THE SENATE. THE SENATE COMMITTEE
ON MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS
WILL BEGIN IN 60S. DO NOT HAVE
ANY NON-COMMITTEE MEMBERS WITH
YOU.
THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON MILITARY
AND VETERANS AFFAIRS WILL COME
TO ORDER. GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES
AND GENTLEMEN, AND TO THE
VETERANS IN THE HOUSE. WELCOME,
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE,
THE COMMITTEE, IS HERE IN ROOM
2200, AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND
FIND OUT IF ANYBODY ELSE IS OUT
THERE. WE'LL INVITE THEM IN. BUT
LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
AND WE HAVE FIVE BILLS TODAY AND
THREE, HOWEVER, ARE ON CONSENT,
SO BEFORE WE HEAR THE
PRESENTATION ON THE BILLS, LET'S
ESTABLISH A QUORUM. MADAM
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
ARCHULETA HERE. GROVE. ALVARADO.
GILL. HERE. MENGIBAR. HERE.
UMBERG. HERE WE'VE GOT A QUORUM.
THANK YOU. QUORUM HAS BEEN
ESTABLISHED. SO AGAIN, WE HAVE
THREE BILLS ON CONSENT. NEED A
MOTION ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY SENATOR
MENGIBAR AND, MADAM SECRETARY,
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE
CONSENT CALENDAR. YES OKAY,
SENATE BILL 911. SENATE BILL 916
AND SENATE BILL 920. ARCHULETA
Ã ARCHULETA Ã GROVE. ALVARADO.
GILL. ALVA GILL I, MENGIBAR I
AND MENGIBAR I UMBERG I UMBERG I
CAN YOU HOLD THAT OPEN FOR.
WE'LL HOLD THAT OPEN, FOR
SENATOR. COME BACK IN. OKAY,
OKAY. THE CONSENT CALENDAR WILL
REMAIN ON CALL. AND LET US NOW
BEGIN WITH OUR FIRST AUTHOR,
WELCOME, SENATOR UMBERG. YOU MAY
PRESENT YOUR BILL, SENATE BILL,
SB 901. PLEASE PROCEED. THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR. FIRST OF ALL,
LET ME BEGIN BY THANKING MISS
CARLSON AND THANKING THE
COMMITTEE STAFF AND YOU
PERSONALLY, SENATOR ARCHULETA,
FOR YOUR PATIENCE. I REALIZE
THAT WE'VE ADDED A LITTLE DRAMA
TO THIS WHOLE EPISODE HERE IN
THE LAST 24 OR 48 HOURS. YOU'VE
BEEN VERY PATIENT. I THANK YOU.
I ALSO AM GOING TO ACCEPT THE
COMMITTEE'S AMENDMENTS, AND JUST
TO PUT THIS IN CONTEXT, WHAT
THIS BILL IS ABOUT, THIS BILL IS
SIMPLY ABOUT CALIFORNIA NATIONAL
GUARD AND STATE GUARD, BEING
RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE WHO ARE
MEMBERS OF THE GUARD, AS MOST OF
THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS KNOW,
MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS ARE VERY
UNIQUE, AND THEY REQUIRE
COHESION AND THEY REQUIRE THAT,
FOLKS OPERATE WITH A MIND TOWARD
PERFORMING A MISSION. SOMETIMES
THAT MISSION CAN BE VERY
DIFFICULT, BUT IT IS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT THAT THAT THERE BE NO
INFLUENCES THAT TEAR APART THAT
COHESION. SO WHETHER IT'S WITH
RESPECT TO, BELIEVING IN A
CERTAIN RACES, SUPREMACY OR
BELIEVING THAT THE GOVERNMENT
SHOULD BE OVERTHROWN, THERE'S
REALLY, IN MY VIEW, NO PLACE IN
THE MILITARY, THE NATIONAL
GUARD, FOR THOSE WHO ACTIVELY
PARTICIPATE IN ORGANIZATIONS
THAT ADVOCATE THAT OR ACTIVELY
ADVOCATE THE OVERTHROW OF OUR
GOVERNMENT OR CERTAIN THEORIES
OF EXTREMISM, I UNDERSTAND THAT
THERE'S STILL ISSUES AS TO HOW
TO DEFINE IT, BUT OUR FEDERAL
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HAS
UNDERGONE THE EXERCISE IN
DEFINING CERTAIN TERMS. SO
HAVING SAID THAT, I SIMPLY URGE
AND I VOTE AYE. RECOGNIZE THAT
THAT THAT THERE WELL MAY BE
AMENDMENTS. AND, MR. CHAIR, I AM
PERFECTLY PREPARED TO BRING THIS
BILL BACK TO COMMITTEE IF ANY OF
THESE AMENDMENTS DO NOT MEET
WITH YOUR CONCURRENCE WITH THAT,
I URGE A NO VOTE. THANK YOU. AND
I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT
YES, IT WAS, EQUALLY DIFFICULT
TO COMMUNICATE WITH ONE ANOTHER
YOUR SCHEDULE, MY SCHEDULE, AND
SOME OF THE OTHERS. BUT I'M GLAD
WE'RE ABLE TO DO IT AT THE LAST
HOUR. AND THE AMENDMENTS THAT
THE COMMITTEE HAS RECOMMENDED.
