MEMBERS. THE. THE SENATE WILL
COME TO ORDER. THE SECRETARY,
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. ALAN.
ALVARADO, GIL. ARCHULETA. ASHBY.
ATKINS. BECKER BLAKE. SPEER.
BRADFORD. CABALLERO. CORTEZ.
DALY DODD. DURAZZO. EGGMAN.
GLASER GONZALEZ. GROVE. HURTADO.
JONES LAIRD. LIMON. MCGUIRE
MENGIBAR. MIN. NEWMAN. NGUYEN
NILO. OCHOA. BORG. PADILLA.
PORTANTINO ROTH. RUBIO. SATO.
SKINNER SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS.
STERN. UMBERG. WAHAB WIENER.
WILK. ALL RIGHT. A QUORUM IS
PRESENT. MEMBERS SENATE. RULE 55
WILL BE WAIVED TO ALLOW GUESTS
ON THE FLOOR FOR TODAY'S
SESSION. MEMBERS. CAN I ASK
EVERYONE TO COME TO THEIR DESKS,
PLEASE? WITH THE MEMBERS AND
GUESTS, BE ON THE RAIL AND IN
THE GALLERY. PLEASE RISE. WE
WILL BE LED IN PRAYER THIS
AFTERNOON BY OUR GUEST,
CHAPLAIN, RABBI MICHAEL COPELAND
. AFTER WHICH, PLEASE REMAIN
STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF
ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG AND THE
MOURNER'S KADDISH PRAYER BY
SENATOR NEWMAN. RABBI COPELAND.
WE'RE COMING TO THE CLOSE OF THE
JEWISH HOLIDAY OF PASSOVER, IN
WHICH WE EAT MATZO, A FLAT BREAD
THAT RECALLS OUR ANCESTORS
FLEEING SLAVERY CENTURIES AGO SO
QUICKLY THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE
TIME TO LET THEIR DOUGH RISE.
PASSOVER TELLS A TRIUMPHANT
STORY OF OVERCOMING OPPRESSION.
YET AT OUR PASSOVER RITUAL, WE
SPLIT A PIECE OF MATZO IN HALF
TO SYMBOLIZE BROKENNESS. THIS
YEAR, OUR BREAKING APART RITUAL
REFLECTS OUR VERY BROKEN WORLD.
WHERE DO WE FEEL THAT BROKENNESS
TODAY? WE FEEL THAT ACROSS OUR
STATE, ON OUR COLLEGE CAMPUSES
AND OUR CITY HALLS, AND AT THE
TENTS THAT LINE OUR STREETS IN
JEWISH COMMUNITIES, WE'RE
FEELING IT EVERYWHERE. SINCE THE
HORRORS OF OCTOBER 7TH MASSACRE
IN ISRAEL AND THE WAR IN GAZA,
WHERE SO MANY ARE SUFFERING IN
THE LARGELY LGBTQ COMMUNITY I
SERVE, WE FEEL TORN, LONELY AND
TARGETED. JEWISH MYSTICAL
TRADITION TEACHES THAT THE
UNIVERSE IS FRACTURED. IT IS OUR
JOB AS HUMAN BEINGS TO NOTICE
THE BROKEN PIECES ALL AROUND US
AND PUT THEM BACK TOGETHER.
WHETHER WE REACH OUT TO SOMEONE
IN PAIN WITH KINDNESS, OR ENACT
JUST LAWS, WE ASK OF EACH OF OUR
ACTIONS. HOW WILL THIS MEND OUR
BROKEN WORLD? TODAY WE RECOGNIZE
IN THIS SPACE YOM HASHOAH
HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY, WHICH
COMMEMORATES THE HORRORS THAT
BEGAN WITH KRISTALLNACHT, THE
NIGHT OF BROKEN GLASS, IN WHICH
JEWISH BUSINESSES AND
COMMUNITIES WERE LITERALLY
SHATTERED BY THE. WE GRIEVE THE
MILLIONS OF JEWS AND OTHERS WHO
WERE KILLED, AS WE RECALL THE
PROGRESSION DURING THE 1930S,
FROM ANTI-SEMITIC RHETORIC TO
VIOLENCE TO ANTI-JEWISH LAWS. WE
ALL KNOW WHERE THE STORY WAS
HEADED, BUT THEY DID NOT.
EUROPE'S JEWS THOUGHT THEY WERE
AT HOME. TODAY, IN THE UNITED
STATES, AFTER YEARS OF RELATIVE
CALM MY ENTIRE LIFETIME, WE
STRUGGLE WITH THE RECENT SPIKE
IN ANTI-SEMITIC ACTS. ALL OF US
CAN CONTINUE TO PICK UP THE
BROKEN SHARDS OF THIS WORLD FOR
OURSELVES AND OTHERS. WHERE DO
YOU SEE BROKENNESS AROUND YOU,
AND WHAT ACTIONS WILL YOU TAKE
TO MEND THIS WORLD? THE BOOK OF
PSALMS READS, GOD IS CLOSE TO
THE BROKENHEARTED. GOD OF
COMPASSION. I PRAY THAT YOU CAN
HOLD US IN OUR BROKENNESS AND
GIVE US THE STRENGTH TO HOLD ONE
ANOTHER IN COMPASSION. GOD, WHO
ENCOURAGED US TO QUESTION, GRANT
US THE ABILITY TO PAUSE WHEN WE
THINK WE'RE RIGHT, TO LISTEN TO
OTHER VOICES THAT MIGHT BE
DIFFICULT TO HEAR. GOD OF THE
IN-BETWEEN SPACES. TEACH US TO
SEE NUANCE AND COMPLEXITY WHEN
WE'RE SURROUNDED BY SLOGANS. GOD
OF THE BROKENHEARTED GUIDE US TO
MEND THIS BROKEN WORLD WITH
STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE. SENATOR
NEWMAN, MEMBERS AND GUESTS,
PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF
ALLEGIANCE TO OUR NATION'S FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO AMERICA
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT
STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD,
INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND
JUSTICE. FOR. PLEASE, IF YOU
WOULD REMAIN STANDING, I'M GOING
TO READ THE TRADITIONAL
MOURNER'S KADDISH IN MEMORY OF
ALL OF THOSE SOULS LOST TO THE
HOLOCAUST. YET VÌ YET. KADOSH,
AMIRABAD, BALMA. DIVRE. HIRUT
VIAM. MALCHUT OF OMICRON, OF THE
WHOLE YISRAEL. BAGALA. WISEMAN.
KARIV IMRU. AMEN. JOACHIM. RABBI
BARAK ALAM ALAM AL-MAYAH.
YETBARAK VÀ. YISHTABACH.
VIETNAM. VIETNAM. VIETNAM VIET.
HADAVI. ALLAH. VIET. HALAL.
SHAMI RAHU. LÀ. ELAMIN KABIR. TO
TOUCH. TO THE AMRIN. AMIN
SHLAMA. RABBA MIN SHMAYA ALEINU
VÌ KOL YISRAEL VÌ AMIN SHALOM.
WHO SAYS SHALOM ALEINU VAYAKHEL
YISRAEL VÌ AMIN. THANK YOU,
SENATOR NEWMAN. YOU CAN BE
SEATED NOW. MEMBERS. WITHOUT
OBJECTION, WE WILL TAKE UP THE
FOLLOWING RESOLUTION. OUT OF
ORDER. THAT'S SCR 135. THIS IS
FILE ITEM 86. AFTER ADOPTION, A
CONSIDERATION OF THE RESOLUTION
WILL RETURN TO PRIVILEGES OF THE
FLOOR FOR THE AUTHOR TO
INTRODUCE THEIR GUESTS. SO WE
ARE GOING TO BEGIN WITH SENATOR
WEINER AT HIS DESK. SENATOR
WEINER LET THE FILE CLERK READ
THE RESOLUTION. SECRETARY,
PLEASE READ SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION 135 BY SENATOR WEINER
RELATIVE TO CALIFORNIA HOLOCAUST
MEMORIAL DAY. LET'S GIVE SENATOR
WEINER YOUR ATTENTION. MEMBERS.
SENATOR WEINER, THE FLOOR IS
YOURS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR.
PRESIDENT. COLLEAGUES I RISE
TODAY AS CO-CHAIR OF THE
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE JEWISH
CAUCUS TO PRESENT A CR 135.
EVERY YEAR, WE BRING FORWARD
THIS RESOLUTION AND HOLD A
CEREMONY TO COMMEMORATE YOM
HASHOAH HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE
DAY. IT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR
CAUCUS VIEWS AS A DUTY, A SOLEMN
RESPONSIBILITY, AS INTEGRAL TO
OUR ROLE TO BEAR WITNESS TO THE
HORRORS OF THE PAST SO THAT THEY
MAY NOT BE REPEATED. THIS IS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF US TO
LEARN AND GAIN A DEEPER
UNDERSTANDING FOR WHAT IS TRULY
AMONG THE DARKEST MOMENTS IN
HUMAN HISTORY. IN THE PAST, A
SURVIVOR OF THE HOLOCAUST WOULD
SIT AT EVERY SINGLE DESK IN BOTH
THE SENATE AND THE ASSEMBLY VÆ.
BUT AS THEY HAVE AGED AND
PASSED, WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO
REPEAT THIS TRADITION. THERE ARE
SO FEW HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS
REMAINING AS THIS HISTORY MOVES
FURTHER INTO THE PAST, IT IS
ESSENTIAL THAT WE REDEDICATE
OURSELVES TO ENSURING THE
LESSONS OF THE HOLOCAUST ARE NOT
FORGOTTEN. OUR YOUTH TODAY
DISPLAY SHOCKINGLY LITTLE
KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST.
SOME EVEN QUESTION WHETHER IT
EVEN HAPPENED AT ALL. WE SEE
CONTINUED CONSPIRACY THEORIES
PUSHED BY BAD ACTORS, STATING
THAT THE HOLOCAUST NEVER
ACTUALLY HAPPENED. HOLOCAUST
DENIAL IS NOT NEW, BUT FOR THIS
NOXIOUS, DESPICABLE BELIEF TO BE
GAINING FOLLOWERS TODAY AS IT
IS, IS A DEEPLY DISTRESSING SIGN
OF OUR TIMES. WE DO NOT REMEMBER
THE HOLOCAUST. IN ORDER TO
RELIVE ITS TRAUMA, WE TAKE ON
THIS SACRED RESPONSIBILITY TO
ENSURE THAT NEVER AGAIN WILL A
COMMUNITY, A PEOPLE, ANY PEOPLE,
BE SUBJECTED TO THE SAME KIND OF
TREATMENT, PREJUDICE AND
BRUTALITY THAT THE JEWISH PEOPLE
SUFFERED. THE HOLOCAUST REFERS
TO THE 6 MILLION JEWS WHO WERE
EXTERMINATED IN GERMANY AND IN
EUROPE IN GENERAL, BUT WE ALSO
HONOR THE MILLIONS OF ROMA LGBTQ
PEOPLE AND PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES, ALONG WITH
PRISONERS OF WAR AND POLITICAL
PRISONERS WHO ALSO SUFFERED AND
WERE KILLED WERE MURDERED UNDER
RULE IN CONCENTRATION CAMPS. THE
SCALE OF THE DESTRUCTION IS HARD
TO IMAGINE. 6 MILLION JEWS, 12
MILLION IN TOTAL. IT'S VITAL
THAT WE REMEMBER THESE ARE LIVES
, NOT A NUMBER. EVERY YEAR I AND
OTHERS PARTICIPATE IN READING
NAMES TO COMMEMORATE NOT JUST
PAGES AND PAGES OF NAMES AND
ENTIRE FAMILIES. AND THOSE NAMES
ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. IT'S
NOT JUST A NUMBER. EVERY SINGLE
LIFE THAT WAS TAKEN WAS A MEMBER
OF A COMMUNITY, A FAMILY. IT'S
SOUL CRUSHING. POLAND WAS HOME
TO THE LARGEST JEWISH POPULATION
ON THE PLANET, OTHER THAN THE
UNITED STATES, BEFORE THE
INVASION. 3.3 MILLION JEWS, 10%
OF POLAND'S POPULATION IN THE
SIX YEARS THAT THE NATION'S
JEWISH COMMUNITY WAS OVER A SIX
YEAR PERIOD, POLAND'S JEWISH
COMMUNITY WAS REDUCED FROM 3.3
MILLION JEWS TO A FEW HUNDRED
THOUSAND. IN 1950, THE JEWISH
POPULATION OF POLAND STOOD AT
JUST 45,000, COMPARED TO 3.3
MILLION. TWO THIRDS OF JEWS IN
EUROPE LOST THEIR LIVES IN
LITHUANIA, WHERE PART OF MY
FAMILY CAME FROM. FORTUNATELY,
DECADES BEFORE THE HOLOCAUST OR
I WOULD NOT BE HERE.
APPROXIMATELY 90% OF THE JEWISH
POPULATION WAS EXTERMINATED, AND
SURVIVORS OF THE HOLOCAUST,
PRIMARILY SETTLED IN THE UNITED
STATES AND IN ISRAEL, THOUGH IN
OTHER COUNTRIES AS WELL. BEYOND
THE DEATHS WERE THE HORRORS OF
THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS, THE
CRUELTY THAT WAS SUFFERED FOR
SIMPLE AMUSEMENT, THE DISEASE,
THE FORCED LABOR, THE MEDICAL
EXPERIMENT STATION AND THE
STARVATION. IT'S REALLY EASY
JUST TO DEFAULT INTO THINKING
THIS HORRIFIC THING HAPPENED,
AND IT WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE
TERRIBLE THINGS THAT HAPPENED.
