMBERS OF THE ELECTORATE WHO
RELY ON YOU TO ACCOMPLISH THIS
IMMENSE WORK. GRACIOUS GOD SAID
YOUR LIFE AND INSPIRATION ON
THIS LEGISLATURE. WE ASK THIS IN
YOUR NAME. AMEN. PLEASE REMAIN
STANDING AS THE CAL FIRE COLOR
GUARD. LOCAL 2881 POST THE
COLORS. COLOR GUARD. POST THE
COLORS.
WE WILL BE LED IN THE PLEDGE OF
ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG BY
STUDENTS FROM THE NORTH COAST.
OH, COLOR GUARD RETIRED THE
COLORS.
HI.
AT THIS TIME WE WILL HEAR FROM
THE OAKLAND INTERFAITH GOSPEL
CHOIR PERFORMING OPEN YOUR MOUTH
AND SAY SOMETHING, AND WE SHALL
OVERCOME.
COME ON, EVERYBODY. GET YOUR
HANDS TOGETHER. COME ON, PUT
YOUR HANDS TOGETHER. 1234 HERE
WE GO. HERE WE GO. COME ON, COME
ON. WELCOME COME ON ST.
EVERYBODY. THANKS. I CAN'T SAY
HELLO. JUST WAY MY HANDS. IF I
CAN'T WEAR MY HAT, I'LL START MY
FEET. EVERYBODY WITH. I CAN'T.
COME ON, EVERYBODY MAKES THEM
NOISE. I KNOW WE'RE IN THE
COUNCIL WILL COME ON MABEL. OH,
ON HELPING YOUR MOUTH. OPEN YOUR
MOUTH WITH THEIR VOTE. IN YOUR
MOUTH. SAY SOMETHING SOMETHING
HALLELUJAH! MOUTH. WOO. AND YOUR
LOUSY. SOMETHING. CALIFORNIA IS
GOING TO WINDOW. WITH THESE
OFTEN YOUR MOUTH.
OKAY?
WITH US. I LOVE IT COME SUNDAY.
WE SELL ALL UP. WICKS.
OVERCOME. OVERCOME. GOT TO GET
HIM BACK. WHERE NGUYEN SHALL
OVERCOME.
YOU ALL CAN TAKE A SEAT FOR A
FEW MINUTES. THEY WILL BE BACK
IN A LITTLE WHILE. BUT NEXT,
WE'RE GOING TO HEAR A SPOKEN
WORD PERFORMANCE. POET BRANDON
LEAK. UH GOOD AFTERNOON,
EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS AS
MENTIONED NAME IS BRANDON LEAK I
HELD FROM GOOD OLD STOCKTON,
CALIFORNIA. AH! YEAH, UM. I AM
EXCITED TO GET THE CHANCE TO
SHARE A POEM WITH YOU ALL
ENTITLED MOSAIC. WHAT I HOPE TO
BE BOTH A CHALLENGE FOR US TO BE
BETTER AND COMFORT FOR THE FACT
THAT WE ARE PUTTING PEOPLE IN
PLACE TO BE BETTER. UM SO HERE
WE GO. IN THE GREAT STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. ON A DAY LIKE THIS.
I HOPE THAT WE ALL WIN.
POLITICAL PARTY ASIDE, WE LOOK
ACROSS THE AISLE TO OUR BROTHERS
, OUR SISTERS, OUR SIBLINGS
WITHOUT CONTEMPT FOR ONE ANOTHER
WITHOUT POLITICAL AGENDA,
INTERFERING WITH TRUE MORALITY
WITH OUR HEARTS ON DISPLAY,
EAGER TO BE THE GOOD SAMARITAN
AT THE PIT. TO BE JESUS AT THE
WELL TO SEEK TO SERVE BEFORE WE
ARE FIRST SERVED FOR THE BEST
INTERESTS OF OUR GOD GIVEN GIFTS
THAT WE CALL LIFE. PROGRESSING
TOWARDS A GREATER TOMORROW
KNOWING THAT IT IS A JOURNEY. WE
ALL MUST TRAVEL IN. THIS ODYSSEY
WE STILL EMBARK ON HAS BEEN
BLOODY BUT THERE IS NO
PROGRESSION WITHOUT RECOGNITION
OF THE ROLE THAT WE HAVE
TRAVELED. RECOGNITION OF THE
ROAD. THAT HAS BEEN OCCUPIED BY
IMPERIALISM INDUSTRIES FOUNDED
ON RACISM AND SEXISM, A DIVIDED
COUNTRY IN WHICH TOO OFTEN
POINTS THE FINGER, NOT REALIZING
THAT WE HAVE ONLY EVER BEEN
STARING IN THE MIRROR. A
REFLECTION OF OUR OTHER SELF AND
ON A DAY LIKE TODAY, PRAY WITH
LOVE AND COMPASSION THAT WE
EXTEND HANDS OF FORGIVENESS AND
GRACE, COURTED BY ACTS OF EQUITY
THAT WE ALL MAY. NGUYEN THAT WE
RECOGNIZE WE ARE ALL MOSAIC, A
WIDE ARRAY OF COLORS AND
CULTURES WITH UNIQUE HISTORIES
THAT NEED NOT BE ASSIMILATED TO
UNIFORMITY, BUT INSTEAD, IT
MIRED AND UNDERSTOOD FOR THE
ONLY WAY WE WILL EVER MAKE IT TO
THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS PAIN IS
IF WE DO THIS TOGETHER FOR THE
BRIGHTNESS OF YOUR HUE DOES NOT
DIMINISH MY OWN. THE ONLY LIMITS
TO THIS TRUTH ARE THE ONES THAT
WE PUT ON BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS
IT IS OUR LIGHT, NOT OUR
DARKNESS THAT MOST FRIGHTENS US.
BUT AS WE LET OUR LIGHT SHINE,
WE UNCONSCIOUSLY GIVE OTHER
PEOPLE THE FREEDOM TO DO THE
SAME. AND AS WE ARE LIBERATED
FROM OUR OWN FEAR, OUR PRESENCE
AUTOMATICALLY LIBERATES OTHERS.
SO IF YOU ALL WOULD PLEASE TAKE
MY WORDS AS LYRICAL LIBERATION,
THEY PAINT THE SKY WITH ALL THE
COLORS OF MY SOUL. I SEE THE
BEAUTY THAT GOD HAS PLACED
INSIDE OF EACH AND EVERY SINGLE
OR ONE OF YOU. SO PLEASE COME
PAINT THE SKIES WITH ME TOO.
THERE IS PLENTY OF CANVAS TO GO
AROUND AND ON A DAY LIKE TODAY I
PRAY THAT WE ALL WIN.
BRANDON THANK YOU FOR THAT
SPOKEN WORD. PERFORMANCE
SENATORS. OUR NEXT ORDER OF
BUSINESS IS SENATE THIRD READING
FILE ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. SENATE
RESOLUTION. 62 SENATOR ATKINS,
ARE YOU PREPARED TO TAKE THIS
ITEM UP? YES, MADAM PRESIDENT.
SHE IS MADAM SECRETARY. PLEASE
READ SENATE RESOLUTION 62 BY
SENATOR ATKINS RELATIVE TO THE
ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT, PRO
TEMPORARY OF THE SENATE. SENATOR
ATKINS. THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
COLLEAGUES I RISE TODAY TO SPEAK
ON BEHALF OF THIS RESOLUTION
RESOLUTION. 62 REGARDING OUR
COLLEAGUE FROM HILLS BERG, WHO
WILL SERVE THIS HOUSE AND OUR
STATE ADMIRABLY AS OUR NEXT
SENATE PRESIDENT, PRO TEMPORARY
SENATOR. I KNOW YOU DON'T LIKE
TALKING ABOUT YOURSELF. YOU'D
RATHER FOCUS ON THE ISSUES AND
THE WORK. BUT YOU HAVE AN
IMPORTANT STORY. ONE THAT IS
COMPELLING. AND INCLUDES
STRUGGLE AND DETERMINATION. AND
I WANT ONE THAT IS UNDERSCORED
BY A DEEP CONNECTION TO FAMILY.
I'LL LET YOU TELL IT AND YOU
SHOULD TELL IT OFTEN, BUT I
THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT YOUR
RESPECT YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR
PROMOTION OF WOMEN THROUGHOUT
YOUR CAREER IS A TESTAMENT TO
YOUR UPBRINGING. AND ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT I RESPECT THE MOST
ABOUT YOU. YOU'VE BEEN THE
SENATE'S CHIEF NEGOTIATOR ON
SOME OF THE TOUGHEST CHALLENGES
FACING OUR STATE, INCLUDING
CLIMATE AND INFRASTRUCTURE. AND
IF ANYONE DOUBTS YOUR ABILITY TO
UNTANGLE TOUGH PROBLEMS, I WOULD
JUST REMIND THEM YOU HAVE A
TODDLER WITH SHOELACES, ALTHOUGH
NOT TODAY, THAT'S PROBABLY GOOD.
