Tenure of California Speakers

Tenure of California Speakers By Chris Micheli

            With Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas being sworn into office on June 30, 2023, the following is a look back over the past four decades of legislators holding this powerful position. 67 persons have held this position during California’s history as a state. The following is a list of those serving as Assembly Speaker since 1980 and their tenure in that office:

Willie L. Brown, Jr. (D) 1980 to June 5, 1995 (15 years)

Doris Allen (R) June 5, 1995 to September 14, 1995 (just over 3 months)

Brian Setencich (R) September 14, 1995 to January 4, 1996 (almost 4 months)

Curt Pringle (R) January 4, 1996 to November 30, 1996 (11 months)

Cruz M. Bustamante (D) December 2, 1996 to February 26, 1998 (1 year and 3 months)

Antonio Villaraigosa (D) February 26, 1998 to April 13, 2000 (2 years and 2 months)

Robert M. Hertzberg (D) April 13, 2000 to February 6, 2002 (1 year and 10 months)

Herb Wesson (D) February 6, 2002 to February 9, 2004 (2 years)

Fabian Nunez (D) February 9, 2004 to May 13, 2008 (4 years and 3 months)

Karen Bass (D) May 13, 2008 to March 1, 2010 (1 year and 10 months)

John A. Perez (D) March 1, 2010 to May 12, 2014 (4 years and 2 months)

Toni Atkins (D) May 12, 2014 to March 7, 2016 (1 year and 10 months)

Anthony Rendon (D) March 7, 2016 to June 30, 2023 (7 years and 4 months)

Robert Rivas (D) June 30, 2023 to __

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