IT JUST SORT OF RANDOMLY
HAPPENED, AND WE NEED TO BE
REALLY, REALLY CRYSTAL CLEAR
THAT ALTHOUGH THE HOLOCAUST
STANDS AT THE VERY EXTREME END
OF THIS INCREDIBLE, OPPRESSION
AND THIS INCREDIBLE AND HORRIFIC
ATTACK AND MASS EXTERMINATION OF
JEWS, IT SITS AT THE FAR END OF
THE HOLOCAUST, DID NOT HAPPEN IN
A VACUUM. THE HOLOCAUST WAS THE
CULMINATION OF THOUSANDS OF
YEARS OF INGRAINED ANTI-SEMITISM
IN EUROPE, NOT ONLY IN EUROPE,
BUT IN THIS CASE IN EUROPE.
MILLENNIA OF MASSACRES OF JEWS.
MY FAMILY CAME TO THE US TO
ESCAPE THE POGROMS IN EASTERN
EUROPE, WHERE THEY WOULD JUST
KILL JEWS AND BURN DOWN VILLAGES
, MASSACRE AND EXPULSIONS. THE
HISTORY OF JEWS IS A HISTORY OF
BEING EXPELLED, WHETHER EXPELLED
FROM ISRAEL BY THE ROMANS,
WHETHER EXPELLED FROM SPAIN OR
PORTUGAL OR ENGLAND, AND OR
WHETHER EXPELLED FROM MIDDLE
EASTERN COUNTRIES LIKE YEMEN.
IT'S A HISTORY OF MASSACRE AND
EXPULSION AND THE HOLOCAUST.
THAT WAS IN SOME WAYS THE
CULMINATION OF THOSE MILLENNIA
OF SOCIETY TOLERATING HATE
AGAINST JEWS, TOLERATING
CONSPIRACY THEORIES AGAINST
JEWS, TOLERATING THE SAME TROPES
THAT WE HEAR TODAY THAT WE HEARD
A THOUSAND YEARS AGO. AND WE
HEAR TODAY THAT JEWS CONTROL
EVERYTHING THAT JEWS ARE TRYING
TO TAKE. EVERYONE'S MONEY, THAT
JEWS ARE TO BLAME FOR ALL OF
SOCIETY'S CITY'S ILLS. THE SAME
TROPES FROM A THOUSAND YEARS AGO
WE STILL HEAR TODAY THE HORRORS
OF THE HOLOCAUST HAVE INFORMED
EVERY JEWS VALUES AND OUR DEEP
SENSE OF JUSTICE, OF THE NEED TO
PROTECT THOSE WHOSE VOICES HAVE
BEEN SUPPRESSED. AS YOU WILL
SEE, MANY OF OUR HONOREES TODAY
ARE EDUCATORS ON THE HOLOCAUST.
THOSE WHO HAVE DONE THE WORK TO
ENSURE THAT THESE LESSONS DO NOT
DIE OUT. COLLEAGUES, THIS YEAR
HAS BEEN A TRYING ONE FOR THE
JEWISH COMMUNITY. ANTI-SEMITISM
WHICH WAS ALREADY ON THE RISE,
IS NOW AT A FEVER PITCH. MANY IN
OUR COMMUNITY NEVER THOUGHT THAT
WE WOULD SEE THIS LEVEL OF HATE
AGAIN. IT'S A PAINFUL REMINDER.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU
COLLEAGUES, SO MANY COLLEAGUES
WHO HAVE STOOD IN SOLIDARITY
WITH US THROUGH THESE DIFFICULT
TIMES. AND THE SPIRIT OF
FOSTERING A GREATER CONNECTION
TO REMEMBERING AND HONORING THE
HOLOCAUST WE'VE PLACED ON YOUR
DESKS A CHILDREN'S BOOK THAT
TELLS A STORY OF A FAMILY THAT
FLED TO AMERICA AND OF THEIR
GRANDMOTHER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO
JOIN THEM IN THAT FLIGHT. IN
ADDITION, YOU WILL SEE A FRAMED
TWEET FROM THE AUSCHWITZ
MEMORIAL, THESE THESE TWEETS
COMMEMORATE EACH OF THEM
COMMEMORATES A VICTIM OF THE
HOLOCAUST WHO SHARES A BIRTHDAY
WITH YOU. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO
REMEMBER THE NAMES OF ALL 6
MILLION WHO DIED AND THE
MILLIONS BEYOND, NOR TO MEET
EVERY SURVIVOR. BUT WE ASK THAT
YOU AT LEAST REMEMBER THIS ONE.
WE HONOR THOSE WHOSE NAMES HAVE
BEEN LOST AND MAY NEVER BE
RECOVERED, AND BEFORE I CLOSE,
PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF
SILENCE AS WE REMEMBER EVERYONE
WHO PERISHED IN THE SHOAH.
THANK YOU. MAY THEIR MEMORY BE A
BLESSING AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR AN AYE VOTE. THANK YOU,
SENATOR WEINER. WE'LL BEGIN WITH
DISCUSSION AND DEBATE ON SCR
135. I SEE MICROPHONES UP FROM
SENATOR MINH AND RUBIO BEGIN
WITH SENATOR MINH. THANK YOU,
MR. PRESIDENT, ON BEHALF OF THE
ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC
ISLANDER LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS, I
RISE IN SUPPORT OF SCR 135 TO
RECOGNIZE YOM HASHOAH AND TO
STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH BOTH
THE JEWISH CAUCUS AND THE JEWISH
COMMUNITY TO RECOGNIZE HOLOCAUST
REMEMBRANCE DAY. EVERY YEAR WE
ACKNOWLEDGE THIS IMPORTANT DAY,
AND I JUST WANT TO REAFFIRM HOW
IMPORTANT THIS IS AT THIS TIME
AND ECHO THE COMMENTS OF MY
COLLEAGUE FROM SAN FRANCISCO, HE
ARTICULATED THE HORRORS OF THAT
EVENT, SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW
CAN NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. AND YET
WE ALSO KNOW THAT IT CAN HAPPEN
AGAIN IF WE FORGET THE LESSONS
THAT WE LEARNED FROM THAT TIME
AND AT A TIME WHEN SO MANY YOUNG
PEOPLE HAVE FORGOTTEN THOSE
LESSONS. I THINK THIS DAY IS
REALLY IMPERATIVE. WE SEE A RISE
IN AUTHORITARIANISM, IN HATE, IN
ANTI-SEMITISM, ALARMING RISES
HERE IN AMERICA AND AROUND THE
WORLD, AND WE MUST DO MORE TO
CONTINUE EDUCATING PEOPLE,
FUTURE GENERATIONS, ABOUT THE
HORRORS OF THE MORE THAN 6
MILLION VICTIMS OF THE
HOLOCAUST, OUR CAUCUS, ASIAN
AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS
KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF STANDING
TOGETHER TO REJECT RACISM,
ETHNIC HATRED, RELIGIOUS
BIGOTRY, AND PREJUDICE TO STOP
THE PROPAGATION OF THESE EVILS,
TO SUPPORT HUMAN RIGHTS, AND TO
ENSURE EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER
THE LAW. I HOPE WE ALL CAN DRAW
INSPIRATION FROM THE RESILIENCE
AND COURAGE OF OUR HOLOCAUST
SURVIVORS IN THE JEWISH
COMMUNITY, WHOSE STORIES SERVE
AS A BEACON OF HOPE IN OUR
PURSUIT OF JUSTICE AND PEACE. I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR
SUPPORT IN SUPPORTING SCR 135.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SENATOR
MANN. I HAVE SENATOR RUBIO,
FOLLOWED BY SENATOR SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS, SENATOR RUBIO, THANK
YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. AND LADIES
AND GENTLEMEN OF THE SENATE
TODAY, I RISE IN STRONG SUPPORT
OF SCR 135 AS A PROUD COAUTHOR
AND AS A MEMBER OF THE
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE JEWISH
CAUCUS AND IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO
SPEAK THIS AFTERNOON ALSO ON
BEHALF OF THE LATINO CAUCUS AND
THE WOMEN'S CAUCUS WAS CANNOT
ADEQUATELY DESCRIBE THE GRAVITY
AND IMPACT OF THE HORRORS THAT
HAPPENED DURING THE HOLOCAUST.
OVER 6 MILLION JEWISH PEOPLE AND
OVER 5 MILLION OTHER PEOPLE WHO
WERE DEEMED RACIALLY INFERIOR
WERE MURDERED AS PART OF A STATE
SANCTIONED EFFORT OF
ANNIHILATION. THE LATINO CAUCUS
AND THE WOMEN'S CAUCUS SPEAK
TODAY WITH ONE VOICE TO REMEMBER
ALL THOSE WHO ARE NO LONGER WITH
US. IN PARTICULAR, WE SPEAK ON
BEHALF OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN
CONCENTRATION CAMPS THAT WERE
OFTEN SUBJECTED TO FORCED LABOR,
SEXUAL COERCION, SEXUAL ASSAULT,
AND EXTERMINATION. TODAY, WE
RECALL NOT ONLY THESE HORRIFIC
ACTS, BUT WE ALSO CELEBRATE THE
COUNTLESS INSTANCES OF BRAVERY,
COMPASSION AND HUMANITY DURING
THOSE DARK TIMES. THE UNIVERSITY
OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S SHOAH
FOUNDATION FOUND BY DIRECTOR
STEVEN SPIELBERG, HOUSES 55,000
AUDIO AND VISUAL TESTIMONIES
ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST, MANY FROM
FIRSTHAND WITNESSES OF THOSE
EVENTS. THESE TESTIMONIES ARE
INVALUABLE RESOURCES FOR
EDUCATORS AND RESEARCHERS,
HELPING TO ENSURE THAT FUTURE
GENERATIONS RECOGNIZE THAT EVEN
IN THE DARKEST MOMENTS, HOPE
PERSISTED. BOTH THE LEGISLATIVE
WOMEN'S CAUCUS AND THE LATINO
LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS STAND IN
SOLIDARITY WITH THE JEWISH
COMMUNITY AND WITH ALL THOSE WHO
SUFFERED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY
DURING THE HOLOCAUST. TODAY, I'M
HAPPY THAT WE ARE HONORING
SURVIVORS AND EDUCATORS AS WE
KNOW THAT EDUCATION IS KEY. THE
PAIN AND SUFFERING OF THAT DARK,
HORRIFIC TIME CAUSED
GENERATIONAL TRAUMA, AND WE MUST
NEVER FORGET WE ARE HERE TO
SHARE WITH THE FAMILIES,
SURVIVING FAMILIES TODAY THAT WE
STAND WITH YOU AND WE SUPPORT
YOU TOGETHER. WE COMMIT TO
REMEMBERING OUR HISTORY THROUGH
EDUCATION, UNDER STANDING, AND
WE NEED TO STAY VIGILANT. I URGE
AND I VOTE THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
SENATOR RUBIO. NEXT UP IS
SENATOR SMALLWOOD CUEVAS,
FOLLOWED BY SENATORS PADILLA
GROVE AND JONES. SENATOR
SMALLWOOD CUEVAS. THANK YOU, MR.
PRESIDENT, AND GOOD AFTERNOON,
COLLEAGUES. AND I RISE ON BEHALF
OF THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE
BLACK CAUCUS IN SUPPORT OF SCR
135 THAT OBSERVES YOM HASHOAH
HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY AS WE
RECOGNIZE YOM HASHOAH AND THE
MILLIONS OF LIVES OF AND THE
MILLIONS OF LIVES, PARTICULARLY
OUR JEWISH LOVED ONES WHO WERE
BRUTALLY MURDERED IN THE
HOLOCAUST, WE MUST NEVER FORGET
THE PROFOUND LESSONS LEARNED
FROM THIS EVIL ACT OF GENOCIDE
AND STAND UNITED AGAINST ALL
FORMS OF HATRED AND BIGOTRY AS A
BLACK WOMAN WHOSE ANCESTORS WERE
ENSLAVED IN THIS COUNTRY, I'M
DEEPLY AWARE OF THE PARALLELS
BETWEEN THE HOLOCAUST AND
HISTORIC STRUGGLES OF BLACK
AMERICANS AND OUR TWO
COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE STOOD
TOGETHER FOR GENERATIONS FOR
JUSTICE IN THIS COUNTRY. A
RELATIONSHIP THAT WILL AND MUST
CONTINUE IN THIS 21ST CENTURY
AND INTO THE FUTURE. JUST AS THE
JEWISH PEOPLE EXPERIENCED
HORRIFIC VIOLENCE AND
PERSECUTION IN GERMANY, BLACK
PEOPLE HAVE ENDURED THE HORRORS
OF SLAVERY, RACIAL TERROR,
OPPRESSION, AND SYSTEMIC RACISM
IN AMERICA. IN FACT, IT WAS THE
AMERICAN PRACTICES OF RACISM
OPPRES, THÀNH, AND RACIALIZED
TERROR THAT BECAME A MODEL FOR
THE PARTY. THE PARTY TRAVELED TO
THE AMERICAN SOUTH TO BETTER
LEARN HOW TO RUN A NATION WITH A
LEGALIZED SYSTEM OF OPPRESSION,
WITH THE GOAL OF GENOCIDE. IN
THE LATE 19TH CENTURY AND 20TH
CENTURY, AMERICA LED THE WORLD
IN RACE BASED LAWMAKING,
ESSENTIALLY LEGALIZING WHITE
SUPREMACY, NATIONALISM, AND IN
THE DEHUMANIZATION OF BLACK
PEOPLE SHOWING TO THE WORLD HOW
HATE CAN BE EXPORTED. US
CONGRESS PASSED IMMIGRATION LAWS
THAT GUARANTEED THE ENTRANCE OF
IMMIGRANTS, PREDOMINANTLY FROM
NORTHERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES,
WHILE LARGELY BANNING WHAT
AMERICANS AT THE TIME DEEMED
UNDESIRABLES LIKE JEWS AND
ASIANS AND IMMIGRANTS OF ETHNIC
DESCENT. THANKS TO THE BLACK
FREEDOM STRUGGLE LED IN DEEP
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE JEWISH
COMMUNITY, THESE
ANTI-IMMIGRATION LAWS WERE
EVENTUALLY REVERSED AS PART OF
THE 1965 CIVIL RIGHTS ACT.
