President pro tempore of the California State Senate

Last updated
President pro tempore of the California State Senate
Seal of the Senate of the State of California.png
Seal of the Senate of the State of California
Flag of California.svg
California State Flag
CA Sen Mike McGuire.jpg
Incumbent
Mike McGuire
since February 5, 2024
Member of California State Senate
Term length 2 years
Inaugural holder E. Kirby Chamberlain
Formation1849
Unofficial namesPresident Pro Tem

The president pro tempore of the California State Senate (President Pro Tem) is the chief executive and highest-ranking member the California State Senate and serves as chair of the Senate Rules Committee. The Pro Tem is chosen at the beginning of each two-year session, via election by all the other senators-elect. [1]

Contents

The current President pro tempore is Mike McGuire, a Democratic member from the 2nd district, who was sworn in on February 5, 2024. [2]

Powers and duties

The President pro tempore acts as the chair of the Senate while the President, the Lieutenant Governor of California, is absent during meetings, having the same powers of the president. [3] If the President Pro Tempore is absent, another Senator appointed by the President pro tempore can act as chair. [4] The President pro tempore has a responsibility to "secure the prompt and businesslike disposition of bills and other business before the Senate." [5]

List of presidents pro tempore of the California State Senate

No.President pro temporePolitical partyDistrictTerm startTerm end
1 E. Kirby Chamberlain
(1805–1852)
Nonpartisan [lower-alpha 1] Los AngelesSan Diego [lower-alpha 1] December 15, 1849January 9, 1851
2Elcan Heydenfeldt
(1821–1898)
Whig 6thSan Francisco January 9, 1851January 8, 1852
3Benjamin F. Keene
(1813–1856)
Democratic 12thPlacerville January 8, 1852January 2, 1854
18th–Placerville [lower-alpha 2]
4 Royal T. Sprague, 1870.jpg Royal Sprague
(1814–1872)
Democratic 13thShasta January 1, 1855May 7, 1855
5 Delos R. Ashley (Nevada Congressman).jpg Delos R. Ashley
(1828–1873)
American 3rdSan Francisco January 9, 1856April 21, 1856
6Samuel H. Dosh
(1827–1861)
Democratic 13thShasta January 5, 1857April 29, 1857
7 Samuelamerritt (cropped).PNG Samuel A. Merritt
(1827–1910)
Democratic 10thShasta January 4, 1858April 26, 1858
8W. B. Dickinson
(????–????)
Democratic 5thSacramento January 3, 1859April 19, 1859
9 Isaac N. Quinn
(1795–1865)
Democratic 7thSan Rafael January 2, 1860January 19, 1860
10Charles J. Lansing
(????–1884)
Democratic 16thStockton January 19, 1860April 13, 1860
11Richard Irwin
(1828–1869)
Union Democratic 26thQuincy January 7, 1861May 20, 1861
12 James M. Shafter (Vermont, Wisconsin, California politician).jpg James M. Shafter
(1816–1892)
Republican 24thSan Francisco January 6, 1862May 15, 1862
13 Addison M. Crane, portrait.jpg Addison M. Crane
(1814–1889)
Unionist 9thSquatterville December 7, 1863April 4, 1864
14 Ransom Burnell
(1821–1880)
Unionist 14thSt. Helena April 4, 1864December 4, 1865
15S. P. Wright
(????–1874)
Unionist 27thSanta Barbara December 4, 1865April 2, 1866
16 Lansing Bond Mizner (1825-1893).png Lansing B. Mizner
(1825–1893)
Unionist 25thTehama December 2, 1867March 30, 1868
17Edward J. Lewis
(1832–1881)
Democratic 17thYountville December 6, 1869April 1, 1872
18 James T. Farley (cropped).jpg James T. Farley
(1829–1886)
Democratic 16thVolcano December 1, 1873March 13, 1874
19 William Irwin, 1827-1886 LCCN2002723389 (cropped).jpg William Irwin
(1827–1886)
Democratic 28thSan Francisco March 13, 1874February 27, 1875
20 Benjamin F. Tuttle, 1907.jpg Benjamin F. Tuttle
(1825–1907)
Democratic 21stSan Francisco February 27, 1875April 3, 1876
21Edward J. Lewis
(1832–1881)
Democratic 25thTehama December 3, 1877April 16, 1880
22 George F. Baker, 1880.jpg George F. Baker
(1849–1882)
Republican 7thSan Jose April 16, 1880January 3, 1881
23William Johnson
(1829–1905)
Republican 18thCourtland January 3, 1881April 1, 1882
24 (Reginaldo F. del Valle) (12911880024) (crop 2).jpg R. F. del Valle
(1854–1938)
