View source for Speaker of the California State Assembly

{{Short description|Presiding officer of the California State Assembly}}
{{about||information on the Assembly|California State Assembly}}
{{Infobox Political post
| post = Speaker of the California State Assembly
| insignia = Seal of the Assembly of the State of California.svg
| insigniasize = 130
| insigniacaption = Seal of the California State Assembly
| image = Robert Rivas official speaker portrait (cropped).jpg
| imagesize =
| incumbent = [[Robert A. Rivas|Robert Rivas]]
| incumbentsince = June 30, 2023
| style = Mister/Madam Speaker (informal) <br> The Honorable (formal)
| appointer = [[California State Assembly]]
| termlength = Two years, Assembly term limits apply
| formation = 1849
| inaugural = [[Thomas J. White (California politician)|Thomas J. White]]
}}
The '''speaker of the California State Assembly''' is the [[speaker (politics)|presiding officer]] and highest-ranking member of the [[California State Assembly]], controlling the flow of legislation and committee assignments. The speaker is nominated by the majority party's caucus and elected by the full Assembly typically at the beginning of each two year session. Meanwhile, other floor leaders, such as the [[majority leader|majority]] and [[minority leader]]s, are elected by their respective [[party caucus]]es according to each party's strength in the chamber. The current speaker is [[California Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[Robert A. Rivas|Robert Rivas]] of the [[California's 29th State Assembly district|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]].<ref name="LAt 1996">{{Cite news |date=1996-03-12 |title=Leader in Allen Recall Pleads Guilty to Vote Fraud |newspaper=LA Times |url=https://articles.latimes.com/keyword/assemblyman-scott-baugh/featured/5|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170410215719/http://articles.latimes.com/keyword/assemblyman-scott-baugh/featured/5|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 10, 2017}}</ref>
The speaker of the Assembly is also third in the [[Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States|order of succession]] to the [[governor of California]], after the [[Lieutenant Governor of California|lieutenant governor]] and the [[President pro tempore of the California State Senate|president pro tempore]] of the [[California State Senate]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CONS&sectionNum=SEC.%2010.&article=V|title=Constitution of California: Article V, Section 10|work=[[California Legislature]]|access-date=August 22, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&sectionNum=12058.|title=Government Code, Article 5.5, Section 12058 — Succession to the Office of Governor|work=[[California Legislature]]|access-date=August 22, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&sectionNum=12061.|title=Government Code, Article 5.5, Section 12061 — Succession to the Office of Governor in the Event of War or Enemy-Caused Disaster|work=[[California Legislature]]|access-date=August 22, 2019}}</ref>
==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 [[special session|extraordinary session]] called by the [[governor of California]] for a narrowly defined agenda.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Speaker !! Portrait !! District !! Party !! Term of service
|-
|  1. [[Thomas J. White (California politician)|Thomas J. White]] || || Sacramento ||  ''Unaffiliated'' {{ref|1|1}} || December 1849–February 1850
|- style="background:#def;"
|  2. [[John Bigler]] || [[File:John Bigler painting.jpg|100px|John Bigler, 2nd Speaker (1850–1851)]] || Sacramento || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || February 1850–May 1851
|- style="background:#def;"
|  3. [[Richard P. Hammond (politician)|Richard P. Hammond]] || || 7 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || January 1852–May 1852
|- style="background:#def;"
|  4. [[Isaac B. Wall]] ||[[File:Isaac_B._Wall,_1850s.jpg|100px]] || 6 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || January 1853–May 1853
|- style="background:#def;"
|  5. [[Charles S. Fairfax]] || [[File:Charles S. Fiarfax, 1850-60s.jpg|100px]] || 15 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || January 1854–May 1854