THANK YOU FOR ACCEPTING THOSE.
AND I'M VERY WELL AWARE THAT
YOURS ARE COMING AT US. AND,
THANK YOU FOR TAKING IT DOWN THE
ROAD BECAUSE WE NEED TO EXAMINE
IT FURTHER SO WE CAN GO AHEAD
AND SUCCESSFULLY MOVE THIS BILL
FORWARD FOR YOU AT THE END,
BECAUSE I AGREE THAT WE'VE GOT
TO MAINTAIN, THE, THE UMBRELLA,
MEANING THE DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE AND ALL MILITARY
BRANCHES OF SERVICE, THAT WE'RE
ALL UNDER ONE COMMAND. AND SO I
APPRECIATE THAT. SO WE'LL GO
AHEAD NOW AND, ASK FOR IF
THERE'S ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE
THAT WOULD LIKE TO, TO ADDRESS,
THE ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD,
ON THE POSITIVE. ANYBODY? IN
SUPPORT HERE IN THE ROOM? OKAY
ANY WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION TO
THE BILL? AND I SEE NONE. SO NOW
LET'S HEAR FOR, ANYONE ELSE? NO
ONE ELSE. OKAY, DO ANY OF THE
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE
BILL? OKAY, YES. THANK YOU,
THANK YOU, SENATOR. THANK YOU,
MR. CHAIR. I THINK MY MIC IS ON.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, I
APPRECIATE YOU ACCEPTING THE
COMMITTEE'S AMENDMENTS. I DID
HAVE, I A LITTLE SHAKY NOW
STILL, BUT MUCH BETTER THAN I
WAS, YOUR AMENDMENTS. I SAU Tê.
I, I KNOW THE US, I KNOW THAT, I
LIKE THAT WE ALIGNED IT WITH
THE, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, AND
I LIKE THAT YOU TOOK OUT THE
LANGUAGE BECAUSE I HAVE A HUGE
CONCERN AND NOT BECAUSE I'M
TRADITIONALLY ON THE RIGHT. BUT,
YOU KNOW, JUST WHAT I SAW
GOVERNMENT DO TO OUR CHURCHES
AND BUSINESSES, DURING THE COVID
PERIOD MAKES ME NERVOUS BECAUSE
THIS IS OUR UNITED STATES
MILITARY, AND WE SWEAR TO DEFEND
THE CONSTITUTION AGAINST ALL
ENEMIES, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC.
AND AS LONG AS SOMEBODY IS
UPHOLDING THE CONSTITUTION TO
PROTECT THIS COUNTRY, THEY
SHOULD BE ABLE TO JOIN, NO BODY,
NOT ME, NOT ANYBODY ON THE DAIS
OR ANYBODY. IT WANTS TO, IN THE
EXACT WORDS OF THE LANGUAGE. YOU
KNOW, HAVE ANYBODY SUPPORT THAT
SUPPORTS AN UNLAWFUL USE OF
FORCE OR UNLAWFUL VIOLENCE?
NOBODY WANTS THAT, BUT I THINK
THAT IT DEPENDS ON WHO PICKS AND
CHOOSES WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT
IS WRONG. AND IS THERE A
STANDARD ALREADY SET? AND THAT'S
WHAT WE GET TO LOOK AT. SO I
THOUGHT THE WAY IT WAS WRITTEN
AT FIRST IS VAGUE, BUT I
APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE
AT LEAST NARROWING THE
AMENDMENTS ON THAT. AND SO I
SAID I WAS GOING TO STAY OFF,
BUT I'LL SUPPORT THE BILL TODAY.
