GOOD MORNING. THE SENATE
GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
COMMITTEE WILL COME TO ORDER AS
A SUBCOMMITTEE. WE'LL MOVE FIRST
TO FILE ITEM NUMBER TWO. THAT'S
SB 1047. SENATOR WIENER. GOOD
MORNING. FEEL FREE TO BEGIN WHEN
YOU'RE READY. IT IS GOOD TO HANG
OUT WITH THE TWO OF YOU. THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR AND MR. VICE
CHAIR. I AM HERE TODAY TO
PRESENT SENATE BILL 1047 TO
PROMOTE, I INNOVATION, AND I
SAFETY, THIS IS A PRO SAFETY AND
PRO INNOVATION BILL, WE'VE, THIS
BILL WAS HEARD IN JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE AND IN THAT COMMITTEE,
WE HAD A COLLOQUY WITH THE
CHAIR, AND THEN WE SUBSEQUENTLY
AGREED TO AMENDMENTS THAT HAVE
BEEN INSERTED INTO THE BILL. I
JUST WANT TO INDICATE WHAT THOSE
AMENDMENTS ARE, CLARIFYING THE
DEFINITION OF COVERED GUIDANCE
AUTHORIZING THE FRONTIER MODEL
DIVISION TO ISSUE UNIQUE, TO
ISSUE GUIDANCE TO HELP
DEVELOPERS DETERMINE IF A MODEL
IS COVERED OR QUALIFIES FOR A
LIMITED DUTY EXEMPTION.
CLARIFYING THE AUTHORITY OF THE
JUDICIAL COUNCIL. CLARIFYING THE
INTERACTION OF GOOD FAITH
ERRORS, AND UNREASONABLE
RELIANCE ON A LIMITED DUTY
EXEMPTION. CLARIFYING THAT
PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARE INCLUDED
UNDER THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
DAMAGES PROVISION. STRENGTHENING
WHISTLEBLOWER PROCESSES FURTHER.
DEFINING THE OR FURTHER
CLARIFYING THE DEFINITION OF
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. SAFETY
INCIDENT AND DELETING THE
PROVISION ON JOINT AND SEVERAL
LIABILITY. AND I WANT TO NOTE
THAT THE REASON WE DELETED THE
JOINT AND SEVERAL LIABILITY
PROVISION, IS THAT THERE WAS NO
NEED TO PROVIDE THAT IN THE BILL
BECAUSE EXISTING LAW ALREADY
PROVIDES FOR JOINT AND SEVERAL
LIABILITY. SO WE DON'T DIDN'T
WANT THE BILL TO SOMEHOW IMPLY
THAT WE WERE TRYING TO OVERRIDE
EXISTING JOINT AND SEVERAL
LIABILITY LAW. SO IT SHOULD BE
CLEAR IT'S NOT OUR INTENT TO
REMOVE JOINT AND SEVERAL
LIABILITY FROM THE EQUATION, BUT
JUST TO MAKE CLEAR THAT EXISTING
JOINT AND SEVERAL LIABILITY LAW,
WILL APPLY AND IS SUFFICIENT, SO
, THIS, BILL COLLEAGUES WILL
PROMOTE RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT
OF WHAT WE CALL FRONTIER
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE MODELS,
IN ADDITION TO SUPPORTING
COMPETITION AND INNOVATION BY
FRONTIER AI MODEL, WE MEAN
EXTREMELY LARGE AND POWERFUL
MODELS THAT WILL EXIST, SOON.
AND THAT WILL HAVE INCREDIBLE
BENEFITS FOR SOCIETY. AND ALSO
POSE SIGNIFICANT RISKS.
CALIFORNIA NEEDS TO SUPPORT AND
INVEST IN THE RESPONSIBLE
DEVELOPMENT OF AI AND SUPPORT
THIS INCREDIBLE, INNOVATIONS AND
WE WANT OUR STATE TO REMAIN AT
THE CUTTING EDGE OF AI
INNOVATION. AT THE SAME TIME,
SOME OF THE MOST RESPECTED
SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS AND
BUSINESS LEADERS AROUND IN THE
AI FIELD, INCLUDING TWO OF THE
MOST CITED MACHINE LEARNING
RESEARCHERS OF ALL TIMES,
RESEARCHERS WHO SUPPORT THIS
LEGISLATION HAVE REPEATEDLY
WARNED POLICY MAKERS THAT
FAILURE TO TAKE APPROPRIATE
CAUTIONS, PRECAUTIONS, COULD
HAVE SEVERE CONSEQUENCES FOR
SOCIETY, FOR ANY NEW TECHNOLOGY
TO SUCCEED AND BEING ADOPTED
WIDELY, POTENTIAL USERS HAVE TO
TRUST THAT THE PRODUCT IS SAFE,
AI DEVELOPERS IN CALIFORNIA HAVE
ALREADY TAKEN IMPORTANT FIRST
STEPS IN PIONEERING SAFE
DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES. HOWEVER,
WE CAN'T AFFORD TO BE COMPLACENT
WITH CONGRESS. UNFORTUNATE BE
PARALYZED ON THIS ISSUE. AS WITH
ALL TECHNOLOGY ISSUES, I WANT TO
JUST BE CLEAR. WE KEEP HEARING
Ó LET CONGRESS DO IT. WELL,
THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF CONGRESS
WOULD DO IT. BUT AFTER ALL THESE
YEARS AND BIPARTISAN SUPPORT,
CONGRESS HAS FAILED TO ACT ON
SOCIAL MEDIA, HAS FAILED TO ACT
ON DATA PRIVACY. AFTER MANY
YEARS OF BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. I
HOPE THAT CHANGES. IT HASN'T SO
UNLESS CONGRESS ACTS WITH A
STRONG AI SAFETY LAW AND A
REGULATION OR EXECUTIVE ORDER,
UNFORTUNATELY IS NOT ENOUGH,
THAT CAN BE REVOKED IN A
HEARTBEAT AND DOES NOT HAVE THE
FULL BINDING EFFECT OF A LAW.
UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, CALIFORNIA,
WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY THE
EPICENTER OF AI INNOVATION,
NEEDS TO LEAD SB 1047, SETS OUT
CLEAR STANDARDS FOR DEVELOPERS.
DEVELOPERS OF THESE EXTREMELY
LARGE AND POWERFUL MODELS, AND
THAT IF THEY MEET THE BILL'S
THRESHOLD OF TEN TO THE 26TH
FLOP, OR A SYSTEM OF SIMILAR
CAPABILITIES K¾T, WHICH WILL
COST OVER $100 MILLION TO TRAIN,
THEN THEY HAVE TO TAKE
PRECAUTIONS AHEAD OF TIME TO
EVALUATE IT FOR SAFETY RISKS AND
THEN TAKE ACTIONS TO MITIGATE
THOSE RISKS IF THEY IDENTIFY
SIGNIFICANT, RISKS, WE KNOW THAT
AS WITH A LOT OF BILLS, WE WILL
HEAR FROM OPPOSITION THAT THIS
IS GOING TO STIFLE INNOVATION,
THAT IT WILL DO NO SUCH THING.
AND I REPRESENT THE ABSOLUTE
EPICENTER OF AI INNOVATION. AND
I WOULD NEVER WANT TO UNDERMINE
THAT INNOVATION, BUT WE HAVE TO
TAKE ACTION TO PROMOTE SAFETY,
INDEED, A NUMBER OF STARTUP, AI
COMPANIES ARE SUPPORTING THIS
LEGISLATION, INCLUDING A STARTUP
CALLED. YES. EXCUSE ME, SENATOR,
I HAVE TO GET TO ANOTHER
COMMITTEE TO PRESENT A BILL.
VICE CHAIR WILK WILL TAKE OVER
THE MEETING. THANK YOU. GOOD
LUCK, INDEED, A NUMBER OF
STARTUPS ARE SUPPORTING THIS
LEGISLATION, INCLUDING A STARTUP
CALLED IMBUE, WHICH WOULD BE
SUBJECT TO THIS LEGISLATION.
THEY'VE SUBMITTED A LETTER,
WIDELY SUPPORTING THE
LEGISLATION. SO, AGAIN, IF FOR
COMPANIES THAT HAVE COVERED
MODELS UNDER THIS BILL, THEY'LL,
THE AND I'M SORRY. AND IF A
COMPANY VIOLATES THIS LAW BY NOT
CONDUCTING THE EVALUATION OR NOT
TAKING REQUIRED MITIGATIONS, THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL CAN HOLD THE
DEVELOPER ACCOUNTABLE. BUT THIS
IS NOT JUST ABOUT SAFETY. IT'S
ALSO ABOUT PROMOTING INNOVATION.
AND SO SB 1047, CREATES A NEW
PUBLIC CLOUD COMPUTING CLUSTER
CALLED CAL COMPUTE. THAT WILL
CONDUCT RESEARCH INTO THE SAFE
AND SECURE DEPLOYMENT OF LARGE
SCALE AI MODELS WHILE ALLOWING
SMALLER STARTUPS, RESEARCHERS
AND COMMUNITY GROUPS TO
PARTICIPATE IN THAT DEVELOPMENT.
SO WE ARE, SPREADING THE ABILITY
OF PEOPLE TO INNOVATE. THE BILL
CREATES AN ADVISORY COUNCIL TO
ADVOCATE FOR AND SUPPORT SAFE
AND SECURE OPEN SOURCE AI
DEVELOPMENT, AND REQUIRES CLOUD
COMPUTING COMPANIES AND FRONTIER
MODEL DEVELOPERS TO PROVIDE
TRANSPARENT PRICING AND AVOID
PRICE DISCRIMINATION. THE BILL
CREATES WHISTLEBLOWER
PROTECTIONS SO THAT FRONTLINE
TECHNOLOGISTS CAN FEEL SAFE AND
SECURE IN REPORTING POTENTIAL
PROBLEMS. RAIMES. AND, I WANT TO
JUST REALLY STRESS THAT WE'VE
SEEN INCREDIBLE THINGS COMING
OUT OF THE AI WORLD. AI MODEL
RECENTLY CREATED A NEW
ANTIBIOTIC, AND THAT'S JUST ONE
EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE AMAZING
THINGS. THAT THESE AI MODELS ARE
DOING. WE ALSO KNOW THAT IN
2022, AN AI MODEL GENERATED TENS
OF THOUSANDS OF NOVEL TOXINS AS
DANGEROUS AS THE MOST TOXIC
NERVE AGENTS PREVIOUSLY
DISCOVERED. SO WE NEED TO
ENHANCE THE GOOD AND EVALUATE
AND MITIGATE THE BAD. THE TIME
TO ACT IS NOW. WE WILL PROBABLY
HEAR FROM SOME OPPOSITION. LET'S
JUST WAIT MORE AND FIGURE IT
OUT. THIS IS ACCELERATING NOW,
AND LET'S NOT MAKE THE MISTAKES
WE MADE WITH DATA PRIVACY AND
SOCIAL MEDIA, WHEREBY THE TIME
WE GET AROUND TO DOING ANYTHING
THE HORSE IS WAY OUT OF THE BARN
AND PEOPLE ARE BEING HARMED. I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE
WITH ME TODAY TO TESTIFY OUR
TERRY OLLIE, THE DIRECTOR OF THE
ECONOMIC, ECONOMIC SECURITY
PROJECT, ONE OF OUR SPONSORS,
AND SUNNY GANDHI, THE VICE
PRESIDENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS
OF ENCODE JUSTICE. ALSO A,
SPONSOR. GREAT. THANK YOU.
SENATOR. SO UNDER, COMMITTEE
RULES, EACH SPEAKER GETS TWO
MINUTES. AND WHENEVER YOU'RE
READY, IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND
PROCEED. GOOD MORNING. THANK
YOU. VICE CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE. I'M TERRY OLLIE,
THE DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC
SECURITY, CALIFORNIA ACTION AND
ONE OF THE THREE CO-SPONSORS OF
THE BILL. I'M HERE TO SPEAK
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT HOW SB 1047
ADDRESSES MARKET CONCENTRATION
IN THE AI INDUSTRY BY REQUIRING
FAIR AND TRANSPARENT PRICING AND
, IMPORTANTLY, ESTABLISHING A
PUBLICLY OWNED AND OPERATED
COMPUTING CLUSTER CALLED CAL
COMPUTE TO DEMOCRATIZE ACCESS TO
THIS VERY CRITICAL PIECE OF AI
INFRASTRUCTURE. COMPUTING
CAPACITY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
FACTOR IN ENABLING OR LIMITING
AI DEVELOPMENT. COMPUTING
CAPACITY IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE
AND CURRENTLY GATEKEPT BY A
HANDFUL OF COMPANIES. THEY
DETERMINE WHO GETS TO USE IT AND
THEREFORE WHAT GETS CREATED.
THIS HAS LED TO A WORLD WHERE
CUTTING EDGE AI RESEARCH
PRIMARILY BENEFITS THE BOTTOM
LINE OF A HANDFUL OF PRIVATE
ENTITIES, RATHER THAN THE COMMON
GOOD. RECENTLY A UK MINISTER FOR
COMPETITIVE MARKETS RAISED
SIGNIFICANT CONCERN THAT AN
INTERCONNECTED WEB OF MORE THAN
90 AI PARTNERSHIPS AND STRATEGIC
INVESTMENTS ARE ACTUALLY TIED
BACK TO JUST SIX TECH GIANTS.
GOOGLE APPLE, MICROSOFT, META,
AMAZON AND THE CHIPS MAKER
NVIDIA. CALIFORNIA ACADEMICS
HAVE ALSO SOUNDED THE ALARM
WHILE META RECENTLY ANNOUNCED
PLANS TO BUY 350,000 SPECIALIZED
COMPUTER CHIPS NECESSARY FOR AI
RESEARCH, STANFORD'S Kò AI
RESEARCH LAB HAS ONLY 68 OF
THEIR OWN CHIPS. CAL COMPUTE
ADDRESSES THIS PROBLEM HEAD ON.
IT BROADENS ACCESS TO THIS
POWERFUL TECHNOLOGY, SO
ACADEMICS AND OTHER RESEARCHERS
CAN DEVELOP LARGE SCALE AI
SYSTEMS FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD, NOT
JUST COMMERCIAL INTERESTS.
CALIFORNIA ACTUALLY HAS A
HISTORY OF MAKING IMPORTANT
PUBLIC INVESTMENTS THAT HAVE
YIELDED LIFE CHANGING BENEFITS
TO OUR CITIZENS. WE'VE PIONEERED
INVESTMENT IN STEM CELL
RESEARCH, AND WE'RE HOME TO
WORLD CLASS, PUBLICLY FUNDED
LABS LIKE LAWRENCE LIVERMORE AND
BERKELEY. CAL COMPUTE BUILDS ON
THIS ENTREPRENEURIAL,
ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT, CREATING
SPACE FOR INNOVATIONS THAT
BENEFIT HUMANITY BROADLY, EVEN
IF THEY'RE NOT EASILY
MONETIZABLE. WITH SO MUCH
POTENTIAL TO IMPROVE THE LIVES
OF THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE GOLDEN
STATE, WE CANNOT LET AI'S FUTURE
BE DRIVEN SOLELY BY CORPORATE
PROFITS. CALIFORNIA HAS A
HISTORY OF MAKING IMPORTANT
PUBLIC INVESTMENTS WHERE IT
COUNTS, AND IT'S TIME TO DO SO
AGAIN. I URGE YOUR AYE VOTE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT
SPEAKER. THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. MY
NAME IS SUNNY GANDHI. I AM THE
VICE PRESIDENT OF POLITICAL
AFFAIRS AT ENCODE JUSTICE, ONE
OF THREE CO-SPONSORS OF SB 1047,
ENCODE JUSTICE IS A LEADING
GLOBAL YOUTH MOVEMENT FOR SAFE,
EQUITABLE I WITH 1000 MEMBERS
ACROSS EVERY INHABITED
CONTINENT, ENCODE JUSTICE WAS
CREATED TO GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE A
VOICE IN SHAPING HOW AI SYSTEMS
AFFECT OUR FUTURE. SINCE THEN,
WE'VE ADVISED STAKEHOLDERS
RANGING FROM THE WHITE HOUSE ON
THEIR AI BILL OF RIGHTS TO THE
EUROPEAN UNION FOR THEIR AI ACT.
WITH CONGRESS NOW FAILING TO
TAKE ACTION ON THIS ISSUE, WE
LOOK TO CALIFORNIA, A STATE
RENOWNED FOR ITS BOLD LEADERSHIP
AND COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, TO
LEAD THE WAY. WE ARE AT A
CRITICAL JUNCTURE IN THE HISTORY
OF AI DEVELOPMENT. PROGRESS IS
ACCELERATING AT AN
INCOMPREHENSIBLE PACE. THE
POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF AI FROM
REVOLUTIONIZING HEALTH CARE TO
COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGE ARE
IMMENSE. BUT AT THE SAME TIME,
THE RISKS POSED BY ADVANCED AI
SYSTEMS ARE REAL AND URGENT,
LIKE FACILITATING BIOLOGICAL
WEAPONS DESIGN OR ENABLING LARGE
SCALE CYBER ATTACKS. LAWMAKERS
HAVE A MORAL IMPERATIVE TO
ENABLE THE SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE
DEVELOPMENT OF THIS TECHNOLOGY.
SB 1047 DOES JUST THAT. IT
REQUIRES THE DEVELOPERS OF
FRONTIER AI SYSTEMS TO TEST
THEIR MODELS FOR POTENTIAL
HAZARDS, IMPLEMENT COMMON SENSE
SAFETY PRACTICES, AND REPORT
THEIR FINDINGS TO THE GOVERNMENT
. THIS LEGISLATION WILL HELP
ENSURE THAT AI DEVELOPMENT IN
CALIFORNIA IS SAFE, SECURE AND
EQUITABLE. THE INCREDIBLE AMOUNT
OF TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THAT
EXISTS IN CALIFORNIA HAS MADE IT
THE FOCAL POINT OF A GLOBAL
AUDIENCE. THE DECISIONS MADE BY
LEADERS LIKE YOURSELVES WILL
SHAPE THE LIVES OF BILLIONS OF
PEOPLE, AND YOUNG PEOPLE WILL
BEAR THE BRUNT OF THOSE
CONSEQUENCES, WHICH WILL ECHO
FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. WE HAVE
BEEN LET DOWN TIME AND TIME
AGAIN ON GOVERNMENT INACTION,
WITH GOVERNMENT INACTION ON
ISSUES LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE, GUN
VIOLENCE AND MENTAL HEALTH. I
REFUSE TO LET THE SAME HAPPEN
WITH AI. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
YOUR TIME, FOR THE MILLIONS OF
YOUNG PEOPLE I REPRESENT. BY
STANDING HERE TODAY, I URGE YOUR
SUPPORT ON SB 1047. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL
TAKE ME TO TESTIMONY. IF ANYBODY
HERE IN SUPPORT YOUR NAME
ORGANIZATION, IF YOU HAVE ONE
AND A SIMPLE ME TO. MR. CHAIR
AND MEMBERS. LEANNE CRATON WITH
TRATON PRICE REPRESENTING CENTER
FOR AI SAFETY ACTION FUND, ONE
OF THE CO-SPONSORS OF THE BILL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HEY, I'M
ARI KAGAN. I AM A FOUNDER OF
GENERATIVE AI STARTUP AND
ADVISING ON THIS BILL. AND I
URGE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE BILL.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. LANDON
KLEIN FROM THE FUTURE OF LIFE
INSTITUTE AND SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. AT THIS POINT, DO WE HAVE
ANY SPEAKERS, PRIMARY SPEAKERS
IN OPPOSITION? I KNOW YOU KNOW
THE RULES, BUT IT'S TOO WELL.
YOU COULD HAVE FOUR ACTUALLY, IF
YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE, THAT'S
OKAY. I DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO
NEED THAT. I'M FILLING IN FOR MY
COLLEAGUE WHO'S CAUGHT IN
ANOTHER COMMITTEE RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND
MEMBERS, BEN GOLOMBEK WITH THE
CALIFORNIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,
RESPECTFULLY, IN OPPOSITION TO
SB 1047, TO BE CLEAR, WE SHARE
THE AUTHOR'S GOAL OF ENSURING
THE SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE
DEVELOPMENT OF AI. HOWEVER, WE
HAVE CONCERNS OVER ISSUES THAT
WOULD PRECLUDE US FROM GETTING
THERE IN A MANNER THAT STILL
FOSTERS INNOVATION.
FUNDAMENTALLY, OUR PRIMARY
CONCERNS BOIL DOWN TO
WORKABILITY ISSUES AND THE
CONSEQUENCES THEREOF. WE'RE
CONCERNED THAT THE BILL DICTATES
COMPLIANCE WITH A NUMBER OF
VAGUE AND IMPRACTICAL, IF NOT
TECHNICALLY INFEASIBLE,
REQUIREMENTS, AS DRAFTED AS
DESCRIBED IN FURTHER DETAIL IN
OUR LETTER. THESE INCLUDE, FOR
EXAMPLE, TERMS AND STANDARDS
USED FOR COVERED MODELS,
POSITIVE SAFETY DETERMINATIONS
AND HAZARDOUS CAPABILITY, ALL OF
WHICH LEND TO INCREDIBLE
UNCERTAINTY FOR MEMBERS AND LIE
AT THE CORE OF SB 1047
FRAMEWORK. WE'RE ALSO CONCERNED
THAT THE BILL FOCUSES
EXCLUSIVELY ON DEVELOPER
LIABILITY FOR FAILING TO BLOCK
ANY AND ALL CONCEIVABLY HARMFUL
USES OF A MODEL, EVEN IN
SCENARIOS WHERE THIRD PARTIES
EFFECTIVELY JAILBREAK THE MODEL,
SUCH UNCERTAINTY, THE COST OF
COMPLIANCE AND SIGNIFICANT
LIABILITY EXPOSURE, AS WELL AS
OTHER ISSUES AROUND THE IMPACT
ON OPEN SOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND
COMPUTING CLUSTER REQUIREMENTS,
INEVITABLY DISCOURAGE
TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION IN OUR
ECONOMY. WE'RE CONCERNED THAT
THE BILL COULD, IN FACT,
HAMSTRING BUSINESSES FROM
DEVELOPING THE VERY AI
TECHNOLOGIES THAT COULD PROTECT
CALIFORNIANS FROM DANGEROUS
MODELS DEVELOPED IN TERRITORIES
BEYOND CALIFORNIA'S CONTROL AND
LASTLY, GIVEN THE CLEARLY GLOBAL
NATURE OF THE TECHNOLOGY, IT'S
CRITICAL THAT WE ENSURE
CONSISTENCY NATIONALLY AND
REFRAIN FROM ADDING MORE
CONFUSION TO AN ALREADY
FRAGMENTING AI REGULATORY
LANDSCAPE. IN THE US, IT'S
IMPERATIVE THAT WE NOT LOSE
SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NOT ONLY
SHOULD ACT IN THIS SPACE, BUT IS
ALREADY ACTING IN THIS SPACE. WE
THINK THAT THE STATES SHOULD LET
NIST'S AI SAFETY INSTITUTE
COMPLETE ITS WORK FIRST, AFTER
WHICH SAFETY AND SECURITY
PROTOCOLS TIED TO THOSE
STANDARDS COULD BE BETTER
CONSIDERED AT A STATE LEVEL FOR
THOSE AND OTHER REASONS OUTLINED
IN OUR LETTER. AND I'LL JUST
EMPHASIZE THAT THE MAJORITY OF
OUR MEMBERS THAT WE'VE HEARD
FROM, AND WE HAVE NEARLY 15,000
MEMBERS HERE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, ARE MANY OF OUR
SMALL BUSINESS MEMBERS, IN
PARTICULAR, OBVIOUSLY THOSE IN
THE BAY AREA AND LOS ANGELES,
WHERE A LOT OF THE AI STARTUP
CULTURE IS TAKING PLACE. WE MUST
UNFORTUNATELY OPPOSE SB 1047 AT
THIS TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
SIR. IS THERE ANY. ME TOO.
TESTIMONY IN OPPOSITION AGAIN,
YOUR NAME ORGANIZATION? IF YOU
HAVE ONE AND A SIMPLE ME TO
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. DYLAN
HOFFMAN, ON BEHALF OF TECHNET,
RESPECTFULLY OPPOSED TO THE BILL
WIENER COMMENTS WITH THE
CHAMBER. LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING
ON AMENDMENTS. APPRECIATE THE
SENATOR'S WILLINGNESS TO WORK ON
THIS. GREAT. THANK YOU, SIR. AT
THIS TIME, WE'LL PULL IT BACK TO
COMMITTEE FOR QUESTIONS,
COMMENTS, CONCERNS. SENATOR
ARCHULETA, WHAT A SURPRISE. YES.
GOOD. GOOD MORNING. SENATOR, THE
BIGGEST CONCERN THAT I THINK ALL
OF US HAVE IS SAFETY AND
SECURITY. AND IN THIS NEW WORLD
BY THE DEVELOPERS THAT WILL BE
COMING INTO IT, ARE THEY TAKING
THIS TO THE NEXT LEVEL WHEN IT
COMES TO SECURITY? THAT THAT'S
MY MAIN THING BECAUSE THE AG IS
OBVIOUSLY VERY CONCERNED ABOUT,
HOW TO MANDATE THE RULES THAT
WE'RE ACCEPTING HERE, THAT IF
ANYONE GOES OUTSIDE THE, THE LAW
OR ANY OUTSIDE THE PROTECTION
THÀNH OF, OF THE COMMUNITIES
THAT THEY SERVE, THAT'S MY
CONCERN. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT
QUESTION. IT'S MY CONCERN, AS
WELL. AND WE AND WE THINK THIS
BILL REALLY CAPTURES THAT
CONCERN AND ADDRESSES IT, WE
KNOW THAT THERE IS A LOT, YOU
KNOW, THERE ARE ITEMS REQUIRED
IN THIS BILL THAT THERE ARE
COMPANIES THAT ARE ALREADY DOING
THAT THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF
TESTING, WHAT WE CALL RED
TEAMING, WHERE YOU HAVE SOMEONE
ELSE COME IN AND TRY TO
BASICALLY, GO AGAINST YOUR MODEL
TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, CHANGE IT
INTO SOMETHING PROBLEMATIC AND
SEEING IF THAT WORKS. THESE ARE
ESTABLISHED PROTOCOLS AND
SYSTEMS THAT COMPANIES ALREADY
USE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEY'RE ALL DOING IT AND ALL
DOING IT IN A REASONABLE WAY. I
ALSO WANT TO BE CLEAR, WE COULD
HAVE GONE MUCH FURTHER IN THIS
LAW, AND SOME WOULD LIKE US TO
THIS FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE SOME
WHO THINK THAT WE SHOULD REQUIRE
LICENSING AND PRE-APPROVAL BY
GOVERNMENT BEFORE A MODEL CAN BE
DEPLOYED. WE DID NOT DO THAT IN
THIS BILL. WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO
MICROMANAGE WHAT THE COMPANIES
ARE DOING. WE SIMPLY WANT THEM
TO ENGAGE IN BASIC SAFETY
TESTING, SAFETY EVALUATION AND
IF IT SHOWS, OH, THIS MODEL MAY
SHUT DOWN THE GRID, THEN THEY
SHOULD TAKE STEPS TO PREVENT
THAT FROM HAPPENING. WE'RE NOT
ASKING FOR PERFECTION. THERE'S
NO PERFECTION. YOU CAN'T REDUCE
RISK TO ZERO. BUT WE THINK THAT
THEY CAN ABSOLUTELY TAKE STEPS
TO REDUCE THAT RISK AND MINIMIZE
IT. SO WE THINK WE'VE TAKEN A
GOOD BALANCED APPROACH HERE. AND
I THINK WE WILL. AND CALIFORNIA
IS IN A POSITION, GIVEN WHO WE
ARE AND HOW MUCH INNOVATION IS
HAPPENING HERE TO HAVE A REAL
IMPACT ON SAFETY. GOOD. THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR. THE CHAIR. THE
CHAIR IS BACK. WE'RE BACK TO THE
COMMITTEE. QUESTIONS? COMMENTS,
CONCERNS. CAN I SAY SOMETHING?
SURE. SO I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT
YOU WANT TO DO. AND HONESTLY,
FOR A LOT OF US, I THINK A LOT
OF THIS IS OVER OUR HEADS. I
ABSTAINED IN JUDICI BECAUSE,
BECAUSE OF THAT. BUT I'VE BEEN
REALLY NOW FOCUSING, READING A
LOT ON AI AND THERE'S SO MANY
BENEFITS, BUT THERE'S ALSO SO
MANY DANGERS. SO I'M GOING TO GO
UP ON YOUR BILL TODAY. BECAUSE
LIKE YOU SAID, THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT'S NOT DOING IT.
SOMEBODY'S GOT TO DO IT. AND I
REALLY WOULD RATHER ON THE SIDE
OF SAFETY THAN INNOVATION, JUST
BECAUSE I VIEW THIS AS
POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS. SO
YOU'LL HAVE MY VOTE TODAY. THANK
YOU. MR. VICE CHAIR. READING THE
CROWD, YOU MADE SOME PEOPLE
HAPPY IN THE ROOM FOR SURE,
ANYBODY ELSE, WISHING TO. I'VE
ALREADY SPOKEN. YOU'VE ALREADY
SPOKEN? ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY, SO
WE'RE DOWN AT THAT POINT,
SENATOR, I REALLY APPRECIATE
WHAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO ON
THIS BILL. AND WORKING THIS
BILL. OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE GOT TO
HAVE GUARDRAILS AND I REALLY
APPRECIATED THE AMENDMENTS THAT
YOU'VE TAKEN. AND WHERE WE ARE
TODAY. AND I'M GOING TO
RECOMMEND THAT I VOTE. AND WITH
THAT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE, I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE
. YEAH. THAT'S RIGHT. SO WITH
THAT, WHEN WE GET A QUORUM, WE
WILL, WE'LL VOTE ON THIS. AND
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU,
MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU EVERYONE.
THANK YOU, SENATOR BRADFORD,
WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO YOUR BILL,
FILE ITEM NUMBER 20, SB 1403. I
THOUGHT I GOT TO GO TO ANOTHER.
CAN HE. HE'S GOT TO GO. SENATOR
WILK'S GOT TO GO TO ANOTHER
MEETING, SO WE'LL DO THAT ONE
FIRST. THANK YOU. THIS IS FILE
ITEM NUMBER 21, SB 1495. THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR. YEAH, I'M GOING
TO BE GOING TO ANOTHER COMMITTEE
TO PRESENT A BILL. I'M NOT GOING
TO BE OUT THERE GOOFING OFF AS
SENATOR NILO WOULD LEAD YOU TO
BELIEVE. IF ANYBODY WAS IN
COMMITTEE YESTERDAY. ALL RIGHT.
WELL, GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR.
AND MEMBERS, I'M PLEASED TO
PRESENT SB 1495, WHICH WOULD
ALLOW ALCOHOL LICENSEES TO
SPONSOR EVENTS OR PURCHASE
ADVERTISING SPACE FROM THE
HOLLYWOOD FOREVER CEMETERY IN
LOS ANGELES. THE CEMETERY IS
CURRENTLY A PERMANENT RETAIL ON
SALE LICENSE HOLDER WITH A TYPE
88 LICENSE, WHICH DOESN'T ALLOW
FOR THIS ARRANGEMENT. THIS
NARROW TIED HOUSE EXEMPTION
WOULD HELP GENERATE IMPORTANT
REVENUES FOR THE CARE,
MAINTENANCE, AND IMPROVEMENT OF
THE CEMETERY OF THE CEMETERY
GROUNDS AND ITS ABILITY TO
CONTINUE TO HOST CULTURAL
EVENTS. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY
NOT BE, WHY WOULD SOMEBODY TEXT
ME IN THE MIDDLE OF MY
PRESENTATION ANYWAY, IF YOU'RE
NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS FACILITY,
IT IT IT IS THE FINAL RESTING
PLACE OF TONS OF PEOPLE. DOUGLAS
FAIRBANKS, LAUREN BACALL,
HUMPHREY BOGART, ALL THE WAY TO
THE RAMONE BROTHERS AND CHRIS
CORNELL FROM SOUNDGARDEN. SO
IT'S AN ICONIC PLACE. THEY LIKE
TO DO EVENTS THERE AND RAISE
MONEY. SO THIS WOULD ALLOW TO
ALLOW IT TO CONTINUE. THE
LEGISLATURE HAS GRANTED NUMEROUS
PROPERTY EXEMPTION EXEMPTIONS
FROM THE STATE RESTRICTIONS DUE
TO THE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT
THEY FACE, GIVEN THE PRECEDENTS
AND THE HOLLYWOOD FOREVER'S
UNIQUE OPERATIONS, AS BOTH A
FUNCTIONING CEMETERY AS WELL AS
A CULTURAL SPACE, A STATE LEVEL
TIED HOUSE EXEMPTION IS
APPROPRIATE. THE SPECIFICITY OF
THE TYPE 88 LICENSE ASSURES THIS
EXEMPTION FOR THE TYPE 88
LICENSE ALONE. IN BOTH TARGETED
IS BOTH TARGETED AND SIMPLISTIC.