|- style="background:#ffc;"
|  6. [[William W. Stow]] || [[File:William W. Stow.png|100px]] || 3 || [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]] || January 1855–May 1855
|- style="background:#cfc;"
|  7. [[James T. Farley]] || [[File:James T. Farley.jpg|100px|James Farley, 7th Speaker (1856)]] || 19 || [[Know Nothing|American]] || January 1856–April 1856
|- style="background:#def;"
|  8. [[Elwood T. Beatty]] || || 19 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || January 1857–April 1857
|- style="background:#def;"
|  9. [[Ninian E. Whiteside]] || || 15 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || January 1858–April 1858
|- style="background:#def;"
|  10. [[William C. Stratton]] || || 17 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || January 1859–April 1859
|- style="background:#def;"
|  11. [[Phillip Moore]] || || 16 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || January 1860–April 1860
|- style="background:#def;"
|  12. [[Ransom Burnell]] || || 19 || [[Northern Democratic Party|Douglas Democratic]] || January 1861–May 1861
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  13. [[George Barstow (California politician)|George Barstow]] || || 8 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1862–May 1862
|- style="background:#cfc;"
|  14. [[Tim N. Machin]] || || 12 || [[National Union Party (United States)|National Union]] || January 1863–April 1863
|- style="background:#cfc;"
|  15. [[William H. Sears]] || || 21 || [[National Union Party (United States)|National Union]] || December 1863–April 1864
|- style="background:#cfc;"
|  16. [[John Yule (California politician)|John Yule]] || [[File:John Yule (California politician).jpg|100px|John Yule, 16th Speaker (1865-1866)]] || 20 || [[National Union Party (United States)|National Union]] || December 1865–April 1866
|- style="background:#def;"
|  17. [[Caius T. Ryland]] || [[File:Caius Tacitus Ryland.png|100px|Caius Tacitus Ryland, 17th Speaker (1867-1868)]] || 7 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || December 1867–March 1868
|- style="background:#def;"
|  18. [[George H. Rogers]] || || 8 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || December 1869–April 1870
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  19. [[Thomas Bowles Shannon]] || [[File:ThomasBowlesShannon.jpg|100px|Thomas Bowles Shannon, 19th Speaker (1871–1872)]] || 8 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || December 1871–April 1872
|-
|  20. [[Morris M. Estee]] || [[File:Morris M. Estee.jpg|100px|Morris M. Estee, 20th Speaker (1873–1874)]] || 8 || [[Independent (politician)|Independent]] {{ref|2|2}} || December 1873–March 1874
|- style="background:#def;"
|  21. [[Gideon J. Carpenter]] || [[File:Gideon J. Carpenter.jpg|100px|Gideon J. Carpenter, 21st Speaker (1875–1876)]] || 23 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || December 1875–April 1876
|- style="background:#def;"
|  22. [[Campbell Polson Berry]] || [[File:Campbell Polson Berry - Brady-Handy.jpg|100px|Campbell Berry, 22nd Speaker (1877–1878)]] || 25 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || December 1877–April 1878
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  23. [[Jabez F. Cowdery]] || [[File:Jabez F. Cowdery.jpg|100px|Jabez F. Cowdery, 23rd Speaker (1880)]] || 13 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1880–April 1880
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  24. [[William H. Parks]] || [[File:William H. Parks, 1887.jpg|100px|William H. Parks, 24th Speaker (1881)]] || 25 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1881–May 1881
|- style="background:#def;"
|  25. [[Hugh McElroy LaRue]] || [[File:Hugh McElroy LaRue (1830-1906) (cropped).jpg|100px|Hugh McElroy LaRue, 25th Speaker (1883-1884)]] || 18 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || January 1883–May 1884
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
| – [[William H. Parks]] || [[File:William H. Parks, 1887.jpg|100px|William H. Parks, 24th Speaker (1881)]] || 25 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1885–September 1886
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  26. [[William H. Jordan (California politician)|William H. Jordan]] || [[File:William H. Jordan (California politician).jpg|100px|William H. Jordan, 26th Speaker (1887)]] || 55 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1887–March 1887
