California Latino Caucus Congratulates Anthony Rendon Upon His Election to Serve as the Next Speaker of the California State Assembly

January 11, 2016

SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Luis Alejo (D-Salinas), Chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus, and Vice-Chair Senator Ben Hueso (D-San Diego), issued the following statement today on the election of Anthony Rendon to Speaker of the Assembly.

“On behalf of the Latino Caucus, it is with great honor and pride that we congratulate Speaker-elect Anthony Rendon. He is one of the most respected members of the California Legislature. His colleagues in the Assembly recognized his integrity and accomplishments by electing him to serve as their leader.

When Rendon takes over as Speaker in March, it will mark the first time in the 43-year history of the California Latino Legislative Caucus that the Speaker of the Assembly and the President pro Tem of the Senate, the Honorable Kevin de León, are members of the Caucus. This serves as a testament to the growing strength of the 21-member Caucus.

Speaker-elect Rendon will be an effective leader for all of California. As chairman of the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee during his first term, he authored Proposition 1, the $7.5 million Water Bond, which California voters approved by a 2-1 margin. In the Assembly, he has been a powerful advocate for environmental justice, early childhood education, government transparency and increasing Californians’ participation in democracy.

Speaker-elect Rendon represents the 63rd Assembly District and will serve as the 70th Speaker of the State Assembly and the fifth Latino Speaker in the state’s history.  Past Latino Speakers include Cruz Bustamante, Antonio Villaraigosa, Fabian Nuñez and John A. Pérez.

This past summer, the United States Census Bureau confirmed Latinos as the largest ethnic group in California. It is fitting that for the first time in the state’s history the leaders of both houses of the Legislature are Latino.”

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Contact: Andrew Bird / (916) 319-2030 / Andrew.Bird@asm.ca.gov