EXCUSE ME, 64 CIVIL RIGHTS ACT.
MEANWHILE, JIM CROW SEGREGATION
THAT HAD DOMINATED MUCH OF THE
SOUTH, THE NORTH, AND NOW WE
KNOW CALIFORNIA HAD ESTABLISHED
LAWS THAT DENIED BLACK AMERICANS
THEIR RIGHTS AND CREATED A
SYSTEM OF DIVISION THAT OUR
COMMUNITIES CONTINUE TODAY.
THESE LESSONS LEARNED OF THE
HOLOCAUST HELP US UNDERSTAND
THAT IF WE DON'T LEARN FROM OUR
HISTORY, WE ARE BOUND TO REPEAT
IT. AND WE HAVE TO KNOW AS MY
GOOD COLLEAGUE FROM ORANGE
COUNTY SAID, THAT WE ARE IN A
MOMENT OUT OF AN AUTHORITARIAN
RULE THAT IS PROPONENT, THAT IS
PERPETUATING HATE AND PUT SO
MANY OF OUR FAMILIES IN DANGER.
WE ONLY NEED TO LOOK THAT AFTER
HITLER TOOK POWER IN 1933, THAT
THE USED RACE BASED
PSEUDOSCIENCE AND EUGENICS TO
JUSTIFY THEIR PERSECUTION OF THE
JEWS, THE NUREMBERG LAWS THAT
DEPRIVE JEWS OF THEIR HUMAN
RIGHTS WERE TAKEN FROM THE ONE
DROP RULE USED AGAINST BLACK
PEOPLE IN AMERICA. HISTORIC
ACCOUNTS LIKE THESE REMIND US
THAT WE MUST ALWAYS FIGHT
AGAINST BIGOTRY. WE MUST ALWAYS
STAND AGAINST OPPRESSION. WE
MUST ALWAYS DENOUNCE VIOLENCE TO
ENSURE THAT ATROCITIES NEVER
HAPPEN AGAIN. AND DECADES LATER
IN THE 20TH CENTURY, BLACK AND
JEWISH COMMUNITIES IN THE U.S.
CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER,
WHETHER IN FIGHTING AGAINST
TERRORIZING HATE, RECOGNIZING
THAT THAT IS THE SOLE FOUNDATION
FOR HOPE, THE HOPE FOR A SOCIETY
OF BELONGING, A HOPE FOR SOCIETY
THAT IS TRULY FREE, AND FOR A
JUSTICE THAT COVERS ALL OF US.
NO MATTER YOUR RELIGION, NO
MATTER YOUR RACE OR CREED.
TODAY, IN THE 21ST CENTURY, WE
HAVE TO LEAN IN TO THE LESSONS
OF THE PAST. WE HAVE TO HAVE THE
MORAL COURAGE TO TRANSFORM OUR
PAIN INTO PEACE AND TO TURN
BOMBS INTO TOOLS OF HUMANITARIAN
THAT BUILD OUR COMMUNITIES OF
BROTHER AND SISTERHOOD. AND
THAT'S WHY ANY ACTS OF BLOODSHED
AND GENOCIDE, MANY OF LIKE THE
ONES THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING
AROUND THE WORLD, MUST NOT BE
IGNORED. THE TERRIBLE TRAGEDY
AND PAIN OF OCTOBER 7TH SHOULD
NEVER BE FORGOTTEN, AND MAY THE
MEMORY OF THE LOVED ONES WHO ARE
WITH US TODAY FROM THE HOLOCAUST
INSPIRE US TO STRIVE FOR A WORLD
WHERE PEACE PREVAILS FOR THE
SAKE OF ALL OF OUR GENERATIONS
TO COME. AS WE RECOGNIZE
HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY, LET
IT SERVE AS A BEACON TO GUIDE US
TOWARD A FUTURE OF GREATER
COMPASSION, INCLUSION,
TOLERANCE, AND MOST OF ALL,
LOVE. THANK YOU, AND I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU, SENATOR
SMALLWOOD. RIVAS. NEXT UP,
SENATOR PADILLA. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, MR. PRESIDENT. I RISE
TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE LGBTQ
CAUCUS IN SUPPORT OF SCR 135,
CALIFORNIA HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL
DAY. TODAY, AS HAS BEEN SAID
MANY TIMES AND COULD NEVER BE
SAID ENOUGH. WE REMEMBER THOSE
WHO LOST THEIR LIVES DURING THE
HOLOCAUST AND HONOR THOSE WHO
SURVIVED THIS HEINOUS
UNPRECEDENT AND TRAGIC ATTEMPT
AT EXTERMINATION, ALONG WITH OUR
JEWISH MEMBERS OF OUR HUMAN
FAMILY, WHO, IT MUST BE SAID,
AND NEVER FORGOTTEN, WERE THE
FOCUS OF THE HOLOCAUST AND WHO
HAVE ENDURED MILLENNIA OF
SYSTEMATIC OPPRESSION AND
DISPLACEMENT. OTHERS WERE ALSO
TARGETED AND PERSECUTED IN THAT
TERRIBLE TIME, INCLUDING THE
LGBTQ COMMUNITY. IN THE 20TH
CENTURY, HITLER AND THE PARTY
TARGETED GAY MEN BECAUSE THEY
BELIEVED THEY WERE, QUOTE, UNFIT
TO DEFEND THE NATION IN COMBAT
AND WOULD DIMINISH GERMAN
REPRODUCTIVE POTENTIAL. END
QUOTE. IN CONCENTRATION CAMPS,
LGBTQ INMATES WERE KEPT IN
SEPARATE FACILITIES FOR FEAR
THAT HOMOSEXUALITY WOULD SPREAD
TO OTHER PRISONERS. RUDOLF
BRAZDA WAS ONE SUCH SURVIVOR. HE
WAS INTERNED IN BUCHENWALD AS
PINK TRIANGLE NUMBER 7952 UNTIL
HIS LIBERATION BY US FORCES IN
1945. BEFORE HIS PASSING IN
2011. BRAZDA WAS THE LAST KNOWN
CONCENTRATION CAMP SURVIVOR TO
WEAR THE PINK TRIANGLE, THE
EMBLEM HOMOSEXUALS HAD TO WEAR
IN THE HOLOCAUST. THE LGBTQ
EQUIVALENT OF THE YELLOW JEWISH
STAR. WHILE HE MADE IT A POINT
TO SHARE HIS STORY, THE STORY OF
LGBTQ VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF
THE HOLOCAUST IS OFTEN OMITTED
FROM ALL HOLOCAUST LITERATURE
AND EDUCATION. IN FACT, IT WAS
NOT UNTIL 2002, IN THE EARLY
21ST CENTURY, THAT GERMANY
ACKNOWLEDGED AND APOLOGIZED FOR
THE HORRORS PERPETRATED BY THE
TARGETING THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.
TODAY, WE MUST SPREAD AWARENESS
OF RUDOLF'S STORY AND MANY
OTHERS LIKE HIS AND WE MUST ALSO
SHARE THIS SAD CONNECTION TO OUR
JEWISH BRETHREN PERSECUTED IN
THE HOLOCAUST, ESPECIALLY THOSE
WHOSE NAMES, FACES AND STORIES
WE WILL NEVER KNOW. IN THAT
SPIRIT, WE RECLAIM AND LIFT UP
THE PINK TRIANGLE AS A SYMBOL OF
PERSEVERANCE AND AS A SYMBOL OF
SOLIDARITY WITH THE JEWISH
COMMUNITY. AS WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE
HOLOCAUST AT THIS TIME IN
HISTORY, WE MUST ALSO RECOGNIZE
THAT HATE AND ANTI-SEMITISM IS
STILL TOO MUCH ALIVE AND PRESENT
IN OUR MODERN DAY SOCIETY, AND
ABOVE ALL, WE MUST CONTINUE TO
STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH OTHER
MINORITY COMMUNITIES TO
COLLECTIVELY FIGHT AGAINST
ANYONE WHO CLAIMS THEIR IDENTITY
AS SUPREME AND FOR A FREE,
EQUITABLE AND SAFE SOCIETY AND
WORLD FOR ALL. WITH THAT, I
WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN
AYE VOTE. THANK YOU, SENATOR
PADILLA. SENATOR GROVE, YOU'RE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MR.
PRESIDENT. I TOO, RISE IN
SUPPORT OF SCR 135. BETWEEN 1941
AND 1945, GERMANY AND ITS
COLLABORATORS SYSTEMATICALLY
KILLED 6 MILLION JEWS, TWO
THIRDS OF THE EUROPEAN JEWISH
POPULATION. MY FATHER IS
ESTRANGED AS OUR RELATIONSHIP
WAS WAS A MEDIC THAT SERVED OVER
IN GERMANY AND WAS ASSIGNED TO
AUSCHWITZ, I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE
WHAT HE WITNESSED. BUT I CAN
TELL YOU THAT WHAT HE WITNESSED
AS A YOUNG 21 YEAR OLD MEDIC IN
WORLD WAR TWO HAUNTED HIM UNTIL
HIS DEATH. I CAN ALSO TELL YOU
THAT MY HUSBAND AND I TOOK A
TRIP TO EUROPE, AND ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT THE ORGANIZATION WE
WENT WITH TOOK US TO POLAND, AND
WE WENT TO BIRKENAU, AND WE
STOOD ON THE TRACKS WHERE THE
TRAINS DROPPED HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS, IF NOT MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE OFF YOUNG FAMILIES, MOMS,
DADS, GRANDMAS, GRANDPAS,
CHILDREN. WE WALKED DOWN THE
TRAIN TRACKS AND WE WENT, THE
TOUR ACTUALLY TOOK US ON THE
SAME ROUTE THAT THEY WERE TAKEN
FROM WHEN THEY OFFLOADED THEM
OFF THE TRAINS AND THE FIRST
ROOM THAT YOU WENT INTO WITH ALL
THE GLASS SO THAT YOU COULD SEE
WHAT THE ROOM ACTUALLY LOOKED
LIKE AT THAT TIME, OR AS
DEPICTED AS, AS GOOD AS AS WELL
AS POSSIBLE AT THAT TIME WAS
LUGGAGE AND PERSONAL BELONGINGS,
DISHES, HOUSEHOLD THINGS.
SUITCASES. AND THEN THE SECOND
ROOM YOU WENT TO WAS HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF PAIRS OF SHOES,
ADULT SHOES, CHILDREN'S SHOES,
WORN OUT SHOES, BOOTS JUST
STACKED ALL THE WAY TO THE
CEILING. THEN THE NEXT ROOM THAT
YOU WENT INTO WAS HUMAN HAIR,
WHERE THEY SHAVED EVERYBODY'S
HEAD. YOU SAW LONG BLOND HAIR,
LONG, DARK HAIR. YOU SAW HAIR
THAT WAS EVIDENT AS JUST
SHAVINGS FROM MEN'S SCALPS. THEN
YOU SAW HAIR THAT WAS PUT
TOGETHER WITH LITTLE PONYTAILS
OR BRAIDS WHERE THEY ALSO SHAVED
CHILDREN'S HAIR. I WANT TO TELL
YOU COLLEAGUES THAT, THE NEXT
TWO ROOMS THAT I WENT INTO WERE
JUST HORRIFIC. AND I CAN TELL
YOU THAT GOING BACK TO THE HOTEL
THAT NIGHT, I DON'T EVEN THINK
MY HUSBAND AND I SAID TWO WORDS
TO EACH OTHER. WE JUST WENT TO
BED BECAUSE IT WAS SO IMPACTFUL
TO THINK THAT ATROCITIES LIKE
THAT COULD BE COMMITTED AGAINST
ANOTHER HUMAN BEING. SO I STAND
IN SUPPORT OF SCR 35, AND I
REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT THIS
RESOLUTION IS MORE IMPORTANT
THAN EVER. IN LIGHT OF THE
ANTI-SEMITIC PROTESTS ON COLLEGE
CAMPUSES, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL
MONTHS, THE HATRED TOWARDS
JEWISH STUDENTS AND THE CHANCE
OF GENOCIDE ARE ALL OUTRAGEOUS
ACTIONS. OUR JEWISH STUDENTS AND
FACULTY AND MEMBERS, THEY DON'T
FEEL SAFE ON THE COLLEGE
CAMPUSES ANYMORE, AND IT'S A
MORAL FAILURE OF OUR SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATORS AND OUR OWN
FAILURE IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING
ABOUT IT. THIS HATE SPEECH
SHOULD NOT. IT'S HATE SPEECH AND
IT SHOULD BE CALLED OUT AS SUCH.
WHY AREN'T WE ORDERING THESE
COLLEGE UNIVERSITY LEADERS TO
OUR COMMITTEE ROOMS AND
DEMANDING THEM EXPLAIN THEIR
TOLERANCE ON THE EVENTS THAT ARE
CHANTS GOING ON ON THEIR
CAMPUSES ABOUT MURDER AND
HARASSMENT? IF YOU THINK I'M
BEING DRAMATIC, I'M NOT JUST TWO
WEEKS AGO, A PRO-HAMAS PROTESTOR
THREATENED TO MURDER THE
BAKERSFIELD CITY COUNCIL. ONE OF
MY MAIN CITIES. SHE WAS ARRESTED
, PUT IN JAIL, AND GOT OUT ON $1
MILLION BAIL. THAT PERSON IS
BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR HER
ACCUSATIONS AND HER THREATS. WHY
AREN'T WE DOING THE SAME FOR
THOSE THAT ARE THREATENING TO
KILL OUR JEWISH STUDENTS AND
FACULTY, THEY'RE CALLING FOR
THEIR MURDER, AND WE'RE STANDING
BY AND DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT.
