SECRETARY WILL CALL THE ROLL.
ALAN. I'LL RODA-GIL ARCHULETA.
ASHBY. ATKINS BECKER. BLAKE.
SPEER. BRADFORD. CABALLERO
CORTEZ. DALLY. DODD. DORADO
EGGMAN. GLAZER. GONZALEZ. GROVE
HURTADO. JONES. LAIRD. LIMÓN
MCGUIRE. MENGIBAR. MIN. NEWMAN
NGUYEN. NILO. OCHOA PADILLA.
PORTANTINO. ROTH. RUBIO. S¼
SATO. SKINNER. SMALL. CUEVAS.
STERN UMBERG. WAHAB. WIENER.
WILK. GOOD MORNING. MEMBERS. CAN
WE TAKE OUR DENIM WEARING
BEAUTIFUL SELVES TO OUR DESK,
PLEASE? WE'RE THE MEMBERS AND
OUR GUESTS BEYOND. A QUORUM IS
PRESENT WITH THE MEMBERS AND OUR
GUESTS. BEYOND THE RAIL IN THE
GALLERY. PLEASE RISE. WE WILL BE
LED IN PRAYER THIS MORNING BY
OUR CHAPLAIN, SISTER MICHELLE
GORMAN. AFTER WHICH PLEASE
REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE
OF ALLEGIANCE. SO LET US CENTER
OURSELVES IN GOD'S PRESENCE.
EXCUSE ME. DURING THIS TIME OF
PASSOVER, WE WANT TO PRAY FOR
ALL WHO ARE SUFFERING IN THIS
WORLD IN ANY WAY. THE PRAYER I
WILL USE TODAY IS ACTUALLY A
SONG FROM YOUTUBE CALLED HEAL US
NOW. THIS WAS RECORDED IN 2020
BY THE INTERNATIONAL JEWISH TEEN
CHOIR. WHEN EVERYONE WAS
LEARNING TO USE ZOOM FROM THEIR
BEDROOMS. IT IS BASED ON SOME
LINES FROM THE BOOK OF NUMBERS
AND THREE PSALMS. AND SO WE PRAY
HEAL US NOW. WE PRAY FOR HEALING
OF THE BODY. WE PRAY FOR HEALING
OF THE SOUL, FOR STRENGTH OF
FLESH AND MIND AND SPIRIT. WE
PRAY TO ONCE AGAIN BEHOLD, O
ADONAI. PLEASE HEAL US NOW AND
HEAL US. HEAL US NOW. WE PRAY
FOR HEALING OF THE PEOPLE. WE
PRAY FOR HEALING OF THE LAND AND
PEACE FOR EVERY RACE AND NATION.
EVERY CHILD, EVERY WOMAN AND
EVERY MAN. AND THIS PRAYER IS
EVER SO MUCH BEAUTIFUL WITH
MUSIC. AMEN PLEASE JOIN ME IN
THE PLEDGE. I PLEDGE. THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE
REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD. GOD
INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND
JUSTICE FOR ALL. WE'RE STARTING
OFF WITH PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR
.
SENATOR DODD, ARE YOU READY?
PREPARED FOR YOUR PRESENTATION?
YES, MADAM PRESIDENT, PLEASE
PROCEED FROM THE LEADER'S DESK.
MADAM PRESIDENT AND COLLEAGUES
IN JANUARY, WE PASSED MY SCR 96,
WHICH ESTABLISHED A SISTER STATE
RELATIONSHIP WITH LVIV, UKRAINE.
THE ASSEMBLY TODAY WILL JOIN US
TO DO THE VERY SAME. THIS
MORNING WE WELCOME A DELEGATION
FROM UKRAINE TO HELP US
CELEBRATE THE ESTABLISHMENT.
EXCUSE ME OF THIS IMPORTANT
PARTNERSHIP AND TO RECOGNIZE THE
LONG STANDING TIES BETWEEN
CALIFORNIA AND UKRAINE. THIS IS
A WELCOME OPPORTUNITY TO
HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OUR
BOND WITH UKRAINE AND ITS
PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN
CONSIDERING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN
THEIR COUNTRY. UKRAINIANS BEGAN
ARRIVING IN CALIFORNIA IN THE
LATE 19TH CENTURY AND IS
CURRENTLY HOME TO OVER 100,000
UKRAINIAN IMMIGRANTS AND ABOUT 1
IN 6 UKRAINIAN IMMIGRANTS IN THE
UNITED STATES ARE HERE. THE MOST
IN THE NATION. TO CELEBRATE, WE
WELCOME TO OUR SENATE CHAMBER
TODAY, THE HONORABLE ROSTISLAV.
ROSTISLAV A MEMBER OF THE
UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT. AND EXCUSE
THE PRONUNCIATION, A MEMBER OF
PARLIAMENT OF THE UKRAINIAN
PARLIAMENT, PARLIAMENT,
PARLIAMENT FROM THE LVIV REGION
DEMETRIO KUSHNICK, THE CONSUL
GENERAL OF UKRAINE IN SAN
FRANCISCO, AND SERGEY DIMENTICO,
THE CEO OF REBUILD UKRAINE.
SYNERGY, AN ORGANIZATION THAT
SUPPORTS UKRAINE'S DEVELOPMENT
IN DEMOCRACY, ECONOMICS AND
CULTURE. THE MR. TÊ WAS ELECTED
TO THE UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT AS A
MEMBER OF THE SERVANT OF THE
PEOPLE PARTY IN 2019. HE'S BEEN
ACTIVE IN THE INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE EUROPEAN
PARLIAMENT, AND WAS AWARDED THE
BADGE OF HONOR FROM THE MINISTRY
DEFENSE OF UKRAINE AND MR. KOSH
KUCHERUK HAS BEEN CONSUL GENERAL
OF UKRAINE IN SAN FRANCISCO
SINCE 2020, OVERSEEING A
CONSULAR DISTRICT THAT INCLUDES
WESTERN THE WESTERN UNITED
STATES, INCLUDING ALASKA AND
HAWAII, AND FINALLY AS CEO OF
REBUILD UKRAINE SYNERGY. MR.
DEMIDENKO FOSTERS INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERSHIPS AND BRINGS
EXTENSIVE LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
IMPLEMENTING GOVERNMENT PROJECTS
WHILE BRINGING WHILE BRIDGING
THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR
COLLEAGUES. PLEASE JOIN ME IN
WELCOMING OUR GUESTS AND
RECOGNIZING CALIFORNIA'S LONG
TIME FRIENDSHIP WITH UKRAINE.
WELCOME TO OUR FRIENDS! FROM
UKRAINE TO THE STATE SENATE,
SENATOR DODD WOULD TAKE A PHOTO
FIRST WITH HIS GUESTS, AND THEN
I'LL INVITE THE REST OF OUR
COLLEAGUES TO JOIN IF THEY WISH.
COLLEAGUES, IF YOU WISH TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE GROUP PHOTO,
NOW IS THE TIME
.
HERE WE GO. SMILE.
ALL RIGHT, MEMBERS, WE'RE MOVING
BACK TO BUSINESS. WE'VE GOT 30S.
WE'LL RESUME THE PROGRAM OF THE
DAY
.
WE'RE BACK IN BUSINESS. ALL
RIGHT. MESSAGES FROM THE
GOVERNOR WILL BE DEEMED READ.
MESSAGES FROM THE ASSEMBLY WILL
BE DEEMED READ. REPORTS OF
COMMITTEE WILL BE DEEMED READ.
AND AMENDMENTS ADOPTED. MOVING
ON TO MOTIONS, RESOLUTIONS AND
NOTICES PURSUANT TO SENATE RULE
29.10, THE SEE. THE FOLLOWING
BILLS ARE REFERRED TO THE
COMMITTEE ON RULES, ITEM 37, AB
FOUR, FIVE SEVEN AND ITEM 38, AB
1505. NOW ON TO THE
CONSIDERATION OF THE DAILY FILE.
WE HAVE ITEMS ONE THROUGH 38 FOR
THE SECOND READING. SECRETARY
Kò, PLEASE READ SENATE BILL 1488
WITH AMENDMENTS 930, WITH
AMENDMENTS 936, WITH AMENDMENTS
1387, WITH AMENDMENTS 1285, WITH
AMENDMENTS 963 WITH AMENDMENTS.
SECOND READING IS DEEMED READ.
MOVING ON TO GOVERNOR'S
APPOINTMENT FOR ITEM 41, SENATOR
GROVER, YOU PREPARED? YES,
MA'AM. SECRETARY, PLEASE READ.
SENATOR GROVE, YOU MAY PROCEED.
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. FILE
ITEM 41. COLLEAGUES, IS THE
CONFIRMATION OF FOLLOWING
APPOINTMENTS. ALEXIS STRAUSS
HACKER FOR REAPPOINTMENT TO THE
BOARD OF ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY.
EVA ROBINSON AND DOCTOR JOE
VANG. OR EXCUSE ME, CHAU VANG TO
THE STUDENT AID COMMISSION AND
DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
DIRECTOR, CHUCK BOHAN FOR AND
BARBARA, EMILY, FOR APPOINTMENT
TO THE PACIFIC STATES MARINE
FISHERIES COMMISSION. THESE
APPOINTMENTS WERE APPROVED BY
THE RULES COMMITTEE ON APRIL
17TH WITH A50 VOTE. RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE. THANK YOU.
COLLEAGUES, ANY DISCUSSION OR
DEBATE ON ITEM 41? SEEING NONE.
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
ELLEN ALVARADO. GILL. AYE.
ARCHULETA AYE. ASHBY. AYE.
ATKINS. AYE. BECKER AYE. BLAKE.
SPEER. AYE. BRADFORD. AYE
CABALLERO. AYE. CORTEZ AYE.
DALLI DODD. AYE. DURAZZO. AYE.
EGGMAN GLASER. AYE. GONZALEZ
AYE. GROVE. AYE. HURTADO JONES.
AYE. LAIRD AYE. LEMON AYE.
MCGUIRE MENGIBAR. I MEAN, I
NEWMAN. AYE. NGUYEN. AYE NILO.
AYE. OCHOA PADILLA. AYE.
PORTANTINO AYE. ROTH. AYE. RUBIO
AYE. SATO. AYE. SKINNER AYE.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. AYE. STERN
AYE. UMBERG. AYE. WAHAB AYE.
WIENER. AYE. WILK AYE.
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE
ABSENT MEMBERS. ALLEN. DOLLY
EGGMAN. HURTADO AYE. MCGUIRE
BOCOBO. MEMBERS. AYES 35. NÓ
ZERO. THE APPOINTMENTS ARE
CONFIRMED. MOVING ON TO SECOND.
