Chair Farías: Testimony rules and staff acknowledgments

Thank you, Chair Hudson.

I'd like to thank the members of the Women and Gender Equity Committee and the General Welfare Committee who've joined us today.

I'd also like to thank Committee Staff Julia Goldsmith, Pinkham, Katie Selena, and Ali Stauffer, as well as my own staff, Dan Curtin and Josephine Karras, for their work on today's hearing.

I would like to remind everyone who wishes to testify in person today that you must fill out a witness slip, which you can find on the desk of the sergeant at arms in the back of the room near the entrance.

Please fill out the slip even if you have already registered in advance that you will be testifying in person today.

If you wish to testify on any of the legislation, please indicate on the witness slip whether you are here to testify in favor of or in opposition to the legislation.

I also want to point out that we will not be voting on any legislation today.

To allow as many people as possible to testify, testimony will be limited to two minutes per person, whether you're testifying in person or on Zoom.

I'm also going to ask my colleagues to limit their questions and comments to five minutes.

Please note that witnesses...

who are here in person will testify before those who are signed onto the Zoom webinar.

I'm now going to turn it over to the Women and Gender Equity Committee Council to administer the oath.