Coordinates: 38°34′36″N 121°29′37″W / 38.57667°N 121.49361°W
| California State Senate | |
|---|---|
| California State Legislature | |
 |
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| Type | |
| Type | Upper house of the California State Legislature |
| Term limits | Elected before 2012: 2 terms (8 years) Elected 2012 and after: 3 terms (12 years) |
| History | |
| New session started | December 3, 2012 |
| Leadership | |
| President of the Senate | Gavin Newsom, (D) Since January 10, 2011 |
| President pro tempore | Darrell Steinberg, (D) Since December 1, 2008 |
| Majority Leader | Ellen Corbett, (D) Since December 6, 2010 |
| Minority Leader | Bob Huff, (R) Since January 5, 2012 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 40 |
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| Political groups | Democratic Party (27) Republican Party (11) Vacancy (2) |
| Length of term | 4 years |
| Authority | Article 4, California Constitution |
| Salary | $90,526/year + per diem |
| Elections | |
| Last election | November 6, 2012 |
| Next election | November 4, 2014 |
| Redistricting | California Citizens Redistricting Commission |
| Motto | |
| Senatoris est civitatis libertatem tueri ("It is the duty of the senators to protect the liberty of the people.") |
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| Meeting place | |
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| State Senate Chamber California State Capitol Sacramento, California |
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| Website | |
| California State Senate | |
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. The legislative body consists of 40 members, with each member representing approximately 931,000 people. Due to the state's large population and relatively small legislature, the State Senate has the largest population per representative ratio of any state legislative house. 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 two four-year terms (eight 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.[1]
The State Senate convenes at the California State Capitol in Sacramento.
Contents |
History [edit]
![[icon]](http://wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} |
This section requires expansion. (April 2013) |
Prior to 1968, state senate districts were restricted such that one county could hold at most only one seat. This led to the situation of Los Angeles County, with 6 million residents in 1968, receiving 600 times less representation than residents of Alpine County and Calaveras County, some of California's least populous counties. In Reynolds v. Sims, the United States Supreme Court compelled all states to draw up districts with equal population. As such, boundaries were changed to provide more equitable representation.
Leadership [edit]
The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote. The President pro tem is elected by the majority party caucus, followed by confirmation of the full senate. 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 president pro tem is Democrat Darrell Steinberg (6th–Sacramento). The majority leader is Democrat Ellen Corbett (10th–San Leandro), while the minority leader is Republican Bob Huff (29th–Diamond Bar).
Meeting chamber [edit]
The red tones of the California State Senate Chamber are based on the British House of Lords, which is outfitted in a similar color. The dais rests along a wall shaped like an "E", with its central projection housing the rostrum. Along the cornice appears a portrait of George Washington and the Latin quotation: senatoris est civitatis libertatem tueri ("It is the duty of the senators to protect the liberty of the people"). Almost every decorating element is identical to the Assembly Chamber.
Officers [edit]
| Position | Name | Party | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant Governor | Gavin Newsom | Democratic | ||
| President Pro Tem | Darrell Steinberg | Democratic | 6th–Sacramento | |
| Majority leader | Ellen Corbett | Democratic | 10th–San Leandro | |
| Majority caucus chair | Jerry Hill | Democratic | 13th–San Mateo | |
| Majority whip | Vacant | |||
| Minority leader | Bob Huff | Republican | 29th–Diamond Bar | |
| Minority caucus chair | Ted Gaines | Republican | 1st–Rocklin | |
| Minority whip | Vacant | |||
| Secretary | Greg Schmidt | |||
| Sergeant-at-Arms | Tony Beard, Jr. | |||
The Secretary and the Sergeant-at-Arms are not members of the Legislature.
Composition [edit]
 |
||
| 27 | 2 | 11 |
| Democratic | Vacant | Republican |
| Affiliation | Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Republican | Vacant | ||
| End of previous legislature | 25 | 14 | 39 | 1 |
| Begin[2] | 29 | 10 | 39 | 1 |
| January 2, 2013[3] | 27 | 37 | 3 | |
| January 10, 2013[4] | 11 | 38 | 2 | |
| February 22, 2013[5] | 26 | 37 | 3 | |
| March 21, 2013[6] | 27 | 38 | 2 | |
| Latest voting share | 71.1% | 28.9% | ||
Seating chart [edit]
Committees [edit]
Standing [edit]
- 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 [edit]
- 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
Offices [edit]
- Senate Office of Research
- Senate Office of Demographics
- Senate Office of Floor Analysis
- Senate Office of International Relations
- Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes
Sessions [edit]
- California State Legislature, 2013–2014 session
- California State Legislature, 2011–2012 session
- 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
See also [edit]
- Bill (proposed law)
- California State Senate districts
- California State Senate elections, 2012
- California State Assembly
- California State Capitol
- California State Capitol Museum
- California State Legislature
- Districts in California
- Members of the California State Legislature
References [edit]
- ^ "Article 4. Legislative". California Constitution. California Legislative Counsel. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
- ^ Vacant since September 1, 2012 when Republican Doug LaMalfa (District 4) resigned to run for Congress.
- ^ Democrats Gloria Negrete McLeod (District 32) and Juan Vargas (District 40) resigned to take office in Congress.
- ^ Republican Jim Nielsen sworn in to succeed LaMalfa.
- ^ Democrat Michael Rubio (District 16) resigned to take a job with Chevron. [1]
- ^ Democrat Ben Hueso sworn in to succeed Vargas.
External links [edit]
- Candidate Craig Fiegener enters the California Senate contest
- Official website of the California State Senate
- Map of the state senate districts
- California legislative district maps from 1849 to the present
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