|- style="background:#def;"
|  27. [[Robert Howe (California politician)|Robert Howe]] || [[File:Robert Howe (California politician) Crop.jpg|100px|Robert Howe, 27th Speaker (1889)]] || 25 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || January 1889–March 1889
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  28. [[Frank Coombs (United States Representative)|Frank Leslie Coombs]] || [[File:Frank_Leslie_Coombs.jpg|100px]] || 22 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1891–March 1891
|- style="background:#def;"
|  29. [[Frank H. Gould]] || [[File:Frank H. Gould, 1904.jpg|100px|Frank H. Gould 29th speaker (1893)]] || 57 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || January 1893–March 1893
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  30. [[John C. Lynch]] || [[File:John C. Lynch, 1897.jpg|100px]] || 8 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1895–March 1895
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
| – [[Frank Coombs (United States Representative)|Frank Leslie Coombs]] || [[File:Frank_Leslie_Coombs.jpg|100px]] || 18 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1897–March 1897
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  31. [[Howard E. Wright]] || [[File:Howard E. Wright, 1898.jpg|100px|Howard E. Wright, 31st speaker (1899)]] || 51 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1899
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  32. [[Alden Anderson]] || [[File:Alden Anderson.jpg|100px]] || 19 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1899–February 1900
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  33. [[Cornelius W. Pendleton]] || [[File:Cornelius W. Pendleton, 1912.jpg|100px|Cornelius W. Pendleton, 33rd speaker (1901)]] || 74 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1901–March 1901
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  34. [[Arthur G. Fisk]] || [[File:Arthur Fisk Pic wiki.JPG|100px|Arthur Fisk, 34th Speaker (1903)]] || 37 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1903–March 1903
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  35. [[Frank C. Prescott]] || [[File:Frank C. Prescott, 1900s.jpg|100px|Frank C. Prescott, 35th speaker (1905–1906)]]|| 76 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1905–June 1906
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  36. [[Robert L. Beardslee Sr.]] || [[File:Robert Beardslee (1).png|100px|Robert L. Beardslee, 36th speaker (1907–1909)]] || 23 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1907–November 1909
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  37. [[Phillip A. Stanton]] || [[File:Phillip A. Stanton, 1912.jpg|100px|Phillip A. Stanton, 37th speaker (1909–1910)]] || 71 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1909–October 1910
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  38. [[Arthur Hathaway Hewitt]] || [[File:Arthur Hathaway Hewitt.jpg|100px|Arthur Hathaway Hewitt, 38th speaker (1911)]] || 8 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1911–December 1911
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  39. [[C. C. Young]] || [[File:C.C. Young LCCN2014710641.tif|100px|Clement C. Young, 39th Speaker (1913–1917)]] || 41 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]], [[Progressive Party (United States, 1912)|Progressive]] {{ref|3|3}} || January 1913–April 1917
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  40. [[Henry W. Wright]] || [[File:Henry W. Wright, 1932.jpg|100px]] || 69 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1919–April 1921
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  41. [[Frank Merriam|Frank F. Merriam]] || [[File:FrankMerriam.jpg|100px|Frank Merriam, 41st Speaker (1923–1926)]] || 70  || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1923–October 1926
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  42. [[Edgar C. Levey]] || [[File:Levey002soft.JPG|100px|Edgar Levey, 42nd Speaker (1927–1931)]] || 28 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1927–May 1931