THERE'S NO KNOWN OPPOSITION, AND
WITH ME TODAY IS MR. GV AYERS TO
TESTIFY ON BEHALF OF HOLLYWOOD
FOREVER. GOOD MORNING AND
WELCOME. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU
, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS,
MY NAME IS GV AYERS. I REPRESENT
HOLLYWOOD FOREVER AND THE
SPONSORS OF SB 1495. I
APPRECIATE MR. LOPEZ'S
THOUGHTFUL ANALYSIS, AND WE'RE
GRATEFUL TO SENATOR WILK FOR
AUTHORING THE BILL AND TO THE
COMMITTEE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
TODAY. HOLLYWOOD FOREVER
CEMETERY, AS SENATOR WILK HAS
STATED, IS AN ICONIC LOS ANGELES
LANDMARK AND INSTITUTION. IT
FULFILLS ITS FUNDAMENTAL PURPOSE
OF HONORING THE DEAD, AND
HOLLYWOOD FOREVER ALSO HAS
BECOME A CENTER OF CULTURE AND
SOCIAL ACTIVITY FOR THE LIVING.
IT HOSTS MORE THAN 90 EVENTS A
YEAR AND SUCH AS OUTDOOR
SCREENINGS OF FEATURE FILMS IN
HOLLYWOOD CLASSICS, INDOOR
PERFORMANCES OF MUSIC AND
LITERATURE AND ART AND OTHER
PRODUCTIONS. THE LARGEST DIA DE
LOS MUERTOS CELEBRATION IN THE
UNITED STATES, ATTRACTING MORE
THAN 35,000 PEOPLE, AT TIMES,
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY FAMILY
MEMORIALS AND CELEBRATIONS AS
WELL. SIX YEARS AGO, THIS
COMMITTEE AND THE LEGISLATURE
AUTHORIZED ABC TO ISSUE A
SPECIAL ON SALE LICENSE, FOR
RETAIL LICENSE FOR THE CEMETERY
IN CONNECTION WITH THESE EVENTS.
AND NOW WE BELIEVE IT IS TIME
THAT WE CAN GO A STEP FURTHER,
BECAUSE SPONSORSHIP OF THESE
EVENTS BY OTHER, ABC LICENSEES
IS VERY IMPORTANT AND CAN HELP
TO OFFSET THE FUNDS. THE COST OF
THESE EVENTS, BUT ALSO HELP TO
CONTRIBUTE TO THE UPKEEP AND
CARE OF THE CEMETERY. AND SO WE
ARE SEEKING THIS EXEMPTION HERE,
THROUGH SENATOR WILK'S BILL, WE
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND ENCOURAGE
AND ENCOURAGE YOUR I VOTE ON THE
BILL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANYONE ELSE HERE IN SUPPORT
SEEING NONE ANYBODY IN
OPPOSITION? ALSO SEEING NONE.
WE'LL BRING THE DISCUSSION BACK
TO THE MEMBERS. ANYBODY HAVE
ANY. I'LL MOVE IT AT THE
APPROPRIATE TIME. TIME. WE HAVE
A WE'LL HAVE A MOTION BY
ARCHULETA, SENATOR WILK, BEFORE
YOU CLOSE, IS THERE ANY CAPACITY
TO BE INTERRED IN THIS PLACE?
SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A PRETTY COOL
PLACE TO SPEND THE ETERNITY.
YEAH. MICHAEL. MICHAEL JACKSON,
LIZ TAYLOR, MICKEY ROONEY, I'M
SURE WE CAN FIND A PLACE FOR
YOU. OKAY AND. AND YOUR
BEAUTIFUL AND YOUR BEAUTIFUL
BRIDE, MARY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR THAT. SO. AND YOUR KIDS AND
YOUR WHAT, 13 GRANDKIDS? YEAH.
WE MAY NOT HAVE SPACE FOR THE
FAMILY. THEY'RE OKAY WITH THAT.
APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE THAT WAS
RESPECTFULLY ASK BROUGH. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE KIND OF
MOVING AROUND HERE SINCE WE
DON'T HAVE A QUORUM. BUT WE'RE
LUCKY TO HAVE, SENATOR OCHOA
HERE. AND SHE'S GOING TO
PRESENT, FILE ITEM NUMBER 17.
THAT'S SB 1224. I GOTTA GO OPEN.
I'VE GOTTA GO OPEN, AND THEN WE
GO PUBLIC SAFETY. THEN I'LL BE
BACK. OKAY GOOD MORNING.
SENATOR. FEEL FREE TO BEGIN WHEN
YOU'RE READY. GOOD MORNING, MR.
CHAIR. AND MEMBERS, LET ME START
BY THANKING THE COMMITTEE STAFF
FOR WORKING WITH MY OFFICE TO
IMPROVE THIS BILL. I'M HAPPY TO
TAKE THE COMMITTEE'S AMENDMENTS.
SENATE BILL 1224 WILL ALLOW
RIVERSIDE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS IN
INDIA TO SELL LIQUOR WITHOUT
REQUIRING THE GROUNDS TO
MAINTAIN A FULLY OPERATIONAL
KITCHEN. THE FAIR IS HOME TO
VARIOUS EVENTS, INCLUDING THE
NATIONAL DATE FESTIVAL THAT
BRINGS IN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF PEOPLE EVERY YEAR. WHILE THE
COUNTY OWNS THE FAIRGROUNDS,
THEY RETAINED A NEW MANAGEMENT
COMPANY LAST JULY, WHEN THE NEW
COMPANY ATTEMPTED TO TAKE
OWNERSHIP OF THE LIQUOR LICENSE
THAT WAS ISSUED IN 2008, THEY
FOUND THAT THE LICENSE
REQUIREMENTS CHANGED BECAUSE THE
FAIR NO LONGER OFFERED OFF TRACK
BETTING ON SITE WITHOUT THE OFF
TRACK BETTING, THE FAIR MUST
MEET THE REQUIRED OF A BONA FIDE
EATING PLACE, DESPITE THE FACT
THAT THE SITE HAS NOT HAD TO
MEET THIS REQUIREMENT IN THE
PAST, AND CURRENTLY LACKS THE
REQUIRED KITCHEN AND
REFRIGERATION TO QUALIFY AS
AMENDED, SB 1224 WILL ALLOW THE
FAIR TO SERVE ALCOHOL ON SITE AS
LONG AS FOOD SERVICE IS
AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AT ALL
TIMES DURING THE EVENTS. THIS
CHANGE ENSURES THAT THE FAIR CAN
CONTINUE OPERATING AS IT HAS FOR
ALMOST TWO DECADES, ALLOWING THE
COMMUNITY TO BENEFIT FROM THE
SUBSTANTIAL REVENUE THAT THE
FAIR EVENTS CONTRIBUTE TO THE
LOCAL ECONOMY. HERE TO TESTIFY
ON BEHALF OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY IS
BOB GIROUX. I THERE WE GO. THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS I'D LIKE
TO THANK MR. PHILIPPE LOPEZ FOR
HIS WORK WITH THE ABC AND THE
MICROPHONE MICROPHONES.
GENTLEMEN ON THE AMENDMENTS, THE
RIVERSIDE COUNTY FAIR HAS
EVOLVED. WITH THE ADVENT OF FOOD
TRUCKS. WE DO AS SENATOR BOGUE,
WE DO SERVE SEVERAL, DIFFERENT
EVENTS IN THE COUNTY, INCLUDING
THE INTERNATIONAL DATE FESTIVAL,
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THIS
HAPPENS TO BE A DISTRICT BILL
FOR SENATORS, THE ALL FOUR
SENATORS THAT REPRESENT, COUNTY,
RIVERSIDE, SENATOR BOGUE,
SENATOR ROTH, SENATOR SATO, AND
SENATOR PADILLA, WE WOULD
APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND ASK
FOR YOUR VOTE. OKAY. THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE IN THE
ROOM WISHING TO TESTIFY IN
SUPPORT OF THIS BILL? SEEING
NONE. ANYBODY WISHING TO TESTIFY
AGAINST THE BILL? SEEING NONE.
WE'RE GOING TO PULL IT BACK TO
THE COMMITTEE. MOVE THE BILL,
SENATOR ALVARADO. GIL I AM A BIG
FAN OF COUNTY FAIRS, AND I'M
WONDERING, WHAT DO I NEED TO DO
TO GET AN INVITATION TO THE DATE
FESTIVAL, SO I'M GOING TO LEAVE
THAT. LEAVE THAT IN YOUR HANDS.
AND THREE OF OUR OUR COLLEAGUES
THAT ALSO REPRESENT THAT AREA.
BUT WHEN APPROPRIATE, I WOULD
MOVE THE BILL, UNLESS MY
COLLEAGUE HERE WOULD LIKE TO.
OKAY ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. LET'S
DO IT. YOU GOT THAT CHANGE?
OKAY. SEEING NO OTHER COMMENTS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
PRESENTING. WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE, PLEASE? I RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE. GREAT.
THANK YOU. OKAY. SENATOR WAHAB
APPARENTLY IS ON HER WAY. IT'S
NOT NATURAL RESOURCES. SECOND
FLOOR. I'M WRONG. THAT'S RIGHT.
NONE OF US. KNOW SENATOR PADILLA
HAS A BILL? OH, YEAH. HOW ARE
YOU? GOOD. ARE YOU READY? YES,
SIR. OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE
TO FILE ITEM NUMBER 15, SB 990.
THAT'S SENATOR PADILLA. YOUR
TIMING IS IMPECCABLE. PLEASE
FEEL FREE TO START WHEN YOU'RE
READY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR.
CHAIRMAN. AND MEMBERS, I'M HAPPY
TO PRESENT SB 990. I WANT TO
BEGIN BY ACCEPTING THE
COMMITTEE'S AMENDMENTS AND THANK
THE COMMITTEE STAFF FOR WORKING
WITH OUR OFFICE LAST YEAR AS WE
WELL KNOW, CALIFORNIA SUFFERED A
RECORD NUMBER OF CATASTROPHIC
NATURAL DISASTERS, WHICH WILL
ONLY INCREASE, UNFORTUNATELY,
OFTEN IN FREQUENCY AND INTENSITY
AS CLIMATE CHANGE WORSENS. AS
THOUGH CLIMATE DISASTERS WILL
TOUCH MANY CALIFORNIANS, RECENT
STUDIES INDICATE THAT THE LGBTQ
PLUS COMMUNITY ARE DISPROPORTION
IMPACTED BY DISASTERS, BOTH
BECAUSE OF PREEXISTING
MARGINALIZATION AND
DISCRIMINATORY DISASTER RESPONSE
POLICIES. LGBTQ PLUS PERSONS,
PARTICULARLY THOSE OF COLOR,
FACE WORSE DISPLACEMENT
CONDITIONS COMPARED TO CISGENDER
HETEROSEXUAL INDIVIDUALS. BIAS
AND DISASTER RESPONSE PROGRAMS.
FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE UNIQUE LGBT
FAMILY STRUCTURES. BARRIERS TO
OBTAINING PROPER ID AND
ANTI-LGBTQ+ PRACTICES AT SOME
DISASTER RELIEF SERVICES
PROVIDED BY FAITH BASED
ORGANIZATIONS THAT AT SOME
POINTS ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTIVELY
DENY SERVICES CAN ALL COMPOUND
TO HEIGHTEN THE RISK THAT LGBT
COMMUNITIES FACE DURING A
DISASTER, STATE AND FEDERAL
AGENCIES CONTINUE TO LACK A
CLEAR STRATEGY ON HOW TO
INTEGRATE LGBTQ PLUS PEOPLE INTO
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, PLANNING
AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE IN ORDER
TO EQUITABLY SERVE THE LGBTQ
PLUS COMMUNITY, WE MUST CONSULT
DIRECTLY WITH ADVOCATES,
ORGANIZATIONS, RESEARCHERS AND
ENSURE THAT THEIR NEEDS IS BEING
MET ARE BEING MET. EXCUSE ME. SB
990 WOULD REQUIRE THAT THE
CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF
EMERGENCY SERVICES CAL OES
UPDATE THE STATE EMERGENCY PLAN
TO INCLUDE PROPOSED POLICIES AND
BEST PRACTICES FOR LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL
ENTITIES TO EQUITABLY SERVE
THESE COMMUNITIES. TO CRAFT
THESE POLICIES, CAL OES WOULD BE
REQUIRED TO COORDINATE DIRECTLY
WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY, STATE
POLICIES AND GUIDELINES SHOULD
REFLECT THE NEEDS OF ALL
CALIFORNIANS. IT WILL HELP CAL
OES FURTHER UNDERSTAND HOW TO
SERVE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
WHEN DISASTER STRIKES. HERE
TODAY TO TESTIFY IS JOSEPHINE
FIGUEROA, REPRESENTING
CALIFORNIA INSURANCE
COMMISSIONER RICARDO LARA AND
CRAIG PULSIPHER WITH EQUALITY
CALIFORNIA. GOOD MORNING, MR.
CHAIR, AND MEMBERS JOSEPHINE
FIGUEROA, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER
AND LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE UNDER
THE LEADERSHIP OF INSURANCE
COMMISSIONER RICARDO LARA,
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK SENATOR
BADIA FOR AUTHORING THIS
IMPORTANT MEASURE. INSURANCE
COMMISSIONER LARA IS A PROUD
CO-SPONSOR OF SENATE BILL 980.
SB 990 WOULD REQUIRE THE OFFICE
OF EMERGING SERVICES ON OR
BEFORE JANUARY 1ST OF 2027 TO
UPDATE THE STATE EMERGENCY PLAN
TO INCLUDE PROPOSED POLICY AND
BEST PRACTICES FOR LOCAL
GOVERNMENT AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL
ENTITIES TO EQUALITY, SERVE
EQUALITY TO SERVE LGBTQ PLUS
COMMUNITIES DURING AN EMERGENCY
OR NATURAL DISASTER. AS YOU ALL
KNOW, CALIFORNIA HAS SUFFERED A
RECORD NUMBER OF CATASTROPHIC
NATURAL DISASTERS IN RECENT
YEARS AND IT IS PREDICTED THAT
TO ONLY INCREASE IN FREQUENCY
AND INTENSITY AS CLIMATE CHANGE
WORSENS, THE CLIMATE DISASTERS
HAVE IMPACTED ALL CALIFORNIANS.
UNFORTUNATELY, LGBTQ PLUS
INDIVIDUALS ARE
DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY
DISASTERS BECAUSE OF PREEXISTING
MARGINALIZATION. LGBT PLUS
INDIVIDUALS ARE ALSO
OVERREPRESENTED IN AT RISK
POPULATIONS, FOR WHOM DISASTERS
ARE MORE LIKELY TO BRING DEATH,
DISPLACEMENT, AND OTHER NEGATIVE
HEALTH AND SOCIO SOCIOECONOMIC
IMPACTS. INSURANCE COMMISSIONER
LARA HAS TRAVELED THE STATE
DURING AND AFTER NATURAL AND
OTHER DISASTERS, AND HAS
WITNESSED THE HUMAN TRAGEDY AND
SUFFERING ENDURED BY CALIFORNIA.
AS A RESULT OF THESE EVENTS. WE
MUST BE INCLUSIVE IN ALL
POPULATIONS IN OUR DISASTER
RESPONSE EFFORTS AND THIS BILL
IS AN IMPORTANT STEP IN THAT
DIRECTION. ON BEHALF OF
INSURANCE COMMISSIONER RICARDO
LARA, I ASK FOR YOUR I VOTE.
ANYBODY ELSE WISH TO TESTIFY IN
SUPPORT? ANYBODY WISHING TO
TESTIFY IN OPPOSITION? SEEING
NONE. WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE
COMMITTEE. ANY COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE. YEAH
YES. SENATOR CHOBOQ, THANK YOU,
SENATOR DODD. SO I'M KIND OF
CURIOUS BECAUSE I, I WAS READING
THE BILL AND I WAS KIND OF
CURIOUS AS TO HOW DOES THIS
DIFFER FROM ANY OTHER COMMUNITY
THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED
UNDERREPRESENTED, AND ALSO HAS,
ISSUES, PREEXISTING ISSUES SUCH
AS INDIVIDUALS WITH, ENGLISH
LANGUAGE LEARNERS, SO
UNDOCUMENTED, THE UNHOUSED, WHAT
ELSE DO WE HAVE THAT IS, THAT
WOULD BE CONSIDERED
UNDERREPRESENTED PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES, ALL OF THESE OTHER
GROUPS THAT ARE THAT WOULD BE
CONSIDERED MARGINALIZED OR HAVE
PREEXISTING CONDITIONS THAT ARE,
YOU KNOW, DISPROPORTIONATELY
AFFECTING THOSE TYPE OF
COMMUNITIES. SO I'M KIND OF
CURIOUS AS TO WHY SPECIFICALLY
LGBTQ AND NOT SOMETHING I'M
SURPRISED THAT WE DON'T ALREADY
HAVE SOMETHING TO INCLUDE.
EVERYBODY THAT WOULD BE
CONSIDERED, YOU KNOW,
UNDERREPRESENTED OR MARGINALIZED
WITH PREEXISTING CONDITIONS
PRIOR TO A DISASTER. AND WHY
DON'T WE HAVE SOMEBODY IN
GENERAL AND JUST SPECIFIC TO
MAYBE THERE IS I MEAN, YOU COULD
EDUCATE ME ON THIS BECAUSE, I
DON'T KNOW, I WAS JUST KIND OF
CURIOUS AS TO EVERYBODY ELSE
THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED
MARGINALIZED AS WELL. MR.
CHAIRMAN, SENATOR, THANK YOU FOR
THE QUESTION. CORRECT. I THINK
THAT THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
SERVICES, IN THEIR PREPARATORY
DOCUMENTS AND PLANNING, ALWAYS
SEEK TO TRY TO RESPOND TO THE
WHOLE TOTALITY OF CALIFORNIA'S
POPULATION. AND THEY DO TAKE
INTO ACCOUNT AND THEY DO PLAN TO
BE ABLE TO BE EDUCATED AND
RESPONSIVE TO ALL THE MANY
MYRIAD DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF OUR
CULTURE AND SOCIETY. THE POINT
OF THE BILL IS THAT THE LGBTQ
COMMUNITY, WITH SOME OF THE
UNIQUE ATTRIBUTES THAT THAT
COMMUNITY HAS, SHOULD ALSO BE
INCORPORATED INTO THAT PLANNING.
AND THAT'S THE POINT OF THE
BILL. SO IN OTHER WORDS, THE
CURRENT, THE CURRENT SYSTEM THAT
WE HAVE TAKES CARE OF EVERY
OTHER MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY OR
HAS STIPULATIONS AND HOW TO
ADDRESS THEIR PARTICULAR, BUT
NOT THE LGBTQ. YEAH. THE OFFICE
IS ALWAYS SEEKING, SEEKING TO
STRIVE TO BETTER AND MORE
RESPONSIBLY AND EFFECTIVELY
RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF THE
TOTAL POPULATION OF CALIFORNIA
AND EVERYONE'S UNIQUE
CIRCUMSTANCES. SOMETIMES THAT
MEANS PEOPLE WHO ARE PHYSICALLY
OR MENTALLY IMPAIRED. THAT MEANS
PEOPLE WITH UNIQUE FACTORS THAT
CONTRIBUTE TO THEM BEING
UNSHELTERED OR IN THE SITUATION
THEY'RE IN, MEANS PEOPLE WITH
CERTAIN DISPOSITIONS THAT MAKE
IT HARDER TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE.
IT GEOGRAPHY. THERE'S A LOT OF
THINGS, BUT WHETHER IT'S
CULTURAL COMPETENCY, LANGUAGE
DISABILITIES AND OTHERS, THE
WHOLE POINT OF THE OFFICE IS OUR
BEST DISASTER RESPONSE IS ONE
THAT RESPONDS TO EVERYONE. AND
SO THE POINT OF THE BILL IS TO
MAKE SURE THAT THIS ELEMENT IS
CONSIDERED IN THE PLANNING.
THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? SENATOR
ARCHULETA? YES, THANK YOU FOR
PRESENTING THE BILL, SENATOR. MY
QUESTION IS, HAVE WE HAD ISSUES
THAT BROUGHT THIS FORWARD? THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT'S, FIRST RESPONDERS
THAT THEY DISCRIMINATED IN SOME
WAY OR ANOTHER OR TURNED THEIR
BACKS ON A SPECIFIC COMMUNITY AT
ALL, IS I'M JUST CURIOUS. IT
SEEMS THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL HUMAN
LIFE IS HUMAN LIFE. AND, IN THE
PURPOSE OF THE BILL, I SHOULD I
WOULD IMAGINE YOU FEEL THAT
SOMEONE WAS PUSHED ASIDE OR AN
ENTIRE COMMUNITY PUSHED ASIDE.
ENLIGHTEN ME WITH THAT, PLEASE.
MR. CHAIRMAN. SENATOR, THANK YOU
FOR THE QUESTION. FIRST, AND I
CAN MAKE THIS AVAILABLE. I'M IN
A SITE TO A RECENT STUDY IN 2023
FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA, IRVINE, ALONG WITH
YALE UNIVERSITY AND THE
CLAREMONT COLLEGES, FROM 2023,
CALLED AMPLIFIED HARM, LGBTQ
PLUS DISASTER DISPLACEMENT. AND
I'LL JUST BRIEFLY READ INTO THE
RECORD SOME OF THE KEY FINDINGS
OF THAT STUDY BY THOSE ESTEEMED
INSTITUTIONS ONE NATIONAL LGBTQ
PLUS DISASTER REPLACEMENT IS
NEARLY DISPLACEMENT. EXCUSE ME,
IS NEARLY TWO TIMES HIGHER THAN
CISGENDER, HETEROSEXUAL
DISPLACEMENT. LGBTQ PLUS
INDIVIDUALS FACE WORSE
DISPLACEMENT CONDITIONS COMPARED
TO CISGENDER HETEROSEXUAL
INDIVIDUALS, HIGHEST AMONG LGBTQ
PLUS PERSONS OF COLOR. ALTHOUGH
THERE IS A LOT OF STATE LEVEL
VARIATION, LGBTQ PLUS
DISPLACEMENT IS HIGHER THAN CIS
GENDER HETEROSEXUAL DISPLACEMENT
IN MOST STATES, AND DISPLACEMENT
IS POTENTIALLY RELATED TO
OVERALL STATE LEVEL POSITIONS ON
LGBTQ CIVIL RIGHTS, MEANING
STATES WITH MORE ANTI LGBTQ
POLICIES GENERALLY HAVE HIGHER
DISPLACEMENT DURING DISASTERS,
ETC. SO THE INVERSE IS TRUE HERE
IN CALIFORNIA, WE TRY TO STRIVE
FOR THE OPPOSITE. THANK YOU FOR
THE EXPLANATION. DISCRIMINATION.
DISCRIMINATION NO DOUBT. SO WHEN
APPROPRIATE I'M GOING TO MOVE
THE BILL. THANK YOU SIR OKAY SO
WITH THAT I'M NOT SEEING
ANYBODY. OH SENATOR RUBIO THANK
YOU. SO MUCH MR. CHAIR. I THINK
IT'S AN IMPORTANT BILL. AND I
THINK THAT EVERY TIME WE PUT AN
EMPHASIS ON SUBGROUPS LIKE, YOU
KNOW, LIKE YOU CITED SOME
DISPLACEMENT DATA HERE, I MEAN,
IT'S CLEARLY NEEDED AND IT'S
IMPORTANT. SO I COMMEND YOU FOR
BRINGING THIS FORWARD. THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU SO AT
THE APPROPRIATE TIME, WHEN WE
GET TO A QUORUM, WE'LL BE VOTING
ON YOUR BILL. WE REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU. AT THAT TIME, I'D ASK
FOR AN AYE VOTE. AND THANK YOU,
SIR. THANK YOU FOR THAT
BEAUTIFUL CLOSE WITHOUT BEING
ASKED. LET'S ALL RIGHT. SO,
SENATOR WAHAB, I JUST WANT TO,
FOR THE RECORD, NOTE THAT, YOUR
GOOD COLLEAGUE, SENATOR BECKER
HAS ALLOWED YOU TO GO FIRST
BECAUSE YOU'RE CHAIRING THE
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. SO GOOD
MORNING AND WELCOME. WE'RE GOING
TO START, I THINK, WITH FILE
ITEM NUMBER FOUR, SB 984. GOOD
MORNING. CHAIR CHAIR. AND
COLLEAGUES AND MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC, I WANT TO THANK THE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AS WELL AS
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, STAFF, FOR
WORKING WITH US ON THIS
PARTICULAR BILL. BEFORE I BEGIN,
I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, YOU
KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF WORK ON THIS
BILL. THE BILL IN PRINT REFLECTS
AMENDMENTS THAT CAME DIRECTLY
FROM THE COMMITTEE. AND I DO
ACCEPT THEM, PROJECT LABOR
AGREEMENTS ENSURE THE STATE'S
INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC
INFRASTRUCTURE ARE PROTECTED
FROM COSTLY DELAYS, AND PROTECTS
EMPLOYEES ON THESE PROJECTS.
PLAS ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS
WITHOUT BURDENING THE DIVISION
OF LABOR STANDARDS ENFORCEMENT
PROJECT. LABOR AGREEMENTS
PROVIDE GREATER OPPORTUNITY TO
PRIORITIZE INCLUSION OF WOMEN
VETERANS, MEMBERS OF INDIGENOUS
TRIBES, BIPOC INDIVIDUALS,
INCLUDING ALSO FOLKS THAT HAVE
HISTORICALLY BEEN INCARCERATED.
THESE ARE WORKING CLASS JOBS
THAT ACTUALLY HAVE MIDDLE CLASS
INCOME, AND IT'S INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO
PRIORITIZE THE UNION WORKFORCE.
SB 984 WOULD REQUIRE THE
DEPARTMENT OF TOXIC SUBSTANCE
CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL
SERVICES, THE CALIFORNIA STATE
UNIVERSITY, AND THE CALIFORNIA
COURTS TO IDENTIFY THREE MAJOR
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT WILL
BE GOVERNED BY A PLA BEGINNING
IN 2029. SB 984 WILL ALSO
REQUIRE THESE AGENCIES TO REPORT
THE USE OF PLAS. ADVANCEMENT OF
COMMUNITY BENEFITS GOALS AND
APPRENTICESHIPS ON THESE
PROJECTS. I WOULD LIKE TO
INTRODUCE TWO WITNESSES, JEREMY
SMITH OF THE STATE BUILDING AND
CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL, AS
WELL AS SARAH FLAX, THE
CALIFORNIA LABOR FEDERATION
CHAIR. WHEN YOU'RE READY. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH, SENATOR. AND MR.
SMITH, WE'RE GOING TO DO A
QUORUM, HERE. CAN WE CALL THE
ROLL, PLEASE? DODD HERE. DODD
HERE. WILK OUR ALVARADO GIL.
HERE. ALVARADO GIL HERE.
ARCHULETA. HERE. ARCHULETA.
HERE. ASHBY BRADFORD. GLASER.
JONES NGUYEN. OKOBO. HERE.
CHOMBO. HERE. PADILLA HERE.
PADILLA. HERE. PORTANTINO. ROTH.
ROTH HERE. PORTANTINO. HERE
ROTH. HERE. RUBIO RUBIO.
PRESENT. SATO. SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. HERE. HE'S
HERE. ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A
QUORUM. MR. SMITH, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WITH YOUR
PERMISSION, I TALKED TO THE NEXT
SPEAKER IN FACT, GO OVER MY TWO
MINUTES JUST FOR, LIKE, 30S AND
CUT INTO HER TIME. SHE SAID SHE
WAS OKAY WITH THAT. THAT'S FINE.
OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU
A HEADS UP ON THAT. I APPRECIATE
THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. JEREMY
SMITH HERE. ON BEHALF OF THE
STATE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION
TRADES COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA,
THE PROUD SPONSORS OF THIS BILL,
WE'D ALSO LIKE TO ECHO SENATOR
HOBBS, THANK YOU TO YOU, MR.
CHAIR, AND YOUR GREAT COMMITTEE
STAFF, FOR HELPING US WORK
THROUGH THE AMENDMENTS THAT YOU
ALL REQUESTED AND THAT WE AGREE
TO AND IT MAKES IT A BETTER
BILL. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT
PROJECT. LABOR AGREEMENTS HAVE
PROVEN TO BE A MARKET BASED
PROJECT EFFICIENCY TOOL THAT
CONTINUALLY HAVE PROVEN TO
ENSURE ON TIME, ON BUDGET
RESULTS FOR CONSTRUCTION
PROJECTS AS WELL TO ENSURE THAT
LOCAL WORKERS ARE GETTING THE
JOBS CREATED BY LOCAL TAX
INVESTMENTS. ANY QUALIFIED
CONTRACTOR CAN BID TO WORK UNDER
A PLA ON A PUBLIC PROJECT.
THAT'S STATE LAW. PUBLIC
CONTRACT CODE SECTION 2500
PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION ON ALL
THE USUAL THINGS THAT WE ALL SEE
RACE AND ORIGIN, SEXUAL
ORIENTATION, BUT ALSO ON WHETHER
OR NOT YOU AS A AS A WORKER OR
CONTRACTOR, ARE IN A UNION OR A
SIGNATORY TO A COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING AGREEMENT. THAT'S IN
PUBLIC CONTRACT CODE SECTION
2500, MANY AGREEMENTS IN THE
PUBLIC SECTOR, HOWEVER, CONTAIN
SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS THAT MAKE
IT EASIER FOR CONTRACTORS THAT
DO NOT ORDINARILY WORK UNDER
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS
TO PARTICIPATE ON THE PROJECT.
FOR EXAMPLE, SOME AGREEMENTS
WILL PERMIT CONTRACTORS TO BRING
A CERTAIN NUMBER OF THEIR
EXISTING EMPLOYEES ONTO THE
WORKSITE WITHOUT REQUIRING THEM
TO GO THROUGH A DIFFERENT
RIGAMAROLE. FURTHERMORE, AS I AS
I MENTIONED, SENATE BILL 94 IS
GOING TO BE TUCKED IN UNDER
SECTION PUBLIC CONTRACT CODE
SECTION 2500, WHICH PROHIBITS
DISCRIMINATION AND PERMITS,
REQUIRES ALL QUALIFIED
CONTRACTORS TO BE ABLE TO BID ON
THESE PROJECTS UNDER A PLA. IT
IS ENTIRELY THEN UP TO A
CONTRACTOR TO CHOOSE WHETHER TO
WORK UNDER A PLA. SOME PUBLIC
AGENCIES HAVE NEGOTIATED
INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS WITH
EMPLOYERS TO ASSIST SMALL
BUSINESSES, INCLUDING MINORITY
AND WOMEN OWNED CONTRACTORS, IN
PREPARING BIDS AND COMPLYING
WITH THE VARIOUS VARIOUS LEGAL
REQUIREMENTS. JUST IN THE LAST
FEW YEARS, THE FOLLOWING
PRIVATELY FUNDED PROJECTS HAVE
BEEN BUILT UNDER PLA THE KINGS
ARENA, THE WARRIORS ARENA, THE
ANAHEIM HOCKEY TEAM ARENA.
ANYTHING ANYBODY SEES AT
DISNEYLAND IS UNDER PLA, THE LA
RAMS STADIUM, CLIPPER STADIUM.
FURTHERMORE MORE GERMANE TO THIS
BILL, HERE ARE SOME PUBLIC PLA S
HIGH SPEED RAIL. THE CITIES OF
ANAHEIM, LONG BEACH, PICO
RIVERA, ECHO PARK, AND DOZENS OF
OTHERS. THE SACRAMENTO COUNTY
AIRPORT, LÀ COMMUNITY COLLEGE
DISTRICT LUSD, THE CITY OF LA,
THE COUNTY OF LA, DWP AND LA,
THE METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT.
