California State Assembly

The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature, the upper house being the California State Senate. The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento.

California State Assembly
California State Legislature
Type
Type
Term limits
Elected before 2012:
3 terms (6 years)
Elected 2012 and after:
6 terms (12 years)
History
New session started
December 3, 2018
Leadership
Speaker
Anthony Rendon (D)
since March 7, 2016
Speaker pro Tempore
Kevin Mullin (D)
since December 1, 2014
Majority Leader
Ian Calderon (D)
since March 10, 2016
Minority Leader
Marie Waldron (R)
since November 8, 2018
Structure
Seats80
Political groups
Majority
  Democratic (61)

Minority

  Republican (17)
  Independent (1)

Vacant

  Vacant (1)
Length of term
2 years
AuthorityArticle 4, California Constitution
Salary$110,459/year + per diem
Elections
Nonpartisan blanket primary
Last election
November 6, 2018
Next election
November 3, 2020
RedistrictingCalifornia Citizens Redistricting Commission
Motto
Legislatorum est justas leges condere
("It is the duty of legislators to pass just laws.")
Meeting place
State Assembly Chamber
California State Capitol
Sacramento, California
Website
California State Assembly

The Assembly consists of 80 members, with each member representing at least 465,000 people. Due to a combination of the state's large population and relatively small legislature, the Assembly has the largest population-per-representative ratio of any state lower house and second largest of any legislative lower house in the United States after the federal House of Representatives.

Members of the California State Assembly are generally referred to using the titles Assemblyman (for men), Assemblywoman (for women), or Assemblymember (gender-neutral). In the current legislative session, Democrats enjoy a three-fourths supermajority of 61 seats, while Republicans control a minority of 17 seats and Independents hold 1 seat; there is currently 1 vacant seat.

Leadership

The Speaker presides over the State Assembly in the chief leadership position, controlling the flow of legislation and committee assignments. The Speaker is nominated by the caucus of the majority party and elected by the full Assembly. Other leaders, such as the majority and minority leaders, are elected by their respective party caucuses according to each party's strength in the chamber.

The current Speaker is Democrat Anthony Rendon (63rd–Lakewood). The majority leader is Democrat Ian Calderon (57th–Whittier), while the minority leader is Republican Marie Waldron (75th–Escondido).[1]

Terms of office

As a result of Proposition 140 in 1990 and Proposition 28 in 2012, members elected to the Legislature prior to 2012 are restricted by term limits to three two-year terms (six years), while those elected in or after 2012 are allowed to serve 12 years in the legislature in any combination of four-year State Senate or two-year State Assembly terms.[2]

Every two years, all 80 seats in the Assembly are subject to election. This is in contrast to the State Senate, in which only half of its 40 seats are subject to election every two years.

Meeting chamber

The chamber's green tones are based on the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. The dais rests along a wall shaped like an "E", with its central projection housing the rostrum. Along the cornice appears a portrait of Abraham Lincoln and a Latin quotation: legislatorum est justas leges condere ("It is the duty of legislators to pass just laws"). Almost every decorating element is identical to the Senate Chamber.

Candidate qualifications

To run for the Assembly, a candidate must be a United States citizen and a registered voter in the district at the time nomination papers are issued, and may not have served three terms in the State Assembly since November 6, 1990. According to Article 4, Section 2(c) of the California Constitution, the candidate must have one year of residency in the legislative district and California residency for three years.[3]

Employees

The chief clerk of the Assembly, a position that has existed since the Assembly's creation, is responsible for many administrative duties. The chief clerk is the custodian of all Assembly bills and records and publishes the Assembly Daily Journal, the minutes of floor sessions, as well as the Assembly Daily File (the Assembly agenda). The chief clerk is the Assembly's parliamentarian, and in this capacity gives advice to the presiding officer on matters of parliamentary procedure. The chief clerk is also responsible for engrossing and enrolling of measures, and the transmitting passed legislation to the governor.[4]

