California State Senate
Encyclopedia
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature
California State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...

. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol
California State Capitol
The California State Capitol is home to the government of California. The building houses the bicameral state legislature and the office of the governor....

 in Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...

. The Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of California
The Lieutenant Governor of California is a statewide constitutional officer elected separately from the Governor who serves as the "vice-executive" of California. The Lieutenant Governor of California is elected to serve a four year term and can serve a maximum of two terms...

 is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote. The officers of the Senate, elected at the start of each legislative session, are the President pro tem Darrell Steinberg
Darrell Steinberg
Darrell Steven Steinberg is a Democratic politician from Sacramento, California. He is currently serving his second term in the California State Senate, representing the 6th District. He has been the Senate President Pro Tem since 2008...

, Secretary of the Senate
Secretary of the California State Senate
The Secretary of the California Senate is a nonpartisan officer of the Senate and is elected at the beginning of each two-year session. The Secretary's primary role is the chief parliamentarian of the Senate . The Secretary also oversees the clerical workforce on the floor of the California State...

 Gregory Schmidt, and Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Tony Beard, Jr.

Prior to 1968, state senate districts
Districts in California
There are several different types of districts in California. The U.S. state of California is geographically divided into various districts for political and administrative purposes.-Congressional Districts:...

 were restricted such that one county could hold at most only one seat. This led to the situation of Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...

, with 6 million residents as of 1968, receiving 600 times less representation than residents of Alpine County
Alpine County, California
Alpine County is the smallest county, by population, in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010, it had a population of 1,175, all rural. There are no incorporated cities in the county. The county seat is Markleeville...

 and Calaveras County
Calaveras County, California
Calaveras County is a county located in the Gold Country of the U.S. state of California. Calaveras is the Spanish word for skulls; the county was reportedly named for the remains of Native Americans discovered by the Spanish explorer Captain Gabriel Moraga. As of the 2010 census, the county had a...

, some of California's least populous counties. The federal Reynolds v. Sims
Reynolds v. Sims
Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533 was a United States Supreme Court case that ruled that state legislature districts had to be roughly equal in population.-Facts:...

decision by the United States Supreme Court compelled all states to draw up districts with equal populations. As such, boundaries were changed to provide more equitable representation.

Senators are limited to serving two four-year terms, which are staggered so that half the membership is elected every two years. The Senators representing the odd-numbered districts are elected in years evenly divisible by four. The senators from the even-numbered districts are elected in the intervening even-numbered years.

Each senator represents approximately 846,791 Californians, which is more than the approximately 639,088 residents in each of California's congressional districts.

The red tones of the California State Senate Chamber are based on the British House of Lords, which is outfitted in a similar color. Likewise, the California State Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...

 Chamber is decorated green, parallel to the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...

. Almost every decorating element of the Senate chamber is identical to those in the Assembly.

Senators

See:
  • California State Legislature, 2011–2012 session
    California State Legislature, 2011–2012 session
    The 2011–2012 session is the current session of the California State Legislature.- Vacancies and special elections :*July 13, 2010: Senator Dave Cox dies from prostate cancer...

  • California State Legislature, 2009–2010 session
  • California State Legislature, 2007–2008 session
  • California State Legislature, 2005–2006 session
  • California State Legislature, 2003–2004 session
  • California State Legislature, 2001–2002 session
  • California State Legislature, 1999–2000 session

Officers

Position Name Party District
Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of California
The Lieutenant Governor of California is a statewide constitutional officer elected separately from the Governor who serves as the "vice-executive" of California. The Lieutenant Governor of California is elected to serve a four year term and can serve a maximum of two terms...

 
Gavin Newsom
Gavin Newsom
Gavin Christopher Newsom is an American politician who is the 49th and current Lieutenant Governor of California. Previously, he was the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco, and was elected in 2003 to succeed Willie Brown, becoming San Francisco's youngest mayor in 100 years. Newsom was re-elected in 2007...

 
Democratic
President Pro Tem of the Senate  Darrell Steinberg
Darrell Steinberg
Darrell Steven Steinberg is a Democratic politician from Sacramento, California. He is currently serving his second term in the California State Senate, representing the 6th District. He has been the Senate President Pro Tem since 2008...