YOU REPRESENT A DISTRICT THAT
SOMETIMES MAY HAVE BEEN
OVERLOOKED AND HAS CERTAINLY
BEEN OVER REPRESENTATIVE IN
TERMS OF THE DAMAGE FROM
WILDFIRES AND CLIMATE CHANGE. WE
ALL KNOW YOU HAVE THE ENERGY AND
YOU HAVE THE CAPACITY TO EXTEND
YOUR TIRELESS ADVOCACY FOR YOUR
DISTRICT TO INCLUDE ALL OF OUR
DISTRICTS. AS A MEMBER OF THE
WOMEN'S CAUCUS AS A MEMBER OF
THE LGBT Q CAUCUS AND AS A
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA I AM 100%
CONFIDENT THAT THE SENATE AND
THE ENTIRETY OF CALIFORNIA IS IN
GOOD HANDS UNDER YOUR
LEADERSHIP. THIS IS MY FOURTH
TRANSITION, SO I THINK I KNOW I
KNOW THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM WILL
CONTINUE TO DO GREAT THINGS. FOR
CALIFORNIA. YOU HAVE BEEN AN
OUTSTANDING MAJORITY LEADER, AND
YOU WILL BE AN OUTSTANDING PRO
TIM SENATORS. I ASKED FOR YOUR I
VOTE AND SUPPORT OF THIS
RESOLUTION. SENATOR DODD. THANK
YOU, MADAM, PRO TIM MEMBERS AND
GUESTS. IT'S MY GREAT HONOR TO
SPEAK TODAY ON BEHALF OF MY
FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE. SENATOR
MCGUIRE. IT'S A FRIENDSHIP THAT
GOES BACK TO OUR DAYS ON THE
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR SONOMA
AND NAPA COUNTY. AND THAT
LOYALTY RUNS DEEP. WE WERE
ELECTED TO THE LEGISLATURE THE
SAME YEAR AND SERVED IN OPRAH
OVERLAPPING. TERRITORY WHEN I
WAS IN THE ASSEMBLY WE'VE WORKED
TOGETHER ON MORE ISSUES THAN I
CAN POSSIBLY RECOUNT. I CAN SAY
EMPHATICALLY THAT THERE IS NEVER
BEEN A BETTER PARTNER IN
DELIVERING RESULTS FOR OUR
REGION AND OUR STATE. WE WORK
CLOSELY TOGETHER AFTER THE
MASSIVE 2017 WILDFIRES IN SONOMA
, NAPA LAKE AND MENDOCINO
COUNTIES. YOU LEARN A LOT. ABOUT
A PERSON IN THE TIME OF CRISIS.
AND I CAN SAY UNEQUIVOCALLY YOU
WANT MCGUIRE BY YOUR SIDE IN
THOSE DARK DAYS, AND IN THE LONG
ROAD THAT FOLLOW YOU ALWAYS CAN
RELY ON HIM. TO DO THE RIGHT
THING. NOT FOR CREDIT. BUT
BECAUSE HE CARES IN HIS DRIVEN
TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. SENATOR
MCGUIRE CONSTANTLY DELIVERS,
WHICH IS NO SURPRISE SINCE HE
WORKS. DAY AND NIGHT. HMM HE IS
TRULY THE HARDEST WORKING PUBLIC
SERVANT. I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE
OF KNOWING. IT'S A LESSON HE
LEARNED FROM EARLY IN HIS FROM
HIS INCREDIBLE MOTHER, SHERRY
MCGUIRE. HE'S ONLY GOT ONE SPEED
. IT'S FULL THROTTLE, AND AT THE
SAME TIME HE DOESN'T LET ANY
DETAILS SLIP. SENATOR MCGUIRE IS
COLLEGIAL. BUT HOT, HE'S TOUGH.
THOSE OF YOU ALL KNOW THAT'S
WHAT YOU KNOW. JUST SO YOU
DIDN'T THINK I WAS GETTING
IRREVERENT ON THE FLOOR? WHEN
PEOPLE ARE IN NEED. HE DOESN'T
TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER. THERE'S
NO ONE BETTER TO ASSUME THE ROLE
OF SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEM AT
THIS CRITICAL TIME TO REPRESENT
US WITH THE GOVERNOR AND THE
ASSEMBLY TO ACHIEVE THE SENATE'S
PRIORITIES, AND, MOST
IMPORTANTLY, TO MOVE CALIFORNIA
FORWARD SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN
ELECTING SENATOR MIKE MCGUIRE AS
THE 49TH PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE
OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE.
THANK YOU. SENATOR JONES. THANK
YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT BEFORE I
BEGIN WITH MY PREPARED REMARKS.
I JUST WANT TO COMPLIMENT THE
SENATE ON THAT OPENING CEREMONY.
WHAT A GREAT CEREMONY FROM THE
CAL FIRE FOLKS. THE PLEDGE OF
ALLEGIANCE, BUT I THINK I WOULD
WANT TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE
HAVE THE, UH, OAKLAND GOSPEL
CHOIR OPEN EVERY SENATE SESSION
FOR US. THAT WAS FANTASTIC. AND
VERY ENCOURAGING FOR THE ENTIRE
BODY AND HOPEFULLY THE ENTIRE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. MADAM
PRESIDENT I RISE TODAY AS
REPUBLICAN LEADER FOR THE
CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE IN
SUPPORT OF S. R 62 TO ELECT
SENATOR MCGUIRE AS THE NEXT PRO
TEM OF THE SENATE OF CALIFORNIA.
I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING
WITH SARAH MAGUIRE IN HIS ROLE
AS MAJORITY LEADER NOW FOR A
COUPLE OF YEARS, AND WE'VE
DEVELOPED A CLOSE, TRUSTING
WORKING RELATIONSHIP. AND THIS
TIME CENTER, MCGUIRE HAS PROVEN
TO BE AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATOR
AND TO BE FAIR AND HONEST. WHILE
WE OFTEN DISAGREE ON POLICY AND
SOMETIMES PROCEDURE. HE HAS
EARNED MY TRUST AS WE WORK TO BE
EFFICIENT AS WE WORK TOGETHER
EFFICIENTLY TO GET THROUGH THE
DEADLINE AFTER DEADLINE OVER
THESE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. HE
IS AN HONEST BROKER WHO IS
WILLING TO REACH ACROSS THE
AISLE FOR THE GOOD OF ALL OF
CALIFORNIA. AS I MENTIONED LAST
WEEK, HE HAS SOME BIG SHOES TO
FILL. BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
CALLING HIM PRO TIM. CALIFORNIA
FACES A TOUGH REALITY RIGHT NOW.
AND I KNOW THAT SENATOR MCGUIRE
IS READY AND UP FOR THE TASK.
I'M SURE WE WILL HAVE MANY MORE
TOUGH BATTLES HERE ON THE FLOOR,
MAYBE IN THE PRESS. ACROSS THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. BUT THOSE
DISAGREEMENTS WILL ALWAYS BE ON
THOSE THINGS AND NEVER PERSONAL.
THERE WILL ALWAYS BE AN HONOR OF
OUR SHARED CONSTITUENTS. THE 39
MILLION CALIFORNIANS THAT WE ALL
REPRESENT TOGETHER. AND I KNOW
THAT HE WILL HANDLE ALL OF THOSE
ISSUES WITH CANDOR AND RESPECT,
MUTUALLY RESPECTING THE HOUSE
THAT WE RESERVE. WE'RE GOING TO
MISS HIM SEEING HIS MISSING HIM
RUNNING AROUND THE FLOOR WITH
HIS EARBUDS IN FLYING AROUND
LIKE THE ENERGIZER BUNNY IS ONE
OF THE ARTICLES POINTED OUT LAST
WEEK. WHILE KEEPING ALL OF US IN
CHECK. WE LOOK FORWARD TO AS
ENTHUSIASTIC LEADERSHIP GOT IN
THIS HOUSE FORWARD FOR SUCCESS
THIS YEAR AND SEVERAL YEARS TO
COME. I SUPPORT S R 62 AND ASKED
FOR AN I VOTE IN SUPPORT OF
SENATOR MCGUIRE. SENATOR
SMALLWOOD GLAVAS. THANK YOU,
MADAM PRESIDENT. GOOD AFTERNOON
COLLEAGUES. TODAY IS A MOMENTOUS
OCCASION AS WE CELEBRATE OUR NEW
PRO TEM THE 49TH, CALIFORNIA
SENATE PRO TEMPORE. IT MARKS AN
IMPORTANT MOMENT BOTH IN
DEMOCRACY AND FOR THE WELL BEING
OF THIS DELIBERATIVE BODY. WE
ARE HERE TO CELEBRATE THE
ELECTION OF SENATOR MIKE MCGUIRE
AND IF THE BAGPIPES AND THE
CHOIR IS ANY INDICATION. THAT
ROOTS MATTER WHERE WE COME FROM
MATTERS. AND THOUGH WE MAY COME
FROM DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES,
THAT'S WHAT DRIVES US EVERY DAY.