Since 2016, the chaplain and the alternate chaplain of the Assembly have been Revs. Patti Oshita and Bob Oshita, married couple and both Buddhist spiritual leaders. The chaplain from 2003 to 2016 was Father Constantine Pappademos, a Greek Orthodox priest.[5]

The position of sergeant-at-arms of the Assembly has existed since 1849; Samuel N. Houston was the first to hold this post, overseeing one deputy. The sergeant-at-arms is mostly tasked with law enforcement duties, but customarily also has a ceremonial and protocol role. Today, some fifty employees are part of the Assembly Sergeant-at-Arms Office.[6]

Current session

Composition
Composition of the California State Assembly
  Democratic Party
  Republican Party
61 1 18
Democratic Independent Republican
Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total
Democratic Republican Independent Vacant
End of previous legislature 55 25 0 80 0
Begin 60 20 0 80 0
January 24, 2019 61 19 0 80 0
June 12, 2019 61 18 0 79 1
November 12, 2019 61 19 0 80 0
December 5, 2019 61 18 1 80 0
Latest voting share 76.3% 22.5% 1.3%

Officers
Position Name Party District
Speaker Anthony Rendon Democratic 63rd–Lakewood
Speaker pro tempore Kevin Mullin Democratic 22nd–South San Francisco
Assistant speaker pro tempore Rebecca Bauer-Kahan Democratic 16th–Orinda
Majority leader Ian Calderon Democratic 57th–Whittier
Assistant majority leaders Rob Bonta Democratic 18th–Alameda
Al Muratsuchi Democratic 66th–Rolling Hills Estates
Majority whip Todd Gloria Democratic 78th–San Diego
Assistant majority whips Tasha Boerner Horvath Democratic 76th–Encinitas
Jesse Gabriel Democratic 45th–Encino
Democratic caucus chair Mike Gipson Democratic 64th–Carson
Republican leader Marie Waldron Republican 75th–Escondido
Republican floor leader Heath Flora Republican 12th–Ripon
Republican caucus chair Jay Obernolte Republican 33rd–Big Bear Lake
Republican chief whip Phillip Chen Republican 55th–Yorba Linda
Republican whip Devon Mathis Republican 26th–Visalia
Acting Chief Clerk Sue Parker
Acting Chief Sergeant-at-Arms Alisa Buckley
Chaplain Reverend Patti Oshita

The Chief Clerk, the acting Chief Sergeant-at-Arms, and the Chaplains are not members of the Legislature.

