Event celebrates historic number of women serving in California legislature
SACRAMENTO - The new face of California's legislature is female. A record number of women were elected in last year's midterms, making history with 50 now serving the Golden State. Women make up 42% of state lawmakers, and if you rewind about five years ago, that number was drastically different at just 22%. It's a change many tell us is long overdue.
Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) said, "California's legislature is now reflective of California."
For a bill to become law in California, it's going to need support from the women in the room.
"The work we've done to get women elected is intentional and it's taken a lot of focus and hard work," Atkins said.
Atkins was among the state leaders honoring the 50 women now serving in the California legislature, the most in Golden State history.
She said, "when women lead, we tend to lead for everybody. Not just women. We take care of everybody - for families, our elders, our parents, issues related to poverty and equity and education."
The lawmakers were gathering for the California Women Lead reception, an event meant to foster female leadership and boost their collective power and influence.
"When women run, women win in large percentages. So we want to get women to say yes to running, to say yes to leading," said Dr. Diandra Bremond, President of California Women Lead.
According to the Center for Women and Politics, the number of women serving in all state legislatures has more than quintupled since 1971. \
"We are just 10 women away from reaching gender parity in California for the first time in history," Bremond said.
Political progress at a level of government is delivering a big impact and inspiration. So which state has the most women lawmakers? According to the Center for American Women and Politics, that's Nevada with more than 60%. As for the lowest, that's West Virginia with 12%.