YOU ARE WITH US TODAY AT THE
SENATE RULES COMMITTEE. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING TIME OUT
OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE. WE HAVE A
FULL AGENDA IN FRONT OF US.
LET'S GET RIGHT INTO IT. IF IT
WORKS. MADAM SECRETARY, CAN YOU
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL AND LET'S
GET A QUORUM? MCGUIRE. HERE.
MCGUIRE HERE. GROVE HERE. GROVE.
HERE. EGGMAN. EGGMAN! HERE.
JONES I'M HERE! JONES. HERE.
LAIRD. HERE. LAIRD. HERE! QUORUM
QUORUM HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM
SECRETARY. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
WHO ARE HERE IN THE COMMITTEE
ROOM AND THOSE WATCHING ONLINE
WHAT WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO DO.
AND NOT TRYING TO BELABOR THE
POINT, IS WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE
TO TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THE
HOUSEKEEPING, SOME OF THE
ROUTINE BUSINESS. IT WILL TAKE
US A FEW MINUTES AND THEN WE'LL
ADVANCE THOSE. GOVERNOR
APPOINTEE WHO ARE HERE AND
REQUIRED TO APPEAR. SO HEARING
THAT WHAT WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE
TO DO IS START UNDER GOVERNOR
APPOINTEES NOT REQUIRED TO
APPEAR ON THE AGENDA. THAT IS
TÚI E THROUGH J. WE HAVE A
REQUEST TO BE ABLE TO SPLIT IN
TWO MOTIONS, AND I'D LIKE TO,
ADVANCE THE ITEMS THAT WILL BE
IN THE FIRST MOTION. AND WITH
RESPECT, WOULD LIKE TO ADVANCE A
SECOND AND THEN SEE IF THERE IS
A MOTION ON THE FIRST MOTION
UNDER NOT REQUIRED TO APPEAR. IS
THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS
E G H I, AND J? I'LL REPEAT ONE
MORE TIME E G, H, I AND J. SO WE
HAVE A MOTION BY THE VICE CHAIR.
MADAM SECRETARY, CAN YOU PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL? MCGUIRE AYE.
MCGUIRE. AYE. GROVE. GROVE AYE.
EGGMAN. EGGMAN. AYE. JONES. AYE
JONES. AYE. LAIRD. AYE. LAIRD.
AYE! IT'S A50 VOTE. THAT MOTION
IS APPROVED. LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN OF COMMITTEE, WE'D
LIKE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE UP ITEM
TWO F SEPARATELY. IS THERE A
MOTION I SO MOVE. WE HAVE A
MOTION BY SENATOR LAIRD. MADAM
SECRETARY, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL? MCGUIRE. AYE. MCGUIRE
AYE. GROVE. GROVE. NOT VOTING.
EGGMAN. EGGMAN. AYE. JONES
JONES. NOT VOTING. LAIRD. AYE.
AYE THREE. THAT IS A3030 VOTE.
THAT MOTION IS APPROVED. WE NOW
WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE ON
TO BILL REFERRALS. BILL
REFERRALS? THAT'S ITEM THREE ON
TODAY'S AGENDA. IS THERE A
MOTION TO APPROVE? WE HAVE A
MOTION BY MADAM VICE CHAIR.
MADAM SECRETARY, CAN YOU PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL? MCGUIRE. AYE
MCGUIRE. AYE. GROVE. GROVE. AYE.
EGGMAN AYE. EGGMAN. AYE. JONES.
JONES. AYE. LAIRD LAIRD. AYE. 5
TO 0 FIVE ZERO VOTE. THAT MOTION
IS APPROVED. THANK YOU TO THE
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE LAST
ITEM OF HOUSEKEEPING BUSINESS.
WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO ADVANCE
A MOTION FOR FLOOR
ACKNOWLEDGMENT. IS THERE A
MOTION TO APPROVE? I HAVE
CONCERN WITH THIS MEMBER ON ITEM
FOUR. OH, DEAR LORD, WE NEED A
LIST. YEAH EXACTLY. YES. SO
MOVED. SIR, WE HAVE A MOTION BY
THE VICE CHAIR. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. AND THAT'S RIGHT. AND,
MADAM VICE CHAIR, I THINK YOU
POINTED OUT YOUR MATCHING TODAY
WITH SENATOR LAIRD. YES. WE ARE
GOING TO THE PROM LATER. SO ALL
RIGHT, I DO. YOU SEE. THERE WE
GO. GOING TO BE A NEWS STORY.
ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE A MOTION
BY MADAM VICE CHAIR. THANK YOU
SO MUCH, MADAM VICE CHAIR, MADAM
SECRETARY, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL? MCGUIRE AYE. MCGUIRE.
AYE. GROVE. GROVE. AYE. EGGMAN
EGGMAN. AYE. JONES. AYE. JONES.
AYE. LAIRD LAIRD. AYE. 5 TO 0.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN. THE COMMITTEE. AND TO
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. THANK
YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO TAKE CARE
OF THAT BUSINESS. WHAT WE'D LIKE
TO ADVANCE NOW ARE THOSE
GOVERNOR APPOINTEES WHO ARE
REQUIRED TO APPEAR. WE HAVE
ITEMS ONE A THROUGH C. FIRST,
THE APPOINTMENTS OF DIVISION
DIRECTORS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION.
WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO ASK,
HAVE EACH OF THE DIRECTORS
PLEASE COME FORWARD, DIRECTOR
BROOMFIELD, IF YOU COULD PLEASE
COME FORWARD. DIRECTOR JOHNSON
AND DIRECTOR CASILLAS, PLEASE.
AS THE THREE DIRECTORS ARE
MAKING THEIR WAY UP TO THE DAIS,
FIRST AND FOREMOST, TO EACH OF
YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE
TODAY. KNOW HOW BUSY YOU ARE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED
SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF
CALIFORNIA. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO
PROVIDE A MINUTE OR TWO OF
TESTIMONY TO THIS COMMITTEE.
WE'RE THEN GOING TO OPEN IT UP
TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO BE ABLE
TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS, ADVANCE
ANY COMMENTS, IN YOUR OPENING,
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE ABLE TO
WELCOME ANY FAMILY MEMBERS OR
FRIENDS WHO ARE WITH YOU OR
WATCHING ONLINE, AND PLEASE
DON'T TAKE IT AS A FORM OF
DISRESPECT IF YOU, AS YOU GET
CLOSE TO TWO MINUTES, I'LL GIVE
YOU A 32ND HEADS UP AND WOULD
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST TO START
WRAPPING UP COMMENTS. SO WITHOUT
FURTHER ADO, I'M GOING TO START
FROM MY LEFT AT WORK WAY TO THE
RIGHT. AND THAT'S GOING TO BE
WITH DIRECTOR JOHNSON. DIRECTOR
JOHNSON, IT'S A PLEASURE TO HAVE
YOU HERE IN COMMITTEE. THE FLOOR
IS YOURS, SIR, FOR YOUR OPENING
STATEMENT. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK
YOU. CHAIR AND DISTINGUISHED
SENATE RULES COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I AM HONORED AND EXCITED, YET
HUMBLED, TO BE HERE BEFORE YOU
TODAY. AS I SEEK CONFIRMATION AS
THE NEXT DIRECTOR FOR THE
DIVISION OF ADULT PAROLE
OPERATIONS. I WOULD LIKE TO
START OFF FIRST BY THANKING MY
LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST,
WHO HAS PROTECTED ME OVER THE
YEARS OF MY LIFE, HAS GRACE AND
MERCY OVER ME, AND I WOULDN'T BE
HERE TODAY. SO THANK YOU. I
WOULD LIKE TO THANK GAVIN NEWSOM
AND GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM FOR
APPOINTING ME TO THIS
PRESTIGIOUS POSITION, AND HIS
STAFF FOR HAVING CONFIDENCE IN
ME TO CARRY OUT THE DUTIES OF
THOSE THAT ARE REQUIRED BY THE
DIRECTOR FOR THE PAROLE
DIVISION. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK
MY CURRENT CDCR LEADERSHIP FOR
BELIEVING IN ME, I'M SO EXCITED
TO BE WORKING FOR THEM AND
UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY HAVE
CONFIDENCE IN ME AND MY ABILITY
TO DO GREAT THINGS WITH THIS
GREAT WORKFORCE OF INDIVIDUALS
WHO ARE COMMITTED TO ENHANCING
PUBLIC SAFETY THROUGH
REINTEGRATION, WHILE EQUIPPING
THESE INDIVIDUALS WITH THE TOOLS
NECESSARY TO LIVE PRODUCTIVE AND
HEALTHY LIVES. I WOULD LIKE TO
GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY
MOTHER, MY BEST FRIEND, NUMBER
ONE FAN AND SUPPORTER. SHE
COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY DUE TO
HEALTH ISSUES, BUT I KNOW SHE'S
WATCHING ONLINE, SO MOM, FOR
THAT. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.
AND I LOVE YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO
THANK, IT'S VERY EMOTIONAL FOR
ME. YEAH, IT'S INCREDIBLY
PERSONAL, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO
THANK ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY
THAT ARE HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT
OF ME. SOME THAT COULDN'T MAKE
IT IN THE ROOM BECAUSE THE ROOM
IS OVER WHELMED WITH SUPPORT FOR
MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES,
WITHOUT THEM BEING A PILLAR IN
MY LIFE AND WORKING THROUGH
EVERYTHING THAT I'VE GONE
THROUGH OVER THE COURSE OF MY
LIFE, COMING FROM THE INNER
CITIES OF SOUTH CENTRAL, LOS
ANGELES AND WATTS AND GOING
THROUGH A LOT OF ADVERSITY
THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF MY
LIFE, AND TO BE SITTING HERE
BEFORE YOU, I JUST HAVE TO GIVE
GOD ALL THE GRACE, LAST AND NOT
LEAST, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL
OF MY COLLEAGUES, MY
SUPERVISORS, WHO ALL ARE
RETIREES BEHIND ME, WHO EITHER
ARE BOARD IN RETIREMENT OR
REALLY WANTED TO SUPPORT ME TO
COME OUT TODAY AND HEAR ME TALK.
AND AS I SEEK CONFIRMATION. BUT
THEIR MENTORSHIP OVER THE YEARS
HAVE BEEN EXCEPTIONAL, AND I AND
I REALLY WANT TO JUST LET YOU
ALL KNOW THAT I'M VERY
APPRECIATIVE AND GRATEFUL FOR
ALL OF YOU. MY INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS. 30S SIR,
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE YEARS AND
OF THE SUPPORT THAT WE'VE DONE
WITH OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE ARE
STARTING TO SEE THE FRUITS OF
OUR LABOR THROUGH OUR SUCCESS
STORIES, THROUGH THE HELP OF
TRANSFORMING LIVES AND DUE TO
THE UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY,
PARTNERSHIPS APPROACH THAT WE
HAVE. AGAIN, THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIR, AND THE DISTINGUISHED
SENATE RULES COMMITTEE MEMBERS
FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
AND I WELCOME YOUR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. MR. DIRECTOR. WHAT'S
YOUR MOM'S NAME? MELINDA.
MELINDA. MY GOODNESS, I BET
SHE'S INCREDIBLY PROUD. IT'S
GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE, SIR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE NOW WOULD
LIKE TO BE ABLE TO TURN THE
FLOOR OVER TO DIRECTOR CASIAS.
MADAM DIRECTOR, IT'S WONDERFUL
TO HAVE YOU HERE. YOU HAVE TWO
MINUTES AND I'LL GIVE YOU A 32ND
PROMPT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE
FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU.
SENATOR, FIRST, I WANT TO
INTRODUCE MY MOM. MY BIGGEST
FAN, ANN, WHO'S HERE TODAY.
SHE'S AN AMAZING WOMAN, AND I'M
JUST PROUD TO BE HER DAUGHTER. I
FEEL THE PRESENCE OF MY FIANCE,
MATT SCHLEICHER, WHO WE LOST TO
CANCER LAST YEAR. I AM GRATEFUL
FOR THE LOVE AND SUPPORT OF ALL
MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO ARE
WATCHING TODAY, INCLUDING MY DAD
AND MY KIDS MICHELLE AND
MICHAEL. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK
GOVERNOR NEWSOM FOR APPOINTING
ME TO THIS POSITION, AND I WOULD
LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE
SENATORS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
AND THE TIME TO TALK WITH YOU
TODAY. I STARTED MY SERVICE WITH
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IN 1990
AS A STUDENT ASSISTANT. WHEN I
WAS STUDYING ACCOUNTING AT SAC
STATE. NOW I HAVE OVER 30 YEARS
OF COLLABORATIVE WORK LEADERSHIP
, AND ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONAL
EXPERIENCE WITH THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. I BELIEVE THAT THIS
EXPERIENCE PREPARES ME WELL TO
LEAD THE DIVISION OF
REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS TOWARD A
MORE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT
OPERATION. I AM PROUD TO SAY THE
REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS MY
DIVISION PROVIDES, BOTH DIRECTLY
AND THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIPS, DO
WORK. I KNOW THIS BECAUSE THERE
IS A REDUCTION IN RECIDIVISM
RATES FOR THOSE WHO PARTICIPATE
IN THEM. THOSE PROGRAMS INCLUDE
EDUCATION OAN FROM LITERACY
THROUGH COLLEGE, VOCATIONAL
TRAINING, COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL
PROGRAMS, GRANTS FOR COMMUNITY
BASED ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITY
REENTRY PROGRAMS, AND ALSO
REENTRY SERVICES FOR THOSE ON
PAROLE. I UNDERSTAND THE
RESPONSIBILITY AND THE
POSSIBILITIES IN OUR MISSION. I
BELIEVE IN MY COLLEAGUES. I
BELIEVE IN THE TEAM THAT I LEAD,
AND I BELIEVE IN THE ABILITY OF
PEOPLE TO CHANGE. THOSE PEOPLE,
ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE
INCARCERATED AND ON PAROLE, DO
ALL THE HEAVY WORK. BUT WE
PROVIDE THE TOOLS,
OPPORTUNITIES, SUPPORT FOR THEM
TO SUCCEED. MY VISION IS THAT
INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS BECOME
THE BEST VERSION OF THEMSELVES,
AND THAT THEY ULTIMATELY RETURN
TO THEIR FAMILIES AND TO THEIR
COMMUNITIES. I BELIEVE THIS
MAKES CALIFORNIA SAFER, AND I
BELIEVE IT MAKES CALIFORNIA
STRONGER. THANK YOU, MADAM
DIRECTOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
YOUR COMMENTS. AND IT'S
WONDERFUL TO HAVE YOUR MOM HERE.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
HERE. NICE TO MEET YOU. THANK
YOU, DIRECTOR BROOMFIELD. THANK
YOU FOR BEING HERE, SIR. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. YOU WILL
HAVE TWO MINUTES AND I'LL GIVE
YOU A 32ND PROMPT. THE FLOOR IS
YOURS. WELCOME TO COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON,
CHAIRMAN MCGUIRE AND ESTEEMED
RULES COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MY NAME
IS RON BROOMFIELD. I'M THE
DIRECTOR OF ADULT INSTITUTIONS
FOR THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION.
