# California State Senate

The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature, the lower house being the California State Assembly. The state senate convenes, along with the state assembly, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento.
Neither house has expanded from the sizes set in the 1879 constitution, and each of the 40 state senators represents approximately 931,349 people. This is a higher number than that of any other state legislative house, than that of California's representatives in Congress, and each state senator represents more than the population of five U.S. states (not combined).
In the current legislative session, the Democratic Party holds 30 out of the 40 seats, which constitutes a 75% majority, well over the two-thirds supermajority threshold of 27.

## History

The 1849 constitution of California provided that the "number of Senators shall not be less than one third, nor more than one half of that of the members of the Assembly..." The 1849 constitution also provided that senators served two-year terms and were to be elected bienally, with the total number of senators being divided into two classes so that one half of the senators would be elected annually.
Following the ratification of the 1879 constitution of California, the constitution prescribed that the senate is composed of 40 senators and that all senators must have resided within California for three years and their district for one year. Such districts were to be "as nearly equal in population as may be, and composed of contiguous territory". There was to be one senate district for each senator. Such districts were also required to preserve political boundaries: "In the formation of such districts, no county, or city and county, shall be divided, unless it contain a sufficient population within itself to form two or more districts; nor shall a part of any county, or of any city and county, be united with any other county, or city and county, in forming any district."
Between 1933 and 1967, state legislative districts were drawn according to the "Little Federal Model" by which Assembly seats were drawn according to population and senate seats were drawn according to county lines. The guidelines were that no senate district would include more than three counties and none would include less than one complete county. This led to the situation of a populous county such as Los Angeles County (1960 population of 6 million) being accorded the same number of state senators (one) as less populous counties such as Alpine County (1960 pop. 397). The senate districts remained unaltered from 1933 to 1967, regardless of the changes in the population distribution. 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 comply with the ruling.
The California State Senate has never been expanded since the enactment of the 1879 constitution. In 1962, voters were asked via initiative California Proposition 23 whether to expand the state senate by 10 seats, thereby increasing the size of the body to 50 seats, and to abandon the little federal model. This proposition was rejected by the voters 46.65% - 53.35% (2,181,758 - 2,495,440).

## Leadership

The lieutenant governor is the ex officio president of the senate, and may only cast a vote to break a tie. The president pro tempore 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.
As of 2024, the president pro tempore is Democrat Mike McGuire of Geyserville. The majority leader is Democrat Lena Gonzalez of Long Beach, and the minority leader is Republican Brian Jones of Santee.

## Terms of office

Each state senator represents a population roughly equivalent to the State of Delaware. 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.
Members of the state senate serve four-year terms. Every two years, half of the senate's 40 seats are subject to election. This is in contrast to the state assembly, in which all 80 seats in the assembly are subject to election every two years.

## Meeting chamber

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. The lower tier dais runs across the entire chamber, there are several chairs and computers used by the senate officers, the most prominent seat is reserved for the secretary who calls the roll. The higher tier is smaller, with three chairs, the two largest and most ornate chairs are used by the president pro tempore (right chair) and the lieutenant governor (left chair). The third and smallest chair, placed in the center, is used by the presiding officer (acting in place of the pro tem) and is rarely sat in as the president is expected to stand. There are four other chairs flanking the dais used by the highest non-member officials attending the senate, a foreign dignitary or state officer for example. Each of the 40 senators is provided a desk, microphone and two chairs, one for the senator, another for guests or legislative aides. Almost every decorating element is identical to the assembly chamber. Along the cornice appears a portrait of George Washington and the Latin quotation senatoris est civitatis libertatem tueri ("It is the duty of the senator to guard the civil liberties of the Commonwealth").

## Composition

| 30 | 9 | 1 |
| Democratic | Republican | Vacant |
| Affiliation | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| Affiliation | Democratic | Republican | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous legislature | 31 | 9 | 40 | 0 |
| Begin | 30 | 9 | 39 | 1 |
| Latest voting share | 77% | 21% | | |