BART THE TRANSBAY CENTER DOWN IN
SAN FRANCISCO, WHICH IS GOING TO
PROVIDE 5.7 MILLION WORK HOURS
IN ONLY THE FIRST PHASE. ONE
MORE AND THEN I'LL FINISH UP IS
THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY WATER
AUTHORITY. IT'S ILLUSTRATIVE ON
HOW THESE INSTRUMENTS CAN BE
HONED AND SHAPED TO ANSWER FOR
PARTICULAR COMMUNITY, SPECIAL
NEEDS. THIS PLA HAS THE
FOLLOWING DEFINITION OF TARGETED
WORKERS THE TYPE OF WORKERS
REQUIRED TO BE ON PROJECTS
CARRIED OUT BY THE SAN DIEGO
COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY. A
TARGETED WORKER IS A WORKER WHO
IS A VETERAN, AN APPRENTICE WITH
LESS THAN 15% OF THE WORK HOURS
REQUIRED FOR COMPLETION. NO HIGH
SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR GED IS
HOMELESS. IS A FORMER FOSTER
YOUTH, IS A CUSTODIAL SINGLE
PARENT, IS EXPERIENCING
PROTRACTED UNEMPLOYMENT, IS A
CURRENT RECIPIENT OF GOVERNMENT
OR CASH, FOOD OR ASSISTANCE
BENEFITS. HAS DOCUMENTED INCOME
AT OR BELOW 100% OF FEDERAL
POVERTY LEVEL, IS FORMERLY
INCARCERATED, OR IS A GRADUATE
OF AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
THESE ARE REQUIRED WORKERS TO BE
ON THIS PROJECT, AND PLAS OFTEN
MIMIC SOMETHING ALONG THOSE
LINES. THEY'RE ALL NEGOTIATED
INDIVIDUALLY, AND WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE LOCAL WORKERS WHO ARE
FROM CERTAIN ZIP CODES SOMETIMES
ARE ON THESE PROJECTS. THOSE ARE
PUT INTO PLAS. WE THINK THIS IS
GOOD FOR THE STATE. IT'S
OBVIOUSLY GOOD FOR PRIVATE
INDUSTRY AND MANY OTHER PUBLIC
AGENCIES IN THE STATE. WE URGE
YOUR AYE VOTE TODAY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT
SPEAKER. GOOD MORNING. GOOD
MORNING, MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS
SARAH FLAX, THE CALIFORNIA LABOR
FEDERATION, ALSO IN STRONG
SUPPORT OF THE BILL, THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT IS INVESTING BILLIONS
OF DOLLARS INTO INFRASTRUCTURE
AS PART OF THEIR THEIR FEDERAL
BILLS. AND AS PART OF THAT, THE
PRESIDENT HAS MADE PROJECT LABOR
AGREEMENTS A CENTERPIECE, AND
HE'S MADE IT A CENTERPIECE
BECAUSE IT IS A PROVEN TOOL TO
MAKE SURE THAT PROJECTS ARE HIGH
QUALITY, THAT THEY COME IN ON
TIME AND ON BUDGET AND CREATE
GOOD UNION JOBS. NOT ONLY THAT,
BUT THEY ARE A TOOL TO MAKE SURE
THAT YOU SAVE MONEY. THERE ARE
PROJECTS IN NEW YORK, FOR
EXAMPLE. RECENT PROJECTS THAT
CREATED OVER 2000 GOOD UNION
JOBS AND SAVED OVER $300
MILLION. IT'S ALSO AN INCREDIBLY
EFFECTIVE TOOL TO OPEN THE DOOR
FOR GOOD UNION CONSTRUCTION
CAREERS. FOR WOMEN, PEOPLE OF
COLOR, AND VETERANS. THERE ARE
COMMUNITY BENEFITS EMBEDDED INTO
PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS THAT
MAKE SURE WE HAVE EQUITABLE
ACCESS AND THAT ALL OF THESE NEW
JOBS THAT ARE CREATED, GOOD
MIDDLE CLASS CAREER JOBS ARE
OPEN TO A RANGE OF DIVERSE
CALIFORNIANS. SO THIS IS A
PROVEN TOOL. IT'S BEEN USED
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND IT'S
SOMETHING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
HAS PUT AT THE CENTER OF THEIR
INVESTMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND IN OTHER CONSTRUCTION
PROJECTS. AND WE THINK THIS IS A
VERY SMALL STEP FORWARD AND HOPE
WILL WILL GO FURTHER AS THE
STATE ADOPTS THIS AS AN
IMPORTANT TOOL. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. MR. CHAIRMAN
AND MEMBERS, SCOTT WELCH, ON
BEHALF OF THE 125,000 MEMBERS OF
THE STATE ASSOCIATION OF
ELECTRICAL WORKERS, THE 55,000
MEMBERS OF THE CALIFORNIA
COALITION OF UTILITY EMPLOYEES,
THE 40,000 MEMBERS OF THE
CALIFORNIA STATE PIPE TRADES
COUNCIL, THE 30,000 MEMBERS OF
THE WESTERN STATES COUNCIL OF
SHEET METAL WORKERS, AND THE
ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTORS UNION
URGING ANY VOTE THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING,
MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS JAMES, THE
DIRECTOR OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE
COUNCIL OF LABORERS. I WANT TO
THANK THE AUTHOR FOR HER
LEADERSHIP ON THIS. SO WE
STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE IN
FAVOR? SEEING NONE ANY
OPPOSITION, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE, FELIPE FUENTES
HERE ON BEHALF OF THE ASSOCIATED
GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF
CALIFORNIA. UNFORTUNATELY, IN
OPPOSITION TO THIS MEASURE, THE
MEASURE MANDATING PROJECT LABOR
AGREEMENTS ON SPECIFIED STATE
PUBLIC WORKS, WE HAVE TWO CHIEF
CONCERNS. AND I WANT TO BE
REALLY SORT OF, VERY PRONOUNCED
AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS. WE'RE
NOT OPPOSED TO WORKING WITH
LABOR. IN FACT, THE ASSOCIATED
GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF
CALIFORNIA IS MADE UP OF OVER A
THOUSAND, MEMBERS, OF WHICH TWO
THIRDS ARE MEMBERS THAT HAVE
MASTER LABOR AGREEMENTS WITH
PARTNERS LIKE THE TEAMSTERS, THE
CARPENTERS, THE LABORERS, AND
THE CEMENT MASONS. AND ONE THIRD
IS OPEN SHOP. BUT THOSE OPEN
SHOP MEMBERS ALSO HAVE TO GO
THROUGH APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
SO ALL OF THE SAFEGUARDS, ALL OF
THE WELL-INTENDED THINGS THAT
WERE SPOKEN TO FOR A SECOND
HERE, WE ALSO HERALD AND ARE
VERY PROUD OF IT. OUR CONCERN IS
PRIMARILY THAT WE'RE PUTTING THE
CART BEFORE THE HORSE HERE.
PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS ARE
NEGOTIATED BY THE OWNERS AND
LABOR, LEAVING THE CONTRACTOR
OUT OF THE PROCESS AND THE
CONTRACTOR WOULD, DUE RESPECT, I
THINK, HAS THE BEST EXPERTISE ON
HOW IT IS THAT PROJECTS CAN BE
DELIVERED. AND SO FOR THAT SORT
OF PROCESS REASON, WE HAVE A
STRONG OBJECTION TO THE MEASURE.
THERE ARE ALSO CONSIDERATIONS
WHEN YOU DO THIS SORT OF THING.
CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION. FOR
EXAMPLE, IF THE FISCAL
COMMITTEES AHEAD OF THIS BILL
ARE ABLE TO DO THEIR ANALYSIS, I
THINK THEY'LL UNDERSTAND THAT
ADMINISTERING A PROJECT LABOR
AGREEMENT IS A COSTLY, MEASURE.
ALSO, CORE WORKER PROVISIONS ARE
AFFECTED. AS I MENTIONED AT THE
OUTSET HERE, AGC HAS A
PARTNERSHIP WITH LABOR. AND WHEN
WE TAKE A JOB ON, WE TAKE THOSE
LABOR PARTNERS WITH US A PROJECT
LABOR AGREEMENT. UNFORTUNATELY
WILL LIKELY SUPERSEDE MASTER
LABOR AGREEMENTS IN WHICH CASE
OUR PARTNERSHIPS, THOSE
WORKFORCE THAT WE BRING TO
PROJECTS WILL HAVE TO BE
REPLACED AND OR SUBSTITUTED FOR
DIFFERENT LABOR PARTNERS. ALL OF
WHICH CREATES ADDITIONAL RISK
FOR THE CONTRACTOR. WE THEN HAVE
TO FACTOR ALL OF THAT WHEN WE'RE
BIDDING. AND IT'S NOT TO SAY
THAT IT WON'T WORK, BUT WE CAN'T
SAY WITH ANY GUARANTEE THAT IT
WILL BE SEAMLESS AS IT IS WITH
THE UNION PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE
PREVIOUSLY WORKED WITH AND HAVE
SELECTED AGC IS OVER 100 YEARS
OLD, AS I MENTIONED, WITH NEARLY
A THOUSAND MEMBERS, AND WE VERY
MUCH PRIDE OURSELVES IN BUILDING
, CALIFORNIA'S INFRASTRUCTURE,
BE IT HEAVY CIVIL HIGHWAYS AND
FREEWAYS, VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION,
COMMERCIAL, OR EVEN THE
REPLACEMENT HERE THAT'S TAKING
PLACE WITH THE STATE CAPITAL, SO
WE WOULD BE OKAY WITH THE
MEASURE LIKE THIS IF THERE WAS,
ONE A CHANGE IN PROCESS, BUT
ALSO A CONSIDERATION FOR WHAT IT
IS THAT WE DO, WHICH IS WORK
WITH OUR LABOR PARTNERS FOR
THOSE REASONS. WE'RE OPPOSED TO
THE MEASURE. THANK YOU, MR.
FUENTES. NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD
MORNING. EXCUSE ME, CHAIR AND
MEMBERS, MY NAME IS TRACY
STEVENS, ON BEHALF OF THE
CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYERS
ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS COMPRISED
OF OVER 100 OF THE LARGEST UNION
AFFILIATED BUILDERS. WE BUILD
THE HOSPITALS, THE SCHOOLS, THE,
EVERYTHING HUGE. SO ALSO IN
RESPECTFUL OPPOSITION. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER.
GOOD MORNING, SENATORS RICHARD
MARCUS AND REPRESENTING MORE
THAN 12,000 JOURNEY WORKERS AND
APPRENTICES, MEMBERS OF THE
WESTERN ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS
ASSOCIATION, THE PLUMBING,
HEATING, COOLING CONTRACTORS OF
CALIFORNIA, THE CALIFORNIA
CHAPTERS OF THE AMERICAN FIRE
SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION, AND THE
INDEPENDENT ROOFING CONTRACTORS
OF CALIFORNIA WERE OPPOSED TO
THIS DISCRIMINATE ERY COSTLY
MEASURE, AND GOVERNMENT MANDATED
PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS. THANK
YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT HELLO, MY
NAME IS IAN VANDERLINDEN. LIKE
RICHARD SAID, THIS BILL
BLATANTLY DISCRIMINATES AGAINST
NONUNION CONTRACTORS, RAISES
COSTS, AND I OPPOSE IT. THANK
YOU. YEAH, WE'RE JUST GOING TO
GO. ME TOO. FROM HERE ON IN.
OKAY. JUST STATE YOUR NAME. YOUR
YOUR AFFILIATION AND WHETHER YOU
SUPPORT OR OBVIOUSLY MY NAME IS
CAMERON THOMAS. I'M PART OF THE
WESTERN ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS
ASSOCIATION, AND I OPPOSE IT.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, MY NAME
IS DEREK BRODELL. I'M A MEMBER
OF WICK AS WELL, AND I OPPOSE.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, MR.
CHAIR. AND MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
MATTHEW THOMAS, AND I AM ALSO
STRONGLY OPPOSED TO SB 984.
THANK YOU. JASON DRAGER AND I'M
OPPOSED. GOOD MORNING. MATTHEW
ESTIPONA WITH THE ASSOCIATED
BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTER. WE
ARE STRONGLY OPPOSED. GOOD
MORNING, MICHELLE RUBALCAVA. ON
BEHALF OF 80,000 WORKERS OF THE
ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND
CONTRACTORS ALSO OPPOSED. THANK
YOU. CHAIR AND AUTHOR DON WILCOX
WITH THE CALIFORNIA CONFERENCE
OF CARPENTERS AND RESPECTFUL
OPPOSITION. BENGAL. I'M BACK ON
BEHALF OF THE CAL CHAMBER IN
OPPOSITION. GOOD MORNING, CHAIR
MEMBERS. RON ROULET, NORCAL
CARPENTERS UNION OPPOSE. THANK
YOU. OKAY. SEEING THE END OF
THAT, WE'RE GOING TO TURN IT
BACK TO OUR MEMBERS. ANYBODY
WISHING TO QUESTION OR COMMENT
DOWN HERE, SENATOR SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS YOURS FIRST. THANK YOU,
MR. CHAIR. AND I WANT TO THANK
THE AUTHOR FOR BRINGING THIS
BILL. I THINK IT'S LONG OVERDUE
THAT WE HAVE A STANDARD AND A
MODEL FOR HOW WE INVEST OUR
PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS, I COME FROM
A PLACE WHERE IT'S HARD FOR A
PERSON FROM SOUTH CENTRAL LOS
ANGELES TO STEP INTO A CAREER IN
THE CONSTRUCTION TRADES,
PARTICULARLY IF YOU'RE BLACK,
AND PARTICULARLY IF YOU'RE A
WOMAN. AND THIS IS A MODEL THAT
I HAVE SEEN EVOLVE OVER YEARS,
BEING UTILIZED AT SOME OF THE
LARGEST, TRANSIT, AGENCIES, SOME
OF THE LARGEST MEDICAL CENTERS,
LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHERE
WE ARE BASICALLY CONTRACTING FOR
OUR VALUES AND THE VALUES IS NOT
THAT A WORKER GETS A JOB AND
THEN THEY'RE OUT OF WORK, AND
THEN THEY COME BACK AND THEN
THEY'RE OUT OF WORK. BUT WE'RE
CREATING A PATHWAY FOR WORKERS
TO COME INTO A CONSTRUCTION
PROJECT, BUILD SOMETHING, AND
THEN MOVE WITH THAT UNION TO THE
NEXT PROJECT AND THE NEXT
PROJECT. AND I SAY IT ALL THE
TIME BECAUSE I LIVED IT. AND
IT'S THE MOST PROFOUND THING
THAT I'VE WITNESSED IN MY LIFE
IS TO SEE A WORKER GO FROM
LIVING IN THEIR CAR TO BUYING A
HOME IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY AND
DOING IT USING THIS STANDARD. OF
INVESTING OUR DOLLARS IN THE WAY
THAT WE BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND, OUR STATE IS STRAPPED AND
FAR TOO MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS
ARE HURTING. AND THIS CREATES
THE WORK THAT THEN BUILDS THE
PATHWAYS OUT OF POVERTY AND WHEN
YOU SAY ZIP CODES, YOU CAN
TARGET TO THE ZIP CODE THAT
NEEDS THE MOST HELP AND BRING
FOLKS OUT OF POVERTY INTO
OPPORTUNITY. SO I'M, YOU KNOW,
I'M USUALLY NOT ONE TO GIVE,
GIVE SPEECHES, SO I DON'T HAVE A
QUESTION, BUT I WANT TO SAY HOW,
YOU KNOW, HOW EXCITED, HOW
EXCITED I AM AND HOW EXCITING IT
IS FOR US TO BE AT THIS MOMENT
OF REALLY SAYING THIS IS HOW
WE'RE GOING TO BUILD CALIFORNIA,
AND WE'RE GOING TO DO IT BY
BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE AND
MOVING ANTI-POVERTY MEASURES,
METHODS THAT ACTUALLY CAN BE
MEASURED. SO I AM HAPPY TO
SUPPORT THIS, I DO HAVE A
QUESTION, THOUGH, NOW THAT I'VE
COME TO IT, AND THAT QUESTION
IS, YOU KNOW, IN THE POLICY, YOU
TALK ABOUT THE LOCAL HIRING AND
DISADVANTAGED WORKERS. WHAT IS
THE METRICS OF TRACKING AND
MONITORING THAT YOU WILL BE
DOING WITH YOUR, IN THIS POLICY
BY BRINGING EMPLOYERS AND UNIONS
AND COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO BUILD
THESE, THESE PATHWAYS INTO THESE
JOBS. HOW WILL YOU TRACK TO SEE
YOU KNOW, HOW WE ARE MOVING THE
NEEDLE IN TERMS OF WHO'S GETTING
ACCESS TO THESE JOBS AND HOW
THESE PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES ARE
BENEFITING FROM THESE PROJECTS
THAT ARE IN THEIR BACKYARD?
DEFINITELY, WELL, I'M GOING TO
ASK ONE OF MY TECHNICAL
WITNESSES TO COME UP. I DO WANT
TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS BILL
SPECIFICALLY REQUIRES A REPORT
TO COME OUT, ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I KNOW, YOU AND I HAVE
TALKED ABOUT THIS A LOT, IS THAT
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
ELEVATING PEOPLE AND, YOU KNOW,
WHERE THEY START, WHERE THEY END
UP BOTH AS APPRENTICES AND
WORKING ON THESE PROJECTS, BUT
THEN ALSO JUST FOUNDATIONALLY IN
THE, COMMUNITIES, AND SO I THINK
THAT IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT
THAT WE IDENTIFY THIS. I'LL LET
JEREMY ACTUALLY ANSWER IN
REGARDS TO THE SPECIFIC DATA
METRICS. JEREMY, WITH THE
CHAIRS, THE CHAIR, PLEASE. THANK
YOU, THANK YOU. GOOD QUESTION.
SENATOR WE HAVE LOTS OF EXAMPLES
UP AND DOWN THE STATE IN IN
DIFFERENT CITIES WHERE WORKING
WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS,
CONTRACTORS, DEVELOPERS ON A
PARTICULAR PROJECT. BUT THERE'S
REPORTING THAT HAPPENS BACK TO,
IN, IN THIS CASE, IN THE
EXAMPLE, THE SACRAMENTO KINGS
ARENA BACK TO THE CITY. AND THEN
THERE'S THERE WAS A REPORT
AFTERWARDS THAT SHOWED IN THAT
PLA WE WERE HIRING DOWN TO THE
ZIP CODE SHOWED WHERE DIFFERENT
WORKERS CAME FROM. SO THERE'S
PLENTY OF EXAMPLES ABOUT A
REPORTING MECHANISM THAT THE
STATE COULD IMPLEMENT, AS THIS
BILL MOVES FORWARD AND GETS
SIGNED INTO LAW, THE NEXT STEP
MIGHT BE HOW DO WE HOW DO WE
CRAFT SOMETHING ALONG THOSE
LINES? BUT THERE'S LOTS OF
EXAMPLES TO DO THAT. I
APPRECIATE THAT, AND I REMEMBER
JUST LOOKING AT AN ARTICLE LAST
WEEK ABOUT A RAIL CORRIDOR
PROJECT IN IN MY DISTRICT IN LA
COUNTY, WHERE TYPICALLY WOMEN
ARE SO SMALL, YOU CAN'T MEASURE
ON A PROJECT. BUT THERE WAS DATA
Ã METRICS AND A DATA REPORT OUT
THAT SHOWED THAT WOMEN HELD 7%
OF THAT PROJECT OVER THREE
YEARS, AND IT'S JUST PHENOMENAL
TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT KIND OF
A RECEIPT, AND I THINK THIS
MODEL ALLOWS THE STATE WILL
ALLOW THE STATE TO DO THAT,
REALLY SORT OF SURGICAL TRACKING
THAT WE NEED TO DO TO SEE WHO'S
BEING LIFTED UP AND HOW THEY'RE
BEING LIFTED UP IN THIS MODEL.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND JUST
FOR THE RECORD FOR THE BILL,
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. FOR THE
RECORD, THERE IS A REPORT
REQUIRED IN THIS BILL. SO OKAY,
SENATOR ALVARADO GIL. THANK YOU.
SENATOR WAHAB, I JUST HAVE SOME
QUESTIONS ABOUT JUST KIND OF
LIKE THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF THE
PLAN IN THIS PROPOSAL. SO, CAN
YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
WHO WOULD BE NEGOTIATING THESE
PLANS, IS IT ALL THE
CONSTRUCTION UNIONS HAVE A SEAT
AT THE TABLE. LIKE, WHO'S MAKING
THOSE DECISIONS RIGHT NOW, AND,
JEREMY, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
ALSO COME, USUALLY WHEN A PLA IS
DISCUSSED, IT IS DISCUSSED WITH
THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR THAT IS
SELECTED. AND THEN ALSO A LOT OF
THE UNIONS ARE AT THE TABLE. I
KNOW THAT ONE OF THE CONCERNS
THAT THE CARPENTERS HAVE IS
MAYBE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE
EXCLUDED BECAUSE THEY DO NOT
BELONG TO THE BUILDING TRADES
COUNCIL AT THIS MOMENT. THAT IS
NOT THE CASE. I WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT THIS IS AN INCLUSIVE
PROCESS. AND JEREMY, IF YOU IF
YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD A LITTLE
BIT MORE AND FOR EXAMPLE, THIS
BUILDING WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW WAS
BUILT UNDER A PROJECT LABOR
AGREEMENT, SETTING ASIDE OUR
CONCERNS WITH THE ELEVATORS IN
THIS PLACE, DON'T BLAME THE
ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTORS FOR THAT.
THAT'S NOT THEIR FAULT. THEY
JUST DESIGNED THEY BUILT WHAT
WAS DESIGNED, WE NEGOTIATED.
THIS WAS NEGOTIATED WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES.
SO THE INDIVIDUAL STATE AGENCY
WILL NEGOTIATE IT WITH, I WOULD
IMAGINE THE STATE BUILDING
TRADES OR OR SOME ENTITY, IF
IT'S A BUILDING IN A SPECIFIC
CITY, A LOCAL ENTITY ON THE
PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT LOCALLY.
I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT IN
MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
CARPENTERS, WHICH I HAVE FULL
RESPECT FOR AND BEEN
COLLABORATIVE, I WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT AS THIS BILL MOVES
ALONG, IS THAT WE HAVE LANGUAGE
THAT ALSO MAKES SURE THAT IT'S
AN ALL INCLUSIVE EFFORT. SO I DO
JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT FOR
THE RECORD. SO THE LANGUAGE
ISN'T IN THERE NOW. BUT THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE WORKING
WITH THE CARPENTERS ON, I THINK
THAT THEY HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT
THE LANGUAGE, BUT IT IS AGAIN,
INCLUSIVE AS IS. BUT WE'RE GOING
TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
ARE ADDRESSING CONCERNS AS WE
MOVE THIS BILL FORWARD. SO WHO
MAKES THE DECISION? IN TERMS OF
WHO HAS A PLACE AT THE
NEGOTIATING TABLE FOR THE PLA?
IS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL
CONTRACTOR THAT WINS THE BID? IS
THAT THE TRADES UNION? IT'S THE
LOCAL ENTITY. I'LL JUST USE THE
LOCAL PLA AS AN EXAMPLE. THE
CITY COUNCIL COUNTY BOARD BRINGS
IN THE PLAYERS THE DEVELOPER,
MAYBE CONTRACTORS WHO ARE GOING
TO BID AND THEY THEY TALK
TOGETHER ABOUT WHAT THE PLA IS
GOING TO LOOK LIKE, SOMETIMES
IT'S DONE BEFORE THE CONTRACTS
ARE BID, SOMETIMES IT'S DONE
WITH THE DEVELOPER, WE'RE AT THE
TABLE. ANYBODY ON LOCAL PLA,
IT'S A LITTLE EASIER, ANY LOCAL
UNION THAT IS IN AN AREA IS
WELCOME TO COME TO THE TO THE
NEGOTIATING TABLE. AND AT THE AT
THE BACK OF A PLA, THERE'S ALL
THE DIFFERENT SIGNATURES OF THE
ENTITIES, AND IT'S ALL THE
DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, LABOR
UNIONS OR CONTRACTORS WHO ARE
GOING TO BE ON THE PROJECT. SO
WHAT HAPPENS IN THE SITUATION
WHERE THERE'S DISAGREEMENT, LIKE
HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THE
TIMELINE FOR DEVELOPMENT? SO
JUST FOR EXAMPLE, COMING IN AS A
NEW LEGISLATOR, YOU KNOW, I'VE
ASKED THE QUESTION, YOU KNOW,
WE'RE HERE IN THE SWING SPACE.
AM I GOING TO SEE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO BE IN THE CAPITAL BUILDING,
WHICH HISTORICALLY HAS HELD
LEGISLATORS, AND I'VE BEEN
ANSWERED WITH PERHAPS NOT IN MY
LIFETIME, SO HELP ME TO
UNDERSTAND THE NEGOTIATION OF
THE PLA, HOW THE TIMELINES ARE
IMPACTED WHEN THERE'S
DISAGREEMENT. WELL, THE WORK
ACROSS THE STREET IS ALSO BEING
DONE IN A PLA. THOSE WERE DONE
BEFORE THE CONTRACTS WENT OUT TO
BID. OKAY OKAY. AND THEN IN MOST
CONTRACTS THERE'S A PLA. THERE'S
ALSO A, AGREED TO PROTOCOL FOR,
DEALING WITH DISPUTES ON THE
JOB. OKAY. IF THERE'S SOME KIND
OF, DISPUTE BETWEEN CRAFTS OR
SOME SORT OF, WORKER, ISSUE
THAT'S DEALT WITH, WITH AN
ARBITRATION PROCEEDING THAT IS
DECIDED IN THE PLA BEFORE THE
CONTRACT GOES OUT TO BID. AND SO
IS THAT DOES THAT HALT
CONSTRUCTION? DOES THAT HALT THE
PROJECT FROM BEING COMPLETED IN
THE TIMELINE THAT WAS INITIALLY
ESTIMATED UNDER PUBLIC CONTRACT
CODE 2500, WHICH IS WHERE THIS
BILL IS GOING RIGHT UNDER 2500
FOR, ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS. I
DIDN'T READ THEM BECAUSE I
DIDN'T HAVE TIME. ONE OF THE
REQUIREMENTS OF ALL PUBLIC PLA
IS TO HAVE A NO STRIKE, NO
LOCKOUT, NO WORK STOPPAGE
REQUIREMENT IN THE PLA, EVEN IF
THERE'S DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
TRADE UNIONS IN TERMS EVEN LET'S
JUST USE THE SACRAMENTO KINGS
ARENA AS AN EXAMPLE. SAY, SAY
WE'RE BUILDING THAT RIGHT NOW
AND THERE'S A THERE'S A STRIKE
OR A OR A OR A LOCKOUT DOWN
THERE. RIGHT. THAT DOES NOT
AFFECT THIS PROJECT. OKAY. THOSE
ARE TWO DISTINCT THINGS. AND SO
IN EACH PLA YOU YOU KNOW, AND
EACH PUBLIC PLA, YOU HAVE A NO
STRIKE, NO LOCKOUT PROVISION
UNDER CURRENT LAW NOW. OKAY.
THANK YOU. SO YOU SAID THAT THE
NEGOTIATIONS HAPPEN BEFORE, THE
CONTRACT GOES TO BID. CORRECT.
SO WHAT'S THE TIMELINE BETWEEN
THE TIME THAT A REQUEST FOR
PROPOSALS IS RELEASED TO THE
TIME THAT THE, THE ENTITY NEEDS
TO MAKE A DECISION ON THAT? SO
WHAT'S THAT TIMELINE TO BE ABLE
TO DISPUTE? I THINK YOU KNOW,
EVERY PLA IS DIFFERENT. EVERY
PROJECT IS DIFFERENT. IT'S HARD
FOR ME TO GUESS WHAT THAT
TIMELINE WOULD BE. AVERAGE THE
PLA THAT YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED
IN, I MEAN, I THINK THAT BEFORE
THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS GO
OUT, THERE'S A PROJECT LABOR
AGREEMENT ON THE PROJECT. SO
AND, AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT
JUST FROM A CITY PERSPECTIVE AS
A FORMER CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, WE
HAD PROJECTS THAT HAD PLA AND WE
HAD PROJECTS THAT DID NOT HAVE
PLA AS THE CITY OF HAYWARD THAT
I REPRESENTED AT THE TIME IS
SOUTH OF OAKLAND, RIGHT. AND
OAKLAND IS CONSIDERED THE
LARGEST CITY IN THE EAST BAY.
AND HAYWARD IS NOT NECESSARILY
THE LARGE CITY. IT'S A SMALL TO
MEDIUM SIZED CITY, AND THE
AGREEMENTS WITH THE DEVELOPERS
AND THE PROPERTY OWNERS AT THAT
TIME, WHETHER THERE WAS A PLA OR
NOT, SOMETIMES THE PROPERTY
OWNER COULD NOT FINISH A PROJECT
RIGHT ON THEIR OWN WITHOUT A
UNIONIZED WORKFORCE, WITHOUT
MAYBE SOMETHING DIDN'T GO
THROUGH, MAYBE PERMITS WERE
HELD, MAYBE THEY CHANGED PLANS
OR THEIR FINANCIALS DIDN'T COME
THROUGH. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS
THAT AFFECT A PARTICULAR
PROJECT. IT'S NOT ALWAYS JUST
PLAS. AND THE GOAL OF A PLA,
ESPECIALLY FOR THE WORKFORCE, IS
TO GET A JOB AND GET GOING.
RIGHT? RIGHT, THEY'RE NOT
INTERESTED IN DELAYING ANYTHING.
AND, YOU KNOW, AS HE MENTIONED,
THERE'S A LOT OF SAFEGUARDS IN
THERE TO KIND OF KEEP IT MOVING
FORWARD. OKAY ALL RIGHT, MR.
FUENTES, DO YOU WANT TO, RESPOND
TO WHAT YOU'VE HEARD HERE? YEAH.
JUST QUICKLY. I MEAN, I WANT TO
THANK MR. SMITH FOR POINTING OUT
SORT OF HOW IT IS THAT LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS TYPICALLY ENJOY
PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS. AND AS
A RECOVERING CITY COUNCILMAN IN
LOS ANGELES, I CAN TELL YOU THAT
THE CONTRACTOR IS NOT AT THE
TABLE WHEN THIS IS NEGOTIATED.
THE OWNER, THE AGENCY, THEY
DECIDE WHAT IT IS THAT THEY WANT
IN THE PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT.
AND TYPICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS
YOU'LL HAVE SCOPING HEARINGS AND
MEETINGS, AND IT'LL TAKE A YEAR
OR SO BEFORE THE BID GETS TO THE
STREET. BUT THE POINT AND THE
PROCESS PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IS
THAT THE CONTRACTOR ISN'T AT THE
TABLE. WE DON'T HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO NEGOTIATE THOSE
TERMS AND WHAT IT IS THAT WILL
BE USED ON THAT JOB. IT'S AFTER
THE FACT THAT IF WE'RE
INTERESTED IN BIDDING IN THAT
JOB, THEN THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE
TO LIVE WITH. AND AGAIN, IT'S A
PROCESS POINT. WE WOULD PREFER
TO BE AT THE TABLE. THANK YOU.
SO I'M HEARING THAT ALL PROJECT
LABOR AGREEMENTS ARE NEGOTIATED
SEPARATELY. IS THERE A UNWRITTEN
RULE OR A WRITTEN RULE OF THE
PROCESS? YES, I'M GOING TO USE A
FIRM. THE RIGAMAROLE OF HOW
PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS ARE
APPLIED WITHIN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, OR IS IT A DISTINCT
BEAST IN EACH DIFFERENT STATE?
IT IS VERY MUCH DISTINCT BECAUSE
ALSO THE PROJECTS DIFFER, RIGHT?
THE LOCALITIES DIFFER, THE
WORKFORCE DIFFERS, AND MUCH MORE
SO IN MORE RURAL AREAS.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S A DIFFERENT
PROCESS THAN, YOU KNOW, IN LET'S
SAY, THE METRO AREAS, YOU KNOW,
ONE OF THE EFFORTS OF WHAT WE'RE
TRYING TO DO AS, AS A, AS A
CAUCUS AND AS A GROUP AND PEOPLE
WHO ARE TRYING TO GET MAKE SURE
THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DO THE
AMERICAN THING AND PUT AMERICANS
TO WORK, IS TO HAVE A MORE
UNIFORM PROJECT. RIGHT. BUT WE
ALSO WANT TO RESPECT THE WORK OF
THE DIFFERENT, DEPARTMENTS, THE
GENERAL CONTRACTORS, AND THE
CIRCUMSTANCE OF THE ENVIRONMENTS
AS IT IS SO THERE IS NOT ONE
UNIFORM PROCESS, BUT IT ALSO
FALLS INTO USUALLY WHAT'S
TYPICALLY DONE. OKAY, SO I IS MY
LAST QUESTION HERE, SO YOU
MENTIONED RURAL COMMUNITIES AND
I, YOU KNOW, I REPRESENT SMALL
CITIES AND RURAL COMMUNITIES,
AND WE TYPICALLY GET, THE CRUMBS
OF WHAT'S LEFT TO, PLAS AND
ACCESS TO GOOD WORKING JOBS. AND
SO WHEN I TALK TO MY
CONSTITUENTS AND THEY SHARE
THESE CONCERNS, PARTICULARLY
COVERING THE EASTERN SIERRAS,
THEY'RE SEEING WORKERS COME IN
FROM THE BAY AREA TO WHAT THEY
CALL HOME AND, LOCAL WORKFORCE
NOT BEING ABLE TO QUALIFY FOR
THESE JOBS, THEY'RE ALSO SEEN
OUT OF STATE WORKERS COMING IN
AND WORKING IN THEIR BACKYARDS.