THIRD READING. WE HAVE THREE
ITEMS UNDER THIS SECTION.
COLLEAGUES, WE'RE GOING TO START
WITH ITEM 73. SECRETARY, PLEASE
READ. SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION 131 BY SENATOR MINH
RELATIVE TO NATIVE HAWAIIAN AND
PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH.
SENATOR MINUTE, YOU'RE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MADAM
PRESIDENT. THANK YOU.
COLLEAGUES, ON BEHALF OF THE
ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER
LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS, I AM HONORED
TO PRESENT SCR 131, WHICH
RECOGNIZES APRIL 2024 AS NATIVE
HAWAIIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER
HERITAGE MONTH. NOW, WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT ASIAN AMERICANS,
NATIVE HAWAIIANS, AND PACIFIC
ISLANDERS, LET'S BE HONEST, THE
AA TENDS TO DOMINATE HOW WE
THINK ABOUT THIS GROUP. BUT THE
NH, THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN AND THE
PACIFIC ISLANDER GROUPS ARE JUST
AS IMPORTANT AND THEY FACE MANY
UNIQUE CHALLENGES. NPIS HAVE
SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE
FABRIC OF THE UNITED STATES AND
CALIFORNIA. AND JUST AS A
REMINDER, SOME OF YOU IN THIS
ROOM, I THINK WERE ALIVE WHEN
HAWAII WAS ACTUALLY ADMITTED AS
A STATE, THE 50TH STATE TO THE
UNITED STATES IN 1959. I DON'T
KNOW IF THAT WAS A BURN, BUT, IN
1839, WHERE NONE OF YOU GUYS
WERE ACTUALLY ALIVE, NATIVE
HAWAIIANS ACCOMPANIED JOHN
SUTTER AND HELPED TO ESTABLISH
SUTTER'S FORT RIGHT HERE IN
SACRAMENTO, AS WELL AS HELPED
WITH THE FOUNDING OF DOWNTOWN
SAN DIEGO IN 1850 AND BRINGING
SURFING TO SANTA CRUZ IN 1885.
AND WE KNOW THAT SURFING IS PART
OF OUR LIFEBLOOD AND CULTURAL
ETHOS HERE IN CALIFORNIA,
BROUGHT, OF COURSE, BY NPIS TO
THIS STATE. NOW, OUR COMMUNITIES
HERE IN CALIFORNIA ARE UNIQUE,
AND I WOULD SUBMIT TO YOU THAT
WE ARE BETTER IN CALIFORNIA. WE
ARE THE BEST STATE IN THE UNION
BECAUSE OF THAT DIVERSITY THAT
WE HAVE. BUT BEING THE LARGEST
AND MOST DIVERSE POPULATION OF
NPIS, THAT'S SOMETHING WE ALSO
HAVE IN THE CONTIGUOUS UNITED
STATES. WE HAVE THE LARGEST
PROPORTION OF SAMOAN, CHAMORRO,
TONGAN AND FIJIAN COMMUNITIES
HERE. AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT NPIS SERVE IN OUR
MILITARY AT A HIGHER RATE THAN
ANY OTHER RACIAL OR ETHNIC GROUP
IN THE UNITED STATES. ALTHOUGH
NPIS HAVE CONTRIBUTED AND
CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE TO
AMERICAN CULTURE AND ARE
INCLUDED WITHIN THE GREATER
AANHPI COMMUNITY, THE NATIVE
HAWAIIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER
COMMUNITY IS ONE OF THE MOST
UNDERSERVED AND OFTEN FALLS
BETWEEN THE CRACKS DUE TO THE
LACK OF DISAGGREGATED DATA,
LANGUAGE ACCESS, AND CULTURALLY
COMPETENT CARE. DURING THIS VERY
IMPORTANT MONTH, WE SHOULD
RECOGNIZE THAT THE NHPI
COMMUNITY IS NOT MONOLITHIC. IT
IS EXTREMELY DISTINCT, INCLUDING
FROM THE ASIAN AMERICAN
COMMUNITY, THAT IS OFTEN LUMPED
IN WITH. AND I'M PROUD TO BE
ABLE TO RECOGNIZE, CELEBRATE,
AND BRING AWARENESS TO THE
COMMUNITY THROUGH SCR 131 I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR AYE
VOTE ON THIS IMPORTANT
RESOLUTION. THANK YOU. MEMBERS
ANY DISCUSSION OR DEBATE ON THIS
ITEM? SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL. ELLEN L RODA-GIL AYE.
ARCHULETA. AYE ASHBY. AYE.
ATKINS. AYE. BECKER AYE. BLAKE.
SPEER. AYE. BRADFORD AYE.
CABALLERO. AYE. CORTEZ AYE.
DALLI. DODD AYE. DURAZZO. AYE.
EGGMAN GLASER. AYE. GONZALEZ.
AYE. GROVE HURTADO. AYE. JONES
AYE. LAIRD. AYE. LIMÓN AYE.
MCGUIRE AYE. MENGIBAR. AYE. MIN.
AYE. NEWMAN. AYE. NGUYEN. AYE
NILO. AYE. OKOBO PADILLA. AYE.
PORTANTINO AYE. ROTH. AYE. RUBIO
AYE. SATO. AYE. SKINNER AYE.
SMALL. CUEVAS. AYE. STERN AYE.
UMBERG. AYE. WAHAB AYE. WIENER
AYE. WILK AYE. SECRETARY. PLEASE
CALL THE ABSENT MEMBERS. ALAN
DAWLEY, EGGMAN. GROVE AYE. CHO.
BOGUE AYES 36. NØ ZERO. THE
RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED. MOVING ON
TO ITEM NUMBER 92. SENATOR
O'HARA, YOU PREPARED. SECRETARY,
PLEASE READ SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION 137 BY SENATOR WAHAB.
RELATIVE TO KNOW NO ROOM FOR
HATE. SECRETARY. SENATOR WAHAB,
YOU MAY PROCEED. THANK YOU.
PRESIDENT AND COLLEAGUES, I RISE
TO PRESENT SCR 137 NO ROOM FOR
HATE. ACCORDING TO US DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE, THERE ARE 2201
INCIDENTS OF HATE CRIMES IN
2022. WE CAN ONLY EXPECT A
CONTINUED INCREASE FOR 2023 AND
2024. IN FACT, DOXING HAS BECOME
MORE PREVALENT ON UNIVERSITY
CAMPUSES ACROSS THIS NATION.
STOP AAPI HATE 2023 SHADES OF
HATE REPORT EXAMINED THE NUANCES
OF WHAT HATE LOOKS LIKE FOR OUR
COMMUNITIES. THEY ARRIVED AT
THREE KEY OBSERVATIONS HATE IS
NOT CONFINED TO INTERPERSONAL
INTERACTIONS, BUT IS BRED WITHIN
A LARGER ENVIRONMENT OF SOCIETAL
HATE, REQUIRING A BROADER
APPROACH TO PREVENTION AND
HEALING. HATE IS ALSO CODED AND
HIDDEN, NOT EXPLICIT. HATE
NON-EXPLICIT HATE IS POTENTIALLY
MORE PERVASIVE, JUST AS HARMFUL,
AND MUST BE UNDERSTOOD AND
ADDRESSED ALONGSIDE MORE
EXPLICIT FORMS OF HATE.
OFFENDERS ARE NOT JUST
INDIVIDUALS, BUT ALSO
INSTITUTIONS AND THEIR
REPRESENTATIVES, LEAVING ROOM
FOR IMPROVEMENT IN INSTITUTIONAL
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR CIVIL
RIGHTS SOLUTIONS. THIS IS WHAT
WE CALL SYSTEMIC ISSUES. IT'S
CLEAR TO ME THOSE OBSERVATIONS
CAN BE EXTENDED ACROSS MULTIPLE
COMMUNITIES ACROSS CALIFORNIA
ITSELF. AND IN 1992, THE CITY OF
HAYWARD CREATED THE
ANTI-DISCRIMINATION ACTION PLAN
WITH THE GOAL OF REDUCING
DISCRIMINATION INCIDENTS AND
ASSISTING VICTIMS. DURING THIS
TIME, THE CITY OF HAYWARD
RESIDENTS INITIATED THE NO ROOM
FOR RACISM CAMPAIGN. WE IN FACT,
IN OUR CITY, HAVE SIGNS JUST
VERY SIMILAR TO A STOP SIGN THAT
LITERALLY SAYS NO ROOM FOR
RACISM. ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE
CITIES IN THE NATION TODAY, I
CALL ON THE LEGISLATURE TO
COMMIT TO STATING THAT IN
CALIFORNIA, THERE IS NO ROOM FOR
HATE. WE MUST AFFIRM THAT
CALIFORNIA IS A PLACE OF
ACCEPTANCE AT A TIME WHEN HATE
IS INVADING THE HEARTS AND MINDS
OF OUR COUNTRY. I RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE. THANK YOU.
SENATORS, DO WE HAVE ANY
DISCUSSION OR DEBATE ON ITEM 92?
SEEING NONE, THIS ITEM IS
ELIGIBLE FOR UNANIMOUS ROLL
CALL. DO WE HAVE ANY OBJECTION
TO UTILIZING THE UNANIMOUS ROLL
CALL? SEEING NONE AYES 36. NO
ZERO. THE RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.
ADOPTED. MOVING ON TO OUR FINAL
ITEM ON SENATE THIRD READING
FILE ITEM NUMBER 94. SENATOR
RUBIO, ARE YOU PREPARED?
