Update: 9:38 a.m.
Brown also talked of his support for two tunnels in the Delta
to funnel water from the north part of the state to the
south.
He compared the expensive high speed rail project to the little
engine that could, saying "I think I can, I think I can."
Brown also touched on climate change, applauding the
progress that California has made over the past three decades in
efforts to reduce electricity consumption as well
as efficiency standards for building and
appliances. Brown also praised the state's renewable energy
goals.
Governor Brown's speech ran just over 24 minutes. That's a bit
shorter than last year's.
Update: 9:34 a.m.
Governor Brown notably doesn't use a teleprompter, unlike many
of his predecessors, and he's really reading from this one, looking
down quite a bit.
He also writes his own speeches, a departure from other
Governors.
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In his speech, Governor Brown has also called for a special
session to deal with the issues involved in implementing the
federal Affordable Care Act, and promised a trade mission to
China. Brown also recommends changing the Enterprise
Zone Program and the Jobs Hiring Credit, saying both are not
working. He also says California should "rethink" and "streamline"
the Environmental Quality Act, which is a controversial
subject.
Update: 9:26 a.m.
Brown has dedicated a large section of the
speech to the reasons change is needed in the
education system. "We seem to think that education is a thing
- like a vaccine - that can be designed from afar and simply
injected into our children." Brown quotes William Butler Yeats,
saying "education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of
a fire."
Brown also talks about more local control of education, and
change the way schools are funded, saying "equal treatment for
children in unequal situations is not justice."
Additionally, the Governor says tuition increases for UC, CSU
and community colleges are not the answer. There was major applause
after Brown said "I will not let the students become the default
financiers of our colleges and universities."
Update: 9:20 a.m.
So far, during his State of the State Address, Governor Jerry
Brown has quoted the bible, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Franklin
Roosevelt and King Charles III, and given a short lesson on
the history of California.
Brown says this generation of Californians "has a rendezvous
with destiny."
Update: 9:15 a.m.
California Governor Jerry Brown says California did the
impossible in bringing the budget back into balance. In his
State of the State Address, Brown called the budget "solid" and
"enduring," and pledged "by God, we will preserve and keep it that
way for years to come."
He saluted numerous groups for their part in the success,
including legislators, businesses, unions, teachers, students and
citizens.
After a great deal of applause, Brown joked "let's not applaud
too much," saying that it was his longest speech yet.