AND I WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW,
THERE'S THE HARDEST WORKING MAN
IN SHOW BUSINESS. YOU ARE THE
HARDEST WORKING MAN IN THE
CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE, AND
IT'S BEEN MY HONOR TO WORK WITH
YOU AS A FRESHMAN, UM, THE ROLE
OF THE PRO TEM REQUIRES
EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP AND A
COMMITMENT TO SERVING ALL PEOPLE
ACROSS OUR STATE. REGARDLESS OF
RACE OR GENDER, REGARDLESS OF
WHETHER WE'RE FROM THE NORTH
FROM THE SOUTH, REGARDLESS OF
WHETHER WE'RE FROM RURAL AREAS
OR URBAN AREAS OR ECONOMIC
STATUS, BECAUSE EVERY VOICE
MATTERS. AND YOU HAVE MADE SURE
THAT OUR VOICES HAVE BEEN HEARD.
MANY OF US WHO HAVE WORKED WITH
SENATOR MCGUIRE UNDERSTAND HIS
COMMITMENT TO THESE VALUES. AND
HIS HIGHER LEVEL OF LEADERSHIP
THAT COMES FROM THE HARD WORK
THAT HE HAS DONE OVER THE YEARS.
HE'S REACHED OUT TO OTHERS,
PARTICULARLY TO ME AS A FRESHMAN
TO OFFER ASSISTANCE, MAINLY
WHERE YOU GOING WHEN THE VOTES
ARE HAPPENING THE LAST DAY OF
SESSION WAVING ME DOWN, UM HE
FULLY INVEST HIMSELF IN THE WORK
THAT ENSURES OTHERS SUCCEED,
OPTING, INCLUDING THEM DIRECTLY
IN DECISION MAKING PROCESS AND
OUTCOMES. AND LAST SEPTEMBER,
SENATOR MCGUIRE VISITED MY
DISTRICT AND MY COMMUNITY
EMBRACED HIM AND ENJOYED HIS
DAYLONG TOUR WITH US WHERE WE
SAT DOWN AND TALKED WITH WORKERS
, A DIFFERENT WORK SOURCE
CENTERS. WE WENT TO COMMUNITY
HUBS. WE WENT TO BUILDING TRADES
TRAINING CENTERS. WE HAD
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CANNABIS AND
WE LISTEN TO THE REQUESTS FOR
DOUBLING DOWN. ON THE LIVES OF
CALIFORNIANS IN A REAL WAY. TO
BE FRANK. THIS NEW PRO TEM IS
COMMITTED. HAS MADE COMMITMENTS
TO ME ABOUT ENSURING WE FOCUS
AND CENTER MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITIES, AND HE'S
DEMONSTRATED A DEEP AND SINCERE
INTEREST IN UNDERSTANDING THE
NEEDS OF ALL OF THE FOLKS IN MY
DISTRICT AND OTHERS. I HAVE
SPENT SINCE SPENT TIME WORKING
WITH SENATOR MCGUIRE THROUGHOUT
THE CAPITAL, WORKING ON A NUMBER
OF PROJECTS AND IF YOU CAN KEEP
UP WITH HIS PACE WALKING OVER TO
STARBUCKS, I THINK I LOST A
COUPLE OF POUNDS ON A FEW OF
THOSE TRIPS, KEEPING UP WITH HIS
STRIDE. UH BUT IN ALL SINCERITY
HE CONSIDERS EVERY INTERACTION
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING. BUILDING
A RELATIONSHIP THAT IS BASED ON
LISTENING HEARING AND, MORE
IMPORTANTLY, TAKING ACTIONS.
TAKING ACTIONS TO LIFT PEOPLE
OUT OF POVERTY TO BUILD PATHWAYS
FOR QUALITY JOBS AND TO BUILD A
MORE EQUITABLE CALIFORNIA. HE
HAS COMMITTED TO REPRESENTING
THE STATE. ENSURING THAT WE
DON'T REPEAT THE OLD BIASES OF
THE PAST THAT WE APPRECIATE OUR
DIVERSITY AND OUR STRENGTH. AND
JUST A CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST
POET ANDRE LORD SAID. IT IS NOT
OUR DIFFERENCES THAT DIVIDE US.
IT IS OUR INABILITY TO RECOGNIZE
, ACCEPT AND CELEBRATE THOSE
DIFFERENCES. AND I BELIEVE OUR
NEW PRO TEM UNDERSTANDS THAT
DEEPLY. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH HIM IN THE FUTURE,
WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH
THIS BODY TO ENSURE THAT
CALIFORNIA BECOMES ITS GREATEST
SELF. THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR I
VOTE. SENATOR GONZALEZ. YES
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. UM I
COME TO YOU TODAY AS A GOOD
COLLEAGUE FROM LONG BEACH, BUT
ALSO AS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE
LATINO CAUCUS REPRESENTING 38
INCREDIBLE MEMBERS, MANY OF
WHICH YOU ARE HERE TODAY, ALSO A
MEMBER OF THE WOMEN'S CAUCUS.
BUT MAGUIRE HE'S THE SON OF
SONOMA, A THIRD GENERATION
NORTHERN CALIFORNIAN, GRANDSON
OF FARMERS, DOTING DAD AND
LOVING HUSBAND WHO WE HEAR ALL
ABOUT BOTH ERICA AND CONNOR.
UNKNOWN HERE AROUND HERE FOR
DIGGING IN AND GETTING THINGS
DONE AS THE GOOD SENATOR FROM
HILBERT. HILBERG SHOULD NOW, IN
THIS MOMENT, OUR NEXT SENATE
PRESIDENT PRO TEM I ALSO HEARD.
HE'S A PRETTY DARN GOOD
AUCTIONEER. SO THAT THE NEXT
STATE FAIR YOU SHOULD PROBABLY
SEE HIM THERE. BUT I CAN TELL
YOU THAT MANY OF US APPRECIATE
HIM HIS POSITIVE DEMEANOR DOWN
TO EARTH APPROACH AND
AUTHENTICITY. HE'S LIKE THE
FRIEND YOU'VE ALWAYS KNOWN.
THESE ARE THE ATTRIBUTES THAT
MAKE HIS PRESENCE AND LEADERSHIP
BOTH WELCOMED AND CERTAINLY
DYNAMIC HERE ON THE RED CARPET.
IN FACT, WE JOKINGLY AS MANY
PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT. WE
CALL HIM THE ENERGIZER BUNNY
BECAUSE HE LITERALLY RUNS LAPS
AROUND US AND AROUND THE SENATE
FLOOR. AS IF THIS WERE THE HIGH
SCHOOL TRACK THAT HE CAME FROM
IN NORTHERN NORTHERN COAST. HE
LITERALLY RUNS CIRCLES AROUND
US, AND MANY OF US HAD NO IDEA
HE HAD A DESK UNTIL TODAY
BECAUSE HE NEVER SITS DOWN. GOOD
TO KNOW. BUT THIS MAGUIRE ENERGY
, AS WE ALL KNOW, IS ALL FOR
GOOD REASON, BECAUSE YOU'LL
OFTEN FIND HIM WORKING CLOSELY
WITH COLLEAGUES ON BOTH SIDES OF
THE AISLE FROM OUR VARIOUS
REGIONS AND VARYING OPINIONS AND
PRIORITIES TO EXPLORE THE
CREATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT WE NEED
FOR THE GOOD PEOPLE OF THE
GOLDEN STATE, AND EVERYONE WHO
KNOWS HIM WELL KNOWS THAT HE
LOVES HIS WORK GROUPS WORKGROUPS
UPON WORKGROUPS AND MORE WORK
GROUPS. AND AS A SENATOR WHO IS
OFTEN BEEN TAPPED FOR MANY OF
THESE WORKGROUPS OUTSIDE OF YOUR
COMMITTEES AND OTHER DUTIES,
THEN AFTERWARDS, YOU KNOW, AFTER
THE FRUSTRATION, WAYNE'S
CONSIDER YOURSELF LUCKY, AND
I'LL TELL YOU WHY. AS YOU GET A
FRONT ROW SEAT TO HIS
COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP IN
ACTION, PUSHING YOU TO BECOME A
BETTER MEMBER. IN A ROOM FULL OF
RESPONSIBILITIES AND
POSSIBILITIES. THE ART OF
COMPROMISE INTEGRITY IN A
TRANSPARENT PROCESS, ALWAYS
PUSHING YOU TO SHOW UP WHERE IT
MATTERS MOST, WHICH IS
EVERYTHING HE STANDS FOR. SO
WITH THAT FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES
, HIS SUCCESS IS OUR SUCCESS,
AND WE HAVE ALL SEEN HIS
IMPACTFUL LEADERSHIP ACROSS. NOT
JUST THIS AS THIS FLOOR BUT
ACROSS CALIFORNIA, AND
ESPECIALLY FOR SOME OF US WHO
REPRESENT UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES. WE KNOW HOW
IMPACTFUL THIS LEADERSHIP WILL
BE FROM HEALTHCARE TO HOUSING
CLIMATE TO GOOD JOBS AND JUSTICE
FOR ALL, AND TO A GOOD OLD
FASHIONED ST PATRICK'S DAY PARTY
EVERY YEAR. AND FOR THE ALL THE
HECK YEAH. HOW THE HECK ARE YOU
DOING? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
YOUR WORK, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU
AND WE KNOW YOU'LL CONSIDER
CONTINUE THE INCREDIBLE
LEADERSHIP OF PRO TEM ATKINS AND
ALL THE GOOD WORK HERE FROM EACH
OF OUR SENATORS WITH THAT I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR MY VOTE.