AND SO I HAVE, YOU KNOW,
CONSTITUENTS THAT, SOME THAT ARE
PART OF LABOR, UNIONS, SOME THAT
ARE NOT, BUT SIMPLY WANT TO WORK
AND LIVE AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR
FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES WITHIN,
YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY LIVE AND
WHERE THEY GREW UP. SO EXCUSE
ME, I, I RESPECT THAT, YOU KNOW,
THE BAY AREA, SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES, SAN
DIEGO, SOME OF THESE BIGGER
PROJECTS. SACRAMENTO, THAT WE'VE
SEEN THESE PLAS WORK. I STILL
DON'T THINK THAT THAT REPRESENTS
ALL OF CALIFORNIA. AND WHEN I
THINK OF CALIFORNIA, FOR ME,
BEING BORN AND RAISED HERE AND
WHAT I'VE HOW I'VE SEEN US GROW,
WE ARE STILL LOOKING AT THE
RURAL AREAS OF CALIFORNIA, THE
EASTERN AND THE NORTHERN AREAS
OF CALIFORNIA, LESS THAN THE
HIGHLY POPULATED VOTER CENTER
AREA. SO I AM CONCERNED ABOUT
THAT, I, I ALSO LEARNED RECENTLY
ABOUT PLAS, FROM MY CONSTITUENTS
THAT TALKED ABOUT THAT, YOU
KNOW, THEIR SUPPORT FOR
PREVAILING WAGE AND THEY
UNDERSTAND THAT THE FAIRNESS OF
PREVAILING WAGE AND LOOKING FOR
THOSE GOOD PAYING JOBS, BUT THE
HOURLY AMOUNT FOR UNION FRINGE
BENEFITS COMES OFF OF NONUNION
WORKER HOURLY COMPENSATION. SO
THAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT. SO
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE WORKERS THAT
ARE NONUNION WORKERS, WHAT
HAPPENS IF THEY NEVER RECEIVE OR
NEVER QUALIFY FOR UNION HEALTH
BENEFITS OR OTHER UNION
RETIREMENT BENEFITS? WHAT
HAPPENS TO THAT MONEY THAT HAS
BEEN TAKEN OFF OF THEIR
PAYCHECKS? YEAH AND I DON'T I
DON'T BELIEVE THAT TO BE 100%
ACCURATE. AND I WANT TO SAY THAT
YOU AND I SHARE THE SAME
CONCERNS, PRIMARILY, YOU KNOW,
EVEN IN THE BAY AREA, THE AMOUNT
OF PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GOING
ON, THEY'RE NOT ALL UNIONIZED.
RIGHT. AND WE KNOW THIS. AND SO,
AGAIN, THIS BILL IS TO IDENTIFY
ROUGHLY THREE PROJECTS WITHIN A
GIVEN TIME FRAME. AND IT'S A
FOOT IN THE DOOR TO MAKE SURE
THAT ALL PEOPLE ARE PAID FAIRLY.
IN PARTICULAR, ONE OF THE
CONCERNS I HAVE, INCLUDING IN
THE BAY AREA BECAUSE I AM A BAY
AREA REPRESENTATIVE, IS THAT THE
NONUNION, CONTRA ACTORS HAVE
BEEN RECRUITING FROM MIDDLE
AMERICA AND, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY
18 TO $25 AN HOUR IS A LOT FOR
MIDDLE AMERICA, BUT IT'S NOT
NECESSARILY A LOT FOR THE BAY
AREA OR CALIFORNIA ACROSS THE
BOARD. RIGHT. MY GOAL AND THE
WORK THAT I TRY TO DO IS TO MAKE
SURE THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON,
REGARDLESS OF UNION OR NONUNION.
AND I'VE SAID THIS IN OTHER
COMMITTEES, I WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THEY'RE PAID FAIRLY AND
WITH DIGNITY. AND I AGREE WITH A
LOT OF THE CARPENTERS LANGUAGE
IN REGARDS TO MAKING SURE THAT
PEOPLE HAVE HEALTH CARE, MAKING
SURE PEOPLE ARE PAID FAIRLY AND
SO MUCH MORE. AND THAT'S WHAT
WE'RE TRYING TO IDENTIFY. ALSO,
IN THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS
AGREEMENT, BECAUSE NOT ALL
PEOPLE ARE TREATED EQUALLY AND
THAT NEEDS TO STOP. AND I'LL LET
JEREMY TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE
MORE DETAILED PIECES OF YOUR
QUESTION, BUT WE ARE ON THE SAME
PAGE. I DON'T CARE THAT YOU'RE
FROM A NORTHERN OR RURAL PART OF
CALIFORNIA OR YOU'RE FROM A BIG
CITY. I REPRESENT A MEDIUM TO
SMALL CITY, AND I STILL WANT
THOSE INDIVIDUALS, WHETHER
THEY'RE DOCUMENTED UNDOCUMENTED,
WHETHER THEY HAVE A PRISON
RECORD OR THEY DON'T HAVE A
PRISON RECORD, WHETHER THEY'RE
AGING OR, YOU KNOW, HEALTHY. I
WANT THEM ALL TO BE PAID FAIRLY
AND TREATED WITH DIGNITY. AND,
JEREMY, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
ANSWER ANYTHING ELSE, CAN I JUST
INTERJECT HERE? THE QUESTION WAS
ASKED IF THEY DON'T GET THE
INSURANCE, WHERE DO THE WHERE DO
THE PREMIUMS THAT ARE PAID IN GO
TO? THAT'S THE QUESTION WE NEED
TO HAVE ANSWERED. AND THEN WE'RE
GOING TO MOVE THIS HEARING ON.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. FIRST THAT
RETIREMENT AS WELL. YES.
CORRECT. YOU MOST PLAS HAVE A
MECHANISM FOR CONTRACTORS WHO
MAY BE NONUNION TO BRING IN A
NUMBER OF THEIR OWN WORKERS ONTO
THE PROJECT, WHATEVER IT BE.
THAT'S NEGOTIATED LOCALLY, WITH,
PLA TA PLA. THERE'S NO INDUSTRY
STANDARD FOR THAT NUMBER OF, OF
SORT OF WORKERS THAT THAT WON'T
BE DISPATCHED OUT OF A HIRING
HALL BEING BROUGHT IN BY A
CONTRACTOR WHO EMPLOYS SOME OF
THEIR OWN FORCES. I WOULD SAY
THAT MOST OF THE TIME, THOSE
WORKERS ONCE THEY ARE SHOWN WHAT
THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE, AS
OPPOSED TO WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN
MAKING IN TERMS OF BENEFITS AND
HEALTH CARE AND WAGES, TEND TO
WANT TO BE ORGANIZED INTO OUR
UNIONS AND DO GET ACCESS TO
THEIR HEALTH CARE BENEFITS THAT
THEY'VE EARNED. AND PENSION
THINGS THEY DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE.
SO, YEAH, I'M NOT SURE THAT
ANSWERED THE QUESTION. I THINK
THE QUESTION THAT WE NEED TO
HEAR AND HAVE ON RECORD IS, IN
ORDER TO BE ABLE TO SAY, RECEIVE
THE, THE RETIREMENT BENEFITS
THAT COMPANIES THAT ARE NOT
CONSIDERED PART OF THE, YOU
KNOW, LABOR UNION GROUPS THAT
ARE PAYING INTO THE SYSTEM IN
ORDER TO WORK IN THESE PROJECTS
BECAUSE THEY CAN I MEAN, THERE'S
AN ALLOTMENT FOR THEM TO BE ABLE
TO BID IN IT. BUT THESE BENEFITS
THAT THEY RECEIVE, SUCH AS
RETIREMENT, THAT THESE COMPANIES
ARE PAYING IN ON BEHALF OF
THEIR, OF THEIR, PERSONAL,
EMPLOYEES INTO THE SYSTEM, INTO
THE PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT AS A
WHOLE, THOSE RETIREMENTS, IN
ORDER FOR THEM TO RETRIEVE
THOSE, THOSE BENEFITS, WHAT IS A
TIME FRAME BEFORE THEY HAVE TO
BE VESTED INTO A PROJECT IN
ORDER FOR THEM TO RETRIEVE
THOSE, THOSE BENEFITS, IN ORDER
TO BE ABLE TO GET THEM? WE JUST
FUNDAMENTALLY DISAGREE WITH THE
WITH THE POINT THAT THE OTHER
SIDE IS SAYING IN THAT
SITUATION, WE BELIEVE THAT THOSE
BENEFITS ARE GIVEN TO THOSE
WORKERS AND PROJECT LABOR
AGREEMENTS DIFFER IS HOW LONG DO
YOU HAVE TO BE VESTED IN THE
PROJECT OR INTO THE UNION WORK
IN ORDER TO RETRIEVE THOSE? A
PROJECT PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS
ARE NEGOTIATED ONE OFF AND SO
EACH PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT IS
DIFFERENT. I CAN'T SPEAK TO AN
INDUSTRY STANDARD ABOUT THE TIME
SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE TO BE
VESTED. I WOULD SAY IT'S IT JUST
DEPENDS ON EACH PROJECT, LABOR
AGREEMENT AND WHAT IS THE
AVERAGE BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE
BECAUSE YOU'RE AN EXPERIENCED
PERSON IN THESE IN THESE
PROJECTS, WHAT IS THE AVERAGE
THAT YOU HAVE TO BE VESTED IN IN
ORDER TO RETRIEVE THOSE? FOR
THOSE COMPANIES TO BE ABLE TO
GET THAT OR THE BENEFIT OR
ACTUALLY THE EMPLOYEES BE ABLE
TO RETRIEVE THOSE BENEFITS.
HAVING NOT NEGOTIATED PLA
MYSELF, I'M JUST A HUMBLE
LOBBYIST HERE. BIÂU I DON'T HAVE
AN AVERAGE NUMBER FOR YOU. I CAN
GET THAT FOR YOU AFTER COMMITTEE
AND FOLLOW UP WITH BOTH YOU AND
SENATOR ALVARADO GIL ON ON THAT
ANSWER, THOSE BENEFITS. OKAY, SO
IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, BASED ON
CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD ON
THE OTHER SIDE, THAT IN ORDER
FOR THESE, THESE FOLKS THAT TO
RECEIVE THOSE BENEFITS THAT HAVE
BEEN PUT IN MANY OF THE TIMES IN
THE AVERAGE, YOU HAVE TO BE
VESTED INTO THE SYSTEM FOR ABOUT
FIVE YEARS BEFORE THEY WERE ABLE
TO GET THAT BY THAT TIME,
THERE'S MOST MOST PROJECTS DON'T
LAST FIVE YEARS. SO THEY DON'T
GET THOSE BENEFITS. SO IT'S
ACTUALLY DISSUADES PEOPLE FROM
BIDDING ON THOSE PROJECTS OR
WORKING ON THOSE PROJECTS OR IT
COSTS THEM MORE MONEY. I WANT TO
ADDRESS THAT TOO. AND SENATOR,
YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. USUALLY
IT IS. HOWEVER, I ALSO WANT TO
SAY THAT PROJECT LABOR
AGREEMENTS WITH OR WITHOUT THE
CONTRACTORS WHO ALSO DO
SUBCONTRACT OUT THE EMPLOYEE
WORKS FOR THAT PARTICULAR GROUP,
WHETHER IT IS FOR, YOU KNOW, ANY
OF THE BUILDING TRADES GROUPS OR
ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO THAT'S
WHO THEY'RE ORIGINALLY CONNECTED
WITH. VERY SIMILAR TO LOCAL
CITIES OR COUNTIES. THEY BELONG
TO THAT PARTICULAR UNION, AND
THE UNION NEGOTIATES WITH THAT
PARTICULAR AGENCY, THEIR TERMS
AND THEIR BENEFITS AND THEIR
THINGS LIKE THAT WHICH WE'RE
DOING HERE IN THIS BUILDING AS
WELL WITH THE WORKFORCE HERE. SO
I REALLY DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT
THERE ARE SOME NUANCES OF HOW
THIS IS STRUCTURED ACROSS THE
BOARD. IT'S NOT JUST DIRECT
EMPLOYEE TO INDIVIDUAL. BEALL,
PROJECT. RIGHT. IT IS. I MUST
SAY, A MIDDLEMAN TO SOME DEGREE
IN EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE
DISCUSSING. SO I JUST WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT. ALL RIGHT. ANY
OTHER QUESTIONS, SENATOR
BRADFORD? YEAH. I'M SORRY IF I
MISUNDERSTOOD. DID YOU SAY THE
PROJECT GOING ACROSS THE STREET
TO CAPITOL, RENOVATIONS IS UNDER
PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT, SIMILAR
TO THIS. I DID. OKAY, AND I
THINK YOU AND SENATOR SMALLWOOD
SPOKE TO GREATER DIVERSITY. AND
THIS HAS BEEN A BONE OF
CONTENTION FOR ME FOR THE LAST
THREE YEARS. THE LACK OF
DIVERSITY ON THAT PROJECT. AND
THREE AND A HALF YEARS, I'VE
SEEN TWO AFRICAN AMERICANS
WORKING ON THAT. SO IF PROJECT
LABOR AGREEMENTS IS SUPPOSED TO
BRING GREATER DIVERSITY HIRING
FROM THE COMMUNITY, IT'S NOT
DEMONSTRATED ON A HALF $1
BILLION PROJECT THAT'S GOING ON.
I HAVE THOSE IN MY DISTRICT SO
FAR INTO IT, BOTH OF THOSE IN
THE HEART OF MY DISTRICT USE
PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS, AND
THEY DID HIRE FROM THE MEDIA
COMMUNITY, AND THEY HAD GREATER
DIVERSITY. THEY HAD PEOPLE OF
COLOR AS WELL AS WOMEN. IT AIN'T
HAPPENING ACROSS THE STREET. SO,
THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED BECAUSE
CAUSE WE CAN'T KEEP MAKING THESE
PROMISES OF JOBS AND
OPPORTUNITIES AND THEY DON'T
EXIST. AND I HAVE THAT
CONVERSATION WITH LEADERSHIP
HERE. AND WITH THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE, THE LACK OF DIVERSITY ON
A HALF A BILLION DOLLAR PROJECT
THAT'S AT OUR STATE CAPITOL. AND
NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT THE
LACK OF DIVERSITY ON THAT
PROJECT. SENATOR WILK, THANK
YOU, MISTER CHAIR. I MAY
REPRESENT THAT LA COUNTY AND SAN
BERNARDINO COUNTY THAT PEOPLE
THINK THINK OF AS URBAN, BUT
IT'S VERY RURAL AND, THERE'S A
THERE'S A LACK OF OPPORTUNITY
FOR OUR MEMBERS. I GOT ANOTHER
BILL GOING FORWARD THAT WOULD
REQUIRE A STUDY TO SEE IF WE
COULD QUALIFY FOR A CALIFORNIA
STATE UNIVERSITY. WE HAVE OVER A
MILLION PEOPLE, AND WE HAVE TWO
COMMUNITY COLLEGES, SOUTH
DAKOTA, WHICH HAS LESS THAN A
MILLION, HAS SEVEN PUBLIC
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. SO
THAT'S ONE PATHWAY THAT DOESN'T
EXIST FOR MY CONSTITUENTS. AND
THIS IS ANOTHER. MY FIRST YEAR
HERE, I ACTUALLY CREATED A NEW
WATER AGENCY IN THE SANTA
CLARITA VALLEY. WE DID A
WORKFORCE COMMUNITY AGREEMENT.
IT HAS WORKED OUT VERY WELL AND
ENSURED THAT WE HIRED OUR LOCAL
VETERANS, THAT WE HIRED LOCALS
FROM THE COMMUNITY UP IN THE
ANTELOPE VALLEY. WE HAVE
NUMEROUS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
THAT THAT HAVE THESE AGREEMENTS,
AND IT ALLOWS THESE PEOPLE TO
WORK, HAVE A CAREER AND HAVE
MORTGAGE PAYING JOBS. SO I
THOUGHT THE FIRST ITERATION OF
YOUR BILL WAS A LITTLE OVERLY
AMBITIOUS, BUT WITH THE WITH THE
HARD WORK OF THE CHAIR AND THE
COMMITTEES AND TONING IT DOWN A
LITTLE BIT, I'M GOING TO BE
HAPPY TO SUPPORT YOUR BILL
TODAY. THANK YOU. SENATOR
ANYBODY ELSE SEEING NONE?
SENATOR, AS YOU KNOW, I HAD SOME
SERIOUS CONCERNS, WITH THE
STATEWIDE PLA REQUIREMENT, THE
AMENDMENTS THAT WERE MADE LAST
WEEK, WERE A LITTLE BIT BEFORE
THAT, LESS THAN THOSE CONCERNS.
I DO STILL THINK THAT THE
OPPONENTS BRING UP SOME GOOD
POINTS. WHILE I'LL BE VOTING FOR
THE BILL TODAY, I ENCOURAGE YOU
TO WORK WITH THE OPPONENTS TO
SEE IF THERE ARE SOME AMENDMENTS
GOING FORWARD THAT WILL
ALLEVIATE THEIR CONCERNS WITH
THAT. SENATOR WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? YES. I REALLY DO
APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION
ABOUT THIS, AND I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT IT IS ABOUT THAT
AMBITION. RIGHT. YOU KNOW, WE
ARE AMERICANS. WE WANT TO MOVE
THIS COUNTRY FORWARD. THESE ARE
GOVERNMENT PROJECTS, THESE ARE
GOVERNMENT TAXPAYERS DOLLARS.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE WANT TO
SET A STANDARD OF WHAT DOES IT
MEAN TO HAVE A GOOD PAYING JOB
WITH BENEFITS, WITH RETIREMENT,
SUPPORT AND HEALTH CARE AND ALL
THE THINGS THAT WE WANT. AND I
WILL TELL YOU FOR MYSELF, I'VE
WORKED BOTH NONUNION JOBS AND
UNION JOBS, AND I'VE BEEN
NOTHING BUT SUPPORTIVE OF UNION
JOBS AFTER IT WAS UNIONIZED,
IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. AND I
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS IS
TO IDENTIFY THREE PROJECTS
MOVING FORWARD. THE REPORT ALSO
ALLOWS US TO STUDY WHAT WE'RE
LOOKING AT AND SEEING IF THIS IS
BENEFICIAL TO THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, WHICH I DO BELIEVE
IT IS, AND THIS IS GOING TO MOVE
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FORWARD.
AND I DO COMMIT NOT ONLY TO THE
CHAIR, BUT THEN ALSO TO THE
MEMBERS HERE THAT SPOKE IN
OPPOSITION THAT I'M MORE THAN
HAPPY TO WORK WITH ANYBODY AND
EVERYBODY. SO THANK YOU. AND I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A
MOTION ON, SB 984. THE BILL HAS
BEEN MOVED BY SENATOR SMALLWOOD
CUEVAS. THE MOTION IS Dð PASS
THE LABOR COMMITTEE COMMITTEE
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
DODD AYE. DODD AYE. WILK AYE.
WILK AYE. ALVARADO. GILL
ARCHULETA. AYE. ARCHULETA. AYE
ASHBY. BRADFORD GLASER. JONES.
NO. JONES NO. NGUYEN. OKUBO. NO.
OKUBO NO. PADILLA. AYE. PADILLA.
AYE. PORTANTINO PORTANTINO. AYE.
ROTH. RUBIO SATO. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS SO THAT'S 5 TO 2. WE'LL
PUT THAT, BILL ON CALL. NOW
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO FILE ITEM
NUMBER FIVE. THAT'S SB 1355.
SENATOR WAHAB, THANK YOU, WELL,
I'M HOPING THIS IS A LITTLE BIT
OF A LIGHTER BILL FOR YOU GUYS,
SO, CHAIR DODD COLLEAGUES AND
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, I'M HERE
TO REPRESENT OR PRESENT SB 1355,
WHICH EXTENDS THE ELIGIBILITY OF
MEDI-CAL BENEFITS FOR IN-HOME
SUPPORT SERVICES RECIPIENTS TO
EVERY THREE YEARS INSTEAD OF
ANNUALLY. THIS BILL PASSED OUT
OF THE HEALTH COMMITTEE ON A 10
TO 0 VOTE EVERY YEAR. THE MOST
VULNERABLE OF AN ALREADY
VULNERABLE POPULATION LOSE
BENEFITS BECAUSE THEY DID NOT
SUBMIT THEIR INFORMATION ON
TIME, OR THEY LACKED KNOWLEDGE
OR ACCESS AND ASSISTANCE WITH AN
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS THEY MAY
FIND INTIMIDATING AND
CUMBERSOME, ESPECIALLY
MONOLINGUAL INDIVIDUALS,
IMMIGRANTS, AND OTHERS,
ESPECIALLY THE AGING POPULATION.
EXTENDING THE ELIGIBILITY PERIOD
WILL ENSURE THAT THE POPULATION
WHO RELY MOST ON IT WILL SEE
FEWER INTERRUPTIONS OF THEIR
BENEFITS AND CAN FOCUS ON THEIR
HEALTH AND FAMILIES. LONG TERME
CARE AND AGING EXPERTS AGREE
THAT ANY CHANGES IN INCOME FROM
MEDI-CAL BENEFICIARIES ON ICE
ARE TOO INSIGNIFICANT TO WARRANT
YEARLY APPLICATIONS. SB 1355 IS
MODELED AFTER EXISTING LAW,
WHICH ALLOWS CONTINUING MEDI-CAL
ELIGIBILITY FOR CHILDREN UP TO
FIVE YEARS OF AGE WITHOUT
CONDUCTING CONDUCTING
REDETERMINATIONS DURING THAT
PERIOD. ITS USE WITH OTHER
MEDI-CAL POPULATIONS HAS ALREADY
PROVEN IT POSSIBLE TO CONDUCT
REDETERMINATIONS WITHOUT YEARLY
APPLICATIONS BY MEDI-CAL
BENEFICIARIES ON IHSS ICE. I
WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY
WITNESS, KEVIN ASLANIAN, THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WITH THE
COALITION OF CALIFORNIA WELFARE
RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS. IN DUE
TIME, CHAIR. GOOD MORNING, KEVIN
ESTÁN, COALITION OF CALIFORNIA
WELFARE RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS.
THERE'S ABOUT 1 MILLION HHS
RECIPIENTS WHO HAVE TO DO ANNUAL
REDETERMINATION EVERY YEAR. AND
THAT BASICALLY MOST OF THEM ARE
IN FIXED INCOME. SO THERE'S NO
CHANGE IN THEIR INCOME. AND THE
GOVERNMENT KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT
THE CALLER IS. SO THIS BILL
WOULD SAY THAT YOU ONLY DO IT
ONCE EVERY THREE YEARS. THAT
WOULD BASICALLY SAVE AT LEAST
$100 MILLION EVERY THREE YEARS.
I MEAN, AND, AND BASICALLY THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CARE
SERVICES HAS DONE AN ANALYSIS OF
THESE REDETERMINATIONS, AND THEY
DID A SURVEY AND IN JANUARY OF
THIS YEAR, OVER 100,000 FAMILIES
WERE CUT OFF OF MEDI-CAL BECAUSE
THEY FAILED TO MEET THE
PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS THEY
WERE ELIGIBLE FOR MEDI-CAL. BUT
THEY MET MET THE BUREAUCRATIC
REQUIREMENTS AND THE SURVEY
SHOWED THAT 64% OF THEM NEVER
GOT THE FORMS TO SEND IT IN. AND
42% OF THEM SENT THE FORMS IN,
GOT LOST AND 25% OF THEM CALLED
UP THE CALL CENTER TO TRY TO
WORK IT OUT. AND THEY GOT HUNG
UP ON. AND THIS PRIMARILY
AFFECTS HISPANICS. SO WE URGE
AND I VOTE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. ANYBODY ELSE WISHING
TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF THIS
BILL? PLEASE COME FORWARD NOW.
ANYBODY WISHING TO TESTIFY
AGAINST THIS BILL, PLEASE COME
FORWARD. SEEING NONE, WE'LL TURN
BACK TO THE COMMITTEE FOR ANY
DISCUSSION OF THE BILL WHEN
APPROPRIATE. ALL RIGHT. SO WE
HAVE A MOTION BY SENATOR
ALVARADO GILL. ANYBODY ELSE
WISHING TO ADDRESS SEEING NONE,
THE MOTION IS TO PASS TO
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, WOULD
YOU LIKE TO CLOSE SEN. WAHAB, I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE
VOTE. PERFECT SECRETARY, PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL DODD. AYE AYE.
DODD AYE. WILK. AYE. WILK AYE.
ALVARADO. GILL. AYE ALVARADO.
GILL. AYE. ARCHULETA. ASHBY
BRADFORD. BRADFORD. AYE. GLASER
JONES A. JONES AYE. NGUYEN.
OKUBO AYE. OKUBO AYE. PADILLA
AYE. PADILLA AYE. PORTANTINO.
PORTANTINO. AYE. ROTH RUBIO.
SATO. SMALLWOOD CUEVAS. BEALL
HAS EIGHT VOTES. WE'LL PUT THAT
BILL ON CALL. THANK YOU, SENATOR
WAHAB. AT LONG LAST, WE HAVE
SENATOR BECKER, WHO HAS BEEN SO
PATIENT AND YIELDED HIS SPOT.
AND NOW YOU'RE UP. IT'S FILE
ITEM NUMBER THREE. THAT'S SB
942. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND
MEMBERS, I'M HERE TO PRESENT SB
942. THIS IS THE CALIFORNIA
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
TRANSPARENCY ACT. BILL TAKES A
BOLD FIRST STEP TO ADDRESSING
THE PROLIFERATION OF AI
GENERATED CONTENT. AS AI
TECHNOLOGY ADVANCES THE
DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN HUMAN AND
MACHINE GENERATED CONTENT IS
BECOMING INCREASINGLY
CHALLENGING. THIS AMBIGUITY
POSES SIGNIFICANT SOCIETAL AND
DEMOCRATIC RISKS, EXACERBATING
PROBLEMS SUCH AS DISINFORMATION,
HARASSMENT, AND FRAUD. RECENT
DEEPFAKE INCIDENTS, SUCH AS FAKE
VIDEOS OF TAYLOR SWIFT CLONED
VIDEOS OF PRESIDENT BIDEN THAT
JUST HIGHLIGHT HOW EASILY I CAN
MANIPULATE, IMAGES FOR
HARASSMENT OR POLITICAL
MANIPULATION. THIS TECHNOLOGY
COULD ALSO HAVE A NEGATIVE
IMPACT ON OUR ECONOMY. WHEN THEY
HAD FAKE IMAGES OF AN EXPLOSION
NEAR THE PENTAGON WENT VIRAL, IT
CAUSED A, ECONOMIC MARKET
INSTABILITY. FRAUDSTERS CAN ALSO
EXPLOIT AI GENERATED TECHNOLOGY
FOR MIMICKING LOVED ONES VOICES.
SO THIS HAPPENED IN SAN
FRANCISCO, WHERE A FAMILY GOT A
CALL, THOUGHT IT WAS FROM THEIR
THEIR THEIR, THEIR SON, YOU KNOW
, TALKING ABOUT HOW HE'D BEEN AN
ACCIDENT. IT WAS HIS VOICE. AND
THEN HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO GET
A CALL FROM THE LAWYERS. THEY
WIRED MONEY FOR BAIL, $25,000.
TURNED OUT IT WASN'T HIM AT ALL.
SOMEONE HAD CLONED HIS VOICE,
CALLED HIM, I MEAN, CALLED THE
FAMILY, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW.
SO CLEARLY, TRANSPARENCY IS
NEEDED HERE. THIS IS MOVING VERY
QUICKLY, AND WE'RE KIND OF IN
THE PETRI DISH. EARLY STAGES OF
ALL THIS. THE EU HAS TAKEN
CERTAIN STEPS TO ACT, THEIR AI
ACT MANDATES TRANSPARENCY
STANDARDS, INCLUDING REQUIREMENT
TO INFORM USERS WHEN THEIR
INTERACTING WITH AN AI SYSTEM,
AND TO CLEARLY MARK SYNTHETIC
SYNTHETIC AUDIO VIDEO, TEXT AND
IMAGES AS ARTIFICIALLY GENERATED
OR MANIPULATED, BOTH FOR USERS
AND IN A MACHINE READABLE
FORMAT. THAT'S WHAT THE EU IS
DOING. SB 942 SERVES TO ADDRESS
THE GROWING UNCERTAINTY
SURROUNDING AI GENERATED CONTENT
BY REQUIRING LARGE CHEN AI
SYSTEM PROVIDERS TO DO THREE
THINGS. NUMBER ONE, LABEL AI
GENERATED CONTENT WITH VISIBLE
AND IMPERCEPTIBLE EMBEDDED
DISCLOSURES TO SUPPLY AN AI
DETECTION TOOL FOR USERS TO
QUERY. WHETHER CONTENT WAS
CREATED BY AI. AND THIRD,
ENFORCE THIRD PARTY LICENSEES TO
THE EXTENT TECHNICALLY FEASIBLE,
TO PREVENT UNDISCLOSED CONTENT
PUBLICATION THÀNH. THIS BILL
SERVES TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES
POSED BY AI GENERATED CONTENT
PROMOTING TRANSPARENCY,
ACCOUNTABLE, AND TRUST IN
DIGITAL LANDSCAPE. I'D SAY WE'RE
ACTIVELY COLLABORATING, WITH
INDUSTRY AND WITH OPPOSITION TO
ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS. AGAIN,
ACKNOWLEDGING THIS IS ALL MOVING
VERY QUICKLY. AND SO WE ARE
WORKING WITH THEM TO TRY TO
STRIKE THE RIGHT BALANCE AND
REGULATING GENERATIVE AI, FOR
THE BENEFIT OF ALL CALIFORNIA'S
OAN JOINED TODAY. I HAVE ONE
WITNESS, TOM KEMP, WHO IS AN
ENTREPRENEUR FOUNDED A LEADING
CYBERSECURITY COMPANY THAT WAS
AN EARLY ADOPTER OF AI
TECHNOLOGY TO DETECT CYBER
ATTACKS AND RECENTLY PUBLISHED A
BOOK EXPLORING THE GUARDRAILS
NEEDED FOR AI. THANK YOU. CHAIR
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. GOOD
MORNING, CHAIR DODD AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS IN 2021,
ALPHABET CEO SUNDAR PICHAI SAID
THIS. I VIEW AI AS THE MOST
PROFOUND TECHNOLOGY THAT
HUMANITY WILL EVER DEVELOP AND
WORK ON. IF YOU THINK ABOUT
FIRE, ELECTRICITY OR THE
INTERNET, IT'S LIKE THAT, BUT I
THINK IT'S EVEN MORE PROFOUND.
BUT IF I IS AS PROFOUND AS HE
CLAIMS, THEN IT SHOULD BE HELD
TO THE SAME STANDARDS OF HONESTY
AND TRANSPARENCY AS A PACK OF
GUM. NOW, WE'VE HAD FOOD
LABELING LAWS DATING BACK TO
1906. THESE LAWS NOT ONLY
REQUIRE STANDARDIZED
DISCLOSURES, BUT ALSO PROHIBIT
FALSE OR MISLEADING BRANDING.
CALIFORNIA EVEN PASSED ITS OWN
FOOD LABELING LAW IN 1939, BUT
HERE WE ARE IN 2024. AND SO HERE
WE HAVE A PACK OF GUM THAT HAS
CLEAR LABELING ON THE BACK. IT
HAS A BARCODE, BUT IT'S BECOMING
INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO TELL
WHETHER CONTENT IS HUMAN
GENERATED OR MACHINE GENERATED
BY AI, I.E. SYNTHETIC
CALIFORNIANS DESERVE TO KNOW
WHETHER THE VIDEOS, PHOTOS AND
CONTENT THEY SEE AND READ ONLINE
ARE REAL. SB 942 ADDRESSES THIS
PROBLEM. IT SIMPLY SAYS A
PROVIDER MUST LABEL ITS CONTENT
AND PROVIDE A WAY FOR A CONSUMER
TO ASK, HEY, DID YOU CREATE THIS
? SO A FEW KEY POINTS. FIRST,
THE BILL DOES NOT MENTION THE
WORD WATERMARKING AT ALL, NOR IS
IT PRECISE, ACTIVE. AND HOW
WOULD PROVIDER LABELS AI? SO
THAT GIVES TIME FOR STANDARDS TO
EMERGE. BUT WE CAN STILL HAVE A
SOLUTION TODAY. SECOND, IT DOES
NOT REQUIRE PROVIDERS TO DETECT
OTHER PLATFORMS AI CONTENT, JUST
ITS OWN. AND THIRD, IF YOU ASK
CHATGPT, IT SAYS, HEY, WE DON'T
HAVE AN AI DETECTION TOOL, SO
IT'S NOT REDUNDANT THAT THIS
BILL ASKS FOR THIS IN SUMMARY,
THIS BILL PUTS AI CONTENT ON THE
SAME LEVEL AS A PACK OF GUM IN
TERMS OF DISCLOSURES, WHICH IS
THE TRANSPARENCY THAT
CALIFORNIANS NEED. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ANYBODY
ELSE WISHING TO TESTIFY IN
SUPPORT OF THIS BILL? PLEASE
COME FORWARD SEEING NONE ANYBODY
WISHING TO TESTIFY AGAINST THIS
BILL, PLEASE COME FORWARD NOW.
GOOD MORNING. MORNING. THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS,
DILLON HOFFMAN, ON BEHALF OF
TECHNET, RESPECTFULLY OPPOSED TO
SB 942, WE FULLY AGREE WITH THE
INTENT OF SB 942 TO CREATE
GREATER TRUST IN USER GENERATED
CONTENT ONLINE BY FOSTERING THE
ADOPTION OF CONTENT PROVENANCE
VERIFICATIONS AND WATERMARKS. AS
THE SENATOR ALLUDED, WE ARE IN
COLLABORATION WITH THE AUTHOR'S
OFFICE. WE'RE WORKING TO PROVIDE
SUBSTANTIVE AMENDMENTS AND
SUGGESTIONS AND WORK
COLLABORATIVELY WITH HIM AND HIS
STAFF. HOWEVER WE'RE JUST
SPEAKING TO THE BILL AS IT'S IN
PRINT TODAY PRESENTS A MULTITUDE
OF ISSUES AND REQUIRES PLATFORMS
TO COMPLY WITH SOME TECHNICALLY
AND FEASIBLE AND SOME IMPOSSIBLE
STANDARDS, FIRST, WHILE WE
UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE TO
REGULATE AN EMERGING TECHNOLOGY,
THIS IS AN AREA WHERE THAT WOULD
BENEFIT FROM FEDERAL STANDARDS
AND REGULATION RATHER THAN A
STATE BY STATE APPROACH, I FEEL
LIKE I HAVE TO SAY THAT I
UNDERSTAND THE NEED AND DESIRE
FOR STATES TO MOVE FORWARD,
THOUGH, IN TRYING TO REGULATE
THIS SPACE, AND WE HOPE TO BE
HELPFUL PARTNERS IN THAT, MANY
OF OUR COMPANIES AND PLATFORMS
ARE AT THE FOREFRONT OF
DEVELOPING CONTENT PROVENANCE
AND WATERMARKING TECHNOLOGY,
WHICH IS STILL IN ITS EARLY
STAGES. HOWEVER, SB 942 HAS
REQUIREMENTS FOR A TECHNOLOGY
THAT'S STILL UNDER DEVELOPMENT
AND RAPIDLY DEVELOPING. FOR
EXAMPLE, THERE ISN'T A SYSTEM
THAT CAN WATERMARK TEXT, MAKING
THE BILL'S REQUIREMENTS TO DO SO
IMPOSSIBLE TO COMPLY WITH.
