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ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATS MAKE HISTORIC PICK: JOHN PEREZ TO BE NEXT ASSEMBLY SPEAKER

Selection Is Step In Making California History When Perez Takes Office As First Openly Gay Assembly Speaker - Formal Vote on Assembly Floor Sometime Next Month

Assemblymember John Perez: John Perez - 46th district serving Los Angeles, California.SACRAMENTO, CALIF (CDCAN) [Updated 12/10/09 02:20 PM (Pacific Time) - In a step toward making California history, Assembly Democrats met this afternoon and chose Assemblymember John Perez (Democrat – Los Angeles) to be the next Assembly Speaker. Perez, when he assumes the office sometime next year, would be the first openly gay leader of either house in state history and one of the highest openly gay state officials in the nation.

A formal vote on the Assembly floor will take place in early January when the Legislature officially reconvenes the second half of the 2009-2010 legislative session on January 4th. With Democrats holding 50 of the 80 Assembly seats, the outcome will not be in doubt. It takes 41 votes to elect an Assembly Speaker.

The selection of Perez- was assured after the withdrawal of Assemblymember Kevin De Leon (Democrat – Los Angeles), who also wanted the job.

Bass, who will be termed out next November, is expected to give up the speakership sometime next year, as her predecessors have done in recent years when they are termed out.

Impact of Assembly Speaker on Legislation and Budget Still Important

The Assembly Speaker, while no longer the powerful position it once was under Willie Brown, can still hold important influence over legislation with the appointment of committee chairs and members including committees and budget subcommittees dealing with people with disabilities, mental health needs, the blind, senior, community-based organizations and services, and workers who provide supports and services.

The Assembly Speaker is also part of the “Big Five” (including the Governor, Senate President Pro Tem, the Senate and Assembly Republican leaders) who negotiate final details of a state budget agreement.

Bass has previously said she would gradually hand over the speakership to her successor sometime next year. As in previous times when the speakership changed hands, no major changes in committee chairs and members are expected next year until after the November 2010 elections.

Perez is expected to make some initial changes to the Assembly leadership and possibly some committee chairs or membership sometime next year when he actually takes over as Assembly Speaker. Given that he is a key part of Assembly Speaker Bass’ current leadership team, when Perez assumes office next year it will not likely mean any major change in policy decisions for persons with disabilities, mental health needs, the blind and seniors.

Perez Serving First Term in Assembly

Perez, elected to the Assembly in November 2008, is currently serving his first term and can serve five more years (a total of 3 two year terms).

He is currently a member of the Assembly Appropriations, Transportation, and Business and Professions committees. He has not served on any committees or focused specifically on legislation or budget issues dealing with persons with disabilities, mental health needs or seniors – though as part of Bass’ leadership team this past year, has been involved in decisions on those issues.

Perez authored several bills touching directly or indirectly on the issue of persons with HIV /AIDS including reporting, health care, and bills dealing with Medi-Cal kidney transplant anti-rejection drug coverage and domestic violence.

Perez has worked over 15 years in the labor movement and currently serves as an elected member of the Democratic National Committee.

Perez has served as a board member for the California League of Conservation Voters, AIDS Project Los Angeles, the Latino Coalition against AIDS, the California Center for Regional Leadership, and the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation.

Assembly Democrats Hold 50 Seats Currently

The Assembly Democrats currently hold 50 seats of the 80 member house, with Republicans holding 28, with 1 seat held by an independent, former Democratic Assemblymember Juan Arambula and one vacancy.

Special Election for 72nd Assembly District

The current vacancy in the Assembly was caused by the resignation of Republican Mike Duvall who represented the 72nd Assembly District. That seat is considered a “safe” Republican district.

The Governor, in September, set January 12, 2010 as the special general election to fill the vacancy. The special primary election was held November 17th. Because no candidate received more than 50% of the vote, the top vote receivers of each party run in the special general election:

• John MacMurray, Democrat, listed as a public school teacher, who ran unsuccessfully in 2006 (receiving 37%) and 2008 (receiving 45%) against Duvall.
• Chris Norby, Republican, listed on the ballot as current Orange County Supervisor.
• Jane Rands, Green Party, listed on the ballot as a systems engineer.

The 72nd Assembly District seat was previously held by Lynn Daucher who was forced out due to term limits in 2006. Daucher is currently director of the California Department of Aging.