Lisa Calderon — Called during roll call; no response is captured in this excerpt.
Lisa Calderon — Identified as seconding the motion.
Lisa Calderon — Vote called on the motion for SB 624.
Lisa Calderon — Voted aye on SB 624.
Lisa Calderon — Voted aye on SB 778.
Lisa Calderon — Lisa Calderon seconded the motion and was later recorded in the roll call vote as voting aye.
Sade Elhawary — Called during roll call; transcription appears as 'Elwhari.'
Sade Elhawary — Thanked the author for the bill and emphasized the importance of outreach so foster youth can access the tax credit.
Sade Elhawary — Motion seconded by Assemblymember Al-Hawary.
Sade Elhawary — Voted aye on SB 624.
Sade Elhawary — Voted aye on SB 778.
Sade Elhawary — Her name is called in the roll vote on the consent calendar.
Sade Elhawary — Named in the roll call and voted aye.
Celeste Rodriguez — Called during roll call.
Celeste Rodriguez — Voted aye on SB 624.
Celeste Rodriguez — Named as the assemblymember who moved the bill.
Celeste Rodriguez — Voted aye on SB 778.
Celeste Rodriguez — Her name is called in the roll vote on the consent calendar.
Celeste Rodriguez — Her name is called in the roll vote for the add-on item.
Celeste Rodriguez — Named in the roll call and voted aye.
David Tangipa — Called during roll call; transcription appears as 'Tongapaw' and he responded 'Here.'
David Tangipa — The transcript appears to address the Vice Chair, likely David Tangipa, before the comment.
David Tangipa — David Tangipa is referenced in the committee proceedings as both casting an aye vote and as the Vice Chair who moved the consent calendar, with the committee action proceeding unanimously.
David Tangipa — David Tangipa briefly introduced himself, then spoke in support of the bill, thanking the author for addressing disaster-related issues he had seen in Fresno County and for considering future response needs, and said he looked forward to supporting it. He was then referenced in the ongoing discussion and later recorded in roll call as voting aye.
AJR12 — The committee begins consideration of AJR 12, introduced by Assembly Arons. The resolution recognizes May 2025 as Head Start Month and urges protection of Head Start as well as increased funding for the program.
AJR12 — The committee proceeds to roll call and motion to adopt the resolution.
Melanie Cottrell — Introduced as executive director of Head Start California and begins testimony.
Michael Jenkins — Introduced as a Head Start parent from Lincoln, California.
Mike Jenkins — Introduced as a Head Start parent and foster/adopt parent; begins testimony.
Annie Thomas — Testifies in support on behalf of the California Alliance of Child and Family Services.
Annie Thomas — Annie Thomas testifies in support on behalf of the California Alliance of Child and Family Services.
Nicole Morales — Testifies in support on behalf of Children Now.
Nicole Morales — Nicole Morales is introduced and then testifies in strong support on behalf of Children Now, forming a single coherent witness statement.
Yesenia Jimenez — Testifies in support on behalf of End Child Poverty California.
Yesenia Jimenez — Yesenia Jimenez testifies in strong support on behalf of End Child Poverty California, Prosper California, and the Western Center on Law and Poverty.
Barbara Schmidt — Testifies in support on behalf of First 5 California.
SB624 — The committee takes up SB 624, the Foster Act, which would expand access to the California Foster Youth Tax Credit by requiring county child welfare agencies and juvenile probation departments to mail information to eligible non-minor foster youth and by directing the California Department of Social Services to provide guidance to counties and probation departments. The author and supporters explain the bill’s purpose, cite pilot mailing results from four counties as evidence for the outreach strategy, and ask for an aye vote. The chair confirms the senator is accepting committee amendments, the motion is made for due pass as amended to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, and SB 624 passes 7-0 and is out of committee.
Simone Turek Lee — Simone Turek Lee is introduced as the Director of Housing and Economic Mobility at John Burton Advocates for Youth, then gives her testimony in strong support of SB 624 on behalf of the organization.
Bailey Craig — Bailey Craig, a 23-year-old former foster youth and youth advocate with John Burton Advocates for Youth, testifies in support of the bill. She explains that she was connected to the tax credit through a community-based organization called Voices and used the refund to help pay for car insurance, registration, and debt. She emphasizes that the credit was a lifeline for her and notes that many of her peers are unaware of it, underscoring her support for SB 624.
John Burton Advocates for Youth — John Burton Advocates for Youth appears in support of Senate Bill 624, and a speaker from the organization identifies themselves as a youth advocate with the group, continuing the same witness presentation in support of the bill.
Wednesday Pope — Wednesday Pope testifies in support of SB 624 as a former foster youth and chair of the California Youth Empowerment Commission.
Alicia Dominguez — Alicia Dominguez states her name and affiliation with John Burton Advocates for Youth in support of SB 624.
Orkidia de Bray Reyes — Orkidia de Bray Reyes states support on behalf of Long Beach City College.
Tiffany Fan — Tiffany Fan testifies in support on behalf of CALCASA.
Kate Sanchez — Vice Chair Kate Sanchez is referenced during the consent calendar proceedings: she seconded the motion and is also named in the roll call/aye vote, with the transcript showing likely transcription errors in her name during the vote tally.
SB778 — SB 778 is introduced as a measure to expand access to the Migrant Child Care and Development Program for agricultural working families by redefining eligibility criteria for migrant agriculture worker families. The discussion then shifts into a series of supportive testimonies emphasizing that the bill would ease enrollment, provide meaningful relief and assurance for farmworker families, and offer a modest but important adjustment reflecting agricultural realities. Public support continues, after which the committee moves the bill due pass to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, and SB 778 passes 7-0 and is reported out of committee.
Vicki Santos — Vicki Santos was introduced and then testified in support of SB 778 on behalf of the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation, identifying herself as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer.
Jacob Villegomis — Named as a supporting witness on behalf of Citrus Mutual.
Jacobi Gomes — Testified in support of SB 778 on behalf of California Citrus Mutual.