### Officers

| Position | Position | Name | Party | District |
| | Lieutenant Governor and President of the Senate | Eleni Kounalakis | Democratic | California |
| | President pro tempore | Mike McGuire | Democratic | 2nd–Healdsburg |
| | Majority leader | Lena Gonzalez | Democratic | 33rd–Long Beach |
| | Assistant majority leader | Angelique Ashby | Democratic | 8th–Sacramento |
| | Assistant majority leader | Aisha Wahab | Democratic | 10th–Hayward |
| | Democratic Caucus Chair | Monique Limón | Democratic | 19th–Santa Barbara |
| | Majority Whip | Dave Cortese | Democratic | 15th–San Jose |
| | Assistant majority whips | María Elena Durazo | Democratic | 24th–Los Angeles |
| | Assistant majority whips | Steve Padilla | Democratic | 18th–Chula Vista |
| | Minority leader | Brian Jones | Republican | 40th–Santee |
| Secretary | Secretary | Erika Contreras | Erika Contreras | Erika Contreras |
| Sergeant-at-Arms | Sergeant-at-Arms | Katrina Rodriguez | Katrina Rodriguez | Katrina Rodriguez |
| Chaplain | Chaplain | Sister Michelle Gorman, RSM | Sister Michelle Gorman, RSM | Sister Michelle Gorman, RSM |
The secretary, the sergeant-at-arms, and the chaplain are not members of the legislature.

### Members

| District | Name | Party | Residence | First elected | Term limited | Notes |
| 1 | Megan Dahle | Republican | Bieber | 2024 | 2028 | Previously served in the Assembly from 2019 to 2024. |
| 2 | Mike McGuire | Democratic | Healdsburg | 2014 | 2026 | President pro tempore |
| 3 | Christopher Cabaldon | Democratic | West Sacramento | 2024 | 2036 | |
| 4 | Marie Alvarado-Gil | Republican | Jackson | 2022 | 2034 | First elected as a Democrat before switching parties on August 8, 2024 |
| 5 | Jerry McNerney | Democratic | Pleasanton | 2024 | 2036 | |
| 6 | Roger Niello | Republican | Fair Oaks | 2022 | 2030 | Previously served in the Assembly from 2004 to 2010. |
| 7 | Jesse Arreguín | Democratic | Berkeley | 2024 | 2036 | |
| 8 | Angelique Ashby | Democratic | Natomas | 2022 | 2034 | |
| 9 | Tim Grayson | Democratic | Concord | 2024 | 2028 | Previously served in the Assembly from 2016 to 2024. |
| 10 | Aisha Wahab | Democratic | Hayward | 2022 | 2034 | |
| 11 | Scott Wiener | Democratic | San Francisco | 2016 | 2028 | |
| 12 | Shannon Grove | Republican | Bakersfield | 2018 | 2026 | Previously served as Minority Leader from 2019 to 2021 and in the Assembly from 2010 to 2016. |
| 13 | Josh Becker | Democratic | Menlo Park | 2020 | 2032 | |
| 14 | Anna Caballero | Democratic | Merced | 2018 | 2026 | Previously served in the Assembly from 2006 to 2010 and 2016 to 2018. |
| 15 | Dave Cortese | Democratic | San Jose | 2020 | 2032 | |
| 16 | Melissa Hurtado | Democratic | Bakersfield | 2018 | 2030 | |
| 17 | John Laird | Democratic | Santa Cruz | 2020 | 2028 | Previously served in the Assembly from 2002 to 2008. |
| 18 | Steve Padilla | Democratic | Chula Vista | 2022 | 2034 |
| 19 | Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh | Republican | Yucaipa | 2020 | 2032 | |
| 20 | Caroline Menjivar | Democratic | San Fernando | 2022 | 2034 | |
| 21 | Monique Limón | Democratic | Santa Barbara | 2020 | 2028 | Previously served in the Assembly from 2016 and 2020. |
| 22 | Susan Rubio | Democratic | Baldwin Park | 2018 | 2030 | |
| 23 | Suzette Martinez Valladares | Republican | Santa Clarita | 2024 | 2032 | Previously served the Assembly from 2020 to 2022. |
| 24 | Benjamin Allen | Democratic | Santa Monica | 2014 | 2026 | |
| 25 | Sasha Renée Pérez | Democratic | Alhambra | 2024 | 2036 | |
| 26 | María Elena Durazo | Democratic | Los Angeles | 2018 | 2030 | |
| 27 | Henry Stern | Democratic | Malibu | 2016 | 2028 | |
| 28 | Lola Smallwood-Cuevas | Democratic | Los Angeles | 2022 | 2034 | |
| 29 | Eloise Gómez Reyes | Democratic | Colton | 2024 | 2028 | Previously served in the Assembly from 2016 to 2024 |
| 30 | Bob Archuleta | Democratic | Pico Rivera | 2018 | 2030 | |
| 31 | Sabrina Cervantes | Democratic | Riverside | 2024 | 2028 | Previously served in the Assembly from 2016 to 2024 |
| 32 | Kelly Seyarto | Republican | Murrieta | 2022 | 2030 | Previously served in the Assembly from 2020 to 2022. |
| 33 | Lena Gonzalez | Democratic | Long Beach | 2019† | 2032 | Majority Leader since February 8, 2024 |
| 34 | Tom Umberg | Democratic | Santa Ana | 2018 | 2026 | Previously served in the Assembly from 1990 to 1994 and 2004 to 2006. |
| 35 | Laura Richardson | Democratic | San Pedro | 2024 | 2032 | Previously served in the U.S. House from 2007 to 2013 and in the Assembly from 2006 to 2007. |
| 36 | Tony Strickland | Republican | Huntington Beach | 2025† | 2032 | Previously served in the Assembly from from 1998 to 2004 and in the State Senate from 2008 to 2012 |
| 37 | Steven Choi | Republican | Irvine | 2024 | 2028 | Previously served in the Assembly from 2016 to 2022 |
| 38 | Catherine Blakespear | Democratic | Encinitas | 2022 | 2034 | |
| 39 | Akilah Weber | Democratic | San Diego | 2024 | 2032 | Previously served in the Assembly from 2021 to 2024 |
| 40 | Brian Jones | Republican | Santee | 2018 | 2026 | Minority Leader. Previously served in the Assembly from 2010 to 2016. |
* †: elected in a special election

