PA Karen Bass Elected Speaker of the California General Assembly
PA Karen Bass will be the next speaker of California's General Assembly. The Los Angeles Times published a long story about it today.
Bass will be the second woman to hold the post and the first African-American woman.
A community activist and physician's assistant whose Assembly seat is her first elected office, Bass is well regarded by her colleagues and has served as Nuñez's majority leader. She has focused on foster care issues since her 2004 election to represent the 47th Assembly District, which includes Baldwin Hills, Culver City and parts of Koreatown, South Los Angeles and the Westside.
"I just spoke to Karen a few minutes ago and congratulated her and wished her well," said Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge), who had sought the speakership himself.
"It's a historic occasion, and I look forward to continuing to work with her to benefit the state of California," he said. "I know she's going to do a great job."
Link
Karen Bass (with California Academy of PAs
vice president Larry Rosen) accepted CAPA's
Pride of the Profession Award in October 2007.
Photo courtesy of the California Academy of PAs