BUT I DO WANT TO SEE THE
AMENDMENTS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO
INTRODUCE LATER. YES. THANK YOU
SIR. GOOD AND ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS I'D LIKE
TO GO AHEAD AND POINT OUT ONCE
AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOU GIVING
THE COMMITTEE A TIME TO REVIEW
YOUR PROPOSALS IN REFERENCE TO
THE ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE,
EXISTING DODD, REQUIREMENTS AND
PERTAINING TO THE NATIONAL GUARD
AND STATE LAW AS WELL AS FEDERAL
LAW AND, AND UNDERSTANDING THAT
MILITARY LEADERS AND THEIR
COMMANDERS ARE THE MOST
APPROPRIATE INDIVIDUALS TO
DETERMINE WHEN A MILITARY
DISCHARGE SHOULD OCCUR. SO WITH
THAT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE,
ONLY I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS,
SENATOR GROVE, AND I APPRECIATE
YOUR COMMENTS. MR. CHAIR, I URGE
AND I VOTE, OKAY. AND WE HAVE A
MOTION ON THE FLOOR, AND, MADAM
CHAIR, WOULD YOU CALL FOR THE
ROLL BACK? YEAH. NOBODY MOVED.
OH, I'LL. I'LL MOVE THIS. OKAY?
OKAY. YOU WANT MCCULLOUGH ON
NOW, SIR? GO RIGHT AHEAD. CALL
THE ROLL. THANK YOU. SENATE BILL
901 DO PASS AS AMENDED, BUT
FIRST, AMEND AND REFER RE REFER
TO JUDICIARY. ARCHULETA. I
ARCHULETA I GROVE. GROVE I
ALVARADO. GILL I ALVARADO. GILL
I MENGIBAR. I MENGIBAR I UMBERG.
UMBERG. I THAT BILL PASSES OUT,
SIR. OKAY, THAT IS UNANIMOUS.
THE BILL WILL GO FORWARD AS
MENTIONED AND, NOW I'M GOING TO,
PASS THE GAVEL ON TO MY CO CHAIR
AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND PRESENT MY
BILL, AND HERE IT IS, HERE.
JIMMY MOVED DOWN THERE. YEAH,
YEAH. NO. YOU'RE FINE. WHAT'S
THE BILL? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
GO AHEAD. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. AND I APPRECIATE, GIVING
ME THIS OPPORTUNITY, I WOULD
LIKE TO PRESENT SENATE BILL
1335, AND IT WILL ENHANCE THE
GROWTH OF THE CALIFORNIA CADET
CORPS AND ALSO KNOWN AS CA CC.
SO I'LL TRY AND KEEP IT AS
CALIFORNIA CADET CORPS, AND IT
WILL PERMIT ADDITIONAL
CALIFORNIA CADET CORPS PROGRAMS
TO BE ESTABLISHED, ENSURING MORE
YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN, HERE IN
CALIFORNIA, HAVE THE ACCESS TO
THIS LIFE CHANGING PROGRAM. THE
CALIFORNIA CADET CORPS IS THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA'S ONLY
SCHOOL BASED APPLIED LEADERSHIP
PROGRAM CONDUCTED WITHIN A
MILITARY FRAMEWORK, WHICH ALSO
INCLUDES CIVILIAN TEACHERS AND
INSTRUCTORS. THE PROGRAM
PROVIDES PERSONAL GROWTH,
LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, AND
PUBLIC SERVICE VOCATIONAL
PATHWAYS FOR APPROXIMATELY 6000
CADETS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ALSO
TO INCLUDE HIGH SCHOOL. THE
DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF
90 INDIVIDUAL UNITS OF THE
CALIFORNIA CADET CORPS IS A
SHARED RESPONSIBILITY OF THE
LOCAL SCHOOL AUTHORITIES AND THE
CALIFORNIA MILITARY DEPARTMENT.