FURTHERMORE, CONTENT PROVENANCE
AND WATERMARKING IS STILL
INCREDIBLY UNRELIABLE AND IN
MANY CASES VERY EASY TO BREAK.
RESEARCHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
MARYLAND WERE ABLE TO BREAK ALL
THE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE
WATERMARKING METHODS. SOME CAN
BE AVOIDED BY SIMPLE CROPPING,
RESIZING, OR SCREENSHOTTING OF
AN IMAGE. MORE CONCERNING THESE,
RESEARCHERS WERE ABLE TO INSERT
FAKE WATERMARKS AND CREDENTIALS
INTO IMAGES, CREATING FALSE
POSITIVES, SO IN OUR VIEW, ANY
BILL ON THIS TOPIC SHOULD
ACCOUNT FOR THIS UNRELIABILITY.
OTHERWISE, I THINK WE RISK
JEOPARDIZING CONSUMER TRUST IF
LAWS EXCEED THE INDUSTRY'S
TECHNOLOGICAL CAPABILITIES,
WE'RE CONCERNED THAT CONSUMERS
MIGHT PLACE TOO MUCH TRUST AND
CREDENCE IN WATERMARKS, MAKING
THEM MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO BAD
ACTORS ATTEMPTS TO DECEIVE. AND
FINALLY, JUST TO VERY QUICKLY
DISTINGUISH BETWEEN A PACK OF
GUM. AND I THINK THE TECHNOLOGY
HERE AT ISSUE, A PACK OF GUM IS
NOT PROTECTED BY THE FIRST
AMENDMENT, WHEREAS SOME OF THE
SPEECH IS AND I THINK, THE WAY
THAT WE EITHER PREFERENCE OR
STIGMATIZE CERTAIN SPEECH IS
CONCERNING. AND THAT'S WHY WE
WANT TO GET THIS RIGHT, IS TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE FOLLOW VERY
CLEARLY UNDER THAT. AND AS I
MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, VERY MUCH
LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING
WITH THE AUTHOR. AND AS THIS
BILL MOVES FORWARD AT THIS TIME,
RESPECTFULLY OPPOSED. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE WISHING
TO TESTIFY AGAINST. GOOD
MORNING, BEN GOLOMBEK WITH CAL
CHAMBER. JUST ASSOCIATE OUR
COMMENTS WITH TECHNET AND
APPRECIATE THE AUTHOR CONTINUING
TO WORK WITH US. OKAY. WE'LL
BRING THIS BACK TO THE
COMMITTEE. ANYBODY HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SENATOR
PADILLA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MR. CHAIRMAN. I WANT TO THANK
THE AUTHOR FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL
APPROACH ON THIS AND VERY
SUPPORTIVE OF THE BILL. I HAVE
SOME SIMILAR PIECES MYSELF THAT
DEAL WITH CONSUMER PROTECTION.
AND, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE
EVOLUTION AND THE APPLICATION OF
THIS TECHNOLOGY AND HOW
PERVASIVE IT IS AND HOW
INTEGRATED IT IS, THE ONLY TOOLS
THAT CONSUMERS ARE LEFT WITH IS
INFORMATION AND OTHER
SOPHISTICATED TOOLS TO AT LEAST
GIVE THEM SOME SENSE OF EITHER
THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE SOURCE,
OR THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE
PRODUCT. AND GIVEN GIVEN THE
COMPLEXITIES HERE, YOU HAVE TO
TRY TO, IN MY VIEW, APPROACH
THIS WITH ANY TOOL AVAILABLE.
IT'S SORT OF I REMEMBER THE ARB
AND I'M SENSITIVE TO THE
INDUSTRY CONCERNS AT THE SAME
TIME. IT KIND OF REMINDS ME OF
THE OLD ADAGE, YOU KNOW,
SOMEBODY SAID THERE WASN'T
ENOUGH LIFEBOATS ON THE TITANIC
TO SAVE EVERYONE, SO WE SHOULD
THINK ABOUT SOMETHING OTHER THAN
LIFEBOATS, I THINK THAT WE
REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT
WHATEVER TOOLS ARE AVAILABLE AS
AS WE TRY TO KEEP PACE WITH THIS
EMERGING TECHNOLOGY. I
APPRECIATE THE AUTHOR'S WORK.
HAPPY TO MOVE THE BILL AT THE
RIGHT TIME. THANK YOU. ANYBODY
ELSE? SENATOR JONES? THANK YOU.
SENATOR BECK, I'M REALLY TORN ON
THIS. AND SO I'M GOING TO RAISE
SOME CONCERNS. MAYBE AND JUST
KIND OF SOME OF THEM ARE
CONCERNS ABOUT THE BILL AND THE
AND THE TECHNOLOGY. YOU KNOW, I
DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY STAFF
REAL QUICK AS SHE WAS READING
THROUGH THIS, RECOGNIZE THAT,
YOU KNOW, ALMOST 90 YEARS AGO,
WE HAD OUR FIRST INCIDENT. I
THINK WELL KNOWN OF THIS WAS THE
ORSON WELLES PRESENTATION OF WAR
OF THE WORLDS WHEN THE, YOU
KNOW, PUBLIC WAS STARTING TO
FREAK OUT, THINKING THAT WAS A
REAL, NEWS ITEM. SO, ON ON TO
YOUR BILL SPECIFICALLY. AND YOU
MIGHT WANT TO ADDRESS THE
OPPOSITION AND THE SUPPORT
BECAUSE THEY BOTH MENTIONED
WATERMARKS. AND NOW I'M CONFUSED
ON THAT ISSUE. IS IT IN THERE OR
IS IT NOT IN THERE, BUT THE
QUESTIONS I HAVE IS, OKAY,
WHERE'S WHAT'S THE LIMIT.
WHERE'S THE LINE ON THIS IS, IS
AN APP LIKE FACETUNE OR A FILTER
LIKE SNAPCHAT. YOU KNOW, COVERED
UNDER THIS. AND IF IT IS OR
ISN'T, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE DO
ABOUT THAT? THIS IS SUCH A BROAD
ISSUE. IT'S OBVIOUSLY GLOBAL,
YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD NEED A
FEDERAL SOLUTION TO THIS RATHER
THAN 50 DIFFERENT STATES
TACKLING THIS, AND SO I GUESS
THOSE WOULD BE I HAVE SOME OTHER
CONCERNS, BUT I'M TRYING TO GET
THERE ON THIS. I RECOGNIZE WE
GOT TO DO SOMETHING, BUT
SOMETIMES SOMETHING'S BETTER,
ISN'T IT? BETTER THAN NOTHING,
SO JUST KIND OF WALK ME THROUGH
THOSE COUPLE OF THINGS AND SEE
WHERE WE GET. YEAH. THANK YOU.
LISTEN. AND I DO APPRECIATE,
WHAT WAS RAISED BY THE
OPPOSITION. AND, AGAIN, WE ARE
WORKING WITH THEM, WORKING WITH
INDUSTRY. THIS BILL DOES NOT
SPECIFICALLY MENTION WATERMARKS.
I THINK THERE MIGHT BE CONFUSION
WITH THAT. THERE'S ANOTHER BILL
IN THE ASSEMBLY THAT THAT DOES
SPECIFICALLY MENTION WATERMARKS.
THIS ONE DOES NOT, IT SAYS THERE
HAS TO BE DISCLOSURE, BUT THE
BILL DOES NOT DICTATE WHAT THAT,
THAT STANDARD, IS. SO I THINK
WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK. I
UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY SAY, THE
LIMITATIONS FOR TEXT AND SOME OF
THE DIFFICULTIES IS, WITH TEXT
AND, AND AGAIN, THIS IS RAPIDLY
EVOLVING. SO I THINK WE'RE
TRYING TO, TO, AGAIN, ADDRESS IT
IN A WAY, IT HAS TO BE
IMPLEMENTABLE. RIGHT. AND TO
YOUR POINT, IT HAS TO BE BETTER
THAN NOTHING, SO IF IT'S A
STANDARD THAT'S TOO EASY, YOU
KNOW, FAKED OR WHATEVER, THEN
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE HELPFUL. I
SEE, TOM, IS IT OKAY TO HAVE MY
WITNESS HAVE A QUICK COME
THROUGH TO THE CHAIR, IF YOU
LIKE. YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO
HEAR WHAT? YEAH, WE REALLY TRIED
HARD IN THIS BILL NOT TO BE
PRESCRIPTIVE AND ACTUALLY
DICTATE WHAT THE DISCLOSURE IS.
RIGHT. AND SO WE EXPLICITLY DO
NOT MENTION TECHNICAL
IMPLEMENTATION SUCH AS
WATERMARKING. AND THE OPPOSITION
RAISED EXCELLENT POINTS. WE
SIMPLY SAY, LOOK, THERE JUST
NEEDS TO BE SOME FORM OF
DISCLOSURE. AND THEN WE ASK THE
GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT
TO REVIEW THE STANDARDS THAT ARE
EMERGING AND THEN MAKE ACTUAL
RECOMMENDATIONS EVERY TWO YEARS.
SO WE WANTED TO HAVE AN ON RAMP
IF A FEDERAL STANDARD. BUT I
THINK, AS WE ALL KNOW, IF WE'RE
YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL WAITING
FOR A FEDERAL PRIVACY LAW AND
IT'S BEEN 30 YEARS, ETC. SO SOME
OF THESE STANDARDS JUST PROBABLY
WON'T, WON'T COME ABOUT ANYTIME
SOON. AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT
ACTUALLY ALL THE LARGE
TECHNOLOGY PLAYER PLAYERS HAVE
ACTUALLY SAID THAT THEY WOULD DO
DISCLOSURE AS WELL. SO THIS IS
KIND OF JUST CONFIRMING EXACTLY
WHAT THEY DO. AND THEY'RE MOVING
AHEAD WITHOUT ANY SPECIFIC
STANDARDS, ETC. AND SO THIS JUST
SIMPLY JUST PUTS IT INTO LAW AND
THEN AND SETS A HIGH ENOUGH
THRESHOLD FOR THE ENTITIES THAT
FOR THE LARGER GENERATORS OF I,
JUST TO PUT THE EQUIVALENT OF A
FOOD LABEL ON THE ACTUAL CONTENT
THAT THEY CREATE. THANK YOU.
YES, IT WILL. OKAY, THANK YOU,
SENATOR BECKER, I'D LIKE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE SOME OF THE CONCERNS
RAISED BY THE OPPOSITION,
PARTICULARLY REGARDING THE
ABILITY TO DETECT AI GENERATED
TEXT. I UNDERSTAND YOU'VE SAID
THAT HERE, THAT YOU'RE
CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE
OPPOSITION. I WOULD URGE YOU TO
DO THAT OBVIOUSLY, IN THE
FUTURE. AND AGAIN, AS CHAIR OF
GEO, I'VE SEEN A NUMBER OF AI
BILLS THIS, IN THIS COMMITTEE,
SOME OF MY OWN, SOME OF THE
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE,
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE
TO INNOVATE WHILE RECOGNIZING
REMAINING EXCUSE ME, COGNIZANT
OF THE THREATS OF THESE, THAT
THESE NEW TECHNOLOGIES POSE
DETECTION OF AI GENERATED
CONTENT, PARTICULARLY PHOTOS AND
VIDEOS, AND THEIR ABILITY TO
SPREAD INFORMATION IS ONE OF THE
GREATEST THREATS TO THIS
TECHNOLOGY POSES. WITH THAT,
SENATOR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE
? YES, AND THANK YOU, CHAIR. I
DO APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP ON
THIS. GIVE ME THE FIRST SPEECH
ON THE FLOOR THAT WAS AI
GENERATED. I REMEMBER THAT WELL,
YEAH, I KNOW WE'RE ALL MANY OF
US ARE ARE, I, I KNOW MANY OF US
ARE WORKING ON THIS ISSUE, AND I
CERTAINLY WILL CONTINUE TO WORK
WITH WITH INDUSTRY AND WITH THE
OPPOSITION. WE WANT TO COME UP
WITH SOMETHING, THAT, THAT THAT
AGAIN, PROTECTS CONSUMERS BUT
DOESN'T STIFLE THE INDUSTRY AND
IS, IS A STEP FORWARD. YEAH. AS
MUCH AS I HATE THIS WHEN I HAVE
SOMEBODY CLOSE, MAYBE I DIDN'T
LOOK TO THE RIGHT, BUT, I'M
GOING TO KEEP IT VERY BRIEF,
VERY BRIEF. AND THIS IS ACTUALLY
TO YOUR BENEFIT, SENATOR BECKER.
SO MY MESSAGE IS REALLY TO THE
OPPOSITION THAT, YOU KNOW, I
BELIEVE I AM FAIR IN EVALUATING
OPPOSITION AND SUPPORT FOR EVERY
BILL THAT COMES IN IN FRONT OF
ME, HOWEVER, THE, THE LETTER
THAT WAS SUBMITTED BY TECH NECK
AND CAL CHAMBER, WAS NOT IN
REGARD TO YOUR BILL. IT WAS IN
REGARD TO SENATE BILL NINE FOR
TWO WEEKS, WHICH CONFUSED ME AND
THAT AND READING THE LETTER, IT
ALSO SAYS SB NINE FOR BECKER. SO
I AM CONFUSED WITH THE
OPPOSITION. AND I'M GOING TO
SUPPORT YOUR BILL, WHERE BEFORE
I HAD QUESTIONS. SO JUST A NOTE
TO ANYONE WHO SUBMITS LETTERS.
PLEASE HELP US DO OUR JOBS BY
GIVING US THE COMPLETE
INFORMATION. THANK YOU, SENATOR
BECKER. THE ULTIMATE CLOSE. YES.
OKAY. THE MOTION IS DUE. PASS TO
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE,
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
DODD. AYE. DODD. AYE WILK.
ALVARADO. GILL. AYE. ALVARADO.
GILL. AYE. ARCHULETA ASHBY.
BRADFORD BRADFORD. AYE. GLAZER.
JONES NOT VOTING. NGUYEN OKUBO.
NOT VOTING. PADILLA PADILLA.
AYE. PORTANTINO. PORTANTINO. AYE
ROTH. RUBIO. SATO SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS. BEALL HAS FIVE VOTES.
WE'LL LEAVE THAT ON CALL. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH, SENATOR BECKER.
AT THIS POINT, WE'RE GOING TO
MOVE ON TO FILE ITEM NUMBER
EIGHT, SB 1107. I'M GOING TO
TURN THE COMMITTEE OVER IN ABOUT
IN THE MIDDLE. COME ON UP.
SENATOR DURAZO PROBABLY IN THE
MIDDLE OF THIS, TO, SOMEBODY
HERE WHICH WILL DECIDE IN A
MINUTE. OH, SENATOR. YES.
SENATOR JONES, WOULD YOU DO
THAT? HAPPY TO BACK YOU UP. SO
GOOD. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU,
SENATOR DURAZO. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR, SB 1107 WILL
PROVIDE AN OPTION FOR UNHOUSED
CALIFORNIANS TO RECEIVE AND PICK
UP THEIR GOVERNMENT RELATED MAIL
AT A COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL
SERVICES OFFICE. CURRENTLY
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES RELY ON THE
US POSTAL SERVICE TO DELIVER
IMPORTANT MAIL TO CALIFORNIANS
WHO DON'T HAVE A RELIABLE
MAILING ADDRESS, THROUGH GENERAL
DELIVERY. THIS FREE SERVICE
PROVIDES ACCESS TO MAIL
DELIVERED TO A LOCAL POST OFFICE
. HOWEVER, GENERAL DELIVERY
VARIES FROM COUNTY TO COUNTY.
FOR EXAMPLE, SAN FRANCISCO.
THERE'S ONE GENERAL DELIVERY FOR
THE ENTIRE CITY AND COUNTY. AS
AN ALTERNATIVE, CALIFORNIANS
WITHOUT A PERMANENT ADDRESS HAVE
ALSO RELIED ON RECEIVING THEIR
MAIL AT COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES
OFFICES IN COUNTIES SUCH AS SAN
BERNARDINO, LOS ANGELES AND
SACRAMENTO. THEY CAN ALSO
RECEIVE MAIL AT SHELTERS,
NONPROFITS AND FRIENDS OR
FAMILIES. CALIFORNIANS WHO
RECEIVE PUBLIC BENEFITS RECEIVED
NOTICES AND ACCESS OF THESE
SERVICES THROUGH THE MAIL,
INCLUDING THE EBT CARDS,
RECERTIFICATION OF PUBLIC
BENEFITS AND NOTICES OF HOUSING
PROGRAMS. AS THEY OFTEN ARE, THE
NOTICES OFTEN REQUIRE PEOPLE TO
RESPOND IN A TIMELY MANNER, IF
NOT THEIR BENEFITS OR SERVICES
COULD BE INTERRUPTED OR CUT OFF
WITHOUT, THE IMPACTS OF NOT
HAVING A RELIABLE MAILING
ADDRESS ARE DETRIMENTAL TO THESE
CALIFORNIANS, AND SO WITHOUT SET
STANDARDS THAT EXPAND ACCESS TO
RECEIVING MAIL, THE SHORTCOMING
CAN POTENTIALLY IMPACT TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF UNHOUSED
CALIFORNIANS WITH ME TO TESTIFY
TODAY IS CHRISTOPHER SANCHEZ,
ONE OF OUR SPONSORS WITH THE
WESTERN CENTER ON LAW AND
POVERTY. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR
. MEMBERS CHRISTOPHER SANCHEZ
WITH THE MESA VERDE GROUP
REPRESENTING THE WESTERN CENTER
ON LAW AND POVERTY HERE IN
STRONG SUPPORT OF SB 1107. FOR
DECADES, CALIFORNIANS HAVE
RELIED ON DELIVERY OF MAIL
THROUGH THE UNITED STATES POSTAL
SERVICE, WHICH UP UNTIL RECENTLY
WAS A RELIABLE SERVICE TO SEND
AND RECEIVE MAIL. UNFORTUNATELY
IN RECENT YEARS, THE POST OFFICE
HAS SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED FOR
MANY REASONS, BUT AS A RESULT
HAS PULLED BACK SERVICES THAT
WERE READILY AVAILABLE TO ALL
CALIFORNIANS, INCLUDING SERVICES
SPECIFICALLY TAILORED TO THOSE
WHO ARE UNHOUSED, BY PROVIDING
FREE PO BOX SERVICES. ALSO KNOWN
AS GENERAL DELIVERY. THE REALITY
TODAY IS THAT THOSE SERVICES ARE
BEING VERY LIMITED, ARE VERY
LIMITED, AND IN MANY CASES NO
LONGER AVAILABLE. LAST YEAR, THE
WESTERN CENTER ON LAW AND
POVERTY PUBLISHED A REPORT
SHOWING HOW CALIFORNIA WAS
WITHOUT A MAILING ADDRESS. ARE
DISENFRANCHIZED, ESPECIALLY
THOSE TRYING TO ACCESS PUBLIC
BENEFITS? 1107 PROVIDES AN
ADDITIONAL OPTION FOR UNHOUSE
CALIFORNIANS TO ACCESS CRITICAL
SOCIAL SERVICES. BECAUSE OUR
SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMS STILL
RELY ON MAIL, YOU CAN'T RECEIVE
AN ID, AN EBT CARD WITHOUT
HAVING ACCESS TO MAIL. YOU CAN'T
RECEIVE A LETTER TO BE ON A
HOUSING WAITING LIST OR ACCESS
TO A HOUSING PROGRAM WITHOUT
ACCESS TO MAIL, AND THE LIST
GOES ON, FOR THESE REASONS, WE
URGE YOUR AYE VOTE. THANK YOU.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER WITNESSES IN
SUPPORT? ANNIE CHOW WITH THE
CALIFORNIA TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU. ABBY
ALVAREZ WITH NOURISH CALIFORNIA
IN SUPPORT. KEVIN ESTÁN
COALITION CALIFORNIA WELFARE
RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS, STRONG
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER WITNESSES
IN SUPPORT TO ADD ON IN THEIR
SUPPORT OF THIS BILL? SEEING NO
OTHER WITNESSES IN SUPPORT, ANY
OPPOSITION TO SB 1107. OTHER
WITNESSES THAT MIGHT BE IN
OPPOSITION CAN BEGIN TO LINE UP
IN THE AISLE. THERE GO AHEAD.
GOOD MORNING, AMANDA KERSHNER.
ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY WELFARE
DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION, WE DO
APPRECIATE THE INTENT OF THIS
BILL, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, OUR
COUNTIES ARE OPPOSED. AND,
CURRENTLY SOME OF OUR COUNTIES
ARE ABLE TO HELP, OUR UNHOUSED
CLIENTS BECAUSE THEY ARE KNOWN
TO US AND THEY ARE A PART OF OUR
COUNTY SERVICES. AND SO WE ARE
ABLE TO KEEP MAIL FOR THEM, OR
MORE LIKELY, WHAT IT IS, IS WE
REPRINT FOR THEM ANY OF THE
NOTICES THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY SENT
TO THEM. SO SOMEONE COMES IN,
THEY COME TO OUR INTAKE OFFICE
AND WE ARE ABLE TO REPRINT FOR
THEM ANYTHING THAT WE'VE SENT
OUT SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE IT ON
HAND. SOME COUNTIES DO TRY AND
ADDITIONALLY TAKE IN OTHER FORMS
OF MAIL. IF IT'S KNOWN TO THEM
THAT IT'S COMING, BUT NOT ALL OF
OUR COUNTIES PROVIDE THAT
SERVICE. SO TO EXPAND THIS TO
ALL OF OUR COUNTIES TO DO THAT,
WE DO FEEL IS GOING TO BE QUITE
A BURDENSOME UNDERTAKING FOR OUR
COUNTIES AND COSTLY THERE WILL
BE SIGNIFICANT WORKLOAD ISSUES,
NOT JUST IN STORING, BUT ALSO
CREATING THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO
HOLD ON TO THAT MAIL AND THEN TO
SEND ANYTHING BACK TO THE POST
OFFICE THAT ISN'T PART OF THE
GOVERNMENT MAIL THAT'S BEEN
IDENTIFIED THAT WE SHOULD BE
KEEPING, AND SO WE'RE JUST HAPPY
TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE
AUTHOR'S OFFICE, SEE IF WE CAN
GET TO A MIDDLE GROUND ON THIS.
BUT FOR THOSE REASONS, WE ARE
OPPOSED. THANK YOU. SECOND
WITNESS IN OPPOSITION, KELLY
BROOKS, ON BEHALF OF THE URBAN
COUNTIES OF CALIFORNIA AND THE
RURAL COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES OF
CALIFORNIA, WE ARE ALSO OPPOSED
AND WOULD JUST ALIGN OUR
COMMENTS WITH QUDAH. THANK YOU.
GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY
OTHER WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION
SEEING NO OTHER WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION, DISCUSSION FROM THE
DAIS. SENATOR ALVARADO, GO,
SENATOR DURAZO, I KNOW WE SAW
YOU IN HUMAN SERVICES, AND I
JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WORK
HAS BEEN DONE BETWEEN THE LAST
COMMITTEE AND THIS COMMITTEE,
WITH OPPOSITION TO KIND OF COME
TO A COMMON GROUND, WELL, DO YOU
WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT, CHRIS?
WE'LL TAKE THE WITNESS AND
SUPPORT. YES. I'M SORRY, I
APOLOGIZE, MA'AM, IF YOU CAN
REPEAT THE QUESTION. YES. SO WE
SAW YOU IN HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE AND THERE WERE SOME
CONCERNS FROM OPPOSITION. AND MY
QUESTION IS, WHAT WORK HAS BEEN
DONE WITH THE OPPOSITION TO KIND
OF COME TO A MIDDLE GROUND,
UNFORTUNATELY, AT THIS TIME, WE
HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO SIT WITH
OPPOSITION. I THINK WE ARE
LOOKING TO SIT WITH THEM AGAIN,
TO HEAR MORE OF THEIR CONCERNS,
WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY
FEEDBACK, BASED ON THE NEW
LANGUAGE THAT'S IN PRINT TODAY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS?
IS I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE
AUTHOR FOR THE BILL, AND, YOU
KNOW, IT'S IT IS A SHAME THAT WE
HAVE TO PROVIDE THIS LEVEL OF
SERVICE, BUT THIS IS JUST WHERE
OUR ECONOMY IS LEFT. SOME FOLKS
WAY, WAY, WAY BEHIND WHERE EVEN
RECEIVING MAIL, REQUIRES SUPPORT
AND ASSISTANCE. SO, I'M HAPPY TO
MOVE THE BILL WHEN IT'S WHEN
IT'S TIME, IT'S NECESSARY AND
IT'S NEEDED. THANK YOU. WE HAVE
A MOTION ON SB 1107. ANY OTHER
COMMENTS FROM THE DÍAS? SENATOR
DURAZO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE?
YES, AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO SAY
THAT, COUNTIES LIKE SAN
BERNARDINO, LOS ANGELES AND
SACRAMENTO AS DIVERSE AS THOSE
COUNTIES ARE, ARE PROVIDING AN
OPTION. AND I WOULD URGE EVERY
COUNTY TO DO THE SAME. FOLLOW.
AND I URGE I VOTE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. SENATOR, WE HAVE A
MOTION BY SENATOR SMALLWOOD
CUEVAS ON SB 1107. THE MOTION IS
DUE PASS TO APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEE SECRETARY. WE'RE READY
TO CALL THE ROLL DODD WILK
ALVARADO GILL. ARCHULETA. ASHBY
BRADFORD. BRADFORD. AYE. GLAZER
JONES. AYE. JONES. AYE. NGUYEN
OKUBO. PADILLA. PORTANTINO
PORTANTINO. AYE. WRATH. RUBIO
SARDO. SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. AYE.
SMALLWOOD CUEVAS. AYE. THANK YOU
. THAT HAS FOUR AYE VOTES. AS WE
CAN SEE, MANY MEMBERS ARE IN
OTHER COMMITTEES RIGHT NOW. SO
WE'LL PUT IT ON CALL FOR THE END
OF THE SESSION TODAY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. YEAH ALL
RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE WE
DON'T HAVE ANY ANY, SENATORS
WAITING TO PRESENT. SO WE'RE
GOING TO TAKE, MEMBERS FROM THE
DAIS. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE
SENATOR BRADFORD'S SB 1403,
WHICH IS FILE ITEM 20, SENATOR
BRADFORD WILL BE, PRESENTING
SENATOR BRADFORD. AGAIN, FOR THE
PUBLIC, WE'RE ON, FILE ITEM 20,
SENATE BILL 1403. SENATOR
BRADFORD. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
1403 WOULD ESTABLISH A
CALIFORNIA'S AMERICAN TREATMENT
AFFAIRS AGENCY FOR THE PURPOSE
OF IMPLEMENTATION, OVERSIGHT AND
MONITORING OF POLICIES AND LAWS
ENACTED RELATED TO REPARATIONS.
IT WOULD ALSO REQUIRE THE AGENCY
TO OVERSEE AND MONITOR EXISTING
STATE AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS
TASKED WITH ENGAGING AND DIRECT
IMPLEMENTATION OF REPARATIONS
POLICIES. THIS BILL WAS THE
RECOMMENDATION OF THE CALIFORNIA
REPARATIONS TASK FORCE, WHICH I
SPENT TWO YEARS OF MY LIFE BEING
A PART OF, AND IT'S ONE OF THE
MOST ESSENTIAL OF THE REPORTS.
115 RECOMMENDATIONS. THIS AGENCY
WILL BE NECESSARY FOUNDATION FOR
THE IMPLEMENTATION AND SUCCESS
OF REPARATIONS. MOST IMPORTANT
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THIS AGENCY
WILL HAVE. IT WILL HAVE IS
DETERMINING INDIVIDUALS WHICH
ARE ELIGIBLE FOR REPARATION
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT THE
LEGISLATURE ENACTS. ELIGIBLE
INDIVIDUALS ARE DESCENDANTS OF
CHATTEL SLAVES OF AFRICAN
AMERICANS IN THE UNITED STATES,
OR DESCENDANTS OF FREE BLACK
PERSONS LIVING IN THE UNITED
STATES. PRIOR TO THE END OF THE
19TH CENTURY. SB 1403 WILL
CREATE A GENEALOGICAL OFFICE OF
RESEARCH AND CONFIRM.
REPARATIONS ELIGIBILITY,
EXPEDITE ASSISTANCE WITH
REPARATIONS CLAIMS PROCESS, AND
MANY PEOPLE ASK, WHY CALIFORNIA?
WHY SHOULD WE BE RESPONSIBLE FOR
REPARATIONS AT ALL? WELL IN NO
WAY DOES THIS EXCUSE THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT AND OUR LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS FROM TAKING ACTION.
CALIFORNIA STILL BEARS SOME REAL
RESPONSIBILITY HERE. THE STATE
GOVERNMENT PERMITTED AND
COMMITTED GRAVE INJUSTICES
AGAINST AFRICAN AMERICANS. THESE
INJUSTICES INCLUDE ENSLAVED
MEANT LEGAL, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
SEGREGATION, DISCRIMINATION IN
STATE FUNDING AND PROGRAMING,
AND STIGMATIZATION. THIS AGENCY
IS THE FIRST STEP IN CALIFORNIA
STIGMATIZING. I SHOULD SAY,
CALIFORNIA CAN TAKE AND WRITING
THESE WRONGS. 1403 IS ABOUT
DEMONSTRATING OUR STATE'S
COMMITMENT TO NOT ONLY
RECOGNIZING THE PAST, BUT ALSO
TAKING MEANINGFUL ACTIONS TOWARD
AN EQUITABLE, EQUITABLE FUTURE.
AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU, SENATOR
BRADFORD. WE'LL NOW TAKE
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT OF SENATE
BILL 1403. ARE THERE ANY
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT? MR. CHAIR
AND SENATORS ADAM KAGAN, ON
BEHALF OF CITY OF LOS ANGELES,
IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT? IF YOU'RE
A WITNESS IN SUPPORT, NOW WOULD
BE THE TIME TO BE LINING UP TO
SHARE YOUR, SUPPORT. GO AHEAD.
YES. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
DARLENE CROMARTIE, A MEMBER OF
THE COALITION FOR A JUST AND
EQUITABLE CALIFORNIA, AS WELL AS
AMERICAN RIGHTEOUS CORRELATION
OF CALIFORNIA. ARK BAY AREA. I
AM IN TOTAL SUPPORT OF SB 1403.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OTHER
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT. GOOD
MORNING. KIM MIMS WITH THE
COALITION FOR A JUST AND
EQUITABLE CALIFORNIA AMERICAN
REDRESS COALITION OF CALIFORNIA
ARC SACRAMENTO BRANCH AND AMEND
THE MASS MEDIA IN FULL AND TOTAL
SUPPORT OF SB 1403. THANK YOU,
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER WITNESSES
IN SUPPORT? SEEING NO OTHER
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT, ARE THERE
ANY WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION TO
SENATE BILL 1403? SEEING NO ONE
MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE
MICROPHONE, CONVERSATION FROM
THE DAIS MEMBERS, SENATOR
SMALLWOOD, I WANT TO THANK THE
AUTHOR FOR BRINGING THIS
IMPORTANT PIECE OF LEGISLATION,
BUT ALSO HIS LEADERSHIP ON THIS
ISSUE FOR SO MANY YEARS, BOTH ON
THE TASK FORCE. BUT AS A MEMBER,
EDUCATING NOT JUST OUR
COMMUNITY, BUT OUR LEGISLATORS
ON THIS, ON THIS ISSUE, AS A
MEMBER OF THE BLACK CAUCUS, I
ABSOLUTELY WANT TO MOVE THIS
BILL. WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT,
BUT I ALSO WANT TO SAY HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS FOR US TO
ADDRESS REPARATIONS IN
CALIFORNIA FOR CALIFORNIA, FOR
SLAVERY IS THE ECONOMIC
FOUNDATION OF OUR COUNTRY. AND
IN MANY WAYS, CALIFORNIA
BENEFITED FROM IT TREMENDOUSLY.
