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CAPRADIO.ORG: California Lawmakers Welcome New Colleagues To The Capitol
Excerpted from Capradio.org
By Nadine Sebai
California lawmakers gathered for the first official day of the new two-year Legislative session on Monday.
They took the oath of office and welcomed newly elected members in the Senate and Assembly.
Southern California Democrat Bob Archuleta was one of them. He's an Army veteran who's held many positions in his career: police officer, mayor, city council member, and now, state Senator for District 32.
“I thought it was going to hit me when I raised my hand,” Archuleta said. “But it hit me when I signed the document.”
Archuleta signed the oath with a pen given to him by his son, Major Brandon Archuleta of the U.S. Army. Family members say they will hold onto that pen as a treasure.
In the Assembly, Cottie Petrie-Norris is also holding a position in the Legislature for the first time. She spent the last 20 years working in the business and technology sector and now is a state Assembly member representing the central coast region of Orange County.
She and 79 other members stood up, raised their right hand and took the oath of office.
“Saying those words and pledging to defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of California,” Petrie-Norris said, “that to me was the most impactful and most profound moment of the day.”
Five state senators and eight Assembly members are became lawmakers this session for the first time.
Petrie-Norris Takes Oath as Newest Assemblymember for 74th District
(SACRAMENTO) - Cottie Petrie-Norris (Laguna Beach) was sworn in as the Assemblymember for the 74th Assembly District today.
With record-high voter turnout, California voters ensured the 2019/2020 Legislative session would stand out in history by granting Democrats a super majority in the state Assembly. Not since 1883 have Assembly Democrats had such a significant stronghold in the Capitol. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) inaugurated the newly elected legislators today, solidifying that three-quarters of Assembly seats be occupied by Democrats.
“The thread that runs through our accomplishments of the past and what we plan on doing in the future is making things better for the people of California,” said Speaker Rendon. “We will rely on the experience of returning members and the energy and ideas of our newest colleagues to address the huge economic challenges that face Californians who need housing, who need health care, and who need education for their youngest children and for their oldest.”
California voters have sent a clear message that they like the path in which the state is on and that more needs to be done to continue on that same path.
The focus of the State Assembly will continue to be to tackle the shortage of affordable housing, improve early childhood education while addressing childhood poverty, reducing gun violence, and embracing oversight responsibilities to make California run stronger and more efficiently.
The new members of the Assembly Democratic Caucus contribute a broad range of experience, perspectives and ethnicities, and there are more women now than ever.