MORNING UH UH, THE SENATE
EDUCATION COMMITTEE WILL COME TO
ORDER IN THE ABSENCE OF A QUORUM
MOVIE. STARTING TODAY'S HEARING
AS A SUBCOMITTEE AT SUCH TIME
WHEN A CORUM WAS PRESENT, WE
WOULD CALL THE ROLL. AND VOTE ON
BILLS AS THEY COME BEFORE US.
THERE ARE 17 BILLS ON TODAY'S
AGENDA. FIVE OF THOSE BILLS ARE
ON CONSENT. THOSE BILLS ARE ITEM
NUMBER TWO S¼ B 916. ITEM NUMBER
THREE S¼ VÆ 920 ITEM NUMBER
EIGHT S¼ B 997 ITEM NUMBER NINE
S¼ B 1000 THREE 122 AND ITEM
NUMBER 14 S¼ P 29 WELCOME,
SENATOR SKINNER. UH APPRECIATE
YOUR PATIENCE. UH, AGAIN, WE'LL
BE STARTING AS A SUBCOMITTEE.
AND YOU MAY WHENEVER YOU ARE
READY. AND WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
AND SINCE YOU HAVE YET TO
PROCEED, LET'S LET US MADAM,
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. NEWMAN
HERE, NEWMAN HERE, OTO, A B¢O.
CORTESE CORTESE HERE, GLAZER.
GONZALEZ. SMALL WOOD CUEVAS
SMALL WOOD CUEVAS HERE, WHILK
PRESENT WELL PRESENT. WE HAVE A
STRONG PRESENCE FROM SENATOR
WILKS. LET'S GET STARTED ON THAT
ENERGETIC NOTE. UH, WELCOME,
SENATOR SKINNER. UH, YOU WILL BE
PRESENTING S¼ P 906 AND PLEASE
PROCEED. UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH
CHAIR AND MEMBERS. I'M REALLY
PLEASED TO BE HERE. SO 906. I
TITLED IT HELPING ACHIEVE EQUITY
IN COLLEGE SPORTS. THE NAME,
IMAGE AND LIKENESS DEALS. UM AS
YOU KNOW, WELL, FIRST, LET ME
UH, I AM ACCEPTING THE
COMMITTEE'S SUGGESTED AMENDMENT
CLARIFYING THAT THE PURPOSES,
UH, TO GET THE, UM, DATA ON
COMPENSATION STUDENT ALE RECEIVE
RELATED SPECIFICALLY TO THEIR
PARTICIPATION IN COLLEGE SPORTS.
UM, AS YOU KNOW MANY OF YOU
WERE, UH PART OF THIS HISTORIC
THING MOMENT WHERE CALIFORNIA
PASSED, UM S¼ B. TWO Ó SIX. I'M
ALWAYS FORGETTING THE SO MANY
NUMBERS ANYWAY. WHEN WE PASS 206
, WHICH MADE CALIFORNIA THE
FIRST STATE IN THE NATION TO
GIVE ATHLETES THEIR NAME, IMAGE
AND LIKENESS RIGHTS AND
LITERALLY SPARKED A NATIONAL
MOVEMENT WHERE NOW EVERY COLLEGE
ATHLETE HAS THE ABILITY TO GET
SOME KIND OF COMPENSATION.
WHETHER IT STEALS THEY MAKE
THEMSELVES WHETHER THEY MONETIZE
THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA OR YOU NAME
IT THROUGH THEIR NAME, IMAGE AND
LIKENESS. A RIGHT I WOULD LIKE
TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT EVERY
STUDENT HAD AND COLLEGE ATHLETES
WERE DENIED BECAUSE THEY HAD TO
SIGN A CONTRACT WITH THE N èC
A NOW IN THE BEGINNING, RIGHT
WHEN THE N IL GOT THROUGH, IT
LOOKED LIKE WOMEN WERE DOING
GREAT WOMEN WERE GETTING ALL
KINDS OF DEALS. BUT AS UH AS WE
WOULD EXPECT, THIS IS A
MULTIBILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS,
COLLEGE SPORTS. AND OF COURSE,
ANYTHING. THAT'S A MULTI BILLION
DOLLAR BUSINESS LIKE THIS.
SOMEBODY'S GOING TO FIGURE OUT
HOW TO GAME THE SYSTEM AND THE
BOOSTERS OF VARIOUS COLLEGES
CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR MALE
FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL TEAMS
BEGAN TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO TRY
TO USE THE N IL RIGHTS TO
ATTRACT, YOU KNOW, STAR
BASKETBALL AND FOOTBALL PLAYERS.
SO WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THE RISE
OF THINGS LIKE THESE
COLLECTIVES. OTHER OTHER THINGS
THAT BOOSTERS ARE DOING TO
ATTRACT THESE STARS TO THEIR
SCHOOLS. NOW MAYBE IT'S NOT.
MAYBE IT'S PERFECTLY FINE, BUT
WE DO NOT HAVE THE AS TO WHETHER
THIS IS RESULTING IN A SERIOUS
INEQUITY WHERE WOMEN ATHLETES
ARE GETTING SHORT CHANGED AND
MALE ATHLETES ARE GETTING ALL
THE DEALS, SO WE WANT TO TRY TO
FIGURE THAT OUT. AND THE PURPOSE
OF THIS BILL IS TO GIVE US SOME
DATA SO THAT WE CAN START TO
LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE
TWEAKS THAT WE HAVE TO DO TO
TREAT TO TRY TO HELP MAKE THIS
MORE FAIR? UM SO WHAT S¼ B 906
WOULD DO IS REQUIRE COLLECTIVES
AND OTHER UH, ENTITIES THAT
PROVIDE N IL DEALS TO PROVIDE
BASIC INFORMATION TO THE COLLEGE
THAT THE ATHLETE ATTENDS. UM
REGARDING THOSE DEALS, AND THIS
INFORMATION WOULD BE ANONYMOUS,
SO THE STUDENTS NAMES WOULD NOT
BE REVEALED, AND I KNOW THERE'S
BEEN SOME CONCERN ABOUT. FOR
EXAMPLE, IF YOU'RE THE ONLY, UH,
YOU KNOW, AT A PARTICULAR
COLLEGE. MAYBE IT'S OBVIOUS
THERE'S ONLY ONE REAL WOMAN STAR
IN CERTAIN LIKE IN, UH,
VOLLEYBALL THAT WE DON'T WANT
ANYTHING TO CONTRIBUTE TO, UH,
HARASSMENT OR STALKING OF WOMEN.
SO WE'RE THINKING, YOU KNOW,
WE'RE GONNA GO TO. I THINK IT'S
JUDICIAL COMMITTEE NEXT, SO
WE'RE TRYING TO THINK ABOUT WAYS
TO HELP ENSURE THAT BEYOND JUST
THE ANONYMOUS DATA THAT WE'VE
PUT INTO THIS, UH IN THE BILL AS
IT'S CONSTRUCTED NOW, WHAT OTHER
WAYS CAN WE ENSURE THAT THE
INFORMATION DOES NOT LEAD TO
ATHLETES BEING IDENTIFIED
INDIVIDUALLY? SO WE'RE WORKING
ON THAT JUST WANTED TO LET YOU
KNOW THAT AND I WANNA LET BETSY
VINCENT, MY WITNESS WHO IS THE
FORMER ASSOCIATE ATHLETIC
DIRECTOR AT U èC L, A AND THE
FORMER ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AT
EMORY UNIVERSITY IN ATLANTA TO
PRESENT BETSY STEVENSON. M
STEVENSON. WELCOME AND IF YOU IF
YOU WOULD PLEASE COME COME TO
THE TABLE. UH, LIKE I THINK
THAT'S MORE COMFORTABLE AND MORE
CONDUCIVE TO A GOOD INTERACTIVE
CONVERSATION. PROCEED. THANK
YOU. AS SENATOR, SKINNER SAID, I
HAVE A HISTORY OF WORKING IN
COLLEGE ATHLETICS. DURING MY
CAREER, I SUPERVISED NUMBER OF
UH, COACHES OF BOTH MEN'S AND
WOMEN'S SPORTS MARKETING TEAMS
AND ALSO RAISED PRIVATE
DONATIONS FOR BOTH MEN'S AND
WOMEN'S PROGRAMS. I'M HERE TODAY
TO TALK ABOUT THE INEQUITY IN
COLLEGE SPORTS AS IT RELATES TO
THE NEW AND MUCH LONG OVERDUE S¼
B TWO Ó SIX AND I LEGISLATION.
WHEN TWO Ó SIX WAS PASSED.
THERE WAS A GENERAL ASSUMPTION
THAT STUDENT ATHLETES WERE ALL
STARTING FROM THE SAME STARTING
LINE. THEY WERE STARTING THEIR
JOURNEY WITHIN IL AT THE SAME
POINT BASICALLY TWO FACTORS HAVE
CONTRIBUTED TO THAT NOT BEING
ACCURATE. FOR YEARS, MARKETING
AND COLLEGE ATHLETICS HAS BEEN
FOCUSED ON FOOTBALL AND MEN'S
BASKETBALL. SO THE PROFILE OF
THE SPORT THAT, UH OPENING N IL
UP TO WOMEN'S SPORTS. THE
PROFILE STARTED DIFFERENTLY.
MEN'S FOOTBALL AND MEN'S
BASKETBALL HAVE BEEN SUPPORTED
BY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS AND MILLIONS OVER TIME,
SO FEMALE ATHLETES HAVE NOT BEEN
AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE
SAME TYPE OF EXPOSURE AS THEIR
MALE COUNTERPARTS. THE OTHER
ASPECT THAT IS NOW UH, BEING
SEEN IN THE COLLECTIVES IS
RELATED TO DONOR AND PRIVATE
DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS BEING
FUNNELED TO FOOTBALL AND MEN'S
BASKETBALL STUDENT ATHLETES.
HISTORICALLY COLLEGES AND
UNIVERSITIES DO NOT PUT
RESOURCES TOWARDS FINDING DONORS
FOR WOMEN'S SPORTS PROGRAMS. SO
WHETHER THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE
PROFILE, THE MARKETING THE MEDIA
EXPOSURE FOR WHATEVER REASON,
THE RESOURCES TO CULTIVATE
DONORS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN
SUPPORTING WOMEN'S SPORTS AND
WOMEN'S STUDENT ATHLETES JUST
HAS NOT BEEN THERE. SO IT IS.
VERY UH, AN ASSUMPTION. BUT I
THINK THE DATA THAT THIS BILL
WILL BRING TO LIGHT WILL SHOW
THAT THE THAT'S BEING
PERPETUATED. WITH THESE CURRENT
COLLECTIVES. THE DONORS ARE
SUPPORTING FOOTBALL AND MEN'S
BASKETBALL PLAYERS. THERE MAY BE
A ONE OFF WHERE A WOMEN'S SPORTS
, UH, ELITE WOMEN'S SPORT
ATHLETE IS, UH, RECEIVING SOME
TOR SOME TYPE OF SUPPORT. BUT
GENERALLY SPEAKING, I THINK
WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE PICTURE
THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST.
IT'S JUST NOW UNDER THE
COLLECTIVES MONIKER. S¼ B 206
CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE OF COLLEGE
ATHLETICS FOR THE STUDENT
ATHLETES. THIS NEXT STEP WOULD
OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY FOR
TRANSPARENCY TO BEHOLD PEOPLE
ACCOUNTABLE AND TO MAKE COLLEGES
AND UNIVERSITIES INVEST IN
TRYING TO HELP THEIR STUDENT
ATHLETES. BOTH MALE AND FEMALE.
S¼ P WILL AT LEAST GIVE US THE
INFORMATION. WE NEED TO KNOW FOR
SURE WHETHER THE WORLD OF N I
IS CONTRIBUTING TO INEQUITY OR
TO EQUITY THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER
WITNESSES HERE IN THE COMMITTEE
HEARING ROOM WOULD LIKE TO
TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF S¼ B 906.
WELCOME AND IF YOU COULD PLEASE
STATE YOUR NAME YOUR
ORGANIZATION YOUR POSITION ON
THE MEASURE. GOOD MORNING, MR
CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
BRITTANY BARSOTTI, ON BEHALF OF
THE CALIFORNIA NEWS PUBLISHERS
ASSOCIATION, CALIFORNIA
BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION AND
MEDIA ALLIANCE AND SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYBODY
ELSE? THERE ANY WITNESSES OR A
LEAD WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION TO
THE MEASURE. SEEING NONE. NÓ
WITNESSES IN OUR POSITION. UH,
LET'S BRING IT BACK TO THE
COMMITTEE ANY COMMENTS OR
CONCERNS FOR MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE? I'VE GOT A MOTION
FROM SENATOR CORTES. I WILL SAY
I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE BILL. I
THINK THIS IS A GOOD NEXT STEP,
ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO
TRANSPARENCY AS WE MOVE TOWARD
EQUITY ACROSS N IL, UH, DEALS
FOR MEN AND WOMEN, SENATOR
SKINNER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? THANK YOU CHAIR, SO I
THINK NONE OF US WERE NAIVE.
CERTAINLY NOT. I WHEN WE, UH
PASSED OUR N IL LEGISLATION
THAT THIS WAS GONNA CAUSE, YOU
KNOW, I IMMEDIATELY UH, ANY KIND
OF REVOLUTION AND GENDER EQUITY
IN COLLEGE ATHLETICS BECAUSE, AS
WE KNOW, I MEAN, AT THE TIME
THAT WE WERE PASSING THAT BILL,
WE WERE, UH, I THINK IT WAS. WE
WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF A MARCH
MADNESS AT THAT POINT WHERE THE
WOMEN WERE SHOWING THEY WERE
POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA WHAT
THEY WORKOUT ROOM WAS COMPARED
TO THE MEN. THEY WERE, UH,
SHOWING WHAT TIME THEY GOT IN
THE PRACTICE COURT AND SUCH. I
MEAN, IT WAS SO UNEQUAL AS TO BE
ABSURD. BUT ANYWAY, SO LOOK, UM
IT'S STILL N IL, FROM MY POINT
OF VIEW IS STILL THE RIGHT THING
TO DO. ATHLETES STILL DESERVE TO
BE ABLE TO MONETIZE THEIR TALENT
AND SKILL, BUT I ALSO WANNA MAKE
SURE IF THE COLLEGES AND DONORS
ARE REALLY ENGAGED IN WHAT YOU
KNOW ALL JOKINGLY CALL NOW
GAMING THE SYSTEM. I WANNA MAKE
SURE IT'S EQUITABLE. AND THAT'S
THE PURPOSE OF THE BILL. AND I
GREATLY APPRECIATE UM, MY
WITNESS FOR COMING UP HERE THIS
MORNING. AND WITH THAT, I ASK
FOR YOUR VOTE AND THANK YOU. AND
WITH THAT WE HAVE A MOTION FROM
SENATOR CORTESE. MADAM
CONSONANT. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
FIRELIGHT ON ONE IS B 906
SKINNER MOTION IS DUE PASS AS
AMENDED TO SEND A JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE NEWMAN NEWMAN, I Ó
CORTESE, CORTESE EYE LASER
GONZALEZ, SMALLWOOD CUEVAS WILK.
HØI W GUY. THE MEASURE CURRENTLY
HAS THREE VOTES. WE'LL LEAVE IT
OPEN AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
AND THANK YOU, MISS STEVENSON.
UH, LET'S SEE NEXT. UH, WE HAVE
S¼ B 954 LOOKING FOR THE AUTHOR,
SENATOR MENJIVAR. I'M NOT SEEING
HER. UM, I'M GLAD TO SEE HIM.
THE EARLY THE EARLY BIRD. GET
THE WORM. ALL RIGHT, SENATOR
PORTO. I SEE YOU HAVE TWO BILLS
ON HIS AGENDA. UH, YOUR FIRST IS
S¼ VÆ 971. AND YOU MAY PROCEED
WHEN YOU ARE READY. I DO HAVE A
WHERE'S MY WITNESS? AND WE CAN
VARY THE ORDER. IF YOUR WITNESS
ISN'T HERE, YOU NÓ NÓ. SHE'S
HERE. OK SHE IS HERE. I JUST
HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION. I WANT
TO MAKE SURE I SAY YOUR NAME
RIGHT? MAKE SURE I SAY HER NAME
RIGHT? MISTER PRESIDENT. I AM
PROUD TO PRESENT B. YOU CAN COME
SIT UP HERE. UM S¼ B 971 1ST.
I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY ACCEPTING
THE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS
OUTLINED IN THE COMMITTEE
ANALYSIS AND THANK YOUR
COMMITTEE STAFF FOR WORKING WITH
MY STAFF. I'D ALSO LIKE TO
THANK, UH, GLENDALE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE FOR BRINGING THIS IDEA
TO MY ATTENTION. UH, EARLIER
THIS YEAR, I WAS STRUCK BY AN
EFFORT BY GLENDALE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE STUDENTS TO RAISE MONEY
TO PAY FOR THE TUITION OF
STUDENTS WHO ARE, UH, BEEN
DISPLACED FROM ARTS. SO WHICH IS
A REGION OF ETHNIC ARMENIANS
THAT 100,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
DRIVEN OUT OF THEIR HOMES BY THE
AZERBAIJANIS AND SEVERAL OF THEM
HAVE FAMILY TIES TO GLENDALE AND
ARE NOW RESIDING IN GLENDALE AND
THE STUDENTS TOOK IT UPON
THEMSELVES TO RAISE MONEY TO
OFFSET THE TUITION. AND IT WAS
QUITE A POWERFUL PRESENTATION.
SO TODAY I'M PRESENTING S¼ B
971, WHICH WOULD FROM
NON-RESIDENT TUITION FEE AND NON
, UH AND THE NON RESIDENTS LOW
INCOME STUDENT WHO IS A RE
RESIDENT OF A REGION IMPACTED BY
WAR OR CONFLICT, WHO WAS
ATTENDING A COMMUNITY COLLEGE
AND I SOUGHT RESIDENCY IN
CALIFORNIA. THERE'S A GROWING
NUMBER OF REGIONAL CONFLICTS
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, CAUSING
LARGE SCALE DISPLACEMENTS MORE
AS I SAID MORE THAN 91,000.
ARMENIANS HAVE BEEN DISPLACED
FROM ARTS EVEN PRIOR TO THE
ESCALATION IN THE CONFLICT IN
2020, THREE SIMILAR
DISPLACEMENTS HAVE BEEN SEEN IN
UKRAINE AND OTHER PARTS. OF THE
WORLD WITH OVER 6 MILLION
INDIVIDUALS SEEKING REFUGEE
STATUS. MANY OF THESE PEOPLE
SEEK SAFE HAVEN THROUGH
IMMIGRATION TO CALIFORNIA, WHERE
THEY TURN TO EDUCATION TO
IMPROVE THEIR LIVES AND BECOME
FULL PARTICIPANTS. IN OUR
COMMUNITY. HOWEVER THE
IMMIGRATION PROCESS CAN BE TIME
CONSUMING, BURDENSOME AND
PREVENT THEM FROM ESTABLISHING
RESIDENCY. UH, FOR EDUCATIONAL
PURPOSES. THESE INDIVIDUALS FACE
MORE ROADBLOCKS DUE TO THEIR
INELIGIBILITY FOR FINANCIAL AID,
SUCH AS PELL GRANTS AND OTHER
STUDENT LOAN OPPORTUNITIES THAT
WE AFFORD CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS.
THEY ALSO PAY HIGHER OUT OF
STATE TUITION RATES THAN IN
STATE TUITION, WHICH CAN DIFFER
BY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
S¼ B 971 WILL HELP THE STUDENTS
BY REMOVING A SIGNIFICANT
FINANCIAL BARRIER AND ALLOW
THESE INDIVIDUALS TO MORE EASILY
ACCESS HIGHER EDUCATION AND WITH
ME TODAY, I HAVE, UH EILEEN
GIBIAN, STUDENT TRUSTEE FROM THE
GLENDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO
TESTIFY IN SUPPORT, SO THANK YOU
FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT OF YOUR
BUSY SCHEDULE TO BE HERE AS
WELL. MISS CARIBBEAN. WELCOME
THANK YOU FOR COMING AND PLEASE
PROCEED. UH AND I. I SO YOU HAVE
APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES. UH
AND WE'D LIKE TO AFFORD BOTH
SIDES. I DON'T THINK THERE'S AN
OPPOSITION, BUT JUST LET
EVERYBODY KNOW, UH, EQUAL TIME,
BUT PLEASE PROCEED. OK? THANK
YOU, SENATOR PORTANTINO AND
THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE FOR
HEARING THIS BILL. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE, SENATOR SENATOR
PORTANTINO HONORABLE CHAIR MEM
CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
ELLEN GIAN, AND IT'S WITH A
SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND
COMMITMENT. I STAND BEFORE YOU
TODAY AS GLENDALE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE STUDENT TRUSTEE AND AS A
YOUNG ARMENIAN, ADVOCATING FOR
SB 971, AS SENATOR PENTIN
INDICATED THERE ARE A GROWING
NUMBER OF REGIONAL CONFLICTS
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, CAUSING
DISPLACEMENT OF HUMAN LIVES.
MANY INDIVIDUAL SEEK SAFE HAVEN
THROUGH IMMIGRATION TO THE
UNITED STATES WITH AN INTENT ON
ESTABLISHING RESIDENCY IN
CALIFORNIA. GLENDALE HAS OFTEN
CALLED ITSELF HOME TO MANY OF
THESE RECENT IMMIGRANTS WHO SEEK
TO BECOME A PART OF OUR
COMMUNITIES. GLENDALE HAS BECOME
A MELTING POT OF CULTURES AND
HISTORIES, AND IT'S BECOME A
BEACON OF HOPE. FOR MANY OF
THESE IMMIGRANTS, INCLUDING
THOSE FROM ARMENIA AND THEY
OFTEN SEE EDUCATION AS A WAY TO
IMPROVE THEIR LIVES AND THE
LIVES OF THEIR FAMILIES. WE HAVE
SEEN THIS PLAY OUT TIME AND TIME
AGAIN IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT
HAS RESULTED IN AN ECONOMICALLY
STRONG, VIBRANT AND DIVERSE
COMMUNITY. YET DESPITE THEIR
ASPIRATIONS AND THE UNDENIABLE
BENEFITS OF THEIR SUCCESS THAT
BRINGS TO OUR STATE MANY FACE
DAUNTING BARRIERS, THE
IMMIGRATION PROCESS CAN BE TIME
CONSUMING AND CONFUSING. MOST OF
THESE IMMIGRANTS COME NOT
UNDERSTANDING THE LANGUAGE, THE
CULTURE OR SOCIETY HERE AT ALL
AS A STUDENT WHO'S SEEN HER
PARENTS STRUGGLE WITH THIS
PROCESS. THE PEOPLE I LOVE
TRYING THEIR BEST TO LEARN THE
WORLD AROUND THEM WHILE TRYING
TO MAKE ENDS MEET. EVEN THOUGH I
WAS YOUNGER, I FELT THE SAME
PRESSURE THEY DID. AND THOUGH I
DIDN'T FULLY UNDERSTAND THE
STRUGGLE AT THE TIME, IT FELT
LIKE A CONCRETE WALL WITH NÓ
SEEMING WAY TO PASS OVER. THE
STRESS BLEEDS FROM ONE
GENERATION TO THE NEXT. WE HAVE
HEARD ABOUT THE INDIVIDUALS FROM
UKRAINE HAVING TO FLEE THEIR
HOMELAND TO NATIONS WITH
OPERATIONAL EMBASSIES TO WORK
WITH OFTEN TAKING MONTHS TO WORK
THROUGH THE PROCESSES FOR MANY,
FOR MANY, FOR VARIOUS REASONS,
ARE UNABLE TO GAIN REFUGEE
STATUS. FALL INTO WHAT THE
UNITED NATIONS REFERS TO AS
REFUGEE LIKE, OR DISPLACED
INDIVIDUALS. THEY ARRIVE WITH
LITTLE AND FACE TREMENDOUS
BARRIERS. THESE BARRIERS START
FROM LEAVING YOUR HOME ALL THE
WAY TO LEARNING HOW TO GET A JOB
WHEN YOU'VE ONLY READ JOB
DESCRIPTIONS AND RUSSIAN,
UKRAINIAN OR ARMENIAN GLENDALE
COMMUNITY COLLEGE. WE HAVE SEEN
INCREASES IN OUR NON CREDIT
PROGRAMS AS THESE INDIVIDUALS
SEEK TO BEGIN THEIR EDUCATIONAL
JOURNEY, BUT THEY ARE LIMITED IN
TRANSITIONING TO CREDIT PROGRAMS
DUE TO FEES. WE WORK WITH MANY
IMMIGRANTS FROM UKRAINE, ART
TALK AND ARMENIA, BUT OTHER
COLLEGES HAVE NOTED SIMILAR
TRENDS WITH AFRICAN NATIONS OR
MIDDLE EAST, DEPENDING ON THEIR
LOCAL COMMUNITY. THIS BILL WILL
PROVIDE NEEDED OPPORTUNITIES TO
OUR COLLEGE, OUR STATE TO MORE
EFFECTIVELY SERVE THE IMMIGRANT
POPULATIONS, CALIFORNIA IN
GENERAL AND OUR COMMUNITY
COLLEGES SPECIFICALLY SEEK TO
CREATE A WELCOMING AND IN
ENVIRONMENT S¼ B 971 WILL ALLOW
US TO FURTHER THIS GOAL AND
ALLOW COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO MEET
THE NEEDS OF THE LOCAL
COMMUNITIES, STRENGTHENING THEIR
ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY INTERESTS
AS A YOUNG ARMENIAN WITNESSING
THE STRUGGLES OF MY COMMUNITY
AND OTHERS LIKE IT. I CANNOT
OVERSTATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS
BILL. IT REPRESENTS A CHANCE TO
EXTEND A HAND TO AFFIRM THAT
CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES
ARE A PLACE OF INCLUSION AND
OPPORTUNITY. IT ALLOWS THESE
IMMIGRANTS THE CHANCE TO FOCUS
ON THEIR EDUCATION WITHOUT THE
FINANCIAL BURDEN. IT GIVES THESE
PEOPLE A WAY TO PRIORITIZE.
FINANCES TO GO TOWARDS BASIC
NECESSITIES, AND FOR MANY, IT
GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO
SEND MORE MONEY TO THEIR
FAMILIES BACK HOME WHO NEED IT
MUCH MORE. ARGUABLY IT ALLOWS US
TO BETTER SERVE THE NEEDS OF OUR
LOCAL COMMUNITIES, BOOST OUR
STATE'S ECONOMY AND TO ENRICH
OUR CITY'S CULTURE. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. AND
THANK YOU, UH, DO WE HAVE ANY
OTHER WITNESSES HERE IN THE
COMMITTEE HEARING ROOM IN
SUPPORT. OF THE MEASURE. IF SO,
PLEASE COME FORWARD. AND IF YOU
WOULD STATE YOUR NAME YOUR
ORGANIZATION, YOUR POSITION.
ANNA MATTHEWS WITH THE FACULTY
ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA
COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND STRONG
SUPPORT OF S¼. B 971. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE DO YOU
HAVE ANY WITNESSES HERE IN
OPPOSITION TO THE MEASURE?
SEEING NONE. LET US COME BACK TO
THE COMMITTEE. MEMBERS ANY
QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, SENATOR
WILKE. YEAH WELL, WE GOT A
COMMENT AND A QUESTION. UH, I
THINK THIS IS WHAT THIS IS THE
TYPE OF PROGRAM THAT I THINK
REALLY REPRESENTS THE BEST OF
AMERICA, PROVIDING HOPE AND
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE WHO HAVE
BEEN DISENFRANCHISED. I JU I
JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW HERE'S MY
QUESTION. I JUST RECEIVED A TEXT
FROM MY MOTHER IN LAW WHO'S VERY
UPSET WITH YOU THAT I AM NOT A
CO-AUTHOR OF THIS BILL. THAT'S
BECAUSE AND YOU ARE NÓ LONGER
HER FAVORITE SENATOR BECAUSE OF
IT, BUT I THINK YOU CAN REDEEM
YOURSELF BY ADDING ME AS A
CO-AUTHOR. WHEN APPROPRIATE FOR
THE RECORD, MR CHAIR, I RECEIVED
A TEXT FROM HIS MOTHER IN LAW.
SAYING YOU WERE STILL HIS HER
FAVORITE SONG. NOT ONLY AM I
STILL HER FAVORITE CENTER BUT
ASKING ME NICELY IF I WOULD ADD
THE SENATOR, AS I'M GLAD WE
CLARIFIED BASED ON THE TEXT FROM
THE MOTHER IN LAW, I WOULD BE
HAPPY TO ADD SENATOR WILK AS A
COA VERY IMPORTANT AND IF YOU
COULD PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF
THAT TEXT SO WE CAN INSERT THAT
IN THE RECORD, AND ACTUALLY,
WITH THAT ALL OF YOUR TEXTS OVER
THE LAST 30 DAYS OR SO IT'D BE
HELPFUL. UH, BUT BUT THANK YOU.
SO NOW THE COMMENTS. I JUST WANT
ONE THING. I MEAN, I I'VE BEEN
TO ARAK TWICE, UH, ON PERSONA NÓ
GRATA IN TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN
BECAUSE OF MY TRAVELS THERE AND
TO AND OF COURSE, AMERICA
DOESN'T AMERICAN MEDIA DOESN'T
COVER THIS AT ALL? BUT SEEING
YOU KNOW, CHURCHES THAT HAVE
WORSHIPED IN STREETS HAVE WALKED
DOWN, COMPLETELY BLOWN UP. IT'S
LIKE IT'S JUST HEART WRENCHING.
AND THESE THINGS HAPPEN. NOT
ONLY THERE BUT UKRAINE, AFRICA
ALL OVER, SO I THINK THIS IS
REALLY A GREAT BILL TO GIVE
PEOPLE A HELPING HAND UP SO
HAPPY TO BE AT IT AS A
CO-AUTHOR. YES, SIR. YOU KNOW
WHAT? ACTUALLY I JUST GOT
ANOTHER TEXAS MY BROTHER IN LAW
WANTS ME TO BE PRINCIPAL
CO-AUTHOR. I. I WILL. I WILL
VERIFY WITH YOUR MOTHER IN LAW
AND BASED ON HER BASED ON WHAT I
FIND OUT, WE WILL. WE'LL DO ALL
THE GOOD NEWS IS THIS WILL
PROCEED TO THE FLOOR AND THEN
OTHER, UH, OTHER COMMITTEE
HEARINGS. YOU GUYS CAN HASH THIS
OUT? UH, SO, BUT THANK YOU. I
APPRECIATE THE BILL AND I. I
APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO
TAKE THE AMENDMENT. WHAT WE'RE
ENDEAVORING TO DO IS MAKE SURE
UH, THAT WE HAD AN UNAMBIGUOUS
BASIS FOR DEFINING WHAT,
ACTUALLY, UH UH, SORT OF REACHED
THE THRESHOLD FOR A REGIONAL
CONFLICT. UM I'M GLAD TO SUPPORT
IT. I DO. I HAVE A MOTION FROM,
UH HAS MADE THE MOTION AND MÀ
CAN PLEASE CALL THE GIRL. I'M
SORRY. PLEASE CLOSE. THANK YOU,
MR CHAIR, AND I WANT TO AGAIN.
COMPLIMENT UM MISS CARIBBEAN FOR
BEING HERE AND THE STUDENTS OF
GLENDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE WHO
HIGHLIGHTED THIS ISSUE SO
IMPORTANTLY AND DRAMATICALLY, UH
, JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU WHEN YOU
SEE THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT
AFFECT YOU AND YOU'RE ABLE TO
THEN YOU KNOW, MAKE IT STATE LAW
. IT'S A IT'S A GOOD, UH,
SITUATION AND SO RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR AND I VOTE AND THANK THE
GOOD SENATOR FOR HIS COMMENTS
ABOUT ART AS WELL. AND THANK YOU
AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE,
MADAM CONSULTANT. PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL. FINAL ITEM SEVEN. S¼ B
971 PINO MOTION IS DUE PASSES
AMENDED TO THE SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE. NEWMAN
NEWMAN, I OCH OCH, I CORTESE
CORTESE EYE GLAZER GONZALEZ,
SMALLWOOD CUEVAS WILK. WILL GUY
THE MEASURE NOW HAS FOUR VOTES
IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. NONE AGAINST
WE'LL BELIEVE IT OPEN SENATOR
PORTANTINO YOU NOW HAVE ANOTHER
BILL. UH UH. I'M SORRY THAT
BILL'S ON CONSENT, SO IT IT IS.
YES BECAUSE HE TOOK THE
AMENDMENT. WELL THANK YOU. I AM
I AM ADDING THE ASTERISK. IT WAS
NOT SO NOTED TO BE CONTINUED.
WE'LL PUT YOU ALL ON AN EMAIL
THREAD AND YOU GUYS CAN FOLLOW.
FOLLOW THIS. UM AND SO NEXT UP,
UH, SENATOR MENGI WELCOME.
APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE. AND
WILL BE PRESENTING S¼ 954, AND
YOU MAY PROCEED AND YOUR WITNESS
CAN PROCEED UP TO THE TABLE AND
GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, MR
CHAIR COLLEAGUES. I AM BACK WITH
A BILL THAT YOU SAW IN THIS
COMMITTEE LAST YEAR. VERY
SIMILAR. BILL I AM STILL
ATTEMPTING TO ADDRESS THE
SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTION
EPIDEMIC, UM, AMONG CALIFORNIA
YOUTH AND IMPROVE EQUITABLE
PUBLIC HEALTH OUTCOMES STATEWIDE
BY EXPANDING BETWEEN ACCESS TO
CONDOMS IN SCHOOL AND COMMITTEE
AND COMMUNITIES. UM, I DON'T
THINK SENATOR WILK WILL BE
GETTING A TEXT FROM HIS MOTHER
IN LAW. UM ON THIS ONE, BUT I
WILL PROCEED EITHER WAY. IT'S
BEEN 954 IS LOOKING TO DO A
COUPLE OF THINGS AND HOW WE CAN,
UM ENSURE THAT WE'RE DECREASING
THE S¼ Tð I RATES THAT RIGHT NOW
ARE ASTRONOMICAL IN THE LAST 10
YEARS. THE MOST RECENT èC Dð
èC REPORT TELLS YOU THAT
THEY'VE INCREASED AMONGST THE
YOUTH BETWEEN THE AGES OF 15 TO
EARLY TWENTIES. IN FACT, HERE IN
CALIFORNIA, THEY AMOUNT TO CLOSE
TO 50% OF OUR S¼ Tð I CASES ARE
IN THAT AGE GROUP. SO S¼ B 954
IS LOOKING TO ADDRESS THAT NOW,
UM IN TWO IN SEVERAL WAYS WE
MAKE SURE THAT HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENTS BOTH IN PUBLIC AND
CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE ACCESS TO
FREE CONDOMS. WE WANNA MAKE SURE
THAT THE SCHOOLS PLACE A NOTICE
WHERE THEY NEED TO GO TO ACCESS
THE FREE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL
CONDOMS. WE WANNA BAR HIGH
SCHOOLS FROM ALLOWING COMMUNITY
HEALTH CENTERS ORGANIZATIONS TO
GO ON THEIR CAMPUSES AND PROVIDE
THESE CONDOMS AS PART OF THEIR
PUBLIC HEALTH. WEBINAR UH, FAIR
OR ANYTHING RELATED TO EDUCATION
OR TRAINING. AND FINALLY I WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN AN
INDIVIDUAL, UM GOES TO OBTAIN IT
OR PURCHASE THESE ITEMS AT A
STORE, A PHARMACY THAT THEY'RE
NOT ASKED FOR AN I Dð THERE IS
NÓ CURRENT STATE LAW RIGHT NOW,
THAT STATES YOU HAVE TO BE OVER
THE AGE OF 18 TO PURCHASE THAT
ITEMS, BUT WE'RE STILL SEEING,
UM PHARMACISTS OR RETAILERS ASK
FOR THAT IDEA, PREVENTING THEM.