### Seating chart

| | | | | | President Kounalakis | President Kounalakis |
| Niello | Ochoa Bogh | Hurtado | Archuleta | Smallwood-Cuevas | Stern | Cabaldon | Pérez | Durazo | Becker | Caballero | Allen |
| Choi | Grove | Alvarado-Gil | Strickland | Arreguín | Menjivar | Ashby | Rubio | Limón | Blakespear | Cervantes | Weber |
| Valladares | Jones | Seyarto | Dahle | Grayson | Umberg | Laird | Padilla | Richardson | Wahab | Cortese | McNerney |
| | | | | Reyes | McGuire | Gonzalez | Wiener |

## Standing committees

Current committees, chairs and vice chairs include:
| Committee | Chair | Vice Chair |
| Agriculture | Melissa Hurtado (D) | Marie Alvarado-Gil (R) |
| Appropriations | Anna Caballero (D) | Kelly Seyarto (R) |
| Banking and Financial Institutions | Tim Grayson (D) | Roger Niello (R) |
| Budget and Fiscal Review | Scott Wiener (D) | Roger Niello (R) |
| Business, Professions and Economic Development | Angelique Ashby (D) | Steven Choi (R) |
| Education | Sasha Renée Pérez (D) | Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R) |
| Elections and Constitutional Amendments | Sabrina Cervantes (D) | Steven Choi (R) |
| Energy, Utilities and Communications | Josh Becker (D) | Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R) |
| Environmental Quality | Catherine Blakespear (D) | Vacant |
| Governmental Organization | Steve Padilla (D) | Suzette Martinez Valladares (R) |
| Health | Caroline Menjivar (D) | Suzette Martinez Valladares (R) |
| Housing | Aisha Wahab (D) | Kelly Seyarto (R) |
| Human Services | Jesse Arreguín (D) | Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R) |
| Insurance | Vacant | Roger Niello (R) |
| Judiciary | Tom Umberg (D) | Roger Niello (R) |
| Labor, Public Employment and Retirement | Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D) | Vacant |
| Legislative Ethics | Scott Wiener (D) | Shannon Grove (R) |
| Local Government | Maria Elena Durazo (D) | Steven Choi (R) |
| Military and Veterans Affairs | Bob Archuleta (D) | Shannon Grove (R) |
| Natural Resources and Water | Monique Limón (D) | Kelly Seyarto (R) |
| Public Safety | Jesse Arreguín (D) | Kelly Seyarto (R) |
| Revenue and Taxation | Jerry McNerney (D) | Suzette Martinez Valladares (R) |
| Rules | Mike McGuire (D) | Shannon Grove (R) |
| Transportation | Dave Cortese (D) | Vacant |