SECRETARY, PLEASE READ SENATE
RESOLUTION 89 BY SENATOR RUBIO
RELATIVE TO SEXUAL ASSAULT
AWARENESS MONTH. SENATOR, PLEASE
PROCEED. THANK YOU, MADAM
PRESIDENT. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
OF THE SENATE, TODAY, I PROUDLY
RISE TO PRESENT SR 89, WHICH
PROCLAIMS APRIL 2024 AS SEXUAL
ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH AND
DESIGNATES APRIL 24TH AS DENIM
DAY. ACCORDING TO DATA, THERE
ARE OVER 22 MILLION SURVIVORS OF
RAPE, WITH 2 MILLION LIVING
RIGHT HERE IN OUR STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. WHILE WE WEAR JEANS
TODAY TO SHOW SOLIDARITY WITH
SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT,
WEARING JEANS IS NOT ENOUGH. WE
MUST COMMIT TO BOTH IMMEDIATE
AND ENDURING SOLUTIONS TO
ADDRESS THE DEFICIENCIES IN
VICTIM SERVICES, ESPECIALLY AS
FUNDING IS BEING CHALLENGED AND
WE ARE FACING POTENTIAL SEVERE
CUTS. SEXUAL ASSAULT IS NEVER
OKAY, AND CLOTHING ATTIRE IS
NEVER AN INVITATION TO ASSAULT
ANYONE. SEXUAL ASSAULT DOESN'T
DISCRIMINATE. EVEN POWERFUL
WOMEN WITH A LOT OF FINANCIAL
MEANS FALL SILENT AFTER SEXUAL
ASSAULT. THE WORLD TODAY IS
CHANGING RAPIDLY, AND NOW MORE
THAN EVER, WE NEED TO STEP UP
AND BE MORE VIGILANT TO PROTECT
ONE ANOTHER. OUR RIGHTS ARE
BEING CHALLENGED EACH AND EVERY
DAY. INSTEAD OF MOVING THE
NEEDLE WITH MORE PROTECTIONS AND
RIGHTS. WE ARE GOING BACKWARDS
IN MANY WAYS, AND I HOPE THAT WE
DON'T GO BACK TO A TIME WHERE
WEARING JEANS IS OKAY AND
INVITES SEXUAL ASSAULT, WHICH
WAS THE CASE IN 1992 WHEN A
JUDGE IN ITALY RULED THAT IT WAS
CONSIDERED RAPE. WHEN A WOMAN
WORE REALLY TIGHT JEANS AND
RULED THAT IT WAS HER FAULT. AND
SHE PROBABLY COOPERATED BECAUSE
SHE NEEDED TO HELP HER ABUSER.
IT SOUNDS FAR FETCHED THAT WE GO
BACKWARDS, RIGHT? BUT WE DON'T
HAVE TO LOOK FAR. ARIZONA'S
DECISION TO GO BACK TO POLICIES
FROM THE 1800S IS AN INDICATION
OF THE DANGERS WE FACE TODAY. WE
MUST HEED THE SURVIVOR SURVIVORS
WHEN THEY BRAVELY ASK US FOR
HELP AND ADVOCATE FOR THOSE THAT
ARE UNABLE TO SPEAK FOR
THEMSELVES. I WANT TO REITERATE
DENIM DAY IS INSPIRED BY THE
ITALIAN PARLIAMENT AND HAS BEEN
EMBRACED WORLDWIDE TO SPOTLIGHT
RAPE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT. AND I'M
PROUD THAT CALIFORNIA CONTINUES
TO FIGHT AND LEAD THE WAY IN. SO
MANY WAYS TO PROTECT SURVIVORS
AND VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT.
LET US ENCOURAGE ALL
CALIFORNIANS TO WEAR DENIM ON
DENIM DAY, REINFORCING THE
MESSAGE THAT THERE IS NO EXCUSE
FOR ABUSE AND THERE IS NO EXCUSE
FOR AND NEVER AN INVITATION TO
COMMIT RAPE, RAPE AND SEXUAL
ASSAULT AFFECTS ALL OF US,
PERPETUATED BY HARMFUL ATTITUDES
THAT SHIFT BLAME ONTO SURVIVORS.
IGNORING SEXUAL ASSAULT
PERPETUATES THE PROBLEMS THAT WE
FACE IN SOCIETY, AND WE MUST ACT
WITH EMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING
AND RESPECT FOR ALL. THANK YOU.
AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN
AYE VOTE. THANK YOU, SENATOR
BLAKESLEE. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO THE
SENATOR WHO BRINGS THIS FORWARD
EVERY YEAR. WE APPRECIATE THAT.
I RISE ON BEHALF OF THE
LEGISLATIVE WOMEN'S CAUCUS IN
SUPPORT OF SR 89. OVER HALF OF
US WOMEN AND NEARLY 1 IN 3 MEN
HAVE EXPERIENCED SEXUAL VIOLENCE
DURING THEIR LIFETIME. SEXUAL
ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH SHOWS
OUR SOLIDARITY WITH SURVIVORS OF
SEXUAL ASSAULT AND WITH ALL
WOMEN, GIRLS, MEN, BOYS AND
PEOPLE OF ALL GENDERS WHO ARE AT
RISK WHILE AT SCHOOL OR WORK,
WHILE THEY ARE CARING FOR THEIR
FAMILIES OR OTHERWISE JUST GOING
ABOUT THEIR DAILY LIVES. WE WEAR
DENIM TODAY TO DEMONSTRATE THAT
WE STAND WITH SURVIVORS OF
SEXUAL ASSAULT AND MAKE CLEAR
THAT COLLECTIVELY, WE'RE WORKING
TO END SEXUAL VIOLENCE TOGETHER
ONCE AND FOR ALL. BUT SOLIDARITY
IS MORE THAN JUST WEARING DENIM
THESE LAST DAYS, THESE LAST TWO
DAYS, SOLIDARITY MEANS ACTIVELY
WORKING TO ELIMINATE RAPE
CULTURE AND CHALLENGING
OPPRESSIVE CULTURAL NORMS. THIS
MEANS RAISING OUR CHILDREN TO
PROTECT ONE ANOTHER. THIS MEANS
MEN STANDING UP FOR WOMEN TO
BOTH RESPECT AND PROTECT THEM.
THIS MEANS WOMEN STANDING UP FOR
MEN WHO CAN ALSO BE VULNERABLE
TO SEXUAL ASSAULT. IT TAKES ALL
OF US WORKING TOGETHER TO
PROTECT ONE ANOTHER. EACH ONE OF
US HAS THE POWER TO END THE
CYCLE OF SEXUAL HARM AND
VIOLENCE. AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR YOUR AYE VOTE. SENATOR
SMALLWOOD WAS YOUR RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, AND
GOOD MORNING, COLLEAGUES. I TOO
RISE ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE BLACK
CAUCUS IN SUPPORT OF SR 89, THAT
DESERVES OBSERVES DENIM DAY AND
SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS, I
STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH MY
SISTERS HERE IN THE SENATE, OF
COURSE, AND WITH ALL WOMEN,
GIRLS AND GENDER INCLUSIVE
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED
THE TRAUMAS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT,
RAPE AND HARASSMENT. AS WE
RECOGNIZE THE SEXUAL ASSAULT
AWARENESS, WE MUST ALSO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT GENDER BASED
VIOLENCE DISPROPORTIONATELY
IMPACTS BLACK WOMEN, MOST OF
WHOM ARE FROM UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND LIVE IN
THE MOST VULNERABLE SITUATIONS.
NEARLY 1 IN 5 BLACK WOMEN ARE
SURVIVORS OF RAPE. BUT FOR EVERY
BLACK WOMAN WHO REPORTS RAPE, AT
LEAST 15 TÍNH DO NOT REPORT IT.
STUDIES SHOW. FURTHERMORE, BLACK
WOMEN AGED 18 TO 34 ARE THREE
TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE SHOT AND
KILLED BY AN INTIMATE PARTNER
THAN A WHITE WOMAN IN THE SAME
AGE GROUP. BLACK WOMEN ARE OFTEN
CRIMINALIZED FOR DEFENDING
THEMSELVES AND THEIR CHILDREN
AGAINST THEIR ABUSERS, CREATING
AN ABUSE TO INCARCERATION
PIPELINE THAT OVERWHELMINGLY
TARGETS BLACK WOMEN AND GIRLS.
AS THESE TRAUMAS DON'T END WITH
INCARCERATION, BLACK WOMEN AND
GIRLS IN PRISON AND IN THE
JUVENILE SYSTEM TYPICALLY
EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER
RATES OF VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL
ASSAULT. MANY BEING VICTIMIZED
BY A STAFF MEMBER IN THE
FACILITY. SEXUAL VIOLENCE
AGAINST WOMEN IN THIS COUNTRY
DATES BACK TO SLAVERY, WHEN IT
WAS COMMON FOR SLAVE OWNERS TO
RAPE, ENSLAVE WOMEN, AND GIRLS
OFTEN BREEDING THEM. AND SINCE
THIS HORRIFIC ERA, BLACK WOMEN
HAVE BEEN STEREOTYPED AS
HYPERSEXUAL, WHILE RACIST
STEREOTYPES THAT CONTINUE TODAY,
WITH BLACK WOMEN BECOMING LESS
LIKELY TO BE VIEWED AS VICTIMS,
LEAVING THEM MORE VULNERABLE TO
THE HARMS IN OUR SOCIETY. OVER
CENTURIES, ALL WOMEN ACROSS THE
COUNTRY HAVE ENDURED THE
INJUSTICES OF SEXUAL ASSAULT,
PARTICULARLY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
IT WAS UNTIL THE 19TH CENTURY
AND INTO MUCH OF THE 20TH THAT
THERE WERE CONSISTENTLY NO
CONSEQUENCES APPLIED FOR MEN WHO
PHYSICALLY ABUSED THEIR WIVES
AND PARTNERS. IN FACT, IT WASN'T
UNTIL 1974 THAT IT WAS NOT ONLY
LEGAL, BUT SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE
FOR HUSBANDS TO BEAT THEIR WIVES
AND FACE NO LEGAL CONSEQUENCES.
DESPITE THESE HISTORICAL
INJUSTICES, THE SHEER RESILIENCE
OF WOMEN AND OF SOME MEN WHO
HAVE BEEN EMPOWERED TO FIGHT FOR
THEIR RIGHTS AND FOR LEGAL
PROTECTIONS AGAINST SEXUAL
ASSAULT, AND TO CHANGE THE
CULTURE OF VIOLENCE. THIS IS A
VALIANT FIGHT THAT WE ALL MUST
CONTINUE QUÊ IN RECOGNITION OF
SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS, LET US
WORK TO ENSURE THAT THE VERY
INSTITUTIONS THAT SHOULD PROTECT
ALL WOMEN AND GIRLS FROM SEXUAL
ASSAULT ARE ACTUALLY DOING SO.
