Officially Chartered by the National Federation of Republican Women and the California Republican Party
From the Desk of Lydia Kanno, CFRW President August 30, 2025
What Happened Last Week
AB 495, AB 84, & AB 727
All were heard Monday in the Senate Appropriations Committee, where CFRW members, including our president testified passionately in opposition. On Tuesday, Pastor Jack Hibbs led a powerful rally opposing specifically AB 495, drawing an estimated 6,500 people who held lobby office visits and made their voices heard loud and clear. All three bills were moved to the Suspense File and will be revisited on August 29, when they will either advance to a floor vote or be quietly killed in suspense.
Redistricting Package – ACA 8, AB 604, SB 280
Moved rapidly through the process. These bills were rushed through legislative action—gutted and amended in just 4 days—with simultaneous hearings in both houses. In the Assembly Elections Committee hearing, Democrat legislators blatantly ignored and refused to read 16,000 public comments, admitted to not reading the bills, refused repeatedly to say who drew the maps, and shut off microphones when challenging questions were raised by the two Republican committee members. They justified breaking legislative procedures by claiming that “times are different now.” It then ended with the committee chair shutting off questions abruptly and forcing a vote. The package then proceeded swiftly to the Assembly and Senate floor sessions on Thursday. During the Assembly floor hearing, many individuals spoke passionately in opposition to the bills; however, their concerns were largely ignored, and several were abruptly shut down. Despite the strong opposition and serious procedural concerns, the Legislature pushed the redistricting package forward without transparency or accountability. Governor Newsom then quickly signed the bills into law.
Redistricting: What Happens Next?
Republican lawmakers — Senators Strickland and Valladares, along with Assemblymembers Tri Ta and Kathryn Sanchez — first filed an emergency petition with the California Supreme Court to stop the redistricting bills from moving forward. That request was denied, so they have now filed a full lawsuit with the Court. In the lawsuit, they argue that the Legislature’s rushed process violated the California Constitution’s 30-day public review requirement for bills. They highlight how the majority party used a “gut and amend” tactic, stripping unrelated bills and replacing them with new redistricting language and then pushed the bills through concurrent hearings in both chambers over just four days. Lawmakers also argue that bypassing the state’s independent redistricting commission undermines the transparency and fairness that voters intended when they created the commission.
In summary, last week highlighted strong public opposition and serious concerns about legislative overreach. While citizens and organizations spoke out, key bills moved forward with little transparency or accountability. Notably, ACA 8 will now appear on the November 4 ballot as Proposition 50, making it crucial for voters to be educated and informed about this measure and its impact on California’s elections. The August 29 Suspense File hearings and ongoing redistricting lawsuit remain critical to watch, as they will determine whether other legislative actions advance, are blocked, or face continued legal challenges.
Social Media Sharing Builds the CFRW Brand and Helps Grow Membership for All Local Clubs
Limited Edition Centennial Items are Available for Purchase While Supplies Last
Copyright © 2025 California Federation of Republican Women, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you are a member of the California Federation of Republican Women.
Our mailing address is:
California Federation of Republican Women
Sacramento, CA 95814-2394