AND THAT FOUNDATION, BECAUSE OF
THE RACIAL TERROR, BECAUSE OF
THE DISENFRANCHIZED EASEMENT,
BECAUSE OF THE INTERGENERATIONAL
VIOLENCE, IT'S, OUR FOUNDATION
IS DEEPLY CRACKED. AND I SEE
REPARATIONS AS A WAY OF
REPAIRING THE FOUNDATION, WHICH
MAKES OUR STATE STRONGER AND
WILL LIFT ALL OF US IN THE
PROCESS. SO I WANT TO SAY, THIS
IS SACRED WORK, AND THIS IS AN
IMPORTANT PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
THÀNH. AND I'M GRATEFUL TO BE IN
THE LEGISLATURE AT THIS TIME
WHERE WE ARE POSITIONING OUR
STATE FOR A DIFFERENT AND
BRIGHTER FUTURE, FOR NEXT
GENERATION, REPARATIONS IS ALL
ABOUT, A LIFE WHERE WE MAKE
AMENDS FOR WHAT? THE HARMS THAT
HAVE BEEN DONE AND WE HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO LEAN INTO A FREER
FUTURE FOR ALL OF US. SO I WANT
TO SAY THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE
AUTHOR, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
SUPPORTING THE BILL WHEN THE
TIME IS RIGHT. ANY OTHER
COMMENTS FROM THE DAIS? I WILL
TAKE THAT AS A THE MOTION THEN
FROM SENATOR SMALLWOOD CREVICE.
SENATOR BRADFORD, WOULD YOU LIKE
TO CLOSE? THANK YOU. AND I
APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS BY MY
COLLEAGUE FROM LOS ANGELES. AND
THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT CALIFORNIA
SHOULD, FACE UP TO AND ACCEPT.
AND MANY TIMES THEY SAY WHY
CALIFORNIA? CALIFORNIA WAS NOT A
SLAVE STATE, BUT IN NAME ONLY,
IT PRACTICED EVERYTHING THAT A
SLAVE STATE DID. IF YOU WERE
BROUGHT HERE AS A SLAVE, YOU
WERE TREATED AS A SLAVE. IF YOU
GAVE BIRTH HERE AS CALIFORNIA,
YOUR CHILD WAS BORN AS A SLAVE.
WE HAD A FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW. SO
IF YOU RAN AWAY FROM ONE OF
THOSE SLAVE STATES, YOU WERE
RETURNED BY BOUNTY HUNTERS. SO.
AND OUR FIRST GOVERNOR, WE MUST
UNDERSTAND THAT PETER BURNETT
OWNED SLAVES IN THIS STATE. SO
WE WERE A SLAVE STATE IN
PRACTICE. THIS IS NOT CHARITY.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH
THIS, FREEDMAN AGENCY IS GOING
TO BE A WAY OF STANDING UP. SAME
WAY WE DID FOR OUR NATIVE
AMERICANS, BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
WITH THE TRIBAL AFFAIRS, TO MAKE
SURE THAT THEY WERE JUSTLY
COMPENSATED AND TAKEN CARE OF
FOR THE WRONGS THAT HAPPENED TO
THEM. THIS IS FOLLOWING THAT
SAME MODEL, AND I RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR I VOTE. THANK YOU,
SENATOR BRADFORD, WE ARE READY
FOR, WE'RE GOING TO THE MOTION
IS Dð PASS TO APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE. SECRETARY, PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL DODD WILK
ALVARADO. GIL AYE. ALVARADO.
AYE. ARCHULETA I ARCHULETA. AYE
ASHBY. BRADFORD I BRADFORD I.
GLAZER. JONES NGUYEN. OKUBO
PADILLA. PORTANTINO PORTANTINO
I. ROTH. RUBIO SATO. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS. SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. I
IT'S FIVE. THAT BILL HAS FIVE I
VOTES. WE'LL PUT IT ON CALL. FOR
THE OTHER MEMBERS TO GET HERE
NEXT. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP
SENATE BILL 1114. SENATOR NILO,
THIS IS FILE ITEM NINE ON OUR
FILE TODAY. SENATOR NILO IS
PRESENTING FILE ITEM NINE,
SENATE BILL 1114. SENATOR NILO,
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR, I CAN SEE
BY THE POPULATION OF THE DAIS
THAT, EVERYBODY HERE IS RUNNING
AROUND QUITE A BIT TODAY,
ACTUALLY, SENATOR. THEY'RE OUT.
THEY'RE OFF GOOFING OFF. FOR
THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW,
THAT'S WHAT I SAID. WILK WAS,
SENATOR WILK WAS DOING WHEN I
PRESENTED HIS BILL YESTERDAY,
BUT I QUICKLY MODIFIED THAT
STATEMENT TO SAY THAT HE HAD
UNAVOIDABLE CONFLICTS DURING THE
DAY, WHICH AND I'M NOT GOING TO
SAY THAT ABOUT MY COLLEAGUES
HERE. SO THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR
AND MEMBERS, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO PRESENT SB 1114, WHICH WOULD
REQUIRE EACH STATE AGENCY,
DEPARTMENT OFFICE OR ENTITY TO
CLEARLY POST THEIR BUDGETS ON
THEIR RESPECTIVE INTERNET HOME
PAGES, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME
BEGIN BY I DO ACCEPT THE
COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS. THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA MANDATES
SIGNIFICANT DISCLOSURE
REQUIREMENTS IN ELECTION,
FINANCIAL, INSURANCE, REAL
ESTATE, AND OTHER LAWS IN AN
EFFORT TO PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY,
WE REGULATE CONDUCT AND TO
ENSURE INFORMED CONSENT. THESE
DISCLOSURES, WHILE MOSTLY WELL
INTENDED TO SERVE THE PUBLIC'S
INTEREST, ADD COMPLEXITY AND
EXPENSE TO CONDUCTING BUSINESS
IN CALIFORNIA ON OTHER ENTITIES.
CONVERSELY, WHILE THE STATE
REQUIRES NUMEROUS PERSONS,
ORGANIZATIONS, AND BUSINESSES TO
DISCLOSE INFORMATION IN THE
PUBLIC'S INTEREST, INFORMATION
CONCERNING THE SIZE, EXPENSE,
AND GROWTH OF STATE GOVERNMENT
IS NOT EASILY AND READILY
AVAILABLE TO THE CASUAL OR
INTERMITTENT CONSUMER OF STATE
SERVICES WEBSITES OF STATE
AGENCIES, DEPARTMENTS, OFFICES
PROVIDE EXTENSIVE INFORMATION
ABOUT SERVICES AVAILABLE TO
CITIZENS OR REQUIREMENTS.
CITIZENS MUST MEET AND OBTAINING
LICENSES OR PERFORMING OTHER
FUNCTIONS. YET THE ACTUAL SIZE,
COST AND GROWTH OF THOSE
ENTITIES ARE MASKED FROM
CALIFORNIANS IN OBSCURE,
DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND BUDGET
DOCUMENTS FOR WHICH MOST
CALIFORNIANS WOULD NEVER SEE OR
LOOK FOR. WHILE WE DO HAVE THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE WEBSITE,
IT IS NOT EASY TO NAVIGATE AND
SOMETHING MOST CITIZENS DO NOT
EVEN KNOW ABOUT, SO WOULD NEVER
EVEN THINK TO VISIT THE SITE.
ALSO, WHEN YOU CONSIDER MANY OF
THESE AGENCIES ARE LICENSE FEE
FUNDED, IT MAKES SENSE THAT
THOSE LICENSE PAYING INDIVIDUALS
OR ENTITIES BE ABLE TO TRACK THE
DEPARTMENT SPENDING FOR
ACCOUNTABILITY. ACCOUNTABILITY
PURPOSES. PROMOTING TRANSPARENCY
OF CALIFORNIA'S STATE GOVERNMENT
TO WORKADAY, TAXPAYING
CALIFORNIANS IS A WORTHY GOAL IN
AND OF ITSELF. GIVEN OUR BUDGET
DEFICIT. IT IS EVEN MORE
IMPORTANT THAT WE EVER THAN EVER
BEFORE TO PROMOTE BUDGET
TRANSPARENCY EFFORTS. THIS BILL
WOULD REQUIRE EACH STATE AGENCY,
DEPARTMENT, OFFICE, OR ENTITY
WITH A HOME PAGE ON THE INTERNET
TO POST IN A CONSPICUOUS PLACE.
A BRIEF DISCLOSURE IN CLEAR,
LEGIBLE TABLE FORM OF ITS TOTAL
PERSONNEL, BOTH FULL AND PART
TIME, ITS TOTAL AUTHORIZED
BUDGET AND THE SOURCE OF ALL OF
ITS FUND, BE IT GENERAL FUND,
SPECIAL FUND, OR FEDERAL FUNDS
FOR THE CURRENT AND THREE
PREVIOUS BUDGET YEARS. I DO NOT
HAVE ANY FORMAL WITNESSES TODAY
I'M PERFORMING WITHOUT A SAFETY
NET, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO THE
DISCUSSION OF THE COMMITTEE WITH
THE COMMITTEE. THAT'S GREAT. YOU
TOOK THE FOUR MINUTES ANYWAYS,
SO THAT'S NOT ARE THERE ANY
OTHER WITNESSES IN SUPPORT THAT
WOULD LIKE TO ADD ON THEIR VOICE
TO THIS, EXCELLENT BILL, SENATE
BILL 1114, SEEING NO WITNESSES
MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE
MICROPHONE. ARE THERE ANY
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION TO
SENATE BILL 1114, SEEING NO
WITNESSES MAKING THEIR WAY ON
SENATE BILL 1114 WILL OPEN THE
CONVERSATION TO THE DAIS FOR THE
MEMBERS. SENATOR WILK, THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR. I THINK THIS IS
A SMART BILL. EARLY, EARLY IN MY
CAREER, I INTRODUCED LEGISLATION
THAT REQUIRED 25% OF THE BUDGET
TO GO THROUGH A, PERFORMANCE
BASED BUDGETING EXERCISE AND IT
GOT IT GOT NOWHERE, SO THIS IS,
I THINK, A COMPROMISE. AND I
DON'T KNOW HOW ANYBODY COULD NOT
NOT SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE IT'S
ALL ABOUT TRANSPARENCY TO THE
PUBLIC. I THINK ONE OF THE
PROBLEMS WE HAVE TODAY IS A LACK
OF TRUST IN DISCLOSURE CREATES
ACCOUNTABILITY, WHICH CREATES
TRUST. SO THIS IS A GREAT BILL.
HAPPY TO MOVE TO MOVE THE BILL.
AND THANK YOU FOR CARRYING THIS.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION
FROM THE DÍAS SENATOR ARCHULETA
OKAY. YEAH. ANYTIME WE ARE
TRANSPARENCY. GREAT FOR THE
PUBLIC. AND AS THE CHAIR STARTED
HIS STATEMENT, HE SAID THIS
GREAT BILL. AND EVEN THOUGH THAT
IS NOT AN OPINION OF EVERYONE,
BUT I BELIEVE IT IS A GOOD BILL
AND, I WILL, GO AHEAD AND VOTE
FOR IT. AND I APPRECIATE YOU
BRINGING IT FORWARD. THANK YOU,
SENATOR ARCHULETA. ANY OTHER
MEMBERS WISHING TO DISCUSS
SEEING NONE? WE HAVE A MOTION ON
SENATE BILL 1114. SENATOR NILA,
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR. ONE
PARTICULAR ASPECT THAT I THINK
IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE
TO CONCENTRATE ON IS THOSE THAT
PAY FEES FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF
BEING REGULATED, REALLY DESERVE
TO BE ABLE TO SEE HOW THEIR FEES
ARE BEING PAID, BEING UTILIZED
AND AS SENATOR ARCHULETA SAID,
TRANSPARENCY IS GOOD AND I WILL
OTHERWISE LET SENATOR WILKES
STATEMENTS SUFFICE FOR MY CLOSE
THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION BY
SENATOR WILK. THE MOTION IS Dð
PASS, AS AMENDED TO THE. ARE
YOU'RE ACCEPTING THE AMENDMENTS?
YES. OKAY AS AMENDED TO THE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
DODD. WILK. AYE. WILK. AYE
ALVARADO. GILL. AYE. ALVARADO.
GILL. AYE. ARCHULETA Ã.
ARCHULETA. AYE. ASHBY. BRADFORD
GLASER. GLASER. AYE. JONES.
JONES. AYE NGUYEN. OKOBO. OKOBO.
AYE PADILLA. PORTANTINO.
PORTANTINO. AYE ROTH. RUBIO.
SATO SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. THAT
BILL HAS SEVEN AYE VOTES. AND
WE'LL PUT IT ON CALL FOR THE
REMAINING MEMBERS TO GET BACK TO
THE COMMITTEE. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. HAVE A GREAT REST
OF YOUR DAY. THANK YOU. WE'RE
GOING TO TAKE SENATOR LIMON
FIRST. SHE SNUCK IN AT THE VERY
LAST SECOND AS THE BUZZER WAS
BUZZING ON THE GOALTENDER, FILE
ITEM SEVEN IS SENATE BILL 1152
BY SENATOR LIMON. SENATOR LIMON,
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU,
CHAIR AND SENATORS. FIRST, I'D
LIKE TO START BY ACCEPTING THE
COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS. AND THANK
THE COMMITTEE FOR THEIR WORK ON
THIS. CALIFORNIA IS NOT IMMUNE
TO NATURAL DISASTERS AND POWER
OUTAGES, AND OUR COMMUNICATION
SYSTEMS ARE ESSENTIAL IN THOSE
SITUATIONS. THESE SYSTEMS HELP
PROVIDE EMERGENCY NOTIFICATIONS
AND COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN FIRST
RESPONDERS. BECAUSE OF THE
IMPORTANCE OF THESE SYSTEMS, THE
STATE REQUIRES WIRELINE SERVICE
PROVIDERS TO HAVE BACKUP POWER
FOR 72 HOURS FOR THE FACILITIES
IN HIGH FIRE AREAS. CURRENTLY,
BROADBAND PROVIDERS HAVE BEEN
COMPLYING WITH THESE
REQUIREMENTS, PRIMARILY USING
DIESEL GENERATORS. THEY HAVE NOT
BEEN ABLE TO USE BATTERY BACKUP
POWER BECAUSE OF EXISTING
REGULATIONS AROUND FIRE CODE AND
SETBACKS. LITHIUM BATTERIES ARE
AN IMPORTANT PART OF MOVING
TOWARDS ENERGY RESILIENCY AND
AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS, AND WHEN
APPROPRIATE, SHOULD BE
CONSIDERED. I ALSO WANT TO
COMMIT TO CONTINUE TO WORKING ON
THIS BILL, SPECIFICALLY ON HOW
THE REGULATIONS ARE DIRECTED. WE
WANT TO CONTINUE TALKING TO
STAKEHOLDERS AND FIND WORKABLE
SOLUTIONS FOR BATTERIES IN THE
RIGHT WAY. WITH ME TODAY IN
SUPPORT OF THE BILL, I HAVE INGO
HENSCHEL FROM COX COMMUNICATIONS
AND AMANDA GUADERRAMA FROM CAL
BROADBAND. THANK YOU. WITNESSES
IN SUPPORT TWO MINUTES. YOU EACH
HAVE TWO MINUTES. PERFECT. GOOD
MORNING, CHAIR AND MEMBERS
AMANDA VALDERRAMA WITH CAL
BROADBAND IN SUPPORT OF SB 1152.
CALIFORNIA REQUIRES ALL WIRELINE
SERVICE PROVIDERS TO HAVE BACKUP
POWER FOR 72 HOURS TO THEIR
FACILITIES IN TIER TWO AND TIER
THREE HIGH FIRE THREAT DISTRICTS
. BROADBAND PROVIDERS HAVE
COMPLIED UTILIZING DIESEL
GENERATORS AND NATURAL GAS
GENERATORS, AS THE SENATOR
MENTIONED, BUT CONSUMERS HAVE
EXPRESSED CONCERNS WITH THE USE
OF THE DIESEL GENERATORS DUE TO
NOISE, SMELL AND THE AIR
POLLUTION. SB 1152 REQUIRES CAL
FIRE TO UPDATE THE FIRE CODE TO
ALLOW LITHIUM BASED BATTERIES TO
BE AN APPROVED SOURCE OF CLEANER
BACKUP POWER. CURRENTLY TO
UTILIZE LITHIUM BASED BATTERIES,
A BROADBAND PROVIDER WOULD NEED
TO GET A LOCAL PERMIT FOR EACH
BATTERY DEPLOYED, AND WITH THE
HISTORIC AMOUNT OF FEDERAL
FUNDING BEGINNING TO BE AWARDED
BY THE CPUC STARTING IN JUNE,
BROADBAND PROVIDERS NEED AN
EFFICIENT STATEWIDE SOLUTION TO
BE ABLE TO UTILIZE LITHIUM BASED
BATTERIES. TO COMPLY WITH THE
BACKUP POWER REQUIREMENTS, WE
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE
AND HAPPY TO HAVE OUR EXPERT
HAVE, OR ANSWER ANY TECHNICAL
QUESTIONS REGARDING THE
BATTERIES. THANK YOU. GREAT.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER KEY
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT. GOOD
MORNING, COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MY
NAME IS INGO HENTSCHEL. I'M WITH
COX COMMUNICATIONS, AS AMANDA
MENTIONED, THREE YEARS AGO, THE
CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES
COMMISSION ISSUED A MANDATORY 72
HOUR BACKUP POWER REQUIREMENT
FOR TELECOMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT.
THE INDUSTRY BEGAN EXPLORING
VARIOUS TECHNICAL TECHNOLOGY
SOLUTIONS TO COMPLY TO MEET THE
CPUC TIMELINE,
TELECOMMUNICATIONS HAVE RELIED
ON TRADITIONAL BACKUP POWER
SOLUTIONS SUCH AS FIXED NATURAL
GAS GENERATOR OR DIESEL
GENERATORS. IN OUR EFFORTS TO
COMPLY, WE HAVE FOUND THAT IN
TIER TWO AND TIER THREE HIGH
FIRE THREAT AREAS WHERE NATURAL
GAS IS SCARCE, MOBILE GAS OR
DIESEL GENERATORS ARE THE ONLY
VIABLE OPTION THANKS TO
SIGNIFICANT ADVANCEMENTS IN
BATTERY TECHNOLOGY. LITHIUM
BASED BATTERY SOLUTIONS HAVE
EMERGED EMERGED AS A FEASIBLE
ALTERNATIVE. THE ENERGY DENSITY
OF LITHIUM BATTERIES ENABLES
TELECOMS EQUIPMENT TO MEET THE
72 HOUR REQUIREMENTS WITHIN THE
EXISTING POWER SUPPLY FOOTPRINT
IN THE RIGHT OF WAY. THIS IS
CRUCIAL AS MOST CITIES AND
RESIDENTS STRONGLY OPPOSE ADDING
ADDITIONAL, LARGER EQUIPMENT TO
THE RIGHT OF WAY AND THIS
CRUCIAL ADVANCEMENT IN BATTERY
FIELD BECAUSE AS WE WERE TO USE
THE CURRENT, IF WE WERE ABLE TO
USE THE CURRENT LEAD ACID
BATTERY, THE STATE FIRE CODE
ALLOWS FOR EQUIPMENT IN THE
RIGHT OF WAY. WE WOULD HAVE TO
HOUSE UP TO 70 CAR SIZED
BATTERIES IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
MOREOVER, BATTERY MANAGEMENT
SYSTEMS OR BMS FOR COMMUNICATION
NETWORKS HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY
IMPROVED IN TERMS OF ROBUSTNESS
AND SAFETY FOCUS. THESE SYSTEMS
MONITOR CRITICAL CONDITIONS LIKE
THERMAL RUNAWAY, HIGH
TEMPERATURES, AND OTHER
ANOMALIES THAT CAN AFFECT
LITHIUM BATTERIES. THE BMS
AUTOMATICALLY TRIGGERS BATTERY
SHUTDOWNS UNDER SPECIFIC
CONDITIONS AND FURTHERMORE,
FEEDBACK FROM OUR CONSTRUCTION
CONSTITUENT. YOUR CONSTITUENTS
AND OUR CUSTOMERS INDICATE THAT
PLACING NOISY MOBILE GAS
GENERATOR DIESEL GENERATORS IN
NEIGHBORHOODS DURING PSPS EVENTS
IS DISRUPTIVE AND RAISES
SECURITY CONCERNS LIKE VANDALISM
AND FINALLY, IMPLEMENTING A
SOLUTION THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT
TECHNOLOGY. ADVANCES IN BATTERY
TECHNOLOGY PROVIDES A GREENER
POWER SOURCE WHILE ENSURING
SAFETY AND MINIMIZES THE RIGHT
OF WAY ENCROACHMENT ISSUES THAT,
AND REDUCTION OF NOISE POLLUTION
CAUSED BY CONTINUOUS GENERATOR
OPERATIONS DURING EXTENDED POWER
OUTAGES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
AND CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER WITNESSES THAT WOULD
LIKE TO ADD ON IN SUPPORT OF SB
1152? PLEASE COME TO THE
MICROPHONES, NAME AND
ASSOCIATION, PLEASE. GOOD
MORNING. ALEJANDRO SOLIS, ON
BEHALF OF THE CLEAN POWER
CAMPAIGN AND LOS AMIGOS DE LA
COMUNIDAD IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
NICO MOLINA, ON BEHALF OF THE
SILICON VALLEY LEADERSHIP GROUP
AND SUPPORT. THANK YOU. JUANITA
MARTINEZ ON BEHALF OF THE CAL
CHAMBER IN SUPPORT ANY OTHER
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT SEEING NONE
COMING TO THE MICROPHONE. ANY Kò
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION TO SB
1152, PLEASE COME FORWARD. SO
JOHN KENNEDY WITH CRC, WE ARE IN
NO WAY OPPOSED TO THE BILL. WE
STRONGLY SUPPORT WHAT THE AUTHOR
IS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. WE WERE
STRONGLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE PUC S
OBJECTIVES SEVERAL YEARS AGO. WE
APPRECIATE THE COMMITTEE AMENDS
THAT IMPROVE THE SCOPE OF THE
BILL. WE THINK A LITTLE MORE
REFINEMENT IS NECESSARY TO THE
KEY TERMS TO MAKE SURE THE STATE
FIRE MARSHAL RETAINS
INDEPENDENCE, TO HAVE THE RIGHT
STANDARDS AND LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH YOU, WITH THE
COMMITTEE ON THOSE GOING
FORWARD. JUST WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. ANY OTHER WITNESSES, ANY
OTHER WITNESSES IN POLITE
NEUTRAL CONCERNS, WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION TO 1152 SEEING NO
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION,
BRINGING THE CONVERSATION TO THE
DAIS FOR MEMBERS. SENATOR
ALVARADO GIL MOVE THE BILL WHEN
APPROPRIATE. WE HAVE A MOTION.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, SENATOR
WILK, THANK YOU. MR. JUST
QUICKLY, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT
THE BILL TODAY, AND I'M SURE
YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WORKING
WITH MR. KENNEDY AND THE CRC AND
TRY TO GET THAT HAMMERED OUT.
ABSOLUTELY. WE'RE COMMITTED TO
WORKING OUT AND MAKING SURE THAT
THE LANGUAGE IS APPROPRIATE AND
WORKING WITH THE COMMITTEE AS
WELL TO, YOU KNOW, CRAFT
LANGUAGE THAT'S APPROPRIATE AND
THAT WORKS FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS.
GREAT. THANK YOU. SEEING NO
OTHER COMMENTS, WE HAVE A MOTION
BY SENATOR ALVARADO GIL. THE
MOTION IS Dð PASS AS AMENDED,
YOU ARE TAKING THE AMENDMENTS.
SENATOR LIMÓN, YOU'RE ACCEPTING
THE AMENDMENT AMENDMENTS? SORRY,
ONE OF, AMENDMENTS TO DO PASS,
AS AMENDED, TO APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE. SECRETARY, PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL. DODD WILK. AYE
WILK. AYE. ALVARADO, GIL. AYE.
ALVARADO. GIL. AYE ARCHULETA.
ARCHULETA. AYE. ASHBY. BRADFORD
GLASER. BRADFORD. AYE. GLASER
JONES. JONES. AYE. NGUYEN OKUBO.
PADILLA. OKUBO AYE. PADILLA.
PORTANTINO PORTANTINO. AYE.
ROTH. RUBIO SATO. SATO. AYE.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS EIGHT VOTES SO
FAR. GREAT. EIGHT, AYE. VOTES
WILL PUT THAT ON CALL FOR THE
REMAINING MEMBERS. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH, NEXT UP IS SENATOR
LAIRD WITH FILE ITEM 12 OF
SENATE BILL 1278. SENATOR LAIRD,
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR, SENATE
BILL 1278 WILL DIRECT, THE
GOVERNOR TO REC WORLD AIDS DAY.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS. I HAVE A WITNESS, AND
I WOULD JUST SAY I RAN AN AIDS
SERVICE AGENCY AT THE HEIGHT OF
THE EPIDEMIC. WE LOST 240 PEOPLE
IN MY COUNTY IN THE TEN YEARS
WHEN I WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
AND FORTUNATELY, WE'VE MOVED ON
AND PEOPLE THINK IT'S ALL OVER,
BUT IT'S NOT. AND THIS IS ABOUT
EDUCATION AND PREVENTION AND
JUST CONTINUING TO RECOGNIZE
THAT IT'S AN ISSUE FOR EVERYONE
AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. I WOULD
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE
VOTE. IT'S SUPPORTED BY MANY
PEOPLE. HERE IN SUPPORT IS CRAIG
PULSIPHER WITH EQUALITY
CALIFORNIA, WHO I AM SURE HAS
VERY BRIEF COMMENTS, WITNESSES
IN SUPPORT OF 11 OR 1278,
PLEASE, GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND
MEMBERS, CRAIG PULSIPHER ON
BEHALF OF EQUALITY CALIFORNIA.
VERY PROUD TO BE HERE TODAY IN
SUPPORT, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW,
CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN AT THE
FOREFRONT OF EFFORTS TO END THE
HIV EPIDEMIC SINCE THE FIRST
CASES WERE REPORTED, THE STATE
HAS BEEN A HUB OF HIV RESEARCH
AND ACTIVISM. BUT EVEN WITH THIS
PROGRESS, HIV REMAINS A
SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HEALTH
CHALLENGE. EVERY YEAR, OVER 4800
PEOPLE ARE NEWLY DIAGNOSED WITH
HIV, AND MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITIES REMAIN
DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED.
NOTABLY, BLACK AND LATINO, GAY
AND BISEXUAL MEN, CIS AND TRANS
WOMEN OF COLOR, AND PEOPLE WHO
USE DRUGS. THE FIRST WORLD AIDS
DAY WAS HELD IN 1988 TO CREATE
AN ANNUAL PLATFORM TO RAISE
AWARENESS ABOUT HIV AND AIDS
ACROSS THE GLOBE, AND THIS DAY
CALLS ON US TO REMEMBER THOSE
WE'VE LOST, PROVIDE CARE AND
TREATMENT TO THOSE CURRENTLY
LIVING WITH THE DISEASE, AND
COMMIT TO ENDING THE
DISCRIMINATION THÀNH THAT PEOPLE
WITH HIV FACE EVERY DAY. IT ALSO
CALLS ON US TO REFLECT ON HOW WE
CAN WORK TOGETHER TO REDUCE NEW
INFECTIONS AND ULTIMATELY GET TO
ZERO. SO VERY MUCH APPRECIATE
THE SENATOR'S LONGTIME
LEADERSHIP IN THIS SPACE. PROUD
TO SUPPORT SB 1278 AND
RESPECTFULLY URGE YOUR AYE VOTE.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER WITNESSES
IN SUPPORT? ABBY ALVAREZ WITH
APLA HEALTH IN SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. KELLY BROOKS, ON BEHALF OF
THE COUNTY HEALTH EXECUTIVES
ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA, ALSO
HERE IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU. ANY
OTHER WITNESSES IN SUPPORT?
SEEING NO OTHER WITNESSES IN
SUPPORT, ARE THERE ANY WITNESSES
IN OPPOSITION TO SENATE BILL
1278, SEEING NO WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION, BRINGING THE
CONVERSATION TO THE DAIS FOR
MEMBERS? SENATOR PORTANTINO, I
DON'T KNOW IF I'M I DON'T KNOW
IF I'M ON AS A COAUTHOR, BUT
WHEN YOU DO AMENDMENTS, IF IT'S
APPROPRIATE, I'D LOVE TO BE
ADDED AS A COAUTHOR. IF WE DO
AMENDMENTS, WE WILL HAPPILY DO
THAT. THANK YOU, SENATOR OCHOA.
I JUST WANT TO THANK SENATOR
LAIRD FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING
BECAUSE WHEN I WAS READING THE
ANALYSIS, YOU ACTUALLY EDUCATED
ME BECAUSE I WAS NOT AWARE THAT
THIS WAS STILL CONSIDERED AN
EPIDEMIC. IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. SO I AM ACTUALLY
GRATEFUL. THANK YOU FOR THE
INFORMATION. I THINK IF
ANYTHING, I'M ALL ABOUT
EDUCATION, INFORMING PEOPLE. AND
SO I, I'M GRATEFUL FOR IT. AND
I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE BILL
TODAY. THANK YOU, SENATOR
ARCHULETA. YES, THANK YOU FOR
ENLIGHTENING US. I, TOO,
PROBABLY FELT. OH, IT'S BEHIND
US, BUT IN REALITY, IT'S STILL
HERE. WE HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE
AND BRINGING THIS EDUCATIONAL
AWARENESS TO US IS SO VITAL AND
SO IMPORTANT. I WILL BE
SUPPORTING THE BILL. THANK YOU.
SHOULD WE JUST GO ALL THE WAY
AROUND OR IS ANYBODY ELSE? ARE
WE DOING THE. ANYBODY ELSE NEED
TO SPEAK ON THE ON THE ITEM? WE
DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE BILL.
SENATOR LAIRD, WE DO HAVE A
MOTION ON THE BILL BY SENATOR
BRADFORD, SEVERAL COMMENTS IN
SUPPORT. WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? I JUST APPRECIATE THE
COMMENTS. AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR AN IPHONE. THANK YOU. THE
MOTION IS, MOVED BY SENATOR
BRADFORD Dð PASS TO THE SENATE
FLOOR. SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL DODD WILK. AYE. WILK
AYE. ALVARADO. GILL. ALVARADO
GILL. AYE. ARCHULETA. Ã.
ARCHULETA. AYE. ASHBY. BRADFORD
BRADFORD. AYE. GLAZER. JONES A.
JONES. AYE. NGUYEN. NGUYEN. AYE.
OKUBO AYE. OKUBO AYE. PADILLA.
PORTANTINO PORTANTINO. AYE.
ROTH. RUBIO. AYE RUBIO. AYE.
SATO. SATO. AYE. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS TEN. THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIR. THANK YOU. THAT HAS TEN.
AYE VOTES, AND WE'LL LEAVE IT ON
CALL FOR THE REMAINING MEMBERS
THAT NEED TO COME BACK NEXT.
SENATOR IS SENATOR ALLEN STILL
HERE? NOPE. HE LEFT. SENATOR
GROVE GETS A MOVE IN FRONT.
SENATOR GROVE IS UP WITH FILE
ITEM 1012, SENATE BILL 1239.
