Lawmakers Elect First African-American Female Assembly Speaker.
California lawmakers elected Democrat Karen Bass as the next Assembly speaker on Thursday, making her the first black woman to hold the powerful position."This is an amazing, amazing moment," Bass, 54, of Los Angeles, said after the voice vote. "Thank you so much for your vote of faith and confidence in me as your next speaker."Bass was elected to the 80-member chamber in 2004 and is known for writing legislation on child welfare and social justice issues.She will be considered "speaker designee" until she and current Speaker Fabian Nunez, a fellow Los Angeles Democrat, agree on a transition date, Nunez spokesman Steve Maviglio told The Los Angeles Times.Bass would become the second woman to serve as Assembly speaker. Doris Allen, a Republican, held the job from June to September 1995.Nunez's term in the Assembly expires in December. Bass could serve through 2010.Bass won pledges of support from a critical mass of Democrats in the lower house yesterday, beating a pack of contenders for the speakership, The Times reported.Jousting for the leadership post began after voters defeated Proposition 93 on the Feb. 5 ballot. The measure would have allowed Nunez and other legislators to seek reelection rather than be forced to leave their positions at the end of this year.
