California Commission on the State of Hate approves annual report and forwards draft to governor

The California Commission on the State of Hate voted on May 22 to approve and forward a draft of its second annual report to the governor's office, delegating incidental copy edits to staff, the chair and vice chair while reserving any substantive changes for return to commissioners or relevant subcommittees.

Chair Russell Roybal proposed the motion to transmit the draft and said commissioners would be consulted if the governor's office or staff identified substantive edits. Rebecca Goodsell, the commission staff member filling in for deputy director Alec Watts, told commissioners the research and strategic initiatives team and Civil Rights Department staff had made three main revisions in draft 3: adding the Shingle Springs community forum, editing an ethnic-studies subsection to note ongoing controversy and summarizing attorney-general guidance without detailed exposition, and updating a section titled “hate in the wake of October 7” based on ad hoc subcommittee language.

Commissioners debated process and phrasing. Commissioner Che asked that the record reflect the conflict did not begin on Oct. 7, urging a brief note that the history is longer; Commissioners Senar and Feiler, who served on the ad hoc subcommittee that drafted the October-2023 language, urged keeping the committee's agreed wording to avoid reopening deliberations and delaying the transmission. Chair Roybal read the ad hoc paragraph aloud during discussion.

Commissioner Damske moved to forward the draft to the governor's office with the editorial caveat; Commissioner Levin seconded. Monica called the roll; the recorded vote was all ayes from the commissioners present, and Chair Roybal confirmed the report will be sent to the governor's office with copy-edit authority delegated as described.

The commission emphasized timing: by statute the report must be produced by July 1, and staff asked commissioners to submit any last-week copy edits promptly. Rebecca Goodsell and Chair Roybal said staff would incorporate non-substantive edits and consult commissioners or subcommittees on any parts requiring substantive change before final transmission.

The action advances the department’s aim to publish the commission’s findings promptly; staff and commissioners thanked ad hoc members and contributors for the drafting work and data collection that supported the report.

The commission will provide follow-up if the governor’s office requests changes; otherwise the draft will move into the executive review stage and eventual public release.