California legislator removed from committee after forcing sanctuary state vote

(The Center Square) - A California assemblyman was removed from his Judiciary Committee assignment after forcing a floor vote on his bill that would remove sanctuary state protections from individuals convicted of sex crimes against minors.

Assemblyman Bill Essayli, R-Corona, introduced a bill earlier this year that would have required law enforcement officials to cooperate with immigration authorities by sharing information on individuals convicted of sexual crimes against minors requiring sex offender registration. The bill was not heard in committee, which led Essayli to conduct a failed attempt to suspend the rules to force an Assembly-wide floor vote on the bill, thereby bypassing the committee process.

Typically, a bill makes its way through several committees before reaching the Assembly floor. In rare cases, the Assembly can suspend its rules to allow an urgent bill to be voted upon without going through the committee process. These bills are usually for emergencies or have broad support with the backing of the Assembly speaker, who chairs the Rules Committee that has power over what bills are assigned to which committees. The Speaker also has broad discretion over individuals’ assignments to various committees.

After Essayli’s attempt to suspend the rules for a floor vote on AB 2641, during which his microphone was cut off as he tried to read the bill, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, reassigned Essayli from the Assembly Judiciary Committee to the less influential Assembly Aging and Long-Term Care Committee. Assignments are generally made at the beginning of the legislative cycle, which makes a mid-cycle reassignment unusual.

Essayli claims this sudden reassignment was due to his floor vote attempt for AB 2641.

“Last week Democrats silenced me for forcing a vote on the Floor to end sanctuary state protections for pedophiles,” said Essayli on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Today they are punishing me by stripping me of my seat on the Judiciary Committee. I will not be deterred by their threats and intimidation."

Rivas' office did not respond to a request for comment by time of publication.