ON OCTOBER 7TH, JEWISH PEOPLE
WERE ATTACKED, KILLED, RAPED,
KIDNAPED, AND BEATEN, AND SOME
ARE STILL HOSTAGES JUST BECAUSE
THEY'RE JEWISH. THAT'S IT. JUST
BECAUSE THEY'RE JEWISH MOTHERS,
FATHERS, CHILDREN, BABIES. THERE
WAS NO DISCRIMINATION IN AGE OR
ANYTHING. AGAIN, ATTACKED AND
BEATEN AND MURDERED AND
KIDNAPED. RAPED. JUST BECAUSE OF
THEIR RELIGION. IF LEARNING
ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST IS NOT
REQUIRED OF EACH STUDENT IN THIS
STATE, IT ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE
BECAUSE OF THE PROFOUND
IGNORANCE AND HATRED COMING FROM
THESE STUDENT PROTESTS ARE
SHOCKING IN SO MUCH SO IN WHAT
WE CALL A PROGRESSIVE STATE. I
WANT TO THANK THE SENATOR FROM
SAN FRANCISCO, WHO'S BEEN A
VOCAL ON THIS SUBJECT MATTER,
WHO'S BEEN VERY VOCAL AND IN HIS
OWN RIGHT. HE'S RECEIVED MANY
VILE THREATS AGAINST HIM BECAUSE
OF IT. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE
JEWISH LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS FOR
THIS. FRAMED PHOTOGRAPH. IF YOU
DIDN'T REALIZE THEY'RE ALL DATED
FOR THE BIRTHDAY OF YOUR
BIRTHDAY. SO MINE IN PARTICULAR,
MY BIRTHDAY IS MARCH 8TH, MARCH
18TH, AND THIS IS A PHOTO OF
EDITH MUELLER, WHO WAS ALSO BORN
ON MARCH 18TH. SO CHERISH THAT.
PUT IT IN YOUR OFFICE. I
STRONGLY SUPPORT, AND URGE YOU
ALL TO AN I VOTE ON SCR 135 AND
MAY THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC,
AND JACOB DIVINELY PROTECT HIS
PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HIS PEOPLE
SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME.
THANK YOU, SENATOR GROVE.
SENATOR JONES. THANK YOU, MR.
PRESIDENT, AND SENATORS AND
GUESTS. I ARISE ARISE ALSO TO
SUPPORT STRONGLY SCR 135
PROCLAIMING MAY 6TH AS
CALIFORNIA HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL
DAY. AS YOU HAVE HEARD IN THE
PAST, MY SHARE, MY EXPERIENCE
VISITING THE HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL
DISPLAY TRAVELING DISPLAY AT THE
SAN DIEGO COUNTY, DEL MAR FAIR,
ONE YEAR, OBVIOUSLY, MY STORIES
DON'T COME CLOSE TO THE
EXPERIENCES THAT OUR PREVIOUS
SENATOR SHARED. ACTUALLY BEING
THERE. BUT IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN
THERE AND YOU HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE TRAVELING
DISPLAY WHEREVER YOU MAY BE WHEN
IT'S ON DISPLAY, I WOULD
STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO
THAT THIS YEAR. HOLOCAUST
MEMORIAL DAY CARRIES AN EVEN
DEEPER RESONANCE FOR MANY OF US
HERE ON THE FLOOR TODAY, AS WE
ALL KNOW, AFTER THE HORRIFIC
OCTOBER 7TH TERRORIST ATTACK
PERPETRATED BY HAMAS ON INNOCENT
ISRAEL, ISRAELI CIVILIANS,
ANTI-SEMITISM ACROSS CALIFORNIA,
THE US AND THE WORLD HAS
SKYROCKETED. JUST LAST WEEK, WE
SAW STARK EXAMPLES OF
ANTI-SEMITISM ON COLLEGE
CAMPUSES IN THIS COUNTRY THAT
ARE REMINISCENT OF THE DARK DAYS
OF GERMANY. JEWISH STUDENTS
FACED HARASSMENT AND WERE BARRED
FROM CAMPUS, WHILE CAUSE FOR
DEATH OF JEWS ECHOED THROUGH THE
HALLS, CAUSING MANY OF OUR
INSTITUTES OF HIGHER EDUCATION
IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
TO ACTUALLY CANCEL THEIR
GRADUATIONS. SENATORS AND
GUESTS, THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A
MINUTE, THAT THE ANTI-SEMITISM
HAS GROWN SO SEVERE IN THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THAT
OUR HIGHER THAT OUR COLLEGES,
OUR UNIVERSITIES THAT ARE
REVERED ACROSS THE WORLD ARE
ACTUALLY HAVING A CANCEL
GRADUATION CEREMONIES. NEARLY
100 JEWISH SYNAGOGUES IN
CALIFORNIA HAVE RECEIVED BOMB
THREATS THIS YEAR ALONE. WHILE
ANTI-SEMITISM IS BECOMING MORE
PREVALENT SINCE OCTOBER SEVENTH,
IT'S BEEN GROWING IN OUR
COMMUNITIES FOR YEARS. JUST A
FEW DAYS AGO, IN SAN DIEGO
COUNTY, WE REMEMBERED THE FIFTH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE POWAY
SYNAGOGUE SHOOTINGS IN MY
DISTRICT, FOUR INNOCENT PEOPLE
WERE SHOT THAT DAY. AN UNCLE AND
A NIECE, A RABBI SHOT IN THE
HAND TRYING TO CARE FOR HIS
FLOCK. AND LORI GILBERT KAYE
LOST HER LIFE. I AM SICKENED TO
SEE SUCH BLATANT ANTI CINEMATIC
BEHAVIOR IN MODERN AMERICA THAT
SHOOTING THAT DAY. FORTUNATELY
AND THANK GOD, WAS STOPPED BY AN
OFF DUTY US BORDER PATROL
OFFICER THAT HAPPENED TO BE IN
THE SYNAGOGUE THAT DAY. WHILE
THOSE FOUR LIVES WERE IMPACTED
FOREVER, HUNDREDS OF OTHER AND
THOUSANDS, MANY MORE LIVES WERE
IMPACTED BY THAT DAY AS WELL.
SENATORS NOW MORE THAN EVER, WE
MUST SEND A STRONG MESSAGE THAT
HATE HAS NO PLACE IN OUR COUNTRY
. MANY USE THE PHRASE NEVER
AGAIN. WHEN REFERRING TO THE
HOLOCAUST, SERVING AS A SOLEMN
PROMISE TO PREVENT THE
RECURRENCE OF SUCH ATROCITIES.
COLLEAGUES, NEVER AGAIN IS NOW.
NOW IS THE TIME TO STAND FIRM
AND CONDEMN EVERY MANIFESTATION
OF ANTI-SEMITISM IN ALL ITS
INSIDIOUS FORMS. THEY SAY THOSE
WHO CANNOT REMEMBER THE PAST ARE
CONDEMNED TO REPEAT IT. LESS
THAN HALF OF AMERICANS KNOW THAT
6 MILLION JEWS WERE MURDERED
DURING THE HOLOCAUST. LESS THAN
HALF OF AMERICANS. THE NUMBERS
ARE EVEN WORSE AMONG MILLENNIALS
AND GEN Z. IT IS UP TO EACH OF
US TO HELP EDUCATE THE NEXT
GENERATION AND I ALSO WANT TO
THANK THE JEWISH CAUCUS FOR ALL
OF THE PRESENTATIONS TODAY, AND
MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS AN
ANNUAL REMEMBRANCE THAT THIS
BODY TAKES UP EVERY YEAR,
BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU, BEFORE I
GOT ELECTED TO THE LEGISLATURE,
I DIDN'T HAVE A FULL
UNDERSTANDING OF THIS. AND IT'S
THANKS TO THIS BODY AND THE
JEWISH CAUCUS THAT HAVE
REAFFIRMED THE IMPORTANCE TO ME
THAT WE NEVER FORGET AND NEVER
AGAIN. THEREFORE, ON THIS
HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY, I
CHALLENGE EACH OF US TO TAKE A
MOMENT TO EDUCATE OURSELVES
ABOUT THE HORRORS OF THE PAST SO
THAT WE MAY WORK TOWARDS
ENSURING NEVER AGAIN REMAINS AN
UNWAVERING TRUTH. LET US HONOR
THE MEMORY OF 6 MILLION JEWS WHO
PERISHED IN THE HOLOCAUST BY
COMMITTING OURSELVES TO CREATING
A WORLD FREE OF HATRED, WHERE
THE LIGHT OF TOLERANCE AND
UNDERSTANDING GUIDES OUR PATH
FORWARD. I ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE
ON SCR 135. THANK YOU, SENATOR
JONES. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
MEMBERS SEEING NONE, SENATOR
WIENER, YOU MAY CLOSE THE
DEBATE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR.
PRESIDENT. COLLEAGUES, THANK YOU
FOR THE REALLY POWERFUL WORDS
TODAY. I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN
AYE VOTE. SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL. ALAN. AYE. ALVARADO
GIL. ARCHULETA. AYE. ASHBY
ATKINS. AYE. BECKER. AYE BLAKE.
SPEER. AYE. BRADFORD. AYE.
CABALLERO AYE. CORTEZ. AYE.
DALLI AYE. DODD. AYE. DURAZZO.
AYE. EGGMAN AYE. GLAZER. AYE.
GONZALEZ GROVE. AYE. HURTADO.
AYE JONES. AYE. LAIRD. AYE.
LEMON MCGUIRE. MENGIBAR I MEAN
AYE. NEWMAN. AYE WHEN? AYE.
NILO. AYE. OCHOA BORG. AYE.
PADILLA. AYE PORTANTINO. AYE.
ROTH. AYE RUBIO. AYE. CIERTO
SKINNER. AYE. SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS
AYE. STERN. UMBERG. AYE WAHAB.
WIENER. AYE. WILK AYE. PLEASE
CALL THE ABSENT MEMBERS.
ALVARADO. GILL. AYE. ASHBY
GONZALEZ. LIMON MCGUIRE. CIERTO.
STERN WAHAB. ON A VOTE OF 33 TO
0, THE RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.
MEMBERS, WE ARE JOINED TODAY BY
SOME SPECIAL GUESTS WE HAVE
RETURNING HERE TO THE SENATE.
LET US RECOGNIZE SENATOR ALAN
LOWENTHAL. SENATOR MARTY BLOCK,
SENATOR HANNAH-BETH JACKSON,
SENATOR ROBERT HERTZBERG.
WE ARE ALSO JOINED BY SOME
SPECIAL GUESTS, FORMER ASSEMBLY
MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE IN THE
HOUSE. LET'S RECOGNIZE ASSEMBLY
MEMBER BOB BLUMENFIELD. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER MIKE FEUER. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER JOHN PEREZ. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER BONNIE LOWENTHAL.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER MARK LEVINE.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER ADRIAN NAZARIAN
AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER JOSE MEDINA.
WELCOME TO THE SENATE. WE ARE
NOW GOING TO RECOGNIZE SENATOR
WIENER, WHO IS GOING TO
INTRODUCE SURVIVORS AND
SURVIVORS, DESCENDANTS OF THE
HOLOCAUST, RECOGNIZING THE
CALIFORNIA HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL
DAY AND THE JEWISH CAUCUSES. YOM
HASHOAH FLOOR CEREMONY. SENATOR
WIENER, FROM THE MAJORITY
LEADER'S DESK. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, MR. PRESIDENT. COLLEAGUES,
WE'RE RECOGNIZING A NUMBER OF
GREAT LEADERS AND EDUCATORS
TODAY. AND FIRST, I HAVE THE
HONOR OF PRESENTING TO YOU OUR
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC
INSTRUCTION, TONY THURMOND. TONY
THURMOND HAS BEEN A LONG TIME
SUPPORTER OF HOLOCAUST EDUCATION
AND AN ALLY TO THE JEWISH
COMMUNITY. AS SUPERINTENDENT OF
PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, HE'S LED THE
CHARGE IN ENSURING THAT ALL OF
CALIFORNIA'S YOUTH ARE LEARNING
COMPREHENSIVE HOLOCAUST
EDUCATION, OF COURSE, WE ALL OR
MANY OF US SERVED WITH TONY AND
THE LEGISLATURE, AND WE'RE CLOSE
AND WE'RE CLOSELY WITH HIM IN
HIS ROLE AS SUPERINTENDENT. BUT
HE IS AN ALUMNUS MEMBER OF OUR
LEGISLATIVE JEWISH CAUCUS AND A
CONSTANT ALLY TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AS CO-CHAIR OF THE GOVERNOR'S
COUNCIL ON HOLOCAUST AND
GENOCIDE EDUCATION THÀNH, HE HAS
DONE THE HARD WORK TO ENSURE
THAT CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS ARE
MEETING THEIR OBLIGATIONS TO
TEACH OUR STUDENTS ABOUT THE
PAST. I SERVE ON THIS COUNCIL
AND HAVE WATCHED THE CARE AND
THOUGHTFULNESS THAT HE BRINGS TO
THESE INCREDIBLY IMPACTFUL
DISCUSSIONS AT THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, TONY
HAS LAUNCHED AN ORAL HISTORY
SPEAKER SERIES FOR HOLOCAUST
SURVIVORS. WE KNOW THAT TODAY'S
YOUTH WILL BE THE LAST
GENERATION TO MEET SURVIVORS OF
THE HOLOCAUST, AND THIS PROGRAM
WORKS WITH SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL
DISTRICTS TO ENSURE THAT WE DO
NOT MISS THIS MOMENT IN HISTORY.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN THANKING AND
WELCOMING SUPERINTENDENT OF
PUBLIC INSTRUCTION TONY THURMOND
.