THE CALIFORNIA CADET CORPS
ESTABLISHES A MILITARY FRAMEWORK
AT EACH PARTICIPATING SCHOOL
THAT DEVELOPS LEADERSHIP SKILLS,
ENHANCES ACADEMIC AND VOCATIONAL
ACHIEVEMENT, FOSTERS GOOD
CITIZENSHIP AND PATRIOTISM, AND
ENCOURAGES HEALTH, WELLNESS, AND
FITNESS. AND ALTHOUGH A RANGE IN
A MILITARY FRAMEWORK TO MAXIMIZE
THE LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE OF THE
CADETS, THE PROGRAM DOES FAR
MORE THAN INTRODUCE MILITARY
CONCEPTS. CADETS ARE ROUTINELY
AWARDED FULL COLLEGE
SCHOLARSHIPS. SERVICE ACADEMY
APPOINTMENTS. MANY OF THE
STATE'S LEADERS, INCLUDING US
ATTORNEYS, JUDGES, GENERALS, AND
PREVIOUS GOVERNOR, THE HONORABLE
JERRY BROWN, A FORMER CADET WHO
LEARNED LEADERSHIP SKILLS EARLY
IN HIS LIFE WHILE AT THE
CALIFORNIA CADETS, THE BILL, SB
1335, WILL PROVIDE THE
CALIFORNIA CADET CORPS WITH
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO ENHANCE
THE PROGRAM TO ENSURE ALL
STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO APPLIED
LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES THAT
PREPARE STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS IN
COLLEGE AND THE WORKFORCE IN
THEIR FUTURE. ON BEHALF OF THE
6000 CADETS THROUGHOUT
CALIFORNIA, SHOWING SUCCESS AND
PROMISE, I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
YOUR VOTE. THANK YOU SIR, DO YOU
HAVE A LEAD WITNESS IN SUPPORT?
I BELIEVE I DO. ANYONE? NOPE.
THEY DIDN'T MAKE IT OKAY. IS
THERE A LEAD WITNESS IN
OPPOSITION? CAN DO PUBLIC
COMMENT. THOSE IN SUPPORT, THOSE
IN OPPOSITION. BRING IT BACK TO
THE DAIS. NOPE. WELL MAC. CLOSE.
ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. I WANT TO
SHARE WITH ALL OF YOU THAT I HAD
THE OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS THEIR
COMPETITION. WE HAD 38 SCHOOLS
THAT ALL CAME TOGETHER AT LOS
ALAMITOS, THERE AT THE AIRFIELD
IN ORANGE COUNTY. AND I
WITNESSED THE COMPETITION
DRILLING, MARCHING, YOU NAME IT,
THEY DID IT, WE HAD CADETS FROM
WEST POINT WHO ACTUALLY FLEW IN
TO SHARE IN. AND WE HAD GENERALS
THERE, AND THE BRASS WAS THERE
TO SUPPORT THESE YOUNG MEN AND
WOMEN. AND IT WAS SOMETHING TO
SEE. AND WHEN I INTERVIEWED A
FEW OF THEM, THEY THOUGHT IT HAD
ACTUALLY CHANGED THEIR LIFE.
SOME ENTERED AS A FRESHMAN IN
HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY SAID NOW
THAT THEY WERE SENIORS, THEY
WERE ABLE TO TALK. LOOK, YOU
RIGHT IN THE EYE, SHAKE YOUR
HAND, AND THEIR ACADEMICS WENT
THROUGH THE ROOF. THEY STARTED
WITH SOME AS LOW AS A 1.2, AND
GOT IT UP TO 3.5 AND LOOKING
FORWARD TO GOING TO COLLEGE. SO
WITH THAT, I RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR AN AYE VOTE. THANK YOU SIR,
DO WE HAVE A MOTION SO MOVED.
THANK YOU, SENATOR UMBERG. MADAM
CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
ARCHULETA AYE. I'M SORRY, SB
1335 DO PASS. BUT FIRST WE REFER
TO APPROPRIATIONS. ARCHULETA.
ARCHULETA I GROVE, I GROVE I
ALVARADO GILL I ALVARADO GILL I
MENGIBAR NAVARRO I UMBERG I
UMBERG I THAT PASSES OUT. I MEAN
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. NO, I
AGREE, I AGREE. OKAY THANKS.
WE'LL MAKE IT GROVE UMBERG. YEAH
THAT WORKS. AND OUR DESCENDANTS.
THE CONSENT CALENDAR. GROVE.
GROVE. AYE. IT PASSES OUT. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. WHERE ARE WE AT
NOW? WE'RE ALL DONE. OKAY. ALL
RIGHT, WELL, FOR THOSE IN THE
AUDIENCE, THANK YOU FOR
PARTICIPATING WITH US TODAY. AND
I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE ROBERT
FROM THE OFFICE, WHO IS ACTUALLY
SERVING AS AN ACTIVE DUTY
NATIONAL GUARD, BUT HE'S IN
CIVILIAN CLOTHES TODAY, SO YOU
BETTER WATCH HIM. HE'S A SECRET
AGENT. AND, COLONEL. THANK YOU
FOR COMING WITH YOUR STAFF, AND
WE APPRECIATE IT. EVERYONE
THAT'S HERE WHO, OBVIOUSLY LOVED
GOD AND COUNTRY AND OUR AND OUR
VETERANS. SO I THANK YOU ALL.
MEETING IS ADJOURNED.