>> AND SHARES HOW DEMOCRATS ARE RESPONDING TO IT. >> WELL, THIS IS SO RARE AT THE CAPITOL THAT THE LAST TIME A SITTING STATE SENATOR CHANGED PARTIES MIDWAY THROUGH THEIR TERM WAS 80 YEARS AGO. BUT NOW SENATOR MARIA ALVARADO GILL SAYS WHAT SHE DESCRIBES AS SERIOUS CHANGES IN HER. NOW, FORMER PARTY COMPELLED HER TO MAKE THIS VERY BIG DECISION. THE PENDULUM HAS SWUNG SO FAR TO THE LEFT THAT THIS IS NOT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY THAT I RECOGNIZE. THAT IS WHY STATE SENATOR MARIA ALVARADO GILL SAYS SHE MADE THE DECISION TO SWITCH FROM THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. >> TO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, THE BILL PASSES NOT MAKE ANY MAJOR CHANGE TO THE DEMOCRATIC SUPER MAJORITY MAKEUP OF THE STATE SENATE WHERE DEMOCRATS NOW HOLD 31 OF THE 40 SEATS ALVARADO. GILL SAYS SHE'S CHANGING PARTIES TO SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE TO DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP IN SACRAMENTO. I THINK THAT THEY WITNESSED DIRECTION THAT DOES NOT REFLECT THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE. IT REFLECTS A VERY SMALL MINORITY OF SPECIAL INTERESTS. AND SO I'M SAYING NO TO THAT. SHE SAYS AN UNWILLINGNESS FROM DEMOCRATIC LEADERS TO REFORM PROP. 47 PLAYED A HUGE PART IN HER DECISION. PROP 47 IS THE 2014 VOTE OR APPROVED A BALLOT MEASURE THAT LOWERED PENALTIES FOR SOME NONVIOLENT CRIMES, INCLUDING RETAIL THEFT. WHEN THE ITEMS STOLEN ARE LESS THAN $950. SUPPORTERS SAY IT LED TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM AND REDUCE THE SIZE OF CALIFORNIA'S PRISON POPULATION. >> BUT OPPONENTS, INCLUDING OVER AUTO GILL BELIEVE ELECT CRIMINALS OFF THE HOOK. VOTERS HAVE SPOKEN OVER AND OVER AGAIN OF THEY'RE TIRED OF THE CRIME IN THEIR COMMUNITY. THEY ARE TIRED OF THE HOMELESSNESS AND THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT THE SUPER MAJORITY. >> LISTEN TO THEM AND SEES THEM AND FRANKLY, I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT IN THE 2 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN SERVING IN A STATEMENT, DEMOCRATIC SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE MIGHT MCGUIRE RESPONDED TO ALVARADO GILL. >> WRITING, THIS IS DISAPPOINTING FOR VOTERS WHO ELECTED SENATOR ALVARADO GILL AS A DEMOCRAT. THEY TRUSTED HER TO REPRESENT THEM AND SHE'S BETRAYED THAT TRUST. WHILE MOST REPUBLICAN LEADERS ENTHUSIASTICALLY WELCOMED ALVARADO GUILLEN TO THEIR PARTY. GOP ASSEMBLY MEMBER BILLA SAY LEE DID NOT NOTING ALVARADO GILLS DISTRICT WHICH ENCOMPASSES PARTS OF THE CENTRAL VALLEY AND INCLUDES A HUGE AREA FROM LAKE TAHOE ALL THE WAY TO DEATH VALLEY. IT'S COMPRISED OF MORE REGISTERED REPUBLICANS THAN DEMOCRATS LEE BELIEVES ALVARADO GILL CHANGED PARTIES TO MAKE IT EASIER TO WIN RE-ELECTION IN HER DISTRICT IN TWENTY-TWENTY 6 QUOTE GILL ONLY SWITCHED REPUBLICAN FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES. WE DO NOT NEED OR WANT FAKE REPUBLICANS IN OUR PARTY. HE WENT ON TO ACCUSE SARAH PREVIOUSLY SUPPORTING KAMALA HARRIS FOR PRESIDENT, A CHARGE DENIES NIGHT, NEVER ENDORSED KAMALA HARRIS FOR PRESIDENT. ARE YOU LEANING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER FOR PRESIDENT? >> WELL, WHAT I'M DOING RIGHT NOW AS I'M WATCHING BOTH OF THEM AND I WANT BOTH OF THEM TO PROVE THAT THEY ARE WORTHY OF THE VOTE FROM CALIFORNIA AND ALL RAW DOUGH. GILL IS ALREADY FACING CONSEQUENCES FROM DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATIVE LEADERS. SHE'S BEEN KICKED OUT OF THE LATINO LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS AND SHE FULLY EXPECTS TO BE STRIPPED OF HER ROLE AS CHAIR OF THE SENATE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE. BY SOON S. >> NEXT WEEK