This week, the California Legislature met for a one day “Organizational Session” to swear in new members, and to conduct business necessary to begin policy work in earnest when they return on January 5, 2014. Since the Governor’s proposed Budget is released on January 10, 2014, members must hit the ground running, and the one day session in December allows for members to introduce key legislation early, and take up the “housekeeping” activities necessary to make the first weeks of session run smoothly.
Over the course of the past couple of weeks, Democratic Speaker Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) and Republican Leader Kristin Olsen (R-Modesto) have both named their leadership teams. While no Assembly Members representing RCRC counties were named to the Speaker’s team, Olsen’s team includes former RCRC delegate and Madera County Supervisor Assembly Member Frank Bigelow (R-O’Neals) as the Assistant Republican Leader of Finance, and former Sutter County Supervisor, Assembly Member James Gallagher (R-Nicolaus) as the Deputy Republican Floor Leader.
Additionally, this week Speaker Atkins released the list of Assembly Committee Chairs. Out of 31 Assembly Committees, including a new policy committee (Privacy and Consumer Protection), only seven are carrying over the same Chair as in the previous legislative session. Thirteen of those changes are due to the departure of the Chair from the State Assembly. A detailed list of Assembly Committee Chair assignments can be accessed here.