MEMBERS. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE
INDIVIDUAL PICTURES, AND THEN
WE'LL INVITE ALL MEMBERS OF THE
SENATE TO JOIN A GROUP PHOTO AT
THE END.
OF. SENATOR BECKER. THE FLOOR IS
YOURS. I THANK YOU, MEMBERS, AND
I'LL MENTION THAT THAT MY FAMILY
ALSO ESCAPED POGROMS. AND MY
GRANDFATHER COMING HERE WAS 14,
BUT NOT ALL OF HIS FAMILY WAS
WAS SO FORTUNATE. TODAY, I HAVE
THE GREAT HONOR OF PRESENTING
LEAH FENSTER WILLIAMS WELLS, WHO
LIVES IN MY DISTRICT IN PALO
ALTO. LEAH IS A HOLOCAUST
SURVIVOR BORN IN BERLIN IN 1938.
FOLLOWING THE HARROWING EVENTS
OF KRISTALLNACHT, WHICH WAS THE
BREAKING OF THE GLASS OF THE
DESTROYING OF JEWISH HOMES AND
BUSINESSES, LEAH AND HER FAMILY
FLED THEIR HOMELAND, SECURING
PASSAGE FROM GENOA, ITALY, TO
SHANGHAI, CHINA. THEY LIVED IN A
REFUGEE CAMP KNOWN AS THE
COMMUNAL ASSOCIATION OF CENTRAL
EUROPEAN JEWS IN SHANGHAI FOR
APPROXIMATELY TEN YEARS. LEAH'S
GRANDPARENTS AND THEIR FAMILY
CHOSE TO STAY IN BERLIN AND
SUFFERED A TREMENDOUS LOSSES AS
SADLY, MOST OF THEM DIED DURING
THE HOLOCAUST, GETTING FOUND
WHILE HIDING AND TAKEN TO
CONCENTRATION CAMPS. LEAH'S AUNT
LYDIA WAS IN AUSCHWITZ FOR
APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR. SHE
SURVIVED THE DEATH MARCH AND
LIVED UNDERNEATH BODIES FOR DAYS
UNTIL A SOLDIER SAW HER AND
MIRACULOUSLY HELPED HER ESCAPE.
WE'RE JUST SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE
LEAH HERE WITH US TODAY TO BE
THAT LIVING HISTORY FOR ALL OF
US. I WANT TO THANK HER
DAUGHTER, WENDY, AND WE HAVE THE
WHOLE FAMILY FOR GENERATIONS
WITH US EARLIER. PLEASE JOIN ME
IN HONORING LEAH
.
SEN. WIENER. THANK YOU, MR.
PRESIDENT. COLLEAGUES OUR NEXT
HONOREE UNFORTUNATELY WOKE UP
ILL THIS MORNING. SO SHE IS HERE
IN SPIRIT, AND SHE IS TRULY A
FORCE. AND SO WE MISS HER.
DOCTOR ANITA FRIEDMAN IS WIDELY
ACCLAIMED FOR HER EXPERTISE ON
HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE
EDUCATION. LIKE SUPERINTENDENT
THURMAN, SHE'S A CO-CHAIR OF THE
GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL ON HOLOCAUST
AND GENOCIDE EDUCATION. IN
ADDITION, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I
DIDN'T MENTION THAT SHE IS A
CHAMPION WHO SPEARHEADED THE
CREATION OF THE COUNCIL. SHE'S
ALSO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
JEWISH FAMILY AND CHILDREN'S
SERVICES OF SAN FRANCISCO, THE
PENINSULA, MARIN AND SONOMA
COUNTIES, WHICH PROVIDES
CRITICAL SERVICES TO HOLOCAUST
SURVIVORS, OPERATES THE JFCS
HOLOCAUST CENTER, A CRITICAL
EDUCATION RESOURCE AND ARCHIVE.
SHE ALSO AND ALSO OVERSEES THE
CALIFORNIA TEACHERS COLLABORATE
FOR HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE
EDUCATION. SHE'S THE EDITOR OF
RIFKA'S DIARY, NOW TRANSLATED
INTO 15 LANGUAGES AND THE
SUBJECT OF A FORTHCOMING FILM,
AND SHE'S ALSO CURRENTLY A
MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF
COUNCILORS OF THE USC SHOAH
FOUNDATION. SO THANK YOU, DOCTOR
ANITA FRIEDMAN. SENATOR ALLEN,
THANK YOU. MEMBERS. AS WAS
MENTIONED BY OUR, BY THE GOOD
SENATOR FROM SAN FRANCISCO, SO
MANY WE WERE LOSING SO MANY
SURVIVORS, IT THIS THIS WHOLE
EVENT IS GETTING SMALLER AND
SMALLER EVERY YEAR SINCE I'VE
SINCE WE WERE INVOLVED WITH THIS
IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE JEWISH
CAUCUS, WE WANTED TO TAKE A
MOMENT TO CELEBRATE SOMEBODY
WHO'S BEAUTIFUL PHOTOGRAPH IS IN
YOUR BOOKLETS. HER NAME IS MARY
BAUER, AND SHE'S A 96, SHE
WANTED TO COME UP, BUT SHE JUST
ULTIMATELY WAS WASN'T WELL
ENOUGH TO COME UP FOR THE
CEREMONY. SHE LIVES DOWN IN LOS
ANGELES, BUT SHE IS. SHE'S
WATCHING TODAY'S CEREMONY
VIRTUALLY. SHE WAS BORN IN 1927,
IN BUDAPEST, HUNGARY. SHE WAS AN
ONLY CHILD, YET SHE NEVER FELT
ALONE BECAUSE OF THE CLOSENESS
OF HER EXTENDED FAMILY. UNTIL
HER TEENAGE YEARS, SHE LIVED A
HAPPY AND WELL TO DO LIFE,
FOCUSED ON HER SCHOOLING AND THE
SIMPLE JOYS OF YOUTH, AND
LARGELY INSULATED FROM THE
HORRORS UNFOLDING ACROSS GERM.
IN OCCUPIED EUROPE, HOWEVER, THE
RISE OF GERMANY LED TO
EXCEEDINGLY LIMITING ANTI-JEWISH
LAWS AND MEASURES IN HUNGARY,
AND THEY WORSENED WHEN FORCES
OCCUPIED HER HOMETOWN OF
BUDAPEST IN 1944, WHEN SHE WAS
JUST 16 YEARS OLD, HER FATHER
WAS SUDDENLY TAKEN BY SOLDIERS
AND WAS NEVER SEEN AGAIN.
SHORTLY THEREAFTER, EVEN AS
ALLIED FORCES LANDED ON THE
BEACHES OF NORMANDY AND GERMANY,
THEIR DAYS BECAME NUMBERED. MARY
HER MOTHER, HER GRANDPARENTS,
ALONG WITH NEARLY 450,000
HUNGARIAN JEWS, WERE DEPORTED TO
AUSCHWITZ WITHOUT NOTICE. ONE OF
THE WILDEST THINGS ABOUT THIS
WHOLE STORY IS THAT THE GERMAN
MACHINE WAS SO FOCUSED ON
KILLING AS MANY JEWS AS
POSSIBLE, THAT THEY WOULD TAKE
TRAINS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO
SUPPLY THEIR OWN TROOPS ON THE
RUSSIAN FRONT AND ON THE FRENCH
FRONT TO FOCUS ON THIS MASS
SLAUGHTER. SUCH WAS THE SICKNESS
OF THESE PEOPLE. SHE WOULD SEE
HER GRANDPARENTS FOR THE FINAL
TIME UPON ARRIVAL AT THE
CONCENTRATION CAMP THAT WAS
MENTIONED BY OUR COLLEAGUE. IN
THE FOLLOWING MONTHS, MARY WAS
FORCED TO WEAVE THE SHORN HAIR
OF FELLOW PRISONERS INTO ITEMS
FOR THE WAR EFFORT. SHE RECALLS
IT PRACTICALLY EVERY DAY. SHE
WOULD WOULD WITNESS SOMEONE
PERISH BESIDE HER IN THE
BARRACKS. THE YOUNG GIRLS WOULD
PROMISE EACH OTHER THAT IF THEY
SURVIVED THEIR SUBJUGATION, THEY
WOULD DEDICATE THEIR LIVES TO
SHARING THEIR STORIES AND
EDUCATING THE WORLD AS TO THE
HORRORS THAT HAD TRANSPIRED. IT
WAS NOT UNTIL THE SPRING OF
1945, AFTER SHE AND HER MOTHER
ENDURED THE FAMOUS DEATH MARCHES
FOLLOWING THE EVACUATION OF
AUSCHWITZ, THAT THEY WERE
LIBERATED BY THE RUSSIAN ARMY,
AND FIVE YEARS AFTER THE END OF
THE WAR, MARY IMMIGRATED TO LOS
ANGELES, SETTLING IN THE
WONDERFULLY DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOOD
OF BOYLE HEIGHTS. SHE LEARNED
ENGLISH AT FAIRFAX HIGH SCHOOL,
MET HER HUSBAND AT A SOCIAL
EVENT JUST OFF SUNSET BOULEVARD
NOT LONG AFTER, AND SHE'S NOW A
RESIDENT OF WEST HOLLYWOOD, MY
DISTRICT. SHE HAS TWO GROWN
CHILDREN. SHE CONTINUES TO BE AN
ACTIVE AND CHERISHED MEMBER OF
THE LOS ANGELES AND JEWISH
COMMUNITIES. SHE'S WELL KNOWN IN
AT THE MUSEUM OF THE HOLOCAUST
IN LOS ANGELES. AND JUST THIS
PAST DECEMBER, I MET HER FOR THE
FIRST TIME. AND WHEN WE WERE
HAVING A GATHERING THAT INCLUDED
SURVIVORS OF THE OCTOBER 7TH
ATTACKS IN ISRAEL AND RELATIVES
OF THE HOSTAGES TAKEN BY HAMAS
THAT DAY, AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE,
THE DISCUSSION WAS PROFOUNDLY
MOVING, DEEPLY EMOTIONAL, AND BY
FAR THE MOST POWERFUL MOMENT OF
THE MORNING WAS WHEN YOUNG ELLA,
WHO AT AGE 14, TALKED OF HER
EXPERIENCES BARRICADED IN HER
ROOM AT THE KIBBUTZ FOR HOURS
AND HOURS ON END. IT WAS BY
HAPPENSTANCE AND BASIC LUCK, AND
THE ATTACKERS GIVING UP ON
TRYING TO GET INTO HER SHELTER
ROOM, THAT SHE SURVIVED. AND
THEN SHE WAS RUSHED OUT OF HER
HOUSE ABOUT 32 HOURS INTO THE
ORDEAL, STEPPING OVER FAMILY
MEMBERS, THEIR BODIES AND POOLS
OF BLOOD. DURING THAT EVENT,
MARY JUMPED UP. SHE'D BEEN
SITTING IN THE BACK, HADN'T SAID
A WORD, AND SHE CAME UP TO ELLA
AND THEY REALIZED THAT THEY WERE
JUST ABOUT THE SAME AGE THAT
MARY WAS JUST ABOUT THE SAME AGE
WHEN SHE WAS DEPORTED TO
HUNGARY, AS ELLA WAS WHEN SHE
EXPERIENCED THIS TERRIBLE ACT OF
VIOLENCE AND DEPRAVITY. THEY
EMBRACED IN FRONT OF US. IT WAS
A VERY POWERFUL MOMENT OF SHARED
PAIN, OF THIS HERITAGE THAT HAD
BEEN PASSED DOWN, AND I ENDED UP
SPENDING SEVERAL MORE HOURS WITH
MARY AFTERWARDS, SHE TOOK ME
AROUND THE MUSEUM AND SHE TALKED
ABOUT HER OWN EXPERIENCES, ALL
THAT WHICH I'VE DESCRIBED. SHE
TOLD ME SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE
PROMISE THAT SHE'D MADE TO THE
OTHER YOUNG WOMEN, THAT THEY'D
ALL MADE TOGETHER IN THE
BARRACKS, THAT THEY WERE. THEY
PROMISED EACH OTHER, IF WE GET
OUT OF HERE, WE'RE GOING TO
SPEND OUR ENTIRE LIVES TELLING
THIS STORY. AND THAT'S EXACTLY
WHAT MARY HAS DONE. SHE'S
DEVOTED HERSELF TO THE HOLOCAUST
MUSEUM. SHE IS A TALKATIVE,
CHEERFUL, BRIGHT INQUISITOR OF
ENGAGING TOUR GUIDE WHO HAS TOLD
THE STORY OF HER EXPERIENCE AND
THE STORY OF THE HOLOCAUST TO
COUNTLESS YOUNG PEOPLE FROM ALL
OVER THE LOS ANGELES REGION.
STUDENTS WHO COME TO VISIT THE
MUSEUM AND THEY'RE ABLE TO
EXPERIENCE THIS TERRIBLE HISTORY
THROUGH HER EYES AND ASK HER
QUESTIONS AND SHE'S SO OPEN TO
THEM AND SO ENGAGING. SO I WAS
IT WAS I WAS VERY ANXIOUS TO
BRING MARY UP HERE TODAY AFTER
MY WONDERFUL DAY WITH HER AT THE
MUSEUM. I'M SAD THAT SHE WASN'T
ABLE TO MAKE IT, BUT I KNOW
SHE'S WATCHING US HERE TODAY
FROM HER HOME AND, SHE'S A VERY,
VERY SPECIAL PERSON WHO DESERVES
OUR HONOR TODAY.
SENATOR BECKER, I. NEXT, I'D
LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MORGAN BLUM.
