(SACRAMENTO) -  Cottie Petrie-Norris (Laguna Beach) was sworn in as the Assemblymember for the 74th Assembly District today. 

With record-high voter turnout, California voters ensured the 2019/2020 Legislative session would stand out in history by granting Democrats a super majority in the state Assembly.  Not since 1883 have Assembly Democrats had such a significant stronghold in the Capitol.  Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) inaugurated the newly elected legislators today, solidifying that three-quarters of Assembly seats be occupied by Democrats. 

“The thread that runs through our accomplishments of the past and what we plan on doing in the future is making things better for the people of California,” said Speaker Rendon. “We will rely on the experience of returning members and the energy and ideas of our newest colleagues to address the huge economic challenges that face Californians who need housing, who need health care, and who need education for their youngest children and for their oldest.”

California voters have sent a clear message that they like the path in which the state is on and that more needs to be done to continue on that same path.

The focus of the State Assembly will continue to be to tackle the shortage of affordable housing, improve early childhood education while addressing childhood poverty, reducing gun violence, and embracing oversight responsibilities to make California run stronger and more efficiently.

The new members of the Assembly Democratic Caucus contribute a broad range of experience, perspectives and ethnicities, and there are more women now than ever.