I'M HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY.
SITTING BEFORE YOU, I'D LIKE TO
THANK GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM,
GOVERNOR NEWSOM, FOR THIS
APPOINTMENT. I WOULD ALSO LIKE
TO THANK SECRETARY JEFF MCCUMBER
AND UNDERSECRETARY TAMI FOSS FOR
THEIR INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP AND
CONTINUED SUPPORT. AND I'D LIKE
TO THANK THANK MY LEADERSHIP
TEAM, MANY OF WHOM ARE HERE
TODAY FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE
DEDICATION DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
THEY MAKE ME SUCCESSFUL. I'M
HERE TODAY WITH MY WIFE,
KIMBERLY. WHO IS THE WIND IN MY
SAILS WHEN THERE IS NO OTHER
WIND BLOWING? HER LIFELONG LOVE
AND SUPPORT THROUGHOUT MY CAREER
HAS PROPELLED ME TO THIS MOMENT.
I'M SEEKING YOUR CONFIRMATION
TODAY BECAUSE I'M EXCITED TO BE
IN THIS ROLE AT SUCH A PIVOTAL
TIME IN THE DEPARTMENT'S
HISTORY. OUR DEPARTMENT IS IN
THE MIDST OF A PARADIGM SHIFT
FROM SIMPLY PROVIDING STATIC
SECURITY IN OUR INSTITUTIONS TO
PROVIDING DYNAMIC SECURITY,
NORMALIZATION, AND PEER SUPPORT,
WHILE AT THE SAME TIME BECOMING
A TRAUMA INFORMED ORGANIZATION.
THÀNH I BELIEVE THIS DRAMATIC
CHANGE WILL HAVE A POSITIVE
IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF THOSE
WORKING AND LIVING IN OUR
INSTITUTIONS AS WE DEVELOP AND
IMPLEMENT THE CALIFORNIA MODEL,
WE WILL IMPROVE THE WORKING
CONDITIONS, THE JOB SATISFACTION
, THÀNH AND ULTIMATELY THE
HEALTH OUTCOMES OF THE STAFF WHO
WORK IN OUR INSTITUTIONS UNDER
VERY STRESSFUL AND DANGEROUS
CONDITIONS. I BELIEVE THIS
PARADIGM SHIFT IN CALIFORNIA
CORRECTIONS WILL RESULT IN MORE
CIVIL AND HUMANE ENVIRONMENT,
AND WILL FOSTER OPPORTUNITY FOR
INCARCERATED CITIZENS TO EMBRACE
REHABILITATION AND
TRANSFORMATION AS OUR
INCARCERATED CITIZENS BECOME
BETTER EQUIPPED TO REENTER OUR
COMMUNITIES, WE WILL SEE BETTER
OUTCOMES AND IMPROVE PUBLIC
SAFETY. I BELIEVE EVERYONE HAS
THE INNATE POTENTIAL TO GROW AND
CHANGE AND TRANSFORM, AND I'M
EXCITED TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT
WHERE THIS IS PROMOTED AND
ENCOURAGED. AND I WELCOME YOUR
QUESTIONS TODAY. THANK YOU, MR.
DIRECTOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND
IT'S WONDERFUL TO HAVE KIMBERLY
HERE AS WELL. SO THANK YOU. VERY
GRATEFUL FOR THAT. TO THE
DIRECTORS, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO BE
ABLE TO DO IS OPEN IT UP FOR
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM THE
COMMITTEE, AND WE'D LIKE TO BE
ABLE TO KICK OFF THAT,
CONVERSATION WITH MADAM VICE
CHAIR, VICE CHAIR GROVE. THANK
YOU, MR. PRO TEM. THANK YOU ALL
FOR BEING HERE TODAY. I
APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. AND, I
REALLY DO THINK IT TAKES A
SPECIAL PERSON TO BE IN THIS
POSITION THAT HAS A HEART FOR
THE INCARCERATED AND THEIR
ABILITY TO SUCCEED OUTSIDE. AND
ALTHOUGH I DO BELIEVE THAT WHEN
PEOPLE ARE INSIDE OR
INCARCERATED PERSONS, THOSE
INDIVIDUALS HAVE DONE SOMETHING
THAT WARRANTS KEEPING THEM AWAY
FROM SOCIETY. BUT I THINK THAT
THEIR CARE IN THE FACILITY IS,
IS, PARAMOUNT TO THEIR SUCCESS
IN GETTING OUT AND BEING
SUCCESSFUL MEMBERS OF AND
PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY.
I, I APPRECIATE THE BACKGROUND
ON ALL OF YOU. AND I DO HAVE
JUST QUESTIONS FOR ONE OF YOU.
AND NOT THAT THAT'S ANYTHING
WRONG WITH THAT, BUT IT'S JUST
ON A SUBJECT MATTER THAT I THINK
MISS CASIAS IS, THE PERSON I
NEED TO ASK OR ADDRESS THESE
QUESTIONS TO. AND I LOOK FORWARD
TO YOUR CONFIRMATION. AND I DO
HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU MENTIONED IN
YOUR OPENING THAT YOU WENT TO
SAC STATE AND THAT YOU MADE YOU
MAJORED IN ACCOUNTING. I DID
OKAY. SO IN YOUR ACCOUNTING,
EDUCATION THAT YOU GOT AT SAC
STATE, DID THEY TEACH YOU ABOUT
PROCURE AND BUDGETING AND THINGS
LIKE THAT? IS THAT SOMETHING
THAT YOU LEARNED THERE? I
LEARNED OTHER THAN BUDGETING
THERE. HOWEVER, MOST OF MY
KNOWLEDGE FROM THAT COMES IN MY
OVER 30 YEARS OF SERVING WITH
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THROUGH
BUDGETS AND PROCUREMENT, THROUGH
THE STATE PROCESS. SO THANK YOU
FOR THAT. SO 30 YEARS OF
KNOWLEDGE WITH BUDGET AND
PROCUREMENT FOR THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, WHAT'S THE LARGEST
BUDGETS THAT YOU'VE OVERSAW FOR
PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACTS
AWARDED? IT WOULD BE MY LAST
POSITION WAS DEPUTY DIRECTOR,
OFFICE OF PROGRAM SUPPORT WITHIN
DIVISION OF REHABILITATIVE
PROGRAMS. OBVIOUSLY, I'M NOW AT
THE DIRECTOR, BUT DRP IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR ABOUT $370
MILLION OF CONTRACTS, $370
MILLION IN CONTRACTS. IS THERE A
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE OR
A CRITERIA, AN OBJECTIVE
CRITERIA FOR CONTRACT AWARD, AND
IF SO, CAN YOU DESCRIBE IT TO ME
? THERE IS A LOT OF RULES IN THE
STATE CONTRACTING MANUAL. I
PROBABLY WON'T BE ABLE TO
EXPLAIN ALL OF IT TO YOU.
HOWEVER THERE DEFINITELY IS A
PROCESS WHERE WE PUT OUT A
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION OR
REQUEST FOR A BID, WE RECEIVE
THOSE BIDS AND IT IS OUR OFFICE
OF BUSINESS SERVICES WHO
OVERSEES THAT, AND THEN THE
SUCCESSFUL BIDDER WILL WIN,
DEPENDING ON THE FORM USED, IT
COULD BE THE LOWEST BIDDER, OR
IT COULD BE BASED ON A SCORING
CRITERIA. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR
THAT, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ARE
YOU ENGAGED IN ANY OF THOSE
CONVERSATIONS FOR THESE BIDS OR
IS IT THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS
PROCUREMENT THAT DOES IT
INDEPENDENTLY OF ASIDE FROM YOU?
YEAH, I AM NOT INVOLVED IN THOSE
CONVERSATIONS. DO YOU HAVE
OVERSIGHT OVER THOSE AT ALL? I
MEAN, AS THE DIRECTOR OF
REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS, I FEEL
LIKE IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY FOR
ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS WITHIN
DRB. OKAY. SO I GUESS, SINCE I
GUESS ASKING YOU TO LIST A
COMPLETE CRITERIA AND MANY
FACETS OF BEING ABLE TO PROCURE
THESE CONTRACTS, IF I WENT OVER
SOME CRITERIA, COULD YOU TELL ME
YES OR NO? IF THEY'RE PART OF
THE PROCESS? SURE. SO I'LL DO MY
BEST. OKAY. THERE'S AN RFP, A
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL THAT GOES
OUT AND IT GOES OUT TO
INDIVIDUAL, I'M ASSUMING THAT
ARE ON SOME LIST THAT ENGAGE IN
PROCURING CONTRACTS OR GRANTS
FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT, BUT IT'S
USUALLY ADVERTISED ADVERTISED SO
THAT ANYBODY CAN IT'S CAPABLE TO
BID AND A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
IS ONE OPTION FOR PROCUREMENT.
OKAY, SO AND IS WHEN YOU PUT OUT
THESE BIDS, IS THERE A FLOOR OR
A CEILING ON A LOW BID PROCESS
OR A BEGINNING BID ON A LOW BID
PROCESS? I THINK THERE I DON'T
KNOW IF THERE'S A LOW BID. NOT
NECESSARILY. IT SHOULDN'T BE ALL
THE LOW BID. OKAY. SO IF YOU'RE
ENGAGING, IF YOUR DEPARTMENT IS
ENGAGING IN A BID PROCESS WHERE
THEY ALLOW FOR A LOW BID, THEY
DON'T YOU DON'T HAVE A
DETERMINED SET FLOOR OF A
CONTRACT BID AMOUNT WHICH SETS
CONDITIONS TO TIE OR BREAK A TIE
IN CASE CONTRACTS COME IN IN A
TIE, I THINK I KNOW WHAT YOUR
WHICH ONE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND IN THAT SPECIFIC PICK,
SOLICITATION THERE IS A RANGE OF
RATES IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE
CONTRACT, AND THERE ARE SOME
THAT AREN'T SET. AND IN THE
EVENT OF A TIE THERE, IS IT IN
THIS CASE, IT WAS A COIN TOSS
FOR THE STATE CONTRACTING MANUAL
. A COIN TOSS IS ACTUALLY AN
APPROPRIATE TIE BREAKER OR
SOMETHING LIKE A COIN TOSS. SO
IN THE SOLICITATION THAT WENT
OUT, IT WAS SPECIFICALLY LISTED
AS A COIN TOSS, WHICH IS PER THE
STATE CONTRACTING MANUAL, AN
APPROPRIATE TIE BREAKER. OKAY. I
WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THAT
BECAUSE I HEARD THAT YOU AWARDED
A BID BASED ON A COIN CONTEST OR
A COIN TOSS, AND I THOUGHT, WHAT
IS THAT? YEAH, PROBABLY. CHECK
THAT OUT. YEAH, SO THANK YOU FOR
THAT, I DO HAVE ONE MORE FOLLOW
UP QUESTION ON THAT, OR IS THERE
ANY DISQUALIFICATIONS FOR
INDIVIDUALS UNDER INVESTIGATION
FOR ANYTHING LIKE EMBEZZLEMENT
OUT OF STATE FUNDS? AND IF SO,
WHAT'S THE CRITERIA TO FOLLOW TO
MAKE SURE THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS
DON'T GET CONTRACTS? THAT'S A
VERY GOOD QUESTION. THERE
DEFINITELY IS WAYS TO DISQUALIFY
PEOPLE FROM EVEN SUBMITTING
BIDS, I'D LIKE TO LOOK
SPECIFICALLY AT THAT
SOLICITATION, AND THEN I CAN
FOLLOW UP WITH SPECIFICS ON THAT
, AND GET BACK TO YOU. OKAY.
BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE
PERSON WHO GOT A 50 SOMETHING
MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT FROM
THAT BUSINESS OFFICE OF
BUSINESS, SOMETHING THAT YOU
SUPERVISE. GUYS, IS I HAVE THE
NAME OF THE CONTRACTOR. I WON'T
USE IT, BUT, I HAVE EVIDENCE
THAT THERE ARE BEING
INVESTIGATED FOR EMBEZZLEMENT
AND POSSIBLE SANCTIONS FOR
NONPERFORMANCE. AND THEY JUST
GOT ANOTHER 50 PLUS MILLION
DOLLARS. SO THAT CONCERNS ME,
BECAUSE WE ON THIS DAIS ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THAT
TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE DEALT WITH
APPROPRIATELY. SO JUST A FOLLOW
UP ON THAT. OF COURSE, I AM
UNAWARE OF THAT, AND I CAN
UNDERSTAND WHY THAT WOULD BE
CONCERNING. I THINK IT IS TO ME
AS WELL. YEAH. THANK YOU. I
THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING MY
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I, I, THE COIN TOSS THING IS
WHAT LED ME DOWN THIS RABBIT
HOLE. JUST I UNDERSTAND AND YOU
KNOW, THAT THE CONTRACT WAS
WORDED ON A COIN TOSS, AND I
SAID, NO WAY. AND SO IT DID GO
THERE. I DID ALSO HEAR OF
ANOTHER REWARD WHERE THE NAMES
OF THE CONTRACT, PARTIES, AGENTS
OR APPLICANTS FOR CONTRACTS,
THEIR NAMES WERE WRITTEN ON A
PIECE OF PAPER AND DROPPED IN A
BAG OR A BACKPACK, AND THEY
PULLED NAMES OUT OF THE
BACKPACK. SO THAT'S PART OF A
PROCESS, TOO. THAT WAS A THREE
WAY TIE. SO A COIN TOSS COULD
NOT SOLVE THAT. WOW, THAT'S
PRETTY INTERESTING. BUT THANK
YOU. I'M GLAD IT'S IN WRITING
FOR THIS CONTRACT TO PROTECT THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU,
THANK YOU MA'AM. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. MADAM VICE
CHAIR WOULD LIKE TO WAIT TO SEE
IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FOR THE
DIRECTORS AT THIS TIME. YEAH,
PLEASE. SENATOR LAIRD, THANK
YOU, AND I APPRECIATE, YOUR
SERVICE AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO
SERVE AND, AND, AND I APPRECIATE
THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE THE
SUPPORT OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS.
THAT'S NOT ALWAYS A TRUE WITH
SOME OF US. SO CONGRATULATIONS.