I'M NOT HERE TO TELL ANY PARENT
UM WHAT THEY SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T
DO WITH THE CHILD. I AS I AM NOT
A PARENT. I CAN IMAGINE THOSE
CONVERSATIONS ARE PERSONAL. I
CAN IMAGINE THOSE CONVERSATIONS
ARE TOUGH. WHAT I AM SAYING THAT
WE WERE NEVER BE WITH SOME
INDIVIDUAL 24 7. SO WHEN THAT
INDIVIDUAL MAKES A DECISION TO
BECOME SEXUALLY ACTIVE, I WANNA
MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE
RESOURCES TO BE SAFE AND HEALTHY
AND NOT FALL INTO. STATISTIC OF
WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. I WANT TO ALSO THANK
MY OPPOSITION BECAUSE IN, UM,
PASSING AN OPPOSITION LETTER,
THEY SHOWED A FACT SHEET FROM
èC Dð èC THAT SHARED HOW MUCH
S¼ èC I CASES HAVE INCREASED
THE FACT THAT THE REASON THAT
THEY'VE INCREASED IS BECAUSE WE
DON'T HAVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO
THESE KINDS OF PROGRAMS ACROSS
CALIFORNIA. IN FACT, I REPRESENT
A COMMUNITY THAT THEIR DISTRICT
DOES OFFER THIS, UM, THE BAY HAS
IT. LONG BEACH DISTRICT HAS IT
BUT NOT ALL OUR AREAS. OUR RURAL
AREAS, UM, CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THESE KIND
OF PROGRAMS, SO WE WANNA BRING
EQUITY TO THIS TO ENSURE ALL
TYPES OF, UH ALL TYPES OF
INDIVIDUALS HAVE ACCESS TO
CONDOMS INTERNALLY AND
EXTERNALLY. SO TO THAT, I'M
GONNA TURN TO SOME EXPERTS, MR.
CHAIR WITH YOUR PERMISSION, WHO
ARE HERE TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT
OF MY BILL S¼ B 954. VERY GOOD.
AND TO BOTH WITNESSES, YOU EACH
HAVE APPROXIMATELY, UH TWO
MINUTES AND ASK YOU TO TRY TO,
UH UH, LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS AT
THAT TIME, UM AND INTRODUCE
YOURSELF AND PLEASE PROCEED.
GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, MR
CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS AMY MOY.
I'M CO èC E Ó OF ESSENTIAL
ACCESS HEALTH AND WE ARE PROUD
CO SPONSORS OF S¼ B 954 AND
THANK THE SENATOR FOR HER
LEADERSHIP ON THIS IMPORTANT
BILL YOU MAY HAVE AS THE SENATOR
MENTIONED, AND IT'S BEEN WIDELY
REPORTED. WE HAVE A HUGE PUBLIC
HEALTH CONCERN IN THE STATE AND
ACROSS THIS COUNTRY WHEN IT
COMES TO RISING STI RATES, AND
AS THE SENATOR MENTIONED THAT
NEARLY HALF OF ALL S¼ Tð I CASES
IN THIS AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY
ARE BEING EXPERIENCED BY YOUNG
PEOPLE AND MORE THAN FIVE OUT OF
10. CHLAMYDIA CASES IN
CALIFORNIA EXPERIENCE BETWEEN
PEOPLE 15 TO 24. SINCE MOST STIS
ARE ASYMPTOMATIC, THEY OFTEN
REMAIN UNDETECTED AND CAN POSE
LONG TERM AND SERIOUS HEALTH
PROBLEMS LATER IN LIFE,
INCLUDING PERMANENT TISSUE
DAMAGE, BLINDNESS AND
INFERTILITY. NOW THE GOOD NEWS
IS THAT S¼ Tð I S¼ ARE LARGELY
PREVENTABLE, AND, ACCORDING TO
THE èC, Dð èC CONDOMS ARE
HIGHLY EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING
STIS AND HÌ. I VÆ AND CONDOMS
ARE AN EVIDENCE BASED AND LOW
COST INTERVENTION TO PREVENT THE
SPREAD OF STIS, BUT COST CAN BE
AN INTEREST A HINDRANCE TO
PEOPLE HAVING ACCESS TO THEM.
THAT'S WHY IT'S CRITICAL TO
ENSURE THAT FREE CONDOMS ARE
AVAILABLE AT ALL PUBLIC HIGH
SCHOOLS IN CALIFORNIA AS THE
SENATOR MENTIONED, THIS ISN'T A
NEW CONCEPT. UM SOME SCHOOLS AND
DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTING
FREE CONDOMS FOR DECADES, BUT
IT'S NOT EQUALLY ACCESSIBLE
STATEWIDE. SO THIS BILL SEEKS TO
LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD AND MAKE
ACCESS MORE EQUITABLE ACROSS THE
STATE. AND THIS CONCEPT FOR THIS
BILL ALSO DERIVED FROM HEARING
DIRECTLY FROM CALIFORNIA YOUTH
IN A RECENT SURVEY, WE COND
THROUGH OUR TEAM SOURCE PROGRAM.
NEARLY 70% OF TEENS SAID THAT
THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO
CONDOMS IN SCHOOLS. BUT MORE
THAN 90% 92% SAID THAT CONDOMS
SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE. AND
NOW I'D LIKE TO USE THE REST OF
MY TIME TO SHARE TESTIMONIES
FROM TWO STUDENTS FROM OUR YOUTH
, HEALTH, EQUITY AND SAFETY OR
YES FOR CONDOMS CAMPAIGN AS A
HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR. I CAN'T
STRESS ENOUGH HOW CRUCIAL ACCESS
TO CONDOMS IS FOR OUR WELL BEING
. I'VE WITNESSED FRIENDS FACE
UNNECESSARY HURDLES LIKE BEING
ASKED FOR I Dð WHEN PURCHASING
CONDOMS. THIS BILL IS ABOUT
ENSURING THAT EVERY TEEN
REGARDLESS OF INCOME OR
BACKGROUND, CAN HAVE THE MEANS
TO PROTECT THEIR HEALTH AND WELL
BEING BY ELIMINATING COST
BARRIERS AND TACKLING
DISCRIMINATORY POLICIES. S¼ B
954 EMPOWERS US TO TAKE CONTROL
OF OUR HEALTH AND MAKE INFORMED
CHOICES. UM, THIS IS FROM MARTIN
, WHO IS FROM TROY HIGH SCHOOL
IN FULLERTON. AND ALSO FROM HAY
AT RIO COLLEGE PREP IN L A SAID
THAT TEENS SHOULD BE COMFORTABLE
IN SEEKING SEXUAL AND
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RESOURCES
SUCH AS CONDOMS. NOT ONLY WOULD
THIS BILL EXPAND ACCESS TO THESE
RESOURCES, BUT IT WOULD ALSO
MEET THE NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS
WHO NEED IT MOST LIKE YOUNG
BLACK PEOPLE WHO ARE YOUNG
PEOPLE WHO ARE OFTEN NEGLECTED
IN THE CONVERSATION AND FOR
BLACK INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF COLOR
. L GB Tð QI A COMMUNITIES
HAVING ACCESS TO THESE RESOURCES
CAN BE PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT
AND THE PASSING OF S¼ B 954
WOULD BE A STEP FORWARD. UM IN
PROTECTING THE HEALTH AND WELL
BEING AMONG TEENS AND YOUNG
ADULTS AND FOR THESE REASONS AND
MORE ON BEHALF OF THESE STUDENT
LEADERS, UM AND ALSO CO SPONSORS
, INCLUDING GENERATION UP UNITED
FOR REPRODUCTIVE GENDER EQUITY,
CALIFORNIA AND CALIFORNIA SCHOOL
BASED HEALTH ALLIANCE, I URGE
YOUR IVO THANK YOU. TWO THINGS.
ONE GO, TROY HIGH SCHOOL THE
SECOND I HAVE TO EXCUSE MYSELF
TO GO PRESENT IT A BILL AND
ANOTHER COMMITTEE. UH, SO
SENATOR OCHOA. BOGUE, UH, WILL
TAKE THE GAVEL AND I WILL BE
BACK AS SOON AS I CAN. JACK
SAID. GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU
TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. MY
NAME IS LIONEL SCHULER. MY NAME
IS LENO. SCHULLER AND I'M THE
DIRECTOR OF YOUTH PROGRAMS.
BLACK WELLNESS ACTION PROJECT
ORGANIZATION IS DEDICATED TO
ADVANCING RUFF OF JUSTICE AND
IMPROVING THE OVERALL HEALTH AND
WELL BEING OF BLACK WOMEN AND
GIRLS STATEWIDE. AS ONE OF THE
PROUD CO SPONSORS OF S¼, B 954,
THE YOUTH HEALTH EQUITY AND
SAFETY ACT. I'M HERE TO EXPRESS
OUR ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT FOR
THIS IMPORTANT INITIATIVE, WHICH
WORKS TO ADDRESS THE SEXUAL
HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONG YOUTH
IN OUR COMMUNITY. AS COMMUNITY
BASED EDUCATORS WITH A DEEP
UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE
OF COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION,
RECOGNIZE THAT INFORMED AND
EMPOWERED YOUTH ARE EFFECTIVE
ADVOCATES FOR THEIR OWN HEALTH
AND WELL BEING. WE EDUCATE YOUTH
ON BUILDING HEALTHY HABITS AND
EQUIP THEM WITH THE TOOLS AND
RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THEIR OWN
WELL BEING. WE CREATE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEANINGFUL
CHANGE. RECENTLY ONE OF OUR PEER
EDUCATORS, GINA CRAIG, WHO
ATTENDS VENICE HIGH SCHOOL,
SHARED HER GRATITUDE FOR WORK
AFTER ATTENDING AN EVENT FOCUSED
ON HEALTH ADVOCACY. SHE STATED
THAT AS A STUDENT OF LOS ANGELES
I FIND THE SEXUAL HEALTH CRISIS
ISN'T WELL KNOWN, OR TALKED
ABOUT ENOUGH. I FELT IT WAS VERY
IMPORTANT FOR MORE YOUTH TO BE
TO BE EDUCATED ON WAYS SAFER SEX
CAN HAPPEN. PASS AN S¼ B 954
WILL SERVE AS A HEALTHY AS A
REALLY GOOD TOOL FOR STUDENTS
AROUND THE STATE TO BE ABLE TO
TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR SEXUAL
HEALTH. HER FEEDBACK UNDERSCORES
THE URGENT NEED FOR INITIATIVES
LIKE S¼ B 954, WHICH SIZES,
ACCESS TO VITAL SEXUAL HEALTH
RESOURCES FOR YOUTH. MOBILIZING
RESOURCES IS CRITICAL IN
ADDRESSING THE STI EPIDEMIC AND
PROMOTING HEALTH EQUITY AMONG
YOUTH. WE ARE FIGHTING AROUND
THE CLOCK TO ENSURE WE ARE
MAKING PROGRESS IN ADDRESSING
THE EPIDEMIC, AND THIS BILL WILL
CONNECT RESOURCES TO THE
POPULATIONS MOST VULNERABLE TO
THE S¼ A EPIDEMIC. EDUCATION IS
ESSENTIAL TO PREVENTION, BUT SO
TOO ARE RESOURCES. S¼ P 954
ADDRESSES THE DISPROPORTIONATE
IMPACT OF S¼ BY REMOVING VARIOUS
TO ACCESS PROMOTING SAFER SEX
BEHAVIORS. BY SUPPORTING THIS
BILL. WITH AN I VOTE, YOU WILL
PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN ENSURING
THAT YOUTH HAVE RESOURCES THEY
NEED TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS
ABOUT THEIR SEXUAL HEALTH. I
RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO VOTE
YES, ON S¼ P 954 THANK YOU FOR
YOUR ATTENTION AND CONSIDERATION
ON THE SUPPORT ISSUE. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. UM, SO WE'VE GOT TWO
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT. DO WE HAVE
ANY WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION TO
THIS BILL? ME TOO. OH, I'M
SORRY. BE TUESDAY. OH, DO WE
HAVE ANY MORE SUPPORT? UH,
WITNESSES? SORRY I HAVEN'T DONE
THIS IN QUITE A WHILE. GETTING
BACK INTO THE HABIT. UH ANY
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT OF THIS
BILL FOR ON BEHALF OF EQUALITY,
CALIFORNIA IN STRONG SUPPORT?
THANK YOU. CHAIR MEMBERS KAREN
ST ON BEHALF OF REPRODUCTIVE
FREEDOM FOR ALL CALIFORNIA AND
STRONG SUPPORT. B SPINSTER ON
BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE
OF Ó BGY N S¼ DISTRICT NINE IN
SUPPORT. GOOD MORNING, RYAN
SOUZA, ON BEHALF OF ÁP, L, A
HEALTH AND THE SAN FRANCISCO A.
I Dð S¼ FOUNDATION AND SUPPORT
ALSO WANTED TO DO A SUPPORT FOR
OUR COLLEAGUES THAT COULDN'T BE
HERE TODAY. A èC LU CAL ACTION.
THANK YOU. MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS,
RAND MARTIN ON BEHALF OF THE A.
I Dð S¼ HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION
AND ITS S¼ Tð Dð PREVENTION AND
CONTROL DIVISION. IN VERY STRONG
SUPPORT OF THIS CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT, BILL. THANK YOU.
HELLO I'M GABRIELLE BROWN WITH
BLACK WOMEN FOR WELLNESS AND
SUPPORT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DO
WE HAVE ANY OTHER WITNESSES IN
SUPPORT OF THIS BILL? ALL RIGHT.
WE'RE WE'LL MOVE ON TO WITNESSES
IN OPPOSITION TO S¼ B 954.
ARE WE ON GREAT. CHAIR AND
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS GREG BET
WITH THE CALIFORNIA FAMILY
COUNCIL FOR OVER A DECADE. THIS
LEGISLATIVE BODY HAS CHAMPIONED
THE DISTRIBUTION OF CONDOMS AND
COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION AS A
PANACEA FOR OUR USE. ESCALATING
SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTION
RATES. YET AS THESE RATES HAVE
SOARED, SO HAS YOUR RELIANCE ON
THESE MEASURES, CULMINATING IN
THE PASSAGE OF THE CALIFORNIA
HEALTHY YOUTH ACT IN 2015. THIS
LAW WAS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT KIDS
FROM S¼ Tð. I S¼ AND SLOW
INFECTION RATES, BUT ASK
YOURSELF DID IT WORK? DID S¼ Tð
I RATES GO DOWN KNOW THE EXACT
OPPOSITE HAPPEN? S¼ èC I RATES
HAVE REACHED EPIDEMIC
PROPORTIONS WITH SYPHILIS AND
GONORRHEA RAIDS SKYROCKETING BY
THREE 120% AND 100 AND 90%
RESPECTIVELY, OVER THE LAST
DECADE OR SO. SO WHERE DOES THE
AUTHOR GET HER CONFIDENCE THAT
FREE CONDOMS IS THE ANSWER. DOES
THIS BILL REQUIRE WARNING LABELS
ON CONDOM DISPENSERS, TELLING
TEENS THAT LATEX WILL NOT
PROTECT THEM FROM SYPHILIS?
CONDOMS ALSO WON'T PROTECT TEENS
FROM HERPES AND GENITAL WARTS
AND MONKEY POX. BECAUSE THESE S¼
Tð I S¼ ALL SPREAD BY SKIN TO
SKIN CONTACT. ULTIMATELY YOU
WILL HAVE TO CONVINCE YOUTH TO
STOP HAVING SEX WITH MULTIPLE
PARTNERS. IF YOU WANT TO STOP
THE SPREAD OF ST I S¼ HANDING
OUT FREE CONDOMS DOES NOT SEND
THAT MESSAGE. INSTEAD IT GIVES
KIDS A SENSE OF SECURITY AND
TELLS YOUTH SELF CONTROL ISN'T
REQUIRED WHEN IT COMES TO SEX. I
BELIEVE REAL CHANGE WILL ONLY
HAPPEN IF YOU PROMOTE THE TRUTH
THAT THOSE WITH THE MOST
FULFILLING AND HEALTHY SEX LIVES
ARE THOSE WHO TREAT SEX AS A
SPECIAL AND INTIMATE ACT SHARED
IN IN A MONOGAMOUS, COMMITTED
MARRIAGE, BUT INSTEAD, THIS BILL
PROMOTES A HOOKUP CULTURE WHERE
YOUTH HAVE MEANINGLESS SEX FOR
FUN WITH MULTIPLE PARTNERS. HOW
MANY YOUNG PEOPLE? ARE YOU
WILLING TO SACRIFICE? WHAT S¼ Tð
I RATES ARE YOU WILLING TO
TOLERATE BEFORE YOU WILL
CONSIDER DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
PLEASE VOTE NÓ ON S¼ B 954.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION TO S¼ B
954. UH, THATS YOUR BRAIN AND
CAMPBELL WITH, UH, CALIFORNIA
BIST FOR GOOD VALUES IN
OPPOSITION. BROCK CAMPBELL FROM
LIGHTHOUSE BAPTIST CHURCH IN
SANTA MARIA IN OPPOSITION. EMILY
CAMPBELL FROM LIGHTHOUSE BAPTIST
CHURCH, AND I'M A MOM AND I'M IN
OPPOSITION. SCOTT. DINO. I WERE
A BAPTIST CHURCH. I'M IN
OPPOSITION. ALL RIGHT. DO WE
HAVE ANY OTHER WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION TO S¼ B 954. WILL
BRING IT BACK TO THE DÍAS.
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM MY
COLLEAGUES. OK WELL, I, I DO
HAVE SOME COMMENTS AND SOME AND
SOME OBSERVATIONS AND THEN
QUESTIONS AS WELL. SO IT WAS
INTERESTING BECAUSE WE'VE HAD
RECEIVED A LOT OF COMMENTS FROM,
UM FROM A CONSTITUENT AND SOME
HIGHLIGHTING THE FACT THAT WE'RE
WE'RE WE'RE PROMOTING OUR
SCHOOLS, OUR ACADEMIC SCHOOLS TO
BE HEALTH CENTERS, UM IN MANY,
MANY WAYS, INCLUDING ADDING
THIS, UH, THIS UH, THIS BILL
THIS REQUIREMENT FOR OUR SCHOOLS
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. UM
AND FOCUSING A LOT ON, UM ON
MEASURES THAT WOULD BASICALLY
FIX CONSEQUENCES OF A CULTURE
THAT IS BEING MADE FROM CAN'T
SAY IT PERMEATED? YES THAT SORRY
. I CAN'T SAY IT, UM, AT THIS
TIME, BUT, UM THROUGH THE
CULTURE THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW
THE PRACTICES AND THE SYSTEMS
THAT WE IMPLEMENTING IN, UM IN
PLACE, SO IT WAS VERY
INTERESTING BECAUSE AS WE LOOK
AT OUR SCHOOLS SYSTEMS AND HOW
CALIFORNIA IS FARING AS A WHOLE
WHEN IT COMES TO READING,
WRITING MATH, UM ALL OF THESE
OTHER SUBJECTS WERE WERE FARING
AT THE VERY, VERY BOTTOM. AND
UH, WHEN WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW,
IT'S JUST ON BUDGET ONE
COMMITTEE, WHICH IS THE
EDUCATIONAL BUDGET AS WE
ALLOCATE FUNDS AS WE FACE THE
BUDGET CUTS THAT WE'RE FACING
RIGHT NOW IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. WE LOOK AT WHAT?
WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE. YOU
KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO
PRIORITIZE WHERE WE'RE WE'RE
SENDING AND SPENDING OUR MONEY.
AS FAR AS OUR SCHOOLS GO, AND,
UM AND I THINK ABOUT WHERE WE
ARE ACADEMICALLY WITH OUR
STUDENTS AND HOW THAT LIMITS
THEIR OPPORTUNITIES. UM, IN THE
WORKFORCE IN CALIFORNIA, WE
DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WORKFORCE. BUT
NEWS TO SAY WHEN IT COMES TO
THIS BILL, I'M LOOKING AT THE
COST OF AND PERSONAL
RESPONSIBILITY, THE CULTURE THAT
WE'RE WE'RE FOSTERING AND
CONTINUING, BUT WHAT WAS
INTERESTING AND I WOULD LOVE TO
HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE
HEALTHY YOU YOUTH ACT THAT WAS
PASSED IN. 15 AND THE INCREASE
IN S¼ Dð NUMBERS THAT ARE
OCCURRING AND YOUR THOUGHT ABOUT
WELL IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HELP.
WITHIN ALL OF THOSE RANGES, AND
WHAT DO YOU SEE? ASIDE FROM THE
FACT THAT AND I KNOW THAT THE
BILL, UH, THE AUTHOR WAS
MENTIONING, UM, THE EQUITABLE
ACCESS TO RESOURCES, BUT, UM, IN
ALLOWING AND HAVING AS ADULTS AS
A SYSTEM SAYING ANYTHING GOES.
YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT. WE
GOT YOU COVERED. UM WHERE IS A
SENSE OF PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
? AND HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO, UM
TAXPAYERS AS A WHOLE THAT ARE
BEING ASKED TO COVER THE
CONSEQUENCES OF PEOPLE'S
PERSONAL CHOICES? UM AND INSTEAD
OF SAYING, OK, YOU CAN DO
WHATEVER YOU WANT AS LONG AS YOU
PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR CHOICES
RATHER THAN SAYING, HEY, UM ALL
OF YOU. THE REST OF YOU ARE
GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR
COVERING. PUTTING A BAND AID ON
THE ON THE CHOICES THAT AS A
CULTURE, UM SEEMS TO BE FOSTERED
, SO IF YOU COULD ADDRESS THOSE
THOSE TYPE OF QUESTIONS WOULD BE
GREAT. BUT EITHER ONE WHOEVER IS
COMFORTABLE I WOULD TAKE IT. UM
THANK YOU, MADAM VICE CHAIR. UM,
LET ME THERE WAS A COUPLE OF
THINGS IN THERE, SO LET ME SEE
IF I TRACKED EVERYTHING. I'LL
START WITH THE FIRST. UH, ONE OF
THE FIRST COMMENTS. YOU SAID
THAT OUR SCHOOL INSTITUTIONS
ARE, UH, PERHAPS LEANING TOWARDS
LIKE HEALTH CENTERS. I WOULD SAY
THAT'S A GREAT THING. IN FACT,
IN MY DISTRICT, UM, WE ARE HOW
DO YOU HELP? HOW PROUD WE ARE
THAT A LOT OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE
GETTING HEALTH CENTERS ATTACHED
TO IT ARE BECOMING COMMUNITY
HUBS BECAUSE IN FACT, IT IS OUR
RESPONSIBILITY BETWEEN Kò AND 12
TO DO AND MEET THE WHOLE ENTIRE
PERSON OF THAT STUDENT. SO I
THINK IT'S A WIN. WHEN I SEE
SCHOOLS HAVE HEALTH CENTERS HAVE
COMMUNITY CLINICS ATTACHED TO
THEM BECAUSE THAT IS WHEN WE CAN
CAP CAPTURE THE WHOLE PERSON.
BECAUSE ONCE THEY GRADUATE, UH,
BECOMING ONCE THEY GRADUATE 12TH
GRADE, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO
TOUCH THAT PERSON. AND IF A
PARENT IS COMING TO A SCHOOL
BECAUSE THEY'RE DROPPING OFF
PICKING UP THERE IS OPPORTUNITY
TO ADDRESS MENTAL ILLNESS, UM,
TO ADDRESS FOOD, UM, INSECURITY.
THIS IS WHY THEY ARE THE ONES
DURING COVID THAT WERE PASSING
OUT FOODS BECAUSE THAT IS A
NATURAL DRAWING FOR A LOT OF
FAMILIES WHO HAVE KIDS IN THERE.
SO THAT'S MY POINT ON THAT. THE
SECOND THING I WOULD SAY YOU'RE
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. WE'RE DEALING
WITH A HUGE BUDGET DEFICIT. IT'S
HORRENDOUS AND IT'S WE'RE WE'RE
HAVING TO ADDRESS ARE WE
PRIORITIZING FOSTER KIDS? ARE WE
PRIORITIZING SENIORS? ARE WE
PRIORITIZING? UM UM FINANCIAL I
GET. I UNDERSTAND YOU WANT THAT
TO THAT? I WOULD SAY THIS BILL,
WHAT DIDN'T WHAT IT DIDN'T HAVE
LAST YEAR AS A BUDGET REQUEST
FROM A SPECIAL FUND, A SPECIAL
FUND THAT WAS CREATED TO ADDRESS
ST Tð I TO A TO ADDRESS HÌ. I VÆ
A I Dð S¼. AND SO THIS WON'T BE
COMING OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND
SHOULD IT GET APPROVED BECAUSE
IT'S PART OF A BIGGER PACKAGE
THAT ADVOCATES ARE LOOKING TO
GET FUNDED. UH, THROUGH MY
SUBCOMITTEE, UM AND AGAIN, IT'S
FROM A SPECIAL FUND $5 MILLION
OVER THREE YEARS. TO 1.6661
$0.66 MILLION EVERY SINGLE YEAR
FOR THREE YEARS. UM,
ADDITIONALLY, I WOULD SAY
REGARDING THE 2015 PASSAGE THAT
YOU YOU YOU BROUGHT UP WE CAN
PUT ON A TRILLION WEBINARS A
TRILLION TRAINING. I CAN SIT
HERE AND GET TRAINING ON HOW TO
CUT A TREE. BUT IF I JUST LOOK
AT A TRAINING I WON'T BE ABLE TO
GO OUT AND CUT A TREE WITHOUT
THE TOOLS NECESSARY. I NEED TO
ALSO ON TOP OF THE EDUCATION. WE
PROVIDED THE TOOLS TO BE
SUCCESSFUL ON WHAT I'M LEARNING.
SO WHILE WE DO SOME EDUCATION ON
, UM SAFE SEX, WHICH IS NOT
INCLUSIVE, IT'S NOT INCLUSIVE TO
MY COMMUNITY AS L GB Tð Q PLUS
BECAUSE WE'RE RIGHT, MY YOUTH
WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY ARE NOT
BEING TAUGHT HOW TO BE SAFE. UM,
BUT EVEN OUTSIDE OF THAT, WHEN
I'M BE WHEN THE YOUTH ARE BEING
TAUGHT, THEY'RE NOT GIVING THE
RESOURCES TO BE SAFE. IN A
PERFECT WORLD. WE WOULDN'T HAVE
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES IF WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT OUR YOUTH BEING
ABLE TO MEET THE READING LEVEL.
WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO A YOUNG
INDIVIDUAL WHO AT 1415 GETS
PREGNANT AND NÓ LONGER CAN GO TO
SCHOOL. WE'RE NOT EVEN GOING TO
MEET HER READING PROFICIENCY
BECAUSE SHE WILL HAVE TO DROP
OUT OF SCHOOL OR OR ALTER HER
PATH TO GRADUATION. NOT ALL NOT
ALL PREGNANCIES ARE A POSITIVE
NEWS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL. I WANNA
PREVENT UNINTENDED UH UH,
PREGNANCIES TO ENSURE THAT THAT
YOUTH HAS MEETS THEIR FULL
POTENTIAL TO GRADUATE. IT IS, I
WOULD SAY OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO
ADDRESS THIS STATEWIDE EPIDEMIC.
IT REALLY IS BECAUSE IN FACT
STATE, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
IS SPENDING BILLIONS ON OF
DOLLARS ON ON REACTIVE CARE
VERSUS BEING PREVENTATIVE. SO IF
WE'RE LOOKING TO BE CREATIVE IN
HOW WE SAVE MONEY IN THE OUT
YEARS. THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WE SHOULD INVEST IN THE
PREVENTATIVE MANNER SO THAT WE
DO SAVE MONEY DOWN THE LINE, AND
I THINK I CAPTURED YOUR POINTS.
YES I. I BELIEVE YOU DO BUT
GOING ON THE, UH, ON THE HEALTH
SERVICE ARE RESPONDING TO THAT.
GREAT I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE
COMING FROM, BUT THE OTHER
CONCERNS I WOULD WOULD BE
BROUGHT UP AS UM AS OPPOSITION
TO WHAT YOU JUST STATED IS THE
FACT THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE
HEALTH CENTERS AND HAVING
SCHOOLS BECOME HEALTH CENTERS IS
THE FACT THAT THIS LEGISLATURE
HAS ALSO AN INVOLVING PARENTS,
RIGHT AND GÂY AND HAVING THOSE
PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS AND
ENGAGING THE PARENTS AND HAVING
IT WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO
HAVE THEM ENGAGE. HOWEVER THE
POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED
THE MEASURES THAT HAVE BEEN
PASSED IN THIS LEGISLATURE HAVE
ACTUALLY DISENFRANCHISED PARENTS
. UM I MANY ASPECTS WHEN IT
COMES TO, UM, THE BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH. UM AND OTHER HEALTH
AREAS. I'M NOT EVEN GO INTO
DETAILS, BUT WITH THAT, BUT THEY
HAVE DIFF DISENFRANCHISED
PARENTS FROM HAVING THOSE
CONVERSATIONS. BILLS THAT, YOU
KNOW, PROHIBIT HEALTH PLANS FROM
INFORMING PARENTS ON THE
SERVICES THAT ARE BEING RENDERED
TO THEIR CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS 12
, YOU KNOW, UH, PROHIBITING
WHAT'S THE OTHER ONE THAT WE
HAVE? WE'VE HAD SEVERAL THAT
HAVE DONE THAT. SO INSTEAD OF
YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO
STATE HERE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO
ENGAGE THE FAMILIES AND TRYING
TO EDUCATE AND BRING THAT THAT
HEALTH COMPONENT INTO THE
SCHOOLS WERE NOT WERE ACTUALLY
REMOVING THOSE PARENTS ON IN
POLICIES THAT JUST WITHIN THE
LAST THREE YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN
HERE, I'VE BEEN CHIPPING AWAY
CHIPPING AWAY. WE BASICALLY
EMANCIPATED THE HEALTH CARE
SYSTEM OR THE HEALTH CARE
COMPONENT ASPECT OF OUR STUDENTS
, UM, IN IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA AS YOUNG AS 12, SO I
UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING
FROM, BUT WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY
DOING THAT AS A WHOLE IN THIS
STATE, UM, WITH THE MEASURES
THAT WE'VE PASSED, SO I, I
COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE
RESPECT THAT, BUT TO THE OTHER
POINT IS ALSO ABOUT PERSONAL
RESPONSIBILITY. ARE WE DOING
CAMPAIGNS ABOUT, UH, SAFETY?
MAYBE WE ARE. MAYBE WE'RE NOT.
BUT THE PRACTICES ARE NOT ARE
NOT COMING AND TO ASK THE
TAXPAYERS TO SAY HEY, WE'VE GOT
YOU COVERED. DO WHATEVER YOU
WANT. YOU KNOW AS YOU PLEASE.
AND WE'RE GONNA PAY FOR IT. I
THINK IT'S A BIT UNFAIR FOR MANY
FARMERS, I KNOW FOR LOW SOCIAL,
ECONOMIC DEMOGRAPHICS, THEY'LL
SAY, NÓ WE WANT THE HELP. WE
WANT THAT WE WANT THAT THAT, UM,
VOUCHER OR WHATEVER IT IS THE
SERVICE OR OR EVERYTHING THAT'S
THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE. BUT TO A
CERTAIN LEVEL, WE HAVE TO HAVE A
CERTAIN LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY
AND SAY, HEY, YOU CAN HAVE
ACCESS TO IT. I MEAN, I WOULD I
WOULD BE MORE COMFORTABLE IF, AS
A STATE SAID THERE IS NÓ AGE
REQUIREMENT. IDEA REQUIRED IN
ORDER TO PURCHASE THEM, BUT TO
JUST SAY, HEY, HERE IT IS. WE'RE
JUST GONNA, YOU KNOW, READILY
HAVE IT AVAILABLE II. I STRUGGLE
WITH THAT. BUT I KNOW UH,
SENATOR SMALLWOOD GAS HAS IS
DYING TO SAY SOMETHING. SO THANK
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, II. I
JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING THIS BILL. UM THIS IS A
40 YEAR ARGUMENT, AND I CAN'T
BELIEVE WE'RE HERE. I REMEMBER
IN THE EIGHTIES THIS WAS A
CONVERSATION, AND HERE WE ARE
2024 TALKING ABOUT THESE, UM,
OLD SORT OF STORYLINES ABOUT,
UH, LIFE SAVING MEASURES. UM WE
WOULD ENSURE DEFIBRILLATORS IN
SCHOOLS. UM CONDOMS ARE LIFE
SAVING MEASURES. AND WITH THAT,
I MOVE, UH, FOR A VOTE ON THIS.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS
SENATOR MANJAR. THANK YOU,
SENATOR. UM SO ANY OTHER
COMMENTS QUESTIONS? THERE'S
NOBODY LEFT, REALLY, SENATOR
WILK. YOU'RE GOOD. YOU'RE GOOD.
OK, SO, UM I'LL BE RESPECTFULLY
VOTING NOW ON THIS. I JUST ON
THE PERSONAL. UM, BUT I
UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING
FROM. I RESPECT UH, WHERE YOU'RE
COMING FROM? I'M JUST NERVOUS
ABOUT, UM, CREATING A IS
PERMEATING THAT CULTURE OF JUST
PERMISSIVENESS AND SAYING, HEY,
DO AS YOU WISH. WHATEVER YOU
WISH WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED. I
HAVE A PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY WHEN
IT COMES TO TAXPAYER MONEY. UM
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS
ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA HOLD
THIS ON ON ROLL CALL FOR OUR OR
CAN WE CALL FOR 00 AND YES,
PLEASE GO AHEAD AND CLOSE. THANK
YOU. UH, THANK YOU, SENATOR FOR
ENGAGING ME ON THIS CONVERSATION
. UM YOU KNOW, I. I JUST WANNA
CLOSE BY SAYING AS PART OF THE
RECENT èC Dð èC REPORT. WE SAW
ONE THING WE SAW THAT, IN FACT,
YOUTH OF THIS AGE ARE HAVING SEX
LESS, BUT THE PERCENTAGE OF NOT
UTILIZING CONDOMS HAS INCREASED.
SO EDUCATION IS WORKING A LITTLE
BIT BECAUSE THEY'RE
PARTICIPATING IN SEX CLASS. BUT
WHAT'S HAPPENED IS THAT THEY
DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE SECOND
PART. SO II. I AGREE WITH THE
WELL LET ME STEP BACK. NOT DOING
ANYTHING WILL ONLY MAKE THE
SITUATION WORSE. WE ARE SITTING
RIGHT NOW WITH OUR ARMS CROSSED,
SAYING, LET'S CONTINUE TO HAVE
THIS S¼ Tð I EPIDEMIC INCREASE.
LET'S CONTINUE TO FIND THINGS
THAT ARE REACTIVE VERSUS BEING
PREVENTATIVE. WHETHER WE PASS
THIS BILL OR NOT. THE YOUTH IN
THIS AGE GROUP. ARE GOING TO
CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN
UNSAFE SEX. THEY ARE GOING TO
CONTINUE TO INCREASE OUR RATES.
SO I BELIEVE IN DATA, AND I
BELIEVE IN SCIENCE. THIS IS WHAT
WORKS. UM AND THIS IS RIGHT NOW,
OUR OPTION OUR OPTION TO ENSURE
THAT WE'RE PROTECTING OUR YOUTH
AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. BECAUSE
LAST THING I'LL SAY HÌ P VÆ HAS
BEEN ON THE RISE AS WELL. WHICH
WE ALL KNOW LEADS TO CANCER. UM
IF WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
ADDRESSING THIS PUBLIC HEALTH
ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO BE, UM
TURN TO THE THING THAT WE KNOW
KEEPS THEM SAFE. SO WITH THAT, I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN I VOTE.
THANK YOU, UH, SENATOR MENJIVAR.
SO, UH, MADAM SECRETARY. OH, SO
WE HAVE A MOTION. MADAM
SECRETARY, WOULD YOU MIND TAKING
THE ROLE? WHILE ITEM FOUR S¼ B
954 MENDAR MOTION IS DUE PASS TO
SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE. NEWMAN.
OR TO A BOOK NÓ Ó èC BOG NÓ
CORTES CORTES, I GLASER LASER
EYE GONZALEZ. MÀ WOOD WEATHER.
SMALL WOOD QUÊ AYE WILK NÓ WILK
NÓ. THANK YOU, AND WE'LL LEAVE
THAT ON CALL FOR THE REST OF THE
MEMBERS.
