President pro tempore of the California State Senate
Seal of the Senate of the State of California
California State Flag
Incumbent
Toni Atkins
since March 21, 2018
Member ofCalifornia State Senate
Term length2 years
Inaugural holderE. Kirby Chamberlain
Formation1849
Unofficial namesPresident Pro Tem

The president pro tempore of the California State Senate (President Pro Tem) is the highest-ranking leader and most powerful member of the California State Senate. The officeholder also chairs the Senate Rules Committee. At the beginning of each two-year session, all members of the body elect a new State Senate President pro tempore.[1] The President pro tempore is chosen by the other Senators.

The current President pro tempore is Toni Atkins, a Democratic member from the 39th district, who was sworn in on March 21, 2018.[2]

Powers and duties

The President pro tempore acts as the chair of the Senate while the President, the Lieutenant Governor of California, is absent during meetings, having the same powers of the president.[3] If the President Pro Tempore is absent, another Senator appointed by the President pro tempore can act as chair.[4] The President pro tempore has a responsibility to "secure the prompt and businesslike disposition of bills and other business before the Senate."[5]

List of presidents pro tempore of the California State Senate

No. President pro tempore Political party District Term start Term end
1 E. Kirby Chamberlain
(1805–1852)		 Nonpartisan[lower-alpha 1] Los Angeles–San Diego[lower-alpha 1] December 15, 1849 January 9, 1851
2 Elcan Heydenfeldt
(1821–1898)		 Whig 6th–San Francisco January 9, 1851 January 8, 1852
3 Benjamin F. Keene
(1813–1856)		 Democratic 12th–Placerville January 8, 1852 January 2, 1854
18th–Placerville[lower-alpha 2]
4 Royal Sprague
(1814–1872)		 Democratic 13th–Shasta January 1, 1855 May 7, 1855
5 Delos R. Ashley
(1828–1873)		 American 3rd–San Francisco January 9, 1856 April 21, 1856
6 Samuel H. Dosh
(1827–1861)		 Democratic 13th–Shasta January 5, 1857 April 29, 1857
7 Samuel A. Merritt
(1827–1910)		 Democratic 10th–Shasta January 4, 1858 April 26, 1858
8 W. B. Dickinson
(????–????)		 Democratic 5th–Sacramento January 3, 1859 April 19, 1859
9 Isaac N. Quinn
(1795–1865)		 Democratic 7th–San Rafael January 2, 1860 January 19, 1860
10 Charles J. Lansing
(????–1884)		 Democratic 16th–Stockton January 19, 1860 April 13, 1860
11 Richard Irwin
(1828–1869)		 Union Democratic 26th–Quincy January 7, 1861 May 20, 1861
12 James M. Shafter
(1816–1892)		 Republican 24th–San Francisco January 6, 1862 May 15, 1862
13 Addison M. Crane
(1814–1889)		 Unionist 9th–Squatterville December 7, 1863 April 4, 1864
14 Ransom Burnell
(1821–1880)		 Unionist 14th–St. Helena April 4, 1864 December 4, 1865
15 S. P. Wright
(????–1874)		 Unionist 27th–Santa Barbara December 4, 1865 April 2, 1866
16 Lansing B. Mizner
(1825–1893)		 Unionist 25th–Tehama December 2, 1867 March 30, 1868
17 Edward J. Lewis
(1832–1881)		 Democratic 17th–Yountville December 6, 1869 April 1, 1872
18 James T. Farley
(1829–1886)		 Democratic 16th–Volcano December 1, 1873 March 13, 1874
19 William Irwin
(1827–1886)		 Democratic 28th–San Francisco March 13, 1874 February 27, 1875
20 Benjamin F. Tuttle
(1825–1907)		 Democratic 21st–San Francisco February 27, 1875 April 3, 1876
21 Edward J. Lewis
(1832–1881)		 Democratic 25th–Tehama December 3, 1877 April 16, 1880
22 George F. Baker
(1849–1882)		 Republican 7th–San Jose April 16, 1880 January 3, 1881