 
Democratic 6th–Sacramento
California's 6th State Senate district
California's 6th State Senate district is one of 40 Senate Districts. It is currently represented by Democrat Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento.-District profile:...

Majority Leader
Majority leader
In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the...

 
Ellen Corbett
Ellen Corbett
Ellen Marie Corbett is a Democratic politician from San Leandro, California. She is currently serving her second term in the California State Senate. Corbett represents the 10th District, which includes San Leandro, Hayward, Pleasanton, Union City, Fremont, Newark, Milpitas and part of San Jose...

 
Democratic 10th–San Leandro
California's 10th State Senate district
California's 10th State Senate District is one of 40 Senate Districts. It is currently represented by Democrat Ellen Corbett of San Leandro.-District profile:...

Majority Caucus
Congressional caucus
A congressional caucus is a group of members of the United States Congress that meets to pursue common legislative objectives. Formally, caucuses are formed as congressional member organizations through the United States House of Representatives and governed under the rules of that chamber...

 Chair
Kevin de León
Kevin de León
Kevin de León is a Democratic member of the California State Senate, elected to serve Los Angeles County's 22nd Senatorial district in November 2010. The district includes Downtown Los Angeles, East Hollywood, Echo Park, Elysian Valley, Mt...

 
Democratic 22nd–Los Angeles
California's 22nd State Senate district
California's 22nd State Senate District is one of 40 Senate Districts. It is currently represented by Democrat Kevin de León of Los Angeles. The 22nd Senate district encompasses a part of Los Angeles County, including all of Alhambra, Maywood, San Marino, South Pasadena, Vernon, and Walnut Park,...

Majority Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...

 
Vacant
Minority Leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...

 
Bob Dutton
Robert Dutton
Robert D. Dutton is an American politician. He has served as the California State Senate Republican Leader since 2010 and as a Senator representing the 31st Senate District since 2004, after serving two years as a State Assemblyman for the 63rd Assembly District.-Biography:Robert Dutton was born...

 
Republican 31st–Rancho Cucamonga
California's 31st State Senate district
California's 31st State Senate District is one of 40 Senate Districts. It is currently represented by Republican Robert Dutton of Rancho Cucamonga.-District profile:The 31st District includes many fast growing suburban and rural areas in the Inland Empire...

Minority Caucus Chair Bob Huff
Bob Huff
Robert S. Huff is a U.S. politician, who is a Republican member of the California State Senate, representing the 29th Senate District, which includes portions of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino counties...

 
Republican 29th–Diamond Bar
California's 29th State Senate district
California's 29th State Senate District is one of 40 Senate Districts. It is currently represented by Republican Bob Huff of Diamond Bar.-District profile:...

Minority Whip Doug LaMalfa
Doug LaMalfa
Doug LaMalfa is an American politician currently serving in the California State Senate. He is a Republican representing the 4th district, encompassing Del Norte, Siskiyou, Shasta, Trinity, Tehama, Butte, Glenn, Colusa, Sutter, and Yuba counties, as well as parts of Nevada and Placer counties...

 
Republican 4th–Richvale
California's 4th State Senate district
California's 4th State Senate District is one of 40 Senate Districts. It is currently represented by Republican Doug LaMalfa of Richvale.-District profile:...

Secretary
Secretary of the California State Senate
The Secretary of the California Senate is a nonpartisan officer of the Senate and is elected at the beginning of each two-year session. The Secretary's primary role is the chief parliamentarian of the Senate . The Secretary also oversees the clerical workforce on the floor of the California State...

 
Greg Schmidt
Sergeant at Arms  Tony Beard, Jr.

Note: The Secretary and the Sergeant at Arms are not Members of the Legislature

Composition

Affiliation Party Total
Democratic
California Democratic Party
The California Democratic Party is the state branch of the Democratic Party in the state of California, headquartered in Sacramento. It is chaired by veteran Democratic politician and former United States Representative John L. Burton, who succeeded Art Torres in April 2009. It is the majority...

Republican
California Republican Party
The California Republican Party is the California affiliate of the United States Republican Party. The party chairman is Tom Del Beccaro and is based in Burbank, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. The RPC also has a headquarters in Sacramento....