SO WE NOTICED. WE HAVE SENATOR
PADILLA HERE IN THE ROOM. UH,
SENATOR PADILLA. WOULD YOU LIKE
TO, UH, PRESENT YOUR BILL? YOU
COULD. OK SO THAT WOULD BE S¼ B
967. WELCOME, SENATOR PADILLA.
GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. UH,
I'M HERE TO PRESENT S¼ B 967 TO
ESTABLISH A PILOT DUST PATHOGEN
FORECAST PROGRAM AND MAKE THAT
REQUEST TO THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA. FIRST I'D LIKE TO
BEGIN BY ACCEPTING THE
COMMITTEE'S AMENDMENTS AND THANK
YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR WORKING
WITH US ON THIS BILL S¼ B 967
WOULD REQUEST THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA TO CONDUCT A PILOT
PROJECT AND IMPERIAL COUNTY AND
THE COACHELLA VALLEY. DEVELOP S¼
FORECAST AND DUST STORM EARLY
WARNING. A REGIONAL DESK
FORECAST CAPABILITY, BASICALLY
FOR THE MONSOON, UH, THREE DAY
WINTER FORECAST CAPABILITY. THAT
STORMS AFFECT PUBLIC HEALTH AS
YOU WELL KNOW, DUE TO EXPOSURE.
UM AND DECREASED VISIBILITY
DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTING
MANY VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. TO
MITIGATE THE DANGERS OF THESE
STORMS, EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS
AND DUST FORECASTS ARE NECESSARY
TO PROVIDE TIME FOR COMMUNITIES
TO PREPARE. AN IMPERIAL AND
COACHELLA VALLEY, AS YOU WELL
KNOW, DUST STORMS FROM THE
SALTON SEAS. UH SLOW, UH,
EVAPORATION EXPOSES. PLAY
EXPOSES LAKE BED, WHICH IS
LARGELY, UH COMBINED WITH
AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF AND A LOT OF
TOXINS AND POLLUTANTS, AND THAT
GETS INTO THE AIR COLUMN AND
IT'S BREATHED IN BY THE
COMMUNITY, AND THUS WE HAVE SOME
OF THE HEALTH OUTCOMES THAT WE
SAY IN SOME OF OUR MOST
UNDERSERVED AND UNDER INVESTED
COMMUNITIES. DEVELOPING THIS
FORECAST IN EARLY WARNING SYSTEM
IS THEREFORE NECESSARY TO
DEMONSTRATE WE HAVE A CAPACITY
TO IMPROVE UPON MODELS WHICH
DON'T EXIST IN CALIFORNIA. IS
MORE COMMUNITIES ARE EXPOSED TO
THE RESULTS OF NOT BEING ABLE TO
PREPARE ADEQUATELY. CALIFORNIA
HAS TO TAKE STEPS TO PROTECT OUR
MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.
THEIR HEALTH AND THEIR WELL
BEING. SO AGAIN, THIS BILL WOULD
REQUEST THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA TO CONDUCT A PILOT
PROGRAM TO DEVELOP THAT STANDARD
. THERE IS ALREADY A WORKING
GROUP ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE
UNIVERSITY THAT UNDERGOES SUCH
ANALYSIS IN THIS BILL SIMPLY
MAKES THAT REQUEST WITH ME TODAY
I HAVE DR AMATO EVAN FROM THE
SCRIPPS INSTITUTE OF
OCEANOGRAPHY AT U, èC. SAN
DIEGO. AND PLEASE PROCEED. AH,
THERE YOU ARE RIGHT IN FRONT OF
ME AT THE SITTING DOWN. I'M USED
TO EVERYBODY AT THE MIC STANDING
UP I. I WAS I WAS WONDERING, I
THOUGHT, I THINK THIS IS HIM.
BUT YOU WERE LOOKING THAT WAY.
AND I THOUGHT, IS THERE SOMEONE
ELSE? YEAH. WHEN I INTRODUCE
YOU, YOU CAN FEEL FREE TO
PROCEED. DON'T HAVE TO LOOK FOR
ME TO FIND YOU IN THE ROOM.
DOCTOR, PLEASE WELCOME. ALL
RIGHT, THANKS. THANK YOU, VICE
CHAIR OCHOA, BOGUE AND COMMITTEE
MEMBERS AND THANK YOU, SENATOR
STEVE PADILLA FOR INTRODUCING
THIS BILL THAT AIMS TO CREATE
DUST, STORM FORECAST AND A DUST
STORM EARLY WARNING SYSTEM FOR
THE COMMUNITIES OF IMPERIAL AND
COACHELLA VALLEYS. AND MY NAME
IS AMATO. EVAN I'M A PROFESSOR
AT U èC S¼ Dð SCRIPPS
INSTITUTION OF OCEANOGRAPHY. UM
WHERE I SPECIALIZE IN DUST
STORMS AND SPECIFICALLY DUST
STORMS IN THIS STATE. DUST
STORMS ARE PERVASIVE ACROSS MUCH
OF CALIFORNIA FROM MONO LAKE
SOUTHWARD THROUGH OWENS VALLEY,
ACROSS THE INLAND DESERTS AND
INTO IMPERIAL COUNTY AND
THROUGHOUT THE SAN JOAQUIN
VALLEY. IN SOME CASES, DUST
STORMS ARE SHORT LIVED NUISANCES
FOR THE PEOPLE LIVING AND
WORKING IN THE PARTS OF THE
STATE WHERE THEY OCCUR. BUT AT
THE EXTREME END, THESE STORMS
ARE RAPIDLY MOVING. 3000 FT
WALLS OF DUST BEHIND WHICH
VISIBILITY DROPS PRECIPITATE
PRECIPITOUSLY AND UNHEALTHY AIR
QUALITY LAST HOURS. THE HEALTH
IMPACTS OF SUCH STORMS ARE WIDE
RANGING FROM AUTOMOBILE
ACCIDENTS TO RESPIRATORY ILLNESS
AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
CAUSED BY EXPOSURE TO DUST
PARTICULATE MATTER ARGUE,
ARGUABLY NOWHERE IN THE STATE
ARE THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF DUST
STORMS AS GREAT AS IN THE
IMPERIAL AND COACHELLA VALLEYS
WITH THE DRYING SALTON SEA
REPRESENTS AN EVER GROWING
SOURCE OF DUST INTO THE LOCAL
ENVIRONMENT. THIS BILL AIMS TO
PROTECT THE HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE
LIVING AND WORKING IN THE
IMPERIAL COACHELLA VALLEYS IN
TWO WAYS. FIRST THIS BILL
REQUESTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A
THREE DAY DUST STORM FORECAST
FOR THE REGION AKIN TO A TYPICAL
WEATHER FORECAST. THE GOAL OF
THIS FORECAST IS TO PROVIDE THE
COMMUNITY WITH ACTIONABLE
INFORMATION THAT CAN BE USED TO
MINIMIZE THEIR EXPOSURE TO DUST
AND THE ASSOCIATED IMPACTS SINCE
DUST STORMS OCCURRING IN THE
REGION DURING THE SUMMER MONSOON
SEASON ARE DIFFICULT TO FORECAST
. THIS BILL ALSO REQUESTS AN
EARLY WARNING SYSTEM THAT ALERTS
THE COMMUNITY TO THE PRESENCE OF
A DUST STORM IN THE REGION. THUS
PROVIDING ANOTHER TOOL TO
MINIMIZE EXPOSURE TO THESE
STORMS. FORECASTING IS A
RELATIVELY COST EFFECTIVE
MECHANISM TO MITIGATE EXPOSURE
TO DUST AND MINIMIZE THE
ASSOCIATED ADVERSE ADVERSE
HEALTH IMPACTS. WHILE THE
FORECASTING PILOT PROJECT THIS
BILL CREATES IS TARGETED AT THE
IMPERIAL AND COACHELLA VALLEYS
PROJECT PROJECT, SUCCESS CAN IN
TURN BE LEVERAGED TO CREATE
SIMILAR FORECASTING CAPACITY FOR
ALL REGIONS OF THE STATE WHERE
DUST STORMS OCCUR. THIS PROJECT
WOULD BE UNDERTAKEN BY UC DUST,
A MULTIDISCIPLINARY CENTER
DEDICATED TO DEVELOPING AND
IMPLEMENTING ADAPTATION AND
MITIGATION STRATEGIES THAT
ADDRESS DUST STORMS IN
CALIFORNIA. JUSTICE COMPOSED OF
FACULTY STAFF AND STUDENTS FROM
UCSD, U èC, LAU, èC, RIVERSIDE
, U, èC, IRVINE, U, èC,
MERCED, U, èC DAVIS AND U èC,
BERKELEY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER WITNESSES?
THE WITNESSES DO WE HAVE ANY
MORE? OK DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT OF S¼ B 967
HERE? IN THIS ROOM. 2100. MARIO
GUERRERO ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE
OF THE PRESIDENT. WHILE WE DO
NOT HAVE A POSITION, WE JUST
WANTED TO THANK THE SENATOR FOR
WORKING WITH OUR FACULTY AND
JUST NOTE THAT, UH, YOU SEE
WOULD NEED RESOURCES TO
IMPLEMENT THE BILL. THANK YOU.
GOOD POINT. UM, ANY OTHER
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT? ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ANY WITNESSES
IN OPPOSITION TO S¼ B 967 HERE
IN ROOM 2100. SEE. NONE WILL
MOVE. I GUESS WE'LL BRING IT
BACK TO THE COMMITTEE. SENATOR
WILK. FIRST OF ALL, GREAT BILL,
I MOVE IT. UM AS YOU KNOW, I
HAVE A I HAVE A RESIDENCE DOWN
IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY IN YOUR
DISTRICT. AND I MEAN, I THINK
EVERYBODY ASSUMES, YOU KNOW,
WITH PARTICLES IN THE AIR THAT
YOU KNOW THERE'S OBVIOUSLY YOU
KNOW, PROBLEMS THERE WITH AIR
QUALITY, BUT THERE'S ROADS THAT
ARE SHUT DOWN. UH THERE'S PEOPLE
WHO CAN'T OPEN THEIR GARAGE
DOORS BECAUSE THE SAND THE SAND
IS PILED UP, AND IT'S A REAL
ISSUE DOWN THERE. SO I, I THINK
THIS THIS IS A GREAT PLAN AND
HOPEFULLY IMPROVE PEOPLE'S
HEALTH AND MAYBE POTENTIALLY
SAVE PEOPLE'S LIVES. BY HAVING
THESE THESE WARNINGS IN PLACE SO
HAPPY TO SUPPORT IT TODAY. THANK
YOU. ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTS SEE?
NONE MADAM SECRETARY. OH,
SENATOR PADILLA. WOULD YOU LIKE
TO CLOSE? THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN
I VOTE. THANK YOU, SIR. UH,
MADAM SECRETARY, WOULD YOU, UH,
CALL THE ROLL? FINE LINE ON
FIVE. S¼ B 967 PADILLA MOTION IS
DUE PASS AS AMENDED TO THE
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
NEWMAN OCH, I Ó CHO GUY CORTES
CORTESE EYE GLAZER LASER EYE.
GONZALEZ SMALLWOOD CUEVAS
CUEVAS. I WK WK AYE. AND WE'LL
LEAVE THAT ON CALL FOR THE
REMAINDER OF MEMBERS. NEXT ONE.
OK WE HAVE A SECOND BILL BY
SENATOR PADILLA S¼ B 995 WHEN
YOU'RE READY, SO THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR. I'M HERE TO PRESENT
S¼ B 995 AND FIRST START BY
ACCEPTING COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS
AND THANK YOU AND THE STAFF FOR
WORKING WITH US. AS YOU ALREADY
WELL KNOW, ACROSS THIS NATION
SCHOOLS ARE FACING A DIRE
TEACHER SHORTAGE. TO PUT IT MOST
SIMPLY, WE HAVE HIGH RATES OF
RETIREMENT. WE HAVE AN AGING
TEACHING WORKFORCE, AND WE HAVE
A THINNING TEACHER PIPELINE. WE
ALREADY HAVE SOME GREAT PROGRAMS
THAT WE'VE ESTABLISHED IN
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN COMMUNITY
COLLEGES AND PARTICULARLY THE
èC S¼ U SYSTEM. THAT ALLOW FOR
IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL CANDIDATES
GETTING THEM IN THE RIGHT
CURRICULUM IN THE RIGHT PATH FOR
THEIR UNDERGRADUATE ACHIEVEMENT
ON THE PATH TOWARD
CREDENTIALING. UH, THEY'VE TAKEN
SOME GREAT STRIDES TOWARDS
ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE. BUT AS I
SAY, I THINK THERE'S MUCH MORE
WORK THAT CAN BE DONE. WE NEED
TO SPECIFICALLY AND
INTENTIONALLY RECRUIT MORE
QUALIFIED CANDIDATES INTO THIS
PROFESSION. WHICH IS EVOLVING
RAPIDLY AND PRESENTS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AND BENEFIT
OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS. BUT IN A
VERY RAPIDLY CHANGING LEARNING
ENVIRONMENT AND A CHANGING
DEMANDS AND JOB DIMENSIONS FOR
THOSE THAT WANT TO TEACH S¼ B
995, THE HIGH QUALITY TEACHER
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION ACT
WOULD REQUIRE UH, BASICALLY THE
CREATION OF A PILOT PROGRAM, UH,
AT THREE SPECIFIC CAMPUSES, UH,
WE DESIGNATE AT LEAST ONE MUST
BE IN A RURAL CAMPUS SETTING. TO
TRY TO DISTRIBUTE AND BALANCE
THAT THROUGHOUT THE STATE. WHERE
UH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
COMMUNITY COLLEGES WE CAN BUILD
ON EXISTING PROGRAMS AND MAKE IT
POSSIBLE. UH TO ACHIEVE
UNDERGRADUATE, BACCALAUREATE AND
CO AND CREDENTIALING WITHIN A
FOUR YEAR PERIOD. IT BUILDS OFF
EXISTING PARTNERSHIPS. UH UH,
THAT DIRECT TOWARDS A HOST OF
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES AND CREATE
A MORE STREAMLINED TEACHER
PATHWAY. BY REQUIRING COMMUNITY
COLLEGES AND èC S¼ U S¼ TO
JOINTLY CREATE A PROGRAM S¼ B
995 WOULD MAKE BECOMING A
TEACHER MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR
STUDENTS. FROM LOW INCOME AND
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. BY
REQUIRING RECRUITMENT EFFORTS
AND MARKETING THAT ARE
SPECIFICALLY DIRECTED AT AT HIGH
SCHOOL STUDENT POPULATIONS WITH
POTENTIAL TO SERVE HERE, UH, WE
HELP ALSO ACHIEVE A MORE DIVERSE
POOL IN THE TEACHING, UH, CORE
AND WE ALL KNOW AS YOU WELL KNOW
THAT THAT MAKES A REAL IMPACT IN
THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND IN
THE CLASSROOM, PARTICULARLY IN
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. WITH ME
TODAY TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF
THE BILL IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE
SOUTHWESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE
DISTRICT DOCTOR MARK SANCHEZ AND
DOCTOR PAUL GOT THERE FROM THE
SAN DIEGO COUNTY OFFICE OF
EDUCATION.
WELCOME. YOU MAY PROCEED WHEN
YOU'RE READY. UH, GOOD MORNING,
VICE CHAIR, MADAM VICE CHAIR.
SORRY AND MEMBERS OF THE SENATE
EDUCATION COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS
PAUL GELD. I AM THE PROUD
SUPERINTENDENT OF THE SAN DIEGO
COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION. I AM
HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF S¼ B
995, WHICH BUILDS OFF EXISTING
PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN TWO
ESTEEMED HIGHER EDUCATION
SEGMENTS WITH ONE GOAL IN MIND,
GET MORE PEOPLE INTO THE
TEACHING PROFESSION AS
AFFORDABLY AND QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE. BY EXPANDING THIS
TESTED AND PROVEN PARTNERSHIP.
THE PILOT PROGRAM ESTABLISHED BY
S¼ B 995, WITH PROMOTE DIVERSITY
IN THE TEACHER WORKFORCE,
REDUCED ECONOMIC BARRIERS TO
BECOMING A TEACHER PROMOTE
RETENTION THROUGH A GROWING YOUR
OWN MODEL, PUT FOR PARTICULAR
FOCUS ON RURAL AREAS OF THE
STATE, WHERE THE PERSISTENT
SHORTAGE OF FULLY QUALIFIED
TEACHERS IS ESPECIALLY
PRONOUNCED. SAN DIEGO COUNTY
OFFICE OF ED PROVIDES
CREDENTIALING SUPPORT TO 42
DISTRICTS, 100 THROUGH 30,
CHARTER SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES
AND INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE
COUNTY AND IN WORK. I HAVE SEEN
THE LENGTH DISTRICTS HAVE GONE
TO HAVE A FULLY STAFFED TEACHER
WORKFORCE FOR THEIR STUDENTS,
AND I'VE SEEN THE STRUGGLE
ASPIRING CREDENTIAL HOLDERS
ENDURE ON THEIR PATH TO BECOMING
A TEACHER. IN RECENT YEARS, THE
STATE HAS APPROPRIATED
CONSIDERABLE FUNDING FOR VARIOUS
GRANTS TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN
TEACHERS. IT'S UNLIKELY THAT WE
WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO RE UP
THESE PROGRAMS GIVEN THE DEFICIT
WE NOW FACE AS A STATE. AND WHAT
WE APPRECIATE ABOUT S¼ B 995 IS
THAT IT WORKS WITHIN OUR
EXISTING SYSTEM OF FUNDING,
TAKING A CREATIVE PILOTED
APPROACH THAT WE BELIEVE IN TIME
COULD BE REPLICATED STATEWIDE BY
MARRYING THE REACH AND SCALE OF
OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGES WITH THE
èC S¼ U S¼, UH, EX EXPERTISE IN
TEACHER PREPARATION. THIS BILL
CAN ESTABLISH A NEW, EXCITING
MODEL FOR BOLSTERING OUR TEACHER
WORKFORCE. I WANNA THANK THE
SENATOR FOR AUTHORIZING, UH,
AUTHORING THIS MEASURE AND I
HUMBLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AT
THE APPROPRIATE TIME. MISTER
PRESIDENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NEXT WITNESS, PLEASE. GOOD
MORNING TO THE COMMITTEE. AND
THANK YOU, SENATOR PADILLA FOR
HAVING US THIS MORNING. MY NAME
IS MARK SANCHEZ, AND I'M THE
SUPERINTENDENT PRESIDENT AT
SOUTHWESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN
CHULA VISTA, CALIFORNIA AND WE
ARE THE ONLY POST-SECONDARY
INSTITUTION IN THE SOUTH COUNTY
OF SAN DIEGO IN WHICH WE SERVE
CLOSE TO A HALF MILLION
RESIDENTS IN OUR COUNTY. AND I'M
VERY PLEASED TO BE HERE JUST
JUST TO BE HERE TO SPEAK ON
BEHALF OF S¼ B 995. UM IN OUR
SERVICE AREA. OUR LARGEST
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT IS
CHILLIS ELEMENTARY, AND IT'S
ALSO THE LARGEST ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL DISTRICT DISTRICT IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. IN ADDITION
, OUR POST-SECONDARY SECONDARY
DISTRICT IS SWEETWATER UNION
HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT. IT IS THE
LARGEST SECONDARY SCHOOL
DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA AS WELL. OVER THE
LAST 10 MONTHS. WE'VE BEEN
ENGAGED IN A UNIVERSITY NOW
INITIATIVE WITH BUSINESS AND
INDUSTRY, THE CITY OF CHULA
VISTA. UH, Kò THROUGH 12
PARTNERS AND OUR LOCAL
UNIVERSITIES. AND ESSENTIALLY,
WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS LOOKING
AT THE, UH, PRIORITY OCCUPATIONS
FOR THE REGION OVER THE NEXT 10
YEARS AND THEN WITH THE
EDUCATIONAL PIECE LOOKING AT THE
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS WE NEED TO
BUILD TO BE ABLE TO MEET THOSE
PRIORITY OCCUPATIONS. AS A
RESULT, PRELIMINARY FINDINGS
FROM THAT STUDY. WE'VE
IDENTIFIED SEVERAL PRELIMINARY
OCCUPATIONS PRIORITY OCCUPATIONS
IN THE TEACHING FIELD,
SPECIFICALLY SECONDARY SCHOOL
TEACHERS. ENGLISH IS A SECOND
LANGUAGE TEACHERS, SPECIAL
EDUCATION TEACHERS IN
KINDERGARTEN AND ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL TEACHERS AS WELL. SO THIS
ALIGNS WITH THE FACT THAT MANY
OF IN THE TEACHING PROFESSION
ARE BEGINNING TO RETIRE OR
SEPARATE FROM THIS OCCUPATION,
AND SO OUR FACULTY HAVE
IDENTIFIED THE NEC NECESSITY
NECESSARY ACADEMIC PROGRAMS TO
BE ABLE TO MEET THESE UH,
DEGREES TO PE PUT PEOPLE IN
THESE POSITIONS. IN ADDITION TO
THAT EARLY FEEDBACK FROM OUR
FACULTY HAVE OUTLINED THE NEED
FOR ONLINE DISTANCE LEARNING
TEACHERS AS WELL AS ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE AND TECHNOLOGY,
EVOLVING TECHNOLOGY TEACHERS AS
WELL. OUR LOCAL CSU SAN DIEGO
STATE UNIVERSITY IS IMPACTED
CURRENTLY, SO DOES NOT HAVE THE
CAPACITY TO SERVE ADDITIONAL
STUDENTS. AND OUR CAL STATE. SAN
MARCOS IS 50 MILES FROM OUR
SERVICE AREA, THEREBY CREATING A
DISTANCE BARRIER FOR OUR
STUDENTS AND OUR PART OF THE
COUNTY. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
SUPPORT OF THIS BILL, AND, UM
THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT AND
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC HERE WHO WOULD LIKE
TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF THE
MEASURE, SO PLEASE COME TO THE
PODIUM STATE. YOUR NAME YOUR
ORGANIZATION, YOUR POSITION.
GOOD MORNING, MARTHA SARAGOSA
DIAZ, REPRESENTING THE
CALIFORNIA MUSIC EDUCATORS
ASSOCIATION, AND WE STRONGLY
SUPPORT YOUR BILL. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. NEXT, PLEASE. LUCY
SALCIDO CARTER WITH THE ALAMEDA
COUNTY OFFICE OF ED AND SUPPORT
THANK YOU NEXT, PLEASE. MORNING
MR CHAIR AND MEMBERS TRISTAN
BROWN OF èC F Tð UNION OF
EDUCATORS AND CLASSIFIED
PROFESSIONALS ARE STATE COUNCIL
MET OVER THE WEEKEND, SO WE WERE
NOT ABLE TO MEET THE DEADLINE TO
BE ON RECORD. I'LL ONLY SAY THAT
FOR THIS AND EVERY OTHER I WON'T
SAY IT FOR EVERY OTHER BILL
TODAY, BUT WE SUPPORT THIS BILL.
WE'LL GET ON RECORD NEXT TIME.
THANK YOU. DULY NOTED. THANK
YOU, MR BROWN. GOOD MORNING, MR
CHAIR MEMBERS, DOMINIQUE 10 ON
BEHALF OF ED VOICE AND STRONG
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING
, IRAN MAJD ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF
CHANCES OFFICE. WE DON'T HAVE AN
OFFICIAL SUPPORT POSITION TODAY.
BUT WE WANT TO THANK THE AUTHOR
AND THE COMMITTEE FOR WORKING IN
ENGAGING IN GOOD FAITH WITH US
IN THE COLLABORATION THAT HAS
TAKEN PLACE SO FAR. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. UH, DO WE HAVE ANY
WITNESSES IN OUR POSITION?
SEEING NONE. LET'S COME BACK TO
THE COMMITTEE ANY QUESTIONS OR
CONCERNS FROM MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE? PLEASE. SENATOR èC
B. SO UM, I, I HAVE A QUESTION
JUST BECAUSE OF THE DATA THAT WE
HAVE SEEN WITH REGARDS TO, UM
READING SCORES, MATH SCORES,
SCIENCE SCORES, UM IN OUR STATE.
AS FAR AS THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR
STUDENTS GO IF WE ARE TO
STREAMLINE THE, UM, TRAINING OF
OUR TEACHERS. WHERE DO YOU SEE
WHAT SORT OF CLASSES DO YOU SEE
REMOVING IN ORDER TO SHORTEN THE
PERIOD FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO
GRADUATE? UM YOU KNOW IN FOUR
YEARS RATHER THAN, SAY, IN FIVE
YEARS. I WILL TAKE THE ONE THAT
HAS THE ANSWER. I'LL DIRECT IT
TO YOU WHEN THEY CAN ANSWER, SO
I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND START. UM
AND THEN I'LL ALLOW MY COLLEAGUE
UH, DOCTOR GEL TO JUMP IN, BUT I
THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WE'RE TRYING TO DO THROUGH CCA
DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAMS WORKING
WITH OUR Kò THROUGH 12 PARTNERS
IS TO BEGIN THOSE CAREER PATHWAY
, REALLY STARTING IN THE NINTH
GRADE AND WORKING THROUGH THE
12TH GRADE AND ARTICULATING THE
COURSEWORK FOR TEACHERS TO
REMOVE STEM COURSES OR STATISTIC
COURSES AND UNNECESSARY COURSES
FOR THEM TO GET THE IN THAT
FIELD AND SO REALLY WORKING WITH
THOSE ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS TO
JUST HAVE THE STUDENT TAKE THE
COURSES THEY NEED JUST TO BECOME
TEACHERS AND GET THEIR
CREDENTIALS. SO UM, IF THERE
WHAT WE'VE WHAT OUR FACULTY HAVE
DONE, IS REMOVED NON STEM
PATHWAY COURSES FROM THOSE FROM
THAT TRAJECTORY TO ALLOW
STUDENTS TO GET TO THE TEACHING
PATHWAY AS SEAMLESS AS POSSIBLE,
WORKING WITH OUR Kò THROUGH 12
SYSTEMS SO THAT IT'S A SYSTEMS,
WIDE SYSTEM, ALIGNMENT AND
CURRICULUM. SO IF YOU REMOVE THE
STEM COURSES, UM AND STEM
COURSES IN RELATED FOR THESE
CHILDREN OR THESE KIDS OR
STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO GRADUATE,
UM IN A IN A STREAMLINED
POSITION IN ORDER TO BE A STEM
TEACHER IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND
HIGH SCHOOL. YOU HAVE TO HAVE
SOME TRAINING SOME UNDERSTANDING
IN THAT AREA, RIGHT? IF I MAY,
UH, JUST AND AGAIN, Kò 12. I
DON'T WANT TO RESPOND ON BEHALF
OF THE COLLEGES, BUT A AS A
DISTRICT SOUP AND AS A UM COUNTY
SOUP. THE ARTICULATION
AGREEMENTS THAT DOCTOR SANCHEZ
WAS TALKING ABOUT, UM, ENABLE
STUDENTS WHO ARE IN JUNIORS AND
SENIORS IN HIGH SCHOOL TO TAKE
COLLEGE COURSES CONCURRENTLY AND
START TO REMOVE SOME OF THOSE
REQUIRED COURSES THAT THEY WOULD
HAVE HAD TO TAKE AS COLLEGE
FRESHMAN. UH, I'VE SEEN THOSE
ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS WITH CAL
STATE DOMINGUEZ HILLS WHERE
YOU'RE ACTUALLY COMPLETING. SOME
OF THE REQUIREMENTS WHILE YOU
WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL AND DON'T
HAVE TO RETAKE THOSE COURSES. IF
YOU'RE SUCCESSFUL AT THE COLLEGE
LEVEL, SO IT'S NOT THAT YOU'RE
NOT TAKING THEM AT ALL. IT'S
JUST THAT YOU ARE TAKING IT AT A
DIFFERENT PERIOD OF TIME. RATHER
THAN FURTHER ON SO I JUST WANNA
MAKE SURE THAT OUR TEACHERS HAVE
THE BEST PREPARATION. UM IN
TOOLS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT EVEN
AFTER THEY BECOME TEACHERS, MANY
SCHOOL DISTRICTS FIND THEMSELVES
AND TEACHERS AS A FORMER TEACHER
. I'M SPEAKING ON THAT. YOU
KNOW, WE WERE, UH WE WERE GIVEN
MENTORS AND NOW WE'RE SEEING
THAT WE WE'RE BEING ASKED TO
FUND MORE TRAINING FOR TEACHERS
TO BE ABLE TO TEACH LITERACY. UM
EVEN FURTHER. SO IN SPEAKING
WITH, UM YOU KNOW, PROFESSORS
AND DANS AT UC BERKELEY. WE WERE
JUST I WAS JUST KIND OF
BRAINSTORMING AS TO WHAT IS IT
THAT WE NEED? UM TO ADD IT. FOR
DURING OUR TEACHERS, EITHER
CONDITIONING PROGRAM OR THEIR
TRADING POST. UH, POST.
GRADUATE. I GUESS YOU COULD SAY
IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE. THE
MOST PERFECT AND THE MOST
PREPARED. NOT PERFECT, BUT THE
MOST PREPARED, UH, TEACHERS, UM,
IN OUR Kò THROUGH JUST TO SEE
YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO THE
RESOURCES THAT WE GIVE THEM. HOW
CAN THEY BEST BE THE BEST
TEACHERS FOR OUR STUDENTS SO
THAT OUR STUDENTS CAN START
ELEVATING THEIR THEIR
PERFORMANCE? UM IN OUR STATE, SO
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS
PROGRAM WILL NOT JEOPARDIZE
THEIR ABILITY TO BE TRAINED AND
HAVE THE SKILL SETS NECESSARY TO
BE THE BEST TEACHERS. YEAH AND
IN MY INPUT, SO THERE'S A STEM
REQUIREMENT AS A PART OF THE A
THROUGH G REQUIREMENTS FOR
GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR
ONE OF THE THINGS YOU DON'T WANT
TO DO WHEN YOU'RE PARTNERING
WITH A COLLEGE IS THE COLLEGE
COMING IN AND ADDITIONAL
COURSEWORK. THAT IS NOT
NECESSARILY SO. THAT'S REALLY
THE CONTEXT OF MY COMMENTS.
HOWEVER IF A STUDENT GRADUATES
FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND IS ON TRACK
TO BECOME A BIO BIOLOGY TEACHER
THAN THERE WOULD BE ADDITIONAL
COURSEWORK THAT THAT STUDENT
WOULD HAVE TO TAKE. BUT IT'S NOT
ON THE FRONT END OF THEIR
CURRICULUM. GOT IT? GOT IT AND
ON THE, UM ON THE UNIVERSITY,
PART OF IT, UM, ON THE COLLEGES
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL
EXPENSES ON THEIR BEHALF ON
ANYBODY OR EXTRA WORK THAT THEY
HAVE TO DO? THE REASON I'M
ASKING IS BECAUSE OF THE BUDGET
CUTS THAT WE HAVE. I JUST WANNA
MAKE SURE THAT IF WE'RE ASKING
UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES SCHOOLS
TO COLLABORATE AND ADD
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS THAT THEY'RE
NOT OVERBURDENED WITH, UH, MORE
REQUIREMENTS WITHOUT THE
ADEQUATE FUNDING. YEAH, THAT'S A
GREAT QUESTION, AND USUALLY THE
ADDITIONAL COST COMES IN WHEN
STUDENTS HAVE TO TAKE COURSES
THAT THEY DON'T REALLY NEED. SO
WHAT OUR SCIENCE FACULTY HAVE
DONE IS ARTICULATED OUR COURSE
WORKS WITH ALL OF OUR LOCAL
UNIVERSITIES IN OUR REGION SO
THAT THERE'S NÓ WASTED
COURSEWORK IN THAT CURRICULUM
TRAJECTORY. EXCELLENT. THANK
YOU, MR CHAIRMAN. I MIGHT
RESPOND AND BRING IT BACK TO THE
BILL. PLEASE DO. THANK YOU JUST
TO CLARIFY. UH, THIS BILL DOES
NOT IN ANY WAY AMEND, MODIFY AND
CAN'T AS YOU WELL KNOW, UH, THE
CREDENTIALING REQUIREMENTS. FOR
EITHER SSA OR FOR PRIMARY OR ANY
OTHER KIND OF CREDENTIAL.
SECONDLY THE THEORY BEHIND THE
BILL'S APPROACH IS TO EMPLOY
DUAL ENROLLMENT AND OTHER
STRATEGIES THAT WOULD CREATE
BETTER EFFICIENCIES TO ALLOW A
STUDENT TO COMPLETE, UH, THEIR
UNDERGRADUATE AND CREDENTIALING
IN A MORE TIMELY FASHION,
BECAUSE THE IMPERATIVE HERE IS
THAT WE ARE HAVING AN EVER
INCREASING TEACHER SHORTAGE.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE. UH
AND WELL, LET ME SAY SO. YOU
KNOW, ONE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A
COMPELLING JUSTIFICATION FOR
THIS BILL. I APPRECIATE IT, BUT
BUT TO THE CONVERSATION, I, I
ACTUALLY HAVE BILLS AT THIS
COMMITTEE WILL HEAR ONE
ADDRESSES THE TEACHER
PROFICIENCY ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS
ARGUABLY A REAL DETERRENT TO UH,
TEACHING A PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS
BUT ALSO ESPECIALLY TEACHERS OF
COLOR. UH AND SECONDLY, I HAVE A
BILL THAT WILL ADDRESS DUAL
ENROLLMENT. TRY TO MAKE IT
EASIER FOR, UH, LOCAL DISTRICTS
TO PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY
COLLEGE DISTRICTS TO ENTER TO DO
A RO. SO ALL OF THIS PART OF A
LARGER EFFORT, I THINK TO
IMPROVE EDUCATION AND THE
EDUCATED WORKFORCE. UH, GLAD TO
SUPPORT THE BILL. WOULD YOU LIKE
TO CLOSE? UH, THANK YOU, MR
CHAIRMAN. I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
AN I VOTE. AND WE HAD A MOTION
FROM SENATOR èC B¢O. MADAM
STONE. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
WHILE ITEM SIX. S¼ B 995 PADILLA
MOTION IS DUE PASS AS AMENDED TO
THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE. NEWMAN I Ó I Ó GUY
CORTES OR CORTESE EYE. GLAZER
GLASER EYE GONZALEZ, SMALLWOOD
CUEVAS. SMALLWOOD CUEVAS IY
WILK. AND THE MEASURE CURRENTLY
HAS 46 VOTES, AND WE'LL LEAVE
THAT OPEN FOR NOW, UH, SENATOR
ALLEN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PATIENCE AND WELCOME. AND YOU
WILL BE PRESENTING SB 1341 AND
THANK YOU TO THE WITNESSES. AND
PLEASE PROCEED WHEN YOU'RE
READY. APPRECIATE IT. UM, NICE
TO BE BACK HERE. WONDERFUL
EDUCATION COMMITTEE. OUR OUR
CHAIR EMERITUS. THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE. ALL RIGHT, SO
MEMBERS THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE
TOPIC OF MEDIA ARTS, WHICH IS A
VERSATILE, INCLUSIVE DISCIPLINE.
THAT HELP YOU KNOW THAT CAN HELP
CALIFORNIA'S LEARNERS ENHANCE
THEIR EDUCATION ENRICHMENT
DEVELOPMENT BY HARNESSING
TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY. IT HELPS
STUDENTS BECOME BETTER
CONTRIBUTORS TO UH, CULTURAL
CONVERSATIONS CRITIC YOU KNOW,
BE CRITICAL AUDIENCES AND
DISCERNING CITIZENS IN A IN A
MEDIA CENTERED SOCIETY. WHAT
DOES MEDIA ARTS I MEAN, IT
INCLUDES PHOTOGRAPHY FILM SOUND.
PRODUCTION VIDEO GAME DESIGN,
WEB DESIGN, VIRTUAL AUGMENTED
AND MIXED REALITY DESIGN. AND
IT'S ALL AN IMPORTANT
CENTERPIECE ACTUALLY, OF OUR OF
OUR OVER HALF A TRILLION DOLLAR
CREATIVE ECONOMY. SO, UM NOW,
MEDIA ARTS HAS EXISTED IN
CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS, UH, FOR
DECADES, BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL THE
UNANIMOUS BIPARTISAN PASSAGE OF
S¼ OF A B 37 IN 2017 THAT THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE
INSTRUCTIONAL QUALITY COMMISSION
AND THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
. WE'RE TASKED WITH DEVELOPING A
FORMAL FRAMEWORK AND STANDARDS
INCLUSIVE OF MEDIA ARTS AS A
SPECIFIC ARTS DISCIPLINE. AND
THEN WE HAD THESE CALIFORNIA
ARTS, EDUCATION STANDARDS AND
FRAMEWORK WHICH WERE ADOPTED IN
2019 AND 2020. SO THEN THE
PEOPLE OF THE STATE PASSED PROP
28. UH WHICH WAS OF COURSE, THIS
MASSIVE, MASSIVELY IMPORTANT
LANDMARK. UM ARTS EDUCATION
MEASURE, WHICH INCLUDED FUNDING
ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THOSE,
UH, YOU KNOW FOR MEDIA ARTS. AND
THESE IMPORTANT MILESTONES HAVE
HELPED TO ELEVATE THE MEDIA ARTS
AND FORTIFY ARTS EDUCATION MORE
BROADLY AS AN ENDURING PART OF A
HOLISTIC EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE.
