Fabian Núñez is an American politician and labor union adviser. A member of the Democratic Party,he served three two-year terms as a member of the California State Assembly,leaving office in late 2008. During his last two terms,Núñez served as the 66th Speaker of the California State Assembly.
Proposition 209 is a California ballot proposition which,upon approval in November 1996,amended the state constitution to prohibit state governmental institutions from considering race,sex,or ethnicity,specifically in the areas of public employment,public contracting,and public education. Modeled on the Civil Rights Act of 1964,the California Civil Rights Initiative was authored by two California academics,Glynn Custred and Tom Wood. It was the first electoral test of affirmative action policies in North America. It passed with 55% in favor to 45% opposed,thereby banning affirmative action in the state's public sector.
Same-sex marriage has been legal in California since June 28,2013. The U.S. state first issued marriage licenses to same-sex couples on June 16,2008 as a result of the Supreme Court of California finding in the case of In re Marriage Cases that barring same-sex couples from marriage violated the Constitution of California. The issuance of such licenses was halted from November 5,2008 through June 27,2013 due to the passage of Proposition 8—a state constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriages. The granting of same-sex marriages recommenced following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Hollingsworth v. Perry,which restored the effect of a federal district court ruling that overturned Proposition 8 as unconstitutional.
Don Richard Perata is a California lobbyist and former Democratic politician,who was President pro tempore of the California State Senate from 2004 to 2008. He came in second place in the November 2010 election for Mayor of Oakland.
Leland Yin Yee is an American former politician who served as a member of the California State Senate for District 8,which covered parts of San Francisco and the Peninsula.
The California special election of 2005 was held on November 8,2005 after being called by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on June 13,2005.
Roy Arthur Ashburn is an American politician from Kern County,California. A Republican,he served as a California State Senator from 2002 to 2010 representing the 18th district. He previously served three terms in the California State Assembly,representing the 32nd district and 12 years on the Kern County Board of Supervisors. He served on the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board from 2011 until February 2015,after having been appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
William R. Leonard is a Republican U.S. politician who served as a member of the California State Board of Equalization from 2002 until his resignation in March 2010.
Carol Ann Corrigan is an associate justice of the California Supreme Court.
The California Republican Party (CAGOP) is the affiliate of the United States Republican Party in the U.S. state of California. The party is based in Sacramento and is led by chair Jessica Millan Patterson.
Loni Hancock is an American politician and a former member of the California State Senate. A Democrat,she represented the 9th Senate District,which encompasses the northern East Bay.
Edward Paul Hernández is an American politician who previously served in the California State Senate. A Democrat,he represented the 24th Senate district from 2010 until he was redistricted to the 22nd Senate district,which he would represent until 2018.
Anthony J. Portantino is an American politician currently serving in the California State Senate. A Democrat,he represents the 25th Senate District which encompasses portions of the San Fernando and San Gabriel Valleys. Portantino was a member of the California State Assembly from 2006 to 2012,representing the 44th Assembly District.
Electoral reform in California refers to efforts to change election and voting laws in the U.S. state of California.
Nancy Skinner is an American politician and a member of the California State Senate. A Democrat,she represents California's 9th State Senatorial district,encompassing parts of the East Bay.
Proposition 11 of 2008 was a law enacted by California voters that placed the power to draw electoral boundaries for State Assembly and State Senate districts in a Citizens Redistricting Commission,as opposed to the State Legislature. To do this the Act amended both the Constitution of California and the Government Code. The law was proposed by means of the initiative process and was put to voters as part of the November 4,2008 state elections. In 2010,voters passed Proposition 20 which extended the Citizen Redistricting Commission's power to draw electoral boundaries to include U.S. House seats as well.
California is seen as one of the most liberal states in the U.S. in regard to lesbian,gay,bisexual,and transgender (LGBT) rights,which have received nationwide recognition since the 1970s. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal in the state since 1976. Discrimination protections regarding sexual orientation and gender identity or expression were adopted statewide in 2003. Transgender people are also permitted to change their legal gender on official documents without any medical interventions,and mental health providers are prohibited from engaging in conversion therapy on minors.
Senate Constitutional Amendment 5 was introduced by California State Senator Edward Hernandez to the California State Senate on December 3, 2012. This initiative would ask voters to consider eliminating California Proposition 209's ban on the use of race,sex,color,ethnicity,or national origin in recruitment,admissions,and retention programs at California's public universities and colleges. SCA 5 was passed in the California Senate on January 30, 2014 but was subsequently withdrawn by Hernandez due to strong opposition,mainly from Asian Americans.
Steven Mitchell Glazer is an American politician and former political advisor serving as a member of the California State Senate from the 7th Senate District,which includes most of Contra Costa County and eastern portions of Alameda County in the East Bay.
Proposition 16 is a California ballot proposition that appeared on the November 3,2020,general election ballot,asking California voters to amend the Constitution of California to repeal Proposition 209 (1996). Proposition 209 amended the state constitution to prohibit government institutions from considering race,sex,or ethnicity,specifically in the areas of public employment,public contracting,and public education. Therefore,Proposition 209 banned the use of race- and gender-based affirmative action in California's public sector.