SENATOR GROVE, PLEASE SHARE YOUR
BILL WITH US. THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIR. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND
MEMBERS, TODAY I'M PLEASED TO
PRESENT A BIPARTISAN BILL, SB
1239, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE THAT
STATE SUPPLIERS OF STATE
PURCHASED ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES
THAT CONTAIN LITHIUM ION BATTERY
WITH COBALT MUST BE CERTIFIED
CHILD LABOR FREE, AND WE HAVE A
TRADE GUARANTEE FOR THAT. I WILL
ALSO BE ACCEPTING THE COMMITTEE
AMENDMENTS TO STRIP THE
REQUIREMENT THAT THE SUPPLIER
PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT OF
GENERAL SERVICES THE LOCATIONS
AND HOURLY WAGE OF THE WORKERS
MINING THE MATERIALS SO THAT
INFORMATION CAN BE POSTED ONLINE
. THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE
CONGO, WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE
MATERIAL IS MINED, HAS SEVERE
HUMANITARIAN CRISES. AND IT'S
IMPORTANT TO US THAT THE PUBLIC
UNDERSTAND WHERE THESE WHERE WE
IMPORT THESE MATERIALS FROM THIS
IS A KEY COMPONENT TO THE BILL,
AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE LEFT
IN. BUT IN ORDER TO MOVE THE
BILL FORWARD AND ADDRESS THE
CHAIR'S CONCERNS, I'M WILLING TO
ACCEPT THE AMENDMENT. IN
CALIFORNIA STATE GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES ARE REQUIRED TO
INCREASE THE NUMBER OF ZERO
EMISSION VEHICLES WITHIN THE
STATE FLEET TO 50% FOR NEW
PURCHASES IN 2024 AND 2025. MANY
OF THESE NEW PURCHASES WILL BE
ELECTRIC VEHICLES WITH LITHIUM
ION BATTERIES THAT CONTAIN
COBALT. THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
OF THE CONGO PRODUCES AN
ESTIMATE 70% OF THE WORLD'S
COBALT, AND THE DEMAND FOR IT'S
PROJECTED IS PROJECTED TO TRIPLE
BY 2035, MAINLY FOR EV BATTERIES
, TO KEEP UP WITH THE INCREASING
DEMAND FOR COBALT, COBALT,
COBALT. EXCUSE ME, ARE OUR
ARTISANAL AND SMALL SCALE MINES
HAVE ESTIMATED THAT THERE ARE
ABOUT 200,000 PEOPLE MINING IN
THE CONGO IN HORRENDOUS WORKING
CONDITIONS, INCLUDING CHILDREN
AS YOUNG AS SEVEN. THESE ARE
MAKESHIFT MINES WITH NO
PROFESSIONAL LARGE SCALE
EQUIPMENT, SAFETY GEAR AND IN
THESE MAKESHIFT MINES MAKE IT
DANGEROUS, OFTEN CAVING IN AND
BURYING CHILDREN AND OTHERS
ALIVE. IN 2009, THE US
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR PLACED
COBALT ON THE IN THE DRC FROM
THE DRC ON ITS LIST OF GOODS
PRODUCED BY CHILD LABOR OR
FORCED LABOR, AND THEN OVER A
DECADE LATER, ADDED LITHIUM ION
BATTERIES, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE
THE CHILDREN INVOLVED IN THE
MINING WERE FROM COBALT. IN THAT
COUNTRY. MEMBERS. WHILE COBALT
IS USED IN OTHER BATTERY TYPES,
CALIFORNIA'S VISION FOR ALL
ELECTRIC VEHICLE FLEET COULD
CAUSE A PROFOUND ENVIRONMENTAL
DAMAGE AND HUMAN MISERY. IN
PLACES LIKE THE CONGO, WE FEED
THE RAW MATERIALS THAT FEEDS THE
RAW MATERIALS THAT ARE NEEDED
FOR THESE BATTERIES. COLLEAGUES,
PLEASE RECOGNIZE THIS IS NOT
SOMETHING SAYING I DON'T WANT
EVS, GET EVS, DO ELECTRIC
BATTERIES AND ELECTRIC CARS JUST
LET SOURCE THEM? I THINK WE CAN
ALL AGREE WHEN NO MATTER WHAT
PARTY WE'RE FROM, THAT WE WOULD
LIKE THESE PRODUCTS AND THESE
MINERALS TO BE CHILD LABOR FREE
AND NOT FORCED. AND A LOT OF
THESE CHILDREN ARE BEATEN, AND
FORCED TO PRODUCE A CERTAIN
AMOUNT OF THIS COBALT TO BE
BROUGHT SO THAT THE SUPPLY CHAIN
CAN BE MET ON OUR DEMAND. AND
SO, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS JUST TO
TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
SOURCED MATERIAL THAT WE GET IS
CHILD LABOR FREE AGAIN, PRODUCE
EVS, SELL EVS, TRANSITION TO
EVS. LET'S JUST MAKE THEIR
SOURCE THE SOURCE OF THE
MATERIAL ETHICAL. WITH ME HERE
TO TESTIFY TODAY IS GEORGE
HARMER, THE DIRECTOR OF
CALIFORNIANS FOR ENERGY AND
SCIENCE. THANK YOU, SENATOR
GROVE. WITNESSES IN SUPPORT OF
THE BILL. THANK YOU, SENATOR
GROVE, THE ISSUE OF ETHICALLY
SOURCED COBALT IS MOSTLY
MULTIFACETED, TOUCHING ON HUMAN
RIGHTS, ENVIRONMENTAL
SUSTAINABILITY, CORPORATE
RESPONSIBILITY AND GLOBAL SUPPLY
CHAIN MANAGEMENT. COBALT IS A
CRITICAL A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF
LITHIUM ION BATTERIES AND
ELECTRIC VEHICLES, AND ALSO IN
THE ELECTRONIC DEVICES WE HAVE
HERE TODAY. SO THE EXTRACTION OF
THIS COBALT IS IN THE DRC, THE
DRC, IT'S PLAGUED WITH
SYSTEMATIC ISSUES SUCH AS CHILD
LABOR, UNSAFE WORKING
CONDITIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL
DEGRADATION. BUT I REALLY WANT
TO FOCUS ON THE EV PORTION OF
THAT AND UNDERSTAND SOMETHING
ABOUT THAT. WHEN WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT THE MANDATES FROM A FOR
ELECTRICAL VEHICLES THAT WAS
ACTUALLY MANDATED HERE IN
CALIFORNIA, THROUGH THE BUS AND
TRUCK REGULATIONS WITH CARB
CLEAN AIR ACT. ONCE THAT WAS
MANDATED, THERE WAS SOMETHING
THAT I BELIEVE IN OUR
ORGANIZATION BELIEVE KICKED IN.
IT WAS SICA. SICA. SICA ACTUALLY
WAS WAS BROUGHT IN IN 1970. AND
IT'S HERE A STATE LAW. SO I JUST
WANT TO READ A FEW THINGS OUT OF
SEQUA AND WHY WE BELIEVE THAT
ACTUALLY THROUGH CALIFORNIA
MANDATING ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND
50% FOR THE STATE, IT ACTUALLY
TRIGGERED SEQUA. GIVE ME ONE
SECOND. ALL RIGHT. SO THE
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
ACT REQUIRES STATE AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO INFORM
DECISION MAKERS ON MATTERS AND,
EXCUSE ME, DECISION MAKERS IN
THE PUBLIC ABOUT POTENTIAL
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS. SO IS
THERE POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACTS FOR THE FOLKS IN THE
CONGO? ABSOLUTELY. IS THERE
POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON ACROSS THE
WORLD? SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT
THAT, WE THINK THAT IT'S NOT IN
OUR BACKYARD. SO AS LONG AS IT'S
NOT HAPPENING IN OUR BACKYARD,
WE DON'T IT'S NOT VERY AT THE
FOREFRONT OF OUR THOUGHT PROCESS
. SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT,
WHAT QUALIFIES AS A UNDER SEQUA,
A PROJECT IS DEFINED AS WHOLE
ACTION, SUBJECT TO PUBLIC AGENCY
DISCRETION, FUNDING, APPROVAL.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT GO
ON CAUSE A DIRECT PHYSICAL
CHANGE IN THE ENVIRONMENT OR OR.
SIR, YOU'RE AT TWO MINUTES
CENTER GROVE. DO YOU ONLY HAVE
ONE WITNESSES IN SUPPORT, ONE
WITNESS. OKAY. CAN YOU WRAP UP
IN THE NEXT 30 30S TO A MINUTE?
YEAH. THANK YOU. YEAH. SO WHEN
YOU THINK ABOUT THAT. SO THIS
BODY AND I URGE THIS BODY TO
BODY TO VOTE AYE ON SENATOR
GROVE'S BILL BECAUSE I DO THINK
IT'S ETHICAL TO KNOW WHERE OUR
PRODUCTS ARE COMING FROM HERE IN
CALIFORNIA, JUST BECAUSE IT'S
NOT IN OUR BACKYARD DOESN'T MEAN
THAT WE DON'T HAVE
RAMIFICATIONS, AND WE SHOULD OWN
IT. IF IT'S IF WE'RE BUYING
THINGS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES THAT
FOSTER CHILD LABOR THAT FOSTER
HORRIBLE WORKING CONDITIONS FOR
PEOPLE, WE OWN THAT. AND THIS
BODY OWNS THAT. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. VERY GOOD, OTHER WITNESSES
IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU. MISTER
CHAIR, MEMBERS COMMITTEE, JEREMY
SMITH HERE ON BEHALF OF THE
STATE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION
TRADES COUNCIL. ALSO SUPPORTIVE.
THANK YOU. JEREMY OTHER
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT, ALEJANDRO
SOLIS ON BEHALF OF COMMITTEE.
PICO DEL VALLE AND LOS AMIGOS DE
LA COMUNIDAD LITHIUM VALLEY IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. ANY FINAL
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT? SEEING
NOBODY COMING TO THE MICROPHONE,
ANY WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION TO
SB 1239, SEEING NO WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION MEMBERS DISCUSSION
FROM THE DÍAS. SENATOR BRADFORD.
THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK THE
AUTHOR FOR THIS MEASURE, BUT I'M
GREATLY DISAPPOINTED AT THE
AMENDMENTS THAT ARE REMOVED.
WERE THIS PRODUCT IS BEING
SOURCED, BECAUSE I GUARANTEE
YOU, IF IT WAS IN UNITED STATES,
IF IT WAS IN EUROPE, IT WAS IN
ISRAEL OR ANY PREDOMINANTLY
WHITE COUNTRY WHERE KIDS WERE
BEING EXPLOITED, IT WOULD STILL
BE IN THE BILL. AND WE
CONTINUALLY TO DEVALUE PEOPLE
FROM AFRICAN DESCENT. AND THESE
KIDS ARE BEING EXPLOITED AND
THEY'RE BEING KILLED ON A DAILY
BASIS. SO YOU CAN DRIVE AROUND
IN YOUR ELECTRIC CARS AND WE CAN
WALK AROUND WITH OUR CELL PHONES
AND OUR POCKETS EVERY DAY AND
LIVE THE GREAT LIFE AND HAVE OUR
COMPUTERS. BUT I GUARANTEE YOU,
IF IT WAS HAPPENING IN THE
UNITED STATES, IT WOULD HAVE
SHUT DOWN A LONG TIME AGO. AND
THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PART OF
THIS BILL. I STILL SUPPORT IT. I
MOVE THE BILL, BUT WE SHOULD
HAVE A GREATER CONCERN OF WHERE
THIS RESOURCE IS BEING SOURCED
AT AND THE EXPLOITATION OF THESE
YOUNG KIDS AND THE FOLKS AND THE
DOMINICAN, I MEAN, DOMINICAN
DEMOCRATIC, COUNTRY, CONGO,
REPUBLIC OF CONGO. I'M SORRY.
MAY I RESPOND, MR. CHAIR? YEAH.
THANK YOU, SENATOR BRADFORD.
SENATOR GROVE, SO THE CHAIR IS
ABSOLUTELY OR THE MY COAUTHOR,
MY COURAGEOUS COAUTHOR THAT'S ON
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE THAT
GOT ON THIS BILL WITH ME IS
ABSOLUTELY 100% RIGHT, IT WAS
HIS RESOLUTION OAN THAT WE ALL
SUPPORTED. IT GOT OUT OF THE
SENATE, 40 ZERO SENATE
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 24, AND
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE
HIGHLIGHTED IN HIS RESOLUTION.
SPEAKING OF SENATOR BRADFORD,
WHEREAS COBALT IS ESSENTIAL
MATERIAL FOR LITHIUM AND BATTERY
TECHNOLOGY, THE DEMOCRATIC
REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO DRC IS A
SOURCE OF MORE THAN TWO THIRDS
OF THE WORLD'S COBALT. AND
WHEREAS A CHILD SLAVE LABOR HAS
BECOME AN INCREDIBLY LINKED TO
THE MINING COLLECTION OF COBALT,
WHERE MINORS INCLUDE CHILDREN
SIX YEARS OF AGE OR YOUNGER OR
SIX YEARS OF AGE, AND SOMETIMES
YOUNGER. CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO
DEATHS CONTAINING COBALT CAN BE
POTENTIALLY FATAL. LUNG
DISEASES, THE INHALATION OF
COBALT AND PARTICLES CAUSE
RESPIRATORY ISSUES AND SHORTNESS
OF BREATH. BREATH. THE UNITED
NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND UNICEF,
ESTIMATED IN 2014 APPROXIMATELY
40,000 BOYS AND GIRLS AT THE AGE
OF SIX YEARS OLD WERE IN THESE
MINES ACROSS THE SOUTHERN DRC.
MANY INVOLVED IN COBALT MINING,
MINING AND IT IS NOT UNCOMMON.
WHEREAS THIS IS MY COLLEAGUES
RESOLUTION THAT WE ALL
SUPPORTED, WHEREAS IT IS NOT
UNCOMMON FOR THESE CHILDREN TO
BE BEATEN BY SECURITY GUARDS
WHEN THEY TRESPASS ON THE MINING
COMPANY'S PROPERTY AND WHERE
THEY ARE LOWERED LOWER THAN 30FT
BELOW THE EARTH'S SURFACE
WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF OSHA
PROTECTIONS OR AIR QUALITY. MY
COLLEAGUE THAT IS MY COAUTHOR ON
THIS BILL IS ABSOLUTELY 150%
CORRECT THAT IT NEEDS TO BE
ADDRESSED. AND I AGREE WITH HIM
WHOLEHEARTEDLY THAT IF THIS WAS
HAPPENING IN A EUROPEAN
CAUCASIAN COMPANY, THAT
CALIFORNIA WOULD THINK TWICE
ABOUT SOURCING ITS COBALT FROM
THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE
CONGO, WE ARE ONLY MAKING THIS
BILL. MY BILL, SB 1239. IT JUST
ACTUALLY IN THE BEGINNING ASKED
TO SOURCE THE COBALT SUPPLY AND
IS IT MAKE IT CHILD LABOR FREE,
AND IF IT WAS CHILD LABOR FREE,
WE WANTED TO KNOW THE WAGES THAT
THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE MAKING
BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL A LARGE
EVEN IF IT'S NOT CHILD LABOR.
THERE ARE A LARGE 200,000
INDIVIDUALS THAT WORK IN THESE
COBALT MINES THAT MIGHT MAKE
$0.10 A DAY, $0.20 A DAY. SO WE
WANT TO KNOW THAT. AND WHY NOT
BRING IT BACK TO CALIFORNIA,
WHERE WE CONTROL THE PROCESS,
WHERE WE HAVE CAL OSHA AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR STANDARDS
ENFORCEMENT AND LABOR
INDIVIDUALS THAT COME IN AND
NEGOTIATE BILLS IN THIS, IN THIS
DAIS. AND THEY CREATE ETHICAL
SOURCES WHERE WE TREAT PEOPLE
RIGHT. THEY GET A FAIR LIVING
WAGE. I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT WE
PRIDE OURSELVES ON. WE'RE ONLY
STARTING WITH THE ONES THAT ARE
GOING TO BE ORDERED. WHY DON'T
WE JUST ALL AGREE THAT WE CAN
SAY WE WANT IT TO BE CHILD LABOR
FREE? SO I APPLAUD MY COAUTHOR.
I THANK HIM FOR HIS COURAGE TO
GET ON MY BILL. I THANK HIM FOR
THE COURAGE FOR DOING THE
RESOLUTION THAT WE ALL SUPPORTED
. AND I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED
ABOUT THE AMENDMENTS I'M FORCED
TO TAKE TO GET THIS BILL OUT OF
COMMITTEE, BUT THAT'S THE WORLD
THAT WE LIVE IN. SO I THANK THE
I THANK MY COAUTHOR FOR MAKING
THE STATEMENTS THAT HE DID.
THANK YOU. SENATOR GROVE. I
THINK WE HAVE A COUPLE OF MORE
MEMBERS THAT WANT TO COMMENT,
SENATOR RUBIO, THANK YOU, VICE
CHAIR. NOW, CHAIR, I WANT TO
THANK THE AUTHOR FOR THIS BILL.
I KNOW HOW HARD YOU WORK, ON
BILLS THAT PROTECT, YOU KNOW,
CHILDREN AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE
BEEN HONORED TO PARTNER WITH YOU
ON SEVERAL OF THEM. WHEN I THINK
OF THIS BILL, I MEAN, WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT OTHER COUNTRIES. I
KNOW IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT HERE
IN CALIFORNIA. IN FACT, I HAD SB
998, WHO WAS ATTEMPTING TO
TACKLE THIS VERY ISSUE IN OUR IN
OUR STATE, YOU KNOW, CHILD LABOR
AND HOW THESE CHILDREN ARE TAKEN
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND
JUST FORCED TO WORK IN GRUELING
CONDITIONS. AND THE FACT THAT
YOU'RE TRYING TO TACKLE THIS
ISSUE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE
SHOULD WANT TO PROTECT CHILDREN,
NOT JUST HERE IN CALIFORNIA,
EVERYWHERE, EVERY OTHER COUNTRY.
AND I'M WITH YOU ON THAT, THAT
WE CAN'T TURN A BLIND EYE WHEN
IT'S HAPPENING OUTSIDE. YOU KNOW
, CALIFORNIA, IT'S IMPORTANT
EVERYWHERE. SO I JUST I WANT TO
COMMEND YOU. I'M ALSO, YOU KNOW,
A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED AND I, I'M
GOING TO ECHO THE COMMENTS OF,
SENATOR BRADFORD. I DON'T
BELABOR THE POINT, BUT THANK YOU
FOR BRINGING THIS MEASURE
FORWARD. THANK YOU, SENATOR
RUBIO. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM
THE DÍAS SEEING NO OTHER
COMMENTS? I BELIEVE SENATOR
BRADFORD, YOU MADE THE MOTION,
IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY WE HAVE A
MOTION BY SENATOR BRADFORD ON
SENATE BILL 1239. THE MOTION IS
Dð PASS, AS AMENDED, TO THE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE,
SENATOR GROVE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? ABSOLUTELY, SIR. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH, COLLEAGUES. IT'S
ALL ABOUT SUPPLY AND DEMAND. AND
IF WE'RE GOING TO BE THE
CALIFORNIA THAT WE PROFESS TO BE
IN LEGISLATION THAT'S PASSED IN
THIS, IN THIS CHAMBER, I THINK
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
DON'T, EXPORT, SOME OF THE
POLICIES THAT WE WOULD ADD
ADAMANTLY OPPOSE HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. THERE IS A, A LETTER
IN THE FILE. AND AGAIN, I'D JUST
LIKE TO READ THIS INFORMATION.
IT'S SUBMITTED BY SCOTT BUDNICK,
WHO I THINK WE ALL KNOW HE'S A
PRODUCER AND HE WORKS ON AN ARC
ISSUES. AND HE SAID THE
IMPLICATIONS, QUOTE, THE
IMPLICATIONS OF SB 39 TO EXTEND
BEYOND ETHICAL PROCUREMENT
PRACTICE IS TO EXTEND BEYOND
ETHICAL PROCUREMENT PRACTICES BY
SETTING A STANDARD FOR CHILD
LABOR, FREE SOURCING. CALIFORNIA
DEMONSTRATES ITS COMMITMENT OF
UPHOLDING HUMAN RIGHTS AND
ETHICAL PRINCIPLES AND ITS
PROCUREMENT PROCESS. FURTHERMORE
BY PROMOTING TRANSPARENCY IN THE
SUPPLY CHAIN, THE BILL FOSTERS
ACCOUNTABILITY AND ENCOURAGES
RESPONSIBLE SOURCING PRACTICES.
AS THE CEO OF ONE COMMUNITY AND
AN ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION AND
CO-FINANCE COMPANY DEDICATED TO
LEVERAGING STORYTELLING IN A
POSITIVE SOCIAL CHANGE FOR
POSITIVE SOCIAL CHANGE, I AM
DEEPLY COMMITTED TO ETHICALLY
SOURCING AND LABOR PRACTICES.
CURRENTLY, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS
OF DEVELOPING A FILM THAT SHEDS
LIGHT ON THE APPALLING
CONDITIONS AND UNETHICAL
PRACTICES PREVALENT IN COBALT
MINES. THROUGH OUR STORYTELLING,
WE AIM TO RAISE AWARENESS AND
INSPIRE ACTION TOWARDS ENSURING
FAIR AND HUMANE TREATMENT IN THE
SOURCING OF RAW MATERIALS,
ALIGNING CLOSELY WITH THE
OBJECTIVES OF 1239. THERE'S
GOING TO BE STARTING TO HAVE
FILMS MADE ABOUT THIS BECAUSE AS
PEOPLE NEED TO BE AWARE, THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA ALL OF US AS
LEGISLATORS. AGAIN, I APPLAUD MY
COAUTHOR WHO COURAGEOUSLY GOT ON
THIS BILL WITH ME AND WHO
STARTED THIS PROCESS WITH THE
RESOLUTION RESOLUTION THAT WAS
PASSED BY 40 SENATORS. AND, GOT,
YOU KNOW, AND I AGAIN, A
RESOLUTION IT WAS THE PATHWAY TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE INTRODUCE
LEGISLATION THAT ADDRESSES THIS
ISSUE, AND ALL OF US SHOULD BE
DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT OVER 70%
OF THE COBALT COMES FROM THESE
MINES WHERE CHILDREN, THÀNH AND
ADULTS. BUT THIS FOCUSES ON
CHILDREN ARE BEING ABUSED ON A
DAILY BASIS, AND IT SHOULD BE
COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE TO ALL
OF US. I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN
AYE VOTE. THANK YOU. SENATOR
GROVE, TO REPEAT, THE MOTION IS
DO PASS, AS AMENDED TO
APPROPRIATIONS. SECRETARY,
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. DODD.
WILK. AYE. WILK. AYE ALVARADO.
GILL. ALVARADO. AYE. ARCHULETA
ARCHULETA. AYE. ASHBY. BRADFORD.
BRADFORD AYE. GLAZER. JONES.
JONES. AYE NGUYEN. OKUBO. AYE
OKUBO. AYE. PADILLA. PADILLA.
AYE. PORTANTINO PORTANTINO. AYE.
ROTH. RUBIO AYE. RUBIO. AYE.
SATO. SATO AYE. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS NGUYEN. NGUYEN. AYE. HAS
11 VOTES. WE'LL PUT IT ON. CALL
FOR THE REMAINING MEMBERS TO ADD
ON. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK
YOU. SINCERELY, MR. BRADFORD.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP, WE'RE GOING
TO TAKE SENATOR MINH, WHICH IS
ITEM 11, SENATE BILL 1271.
SENATOR MINH, THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS,
BEFORE I START, I WANT TO THANK
YOUR COMMITTEE STAFF AND
ANNOUNCE THAT I WILL BE TAKING,
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, SB 1271
WOULD ENHANCE THE SAFETY AND
REGULATORY COMPLIANCE OF
ELECTRIC BICYCLES AND ELECTRIC
SCOOTERS BY REQUIRING ALL
E-BIKES AND E-SCOOTERS TO BE
MANUFACTURED WITH BATTERIES THAT
MEET THE STRINGENT STANDARDS OF
THE EUROPEAN UNION AND
UNDERWRITERS LABORATORIES, AND
ALSO MODIFY THE DEFINITION OF
E-BIKE CLASSES TO CLARIFY WHAT
THE APPROPRIATE CLASS FOR A
QUOTE SWITCHABLE END QUOTE
E-BIKE IS, IF ANY. IN RECENT
YEARS, WE'VE SEEN A SOARING OF
THE SALE OF E-BIKES. THIS HAS
RAISED CONCERNS IN MANY OF OUR
DISTRICTS ABOUT THE SAFETY AND
THEIR POTENTIAL SPEED AND FIRE
RISKS. MOST E-BIKES AND
E-SCOOTERS ARE POWERED BY
LITHIUM ION BATTERIES AND
REPORTS OF FIRES LINKED TO
POWERED MOBILITY DEVICES HAVE
BEEN ON THE RISE ACROSS THE
COUNTRY BECAUSE SOMETIMES THESE
BATTERIES ARE POORLY
MANUFACTURED OR THEY'RE ABUSED.
SB 1271 WOULD PROTECT CONSUMERS
IN THE PUBLIC BY REMOVING LOW
QUALITY POWERED PERSONAL
MOBILITY DEVICES FROM THE
MARKET. ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THE
SITE FROM BATTERIES IS THAT SOME
MANUFACTURERS HAVE DEVELOPED
E-BIKES THAT ARE ABLE TO SWITCH
BETWEEN SPEED MODES, ALLOWING A
BIKE TO MOVE FROM A SLOWER CLASS
TWO THROTTLE MODE TO A FASTER
CLASS THREE PEDAL ASSIST MODE.
CLASS THREE DEVICES ARE NOT
CONSIDERED E-BIKES IN THE
VEHICLE CODE, AND CAN CAUSE
CONFUSION WITH RESPECT TO THE
POLICING OF THESE VEHICLES. AS
CLASS TWO VEHICLES FOLLOW
DIFFERENT RULES OF THE ROAD.
ADDITIONALLY, MANY PARENTS ARE
UNAWARE THAT WHEN THEY PURCHASE
A SWITCHABLE CLASS TWO E-BIKE
FOR THEIR CHILD THAT IS ILLEGAL
FOR THE CHILD TO OPERATE THE
BIKE IN THE CLASS THREE RANGE.
SINCE IT ALLOWS THE DEVICE TO
REACH SPEEDS OF UP TO 28MPH.
THIS MEASURE WOULD HELP PARENTS
BY MODIFYING THE DEFINITION OF
E-BIKE CLASSES TO CLARIFY WHAT
THE APPROPRIATE CLASS FOR A
SWITCHABLE E-BIKE IS, AS WELL AS
TO ENSURE THAT THE BATTERIES
USED ARE SAFE. DO YOU HERE. HERE
WITH ME TODAY I HAVE MARK
VUKOVICH, ADVOCATE FOR STREETS
FOR ALL, TO TESTIFY AND SUPPORT
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW STREETS FOR
ALL WE'RE A BIG SUPPORTER OF
E-BIKES ARE THE FASTEST SELLING
ELECTRIC VEHICLES ON THE MARKET.
THEY'RE FUN. THEY REPLACE CAR
TRIPS. SOMETIMES THEY BRING A
FREEDOM OF MOBILITY TO PEOPLE
WHO CAN'T DRIVE. BUT WE
UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOME GROWING
PAINS WITH THEM. AND SO WHAT
WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TACKLE
KIND OF TWO BIG PROBLEMS THAT WE
SEE RIGHT NOW WITH E-BIKES, AND
SO THAT PROBLEM IS ON THE
BATTERY SIDE. SO ON THE BATTERY
SIDE FOR ONE IS THESE BATTERIES
ARE LITHIUM ION BATTERIES,
THEY'RE SENSITIVE, BUT ON AN
E-BIKE THEY SHAKE THEY RATTLE.
SAND AND WATER CAN GET INSIDE.
THEY GO FROM HOT TEMPERATURES TO
COLD TEMPERATURES. THEY NEED TO
BE ROBUST. AND SO THEY NEED TO
BE HIGH QUALITY TO PREVENT THE
FIRES THAT WE'VE SEEN THROUGHOUT
THE COUNTRY, PREDOMINANTLY IN
NEW YORK CITY AND SAN FRANCISCO,
MOSTLY FROM SHODDY BICYCLES, AND
SO THESE, THESE LITHIUM ION
BATTERIES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO
OCCUR. CONCUR HAVE A THERMAL
RUNAWAY, WHICH IS A PRACTICE
WHERE A FIRE CAN GET OUT OF HAND
VERY QUICKLY BECAUSE THE FIRE
REQUIRES A LOT MORE WATER THAN A
SIMILARLY SIZED FIRE, AND SO WE
REQUIRE A YOU THE, THE UN,
SORRY, THE, THE EU AND THE UL
STANDARD FOR THESE BATTERIES.
THE SECOND THING THAT OUR BIKE,
SORRY, OUR BILL DOES IS THAT
SOME OF THESE DEVICES ARE
ESSENTIALLY TRYING TO CLAIM THAT
THEY'RE E-BIKES, BUT EVEN THOUGH
THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY MOPEDS OR
EVEN MINI MOTORCYCLES. AND SO WE
CLARIFIED THE DEFINITION OF
E-BIKES TO ENSURE THAT THE
MARKET IS ONLY FILLED WITH
REPUTABLE DEVICES. AND WE
ESSENTIALLY END THE ABILITY TO
HAVE THIS SORT OF SWITCHABLE
MULTI-CLASS E-BIKE THAT CAN BE
SOLD TO SOMEONE UNDER THE AGE OF
16, BUT IS REALLY MEANT FOR
SOMEONE OLDER THAN THAT, AND SO
THAT'S THE GIST OF WHAT OUR BILL
DOES. IT'S A SAFETY BILL. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT OF SENATE
BILL 1271? SEEING NO OTHER
WITNESSES COMING FORWARD, ARE
THERE ANY WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION TO SENATE BILL 1271,
SEEING NO WITNESSES COMING
FORWARD? DISCUSSION FROM THE
DAIS. MEMBERS. SENATOR ARCHULETA
. YES. THANK YOU, SENATOR, FOR
BRINGING THIS FORWARD. OBVIOUSLY
THERE'S A LOT OF IMPLICATIONS
HERE, CHILD SAFETY, WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT KIDS RUNNING
AROUND WITHOUT THE HELMETS AS
YOU'VE SEEN THEM ON THE STREET,
THE THING THAT'S REALLY
DANGEROUS, OBVIOUSLY. WHAT
YOU'RE TELLING US IS THAT
BATTERY, THAT TYPE OF BATTERY ON
THAT VEHICLE, THE BIKE WOULD BE
IN SOMEBODY'S GARAGE OR
SOMEBODY'S LIVING ROOM OR
APARTMENT, AND THE EXPLOSION
WOULD TAKE PLACE. AND OF COURSE,
THE THIRD THING IS THE SPEED AND
NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTROL IT,
WITHOUT PROPER TRAINING. BUT,
YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST SO MANY
ASPECTS. BUT I REALLY THINK THAT
AS YOU GO FORWARD WITH THIS, YOU
HAVE TO HAVE A PRESS RELEASE
THAT JUST GOES ACROSS THIS
NATION, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO
MANY ELEMENTS HERE THAT ARE SO
DANGEROUS. AND I WOULD LIKE TO
BE A CO-SPONSOR IF POSSIBLE, AND
I'LL MOVE THE BILL. THANK YOU.
SENATOR, WE'LL ADD YOU AS A
COAUTHOR AT THE APPROPRIATE
TIME. SO SENATOR ARCHULETA IS
ENCOURAGING YOU ON NIGHTLY NEWS
AND ADVERTISE YOUR BILL. ANY
OTHER COMMENTS IN FROM THE DAIS?
SENATOR BRADFORD, I WOULD JUST
ECHO MY COMMENTS FROM THE LAST
BILL ABOUT CHILD SAFETY. WE
WEREN'T ABOUT CHILD CHILDREN
RIDING ELECTRIC BIKES HERE. WE
SHOULD WORRY ABOUT THE CHILDREN
AGAIN WHO ARE MINING THIS COBALT
AND LITHIUM SO THEY CAN WRITE
THESE BIKES SAFELY HERE IN THE
UNITED STATES. THANK YOU,
SENATOR BRADFORD. SENATOR, ANY
OTHER COMMENTS? SEEING NO OTHER
COMMENTS, WE DO HAVE A MOTION BY
SENATOR ARCHULETA. THE MOTION IS
Dð PASS, AS AMENDED, TO THE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE,
SENATOR MINH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
YOUR I VOTE. THANK YOU, SENATOR
MINH. SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL. DODD WILK. AYE WILK. AYE.
ALVARADO. GIL. ALVARADO. GILL.
AYE. ARCHULETA ARCHULETA. AYE.
ASHBY. BRADFORD BRADFORD. AYE.
GLAZER. JONES. AYE. JONES I
NGUYEN. NGUYEN. AYE. OKUBO
PADILLA AYE. PADILLA. AYE.
PORTANTINO ROTH. RUBIO SATO.
RUBIO. RUBIO AYE. SATO. SATO
AYE. SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. THANK
YOU. THAT BILL HAS NINE AYE
VOTES. WE'LL LEAVE IT ON. CALL
WE ARE WAITING FOR AUTHORS TO
COME, OKAY. WE'LL REOPEN THE
ROLE ON 1271 ABSENT MEMBERS.
DODD AYE. DODD AYE. GLAZER.
OCHOA. B¢O PORTANTINO.
PORTANTINO. AYE. ROTH. SMALLWOOD
CUEVAS. AND MEMBERS TO COME BACK
. SO WE'RE AT 11 NOW. WE HAVE
11. AND WE DO NEED AUTHORS TO
COME TO THE COMMITTEE. THAT
WOULD BE SENATOR ALLEN. LAST
CALL MEMBERS COME BACK. MEMBERS
COME BACK TO VOTE. WE'LL HAVE
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS. SO WE'VE GOT
TO MOVE AND REPUBLICAN LET ME GO
THROUGH THE AND REPUBLICAN
CAUCUS. CAN WE GO THROUGH THE
ROLL ONE MORE TIME? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, SENATOR JONES, FOR
DOING THE HEAVY LIFTING HERE.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S OPEN THE ROLL.
WE NEED A MOTION ON THE CONSENT
CALENDAR. THAT'S A MOTION BY
SENATOR BRADFORD, SECRETARY,
PLEASE OPEN THE ROLL IN THE
CONSENT CALENDAR. DODD. AYE.
DODD AYE. WILK. AYE. WILK AYE.
ALVARADO. GILL. Ã ALVARADO.
GILL. AYE. ARCHULETA. ARCHULETA.
AYE. ASHBY BRADFORD. BRADFORD.
AYE. GLAZER. JONES JONES. AYE.
NGUYEN. NGUYEN. AYE. OCHOA B¢O.
OCHOA. VÚI. PADILLA PADILLA.
AYE. PORTANTINO ROTH. RUBIO
RUBIO. AYE. CIERTO. CIERTO AYE.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS THAT HAS 11
VOTES. WE'LL PUT THAT ON CALL.
WE'LL NOW MOVE TO OPEN THE ROLL
FILE. ITEM NUMBER TWO SB 1047
WIENER. SECRETARY, PLEASE OPEN.
WE NEED WE NEED WE DO NEED A
MOTION. MOTION ON THAT MOTION WE
HAVE A MOTION BY ARCHULETA.
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. DODD. AYE.