WE KNOW HOW MUCH IT REALLY
IMPACTS THE KIDS' EDUCATION. WE
JUST DISCUSSED IT THE OTHER DAY
ON THE ON THE FLOOR WITH OUR
ARTS, EDUCATION MONTH RESOLUTION
, BUT HERE'S THE ONE ISSUE WE'RE
TRYING TO FIX. IF YOU LOOK AT
THE EDUCATION CODE, YOU QUICKLY
FIND THAT MEDIA ARTS IS NOT
LISTED ALONGSIDE THE OTHER ARTS
DISCIPLINES IN SPITE OF ITS
FORMAL PRESENCE IN THE ARTS,
EDUCATION, STANDARDS AND
FRAMEWORK AND ALSO THE
PROVISIONS IN PROP 28, SO THIS
HAS LED TO CONCERNS AND SOME
CONFUSION FROM OUR EDUCATION
STAKEHOLDERS AS THEY DEVELOP
GUIDANCE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMMING
FOR STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS
ALIKE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE
ED CODE REFLECTS THE REALITY OF
THE FRAMEWORK AND ALSO PROP 28
SO THIS THEY'LL SIMPLY CLOSES
THAT GAP BY THEATER AND VISUAL
ARTS. AND THIS WILL NOW THIS
WILL ALIGN OUR, UM STATUTE WITH
THE FRAMEWORK IN 28. AND SO WITH
ME TODAY, I HAVE DANE OLSEN,
WHO'S THE PRESIDENT OF THE
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR MEDIA
ARTS EDUCATION. MR OLSON
WELCOME. THANK YOU. UH, GOOD
MORNING CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS DEAN OLSON
PRESIDENT èC E Ó OF THE
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR MEDIA
ARTS EDUCATION. I RECENTLY
RETIRED FROM LAU S¼ Dð, WHERE I
TAUGHT IN ADMINISTRATED, UH
VISUAL ARTS, EDUCATION AND MEDIA
ARTS. AND I'VE BEEN A LEADER IN
THE DEVELOPMENT AND
IMPLEMENTATION AND ESTABLISHMENT
OF MEDIA ARTS AT AT DISTRICT
LEVEL IN LAU, S¼, Dð AND STATE
LEVEL AS WELL AS NATIONAL
LEVELS. I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF
S¼ B ONE THREE 41, WHICH WILL
MAKE ME ARTS, AN OFFICIAL ARTS
SUBJECT AVAILABLE TO ALL
CALIFORNIA STUDENTS. CURRENTLY
LESS THAN 4% OF OUR STUDENTS
HAVE ACCESS TO MEDIA ARTS
COURSES. WE HAVE METEOR
STANDARDS AND FRAMEWORK S¼ B
1341 FINALIZES ITS STATUS. MEDIA
ARTS IS THE BASIS FOR OUR
SOCIETY'S COMMUNICATIONS, DESIGN
AND INTERACTIVITY IS HOW WE KNOW
WE ARE ON A PLANET WITH OTHER
PEOPLE AND ECOLOGIES. IT IS
IMPERATIVE THAT ALL STUDENTS
GAIN THESE BASIC MULTIMODAL
LITERACIES FOR ENGAGING,
CONNECTING WITH AND FORMING OUR
WORLD AS WELL AS CRITICALLY
ANALYZING ALL MEDIA ARTS
PRODUCTS AND EXPERIENCES FOR
MEANING INTENTION, BIAS AND
VERACITY. STUDENTS NEED TO MOVE
FROM BEING PASSIVE CONSUMERS OF
MEDIA TO ACTIVE INFORMED AND
RESPONSIBLE PRODUCERS. THEY NEED
TO BE ABLE TO DISTINGUISH
BETWEEN FACT AND FICTION, THE
TRUTHFUL AND THE MIS MISLEADING.
EDUCATION IS A PRIMARY MEANS BY
WHICH WE TAMPER AND REDIRECT THE
INCREASING POWERS OF MEDIA
TECHNOLOGIES, INCLUDING A I
MEDIA ARTS ENABLES STUDENTS
LIMITLESS CREATIVITY AND
PRODUCING VIDEOS, ANIMATIONS,
GRAPHICS, INFOGRAPHICS MOTION
GRAPHICS, ANIMATION, SOUND AND
MUSIC INTERACTIVE DESIGN, SUCH
AS WEB GAME WEB GAME AND APP
DESIGN AND VIRTUAL AUGMENTED AND
MIXED REALITY. STUDENTS CAN
PRODUCE AND SIMULATE ANYTHING
IMAGINABLE THROUGH MEDIA ARTS.
THIS FORMS A VERSATILE VIRTUAL
TO PHYSICAL MAKER SPACE FOR A
TRANSDISCIPLINARY PROJECTS
ACROSS SUBJECT AREAS THAT CAN
INCORPORATE ALL OF THE ARTS AND
ACADEMIC SUBJECTS. MANY ARTS CAN
FUNCTION AS THE CENTRAL HUB
SUBJECT FOR 21ST CENTURY
EDUCATION. IN STEAM. PRO
PROJECTS, FOR EXAMPLE, IT
SUPPORTS HIGHLY ENGAGING PROJECT
BASED FORMS OF LEARNING, WHICH
ARE STUDENT CENTERED AND STUDENT
DIRECTED THESE DIVERSE
PRODUCTION ACTIVITIES PROVIDE A
BROAD RANGE OF SKILL SETS AND
ABILITIES AS WELL AS CORE
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THAT ARE
CONTEXTUALLY ENRICHED,
CULTURALLY RELEVANT, PURPOSEFUL
AND REWARDING FOR ALL STUDENTS,
FOR EXAMPLE, MY OWN INNER CITY
STUDENTS IN L EU S¼ Dð,
INCLUDING ENGLISH LANGUAGE
LEARNERS AND SPECIAL EDUCATION
STUDENTS PRODUCE THE SCHOOL'S
YEARBOOK, INCLUDING JOURNALISTIC
DOCUMENTATION OF ALL SCHOOL
ACTIVITIES. THEY PRODUCED NEWS
PROGRAMS, WHICH GAVE SCHOOL
UPDATES, AS WELL AS SUMMARIES OF
LOCAL, NATIONAL AND GLOBAL
EVENTS. THEY PRODUCE TRAINING
VIDEOS FOR THE FACULTY, AND FOR
LE S¼ Dð COUNSELORS. THEY
PRODUCE DOCUMENTARIES ABOUT
HISTORY AND ISSUES OF SOCIAL
JUSTICE. IMPORTANT TO THEM, AND
BILL NIGHY. THE SCIENCE GUY
TYPES OF VIDEOS. THEY DIRECTED
DRAMATIC MOVIES WITH THEATER
TRAINED STUDENTS AND CAPTURED
CONTEMPORARY DANCES. THEY
PRODUCE MUSIC AND MUSIC VIDEOS
FOR SCHOOL DANCES. THEY
PROGRAMMED A VIDEO GAMES AND
INCORPORATED MATHEMATICAL
ALGEBRAIC CONCEPTS BOTH IN THEIR
CONSTRUCTION AND IN THE CONTENT
OF THE VIDEO GAMES. ONE PROJECT
SUPPORTED STUDENTS TO REIMAGINE
AND REDESIGN THEIR LOS ANGELES
NEIGHBORHOODS USING THREE Dð
ARCHITECTURAL SOFTWARE FROM EPIC
GAMES. STUDENTS STUDIED THE
PRINCIPLES OF CITY DESIGN FROM
THE LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF
URBAN PLANNING AND UNESCO'S
PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABILITY.
THEY LEARNED ABOUT BUILDING
CODES AND SEISMIC SAFETY. THEY
LEARN BASIC ENGINEERING AND
CONSTRUCTION CONCEPTS FROM OUR
PARTNERING ENGINEERING ACADEMY.
THE STUDENTS STUDIED THEIR LOCAL
STREETS FOR PARTICULARLY
DILAPIDATED AREAS THAT THEY
COULD REDESIGN AND CAPTURED THEM
IN GOOGLE MAPS APPLYING THESE
Tð. I'M SORRY, I'M GONNA HAVE TO
ASK YOU TO REACH. SOON. I LIKE
YOU. BUT PLEASE, I MEAN, DON'T
LET ME JUST CUT YOU OFF. LET'S
LET'S DO THIS GRACEFULLY. YEAH,
GO AHEAD. YEAH. UH LET'S SEE, UH
, THE STUDENTS STUDY. YEAH
CAUGHT THESE, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS
IN THEIR GOOGLE GOOGLE MAPS. UH
APPLYING THESE PRINCIPLES. THEY
WORKED IN GROUPS TO TRANSFORM
NEGLECTED NEIGHBORHOODS INTO
BEAUTIFUL, ATTRACTIVE AND
EFFECTIVE CITY DESIGNS THAT WERE
PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE FRIENDLY
AND AN EFFICIENT AND CONVENIENT
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. THEY EVEN
CREATED EFFECTIVE DESIGNS FOR
HOMELESS HOUSING. SO FOR THE
ABOVE REASONS I URGE YOU TO VOTE
YES TO SUPPORT S¼ B 1341 SO THAT
ALL CALIFORNIA STUDENTS HAVE
ACCESS TO MEDIA ARTS. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH, UH, ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE? OH
JEEZ. I'M SORRY. YEAH, I. I GOT
LOST IN THE IN IN THE REVERIE
HERE. NÓ NÓ. IT'S UH, YES. UH,
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE IN THE
HEARING ROOM WOULD LIKE TO
TESTIFY AND SUPPORT OF SB 1000
THREE 141. IF SO, PLEASE COME TO
THE PODIUM. AND STATE YOUR NAME
YOUR ORGANIZATION AND YOUR
POSITION. MARTHA ZARAGOZA DIAZ,
UH, REPRESENTING THE CALIFORNIA
MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION, AND
WE'RE IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL.
THANK YOU NEXT, PLEASE. GOOD
MORNING, MR CHAIR AND MEMBERS,
PAMELA GIBBS, REPRESENTING THE
LOS ANGELES COUNTY
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS,
DEBORAH THAR, THOUGH IN SUPPORT
OF THE BILL, NICE TO SEE YOU, MS
GIBBS. NEXT, PLEASE. MORNING
AGAIN. TRISTAN BROWN AT THE èC
F Tð ALSO IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY HERE
WHO WOULD LIKE TO TESTIFY IN
OPPOSITION TO 1000 THREE 141?
THAT'S A GOOD SIGN. UH, ALL
RIGHT QUESTION. COMMENTS FROM
THE VERY SENATOR WILK. THANK
YOU, MR CHAIR. GREAT BILL. IF IT
DOES GET AMENDED, I'D LOVE TO BE
ADDED AS A CO-AUTHOR. THERE'S A
PHONE NEXT TO ME. UM SINCE THIS
IS MY LAST YEAR, AND I DON'T
KNOW HOW MANY MORE OPPORTUNITIES
II I I'M GONNA GET TO SAY THIS.
I WANNA JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP IN THIS SPACE. I'VE
BEEN ON THE JOINT COMMITTEE OF
THE RS MY ENTIRE TIME. UH, THAT
I'VE BEEN UP HERE. YOU'VE BEEN A
LEADER OF THAT EFFORT, AND WE'VE
MADE SO MUCH STRIDES. WHEN I WAS
HERE, YOU KNOW, 12 YEARS AGO TO
INCORPORATE ALL THESE GREAT
THINGS THAT HAVE ACADEMIC
RELEVANCE AS WELL IS JUST IN IN
IMPROVING YOUNG PEOPLE'S LIVES,
SO I JUST I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. I REALLY,
REALLY APPRECIATE IT. IT'S VERY
KIND. AND WITH THAT MOVE THE
BILL. WE HAVE A MOTION FOR
SENATOR. WELCOME, SENATOR ALLEN.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? I
REALLY APPRECIATE THOSE THOSE
KIND WORDS AND, UH, THE
TESTIMONY AND PROFESSOR. THANK
YOU. UH THANK YOU. SO WE HAVE A
MOTION FOR SENATOR WILCO. MADAM
CONSULTANT. PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL. FIRE A 10 S¼ B 1341. ALLEN
MOTION TO PASS TO SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE. NEWMAN
NEWMAN, I OCH OCH, I CORTES
CORTESE EYE GLAZER. GONZALEZ.
MARWOOD CUEVAS. SMALLWOOD CUEVAS
AYE WILK WILK AY WE WILL LEAVE
THAT OPEN FOR THE TIME BEING, MR
OLSON. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY. UH, THANK YOU,
SENATOR ALLEN. I AM GOING TO
EXERCISE THE PREROGATIVE OF THE
CHAIR. WE'RE GONNA WE'RE GONNA
MOVE TO S¼ B NINE Ó SEVEN. I
HAVE A WITNESS WHO ASKED TO
CATCH A PLANE. SENATOR CBO. IF
YOU COULD TAKE THE GAVEL AND
I'LL BE PRESENTING S¼ B NINE AND
SEVEN.
SPEAK UP. JUST IF I DO THIS
WELCOME, SENATOR NEWMAN. UH
PLEASE PROCEED WITH S¼ B 907.
UH, THANK YOU, CHAIR AND MEMBERS
I'M PLEASED TO HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY WAS AN S¼ VÆ NINE
AND SEVEN, WHICH WILL IMPROVE
REPRESENTATION AND ELECTORAL
PARTICIPATION IN ORANGE COUNTY.
BY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF
SEATS, ACTUALLY MAKING TWO
CHANGES TO THE ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF EDUCATION, ONE,
INCREASING THE NUMBER OF
TRUSTEES FROM THE CURRENT 5 TO 7
TRUSTEES AND TWO SHIFTING THE
BOARD'S ELECTIONS FROM THE
PRIMARY BALLOT AS CURRENTLY
CONDUCTED AND INTO THE GENERAL
ELECTION IN NOVEMBER. YOU KNOW,
I ORANGE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION WAS FORMED IN 1977 AND
ITS JOINTLY GOVERNED BY THE
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
AT THE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT. UH
IT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING
ALTERNATIVE AND SPECIAL
EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO MORE THAN
91,000 STUDENTS, MANY OF WHOM
ARE AMONG THE COUNTY'S MOST
VULNERABLE AND DISADVANTAGED TO
THE èC. P IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE
FOR FUNDING AND DEVELOPING A
VARIETY OF PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT
THE NEARLY HALF A MILLION
STUDENTS ENROLLED IN ORANGE
COUNTY'S 28 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL
DISTRICTS, AS WELL AS SERVING AS
THE APPELLATE AUTHORITY OF LAST
RESORT FOR CHARTER SCHOOL.
PATIENTS THAT HAVE BEEN REJECTED
BY LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITHIN
ITS JURISDICTION SINCE THE
DEPARTMENT WAS ESTABLISHED IN
ITS CURRENT FORM, ORANGE
COUNTY'S POPULATION HAS NEARLY
DOUBLED FROM 1.8 MILLION IN 1977
TO ITS CURRENT POPULATION OF
THREE 0.14 MILLION, MAKING IT
THE THIRD LARGEST COUNTY BY
POPULATION IN CALIFORNIA, OUT OF
THE STATES, 10 LARGEST COUNTIES,
ORANGE COUNTY IS CURRENTLY ONE
OF FOUR COUNTIES IS COUNTY
BOARDS OF EDUCATION HAVE ONLY
FIVE TRUSTEES OUT OF THOSE
COUNTIES, WHICH STILL HAVE ONLY
FIVE TRUST. THE ONLY ONE
COMPARABLE IN SIZE TO ORANGE
COUNTY IS THE COUNTY OF SAN
DIEGO, EXPANDING THE SIZE OF THE
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
BOARD, FROM 5 TO 7 MEMBERS WILL
REDUCE THE AVERAGE POPULATION
PER DISTRICT FROM THE CURRENT
634,000 RESIDENTS PER TRUSTEE,
WHICH I WOULD REMIND YOU IS
LARGER THAN AN ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
TO A SOMEWHAT MORE MANAGEABLE
452,000 CONSTITUENTS PER MEMBER.
AND SO DOING, EACH MEMBER OF THE
BOARD WILL BE BOUND JUST A
LITTLE MORE CLOSELY TO THE
CONSTITUENTS THAT THEY REPRESENT
IN THE ALMOST FIVE DECADES.
SINCE THE CONSTITUTION OF THE
OBOE, THE POPULATION OF ORANGE
COUNTY HAS ALSO BECOME
INFINITELY MORE DIVERSE. UH, IN
THE YEAR, 2000 LESS THAN 50% OF
ORANGE COUNTY'S POPULATION,
ACTUALLY MORE. I'M SORRY. MORE
THAN 30% OF ORANGE COUNTY'S
POPULATION WAS WHITE, ACCORDING
TO U S¼ CENSUS DATA FROM THAT
TIME BY THE TIME OF THE MOST
RECENT CENSUS IN, UH IN IN THIS
YEAR THAT SHARE HAD DROPPED TO
UNDER 37% A SEVEN MEMBER BOARD,
RATHER THAN THE CURRENT FIVE IS
LIKELY TO MORE FULLY REFLECT
THAT DIVERSITY WITHIN ITS
ELECTED MEMBERSHIP. THE OTHER
PROVISION OF THIS MEASURE,
SHIFTING THE ELECTION OF THE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES FROM THE
PRIMARY TO THE GENERAL SIMILARLY
ENHANCE BOTH THE DIVERSITY OF
THE BOARD AND THE CONNECTION OF
MEMBERS TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS BY
WAY OF CONTEXT. THE ORANGE
COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION IS
CURRENTLY ONE OF ONLY FIVE
COUNTY EDUCATION BOARDS ACROSS
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THAT
HOLD THEIR ELECTIONS AS PART OF
THE PRIMARY INSTEAD OF THE
GENERAL AS WELL AS ONE OF THE
ONLY REMAINING ONE AND DONE
ELECTIONS IN ORANGE COUNTY,
WHERE A CANDIDATE CAN BE ELECTED
IN A PRIMARY ON THE PRIMARY
BALLOT WITH A PLURALITY AND NOT
A MAJORITY. NÓ PROVISION FOR A
NOVEMBER RUNOFF OF THE TOP TWO
CANDIDATES. UH NÓ MATTER HOW LOW
THE TOP VOTE GETTER MIGHT
CONSEQUENTLY, CANDIDATES ORANGE
COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
TRUSTEE CAN, UH AND HAVE ONE
OFFICE WITH A VERY LOW LEVEL OF
SUPPORT, SOMETIMES AS LITTLE AS
11% OF REGISTERED VOTERS IN THE
COUNTY. MOREOVER TO THE EXTENT
THAT ELECTION DATA SHOWS THAT
VOTER TURNOUT IS SUBSTANTIALLY
HIGHER DURING THE GENERAL
ELECTION, THIS IS TRUE BOTH IN
ABSOLUTE TERMS, BUT ALSO AN
IMPORTANTLY AS IT RELATES TO
PARTICIPATION BY COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR DATA FROM ORANGE COUNTY,
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER. VOTERS
INDICATES THAT TURNOUT DURING
THE 2022 PRIMARY ELECTION WAS 20
POINTS LOWER THAN IN THE GENERAL
ELECTION. UH, WITH ROUGHLY
360,000 FEWER VOTERS
PARTICIPATING IN THE PRIMARY
CONTEST IN JUNE, THEN IN THE
GENERAL IN NOVEMBER, MOVING THE
ELECTION OF THE ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF EDUCATION TRUSTEES INTO
THE NOVEMBER GENERAL WILL ENSURE
HIGHER PARTICIPATION BY A
MATERIALLY MORE DIVERSE
ELECTORATE. THIS WOULD BE A
POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT AND NOT ONE
BUT TWO DIRECTIONS FIRST, AS
MENTIONED, IT WOULD IT WOULD
RESULT OVER TIME IN A BOARD THAT
MORE CLOSELY REFLECTS CHANGING
POPULATION AND JUST AS
IMPORTANTLY, IT WILL GIVE VOTERS
A BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE
AND CONNECT WITH TRUSTEES AND
THE BOARD AS PART OF THE
CRITICAL TASK OF RECONNECTING
RESIDENTS TO CIVIC INSTITUTIONS,
LIKE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION,
ABOUT WHICH THEY ARE INCREASING,
INCREASINGLY UNINFORMED FROM
WHICH THEY ARE, UNFORTUNATELY
INCREASINGLY DISCONNECTED WHEN
IT COMES TO IMPORTANT
CONVERSATIONS AROUND EDUCATION,
AND ESPECIALLY EQUITY IN
EDUCATION. UH, I WOULD ARGUE
THIS MATTER IS A GREAT DEAL. AS
I HAVE EMPHASIZED. IN MY
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
OPPOSITION AND WITH OTHERS THE
IMPETUS FOR THIS BILL. NOT ARISE
OUT OF POLITICS, ENHANCING THE
RESPONSIVENESS OF A GOVERNING
BODY AND IMPROVING PARTICIPATION
IN THE ELECTION OF ITS MEMBERS
ARE OBJECTIVELY GOOD GOALS, AND
THAT'S WHAT THE PROVISIONS OF S¼
B 907 SEEK TO PRODUCE HERE TO
TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF THE
MEASURE IS DR LIZ DOR PARKER,
WHO SERVED AS AN ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF EDUCATION TRUSTEE FOR
32 YEARS AND SERVED AS THE
PRESIDENT OF THE STATEWIDE
CALIFORNIA COUNTY BOARDS OF
EDUCATION AND PRESIDENT OF THE
Ó èC SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION.
ALSO ALSO WITH US TO TESTIFY
TODAY IS CITY OF Tð AND COUNCIL
MEMBER DR REBECCA. COMMENTS A
TWICE ELECTED FORMER TRUSTEE OF
THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF
EDUCATION, WHO ALSO REPRESENTED
OBOE AT THE STATE LEVEL AS
ORANGE COUNTY'S REPRESENTATIVE
TO THE COUNTY BOARDS OF
EDUCATION. I AM RESPECTFULLY
ASKING FOR YOUR I VOTE TODAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'LL
PROCEED WITH THE LEAD WITNESSES.
OK THANK YOU. UM AS STATED, I'M
DOCTOR LIZ DORM, PARKER. I
STARTED SERVING ON THE COUNTY
BOARD IN 1982 AT THE GRAND OLD
AGE OF 22 AS AN ELECTED MEMBER
OF THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF
EDUCATION, AND ALSO DURING MY
TIME DURING THAT TIME I WAS
ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE ORANGE
COUNTY. UM THE CALIFORNIA COUNTY
BOARDS OF EDUCATION, SO I HAVE A
VERY UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON S¼ B
907 1ST LET ME ADDRESS THE
GROWING CHANGES IN POPULATION
AND, UM AND DEMOGRAPHICS SINCE I
WAS FIRST ELECTED, UM, THE BY
THE DECADES SINCE THEN, ORANGE
COUNTY POPULATION HAS ACTUALLY
INCREASED BY ALMOST 62% VERSUS
THE U S¼ POPULATION BY ONLY 46%
SO IT'S DRAMATIC EXPLOSIVE, AND
THE BOARD NEEDS TO REFLECT THOSE
CHANGES WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED
AS A SENATOR, AND SAID IT WAS
1.9 MILLION, WHITE WAS 93%
MINORITY WAS LESS THAN 6% IN THE
LAST CENSUS. SINCE I WAS OFF THE
BOARD IN 2014, BUT IF YOU GO TO
THE MOST RECENT CENSUS, IT WAS
3.167 MILLION, WHICH IS THE
THIRD LARGEST NOW IN CALIFORNIA.
THE POPULATION HAS SHIFTED
DRAMATICALLY SINCE I WAS FIRST
ELECTED, UH, WHITE 37% A API IS
NOW 22% HISPANIC LATINO. LATINX
IS 34.1. SO IT IS NOW A WHITE
MINORITY. IT IS A MINORITY
MAJORITY AT 56.28% WITH THIS
DRAMATIC GROWTH IS WHICH IS
NEARLY DOUBLE IN THE AND WITH
THE DRAMATIC CHANGE IN
POPULATION DEMOGRAPHICS WHERE
THE OLD WHITE MAJORITY EXISTED
WHEN I WAS ELECTED, UM AND, UH
AND IT WAS FIRST ELECTED TO THE
DRAMATIC SHIFT IN 2020 CENSUS
CLEARLY SHOWS THE NEED FOR THE
BOARD EXPANSION TO BETTER
REFLECT THIS GROWTH AS WELL AS
THE CHANGE IN DEMOGRAPHICS. THE
COUNTY IS NOW CLEARLY A MINORITY
MAJORITY, AND THE CURRENT ORANGE
COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION DOES
NOT REFLECT THAT FACT. THE
LARGEST COUNTIES NOW ALL HAVE
SEVEN OTHER THAN ONE, WHICH IS,
WHICH IS SAN DIEGO COUNTY. UM SO
NOW I'LL MOVE ON TO WHY SHOULD
WE SHIFT TO THE GENERAL
ELECTION? NEARLY ALL COUNTY
BOARDS HAVE NOW SHIFTED TO THE
GENERAL ELECTION, ESPECIALLY
THOSE FROM THE LARGEST COUNTIES
AND MOST DIVERSE THE MOST RECENT
PRIMARY ELECTION, WHICH WAS JUST
2024 HAD EVEN LOWER VOTER
TURNOUT THAN AT ANY TIME
PREVIOUSLY, AND WHICH CONFIRMS A
CRITICAL NEED TO SHIFT THE
ELECTIONS. THE LACK OF
PARTICIPATION IN THIS
EDUCATIONAL BOARD RACE IS
PARTICULARLY GLARING. AND
GETTING WORSE. THIS LAST TOTAL I
JUST GOT OFF THE REGISTER OF
VOTERS SHOWED THAT THERE WAS
677,000 VOTERS THAT VOTED, WHICH
IS 36% OF THE POPULATION. AND IF
YOU TAKE THREE OF THE FIVE THAT
WERE ELECTED OR 60% ABOUT
400,000 SHOULD HAVE VOTED
INSTEAD. LESS THAN 272,000. SO
THE DOWN BALLOT RACE IS NOT
BEING VOTED ON. IT'S NOT CLEAR
AND IT'S ALSO NOT CLEAR THAT
IT'S A ONE AND DONE WHEN I WAS
RUNNING. IT WAS CLEAR THERE WAS
A LOT OF CONFUSION THEY ALL
DIDN'T THINK THEY NEEDED. VOTE
FOR ME THEY COULD WAIT UNTIL
NOVEMBER. AND THAT WAS A VERY
DIFFICULT CLARIFYING THAT WE'RE
THE ONLY COUNTY RACE THAT IF YOU
DIDN'T GET 50% PLUS ONE YOU YOU
COULD WIN. BUT THE MOST GLARING
IS CURRENTLY THE DISTRICTS THAT
HAD THE LARGEST POPULATION OF
MINORITY TO THE DISTRICTS HAD A
WAY LOWER TURNOUT THAN THE ONE
DISTRICT THAT'S MAJORITY WHITE.
THEY BOTH HAD, UH RESPECTIVELY.
57,000 SHOW UP IN ONE IN 86,000
VERSUS THE ONE THAT HAD A WHITE
MAJORITY AND MUCH HIGHER WEALTH,
AS WELL AS MUCH AGING POPULATION
HAD A ALMOST 100. 28,000 THE
THOSE CHANGES ARE SIGNIFICANT
AND THEY'RE GETTING WORSE.
MOVING IT TO NOVEMBER WOULD
INCLUDE WAY MORE OF THE
POPULATION THAT NORMALLY WOULD
VOTE IN A SCHOOL RACE AND WOULD
BE COMPLETELY REPRESENTATIVE. I
BELIEVE OVER WHAT HAPPENS NOW,
SO MY WORK ALSO IS WHICH IN THE
PAST WAS PRESIDENT OF THE
STATEWIDE ASSOCIATION, THE
COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, AS
WELL AS AS A DIRECTOR ON THE
CALIFORNIA SCHOOL BOARDS
ASSOCIATION. I NOTICED THOSE
COUNTY BOARDS THAT MOVED TO THE
GENERAL ELECTION. DURING MY 32
YEARS, IT WAS CLEAR HOW MUCH
MORE OF THESE TRUSTEES WERE, AND
THEY ALSO HAD MUCH MORE VOTERS
THAT WERE WEIGHING IN AND THEY
HAD A SO THEY HAD A MUCH BETTER
VOTER TURNOUT THAT ACTUALLY DID
CHANGE THE BOARD POLITICALLY. I
DON'T KNOW IF THAT MATTERS, BUT
IT REALLY DID CHANGE THE
DYNAMICS OF THE BOARDS AND THE
BOARDS BEGAN TO BETTER REFLECT
THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. IF I
WAS STILL SERVING AS A TRUSTEE,
I WOULD STILL BE SUPPORTING S¼ B
907 MY YEARS OF SERVICE ON THE
COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION AND A
STATE LEADER FOR ALL THE COUNTY
BOARDS PROVIDES A UNIQUE
PERSPECTIVE AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE
BENEFITS OF THIS BILL. THANK
YOU. WE'LL CONTINUE WITH THE
NEXT WITNESS. THANK YOU TO THE
CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. UH, AS A FORMER
COUNTY TRUSTEE, A RETIRED
TENURED FACULTY MEMBER AND DEAN
OF HEALTH SCIENCE, I BRING A
WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE AND
UNDERSTANDING TO EDUCATION
POLICY. I FULLY SUPPORT S¼ B
NINE AND SEVEN AND INCREASE THE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO SEVEN
MEMBERS AND MOVING THE ELECTION
TO THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION
. THE TURNOUT FOR THE PRIMARY
ELECTION IS MUCH LOWER THAN FOR
THE GENERAL ELECTION. AS ORANGE
COUNTY HAS BECOME MORE DIVERSE,
THE COMMUNITY MUST SELECT ITS
REPRESENTATIVES AND INCREASING
THE NUMBER OF TRUSTEES WILL
ALLOW THE TRUSTEES TO REPRESENT
THEIR LOCAL AREA MORE
EFFECTIVELY. UNDER THE CURRENT
SYSTEM, A CANDIDATE WHO IS A
CURRENT SCHOOL BOARD OR COUNCIL
MEMBER MAY GET ELECTED IN THE
MARCH PRIMARY. WITH THE
PLURALITY OF VOTES, NOT THE
MAJORITY. THE WINNING CANDIDATE
WILL BE SWORN IN THE COUNTY SEAT
IN JULY. THIS EARLY TRANSITION
EFFECTIVELY DESTABILIZES THE
CURRENT BORDER COUNCIL, AND HE
OR SHE WILL VACATE THE POSITION
MONTHS BEFORE THE NOVEMBER
ELECTION. THE FORMER BOARD'S
COUNCILOR DISTRICT WILL LACK
REPRESENTATION. THE REMAINING
BORDER COUNCIL FACES THE
DIFFICULT DECISION OF APPOINTING
A NEW MEMBER, LEAVING THE SEAT
VACANT UNTIL NOVEMBER OR CALLING
A SPECIAL ELECTION. IF THERE WAS
AN APPOINTMENT IT PROVIDES. AN
ADVANTAGE TO THE APPOINTED
INCUMBENT IN THE NEXT ELECTION.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, DIS
APPOINTED MEMBER BY DEFINITION
DOES NOT REPRESENT THE VOTING
PUBLIC. A SPECIAL ELECTION MAY
COST THE CITY OR SCHOOL DISTRICT
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS. THIS SITUATION
DISCOURAGES QUALIFIED CANDIDATES
FROM RUNNING FOR THE COUNTY
SCHOOL BOARD AS THEY DO NOT WANT
TO LEAVE THEIR SEAT IN MIDTERM.
IN ADDITION, THE BOARD OF
COUNCIL'S POLICY WORK COULD BE
PARALYZED DUE TO POTENTIAL TIE
VOTES. A NOVEMBER ELECTION
ALLOWS A REASONABLE TRANSITION
FOR THE PREVIOUS BORDER COUNCIL
AND THE COUNTY OFFICE. EXPANDING
THE BOARD TO SEVEN MEMBERS WOULD
PROVIDE BETTER REPRESENTATION TO
THE STATE'S COUNTY SCHOOL BOARDS
ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENTS IN
THEIR CONSTITUENTS. LASTLY,
THERE IS A MENTION OF RAISING
FUNDS FOR A DOWN BALLOT RACE.
REASONABLE CAMPAIGN LIMITS ALLOW
FOR A COMPETENT CANDIDATE WHO
CAN PROVIDE STRONG GOVERNANCE
RATHER THAN ONE WHO CAN CURRY
FAVOR WITH SPECIAL INTEREST TO
OBTAIN LARGE CAMPAIGN DONATIONS
OR LOANS. S¼ B NINE. Ó SEVEN IS
AN ISSUE OF PROPER GOVERNANCE
FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR
FAMILIES WHO DESERVE APPROPRIATE
REPRESENTATION AND FULL ACCESS
TO OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE WILL CONTINUE WITH WITNESSES
IN SUPPORT HERE IN ROOM 2100. DO
WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL WITNESSES
IN SUPPORT OF S¼ B NINE, Ó
SEVEN. GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR
AND MEMBERS. TRISTAN BROWN WAS
CFT HERE IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
THE OTHER MEMBERS IN SUPPORT.
SEEN. NONE WILL CONTINUE WITH
ANY WITNESSES. OOPS. OH, WE HAVE
TWO PRIMARY WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION. UH AND THAT WOULD BE
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
, MR. TIM SHAW AND CARLOS
MACHADO FROM THE CALIFORNIA
SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION.
WELCOME. OK, GOOD MORNING. MY
NAME IS TIM. I'M THE CURRENTLY
THE PRESIDENT OF THE ORANGE
COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION. I'M
JOINED BY, UH, MR TOM SHEEHY, AN
ADVOCATE FOR OUR BOARD. THE
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO OPPOSE
SENATE BILL 907 FOR SEVERAL
REASONS. WE BELIEVE IT IS A
SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM
FUNDAMENTALLY S¼ P 907 ONLY
APPLIES TO ORANGE COUNTY.
RESPECTFULLY WE BELIEVE THE
NUMBER OF TRUSTEES ON THE ORANGE
COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION AND
WIN THE ELECTIONS HAPPEN SHOULD
BE A DECISION MADE IN ORANGE
COUNTY AND NOT SENATORS AND
ASSEMBLY MEMBERS FROM AROUND THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. THIS BILL
IS COSTLY AT A TIME WHEN THE
STATE IS FACING A SIGNIFICANT
BUDGET DEFICIT. THE SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
DETERMINED THAT MOVING THE BOARD
OF EDUCATION ELECTIONS FROM
MARCH TO NOVEMBER WOULD COST
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
. ADDITIONALLY TWO MORE TRUSTEES
WOULD ADD ANOTHER $700,000 IN
COSTS OVER THE NEXT DECADE.
THERE WILL ALSO BE SIGNIFICANT
COSTS IN REDISTRICTING. FROM 5
TO 7 TRUSTEES. WE ARE
CALCULATING WHAT OUR LAST
REDISTRICTING PROCESS COST, BUT
IT WAS OVER $500,000. NOW IS NOT
THE TIME FOR ORANGE COUNTY TO
ADD TWO ADDITIONAL TRUSTEES AS
OUR POPULATION IS ACTUALLY
DECREASING. WE'VE LOST ABOUT
35,000 RESIDENTS IN THE LAST TWO
YEARS. 31 OF THE 58 COUNTIES
HAVE BOARDS OF EDUCATION WITH
FIVE TRUSTEES, INCLUDING OUR
NEIGHBORING COUNTY TO THE SOUTH
SAN DIEGO COUNTY THAT HAS A
LARGER POPULATION THAN ORANGE
COUNTY. OUR NEIGHBOR TO THE
NORTH LOS ANGELES COUNTY HAS A
COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION WHOSE
MEMBERS AREN'T ELECTED AT ALL.
THEY ARE APPOINTED BY THE COUNTY
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. IF THE
GOAL BEHIND S¼ B 907 IS TO BRING
GREATER DEMOCRACY TO A COUNTY
BOARD OF EDUCATION. CERTAINLY
LOS ANGELES COUNTY IS THE PLACE
TO START AND NOT ORANGE COUNTY.