THAT IS OUR CHARGE IN THIS
CHAMBER. IT IS THE CHARGE OF OUR
JUDICIAL SYSTEM, AND IT IS WHAT
MAKES OUR STATE SAFE FOR ALL. BY
DEMANDING THESE PROTECTIONS, WE
CAN BETTER ENSURE THAT A SEXUAL
ASSAULT SURVIVORS ARE UPLIFTED
WITH JUSTICE AND HEALING. THANK
YOU, SENATOR RUBIO, FOR BRINGING
THIS RESOLUTION FORWARD. EVERY
YEAR AND REMINDING US THIS IS
ALL OF OUR FIGHTS. AND WITH
THIS, I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
YOUR AYE VOTE. THANK YOU,
SENATOR MINH. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANT
TO THANK MY COLLEAGUE FROM
BALDWIN PARK AND THE LEGISLATIVE
WOMEN'S CAUCUS FOR BRINGING THIS
FORWARD ON BEHALF OF THE ASIAN
AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER
LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS. I, TOO, RISE
IN SUPPORT OF SR 89. FOR ALL OF
US, DENIM DAY IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT TO RAISE AWARENESS
ABOUT SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND TO
ERASE THE STIGMAS WITH REPORTING
SEXUAL VIOLENCE. NO MATTER WHAT
YOU WEAR, NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE,
SEXUAL VIOLENCE IS NOT
APPROPRIATE. IT'S COMPLETELY
UNACCEPTABLE. AND YET WE FACE
TOO MANY STIGMAS IN DEALING WITH
THIS PROBLEM. IN CALIFORNIA,
MORE THAN 1 IN 3 WOMEN AND 1 IN
4 MEN HAVE REPORTED EXPERIENCED
EXPERIENCING SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN
THEIR LIFETIME. THAT NUMBER IS
WORSE WHEN IT COMES TO API
WOMEN. IN 2017, UP TO 55% OF
WOMEN API WOMEN IN THE UNITED
STATES HAD REPORTED SEXUAL
VIOLENCE IN THEIR LIFETIME, AND
UNFORTUNATELY, IN THE API
COMMUNITIES, THERE IS STILL A
STRONG, STRONG STIGMA ASSOCIATED
WITH REPORTING SEXUAL VIOLENCE.
ONLY TWO DECADES AGO, IN A
WIDELY REPORTED SURVEY, 22% OF
CAMBODIANS, 18% OF CHINESE, 29%
OF KOREANS, 5% OF SOUTH ASIANS,
AND 9% OF VIETNAMESE PEOPLE SAID
THAT A WOMAN WHO WAS BEING
SEXUALLY ABUSED SHOULD NOT TELL
ANYONE ABOUT THAT ABUSE. THIS IS
WHY DENIM DAY IS SO IMPORTANT TO
INFORM AND EDUCATE COMMUNITIES
THROUGHOUT THE STATE, THAT WE
STAND WITH SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL
VIOLENCE THAT SEXUAL VIOLENCE IS
UNACCEPTABLE, AND THAT ALL FORMS
OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE WILL NOT BE
TOLERATED. SO I WANT TO THANK
AGAIN THE AUTHOR AND THE
LEGISLATIVE WOMEN'S CAUCUS AT
THE AAPI CAUCUS STANDS IN
SOLIDARITY WITH WOMEN'S CAUCUS,
AND I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF SR
89. THANK YOU, SENATOR WAHAB.
YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU. I
RISE IN SUPPORT OF SR 89, SEXUAL
ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH AND
DENIM DAY. IF IT WAS UP TO ME, I
COULD WEAR DENIM EVERY DAY. AND
IT'S IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
HOW PERVASIVE SEXUAL ASSAULT IS
AND THAT EVEN NOW, WITH ALL OUR
DATA, RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY
VICTIMS ARE OFTEN STILL BLAMED
FOR THEIR OWN ASSAULT, TOLD THEY
SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER, BEHAVE
DIFFERENTLY, DRESS DIFFERENTLY,
OR EVEN WORSE, THEY ARE SIMPLY
NOT BELIEVED AT ALL AND TOLD
THAT THE PERPETRATOR OF THEIR
ASSAULT IS SO NICE, SO KIND. A
STAND UP GUY. NOTHING LIKE THAT
SHOULD HAPPEN. ACCORDING TO
RAIN, 80% OF RAPES ARE COMMITTED
BY SOMEONE KNOWN TO THE VICTIM.
93% OF JUVENILE VICTIMS KNEW
THEIR PERPETRATOR. AND THIS IS
ONE OF THE CRUELTIES OF SEXUAL
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND
CHILDREN. BUT IT'S ALSO FAIR TO
SAY THAT THERE ARE MEN THAT END
UP BEING VICTIMS OF SEXUAL
ASSAULT. AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT
THAT EVEN WITH THEM, ALL VICTIMS
FACE SHAME, HUMILIATION. AND
THIS IS ABOUT POWER. SO I WANT
TO HIGHLIGHT THAT IT IS OFTEN AT
THE HANDS OF SOMEONE THE VICTIM
TRUSTED OR WERE TOLD THAT THEY
COULD TRUST, AND THE FALLOUT FOR
THE VICTIMS BECOMES NOT JUST
RECOVERING FROM THE PHYSICAL
TRAUMA, BUT ALSO THE MENTAL AND
EMOTIONAL TRAUMA TO BECOME WHOLE
AGAIN. VICTIMS DESERVE TO BE
HEARD, BELIEVED, AND RECEIVE
WHATEVER TYPE OF JUSTICE THAT
MAKES THEM FEEL WHOLE AND HEALED
. I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE
VOTE. MR. SENATOR SKINNER, YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. MEMBERS I RISE AS THE
CHAIR OF THE WOMEN'S CAUCUS, AND
WE'VE PROUDLY HAD A MEMBER OF
THE WOMEN'S CAUCUS INTRODUCE
THIS RESOLUTION. FOR NOW, I
THINK, MORE THAN A DECADE, AND I
WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON MY
COLLEAGUE FROM HAYWARD'S
COMMENTS, WHICH WERE VERY.
ACCURATE, REAL, AND TELL THE
STORY OF RAPE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT
IN OUR COUNTRY. BUT NOT ONLY OUR
COUNTRY, BUT ELSEWHERE. BUT THE
POINTS THAT SHE WAS MAKING
AROUND THAT THE MAJORITY OF
THESE ASSAULTS DO HAPPEN FROM
SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU
ARE A YOUNG PERSON, WOMAN,
REGARDLESS OF AGE, AND AS A
RESULT, NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT IS
SOMEONE YOU KNEW AND YOU TRUSTED
, AND ALSO THAT THERE IS STILL
THIS, THIS, THIS PERVASIVE THING
THAT YOU ASKED FOR IT OR IT'S
YOUR FAULT AND EVEN AND YOU
YOURSELF, WHO RECEIVED WHO IS
THE RECIPIENT OF THIS ASSAULT,
THINK THAT YOU ASKED FOR IT AND
IT IS YOUR FAULT. NOW, WHAT THAT
DOES IS IT LESSENS THE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE WHO REPORT THE ASSAULTS,
WHETHER IT IS A MALE OR A
FEMALE. THEY DO NOT REPORT THE
ASSAULTS, WHICH ALLOWS THEN
SERIAL PERPETRATORS TO CONTINUE
Þ. AND IT IS WHY WE HAVE SO MUCH
ASSAULT. SO UNTIL WE EMBRACE
THIS AND GET OVER THIS THING OF
BLAMING PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT IT AND
WE HELP THEM REMOVE THE SHAME,
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO
LESSEN THE NUMBER OF ASSAULTS
BECAUSE IT'S BECOME TOO
NORMALIZED, AND WE NEED TO HAVE
THEM REPORTED TO STOP IT. AND
WITH THAT, I ASK FOR YOUR AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU, SENATOR. MR.
PRO TEM, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM
PRESIDENT. COLLEAGUES, I RISE
ALONGSIDE THE FEARLESS MEMBERS
OF THE WOMEN'S CAUCUS IN
SOLIDARITY OF SURVIVORS OF
SEXUAL VIOLENCE. AND I WANT TO
THANK THE SENATOR FROM BALDWIN
PARK FOR BRINGING THIS
RESOLUTION FORWARD. I WANT TO
THANK THE CHAIRWOMAN OF THE
WOMEN'S CAUCUS FOR HER
INCREDIBLE WORK, AS WELL. THE
NUMBERS ARE HORRIFYING ACROSS
AMERICA, 1 IN 5 WOMEN ACROSS
THIS NATION HAVE REPORTED THAT
THEY HAVE BEEN RAPED OR HAVE
EXPERIENCED AN ATTEMPTED RAPE AT
SOME POINT IN THEIR LIFE. AND
SADLY, THOSE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO
ESCALATE WHEN OTHER FORMS OF
SEXUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT, AND
WHETHER IT'S GOING TO WORK,
GOING TO SCHOOL OR JUST GOING
ABOUT THEIR LIVES. WOMEN HAVE TO
CONSIDER EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY
HOW THEIR CLOTHES MIGHT BE
PERCEIVED OR INTERPRETED. I
THINK THAT WE CAN ALL AGREE THIS
IS APPALLING, AND THIS IS WHY
THE SENATE COMES TOGETHER TODAY
TO BETTER MOVE THIS RESOLUTION
FORWARD. DENIM DAY UNDERSCORE
LAWS THAT KNOW ATTIRE IS AN
INVITATION TO RAPE OR SEXUAL
VIOLENCE. AND AS APRIL, A SEXUAL
ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH.
TOGETHER, WE ALL NEED TO BE ABLE
TO STAND UP AGAINST MISOGYNY AND
MISCONCEPTIONS, TO BE ABLE TO
STAND OUT, TO PREVENT VIOLENCE
AND STAND STRONG IN SUPPORT OF
THE BRAVE SURVIVORS WHO ARE
BLAZING THE TRAIL FOR A SAFER
FUTURE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO END MY
REMARKS AS I STARTED WITH
GRATITUDE. I WANT TO SAY THANK
YOU AND HEARTFELT APPRECIATION
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE WOMEN'S
CAUCUS FOR THEIR STELLAR
LEADERSHIP NOW AND THROUGHOUT
THIS YEAR, IN ADVOCACY ON BEHALF
OF SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE
THAT RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE
VOTE ON SR 89. THANK YOU, MR.
PRO TEM. SENATOR RUBIO, WOULD
YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? YES. THANK
YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. WELL,
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK
ALL MY COLLEAGUES WHO ADDED
THEIR VOICE TO SUCH AN IMPORTANT
ISSUE. AND IT'S WORTH
REITERATING THAT VICTIM SHAMING,
IT'S SHAMEFUL IN ITSELF, AND WE
NEED TO STOP IT IN ORDER TO
ENCOURAGE VICTIMS TO COME
FORWARD. AND I WANT TO END BY
ENCOURAGE URGING VICTIMS TO
SPEAK UP. YOU ARE RESILIENT THAT
YOU MATTER AND WE'RE HERE TO
SUPPORT YOU. AND IT'S NOT YOUR
FAULT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
MEMBERS. THIS ITEM IS ELIGIBLE
FOR UNANIMOUS ROLL CALL. ANY
OBJECTION? AYES 36. NO ZERO
RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED. NEXT UP
IS THE CONSENT CALENDAR. IS
THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO
REMOVE AN ITEM FROM THE CONSENT
CALENDAR? SEEING NONE.
