00:00Thank you, Madam Chair and members.
00:04As been mentioned by Assembly Majority Leader, I'm here in partnership with her to present AB 604.
00:09It represents a reasonable and rational response to the anti-democratic actions of the federal administration.
00:16As been mentioned, Californians and all Americans are facing the endless cycle of worry under this reckless federal administration.
00:24Families have been separated, immigrant communities have been literally traumatized,
00:29SNAP benefits for families taken away, Medicare, nearly 4 million Californians will be potentially kicked off of Medicare.
00:38K-12 funding has been threatened, $1 billion away from the UC system.
00:43The list goes on and on and on.
00:45So if we're asking about urgency, that is the urgency as to why we need to do this and move this today.
00:50And unlike in Texas, where Republican legislators are literally on a lockdown and the governor is moving unilaterally
00:58on an undemocratic and partisan effort, here in California we want to ensure, as has been mentioned by the Assembly Majority Leader,
01:03that California voters have the final word at the ballot box.
01:07And I'm beyond saddened to see what is happening, as many of you have, and whether you're Republican or Democrat,
01:12you should be saddened to see Texas legislators that are being locked, you know, essentially locked up,
01:18and being asked for a requirement to be followed by law enforcement to basically dismantle their communities and disrupt the Voting Rights Act.
01:28This is how we fight back in California though, we want to protect our democracy and again, regardless of where you live,
01:34regardless of what party affiliation you pledge allegiance to, we want to restore democracy.
01:40Here to testify in support of the bill, we have Tom Willis, an attorney at Olsen Remco, and of course, Harry Brennan with SEIU.
01:46And I'm very proud to stand alongside my colleagues here today.
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