SCHNEIDER MORGAN HAS BEEN AN
INSTRUMENTAL LEADER IN THE
DEVELOPMENT AND SUCCESS OF
JEWISH FAMILY AND CHILDREN'S
SERVICES HOLOCAUST CENTER IN SAN
FRANCISCO. AS DIRECTOR SINCE
2005, MORGAN HAS PUBLISHED
ARTICLES AND APPEARED IN THE
PRESS ON TOPICS SUCH AS THE
PATTERNS OF GENOCIDE AND BEST
PRACTICES FOR TEACHING THE
HOLOCAUST AND THE FUTURE OF
HOLOCAUST EDUCATION. IN THE POST
SURVIVAL ERA. SHE IS DEEPLY
INVESTED IN THE CALIFORNIA VÀ
EDUCATION SYSTEM, OFTEN SERVING
AS AN ADVISOR TO SCHOOL
DISTRICTS, CALIFORNIA
LEGISLATORS, AND CIVIC LEADERS
ON HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE
EDUCATION, CONFRONTING
ANTI-SEMITISM, AND BEST
PRACTICES FOR TEACHING ABOUT THE
HOLOCAUST. SHE IS CURRENTLY ON
THE ADVISORY BOARD OF THE
GENOCIDE EDUCATION PROJECT, AND
HELPS MANAGE THE CALIFORNIA
TEACHERS COLLABORATIVE FOR
HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE
EDUCATION. PLEASE JOIN ME IN
HONORING MORGAN BLUM. SNYDER.
YOU NEXT. SENATOR RUBIO AT THE
MAJORITY LEADER'S DESK. THANK
YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN OF THE SENATE, TODAY,
I HAVE THE HONOR OF INTRODUCING
STEVE ZIMMER. THE STEVE ZIMMER
RECENTLY STEPPED DOWN FROM HIS
POSITION AS DEPUTY
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC
INSTRUCTION AT THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO JOIN
THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS TEAM AT
LOS ANGELES COUNTY OFFICE OF
EDUCATION. ANYONE THAT KNOWS
STEVE KNOWS HE'S DEDICATED A
LIFETIME TO SERVICE, IN
PARTICULAR EDUCATION. STEVE HAS
BEEN A TRUSTED, TRUSTED ALLY AND
CHAMPION OF JEWISH POLICIES.
THIS INCLUDES HIS WORK TO
SUPPORT THE GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL
ON UOCAUST AND GENOCIDE
EDUCATION. AS A MEMBER OF THE
GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL, I HAVE THE
PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH STEVE.
HIS KNOWLEDGE OF THE CALIFORNIA
SCHOOL SYSTEM IS KEY IN
IMPLEMENTING A FIRST OF ITS KIND
SURVEY TO TRACK HOLOCAUST
EDUCATION ACROSS OUR STATE.
STEVE HAS ALSO PREVIOUSLY SERVED
FROM 2009 TO 2017 AS A TRUSTEE
ON THE LOS ANGELES UNIFIED
SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF
DIRECTORS. IN THAT ROLE, HE
WORKED ON PROGRAM AIMS TO
INCREASE EDUCATION AND
AWARENESS, STATED MANY TIMES
BEFORE EDUCATION IS KEY AND SO
HE'S BROUGHT FORWARD OTHER
IMPORTANT TRAGIC EVENTS THAT WE
MUST REMEMBER, SUCH AS THE
AMERICAN GENOCIDE. I'M SORRY,
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE. PLEASE,
MEMBERS, HELP ME WELCOME STEVE
ZIMMER TO THE CALIFORNIA STATE
SENATE
.
AND FINALLY, LET'S RECOGNIZE
SENATOR BECKER FROM THE MAJORITY
LEADER'S DESK. THANK YOU. THIS
IS OUR OUR FINAL HONOREE. AND
WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO SEE NOW IS
THAT THE CHILDREN OF SURVIVORS
ARE INVOLVED IN THIS EDUCATION,
ACROSS IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND OUR LAST HONOREE IS THE SON
OF AN AUSCHWITZ SURVIVOR. ROGER
GRUNWALD. TOOK THAT EXPERIENCE
AND CREATED THE MITZVAH PROJECT,
A THEATRICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM
PRESENTED EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTIONS AND COMMUNITIES
ACROSS AMERICA. THE THREE PART
PROGRAM ENGAGES SOCIO HISTORICAL
QUESTIONS SUCH AS WHO DECIDES
THE MEANING OF CULTURE, RACE,
AND ETHNICITY? WHY DO WE
DEMONIZE EACH OTHER? THE
PRESENTER SEGUES TO AMERICAN
HISTORY AND EXAMINES THE ROLE
THAT, AS WE HEARD FROM OUR
COLLEAGUE FROM LOS ANGELES, THE
ROLE THAT AMERICA'S JIM CROW
LAWS PLAYED IN PROVIDING A MODEL
FOR THE NUREMBERG LAWS OF THE.
THEY GO ON TO EXPLORE THE FAILED
INSURRECTION OF JANUARY 6TH IN
OUR NATION'S CAPITAL, AND ITS
CONNECTION TO THE RECENT UPSURGE
IN WHITE SUPREMACISM AND THE
WAYS IN WHICH PREJUDICE IN MANY
FORMS IS MANIFESTING MOST
TRAGICALLY IN OUR SCHOOLS. Ã
FRIENDS MEMBERS, PLEASE JOIN ME
IN HONORING ROGER GRUNWALD,
ROGER
.
WE WOULD NOW LIKE TO INVITE
MEMBERS OF THE SENATE TO JOIN
THE HONOREES AND A GROUP
PICTURE, IF YOU WISH, IN THE
BACK OF THE CHAMBERS
.
COULD WE HAVE ALL THE HONOREES
FRONT AND CENTER. SO WE CAN HAVE
YOU WITH YOUR PLAQUES FACING THE
PHOTOGRAPHER
.
OKAY. EVERYONE LOOKING THIS WAY,
PLEASE. WE HAD A REALLY GOOD
GROUP. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU ALL VERY MUCH. AND
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HONOREES
MEMBERS. WE HAVE MORE BUSINESS
TO CONDUCT, SO PLEASE RETURN TO
YOUR SEATS. PLEASE.
ALL RIGHT. WE'RE NEXT GOING TO,
UNDER PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR.
WE'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE SENATOR
SKINNER. I'LL WAIT A MOMENT
.
OKAY OKAY, MEMBERS, WE'RE NEXT
GOING TO TURN TO SENATOR SKINNER
AT THE MAJORITY LEADER'S DESK
FOR AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT.
SENATOR SKINNER, PLEASE GIVE HER
YOUR ATTENTION. THANK YOU.
MEMBERS, THIS IS ALLOWED. MIKE
WU, THE TOWN IS IN THE HOUSE. I
ASK THAT YOU WELCOME THE
CALIFORNIA STATE BAR BASKETBALL
CHAMPION. TEAMS FROM OAKLAND
HIGH AND OAKLAND TECH HIGH
SCHOOLS. YEAH YEAH. I THINK BY
NOW, SINCE I HAVE INTRODUCED
DIFFERENT OAKLAND HIGH SCHOOL
TEAMS ON THIS FLOOR FOR FOUR
YEARS IN A ROW, THAT WHEN IT
COMES TO HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL,
OAKLAND IS THE TOWN OF CHAMPIONS
. SO OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS,
AS I MENTIONED, HIGH SCHOOL
TEAMS IN OAKLAND WON SEVEN STATE
CHAMPIONSHIPS. THE LAST TIME I
BROUGHT TO THE SENATE FLOOR, TWO
HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS,
THE OAKLAND TECH GIRLS AND THE
OAKLAND HIGH BOYS. BUT THIS YEAR
WE'RE DOING THE OPPOSITE. WE'VE
GOT THE STATE CHAMPION BOYS TEAM
FROM OAKLAND TECH AND THE STATE
CHAMPION GIRLS TEAM FROM OAKLAND
HIGH. YOU CAN CLAP AGAIN. AND
WHAT AN AMAZING YEAR. BOTH OF
THESE TEAMS HAD ON THE COURT.
LET'S START WITH OAKLAND HIGH
GIRLS WILDCATS. THIS IS THEIR
SECOND STATE TITLE AND TWO IN
THE PAST FOUR SEASONS. AND IN
THEIR DIVISION FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP
GAME, OAKLAND HIGH WILDCATS
DEFEATED MONTGOMERY HIGH OF SAN
DIEGO 56 TO 50. THE WILDCATS
WERE LED BY SENIOR SENSATION
DEJA TEAGUE, WHO NEARLY PULLED
OFF A TRIPLE DOUBLE, SCORING 15
POINTS, GRABBING 15 REBOUNDS AND
DISHING SEVEN ASSISTS. ODUBU
ADDED 15 POINTS. SORRY, I GOT TO
LOOK OVER HERE AND TALIANA
VELASQUEZ SCORED FOR THREE
POINTERS. NOW FOR OAKLAND TECH
BULLDOGS. THIS WAS THEIR FIRST
EVER STATE TITLE. THE TECH
BULLDOGS HAVE BEEN A GREAT TEAM
FOR MANY YEARS, BUT THEIR
CROSSTOWN RIVALS, THE OAKLAND
HIGH BOYS, TOOK LAST YEAR'S
TITLE FROM THEM. BU BULLDOG
COACH KAREGA HART, WHO IS WITH
US TODAY, COMPARED THE OAKLAND
TECH AND THE OAKLAND HIGH
RIVALRY AS KIND OF LIKE DUKE AND
NORTH CAROLINA. THE ATMOSPHERE
IS ALWAYS ELECTRIC. IN THIS
YEAR'S DIVISION TWO CHAMPIONSHIP
GAME, THE TECH BULLDOGS TROUNCED
CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL OF
BAKERSFIELD 79 TO 55. THE TECH
BULLDOGS WERE LED BY ARDARIUS
GRAYSON, THE OAKLAND ATHLETIC
LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE YEAR, WHO
SCORED 20 POINTS IN THE GAME,
AND CALEB ROLLINS ALSO HAD 20
POINTS AND OMAR AHMED GOULD
ADDED 16. THE BULLDOGS WOWED THE
CROWN WITH QUICK CROWD WITH
QUICK PASSES AND ELECTRIFYING
FINISHES AT THE BUCKET. BY
GAME'S END, THE TRADEMARK CHANT
OF ALL THE SCHOOL WAS BEING
YELLED OT TÊ Þ TÊ ECHOED
THROUGHOUT THE CROWD. STAN WITH
ME ARE THE STARTING FIVE PLAYERS
OF EACH TEAM, ALONG WITH THEIR
HEAD COACHES AND FROM OAKLAND
HIGH, WE HAVE HEAD COACH NITA
SIMPSON, DEJA TEAGUE OR JUJU
EGONU TY, LIANA VELASQUEZ, KYLA
SMITH AND REMEMBER CHIT. AND
FROM OAKLAND TECH WE HAVE COACH
HEAD COACH KERRY HART. HEY
KAREGA. AND THE PLAYERS ARE
DARIUS GRAYSON, AHMED GULAID,
ZAN MEYER, PLETTNER, USHER,
KRAMER AND SAADIQ ALVAREZ. THE
REST OF THE PLAYER AND THE
COACHES FROM THE TEAMS ARE IN
THE GALLERY. AND THEN LET ME
WRAP IT UP WITH THESE CHAMPIONS
NOT ONLY EXCELLED ON THE COURT,
THEY'RE SENIORS ARE GOING TO
COLLEGE THIS FALL FOR THE
OAKLAND HIGH GIRLS. D'ESTHÉTIQUE
IS DECIDING BETWEEN HOWARD, CAL
AND UC SAN DIEGO. ORILLA, BUENA
VISTA WAS ACCEPTED TO
NORTHEASTERN WITH A FULL RIDE
SCHOLARSHIP. SHE'S ALSO FIGURING
OUT BETWEEN UC SAN DIEGO AND UC
IRVINE. UNIQUE ROBINSON WAS
ACCEPTED TO DRAKE UNIVERSITY,
CAL STATE EAST BAY AND CAL STATE
NORTHRIDGE AND FOR THE TECH
BOYS, ASHER KRAMER GOING TO THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. DYLAN
LUX, UC BERKELEY AND DEMARIUS
GRAYSON TO LOS MEDANOS. SO LET
ME END WITH A QUOTE FROM COACH
HART IN THE CITY OF OAKLAND, WE
HAVE HAD A LOT OF ROUGH TIMES TO
BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE AND SHINE A
POSITIVE LIGHT ON OAKLAND MEANS
A LOT, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT
OF GOOD THINGS GOING ON IN
OAKLAND. AMEN TO THAT.
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO BOTH
TEAMS. GO, WILDCATS! GO,
BULLDOGS! GO OAKLAND HIGH.
CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH TEAMS.
WE MAY CALL SENATOR SKINNER BACK
TO GIVE THAT CHANT ONE MORE TIME
.
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN. AND A
SHOUT OUT TO ASHER KRAMER IN THE
BACK. ALL RIGHT
.
30S.