23 William Johnson
(1829–1905)		 Republican 18th–Courtland January 3, 1881 April 1, 1882
24 R. F. del Valle
(1854–1938)		 Democratic 2nd–Los Angeles April 1, 1882 March 13, 1883
25 Benjamin Knight
(1836–1905)		 Democratic 6th–Santa Cruz January 5, 1885 March 12, 1887
26 Stephen M. White
(1853–1901)		 Democratic 38th–Los Angeles January 3, 1887 March 16, 1889
27 Thomas Fraser
(1831–1902)		 Republican 7th–Placerville January 5, 1891 March 25, 1891
28 R. B. Carpenter
(1831–1909)		 Republican 33rd–Los Angeles January 2, 1893 March 14, 1893
29 Thomas Flint Jr.
(1857–1936)		 Republican 33rd–Hollister January 7, 1895 March 14, 1903
30 Edward I. Wolfe
(1860–1920)		 Republican 21st–San Francisco January 2, 1905 March 24, 1909
31 Albert E. Boynton
(1875–1945)		 Republican 6th–Oroville January 2, 1911 May 12, 1913
32 Newton W. Thompson
(1865–1936)		 Republican 35th–Alhambra January 4, 1915 January 11, 1916
33 Arthur H. Breed Sr.
(1865–1953)		 Republican 15th–Oakland January 8, 1917 July 26, 1933
16th–Oakland[lower-alpha 2]
34 William P. Rich
(1880–1965)		 Republican 10th–Marysville January 7, 1935 June 20, 1939
35 Jerrold L. Seawell
(1897–1952)		 Republican 7th–Roseville January 2, 1939 June 14, 1941
36 William P. Rich
(1880–1965)		 Republican 10th–Marysville January 6, 1941 January 4, 1943
37 Jerrold L. Seawell
(1897–1952)		 Republican 7th–Roseville January 4, 1943 June 16, 1945
38 Harold J. Powers
(1900–1996)		 Republican 31st–Cedarville January 6, 1947 October 5, 1953
39 Clarence C. Ward
(1894–1955)		 Republican 31st–Santa Barbara March 1, 1954 May 9, 1955
40 Ben Hulse
(1894–1961)		 Republican 39th–Imperial January 3, 1955 April 5, 1956
41 Hugh M. Burns
(1902–1988)		 Democratic 30th–Fresno January 5, 1957 May 14, 1969
16th–Fresno[lower-alpha 2]
42 Howard Way
(1913–2001)		 Republican 15th– Exeter May 14, 1969 February 10, 1970
43 Jack Schrade
(1902–1992)		 Republican 39th–El Cajon February 10, 1970 November 30, 1970
44 James R. Mills
(1927–2021)		 Democratic 40th–San Diego November 30, 1970 November 30, 1980
45 David Roberti
(born 1939)		 Democratic 23rd–Los Angeles November 30, 1980 January 31, 1994
46 Bill Lockyer
(born 1941)		 Democratic 10th–Oakland January 31, 1994 February 5, 1998
47 John Burton
(born 1932)		 Democratic 3rd–San Francisco February 5, 1998 November 30, 2004
48 Don Perata
(born 1945)		 Democratic 9th–Alameda November 30, 2004 August 21, 2008
49 Darrell Steinberg
(born 1959)		 Democratic 6th–Sacramento August 21, 2008 October 15, 2014
50 Kevin de León
(born 1966)		 Democratic 24th–Los Angeles October 15, 2014 March 21, 2018
51 Toni Atkins
(born 1962)		 Democratic 39th–San Diego March 21, 2018 Incumbent

See also

References

  1. 1 2 The 1st California State Legislature was nonpartisan and used the established counties as the legislative districts until January 9, 1851.
  2. 1 2 3 Redistricted during term.
  1. ↑ "Glossary of Legislative Terms". California Legislative Counsel. Retrieved March 23, 2011.
  2. ↑ "Toni Atkins Sworn In as State Senate President". California State Association of Counties. March 22, 2018.
  3. ↑ "CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA (1849)" (PDF). p. 16.
  4. ↑ "Overview of California Legislative Process" (PDF). California State Association of Counties. p. 10.
  5. ↑ Journal of the Senate, Legislature of the State of California. Vol. 1. California State Print. Office. 1942. p. 9.
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