Vacant
End of previous legislature 24 14 38 2
Begin 24 14 38 2
December 21, 2010 13 37 3
January 6, 2011 14 38 2
February 18, 2011 25 15 40 0
Latest voting share 62.5% 38.5%

Seating chart

* * * * * *
Lieutenant Governor/Senate President
Lieutenant Governor of California
The Lieutenant Governor of California is a statewide constitutional officer elected separately from the Governor who serves as the "vice-executive" of California. The Lieutenant Governor of California is elected to serve a four year term and can serve a maximum of two terms...

Newsom
Gavin Newsom
Gavin Christopher Newsom is an American politician who is the 49th and current Lieutenant Governor of California. Previously, he was the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco, and was elected in 2003 to succeed Willie Brown, becoming San Francisco's youngest mayor in 100 years. Newsom was re-elected in 2007...

* * * * *
*
Runner Wyland
Mark Wyland
Mark Bryan Wyland is a U.S. Republican politician from the state of California, who represents the 38th District in the California State Senate.-Biography:...

* Anderson
Joel Anderson
Joel Anderson is a California politician and Republican member of the California State Senate in the 36th Senate District. Before his election to the State Senate he was a member of the California Assembly representing the 77th Assembly District, and he also served on the Padre Dam Municipal Water...

Strickland
Tony Strickland
Anthony A. "Tony" Strickland is a California State Senator, representing the 19th District. Strickland is a member of the Republican Party and a former Assemblyman, representing the 37th District from 1998 to 2004.-Early life:...

* Correa
Lou Correa
Jose Luis Correa is a California Democratic Party Legislator. He is serving his second term as a member of the California State Senate, representing the 34th Senate District...

Leno
Mark Leno
Mark Leno is an American politician, representing California's 3rd Senate district, which includes parts of San Francisco and Sonoma County, as well as the entirety of Marin County. He was elected in 2008 and is the first openly gay man to serve in the Senate...

* Hernández Negrete McLeod
Gloria Negrete McLeod
Gloria Negrete McLeod has been a California State Senator since December 2006. Prior to that, she served in the California State Assembly from 2000 to 2006 after having lost in a 1998 bid for the Assembly. A resident of Chino, she defeated Joe Baca, Jr...

* DeSaulnier
Mark DeSaulnier
Mark James DeSaulnier is an American politician and a Democratic member of the California Legislature representing California's 7th State Senate district since December 2008. From 2006 to 2008, DeSaulnier represented California's 11th State Assembly district...

de León
Kevin de León
Kevin de León is a Democratic member of the California State Senate, elected to serve Los Angeles County's 22nd Senatorial district in November 2010. The district includes Downtown Los Angeles, East Hollywood, Echo Park, Elysian Valley, Mt...

* Yee
Leland Yee
Leland Yee is a California State Senator in District 8 which represents the western half of San Francisco and most of San Mateo County. Prior to becoming state senator, Yee was a California State Assemblyman, Supervisor of San Francisco's Sunset District, and was a member and President of the San...

Lieu
Ted Lieu
Ted W. Lieu is a Democratic Party California State Senator, who has represented the 28th Senate District since February 18, 2011, after being elected to fill the seat of deceased Senator Jenny Oropeza...

Gaines
Ted Gaines
Edward M. Gaines is a California State Senator, representing the 1st Senate district. He won a January 4, 2011, special election to replace the late Dave Cox and took office two days later...

Blakeslee
Sam Blakeslee
Samuel Norman Blakeslee is a Republican California State Senator representing California's 15th State Senate district, a former California State Assemblyman from California's 33rd State Assembly district, and a former State Assembly Republican Leader...

* Walters
Mimi Walters
Mimi K. Walters is a Republican State Senator from the state of California, representing the 33rd District since 2008. She previously served in the Assembly for four years from 2004 to 2008, where she served in the Republican leadership as Assistant Republican Leader and Vice Chair of the...

Berryhill
Tom Berryhill
Tom Berryhill is a Republican politician in the United States who currently represents the 14th district in the California State Senate...