Members
District Name Party Residence First elected Term limited Notes
1 Megan Dahle Republican Bieber 2019† 2030
2 Jim Wood Democratic Santa Rosa 2014 2026
3 James Gallagher Republican Yuba City 2014 2026
4 Cecilia Aguiar-Curry Democratic Winters 2016 2028
5 Frank Bigelow Republican O'Neals 2012 2024
6 Kevin Kiley Republican Rocklin 2016 2028
7 Kevin McCarty Democratic Sacramento 2014 2026
8 Ken Cooley Democratic Rancho Cordova 2012 2024
9 Jim Cooper Democratic Elk Grove 2014 2026
10 Marc Levine Democratic Greenbrae 2012 2024
11 Jim Frazier Democratic Discovery Bay 2012 2024
12 Heath Flora Republican Ripon 2016 2028
13 Susan Eggman Democratic Stockton 2012 2024
14 Tim Grayson Democratic Concord 2016 2028
15 Buffy Wicks Democratic Oakland 2018 2030
16 Rebecca Bauer-Kahan Democratic Orinda 2018 2030
17 David Chiu Democratic San Francisco 2014 2026
18 Rob Bonta Democratic Alameda 2012 2024
19 Phil Ting Democratic San Francisco 2012 2024
20 Bill Quirk Democratic Hayward 2012 2024
21 Adam Gray Democratic Merced 2012 2024
22 Kevin Mullin Democratic South San Francisco 2012 2024
23 Jim Patterson Republican Fresno 2012 2024
24 Marc Berman Democratic Palo Alto 2016 2028
25 Kansen Chu Democratic San Jose 2014 2026
26 Devon Mathis Republican Visalia 2014 2026
27 Ash Kalra Democratic San Jose 2016 2028
28 Evan Low Democratic Campbell 2014 2026
29 Mark Stone Democratic Scotts Valley 2012 2024
30 Robert Rivas Democratic Hollister 2018 2030
31 Joaquin Arambula Democratic Fresno 2016 2028
32 Rudy Salas Democratic Bakersfield 2012 2024
33 Jay Obernolte Republican Big Bear Lake 2014 2026
34 Vince Fong Republican Bakersfield 2016 2028
35 Jordan Cunningham Republican Paso Robles 2016 2028
36 Tom Lackey Republican Palmdale 2014 2026
37 Monique Limón Democratic Santa Barbara 2016 2028
38 Christy Smith Democratic Santa Clarita 2018 2030
39 Luz Rivas Democratic North Hollywood 2018 2030
40 James Ramos Democratic Highland 2018 2030
41 Chris Holden Democratic Pasadena 2012 2024
42 Chad Mayes Independent Yucca Valley 2014 2026
43 Laura Friedman Democratic Glendale 2016 2028
44 Jacqui Irwin Democratic Thousand Oaks 2014 2026
45 Jesse Gabriel Democratic Encino 2018 2030
46 Adrin Nazarian Democratic Sherman Oaks 2012 2024
47 Eloise Reyes Democratic Grand Terrace 2016 2028
48 Blanca Rubio Democratic Baldwin Park 2016 2028
49 Ed Chau Democratic Arcadia 2012 2024
50 Richard Bloom Democratic Santa Monica 2012 2024
51 Wendy Carrillo Democratic Boyle Heights 2017 2030
52 Freddie Rodriguez Democratic Pomona 2013 2024
53 Miguel Santiago Democratic Los Angeles 2014 2026
54 Sydney Kamlager-Dove Democratic Los Angeles 2018 2030
55 Phillip Chen Republican Yorba Linda 2016 2028
56 Eduardo Garcia Democratic Coachella 2014 2026
57 Ian Calderon Democratic Whittier 2012 2024 Majority Leader
58 Cristina Garcia Democratic Bell Gardens 2012 2024
59 Reggie Jones-Sawyer Democratic Los Angeles 2012 2024
60 Sabrina Cervantes Democratic Riverside 2016 2028
61 Jose Medina Democratic Riverside 2012 2024
62 Autumn Burke Democratic Marina del Rey 2014 2026
63 Anthony Rendon Democratic Lakewood 2012 2024 Speaker
64 Mike Gipson Democratic Carson 2014 2026
65 Sharon Quirk-Silva Democratic Fullerton 2016 2026 Previously served from 2012 to 2014.
66 Al Muratsuchi Democratic Rolling Hills Estates 2016 2026 Previously served from 2012 to 2014.
67 Vacant
68 Steven Choi Republican Irvine 2016 2028
69 Tom Daly Democratic Anaheim 2012 2024
70 Patrick O'Donnell Democratic Long Beach 2014 2026
71 Randy Voepel Republican Santee 2016 2028
72 Tyler Diep Republican Westminster 2018 2030
73 Bill Brough Republican Dana Point 2014 2026
74 Cottie Petrie-Norris Democratic Laguna Beach 2018 2030
75 Marie Waldron Republican Escondido 2012 2024 Minority Leader
76 Tasha Boerner Horvath Democratic Encinitas 2018 2030
77 Brian Maienschein Democratic San Diego 2012 2024 Changed party affiliation on January 24, 2019[7][8]
78 Todd Gloria Democratic San Diego 2016 2028
79 Shirley Weber Democratic San Diego 2012 2024
80 Lorena Gonzalez Democratic San Diego 2013 2024
  • elected in a special election

