Joe Patterson — Assembly Member Ellis is introduced as substituting for Assembly Member Joe Patterson for today’s hearing.
Joe Patterson — Called present during quorum establishment.
Eleanor Wyatt — Said she is one of Addie's classmates and supports SB 68.
Zuri Gonzalez — Stated support for SB 68 and repeated the 'Dine Allergy Safe' message.
Seneca Gonzalez — Identified as CEO and co-founder of Harmony Legal and supported the bill.
Angela Mercer — Identified as a pediatric RN at UC Davis caring for children recovering from anaphylaxis due to food allergies and supported the bill.
Ryan Jekyll — Stated support for the bill.
Rio Jekyll — Stated support for the bill.
Anu Jekyll — Said she is a mother of two kids with severe allergies and supports the bill.
Jonathan Mello — Said he is a parent of one of Eddie's classmates and supports the bill.
Cody Boyles — Spoke on behalf of Western Fair Association and said they are happy to remove their opposition to the bill.
Sarah Ali — Said she has two kids with severe allergy reactions and supports the bill.
Elefino — Said her daughter is Addie's classmate and also has food allergies; she supports the bill.
Rihanna Aglobat — Identified as a neonatal ICU nurse and supported the bill.
Sabrina Tour — Said she is 17 years old from the Central Valley, suffers severe allergies, and strongly supports the bill.
Renee Reinhart — Identified as a pediatric nurse practitioner and supported the bill.
Lara Parique — Referenced as having severe peanut allergies since infancy; the speaker says she is Lara Parique's mother and supports the bill.
Rachel Array — Said she is a mother of three children, one with a severe peanut and dairy allergy, and strongly supports the bill.
Ken Go Rai — Said he has anaphylactic peanut allergies and supports the bill.
Megan Omwina — Said she has had fatal allergies since infancy and supports the bill.
Elena Lewis — Elena Lewis states that her mother has a severe shellfish allergy and says she supports the bill.
Avaline Lewis — Said her mother has a severe shellfish allergy and she supports the bill.
Amy Lewis — Said she has a severe shellfish allergy and mast cell activation syndrome, making exposure more serious; she supports the bill.
Abby — Stated support for the bill.
Dr. Sleen Chandler — Identified as a licensed pharmacist with family members who have allergies and supported the bill.
Kylie Baranowski — Kylie Baranowski testified that she has severe allergies and voiced her support for the bill.
Gero Panyan — Stated support for the bill.
Matt Sutton — Matt Sutton, speaking for the California Restaurant Association, continues his opposition to SB 68 while emphasizing that the industry has worked on prior allergy-related bills and prefers the National Model Food Code as a nationwide standard for allergen disclosure. He argues that restaurants cannot accept an on-menu mandate in every circumstance, asks for broader application of the model code rather than limiting it to select restaurants, and requests a short liability provision to protect restaurants acting in good faith.
Ms. Jordan — Thanked for testimony.
Mr. Sutton — Mr. Sutton is mentioned in the context of the opposition during a discussion about negotiations that went back and forth over several rounds to strike the right balance.
Adi — Thanked for being engaged in the bill discussion.
Robin — Thanked for being engaged in the bill discussion.
SB403 — SB 403 is introduced as the next file item and then discussed in a continuous hearing. The author explains that the bill would remove the sunset on the End of Life Option Act, making it permanent, and several witnesses testify in support, urging a yes vote and emphasizing that the bill only eliminates the sunset without expanding the law. Opposition testimony is also heard. Committee discussion notes that concerns have been addressed, describes the measure as a modest change, and reiterates that it simply removes the sunset. The segment ends with a final reference to SB 403 as the item just heard.
SB403 — SB 403 is taken up in the add-on roll call and voted on. The vote is repeated across consecutive transcript entries, with Flora voting no while the other votes are aye; one later mention is unclear but appears to be part of the same voting sequence.
Catherine Forrest — Catherine Forrest is introduced as a witness present to testify and identified as a Los Altos family physician who prescribes aid-in-dying medication.
Will Forrest — Will Forrest is discussed as having used the law in 2021, with the later mention adding the personal account of his final moments: he whispered that he was ready, his family gathered around him outdoors, and he died peacefully after receiving aid-in-dying medication.
Bonnie McKeegan — Bonnie McKeegan, a retired licensed clinical social worker from Grass Valley, was introduced and then testified in support of SB 403, urging the committee to make the End of Life Option Act permanent in California.
SB380 — Referenced as prior legislation Bonnie McKeegan supported in 2021.
Dr. Catherine Sondquist Forrest — Dr. Catherine Sondquist Forrest introduced herself as a family member speaking in her personal capacity, then described her professional background as a family medicine physician, professor, public health specialist, and someone who has prescribed medical aid in dying medication, in support of SB 403.
Will — The witness speaks about her partner of 37 years, Will, describing him as a brilliant public health scientist who served the government for over 40 years and as a deeply loving father. The mention connects his personal relationship to her testimony and highlights his professional life and later terminal illness.
Dr. Sarah Pender — Testified in support, describing professional experience in hospice and related fields.
Rachel Poppers — Testified in support as a hospice social worker and LCSW.
Dolores Itel — Dolores Itel, a retired nurse practitioner, testified in support of preserving access to the safe medical treatment. She said she has helped people use it and wants to be able to continue having that option available in California, expressing concern about the sunset issue and future access.
Christina Vaubel — Christina Vaubel, from San Jose, California, begins her testimony and explains that she is speaking in support based on a painful cancer experience involving Gingo, saying she wants the same option for herself.
Gingo — Described as suffering severe pain from a cancerous tumor filling his lung.
Kate Rosenlebe — Testified in support of SB 403.
Leslie Chingsia — Testified in strong support of SB 403.
Dan Diaz — Testified in support and identified himself as Brittany Minard's husband.
Brittany Minard — Mentioned as Dan Diaz's spouse.
Dr. Clint Hopkins — Testified in support as owner and pharmacist at Pucci’s in Sacramento.