IF THE PURPOSE OF AN ESP NINE
AND SEVEN IS TO INCREASE VOTER
PARTICIPATION IN REPRESENTATIVE
DEMOCRACY. WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER
31 COUNTY BOARDS? WHAT ABOUT LOS
ANGELES? WHY ORANGE COUNTY UH,
SENATOR NEWMAN CORRECTLY POINTS
OUT THAT VOTER TURNOUT TENDS TO
BE HIGHER IN NOVEMBER THAN IN
PRIMARY ELECTIONS. BUT THE
NOVEMBER BALLOT ALSO HAS FAR
MORE QUESTIONS FOR THE VOTERS TO
DECIDE. WE HAVE HERE THE BALLOTS
FROM OUR PRIMARY ELECTION. AS
WELL AS A GENERAL ELECTION
BALLOT. THE BALLOT THAT CIRCLED
IN YELLOW IS WHERE THE ORANGE
COUNTY BOARD OF TRUSTEES ARE. WE
HAVE THIS IS THE THIS IS THE
GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT. YOU CAN
SEE THERE'S A LOT MORE RACES ON
HERE. SO THERE'S A VOTER FATIGUE
ISSUE. IT'S A WELL STUDIED
PHENOMENON. SERGEANTS CAN WE GET
COPIES OF THAT? WE CAN'T SEE
THAT. I'M SORRY. I'LL BE HAPPY
TO PRESENT IT TO THE DIOCESE. OF
COURSE, SENATOR AS YOU CAN SEE,
THE GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT
TENDS TO BE A FAR LARGER BALLOT.
AND AS THOMAS SAYING, THE, UM
ISSUE. A BALLOT FATIGUE IS REAL.
IF OUR ELECTIONS ARE HELD IN
NOVEMBER, THEY WILL BE BURIED
BENEATH MANY NATIONAL STATE AND
LOCAL, UH, RACES. SO WE BELIEVE
THAT HAVING THE ELECTION IN THE
PRIMARY MAKES THE BOARD OF
EDUCATION ELECTIONS, UH MORE
CENTRAL AND KIND OF TOP OF MIND
FOR THE VOTERS, SO WE
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR A NÓ VOTE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. GOOD
MORNING CHAIRMAN, MEMBER
CHAIRMAN NEWMAN AND MEMBERS UM
èC S¼ B A IS OPPOSED TO S¼ B
907 èC S¼ B BELIEVES THE BILL
SETS A TROUBLING PRECEDENT BY
SINGLING OUT JUST ONE COUNTY
BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR THE
CHANGES PROPOSED IN THE BILL. BY
DOING SO, S¼ B 907 TRAMPLES ON
THE WILL OF LOCAL VOTERS BY
LEGISLATING THE ADDITION OF TWO
ADDITIONAL SEATS ON THE BOARD,
IN EFFECT, MODIFYING THE CURRENT
MAKEUP OF THE LOCALLY ELECTED
BOARD. UM THERE IS ALREADY A
LOCAL PROCESS TO MAKE THESE
CHANGES THEY'RE OUTLINED IN THE
ANALYSIS. UM YOU, UH BY USURPING
THAT PROCESS. UH UH, IT WOULD
TAKE THE POWER AWAY FROM VOTERS
IN ORDER TO HOLD THEIR LOCALLY
ELECTED COUNTY BOARD MEMBERS
ACCOUNTABLE FOR NOT TAKING THOSE
ACTIONS. UH AND THEN THE, UH,
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
IS NOT THE ONLY BOARD IN ORANGE
COUNTY WITH FIVE MEMBERS
REPRESENTING THE ENTIRETY OF THE
COUNTY. THE COUNTY BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS IS ALSO CONSISTS OF
FIVE BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL. SO
UH, THIS IS NOT, UH, UNUSUAL IN
THIS COUNTY AND, UH, THERE AS
MENTIONED EARLIER THERE. OTHER
BOARDS, COUNTY BOARDS OF
EDUCATION THAT ALSO CONSISTS OF
FIVE MEMBERS. YET THIS BILL DOES
NOT FOCUS ON THEM. UM THIS
PROPOSAL ENABLES THE STATE TO
REACH INTO COMMUNITIES TO
INFLUENCE CHANGES TO JUST ONE
LOCALLY ELECTED GOVERNING BOARD,
CIRCUMVENTING THE LONG-STANDING
NORMAL PROCESS THAT REQUIRES A
VOTE OF THE ELECTORATE TO MAKE
SIMILAR CHANGES. IT'S FOR THESE
REASONS THAT WE UNFORTUNATELY
MUST OPPOSE S¼ B NINE AND SEVEN.
ASK YOU TO VOTE NÓ ON THE BILL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, WE'LL
CONTINUE WITH ANY OTHER
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION TO S¼ B
907 HERE IN ROOM 2100. GOOD
MORNING, MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS.
GREG ROLAND, COUNSEL TO THE
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
IN OPPOSITION. MADAM CHAIR
SENATORS ADAM CLAN ON BEHALF OF
VÀ, A NETWORK OF HIGH PERFORMING
CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS SERVING
PRIMARILY FIRST GENERATION
STUDENTS. 98% ARE STUDENTS OF
COLOR AND WERE OPPOSED. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH SEEING
NÓ OTHER WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION
TO S¼ B, NINE AND SEVEN. WE'LL
BRING IT BACK TO THE DÍAS ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ALL RIGHT,
THEN. I WILL. YES. YOU'RE
WELCOME. UM I HAVE A SO I THINK
AND I. I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS
THIS BILL'S GOING FORWARD. I'M
NOT GOING TO SUPPORT IT FOR TWO
REASONS. ONE RIGHT NOW. I DON'T
THINK WE CAN REALLY AFFORD IT
WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON
WITH THE STATE BUDGET THAT THAT
THAT'S ONE AND THE TWO I. I JUST
FIRMLY BELIEVE IN LOCAL CONTROL.
BUT IF YOU HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS
, UH, PRIOR TO INTRODUCING THE
BILL WITH MEMBERS OF THE BOARD
ABOUT POTENTIAL REFORMS THAT
COULD OCCUR THAT YOU WOULD THINK
WITH DEMOCRATIZE THE PROCESS
MORE UH, SO I. I THINK DOCTOR
PARKER CAN SPEAK THIS. I THINK
THIS IS AN ONGOING CONVERSATION.
THIS CONVERSATION HAS BEEN GOING
ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME WITH NÓ
PRODUCTIVE PROGRESS, SO PLEASE
SO WHEN I WAS ON THE BOARD, UM
STARTING IN THE CENSUS OF 2010,
WE BEGAN TO HAVE THE
CONVERSATIONS TO MOVE THE BOARD
TO SEVEN POSITIONS BECAUSE IT
WAS CLEAR THAT WE WERE NÓ
LONGER, REPRESENTING THE VAST
SIZE OF THE POPULATION AS IT HAD
GROWN, AND WE ALSO WERE NOT
REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT THE
DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFTS AND PART OF
THE PROCESS IS TO MOVE TO THE
COUNTY COMMITTEE AND DISTRICT
ORGANIZING. UNFORTUNATELY THIS
COUNTY BOARD HAS BEEN SUING THEM
TO STOP THEIR JOB. UNFORTUNATELY
WE HAVE TO KIND OF LEAPFROG OVER
WHAT THE WHAT THE DISCUSSIONS
ARE ALSO OUR CURRENT COUNTY
SUPERVISORS ARE EXPLORING MOVING
TO A SEVEN MEMBER BOARD IN
RECOGNITION OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC
SHIFTS, SO THERE HAS BEEN A LOT
OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW TO HAVE
BETTER REPRESENTATION.
ESPECIALLY WHEN, UM WE HAVE THE
CHILDREN THAT ARE IN OUR
JUVENILE COURT SCHOOLS AND BEEN
KICKED OUT DROPPED OUT ARE THE
ONES THAT ARE BEING CARED FOR BY
THIS COUNTY BOARD, AND THEY'RE
NOT BEING REPRESENTATIVE BECAUSE
OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFTS AND
ALSO THIS. SIZE THERE ARE A LOT
OF BOARDS THAT ARE FIVE AND
SEVEN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY
THROUGHOUT THE BUT THOSE ARE, UH
UP TO THE LOCAL DISTRICTS, AND
THEY ULTIMATELY WOULD GO TO THE
COUNTY COMMITTEE ON DISTRICT
ORGANIZING TO MAKE THOSE
DECISIONS FOR THAT REQUEST.
UNFORTUNATELY THIS BOARD, UM
HASN'T BEEN VERY FORTHRIGHT IN
WORKING WITHIN OUR LOCAL
DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM, AS THE STATE
EDUCATION CODE AND GOVERNMENT
CODE HAS SET OUT SO I CAN TELL
YOU WE BEGAN TO DO THE WORK TO
MOVE OUR BOARD TO SEVEN WHEN I
LEFT THE BOARD IN 2014. SO UH,
SO AGAIN. I'M NOT GONNA BE
SUPPORTING IT TODAY, BUT BUT
PORTANTINO HAD TO BILL A FEW
YEARS AGO. UH AND I KNOW L. A
COUNTY WAS ONE OF THE WAS ONE OF
THE, UH, PILOT PROJECTS WAS
PUTTING THE LOCAL ELECTIONS ON
TOP BEFORE BEFORE EVERYTHING.
I'VE NOT SEEN ANY DATA ON THAT
WHERE THAT MADE A DIFFERENCE OR
NOT, BUT MOVING FORWARD. THAT
MAY BE SOMETHING. YOU ALSO WANNA
LOOK AT AGAIN. I DON'T I'M NOT
GONNA SUPPORT THE BILL. BUT YOU
IN TERMS OF VOTER PARTICIPATION.
YOU MAY WANT TO DO THAT AS WELL.
I DON'T KNOW IF ORANGEY WAS IN
THAT PILOT PROJECT OR NOT. I
DON'T THINK IT WAS. YOUR POINT
IS WELL TAKEN, RIGHT? AND SO TO
THAT, TO THAT BROADER POINT
ABOUT Y, YOU KNOW, SORT OF THE
ATTENTION OR THE ATTRITION THAT
YOU SEE, UH, WITH DOWN BALLOT
RAISES, I I'M ALL FOR IT. I
THINK YOU CAN MAKE AN ARGUMENT.
THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING ON A
NUMBER OF LEVELS, ESPECIALLY
BECAUSE THESE ARE THE OFFICES
THAT PROBABLY HAVE THE MOST
DIRECT IMPACT ON FAMILIES. RIGHT
SO I'M I'M OPEN TO THAT. AND I'D
BE HAPPY TO PURSUE THAT
CONVERSATION. DO DOCTOR. I WANT
TO CLARIFY THE FACT I RESPOND.
THE OF SUPPORT. WITNESS PRETTY
LONG STATEMENT IN RESPONDING TO
SENATOR WILSON, SO WE WILL GIVE
WE HAVE TO SAY IT IN ORDER, BUT
I AM JUST GIVE ME ONE CHANCE AND
HAVE THEM FINISH OUR
DISCUSSIONS. UM, WE HAVE THE
KIND OF WE MADE A LEVEL OF
DECORUM IN IN THE, UH, IN THE
COMMITTEE. I WOULD LIKE TO
CLARIFY THE COUNTY BOARD RACES
ACTUALLY SIT ABOVE THE LOCAL
CITY RACES AND SCHOOL BOARD
RACES THEY COME AFTER, AND THEY
CURRENTLY DO, WHETHER IT'S IN
THE MARCH OR THE PRIMARY OR THE
WHATEVER IT FOLLOWS THE YOU
KNOW. WHEN THEY'RE THERE. THE U
S¼ SENATORS AND EVERYTHING. SO
THE COUNTY BOARD, UM ACTUALLY
GETS CLARIFIED IN THE GENERAL
ELECTION BECAUSE THERE'S USUALLY
NÓ JUDGE RACES. THE CHALLENGE WE
HAD IS TWO YEARS AGO WE HAD, I
THINK 14 OR 16 JUDGE RACES WHERE
THE COUNTY BOARD SAT BELOW THERE
BEFORE, SO IF IT GOES TO
NOVEMBER, UH, THE ONES WHO ARE
IN THE COUNTY BOARD, THEY
ACTUALLY APPEAR AFTER THE
COUNTY, UM, RACES AND THAT'S
ONLY IF THERE'S A RUNOFF. AND
THEN YOU GO TO THE COUNTY BOARD.
YOU GO TO THE COUNTY
SUPERINTENDENT COUNTY BOARD, SO
IT DOESN'T FOLLOW BELOW ALL.
THAT SO JUST THAT, AND THEN IT
FOLLOWS ABOVE ALL THE
PROPOSITIONS. YEAH, BUT I, I
AGREE. YEAH. SO ACTUALLY ON THE
ON THE PILOT PROGRAM, THE LOCAL
ELECTIONS ARE FIRST AND THE AND
THE PRESIDENT'S ACTUALLY LAST AS
WE SAY, BOTTOMS UP, BUT I'VE NOT
SEEN IT. WE NEED TO ASK PINO
BECAUSE I'VE NOT SEEN ANY DATA
ON THAT BECAUSE WE'VE GONE
THROUGH TWO ELECTION CYCLES. NOW
I'D BE CURIOUS TO SEE IF THAT
ACTUALLY MADE AN IMPACT OR NOT.
BUT YEAH, SO, MISTER, I YOU GUYS
SHOULD GO AHEAD AND RESPOND AND
I. I SHOULD PROBABLY ASK YOU TO
RESPOND. THAT WAS ON ME. YEAH WE
, UM SO WE APOLOGIZE. UM SO
LET'S MOVE FORWARD. WOULD YOU
LIKE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
RESPOND? PLEASE THANK YOU. I
JOINED THE BOARD IN 2020. SO
I'VE BEEN, UM, ON FOR JUST OVER
ABOUT FOUR YEARS, THE FIRST
CONVERSATION I'VE HAD WITH A
MEMBER OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE
REGA REGARDING ANY REFORMS LIKE
THIS WAS TWO DAYS AGO WHEN I MET
WITH SENATOR NEWMAN, BUT NOBODY
IN THE FOUR YEARS I'VE BEEN ON
THE BOARD. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF
THE BOARD AS EVER TRIED TO REACH
OUT TO ME TO DISCUSS THIS WITH
ME. WE JUST HEARD ABOUT THIS
BILL BEING INTRODUCED, SO WE
DIDN'T FEEL WE WERE PART OF
THIS. US AT ALL. I DON'T KNOW
WHAT'S HAPPENING DECADES AGO,
BUT AS MY EXPERIENCE, UM I WOULD
DISPUTE THE CHARACTERIZATION
THAT WE AREN'T WORKING WELL WITH
OUR OUR LOCAL CONSTITUENTS. UM
WE JUST HAD THIS OUR ELECTION.
THE THREE INCUMBENTS ALL GOT RE
ELECTED VERY COMFORTABLY. WE DO
HAVE A DIVERSE BOARD. WE HAVE,
UH UH. TRUSTEE VALDEZ, WHO'S A
CUBAN AMERICAN, REPRESENTING A
VERY, UM LATINO DISTRICT IN
CENTRAL COUNTY. WE HAVE A JEWISH
TRUSTEE. WE HAVE A VARIETY OF
BACKGROUNDS ON OUR BOARD, SO I
WOULD ALSO JUST DISAGREE THAT WE
ARE NOT REFLECTIVE OF OUR
COMMUNITIES. BUT LET ME JUST
POINT OUT THAT THE BIT YOU KNOW
ONE HALF OF THIS MEASURE. ONE OF
THE COMPONENTS WAS ACTUALLY A
PIECE OF LEGISLATION IN A
PREVIOUS SESSION, SO YOU KNOW
THAT'S NOT NEW, AND IT WOUND UP.
NOT YOU KNOW THAT THAT THAT
PROVISION WAS MOVING THE BOARD
OF EDUCATION ELECTIONS INTO THE
NOVEMBER CYCLE. SO, UM BOARD HAS
TO BE AWARE OF THAT, BECAUSE
THEY THEY'RE ADVOCATES WERE PART
OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS. SORRY
SENATOR CORTESE. YEAH, I DON'T
KNOW. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND
I DON'T KNOW HOW PRODUCTIVE IT
IS THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVE A DEBATE
GOING BACK AND FORTH IN THE IN
THE WELL HERE, BUT, UM, IN IN
20. YOU KNOW, SO I'D LIKE TO
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CALL A
QUESTION HERE IF THAT'S
POSSIBLE. UM BUT BEFORE I DO
THAT, YOU KNOW, I VOTED IN FAVOR
IN 2021 OF A BILL TO CONSOLIDATE
YOUR ELECTIONS TO NOVEMBER, SO I
DON'T KNOW HOW THAT COULD SLIP
BY YOUR RADAR. IF YOU WERE ON
THE BOARD FROM 2020, I'M JUST I
HAVE TO CHALLENGE THAT STATEMENT
. I KNOW YOU'RE BUSY. WE'RE ALL
BUSY, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT
MOVED ENTIRELY THROUGH THE
LEGISLATURE AT THAT TIME. SO,
UH, IIII I SAY. I SUPPORT. YOU
KNOW THE BILL GOING FORWARD I. I
DO THINK IT WILL HAVE VIGOROUS
DEBATE GOING FORWARD BEYOND THIS
COMMITTEE. UM, THERE'S UM 40,
MEMBERS OF THE STATE SENATE AND
80 MEMBERS OF THE STATE ASSEMBLY
AND I THINK THAT THE BILL SHOULD
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP
MOVING. UM I'M I HAPPEN TO BE
FROM NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. YOU
KNOW, THIS WAS A COUNTY OFFICE
OF EDUCATION IN MY COUNTY. I
DON'T KNOW WHAT MY POSTURE WOULD
BE EXACTLY, UH, BUT THEY HAVE
THEIR ELECTIONS IN NOVEMBER. IT
WORKS VERY WELL. IT KEEPS A LOT
OF THOSE FOLKS. UH, KIND OF IF
YOU WILL. IN VERNACULAR WITH
THEIR HEAD DOWN IN THIS EARLY
MARCH PRIMARY, WHERE THINGS ARE
HAPPENING KIND OF IN IN A FRENZY
, UM AND GIVES FOLKS AN
OPPORTUNITY YOU KNOW, TO
ESSENTIALLY PUT TOGETHER
WHATEVER SUPPORT OR, UM, ACTIONS
THEY WANNA TAKE DURING THE
COURSE OF AN ENTIRE CALENDAR
YEAR GETTING READY FOR THE
ELECTION. THERE MAY BE DIFFERENT
CIRCUMSTANCES IN IN IN ORANGE,
BUT YOU HAVE, UM REPRESENTATIVES
IN THE LEGISLATURE. BEYOND THIS
COMMITTEE, I THINK I'M SURE
YOU'LL TALK TO AND WE'LL HEAR
FROM, YOU KNOW AS WE MOVE ALONG,
BUT I DON'T THINK THIS IS A
PLACE TO BE KILLING THE BILL. I
THINK WE SHOULD BE SUPPORTING
THE BILL SO WE CAN CONTINUE THE
DEBATE AND AT THE APPROPRIATE
TIME. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
TO GET IT OUT OF COMMITTEE. IF
WE CAN DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER
COMMENTS AND CONCERNS QUESTIONS.
UM LET ME JUST COULD I JUST
CLARIFY ONE THING AND I HAVE AN
IDEA WHAT YOU WANT TO CLARIFY. I
THINK WHAT HE MEANT. UM CORTESE
WAS THE FACT THAT, UM WITH
REGARDS TO THIS BILL, THIS IS
THE FIRST TIME HE HAD HEARD
ABOUT IT. I DON'T THINK HE WAS
REFERENCING THE BILL FROM 2021.
SURE IF I MAY WITH THE GENTLEMAN
SAID WAS HE'S BEEN ON HIS BOARD
SINCE 2020. HE'S NOT BEEN AWARE
OF ANY ATTEMPTS AT LEGISLATIVE
REFORM, QUOTE UNQUOTE. I MEAN,
WE CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE
VIDEO LATER LIKE THEY DO ON Tð
VÆ COMMERCIALS, BUT THAT'S WHAT
I HEARD. IF WHAT WAS MEANT WAS I
HADN'T HEARD ABOUT THIS BILL
SINCE 2020. CLEARLY THIS BILL
WAS INTRODUCED VERY RECENTLY,
BUT THE ATTEMPTS AT REFORM
AROUND HERE IS SOMETHING THAT
WE'VE DEBATED HERE IN THE PAST.
VIGOROUSLY AND WE'RE DOING IT
AGAIN. THAT'S GREAT. IT'S
DEMOCRACY, BUT I DON'T THINK IT
SHOULD BE. YOU KNOW, HISTORY
SHOULD BE REVISED SUCH THAT YOU
KNOW, THERE'S BEEN NÓ ATTEMPTS
AT REFORM. THAT'S THAT'S MY
STATEMENT AND MADAM CHAIR. IF I
MAY TO BE CLEAR THIS IS NOT A
QUESTION THAT WILL BE RESOLVED
DEFINITIVELY TODAY, RIGHT? THIS
WILL MOVE ON THROUGH THE
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS TO SENATOR
CORTESE'S POINT, UH AND WE'LL
CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION.
WE'RE GONNA WE'RE GONNA ALLOW
YOU TO RESPOND BECAUSE I KNOW
YOU'RE JUST DYING TO RESPOND. I
CAN SEE YOU. THANK YOU, I. I AM
AWARE OF SENATOR MIN'S BILL.
WHAT I'M WHAT I INTENDED TO SAY
WAS WHEN SENATOR MIN ALSO
INTRODUCED A REFORM BILL WITHOUT
SPEAKING WITH OUR COUNTY BOARD
OF EDUCATION MEMBERS. PREVIOUS
FIRST, HE JUST INTRODUCED IT
MUCH AS THIS BILL WAS JUST
INTRODUCED WITHOUT ANY
COMMUNICATION THAT I'M AWARE OF
WITH MYSELF OR ANY OF MY
COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH, SO I'M GONNA
FINALIZE I I'M GONNA WRAP
EVERYTHING UP SO THAT WE CAN
MOVE FORWARD ON THIS BILL. BUT
YES, WE DID HAVE A BILL THAT WAS
PRESENTED BY SENATOR BACK IN
2021. WELL I WAS FIRST SELECTED
WITH SENATOR CORTESE. WE SAW
THIS. I ACTUALLY DID NOT SUPPORT
THE BILL BACK THEN. AND THE
REASON BEING BECAUSE I ASKED A
COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND ONE
WHETHER OR NOT THE LOCAL BOARD
HAD THE CAPACITY TO INTRODUCE
THIS AND DO IT THEMSELVES, BE
SELF DIRECTED AND ASK WHETHER OR
NOT THEY WANTED TO CHANGE THE
ELECTION FROM THE PRIMARY TO THE
GENERAL AND THE RESPONSE HE DID
NOT HAVE IT ORIGINALLY, BUT HE
CAME BACK AND SAID NÓ. THEY HAD
NOT. I MEAN, THEY HAD THE
CAPACITY TO DO THAT THEMSELVES,
BUT THEY HAD NOT CHOSEN TO DO
THAT. AND MY FOLLOW UP QUESTION
WAS, WELL, THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS
COME AND ACTUALLY LOBBY THOSE
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TO HAVE THE
ELECTION CHANGE FROM THE PRIMARY
TO THE GENERAL, AND THE ANSWER
EVENTUALLY WAS. THERE WASN'T
MUCH MOVEMENT ON THAT FRONT. SO
BEING THAT YOU FOLKS ARE A LOCAL
ELECTED, I THOUGHT, WELL, IF THE
PEOPLE ARE NOT LOBBYING THE
CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS WHO FROM
THE PRIMARY TO THE GENERAL. THEN
WHY IS THE STATE COMING IN AND
OVERRIDING THE PEOPLE THE LOCAL
PEOPLES WILL TO LEAVE IT AS HIS?
THAT WAS MY RATIONALE ORIGINALLY
IN WHICH I DID NOT SUPPORT IT IN
THE AND WHY I WILL NOT CONTINUE
TO SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN LOCALLY
DO THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO
THAT THEY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO
DO THAT, AND THE LOCAL
CONSTITUENTS ARE NOW LOBBYING
THEM, WHICH ELECTED THEM TO DO
THAT. THAT IS THEIR PREROGATIVE
FOR THE STATE TO IN AND SAY THIS
IS WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO
BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS
RIGHT, RATHER THAN HAVING THE
LOCAL ELECT THE LOCAL
CONSTITUENTS WHO ELECTED THEM TO
LOBBY THEM TO CHANGE THAT. I
BELIEVE IT'S AN OVERREACH ON
GOVERNMENT. UM AND IT IS BECAUSE
OF THAT REASON THAT I AM GONNA,
YOU KNOW, RESPECTFULLY OPPOSE
THE BILL AGAIN, BECAUSE IF YOU
DIDN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY, THEN
FINE. WE WOULD CONSIDER THAT BUT
IT IS YOUR PREROGATIVE. IT IS
YOUR RIGHT AND IT IS A LOCAL
CONSTITUENCY OR A LOCAL
RESIDENTS WHO ELECT YOU TO
DECIDE WHEN AND HOW MANY, UH,
BOARD MEMBERS YOU HAVE AND WHEN
TO HAVE IT. SO WITH THAT, I
RESPECTFULLY I WILL BE VOTING
NOW. UM WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE
SENATOR? I WOULD LET ME START.
UM TO NOTE. BOTH OF THE
WITNESSES HAVE INDICATED THERE
IS IN FACT SUBSTANTIAL THERE IS
IN FACT HAS BEEN SUBSTANTIAL
SUPPORT AND MEANINGFUL ADVOCACY
TO MAKE THIS CHANGE ACROSS A
VERY LONG PERIOD OF TIME. AS
DOCTOR PARKER POINTED OUT, LET
LET ME LET ME TOUCH ON A COUPLE
OF OTHER POINTS RAISED BY THE
OPPOSITION, UH, TO THE POINT
THAT THIS IS COSTLY, IT DOES, IN
FACT, HAVE A COST AS A SHARE OF
OVERALL COST FAIRLY DE MINIMIS
AND I WOULD ARGUE WELL WORTH THE
EXPENSE TO THE TO THE ASSERTION
AROUND VOTER FATIGUE. UM YOU
KNOW, IT IS TRUE THAT PEOPLE
MOVING DOWN A LONG BALLOT, YOU
KNOW, TEND TO, UH UH, TREAD. UH,
BUT I, I WOULD ARGUE THAT'S LESS
IMPORTANT THAN THE CONTEXTUAL
RELEVANCE THAT VOTERS BRING WITH
THEM TO A PARTICULAR BALLOT. SO
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE COME TO A
PRIMARY OR DON'T, UH, BECAUSE
THEY HAVE A SENSE OF KIND OF
THEIR ROLE IN THAT PROCESS, A
VERY DIFFERENT ELECTORATE A VERY
DIFFERENT SET OF DEMOGRAPHICS.
COME TO THE GENERAL ELECTION.
UH, AND TO DOCTOR PARKER'S
POINT, MANY OF THEM THINK
THEY'RE GOING TO ENCOUNTER A
RUNOFF FOR THIS BOARD ON THAT
BALLOT. THEY DON'T UM AND THEN,
TWO YEARS LATER IS THE NEXT
ELECTION FOR THE OTHER SHARE OF
THE BOARD. THAT IS THE YOU KNOW
TO THIS QUESTION OF THE WILL OF
VOTERS, RIGHT? YOU KNOW WHETHER
OR NOT, UH, THE INCUMBENTS GET
ELECTED IS TO ME LESS IMPORTANT
THAN WHETHER OR NOT VOTERS ARE
ENGAGED AND WHETHER OR NOT
VOTERS PARTICIPATE AND FEEL LIKE
THEY HAVE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON
THE OUTCOMES. ONE OF THE ONE OF
THE WITNESSES RAISED AS AN
EXAMPLE, THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS THAT ALSO HAS FIVE
MEMBERS. THERE IS A VAST
DIFFERENCE. THOSE ARE
PROFESSIONAL. THAT'S A THAT'S A
FULL TIME JOB. UH, IT PAYS
SUBSTANTIALLY THE MEMBERS OF THE
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF
EDUCATION. A FAIRLY MINIMAL
STATEMENT. MOREOVER EACH OF
THOSE SUPERVISORS HAS A VERY
LARGE STAFF AND SIGNIFICANT
RESOURCES AT THEIR DISPOSAL AND
TO THE SORT OF THE OPENING
COMMENT THAT THIS IS A SOLUTION
IN S¼ PROBLEM, I WOULD ARGUE
THAT IS ACTUALLY NOT, IN FACT,
THE CASE THERE IS A VERY REAL
PROBLEM, UH, IN HOW PEOPLE
CONNECT TO CIVIC INSTITUTIONS,
PARTICULARLY IN THIS CASE AS IT
RELATES TO EDUCATION, UH AND,
UH, YOU KNOW, I WOULD ARGUE VERY
STRONGLY THAT THE SMALLER THE
DISTRICT, THE MORE RESPONSIVE, I
THINK. IT'S HARD TO ARGUE WITH
IT, AND, UH AND THEN THE LARGER
THE ELECTORATE, THE MORE
REPRESENTATIVE, UH AND TO THE
LARGER POINT THAT YOU KNOW THAT
IT'S AN OVERREACH BY, UH, THE
STATE TO INTERFERE OR TO GET
INVOLVED WITH THAT WE DO THIS
ALL THE TIME. UH, AND I THINK
WE'RE DOING THIS IN A WAY TODAY
THAT IS FULLY JUSTIFIED AND THAT
WILL YIELD POSITIVE BENEFITS FOR
THE RESIDENTS OF ORANGE COUNTY.
AND I AM AS I'VE TOLD, MR SHEEHY
, I'M GLAD TO LOOK AT OTHER
DISTRICTS THAT HAVE THE SAME
PROBLEM IN PROSPECTIVELY INCLUDE
THEM IN THE LEGISLATION MOVING
FORWARD. SO WITH THAT
RESPECTFULLY AS TRUE. I VOTE
TODAY. THANK YOU, SENATOR
NEWMAN. UM, MADAM SECRETARY,
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. OH WE DO
HAVE A MOTION FROM, UH, SENATOR
CORTESE? YES. WHILE A 16 S¼ B
NINE, Ó SEVEN NEWMAN. THE
MOTION IS DUE PASS TO THE SENATE
ELECTIONS AND CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENTS COMMITTEE. NEWMAN
NEWMAN. I Ó NÓ Ó NÓ CORTES
CORTES, I GLASER GONZALEZ.
SMALLWOOD CUEVAS, SMALLWOOD
CUEVAS IY WILK NÓ WILK NÓ. THANK
YOU. AND WE HAVE, UM 322, AND
WE'LL LEAVE THAT ON CALL FOR THE
REST OF OUR ARTS AND MEMBERS.
YOU CONTINUED. HEY, TIM, GREAT
TO SEE YOU.
I. ASSEMBLY MEMBERS WELCOME. AND
YOU ARE GOING TO BE PRESENTING
AN IMPORTANT BILL AND IT IS A B
1887. WELCOME UH, YOU MAY
PROCEED. THANK YOU SO MUCH MR
CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT
ASSEMBLY BILL 1887, WHICH WILL
EXTEND THE APPLICATION DEADLINE
FOR STATE FINANCIAL AID
PROGRAMS. FROM APRIL 2ND TO MAY
2ND THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE
CAL GRAT AND MIDDLE CLASS
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS. AS YOU
KNOW, THIS BILL IS A RESPONSE TO
THE ONGOING ISSUE WITH THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW
FEDERAL FREE APPLICATION FOR
FEDERAL STUDENT AID AS COMMON
COMMONLY KNOWN AS FAA. IN LATE
2020 CONGRESS PASSED THE FSA
SIMPLIFICATION ACT, WHICH WAS
INTENDED TO STREAMLINE GAS AND
MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR
WORKING FAMILIES. THE PROJECT OF
REVAMPING THE FFA WAS BEGUN
UNDER THE PREVIOUS PRESIDENTIAL
ADMINISTRATION HAS CONTINUED
UNDER THE CURRENT PRESIDENT.
UNFORTUNATELY DUE TO REDUCED
STAFFING LEVELS AND DELAYS IN
IMPLEMENTING NECESSARY
TECHNOLOGICAL UPDATES, THE ROLL
OUT OF THE NEW FAFA HAS NOT BEEN
EASY. IT HAS BEEN WIDELY
REPORTED IN THE PRESS THAT THERE
HAVE BEEN SEVERAL SETBACKS AND
FALSE STARTS IN MAKING THE FFA
AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS AS CHAIR
OF THE LATINO LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS
. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AN ISSUE
AFFECTING STUDENTS WITH PARENTS
WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED, THEY HAVE
RUN INTO A PERSISTENT ERROR
MESSAGE, PREVENTING THEM FROM
COMPLETING THE FAST WITHOUT
PROVIDING A PARENT'S SOCIAL
SECURITY NUMBER. THIS HAS LEFT
STUDENTS WITH UNDOCUMENTED
PARENTS UNABLE TO APPLY FOR
STATE AND FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID.
COLLEGE EVEN THOUGH THEY
THEMSELVES ARE UNITED STATES
CITIZENS OR PERMANENT RESIDENTS.
THESE FASFA IMPLEMENTATION
ISSUES HAVE ALSO DELAYED THE
TIMELINE FOR COLLEGES AND
UNIVERSITIES TO MAKE ADMISSION
DECISIONS, PROVIDING FINANCIAL
AID AWARD OFFERS AND COMPLETING
THEIR ENROLLMENT. NATIONWIDE
STUDENT FAFA SUBMISSIONS ARE
DOWN AT LEAST 33% COMPARED TO
THE PREVIOUS ACADEMIC YEAR.
CLEARLY OUR STUDENTS NEED OUR
HELP. THEY NEED MORE TIME TO
COMPLETE THE FAFA MAKING
CALIFORNIA STUDENT DREAMS OF
ACHIEVING A HIGHER EDUCATION
MORE AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE
IS AMONG THE LEGISLATURE'S
HIGHEST DUTIES. WE'RE HERE TODAY
TO FULFILL THAT DUTY. TO THAT
END, THIS BILL WILL FURTHER
EXTEND THE APPLICATION DEADLINE
FOR STATE FINANCIAL AID PROGRAMS
TO MAY 2ND. UH, BECAUSE THIS IS
AN URGENCY CLAUSE. THE EXTENSION
WOULD TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY. I
DO WANT TO THANK SPEAKER RIVAS
AND SENATE PRESIDENT PRO 10
MIKE. WIRE FOR WORKING WITH ME
TO MAKE MOVE THIS BILL QUICKLY
THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
SO THAT WE CAN BE RESPONSIVE TO
THE URGENT NEED OF OUR STUDENTS
WITH ME TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF
THE BILL. WE HAVE JAKE BREMNER
WITH THE CALIFORNIA STUDENT AID
COMMISSION AND MARCOS MONTEZ
WITH THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
COLLEGE ATTAINMENT NETWORK. I
THINK, MR BENDER, YOUR FIRST
YOUR FIRST. THANK YOU. UH PLEASE
PROCEED. OK WELL, THANK YOU.