SENATOR LEHMAN. THANK YOU.
MEMBERS TODAY. I WANT TO SAY A
FEW WORDS ABOUT OUR INCOMING PRO
TEM SENATOR ACQUIRE HE AND I
HAVE WORKED TOGETHER ON SOME OF
THE TOUGHEST ISSUES FACING OUR
STATE. AND I KNOW HOW HARD HE
WORKS FOR MEMBERS. OR HOUSE AND
THE STATE. I HAVE WITNESSED
FIRSTHAND HOW MUCH TIME HE
DEDICATES AT ALL HOURS OF THE
DAY AND HOURS OF THE NIGHT. ON
ALL ISSUES THAT COME HIS WAY. NO
MATTER WHETHER THEY'RE FROM HIS
DISTRICT, THIS DISTRICT OR ANY
OTHER DISTRICT I KNOW THAT HE
HAS BEEN THERE FOR ALL OF US AS
COLLEAGUES. AND I KNOW THAT HE
WILL CONTINUE TO BE THERE FOR
OUR COMMUNITIES AND FOR THE
STATE. AS A SENATOR WHO
REPRESENTS MULTIPLE COUNTIES AND
CITIES. RURAL URBAN SUBURBAN
INLAND COASTAL SENATOR MCGUIRE
UNDERSTANDS IN A DEEP AND
MEANINGFUL WAY THAT NO MATTER
HOW DIFFERENT ARE 58 COUNTIES
ARE OR HOW DIFFERENT OUR 482
CITIES ARE. WE ARE ONE
CALIFORNIA. HE UNDERSTANDS. AND
SEES THAT BECAUSE THIS HOUSE HAS
40 SENATORS WHO REFLECT BOTH THE
DIFFERENCES AND, MORE
IMPORTANTLY, THE RICHNESS OF OUR
STATE. AFTER OUR STATE BATTLE,
SOME OF THE LARGEST WILDFIRES
RECORDED IN CALIFORNIA HISTORY
PAST SUCCESSFUL WILDFIRE
LEGISLATION LEARNING FROM THE
LIVED EXPERIENCES OF THE PEOPLE
AND THE COMMUNITIES WHO WERE SO
SEVERELY IMPACTED. AND SENATOR
MIKE MCGUIRE HELPED MAKE THAT
HAPPEN. YEAR AFTER YEAR,
INCLUDING THIS VERY MOMENT. WE
ARE REMINDED OF THE IMPACTS OF
CLIMATE CHANGE. AND WE KNOW THAT
EVERY PERSON WHO LIVES IN OUR
STATE FEELS THAT THAT'S WHY OUR
STATE HAS LED THE NATION IN
PLASTIC PASSING CLIMATE CHANGE
INITIATIVES TO PROTECT OUR
COMMUNITIES. AND SENATOR MIKE
MCGUIRE. WAS THERE TO HELP MAKE
THAT HAPPEN? IN THE LAST 48
HOURS. WE HAVE WATCHED OUR ROADS
AND INFRASTRUCTURE BE PLUMMETED
BY A STORM. OUR ROADS AND
INFRASTRUCTURE OR WHAT?
PHYSICALLY CONNECT AND HOLD UP
THE PEOPLE AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
THAT'S WHY OUR STATE LED IN
PASSING AN INFRASTRUCTURE
PACKAGE THAT NOT ONLY ADDRESSES
THE NEEDS OF TODAY, BUT THOSE OF
TOMORROW AS WELL. AND SENATOR
MIKE MCGUIRE MADE THAT HELP MAKE
THAT HAPPEN. I AM CONFIDENT THAT
WHILE SENATOR MIKE MCGUIRE HAS
BEEN THERE TO HELP OUR STATE
NAVIGATE THROUGH COMPLEX ISSUES
LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE, NATURAL
DISASTERS AND INFRASTRUCTURE, HE
WILL ALSO BE THERE TO HELP THE
SENATE, OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR
STATE LEAD ON EVERY OTHER ISSUE
THAT COMES OUR WAY. NO MATTER
HOW CRUNCHY THEY ARE, AS HE
WOULD PUT IT. MEMBERS. IT'S ALSO
NOT LOST ON ME THAT THERE IS ONE
IMPORTANT EXPERIENCED SENATOR
MIKE MCGUIRE BRINGS ONE THIRD.
HMM ONE THIRD OF CALIFORNIANS.
ARE WORKING PARENTS. SENATOR
MIKE MCGUIRE KNOWS THE
INCREDIBLE BLESSINGS AND
CHALLENGES THAT COME WITH BEING
A WORKING PARENT. LIKE SO MANY
KNOW IN OUR STATE. ERICA AND
CONNOR. I KNOW TODAY YOU STAND
PROUD TO SEE SENATOR MCGUIRE
WHAT SENATOR MICHAEL MAGUIRE HAS
ACCOMPLISHED. AND WELL, CONNOR.
YOU MAY NOT EXACTLY REMEMBER
WHAT'S HAPPENING, BUT NEED NOT
WORRY. YOUTUBE WILL HAVE A
VIDEO. JUST KNOW THAT MANY OF US
HAVE WATCHED HOW HARD YOUR
HUSBAND AND YOUR FATHER WORKS.
BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT AT THE END
OF THE DAY THERE IS NOTHING. HMM
NOTHING THAT PUTS A SMILE ON HIS
FACE. LIKE WHEN HE GETS TO VIDEO
CHAT WITH YOU, CONNOR. MEMBERS
JOIN ME IN SUPPORTING SENATOR
MIKE MCGUIRE AS THE SENATE PRO
TEM FOR THE GREAT STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. SENATOR WIENER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MADAM
PRESIDENT COLLEAGUES, I RISE IN
STRONG SUPPORT OF ELECTING
SENATOR MIKE MCGUIRE AS OUR NEXT
PRESIDENT PRO TEM. I ALSO JUST
WANT TO SAY I SERVED OVER SEVEN
YEARS WITH SENATOR MCGUIRE AND I
ACTUALLY THINK THIS IS THE FIRST
TIME I'VE EVER SEEN HIM SEATED
AT HIS DESK ON THE SENATE FLOOR.
I'M SURE IT IS TAKING ALL OF HIS
WILLPOWER TO REMAIN SEATED IN
THAT C HAVING WORKED INTENSIVELY
WITH SENATOR MCGUIRE ON SO MANY
ISSUES OVER THE PAST SEVEN PLUS
YEARS. UM, I KNOW HOW DEEPLY
COMMITTED HE IS TO THIS
INSTITUTION. TO THE PEOPLE OF
CALIFORNIA AND TO THE COMMUNITY
HE'S SO PASSIONATELY REPRESENTS.
MIKE I KNOW YOU WILL DO US ALL
PROUD, AND I KNOW YOU WILL BE A
SUPERB PRO TEM. OVER THE PAST
SEVEN YEARS, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO
SEE PRETTY MUCH ALL SIDES OF
SENATOR MCGUIRE I'VE SEEN HIS
INTENSE LOYALTIES TO HIS
COLLEAGUES TO HIS CONSTITUENTS
AND TO HIS STAFF. AND THE PEOPLE
OF THE SECOND SENATE-DISTRICT.
COULD NOT ASK FOR A STRONGER
REPRESENTATIVE. IT'S A TOUGH
DISTRICT FROM THE GOLDEN GATE
BRIDGE TO THE OREGON BORDER. FOR
THOSE OF US WHO REPRESENT LITTLE
DENSELY POPULATED LITTLE
PINPRICKS ON THE MAP. TINY
LITTLE GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICTS.
IT'S HARD TO EVEN GET YOUR HEAD
AROUND WHAT IT MEANS TO
REPRESENT A DISTRICT OF THAT
SIZE. UM HE FIGHTS SO HARD FOR
HIS COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S IN
THE BUDGET ON WILDFIRE POLICIES
FOR FISHERIES FOR ALL OF THE
UNIQUE NEEDS. HAVE THE NORTH
COAST. I CANNOT EVEN COUNT THE
NUMBER OF LIKE SATURDAY NIGHT 8
P.M. PHONE CALLS. I WOULD GET
FROM MIKE, WHO'S CATCHING UP AND
NEED TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING AND
HE'S GOING IN AND OUT OF CELL
SERVICE BECAUSE HE'S DRIVING
THROUGH DELL, NORTH COUNTY OR
HUMBOLDT, AND HE'S JUST JUST THE
DEDICATION TO BEING PRESENT IN
HIS DISTRICT IS EXTRAORDINARY.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE MCGUIRE
STORIES IS I HAVE FRIENDS WHO
ARE WHO HAVE A HOME IN
GEYSERVILLE. AND I WAS THERE
ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO FOR
THANKSGIVING AND THE FRIDAY
AFTER THANKSGIVING. GUYS ARE
BILL THEY HAVE THE TRACTOR
PARADE. UM WHICH YOU SHOULD
DEFINITELY GO SEE IF YOU HAVEN'T
SEEN IT. AND SO WE'RE AT THE
TRACTOR PARADE. I HEAR SOMEONE
SAY, HEY, THERE'S A TREE
LIGHTING AND 15 MINUTES UP THE
STREET AND I SAID, YOU KNOW
WHAT? I BET YOU MCGUIRE IS AT
THE TREE LINE. I'M GOING TO GO.
