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Karen Bass to Take Over as Speaker of California Assembly May 15th--Impact on California Budget

• Nunez Will Step Down Sooner Than Planned
• Cogdill New Senate Republican Leader April 15th

By Marty D. Omoto
Director/Organizer
California Disability Community Action Network

Assemblymember Karen Bass (Democrat - Los Angeles, 47th District), a former community organizer will make national history when she officially as the 67th Assembly Speaker on May 15th - four months sooner than planned, with Fabian Nunez (Democrat - Los Angeles, 46th District) stepping down after four years.

"I'm excited to be a history maker. It's an honor that my accomplishments will inspire others to get involved in the process to make change a reality," said Bass, who will become the first African American woman in US history to serve as the Speaker of a state legislature.

Assembly Speaker Nunez, who will be forced out of the Assembly at the end of November due to term limits, originally planned to stay on as the Assembly's top official until the end of the 2008 session. Nunez may possibly run for Insurance Commissioner or some other statewide office in 2010.

Cogdill Takes Over as New Senate Republican Leader Succeeding Ackerman

Earlier in the week, on April 15th, Sen. Dave Cogdill (Republican - Fresno, 14th District) [pictured right], officially became the new Senate Republican Leader, taking over from Sen. Dick Ackerman (Republican - Tustin, 33rd District), who like Nunez and Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (Democrat - Oakland, 9th District) is being forced out by term limits.

Bass Will Be First Female Democrat to Serve as Assembly Speaker

Bass will be the first female Democrat serve as Assembly Speaker, following the brief two month speakership in 1995 of Republican Doris Allen. Allen won the speakership with only the support of outgoing Assembly Speaker Willie Brown and the Democratic caucus plus one other Republican member.

"The wisdom of the Caucus is going to break the glass ceiling, to say, finally we're going to elect a Democratic woman to be the Speaker of the California Assembly," Speaker Fabian Núñez said when Bass won the Speakership election on March 5.

Under Speaker Núñez, Speaker-elect Bass has been a part of the leadership since her first term when she was appointed to Majority Whip. In her second term, she was elevated to the post of Majority Floor Leader, making her the first woman to hold the post and the second African American to serve in the position.

Bass is termed out of office in 2010 and can serve as Assembly Speaker only two years unless there is a change in the term limits state law.

Impact of New Speaker on Budget Process

The impact of a new speaker taking over in the middle of one of the worst state budget crisis will be huge. She will ultimately - at least for the Democrats in the Assembly - make the final decisions regarding major issues.

Of the Legislative leadership who will be negotiating with each other and the Governor on the State Budget, only Senate President Don Perata (Democrat - Oakland, 9th District) has been a leader for more than 2 years - and he will be stepping down later in the session after Darrell Steinberg (Democrat - Sacramento, 6th District) will be officially elected Senate President Pro Tem on August 21. Sen. Dave Cogdill (Republican - Fresno, 14th District) just took over as Senate Republican Leader on April 15th, and the Assembly Republican Leader, Mike Villines (Republican - Clovis, 29th District) has only served in his post one year.

The new Speaker could make changes to the committee chairs and membership - though no changes are likely to happen until after the November election.

The California Disability Community Action Network, is a non-partisan link to thousands of Californians with developmental and other disabilities, people with traumatic brain injuries, the Blind, the Deaf, their families, community organizations and providers, direct care, homecare and other workers, and other advocates to provide information on state (and eventually federal), local public policy issues.

Posted on April 18, 2008

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