00:00Now adjourn the informational hearing, and we will move on to the next file item.
00:06AB 604, committee secretary, if we could establish a quorum, please call the roll.
00:14Senator Cervantes?
00:15Here.
00:16Cervantes here.
00:17Choi?
00:17Here.
00:18Choi here.
00:18Allen?
00:19Here.
00:20Allen here.
00:20Limon?
00:21Here.
00:21Limon here.
00:22Umberg?
00:22Here.
00:23Umberg here.
00:26The secretary notes a quorum has been established.
00:29Uh, we have assembly member Aguirre Currie, our majority leader here with us, as well
00:33as Senator Gonzales, our majority leader in the Senate.
00:36You may begin.
00:37Good morning.
00:38Thank you for having us.
00:40Thank you, Madam Chair and members and senators.
00:43Let's not dance around the issue here.
00:46If California Democrats had our way, the midterms would continue as they are.
00:52With a map drawn by the state's independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission.
00:58But that's not good enough for this president or the Republicans following his commands in
01:03Texas and D.C.
01:05We weren't planning on redistricting until they made attempts to rig the 2026 election by stacking
01:14the deck in other states.
01:16We did not start this, but we won't roll over.
01:21This bill lays out the new congressional districts only if voters pass ACA 8.
01:29If voters approve the new map, the Independent Redistricting Commission will continue its mission
01:34after the 2030 census.
01:37If California voters approve the plan, the temporary maps only happen if D.C. Republicans and the
01:46Republican-led states push through mid-decade partisan maps first.
01:51Unlike Texas, which is forcing maps on their voters, we are asking ours for an approval.
01:57There is nothing more democratic than letting the California voters decide.
02:03Unlike the map proposed in Texas, the map in AB 604 respects California's constitutional
02:08requirement for maintaining communities of interest.
02:13With this bill, there is less breakup of our local jurisdictions.
02:18With this bill, we seek the public's input.
02:21The voters will decide.
02:23So if our Republican colleagues in California want to stop this, they don't need us to do
02:29it.
02:30They can convince their Republican colleagues in Texas and D.C. to stop trying to rig the
02:362026 elections and these shenanigans.
02:40And they can ask congressional Republicans to pass the Republican proposal to make mid-term
02:44redistricting illegal.
02:47To finally create a system where every state uses a fair, independent redistricting system.
02:55Again, colleagues, their choice is to stand down or support a fair system in every state.
03:01That's how this ends.
03:03Until the president and his followers stop trying to rig elections, we won't and can't sit on
03:09our hands.
03:10What happens next year is up to the president, it's up to the national Republicans.
03:16And it's up to California voters.
03:19So with me today to testify is Senate Majority Leader, Lina Gonzalez.
03:23And speaking in support with me today will be Terry Brennan from SEIU and Tom Willis with
03:28Olson Remco to answer technical questions.
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