* Emmerson
Bill Emmerson
William "Bill" Emmerson is a Republican California State Senator, representing the 37th district in Riverside County, having been elected in a June 8, 2010 special election and sworn into office the next day...

Wright
Roderick Wright (politician)
Roderick D. Wright is a Democratic politician who was elected to represent California's 25th State Senate district in 2008. Senator Wright previously represented California's 48th State Assembly district from 1996 until he was term limited in 2002.-Education and Pre Legislative Career:Senator...

* Kehoe
Christine Kehoe
Christine T. Kehoe is an American politician from San Diego, California. A Democrat, she has served since 2004 as a member of the California State Senate representing the 39th district...

Simitian
Joe Simitian
Saren Joseph Simitian is a Democratic California State Senator elected in 2004. Simitian represents the 11th Senate District, which encompasses all or part of 13 cities in San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz counties....

* Calderon
Ronald S. Calderon
Ronald Steven Calderon is the California State Senator from the 30th Senate District. He was elected to the Senate in 2006....

Rubio
Michael J. Rubio
Michael J. Rubio is a California State Senator representing the 16th Senate District. He previously served as Fifth District Kern County Supervisor representing the communities of Arvin, Lamont and East Bakersfield.-Career:Michael J...

* Liu
Carol Liu
Carol Liu is a Democratic politician in the state of California who served in the State Assembly from 2000 until she was termed out in 2006. Liu was elected to succeed termed-out Jack Scott in 2008 to gain entrance to the California State Senate....

Hancock
Loni Hancock
Loni Hancock is currently serving in her first term as the representative of California State Senate District 9. The 9th Senate District currently includes Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Dublin, El Sobrante, Emeryville, Livermore, Oakland, Piedmont, Richmond, and San Pablo...

LaMalfa
Doug LaMalfa
Doug LaMalfa is an American politician currently serving in the California State Senate. He is a Republican representing the 4th district, encompassing Del Norte, Siskiyou, Shasta, Trinity, Tehama, Butte, Glenn, Colusa, Sutter, and Yuba counties, as well as parts of Nevada and Placer counties...

Cannella
Anthony Cannella
Anthony Cannella is an American politician currently serving in the California State Senate. He is a Republican representing the 12th district, encompassing Merced and San Benito counties, as well as parts of Madera, Monterey, and Stanislaus counties...

* Huff
Bob Huff
Robert S. Huff is a U.S. politician, who is a Republican member of the California State Senate, representing the 29th Senate District, which includes portions of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino counties...

Fuller
Jean Fuller
Jean Fuller is a U.S. politician who serves in the California State Senate. A Republican, she was previously a member of the California Assembly and the Superintendent of Schools for the Bakersfield City School District....

* Harman
Tom Harman
Thomas George Harman is an American politician. He is a Republican member of the California State Senate who had previously been a three-term member of the California State Assembly. Both seats represent portions of Orange County....

Dutton
Robert Dutton
Robert D. Dutton is an American politician. He has served as the California State Senate Republican Leader since 2010 and as a Senator representing the 31st Senate District since 2004, after serving two years as a State Assemblyman for the 63rd Assembly District.-Biography:Robert Dutton was born...

* Vargas
Juan Vargas
Juan C. Vargas is a Senator in the State of California, 40th District. He is a Democrat and former member of the California State Assembly, San Diego City Council, and Order of the Jesuits, having fought for the poor, aged, and infirmed....

Price
Curren D. Price, Jr.
Curren De Mille Price, Jr. is a California politician from the Democratic Party, currently serving as senator for the California State Senate, representing the state's 26th Senate District which he won in the May 19, 2009 special election to fill the seat vacated by Mark Ridley-Thomas...

* Evans
Noreen Evans
Noreen Evans is an American politician in the California State Senate. She is a Democrat representing the 2nd district, encompassing Humboldt, Mendocino, Lake, and Napa counties, as well as parts of Sonoma and Solano counties....

Lowenthal * Pavley
Fran Pavley
Frances J. "Fran" Pavley is a Democratic politician who currently represents Senate District 23, including portions of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties in the California Legislature. She previously served as a California Assemblywoman and as the first mayor of the Southern California community of...