DODD. AYE. WILK. AYE. WILK. AYE
ALVARADO GILL. ARCHULETA ASHBY.
BRADFORD. BRADFORD. AYE. GLAZER
JONES. NGUYEN. OKUBO AYE. OKOBO.
AYE. PADILLA PADILLA. AYE.
PORTANTINO. PORTANTINO. AYE
ROTH. RUBIO. RUBIO. AYE CELADO.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS THAT'S SEVEN.
SIX. SEVEN. THAT'S AS SEVEN
VOTES, WE'LL PUT THAT ON CALL.
LET'S OPEN UP FILE ITEM NUMBER
THREE, SB 942. BECKER SECRETARY,
PLEASE OPEN THE ROLL. ABSENT
MEMBERS. WILK. NØ. WILK. NÓ.
ARCHULETA. AYE. ARCHULETA. AYE.
ASHBY GLAZER. JONES NGUYEN.
OKUBO. PADILLA. I'M SORRY.
PADILLA. AYE. ROTH RUBIO. AYE.
RUBIO AYE. SATO SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS WHICH COUNT? THAT'S SEVEN
ONE. WE'LL LEAVE THAT OPEN NOW.
LET'S OPEN THE FILE. ITEM NUMBER
FOUR, SB 984. WAHAB PLEASE OPEN
THE ROLL. ABSENT MEMBERS.
ALVARADO. GIL ASHBY. BRADFORD.
GLASER. NGUYEN. NGUYEN. NÓ ROTH.
RUBIO. RUBIO. AYE. SATO SATO.
NØ. SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. 7 TO 4.
SEVEN FOR THAT BILL IS ON CALL.
WE'LL NOW OPEN THE ROLL ON FILE
ITEM NUMBER FIVE. THAT'S SB
1355. WAHAB, SECRETARY, PLEASE
OPEN THE ROLL. ABSENT MEMBERS.
ARCHULETA. AYE. ARCHULETA. AYE.
ASHBY GLASER. NGUYEN ROTH.
RUBIO. RUBIO. AYE. SATO SATO.
AYE. SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS IT'S 11
ZERO. THE BILL IS ON CALL.
THEY'LL OPEN THAT UP AGAIN.
SECRETARY, CALL THE ROLL. ABSENT
MEMBERS. ASHBY GLASER. NGUYEN.
NGUYEN AYE. ROTH. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS. THAT'S 1212 ZERO. THE
BILL WILL BE ON CALL, FILE AB,
NUMBER SEVEN, SB 1152, LIMÓN.
ABSENT MEMBERS. DODD. AYE DODD.
AYE. ASHBY. GLASER NGUYEN.
NGUYEN. AYE. PADILLA PADILLA.
AYE. ROTH. RUBIO RUBIO. AYE.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS 12 1212 ZERO.
BILL IS ON CALL. FILE NUMBER
EIGHT, SB 1107 DURAZO.
SECRETARY, PLEASE OPEN THE ROLL.
ABSENT MEMBERS. DODD. AYE. DODD.
AYE. WILK. AYE WILK. AYE.
ALVARADO. GILL AYE. ALVARADO.
GILL. AYE. ARCHULETA A
ARCHULETA. AYE. ASHBY. GLASER
AYE. GLASER. AYE. NGUYEN AYE.
NGUYEN. AYE. OCHOA B¢O. OCHOA.
VÚI. PADILLA. PADILLA AYE. ROTH.
RUBIO. RUBIO AYE. SATO. SATO.
AYE. 14 ZERO 14 ZERO. THE BILL
IS ON CALL. FILE ITEM NUMBER
NINE, SB 1114. NILO ABSENT.
MEMBERS. DODD. AYE DODD. AYE.
ASHBY. BRADFORD NGUYEN. NGUYEN.
AYE PADILLA. PADILLA AYE. ROTH
RUBIO. RUBIO. AYE SATO. SATO.
AYE. SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS 1212
ZERO. PUT THAT ON CALL. OPEN UP
A FILE. ITEM NUMBER TEN. SB
1239. OPEN THE ROLL. ABSENT
MEMBERS. DODD. AYE. DODD. AYE.
ASHBY GLASER. ROTH SATO. I'M
SORRY. AYE. SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS.
ZERO 12 ZERO. BILLS ON CALL FILE
ITEM NUMBER 11 SB 1271 MIN.
SECRETARY, PLEASE OPEN THE ROLE.
ABSENT MEMBERS. ASHBY. BLAZER.
AYE GLASER. AYE. OKUBO AYE.
OKUBO. AYE. ROTH SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS 11 ZERO, 11 ZERO. WE'RE
GOING TO JUST FINISH THROUGH
THIS, 1278. LAIRD. THAT'S FILE
ITEM NUMBER 12. ABSENT MEMBERS.
DODD. AYE. DODD. AYE. ASHBY
GLASER. GLASER. AYE. PADILLA
PADILLA. AYE. ROTH SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS 13 ZERO 13 ZERO 13.
EXCUSE ME. 13 ZERO. THAT'S ON
CALL FILE ITEM NUMBER 13. FOR
NOW. THAT WOULD BE THE NEXT ONE.
WE'LL OPEN NOW. FILE NUMBER 15,
SB 990. PADILLA NEEDS A MOTION.
NEED A MOTION MOTION, MOTION.
ARCHULETA CALL THE ROLL. MOTION
IS TO PASS, AS AMENDED, TO
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE. DODD.
I DODD I WILK NOT VOTING.
ALVARADO GIL A ALVARADO GIL.
AYE. ARCHULETA A ARCHULETA. AYE.
ASHBY. BRADFORD. BRADFORD. AYE
GLASER. GLASER. AYE. JONES
NGUYEN. NO. NGUYEN. NO OKUBO. NO
NUMBER 15. PADILLA. SB 990.
OCHOA B¢O. AYE. PADILLA PADILLA.
AYE. PORTANTINO. PORTANTINO AYE.
ROTH. RUBIO. RUBIO AYE. SATO.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS IT'S 9 TO 1.
THE BILLS ON CALL. FILE NUMBER
17 1224. SENATOR CHO. BOW.
SECRETARY, PLEASE. WE NEED A
MOTION ON THIS. WILK MOVES. WILK
MOVES. SECRETARY, PLEASE OPEN
THE ROLL. OKAY MOTION IS DUE.
PASS AS AMENDED TO
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE. DODD I
DODD I WILK I WILK I ALVARADO.
GIL I ALVARADO. GIL I ARCHULETA.
AYE. ARCHULETA I ASHBY. BRADFORD
BRADFORD I GLASER. GLASER. I
JONES I. JONES. I NGUYEN I.
NGUYEN I. OKUBO I. OKUBO I.
PADILLA PADILLA I PORTANTINO.
PORTANTINO I. ROTH RUBIO I RUBIO
I SATO. SOURDOUGH I SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS 13 ZERO. THE BILLS ON
CALL FILE ITEM NUMBER 20. THAT'S
14 SB 1403. BRADFORD. SECRETARY,
PLEASE OPEN THE ROLL. DODD. AYE.
DODD AYE. WILK ASHBY. GLASER.
GLASER. AYE. JONES NGUYEN.
OCHOA. NGUYEN. NGUYEN. NO OKUBO.
BRADFORD FILE 20 SB 1403.
BRADFORD PADILLA. PADILLA. AYE.
ROTH RUBIO. RUBIO. AYE. SATO
SATO. NO 9 TO 2. 9 TO 2. THAT.
BILLS ON CALL, FILE ITEM NUMBER
21. WE NEED A MOTION. THAT'S SB
1495 WILK. THAT'S A MOTION FROM
ARCHULETA. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
DODD. AYE. DODD. AYE. WILK. AYE
WILK. AYE. ALVARADO. GIL. AYE.
ALVARADO. GIL. AYE. ARCHULETA
AYE. ARCHULETA. AYE. ASHBY
BRADFORD. BRADFORD. AYE. GLASER.
GLASER. AYE. JONES I. JONES AYE.
NGUYEN NGUYEN. AYE. OKUBO OKUBO.
AYE. PADILLA PADILLA. AYE.
PORTANTINO PORTANTINO. AYE. ROTH
21 2121. ROTH AYE. RUBIO RUBIO
AYE. SATO CERADO AYE. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS 1414 ZERO. THAT. BILLS ON
CALL. WE'RE NOW MOVING TO
SENATOR ALLEN. WHAT'S THE FILE?
FILE ITEM NUMBER 13 SB 1436.
THANK YOU FOR BEING PATIENT.
PLEASE PROCEED. I KNOW THE HOUR
IS LATE. AYE. THIS BILL IS TO
EXPAND UPON THE FRANCHISE TAX
BOARD MODEL TO PROVIDE MORE
OVERSIGHT OVER THE OTHER TAX
AGENCIES THAT THAT WE CREATED
AND EMPOWERED UNDER THE WORK OF
AB 102. MOST OF US VOTED FOR
THAT. IT WAS PROBABLY ON THE
WHOLE THING, BUT IT OPENED UP
SOME SOME NEW CONCERNS ABOUT
RESPONSIVENESS FOR THE AGENCIES.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE BILL IS ALL
ABOUT HAPPINESS. THESE ARE THE
QUESTIONS THAT I'VE GOT HERE
FROM THE BOARD OF REVISION. FOR
OR I KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO GET
COME UP. AND IF PEOPLE WANT TO
ASK QUESTIONS. OKAY. SO YOU'RE
GOING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IF
THEY'RE ASKED OKAY. GREAT.
ANYBODY WISHING TO COME UP AND
OFFER A SUPPORT SEEING NONE
ANYBODY IN OPPOSITION PLEASE
COME FORWARD NOW SEEING NOBODY
IN OPPOSITION, WE'LL TURN BACK
TO COMMITTEE. SENATOR ROTH,
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YOU KNOW,
SOME OF YOU WERE NOT AROUND,
WHEN I WAS INVOLVED, CHAIR OF
BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE NUMBER FOUR,
WORKING WITH THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE AND A VARIETY OF OTHER
AGENCIES AND INDIVIDUALS TO SORT
OF RESTRUCTURE AND REFORM THE
WAY WE HANDLED, HANDLE OUR TAX
SYSTEM. THE OUTCOME OF THIS. AND
IT WAS A TORTURED PROCESS. IT
WAS THE CREATION OF CDTFA AND
THE OFFICE OF TAX APPEALS. AND
THE PURPOSE WAS TO PROVIDE SOME,
OBJECTIVITY AND, AND TRANSPARENT
THèC TO THE WAY WE HANDLE TAX
TAX DISPUTES IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA BY CREATING AN
INDEPENDENT OFFICE OF TAX
APPEALS, BY CREATING A
DEPARTMENT THAT HANDLED, SOME
ELEMENTS, AT LEAST OF THE TAX
COLLECTION PROCESS IN THE STATE.
AND IT FOLLOWED A PERIOD AT THE
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION, WHICH I
THINK COULD BEST BE DESCRIBED AS
PROBLEMATIC WITHOUT, YOU KNOW,
POINTING FINGERS, ASSESSING
BLAME OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO
AND I WAS INVOLVED IN DETAIL IN
WORKING DETAIL, WORKING OUT OF
ISSUES HAVING TO DO WITH THE,
TAX ACCOUNTANTS WHO HANDLED
APPEALS THAT THE OFFICE OF TAX
APPEALS AND ALL THE REQUIREMENTS
THAT WERE REQUIRED THAT
APPARENTLY EXISTED FOR THEM TO
ALSO FOR THEIR FIRMS ALSO TO
CONDUCT AUDITS AND PARTICIPATE
IN APPEALS FOR TAXPAYERS AT THAT
PARTICULAR OFFICE. AND I'M NOT
OPPOSED TO THIS. I'LL BE
SUPPORTING THIS TODAY, SENATOR,
BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT WE NOT
STEP BACK INTO WHAT WE HAD
BEFORE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, WHERE, FRANKLY, THE
SOME ELEMENTS OF THE TAX APPEALS
PROCESS WERE POLITICIZED,
BECAUSE, OF COURSE, THE BOARD
OFFICIALS ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS,
JUST AS WE ARE, AND HAVE
CONSTITUENTS JUST AS WE DO,
EXCEPT WE DO NOT ADJUDICATE TAX
APPEALS AND ATTEMPT TO APPLY THE
LAW TO SPECIFIC SITUATIONS AS
THEY DO SO. I'LL BE SUPPORTING
THE MATTER TODAY. BUT I YOU
KNOW, I WILL CERTAINLY STEP IN
VIGOROUSLY IF I SEE THIS EFFORT
MOVING BACK ON A MARCH BACKWARDS
TOWARD WHAT WE HAD BEFORE UNDER
PRIOR ADMINISTRATION AT THE
BOARD, AND ALL THAT HAPPENED
BACK THEN. I APPRECIATE YOUR
COMMENTS. I MEAN, IT'S A MODEST
BILL RIGHT NOW. AND ONE OF THE
DEBATES THAT HAPPENED AT THE
LAST COMMITTEE HEARING WAS,
SHOULD IT HAVE MORE TEETH? I
THERE WERE SOME MEMBERS THAT
THOUGHT IT SHOULD. I HEAR FROM
YOU, YOU DON'T WANT TO GO ANY
FURTHER. THEY PROBABLY WEREN'T
MEMBERS WHO WERE HERE IN 2000.
AND WHEN DO WE DO THIS? 2000.
BUT. BUT IF A DIFFERENT
POLITICAL PERSUASION. SO, I HEAR
YOU, SENATOR. WELL, I WAS
WEIGHED DOWN. THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIR. SO, I ADMIRE THE INTENT,
BUT I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS.
HOW DOES THIS COMPARE WITH OTHER
OR OTHER ENTITIES THAT ACTUALLY
DEAL WITH YOUR ACTUAL SPECIFIC
GOAL? AND I UNDERSTAND THE
CDTFA, THE, THE HOWARD JARVIS
TAX ASSOCIATION, THE PAC CATO,
THE AUDITORS AND THE LAO ALL
ANALYZE TAX IMPLICATIONS. IF,
YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEY'RE
ONGOING NHIÀU OR, OR IF WE ARE
REQUESTED. SO WHY THE NEED FOR
THIS PARTICULAR AGENCY WHEN WE
HAVE ALL OF THESE OTHER AGENCIES
THAT ARE ACTUALLY DOING THE
ANALYSIS OF THE WORK, ESPECIALLY
IN A IN IN LIGHT OF WHAT WE
CURRENTLY HAVE WITH THE BUDGET
SHORTFALL THAT WE HAVE. I'M JUST
GOING TO CURIOUS. IT FEELS LIKE
WE'RE WE'RE ADDING JUST ANOTHER
ENTITY TO OUR ALREADY ROBUST
GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE THAT WE
CURRENTLY HAVE. AND I JUST I'M
KIND OF CURIOUS AS TO WHY
ANOTHER ONE WHEN WE ALREADY HAVE
NON PARTIZAN 38 ENTITIES GIVING
US THIS REPORT IF WE WANTED TO.
WELL I WOULD FIRST OF ALL IT'S
MODELED OFF OF THE FTB MODEL
WHERE YOU'VE GOT A WE WITH ABOUT
102. WE TOOK A LOT OF POWER AWAY
FROM AN ELECTED BODY FOR A
NUMBER OF REASONS THAT WERE WERE
MENTIONED BY MR. ROTH AND PUT
ALL OF THIS TAX, ADMINISTRATION
POWER INTO THE, INTO THE
BUREAUCRACY, CDTFA OTA, ETC. THE
FTB, THE FRANCHISE TAX BOARD
PROVIDES A AND, YOU KNOW, ALL
WE'VE DONE WITH THIS BILL IS TO
PROVIDE A PRETTY MODEST
OVERSIGHT MECHANISM. THERE'S
VERY LIMITED IN WHAT IT CAN DO
UNDER THIS BILL. AS I WAS
SAYING, THERE'S SOME PEOPLE WHO
WANT IT TO GO MUCH FURTHER. BUT
THE QUESTION HERE IS ABOUT
RESPONSIVENESS. WE'VE GOTTEN A
LOT OF STORIES FROM, FROM
ASSESSORS AND EVEN MEMBERS OF
THE SENATE, AS WE'VE PUT THIS
BILL FORWARD THAT HAVE MADE THE
CASE THAT THERE'S JUST, YOU
KNOW, IT'S HARD TO GET BACK, YOU
KNOW, GET CALLS BACK FROM THE
LEADERSHIP OF CDTFA. I
UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE ARE NOW
GETTING THEIR CALLS BACK A
LITTLE BIT MORE NOW THAT THIS
BILL HAS BEEN INTRODUCED, YOU
KNOW, SO WE HAD A FORMER MODEL
WHERE THERE WAS PERHAPS TOO MUCH
RESPONSIVENESS TO TAXPAYER
CONCERNS THAT WAS ADDRESSED WITH
AB 102 TO MAYBE WHERE THERE'S
NOT ENOUGH RESPONSIVENESS TO
TAXPAYER CONCERNS UNDER THE
CURRENT AB 102 MODEL AND ALL
WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS TO,
YOU KNOW, IN A VERY MODEST WAY,
RESHAPE, REWRITE THE SHIP, BUT
IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW,
IMPACT THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE
TAX SYSTEM IN A SIGNIFICANT WAY.
AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE GOING TO
LOOK TO DO IS TRY TO ONE OF THE
THINGS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT
EARLIER WAS, WAS TO, YOU KNOW,
TRY TO MODEL THIS OFF OF
WHATEVER THE FTB'S GOING TO BE
RIGHT NOW. IT'S CONSISTS OF
THREE. THERE'S A BILL ON THE
ASSEMBLY SIDE THAT, YOU KNOW,
SEEKS TO EXPAND TO FIVE, I, YOU
KNOW, I REALLY JUST WANT TO
CONFORM IT TO WHEREVER WE'RE
GOING TO BE GOING. SO THAT THERE
ISN'T A LOT OF DUPLICATION. IT'S
SO THAT IT'S LITERALLY JUST AN
OFFSHOOT OF THE CURRENT WORK OF
THE FTB. AND IT WOULD THIS BILL
WOULD PROVIDE THEM WITH THE
OPPORTUNITY TO, TO HAVE SOME
DEGREE OF OVERSIGHT, THOUGH NOT
A LOT, QUITE FRANKLY, BUT IT'S A
WAY TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES FOR TAXPAYERS OR
OTHERS WHO HAVE CONCERNS OR
CHALLENGES WITH THE BUREAUCRACY
TO HAVE THEIR HAVE THEIR CASE
HEARD AND HAVE THEIR CASE
CONSIDERED AND HAVE IT BROUGHT
UP, THAT'S THAT'S REALLY WHAT
WE'RE SEEKING TO DO HERE. YOU
KNOW, I'VE HAD AN ASSESSOR WHO
TOLD ME THAT HE LITERALLY CAN'T
GET CALLS BACK FROM, FROM FROM
THE CDTFA. SO THERE ARE SOME
RESPONSIVENESS CHALLENGES OUT
THERE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO
ADDRESS. AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT
THIS BILL IS ABOUT. AND TO THE
CHAIR AND, AND TO THAT POINT, MY
QUESTIONS WOULD GO BACK TO WHAT
I'VE ASKED IN OTHER COMMITTEES
WITH OTHER AGENCIES AS FAR AS
NOT BEING ABLE TO BE, FULFILLING
THEIR, THEIR DUTIES OR BEING
RESPONSIVE. AND THAT'S ONE, IS
IT BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T FULLY
FUNDED THE DEPARTMENT IN ORDER
FOR THEM TO HAVE THE WORKFORCE
REQUIRED IN ORDER TO MEET THE
DEMAND? AND, OR DO WE NEED TO
REALLY IS THERE REALLY A NEED
FOR A NEW ENTITY, OR SHOULD WE
JUST FULLY FUND WHAT WE
CURRENTLY HAVE AND ENSURE THAT
THEY ACTUALLY HAVE THE WORKFORCE
REQUIRED TO MEET THE NEED AS IT
STANDS, RATHER THAN CREATING A
NEW A NEW ENTITY? Ó I CERTAINLY
DON'T SUPPORT CREATING A NEW
ENTITY. I GUESS I WOULD HOPE
THAT THROUGH THIS WORK AND
THROUGH BOTH AS THE BILL, AS THE
BILL PROCEEDS, AND CERTAINLY IF
WE'RE ABLE TO PASS SOMETHING
LIKE THIS, THERE WILL JUST BE,
IT'LL IT'LL IT'LL FORCE THE
BUREAUCRACY TO BE A LITTLE MORE
RESPONSIVE. THAT'S REALLY WHAT
THIS IS ULTIMATELY ALL ABOUT. SO
I, YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY HAVE
IT WITHIN THEM. I THINK THAT
THEY JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT OF
ENGAGEMENT AND A LITTLE BIT OF
PRESSURE, PERHAPS FROM US AND
FROM A BOARD LIKE THIS TO BE
BETTER, RESPONSIVE, MORE
RESPONSIVE AND MORE ENGAGED.
OKAY. SENATOR WILK, THANK YOU,
MR. CHAIR. IF YOU DO EXPAND IT
TO FIVE MEMBERS AND YOU'RE
CONCERNED ABOUT LACK OF
RESPONSIVENESS, I SUGGEST YOU
PUT ON TWO TERMED OUT
LEGISLATORS. THERE YOU GO. ADD
THAT, I, HAD THE PLEASURE. IN
FACT, MY FAVORITE COMMITTEE OF
ALL TIME IN THE SENATE WAS SUB
FOUR UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF
SENATOR ROTH AND SENATOR GLASER
AND SENATOR ROTH CONVINCED ME. I
RESPECT THE AUTHOR. I HAVE
COMPLETE CONFIDENCE IN HIM. I'M
GOING TO LAY OFF IT TODAY AND
HOPEFULLY WHEN IT COMES BACK,
I'M GOING TO BE MORE COMFORTABLE
AND BE ABLE TO VOTE FOR IT. BUT
TODAY, I'M GOING TO BE LAYING
OFF SENATOR JONES. IF YOU DON'T
MIND, I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO
CLARIFY SOMETHING YOU JUST SAID.
YOU SAID YOU DON'T SUPPORT
CREATING A NEW ENTITY, BUT IS
THIS NOT CREATING A NEW ENTITY
IN REFERENCE TO THE IDEA OF
MAYBE CREATING A WHOLE NEW TAX
AGENCY? OH, OKAY. YEAH. THAT
YEAH. YOU KNOW, AND TO BE SO, SO
THIS IS A NEW ENTITY, I SUPPOSE,
THOUGH, THOUGH WE REALLY DO SEE
THIS AS AN OUTGROWTH FROM THE
FTB. SO WE WANT TO CONFORM TO
WHATEVER FTB MODEL EMERGES FROM
THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
SENATOR GLASER, I JUST WANT TO
SAY THANK YOU TO THE AUTHOR FOR
HIS WORK ON THIS. AND WE DID
HAVE A CHANCE TO, IN A PREVIOUS
COMMITTEE, WORK ON THE ISSUE.
AND I THINK IT IS CAPTURING THE
ATTENTION OF THE ADMINISTRATION.
THAT'S A GOOD THING, WE'LL SEE
AS THE BILL PROGRESSES, IF
THERE'S STILL A NEED TO TAKE THE
ACTIONS AS PROPOSED. BUT WITH
THAT, I'M HAPPY TO MOVE THE BILL
. SENATOR ROTH, ONE FINAL
COMMENT, MR. CHAIR. JUST
OCCURRED TO ME, YOU KNOW, WHEN
GOVERNMENT'S NOT RESPONSIVE,
ONE, OVERSIGHT HEARINGS ARE
PROBABLY THE MAYBE, PERHAPS THE
BETTER WAY TO GET AT THIS
PROBLEM. AND AT THE END OF THE
DAY, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR TOLD
US AT ONE POINT IN TIME, DURING
MY TIME UP HERE, THIS GOVERNOR,
THAT HE OWNS THE GOVERNMENT AND
IT THIS REALLY IS A PROBLEM IF
WE HAVE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND
AGENCY HEADS IN CALIFORNIA
GOVERNMENT WHO ARE NOT
RESPONDING TO, IN SOME CASES,
ELECT LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, I
THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE
GOVERNOR NEEDS TO ENGAGE ON,
PERHAPS EVEN MORE THAN SETTING
UP A NEW, NEW ENTITY OF WHATEVER
WE CALL IT. JUST AS A COMMENT.
BUT I'LL STILL BE VOTING FOR IT
TODAY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
SORRY FOR THE PROLONGING TO
BUILD ON YOUR COMMENT. WHAT
WE'RE WE'RE SEEKING TO CREATE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE OVERSIGHT.
YOU KNOW, THIS LEGISLATURE IS SO
BUSY, IT'S SO HARD FOR US TO GET
AROUND TO, YOU KNOW, AT MOST,
WE'RE GOING TO DO AN OVERSIGHT
HEARING ON ON THIS ON THESE
ISSUES ONCE EVERY COUPLE OF
YEARS, TO HAVE AN ENTITY THAT IS
IN PLACE THAT HAS THE, THE
ABILITY AND THE MANDATE TO DO
MORE FOLLOW ON WORK IN THIS
SPACE. I THINK WOULD BE
BENEFICIAL BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW,
UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE ALL, THE
BANDWIDTH HERE DOESN'T LEND
ITSELF TO THE KIND OF OVERSIGHT
THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK
WOULD BE HELPFUL IN THIS SPACE.
DO YOU NEED TO SPEAK? BECAUSE WE
GOT TO GO. YEAH. OKAY. ARE YOU
GOOD? I THINK IT'S MOVED OUT.
ALL RIGHT. WE GOT A MOTION.
ANYBODY ELSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? THANK YOU. OH, YES. WE'RE
ACCEPTING THE AMENDMENTS. ACCEPT
THE AMENDMENTS? YEAH, WE. AND WE
THANK THE COMMITTEE STAFF. THANK
YOU, SENATOR ALLEN. SO, THE
MOTION IS Dð PASS IS AMENDED TO
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE. WOULD
YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? I APPRECIATE
APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION VERY
MUCH. AND I'D LOVE TO WORK MORE
WITH EVERYONE HERE. RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE. SECRETARY,
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. DODD. AYE.
DODD. AYE. WILK ALVARADO. GILL.
Ã. ALVARADO. GILL. AYE.
ARCHULETA AYE. ARCHULETA. AYE.
ASHBY. ASHBY. AYE. BRADFORD
BRADFORD. AYE. GLASER. GLASER.
AYE. JONES. NO JONES. NO. NGUYEN
. OKOBO PADILLA. PADILLA. AYE.
PORTANTINO PORTANTINO. AYE.
ROTH. ROTH. AYE RUBIO. AYE.
RUBIO. AYE. SATO SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS IT'S 9 TO 1. SO THAT ON
CALL THAT. BILLS ON CALL. THANK
YOU, SENATOR ALLEN. SO WE'RE
GOING TO GO BACK AND WE'RE GOING
TO LIFT THE CALLS. WE'RE GOING
TO DO THIS HOPEFULLY ONE TIME WE
MADE SMALL. ALL RIGHT I THINK WE
WHAT'S THAT. YEAH WE GOT TO GET
MEMBERS TO THE CAUCUS. SO WE'RE
GOING TO START AND WE'LL COME
BACK, LET'S OPEN THE, THE ROLL
ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR. PLEASE.
OPEN THE ROLL. ASHBY. Ã. ASHBY.
AYE. GLAZER GLAZER. AYE.
PORTANTINO. AYE. PORTANTINO AYE.
ROTH. ROTH. AYE. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS BILL HAS 14 VOTES. IT'S
ON CALL 15. EXCUSE ME. OH OPEN
UP. CAN WE OPEN THIS? THE ROLL
UP ONE MORE TIME, PLEASE.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS SHE SAID AYE.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. AYE 16 ZERO
16 ZERO. THAT BILL IS OUT. WE'LL
NOW OPEN FILE ITEM NUMBER TWO SB
1047 WIENER. PLEASE OPEN THE
ROLL. ABSENT MEMBERS. ALVARADO,
GILL. ARCHULETA ASHBY. ASHBY.
AYE. GLASER. GLASER. AYE. JONES.
NGUYEN ROTH. ROTH. AYE. SATO
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS. AYE 11 ZERO. THAT BILL
IS OUT. OPEN THE ROLL ON FILE
NUMBER THREE. SB 942. BECKER,
PLEASE OPEN THE ROLL. ABSENT
MEMBERS. ASHBY. AYE. ASHBY. AYE.
GLASER GLASER. AYE. JONES.
NGUYEN OCHOA. BOWE. ROTH. ROTH.
EYES GALLARDO. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS. SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. AYE
11 ONE, 11 ONE. THAT BILL IS
OUT. WE'LL NOW OPEN FILE ITEM
NUMBER FOUR, SB 984. WAHAB,
PLEASE OPEN THE ROLL. ABSENT
MEMBERS. ALVARADO. GILL. ASHBY
ASHBY. AYE. BRADFORD BRADFORD.
AYE. GLASER. GLASER NO. ROTH.
ROTH. AYE SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. AYE. 11 FIVE.
THAT'S TEN FIVE, PASSES. THE
BILL IS OUT. WE'LL NOW OPEN THE
ROLL ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE. SB
1355. WAHAB. SECRETARY, PLEASE
OPEN THE ROLL. ASHBY. ASHBY.
AYE. GLASER. GLASER AYE. ROTH.
ROTH. AYE. SMALLWOOD CUEVAS.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. AYE. 16 ZERO
16 ZERO. THAT BILL IS OUT.
MOVING ON TO FILE ITEM NUMBER
SEVEN 1152. THAT'S SENATOR LIMON
ASHBY. ASHBY. AYE. GLASER.
GLASER. AYE. ROTH ROTH. AYE.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS. AYE 1616. OH, THAT BILL
IS OUT MOVING ON TO FILE ITEM
NUMBER EIGHT 1107. DURAZZO OPEN
THE ROLL, PLEASE. ASHBY. ASHBY.
AYE. ROTH AYE. ROTH. AYE, 616
ZERO. THAT BILL IS OUT. OPEN UP.
FILE ITEM NUMBER NINE 1114 NEIL
NILO. SECRETARY, PLEASE OPEN THE
ROLL. ASHBY. ASHBY. AYE.
BRADFORD ROTH. ROTH. AYE.
SMALLWOOD CUEVAS. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS. AYE. THAT'S 1515. 15
ZERO. THAT BILL. EXCUSE FILE
NUMBER NINE. DO YOU WANT TO OPEN
THAT UP AGAIN OR. NO OKAY. SO
THAT'S 15 ZERO. THE BILL IS OUT.
MOVE TO FILE ITEM NUMBER TEN SB
1239. GROVE SECRETARY, PLEASE
OPEN THE ROLL. ASHBY. ASHBY. AYE
GLASER. ROTH AYE. ROTH. AYE.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. SMALLWOOD
CUEVAS. AYE. THAT'S 1515 ZERO.
THAT BILL IS OUT. MOVED ON TO
FILE ITEM NUMBER 11, SB 1271.
MIN. SECRETARY, PLEASE OPEN THE
ROLL. ASHBY. ASHBY. AYE. ROTH
ROTH. AYE. SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. AYE. 16 ZERO
16 ZERO. THAT BILL IS OUT NOW.
OPENED UP. FILE ITEM NUMBER 12,
SB 1278. LAIRD ASHBY. ASHBY.
AYE. ROTH. ROTH. AYE. SMALLWOOD
CUEVAS. SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. AYE.
16 ZERO 16 ZERO. THAT BILL IS
OUT. WE'LL NOW OPEN THE FILE UP
FOR NUMBER 13. SB 1436. ALLEN,
PLEASE OPEN THE ROLL. WAS SHE
HERE? WAS EVERYBODY HERE FOR
990? NO. WE'RE RIGHT. 1436, FILE
ITEM NUMBER 13. THAT'S WHAT I
HAD NEXT. OKAY. ABSENT MEMBERS
WILK. NGUYEN OKUBO. SATO.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. SMALLWOOD
CUEVAS. AYE. 11 ONE, 11 111 ONE.
THAT BILL IS OUT. WE'LL NOW OPEN
FILE ITEM NUMBER 15, SB 990.
PADILLA ABSENT. MEMBERS. WILK
ASHBY. ASHBY. AYE. JONES. ROTH A
ROTH. AYE. SATO. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. AYE 12
TO 1. THAT BILL IS OUT. OPEN UP.
FILE ITEM NUMBER 17 SB 1224,
PATROL BOAT SECRETARY, PLEASE
OPEN THE ROLL. ASHBY. ASHBY.
AYE. ROTH ROTH. AYE. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS. SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. AYE
616 ZERO. THAT BILL IS OUT. FILE
ITEM NUMBER 20, SB 1403. SENATOR
BRADFORD. OPEN THE ROLE. ABSENT.
MEMBERS. WILK ASHBY, Ã ASHBY.
AYE. JONES OKUBO. ROTH. ROTH.
AYE. 1111 211 TWO. THAT BILL IS
OUT NOW. OPEN THE ROLL ON FILE.
ITEM NUMBER 21, SB 1495 WILK
ASHBY. ASHBY. AYE. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. AYE.
16 ZERO SIX TÍNH ZERO. THAT BILL
IS OUT THAT CONCLUDES THE
BUSINESS FOR THE DAY. THE SENATE
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATION IS ADJOURNED. THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR. I KNOW I'M GOING
TO WANT TO. COVER ME WITH COVER