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  43. [[Walter J. Little]] || [[File:Walter J. Little, 1932.jpg|100px|Walter J. Little, 43rd Speaker (1933–1933)]] || 60 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1933–July 1933
|- style="background:#def;"
|  44. [[Forsythe Charles Clowdsley]] || [[File:Forsythe Charles Clowdsley, 1929.jpg|100px]] || 11 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || September 1934 (''extraordinary session'')
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  45. [[Edward Craig (politician)|Edward Craig]] ||[[File:Edward Craig, 1935.jpg|100px]]  || 75 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1935–May 1936
|- style="background:#def;"
|  46. [[William Moseley Jones]] || [[File:Jones002soft.JPG|100px|William Jones, 46th Speaker (1937–1938)]] || 51 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || January 1937–March 1938
|- style="background:#def;"
|  47. [[Paul Peek (politician)|Paul Peek]] ||[[File:Paul_Peek,_1942.jpg|100px]]|| 71 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || January 1939–June 1939
|- style="background:#def;"
|  48. [[Gordon Hickman Garland]] || [[File:Garland002soft.JPG|100px|Gordon Garland, 48th Speaker (1940–1942)]] || 38 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || January 1940–January 1942
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  49. [[Charles W. Lyon]] || [[File:Charles W. Lyon (1938).jpg|100px|Charles Lyon, 49th Speaker (1943–1946)]] || 59 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1943–July 1946
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  50. [[Sam L. Collins]] || [[File:Sam L. Collins (California Congressman).jpg|100px|Sam L. Collins, 50th Speaker (1947-1952)]] || 75 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1947–August 1952
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  51. [[James W. Silliman]] ||[[File:James_W._Silliman,_1954.jpg|100px]] || 34 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1953–April 1954
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  52. [[Luther H. Lincoln]] ||[[File:Luther_H._Lincoln,_1954.jpg|100px]] || 15 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1955–April 1958
|- style="background:#def;"
|  53. [[Ralph M. Brown]] ||[[File:Ralph_M._Brown,_1953.jpg|100px]] || 30 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || January 1959–September 1961
|- style="background:#def;"
|  54. [[Jesse M. Unruh]] || [[File:Jesse Unruh 1960s family christmas card (back) (cropped).jpg|100px|Jesse M. Unruh, 54th Speaker (1961–1969)]] || 65 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || September 1961–January 1969
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  55. [[Robert T. Monagan]] || [[File:Robert T. Monagan, 1971.jpg|100px|Robert Timothy Monagan, 56th Speaker (1969–1970)]] || 12 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 1969–September 1970
|- style="background:#def;"
|  56. [[Bob Moretti]] ||[[File:Bob_Moretti,_1971.jpg|100px]] || 42 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || January 1971–June 1974
|- style="background:#def;"
|  57. [[Leo T. McCarthy]] || [[File:Leo T. McCarthy, 1975.jpg|100px|Leo T. McCarthy, 57th Speaker (1970–1980)]]|| 19/18{{ref|4|4}} || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || June 1974–November 1980
|- style="background:#def;"
|  58. [[Willie Brown (politician)|Willie Brown]] || [[File:WILLIE Brown, October 1999.jpg|100px|Willie Brown, 58th Speaker (1980–1995)]] || 17/13{{ref|5|5}} || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || December 2, 1980 – June 5, 1995
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  59. [[Doris Allen (politician)|Doris Allen]] || || 67 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] {{ref|6|6}} || June 5, 1995 – September 14, 1995
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  60. [[Brian Setencich]] || || 30 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] {{ref|6|6}} || September 14, 1995 – January 4, 1996
|- style="background:#ffe8e8;"
|  61. [[Curt Pringle]] || [[File:Curt Pringle in 2002.jpg|100px|Curt Pringle, 61st Speaker (1996)]] || 68 || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || January 4, 1996 – November 30, 1996
|- style="background:#def;"
|  62. [[Cruz Bustamante|Cruz M. Bustamante]] || [[File:Cruz-Bustamante (cropped).jpg|100px|Cruz Bustamante, 62nd Speaker (1996–1998)]] || 31 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || December 2, 1996 – February 26, 1998
