Speaker of the California State Assembly
Seal of the California State Assembly
Incumbent
Robert Rivas
since June 30, 2023
StyleMister/Madam Speaker (informal)
The Honorable (formal)
AppointerCalifornia State Assembly
Term lengthTwo years, Assembly term limits apply
Inaugural holderThomas J. White
Formation1849

The speaker of the California State Assembly is the presiding officer of the California State Assembly in the chief leadership position, and controls the flow of legislation and committee assignments. The speaker is nominated by the majority party's caucus and elected by the full Assembly. Meanwhile, other floor 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 Robert Rivas of the 29th district.

The speaker formerly had far more power, and was able to issue committee assignments to both parties' members, control State Assembly funds, and had broad administrative authority, but many of these powers were transferred to committee chairs after the speakership of Curt Pringle.[1]

The speaker of the Assembly is also third in the order of succession to the governor of California, after the lieutenant governor and the president pro tempore of the California State Senate.[2][3][4]

List of speakers

The following is a list of speakers of the California State Assembly. It does not number those individuals who served abbreviated terms or those who served during an extraordinary session called by the governor of California for a narrowly defined agenda.

SpeakerPortraitDistrictPartyTerm of service
1. Thomas J. WhiteSacramentoUnaffiliated 1December 1849–February 1850
2. John BiglerJohn Bigler, 2nd Speaker (1850–1851)SacramentoDemocraticFebruary 1850–May 1851
3. Richard P. Hammond7DemocraticJanuary 1852–May 1852
4. Isaac B. Wall6DemocraticJanuary 1853–May 1853
5. Charles S. Fairfax15DemocraticJanuary 1854–May 1854
6. William W. Stow3WhigJanuary 1855–May 1855
7. James T. FarleyJames Farley, 7th Speaker (1856)19AmericanJanuary 1856–April 1856
8. Elwood T. Beatty19DemocraticJanuary 1857–April 1857
9. Ninian E. Whiteside15DemocraticJanuary 1858–April 1858
10. William C. Stratton17DemocraticJanuary 1859–April 1859
11. Phillip Moore16DemocraticJanuary 1860–April 1860
12. Ransom Burnell19Douglas DemocraticJanuary 1861–May 1861
13. George Barstow8RepublicanJanuary 1862–May 1862
14. Tim N. Machin12National UnionJanuary 1863–April 1863
15. William H. Sears21National UnionDecember 1863–April 1864
16. John Yule20National UnionDecember 1865–April 1866
17. Caius T. RylandCaius Tacitus Ryland, 17th Speaker (1867-1868)7DemocraticDecember 1867–March 1868
18. George H. Rogers8DemocraticDecember 1869–April 1870
19. Thomas Bowles ShannonThomas Bowles Shannon, 19th Speaker (1871–1872)8RepublicanDecember 1871–April 1872
20. Morris M. EsteeMorris M. Estee, 20th Speaker (1873–1874)8Independent 2December 1873–March 1874
21. Gideon J. Carpenter23DemocraticDecember 1875–April 1876
22. Campbell Polson BerryCampbell Berry, 22nd Speaker (1877–1878)25DemocraticDecember 1877–April 1878
23. Jabez F. Cowdery13RepublicanJanuary 1880–April 1880
24. William H. Parks25RepublicanJanuary 1881–May 1881
25. Hugh McElroy LaRueHugh McElroy LaRue, 25th Speaker (1883-1884)18DemocraticJanuary 1883–May 1884
– William H. Parks25RepublicanJanuary 1885–September 1886
26. William H. Jordan55RepublicanJanuary 1887–March 1887
27. Robert Howe25DemocraticJanuary 1889–March 1889
28. Frank Leslie Coombs22RepublicanJanuary 1891–March 1891
29. Frank H. GouldFrank H. Gould 29th speaker (1893)57DemocraticJanuary 1893–March 1893
30. John C. Lynch8RepublicanJanuary 1895–March 1895
– Frank Leslie Coombs18RepublicanJanuary 1897–March 1897
31. Howard E. WrightHoward E. Wright, 31st speaker (1899)51RepublicanJanuary 1899
32. Alden Anderson19RepublicanJanuary 1899–February 1900
33. Cornelius W. PendletonCornelius W. Pendleton, 33rd speaker (1901)74RepublicanJanuary 1901–March 1901
34. Arthur G. FiskArthur Fisk, 34th Speaker (1903)37RepublicanJanuary 1903–March 1903
35. Frank C. PrescottFrank C. Prescott, 35th speaker (1905–1906)76RepublicanJanuary 1905–June 1906
36. Robert L. Beardslee Sr.Robert L. Beardslee, 36th speaker (1907–1909)23RepublicanJanuary 1907–November 1909