Seating chart
              Speaker
Rendon
 
Chu Bonta   Vacant Lackey   Brough Waldron   Calderon Petrie-Norris   Rubio Holden   Smith Irwin
Dahle Cunningham   Santiago Cooper   Diep Flora   Wicks Gipson   Limón Bloom   C. Garcia Chau
Kiley Fong   Patterson Gallagher   Grayson Daly   Ting Gray   Maienschein McCarty   Mathis Obernolte
Chen Bigelow   Wood Cooley   Carrillo L. Rivas   Reyes Quirk-Silva   Low Burke   Choi Voepel
Medina Rodriguez   Frazier Jones-Sawyer   R. Rivas Kalra   Weber Kamlager   Muratsuchi Chiu   Nazarian Levine
Gonzalez Boerner Horvath   Quirk Bauer-Kahan   O'Donnell Friedman   Aguiar-Curry Eggman   Cervantes Salas   Arambula Ramos
      Berman Gabriel   E. Garcia Rendon   Mullin Gloria   Mayes Stone

Past composition of the Assembly
Main article: Political party strength in California

Committees

Current committees include:[9]

Standing
  • Assembly Committee on Accountability and Administrative review
  • Assembly Committee on Aging And Long-Term Care
  • Assembly Committee on Agriculture
  • Assembly Committee on Appropriations
  • Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism, and Internet Media
  • Assembly Committee on Banking and Finance
  • Assembly Committee on Budget
    • Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Health and Human Services
    • Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance
    • Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Resources and Transportation
    • Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on State Administration
    • Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 5 on Public Safety
    • Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 6 on Budget Process Oversight and Program Evaluation
  • Assembly Committee on Business, Professions and Consumer Protection
  • Assembly Committee on Communications and Conveyance
  • Assembly Committee on Education
  • Assembly Committee on Elections and Redistricting
  • Assembly Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials
  • Assembly Committee on Governmental Organization
  • Assembly Committee on Health
  • Assembly Committee on Higher Education
  • Assembly Committee on Housing and Community Development
  • Assembly Committee on Human Services
  • Assembly Committee on Insurance
  • Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy
  • Assembly Committee on Judiciary
  • Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment
  • Assembly Committee on Local Government
  • Assembly Committee on Natural Resources
  • Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection
  • Assembly Committee on Public Employees, Retirement and Social Security
  • Assembly Committee on Public Safety
  • Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation
  • Assembly Committee on Rules
  • Assembly Committee on Transportation
  • Assembly Committee on Utilities and Commerce
  • Assembly Committee on Veterans Affairs
  • Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife

Joint
  • Joint Committee on Arts
  • Joint Committee on Fairs, Allocation and Classification
  • Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture
  • Joint Committee on Legislative Audit
  • Joint Committee on Rules
  • Joint Legislative Budget
  • Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Management
  • Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies

Recent sessions
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See also

References
  1. "Officers of the California State Assembly | Assembly Internet". assembly.ca.gov. Retrieved 2017-11-21.
  2. "California Constitution Article IV; Legislative". California Office of Legislative Counsel. Archived from the original on February 23, 2019. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  3. "California Constitution Article IV § 2". California Office of Legislative Counsel. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  4. About Us, Office of the Chief Clerk, California State Assembly.
  5. Melanie Mason, Buddhist reverend is newest chaplain for California Assembly, Los Angeles Times (December 20, 2016).
  6. History Archived 2018-06-16 at the Wayback Machine, Sergeant-at-Arms Office, California State Assembly.
  7. "California Republican Party gets even smaller: A GOP lawmaker defects to the Democrats". The Sacramento Bee. January 24, 2019.
  8. "Assemblyman Brian Maienschein Switches Parties, From Republican to Democrat". KNSD (NBC San Diego). January 24, 2019.
  9. "California Assembly Committees". Open States. Sunlight Foundation. 2014-04-09. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
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