24 Jan Lesbian lawmaker from San Diego to be the next speaker of the California Assembly
The leadership of the California Assembly will be handed off from a gay man to a lesbian at the end of 2014. Toni Atkins, a Democrat from San Diego who is currently Assembly Majority Leader, has been chosen by her colleagues to succeed current speaker John Perez who has been termed out. I am humbled, grateful, and ready to get to work,’ Atkins said in a statement Wednesday (22 January). ‘California is facing important issues in the near future,’ she added. ‘I look forward to leading the State Assembly in working with the Senate and the Governor to meet our challenges and to move our great state forward.’ Atkins was elected to the Assembly in 2010 following eight years on the San Diego City Council including a brief time as acting mayor. She becomes only the second Democratic woman and second member of the LGBT community to hold the post. She thanked her colleagues for their confidence and support and Perez for his mentorship. Perez described himself as ‘delighted’ that the party has united behind Atkins. He called her ‘a strong leader on vital issues.’ ‘I have also seen, perhaps better than anyone, how hard she works to keep the Assembly on track to take care of the people’s business,’ Perez stated. Source: Gay star news