Senate adopts Law Day resolution after extended floor debate over partisanship

The California State Senate adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 66, designating Law Day and affirming the rule of law, after a lengthy floor debate that divided members along partisan lines on May 28, 2025.

The resolution’s author, Senator Scott Unberg, told the chamber the measure ‘‘recognizes the importance of the rule of law’’ and argued the resolution was meant to defend the independence of courts and lawyers who represent clients against the executive branch. ‘‘The rule of law underpins what we do as a democracy,’’ Unberg said while urging colleagues for an aye vote.

Why it matters: The measure drew unusually heated remarks and extended discussion because several senators said its language singled out actions by the current president and certain law‑firms, turning what would normally be a ceremonial recognition into a partisan statement. Supporters said the floor debate highlighted a broader, longstanding concern about threats to judicial independence; opponents said the resolution was unbalanced and politicized a nonpartisan observance.

Supporters’ arguments

Senator Unberg, the resolution’s sponsor, framed the measure as a defense of long‑standing legal institutions and said that attacks on law firms and courts threatened Americans’ liberties. ‘‘The rule of law makes it so that we can buy eggs,’’ Unberg said in a…