105: Sign or Veto? The Biggest Bills Sitting on Newsom’s Desk

But Greg, before we run through a bunch of bills for everyone, people often ask, Does showing up to the Capitol make a difference? Do our phone calls make a difference? Do our testifying make a difference? You know, we just posted on our social media a few days ago about AB 2017.

It's a bill about Muslim holidays, and it has thousands of comments on the post, Greg.

And I'm reading some of these comments, and the comments are like, I'm not even going to call Governor Newsom.

It doesn't make a difference.

Our legislators are going to do things that they want to do anyways.

Our calls don't make a difference.

And showing up to the Capitol doesn't make a difference.

And good job on testifying, but it doesn't make a difference.

But Greg, what is AB 2017? And what is your actual firsthand example of how when we show up, when we make our voices heard, differences are made?

Right.

So this is a trend that California started last year when it decided it was going to require or let schools designate days off for particular religious holidays.

And it was going to start with a holiday called Diwali, which is a

Hindu

holiday.

You know, India, it's a big deal.

And some Asian countries celebrate this.

But, you know, in California, it's, I don't know, 1% of the population.

And they were doing something unusual.

And this is what the law said that I particularly objected to.

It was going to allow a school district to say, hey, we're going to use existing state resources.

And the bill said allows, and I'm quoting here, exercises, acknowledging and celebrating the meaning and importance of Diwali.

And I opposed it.

And, you know, I felt like I was the only one.

Nobody was, like, objecting.

Like, oh, well, this is part of inclusivity.

But Greg, before we run through a bunch of bills for everyone, people often ask, Does showing up to the Capitol make a difference? Do our phone calls make a difference? Do our testifying make a difference? You know, we just posted on our social media a few days ago about AB 2017.

It's a bill about Muslim holidays, and it has thousands of comments on the post, Greg.

And I'm reading some of these comments, and the comments are like, I'm not even going to call Governor Newsom.

It doesn't make a difference.

Our legislators are going to do things that they want to do anyways.

Our calls don't make a difference.

And showing up to the Capitol doesn't make a difference.

And good job on testifying, but it doesn't make a difference.

But Greg, what is AB 2017? And what is your actual firsthand example of how when we show up, when we make our voices heard, differences are made?

Right.

So this is a trend that California started last year when it decided it was going to require or let schools designate days off for particular religious holidays.

And it was going to start with a holiday called Diwali, which is a

Hindu

holiday.

You know, India, it's a big deal.

And some Asian countries celebrate this.

But, you know, in California, it's, I don't know, 1% of the population.

And they were doing something unusual.

And this is what the law said that I particularly objected to.

It was going to allow a school district to say, hey, we're going to use existing state resources.

And the bill said allows, and I'm quoting here, exercises, acknowledging and celebrating the meaning and importance of Diwali.

And I opposed it.

And, you know, I felt like I was the only one.

Nobody was, like, objecting.

Like, oh, well, this is part of inclusivity.