I THOUGHT I'D ASK SOME RANDOM
QUESTIONS HERE. AND DIRECTOR
BROOMFIELD, I THOUGHT I'D START
WITH YOU. THERE'S AN ISSUE THAT
SORT OF IS GOING, FORTH BECAUSE
OUT OF SO MUCH INCARCERATION
THAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST, WE
HAVE A LOT OF AGING PEOPLE. AND
HOW ARE WE DEALING WITH, WITH
HAVING SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE
AGING AND INCARCERATED, BOTH IN
TERMS OF SERVICES TO THEM. AND,
AND I KNOW IT'S PROBABLY MORE OF
A POLICY FOR US ABOUT WHAT TO DO
IN CASE THERE NEEDS TO BE A
COMPASSIONATE RELEASE OR
SOMETHING. BUT HOW ARE YOU
DEALING WITH THE AGING PRISON
POPULATION? THAT'S A THAT'S A
GREAT QUESTION. AND I THINK IT'S
GOING TO BE AN EVER INCREASINGLY
IMPORTANT QUESTION AS WE AS WE
MOVE FORWARD OVER THE NEXT
COUPLE OF YEARS, WE BASICALLY
TREAT OUR AGING POPULATION
ACCORDING TO THEIR SECURITY
NEEDS, THEIR MEDICAL NEEDS AND
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS, AND
WE ASSESS THEIR, FOR EXAMPLE,
THEIR MEDICAL NEEDS THROUGH CSCS
PARTNERS. WE DO THINGS LIKE
ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE, ALL THE
ADA APPLIANCES THAT THEY MAY
NEED TO, TO SUCCESSFULLY
NAVIGATE, INCARCERATION, WE
PROVIDE THEM WITH THEIR MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES THAT THEY MAY
NEED AS THEY AGE. WE PROVIDE
THEM WITH THEIR THEIR HOUSING
REQUIREMENTS, AND JUST TO SPEAK
A LITTLE BIT MORE ON HOUSING
REQUIREMENTS, YOU KNOW, WE DID A
UTILIZATION REPORT THAT WAS
SUBMITTED SOME TIME AGO AND, AND
THE AGING POPULATION IS A HUGE
FACTOR IN HOW WE ASSIGN BEDS TO
POPULATION. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU
WHEN YOU GET OLD, IT'S HARDER TO
WALK UP A BUNCH OF STAIRS AND
IT'S HARDER TO CLIMB ON AN UPPER
BUNK. AND SO THAT POPULATION
REQUIRES, GROUND FLOOR HOUSING,
LOWER BUNK HOUSING. AND SO WHILE
WE MAY HAVE A CELL THAT'S DOUBLE
CELLED, IT'S WE CAN'T ALWAYS
UTILIZE THAT FOR TWO PEOPLE
BECAUSE WE MIGHT NEED THAT FOR
SOMEBODY WITH MOBILITY ISSUES.
AND SO, WE JUST WORK WITH THE
POPULATION AS AN INDIVIDUAL, IF
THEY HAVE ANY NEEDS THAT ARE NOT
BEING MET, THEY CAN SUBMIT A
REQUEST TO BE REVIEWED AND WE'LL
REVIEW THEM IN A, IN WHAT WE
CALL THE WRAP, AND IT'S
BASICALLY A MULTIDISCIPLINARY
TREATMENT TEAM THAT LOOKS AT THE
PERSON'S SITUATION AND MAKES
SURE THAT THEY HAVE EVERYTHING
THAT THEY NEED, TO BE SUCCESSFUL
. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND A QUICK
FOLLOW UP QUESTION, BECAUSE
OBVIOUSLY, WITH REALIGNMENT AND
OTHER THINGS, THE PRISON
POPULATION HAS BEEN DROPPING.
BUT IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY WITH
MOBILITY ISSUES THAT IN ESSENCE
IS TAKING TWO BEDS INSTEAD OF
ONE TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE
THEIR MOBILITY ISSUES, DO YOU
DOES THAT BUMP UP AGAINST
AVAILABLE FACILITIES FOR THE
NUMBER OF PRISONERS BY DOING
THAT? WELL, I WOULD SAY, I WOULD
SAY RIGHT NOW WE HAVE WE HAVE
THE RIGHT NUMBER OF FACILITIES
TO ACCOMMODATE OUR POPULATION,
BUT I WOULD CAUTION PEOPLE AS AS
PEOPLE I KNOW, I KNOW IT WOULD
BE A POLITICAL VICTORY TO CLOSE
PRISONS IN CALIFORNIA, BUT
THERE'S UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES
ABOUT THAT. AND WHEN YOU WHEN
YOU CLOSE AN INSTITUTION, YOU
HAVE TO MOVE THAT POPULATION IN
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO, FRANKLY,
OVERCROWD THE POPULATION OR THE
PRISON THAT THEY'RE MOVING TO,
ELDERLY FOLKS ARE CAUGHT UP IN
THAT. RIGHT. AND IT BECOMES A
CHALLENGE TO FIND THE
APPROPRIATE BED FOR PEOPLE WHO
WHO NEED GROUND FOR HOUSING AND
LOWER TIER HOUSING IN RELATED TO
THAT IN SOME WAY. I WAS GOING TO
ASK ABOUT AND WE ASKED THE
SECRETARY ABOUT THIS WHEN, HE
WAS HERE IN IS AND I DON'T KNOW
WHETHER THIS IS YOU OR IT VEERS
INTO DIRECTOR JOHNSON'S
TERRITORY, BUT THE FACT THAT WE
HAVE MORE EXTREME WEATHER AND WE
HAVE THINGS, IT'S WHEN WE HAD
THE SECRETARY HERE, IT WAS RIGHT
AFTER THE, FLOODING NEAR
CORCORAN. AND IT WAS THE
POSSIBLE EVACUATION. YES.
CORCORAN AND I ASKED A QUESTION
ON ABOUT HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE
FROM THE TIME YOU EVACUATED THE
FIRST PRISONER TO THE LAST. AND
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT NEVER I
NEVER ANTICIPATED. IT WAS I
THINK IT WAS TWO WEEKS. AND ONE
OF THE REASONS IS, IS THERE WERE
SUCH DISTINCT, DIFFERENT
POPULATIONS OF PEOPLE THAT MIGHT
BE DISABLED, HAVE MOBILITY
ISSUES, HAVE MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUES, AND IT'S NOT LIKE YOU
JUST MOVED THEM TO ONE PLACE.
YOU HAD TO DO IT. SO I THINK AND
WE WERE ALL LUCKY, TO LARRY LAKE
STOPPED FILLING UP BEFORE IT GOT
TO THE POINT THAT IT WAS GOING
TO OVERTOP THAT LEVEE AND GET TO
THAT PRISON, BUT I SUSPECT,
BECAUSE I KNOW SOME OF THEM ARE
IN HIGH FIRE, AREAS. AND THE
QUESTION IS, IS ARE WE READY?
HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT THESE
THINGS? DO WE SORT OF, HAVE TO
WAIT UNTIL TULARE LAKE FILLS UP
AND THINK, HOLY CRAP, WE HAVE TO
FIGURE OUT THIS EVACUATION PLAN
AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO RUN THIS
OFF. RIGHT? I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE
TO WAIT. WE DO MAKE WE DO MAKE
CONTINGENCY PLANS. AS TULARE
LAKE WAS FILLING UP, EVERYBODY
WAS MAKING PLANS FOR THOSE
PRISONS, SO WE HAD PLANS IN
PLACE. THE REALITY IS IT DOES
TAKE TIME TO MOVE, THE
POPULATION, RECENTLY WE HAD WE
HAD AN INSTITUTION THAT RAN INTO
A SEWAGE PROBLEM, A SEWER
PROBLEM, AND WE OVER THE COURSE
OF TWO DAYS, CAME TO THE
CONCLUSION THAT IF WE DIDN'T GET
THIS PROBLEM FIXED, WE WOULD BE
WE WOULD BE MOVING THE
POPULATION. AND I CAN
CONFIDENTLY TELL YOU THAT, WE
MADE THE DECISION AND WE HAD
BUSSES, ROLLING TO THAT
EMERGENCY, WITHIN HALF A DAY.
AND IT WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE. AND
THANKFULLY THEY WERE ABLE TO
MAKE THE REPAIR AND AVERT THE,
THE, THE DISASTER OR THE
EMERGENCY. BUT WE DO HAVE
CONTINGENCY PLANS IN PLACE, WE
TABLETOP THEM WHENEVER WE'RE
GETTING CLOSE TO SOME SORT OF,
ISSUE, I, I GREW UP AT CORCORAN
STATE PRISON. I WAS THERE FOR
THE FIRST, EVACUATION DRILL OF
CORCORAN STATE PRISON, AND I
ACTUALLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
FLY IN A HELICOPTER AND SEE THE
EXTENT OF THE FLOODING, TO
PREPARE FOR THAT. AND SO I
REMEMBER BACK WHEN I WAS WORKING
THERE, WE HAD EXTENSIVE DRILLS,
AND SO I DO THINK WE WILL BE
READY IN THE EVENT OF AN
EMERGENCY, WE CAN'T PREDICT
EVERYTHING, BUT WE DO TRY TO BE
PREPARED. OKAY. DOES THIS VEER
INTO YOUR ASSIGNMENT AS WELL?
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION,
SENATOR, IT WOULD, IF IT
REQUIRES ANYTHING WITH THE
RELEASE POPULATION. SO,
OBVIOUSLY WITH THE NEW
DIRECTORS, WE WILL WORK IN
CONJUNCTION TOGETHER WITH THAT
AS IT RELATES TO ANY OF OUR
PROGRAMS IN THE COMMUNITY. THANK
YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. AND THEN
LET ME JUST ASK EACH OF YOU THE
LAST QUESTION. AND IT CAME UP IN
A COUPLE OF YOUR OPENING
COMMENTS, BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE'S
A DESIRE FOR CULTURE CHANGE.
CULTURE CHANGE IN HOW WE
ADMINISTER CULTURE CHANGE IN THE
LOWERED POPULATION, CULTURE
CHANGE, AND TRYING TO PREPARE
PEOPLE FOR LEAVING. AND I HAVE
TO TELL YOU, WHEN I WAS ELECTED
TO THE ASSEMBLY, I BECAME BUDGET
CHAIR IN SHORT ORDER. AND IT WAS
WHEN WE HAD A ROUGH BUDGET YEAR
AND THE BUDGET WAS CUT FOR THE
SYSTEM AND IT WASN'T EVEN
ENTERED INTO THE BOOKS BEFORE
JANUARY OF THE FISCAL YEAR. THIS
CUT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ABSORBED
AND IT WASN'T EVEN ENTERED INTO
THE BOOK. SO IT WAS RUNNING A
DEFICIT FROM THE MINUTE THE
BUDGET WAS APPROVED, BECAUSE IT
JUST AND IT WAS REALLY ALARMING,
THE LEVEL OF OR THE LACK OF
ADMINISTRATIVE ACCOUNTABILITY, I
THINK IT IS DRAMATICALLY CHANGED
IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME. AND IT
HAS CHANGED IN HOW MANY PEOPLE
ARE HOUSED AND HOW LONG WE THINK
THEY SHOULD STAY. AND SO HOW DO
YOU THINK IT'S YOUR DIRECTION OR
YOUR, MISSION TO IMPLEMENT THAT
MODEL? AND MAYBE WE'D START WITH
DIRECTOR CASSIUS, THE NEW
CULTURE MODEL. YES. YEAH I THINK
YOU CAN HEAR FROM ALL OF US THAT
WE REALLY BELIEVE IN THIS NEW
CULTURE MODEL. I THINK DIVISION
OF REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS,
OBVIOUSLY, LEADS THE WAY IN SOME
OF THAT, BUT IT TAKES ALL OF US,
AND I THINK IT STARTS WITH ALL
OF US. EACH ONE OF US HERE IN
FRONT OF YOU TODAY AND OUR
LEADERSHIP AND OUR BELIEF THAT
THE CULTURE CHANGE IS IMPORTANT
BECAUSE WE NEED TO SHOW OUR
TEAMS THE WAY. RIGHT? WE NEED TO
TAKE CARE OF OUR TEAMS. AND I
THINK YOU SEE BEFORE YOU A GROUP
OF LEADERS WHO DO THAT, AND THEN
ALSO WE BELIEVE IN THE ABILITY
OF THE POPULATIONS TO CHANGE.
AND THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT
WE'RE DOING. SO I THINK WE
CONTINUE TO TALK TO OUR
STAKEHOLDERS, AS WELL AS OTHER
INCARCERATED ON PAROLE, TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT IS
NEEDED. BUT IT STARTS WITH US IN
OUR LEADERSHIP. AND DIRECTOR
JOHNSON, WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON
THAT? THANK YOU FOR THE
QUESTION. SO IF I CAN SUM IT UP,
I WOULD JUST USE ONE WORD. IT'S
CALLED CARE. AND WHAT I MEAN BY
THAT IS AS A LEADER, I NEED TO
CARE FOR MY ORGANIZATION AND
WHAT WE DO AND WHAT WE STAND FOR
. AND I ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE
THAT OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM CARES
ABOUT OUR STAFF, AND OUR STAFF
CARES ABOUT THEMSELVES WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT SELF CARE. AND THEN
THAT TRANSLATES TO OUR STAFF
CARING FOR THE POPULATION THAT'S
UNDER OUR SUPERVISION. AND BY
THAT WE'LL BE CARING FOR THE
COMMUNITY AS IT RELATES TO
ENHANCING PUBLIC SAFETY. SO FOR
ME, CARE IS A BIG WORD WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE CHANGE. I
UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE
MAKE THESE TYPE OF SHIFTS, NOT
EVERYONE'S ON BOARD. SO YOU'RE
GOING TO GET OPPOSITION. YOU'RE
GOING TO GET INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
RELUCTANT TO CHANGE. BUT I HAVE
TO STAY PERSISTENT AND WE HAVE
TO KEEP MESSAGING, YOU KNOW,
THAT THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING
AS IT RELATES TO AN
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE AND OUR
CULTURE AND JUST ELEVATE OUR
PROFESSIONALISM AND LIKE
DIRECTOR CASILLAS STATED
EARLIER, I THINK THIS TEAM HERE,
WE'VE HAD MANY, MANY MEETINGS
TOGETHER AND YOU CAN TELL WHEN
WE HAVE OUR MEETINGS, YOU CAN
TELL THE HEARTFELT, PASSION THAT
WE HAVE, THE FIRE THAT'S BURNING
INSIDE OF US TO DO RIGHT AND
GIVE THE TAXPAYERS WHAT THEY
EXPECT OUT OF US WHEN IT COMES
TO WORKING WITH OUR POPULATION
LINES, AND THE DOLLARS THAT ARE
SPENT TOWARDS CDCR. SO WHEN I
LOOK AT THIS, FOR ME, IT'S ALL
ABOUT JUST TAKING CARE OF
IN-HOUSE, WORKING WITH OUR
POPULATION AND MAKING SURE THAT
WE'RE SETTING AND BEING. FOR
MYSELF, BEING A DIRECTOR OF THE
DIVISION OF ADULT PAROLE
OPERATIONS, WHAT I WANT US TO BE
IS I NEED NOT WANT, BUT I NEED
US TO BE THE LEADERS IN
COMMUNITY SUPERVISION, NOT JUST
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, BUT
IN THE NATION. AND I'M WORKING
WITH MY EXECUTIVE TEAM TO ENSURE
THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE'RE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK.
THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST
ACTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAMS THAT
I'VE SEEN IN MY 17 YEARS. BEING
WITHIN THE DIVISION OF ADULT
PAROLE OPERATIONS, AND I KNOW
I'M PROBABLY GETTING SOME SMILES
IN THE BACK OF ME FROM SOME OF
MY EXECUTIVE TEAM BECAUSE THEY
KNOW HOW HARD WE'RE WORKING, AND
THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE TO
SET THE TONE, WE'VE BEEN GOING
OUT TO OUR PAROLE OFFICES AND
MEETING WITH OUR STAFF. I DON'T
WANT OUR STAFF TO JUST THINK
THAT LEADERSHIP IS COMING OUT
BECAUSE SOMETHING'S WRONG. I
WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT
LEADERSHIP IS COMING OUT TO SEE
THEIR WORKING CONDITIONS, SEE
HOW THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF THE
POPULATION, AND MAKING SURE THAT
THEY HAVE THE EQUIPMENT AND THE
NECESSARY TOOLS TO CARRY OUT THE
DUTIES TO ACCOMPLISH OUR
MISSION. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
THE CULTURE CHANGE, IT STARTS
DEFINITELY WITH MYSELF. AND I'M
COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT WE
CARRY OUT THAT MISSION. THANK
YOU. AND I'M SURE YOUR TEAM IS
SMILING AND IS HERE AND WHEN WE
CONFIRMED THE NUMBER TWO, I
VISITED THE MEN'S COLONY, WHICH
IS IN MY DISTRICT, THE NEXT
WEEK, AND FOUND OUT THEY'D ALL
BEEN WATCHING THE CONFIRMATION
HEARING ON TV. SO I CAN TELL
THERE'S A LEVEL OF TEAMWORK AND
INVOLVEMENT, AND DIRECTOR
BROOMFIELD, ANYTHING YOU WOULD
LIKE TO ADD? I WOULD JUST ADD
THAT I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE
CONDITIONS OF OUR, OF OUR PRISON
AND PAROLE SYSTEM IS REFLECTING
THE VALUES OF CALIFORNIA AS A
WHOLE. IT REFLECTS OUR SOCIETY'S
VALUES. AND I THINK WHEN, YOU
KNOW, IF YOU ROLL BACK 20 YEARS
AGO, DURING THE TOUGH ON CRIME
INITIATIVES, THAT WAS THE VALUE
OF SOCIETY, TOUGH ON CRIME. AND
WE LOCKED UP, YOU KNOW, UPWARDS
OF 176,000 PEOPLE. I THINK WHEN
WE WERE AT OUR PEAK. AND, THAT
DOES PROVIDE PUBLIC SAFETY,
RIGHT? INCAPACITATING,
INCAPACITATING SOMEBODY FROM
SOCIETY PROVIDES PUBLIC SAFETY.
BUT IT'S ABSOLUTELY TEMPORARY.
90% OF THE POPULATION IS GETTING
OUT, AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK BACK
ON HISTORY, YOU LOOK BACK ON OUR
MASS INCARCERATION, WHAT DID WE
LEARN? WE LEARNED THAT IT WAS
TERRIBLE FOR THE INCARCERATED
POPULATION, WE DID NOT IMPROVE,
THEIR LIVES. WE DID NOT FOCUS ON
THEIR, THEIR REASONS FOR,
CRIMINALITY, AND IT WAS TERRIBLE
FOR OUR STAFF. OUR STAFF WERE
WERE OVERWORKED. THEY WERE
STRESSED. THEY WERE PUT IN
DANGEROUS POSITIONS DAY IN AND
DAY OUT. AND SO HERE WE ARE 20
YEARS LATER FROM THAT. AND WE'VE
GOT WHAT I WOULD, WOULD A
DECLINING POPULATION. AND WE
HAVE THE FACILITIES AND THE ROOM
TO DO THINGS DIFFERENT. AND I
THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY Kò
TO, TO REALLY INVEST IN
REHABILITATIVE, OPPORTUNITIES
FOR THE POPULATION. AND AS WE DO
THAT AND WE INVEST IN OUR STAFF
AND WE TRAIN OUR STAFF TO
PARTNER AND TO PARTICIPATE IN
THAT REHABILITATION, WE'RE
IMPROVING THEIR HEALTH OUTCOMES
AS WELL. THEIR, THEIR, THEIR DAY
AT WORK BECOMES MUCH BETTER
THAN, THAN THE DAY AT WORK. 20
YEARS AGO. AND SO I THINK I
THINK WE JUST HAVE SUCH A HUGE
OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW TO
REIMAGINE HOW WE DO
INCARCERATION IN CALIFORNIA AND
WHAT OUR VALUES ARE AND WHAT WE
FOCUS ON. AND I THINK AS WE AS
WE PUSH INTO THIS, CALIFORNIA
MODEL, OUR STAFF ARE GOING TO
FIND OUT THAT IT'S THAT IT'S A
BETTER MODEL, THAT IT'S THAT
IT'S BASED ON SUCCESS,
INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS, BEST
PRACTICES. AND WE WANT TO BE THE
BEST IN CALIFORNIA. RIGHT? WE
WANT TO REPRESENT, CALIFORNIA AS
AS THE BEST, DEPARTMENT THAT WE
CAN. SO THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE
THE ANSWER OF ALL THREE OF YOU.
THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL. THANK
YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU SO
MUCH, MR. LÀ. VERY GRATEFUL,
SENATOR EGGMAN, FOR HIS YEARS.
PLEASE. THANK YOU. NICE TO SEE
YOU ALL AGAIN, I'M VERY
INTERESTED TOO, IN HOW YOU
TRANSITION STAFF, TO THE
CALIFORNIA MODEL, BUT I THINK
YOU ALL HAVE ANSWERED THAT. SO
I'D LIKE TO JUST TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. AND
AS WE'VE ALSO MOVED FROM AN
INCARCERATION TO A REHABILITATE
THÀNH, WE'VE ALSO TRIED TO
REALLY FOCUS MORE ON MENTAL
HEALTH ISSUES AND PARITY WITH
MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OR,
PHYSICAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH. SO JUST FROM EACH OF
YOUR PERSPECTIVES, CAN YOU TALK
ABOUT HOW YOU SEE THAT CONTINUUM
WORKING AS THE THREE OF YOU AS A
LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT PEOPLE ARE,
YOU KNOW, ASSESSED, EVALUATED,
TREATED IN AND THROUGH PROGRAMS
AND THEN SUPPORTED ON THEIR WAY
TO REINTEGRATION, YOU COULD EACH
TALK ABOUT EACH POINT OF THAT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL. I
GUESS I'LL START MY ANSWER, SO
WE HAVE A WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST
MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, PROGRAM
IN ALL OF OUR INSTITUTIONS, AND
WE'VE GOT LEVELS OF MENTAL
HEALTH TREATMENT, FROM WHAT I
WOULD SAY, VERY LOW LEVEL, YOU
KNOW, COMMON MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUES ALL THE WAY TO SERIOUS,
CRISIS BED STYLE ISSUES AND SO
WE RELY ON OUR PARTNERS AT CSC'S
TO DELIVER THAT MENTAL HEALTH
CARE, BUT WHAT WE'VE LEARNED,
THROUGH TRIAL AND ERROR AND BEST
PRACTICES, IS THAT WE AS AS
CORRECTIONAL STAFF, CAN
PARTICIPATE IN THE SUCCESS OF
MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, WHETHER
IT'S ENSURING THAT OUR THAT OUR
POPULATION HAS ACCESS WHEN THEY
NEED ACCESS, THAT OUR MENTAL
HEALTH OR THAT OUR, THAT OUR
CUSTODY PARTNERS ARE VERY
RESPONSIVE TO MENTAL HEALTH
NEEDS. WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS, HEY,
I'M IN CRISIS, AND THEN ALL THE
WAY TO SOME OF OUR, OUR TEST
PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE RUNNING WITH
THE CALIFORNIA MODEL, WHERE WE,
WHERE WE CREATE, CONTACT OR
RESOURCE TEAMS, THAT ARE
ACTUALLY WORKING IN OUR CRISIS
UNITS AND, AND, REALLY DIGGING
INTO THE INDIVIDUAL AND I SAY
DIGGING IN, REALLY PARTICIPATING
WITH THE INDIVIDUAL TO ESTABLISH
PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND
RAPPORT WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL SO
THAT THEY CAN ASSIST IN LOWERING
SOMEONE'S ANXIETY, WHICH, IN
WHICH IN TURNS, ASSISTS IN THEIR
MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, SO I
THINK WE, WE PARTNER TOGETHER,
WITH OUR HEALTH CARE PARTNERS
AND, AND I THINK THE, THE REAL
CHALLENGE NOW IS TO, IS TO TRAIN
AND, AND HELP ALL OF OUR
CORRECTIONAL STAFF UNDERSTAND
THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, MENTAL
HEALTH TREATMENT IS NOT JUST FOR
OUR, OUR MEDICAL PARTNERS.
RIGHT, AND THAT'S PART ABOUT
BECOMING A TRAUMA INFORMED
ORGANIZATION, UNDERSTANDING HOW
PEOPLE RESPOND TO TRAUMA AND
BEHAVE THROUGH TRAUMA. AND I
THINK WE'RE WELL ON OUR WAY TO
GEARING UP THAT TRAINING. SO
THANK YOU. YES. THANK YOU.
DIRECTOR GARCIA'S. YES. THANK
YOU, AS DIRECTOR BROOMFIELD
SAID, WE DO WORK WITH OUR
MEDICAL PARTNERS. HOWEVER, THE
DIVISION OF REHABILITATIVE
PROGRAMS DOES PROVIDE A LOT OF
DIFFERENT GRANT COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS. THEY COME IN AND
THEY PROVIDE TRAUMA, ASSISTANCE,
VICTIM IMPACT GROUPS. WE ALSO
HAVE ARTS AND CORRECTIONS, A LOT
OF ART THAT REALLY HELPS PEOPLE.
WE ALSO HAVE COACHES WITHIN OUR
EDUCATION WHO HELP PEOPLE WITH
THEIR PHYSICAL HEALTH AS WELL,
WHICH AS WE KNOW ALSO HELPS WITH
MENTAL HEALTH. AND THEN AS WELL
ALSO OUR COMMUNITY REENTRY
PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE. WE REALLY
MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S OPEN TO
EVERYBODY OF ALL MENTAL HEALTH
DESIGNATIONS, AND THEN I'LL LET
DIRECTOR JOHNSON TALK ABOUT ALL
RIGHT. THANK YOU. DIRECTOR
JOHNSON, THANK YOU FOR THE
QUESTION. SENATOR SO FROM MY
SIDE, I'LL START OFF BY SAYING
MY DEPUTY DIRECTOR, IS, SHE'S A
FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGIST, AND SHE'S
SHE'S OVERSEEING MY BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH REINTEGRATION, STAFF. AND
THEY'RE HOUSED THAT VARIOUS
PAROLE OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE
STATE, WE ALSO HAVE SOME THAT
ARE ASSIGNED TO THE MALE
COMMUNITY REENTRY PROGRAMS
BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND HOW
IMPORTANT MENTAL HEALTH IS WITH
OUR POPULATION, YOU KNOW, FROM
FAMILY EXPERIENCE, I STATED
YESTERDAY DURING OUR MEETING,
YOU KNOW, HAVE RELATIVES WHO
SUFFER FROM MENTAL HEALTH. SO I
FOR ME, IT'S PARAMOUNT. AND MY
YEARS OF RESEARCH FROM WORKING
AS A PROBATION OFFICER FROM SAN
BERNARDINO COUNTY, WORKING IN
MENTAL HEALTH COURT, DRUG COURT,
PROP 36, THOSE IT EXPOSED ME TO
THE NEED OF HOW IMPORTANT MENTAL
HEALTH IS. SO MY DEPUTY DIRECTOR
CAME ONLINE IN JANUARY AND WE'RE
WORKING SOME REALLY ROBUST
CONCEPTS ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO
BE ABLE TO MAXIMIZE AND MAKE OUR
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH REINTEGRATION
STAFF REALLY OPTIMAL WITH OUR
OPERATIONS TO ADDRESS THOSE
SUPPORTIVE NEEDS THAT OUR
POPULATION IS SO NEED AND DESIRE
. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU SO
MUCH, SENATOR SARAH JONES,
PLEASE, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK
YOU ALL FOR TAKING ON THESE
POSITIONS. I KNOW THEY'RE NOT
THE EASIEST JOBS IN THE STATE
BUREAUCRACY. SO, I DID WANT JUST
REAL QUICK, MISS CASSIUS, I DO
SHARE SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT
SENATOR GROVE, RAISED. SO IF YOU
JUST WANT TO IF YOU'RE ABLE TO
PROVIDE ANY FOLLOW UP
INFORMATION ON THOSE QUESTIONS,
THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, AND
YOU'RE WELCOME TO RESPOND IF ON
THE BIDDING PROCESS. YES.
CORRECT. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE
CONCERNED ABOUT? YEAH, I DON'T
WE I DO KNOW I DON'T WANT TO SAY
TOO MUCH BECAUSE I KNOW THERE IS
A PROTEST GOING ON IN THAT ISSUE
RIGHT NOW. I'M NOT ASKING FOR.
YEAH, I KNOW THIS JUST KIND OF
CAME OUT OF THE BLUE IN THE LAST
COUPLE OF DAYS. SO, YOU KNOW,
PLEASE TAKE WHATEVER TIME AND
WHATEVER YOU CAN PROVIDE US
WOULD BE GREAT. YEAH,
DEFINITELY. WELL, I JUST I WANT
TO I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I
AM COMMITTED TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE PROCESS GOES SMOOTH, THAT
ALL THE CONTROLS ARE AROUND IT.
AS YOU KNOW, MY 30 YEARS OF
EXPERIENCE ARE ON THE
ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS,
ACCOUNTING, 30 YEARS OF CLEAN
AUDIT. SO I'M VERY WELL AWARE OF
THE INTERNAL CONTROL PROCESSES
AND THE PROCUREMENT PROCESSES.
AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME TO
MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE ARE
FOLLOWING ALL THOSE RULES. SO
WE'LL DEFINITELY LOOK INTO IT
AND MAKE SURE IT'S TAKEN CARE
OF. GREAT. THANK YOU. BUT ALL
THREE OF YOU, THANK YOU AGAIN
VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE TO
OUR STATE, NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE
KNOW THIS, BUT I HAD A BROTHER
IN LAW THAT WAS INCARCERATED IN
THE STATE SYSTEM FOR QUITE A
PERIOD OF TIME. AND SO, I'M NOT
AS INTIMATELY KNOWLEDGEABLE OF
IT AS I PROBABLY SHOULD BE, BUT
HAVE SOME, FAMILY KNOWLEDGE. AND
I KNOW THAT THE JOBS THAT YOU
ARE DOING AND ASKING TO DO ARE
VERY DIFFICULT. THERE'S
PRESSURES FROM EVERY DIFFERENT
ANGLE, ON WHAT YOU DO. SO THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
PROFESSIONALISM HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR I'M REALLY
IMPRESSED BY YOUR ENTHUSIASM, TO
TAKE ON THESE POSITIONS. AND I
THINK THAT SAYS A LOT ABOUT,
WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO
DOING IN THESE POSITIONS. AND I
JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR
SIGNING UP FOR THAT. THANK YOU
SO MUCH, SENATOR JONES, DIRECTOR
CASSIUS, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO
IS LISA CHIN FROM RULES
COMMITTEE TEAM WILL BE REACHING
OUT DIRECTLY. AND THEN IF WE CAN
GET, INFORMATION ON IN WRITING,
WE'LL FOLLOW UP, OF COURSE,
ABOUT THAT. AND THEN WE'LL
DISTRIBUTE THAT TO EACH OF THE
OFFICES OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
. GREAT, GREAT. SOUNDS GOOD.
THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN, COMMITTEE. WHAT WE'D
LIKE TO BE ABLE TO DO NOW IS
OPEN UP, TODAY'S HEARING FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT, WE WILL TAKE TWO
SETS OF PUBLIC COMMENT. THOSE
WHO ARE IN SUPPORT AND THOSE WHO
MAY BE OPPOSED. WE RESPECTFULLY
REQUEST INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL
APPROACH THE PODIUM, PLEASE KEEP
THEIR REMARKS TO 30S OR LESS.
PROVIDE YOUR FIRST AND LAST
NAME, AND WE'LL GIVE YOU A
PROMPT IF YOU HIT TIME. AGAIN,
WE'RE LOOKING FOR THOSE WHO ARE
IN SUPPORT. IF YOU COULD PLEASE
ADVANCE TO THE PODIUM NOW. GOOD
AFTERNOON SIR. THE FLOOR IS
YOURS. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIR
, AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
MY NAME IS DOUG BOND. I'M THE
PRESIDENT AND CEO OF AMITY
FOUNDATION. I AM IN STRONG
SUPPORT OF DIRECTOR RON
BROOMFIELD, DIRECTOR AMY CÁC,
AND DIRECTOR JASON JOHNSON. I
THINK YOU HAVE ONE OF THE MOST
DYNAMIC, REHABILITATIVE AND
REENTRY TEAMS, FRANKLY, THAT
I'VE EVER SEEN AND EXPERIENCED,
WHERE ONE OF THE LARGEST, AMITY
FOUNDATION, ONE OF THE LARGEST
REENTRY PROVIDERS IN THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA, AND STRONGLY
BELIEVE IN ALL OF THEIR
LEADERSHIP AND EVERYTHING
THEY'RE DOING TO HELP SUPPORT
OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU FOR BEING HERE. OKAY. WHAT'S
GOING ON, SIR? GOOD AFTERNOON,
MATT CATE RETIRED, SECRETARY OF
CORRECTIONS HERE REPRESENTING A
COALITION OF REENTRY PROVIDERS,
INCLUDING AMITY WEST CARE AND
HEALTHRIGHT 360. ALSO SPEAKING
FOR MYSELF, PERSONALLY, STRONG
SUPPORT OF THESE THREE NOMINEES.
THANK YOU. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU,
MR. CATE. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIR. AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
MATT EASLEY, REPRESENTING THE
CALIFORNIA CORRECTIONAL PEACE
OFFICERS ASSOCIATION. I JUST
WANTED TO BE HERE TODAY TO
EXPRESS OUR SUPPORT FOR
DIRECTORS JOHNSON AND BROOMFIELD
, THEY WORK DIRECTLY WITH OUR
ASSOCIATION. AND WHILE WE DON'T
ALWAYS AGREE, AND WE DO HAVE A
NUMBER OF ISSUES FROM TIME TO
TIME, BOTH OF THESE GENTLEMEN
HAVE SHOWN A TRUE CONCERN FOR
OUR MEMBERSHIP AND HELD AN OPEN
DOOR POLICY AND WILLINGNESS TO
CORROBORATE OUR COLLABORATE WITH
US AND WORK ON SOME POSITIVE
SOLUTIONS. AND WE'D LIKE TO
THANK THEM FOR THAT. AND
HOPEFULLY TO MOVE THAT
RELATIONSHIP FORWARD. THANK YOU,
MR. EASLEY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I
APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. GOOD
AFTERNOON SIR. KENNETH HARTMAN,
ADVOCACY DIRECTOR FOR
TRANSFORMATIVE PROGRAMING WORKS
AND FORMERLY INCARCERATED LIFER.
I'D SAY HERE TO BE IN STRONG
SUPPORT OF ALL THREE OF THESE
CANDIDATES WHO I KNOW PERSONALLY
AND I KNOW ARE GOING TO DO A
GREAT JOB. THANK YOU, MR.
HARTMAN, FOR YOUR COMMENTS. GOOD
AFTERNOON MA'AM. HI. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS KIM GROSS
MOORE, AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE GRIP TRAINING
INSTITUTE. THE FLAGSHIP PROGRAM,
GUIDING RAGE INTO POWER IS A
REHABILITATIVE, COMMUNITY BASED
PROGRAM THAT WORKS IN MANY OF
THE STATE PRISONS. WE'VE HAD THE
PLEASURE OF WORKING CLOSELY WITH
DIRECTOR BROOMFIELD AND AMY
CASSIUS. WE'RE IN SUPPORT OF ALL
THREE. LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING
TO KNOW YOU, DIRECTOR JOHNSON,
AND SUPPORT ALL THREE.
CONFIRMATION. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, MR. GROSSMAN. GOOD
AFTERNOON MA'AM. WELCOME. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS LIZ REID.
I'M THE CEO OF IMMANUEL HOUSE IN
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, AND I'M HERE
TO SUPPORT ALL THREE. CANDACE
CGRTS, IN PARTICULAR, JASON
JOHNSON, WHO HAS WORKED VERY
CLOSELY WITH IMANI HOUSE OVER
THE YEARS TO EXPAND OUR PROGRAMS
AND TO TEACH US REALLY MORE
ABOUT THE REENTRY POPULATION. WE
HAVE SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT
FACILITIES, AND WE ARE PILOTING
A MENTAL HEALTH RESIDENTIAL
PROGRAM. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
MAKING THE TRAVEL HERE TO
SACRAMENTO. GOOD AFTERNOON SIR.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS
RICARDO LONDON. I'M A STAFF
MEMBER AT THE ANTI-RECIDIVISM
COALITION AND I'M IN STRONG
SUPPORT OF ALL THREE CANDIDATES.
PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU HERE. THANK
YOU. RICARDO. GOOD AFTERNOON.
WELCOME GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M JOHN
JARVIE, A LIFE COACH WITH THE
ANTI-RECIDIVISM COALITION, AND I
STRONGLY SUPPORT ALL THREE
APPOINTEES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
, MR. JEREMY. GOOD AFTERNOON
SIR. WELCOME HELLO. MY NAME IS
JACOB BREVARD AND I AM THE
DIRECTOR OF INSIGHT PROGRAMS FOR
THE ANTI-RECIDIVISM COALITION,
ALSO KNOWN AS ARC. AND I'M IN
STRONG SUPPORT. SUPPORT OF ALL
THREE DIRECTORS HERE. I ALSO
JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH OUR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SAM LEWIS,
AND HE'S WANTED ME TO FIRST
APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING HERE. HE
HAD A PRIOR ENGAGEMENT IN NEW
YORK, BUT HE ALSO WANTED TO SEND
HIS STRONG SUPPORT FOR ALL
THREE, NOMINEES HERE, THANK YOU
GUYS FOR WHAT YOU DO. AND THANK,
THANK THE PANEL, TOO. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR WORDS
TODAY. GOOD AFTERNOON SIR. GOOD
AFTERNOON. HI. MY NAME IS, TYSON
NGUYEN. I'M WITH THE
ANTI-RECIDIVISM COALITION, AND
I'M IN STRONG SUPPORT OF ALL
THREE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, TYSON.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE. GOOD
AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY
NAME IS CHRISTIAN RAMIREZ. I'M A
LIFE COACH WITH THE
ANTI-RECIDIVISM COALITION. I'M A
FORMER LIFER AS WELL, AND I'M IN
STRONG SUPPORT OF ALL THREE
APPOINTEES. THANK YOU SIR. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON
MA'AM. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME
IS ANTOINETTE KENNEDY. I AM ALSO
A PART OF ARC AND I AM IN
SUPPORT OF ALL THREE CANDIDATES.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
MISS KENNEDY. GLAD YOU'RE HERE.
HEY. GOOD AFTERNOON SIR. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS DREW
MCDUFFIE. I'M A MANAGER FOR THE
ANTI-RECIDIVISM COALITION. I'M
ALSO A FORMER LIFER. I'M IN FULL
SUPPORT OF ALL THREE CANDIDATES.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
SIR. GOOD AFTERNOON. IT'S NICE
TO SEE YOU. WELCOME. HOW ARE YOU
GUYS DOING TODAY? MY NAME IS
JACK CASTELO, FORMERLY
INCARCERATED AND TÊ RECIDIVISM
COALITION. AND I'M A STRONG
SUPPORTER OF ALL THREE
CANDIDATES. THANK YOU GUYS VERY
MUCH. THANK YOU. JACK HEY GOOD
AFTERNOON SIR. HOW ARE YOU
DOING? MY NAME IS ISAIAH BATTLE.
I'M A LIFE COACH AT THE, AT, ARC
, AND I'M IN STRONG SUPPORT OF
ALL THREE CANDIDATES. I SAY,
THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE
YOUR TESTIMONY. HEY. HOW YOU
DOING? GOOD AFTERNOON. DOING,
GREAT AFTERNOON, CHRIS LAWSON,
POLICY AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
MANAGER AT THE ANTI-RECIDIVISM
COALITION. STRONG SUPPORT OF ALL
THREE. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHRIS. ALL
RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO DO A LAST
CALL FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO
BE ABLE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT.
LAST CALL FOR THOSE WHO WOULD
LIKE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT. IF YOU
COULD PLEASE ADVANCE TO THE
PODIUM AT THIS TIME. HEY. GOOD
AFTERNOON. NICE TO SEE YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ERIC
GODDARD. I WORK FOR THE CAL
STATE SAN BERNARDINO REENTRY
INITIATIVE AND SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTY, AND I AM HERE TO
STRONGLY SUPPORT MISS CASIAS AND
MR. JOHNSON, I'VE KNOWN JASON
FOR ALMOST 15 YEARS, AND HE'S
DONE SO MUCH IN OUR COMMUNITY OF
SAN BERNARDINO, WORKING TO BRING
NOT ONLY, SUPPORT FROM THE STATE
TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO TO
EMPOWER THE COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT
THEIR OWN. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR
THIS. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE
YOUR TESTIMONY. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO
BE CLOSING DOWN THOSE COMMENTS
AND SUPPORT. WE'LL DO ONE MORE
LAST CALL. REALLY APPRECIATE
EVERYBODY WHO'S OBVIOUSLY TRAVEL
FAR AND WIDE TO BE ABLE TO BE
HERE TODAY. WE ARE NOW GOING TO
OPEN UP THE PODIUM TO THOSE WHO
MAY BE OPPOSED. IF THOSE WHO ARE
IN OPPOSITION COULD PLEASE
ADVANCE AT THIS TIME, WE'RE
LOOKING FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE IN
OPPOSITION TO ADVANCE AT THIS
TIME. WE'RE GOING TO DO A LAST
CALL FOR OPPOSITION. IF YOU
COULD PLEASE ADVANCE AT THIS
TIME. LAST CALL FOR OPPOSITION
HEARING, SEEING NO ONE RISE,
WE'RE NOW GOING TO BRING IT BACK
TO COMMITTEE. WOULD LIKE TO BE
ABLE TO SEE IF COMMITTEE HAS ANY
COMMENTS, PLEASE. MADAM VICE
CHAIR, THE FLOOR IS YOURS, THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR. I NOTICED THAT
WHEN YOU. WHEN I WAS OUT, I HAD
TO STEP OUT TO ANOTHER
COMMITTEE. BUT YOU WERE GOING TO
REQUEST SOME INFORMATION AND
WRITING. YES, I WOULD LIKE TO BE
INCLUDED ON THAT IF POSSIBLE.
YES. COMING TO THE COMMITTEE,
IT'S GOING TO COME TO THE ENTIRE
COMMITTEE? YEAH. WHAT WE HAD
REQUESTED IS THAT, DIRECTOR
CASSEUS PROVIDE THAT TO LISA
CHIN. LISA CHIN WOULD THEN
DISTRIBUTE IT TO EACH OF THE
COMMITTEE OFFICES. THANK YOU. I
JUST HEARD THAT IN THE SPEAKER.
THANK YOU. IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO
MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE ALL OF YOU
FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE FLOOR.
AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANSWERS
TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
GRATEFUL FOR THAT. WE HAVE A
MOTION. MEMBERS FROM MADAM VICE
CHAIR, MADAM SECRETARY, CAN YOU
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL MCGUIRE A
MCGUIRE? AYE. GROVE GROVE. AYE.
EGGMAN JONES. AYE. JONES. AYE.
LAIRD. LAIRD. AYE FOR ON CALL
FOR ZERO. VOTE FOR ZERO. VOTE.
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THAT ON
CALL. CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH OF
THE DIRECTORS. NEXT UP WILL BE
THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE
TODAY. WE'RE TRULY GRATEFUL.