CHAIR NEWMAN AND SENATORS JAKE
BREMNER AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF
POLICY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS WITH
THE STUDENT AID COMMISSION, AS
YOU HEARD FROM ASSEMBLY MEMBER
CERVANTES, A FEDERAL LEGISLATION
SET IN A MOTION THIS PROCESS FOR
UPDATING AND SIMPLIFYING THE
FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL
STUDENT AID. THE FAFSA, UM FOR
THE FIRST TIME IN DECADES, SO
THIS REPRESENTED A MAJOR
TECHNOLOGY PROJECT DIDN'T COME
WITH NEW RESOURCES TO SUPPORT
THAT. UM AND IT HAS RESULTED IN
NOT ONLY THE TECHNICAL ISSUES
BUT ALSO A DELAY. AND WHEN THE
APPLICATION ITSELF WAS LAUNCHED
THAT WAS LAUNCHED ON DECEMBER
31ST, WHICH IS ABOUT THREE
MONTHS LATER THAN WHEN THE FAFSA
TYPICALLY OPENS ON OCTOBER 1 AND
THERE ARE STILL THESE ISSUES
IMPACTING OUR STUDENTS AND
FAMILIES THAT THE ASSEMBLY
MEMBER SPOKE TO, UH OF TOPMOST
CONCERN FOR US AT THE STUDENT
AID COMMISSION HAS BEEN THIS
ISSUE PREVENTING STUDENTS WHO
ARE THEMSELVES U S¼ CITIZENS BUT
MAY HAVE APP PARENT WHO DOES NOT
HAVE A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER
FROM BEING ABLE TO COMPLETE THE
APPLICATION DUE TO TECHNICAL
BARRIERS BASED ON DATA FROM LAST
YEAR, 2220 THREE WE AT THE
STUDENT AID COMMISSION
IDENTIFIED AS MANY AS 108,000
STUDENTS WHO HAD APPLIED FOR
FINANCIAL AID IN CALIFORNIA, WHO
HAD AT LEAST ONE PARENTAL
CONTRIBUTOR ON THEIR APPLICATION
THAT DID NOT HAVE A SOCIAL
SECURITY NUMBER. PEW RESEARCH
HAS ESTIMATED THAT 12% OF OUR
STUDENTS IN Kò THROUGH 12
SCHOOLS IN CALIFORNIA HAVE ONE
PARENT WHO MAY NOT HAVE A SOCIAL
SECURITY NUMBER. UH, THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
ANNOUNCED A FIX FOR THE FAFSA
FOR THESE STUDENTS. HOWEVER IN
THAT ANNOUNCEMENT, THEY ALSO
IDENTIFIED ANOTHER TECHNICAL
ISSUE THAT IS CONTINUING TO
IMPEDE THE ABILITY FOR THESE
STUDENTS TO SUBMIT THEIR
APPLICATIONS. WE AT THE STUDENT
AID COMMISSION HAVE BEEN
PREPARING TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENTS
TO OUR CALIFORNIA DREAM ACT,
APPLICATION OR APPLICATION THAT
UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS CAN
UTILIZE TO APPLY FOR STATE
FINANCIAL AID, SO THAT IF NEED
BE, WE CAN MAKE THIS AVAILABLE
TO THESE STUDENTS TO STILL BE
CONSIDERED FOR STATE FINANCIAL
AID. AND OF COURSE, THERE ARE
STILL OTHER GLITCHES THAT ARE
PRESENT IN THE FAFSA THAT ARE
ALSO IMPEDING THE ABILITY FOR
OUR STUDENTS WHO HAVE PARENTS
WITH SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS
FROM BEING ABLE TO COMPLETE AN
APPLICATION. THE NATIONAL
COLLEGE ATTAINMENT NETWORK
RECEIVES STATE LEVEL DATA THAT
THEY USE TO ESTIMATE HIGH SCHOOL
SENIOR COMPLETION RATES.
UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE STILL NOT
RECEIVING STUDENT LEVEL DATA YET
DUE TO SOME OF THOSE DELAYS THAT
THE ASSEMBLY MEMBER SPOKE TO,
BUT BASED ON THIS OTHER SET OF
DATA, UH THROUGH MARCH, 8TH
APPROXIMATELY 170 THREE 1000,
CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS
ABOUT 31% OF OUR SENIORS HAD
COMPLETED A FAFSA. THAT'S A
LARGE NUMBER, BUT IT STILL
REPRESENTS A REALLY LARGE DROP
43% DECREASE COMPARED TO WHERE
WE WERE AT THE SAME TIME LAST
YEAR, AND UNFORTUNATELY THE
DECREASES APPEAR TO BE THE MOST
SEVERE AT OUR HIGH SCHOOLS THAT
SERVE LARGE NUMBERS OF LOW
INCOME AND MINORITY STUDENTS,
GIVEN THE DECREASED RATE OF
APPLICATIONS AND CHALLENGES
STILL FACED BY OUR MIXED STATUS
FAMILIES, A B 1887 PROVIDES MORE
TIME FOR US TO WORK WITH
STUDENTS TO APPLY FOR FINANCIAL
AID AND GET THAT INFORMATION
BEFORE THEY NEED TO MAKE THEIR
ENROLLMENT DECISIONS. WE VERY
MUCH APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP
FROM ASSEMBLY MEMBER CERVANTES,
THE LEGISLATURE, THE
ADMINISTRATION FOR ALL TOGETHER
TO COLLABORATE AROUND HOW WE
MAXIMIZE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR
STUDENTS IN CALIFORNIA TO
RECEIVE THIS FINANCIAL AID THAT
THEY NEED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
APPRECIATE YOUR TESTIMONY, MR
MARS. UM GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK
YOU. CHAIR THANK YOU. MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS MARCOS
MONTES AND I AM THE POLICY
DIRECTOR FOR THE SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA COLLEGE ATTAINMENT.
UH, NETWORK WHERE NETWORK
SERVING OVER 350,000 FAMILIES IN
THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGION
AND WERE COMPOSED OVER 100 20
COLLEGE ACCESS ORGANIZATIONS. UM
THE ROLL OUT OF THE BETTER FAFSA
, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN BETTER FOR
EVERYBODY HAS REALLY CAUSED A
ONE OF THE MOST COMPLICATED
YEARS FOR THE COLLEGE ACCESS
FIELD. STUDENTS AND FAMILIES ARE
REALLY FEELING THE PAIN OF NOT
BEING ABLE TO SUBMIT FROM, UM,
SUBMIT A COMPLETE FAFSA
APPLICATION. MANY STUDENTS ARE
FEELING EXCLUDED AND ARE FEELING
LIKE THEIR OPTIONS OF GOING TO
COLLEGE ARE DISAPPEARING IN
FRONT OF THEM. I MYSELF HAVE HAD
THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK SOME
CASH FOR COLLEGE WORKSHOP. UM
OUR ORGANIZATION HAS HAD TO HOST
A FEW MORE THAN IN A NORMAL YEAR
, JUST BECAUSE OF THE GLITCHES
AND THE PROBLEMS THAT ARE
HAPPENING. STUDENTS ARE FEELING
VERY DISCOURAGED, VERY STRESSED.
THEY'RE CONTEMPLATING THEIR
OPTIONS. AND SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT THAT I'VE HEARD IS SUCH AS
THEIR CONTEMPLATING PAIN OUT OF
POCKET, WHICH WE KNOW THOSE
COSTS ARE GONNA BE TREMENDOUS
AND IT MIGHT BE VERY DIFFICULT
FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. UM FAMILIES
ARE ALSO CONSIDERING TAKING OUT
LOANS. BUT WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO
SUBMIT THE FAA. THEY'RE NOT ABLE
TO ACCESS A FEDERAL LOANS. THEY
WOULD BE ACCESSING PRIVATE LOANS
, WHICH NOW WE KNOW THOSE CAN BE
A LITTLE BIT MORE PREDATORY TO
OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. ALSO
SOME STUDENTS ARE CONTEMPLATING
WHETHER EVEN TO ENROLL, UH, FOR
THE NEXT UPCOMING YEAR OR NOT.
SO STUDENTS ARE BEING FACED TO
MAKE VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS.
BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. PARENTS
ARE ALSO FEELING VERY PAIN. I
GOT A CHANCE TO WORK WITH A
MIXED STATUS FAMILY, AND IT WAS,
UM, HEART WRENCHING TO HEAR THAT
THE PARENT WAS APOLOGIZING TO
THE STUDENT SAYING, THIS IS MY
FAULT. LIKE I'M SORRY THIS IS
HAPPENING TO YOU. UM AND WE KNOW
THAT THIS IS NOT THEIR FAULT. WE
KNOW THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE
WITH THE SYSTEM WITH THE
TECHNICAL GLITCHES THAT ARE
HAPPENING, SO THAT'S WHY IT'S
VERY IMPORTANT FOR US FOR THE
STATE TO PUSH BACK. THE APRIL
2ND DEADLINE TO MAY. 2ND UM OUR
ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN ALSO BEEN
LEADING THE EFFORT OF, UM A SIGN
ON LETTER WHERE 58 ORGANIZATIONS
HAVE CALLED FOR DEADLINE
EXTENSIONS, PUSHING BACK TO
APRIL 2ND THAT I LIKE TO MAY.
2ND IS VERY IMPORTANT, ALONG
WITH ALSO WORKING WITH OUR
SYSTEM PARTNERS TO SEE YOU AND
THE U èC TO PUSH BACK
REGISTRATION DEADLINES. MANY
STUDENTS HAVE A DEADLINE WHEN
THEY HAVE TO DECLARE THAT
THEY'RE GONNA INTEND TO REGISTER
ON A CAMPUS TRADITIONALLY, IN A
NORMAL YEAR. THAT WAS MAY 1ST,
SO THE SYSTEMS IN SOME CAMPUSES
HAVE PUSHED BACK TO MAY 15TH.
SOME HAVE EVEN PUSHED BACK TO
JUNE. 1ST ARE OR OUR GROUP OF
ORGANIZATIONS ARE CALLING FOR A
DEADLINE EXTENSION ON THAT, TOO,
MAKING SURE THAT THE SYSTEMS
COME OUT AND SAY WE COULD
WILLING TO PUSH IT TO BY AT
LEAST AN ADDITIONAL FOUR WEEKS
SO THAT STUDENTS HAVE, UH, THE
TIME TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A KEY
DECISIONS THAT ARE GONNA IMPACT
THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.
FINANCIAL AID AWARD LETTERS ARE
VERY COMPLICATED TO DECIPHER, SO
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE BUY
ENOUGH TIME FOR STUDENTS AND
FAMILIES TO DO THAT. SO THANK
YOU FOR BRINGING A B 1887
FORWARD. AND, UM YEAH, WE HOPE
WE COME YOUR SUPPORT. AND THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. UH, ARE
THERE ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS. OH,
THEY SURE ARE IN THE ROOM. I'D
LIKE TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF
THE MEASURE. IF YOU COULD PLEASE
YOUR NAME YOUR ORGANIZATION,
YOUR POSITION. HØI GOOD MORNING
CHAIR AND MEMBERS CAROL GONZALEZ
HERE ON BEHALF OF LONG BEACH
CITY COLLEGE IN STRONG SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PLEASE HØI
GOOD AFTERNOON, MARIA MORALES ON
BEHALF OF HISPANA, ORGANIZER OF
POLITICAL EQUALITY AND STRONG
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. HØI KIMBERLY
SANCHEZ IN NEXT CALIFORNIA IN
SUPPORT. PRESIDENT BROWN WAS èC
F Tð IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU. HØI
VALERIE JOHNSON WITH THE
CAMPAIGN FOR COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY
AND SUPPORT. ANNA MATTHEWS WITH
THE FACULTY ASSOCIATION OF
CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES
AND STRONG SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
MORNING ALEX GRAVES, THE
ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT
CALIFORNIA COLLEGES AND
UNIVERSITIES SUPPORT THANK YOU.
FOR LIKE ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA FACULTY ASSOCIATION
IN SUPPORT. JESSICA DONG AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IN
STRONG SUPPORT. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, MAGGIE WHITE CALIFORNIA
STATE UNIVERSITY AND STRONG
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. CAITLIN J ON
BEHALF OF THE LOS ANGELES
COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT OF EL
CAMINO COLLEGE, SO WE CALL SANTA
MONICA COLLEGE, PASADENA CITY
COLLEGE AND AN INSTITUTE FOR
COLLEGE ACCESS AND SUCCESS AND
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING
, IMRAN MAJID ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF
SHE'S OFFICE AND SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING NAG
GROUP ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA AND
STRONG SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. MICHELLE WARSAW ON BEHALF
OF STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF
PUBLIC INSTRUCTION TONY THURMOND
IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, MELISSA BARDO ON BEHALF
OF ED TRUST WEST AND SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. SASHA
HORWITZ, LOS ANGELES UNIFIED
SCHOOL DISTRICT IN SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE IS THERE
ANYBODY HERE IN THE COMMITTEE
ROOM WHO WOULD LIKE TO TESTIFY
IN OPPOSITION TO THE MEASURE?
AND SEEING NONE. LET'S COME BACK
TO THE COMMITTEE. ANY MEMBERS
LIKE TO ASK YOU QUESTION, UH OR
VOICE BUT THE MOTHER OF A
GRADUATING SENIOR, I'M I'M SO
HAPPY THAT THIS BILL IS MOVING
FORWARD. UM MY QUESTION IS, HOW
DOES THIS RELATE TO THE FED
DEADLINE? WHAT WHAT IS THIS? HOW
DOES THIS BILL COLLABORATE? UM
TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS GET WHAT
THEY NEED, UM, TO BE ABLE TO
FINISH THIS VERY IMPORTANT, UM
PROCESS. CERTAINLY YES. SO I'LL
TOUCH ON THAT. AND THEN MAYBE
I'LL PASS IT TO JAKE. UH, SO ONE
OF THE THINGS IS THIS BILL IS
JUST ALLOWING STUDENTS
ADDITIONAL TIME, UH, TO COMPLETE
THE FFA, WHICH IS ALSO GIVING
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MORE TIME
TO SOLVE THE ONGOING
IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES THAT
WE'RE SEEING. SO WE BELIEVE THAT
JUST BY THE EXTENSION ALONE, UH
GIVEN THE VARIOUS DISCUSSIONS
WE'VE HAD THAT SHOULD BE HELPFUL
TO MANY CALIFORNIA STUDENTS, BUT
I'LL GIVE IT TO OUR WITNESS
TESTIMONY AND SENATOR TO YOUR
QUESTION, UM, THE FEDERAL
APPLICATION WILL REMAIN OPEN.
DESPITE THESE GLITCHES, STUDENTS
CAN STILL APPLY. WHAT THIS
LEGISLATION DOES IS SHIFT A
DEADLINE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE
IN STATUTE FOR STATE BASED
FINANCIAL AID OR CAL GRANT
PROGRAM, MIDDLE CLASS
SCHOLARSHIP, ET CETERA. AND THE
LOGIC OF THAT DEADLINE IS THAT
IT GIVES STUDENTS INFORMATION
ABOUT THEIR FINANCIAL AID STATUS
BEFORE THEY MAKE ENROLLMENT
DECISIONS. ANYBODY ELSE? SENATOR
BUG. JUST ONE QUESTION. DID WE
HAVE A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT
WOULD, UH, REQUIRE HIGH SCHOOLS
TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO FILL
OUT THE FAA IN HIGH SCHOOL? UH,
YES, THAT'S CORRECT, SENATOR.
THAT'S UH, ASSEMBLY BILL 469
THAT WAS ADOPTED BACK IN 2021.
WE HAD OUR FIRST YEAR OF
IMPLEMENTATION IN 2220 THREE. WE
SAW TREMENDOUS GAINS MORE THAN
24,000 MORE HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS
THAT HAD APPLIED FOR FINANCIAL
AID, WHICH MAKES THIS DECREASE
THAT WE'RE SEEING THIS YEAR. ALL
THE MORE PAINFUL BECAUSE WE
ACTUALLY LED THE NATION IN
GROWTH AND THE NUMBER OF HIGH
SCHOOL SENIORS THAT APPLIED FOR
FINANCIAL AID LAST YEAR AND OUR
SCHOOLS. OUR LOCAL PARTNERS ARE
REALLY FACING SIGNIFICANT
HEADWINDS AS WE TRY TO CONTINUE
TO BUILD ON THAT MOMENTUM. SO
THIS WILL FIX THE ISSUES THAT IS
CAUSING THE DECREASE IN NUMBERS.
IS THAT THIS WILL GIVE US MORE
TIME TO WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS
TO GET THROUGH, UM THE
CHALLENGES THAT STILL PERSIST
AND ARE AT THAT FEDERAL LEVEL
WHERE UNFORTUNATELY WE AT THE
STUDENT AID COMMISSION. WE DON'T
HAVE THE ABILITY TO RESPOND TO
THOSE CHALLENGES. AND WHAT WE'RE
TRYING TO DO IS WORK WITH OUR
LOCAL PARTNERS WORK WITH OUR
SEGMENT COLLEAGUES TO FIND
STRATEGIES WHERE STUDENTS CAN
STILL APPLY AND GET THAT
INFORMATION AHEAD OF THEIR
ENROLLMENT DECISIONS. SO DID WE
NOT HAVE THESE ISSUES PRIOR TO
WE DIDN'T HAVE THESE ISSUES LAST
YEAR OR WE DID. THIS IS THE
FIRST YEAR WHERE WE HAVE THIS
NEW FORMAT OF THE APPLICATION
FOR FEDERAL AID. TOTALLY
DIFFERENT PROCESS WHERE WE'RE
ASKING, UM PARENTS TO CONTRIBUTE
TO THE APPLICATION AS SENATOR
MAY BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO IN A WAY
THAT PREVIOUSLY IT JUST LOOKED
DIFFERENT. THIS IS THE FIRST
TIME IT'S BEEN DESIGNED FOR
ONLINE FIRST. IT'S BEEN MUCH
SIMPLER FOR SOME FAMILIES AND,
AS THE ASSEMBLY MEMBER SPOKE TO,
THERE ARE, UNFORTUNATELY
FAMILIES THAT JUST CAN, UM DUE
TO TECHNICAL BARRIERS AND NOT
COMPLETE THE APPLICATION AT ALL.
SURE I'LL BE HAPPY TO MOVE THE
BILL WHEN APPROPRIATE. TERRIFIC
OK, THANK YOU, UH, COLLEAGUES
ANY OF THE COMMENTS QUESTIONS?
UH I. I WILL SAY SO, YOU KNOW,
APPRECIATE. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT
BILL AS AS SORT OF VALIDATED BY
THE NUMBER AND BREADTH OF THE
WITNESSES HERE TODAY. HUGE
IMPACT ON LOTS AND LOTS OF
PEOPLE. MOST IMPORTANTLY, UH, ON
ON, UH, STUDENTS FOR WHOM
CHALLENGES WOULD ALREADY BE
THERE, YOU KNOW, IF NOT FOR
THESE ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES, YOU
KNOW? ESPECIALLY THE INCLUSION
OR THE YOU KNOW THE MISTAKES
AROUND THE SOCIAL SECURITY. UH
SO APPRECIATE THE NEED TO DO
THIS ALSO APPRECIATE THE URGENCY
WITH WHICH WE ARE DOING THE
ASSEMBLY MEMBERS. THANKS FOR
BRINGING THIS BILL TO BOTH THE
WITNESS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY. AND WITH THAT WE HAVE
A MOTION FROM SENATOR èC BOGG.
MADAM CONSULTANT. PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL. ALRIGHT. SORRY PLEASE
CLOSE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR
CHAIR. WELL UH, ON BEHALF OF ALL
THOSE WHO TESTIFIED IN SUPPORT
TODAY ON BEHALF OF ALL THE
STUDENTS IN CALIFORNIA WHO ARE
EAGERLY AWAITING OUR HELP, I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR I VOTE
FOR 1887. THANK YOU. I
APPRECIATE THAT. AND MY
APOLOGIES. UH, AND WITH THAT MAN
HAVE BEEN SO PLEASE CALL THE
ROOM. WHILE ITEM 17 A B 1887
CERVANTES. THE MOTION IS TO PASS
THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE. NEWMAN I Ó I Ó I
CORTES CORTES EYE. GLASER GLASER
EYE GONZALEZ. SMALL WITH SMALL
WOOD CUEVAS IY WILL WILK WELL
THAT THAT BILL HAS HOW MANY
VOTES AND IT WILL DEFINITELY BE
OUT. I THINK WE'RE STILL MISSING
SENATOR GONZALEZ. SO THANK YOU.
UH AND THAT WILL MOVE OUT OF
HERE ONCE WE CLOSE THE ROLL ON
IN, UH, ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP. WE
HAVE, UH, I THINK SENATOR
CORTESE, UH, YOU HAVE BEEN
WAITING PATIENTLY TO DO YOUR
BILL. UH AND PLEASE PROCEED AT
YOUR LEISURE S¼ B 956. MHM.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AND
COLLEAGUES. UM I APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY YOU GIVE ME, UH TO
PRESENT S¼ B 956, WHICH
REAUTHORIZES Kò 12 DISTRICTS TO
USE THE DESIGN BUILD DELIVERY
METHOD WHEN CONSTRUCTING A
DESIGN SCHOOL FACILITIES. THIS
BILL ALSO, UH, REMOVED THE
SUNSET. ALTOGETHER DESIGN BUILD
IS A UNIQUE PROJECT DELIVERY
METHOD THAT I THINK MOST OF YOU
ARE FAMILIAR WITH. IT ALLOWS THE
SCHOOL, UH, TO SELECT THE DESIGN
, PROFESSIONAL AND CONTRACTOR
CURRENTLY THROUGH A SINGLE
CONTRACT DISTRICTS USE THIS
VALUABLE TOOL TO EXPEDITE
PROJECT CONSTRUCTION, GENERATE
CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO UNIQUE
ISSUES AND ENCOURAGE
COLLABORATION BETWEEN
ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS AND
CONTRACTORS. DESIGN BUILD,
PROVIDES AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE
TRADITIONAL DESIGN. BUILD DESIGN
BID BUILD DELIVERY METHOD RATHER
THAN SELECTING THE Dð B, BASED
SOLELY ON THE LOWEST BIDDER.
DESIGN BUILD, ALLOWS THE SCHOOL
TO USE BEST VALUE TO SELECT THE
Dð B. THAT CRITERIA MAY INCLUDE
LIFE CYCLE COSTS AND OTHER
FEATURES OR FUNCTIONS. BY
ESTABLISHING A GUARANTEED
MAXIMUM PRICE FOR THE PROJECT.
THIS METHOD REDUCES THE RISK OF
CæA INCREASED ONCE CONSTRUCTION
BEGINS, UH, LET'S CHANGE ORDERS.
IN OTHER WORDS, THIS IS
PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT GIVEN THE
RECENT DOUBLE DIGIT ANNUAL COST
ESCALATION IN THE SCHOOL
CONSTRUCTION. MARKET. UH,
PREVIOUSLY THE STATUTE WAS
AMENDED. I WANT TO CLARIFY THIS
JUST BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN
SOME QUESTIONS JUST PRIOR TO THE
HEARING. PREVIOUSLY THE STATUTE
WAS AMENDED. REQUIRE Kò 12
DESIGN BUILD PROJECTS TO UTILIZE
THE SKILLED AND TRAINED
WORKFORCE FOR ALL WORK ON A
PROJECT THAT FALLS WITHIN AN
APPRENTICESHIP OF OCCUPATION. I
DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT WAS A
WORD, UH, IN THE BUILDING AND
CONSTRUCTION TRADES. S¼ P 956
ELIMINATES THE Kò 12 DESIGN,
BUILD AUTHORIZATION, SUNSET AND
GRANT SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THE
PERMANENT AUTHORITY UTILIZE
CONSTRUCTION DELIVERY METHOD. UM
SCHOOLS HAVE PROVEN OVER TWO
DECADES THAT THEY CAN USE THE
METHOD RESPONSIBLY TO THE
BENEFIT OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. UM
I APPRECIATE IT. UH, I THINK IN
THE ANALYSIS OF REFERENCE TO THE
LL A Ó, UM, TAKING A LOOK AT
THIS. AND UH, I THINK IT'S A
FAIR INTERPRETATION OF WHAT THE
Ó A Ó IS SAYING IS, UM THIS IS
NOT CAUSED ANY HARM AND
SOMETIMES PROVIDES UM BENEFIT IN
AND THEREFORE UM WE DON'T SEE
ANY, UM, INTERNAL OPPOSITION TO
MOVING THIS FORWARD WITHOUT A
SUNSET. UM, AND WITH US TO
TESTIFY. WE HAVE REBECCA COLLEEN
, REPRESENTING HER CLIENT
COALITION FOR ADEQUATE SCHOOL
HOUSING AND MR FRANK CAMARDA
COALITION FOR ADEQUATE SCHOOL
HOUSING BOARD MEMBER. IF I MAY I
TURN BACK OVER TO THE CHAIR.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, PLEASE
PROCEED. GREAT THANK YOU, MR
CHAIR AND MEMBERS REBECCA COLIN
ON BEHALF OF THE COALITION FOR
ADEQUATE SCHOOL HOUSING, WHICH
REPRESENTS SCHOOL DISTRICTS ON
SCHOOL FACILITY ISSUES. WE'RE
PLEASED TO SPONSOR S¼ B 956 AND
THINK THE SENATOR FOR HIS
LEADERSHIP ON THIS IMPORTANT
ISSUE. UH, HE HIT HE HIT A HOME
RUN WITH THAT DESCRIPTION. I
DON'T HAVE MUCH TO ADD TO THAT.
UM BUT YOU KNOW THAT SCHOOL
CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLEX. THERE'S
NÓ ONE RIGHT WAY TO PROCURE AND
DELIVER PROJECTS. DESIGN BUILD
IS AN IMPORTANT TOOL IN THE
TOOLBOX. IT'S AN OPTION. UM IT
HELPS TO PROVIDE THE OPTION TO
USE BEST VALUE METHOD TO SELECT
THAT ARCHITECT AND CONTRACTOR UP
FRONT. THEY WORK TOGETHER ON THE
SAME TEAM. THEY WORK
COLLABORATIVELY TO DESIGN AND
CONSTRUCT THAT PROJECT. WE CAN
CONSIDER OTHER CRITERIA. IN
ADDITION TO COSTS, SUCH AS
EXPERIENCE, PAST PERFORMANCE AND
OTHER FEATURES, UH, A VARIETY OF
BENEFITS EXIST WITH DESIGN BUILD
SUCH EXPEDITING PROJECT
CONSTRUCTION AND PROVIDING PRICE
CERTAINTY AND IN PARTICULAR,
RIGHT NOW, THESE FEATURES ARE
VERY USEFUL AND HELPFUL AS WE
BUILD ALL OF THOSE CLASSROOMS
FOR OUR NEW TRANSITIONAL
KINDERGARTEN GRADE LEVEL. WE
HAVE TO DO THAT QUICKLY. WE NEED
TO DO THAT EFFICIENTLY. DESIGN
BUILD IS A GREAT TOOL TO GET
THAT DONE. WE DID FIRST RECEIVE
THE ABILITY TO USE THIS
AUTHORITY IN 2001. SO WE HAVE
PROVEN OVER TWO DECADES THAT WE
CAN DO THIS SUCCESSFULLY. UM WE
WILL TAKE THE NEXT STEP WITH S¼
B 956 TO MAKE Kò 12 DESIGN BUILD
AUTHORITY PERMANENT AND I THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU, MS
COLLEEN. UH, THANK YOU. CHAIR
NEWMAN, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS,
FRANK KAMARA, CHIEF OPERATIONS
OFFICER FOR THE SAN JUAN UNIFIED
SCHOOL DISTRICT. UH, I'D LIKE TO
THANK YOU AND THE MEMBERS FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE SOME
COMMENTS ON THIS IMPORTANT PIECE
OF LEGISLATION. UH, SCHOOL
DISTRICTS, UH, WERE DEFINITELY
GRATEFUL THAT OUR LEGISLATORS
ARE PROVIDING ADDITIONAL
PROCUREMENT TOOLS TO DELIVER
THESE HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION
PROJECTS. UH, THE REASON I'M
HERE TODAY, I THINK I'M UNIQUELY
POSITIONED TO PROVIDE THIS
COMMITTEE SOME INSIGHTS ON THE
MERITS OF DESIGN BUILD, UH, DUE
TO MY EXPERIENCE USING THIS
PROCUREMENT METHOD IN SAN JUAN,
UNIFIED, UH, WE DELIVERED OVER
$100 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS
USING THE DESIGN BUILD
PROCUREMENT METHOD. I'VE ALSO
CREATED SOME DESIGN BUILD
WORKSHOPS, UH, SAT ON PANELS
WITH INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS, UH,
BOTH NATIONALLY AND ALSO ACROSS
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. UH,
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, ALL PROJECTS
ARE UNIQUE. THEY REQUIRE A
UNIQUE RESPONSE IN CHOOSING A
PROCUREMENT METHOD. UH, DESIGN
BUILD OFFERS, UH, DISTRICTS THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SELECT A DELIVERY
METHOD THAT BEST FITS THE
OUTCOMES OF THEIR PARTICULAR
PROJECT. UM PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT
ON THE GROWING USE OF DESIGN
BUILD ACROSS THE STATE. I
RECENTLY SCORED 22 ARCHITECTS
PROPOSALS AND ONE OF THOSE
QUALIFYING VALUES WAS THE
ARCHITECT'S EXPERIENCE IN
DELIVERING PROJECTS. UH, USING
ALTERNATIVE, UH, PROCUREMENT AND
DELIVERY METHODS. UH I WAS NOT
SURPRISED TO SEE THAT A LARGE
VOLUME OF PROJECTS ARE BEING
COMPLETED BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS
ACROSS THE STATE. USING DESIGN
BUILD, IT HAS BECOME A VALUED
METHOD OF PROCUREMENT FOR SCHOOL
DISTRICTS. UH, WHY IS THIS
METHOD? UH, VALID? A VALUE TO
DISTRICTS A COUPLE BULLET POINTS
FOR THIS COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER,
UH, DISTRICTS ARE SELECTING
DESIGN BUILD ENTITY BASED ON A
RIGOROUS STANDARDS OF
QUALIFICATIONS OR THE GUARANTEED
MAXIMUM PRICE. UH THIS PROVIDES
DISTRICTS WITH GREATER COST
CONTROLS AND HIGHLY QUALIFIED,
UH, TEAMS. UH, IT PROVIDES
RIGOROUS PRECONSTRUCTION PROCESS
THAT ENSURES GREATER CONSTRUCT
OF A PROJECT. IT LENDS ITSELF TO
A HIGH LEVEL OF COLLABORATION,
UH, DURING THE DESIGN,
DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION
PROCESS, AND FINALLY I BELIEVE
THAT ON BILL REDUCES RISK TO
SCHOOL DISTRICTS. IT IS A
PROCUREMENT METHOD THAT HAS A
LOWER RATE OF LEGAL CHALLENGES.
UH, FOR THESE REASONS, I BELIEVE
DESIGN BUILDS IS EFFECTIVE. IT'S
RELIABLE PROCUREMENT METHOD FOR
SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO UTILIZE. UH
AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY
THERE. ANY OTHER WITNESSES HERE
IN THE HEARING ROOM WOULD LIKE
TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF THE
MEASURE. YOUR NAME YOUR POSITION
. YOUR ORGANIZATION, MR CHAIRMAN
AND MEMBERS BE BILLER ON BEHALF
OF THE DESIGN BUILD INSTITUTE OF
WESTERN PACIFIC REGION IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. MORNING
SASHA HORWITZ WITH LOS ANGELES
UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, A USER
OF THE DESIGN, BUILD METHOD AND
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING
, DOROTHY JOHNSON, ABOUT AT THE
ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATORS. PLEASED TO
SUPPORT THANK YOU. LUCY SALCIDO
CARTER WITH THE ALAMEDA COUNTY
OFFICE OF ED IN SUPPORT. GOOD
MORNING, PAMELA GIBBS,
REPRESENTING THE LOS ANGELES
COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION AND
SUPPORT OF THE BILL. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU HERE WOULD LIKE TO
TESTIFY IN OPPOSITION TO THE
MEASURE. S¼ B 956. SEEING NONE.
BRADY LET'S BRING THIS BACK TO
THE COMMITTEE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE
BILL? WELL I JUST WANTED TO SAY
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS BILL
. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK
BEFORE COMING TO THE LEGISLATURE
WITH WE BUILD IN L A, UH U S¼ Dð
WHERE WE DID, 100. UH, PROJECTS
AND USING DESIGN, UH AND BUILD
ALONG WITH HIGH VALUE
CONTRACTING WERE ABLE TO PUT UM,
UPWARDS OF ABOUT 1200. FORMER
STUDENTS, ADULT ED STUDENTS INTO
THE CONSTRUCTION PATHWAY WHERE
THEY GOT TO BUILD THEIR SCHOOLS
AND THEN MOVED ON INTO A CAREER,
SO I'M GLAD THE WHAT? I
RECOGNIZE THE SENATOR CORTES FOR
BRINGING THIS BILL AND, UM I'M
HAPPY TO MOVE IT WHEN THE TIME
IS RIGHT. APPRECIATE THAT
ANYBODY ELSE FOR MY PART, I I'VE
DONE A BUNCH OF BILLS. UM I'M
SORRY, SENATOR èC B. ALL RIGHT.
I COULDN'T SEE YOUR INFORMATION.
I. I SO A COUPLE OF JUST
COMMENTS THAT I'M GOING TO SHARE
BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS THIS IS
WHERE WE MAKE CONCERNS AND
INFORMATION, UH, KNOWN TO THE
PUBLIC AND WE HAVE IT ON RECORD.
UH, HUGE SUPPORTER OF THE DESIGN
BUILD. I THINK IT'S A GREAT IT'S
A GREAT COMPONENT, A GREAT TOOL
FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO HAVE
IN ORDER TO STREAMLINE THE
PROCESS AND COST. PERFECT. BUT
THERE IS ONE COMPONENT THAT I
THINK THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS NOT
AWARE, AND THAT'S THE FACT THAT,
UM WITH THE ADDITION OF THE
REQUIREMENT OF THE SKILLED
TRAINED WORKFORCE ON THERE
COMPANIES ARE EXCLUDED FROM
BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
ABILITY TO BUILD THESE, UH,
THESE SCHOOLS OR PROJECTS AND,
UM, THAT ACTUALLY PERSONALLY
IMPACTS OUR FAMILY. UM, OUR
FAMILY.
HAS HAD A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
FOR 40 YEARS. FAMILY OWNED. HAS
EMPLOYED FORMAL INCARCERATED
PEOPLE, STUDENTS. UM VARIOUS
DEMOGRAPHICS. AND WHAT WE'RE
DOING HERE. BY SUPPORTING IF I
WERE TO SUPPORT THIS TODAY, I'M
ACTUALLY EXCLUDING FAMILY OWNED
BUSINESS OF 40 YEARS FROM BEING
ABLE TO PARTICIPATE. IN MAKING A
LIVING. FOR MANY OF THE
EMPLOYEES. ON THAT END. IN THE
COUNTRY AND THEN INSTITUTION
WHERE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE
PROTECTING. ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
FOR ALL INHERENTLY. THERE'S A
COMPONENT HERE THAT EXCLUDES
PEOPLE FROM BEING ABLE TO DO
THAT. THEY HAVE BUILT SCHOOLS
FOR MANY, MANY YEARS DECADES.
AND THIS POLICY, THOUGH WELL,
MEANING INTENDED IN ITS GRADE.
GREAT. DESIGN BUILD IT EXCLUDES.
WORKERS IRON WORKERS FROM BEING
ABLE TO DO THAT. AND SO, UM, I
WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE
BILL TODAY. BUT BUT DO SUPPORT.
THE TOOL. BUT IT GIVES TO OUR
SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO BE ABLE TO
BUILD MUCH NEEDED CONSTRUCTION
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE NEED IN
THE STATE. BUT I JUST WANTED
JUST PUT THAT ON RECORD SO THAT
AS WE MOVE FORWARD WHEN WE DO
LEGISLATION THAT IMPACTS THE
ABILITY FOR PEOPLE AND WE TALK
ABOUT INCLUSION AND WE TALK
ABOUT ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. WE
DON'T WE THINK VERY THOROUGHLY
ABOUT HOW IT IMPACTS PEOPLE WHO
THEY ARE NOT ON THE TABLE. AS
ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES MENTIONED
IN ANOTHER COMMITTEE. PAID TO BE
AT THE TABLE. AND IT'S NOT
BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO. IT'S
BECAUSE THE SYSTEM HAS NOT
ALLOWED THEM TO BE INCLUDED. IN
AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM IN A
TRAINING PROGRAM. BY THE STATE.
