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Toni Atkins

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Toni Atkins
Member-elect of the California State Senate
from the 39th district
Assuming office
December 5, 2016
SucceedingMarty Block
69th Speaker of the California Assembly
In office
May 12, 2014 – March 7, 2016
Preceded byJohn Pérez
Succeeded byAnthony Rendon
Majority Leader of the California State Assembly
In office
September 1, 2012 – May 12, 2014
Preceded byCharles Calderon
Succeeded byManuel Perez
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 78th district
76th district (2010–2012)
Incumbent
Assumed office
December 6, 2010
Preceded byLori Saldaña
Succeeded byTodd Gloria
Interim Mayor of San Diego
In office
July 18, 2005 – December 5, 2005
Preceded byMichael Zucchet (Acting)
Succeeded byJerry Sanders
Member of San Diego City Council
from the 3rd district
In office
December 4, 2000 – December 8, 2008
Preceded byChristine Kehoe
Succeeded byTodd Gloria
Personal details
Born (1962-08-01) August 1, 1962 (age 62)
Wythe County, Virginia, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseJennifer LeSar
Alma materEmory and Henry College
Harvard University

Toni G. Atkins (born August 1, 1962) is an American Democratic politician from San Diego, California. She was the Speaker of the California State Assembly and is currently a member representing the 78th district. In January 2014 she was elected by the Democratic caucus to be the next Speaker of the Assembly, and on March 17, 2014, she was unanimously elected Speaker by the full Assembly.[1] She was the third woman and the first acknowledged lesbian to be elected to that position.[2] She was the first lawmaker from San Diego to be elected Speaker.[1] She formerly served on the San Diego City Council from 2000 to 2008, including a term as Acting Mayor. She served as the acting governor of California for nine hours on July 30, 2014, making her the first openly gay governor of California.[3][4]

Early life and education

She was born in poverty in Wythe County in southwest Virginia. Her father was a miner and her mother a seamstress; she grew up in a home with no running water.[1] She earned a BA in political science from Emory and Henry College, focusing on community organizing. She later attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Atkins relocated to San Diego in 1985.

San Diego City Council

When she first came to San Diego, she joined the staff of Womancare Health Center as Director of Clinic Services. She then served for a number of years as council representative and policy analyst to City Councilmember Christine Kehoe. When Kehoe was elected to the state legislature, Atkins was elected to Kehoe's City Council seat on November 7, 2000. She was reelected in March 2004, without the need for a November runoff.

In April 2005 Mayor Dick Murphy resigned after criticism of his handing of the city's fiscal problems.[5] Councilmember Michael Zucchet, who was deputy mayor, took over, but three days later, resigned along with Councilmember Ralph Inzunza after they were convicted of wire fraud and Hobbs Act violations. In an emergency vote on July 19, Atkins was chosen by the other five council members to take over as mayor pro-tem for one week. On July 25 they reaffirmed their choice and designated Atkins deputy mayor to serve until Jerry Sanders was sworn in as mayor on December 5.[6] Atkins was the first openly lesbian mayor of San Diego.

While on the council, she represented the City of San Diego at the San Diego Chapter of the League of Cities as well as on the board and executive committee of the Metropolitan Transit System. She sat on the San Diego Association of Governments (SanDAG) Regional Housing Working Group, as an alternate to the Transportation Committee and the Regional Planning Committee, and the City/County Joint Homeless Task Force. She continues to serve on the San Diego River Conservancy as an appointee of former California State Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson. She lists among her priorities affordable housing, workers' rights, neighborhood revitalization and redevelopment of San Diego's older urban neighborhoods.

State legislature

State Assembly

She was elected to the State Assembly in November 2010, receiving 57.7% of the vote.[7] She represented the 76th Assembly district. In November 2012 she ran in the 78th Assembly district due to redistricting, and won with 62% of the vote.[8]

In 2012 she introduced AB 1522, a bill to prevent the granting of financial support and other spousal rights to abusive spouses. The bill was inspired by the case of a San Diego woman who was ordered to pay legal fees and spousal support to her ex-husband even though he was in prison for abusing her.[9]

In 2012, she was the majority leader of the California Assembly, and in January 2014 she was chosen by the Democratic Caucus to take over as Speaker of the Assembly later in the year, replacing termed-out speaker John Pérez. She was the first Speaker of the Assembly from San Diego; the first lesbian to hold the position; and the third woman to do so.[10] Atkins was reelected as Speaker by the Democratic caucus in November 2014. As Speaker she helped to write and secure passage for a $7.5-billion water bond that was approved by the legislature and the voters in 2014.[11] Atkins stepped down as Assembly speaker in March 2016.[12]

2014 California State Assembly

See also: California State Assembly elections, 2014
California's 78th State Assembly district election, 2014
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Toni Atkins (incumbent) 45,922 60.2
Republican Barbara Decker 21,545 28.2
Republican Kevin D. Melton 8,855 11.6
Total votes 76,322 100.0
General election
Democratic Toni Atkins (incumbent) 72,224 61.6
Republican Barbara Decker 45,088 38.4
Total votes 117,312 100.0
Democratic hold

State Senate

She is a candidate for the California's 39th State Senate district in 2016, challenging the incumbent Marty Block, who is also a Democrat.[11]

Personal

Atkins is one of eight members of the California Legislative LGBT Caucus. She lives in the South Park neighborhood with her spouse Jennifer.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b c Mason, Melanie (March 17, 2014). "Assemblywoman Toni Atkins voted in as speaker-elect". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  2. ^ "Capitol Alert: It's official: Toni Atkins elected speaker of California Assembly - sacbee.com".
  3. ^ Chokshi, Niraj. "For a fleeting moment today, California will have its first openly gay governor". www.washingtonpost.com. The Washington Post. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  4. ^ "California Assembly Speaker Becomes First Gay Governor For A Few Hours". 31 July 2014.
  5. ^ "San Diego's decade-long budget travails may be nearing an end", Los Angeles Times, April 12, 2012
  6. ^ "Toni Atkins to serve as San Diego's deputy mayor until new mayor elected". North County Times. 2005-07-25. Retrieved 2009-01-04.
  7. ^ "California Secretary of State: November 2011 election results" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  8. ^ "Presidential General Election, November 6, 2012". San Diego County Registrar of Voters. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  9. ^ "Atkins Bill denying abusive spousal rights moves to Assembly floor", San Diego LGBT Weekly, March 20, 2012
  10. ^ Gardner, Michael (January 22, 2014). "San Diego's Atkins to be next Assembly speaker". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  11. ^ a b Mason, Melanie (September 19, 2015). "Democratic clash: Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins to challenge Sen. Marty Block". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  12. ^ "Toni Atkins to step down as Assembly speaker in March". FOX5 San Diego - San Diego News, Weather, Traffic and Sports | KSWB. Retrieved 2015-12-30.
  13. ^ Official biography at State Assembly website
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