I'M GOING TO GO OVER AND SAY HI.
SO I WALK UP AND I GET TO THE
TREE LIGHTING. NOT ONLY IS HE
THERE HE IS RUNNING THE ENTIRE
THING FROM THE STAGE, TELLING
EVERYONE WHERE TO GO WHAT TO DO,
AND THAT IS CLASSIC MIKE
MCGUIRE, NOT JUST SHOWING UP.
BUT MAKING SURE EVERYTHING IS
GOING THE WAY IT NEEDS TO GO.
MIKE IS A STRONG LEGISLATOR.
HE'S NOT A HEADLINE SEEKING
LEGISLATOR. HE GETS THE WORK
DONE. HE WAS A STRONG COMMITTEE
CHAIR, AND I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I
MAY HAVE BROUGHT A FEW TOUGH
BILLS TO HIS COMMITTEE. UM I DO
THAT ONCE IN A BLUE MOON, UH AND
MIKE AND I HAVE NEGOTIATED SO
MANY BILLS OVER THE YEARS THAT I
CAN'T EVEN LIST THEM ALL. IT GOT
TO THE POINT WHERE WE WERE SORT
OF LIKE A BICKERING, OLD MARRIED
COUPLE. UM WE WOULD ARGUE AND
PUSH EACH OTHER AND PUSH, BUT
EVERY SINGLE TIME WE GOT IT
DONE. AND ONE OF THE BIG REASONS
WE GOT IT DONE IS BECAUSE MIKE
NEVER GIVES UP EVEN WHEN YOU
THINK YOU'VE HIT A WALL. HIT
JUST KEEPS GOING AND KEEPS
PUSHING AND KEEPS PUSHING. AND I
DON'T WANT TO SAY HE WEARS YOU
DOWN. BECAUSE THERE'S GIVE AND
TAKE AND HE IS INCREDIBLY
THOUGHTFUL PERSON. BUT WHETHER
IT IS ONE OF THE MANY WORKING
GROUPS AND LIKE SENATOR GONZALEZ
, I'VE BEEN ON A FEW OF THEM OR
A SITUATION WHERE TWO MEMBERS
ARE HAVING TENSION WITH EACH
OTHER. LIKE SIGNIFICANT TENSIONS
TO A CHAIR AND A MEMBER. AND
THERE'S ESCALATING TENSION. MIKE
THAT HE HAS 1/6 SENSE AND HE
JUST KNOWS THERE'S AN ISSUE AND
HE GETS INVOLVED AND WHETHER
IT'S SOLVING A POLICY ISSUE OR
DEESCALATING AMONG MEMBERS. HE
GETS IT DONE. AND WHAT HAPPENS
IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN IN THAT KIND
OF POSITION? EVERY FOUR HOURS. A
NEW MEETING POPS UP ON YOUR
CALENDAR, MAGUIRE'S OFFICE AND
YOU'RE LIKE, WHY AM I GOING TO
HIS OFFICE AGAIN? AND YOU JUST
KEEP GOING, AND THEN IT GETS
TEXT AND HE JUST NEVER EVER
GIVES UP. UM I ALSO JUST WANT TO
SAY, UM THAT. MIKE IS ALWAYS
THERE, I THINK, SOMETIMES IN
QUIET WAYS. FOR THE PEOPLE. WHO
NEED OUR HELP THE MOST PEOPLE
WHO DON'T HAVE MEANS PEOPLE WHO
ARE NOT ABLE TO HIRE LOBBYISTS.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN TO
THE CAPITAL AND PROBABLY NEVER
WILL BE IN THE CAPITAL. PEOPLE
WHO BARELY MAKE ENDS MEET IF
THEY MAKE ENDS MEET AT ALL.
PEOPLE WHO WONDER WHAT KIND OF
FUTURE THEIR KIDS ARE GOING TO
HAVE. THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TREATED
BY SOCIETY AS DISPOSABLE. AS
THROW AWAY PEOPLE. L G B T Q
KIDS. PEOPLE WHO ARE ADDICTED TO
DRUGS. PEOPLE WHO ARE OR WERE
INCARCERATED. PEOPLE WHO SOCIETY
JUST TREATS AS INVISIBLE AND
DISPOSABLE. WHEN YOU'RE TRYING
TO FIGHT FOR THOSE PEOPLE. YOU
DON'T EVEN HAVE TO SPEND ONE
SECOND. WONDERING IF MIKE
MCGUIRE IS GOING TO BE THERE. TO
HELP GET THE JOB DONE TO SUPPORT
THE PEOPLE WHO NEED OUR HELP.
THE MOST. HE IS ALWAYS THERE.
BECAUSE IT IS IN HIS HEART. AND
IT IS WHO HE IS. AND HE DOES ALL
OF THIS AND I DON'T KNOW HOW
WHILE BEING AN INCREDIBLE
HUSBAND. AND INCREDIBLE, DAD.
ERICA AND CONNOR. I AM SO
THANKFUL THAT YOU HAVE LOANED
HIM TO US AND THAT YOU ARE
LOANING HIM TO US IN A MUCH
BIGGER WAY NOW. MIKE YOU ARE
GOING TO BE SO FANTASTIC. YOU
HAVE HUGE SHOES TO FILL FROM OUR
ICON TONI ATKINS. BUT I KNOW
THAT YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE WHAT
IS ALREADY AND SORRY.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S THE GREATEST
LEGISLATIVE BODY IN THIS
COUNTRY. AND TAKE IT EVEN
HIGHER. CONGRATULATIONS. SAYING
NO FURTHER DISCUSSION AND
DEBATE. MADAM PROTEIN. WOULD YOU
LIKE TO CONCLUDE? TO ME. WOULD
YOU LIKE TO CONCLUDE? THERE'S NO
FURTHER DISCUSSION OR DEBATE. I
APOLOGIZE. I WAS TALKING WITH
THE FIRST FAMILY HERE. UH,
COLLEAGUES. PLEASE I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN I VOTE
ON S. R 62. SENATORS WITHOUT
OBJECTION, THIS RESOLUTION WILL
BE ADOPTED BY VOICE VOTE. ALL
THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ALL
THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. THE EYES
HAVE IT AND THE RESOLUTION IS
ADOPTED.
SENATORS FAMILY AND FRIENDS. THE
NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE
OATH OF OFFICE. THE OATH WILL BE
ADMINISTERED BY THE CHIEF
JUSTICE PATRICIA GUERRERO. THE
FOLLOWING MEMBERS HAVE BEEN
SELECTED AS THE ESCORT
COMMITTEE. SENATORS, ELLEN.
DURAZO MENJIVAR COURTESY GROVE
AND PADILLA. SENATORS PLEASE
PROCEED TO THE REAR OF THE
CHAMBER AND ESCORT THE
PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT, PRO
TEMPORARY ELECT AND HIS SPOUSE,
ERICA AND THEIR SCENT CONNOR TO
THE RESTROOM.
HMM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. EVERYBODY.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND
REPEAT. WELL, DON'T YEAH. YES
AND REPEAT AFTER ME. I MICHAEL
BLACK SOLEMNLY SWEAR, DEAR LORD,
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL
SUPPORT AND DEFEND SUPPORT AND
DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE
UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION OF
THE UNITED STATES AND THE
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA AND THE CONSTITUTION
OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. THAT
I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH AND
ALLEGIANCE, FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE
TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE
UNITED STATES, CONSTITUTION OF
THE UNITED STATES AND THE
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, THE CONSTITUTION OF
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. THAT I
TAKE THIS OBLIGATION FREELY
OBLIGATION FREELY WITHOUT ANY
MENTAL RESERVATION WITHOUT ANY
MENTAL RESERVATION OR PURPOSE OF
EVASION, PURPOSE OF EVASION AND
THAT I WILL WELL AND FAITHFULLY
DISCHARGE WELL AND FAITHFULLY
DISCHARGE THE DUTIES UPON WHICH
I AM ABOUT TO ENTER THE DUTIES
ON WHICH I'M ABOUT TO INTERVIEW.
GOOD AFTERNOON. WE ARE GRATEFUL
YOU HERE. PLEASE BE SEATED. I AM
SO HONORED. YEAH. TRY TO GET
THROUGH THIS WITHOUT GETTING
EMOTIONAL. THE FIRST AND
FOREMOST WE ARE SO INCREDIBLY
GRATEFUL. THAT EACH OF YOU ARE
HEARING SAFE AND SOUND IN THE
STATE CAPITAL. AFTER THESE
TORRENTIAL RAINSTORMS AND
HELLACIOUS STORM THAT IS HITTER
STING. IT MEANS THE WORLD TO US.
IT MEANS THE WORLD TO THIS BODY.
AND I THINK THAT WE CAN ALL
AGREE THAT THIS STORM IS THE TOP
OF MIND FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE
OF US. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
CALIFORNIANS WOKE UP WITHOUT
POWER THIS MORNING. KNOCKED OUT
DO THE HURRICANE FORCE WINDS.