Alquist
Elaine Alquist
Elaine Kontominas Alquist is currently a Democratic State Senator from California's 13th Senate District...

*
* * * * * * Padilla
Alex Padilla
Alejandro "Alex" Padilla is a California State Senator. He was elected as the state senator for California's 20th State Senate district in November 2006 and was inaugurated in early December. Prior to serving in the Senate he served 7½ years on the Los Angeles City Council representing the 7th...

Steinberg
Darrell Steinberg
Darrell Steven Steinberg is a Democratic politician from Sacramento, California. He is currently serving his second term in the California State Senate, representing the 6th District. He has been the Senate President Pro Tem since 2008...

* Corbett
Ellen Corbett
Ellen Marie Corbett is a Democratic politician from San Leandro, California. She is currently serving her second term in the California State Senate. Corbett represents the 10th District, which includes San Leandro, Hayward, Pleasanton, Union City, Fremont, Newark, Milpitas and part of San Jose...

Wolk
Lois Wolk
Lois Wolk is a California State Senator, representing the 5th district of California. Wolk is a member of the Democratic Party and was elected to the Senate in 2008.-Early life:...




Standing

  • Senate Committee on Agriculture
  • Senate Committee on Appropriations
    • Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Fiscal Oversight and Bonded Indebtedness
  • Senate Committee on Banking and Financial Institutions
  • Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review
    • Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Education
    • Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Resources
    • Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Health and Human Services
    • Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on State Administration and General Government
    • Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 5 on Corrections
  • Senate Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development
  • Senate Committee on Education
    • Senate Education Subcommittee on Sustainable School Facilities
  • Senate Committee on Elections and Constitutional Amendments
  • Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications
  • Senate Committee on Environmental Quality
  • Senate Committee on Governmental Organizations
  • Senate Committee on Governance and Finance
  • Senate Committee on Health
  • Senate Committee on Human Services
  • Senate Committee on Insurance
  • Senate Committee on Judiciary
  • Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations
  • Senate Committee on Legislative Ethics
  • Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water
    • Senate Natural Resources and Water Subcommittee on Urban Rivers
  • Senate Committee on Public Employment and Retirement
  • Senate Committee on Public Safety
  • Senate Committee on Rules
  • Senate Committee on Transportation and Housing
  • Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs

Joint Committees

  • Joint Committee on Arts
  • Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture
  • Joint Committee on Fairs, Allocation, and Classification
  • Joint Committee on Legislative Audit
  • Joint Committee on Rules
  • Joint Committee on Legislative Budget
  • Joint Legislative Sunset Review Committee

Senate Offices

  • Senate Office of Research
  • Senate Office of Demographics
  • Senate Office of Floor Analysis
  • Senate Office of International Relations
  • Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes

See also

  • Bill (proposed law)
    Bill (proposed law)
    A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....

  • California State Senate elections, 2008
    California State Senate elections, 2008
    The 2008 California State Senate elections took place on November 4, 2008. Voters in California's odd-numbered State Senate districts, a total of 20, voted for their state senators. No seats changed parties and the Democratic Party party maintained its 25-seat majority, while the Republican Party...

  • California State Assembly
    California State Assembly
    The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...

  • California State Capitol
    California State Capitol
    The California State Capitol is home to the government of California. The building houses the bicameral state legislature and the office of the governor....

  • California State Capitol Museum
    California State Capitol Museum
    The California State Capitol Museum comprises a museum in and grounds around the California State Capitol in Sacramento, California, USA. The building has been the home of the California State Legislature since 1869...

  • California State Legislature
    California State Legislature
    The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...

  • California State Senate Districts
    California State Senate districts
    California's State Senate districts are numbered 1st through 40th.California's 1st State Senate districtCalifornia's 2nd State Senate districtCalifornia's 3rd State Senate districtCalifornia's 4th State Senate districtCalifornia's 5th State Senate district...

  • Districts in California
    Districts in California
    There are several different types of districts in California. The U.S. state of California is geographically divided into various districts for political and administrative purposes.-Congressional Districts:...

  • Members of the California State Legislature
    Members of the California State Legislature
    These are tables of members of the California State Legislature .-Members of the California State Senate:-Members of the California State Assembly:-Sources :* * * * * * * *...


External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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