SECRETARY, PLEASE READ ITEMS 108
THROUGH 132. SENATE BILL 1361
1512 1189 949 1005 1034, 1044,
1046, 1068, 1172, 1215, 1240,
1257, 13, 20, 1407, 1501 15, 19
1520. SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION 1021 15. ASSEMBLY
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 8587, 92,
9398. SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON THE FIRST ITEM. ALAN
ALVARADO GILL. AYE. ARCHULETA I
ASHBY. AYE. ATKINS. AYE. BECKER
AYE. BLAKE. SPEER. AYE. BRADFORD
AYE. CABALLERO AYE. CORTEZ. AYE.
DALLI DODD. AYE. D'ORAZIO AYE.
EGGMAN. GLASER. AYE GONZALEZ.
AYE. GROVE. AYE OR DOROW AYE.
JONES. AYE LAIRD. AYE. LIMÓN
AYE. MCGUIRE. AYE. MENGIBAR I
MEAN AYE. NEWMAN. AYE NGUYEN.
AYE. NILO. AYE. OKOBO PADILLA.
AYE. PORTANTINO AYE. ROTH. AYE.
RUBIO AYE. SATO. AYE. SKINNER
AYE. SMALL. CUEVAS STERN. AYE.
UMBERG. AYE. WAHAB AYE. WIENER.
AYE. WILK AYE. SECRETARY, PLEASE
CALL THE ABSENT MEMBERS. ALLEN.
DALLEY EGGMAN. OKOBO SMALL.
CUEVAS. AYE AYES 36. NO. ZERO.
CONSENT CALENDAR IS APPROVED.
MOVING BACK TO RETURNING BACK TO
MOTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS. THIS IS
A TIME TO DO OR ADJOURN IN
MEMORY. SO, COLLEAGUES, I ASK
THAT WE ALL RETURN TO OUR DESKS.
SENATOR NGUYEN, FOR WHAT PURPOSE
DO YOU RISE? MOVING FILES TO
INACTIVE. WE'RE GOING BACK TO
MOTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS. THANK
YOU. SENATOR, WHEN YOU'RE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MADAM
PRESIDENT. PLEASE REMOVE THE
FOLLOWING ITEMS TO ENACT A FILE
SCR 101 AND SCR 104. THE DEATHS
WERE NO, THANK YOU. NOW IS OUR
TIME FOR OUR ADJOURN IN MEMORIES
, COLLEAGUES RESPECTFULLY ASK
THAT WE REMOVE ALL OUR
CONVERSATIONS OFF THE FLOOR SO
THAT WE CAN PAY ATTENTION TO THE
THREE ADJOURN AND MEMORIES WE
HAVE TODAY. SENATOR WIENER, YOU
MAY PROCEED. I THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, MADAM PRESIDENT.
COLLEAGUES, IT'S WITH INCREDIBLE
SADNESS THAT I RISE TODAY TO ASK
THAT THE SENATE ADJOURN IN
MEMORY OF A TRUE GIANT, THE
REVEREND CECIL WILLIAMS, THE
FORMER PASTOR AND CO-FOUNDER OF
SAN FRANCISCO'S GLIDE MEMORIAL
CHURCH, WHO PASSED AWAY ON APRIL
22ND, RAISED IN TEXAS AS ONE OF
SIX CHILDREN, REVEREND WILLIAMS
STAYED IN TEXAS TO PURSUE A
SOCIOLOGY DEGREE AT AT HOUSTON
TILLOTSON UNIVERSITY. HE THEN
WENT ON TO STUDY AT THE PERKINS
SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AT SMU IN
DALLAS, AND BECAME ONE OF THE
FIRST FIVE AFRICAN AMERICAN
GRADUATES IN 19. IN 1955, HE WAS
RECRUITED TO COME TO SAN
FRANCISCO TO BE A MINISTER AT
GLIDE, AND ARRIVED IN 1963 TO A
DWINDLING CONGREGATION IN THE
TENDERLOIN OF ALL WHITE
PARISHIONERS, HE SET TO WORK TO
REBUILD THE CONGREGATION WITH
DIVERSE MEMBERS LOCAL TO THE
TENDERLOIN NEIGHBORHOOD, AND
OVER THE YEARS HE REBUILT GLIDE
AND TURNED IT INTO AN ABSOLUTE
POWERHOUSE. SPIRITUALLY AND
OTHERWISE, INCLUDING SUNDAY
SERVICES COMPLETE WITH A JAZZ
BAND AND GOSPEL CHOIR FOR ANYONE
WHO'S EVER BEEN TO A GLIDE
SERVICE, IT IS A TRULY UNIQUE
EXPERIENCE. THE CHURCH
EVENTUALLY GREW TO OVER 10,000
MEMBERS, MAKING IT THE LARGEST
METHODIST CONGREGATION IN
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RIGHT IN THE
HEART OF THE TENDERLOIN, A
NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS SO MALIGNED
SOMETIMES IN THE PRESS AND
NATIONALLY, BUT IS AN ABSOLUTELY
BEAUTIFUL, DIVERSE, RICH
COMMUNITY. OVER THE DECADES AT
GLIDE, REVEREND WILLIAMS WAS SO
DEEPLY COMMITTED TO JUSTICE AND
TO ADVOCACY FOR THOSE WHO COULD
NOT ALWAYS ADVOCATE FOR
THEMSELVES AND TO SERVICE TO
THOSE MOST IN NEED. HE
CHAMPIONED UNENDING RESOURCES
FOR OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING
GLIDE'S FREE HEALTH CLINIC, FREE
LEGAL CLINIC AND HIV SERVICES,
GLIDE FREE MEAL PROGRAM WAS
STARTED BY REVEREND WILLIAMS IN
1980 AND HAS SINCE GROWN TO
SERVE THE COMMUNITY. 750,000
MEALS EVERY YEAR. IN 2008,
REVEREND WILLIAMS WAS HONORED
WITH THE NATIONAL CARING AWARD
PRESENTED BY THE CARING
INSTITUTE IN WASHINGTON, DC. HE
WILL BE MOST FIERCELY REMEMBERED
FOR HIS COMMITMENT TO ADVOCATING
FOR THE MOST MARGINALIZED PEOPLE
IN THE COMMUNITY. GLIDE UNDER
SIEGE. HIS LEADERSHIP AND THE
LEADERSHIP OF HIS LATE WIFE, JAN
MIRIKITANI, BECAME A PLACE THAT
TRULY UPLIFTED EVERYONE, A PLACE
THAT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE ARE
NO THROWAWAY PEOPLE IN OUR
SOCIETY, A PLACE THAT WELCOMED
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN REJECTED BY
SOCIETY. GLIDE WAS AN EARLY
CHURCH AND EMBRACING LGBTQ
PEOPLE WAY, WAY, WAY BEFORE IT
WAS CONSIDERED ACCEPTABLE AND
FASHIONABLE. OUR COMMUNITY WAS
WELCOME AT GLIDE. IT WELCOMED
HOMELESS PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO WERE
STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION AND
PEOPLE WHO WERE JUST STRAIGHT UP
POOR AND LIVING ON THE MARGINS
OF SOCIETY. THEY HAD A HOME AND
HAVE A HOME AT GLIDE, AND THAT
IS BECAUSE OF CECIL WILLIAMS AND
HIS INCREDIBLE VISION AND
PASSION AND LEADERSHIP. I GOT TO
KNOW CECIL AND JAN ALMOST 20
YEARS AGO THROUGH MUTUAL FRIENDS
, BEFORE I WAS IN ELECTED
OFFICE, AND I WAS IMMEDIATELY IN
AWE OF CECIL'S STRENGTH AND HIS
JUST ABSOLUTE BRILLIANCE, AND
JUST ONE OF THE KINDEST, KINDEST
HUMAN BEINGS YOU WILL EVER MEET
IN YOUR LIFE. SOMEONE WHO WAS HE
WAS LARGER THAN LIFE IN SO MANY
WAYS. THIS NATIONAL FIGURE. BUT
WHEN YOU WERE WITH HIM, HE WAS
SO HUMBLE AND DOWN TO EARTH,
JUST AN INCREDIBLE PERSON I
WORKED WITH. I GOT TO WORK WITH
CECIL AND JAN AND GLIDE WHEN I
WAS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS, MAKING SURE THAT WE
WERE ALWAYS DELIVERING RESOURCES
FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND WHEN YOU
GOT THE CALL AS A MEMBER OF THE
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM CECIL
AND JAN, PLEASE COME DOWN TO THE
CHURCH. WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT A
BUDGET ISSUE. YOU WENT DOWN TO
THE CHURCH, NO QUESTIONS ASKED.
THAT WAS THE POWER OF CECIL
WILLIAMS AND THIS CHURCH,
REVEREND WILLIAMS IS PRECEDED IN
DEATH BY HIS WIFE, JAN
MIRIKITANI. JUST A GIANT IN HER
OWN RIGHT. AND HE IS SURVIVED BY
HIS CHILDREN, ALBERT WILLIAMS
JR. AND KIMBERLY WILLIAMS, IN
THE GALLERY TODAY, WE ARE JOINED
BY A GROUP FROM GLIDE. I HOPE
THEY ARE HERE ALREADY BECAUSE
THE ASSEMBLY IS ALSO ADJOURNING
AND CECIL'S MEMORY TODAY, AND I
JUST WANT TO JUST EMPHASIZE WHAT
A PROFOUND LOSS THIS IS FOR THE
CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO. SO
COLLEAGUES, PLEASE JOIN ME IN
ADJOURNING THE SENATE TODAY IN
MEMORY MEMORY OF THE GREAT CECIL
WILLIAMS. SENATOR, PLEASE EXTEND
OUR CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY
AND BRING THE REVEREND NAME
FORWARD SO THAT HE MAY BE
PROPERLY MEMORIALIZED IN THE
JOURNAL. SENATOR BREAKSPEARE,
YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU.
COLLEAGUES TODAY I RISE WITH A
HEAVY HEART TO PAY TRIBUTE TO A
REMARKABLE INDIVIDUAL. SERGEANT
MATTHEW KENNETH BIELSKI, WHO WE
LOST TOO EARLY AT ONLY AGE 23,
IN A TRAGIC TRAINING ACCIDENT AT
CAMP PENDLETON. MATTHEW WAS BORN
ON AUGUST 27TH, 2000, IN THE
GREAT STATE OF MICHIGAN, WHERE
HE LIVED WITH HIS FATHER
KENNETH, MOTHER SANDRA, AND
BROTHER JOSHUA. MATTHEW GREW UP
WITH A VIBRANT SPIRIT IN THE
TOWN OF ROYAL OAK. HIS KIND AND
WARM PRESENCE WAS KNOWN TO ALL,
AND HE NAVIGATED LIFE WITH A
LOVING AND CARING PERSONALITY.