37. Phillip A. StantonPhillip A. Stanton, 37th speaker (1909–1910)71RepublicanJanuary 1909–October 1910
38. Arthur Hathaway Hewitt8RepublicanJanuary 1911–December 1911
39. C. C. YoungClement C. Young, 39th Speaker (1913–1917)41Republican, Progressive 3January 1913–April 1917
40. Henry W. Wright69RepublicanJanuary 1919–April 1921
41. Frank F. MerriamFrank Merriam, 41st Speaker (1923–1926)70RepublicanJanuary 1923–October 1926
42. Edgar C. LeveyEdgar Levey, 42nd Speaker (1927–1931)28RepublicanJanuary 1927–May 1931
43. Walter J. LittleWalter J. Little, 43rd Speaker (1933–1933)60RepublicanJanuary 1933–July 1933
44. Forsythe Charles Clowdsley11DemocraticSeptember 1934 (extraordinary session)
45. Edward Craig75RepublicanJanuary 1935–May 1936
46. William Moseley JonesWilliam Jones, 46th Speaker (1937–1938)51DemocraticJanuary 1937–March 1938
47. Paul Peek71DemocraticJanuary 1939–June 1939
48. Gordon Hickman GarlandGordon Garland, 48th Speaker (1940–1942)38DemocraticJanuary 1940–January 1942
49. Charles W. LyonCharles Lyon, 49th Speaker (1943–1946)59RepublicanJanuary 1943–July 1946
50. Sam L. CollinsSam L. Collins, 50th Speaker (1947-1952)75RepublicanJanuary 1947–August 1952
51. James W. Silliman34RepublicanJanuary 1953–April 1954
52. Luther H. Lincoln15RepublicanJanuary 1955–April 1958
53. Ralph M. Brown30DemocraticJanuary 1959–September 1961
54. Jesse M. UnruhJesse M. Unruh, 54th Speaker (1961–1969)65DemocraticSeptember 1961–January 1969
55. Robert T. MonaganRobert Timothy Monagan, 56th Speaker (1969–1970)12RepublicanJanuary 1969–September 1970
56. Bob Moretti42DemocraticJanuary 1971–June 1974
57. Leo T. McCarthyLeo T. McCarthy, 57th Speaker (1970–1980)19/184DemocraticJune 1974–November 1980
58. Willie BrownWillie Brown, 58th Speaker (1980–1995)17/135DemocraticDecember 2, 1980 – June 5, 1995
59. Doris Allen67Republican 6June 5, 1995 – September 14, 1995
60. Brian Setencich30Republican 6September 14, 1995 – January 4, 1996
61. Curt PringleCurt Pringle, 61st Speaker (1996)68RepublicanJanuary 4, 1996 – November 30, 1996
62. Cruz M. BustamanteCruz Bustamante, 62nd Speaker (1996–1998)31DemocraticDecember 2, 1996 – February 26, 1998
63. Antonio Villaraigosa45DemocraticFebruary 26, 1998 – April 13, 2000
64. Robert M. Hertzberg40DemocraticApril 13, 2000 – February 6, 2002
65. Herb J. Wesson, Jr.47DemocraticFebruary 6, 2002 – February 9, 2004
66. Fabian NúñezFabian Núñez, 66th Speaker (2004–2008)46DemocraticFebruary 9, 2004 – May 13, 2008
67. Karen Bass47DemocraticMay 13, 2008 – March 1, 2010
68. John Pérez46/537DemocraticMarch 1, 2010 – May 12, 2014
69. Toni Atkins78DemocraticMay 12, 2014 – March 7, 2016
70. Anthony Rendon63DemocraticMarch 7, 2016–June 30, 2023
71. Robert Rivas29DemocraticJune 30, 2023-present
  • ^1 The First California Legislature was nonpartisan.
  • ^2 Estee was also a Republican, but he was elected to the term in which he was Speaker as an independent.
  • ^3 Young was elected as a Republican during the 40th and 42nd sessions (1913 and 1917), but a Progressive during the 41st session (1915).
  • ^4 McCarthy's 19th District was renumbered the 18th District after the 1970s redistricting.
  • ^5 Brown's 17th District was renumbered the 13th District after the 1990s redistricting.
  • ^6 Allen and Setencich were Republican Assemblymembers whom Democrats elected after losing their majority in the chamber.
  • ^7 Perez's 46th District was renumbered the 53rd District after the 2010s redistricting.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Leader in Allen Recall Pleads Guilty to Vote Fraud". LA Times. 1996-03-12.
  2. ↑ "Constitution of California: Article V, Section 10". California Legislature. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Government Code, Article 5.5, Section 12058 — Succession to the Office of Governor". California Legislature. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Government Code, Article 5.5, Section 12061 — Succession to the Office of Governor in the Event of War or Enemy-Caused Disaster". California Legislature. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
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