CERTAINLY CALIFORNIA WATERWAYS
ARE OVER THEIR BANKS DONE
DANGEROUS MUD SIDE CONDITIONS
HAVE TAKEN HOLD AND A 100 YEAR
RAINFALL RECORD WAS BROKEN THE
GREAT CITY OF LOS ANGELES THE
LENGTHS TO THE LEADERSHIP OF
GOVERNOR NEWSOM AND THE AMAZING
WORK OF THE STATE OFFICE OF
EMERGENCY SERVICES. FEW 1000
EMERGENCY PERSONNEL HAVE BEEN
MOBILIZED IN THE STATE IS
ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN EMBEDDED
EMBEDDED IN THE RESPONSE AND
RECOVERY OPERATIONS THAT ARE
WORKING COLLABORATIVELY TO MEET
THE NEEDS AN IMPACTED
COMMUNITIES. AND WHILE THIS IS A
DAY TO CELEBRATE THE GREAT STATE
THAT WE ALL CALL HOME AND I'M SO
HONORED THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE
OF YOU ARE HERE TODAY. WE HOLD
THOSE COMMUNITIES WHO ARE
IMPACTED BY THIS FEROCIOUS STORM
CLOSE IN OUR HEARTS THIS
AFTERNOON. GOLDEN STATE IS HAD
ITS SHARE OF MASSIVE DISASTROUS
IS THE CENTER OF THE MOON SO
ELOQUENTLY NOTED. THESE
DISASTERS HAVE HIT US OVER THE
LAST DECADE, AND WE NEED TO
ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK ALL OF
THOSE WHO ARE ONCE AGAIN
ANSWERING THE CALL RESPONDING TO
THIS EMERGENCY I'D LIKE TO TAKE
A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE AND ASK US
TO GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO
THE FIRST RESPONDERS, UTILITY
AND PUBLIC WORKS CREWS AND COWL
TRANSFER WORKING 24 7 TO RESPOND
TO THOSE IN NEED. CAN WE PLEASE
SAY THANK YOU? AND IF I KNOW ONE
THING IS TRUE ABOUT THIS STATE.
WE ARE NEVER BETTER THAN RIGHT
NOW. WE ARE NEVER BETTER WHEN WE
ARE HELPING OUR NEIGHBORS IN
NEED, AND THIS IS TRULY THE
CALIFORNIA WAY. TO EVERYONE WHO
TRAVELED FROM FAR AND WIDE,
ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM THE
BEAUTIFUL NORTH COAST. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP AND THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TIRELESS SUPPORT.
I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO START OUT
WITH THIS. I HAVE NEVER. I HAVE
NEVER SEEN THE SENATE CHAMBERS
SO FULL OF ENERGY. DEDICATION TO
DOING GOOD IN A RELENTLESS
PURSUIT TO TACKLE THE TOUGH
CHALLENGES THAT FACE THIS GREAT
STATE THAT I HAVE TODAY. THERE'S
NEVER BEEN A GREATER PASSION. I
HOPE YOU AGREE WITH ME, NEVER
BEEN A GREATER PASSION. TO KEEP
THE CALIFORNIA DREAM ALIVE. AND
HERE'S WHY THIS SENATE. THIS
AUGUST. BODY IS MORE
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE GOLDEN
STATE THAN ANY OTHER TIME IN OUR
HISTORY. THE CHAMBER HAS A
RECORD NUMBER OF WOMEN SERVING,
THAT'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF
APPLAUSE. THERE ARE MORE MEMBERS
OF COLOR IN THE CALIFORNIA STATE
SENATE AND ANY OTHER TIME IN OUR
HISTORY. THERE ARE MORE LGBTQ
MEMBERS IN THE HISTORY OF THE
SENATE SERVING RIGHT NOW AND
HERE IN THE SENATE HERE IN THE
SENATE, WE LOOK MORE LIKE THE
COMMUNITIES WE PROUDLY REPRESENT
, AND WE STAND STRONG FOR THE
VALUES. WE ALWAYS STAND STRONG
FOR THE VALUES IN THE STATE
SENATE THAT SEPARATE CALIFORNIA
FROM THE REST OF THE PACK.
CALIFORNIA IS PROUDLY THE MOST
DIVERSE STATE IN THE NATION. NO
MATTER WHAT YOU WATCH ON CABLE
NEWS. WE ARE AMERICA'S ECONOMIC
ENGINE. WE PROVED TO THE WORLD
ABSOLUTELY. PROVE TO THE WORLD.
HE PROVED TO THE WORLD EVERY DAY
THAT WE CAN LEAD ON COMBATING
THE CLIMATE CRISIS AND WE CAN BE
HOME TO THE MOST INNOVATIVE
ECONOMY IN THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA. AND IN CALIFORNIA. WE
GO TO THE MAT FOR THE RIGHTS OF
WORKERS. WE ENACT A STRONGEST
EQUAL PAY LAWS IN THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. WE TAKE ON INCOME
INEQUALITY HEAD ON, WE RAISE THE
WAGES OF THE LOWEST PAID WORKERS
, AND WE ENSURE THAT EVERY
WORKER EVERY WORKER HAS THE
RIGHT TO SICK TIME AND THEY HAVE
A RIGHT TO MATERNITY TO LEAVE
AND LET'S BE CRYSTAL CLEAR. WHO
DID THIS. UNIONS DID THIS IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. THAT'S NOT
MIXED MESSAGES. UNIONS BUILT THE
MIDDLE CLASS IN AMERICA, AND
THEY BUILT THE MIDDLE CLASS
RIGHT HERE IN THE GOLDEN STATE.
AND HERE IN CALIFORNIA, 1/4
GENERATION IT'S ALL ABOUT ALL OF
US, ALWAYS TOGETHER, ALWAYS
FORWARD AND IT TAKES A TEAM TO
DO THIS, SO I THINK WE NEED TO
GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE.
PERSON FOR MOST I WANT TO LOOK
TO MY GOOD, GOOD FRIEND, MADAME
PRO TIM TONI ATKINS, YOU ARE.
ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND
THOUGHTFUL LEADERS OF OUR TIME.
YOU ARE A TRAILBLAZER TO SO MANY
IN THIS STATE. YOU ARE A ROLE
MODEL TO MILLIONS. AND I AM SO
GRATEFUL TO CALL YOU A DEAR
FRIEND AND A MENTOR. LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN, I WANT TO HEAR YOU
LOUD AND PROUD. WE NEED TO GIVE
IT UP FOR TONI ATKINS AND HER
AMAZING WORK HERE IN THE
CALIFORNIA STATE CITY.
I LOVE YOU.
SHE'S TRULY ONE OF A KIND. I
THINK WE ALSO NEED TO SAY THANK
YOU TO THE STATE SENATORS.
SENATORS IN THIS CHAMBER BEAR
INCREDIBLY TALENTED. THEY ARE
PEOPLE DRIVEN AND THEY ARE
PASSIONATE. AND THEY GENUINELY
WANT TO DELIVER FOR THE
COMMUNITIES THAT THEY PROBABLY
REPRESENT. AND I SAY THIS NOT
JUST FOR THE DEMOCRAT DEMOCRATIC
SIDE OF THE AISLE. BUT TO THE
REPUBLICAN SIDE OF THE AISLE IS
WELL. HERE IN THE STATE SENATE.
WE PUT THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA
FIRST. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE. GOVERNOR GAVIN
NEWSOM. GOVERNOR NEWSOM YOUR
WORK WITH THIS STORM AND SO MANY
OTHER DISASTERS. WE ARE
GRATEFUL. THE GENTLEMAN BEHIND
ME HAS DEVOTED HIS LIFE. TO
MAKING THE LIES OF MILLIONS OF
CALIFORNIANS BETTER. HE HAS
OVERSEEN THIS STATE THROUGH SOME
OF THE TOUGHEST TIMES IN MODERN
HISTORY. WE OWE HIM A DEBT OF
GRATITUDE. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR
YOUR WORK. LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR
OUR GOVERNOR, GOVERNOR GAVIN
NEWSOM. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
WE ARE ALSO INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL
THAT GOVERNOR BROWN IS HERE
TODAY AND I WANT TO SAY THANK
YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY HOW
GRATEFUL WE ARE FOR YOUR
REMARKABLE LEADERSHIP. NOT JUST
AS GOVERNOR, BUT FOR THE PAST 50
YEARS. YOU HAVE MADE CALIFORNIA
STRONGER. WE ARE INCREDIBLY
DISAPPOINTED THAT YOU DIDN'T
BRING THE DOGS HERE TODAY. BUT
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE
GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO
JERRY BROWN.
HE SAID. HE'S GOING TO BE
RUNNING AGAIN. OH, BOY, WATCH
OUT. HE ALSO SAID, ACTUALLY THE
DOGS ARE IN THE OTHER ROOM. SO
IF YOU WANT TO GO SEE, THERE WE
GO. WE LOVE YOU. I WANNA SAY HOW
MUCH WE APPRECIATE OUR
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR QUINN
ALAJAKIS, WHO IS HERE TODAY INTO
OUR PREVIOUS SENATE LEADERS,
ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO ARE HERE
. MAYOR DARRELL STEINBERG, MR
DON PERATA AND, OF COURSE, JOHN
BURTON. EACH OF YOU HAVE MADE A
PERMANENT IMPRINT ON THE SENATE
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND
WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP. WE ARE SO HAPPY THAT
YOU ARE HERE TODAY. THANK YOU.
