Senate committee honors retiring Corey Botts during final hearing

The Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee convened on July 9, 2025, to address several agenda items, beginning with a special acknowledgment and a review of the consent calendar.

The meeting commenced with the establishment of a quorum, confirming the presence of key members, including Senators Smallwood Cuevas, Strickland, and Laird. Following this, Vice Chair Strickland took a moment to honor Corey Botts, a long-serving member of the Republican Policy Caucus, who was attending his final hearing. Botts has dedicated over 20 years to the Senate, contributing significantly to the Labor Committee and analyzing more than 2,200 bills during his tenure. The committee members expressed their gratitude with a round of applause, recognizing Botts' commitment and service.

After the acknowledgment, the committee moved to the consent calendar, which included several items for approval. The items listed were AB 291 by Assemblymember Gibson, AB 381 by Assemblymember Stefani, and AB 1067 and AB 1398 by Assemblymembers Quirk Silva and Valencia, respectively. The committee voted unanimously to adopt the consent calendar, with a recorded vote of 2 to 0, leaving the decision on call for further confirmation.

With the consent calendar approved, the committee proceeded to the first substantive item on the agenda, AB 889, presented by Assemblyman Hadwick. The meeting continued with discussions on this and subsequent items, reflecting the committee's ongoing work in labor and public employment matters.

Overall, the meeting highlighted the committee's procedural efficiency and the importance of recognizing long-term contributions to public service, setting a collaborative tone for the discussions that followed.