ALL RIGHT, MEMBERS, WE'RE GOING
TO CONTINUE WITH THE BUSINESS OF
THE SENATE. 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 UNDER
MOTIONS, RESOLUTIONS AND NOTICES
WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE SENATE
JOURNALS FOR APRIL 22ND, 2024
THROUGH APRIL 25TH, 2024 WILL BE
APPROVED AS CORRECTED BY THE
MINUTE CLERK. ALL RIGHT,
MEMBERS, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON
TO CONSIDERATION OF THE DAILY
FILE. EVERYBODY'S READY FOR
THAT. WE'LL BEGIN WITH SECOND
READING, PLEASE, SECRETARY,
PLEASE READ SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION 101 104, SENATE BILL
1178, WITH AMENDMENTS 1306 WITH
AMENDMENTS 1140. THE SECOND
READING FILE WILL BE DEEMED
READ. MEMBERS, WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE WE HAVE ONE ITEM UNDER
SENATE THIRD READING. THIS IS
FILE ITEM 49 SCR 100 BY SENATOR
NGUYEN. SHE'S PREPARED SECRETARY
, PLEASE READ SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION 100 BY SENATOR
NGUYEN. RELATIVE TO BLACK APRIL
MEMORIAL MONTH. SENATOR NGUYEN,
THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU,
MR. PRESIDENT. TODAY I RISE TO
PRESENT SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION 100. SCR 100
RECOGNIZES THE MONTH OF APRIL
2024 AS BLACK APRIL MEMORIAL
MONTH AND MARKS APRIL 30TH, 2024
AS THE 49TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE
FALL OF SAIGON. ON APRIL 30TH,
1975. FOR MANY VIETNAMESE,
VIETNAMESE, AMERICANS, AND
VIETNAM VETERANS, THE COST OF
THE WAR WAS IMMENSE. IN TOTAL,
THE UNITED STATES AND SOUTH
VIETNAMESE ARMY ARMED FORCES
LOST OVER HALF A MILLION TROOPS
IN THE WAR ALONG WITH 800,000
TROOPS WHO WERE WOUNDED IN
COMBAT. OF THOSE, WERE 58,000
AMERICAN SOLDIERS AND MANY OF MY
FAMILIES, INCLUDING MY UNCLE, AN
OFFICER OF THE SOUTH VIETNAM
ARMY WHO WAS EXECUTED DAYS
BEFORE SAIGON FELL. MILLIONS OF
VIETNAMESE CIVILIANS SUFFERED
CASUALTIES AS A RESULT OF THE
EXTENDED CONFLICT, AND THE CHAOS
THAT CONSUMED THE COUNTRY IN THE
FOLLOWING DAYS. AFTER THE FALL
OF SAIGON, MILLIONS OF
VIETNAMESE FAMILIES, INCLUDING
MINE, FLED VIETNAM FOR
SURROUNDING AREAS ABROAD. SMALL
WOODEN BOATS BEFORE FINDING OUR
WAY TO THE UNITED STATES,
CALIFORNIA IS HOME TO OVER HALF
A MILLION VIETNAMESE AND
VIETNAMESE AMERICANS. MORE
SPECIFICALLY, MY DISTRICT, WHICH
IS HOME TO LITTLE SAIGON AND THE
LARGEST VIETNAMESE RESIDENTS
OUTSIDE OF VIETNAM. WE MUST
CONTINUE TO REMEMBER AND TEACH
OUR CHILDREN THE LESSONS THAT
CAME FROM THE VIETNAM WAR,
INCLUDING THE FLIGHT OF THE
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FOLLOWING
THE END OF THE WAR AND THE FIGHT
FOR DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM. SO
STORIES LIKE MINE AND MY FAMILY
FLEEING FROM VIETNAM AS A YOUNG
CHILD IN SEARCH FOR FREEDOM,
SERVES AS A REMINDER WHY WE MUST
REMEMBER BLACK APRIL AND THE
SACRIFICES FOR FREEDOM AND
DEMOCRACY. BLACK APRIL MEMORIAL
MONTH IS A TIME FOR VIETNAMESE
AMERICANS. COMMUNITIES
THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA TO
REMEMBER THE LIVES LOST DURING
THE VIETNAM WAR, LEARN THEIR
STORIES, AND REDEDICATE
THEMSELVES TO THE PRINCIPLE OF
FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY THAT
ENDURED EVEN IN THE WORST
CIRCUMSTANCES AT THIS TIME. I
WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY A FEW
WORDS IN VIETNAMESE. TONG IS
SAFE AT HOME, NIGHT AND DAY.
CHEN LEARN TO LEARN TO WICKS COR
DAY YANG. THANK THANK TO DENG
CHAU NAM SUBMITTED NAM NHÀ
SAIGON THE HALLWAY GO VIETNAM.
LA LA LA NÂNG KANSEN CHEN
COUNTY. NOW WHEN THE COUNTY NÂNG
COME BAO BAO YEAR, WHEN GÂY AND
HOME CðC VIETNAM HUA THAT HE
SENT THE BAO VIETNAM COME, COME
NEW YOUNG NEW ZEALAND, VIETNAM
TO GO COME SONG BY VÌ LINDHOLM.
C NÓI TO NHîNG THE BATMAN. THE
BATMAN CHEN THE DAY, THE THEM TO
YOUR SINGING. KHÔNG. HI, JANET.
THEY THEY DIÆN VÆ AND HOME TÍNH
S¼ VIETNAM. BUT CÁC GÂY CðC HØI
Kò DÂN THEY BUT THEY TO YOUR
VACCINE GOING VIETNAM. SO GO TO
YOUR INCOMING I. AT THIS TIME I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
SENATOR NGUYEN. I SEE
MICROPHONES UP FROM SENATOR
UMBERG NEWMAN AND MEN. WE'LL
BEGIN WITH SENATOR UMBERG. THANK
YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. AND
COLLEAGUES. THÀNH VÌ DOLA, TOM
UMBERG, I HAVE THE DISTINCT
HONOR OF REPRESENTING A LARGE
VIETNAMESE POPULATION AND SINCE
1990, REPRESENT LITTLE SAIGON
AND HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO SEE
THAT COMMUNITY GROW AND IN EVERY
WAY POSSIBLE, AND I WANT TO
THANK MY COLLEAGUE FROM
HUNTINGTON BEACH FOR BRINGING
THIS FORWARD. APRIL 30TH MARKS
THE END OF ONE OF THE MOST
DEVASTATING CONFLICTS IN MODERN
HISTORY, AMERICAN SOLDIERS,
MARINES, AIRMEN, SAILORS, BLOOD
WAS SHELLED WITH OUR VIETNAMESE
COMRADES IN ARMS AND THE PURSUIT
OF FREEDOM, IT'S A TIME OF
MOURNING AND A TIME OF
REMEMBRANCE. NOT JUST FOR THE
LIVES LOST, BUT ALSO FOR THE
SACRIFICES OF THE VIETNAMESE
PEOPLE IN THEIR HISTORIC
STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM AND HUMAN
RIGHTS, WHICH CONTINUES TODAY.
IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR
THOSE, I THINK, OF VIETNAMESE
HERITAGE TO KNOW THAT STRUGGLE.
NÓ. OF THE 500,000 PEOPLE WHO
LEFT VIETNAM, SO MANY OF THEM
KILLED LEAVING VIETNAM, SO MANY
OF THOSE FOLKS SOMETIMES KNOWN
AS BOAT PEOPLE COMING HERE TO
THE UNITED STATES AGAIN IN
PURSUIT OF FREEDOM. BUT NOT JUST
FOR THE CHILDREN AND THE
GRANDCHILDREN, THE GREAT
GRANDCHILDREN OF THOSE WHO
SACRIFICED SO MUCH TO COME TO
THE UNITED STATES AND THOSE WHO
SACRIFICED SO MUCH IN VIETNAM,
BUT ALSO FOR ALL CALIFORNIANS.
IT'S APPROPRIATE THAT THE
CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE
RECOGNIZE THAT STRUGGLE BECAUSE
WE'RE ALL ENRICHED. WE'RE ALL
ENRICHED FROM THOSE WHO HAVE
COME FROM VIETNAM, WHO HAVE MADE
THAT SACRIFICE, WERE ENRICHED
CULTURALLY, POLITICALLY,
ECONOMICALLY, GASTRONOMICALLY WE
ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR THOSE WHO
HAVE SACRIFICED TO COME HERE TO
ENRICH OUR LIVES. I JOIN MY
COLLEAGUE FROM HUNTINGTON BEACH
AND URGING AN AYE VOTE. THANK
YOU, SENATOR UMBERG. SENATOR
NEWMAN. THANK YOU, MR.
PRESIDENT. I TOO RISE IN SUPPORT
OF SCR 100. MY STATE SENATE
DISTRICT INCLUDES LARGE AND
ACTIVE VIETNAMESE COMMUNITIES IN
THE CITY OF STANTON AND ANAHEIM.
AS MY COLLEAGUES FROM ORANGE
COUNTY HAVE NOTED, FOR
VIETNAMESE CALIFORNIA'S A STATE
MARKS THE FALL OF SAIGON AND THE
BEGINNING OF AN OFTEN LONG AND
CHALLENGING JOURNEY AWAY FROM
THE COUNTRY. THEY LOVED. AND
UNLIKE MOST ANNUAL REMEMBRANCES,
THIS IS NOT A CELEBRATORY DAY.
RATHER, IT'S A SAD DAY, A DAY TO
REMEMBER AND HONOR THE
APPROXIMATELY A QUARTER OF A
MILLION MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH
VIETNAMESE ARMY WHO DIED
DEFENDING THEIR NATION, AS WELL
AS THE NEARLY 60,000 AMERICAN
SOLDIERS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN
THAT CONFLICT, AS WELL AS MY
COLLEAGUES FROM ORANGE COUNTY,
HAVE NOTED, THE BLACK AND BLACK
APRIL SYMBOLIZES THE PAIN,
SUFFERING AND DEFEAT OF
VIETNAMESE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
AS THEY FLED THEIR NATION IN THE
AFTERMATH OF SAIGON'S HISTORIC
FALL. IN THE WORDS OF USC
PROFESSOR AND AUTHOR VIET THANH
NGUYEN, WHOSE PULITZER PRIZE
WINNING NOVEL THE SYMPATHIZER IS
NOW A HIT SERIES ON NETFLIX FOR
MEMBERS OF THE VIETNAMESE
DIASPORA. APRIL WAS A MONTH THAT
MEANT EVERYTHING TO ALL THE
PEOPLE IN OUR SMALL PART OF THE
WORLD, AND NOTHING TO MOST
PEOPLE IN THE REST OF THE WORLD.
IN THE CITIES OF NORTH ORANGE
COUNTY, IN THE VIBRANT
COMMUNITIES CREATED BY
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, THEIR
CHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDREN'S
CHILDREN, BLACK APRIL MEANS A
GREAT DEAL. AND I'M PROUD AS ONE
OF THE REPRESENTATIVES TO THE
STATE SENATE TO STAND WITH THEM
IN REMEMBERING THE SACRIFICE AND
SUFFERING THAT THE FALL OF
SAIGON VISITED UPON THEM, AS
WELL AS TO COMMEND AND SALUTE
THEM FOR THEIR COURAGE AND THEIR
RESILIENCE, AND FOR THE
INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS
VIETNAMESE CALIFORNIANS HAVE
MADE AND CONTINUE TO MAKE TO OUR
REGION AND TO OUR GREAT STATE. I
THANK MY COLLEAGUE FROM
HUNTINGTON BEACH FOR BRINGING
THIS MEASURE FORWARD, AND I
RESPECTFULLY URGE YOUR AYE VOTE
TODAY. THANK YOU, SENATOR NEWMAN
. SENATOR MINH, THANK YOU, MR.
PRESIDENT. I GUESS I WANT TO
ECHO MY THE COMMENTS OF MY
COLLEAGUES FROM ORANGE COUNTY
AND THANK MY COLLEAGUE FROM
HUNTINGTON BEACH FOR BRINGING
THIS FORWARD ON BEHALF OF THE
ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC
ISLANDER LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS. I,
TOO, RISE IN SUPPORT OF SCR 100
TO RECOGNIZE BLACK APRIL
MEMORIAL MONTH. AS HAS BEEN
STATED, THIS IS A SAD DEDICATION
, THE NAME ITSELF, BLACK APRIL
MEMORIAL MONTH, SYMBOLIZES THE
PAIN, SUFFERING AND DEFEAT OF
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AS THEY FLED
THEIR NATION DURING SAIGON'S
HISTORIC FALL TO COMMUNISM ON
APRIL 30TH, 1975. AFTER THE FALL
OF SAIGON, IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT
AS MANY AS 125,000 VIETNAMESE
LEFT THE COUNTRY WITH AN
ADDITIONAL 112,000 FLEEING
THROUGH OPERATION NEW LIFE AND
OPERATION BABYLIFT. OUT OF THE
112,000 VIETNAMESE THAT LEFT THE
COUNTRY, OVER 90,000 OF THEM
CAME HERE TO THE UNITED STATES,
WITH MANY OF THEM SETTLING IN
CALIFORNIA AND MANY OF THOSE
SETTLING WITHIN ORANGE COUNTY IN
PLACES LIKE WESTMINSTER AND
GARDEN GROVE. IN FACT,
WESTMINSTER IN 2019 WAS THE
FIRST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES
TO RECOGNIZE THIS PARTICULAR
MEMORIAL WEEK. AND WE, OF
COURSE, BENEFIT FROM THE
CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR VIBRANT
VIETNAMESE COMMUNITY. AS OF
2022, 40% OF THE VIETNAMESE
POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES
LIVES IN CALIFORNIA, WITH AROUND
200,000 OF THOSE LIVING IN THE
LITTLE SAIGON REGION. WE ARE ALL
BETTER OFF, I THINK, WITH UPON
ME THE PHÐ, BUT ALSO THE
CULTURAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR
VIETNAMESE COMMUNITY. AND I JUST
WANT TO ALSO, AS A POINT OF
PRIVILEGE, RECOGNIZE THE
IMPORTANCE OF SYMBOLIZING THIS
DAY. THIS WAS A DARK DAY IN OUR
HISTORY. IT WAS A TIME WHEN U.S.
