The California Senate on Jan. 23, 2025 confirmed multiple gubernatorial appointments to state boards and commissions and adopted three awareness resolutions in a series of roll-call votes.

The Senate confirmed nominees for the Delta Stewardship Council and a number of regional water boards and other state panels. It also adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 9 (maternal health awareness day), Senate Concurrent Resolution 10 (National Human Trafficking Awareness Month) and Senate Resolution 11 (cervical cancer awareness month). Most items were approved by unanimous or near-unanimous roll call.

Appointments confirmed

- Gail Miller and Daniel Zingali: confirmed to the Delta Stewardship Council (file item 2). The appointments were presented by Senator Grove and supported on the floor; the roll call recorded 35 ayes, 0 noes. The Senate clerk read the nominations and the roll call followed. The Senate record shows the motion to confirm carried (ayes 35, no 0).

- Sam Rodriguez (Board of Pilot Commissioners), Arthur Baggett Jr. (Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board), and Yin Thuy (San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board) were confirmed together (file item 5). The rules committee previously approved each nominee. Roll call: ayes 35, no 0.

- Denny Chan (Civil Rights Council) and Nisha Davey Rodrigo (Commission on the Status of Women and Girls) were confirmed (file item 3). The roll call recorded ayes 26, noes 8.

- Dr. Jake McKenzie was confirmed to the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (file item 4). The roll call recorded ayes 26, noes 1.

Resolutions adopted

- Senate Concurrent Resolution 9 (SCR 9): Declares Jan. 23, 2025 as Maternal Health Awareness Day in California; the resolution was presented by Senator Weber Pearson and adopted by unanimous consent (ayes 35, no 0). Floor remarks stressed maternal mortality causes including heart disease and disparities that disproportionately affect Black women.

- Senate Concurrent Resolution 10 (SCR 10): Declares January 2025 as National Human Trafficking Awareness Month; authored and presented by Senator Grove and adopted by unanimous consent (ayes 35, no 0). Sponsors described the resolution as a call to continue legislative and programmatic work to combat trafficking and to support survivors.

- Senate Resolution 11 (SR 11): Recognizes January 2025 as Cervical Cancer Awareness Month; authored by Senator Alvarado Gil and adopted by unanimous consent (ayes 35, no 0). The sponsor, a cervical cancer survivor, urged outreach, screening and awareness.

Roll-call practice and grouped confirmations

Several file items bundled multiple appointments for a single roll call; the Senate clerk read names and the chamber recorded ayes and noes on the group votes. Where multiple nominees were listed on the same file item, each nominee was confirmed as recorded on that roll-call outcome.

Context and notable floor remarks

During consideration of the Delta Stewardship Council confirmations, Senator McNearney noted the high estimated cost of a proposed Delta tunnel project, citing a current estimate of at least $20,000,000,000 and saying the state had not identified how it would pay for the project. Senator Grove also referenced large past state infrastructure costs during remarks on appointments.

Several senators used the privileges-of-the-floor portion of the session to recognize community groups and individuals, including representatives of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), staff from Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep credited with performing life-saving CPR, and trustees and students from Pasadena City College who aided Eaton Fire response and recovery.

What the votes mean

Confirmations place the named appointees on their respective boards and councils; the resolutions are expressions of the Senates position or recognition but do not create binding law. Some floor statements flagged forthcoming legislation or budget requests (for example, advocacy for continued funding to address maternal health), but the votes on Jan. 23 were procedural and ceremonial in nature.

Votes at a glance (selected)

- File item 2 (Gail Miller; Daniel Zingali) Confirmed; tally: ayes 35, noes 0.
- File item 5 (Sam Rodriguez; Arthur Baggett Jr.; Yin Thuy) Confirmed; tally: ayes 35, noes 0.
- File item 3 (Denny Chan; Nisha Davey Rodrigo) Confirmed; tally: ayes 26, noes 8.
- File item 4 (Dr. Jake McKenzie) Confirmed; tally: ayes 26, noes 1.
- SCR 9 (maternal health awareness day) Adopted; tally: ayes 35, noes 0.
- SCR 10 (human trafficking awareness month) Adopted; tally: ayes 35, noes 0.
- SR 11 (cervical cancer awareness month) Adopted; tally: ayes 35, noes 0.

Ending: The Senate recessed and announced the next floor session for Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025 at 9 a.m.