SO ON THAT MERIT. I WANNA SAY I
SUPPORT THE PRINCIPLE OF THE
DESIGN BUILD, BUT IT CANNOT POUR
THE MEAL TODAY AS IT STANDS JUST
BECAUSE IT DOES IMPACT MANY,
MANY COMPANIES LIKE MY FATHER IN
LAWS. APPRECIATE THAT. UM LET ME
SAY FOR MY PART I I'VE DONE
PREVIOUS LEGISLATION TO ALLOW
FOR WHAT IS ALWAYS A LIMITED
NUMBER OF THE DESIGN BUILD OR
PROGRESSIVE DESIGN PROJECTS. WE
HAVE THIS SORT OF INTERESTING
QUIRK AND CONTRACTING IN
CALIFORNIA WHERE WE HAVE TO, UH,
WE LEGISLATE AND SEEK PERMISSION
FOR A FINITE NUMBER OF, YOU
KNOW, WITH RESPECT TO DESIGN
BILL, I THINK THAT THE EVIDENCE
IS PRETTY CLEAR. IT'S A GOOD
CONTRACTING MODEL, AND IT WORKS
WELL. SENATOR WILK AND I ARE
BOTH MEMBERS OF THE STATE
ALLOCATIONS BOARD. UH AND I. I
WOULD ARGUE THAT ANYTHING THAT
SAVES THE STATE MONEY IN DOING
YOU KNOW, CAPITAL EXPENDITURES
FOR SCHOOLS IS A GOOD THING. SO
YOU'RE GLAD TO SUPPORT THIS BILL
? UM, I'M SURE IN YOUR CLOTHES,
YOU'LL SPEAK TO SENATOR CBO'S
COMMENTS, SENATOR CORTES, BUT
YOU KNOW HOW THEY WANT OTHER
THINGS, AND I AND I WANNA SAY
IT'S ABOUT THE STATE ALLOCATION
ON BOARD IN IN THE COMMENT ABOUT
COST SAVINGS, BUT IT'S ALSO THE
MULTIPLIER. UM WHEN YOU SAY
APPRENTICESHIP, AND I KNOW IS
THAT A WORD, BUT WHEN YOU SAY
THAT IT REALLY MEANS THAT YOU
HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. IN IN
OFTEN TIMES, THERE'S LANGUAGE
AROUND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY
MEMBERS WHO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
. UM WHICH WAS THE CASE WITH, UH
, THE WE BUILD PROGRAM IN LAU,
S¼ Dð, UM STUDENTS WHO ARE IN
OUR ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAM, AND
WE KNOW WHERE THOSE STUDENTS END
UP. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE
ECONOMY, RIGHT TOO OFTEN.
THEY'RE ENDING UP IN LOW WAGE
WORK. UH, EMPLOYMENT THAT
PERPETUATES POVERTY. NÓ PORTABLE
SKILLS. UM THE IDEA THAT YOU
COULD HAVE GENERATIONAL WEALTH
IS OUT OF REACH. SO WITH THIS
APPROACH, WE AREN'T JUST
BUILDING. WE'RE ALSO BUILDING
GENERATIONAL WEALTH WHERE THESE
APPRENTICES COME IN ON A PROJECT
AND BY THE TIME THE PROJECT'S
DONE THEIR JOURNEY LEVEL, AND
THEY CAN LEAD THAT PROJECT AS
JOURNEY PEOPLE AND GO TO THE
NEXT PROJECT AND HAVE A CAREER
SO YOU KNOW IT. IT'S ABOUT HOW
WE USE OUR INVESTMENTS TO CREATE
MULTIPLIERS BEYOND JUST THE
BRICK AND MORTAR AND BEYOND THAT
ONE PROJECT, BUT WHERE WE'RE
CREATING PATHWAYS FOR FOLKS INTO
CAREERS, AND THAT'S WHAT I
APPRECIATE ABOUT IT. CERTAINLY
THE DOLLARS AND CENTS OF, YOU
KNOW PROJECTS BEING BUILT ON
TIME. UM AND COST SAVINGS, BUT
ALSO, UM THAT WE ARE USING IN
THIS VALUE BASED CONTRACTING AS
A WAY TO ALSO HAVE A RIPPLE
EFFECT THAT IS FELT IN IN OUR
HARDEST HIT COMMUNITIES, SO I
JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT POINT
AND UM, AGAIN, APPRECIATING THIS
BILL AND HAPPY TO MOVE IT. THANK
YOU, SENATOR. SENATOR CORTESE
FOR YOU CLOSE. BUT AGAIN, THANK
YOU, MR CHAIR, AND UH AND VICE
CHAIR IN COLLEAGUES. UM I'LL.
I'LL JUST SAY A FEW WORDS. UH,
BEFORE I CONCLUDE, UM, WITH
REGARD TO THE COMMENTS THAT WERE
MADE, UH, FIRST OF ALL, I
APPRECIATE THE VICE CHAIR, UM,
DISCUSSING THE BILL WITH ME
BEFOREHAND BEFORE THE HEARING
THAT'S ALWAYS REFRESHING AS WE
HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK AND
FORTH AND EVEN CLARIFY WHERE
SOME OF THE LANGUAGE CAME FROM.
AS AS I SAID IN THE
PRESENTATIONS, UH UH, SOME OF
THE LANGUAGE, ESPECIALLY THE
LANGUAGE, I THINK THE VICE CHAIR
IS REFERRING TO IS AN EXISTING
STATUTE AND THOSE WHO KNOW ME
KNOW I BE THE PROBABLY ONE OF
THE LEAST LIKELY, UM SENATORS TO
COME FORWARD WITH A BILL THAT
WOULD TAKE OUT, UM, LABOR
STANDARDS THAT THAT ARE ALREADY
IN THE STATUTE AT A CERTAIN
STANDARD. THERE IS A BROADER
DISCUSSION THAT'S BEEN GOING ON.
UM FOR A LONG TIME. WE'LL
CONTINUE TO GO ON IN TERMS OF
WHAT THOSE LABOR STANDARDS
SHOULD BE. UM, WE'VE HAD THEM IN
HOUSING BILLS THE LAST COUPLE OF
YEARS. I RESPECT THE DEBATE. I
HAPPEN TO BE. UM VERY MUCH, UM
UH, YOU KNOW, NOT TO GET OFF
TOPIC OF THE BILL HERE BECAUSE
AGAIN IT ISN'T ON THE TABLE,
BUT, UH, I HAPPEN TO BE, UM VERY
COMFORTABLE WITH FOR SKILLED AND
TRAINED REQUIREMENTS. YOU KNOW
IN THESE KINDS OF CONSTRUCTION
AREAS BECAUSE IN MY OWN AREA AND
HAVING BEEN A BUILDER MYSELF,
BUT IN MY OWN AREA. WHAT
TYPICALLY HAPPENS IS NONUNION
BUILDERS WHO WANT TO BID ON
THESE PUBLIC CODE PUBLIC SECTOR
PROJECTS. UM WILL GO SIGNATORY.
UM FOR THAT PROJECT IN IN,
BASICALLY, UM, THEY AREN'T
LOCKED OUT, BUT THEY HAVE TO
MAKE A BUSINESS DECISION IF THEY
WANT TO BE IN THAT THEY'RE GOING
TO COMMIT TO THESE LABOR
STANDARDS AND BECOME SIGNATORY
TO A CONTRACT THAT WOULD THAT
WOULD GIVE THEM ACCESS TO THOSE
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS. AT
LEAST FOR THAT JOB. IT DOESN'T
REQUIRE ANYONE TO PERMANENTLY DO
THAT. UM I JUST AGAIN WANT TO
EXPLAIN BECAUSE OF THE EMOTIONAL
NATURE OF THE OF THE ISSUE OF
FOR SOME THAT I'M NOT, UM YOU
KNOW, WITHOUT COMPASSION FOR
THOSE WHO, UH, FIND THAT THEY
THEY THEY DON'T WANT TO MAKE A
BUSINESS DECISION LIKE THAT. AND
THEN YOU KNOW ARE OUTSIDE SHOULD
ALSO POINT OUT THAT NOT WHAT
THIS IS, IS IN EFFECT IS
ENABLING LEGISLATION. IT DOESN'T
REQUIRE THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF
THESE PROJECTS, UM GOES THIS
ROUTE. THIS IS ANOTHER TOOL IN
THE TOOLBOX. IF A TRADITIONAL,
UH, GENERAL CONTRACT BID, UM
APPROACH IS WHAT IS DESIRED BY,
YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF SCHOOL
FACILITIES, THEY CAN STILL DO
THAT. AND, OF COURSE, UM YOU
KNOW, WHATEVER THE LABOR
STANDARDS ARE, YOU KNOW IN IN
THAT JURISDICTION AT THAT TIME
WHERE THERE'S A P A OR WHETHER
THERE'S A PREVAILING WAGE OR
WHETHER IT'S A SKILLED AND
TRAINED IS GOING TO TAKE EFFECT
SEPARATE AND APART FROM THIS
BILL, SO THAT SAID, I APOLOGIZE
FOR GOING ON MR CHAIR, BUT I
WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME TO AT
LEAST EXPLAIN MY OWN
JUSTIFICATION. AGAIN. UM YOU
KNOW, WE ALL WE ALL UNDERSTAND
THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING DEBATE
IN THE LEGISLATURE AND WILL
LIKELY BE FOR SOME TIME. UM IN
THE MEANTIME, I WOULD
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR EYE
VOTE. APPRECIATE THAT, AND I DO
APPRECIATE THE CONTEXT. THANK
YOU. UH, AND WITH THAT WE HAVE A
MOTION. FROM SENATOR SMALLWOOD
CUEVAS, MAN CONSULTANT. PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL, WHILE ADAM 11 S¼
B 956 CORTESE MOTION IS DUE PASS
THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE. NEWMAN. I CORTESE
CORTESE EYE GLASER LASER EYE
GONZALEZ. AYE, CUEVAS. AYE, WK
WK, A THAT MEASURE CURRENTLY HAS
FIVE VOTES, AND WE'LL LEAVE IT
OPEN FOR SENATOR GONZALEZ AND
NEXT UP. I THINK WE HAVE SENATOR
WILK BY ORDER OF FILE HERE,
RIGHT S¼ P 1023. I'M WALKING UP.
WHY DON'T YOU DO THE CONSENT
CALENDAR, OK. BACKSEAT DRIVER.
OK UH, WHILE WE'RE AT IT, MADAM,
WE TOLD HIM IF YOU COULD PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL, UH, ON THE
CONSENT CALENDAR. ON THE CONSENT
CALENDAR. NEWMAN NEWMAN. I Ó I
Ó A CORTES. CORTESE I. GLASER
GLASER, A GONZALEZ. MARWOOD
CUEVAS SMALLWOOD CUEVAS. I WK WK
I NOW THAT YOU'VE MADE ME LOOK
BAD IN FRONT OF MY FRIENDS HERE,
UH PLEASE PROCEED WITH YOUR WITH
YOUR BILL. WELL, THAT JUST THAT
SOUNDS OMINOUS. I THINK YOU'RE I
THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE FINE.
ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. WELL THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. SO I AM
PRESENTING S¼ B 1020 THREE,
WHICH IS A SIMPLE STUDY BILL
THAT WOULD AUTHORIZE THE OFFICE
OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE
UNIVERSITY TO, UM CONDUCT A
STUDY OF THE PHYSI, UH,
FEASIBILITY OF CREATING A NEW S¼
. UH èC S¼ U, UH, CAMPUS IN THE
VICTOR OR VICTOR VALLEYS OR
VALLEYS. THIS PARTICULAR AREA
HAS GOT ABOUT 1.2 MILLION
PEOPLE. WE HAVE TWO COMMUNITY
COLLEGES. WE ONLY HAVE ONE
COLLEGE. IT'S PRIVATE, AND IF
YOU WANNA BE A PASTOR, YOU CAN
GO THERE. BUT THAT'S THAT'S ALL
THEY DO IS BEING A PASTOR. AND
YOU KNOW YOU YOUR ZIP CODE
SHOULD NOT BE AN IMPEDIMENT TO
BEING ABLE TO ACCESS HIGHER
EDUCATION. SO THIS AREA ABOUT
1.2 MILLION LOOK AT, UH, SOUTH
DAKOTA. IT'S UNDER A MILLION
PEOPLE. THEY HAVE SEVEN FOUR
YEAR PUBLIC COLLEGES OR
UNIVERSITIES AND AGAIN, UM, VERY
HARD TO GET DOWN FROM THE HIGH
DESERT. THEY CALL IT THEY CALL
IT DOWN THE HILL TO SAN
BERNARDINO OR FROM THE AN VALLEY
DOWN TO NORTHRIDGE, AND WE'RE
MAKING ALL THESE INVESTMENTS IN
THESE KIDS. THEN THEY LEAVE. AND
THEN THEY THEN THEY NEVER COME
BACK, SO THIS WOULD BE A
PRIVATELY FUNDED THERE IS
SUPPORT IN THE REGION TO RAISE
THE FUNDS TO HAVE THE èC S¼ U
DO IT. THERE'S NÓ. THERE'S NÓ.
THERE'S NÓ MANDATE, AND
OBVIOUSLY CLEARLY RIGHT NOW WE
CAN'T LOOK AT BUILDING A NEW èC
S¼ U CAMPUS. BUT THIS IS AN AREA
ALSO, THAT IN MANY WAYS IS JUST
A BLANK CANVAS. EVEN THOUGH
THERE'S A MILLION UH TWO PEOPLE,
THERE'S STILL A LOT OF OPEN
SPACE. AND THERE'S REALLY A LOT
OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES THERE.
BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE
EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT IN PLACE
IT IT'S JUST NOT GONNA PROSPER.
THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE BEEN
WORKING ON, UM COVID KIND OF
KIND OF RUINED IT, AND THIS IS
ONE OF THE GOALS I HAD WHEN I
GOT ELECTED, THAT I'M NOT GONNA
BE ABLE TO FULFILL AND I. I FEEL
BAD ABOUT THAT. BUT AT LEAST I
WANT TO GET THE BALL ROLLING AND
CREATE SOME MOMENTUM GOING DOWN
THE LINE FOR WHOEVER REPLACES
ME. AND WITH THAT, I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN I VOTE
AND I UNDERSTAND YOU DON'T HAVE
ANY WITNESSES IN SUPPORT. WELL,
THIS IS SUCH A POWERFUL BILL. I
DIDN'T REALLY FEEL COMPELLED TO
BRING SOMEBODY UP. JUST I THINK
EVERYBODY HERE IS GRATEFUL FOR
THAT. SO I COLLEAGUES. ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IS THERE
ANYBODY HERE? UH, WHO'D LIKE TO
TESTIFY IN SUPPORT FROM THE
PUBLIC? AS I GUESSED, UM IS
ANYBODY HERE LIKE TO TESTIFY IN
OPPOSITION TO SENATOR WILK ON
THIS BILL OR ANY OTHER BILL HE'S
DONE IN THE LAST 812 YEARS NOW,
UH, OK, SO LET'S BRING IT BACK
TO THE PANEL QUESTION. COMMENTS,
MOTIONS. I GOT A MOTION FOR
SENATOR GLASER I TO JUST
PARTICULARLY TO THE EXTENT THAT
THIS WOULD BE PROBABLY FUNDED. I
COMMEND YOU FOR THE BILL. HAPPY
TO SUPPORT IT. UH, AND WITH THAT
MOTION FROM SENATOR GLASER, AND
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE,
THANKFULLY ASKED FOR AN I VOTE.
THANK YOU. CONSULTANT. WHILE
ITEM 12 S¼ B 1023 WILK MOTION IS
DUE PASS TO THE SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE. NEWMAN
NEWMAN. I Ó I Ó I CORTES
CORTESE EYE GLAZER LASER EYE.
GONZALEZ SMALLWOOD PUVA SMALL
WOOD CUEVAS. I WK WK. I THANK
YOU MEMBERS. ALL RIGHT. THAT
MEASURE HAS SIX VOTES, AND WE
WILL LEAVE IT OPEN FOR THE TIME
BEING. SENATOR SMALLWOOD QUI US.
I BELIEVE IT IS NOW, YOUR HONOR
AND WELCOME.
AN EVER YOU ARE READY. GOOD
MORNING COLLEAGUES. UH I AM A
HAPPY TO, UH PRESENT S¼ B 1338.
WHICH WOULD PROVIDE AN EXEMPTION
OR WAIVER FROM A FISCAL PENALTY
THAT WOULD BE IMPOSED ON THE
CULVER CITY UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT, BASED ON A THREE DAY
SCHOOL CLOSURE DUE TO, UH,
COVID-19 CRISIS OF JANUARY 2022
AND I WANT I KNOW WE IT'S HARD
AND WE DON'T EVER WANNA LOOK
BACK. UM, BUT IF YOU CAN JUST
IMAGINE THE EARLY, UH, MOMENTS
OF, UH, THE PANDEMIC A CAMPUS
WITH 6800 STUDENTS, UM, TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT YOU KNOW HOW TO
MAKE SURE UM, THAT FAMILIES ARE
SAFE. AND UM, NAVIGATING ALL OF
THE SCHOOL REGULATIONS THAT WERE
COMING AND GOING AND SHIFTING
AND CHANGING DURING THAT PERIOD.
UM THIS WAS FOR JANUARY. UH OF,
UH 9 2000. I'M SORRY. IF UH
1921. 2022 CULVER CITY UNIFIED
SCHOOL DISTRICT CLOSED. ALL OF
ITS SCHOOLS DUE TO AN
UNANTICIPATED AND OBVIOUSLY
SEVERE AND SUDDEN, SUDDEN
STAFFING SHORTAGES DUE TO
COVID-19 OUTBREAKS, WHICH AT THE
TIME WERE REPEATING IN L, A
COUNTY ESCALATING, WE HAD SOME
OF THE HIGHEST HOSPITALIZATION
AND DEATH RATES HAPPENING DURING
THIS PERIOD. UM IT RESULTED IN
JUST REALLY EXTREMELY UNSAFE
CONDITIONS. UM FOR STUDENTS FOR
TEACHERS FOR LEARNING, UH, STAFF
OR THE COMMUNITY, UH AND THE
WEEK BEFORE ANY DECISION HAD
BEEN MADE TO CLOSE SCHOOLS, UH,
CULVER CITY UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT. UM, WITH SO MANY OF
ITS TEACHERS ABSENT, I THINK
THEY HAD OVER 700 UNSUPERVISED
STUDENTS AT THE TIME WHO WERE
BEING HOUSED IN MULTI-PURPOSE
ROOMS AND IN THE CAFETERIA AND
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW, UH, TO
MAKE SURE THEY WERE SAFE WHILE
YOU KNOW HAVING TEACHERS WHO ARE
OBVIOUSLY MANY OF THEM SICK.
MANY OF THEM, UM NOT ON CAMPUS.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT LEADERSHIP,
UM, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE LOS
ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC HEALTH, THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, THE
LOS ANGELES COUNTY OF EDUCATION,
UH, THE CULVER CITY BOARD OF
EDUCATION, THE UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION.
PARENT LEADERS. UM I WAS ONE OF
WHOM CALLING IN, UM, CONFERRED
AND AGREED THAT THE BEST COURSE
OF ACTION WAS TO CLOSE THE
SCHOOLS. UH AND THE DISTRICT DID
SUBMIT, UM, THE CUSTOMARY J 13 A
WAIVER REQUEST TO THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BASED ON
UH THESE, UM, OUTCOMES. UH AND
PARTICULARLY THE POSITIVE CASES
OF COVID, UM AND THE CRISIS THAT
WAS HAPPENING, UM, IN THE CITY
AND IN THE COUNTY, BUT THAT
REQUEST WAS DENIED. UH, THE
CULVER CITY UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT HAS, UH, EXPERIENCED
DECLINING ENROLLMENTS IN RECENT
YEARS AS WE KNOW, UM BY
EXEMPTING OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT,
CULVER CITY UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT FROM THE COVID-19
PENALTY. THE DISTRICT, UH, CAN
AVOID A DEVASTATING FINANCIAL
IMPACT AND SAVE THOUSANDS OF
STUDENTS FROM POTENTIALLY HAVING
TO LOOK FOR A NEW, UH, SCHOOL
AND MISSING THEIR EDUCATION. UM,
HERE WITH ME TO TESTIFY TODAY IS
BRIAN LUCAS, THE SUPERINTENDENT
OF CULVER CITY. UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT AND MARIA MAR. UH
MARTINEZ PAULIN, UM, WHO IS OUR
FORMER, UH, INTERIM
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS WHO
CAN TALK MORE ABOUT HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS, UH, TO FOR THIS
SCHOOL DISTRICT TO RECEIVE THIS
EXEMPTION. I WELCOME MR LUCAS.
PLEASE PROCEED. MR MARTINEZ PLE,
PLEASE PROCEED. EXCELLENT BY THE
WAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR STAMINA.
UH, YOU MADE IT. GOOD MORNING,
CHAIR NEWMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS DOCTOR
MARIA MARTINEZ PULLIN ON BEHALF
OF CULVER CITY UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT IN 2022. I WAS THE
DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF LOS
ANGELES COUNTY OFFICE OF
EDUCATION AND SERVED AS THE
DESIGNEE TO LOS ANGELES COUNTY
SCHOOL DISTRICT WHO NEEDED
STAFFING SHORTAGE CONSULTATION
FOR AJ 13 REQUEST. IT WAS IN
THAT ROLE THAT I WORKED CLOSELY
WITH SEVERAL DISTRICTS FACING
STAFFING SHORTAGES, INCLUDING
CULVER CITY, UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT SCHOOL DISTRICTS NEEDED
TO DEMONSTRATE THEY HAD
EXHAUSTED ALL POSSIBLE OPTIONS
BEFORE MAKING THE FINAL DECISION
TO STOP IN PERSON INSTRUCTION
AND SHIFT TO ONLINE INSTRUCTION.
THEY ALSO HAD TO INFORM THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION. THE DISTRICT WAS
FACING TWO ISSUES. ONE STAFF WAS
GETTING ILL TO THE REMAINING
NUMBER OF STAFF WAS GETTING
SMALLER. MAKING IT MORE
DIFFICULT TO PROVIDE SAFE
COVERAGE FOR IN-PERSON TEACHING
AND LEARNING. I WAS ABLE TO
CONFIRM THAT CULVER CITY UNIFIED
SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS UTILIZING
ALL CERTIFICATED STAFF AVAILABLE
TO COVER CLASSES. ADDITIONALLY
THEY HAD DEPLOYED THEIR DISTRICT
OFFICE STAFF AND EXECUTIVE
LEADERSHIP TEAM TO THE SCHOOL
SITES FOR STUDENT COVERAGE. AND
YET STAFFING NUMBERS WERE
INSUFFICIENT. THEY MADE THE
DIFFICULT BUT RESPONSIBLE
DECISION TO CLOSE THEIR CAMPUS
FOLLOWING THE STATE. EXECUTIVE
ORDER THE DISTRICT PROVIDING
PROVIDED MEALS IN A GRAB AND GO
FORMAT AND ONLINE INSTRUCTION.
DURING THIS VERY CHAOTIC TIME.
THIS WAS THE, UM ONE THING THAT
THEY DID, MISS AND I WANT TO
CLARIFY IT IS THE ONLY OPTION
THE ONLY ITEM THAT THEY MISSED
AND THAT WAS CONSULTATION WITH
THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION. IT WOULD BE UNFAIR TO
PENALIZE ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR
SAFEGUARDING THE HEALTH OF
STUDENTS AND TEACHERS DURING A
WIDELY RECOGNIZED HEALTH CRISIS
DO TO A TRANSITIONAL
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTING
STRUCTURE. NÓ OTHER DISTRICT IS
BEING PENALIZED THAT I KNOW OF I
ALSO WANNA STRESS THAT THIS BILL
ADDRESSES AN UNFORTUNATE
SITUATION THAT OCCURRED DURING
THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC THAT
CAN BE EASED BY YOUR SUPPORT FOR
THIS LEGISLATION ON BEHALF OF
CULVER CITY, UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT STUDENTS AND STAFF I
URGE YOUR YES. VOTE ON S¼ B ONE,
THREE, THREE EIGHT, AND I WANNA
THANK SENATOR SMALLWOOD CUEVAS
FOR AUTHORING THIS BILL. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. SUPERINTENDENT
LUCAS WELCOME. GOOD MORNING
CHAIR NEWMAN AND GOOD MORNING
COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND ALSO THANK
YOU, SENATOR SMOOT CUEVAS FOR
AUTHORING THIS BILL. MY NAME IS
BRIAN LUCAS AND I AM THE CURRENT
SUPERINTENDENT OF CULVER CITY
UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. AS YOU
KNOW, THIS BILL IS TO PROVIDE AN
EXEMPTION TO A PENALTY FOR
SCHOOL CLOSURES THAT TOOK PLACE
DURING ONE OF THE WORST SPIKES
IN COVID THAT WE EXPERIENCED
AFTER SCHOOLS REOPENED DURING
THE 2001 22 SCHOOL YEAR. THE
DISTRICT SIMPLY DIDN'T HAVE
ENOUGH PERSONNEL TO PROVIDE A
SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS
AND STAFF. WHILE I WAS NOT
SUPERINTENDENT AT TIME THE
DISTRICT COMPLIED WITH ALL
ASPECTS OF THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER
TO CLOSE SCHOOLS APPROPRIATELY,
OF COURSE, EXCEPT THE ONE FINAL
CALL THAT, UH, DOCTOR PAULINE
MENTIONED TO THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. THE P
Tð, A LABOR PARTNERS, COUNTY AND
STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND AS
YOU HAVE HEARD, UH, THE OFFICE
OF EDUCATION COUNTY OF AS
EDUCATION. WE'RE ALL CONSULTED
AND WE'RE IN AGREEMENT. I'D LIKE
TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE CLOSURE
DID EXACTLY WHAT WAS BEING ASKED
OF SCHOOLS AT THE TIME TO LIMIT
EXPOSURE TO COVID THE ATTENDANCE
DATA THAT WE HAVE AFTER THE
REOPENING OF SCHOOLS INDICATES
THAT CULVER CITY STUDENTS MISSED
ALMOST 28% FEWER DAYS THAN THE
OTHER DISTRICTS IN LOS ANGELES
COUNTY WHO REMAINED OPEN. IN
SHORT, THE CLOSURE KEPT OUR
STUDENTS IN THE LONG RUN
HEALTHIER NOW THAT NOW THAT I AM
THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR CULVER
CITY, UNIFIED, I WOULD LIKE TO
COMMENT ON THE EFFECT OF THE
PENALTY WOULD HAVE ON OUR
DISTRICT AS WE ARE EXPERIENCING
ACROSS THE STATE. OUR BUDGETS
ARE SHRINKING DUE TO THE END OF
ONE TIME, DOLLARS AND
ENVIRONMENT OF DECLINING
ENROLLMENT AND SMALLER COLA
INCREASES, UM AND DESPITE
INCREASES IN COSTS DUE TO THESE
CHANGES IN OUR BUDGET SCENARIO,
WE HAVE ALREADY COMMITTED TO
CUTTING APPROXIMATELY 25
CERTIFICATED STAFF AND A
REDUCTION OF THREE MILLION
DOLLARS IN SERVICES IN OUR
DISTRICT FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL
YEAR. WE ARE TO MAKE THOSE CUTS
THIS YEAR AWAY FROM THE REGULAR
CLASSROOM, MAINTAINING CORE
CLASSROOM TEACHER AND COUNSELOR
POSITIONS. HOWEVER THE LOSS OF
AN ADDITIONAL MILLION DOLLARS
WOULD FORCE US TO CUT BACK EVEN
FURTHER AT LEVELS CLOSER TO THE
STUDENTS. AND AS WE ALL KNOW,
WHILE WE ARE INDEED FURTHER AWAY
FROM THE PANDEMIC, WE STILL HAVE
SUBSTANTIAL LEARNING GAPS AND
MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES FACING
OUR STUDENTS. EVERY SINGLE
DOLLAR IN THESE TIGHT FISCAL
TIMES IS ESSENTIAL. THE $1
MILLION PROPOSED PENALTY FEELS
DISPROPORTIONATE AND WOULD HAVE
A LARGE IMPACT ON OUR STUDENTS
TODAY. LASTLY I WANT TO ENSURE
THE COMMITTEE THAT THE DISTRICT
INTENDS TO PURSUE PARALLEL
ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDIES, NAMELY
THE EDUCATION AUDIT APPEALS
PANEL. WE HOPE TO BE GRANTED THE
APPEAL. HOWEVER THESE DOLLARS
ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO US.
AND GIVEN THE TIMING OF THE
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, WE FELT
COMPELLED TO EXPLORE ALL OPTIONS
BOTH LEGISLATIVE AND
ADMINISTRATIVE. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT.
IS ANYBODY HERE IN THE IN THE
COMMITTEE HEARING LIKE TESTIFY
IN SUPPORT OF THE MEASURE. COME
FORWARD. MISS GIBBS. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. AND GOOD MORNING, MR
CHAIR AND MEMBERS. PAMELA GIBBS,
REPRESENTING THE LOS ANGELES
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
DOCTOR DEBORAH EDWARD, THOUGH,
AND WE APPRECIATE THE BILL BEING
INTRODUCED AND URGE HER I VOTE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU ANY ANYBODY
ELSE? SEE ANYBODY HERE LIKE
TESTIFY IN OPPOSITION TO THIS
MAN? JEREMIAH I MUST TELL YOU
YOU WERE JUST FUNNY ENOUGH THAT
THAT THAT WOULD BE WEIRD. UM UH,
OK, LET'S BRING IT BACK TO THE
COMMITTEE. ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS FROM THE PANEL, SENATOR
CHO, UM, HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE
BILL BECAUSE IT'S JUST IT'S
WRONG. IT'S JUST WRONG, BUT I'M
KIND OF CURIOUS. WE KNOW OF ANY
OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE GOING
TO BE FACING THIS AS WELL. NOT
AS OF YET AT THIS TIME. WE DO
NOT. UM, THIS IS THE FIRST CASE
AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS. DOING
WHAT? IS APPROVED. UM, BY ALL
PARTIES INVOLVED, UM, SHOULD NOT
FACE THESE KINDS OF PENALTIES. I
AGREE, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF
THE ECONOMY RIGHT NOW. I'M KIND
OF CURIOUS. DO YOU KNOW HOW
CULVER CITY WAS HIGHLIGHTED?
WITH THIS RESPECT. HOW DID HOW
DID HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT WELL
, NAMELY THROUGH THE AUDIT
PROCESS, RIGHT? I MEAN, THE FACT
THAT THE J 13 WAIVER THAT WE
REFERENCE WHICH IS WHEN SCHOOL
DISTRICTS ASK FOR A WAIVER OF
FEWER ATTENDANCE DAYS OF
ATTENDANCE OF STUDENTS AND THAT
WAIVER HAVING BEEN DENIED, SO WE
WERE, UH, BASICALLY PUT ON
NOTICE THAT WE WILL PROBABLY
RECEIVE A PENALTY IN REGARDS TO
THAT WAIVER BEING DENIED. OK SO
THE REASON I'M ASKING IS JUST
FOR ANY OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS
THAT MIGHT BE LISTENING, I. I
JUST, UM YOU KNOW, I, I FORESEE
THAT THIS MIGHT BE HAPPENING,
UH, MORE OFTEN, UM, IN THE NEAR
FUTURE, AND, UM, BUT I'LL BE
HAPPY TO MOVE FORWARD. UH I'LL
BE HAPPY TO MOVE THIS BILL TODAY
. UM AND I'LL BE GLAD TO SUPPORT
IT BECAUSE THE LAST THING WE
WANT IS FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT
TO BE PENALIZED. UM AND TAKE
AWAY THE MONEY THAT SHOULD BE,
YOU KNOW, BE USED FOR A
SHOOTING. SO THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. UM AND SO YOU ARE YOU,
ACTUALLY, UM PROACT ANSWERED MY
QUESTION. SO SO THE IDEA HERE
WITH THE LEGISLATION IS YOU HAVE
AN AUDIT APPEAL. UH, THAT IS
MOVING FORWARD. BUT IN THE EVENT
THAT IT IT'S NOT GRANTED. YOU'RE
YOU KNOW, THIS WILL PROCEED AS
AS A LEGISLATIVE FIX. UH, HAPPY
TO SUPPORT IT. UH, WE HAVE A
MOTION. SENATOR CREVIS. WOULD
YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? WELL, I THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS
AND WE DO NEED TO KEEP WATCHFUL
EYE ON THIS AND, UH, MAKE SURE
THAT DISTRICTS ARE ARE NOT
PENALIZED BUT CERTAINLY MADE
WHOLE DURING THIS VERY DIFFICULT
, UM, BUDGET. UM UH, TIME THAT
WE'RE IN. SO WITH THAT, I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR I VOTE
. THANK YOU WITH THAT, MADAM
CONSULTANT. PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL. WHILE ITEM 13 S¼ B 1338
SMALLWOOD CUEVAS MOTION IS TO
PASS THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE. NEWMAN I, I Ó I.
CORTES CORTES, A LASER LASER EYE
GONZALEZ SMALLWOOD CUEVAS. AYE,
SMALLWOOD VÀ. I WILL WILK GUY.
THANK YOU.
MUSIC TO MY EARS. WE HAVE A
MOTION. WELCOME SENATOR NEWMAN.
UM YOU ARE HERE TO PRESENT S¼ B
897. OK, UH AS MY WITNESSES I
THINK ARE MOVING FORWARD. UH,
MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT, UH S¼ B
897, WHICH WOULD STRENGTHEN
CALIFORNIA'S DISTRICT OF CHOICE
PROGRAM FOR OUR Kò THROUGH 12
STUDENTS WHILE REMOVING THE
CURRENT SUNSET ON THE PROGRAM IN
STATUTE UNDER THE DISTRICT OF
CHOICE PROGRAM, ANY STUDENT IN
CALIFORNIA MAY TRANSFER TO A
PARTICIPATING PUBLIC SCHOOL
DISTRICT, REGARDLESS OF THEIR
PLACE OF RESIDENCE. UNLIKE A
STANDARD INTRA DISTRICT TRANSFER
STUDENTS TRANSFERRING INTO A
DISTRICT OF CHOICE SCHOOL
DISTRICT DO NOT NEED TO SECURE
PERMISSION FROM THEIR HOME. TO
MAKE THAT TRANSFER FURTHER. ANY
STUDENT OPTING IN TO A Dð èC
DISTRICT MUST BE ACCEPTED
IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR ACADEMIC
PERFORMANCE, ATHLETIC ABILITY OR
ANY OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC
CHARACTERISTIC, UH, ORIGINALLY
ENACTED IN 1990 THREE, THE
DISTRICT OF CHOICE PROGRAM HAS
SUCCEEDED IN GIVING STUDENTS
ACCESS TO NEW EDUCATIONAL
OPTIONS NOT AVAILABLE IN THEIR
HOME DISTRICTS. AT PRESENT,
THERE ARE 45 SCHOOL DISTRICTS
ACROSS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
THAT OUR DISTRICT OF CHOICE
DISTRICT SINCE ITS ENACTMENT,
THE Dð Ó èC PROGRAM HAS BEEN
REAUTHORIZED ON SIX SEPARATE
OCCASIONS AND SUBJECT TO TWO
SEPARATE EVALUATIONS BY THE
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S OFFICE. I
HAVE BEEN THE AUTHOR OF TWO OF
THOSE EXTENSIONS. THOSE
EVALUATIONS BY THE LAO FOUND
THAT THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN
SUCCESSFUL IN PROVIDING STUDENTS
ACCESS TO ON AVERAGE 5 TO 7 NEW
COURSES THAT WOULD NOT OTHERWISE
HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE IN THEIR
HOME DISTRICTS. THESE INCLUDE
COLLEGE PREP COURSES AND
PROGRAMS IN THE ARTS, MUSIC AND
FOREIGN LANGUAGES. MOREOVER THE
BENEFITS OF DISTRICT OF CHOICE
ARE NOT LIMITED SOLELY TO
STUDENTS TRANSFERRING OUT OF A
HOME DISTRICT. THE L A 2021
ANALYSIS OF THE PROGRAM FOUND
THAT MANY HOME DISTRICTS
RESPONDED TO THE COMPETITIVE
LOCAL DYNAMIC THAT Dð Ó èC
CREATES BY IMPLEMENTING NEW
COURSES AND PROGRAMS, THEREBY
IMPROVING COURSE OFFERINGS EVEN
FOR STUDENTS WHO DID NOT
PARTICIPATE IN A Dð Ó èC
PROGRAM HAS BEEN 897 SEEKS TO
MAKE THIS SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM
PERMANENT BY ELIMINATING THE
SUNSET AND IMPLEMENTING SEVERAL
OF THE LAO'S RECOMMENDATIONS TO
PROMOTE EQUITY AND REDUCE
BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION. THIS
INCLUDES ADDING FOSTER AND
HOMELESS YOUTH TO THE LIST OF
PRIORITY POPULATIONS AND A REV.