THANK YOU. NICE JOB. TODAY.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A TWO MINUTE
RECESS. WE HAVE THE FAN CLUB WHO
IS GOING TO BE, IN THE FAN CLUB
IS ROLLING DEEP TODAY. MY
GOODNESS. LOOK AT THIS, BUT
WE'RE GOING TO JUST TAKE A TWO
MINUTE RECESS, ALLOW YOU TO TAKE
ANY PHOTOS THAT YOU MAY WANT TO
AT THIS TIME, TWO MINUTE RECESS,
AND WE'LL BE BRINGING IN THAT
TIME. WE'LL HAVE GENERAL BEAVERS
PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
MADAM SECRETARY, BEFORE WE GO TO
GENERAL BEAVERS. AND IF IT'S
APPROPRIATE FOR THE COMMITTEE,
WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO OPEN THE
ROLL BACK FOR THE DIRECTORS, FOR
THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
AND REHABILITATION. THÀNH
CURRENTLY ON A40 VOTE, MADAM
SECRETARY, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL? EGGMAN. EGGMAN? AYE. 5
TO 0 FIVE ZERO VOTE, THAT MOTION
NOW PASSES. WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE
THE ROLL. WE'RE NOW GOING TO BE
MOVING ON TO OUR NEXT
APPOINTMENT AND GRATEFUL THAT WE
HAVE GENERAL BEAVERS WHO IS HERE
TODAY, GENERAL, YOU'RE GOING TO
HAVE 1 OR 2 MINUTES TO BE ABLE
TO PROVIDE OPENING TESTIMONY TO
THE COMMITTEE. THEN WE'RE GOING
TO OPEN IT UP FOR COMMITTEE
MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO ASK ANY
QUESTIONS, PROVIDE ANY COMMENTS,
AND JUST HAVE A DIALOG. AND WE
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME HERE TODAY,
IN YOUR OPENING, WE WELCOME ANY
INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS THAT YOU
MAY WANT TO ADVANCE, WHETHER
HERE IN THE HEARING ROOM OR
ONLINE. AND OF COURSE, WE'RE
GOING TO BE KEEPING TIME. AND
I'LL GIVE YOU A 32ND PROMPT AS
YOU GET CLOSE TO THAT TWO
MINUTES. GENERAL THE FLOOR IS
YOURS. AND WELCOME TO COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND
MEMBERS, APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY,
BEFORE I GET STARTED ON MY VERY
BRIEF OPENING PITCH, I DO WANT
TO RECOGNIZE MY WIFE, BONNIE,
WHO'S BEHIND ME, SHE IS
EXTRAORDINARY IN EVERY RESPECT.
AND, THE WORK THAT SHE DOES ON
BEHALF OF FIRST GENERATION
STUDENTS AT SACRAMENTO STATE
UNIVERSITY IS EXTRAORDINARY, I
DO NEED TO SAY THAT SHE HAS A
PREVIOUS COMMITMENT. SO IF SHE
WALKS OUT, IT'S JUST BECAUSE
SHE'S GOT, LIKE, IMPORTANT WORK
TO DO, TOO. SO. AND I YEAH. AND
I AND I AND I DON'T WANT TO GET
IN TROUBLE. YEAH. SO WE'RE GOOD
ON THAT, I ALSO WANT TO
RECOGNIZE, GOVERNOR NEWSOM'S
LEADERSHIP AND HIS CONFIDENCE IN
MY ABILITY TO RUN THE MILITARY
DEPARTMENT FOR THE LAST 20
MONTHS, YOU CANNOT DO THAT WORK
WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF YOUR
LEADERSHIP. SO I APPRECIATE
THAT. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE
TODAY THE SACRIFICE OF THE TENS
OF THOUSANDS OF CALIFORNIA
NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS AND
AIRMEN THAT HAVE FOUGHT FOR THE
LAST TWO, PLUS DECADES ON
FOREIGN LANDS, AGAINST THE
ENEMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
AND ALSO FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT
THEY DO HERE IN CALIFORNIA EVERY
DAY ON THE MYRIAD OF CHALLENGES
THAT OUR STATE FACES. AND I
APPRECIATE THEIR WORK. I ALSO
WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE 800
SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN THAT IN THE
LAST TWO WEEKS, HAVE RETURNED
FROM THE MIDDLE EAST, BACK HERE
TO CALIFORNIA. AND I THINK THEY
ARE EXTRAORDINARY AND THEY
DESERVE ALL THE RECOGNITION. I
DO WANT TO THANK THE CHAIR FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO ADDRESS
SOME OF THE ALLEGATIONS THAT
WERE MADE AGAINST ME BACK IN
2022. I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT I
BELIEVE THAT ANY ALLEGATION OF
DISCRIMINATION SHOULD BE
THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED AND
ENSURE TO ENSURE THAT EVERYBODY
IN MY ORGANIZATION IS PROTECTED.
EVERY MEMBER OF MY
EXTRAORDINARILY DIVERSE
ORGANIZATION, PERPETRATORS OF
DISCRIMINATORY ACTIONS,
INCLUDING HATE SPEECH, MUST BE
HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THAT SAID, THE
INVESTIGATION, THE ALLEGATIONS
AGAINST ME WERE ALL FOUND TO BE
UNSUBSTANTIATED. BUT IT REALLY
REINFORCED THAT PROCESS IS
IMPORTANT, CRITICAL IMPORTANCE
THAT WE TAKE EVERY ALLEGATION
SERIOUSLY TO ENSURE A THOROUGH
INVESTIGATION OF ALL THE FACTS
ARE BROUGHT OUT, AND I'D LIKE TO
JUST TO QUICKLY GIVE A BRIEF
COMMENT ON A ON A MESSAGE ON A
MEMO THAT I SENT OUT TO MY TEAM
AT THE ONSET OF HAMAS'S VIOLENT
ATTACK ON ISRAEL LAST FALL. AND
I'LL QUOTE IT DURING TIMES OF
WAR AND INSTABILITY, IT IS EASY
TO LOSE SIGHT OF OUR SHARED
VALUES AND HUMANITY. Kò. IT IS
VITAL TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE
STRENGTH OF OUR ORGANIZATION
LIES IN THE BONDS THAT WE FORGE
AND THE TRUST THAT WE BUILD AND
MUTUAL RESPECT. HATE SPEECH HAS
DEVASTATING EFFECTS ON MORALE,
GOOD ORDER AND DISCIPLINE. IT
UNDERMINES OUR ORGANIZATION AND
IMPACTS THE PUBLIC TRUST. HATE
CRIMES. VIOLENT ACTS ONLY WEAKEN
OUR RESOLVE TO DEMONSTRATE THE
STRENGTH OF OUR DIVERSITY, AND
IT WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. THERE
IS NO ROOM FOR ANTI-SEMITISM OR
ISLAMOPHOBIA, AND IT WON'T BE
TOLERATED. OUR SUCCESS RELIES ON
TOTAL COMMITMENT TO THE IDEALS
OF FREEDOM, FAIRNESS AND HUMAN
DIGNITY. END QUOTE. AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK
YOU SO MUCH, JOHN. APPRECIATE
THAT. I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER
TO SENATOR LAIRD FOR OPENING
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR, ACTUALLY,
A GENERAL, YOU WENT RIGHT TO
WHERE I WAS GOING TO GO BECAUSE
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
RESPOND TO THOSE ALLEGATIONS TO
NOT SWEEP THEM ASIDE. I
APPRECIATE THE CLEAR STATEMENT
YOU MADE, AND I APPRECIATE IT
WAS UNSUBSTANTIATED. BUT LET ME
ASK SORT OF A FOLLOW UP
QUESTION, WHICH IS HOW DO YOU
ACTUALLY DO THAT? HOW DO YOU
ENSURE THAT THE ETHIC THAT YOU
JUST SPOKE IS REFLECTED IN EVERY
LEVEL OF YOUR OPERATION, AND HOW
DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT'S NOT?
BASICALLY, IT'S LIKE, HOW DO YOU
PUT THE WORDS YOU JUST SAID TO
ACTION? YEAH, I THINK FIRST AND
FOREMOST YOU HAVE TO SAY THE
WORDS. YOU HAVE TO WRITE THEM
DOWN. YOU HAVE TO REPEAT THEM.
THEN I THINK YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE
TO GO OUT INTO THE ORGANIZATION
THAT YOU LEAD AND SAY THOSE
WORDS. AND I THINK ALSO SO MUCH
OF IT REVOLVES AROUND SETTING AN
EXAMPLE. AND THAT GOES TO A LOT
OF WHAT WE DO RELATIVE TO
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, EQUITY
AND ACCESSIBILITY IN THE
MILITARY DEPARTMENT. AND NOT
JUST RELATIVE TO ANTI-SEMITISM,
BUT TO ISLAMOPHOBIA AND OTHER
HATE SPEECH. WHAT WE DO IN THE
DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT
FOLKS RECOGNIZE THAT THESE ARE
THE VALUES OF THE DEPARTMENT, IS
WE LITERALLY HAVE ABOUT ONCE A
MONTH WE SIT DOWN AND HAVE A
CULTURAL EVENT. AND I WOULD, I
WOULD INVITE EACH AND EVERY ONE
OF YOU TO COME TO MY MILITARY
DEPARTMENT ON THE 1ST OF MAY,
WHERE WE ARE GOING TO DO A
JEWISH AMERICAN CULTURAL DAY,
AND THEN AGAIN ON THE 6TH OF
MAY, WHEN WE WILL, RECOGNIZE THE
HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE AND WE'LL
HAVE AN EXTRAORDINARY SLATE OF
SPEAKERS, AND THEY GET TO TALK
TO THE SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN AND
LEADERS OF MY ORGANIZATION, AND
THEY GET TO ARTICULATE THEIR
POINTS OF VIEW, WHICH I THINK IS
EXTRAORDINARILY INSTRUCTIVE. AND
I THINK IT IT GIVES AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO
UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT
CULTURAL VALUES THAT PEOPLE
SHARE. AND WITH THAT, I THINK IT
MAKES IT A BETTER WE'RE A MORE
CULTURALLY ASTUTE ORGANIZATION
WHEN WE DO THAT. AND THEN I JUST
HAD THIS STRANGE EXPERIENCE A
WEEK AGO WHERE IN MY OWN
DISTRICT, A SON OF A PROFESSOR
IN A SCHOOL THAT IS NOT FAR FROM
MY HOUSE WAS BULLIED FOR BEING
TRANS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND
WAS GOING TO SWITCH SCHOOLS AND
DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THE SCHOOL
RESPONDED. AND THIS IS A KID
THAT'S, I THINK IN THE SEVENTH
OR EIGHTH GRADE. AND FOR ME,
BEING OUT THERE EVERYWHERE, I
FEEL I'M, I'M OPEN AND PEOPLE
WILL TELL ME AND I CAN TAKE
ACTION. I CAN CALL A
SUPERINTENDENT. BUT HOW DO YOU
DO THAT? YOU SORT OF HINTED AT
IT, BUT HOW DO YOU DO THAT SO
THAT YOU FEEL IF IT'S GOING ON
IN A PLACE WHERE YOU'RE AROUND,
THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE
COMFORTABLE ENOUGH TO TELL YOU
SO THAT YOU CAN TAKE SOME
ACTION? YEAH, I THINK IT'S THAT
THEY HAVE TO BE COMFORTABLE
ENOUGH. ALSO, WE HAVE AN
EXTRAORDINARY MILITARY
DEPARTMENT INSPECTOR GENERAL
SYSTEM WHERE FOLKS ARE, IF THEY
SEE SOMETHING THAT THEY BELIEVE
IS INAPPROPRIATE, THAT THEY ARE
DUTY BOUND TO CALL IT OUT. WE
HAVE BOTH A FEDERAL MILITARY
DEPARTMENT INSPECTOR GENERAL AND
A STATE ONE, WHICH IS UNUSUAL. I
THINK WE MIGHT BE THE ONLY STATE
IN THE 54 STATES, TERRITORIES IN
THE DISTRICT THAT HAS TWO OF
THOSE, AND YOU HAVE TO GIVE
SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO
BRING THOSE THINGS FORWARD. AND
I THINK WHEN WE WHEN WE DO THAT,
WHEN WE USE THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL SYSTEM AND THEN FOLKS
THAT FAIL TO LIVE UP TO THOSE
STANDARDS ARE ESSENTIALLY
PUNISHED FOR THAT. I THINK IT
SETS AN EXAMPLE THAT THAT TYPE
OF BEHAVIOR IS NOT TOLERATED.
AND I THINK THAT'S FUNDAMENTALLY
HOW WE DO IT IN THE MILITARY
DEPARTMENT. THEN LET ME ASK YOU
A MORE ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTION.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT. THANK
YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET.
YOU HAVE A COMPLETE ARMORY
SYSTEM AND I KNOW ONE OF THEM IN
MY HOMETOWN IS BEING USED, TO
HOUSE UNSHELTERED PEOPLE.
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE IN THE FAR
REACH OF ANOTHER PART OF THE
DISTRICT THAT IS EMPTY. AND THE
LOCAL CITY WANTS TO OCCUPY FOR
MUNICIPAL USES. THERE'S OTHER
PLACES WHERE THEY'RE ACTUALLY
USED AS ARMORIES. AND, AND THEY
TEND TO BE OLD AND IN NEED OF
WORK. SO HOW DO YOU ADMINISTER
THE STATE SYSTEM OF ARMORIES
WHERE THEY HAVE OTHER USES,
WHERE THEY NEED REPAIRS OR SOME
OF THE ADJOINING GOVERNMENTS
WANT THEM? HOW DO YOU GO THROUGH
THIS AND HOW YOU ADMINISTER
THESE ARMORIES? OKAY. YEAH. TWO
PART QUESTION. SO, YOU KNOW, HOW
DO WE ENGAGE WITH LOCAL
COMMUNITIES RELATIVE TO THE USE
OF OUR FACILITIES? AS A RULE,
WE'RE ABSOLUTELY OPEN TO DOING
THAT. AS YOU MENTIONED, THE
SANTA CRUZ ARMORY IS CURRENTLY
BEING USED FOR UNHOUSED FOLKS,
OUR ARMORY IN PORTERVILLE IS
BEING USED AS WELL, AND ACROSS
THE STATE AND OUR LÀ FEDERAL
ARMORY IS CURRENTLY BEING
REMODELED AND WILL BE AN
UNHOUSED FACILITY ALONG WITH A
NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY. SO WE'RE
VERY OPEN TO THAT. IT'S REALLY
JUST A MATTER OF COMMUNICATION.
LOCALS COUNTIES MAKE THE
REQUEST, AND WE DO EVERYTHING
THAT WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT THEY
CAN USE OUR FACILITIES, THERE
ARE SOME TIMES WHEN THAT'S NOT
POSSIBLE, GENERALLY, IF THE
ARMORY IS VERY SMALL OR IF
THERE'S JUST TOO MANY NATIONAL
GUARD FOLKS IN IT, AND WE HAVE A
LOT OF THOSE FACILITIES HAVE,
YOU KNOW, WEAPONS OR STUFF LIKE
THAT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
THOSE THINGS ARE PROTECTED AND
TAKEN CARE OF. BUT BUT WE'RE
WE'VE USED, ARMORIES FOR THE
LAST 20 YEARS TO HOUSE OR TO
HOUSE UNHOUSED FOLKS DURING THE
WINTER MONTHS, STARTING IN
USUALLY OCTOBER AND CONCLUDING
GENERALLY RIGHT ABOUT NOW,
THAT'S WANED AS THE STATE IS
PICKING UP A LOT MORE OF THAT
RESPONSIBILITY FOR US. AND JUST
A FINAL FOLLOW UP THAT OCCURRED
TO ME. IT'S A VERY LAYPERSON'S
QUESTION. DO YOU ACTUALLY HAVE
CONTROL OVER THE ARMORIES? DO
YOU HAVE TO WORK FOR THE WITH
THE GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT?
WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN YOU HAVE TO
DECIDE TO DISPOSE OR SO IT
DEPENDS ON USE. YEAH. IT
DEPENDS, WE HAVE SOLE
DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY OVER THE
USE OF THE ARMORIES RELATIVE TO
DIVESTMENT. THAT WOULD DEPEND ON
IF IT WAS A STATE OR A FEDERAL
ARMORY. AND THOSE ARE TWO
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SYSTEMS.
OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I
APPRECIATE ANSWERS. THANK YOU SO
MUCH, SENATOR. WE'RE NOW GOING
TO TURN IT OVER TO SENATOR
EGGMAN. THANK YOU. NICE TO SEE
YOU, GENERAL. GOOD TO SEE YOU,
SO TELL ME, AND WE TALKED
YESTERDAY ABOUT YOUR PEOPLE
FIRST. AND HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU
ACTUALIZE THAT? SO WHAT WE DID
IS WE FIRST ESTABLISHED THE
INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN THE
DEPARTMENT. I DIDN'T WANT TO
TALK ABOUT PEOPLE FIRST AND THEN
NOT BE ABLE TO MEET THE DEMAND,
SO TO SPEAK. SO WE ESTABLISHED A
DIRECTORATE WITHIN THE MILITARY
DEPARTMENT. AND WHAT WE DID IS
WE BROUGHT TOGETHER ALL OF THE
SOLDIER AND AIRMAN SUPPORT
SERVICES THAT WE HAVE. SO FROM
INTEGRATED PRIMARY PREVENTION TO
THE MILITARY DEPARTMENT, SUPPORT
FUND TO OUR FAMILY PROGRAMS,
EMPLOYER SUPPORT OF THE GUARD
AND RESERVE WORK FOR WARRIORS,
WHICH IS OUR, BOUTIQUE. I WOULD
OFFER HEADHUNTER FIRM THAT WE
HAVE IN THE DEPARTMENT. WE
BROUGHT ALL THOSE UNDER ONE
ROOF. AND WE BELIEVE THAT IF IT
WAS LED BY A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL
AND ALL THIS, SUPPORT SERVICES
WERE, WERE BROUGHT TOGETHER,
THAT IT JUST MADE SENSE FOR US.
ONCE WE DID THAT, THEN WE
LITERALLY TOOK IT ON A ROAD
SHOW. AND THAT ROAD SHOW IS
ONGOING NOW, THE LEADER OF THAT
ORGANIZATION GOES OUT GENERALLY
WITH OUR SENIOR ENLISTED LEADERS
ACROSS THE FORMATION, AND WE
JUST GO TALK TO SOLDIERS AND
AIRMEN, TELL THEM EVERYTHING
THAT'S AVAILABLE TO THEM. THAT'S
NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, MORE
ABOUT PEOPLE FIRST IS REALLY
MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS ARE WELL
TRAINED. AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IS
WE'VE TAKEN I'VE TAKEN A STEP
BACK AND SAID, HEY, WE'RE GOING
TO WE'RE JUST GOING TO FOCUS ON
THE FUNDAMENTALS. AND I THINK
OUR SOLDIERS, PRIMARILY OUR
SOLDIERS TO A LESSER EXTENT
AIRMEN. THEY RECOGNIZED THE
VALUE OF BEING SUCCESSFUL AT A
SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, WARRIOR
SKILL OR TASK. WE'VE DONE THAT.
AND I THINK THAT'S HELPED
DEFINITELY HELPED MORALE. YOU
KNOW, I THINK IN THE PAST WE MAY
HAVE WE MADE A BIT OFF MORE THAN
WE COULD CHEW, PARTICIPATED IN
EXERCISES THAT WERE LIKELY
BEYOND OUR ABILITY TO DO, LIKELY
BEYOND ANYBODY'S ABILITY TO DO
WHEN YOU'RE ONLY TRAINING IN A
40 OR 50 DAYS A YEAR. SO FOR
THAT AND I FAILED TO MENTION TO
YOU AND YOU BROUGHT IT UP
EARLIER TALKING ABOUT BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH, THAT'S A HUGE COMPONENT
OF IT AS WELL. AND WE DO HAVE A
WORLD CLASS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
PROGRAM. AND THEN JUST FINALLY,
ONE OF THE THINGS PEOPLE DON'T
KNOW A LOT ABOUT IS THE
CHALLENGE ACADEMIES. CAN YOU
TALK A LITTLE BIT? THAT'S HOW WE
GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER. YES,
THAT'S ABOUT THE CHALLENGE
ACADEMIES AND THE SUCCESS AND
THE PROMISE THAT YOU SEE, FOR
THOSE. ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. SO THAT
IS ONE OF THE SHINING EXAMPLES
OF WHAT THE MILITARY DEPARTMENT
DOES. RIGHT. SO WE HAVE A
CHALLENGE. ACADEMIES SCATTERED
ACROSS THE STATE DOWN IN LA, SAN
LUIS OBISPO AND IN YOUR
DISTRICT, MA'AM, IN IN LATHROP.
WE'RE TRYING TO ESTABLISH
ANOTHER ONE IN, IN RIVERSIDE.
AND, AND THOSE PROGRAMS, WHAT
THEY DO IS PMI. WE HAVE A WHOLE
WHAT WE CALL AN XMI PROGRAM. SO
OAKLAND MILITARY INSTITUTE,
PORTERVILLE MILITARY INSTITUTE,
OTHER PROGRAMS WHERE THE
CALIFORNIA CADET CORPS IS
INVOLVED. BUT BACK TO THE
CHALLENGE ACADEMIES. WHAT WE'RE
DOING IS WE'RE BRINGING KIDS
THAT WERE NOT CAPABLE OF BEING
SUCCESSFUL IN A IN A MAINSTREAM
ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT FOR
WHATEVER REASON. AND WE PUT THEM
IN A, IN A VERY MILITARY
CENTRIC, RIGOROUS PROGRAM. WE
SEGREGATE THEM BY SEX, WE MAKE
THEM DO PHYSICAL TRAINING EVERY
DAY, AND WE PROVIDE THEM
EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT OF ACADEMIC
ASSISTANCE. AND WE HAVE ABOUT A
98 OR SO PERCENT GRADUATION RATE
. AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE EACH OF
YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN A
CHALLENGE ACADEMY GRADUATION.
AND I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU NOT TO
CRY. I'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL AND I
CRY AT EVERY ONE. BUT YEAH, YOU
BET. AND WE'RE JUST. I'M SORRY.
WE'RE STANDING UP A RIBBON
CUTTING FOR OUR STARBASE
PROGRAM, WHICH IS A STEM PROGRAM
, FOR FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADERS,
PRIMARILY. WE'RE STANDING IT UP
ON FRIDAY, AT THE PORTERVILLE
MILITARY INSTITUTE. THAT'S THE
LATEST ONE. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
SENATOR EGGMAN. LET'S GO TO
SENATOR JONES, ONE OF THOSE
ACADEMIES CALLED SUNBURST.
SUNBURST? IS THAT ONE OF YOURS?
IT'S SUNBURST. YEAH. YEAH,
ABSOLUTELY. I HAD A NEPHEW THAT
WENT THROUGH THAT. AND SO THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR, IT MADE A
DIFFERENCE. MADE THE DIFFERENCE
THAT YOU'RE LOOKING THAT WE'RE
ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING
THE DIFFERENCE IN THOSE
ACADEMIES. WE'VE KNOWN EACH
OTHER QUITE A WHILE. I THINK WE
ORIGINALLY MET IN 20 1112 WHEN
WE HAD A TOUR OUT THERE, AND
IT'S PROBABLY TIME TO DO THAT
AGAIN. I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT
ONCE WE GET THROUGH THIS
PROCESS, MAYBE WE GET SOME MORE
LEGISLATORS BACK OUT THERE TO
SEE THE UPGRADES. SINCE THEN, I
WAS MY DAD SERVED IN THE
COLORADO NATIONAL GUARD, MY
GRANDFATHER'S RETIRED AIR FORCE.
I WAS LOOKING THROUGH YOUR
CITATIONS, AND IF YOU WOULDN'T
MIND SHARING, IF IT'S NOT TOO
PERSONAL, WOULD YOU MIND SHARING
THE CITATION FROM YOUR BRONZE
STAR? YEAH, CERTAINLY. SO IT'S
NOT A BRONZE STAR FOR VALOR THAT
WOULD HAVE A V ON IT. IT IS A
BRONZE STAR FOR MY SERVICE IN
AFGHANISTAN FROM 2003 TO 2004,
WHERE I SERVED AS THE DIRECTOR
OF STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS FOR
COMBINED FORCES COMMAND
AFGHANISTAN, WHICH WAS THE THREE
STAR ARMY, UNITED STATES ARMY
HEADQUARTERS THAT MANAGED THE
SOUTH AND EAST OF AFGHANISTAN,
AT THAT TIME, SEPARATE
HEADQUARTERS FROM THE NATO
HEADQUARTERS IN, IN IN KABUL.
GREAT. THANK YOU. YOU BET.
THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
SENATOR JOHNSON. ONE OF THE
ITEMS THAT I NEGLECTED TO DO IS
ACKNOWLEDGE SENATOR EGGMAN IN
HER SERVICE. AND I APOLOGIZE
ABOUT THAT, AS I SHOULD HAVE
SAID THAT FROM THE VERY
BEGINNING. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH,
SENATOR EGGMAN. THANK YOU. WE'LL
LOOK TO SENATOR GROVE IF YOU
HAVE. YEAH. WHAT ABOUT SENATOR
GROVE? THE FIRST? I WAS JUST
GOING TO GO RIGHT OVER TO
SENATOR GROVE. I'M LITERALLY
GOING STRAIGHT OVER. THERE WE GO
. AND IT WAS. YEAH. TOO LONG OF
A PAUSE. OKAY THERE WE GO. MY
GOODNESS. GOOD TIMES EVERYBODY.
I'M GOING TO NOW TURN IT OVER TO
A FELLOW VETERAN IN WANT TO SAY
THANK YOU SO MUCH SENATOR GROVE
PLEASE. THE FLOOR IS YOURS. AND
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO
THIS COUNTRY. THANK YOU SIR.
DON'T LET PEOPLE DO THAT TO YOU.
I KNOW I MY COLLEAGUE. YEAH.
WHAT YOU JUST SAID PEOPLE AS IF
IT WAS LIKE THIS AMORPHOUS
THING. SEE, THERE WE GO. I HEARD
YOU SNICKER, I HEARD YOU, I
HEARD YOU, SIR, LIKE SENATOR
JONES SAID, I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR A
REALLY LONG TIME. AND I THINK
THAT THOSE OF US WHO PUT OUR
RIGHT HAND IN THE AIR TO DEFEND
THIS COUNTRY AGAINST ALL
ENEMIES, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC,
UNDERSTAND THOSE THOSE, STARS ON
YOUR, YOUR YOUR SHOULDER. AND WE
UNDERSTAND THOSE MEDALS THAT
REFLECT WHO YOU ARE AS A PERSON
AND THE ADMIRATION THAT YOU
HAVE, NOT ONLY FROM THE
LEADERSHIP ABOVE YOU, BUT YOUR
TEAM, THAT YOU LEAD ON A DAILY
BASIS. AND SO, I AM WORKING WITH
YOU IN THE CAPACITY OF A STATE
ASSEMBLY MEMBER AND A STATE
SENATOR, YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
AVAILABLE TO MY COMMUNITY, YOU
HAVE PROVIDED EXTRAORDINARY
LEADERSHIP TO OUR LOCAL NATIONAL
GUARD. AND, YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO
IS A NO NONSENSE PERSON THAT
JUST GETS YOU JUST GET DONE,
SIR. AND SO I'M JUST TELLING YOU
THAT. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR
COMFORT CONFIRMATION. AND I HAVE
NO QUESTIONS FOR YOU. AND I
THINK YOU ARE ONE EXTRAORDINARY
INDIVIDUAL IN CALIFORNIA IS
GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL. AND TO
HAVE YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM VICE
CHAIR. THANK YOU. THERE WE GO.
SHORTHAND. THAT ONE WORD. WHAT'S
THAT? HEY, SEE? THERE WE GO.
EXACTLY. OH YES, I GOT YOU,
GENERAL. I'D LIKE TO JUST GO
OVER JUST A FEW ITEMS, IF THAT
WORKS. AND FIRST AND FOREMOST,
THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AS
WELL. IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I THINK THAT
YOU ACKNOWLEDGED THE TREMENDOUS
COMMITMENT TO THE WOMEN AND MEN
WHO, CALL CALIFORNIA HOME BUT
YET SERVED THIS NATION AND I
THINK THE COMMITMENT THAT YOU'VE
ADVANCED, ESPECIALLY IN THESE
SINCE 2015, THE INCREASED ROLE
THAT THE GUARD HAS HAD, WHETHER
IT'S ISSUES OF WILDFIRES OR
NATURAL DISASTERS, WORK ON THE
BORDER, GUARD IS REALLY THE GO
TO AGENCY IN THE STATE, THE
MILITARY DEPARTMENT TO BE ABLE
TO ASSIST WHEN TIMES ARE
TOUGHEST, AND THESE ARE MY
WORDS, NOT YOURS, YOU'VE HAD TO
MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS TAKING
ON THIS ROLE, AND LET'S JUST BE
CANDID, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME
CHALLENGES WITHIN THE MILITARY
DEPARTMENT OVER THE PAST SEVERAL
YEARS, AND I KNOW THAT HAS UPSET
YOU DEEPLY, COMING UP THROUGH
THE GUARD. YEAH. AND COMING UP
THROUGH THE MILITARY DEPARTMENT.
AND IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT
WHAT? YOUR FOCUS. I THINK YOU'VE
HAD TO MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS
, ON. I'M JUST. THESE ARE MY
WORDS, NOT YOURS.
PROFESSIONALIZING THE
ORGANIZATION, DEALING WITH SOME
SERIOUS CHALLENGE OF PUBLIC
TRUST. AND IF YOU COULD TALK
ABOUT HOW THAT HAS BEEN A FOCUS
OF YOURS, BECAUSE LET'S JUST BE
CANDID, LEADERSHIP CAN BE LONELY
. AND THIS HAS BEEN TOUGH. SO IF
YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT,
THEN I'D LIKE TO COME BACK TO
GUARD MEMBERSHIP. ABSOLUTELY
YEAH, LEADERSHIP IS TOUGH. AND
IT'S LONELY. AND THAT'S HOW IT
SHOULD BE. IN MY VIEW, IF YOU
TAKE ON A ROLE LIKE THIS, DON'T
YOU SHOULD NOT EXPECT FRIENDS. I
THINK YOU CAN'T BE AN EFFECTIVE
LEADER IF YOU HAVE CLOSE
PERSONAL FRIENDS THAT WORK FOR
YOU. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. I
THINK IT GOES AGAINST GOOD ORDER
AND DISCIPLINE, AND I APPRECIATE
YOUR COMMENTS. RELATIVE TO THE
CULTURE CHALLENGES THE
DEPARTMENT'S HAD IN THE PAST.