KNOWN AS AN ATHLETE HIS WHOLE
LIFE, MATTHEW WAS A FERVENT
SUPPORTER OF ALL THINGS DETROIT
SPORTS, ESPECIALLY THE DETROIT
RED WINGS. NOT ONLY WAS MATTHEW
GOOD AT SPORTS, BUT HE WAS A
TALENTED MUSICIAN AND
PARTICIPATED IN THE MARCHING
BAND THROUGHOUT HIS TIME AT
HAZEL PARK HIGH SCHOOL.
MATTHEW'S JOURNEY IN THE UNITED
STATES MARINE CORPS BEGAN IN
2019. A TESTAMENT TO HIS
UNWAVERING DEDICATION AND
COMMITMENT TO OUR COUNTRY, HIS
LEADERSHIP AS AN AMPHIBIOUS
COMBAT VEHICLE CREWMAN IN
BATTALION LANDING TEAM OF THE
15TH MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT
IN CAMP PENDLETON EXEMPLIFIED
HIS VALOR AND SERVICE TO THE US
THROUGHOUT HIS NEARLY FIVE YEARS
OF SERVICE. SERGEANT BIELSKI
EARNED NUMEROUS AWARDS AND
DECORATIONS, REFLECTING HIS
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS, HARD
WORK, AND SACRIFICES. HE EARNED
TWO NAVY AND MARINE CORPS
ACHIEVEMENT MEDALS, A NAVY
MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION,
MARINE CORPS GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL,
NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL,
GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM SERVICE
MEDAL, AND A SEA SERVICE
DEPLOYMENT RIBBON. HE WAS KNOWN
AS A MARINES MARINE, TAKING TO
HEART EVERY SINGLE ASPECT OF HIS
ROLE. THERE WAS AN UNDERSTANDING
AMONG HIS COLLEAGUES AND
SUPERVISORS THAT HE COULD ADAPT
PERFECTLY TO ANY SITUATION, FROM
DROPPING HIS OWN PRIORITIES TO
HELP OTHERS, TO SIMPLY BEING A
GOOD CONVERSATIONALIST. MATTHEW
HAD A REPUTATION OF BEING A
WHOLESOME HUMAN BEYOND HIS
MILITARY DUTIES, MATTHEW WAS
KNOWN FOR HIS COMPASSION, STRONG
LEADERSHIP, AND BRIGHT
PERSONALITY. IN HIS FREE TIME,
HE LOVED THE SENSE OF ADVENTURE
THAT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
PROVIDED. HE SPENT A LOT OF TIME
ENJOYING THE CITY OF CARLSBAD
AND THE CAMARADERIE OF HIS
FRIENDS, OFTEN WEARING HIS RED
WINGS JERSEY AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE. WE MOURN THE LOSS OF
MATTHEW ALONGSIDE HIS BELOVED
FAMILY, INCLUDING INCLUDING HIS
WIFE LEXI. HIS LEGACY OF
SERVICE, LOVE AND LAUGHTER WILL
FOREVER LIVE ON IN THE HEARTS OF
THOSE WHO KNEW HIM, LEAVING AN
INDELIBLE MARK ON OUR COMMUNITY
AND COUNTRY. IMPORTANTLY, THE
SERGEANT'S PLATOON IS DEPLOYED
TO THE PACIFIC REGION RIGHT NOW.
THE BATTALION LANDING TEAM'S
COMMANDER DEDICATED THE
DEPLOYMENT IN THE SERGEANT'S
NAME, DEMONSTRATING HOW
IMPACTFUL HIS LIFE OF SERVICE
WAS TO HIS COLLEAGUES. I ASK
THAT IN ADDITION TO OUR
ADJOURNMENT AND MEMORY TODAY, WE
KEEP HIS COLLEAGUES, FRIENDS AND
THE MILITARY COMMUNITY AS A
WHOLE VERY MUCH IN OUR MINDS AND
WISH THEM SAFETY AS THEY
SACRIFICE FOR US. IN CLOSING,
LET US HONOR SERGEANT MATTHEW
KENNETH BIELSKI'S MEMORY BY
EXPRESSING OUR DEEPEST
CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY AND
FRIENDS WITH. WITH THAT, I ASK
THAT THE SENATE ADJOURN IN HIS
MEMORY. THANK YOU. TILL
VALHALLA, BROTHER, PLEASE BRING
THE SERGEANT'S NAME FORWARD SO
THAT HE MAY BE PROPERLY
MEMORIALIZED IN THE JOURNAL.
SENATOR YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. THANK
YOU. COLLEAGUES AS I RISE TO
ADJOURN IN MEMORY OF THE FIRST
AND SO FAR, ONLY WOMAN TO BE
ELECTED AS CALIFORNIA STATE
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC
INSTRUCTION. DELAINE EASTIN. TO
ME, DELAINE EASTIN WAS AN OG.
YOU GUYS CAN GOOGLE THAT ON YOUR
FREE TIME. SAN DIEGO, SAN
FRANCISCO, SAN CARLOS, DAVIS,
SANTA BARBARA, UNION CITY
DELAINE LIVED UP AND DOWN OUR
GOLDEN STATE AND COMMITTED TO A
LIFE OF SERVICE BECAUSE OF HER
LOVE OF CALIFORNIA, BUT MOST
IMPORTANTLY, HER LOVE OF PEOPLE.
SHE SERVED THE PUBLIC FOR MORE
THAN 23 YEARS, FIRST AS A CITY
COUNCIL MEMBER FOR UNION CITY.
IN MY DISTRICT, THEN AS AN
ASSEMBLY MEMBER FOR CALIFORNIA'S
THEN 18TH DISTRICT, AND IN A
NUMBER OF OTHER POSITIONS, AND
FINALLY AS STATE SUPERINTENDENT
OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. IN THE
YEARS FOLLOWING HER CAREER AS AN
ELECTED OFFICIAL, DELAINE
CONTINUED TO PRIORITIZE
EDUCATION AND PUBLIC POLICY AS A
PROFESSOR, SPEAKER, AND BOARD
MEMBER. NOW, I'M GOING TO SAY A
FEW THINGS ABOUT DELAINE THAT I
SAW FIRSTHAND WITHIN HOURS OF
THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF HER PASSING,
I SAW EVERYONE MAKE A POST ABOUT
HER TO ME AND SO MANY OTHERS
BLACK, WHITE, LATINO, ASIAN OF
ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS. PEOPLE
SAID SHE WAS AN INFLUENCE. SHE
WAS A MENTOR. IN FACT, DELAINE
WAS GENUINELY WHAT THEY CALL AN
IMPORTANT PERSON, A SUCCESSFUL
AS A WOMAN, BUT ALSO AS A HUMAN
BEING. THE COMMON THEME THAT I
HEARD FROM EVERYONE WAS THAT
ALTHOUGH DELAINE WAS SEEN AS AN
IMPORTANT PERSON, TRULY A GIANT
AMONGST SOCIETY, SHE TREATED
EVERYONE WITH KINDNESS AND
DIGNITY. TO ME, DELAINE WAS
FEARLESS, WAS ALWAYS READY TO
TACKLE BIG IDEAS, AND
CONSISTENTLY SPOKE TRUTH TO
POWER. SHE STOOD UP FOR
IMMIGRANTS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS
LONG BEFORE IT WAS POLITICALLY
ADVANTAGEOUS TO DO SO, FRAMING
SUPPORT FOR IMMIGRANTS AS A
MORAL ISSUE, REMINDING US ALL
THAT WE MUST MAKE CERTAIN THAT
THOSE HERE VISITING ARE
IMMIGRATING FROM OTHER COUNTRIES
, DOCUMENTED OR NOT ENJOY THE
BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY ASSOCIATED
WITH THIS NATION'S FOUNDING
PRINCIPLES. SHE STATED THIS
WHILE ADVOCATING FOR HIGH
QUALITY EDUCATION, AFFORDABLE
HEALTH CARE, AND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING FOR EVERYONE. SHE WAS
TRULY A SMART AND THOUGHTFUL
PERSON. SHE WAS NEVER ARROGANT.
NEVER. I'M TOO BUSY FOR ANYBODY.
NOTHING LIKE THAT. AND AS
SOMEONE WHO REPRESENTED THE EAST
BAY, SHE UNDERSTOOD THE BAY
AREA, THE DISPARITY, THE
AFFLUENCE, THE VIOLENCE, THE
PEACE, THE BUSINESS AND THE
FAMILY LIFE, EVERYTHING IN
BETWEEN. AND SHE ENSURED SHE
TACKLED THE PROBLEM AND HELPED
THOSE WITH THE IDEAS THAT COULD
TACKLE THE PROBLEM. SHE WOULD
MEET WITH ANYONE, NO MATTER
THEIR BACKGROUND, AND IT WAS
CLEAR SHE WANTED TO HELP ALL
PEOPLE. DELAINE LITERALLY NEVER
TOLD ME NO. IN FACT, SHE WOULD
CALL ME AND BRAINSTORM ABOUT
ISSUES WITH ME TALKING ABOUT HER
FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE CITY OF
HAYWARD AND UNION CITY, THE
STRUGGLES THAT SHE WENT THROUGH
DECADES EARLIER, AND THE WORK
SHE DID IN UNION CITY AND ACROSS
THE STATE. HER SUPPORT OF MY
PUBLIC SAFETY AND MENTAL HEALTH
WORK WHILE ON HAYWARD CITY
COUNCIL IS A BADGE OF HONOR, AND
I REMEMBER HER ASKING ME
QUESTIONS AND EVEN HELPING ME
MAKE POLICY BETTER. EVEN IN HER
LATE YEARS WHERE SHE DID NOT
HOLD OFFICE, SHE WAS INVOLVED IN
BETTERING THE COMMUNITY,
SUPPORTING WOMEN, CHILDREN AND
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR CONSTANTLY
LEARNING FROM OTHERS, HELPING
OTHERS, AND TEACHING OTHERS. TO
ME, DELAINE IS AN ICON, A LEADER
THAT I RESPECT, LOVE AND ADMIRE.
A WOMAN WHO SHATTERED CEILINGS
AND CLEARED A PATH FOR OTHERS TO
FOLLOW. A WOMAN THAT FIXED
CROWNS OF OTHERS AND NOT TEAR
DOWN A SINGLE PERSON. SHE WAS
FILLED WITH LOVE, COMPASSION AND
WISDOM. A TRUE OG, DELAINE
EASTIN PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE OF
76. SHE WAS A TRUE CHAMPION OF
AND FOR THE PEOPLE, A TIRELESS
ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN AND A
FRIEND. MAY SHE REST IN PEACE.