OF A 2017 FUNDING RATE REDUCTION
FOR DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS
TRANSFERRING INTO A BASIC AID
DISTRICT. THAT CHANGE DECREASED
THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ABLE TO
ACCESS MANY HIGH RESOURCE BASIC
AID DISTRICTS. S¼ B 897 AIMS TO
REVERSE THIS TREND FOR STUDENTS
WHO HAVE THE MOST TO GAIN FROM
ATTENDING A WELL RESOURCED
DISTRICT WHERE THEY NARROWLY
TAILORED FUNDING RATE INCREASE
FOR LOW INCOME FOSTER AND
ENGLISH LEARNER STUDENTS. SBA
897 WOULD ALSO INCREASE THE
NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO CAN
PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM BY
ELIMINATING THE 10% CUMULATIVE
TRANSFER CAP AND INSTITUTING A
10. AN ANNUAL ROLLING CAP
CREATED BY A COURT RULING. THE
10% CUMULATIVE CAP RESTRICTS THE
NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT CAN TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF DISTRICT OF CHOICE
TO 10% OF AVERAGE AVERAGE
ENROLLMENT SINCE 1990 THREE FOR
A DISTRICT WITH AN ADA OF 10,000
. THE CUMULATIVE RESTRICTS THE
NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT CAN
PARTICIPATE IN DISTRICT CHOICE
TO 1000 EVER IN PERPETUITY. THIS
CUMULATIVE CAP ACTUALLY
PENALIZES NEW FAMILIES FOR THE
ENROLLMENT DECISIONS OF OTHER
FAMILIES OFTEN MADE IN THE IN
THE PAST, EVEN BEFORE A CHILD
WAS EVEN BORN. THAT MIGHT
OTHERWISE AVAIL THEMSELVES OF
DISTRICT OF CHOICE AND FOR
DISTRICTS OF RESIDENTS FROM
WHICH STUDENTS MAY TRANSFER OUT.
S¼ P 897 MAINTAINS ALL OF THE
PROTECTIONS WHICH WERE
INSTITUTED IN 2017 TO ALLOW
DISTRICTS TO RESTRICT TRANSFER
OUTS WHERE THAT WOULD HARM
EITHER THE RACIAL BALANCE OF A
DISTRICT OR EXACERBATE A
DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL CONDITION.
FOR OVER 30 YEARS, THE DISTRICT
PROGRAM HAS AFFORDED STUDENTS
AND FAMILIES THE OPPORTUNITY TO
CHOOSE THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SETTING
THAT BEST SUITS THEIR EDUCATION
NEEDS AND GOALS. IT'S FULLY
JUSTIFIED THAT WE MAKE THIS
PERMANENT PROGRAM NOW. WITH ME
TO TESTIFY TODAY IS MATT TORRES,
THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR
BUSINESS SERVICES AT THE WALNUT
VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
AND THE PARENT OF A STUDENT ABLE
TO ATTEND WALNUT VALLEY THROUGH
DISTRICT CHOICE, BETSY
CASTELLANOS. I RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR YOUR I VOTE TODAY AND
ACTUALLY, AND, UH, WE HAVE THE
STUDENT HERSELF. UH, I DON'T
HAVE YOUR NAME. UH, BUT WE'D
LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU BRIEFLY AS
WELL. UH, AND THANK YOU. I
RESPECT ASKING FOR YOUR VOTE
TODAY. THANK YOU, SENATOR
NEWMAN. WE'LL PROCEED. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
MATT TORRES, THE ASSISTANT
SUPERINTENDENT OF THE WALNUT
VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT,
WHICH EDUCATES APPROXIMATELY
14,000 STUDENTS IN THE EASTERN
PART OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY. WE
HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING IN THE
DISTRICT OF CHOICE PROGRAM SINCE
2005 AND THE DISTRICT IS
ESPECIALLY PROUD THAT WE HAVE
ENROLLED EVERY STUDENT THAT HAS
COME THROUGH OUR Dð Ó èC DOORS
UP TO THIS YEAR. THIS YEAR WAS
THE FIRST YEAR WE WERE UNABLE TO
WELCOME ALL Dð Ó èC STUDENTS
AS A DEMAND FOR TRANSITIONAL
KINDERGARTEN SEATS WAS IMMENSE
AND WE WERE AT CAPACITY DUE TO
CALIFORNIA'S EXPANSION OF Tð Kò.
I'M EXCITED TO SHARE ABOUT HOW
AND WHY THE Dð Ó èC PROGRAM
HAS IMMEASURABLE BENEFITS FOR
OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.
STUDENTS WHO TRANSFER INTO OUR
DISTRICT WANT A HIGH QUALITY
EXPERIENCE AND ACCESS TO
PROGRAMS SUCH AS DUAL LANGUAGE
IMMERSION, EXTENSIVE CAREER
TECHNICAL EDUCATION PATHWAYS.
ELEMENTARY INTERNATIONAL
BACCALAUREATE STUDIES, A VISUAL
AND PERFORMING ARTS CURRICULUM
DESIGNED AND REQUIRED FOR EVERY
STUDENT IN GRADES Kò THROUGH
FIVE AND BEING PART ONE OF THE
FEW DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTRY,
WITH ALL OF ITS MIDDLE SCHOOLS,
RECOGNIZED AS A NATIONAL SCHOOLS
TO WATCH. THE Dð Ó èC PROGRAM
ATTRACTS A VERY DIVERSE STUDENT
POPULATION, ALLOWING US TO
MAINTAIN THE STRENGTH IN OUR
RACIAL RACIAL BALANCE.
ADDITIONALLY 6% OF THE STUDENTS
WE HAVE WALKED THROUGH AT THE Dð
Ó èC PROGRAM, OUR STUDENTS
WITH DISABILITIES. THIS YEAR
ALONE, WE ENROLLED 68 NEW
STUDENTS WHO EITHER QUALIFY FOR
A FREE OR REDUCED PRICE LUNCH.
OUR ENGLISH LEARNERS ARE WHO
HAVE IEP S¼. WE BELIEVE THAT
THIS DIVERSITY IS A FORCE
MULTIPLIER. IT MAKES OUR
DISTRICT STRONGER AND RICHER,
AND IT DEMONSTRATES THAT OUR
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS SERVE IN
YIELD EXCELLENCE FOR ALL
STUDENTS. THIS MARK OF
EXCELLENCE IS SEEN IN OUR 97.8%
4 YEAR GRADUATION RATE AND 70 3%
OF OUR STUDENTS GRADUATE
PREPARED FOR COLLEGE OR CAREER
COMPARED TO THE STATE AVERAGE OF
44. WE ARE PROUD OF THE WORK WE
DO TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL AND
ENGAGING PROGRAMS FOR OUR
STUDENTS, AND WE SEE EVIDENCE OF
THIS IN OUR 96.5% ATTENDANCE
RATE, WHICH WE CONSIDER
REMARKABLE KNOWING HOW MANY
DISTRICTS ARE STRUGGLING TO GET
THEIR STUDENTS BACK IN SCHOOL
AFTER THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
WHEN THE Dð Ó èC LAW WAS
INTRODUCED MANY YEARS AGO, THE
WALNUT VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT SHARED THE
LEGISLATURE'S FEELINGS THAT
FAMILIES SHOULD HAVE CHOICES
AVAILABLE TO THEM REGARDING
WHETHER STUDENTS ATTEND PUBLIC
SCHOOLS. FAMILIES WERE HAPPY TO
HAVE CHOICES. STUDENT
PERFORMANCE WAS WILDLY
SUCCESSFUL, AND DISTRICTS OF
CHOICE CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE A
WIDE VARIETY OF CURRICULAR AND
CO CURRICULAR OPTIONS. THE TIME
HAS COME FOR THE DISTRICT CHOICE
PROGRAM TO EXIST WITHOUT A
LOOMING SUNSET DATE THAT BASES
STUDENT ELIGIBILITY TO
PARTICIPATE ON CURRENT STUDENT
DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS RATHER THAN
ON AN ARY DATA. TO ENSURE THAT
FAMILIES AND STUDENTS IN
COMMUNITIES LIKE OURS CAN
CONTINUE TO HAVE THE HIGH
QUALITY EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS THEY
DESERVE. WE ASK YOU TO SUPPORT
SENATE BILL 897. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND
CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M BETSY
CASTELLANOS. I'M JUST A MOM. I
WANT YOU TO LEARN WHY THE
DISTRICT OF CHOICE PARK WAS SO
VITALLY IMPORTANT. GROWING UP. I
HAD FEW POSSESSIONS AND LITTLE
RESOURCES IN A ROUGH
NEIGHBORHOOD. MY MOTHER LEFT EL
SALVADOR WITH A FIRM BELIEF THAT
A U S¼ EDUCATION COULD BE THE
GAME CHANGER FOR OUR LIFE. AND
THEN WHEN IT CAME TO HIM. MILA
TO BE ENROLLED IN SCHOOL. I
REALLY MADE IT MY MISSION TO
FIND THE BEST POSSIBLE EDUCATION
FOR HER. AFTER RESEARCHING OVER
35 SCHOOLS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE
OUR HOME SCHOOL DISTRICT, I
DISCOVERED THAT OUR DISTRICT
DIDN'T POSSESS THE ACADEMIC
RIGOR AND EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES. I FELT ALLOWED MY
DAUGHTER TO THRIVE AND REACH HER
INDIVIDUAL POTENTIAL. WE FOUND A
TERRIFIC FIT FOR PSI MILAGRO IN
THE WALNUT VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT, BUT CAME TO FIND OUT
THAT HER HOME WAS NOT IN THE
RIGHT LOCATION. IT WASN'T THE
RIGHT ZIP CODE. AND SINCE WE
CANNOT AFFORD THE CITY OF
WALNUTS, MILLION DOLLAR HOMES Dð
èC IS WHAT MADE HER CELLAR
EDUCATION POSSIBLE. Dð èC
GRANTED HER ACCESS TO THE
EDUCATION THAT I FELT BEST
SUITED HER AND HER EDUCATIONAL
NEEDS. Dð èC ALLOWS ME TO HAVE
A VOICE OVER THE BIGGEST
PREDICTOR FOR HER FUTURE. I
TUTORS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT
ARE LEARNING ENGLISH AND I ALSO
SERVE IN OUR LATINO PARENT
ALLIANCE'S EXECUTIVE BOARD. I
SEE FIRSTHAND HOW FAMILIES AND
PARENTS REALLY JUST WANT THE
EDUCATION THAT'S BEST FOR THEIR
CHILDREN. AND THANKS TO Dð èC
VITIM MILAGRO HAS BEEN GIVEN
EQUITY IN HER LEARNING. AND I
IMPLORE YOU TO PLEASE CONTINUE
AND STRENGTHEN Dð Ó èC TO GIVE
US PARENTS A VOICE. UM WITH ME
AS MY DAUGHTER. YOU, MILAGRO AND
I WOULD LIKE TO YIELD MY TIME TO
HER. WELCOME. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY
NAME IS PIIL AVILA CASTANOS. AND
I'M CURRENTLY A JUNIOR AT WUT
HIGH SCHOOL. AND FOR MOST OF MY
LIFE, I'VE BEEN PART OF A SINGLE
INCOME FAMILY. NOT BEING VERY
FINANCIALLY SECURE, HAS MEANT
THAT WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE IN
AN AFFLUENT AREA SUCH AS WALNUT.
I HAVE LIVED IN COVINA ALL MY
LIFE. AND WHILE I GREATLY
APPRECIATE HAVING A ROOF OVER MY
HEAD AND FOOD ON MY TABLE, I
UNDERSTAND THAT HAS IMPLICATIONS
ON MY EDUCATION. WHAT SCHOOLS IN
LESS WEALTHY AREAS ARE MAKING
GREAT STRIDES TO EXPAND THEIR
EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS. THEY STILL
HAVE ONLY A FRACTION OF THE
OPPORTUNITIES THAT SCHOOLS SUCH
AS ONE HIGH SCHOOL OFFER. FROM A
YOUNG AGE. MY PARENTS TOOK NOTE
OF MY ACADEMIC AMBITION, ALWAYS
EAGER TO LEARN AND PUSHING
MYSELF TO MASTER MORE AND MORE
DIFFICULT CONCEPTS. THEY KNEW I
WOULD NEED TO FIND A SCHOOL THAT
COULD PROVIDE RIGOROUS
COURSEWORK TO PUSH ME TO ACHIEVE
MY FULL POTENTIAL AS A STUDENT.
WE FOUND THAT IN COLWOOD
ELEMENTARY, LOCATED IN THE
WALNUT VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT. THE DISTRICT OF CHOICE
. I WAS INCREDIBLY BLESSED TO
ATTEND COLWOOD GRANTING ME THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE MY
ACADEMIC PASSION. THIS A
OPPORTUNITY REQUIRED DILIGENCE
ON MY FAMILY'S PART. THE LAST 12
YEARS. I'VE WOKEN UP EVERY
MORNING BEFORE 6 A.M. MY AMAZING
MOM HAS DRIVEN ME OVER 30
MINUTES IN EACH DIRECTION TO
HELP ME ATTAIN THE SUPERB
EDUCATION. IN TURN, WALNUT HAS
PROVIDED ME WITH COUNTLESS
EXPERIENCES SUCH AS FIRST LEGO
LEAGUE ROBOTICS TEAMS, WHICH I
COMPETED IN FOR OVER FIVE YEARS.
THIS PROGRAM ALLOWED ME TO FALL
IN LOVE WITH CODING AND OPEN MY
EYES TO THE POSSIBILITY OF
PURSUING A CAREER IN COMPUTER
SCIENCE. ONCE I ENTERED HIGH
SCHOOL, I ELECTED TO JOIN THE
PTW COMPUTER SCIENCE PATHWAY, A
SERIES OF FOUR COURSES THAT
WOULD PROVIDE ME WITH HANDS ON
EXPERIENCE. WOULD PREPARE ME FOR
HIGHER EDUCATION. A FEW OF THE
COLLEGES THAT HAVE REACHED OUT
TO ME INCLUDE HARVARD, BROWN AND
THE CLAREMONT COLLEGES, AMONG
OTHERS. THE DISTRICT OF CHOICE
PROGRAM HAS OPENED COUNTLESS
STORES FOR ME. I PUSHED MYSELF
TO BE A BETTER STUDENT AND
PERSON EVERY DAY BECAUSE I KNOW
THAT I HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN
INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY. ACCESS
TO QUALITY EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS
IS NOT SOMETHING READILY
AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE. BUT IT IS
SOMETHING THAT HAS HELPED A LOT
OF STUDENTS LIKE ME FLOURISH. I
MADE THE DECISION 12 YEARS AGO
THAT I WAS GOING TO WORK
DILIGENTLY AND NOT TAKE THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR GRANTED. I HOPE
THAT OTHER STUDENTS CAN BE GIVEN
THE SAME CHOICE THAT CHANGED MY
LIFE. AND FOR THESE REASONS, I
ASK YOU TO VOTE YES. ON S¼ B
897. UM WILL NOW CONTINUE TO ANY
OTHER WITNESSES IN SUPPORT OF S¼
B IN 97 HERE IN ROOM 2100. GOOD
AFTERNOON, PATTY HERRERA ON
BEHALF OF OAK PARK UNIFIED
SCHOOL DISTRICT AND CHARTER OAK
UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT IN
SUPPORT. WENDY MCCASKILL ON
BEHALF OF GLENDORA UNIFIED AND
RIVERSIDE UNIFIED IN SUPPORT OF
THE BILL. JUST BROWN CFT AND
SUPPORT. N L èC. WE HAVE A
TWEENER POSITION. IS IT OK IF I
TAKE A COUPLE OF SECONDS? UM èC
Tð DOESN'T HAVE AN OFFICIAL
POSITION ON THE BILL AT THIS
TIME, BUT WE'RE CONCERNED WITH
REMOVING SOME OF THE IMPORTANT
GUARDRAILS WITH THE DISTRICT OF
CHOICE PROGRAM THAT MINIMIZE
NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON DISTRICT OF
ORIGIN. WE HOPE TO CONTINUE TO
WORK WITH MR NEWMAN. UM, THANK
YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. RIGHT
ANY OTHER WITNESSES IN SUPPORT
OF S¼ B 897. WILL NOW CONTINUE
WITH ANY LEAD WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION TO S¼ B 897. YEAH,
MAN, YOU STAY.
WELCOME. I'M WELCOMING. YOU
TELLING NERVOUS? THAT'S OK. WE
ALL ARE. I'M NOT SURE I'M NOT
SURE IF IT'S STILL MORNING, BUT,
UM, AFTERNOON GOOD AFTERNOON.
COMMITTEE AND CHAIR. MY NAME IS
PATTY Tð, AND I AM THE VICE
PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF
EDUCATION OF POMONA UNIFIED
SCHOOL DISTRICT. I'M A PROUD
PANTHER WHO RETIRED AFTER 19
YEARS OF SERVICE AT THE AT
DIAMOND RANCH HIGH SCHOOL. IN
THE POMONA UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT. MY PASSION IS FOR
HELPING STUDENTS WHICH LED ME TO
WHERE I AM TODAY I AM A SCHOOL
BOARD MEMBER THAT REPRESENTS
TRUSTEE AREA FIVE WHO
CONSEQUENTLY HAS FELT THE
GREATEST IMPACT CAUSED BY THE
INEQUITIES IN DISTRICT OF
CHOICE. MY COLLEAGUE MISTER
ARTURO JIMENEZ AND I FELT SO
STRONGLY. ABOUT THE NEGATIVE
IMPACT DISTRICT OF CHOICE HAS
CAUSED ON OUR SCHOOLS. THAT WE
COULD NOT STAY AT HOME, BUT WE
DECIDED OUR VOICES NEEDED TO BE
HEARD HER HERE. TODAY HERE. FOR
MANY YEARS. OUR NEIGHBORING
SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT IS DISTRICT
OF CHOICE FALSELY MISLED OUR
FAMILIES, WHICH IMPACTED. SORRY
I'M GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF.
BOSLEY MISLED FAMILIES WHICH HAD
A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR
REPUTATION. THEY CREATED A
NARRATIVE THAT THEIR SCHOOLS ARE
SCHOOLS WERE UNDER PERFORMING
AND NOT AS GOOD AS THEIR SCHOOLS
. THEY POACHED IN CHERRY PICKED
OUR STUDENTS. WHO WERE THE HIGH
PERFORMING STUDENTS AND DENIED
THE STUDENTS WITH THE MOST NEEDS
WE CUMULATIVELY LAST 1700
STUDENTS TO ONE PARTICULAR
DISTRICT OF CHOICE. THE IMPACT
IS EXASPERATED, ARE DECLINING
ENROLLMENT AND FORCED US TO
CLOSE SIX SCHOOLS. WE LOST GREAT
TEACHERS AND STAFF WHO WERE MY
FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES. LIKE ME.
THEY ALSO CARE DEEPLY ABOUT OUR
STUDENTS. THE USD PURSUED A
LEGAL MEASURE TO EXERCISE THE
10% CUMULATIVE CAP IN A PREVIOUS
LITIGATION. WHEN WE FINALLY GOT
THE ENROLLMENT DATA FROM THE
DISTRICT OF CHOICE. AND WE WERE
ABLE TO DO AN ANALYSIS THAT
DISTRICT IMMEDIATELY AGREED TO
SETTLE THAT THEY WOULD NOT
ACCEPT ANY MORE OF OUR STUDENTS,
BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. THE DAMAGE
HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE. S¼ B 897
WILL TAKE AWAY OUR ONE AND ONLY
PROTECTION OF THE CUMULATIVE CAP
AND REPLACE IT WITH A Tð. 10%
YEAR TO YEAR. APP. THIS MEANS
OUR DISTRICT COULD LOSE OVER
2000 STUDENTS. IN A YEAR TO HIT
THE CAP, AND THE NEXT YEAR LOSE
ANOTHER 2000 STUDENTS. THIS
EQUATES TO A $30 MILLION LOSS IN
A Dð A MONEY. WE'D BE WE WOULD
BE FORCED TO CLOSE DOWN SEVERAL
MORE SCHOOLS. A 10% YEAR TO YEAR
CAP IS SIMPLY UNREALISTIC.
ARMANI UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
IS STILL RECOVERING FROM THE
NEGATIVE GENERATION. WE LOST.
RECOVERING FROM THE GENERATION
WE LOST DUE TO DISTRICT OF
CHOICE AND THE NEGATIVE
REPUTATION THAT WAS CAUSED WHILE
WE WERE TRYING TO ELIMINATE THE
LOSS OF DECLINING ENROLLMENT.
ALL THIS WAS DONE ON THE BACK OF
ONE OF THE MOST SOCIO,
ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED
DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. WE APPRECIATE THE
AUTHOR'S WILLINGNESS TO HEAR US
OUT, BUT WE RESPECTFULLY REMAIN
IN OPPOSITION UNTIL WE FIND A
SOLUTION THAT PROTECTS OUR
STUDENTS. HER ON A UNIFIED
SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES NOT DESERVE
THE FALLOUT BY DISTRICT OF
CHOICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
NOW I DO WANNA CLARIFY THAT, UM,
WE'RE ALLOWED TO WITNESSES IN
SUPPORT AND TO LEADING WITNESSES
IN OPPOSITION, SO I JUST I SAW
THREE, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE
SURE WE HAD THAT CLARITY IN
THERE AND THEN TWO MINUTES EACH
MORAL SUPPORT. THAT'S WHAT I
SAID. THAT'S WHAT I EXACTLY WHAT
I THOUGHT WE ALL NEED OUR MORAL
SUPPORT. UH, YES, SIR. AH, GOOD
MORNING CHAIR AND COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ARTURO
JIMENEZ. UM THE PROUD DATA FOR
KIDS NOW THEY'RE IN COLLEGE.
THEY GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL
DISTRICT. AND UM, THE BOARD
PRESIDENT OF POMONA SCHOOL
DISTRICT IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
COME ON A SCHOOL DISTRICT IS
RESPECTFULLY OPPOSED TO S¼ B 97.
AGAIN WE THANK THE AUTHOR FOR
HIS WILLINGNESS TO HEAR US OUT
AND WE THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR
ALLOWING US TO SPEAK MY
COLLEAGUE, MS TAI OUR POSITION
WELL, AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO
ADD THAT WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO
PARENT HAVING CHOICE. WE WANT TO
FIND A SOLUTION. BUT WHEN YOU
HAVE A SITUATION LIKE OURS, WE
HAVE HAD A REAL FINANCIAL AND
ACADEMIC HARDSHIP CAUSED BY THIS
PROGRAM. WE HAVE TO SPEAK OUT.
WE HAVE PACKAGE FOR YOU, AND WE
HAVE INCLUDED A TABLE. THAT IS A
SNAPSHOT OF DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
FROM STUDENTS WHO WERE ENROLLED
IN DISTRICT OF CHOICE. IT SHOWS
THAT 60% OF THE STUDENTS THEY
TOOK FROM HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
WHERE API UH, UH, ASIAN OR
PACIFIC ISLANDER OR CAUCASIAN?
NOT EVEN HALF OF THE PRESENT
WERE SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR
STUDENTS WITH A FI FIVE OR FOUR
PLAN PD IS CLOSE TO 80% LATINO
LATINA. YET ONLY 25% OF THE
STUDENTS THEY ACCEPTED WERE
LATINO LATINA. P Ó Z HAS BEEN
HEARD, AND BY TAKING AWAY THE
CUMULATIVE CAP WILL FURTHER HARM
OUR COMMUNITY OF COLOR. PLEASE
WORK WITH US TO FIND A WAY NOT
TO HURT US. JUST IN CLOSING. I
HAD TO. I'VE LIVED IN POMONA FOR
ABOUT 50 YEARS. POMONA ITSELF,
NOT THE WHOLE SCHOOL DISTRICT,
BUT BETWEEN POMONA REPRESENTS
ALL OF POMONA AND A GOOD PORTION
OF DIAMOND BAR. ABOUT ABOUT, UH,
YOU ABOUT 35% BETWEEN 30 TO
35,000 KIDS LIVE WITHIN THE
POMONA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
BOUNDARY. YET ONLY 2020 22,000
KIDS COME TO OUR SCHOOL. WE USED
TO HAVE 35,000 KIDS JUST 10
YEARS AGO. SO THE THIS IS
HURTING US EVERY DAY. AND WE GET
STUFF IN THE MAIL. THE STREETS
OF CHOICE AND THEIR MARKETING IS
VERY, VERY, UH, IT'S VERY GOOD.
BUT VERY GOOD BUT VERY BAD
AGAINST THIS. IT KEEPS
PREVAILING. EVEN THOUGH WE DO
EVERYTHING WE CAN, AND WE HAVE
SO MUCH TO OFFER OUR CHILDREN.
EVERYTHING FROM SALSA DANCING TO
ART. THIS YEAR WE ANNOUNCED
WE'RE GONNA HAVE AVIATION AT A
HIGH SCHOOL. WE HAVE A LOT THANK
YOU VERY MUCH TO OFFER. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. AND I'M SORRY. YOUR
YOUR LAST TIME I ARTURO JIMENEZ.
OK, THANK YOU, MR JIMENEZ. OK SO
DO WE HAVE, UM, LET'S MOVE ON TO
ANY WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION TO
S¼ B 897 HERE IN ROOM 2100. NÓ
UH, WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION S¼ B
897 HE ROOM 2100 WILL NOW BRING
IT BACK TO THE DÍAS QUESTIONS.
COMMENTS. WORK MOVES THE BILL.
OK? I GUESS WE ARE MOVING THE
BILL OR YOU? YES NICE TO SEE
YOU. UH WELL DONE. UH, SO III. I
WANNA ACTUALLY BE CLEAR. SO THE
INTENT, UH, OF THE CURRENT
VERSION OF THIS BILL IS TO
MAINTAIN THE GUARD RAILS THAT
ARE IN PLACE. SO THAT NÓ SCHOOL,
UH, THAT THAT WOULD BE LOSING
STUDENTS, UM, WOULD WOULD SUFFER
A HARM TO EITHER THEIR RACIAL
BALANCE. UH, WOULD BE ADVERSE TO
A COURT-ORDERED PLAN OR
EXACERBATED DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL
INSOLVENCY. SO I WANNA MAKE
CLEAR. I'M I'M GLAD TO WORK ON
THAT, UH, TO CONTINUE WORKING
WITH, UH, DISTRICTS THAT MIGHT
BE AFFECTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
FIND UH, SOME BALANCE. I
UNDERSTAND. YOU MET WITH THE
SUPERINTENDENT, WALNUTS VALLEY.
UH, SUPERINTENDENT TAYLOR
RECENTLY. UH AND I KNOW HE
SHARES MY COMMITMENT TO MAKING
SURE THAT WE DO THIS, UH, IN A
WAY THAT IS RESPECTFUL OF
NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS. UH,
HAVING SAID THAT, UH, YOU KNOW,
IT'S MY FIRM BELIEF THAT THAT
COMPETITION GENERALLY IS A GOOD
THING. AND THE DISTRICT OF
CHOICE, AS THE LAO HAS FOUND IN
MORE THAN ONE ANALYSIS IS A NET
POSITIVE PROGRAM. THAT IS NOT
ONLY GOOD FOR THE STUDENTS WHO
TRANSFER INTO A DISTRICT BUT HAS
HAD THE INDIRECT BENEFIT OF
ENCOURAGING OTHER DISTRICTS
NEARBY DISTRICTS TO IMPROVE THE
DIVERSITY OF THEIR PROGRAMS OR
THE QUALITY OF THOSE PROGRAMS.
UH, BUT AGAIN, I WANNA MAKE SURE
THAT WE DO THIS IN WAYS THAT
DON'T HINDER EITHER THE
COMPOSITION OF STUDENT BODY OR
THE FISCAL CONDITION OF A
NEIGHBORING SCHOOL. SO HAPPY TO
COMMIT TO DOING THAT. THIS IS
THE FIRST OF MANY HEARINGS, UH
MANY STEPS AND PROCESS. YOU HAVE
MY COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE DOING
THAT WITH THAT. I ASK FOR YOUR I
VOTE TODAY. CAN I CAN I SAY
SOMETHING? WE'RE DONE. YOU CAN.
I'M SORRY TO THE CHAIR. IT'S UP
TO THE CHAIR. OH DID YOU DID YOU
HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT? NORMALLY
WHEN THE SENATORS, I I'D BE GLAD
TO DEFER THAT HE'S GIVING. I
GIVE HIM TROUBLE. THERE IS A
CLOSE RELATIONSHIP THERE.
ABSOLUTELY JUST I WOULD INVITE
ANY OF YOU TO COME TO OUR OUR
DISTRICT AND SEE THE ROBUST
PROGRAMS THAT WE DO HAVE THAT.
MAY NOT BE PRESENTED WELL BY
OTHER DISTRICTS. I JUST LIKE TO
SAY THAT THE OF CHOICE IT'S A
DISTRICT OF CHOICE. IT'S THEIR
CHOICE, NOT THE STUDENTS CHOICE
THEY GET TO CHOOSE WHO COMES TO
THEIR DISTRICT. THANK YOU, SIR.
UM, OK WITH THAT, UM I WILL
CLOSE. I THOUGHT. OH I DID. I
DID HAVE A MOTION. HE CLOSED ME
CLOSE AGAIN. I RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR YOUR EYE VOTE. APPRECIATE
ALL OF THE DISCUSSION HERE. ALL
RIGHT. NÓ CONSULTING. PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL ITEM. 15 BE 897
NEWMAN MOTION IS DUE PASS THE
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
NEWMAN NEWMAN, I OCHO OCHO GUY
CORTESE CORTESE. I GLASER GLASER
EYE GONZALEZ GONZALEZ. I SMALL
WITH WILK? AYE, WILK, A. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH, AND WE HAVE A
WELL OK. OK, WE'RE GONNA
ACTUALLY PUT IT ON CALL FOR OUR
ABSENT MEMBER. ALL RIGHT. THANK
YOU AGAIN, UH, TO EVERYBODY ON
THE LAST BILL WITH THAT. I THINK
WE'VE COMPLETED UH, THE AGENDA.
THE LAST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO
CLOSE OUT THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE
STILL OPEN WHERE MEMBERS HAVE
HAD HAD NOT HAD A CHANCE TO
VOTE, MADAM CONSULTANT. IF YOU
PLEASE, UH, START WITH THE FIRST
OPEN ITEM. OK, STARTING WITH THE
CONSENT CALENDAR. GONZALEZ
GONZALEZ. I. THAT THAT MEASURES
OUT 70 0. WHILE ITEM ONE S¼ B
906 SKINNER MOTION IS DUE PASSES
A MINUTE TO JUDICIARY COMMITTEE.
THE CURRENT VOTE IS THREE AYES
AND NÓ NOS. WHAT? THE CHAIR
VOTING. AYE OCHOA BOGUE. LASER
LASER EYE. GONZALEZ GONZALEZ, I
SMALL WOOD CUEVAS. MEASURES THAT
FIVE VOTES TO ZERO NÓ. SHE'S NOT
. I'M SURE SHE'S NOT HERE. OK?
UH, THAT MEASURE IS STILL OPEN.
I APOLOGIZE. FILE ITEM FOUR S¼ B
5954. MEN OF OUR MOTION IS DUE
PASSED TO THE SENATE HEALTH
COMMITTEE. CURRENT VOTE IS THREE
23 ICE AND TWO NOS WITH THE VICE
CHAIR, VOTING NÓ. NEWMAN NEWMAN.
AYE. GONZALEZ GONZALEZ, I AND
THAT MEASURES OUT FIVE VOTES TO
TWO. F I FIVE B 967 PADILLA
MOTION IS DUE PASSES AMENDED TO
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
THE CURRENT VOTE IS FIVE AYS AND
NÓ NOSE WITH THE VICE CHAIR.
VOTING I, NEWMAN NEWMAN, I
GONZALEZ GONZALEZ I THAT
MEASURES OUT SEVEN VOTES TO
ZERO. WHILE ITEM SIX S¼ B 995
PADILLA MOTION IS DUE PASS AS
AMENDED TO THE SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE. UH,
CURRENT VOTE IS SIX EYES AND NÓ
NOS WITH THE CHAIR AND VICE
CHAIR, VOTING I, GONZALEZ
GONZALEZ I THAT MEASURE IS AT
SEVEN VOTES TO ZERO. WHILE ITEM
SEVEN S¼ B 971 PINO MOTION IS TO
PASS AS AMENDED TO THE SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
CURRENT VOTE IS FOUR AYS AND NÓ
NOS WITH THE CHAIR AND VICE
CHAIR. VOTING I GLASER GLASER AT
GONZALEZ GONZALEZ I ONE WOULD
CUEVAS THEY MEASURE IS STILL
OPEN. WHILE ITEM 10 S¼ B 1341
ALLEN. THE MOTION IS DUE PASS TO
THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE. THE CURRENT VOTE IS
FIVE AYES AND NÓ NOS WITH THE
CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR, VOTING I
BLAZER. LASER EYE. GONZALEZ
GONZALEZ I THAT MEASURES OUT
SEVEN VOTES TO ZERO WHILE ITEM
11 IS B 956 CORTESE. THE MOTION
IS TO PASS TO THE SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE. THE
CURRENT VOTE IS FIVE EYES AND NÓ
NOSE WITH THE CHAIR VOTING. I Ó
TO BOG. GONZALEZ GONZALEZ. I
THAT MEASURE IS AT SIX VOTES TO
ZERO. FALL ITEM. 12 S¼ B 1020
THREE WILK. THE MOTION IS TO
PASS TO THE SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE. THE
CURRENT VOTE IS SIX AYES AND NÓ
NOS. WITH THE CHAIR AND VICE
CHAIR, VOTING A GONZALEZ
GONZALEZ I THAT IS AT SEVEN
VOTES TO ZERO. UH, FILE ITEM. 13
S¼ B 1338 SMALL WOOD CUEVAS
MOTION IS TO PASS TO THE SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
CURRENT VOTE IS SIX AYES NÓ NOS
WITH THE CHAIR MEASURES AT SEVEN
VOTES TO ZERO. IS THAT WHILE A
16 S¼ B 907 NEWMAN, UH, THE
MOTION IS TO PASS THE SENATE
ELECTIONS AND CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENTS COMMITTEE. THE
CURRENT VOTE IS THREE AYES AND
TWO NOS WITH THE CHAIR VOTING A
GLAZER GZ GONZALEZ GONZALEZ, I
MEASURE THAT FIVE VOTES TO TWO
WHILE ITEM 17 A B 1887 CERVANTES
. THE MOTION IS TO PASS THE
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
THE CURRENT VOTE IS SIX AYS AND
NÓ NOS WITH THE CHAIR AND VICE
CHAIR, VOTING I, GONZALEZ
GONZALEZ, I AND THAT MEASURES
THAT SEVEN VOTES TO ZERO. SO
THANK YOU MEMBERS. WE WILL LEAVE
THE ROLE OPEN FOR THE TIME BEING
FOR SENATOR SMALL WITH CUEVAS.
THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO
PARTICIPATED IN TODAY'S HEARINGS
, BUT THANK YOU, ESPECIALLY TO
STAFF FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.
UH AND WE WILL HOLD THE ROLE
OPEN FOR THE TIME BEING. AS ONE
OF OUR COLLEAGUES. COMES BACK
SOON. THANK YOU SO LIKE.
WE ARE BACK AND WE WILL BE
CLOSING OUT THE ROLE. UH,
SENATOR, SENATOR, SMALL CREVICE.
WE'VE I THINK WE HAVE THREE
ITEMS. UH ON WHICH YOU HAVE YET
TO VOTE SO MAD CONSULTANT,
PLEASE CALL THOSE THREE ITEMS.
ITEM ONE S¼ B 906 SKINNER MOTION
IS DUE PASS AS AMENDED TO THE
SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE. THE
CURRENT VOTE IS FIVE AYS AND NÓ
NOS WITH THE CHAIR VOTING I
SMALLWOOD CUEVAS. I MY WORK. I
MEASURE THAT SIX VOTES TO ZERO.
WHILE A ITEM SEVEN S¼ B 971
FORINO. THE MOTION IS TO PASS AS
AMENDED TO THE SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
CURRENT VOTE IS SIX AYS AND NÓ
NOSE WITH THE CHAIR AND VICE
CHAIR VOTING. I MÀ WOULD CUEVAS
THAT MEASURE IS AT SEVEN VOTES
TO ZERO. WHILE ITEM 15 S¼ B 897
NEWMAN. THE MOTION IS DUE PASS
TO THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE. CURRENT VOTE IS SIX
AYS AND NÓ NOS WITH THE CHAIR
AND VICE CHAIR VOTING. I SMO
WITH US WITH US. THAT MEASURE IS
AT SEVEN OF US. SO THANK YOU. UH
AND THANK YOU AGAIN, EVERYBODY
WITH THAT, UH, THE EDUCATION
COMMITTEE HEARING FOR WHAT IS
THE MARCH? 20TH IS ADJOURN.