THOSE CULTURE CHALLENGES HAVE
NOT EXISTED IN THE LAST 20
MONTHS THAT I'VE BEEN THE
ADJUTANT GENERAL. THEY DID EXIST
TO A CERTAIN EXTENT. PREVIOUS TO
THAT, WE HAD SENIOR LEADERS THAT
FAILED TO LIVE UP TO ETHICAL
STANDARDS. I WOULD CHARACTERIZE
THOSE ALL OF THEM, AS FORMER
SENIOR LEADERS AND, YOU KNOW, I
GOT, I THINK, WHAT THE BEST
THING THAT I COULD HAVE DONE AND
I DID THIS WHEN I TOOK OVER IS
AGAIN, I WROTE A LETTER TO EVERY
SENIOR LEADER IN MY
ORGANIZATION, AND I OUTLINED MY
EXPECTATIONS FOR THEIR
LEADERSHIP, AND I PUT THEM ON
NOTICE THAT THEY HAD TO LIVE UP
TO CERTAIN STANDARDS OF ETHICAL
BEHAVIOR, NOT WHEN THEY WERE
JUST IN UNIFORM, BUT ALL THE
TIME. AND WE CONTINUALLY MEET
AND I CONTINUALLY I CONTINUE TO
REINFORCE THE FACT THAT THEY
HAVE TO LIVE UP TO THOSE ETHICAL
STANDARDS. AND BY AND LARGE,
OVER THE LAST 20 MONTHS, THEY
HAVE, I THINK, WITHOUT
EXCEPTION, SO WE'RE VERY
FORTUNATE THAT BUT YEAH, IT'S
HARD WHEN YOU'RE NOT IN CHARGE
TO TRY TO MAINTAIN A CERTAIN
ETHICAL, BALANCE IN AN
ORGANIZATION WHERE YOU'RE NOT
RUNNING. SO THERE ARE SOME
CHALLENGES THERE, BUT I THINK
ALL THE RIGHT DECISIONS ARE MADE
TO PUT THE DEPARTMENT IN A
TRAJECTORY WHERE WE CAN, ONCE
AGAIN HAVE THE PUBLIC'S TRUST
AND NOT, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC'S
TRUST IS IMPORTANT. BUT AT THE
END OF THE DAY, THE TRUST OF THE
SERVICE MEMBERS IN MY
ORGANIZATION, IF THEY DON'T
TRUST ME, THEY WON'T FOLLOW ME.
THEY ABSOLUTELY WON'T. AND IF WE
AND IF THEY CAN'T TRUST ME TO
MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS AND DO
THE BEST THING THAT I CAN DO ON
THEIR BEHALF, THEN, THEN THEY'RE
NOT GOING TO FIGHT, AND THAT'S
JUST THAT SIMPLE. YEAH. AND I
THINK OBVIOUSLY THERE'S INTERNAL
TRUST AND THEN THE PUBLIC TRUST,
RIGHT, OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN. AND I
THINK THAT THAT HAS BEEN A FOCUS
OF YOURS, AND, I KNOW THIS HAS
BEEN WEIGHING ON YOUR MIND AND
IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLY INTENSE,
AND I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT
CULTURE. SURE. SO, TALK TO US
ABOUT HOW YOUR FOCUS ON CULTURE
JUST ISN'T TALK. RIGHT AND HOW
YOU'VE PUT IT INTO ACTION. AND
THEN I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GET
A BETTER UNDERSTANDING ON THE
WOMEN AND MEN WHO ARE PART OF
THE GUARD IN THE MILITARY
DEPARTMENT. WHAT IS YOUR
RETENTION RATE LOOK LIKE
COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE
NATION? DO YOU DO YOU SEE THAT
AS AN UP TICK AGAIN, I THINK
SUNLIGHT IS ALWAYS THE BEST
MEDICINE RIGHT? ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT. THERE HAVE BEEN
INCREDIBLE, SOME PRETTY
INCREDIBLE SIGNIFICANT
CHALLENGES, AT THE MILITARY
DEPARTMENT. AND YOU HAVE BEEN
WANTING TO BE ABLE TO BRING
SUNLIGHT IN, AND LOOKING AT
CHANGES WITHIN LEADERSHIP. IF I
COULD JUST BE CANDID. CERTAINLY.
PLUS, YOU WANT THOSE WHO ARE
WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AND
SERVING IN THE GUARD LOOK MORE
LIKE THE COMMUNITIES OF
CALIFORNIA AND AGAIN, THERE'S A
LOT OF TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT IT'S
ALSO BEING A GOOD LEADER IS
PUTTING IT INTO PLACE AND
PUTTING ACTION MOVING FORWARD.
I'D LIKE YOU TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.
YEAH. I COULDN'T AGREE MORE.
AND, YOU TOOK SOME OF THE WORDS
RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH. I
APPRECIATE THAT, BUT I WON'T
HESITATE TO, TO REITERATE THEM,
SO GO TO CULTURE AND THE CHANGE
THAT WE'VE MADE. AND HOW DO YOU
MEASURE THAT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO
YOU MEASURE A CULTURE CHANGE?
BECAUSE SINCE WE'VE TURNED THE
TEMPERATURE DOWN THE DEPARTMENT
DRAMATICALLY OVER THE LAST 20 OR
SO MONTHS. SO FIRST AND
FOREMOST, RETENTION SOLDIERS
STAY, BECAUSE THEY'RE WELL LED
AND THEY ENJOY WHAT THEY DO. OUR
RETENTION OVER THE LAST 20
MONTHS IS UP 16, AND THAT'S
SIGNIFICANT. ANT, BUT PROBABLY
MORE THAN THAT IS THE
RECRUITING. SO OVER THE LAST
SEVERAL MONTHS, OUR RECRUITING
IS UP 36. WELL IT'S UP 36% YEAR
OVER YEAR, WHILE THE REGULAR
ARMY BLEEDS SOLDIERS AT AN
EXTRAORDINARY RATE, WE DO NOT.
IN FACT, WE ARE GROWING OUR
ORGANIZATION. AND I THINK IT'S
GOT SO MUCH TO DO WITH THAT.
WE'VE PUT OUR PEOPLE FIRST.
WE'VE YOU KNOW, REINFORCED THE
PUBLIC TRUST AND DEMANDED
ETHICAL STANDARDS OF OUR
LEADERS. AND I THINK SOLDIERS
SEE THAT AND AIRMEN SEE THAT,
AND WHEN THEY DO, THEY INVITE
THEIR FRIENDS TO COME AND JOIN
OUR ORGANIZATION, BUT BECAUSE WE
PROVIDE AN EXTRAORDINARILY
LEAST, IN MY VIEW, AN
EXTRAORDINARILY PRODUCT FOR THEM
, YOU KNOW, AND YOU TALKED ABOUT
IT BEFORE WHERE YOU COME TO WORK
IN THE GUARD. IT'S JUST THERE'S
SO MUCH MORE TO THE GUARD THAN,
YOU KNOW, WHAT WE DO TO FIGHT
AND WIN. I HAVE 379 SOLDIERS
THAT WORK FOR CAL FIRE EVERY
DAY. 99 OF THOSE SOLDIERS NOW
WORK FOR CALIFORNIA OR CAL FIRE
FULL TIME. I GAVE THEM A JOB.
CAL FIRE GAVE THEM A CAREER WITH
A PENSION, HEALTH CARE, ALL
THESE THINGS, AND I WOULD NEVER
WANT TO DO WHAT THOSE KIDS DO,
BECAUSE I'D PROBABLY HAVE A
HEART ATTACK, BUT IT'S HARD
WORK, THE COUNTER NARCOTICS
PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE ARE
EXTRAORDINARILY WELL LED, WE ARE
ON THE BORDER AT THE PORTS OF
ENTRY DOING, FENTANYL
INTERDICTION. WE HAVE THREE
ATTORNEYS THAT WORK IN THE SAN
FRANCISCO DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE TRYING FENTANYL CASES.
AND IF YOU HAD ASKED ME WHEN I
JOINED THE ARMY A LONG TIME AGO,
IF I WOULD BE DOING THAT, I
WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU. ABSOLUTELY
NOT. BUT HERE WE ARE, AND WE'RE
DOING IT. WE'RE DELIVERING
VALUE, YOU SEE, THE PRESS PEOPLE
CALL FOR OUR SUPPORT AT A
MOMENT'S NOTICE, OFTENTIMES WHEN
IT'S WILDLY INAPPROPRIATE, BUT,
YEAH, OUR KIDS AND OUR
ORGANIZATION CAN SEE THE CHANGE,
AND THEY'RE HANGING IN THERE
WITH US. AND I COULDN'T BE MORE
PROUD OF ALL OF THEM. THE LAST
PIECE I'D LIKE YOU TO TOUCH ON
IS THE ISSUE OF BEING INCLUSIVE
TO ALL, AND AGAIN, IF YOU CAN
KIND OF DRILL DOWN ON MEMBERSHIP
AND ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE
TALKED ABOUT IS WANTING TO BE
MORE REFLECTIVE OF THE
COMMUNITIES THAT THESE WOMEN ARE
COMING FROM. YEAH. SO IN ORDER,
IN MY VIEW, IN ORDER TO, TO, TO
SERVE THE PEOPLE FROM
CALIFORNIA, WE HAVE TO LOOK AND
FEEL LIKE OUR POPULATION THAT WE
SERVE AND WE BY AND LARGE DO.
AND WE'VE MADE EXTRAORDINARY
STRIDES IN THE LAST 20 MONTHS TO
REALLY UPLIFT, WOMEN PRIMARILY.
WHAT WE DID IS WE STOOD UP WHAT
THEY CALLED A JOINT WOMEN'S
INITIATIVES TEAM, AND THAT'S TO
ENSURE THAT, WOMEN EQUITIES ARE
PROTECTED ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT.
WE TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER. WE
WE'VE INSTITUTED A PROGRAM
CALLED WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY
, THAT'S ESTABLISHED BY THE
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION. SEVERAL
YEARS AGO. AND WE HOSTED AN
EVENT HERE JUST A WHILE BACK FOR
ALL THE STATE AGENCIES TO
PARTICIPATE. AND WE HAD A LOT OF
SUPPORT FROM CAL FIRE, CHIEF
DEPUTY ANNA LEE BALLOU WAS
THERE. AND IT'S REALLY TO BUILD
A COHORT OF GENERAL GENDER FOCAL
POINTS ACROSS NOT ONLY OUR
ORGANIZATION, BUT ACROSS STATE
AGENCIES WRIT LARGE. WE'VE ALSO
EXPORTED THAT TO OUR, PARTNER IN
OUR PARTNER COUNTRY, NIGERIA, TO
THERE HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY
RECEPTIVE TO THAT. SO WE'RE NOT
ONLY DOING THAT HERE AT HOME,
BUT ALSO DOING THAT GLOBALLY.
OUR WORK, I THINK, IN THE LGBTQ
PLUS ARENA IS, IS EXTRAORDINARY.
AND THE IN THE CHALLENGING DAYS,
A FEW YEARS AGO, IT BECAME VERY,
VERY CHALLENGING, SPECIALLY TO
BRING IN TRANS FOLKS INTO OUR
INTO OUR ORGANIZATION, THAT'S
BEEN FIXED AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE
TO, TO, TO REALLY GO AFTER THAT
AND, AND WE JUST, WE HAD A TRANS
PILOT THAT JUST COMPLETED HER RL
ONE PROGRESSION. SO SHE'S NOW
DAY NIGHT CAPABLE HELICOPTER
PILOT. SO IF WE HAVE A FIRE,
WE'RE FLYING A BUCKET HOPS.
THERE'LL BE A TRANS PILOT FLYING
A CALIFORNIA AIR NATIONAL ARMY
NATIONAL GUARD HELICOPTER. SO,
AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT,
BUT IT'S MORE THAN THAT. IT
TAKES EVERYBODY WE I NEED
EVERYBODY IN CALIFORNIA TO
SUPPORT MY PROGRAM. WE HAVE TO
LOOK AND FEEL LIKE THE PEOPLE WE
SERVE. WE SIMPLY WON'T BE ABLE
TO DO A GOOD JOB. WE HAVE TO BE
CULTURALLY ASTUTE, AND THEN WE
HAVE TO BE ABLE TO EXPORT THAT
ACROSS STATE AGENCIES AND ACROSS
THE GLOBE. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
GENERAL. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND
I ALSO APPRECIATE THE DEEP DIVE
IN WHICH YOU JUST DIDN'T,
GRATEFUL FOR THAT. WE'D LIKE TO
BE ABLE TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY
OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM
THE COMMITTEE. PLEASE. MADAM
VICE CHAIR, JUST TO MOVE THE
FULL CONFIRMATION TO THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. WHEN
APPROPRIATE. YES, ABSOLUTELY. I
APPRECIATE THAT. WE HAVE A
MOTION ON THE FLOOR. WHAT WE'RE
GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO
OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND THEN WE DO HAVE A MOTION ON
THE FLOOR BY MADAM VICE CHAIR,
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IS IF
ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO
COME SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE
CONFIRMATION, IF YOU COULD
PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS
TIME, COME FORWARD. THOSE IN
SUPPORT, WE'RE GOING TO OPEN IT
UP. FOR THOSE WHO MAY WANT TO
SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF GENERAL
BEAVERS, WE'RE GOING TO DO A
LAST CALL. LET'S NOW OPEN IT UP
FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE IN
OPPOSITION. IF YOU COULD PLEASE
STEP FORWARD AT THIS TIME. LAST
CALL. ALL RIGHT. LET'S BRING IT
BACK, WE DO HAVE A MOTION BY
MADAM VICE CHAIR. ANY ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS FROM COMMITTEE HEARING?
SEEING NONE. MADAM SECRETARY,
CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
MCGUIRE. MCGUIRE. AYE. GROVE.
GROVE. AYE. EGGMAN. EGGMAN. AYE.
JONES. AYE JONES. AYE. LAIRD.
LAIRD. AYE. 5 TO 0 FIVE ZERO.
CONGRATULATIONS. NEXT UP IS THE
SENATE FLOOR. THANK YOU, SIR,
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
COMMITTEE, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE
ABOUT A 62ND BREAK. WE'RE GOING
TO START OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION
IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS. BUT WE'RE
GOING TO TAKE A SMALL BREAK. OUR
RECESS WILL BE BACK INTO
EXECUTIVE SESSION