TROOPS ARE INTERVENTION WAS NOT
SUCCESSFUL. WE SAW THE SUCCESS
OF COMMUNISM HERE AND THE
UNFORTUNATE RESULTS OF THAT. AND
AT A TIME WHEN WE SEE
AUTHORITARIANISM AROUND THE
WORLD, YOU KNOW, COMING TO THE
FORE, WHEN THE UNITED STATES AND
OUR INTERVENTION IN FOREIGN
POLICY IS OFTEN QUESTIONED, I
THINK IT'S REALLY, REALLY
IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE OUR
OWN HISTORY AS THE SON OF KOREAN
IMMIGRANTS, WHO ALSO WERE ABLE
TO FIGHT OFF COMMUNISM. AND I
THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT TO
RECOGNIZE. SO I ASK FOR YOUR
SUPPORT IN JOINING ME IN
SUPPORTING SCR 100. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, SENATOR MINH. ALL
DEBATE HAVING CEASED. SENATOR
NGUYEN, YOU MAY CLOSE. THANK
YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I ALSO WANT
TO RECOGNIZE ALL THE AMERICAN
TROOPS FROM THE VIETNAM WAR WHO
CAME BACK HOME HERE IN AMERICA,
AT THAT TIME, THEY WEREN'T
HONORED, NOR WERE THEY
RECOGNIZED. AND I WANTED TO SAY
TO THEM, THANK YOU, WELCOME
HOME. BECAUSE FOR BECAUSE OF
WHAT THEY'VE DONE, IT GAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR A YOUNG GIRL WHO
FLED VIETNAM WITH MY FAMILY AS
BOAT PEOPLE, WHO HAS BEEN GIVEN
A CHANCE TO COME TO THIS
COUNTRY, SPOKE NO ENGLISH, WAS
POOR. I MEAN, I WAS ON FOOD
STAMPS, WELFARE, YOU NAME IT.
AND 30 YEARS LATER, I GET TO
STEP AND COME TO THIS FLOOR AS A
AS A STATE SENATOR, ONLY IN
AMERICA CAN THAT HAPPEN. ONLY IN
AMERICA. AND SO I'M SO GRATEFUL
BECAUSE OF THOSE WHO HAVE FOUGHT
IN THAT WAR AND THOSE WHO
BELIEVED IN FREEDOM AND
DEMOCRACY, WHICH LED FOR SOMEONE
LIKE ME TO COME HERE. IF NOT, I
WOULD NOT BE HERE AND I WON'T BE
ALIVE, THE SCARF THAT I'M
WEARING TODAY SYMBOLIZES THE
SOUTH VIETNAM, ARMY. AND THIS IS
OUR COUNTRY. THE FLAG THAT WE
LOST, AND SO I WANT TO HONOR MY
UNCLE. HALF OF OUR FAMILY
VANISHED. MY DAD, WHO SERVED IN
THE SOUTH VIETNAM ARMY AS WELL.
AND SO, THANK YOU. AND I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU. SENATOR NGUYEN,
THIS IS ELIGIBLE FOR UNANIMOUS
ROLL CALL. SEEING NO OBJECTIONS.
AYES 32, NO, ZERO. THE
RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED. MEMBERS.
WE'RE GOING TO RETURN NOW TO
MOTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS. WE HAVE
TWO ADJOURN IN MEMORY. THE FIRST
ONE UP IS SENATOR DURAZZO.
SENATOR DURAZZO, THE FLOOR IS
YOURS. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
IT WAS WITH HEAVY HEART. I ASK
THAT WE ADJOURN IN MEMORY OF A
DEAR FRIEND, A LONGTIME SOCIAL
JUSTICE CHAMPION, PETER SHEA. HE
PASSED AWAY IN APRIL. AT 77
YEARS OLD. PETER WAS DESTINED TO
BECOME A SOCIAL JUSTICE
ADVOCATE. HE WAS BORN IN SOUTH
AFRICA TO PARENTS WHO FLED
GERMANY. HIS FATHER HIMSELF
HAVING BEEN SOCIAL JUSTICE
ADVOCATE AS A JEWISH ORGANIZER,
THE SHEA FAMILY EVENTUALLY FOUND
THEIR WAY TO CALIFORNIA AND MR.
SHEA WENT ON TO LATER ATTEND UC
BERKELEY AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE
CALIFORNIA WESTERN SCHOOL OF LAW
IN SAN DIEGO. FOLLOWING
GRADUATION, HE GOT HIS START AT
THE LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF SAN
DIEGO AS A LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE,
PRIMARILY FOR LOW INCOME PEOPLE.
A TRAILBLAZER, PETER EMBARKED
INTO THE ADVOCACY SPACE, BEING
THE FOUNDER OF THE FIRST
NATIONAL IMMIGRANT SUPPORT
CENTER, THE NATIONAL IMMIGRANT
LAW CENTER. IN 1978, HE SERVED
AS LEGAL COUNSEL IN THE 1982
PLYLER VERSUS DOE, A LANDMARK
SUPREME COURT DECISION THAT
FOUND STATES CANNOT DENY
CHILDREN ACCESS TO PUBLIC
EDUCATION, REGARDLESS OF STATUS.
PETER ALSO SERVED AS COUNSEL ON
FLORES VERSUS RENO, AN EARLY 90S
CASE THAT ESTABLISHED MINIMUM
NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR THE
TREATMENT OF DETAINED IMMIGRANT
CHILDREN. ARGUABLY THE BRIGHTEST
HIGHLIGHT OF HIS PROFESSIONAL
LIFE, PETER SERVED AS LEAD
COUNSEL ON THE SUCCESSFUL CASE
THAT OVERTURNED CALIFORNIA'S
INFAMOUS PROPOSITION 187. IN
1994. AS A RESULT OF HIS EFFORTS
HERE HAVING HAVE EXTENDED BEYOND
HIS EFFORTS, EXTENDED BEYOND THE
IMMEDIATE BATTLE OF THE
PROPOSITION KNOWN AS THE
MOBILIZATION AROUND THIS
PROPOSITION, THÀNH CONTRIBUTED
TOWARDS GREATER CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
, AND VOTER PARTICIPATION,
INCREASED ENORMOUSLY WITHIN THE
LATINO COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION TO
HIS HIGHLY PUBLICIZED EFFORTS,
PETER'S COMPASSION FOR OTHERS
WAS PORTRAYED THROUGH HOW HE
WOULD OFFER SMALL ACTS OF
KINDNESS TO THIS LESS FORTUNATE
IN HIS COMMUNITY. HE VENTURED ON
TO TAKE ON OTHER LEGAL EFFORTS.
THIS PAST YEAR, HE TRAVELED TO
TANZANIA TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF
OF THE UNITED NATIONS, THE
MAASAI HERDERS DISPLACED BIG
GAME HUNTERS. MR. SHEA'S LEGACY
IS ONE THAT WILL BE REMEMBERED
IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR GENERATIONS
TO COME. WHEN SPEAKING ABOUT HIS
LOSS, MANY SENTIMENTS WERE
SHARED. LOS ANGELES BASED FATHER
RICHARD ESTRADA SIMPLY SAID, WE
LOST AN ICON OF HUMAN RIGHTS.
U.S SENATOR PADILLA REFERRED TO
HIM AS A TRAILBLAZER FOR THE
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF
IMMIGRANTS, AS AN ORGANIZER IN
THE GARMENT WORKER INDUSTRY, I
MET PETER. THERE WAS A COMMON
PRACTICE AT THAT TIME FOR
IMMIGRATION TO DISK DRIVE UP IN
THEIR VANS, THEIR FAMOUS GREEN
VANS, AND JUST DRIVE UP, WALK
INTO A FACTORY AND LITERALLY
RAID IT, SENDING EVERYBODY
RUNNING, BOTH CITIZEN AND LEGAL
RESIDENTS AS WELL AS
UNDOCUMENTED, THAT WAS A COMMON
PRACTICE THAT EMPLOYERS WOULD
USE TO KEEP WORKERS AFRAID OF
REPORTING ANY KIND OF WAGE THEFT
AND OTHER WORK, ILLEGAL WORKING
CONDITIONS. HE CHALLENGED THAT
PRACTICE AND WON THE CASE, WHICH
THEN FORCED EMPLOYERS TO HAVE
THE I IMMIGRATION INS KNOWN AT
THAT TIME TO HAVE A SPECIFIC
WARRANT WITH SPECIFIC NAMES OF
ANYONE THAT THEY WISH TO BE
ARRESTED, THAT THEN WAS APPLIED
TO IMMIGRANTS AS WELL. WE LOST
HIM. WE REMEMBER HIM. HIS SPIRIT
WILL REMAIN IN OUR HEARTS. REST
IN POWER. YOU WILL BE, NEVER
WILL YOU BE FORGOTTEN. THANK YOU
FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR OUR
COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU. AND I
ASK YOU TO ADJOURN IN HIS MEMORY
. THANK YOU, SENATOR DURAZZO.
THE SENATE EXTENDS ITS
CONDOLENCES TO THE MANY FRIENDS
AND FAMILY OF MISTER SHEA.
PLEASE BRING HIS NAME FORWARD SO
HE CAN BE PROPERLY MEMORIALIZED
IN THE JOURNAL. AND THAT WE MAY
ADJOURN IN HIS MEMORY NEXT UP,
WE'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE SENATOR
GROVE, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
COLLEAGUES, TODAY, I WOULD LIKE
TO ASK YOU ALL TO ADJOURN IN THE
MEMORY OF RAY MISH, A WORLD WAR
TWO VETERAN FROM KERN COUNTY.
RAY HAD AN INFECTIOUS SMILE, AND
HE BROUGHT JOY TO EVERYONE,
EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME. HE WAS
KNOWN FOR HIS FRIENDLINESS, HIS
WILD RED SCOOTER WHERE YOU
NEEDED TO GET OUT OF THE WAY
VERY QUICKLY, HIS CHARACTER AND
HIS SERVICE FOR HIS COUNTRY AND
HIS COMMUNITY. RAY ENLISTED IN
THE UNITED STATES ARMY IN 1941
AT THE AGE OF 17, WHERE HE
SERVED UNTIL HE WAS HONORABLY
DISCHARGED DUE TO AN INJURY.
THEN HE CAME TO CALIFORNIA TO
PURSUE A HIGHER EDUCATION,
EARNING A DEGREE IN BUSINESS AND
MORTUARY SCIENCE. RAY MOVED TO
BAKERSFIELD IN 1947 AND WORKED
FOR TWO LOCAL MORTUARIES AND IN
1960 HE OPENED HIS FIRST FUNERAL
HOME. HE WOULD BE THE FIRST OF
MANY THAT WERE ESTABLISHED
THROUGHOUT THE YEARS OF HIS
SERVICE. RAY CREDITED HIS
SUCCESS TO THIS BUSINESS, TO HIS
BUSINESS MOTTO THAT HE LIVED BY
AND TAUGHT EVERY ONE OF HIS
EMPLOYEES, NEVER ASK A FAMILY TO
SPEND MORE THAN THEY CAN AFFORD,
NEVER, EVER CHEAT A FAMILY.
NEVER BE DISHONEST, AND NEVER,
EVER TURN AWAY ANYONE WHO COULD
NOT AFFORD A FUNERAL FOR THEIR
LOVED ONE. RAY ALSO WENT ON TO
HELP FORM AN HONOR GUARD THROUGH
THE AMERICAN LEGION. WITH THE
HELP OF MORE THAN A DOZEN OTHER
LEGION MEMBERS, AND THEY BECAME
THE FIRST VOLUNTEER VETERANS TO
ORGANIZE THE ONGOING HONOR GUARD
THAT WE HAVE IN KERN COUNTY FOR
VETERAN BURIALS IN KERN COUNTY
IN KERN COUNTY, PAYING TRIBUTE
TO THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR ALL
DURING SERVICE OR AFTER RAY WAS
AN AMAZING MAN, A PILLAR IN OUR
COMMUNITY AND THE LOSS OF HIS
LIFE WAS FELT BY MANY THROUGHOUT
OUR THROUGHOUT OUR DISTRICT. HE
PASSED AWAY ON APRIL 3RD, 2024.
HE WAS JUST A FEW WEEKS AWAY
FROM CELEBRATING HIS 100TH
BIRTHDAY. I KNOW THE GATES OF
HEAVEN OPENED WIDE WHEN RAY
WHEELED IN ON HIS SCOOTER. HE HE
IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE, HIS TWO
CHILDREN AND HIS SON. HIS THE
HIS SON AND DAUGHTER. PLEASE
JOIN ME IN REMEMBERING THIS
WONDERFUL MAN WHO SERVED OUR
COUNTRY AND SERVED OUR COMMUNITY
IN SO MANY WAYS. MISTER RAY
MISH. THANK YOU COLLEAGUES.
THANK YOU, SENATOR GROVE, SENATE
EXTENDS ITS CONDOLENCES TO THE
MANY FRIENDS AND FAMILY OF
MISTER MISH. PLEASE BRING HIS
NAME FORWARD SO HE CAN BE
PROPERLY MEMORIALIZED IN THE
SENATE JOURNAL, AND THAT WE MAY
ADJOURN IN HIS MEMORY. MEMBERS,
WE'RE GOING TO TURN NEXT TO
COMMITTEE ANNOUNCEMENTS. WE HAVE
ONE TO MAKE TODAY. SENATOR BLAKE
SPEAR. YES THANK YOU. THE LOW
SAND RAIL CORRIDOR SUBCOMMITTEE
WILL MEET IN ROOM 113
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CLOSE
HERE. ROOM 113, IMMEDIATELY
AFTER ADJOURNMENT OF THE SENATE.
IF THERE'S NO OTHER BUSINESS
BEFORE THE SENATE. SENATOR
GROVE, THE DESK IS CLEAR. THANK
YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. COLLEAGUES,
THE SENATE WILL BE IN RECESS
UNTIL 3:30 P.M. THIS AFTERNOON,
WHEN AN ADJOURNMENT MOTION WILL
BE MADE, WE WILL RECONVENE ON
THURSDAY AT 9 A.M. ENJOY THE
REST OF YOUR WEEK. THE SENATE
WILL BE ADJOURNED. WE WILL
RECONVENE THURSDAY AT 9 A.M.