Assembly upholds speaker rulings after multiple appeals; re-refers ACA 8 and SB 280 for committee hearings

The California State Assembly on June 4, 2025, debated several procedural challenges over the referral and notice of ACA 8 (Rivas) and SB 280 (Cervantes). After multiple points of order and appeals to the chair, the Assembly sustained the speaker's rulings and later approved motions to allow committee consideration and informational hearings on those measures.

Assemblymember Kevin DeMaio raised a point of order under Article IV, Section 8(a) of the California Constitution arguing that a 30‑day notice of contents was required before the bill could be referred. "Pursuant to article 4 section 8 a of the California constitution, I ask for you to…require a 30 day notice of its contents," DeMaio said at 01:08:12. The speaker overruled the point of order; DeMaio appealed. The clerk opened the roll and the appeal was sustained in favor of the speaker (Ayes 46, Noes 18). The clerk recorded the tally as "Ayes 46, Noes 18." (Roll call recorded at 01:08:12–01:14:00.)

Assemblymember Tim Gallagher later raised a separate point of order and appealed the chair's ruling. That appeal also was put to a nondebatable roll call and the speaker was sustained (Ayes 49, Noes 17). Gallagher then moved to re-refer SB 280 and ACA 8 to the Elections and Judiciary committees; that motion failed on the floor (Ayes 18, Noes 48).

After those votes, the majority leader sought and obtained suspensions of certain notice and filing rules (including joint rule 62(a)) to permit the Elections Committee to notice informational hearings on ACA 8 and SB 280 and to allow scheduling flexibility. Subsequent roll-call votes recorded that the ruling of the speaker to permit the re-referrals and suspensions was sustained (example tally: Ayes 47, Noes 18 when the motion to re-refer ACA 8 to Elections carried). Later procedural votes to allow committee scheduling and waivers to move the bills toward the Appropriations Committee also carried (recorded tallies include Ayes 48, Noes 18 and Ayes 46, Noes 18 at different steps).

All votes on appeals and rule waivers were procedural, nondebatable under Assembly Rule 82. The transcript records the sequence of appeals, seconds, roll openings, and vote tallies; it does not show final committee action on the underlying measures on June 4. The Assembly repeatedly distinguished the speaker's prerogative to refer bills under Assembly rules (cited repeatedly on the floor) from members' objections based on constitutional notice requirements.

Actions recorded on the floor were limited to rulings, appeals, and referrals; the Assembly did not adopt or amend the substantive language of ACA 8 or SB 280 during the session. The successful motions instructed committees to notice informational hearings and temporarily adjusted rule‑based notice requirements to permit those hearings to be scheduled.

Outcome and next steps: ACA 8 and SB 280 were authorized to be noticed for informational hearings by the Elections Committee; further committee consideration (including potential Appropriations hearings) will follow the usual committee process. The transcript does not record final committee votes or changes to the bills' text on June 4.