MR SPEAKER. I WANT TO TELL YOU.
YOU HAVE BEEN AN AMAZING PARTNER
DURING THIS TRANSITION. AND I
SINCERELY CANNOT SAY THANK YOU A
LOT ENOUGH AND LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH YOU AND ALL THE
ASSEMBLY MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE
TODAY. WE HAVE AN AWESOME
RESPONSIBILITY, AND I KNOW THAT
WE ARE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER
FOR ALL OF CALIFORNIA. HE IS
TRULY ONE OF THE BEST. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. MR. SPEAKER FOR YOUR
ATTENTION. THANK YOU. TO THE
TRIBAL LEADERS WHO ARE IN
ATTENDANCE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PARTNERSHIP, AND WE LOOK FORWARD
TO WORKING WITH YOU DAY IN DAY
OUT TO MAKE CALIFORNIA STRONGER.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY HOW GRATEFUL
I AM. TO THE PEOPLE WHO I GET TO
WORK WITH EACH AND EVERY DAY AND
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE AMAZING
STAFF TEAM IN OUR OFFICE. WE'VE
BEEN THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST
HORRIFIC WILDFIRES AND
CALIFORNIA HISTORY TOGETHER.
FLOODS IN A PANDEMIC AND I'M IN
AH OF YOUR PERSISTENCE IN YOUR
SERVICE EACH AND EVERY DAY. I
ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO
THE LEGISLATIVE STAFF IN THIS
BUILDING. FOR ALL THE WORK THAT
YOU DO ON BEHALF OF CALIFORNIA.
WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL, AND THIS
STATE IS STRONGER BECAUSE OF YOU
AND MOST OF ALL. AND MOST OF
ALL, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO
MY FAMILY. ESPECIALLY THE
AMAZING WOMEN WHO ARE IN MY
LIFE. MY GRANDMA. MARTHA WAS THE
ROCK OF OUR FAMILY. HE WAS A
WARMHEARTED, HARD NOSED RANCHER.
HE DIDN'T WANT TO MESS WITH.
THAT SHE WILL ALWAYS BE MY HERO.
BUT I GOTTA TELL YOU SHE WOULD
BE MORE EXCITED THAT THE 40
NINERS ARE HEADING TO THE SUPER
BOWL. THAN ME BEING UP HERE
TODAY, SO I THINK WE NEED TO DO
A GO NINERS, EVERYBODY. AND MY
MOM. HEY, MOM, SHERRY. HMM.
YEAH.
I CAN'T SAY THANK YOU ENOUGH.
FOR YOUR COURAGE TO MAKE THE
HARD DECISIONS. THE PATIENTS
THAT PERSISTENCE IN THE GRID. HE
DID WHATEVER IT TOOK TO KEEP US
MOVING FORWARD. I'M GRATEFUL.
AND I GOT TO SAY I DON'T KNOW
WHAT THE HELL I DO WITHOUT
ERICA. UH MARIANNE. YOU WAS THE
BEST THING THAT HAS EVER
HAPPENED TO ME. THE BEST THING
THAT'S EVER HAPPENED TO OUR
FAMILY. I DON'T MEAN TO GIVE
BLUBBERY. AND WE STRUGGLE
GETTING PREGNANT AND BRINGING
CONNOR THIS WORLD HAS BEEN THE
MOST AMAZING EXPERIENCE. I LOVE
YOU AND I LOVE CORN DOG SO
INCREDIBLY MUCH. THANK YOU.
LOOK, I. I GREW UP WITH A STORY
LIKE MILLIONS OF CALIFORNIA
KIDS. I WAS A KID FROM A BROKEN
HOME AND RURAL CALIFORNIA RAISED
BY DIVORCE WORKING MONTH. WHO
GAVE EVERY GAVE EVERYTHING SHE
HAD TO PUT FOOD ON OUR TABLE AND
A ROOF OVER OUR HEAD. I GREW UP
WORKING ON MY GRANDMA'S FARM,
SLINGING DIRT AND MAKING SURE
THAT WE GOT THE HARVEST IN ON
TIME. AND LIKE MANY KIDS, I
STRUGGLED IN SCHOOL. AND IT'S
BECAUSE OF DEDICATED TEACHERS
WHO TRULY BELIEVE IN ME THAT I
ACTUALLY GRADUATED. AND THIS
INCLUDES MY EIGHTH GRADE MATH
TEACHER WHO NEVER STOPPED
PUSHING ME TO DO GOOD. SHE IS
HERE TODAY. AND YOU HELPED
CHANGE MY LIFE. I WANT TO SAY
THANK YOU SO MUCH. PAT SABLE.
SO LOOK. STARTED WORKING FULL
TIME MY JUNIOR YEAR IN HIGH
SCHOOL TO HELP PAY THE BILLS AND
NEVER LOOKED BACK. WE DIDN'T
COME FROM A FAMILY WITH MONEY OR
A NAME, BUT I TOOK MY GRANDMA'S
LESSONS THAT STILL STICK WITH ME
TODAY. WORK HARD. WORK TOGETHER
AND NEVER TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER.
I GREW UP IN A BIG PART OF
CALIFORNIA. WITH BIG TREES, BIG
SKIES, BIG WAVES AND BIG DREAMS.
BUT I'M GOING TO BE HONEST.
NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS THAT I
DREAM LIKE A KID LIKE ME COULD
BE IN THIS POSITION, A POSITION
THAT ALL OF US ARE IN THE
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE. THE
ABILITY TO HELP MILLIONS OF THIS
GREAT STATE ACHIEVED THEIR OWN
CALIFORNIA DREAM. AND THIS IS
HOW WE WORK AS A SENATE AND AS
THE LEGISLATURE. THIS IS HOW WE
WORK IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
ALL OF US ALWAYS TOGETHER,
ALWAYS FORWARD. YOU KNOW ANOTHER
PLACES IN THIS COUNTRY. A KID
LIKE ME WOULD HAVE BEEN
FORGOTTEN, BUT NOT HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. IN CALIFORNIA. WE
FIGHT TO LIFT UP EVERY PERSON NO
MATTER YOUR BACKGROUND, YOUR
SKIN COLOR. WHO YOU ARE, WHO YOU
LOVE OR HOW YOU IDENTIFY HERE IN
THE GOLDEN STATE. WE BELIEVE
THAT ANYONE CAN DO GREAT THINGS.
WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A
ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD QUALITY
PUBLIC EDUCATION, GOOD HEALTH
CARE, REGARDLESS OF YOUR
IMMIGRATION STATUS AND AN
ECONOMY THAT WORKS FOR ALL NOT
JUST A FEW. ARE YOU WITH ME,
CALIFORNIA? AND LOOK. YOU LOOK
AROUND THIS ROOM TODAY WE ARE
INCREDIBLY HONORED TO BE JOINED
BY SO MANY CALIFORNIAN, TOO, ARE
HELPING OTHERS ACHIEVE THEIR OWN
CALIFORNIA DREAM TO BE ABLE TO
MAKE THIS STATE STRONGER FOR ALL
OF US. THE FIREFIGHTERS AND
POLICE OFFICERS WHO ARE
PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITIES THAT
TEACHERS WHO ARE EDUCATING THE
NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS AND
INNOVATORS. THE UNION LEADERS
WHO ARE FIGHTING ON BEHALF OF
WORKING FAMILIES, DAY IN AND DAY
OUT. THE FARM WORKERS WHO ARE
THE HEART OF AMERICA'S
AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY. RIGHT HERE
IN CALIFORNIA AND THE SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS WHO ARE
COMMUNITIES, ECONOMIC ENGINES,
THESE ARE REAL PEOPLE. MAKING
REAL DIFFERENCES, EVERYTHING GLE
DAY AND THIS IS WHO WE ARE, AS
THE GOLDEN STATE. CALIFORNIA HAS
GIVEN US ALL THAT CHANCE THE
CHANCE TO MAKE SHARED PROGRESS,
THE CHANCE TO ALWAYS MOVE
FORWARD THE CHANCE TO DO BETTER.
ALL OF US ARE ALWAYS TOGETHER.
AND I GOT TO SAY WE'RE OFF TO A
SOLID START. THERE IS NO DEBATE.
CALIFORNIA'S AMERICA'S ECONOMIC
ENGINE. OUR STATE IS GAINED 3.2
MILLION JOBS SINCE 2020. NOW WE
HAVE MORE JOBS IN THIS STATE
THAN ANY OTHER TIME IN THE
HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. WE ARE
INVESTING MORE IN OUR KIDS AND
PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND EVER BEFORE,
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GONE FROM DEAD
LAST IN THE NATION, IMPROVE
PEOPLE SPENDING BACK IN 2015.
TODAY WE ARE IN THE TOP. 20
AMERICA, AND IT'S ABOUT TIME.
AND WE'RE DRIVING DOWN THE COST
OF STUDENT DEBT. WE'RE DRIVING
DOWN THE COST OF STUDENT DEBT.