|- style="background:#def;"
|  63. [[Antonio Villaraigosa]] || [[File:Speaker Villaraigosa (cropped).jpg|100px]] || 45 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || February 26, 1998 – April 13, 2000
|- style="background:#def;"
|  64. [[Robert Hertzberg|Robert M. Hertzberg]] ||[[File:Robert Hertzberg (1).jpg|100px]]|| 40 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || April 13, 2000 – February 6, 2002
|- style="background:#def;"
|  65. [[Herb Wesson|Herb J. Wesson, Jr.]] || [[File:Herb Wesson 2012 (cropped).jpg|100px]]|| 47 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || February 6, 2002 – February 9, 2004
|- style="background:#def;"
|  66. [[Fabian Núñez]] || [[File:FabianNunez.jpg|100px|Fabian Núñez, 66th Speaker (2004–2008)]] || 46 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || February 9, 2004 – May 13, 2008
|- style="background:#def;"
|  67. [[Karen Bass]] ||[[File:Karen Bass.jpg|100px]] || 47 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || May 13, 2008 – March 1, 2010
|- style="background:#def;"
|  68. [[John Pérez]] || [[File:John Pérez 2011.jpg|100px]]|| 46/53{{ref|7|7}} || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || March 1, 2010 – May 12, 2014
|- style="background:#def;"
|  69. [[Toni Atkins]] || [[File:Atkins Headshot.jpg|100px]]|| 78 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || May 12, 2014 – March 7, 2016
|- style="background:#def;"
|  70. [[Anthony Rendon (politician)|Anthony Rendon]] || [[File:Anthony Rendon official photo (cropped).jpg|100px]]|| 63 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || March 7, 2016–June 30, 2023
|- style="background:#def;"
|  71. [[Robert A. Rivas|Robert Rivas]] || [[File:Robert Rivas official speaker portrait (cropped).jpg|128x128px]]|| 29 || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || June 30, 2023-present
|}
<div style="font-size: 80%">
* {{note|1|1}} The First California Legislature was nonpartisan.
* {{note|2|2}} [[Morris M. Estee|Estee]] was also a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]], but he was elected to the term in which he was Speaker as an [[Independent (politician)|independent]].
* {{note|3|3}} [[C. C. Young|Young]] was elected as a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] during the 40th and 42nd sessions (1913 and 1917), but a [[Progressive Party (United States, 1912)|Progressive]] during the 41st session (1915).
* {{note|4|4}} [[Leo T. McCarthy|McCarthy's]] 19th District was renumbered the 18th District after the 1970s [[redistricting]].
* {{note|5|5}} [[Willie Lewis Brown, Jr.|Brown's]] 17th District was renumbered the 13th District after the 1990s [[redistricting]].
* {{note|6|6}} [[Doris Allen (politician)|Allen]] and [[Brian Setencich|Setencich]] were Republican Assemblymembers whom Democrats elected after losing their majority in the chamber.
* {{note|7|7}} [[John Pérez|Perez's]] 46th District was renumbered the 53rd District after the 2010s [[redistricting]].
</div>
==See also==
* [[California State Assembly]]
* [[List of California state legislatures]]
* [[President pro tempore of the California State Senate]]
* [[President of the Los Angeles City Council]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
* {{cite book |author=Office of the Chief Clerk of the Assembly |chapter=Appendix A, B  |title=California's Legislature |location=Sacramento |publisher=California Legislature, Assembly |year=2006 | oclc=71402845}}
* {{cite web |title=Speakers of the Assembly (''Ex Officio'' Regents) |url=http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/calhistory/regents.html#speakers |work=Hall of Distinguished Berkeleyan |publisher=The Bancroft Library |year=2008 |access-date=2008-03-03}}
* {{cite web|author=California State Capitol Museum |title=California State Capitol: Legislative History |url=http://capitolmuseum.ca.gov/english/legislature/history/index.html |publisher=State of California |year=2008 |access-date=2008-03-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070620054519/http://capitolmuseum.ca.gov/english/legislature/history/index.html |archive-date=June 20, 2007 }}
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