Democratic 2ndLos Angeles April 1, 1882March 13, 1883
25 Benjamin Knight
(1836–1905)
Democratic 6thSanta Cruz January 5, 1885March 12, 1887
26 StephenMWhite (cropped).JPG Stephen M. White
(1853–1901)
Democratic 38thLos Angeles January 3, 1887March 16, 1889
27Thomas Fraser
(1831–1902)
Republican 7thPlacerville January 5, 1891March 25, 1891
28R. B. Carpenter
(1831–1909)
Republican 33rdLos Angeles January 2, 1893March 14, 1893
29 Thomas Flint Jr., 1899.jpg Thomas Flint Jr.
(1857–1936)
Republican 33rdHollister January 7, 1895March 14, 1903
30 Edward I. Wolfe, 1907.jpg Edward I. Wolfe
(1860–1920)
Republican 21stSan Francisco January 2, 1905March 24, 1909
31 A. E. Boynton, 1920s.jpg Albert E. Boynton
(1875–1945)
Republican 6thOroville January 2, 1911May 12, 1913
32 Newton W. Thompson, 1910.jpg Newton W. Thompson
(1865–1936)
Republican 35thAlhambra January 4, 1915January 11, 1916
33 Arthur S. Breed, 1924.jpg Arthur H. Breed Sr.
(1865–1953)
Republican 15thOakland January 8, 1917July 26, 1933
16thOakland [lower-alpha 2]
34 William P. Rich, 1942.jpg William P. Rich
(1880–1965)
Republican 10thMarysville January 7, 1935June 20, 1939
35 Jerrold L. Seawell, 1935.jpg Jerrold L. Seawell
(1897–1952)
Republican 7thRoseville January 2, 1939June 14, 1941
36 William P. Rich, 1942.jpg William P. Rich
(1880–1965)
Republican 10thMarysville January 6, 1941January 4, 1943
37 Jerrold L. Seawell, 1942.jpg Jerrold L. Seawell
(1897–1952)
Republican 7thRoseville January 4, 1943June 16, 1945
38 Harold J. Powers, 1954.jpg Harold J. Powers
(1900–1996)
Republican 31stCedarville January 6, 1947October 5, 1953
39 Clarence C. Ward, 1954.jpg Clarence C. Ward
(1894–1955)
Republican 31stSanta Barbara March 1, 1954May 9, 1955
40 Ben Hulse, 1954.jpg Ben Hulse
(1894–1961)
Republican 39thImperial January 3, 1955April 5, 1956
41 Hugh M. Burns, 1967 Edit.jpg Hugh M. Burns
(1902–1988)
Democratic 30thFresno January 5, 1957May 14, 1969
16thFresno [lower-alpha 2]
42 Howard Way, 1967.jpg Howard Way
(1913–2001)
Republican 15th Exeter May 14, 1969February 10, 1970
43 Jack Schrade, 1963.jpg Jack Schrade
(1902–1992)
Republican 39thEl Cajon February 10, 1970November 30, 1970
44 James R. Mills, 1971.jpg James R. Mills
(1927–2021)
Democratic 40thSan Diego November 30, 1970November 30, 1980
45 David Roberti, 1971.jpg David Roberti
(born 1939)
Democratic 23rdLos Angeles November 30, 1980January 31, 1994
46 Bill Lockyer, 1997.jpg Bill Lockyer
(born 1941)
Democratic 10thOakland January 31, 1994February 5, 1998
47 John Burton, 1997.jpg John Burton
(born 1932)
Democratic 3rdSan Francisco February 5, 1998November 30, 2004
48 Don Perata (D744C73F-5981-416E-85C6-A7E0A7A334E2) (1).jpg Don Perata
(born 1945)
Democratic 9thAlameda November 30, 2004August 21, 2008
49 Darrell Steinberg 2014 CADEM Convention (1).jpg Darrell Steinberg
(born 1959)
Democratic 6thSacramento August 21, 2008October 15, 2014
50 Kevin de Leon (portrait) (cropped).jpg Kevin de León
(born 1966)
Democratic 24thLos Angeles October 15, 2014March 21, 2018
51 Toni Atkins Headshot (cropped).jpg Toni Atkins
(born 1962)
Democratic 39thSan Diego March 21, 2018February 5, 2024
52 CA Sen Mike McGuire (cropped).jpg Mike McGuire
(born 1979)
Democratic 2ndHealdsburg February 5, 2024Incumbent

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 The 1st California State Legislature was nonpartisan and used the established counties as the legislative districts until January 9, 1851.
  2. 1 2 3 Redistricted during term.
  1. "Glossary of Legislative Terms". California Legislative Counsel. Retrieved March 23, 2011.
  2. Koseff, Alexei (2024-02-05). "Mike McGuire wants to 'lift up every person' as new California Senate leader". CalMatters. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  3. "CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA (1849)" (PDF). p. 16.
  4. "Overview of California Legislative Process" (PDF). California State Association of Counties . p. 10.
  5. Journal of the Senate, Legislature of the State of California. Vol. 1. California State Print. Office. 1942. p. 9.