THANK YOU, SENATOR LAIRD. YOU'RE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MADAM
PRESIDENT. I JOIN IN THE ADJOURN
IN MEMORY FOR DELANEY EASTON.
AND IN THE LAST DECADES OF HER
LIFE, SHE WAS A RESIDENT OF
DAVIS AND AMONG HER CLOSEST
FRIENDS, JOHN AND PRICE. WALDEN
AND PRICE WORKED FOR HER IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. THEY
MOVED TO THE MONTEREY BAY AREA
20 YEARS AGO TO RETIRE, AND IT
MEANT THAT DELANEY WAS A
REGULAR. SHE SHE CAME TO THE
DEMOCRATIC WOMEN'S SUMMER FEAST
EVERY YEAR, AND I RECALL ONE
YEAR THAT IT WAS IN THE CACHAGUA
VALLEY, WHICH NONE OF YOU HAVE
HEARD OF. YOU HAVE TO DRIVE. I
HAVE TO DRIVE AN HOUR TO CARMEL
VALLEY, AND THEN ANOTHER HOUR TO
THIS REMOTE VALLEY. AND THE FOUR
OF US WERE IN THE CAR. AS
ALWAYS, IT WAS AN ANIMATED
CONVERSATION. THÀNH. SHE WAS
VERY OPINIONATED AND INEVITABLY
THE TALK TURNED TO PUBLIC
EDUCATION AND SHE WAS A STAUNCH
ADVOCATE. SO WHEN I WAS RUNNING
FOR THE ASSEMBLY AND FIRST
ELECTED, SHE WAS STILL
SUPERINTENDENT AND SHE SAID,
I'LL ENDORSE YOU, BUT WE ARE NOT
DOING ENOUGH FOR EDUCATION, AND
I WILL HOLD YOUR FEET TO THE
FIRE. AND I WOULD CALL YOU
REGULARLY. AND SHE KEPT THAT
PLEDGE WHEN I WAS BUDGET CHAIR
IN THE ASSEMBLY, SHE WOULD CALL
AND SAID, YOU DID A GREAT
DEFENSE THIS YEAR IN A ROUGH
BUDGET, BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH. BUT
WHEN I RAN FOR THE SENATE, SHE
ENDORSED AND SAID, I'LL BE
CALLING YOU ABOUT EDUCATION. AND
THEN WHEN I WAS FIRST IN THE
SENATE AS EDUCATION BUDGET SUB
CHAIR, SHE CALLED AND SAID, YES,
IT'S REALLY NICE THAT THERE'S
BEEN A 40% INCREASE SINCE 2017,
BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH. WE MIGHT BE
OUT OF THE BASEMENT, BUT IT'S
NOT ENOUGH. AND I WAS DREADING
THE PHONE CALL THIS YEAR BECAUSE
I WAS CONVINCED WITH A 0.7%
INCREASE PROPOSED FOR PUBLIC
EDUCATION THÀNH, SHE WOULD SAY,
OF COURSE IT'S NOT ENOUGH, BUT
IT'S NOT ENOUGH THIS YEAR, AND
IT'S AWFUL. AND I'M REALLY SORRY
THAT I WILL NOT BE GETTING THAT
CALL. SHE WAS A FIERCE ADVOCATE.
SHE WAS A FRIEND. SHE WAS A
PUBLIC SERVANT. AND SHE WILL BE
DEARLY MISSED. SENATOR DODD,
YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU,
MADAM PRESIDENT. MEMBERS, I TOO,
RISE TO ADJOURN IN THE MEMORY OF
DELAINE EASTIN, WHO I'VE GOTTEN
TO KNOW OVER THE LAST DECADE IS
A CONSTITUENT OF MINE IN YOLO
COUNTY. DELAINE LIVED IN DAVIS
FOR MANY YEARS, AND DID MUCH ON
THE LOCAL LEVEL AS WELL. AS
WE'VE HEARD ABOUT HER JUST
AMAZING EXPERIENCE STATEWIDE,
SHE GAVE FREELY OF HER TIME AND
TALENTS TO THE COMMUNITY. THAT
VOLUNTEER WORK INCLUDED SERVING
ON THE UC DAVIS CHANCELLOR'S
WOMEN IN STEM BOARD, THE EDIBLE
SCHOOLYARD ADVISORY BOARD, THE
UC DAVIS CENTER FOR THE
NUTRITION EDUCATION ADVISORY
BOARD, AND THE YOLO CASA
ADVISORY BOARD. ALL THOSE
REPRESENTED A COMMITMENT TO
SUPPORTING OUR YOUTH AND
BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE. OUR
STATE AND THE DAVIS COMMUNITY
ARE BETTER FOR HER PASSION AND
DEDICATION, I JOIN IN URGING YOU
TO ADJOURN IN THE MEMORY OF
DELAINE EASTIN. THANK YOU,
SENATOR ASHBY. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED
. THANK YOU. I, TOO, RISE TO
TALK ABOUT MY FRIEND DELAINE
EASTIN, WHO WAS AN ABSOLUTE
TITAN IN SACRAMENTO AND SO PROUD
TO BE A UC DAVIS AGGIE, BUT ALSO
PROUD TO BE A MASTER'S DEGREE
FROM SANTA BARBARA. SHE TALKED
ABOUT THAT EQUALLY AND WAS
REALLY PROUD TO HAVE TAUGHT AT
MILLS COLLEGE. SHE WAS
UNAPOLOGETICALLY ABOUT BRINGING
UP WOMEN, AND THE REASON I
WANTED TO TALK ABOUT HER TODAY
IS BECAUSE THERE THERE ARE A LOT
OF WOMEN IN SACRAMENTO WHO GET
INVOLVED A LOT AND A LOT WHO
HAVE BEEN ELECTED IN DIFFERENT
PLACES. I'M ONLY THE SECOND
WOMAN EVER TO EVEN HOLD THIS
SENATE SEAT, AND WHEN I RAN FOR
THIS SEAT, I WAS TOLD I NEEDED
TO CALL THROUGH THAT LIST OF ALL
OF THOSE WOMEN. AND I WILL TELL
YOU THAT THE WAY THEY TREATED ME
WERE, IN VARYING DEGREES, EASILY
THE ONE WHO COULD HAVE CAST THE
LARGEST SHADOW WAS DELAINE
EASTIN, HAVING BEEN THE ONLY
WOMAN TO EVER EVEN BE
SUPERINTENDENT IN THIS STATE BY
FAR, SHE WAS THE MOST GENEROUS
WITH HER TIME AND WITH HER
ADVICE, WITH HER ENDORSEMENT AND
WITH HER SUPPORT. AND I GUESS
WHAT I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT
HER IS THAT NO MATTER WHAT
POSITION YOU HELD, CITY COUNCIL,
SCHOOL BOARD, VÌ, VOLUNTEER, SHE
NEVER MADE ONE SINGLE WOMAN, AT
LEAST IN THIS CITY, FEEL SMALL.
INSTEAD, SHE USED HER BRIGHT
LIGHT AND SHINED IT BACK ON ALL
OF US. AND I CAN ONLY HOPE TO
PROVIDE SOME OF THAT KIND OF
LIGHT TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF
WOMEN COMING UP BEHIND ALL OF
US. I APPRECIATE HER SO MUCH,
SENATOR SKINNER, YOU'RE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU. MADAM
PRESIDENT MEMBERS, I'M PLEASED
TO BE ABLE TO FOLLOW MY
COLLEAGUES WHO'VE SPOKEN ABOUT
HER BECAUSE THEY'VE DONE AN
EXCELLENT JOB, AND MY COLLEAGUE
FROM SACRAMENTO, Ã DELAINE, WAS
ABSENT EARLY. NOW, I STEP BACK
FOR A MINUTE. I FIRST KNEW
DELAINE WHEN SHE WAS ON THE
UNION CITY COUNCIL, AND I WAS AN
ACTIVIST IN BERKELEY. I WAS NOT
YET ON THE BERKELEY CITY
COUNCIL, AND I WAS WORKING ON
GARBAGE AND RECYCLING ISSUES,
WHICH LED ME TO, ME AND FRIENDS
TO PUT VARIOUS INITIATIVES ON
OUR BERKELEY BALLOT, INCLUDING
MAKING BERKELEY THE VERY FIRST
CITY TO DECLARE 50% RECYCLING
GOAL. AND THIS WAS BACK EARLY
80S. AND DELAINE AND YOU'D THINK
THAT, YOU KNOW, NOW, THE WAY
THAT WE TALK ABOUT GARBAGE AND
RECYCLING THAT EVERYBODY WOULD
THIS WOULD JUST BE SOMETHING
EVERYBODY WAS FOR DELAYING ON
THE UNION CITY COUNCIL WAS ON
THE ALAMEDA COUNTY'S WASTE
MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY, AND THE
WASTE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY WAS
COMPLETELY OPPOSED TO RECYCLING.
THEY, IN FACT, WOULD NOT FUND IT
AND WERE EVEN WILLING TO PASS
ORDINANCES, IN EFFECT, TO FORBID
IT. AND SO SHE TOOK A STANCE AND
FORCED THEM TO CREATE A
RECYCLING COMMITTEE. SO WHEN THE
INITIATIVE THAT I WORKED ON
PASSED, SHE FOUND ME AND CALLED
ME AND TOLD ME, I'M SO PROUD OF
YOU. I'M SO GLAD YOU DID THAT.
SO THEN WHEN I WAS ON THE
BERKELEY CITY COUNCIL, WHEN I
GOT ELECTED, I WAS APPOINTED TO
THAT WASTE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY
AND TOOK, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWED HER
LEAD IN TRYING TO CHANGE IT. AND
SO WE KEPT IN TOUCH. NOW WHEN I
DIDN'T EXPERIENCE HER SO MUCH AS
THIS BADASS FOR WOMEN LEADERS,
BUT I EXPERIENCED HER AS A REAL
FORCE OF NATURE. BUT AS TIME
WENT ON, IT BECAME CLEAR AND
CLEARER THAT SHE SHE'D GOTTEN TO
THE POINT WHERE SHE'S LIKE, MEN
CAN ALWAYS GET ELECTED. MEN WILL
ALWAYS BE IN LEADERSHIP ROLES.
IT IS OUR JOB TO PROMOTE WOMEN
AND IF ANY OF THE OTHER PEOPLE I
KNEW, OTHER WOMEN I KNEW THAT
WERE CLOSE TO HER OR VIEWED HER
AS A MENTOR. IF WE EVER ENDORSED
WHEN THERE WAS A RACE WHERE IT
WAS A MAN AND A WOMAN, AND IF WE
EVER ENDORSED THE MAN AND NOT
THE WOMAN, WE WOULD HEAR FROM
DELAINE. WE WOULD HEAR FROM HER.