OVER HALF OF ALL COMMUNITY
COLLEGE STUDENTS NOW ATTEND
COLLEGE TUITION FREE AND WE'RE
MAKING MAJOR PROGRESS ON HOME
OWNERSHIP AND MAKING MORE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AVAILABLE
DOLL. AND WE DID ALL OF THIS.
YOU DID ALL OF THIS. WHILE
PASSING AMERICA'S MOST
CONSEQUENTIAL CLIMATE
LEGISLATION, WHICH WILL REDUCE
EMISSIONS BY 85% BY 2045. HERE
IN CALIFORNIA. WE BELIEVE THAT
HEALTH CARE IS A HUMAN RIGHT?
AND THANKS TO THIS LEGISLATURE
AND TO THE GOVERNOR, A
STAGGERING 92% OF ALL
CALIFORNIANS NOW HAVE HEALTH
CARE INSURANCE. I WANT TO POINT
OUT SENATOR TERRAZZO FOR HER
AMAZING WORK ON THIS. WE NOW
HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST INSURED
RATES IN THE NATION, AND IT'S
BECAUSE OF THE CALIFORNIA
LEGISLATURE. AND THE GOVERNANCE.
LOOK WE'RE A BIG STATE. AND WE
KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT BIG
CHALLENGES. WE GOT A LOT OF WORK
AHEAD OF US. AND HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. WE ARE COMMITTED TO
THE PRIORITIES NOT OF CORPORATE
BOARDROOMS. WE ARE COMMITTED TO
THE PRIORITIES OF KITCHEN TABLES
AND NEIGHBORHOODS ALL THROUGHOUT
THIS GREAT STATE. WHEN BUDGETS
GET TOUGH AT HOME. FAMILIES HAVE
TO BUCKLE DOWN AND LIVE WITHIN
THEIR MEANS HERE AT THE STATE.
WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO BUCKLE UP BECAUSE WE KNOW
THAT TOUGH DECISIONS LIE AHEAD.
AND MARK MY WORD. THANKS TO THE
WORK OF THIS LEGISLATURE AND THE
GOVERNOR. WE ARE GOING TO
PROTECT OUR PROGRESS, AND WE'RE
GONNA BUILD OUR FOUNDATION FOR
THE FUTURE AS WE DELIVER A
BALANCED ON TIME BUDGET. AND
LET'S NOT MINCE WORDS.
CALIFORNIA NO MATTER WHAT OUR
BUDGET LOOKS LIKE CALIFORNIA
WILL ALWAYS LEAVE THE WORLD
COMBATING THIS CLIMATE CRISIS
AND WORKING WITH THE SPEAKER AND
THE ASSEMBLY, THE GOVERNOR AND
SENATORS IN THIS CHAMBER WE'RE
GOING TO PASS A POLICY PACKAGE
THIS YEAR FOCUSED ON RETAIL
THEFT IN THE PLAN TO HELP COMBAT
THE FENTANYL CRISIS. ARE YOU
READY TO GO? CALIFORNIA? WE'RE
GONNA BUILD OUR WE'RE GOING TO
BUILD MORE HOUSING THAT'S
REACHABLE FOR THE BEST MAJORITY,
NOT THE VERY PRIVILEGE. AND THEN
HOMELESSNESS. WE KNOW THAT WE
GOT WORK TO DO. WE KNOW THAT
THIS CRISIS IS APPALLING AND
IT'S UNACCEPTABLE AND VOTERS WHO
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY THIS MARCH
TO CREATE OVER 22,000 ACUTE
MENTAL HEALTH BEDS AND ANOTHER
26,000 NEW SLOTS, MENTAL HEALTH
TREATMENT SLOTS IN EVERY CORNER
OF CALIFORNIA. AND WE OWE IT TO
OUR COMMUNITIES. WE OWE IT TO
OUR COMMUNITIES TO HAVE A SMOOTH
RAIL ROLLOUT OF CARE COURT
THAT'S GOING TO LAUNCH STATEWIDE
THIS COMING DECEMBER. THIS LIFE
CHANGING PROGRAM. IT'S GOING TO
HELP CONNECT THOSE WHO NEED
HELP, THE MOST WITH ESSENTIAL
HOUSING. ADDICTION AND MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES. AND ON THE
ECONOMY. WE KNOW THAT
MANUFACTURING JOBS OR A PATHWAY
TO THE MIDDLE CLASS. WE KNOW
THAT WE NEED TO GROW OUR
MANUFACTURING SECTOR BY FIXING
THE ELECTRICAL GRID TO GET
BUSINESSES HOOKED UP SOONER, AND
WE NEED TO CONNECT THESE
BUSINESSES. WE'VE GOT TO CONNECT
THESE BUSINESSES WITH HIGHLY
SKILLED WORKERS, CREATING GOOD
UNION JOBS IN THE PROCESS. AND
WANT TO WRAP IT UP RIGHT HERE.
CALIFORNIA. WE ARE NEVER GOING
TO STOP WORKING EVERY DAY FOR
OUR KIDS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
EXPLAINING CHILDCARE FOR WORKING
MOMS AND FAMILIES HERE IN
CALIFORNIA, WE'RE GOING TO SURE
THAT THE GOLDEN STATE ALWAYS
STAYING STRONG FOR WOMEN, NOT
JUST WOMEN IN CALIFORNIA, BUT
WOMEN ACROSS THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA. THE GOLDEN STATE IS
GOING TO BE A HARBOR. WE'RE
GOING TO BE A HARBOR IN THE
STORM FOR SAFE AND UNFETTERED
ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
CARE AND ABORTION. AND HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. HERE IN CALIFORNIA.
WE ARE NEVER GOING TO BACK DOWN
FROM THE NRA AND THIS ACTIVIST U
S SUPREME COURT. WE WILL ALWAYS
PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES AND KIDS
FROM GUN VIOLENCE. ARE YOU READY
TO GO? ELECTED OFFICIALS.
ELECTED POSITIONS IN THIS STATE.
ELECTED POSITIONS ARE TEMPORARY.
I KNOW THAT BUT WHAT'S
PERMANENT? IS THE WORK THAT WE
DO TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF
CALIFORNIANS EVERY DAY. AND
HERE'S MY CORE BELIEF. THE
HIGHEST CALLING IN LIFE THAT WE
ALL HAVE. TO HELP OTHERS. TO
FIGHT FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T FIGHT
FOR THEMSELVES. AND TO WORK
TOGETHER, NO MATTER YOUR PARTY
AFFILIATION BECAUSE WORKING
TOGETHER WORKING TOGETHER IS THE
ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN MAKE
PROGRESS STICK. CALIFORNIA HAS
ALWAYS BEEN THE LIGHT OF HOPE
FOR THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA, THE BEACON OF PROGRESS
AND ALONG WITH THE ASSEMBLY AND
WITH THE GOVERNOR, WE WILL
CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR ALL OF US.
ALWAYS TOGETHER. ALWAYS FORWARD.
WE'RE GOING TO MEET THE
CHALLENGES AHEAD WITH GRACE,
COURAGE AND DETERMINATION, AND
WE ARE NEVER GOING TO STOP
FIGHTING. WE ARE NEVER GOING TO
STOP FIGHTING TO MAKE THE
PROMISE OF THE GOLDEN STATE
POSSIBLE FOR EVERY CALIFORNIAN.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY
SCHEDULES TO BE HERE. THANK YOU
FOR THIS AMAZING OPPORTUNITY.
GOD BLESS THE PEOPLE OF THE
GOLDEN STATE AND LET'S GET OUT
THERE AND GET THE JOB DONE FOR
CALIFORNIA. LET'S DO THIS. THANK
YOU SO MUCH.
MR PRO TEM. YOU HAD US ALL
BLUBBERING. AND IF YOU HAVEN'T
STARTED BLUBBERING YET THIS NEXT
RENDITION WILL GET YOU THERE AS
A CLOSING MUSICAL PERFORMANCE.
WE WILL ONCE AGAIN HERE FROM THE
OAKLAND INTERFAITH GOSPEL CHOIR
PERFORMING OH, HAPPY DAY.
HAPPY DAY. OH HAPPY DAY. JESUS.
ANYONE. GOSH! MY JESUS. HE
WASHED MY SINS AWAY. BèC. OH
HAPPY DAY. OH HAPPY DAY. JESUS.
ANYONE WHEN MY. HE WAS MY C
YEARS AWAY. OH, HAPPY DAY.
OTHER.
HAPPY DAY. YEAH. HAPPY DAY.
A BIG THANK YOU TO THE OAKLAND
INTERFACE GOSPEL CHOIR. FOR
TAKING US TO CHURCH TODAY.
THERE BEING NO OTHER BUSINESS.
THE SENATE WILL BE IN RECESS
UNTIL 330, AT WHICH TIME THE
ADJOURNMENT MOTION WILL BE
PLACED. AND WE WILL RECONVENE
BEING THURSDAY AT 9 A.M. MEMBERS
AND GUESTS. FINAL PERFORMANCE
TODAY, PLEASE WELCOME THE
MARIACHI BONITO DONORA CLANGER.
OUTSIDE THE CHAMBER DOORS, THEY
WILL ESCORT YOU TO THE
RECEPTION.