SHE WOULD CHEW ME OUT. AND OF
COURSE, NOW IN MY OWN DISTRICT,
THERE ARE MANY MEN THAT I
RESPECT, BUT I HAVE A VERY HARD
TIME ENDORSING MEN NOW BECAUSE
OF THAT. AND I HAVE TO THINK
VERY HARD BECAUSE OF HOW MANY
TIMES I REMEMBER DELAINE YELLING
AT ME. BUT DELAINE WAS ADAMANT
THAT UNLESS WE SUPPORT EACH
OTHER, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE
ABLE TO GET IN THE ROLES.
DELAINE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST
PEOPLE IN AN ELECTED OFFICE THAT
ENDORSED ME WHEN I RAN FOR THE
STATE ASSEMBLY. I GOT IN THE
RACE LATE. I WAS VERY NERVOUS
ABOUT IT. SHE ENDORSED ME EARLY
AND IMMEDIATELY RAN A FUNDRAISER
FOR ME WHEN SHE WAS TEACHING AT
MILLS. I WOULD GO EVERY YEAR AND
SPEAK AT HER CLASS, AND SHE
HELPED MILLS CREATE A CLUB
CALLED THE FEMME DEMS. SOME OF
YOU MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED THEM.
THEY WERE VERY ACTIVE AT STATE
PARTY CONVENTIONS, SHE MENTORED
A STAFF OF MINE WHO IS STILL
STILL LOOKS TO ELAINE AS HER
SECOND MOTHER. ELAINE WAS JUST
PHENOMENAL. AND I'M GOING TO
MISS HER A GREAT DEAL. AS OUR
COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE ALREADY
SPOKEN TO HER ABOUT HER AND IN
MEMORY OF HER HAVE CLEARLY
COMMUNICATED. AND I STRONGLY ASK
US TO ADJOURN IN HER MEMORY.
SENATOR. SENATOR CORTESE, YOU'RE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MADAM
PRESIDENT. IT'S BEEN, FIRST OF
ALL, I RISE ALSO TO ADJOURN IN
MEMORY OF DELAINE EASTIN. AND
IT'S BEEN, SOME SALAS TO HEAR,
ALL THE STORIES AND THE
RECOLLECTIONS AND TO HEAR THAT
MOST ALL OF THEM ARE ALIGNED
WITH MY UNDERSTANDING IN
RELATIONSHIP WITH DELAINE
EASTIN, EXCEPT THE ONE ABOUT
SUPPORTING ONLY WOMEN. AND I
THINK, SENATOR LAIRD AND I ARE
PROBABLY FEELING ESPECIALLY,
GREAT FULL AFTER HEARING SENATOR
SKINNER, MAKE HER REMARKS THAT
WE SOMEHOW QUALIFIED FOR HER
SUPPORT OVER THE YEARS, YES, SHE
WAS A FIERCE FEMINIST AND A
FIERCE SUPPORTER OF WOMEN IN
MOVING WOMEN FORWARD. I THINK,
TODAY, IF SHE COULD SPEAK HERE,
SHE WOULD SPEAK TO BEING ON THE
CUSP OF PARITY HERE IN THE
LEGISLATURE IN TERMS OF WOMEN'S
REPRESENTATION. AND SHE'D PUSH
HARDER. SHE HAD A POWERFUL
VOICE, IT'S BEEN INTIMATED
DURING THE REMARKS SO FAR THAT,
YOU KNOW, SHE'S FIERCE. SHE WAS
POWERFUL. SHE ACTUALLY HAD A
POWERFUL VOICE, SHE WAS ONE OF
THE BEST SPEAKERS, ONE OF THE
BEST EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKERS I
EVER HEARD AT ANY LEVEL OF
PUBLIC SPEAKING OR ANY LEVEL OF
POLITICS. MY RELATIONSHIP WITH
HER GOES BACK, AND SENATOR MIN
WAS ALLUDING TO OLDER PEOPLE
EARLIER, THIS WILL BE ONE OF
THOSE MOMENTS. I FIRST RAN FOR
SCHOOL BOARD IN THE 1992
ELECTION, IN A VERY LARGE
DISTRICT WITH 187,000 VOTERS.
THE ISSUE IN THAT RACE THAT YEAR
WAS CHARTER SCHOOLS, AND THERE
WERE TWO BILLS IN THE
LEGISLATURE WHICH HAD ACTUALLY,
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, STARTED OFF
AS A UNIFIED LEGISLATIVE PIECE
OF LEGISLATION, AND SENATOR
HART, STATE SENATOR HART AND
ASSEMBLYMEMBER DELAINE EASTIN
WERE BOTH PUSHING FOR WHAT WOULD
BECOME THE CHARTER EXPERIMENT,
MUCH OF WHICH WE ALL KNOW NOW,
THAT EFFORT SPLIT ALONG THE WAY,
AND AS IT SPLIT, ANYBODY WHO IS
RUNNING FOR OFFICE, ESPECIALLY
FOR A SCHOOL BOARD POSITION, WAS
ASKED IMMEDIATELY UPON ENTRY,
WHO WERE YOU SUPPORTING? WHAT
POSITION ARE YOU TAKING? BECAUSE
DELAINE EASTON'S POINT OF VIEW
WAS THAT YOU HAD TO, THAT YOU
HAD TO ALLOW, NOT ONLY ALLOW,
BUT HAVE THE COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING IN, IN THE
TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS
FOLLOW THE CHARTER PUBLIC
SCHOOLS. AND IF YOU DIDN'T DO
THAT AND HER WORDS, YOU CAN
GOOGLE THAT. HER WORDS, IF YOU
DON'T DO THAT, THE EXPERIMENT'S
GOING TO BE UP ENDED FOR YEARS
AND YEARS AND YEARS BY LABOR
STRIFE, BY FIGHTS ABOUT LABOR,
WHEN WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IS
USING THESE CHARTER SCHOOLS AS
INCUBATORS TO INFORM THE KIND OF
RESTRUCTURING AND CHANGE WE NEED
IN OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM.
I'LL LEAVE IT TO YOU AS TO
WHETHER SHE WAS RIGHT OR NOT.
PETE WILSON SIGNED THE OTHER
BILL. HE DIDN'T SIGN HER. BILL
AND I THINK SHE WAS VERY
PRESCIENT IN LETTING US KNOW.
AND I THINK SHE'D STAND HERE AND
SAY, I TOLD YOU SO, BUT THAT'S
MY OPINION, AGAIN, I'LL LET YOU
DRAW YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS ABOUT
WHAT HAPPENED OVER THE NEXT 30
YEARS. I ONCE ASKED HER, WHEN
SHE WAS LIVING IN DAVIS, IF SHE
WOULD COME DOWN TO ACTUALLY TO
THE SENATOR FROM HAYWARD'S
DISTRICT, BECAUSE I WAS ASKED AT
THE TIME TO RECRUIT A SPEAKER TO
SPEAK ON WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT AT
A VERY LARGE HINDU TEMPLE IN
THAT AREA. AND SHE IMMEDIATELY
SAID YES, AS SHE WAS PRONE TO DO
IF YOU HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH
HER, SHE DIDN'T WASTE TIME IN
MAKING DECISIONS. SHE WOULD JUST
SAY, YES. YOU KNOW, IN THE
BIBLICAL CONTEXT, HER YES WAS
ALWAYS YES OR NO WAS ALWAYS NO.
BUT YOU WOULD GET A YES
IMMEDIATELY IF YOU WERE ASKING
THE RIGHT QUESTION IN HER MIND,
I WAS VERY PLEASED TO HEAR THAT,
AND SHE WENT DOWN AND SPOKE IN A
HINDU TEMPLE, WHICH STILL FOR
RITUALISTIC PURPOSES AND
RELIGIOUS PURPOSES, SEPARATES
MEN AND WOMEN. SO THE WOMEN WERE
IN THE HUNDREDS, WAITING AND
ULTIMATELY RECEIVED A VERY, VERY
POWERFUL SPEECH BY DELAINE
EASTON ON WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT,
WHICH I'VE HEARD OVER AND OVER
AGAIN OVER THE YEARS, AS ONE OF
THE BEST SPEECHES MANY OF THOSE
WOMEN EVER HEARD. BUT THAT WAS
DELAINE EASTON NEVER PASSING UP
AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUSH, FOR
WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT, TO PUSH AS
A FEMINIST, TO PUSH FOR
EDUCATION REFORM AND
RESTRUCTURING, AND TO PUSH GOOD
CANDIDATES. AND I WOULD SAY,
WHETHER THEY'RE MEN OR WOMEN, WE
WILL MISS HER. I WILL MISS HER,
THE FAMILY RELATIONSHIP GOES
BACK. SO FAR, SHE SERVED WITH MY
FATHER IN THE STATE ASSEMBLY FOR
A FEW YEARS, SO WE CONSIDER HER
A FAMILY FRIEND. AND I
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SET A FEW WORDS TODAY IN HER
MEMORY AND, OF COURSE, URGE THE
ADJOURNMENT TODAY. THANK YOU,
MADAM PRESIDENT. SIR, PLEASE
BRING THE NAME FORWARD SO THAT
SHE MAY BE PROPERLY MEMORIALIZED
IN THE JOURNAL. MOVING TOWARDS
COMMITTEE ANNOUNCEMENTS. SENATOR
LAIRD, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. THANK
YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THE
EDUCATION BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE
ONE WILL MEET IN ROOM 2100 UPON
ADJOURNMENT, THE HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES BUDGET
SUBCOMMITTEE NUMBER THREE WITH
ROOM AND WILL MEET IN ROOM 1200
15 MINUTES AFTER SESSION.
SENATOR PADILLA, YOU'RE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MADAM
PRESIDENT. SENATE BUDGET
SUBCOMMITTEE NUMBER FOUR ON
STATE ADMINISTRATION AND
GOVERNMENT WILL CONVENE, UPON
ADJOURNMENT IN ROOM 1131 13 HERE
IN THE CAPITOL. MEMBERS
FOLLOWING ADJOURNMENT, IF YOU'D
LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DENIM
DAY PHOTO, PLEASE COME FORWARD
TOWARDS THE BAR. IF THERE IS NO
OTHER BUSINESS. MAJORITY LEADER
GONZALEZ, THE DESK IS CLEAR. THE
NEXT FLOOR SESSION IS SCHEDULED
FOR MONDAY, APRIL 29TH, 2024 AT
2 P.M. THANK YOU. THE SENATE
WILL BE IN RECESS UNTIL 3:30
P.M, AT WHICH TIME THE
ADJOURNMENT MOTION WILL BE MADE.
WE WILL RECONVENE MONDAY AT 2
P.M.