California has new Assembly Speaker after 7 years. Here’s what he said on his first day

After more than seven years and a protracted, fiery succession battle, California finally has a new Assembly speaker.

Hollister Democrat Robert Rivas on Friday officially became the leader of the state’s biggest legislative body at a Capitol swearing-in ceremony that highlighted his Central Coast district and his desire to unify a fractured Democratic caucus.

Rivas succeeds Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood, who served as speaker for more than seven years. Rendon took over the leadership role in 2016 from now-Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego.

He was the longest-serving speaker of the modern term-limit era that started in 2012, when voters approved a measure allowing lawmakers to serve a consecutive 12 years in the Assembly, the Senate or both.

Rivas will try to mirror Rendon’s longevity while uniting the caucus and tackling California’s current issues.

The two spent the past year locked in a battle for the leadership position that dragged into the midterm election and divided Assembly Democrats. It ended in November with an agreement that allowed Rendon to retain the speakership through the end of June and the conclusion of budget negotiations.

Rivas is one of the very few speakers in modern state history to hail from an area outside California’s power and population centers in Southern California and the San Francisco Bay Area. His swearing-in ceremony paid tribute to his rural district and his family’s legacy of farmworker labor activism. It featured speeches, mariachi music and plenty of political glad-handing.

Rivas took his oath of office surrounded by famous California political figures, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who previously served as Assembly speaker.

A group of farmworkers also made the trip to the Capitol for the ceremony, including some who marched with the United Farm Workers labor union last summer to push a bill aimed at making it easier for them to organize.

Rivas’ grandfather worked with the United Farm Workers to improve conditions at the San Benito County vineyard where he worked. Legendary UFW co-founder and Rivas family friend Dolores Huerta was on hand for the swearing-in and received loud applause when she was announced.

Luis Valdez, who founded farmworker theater troupe El Teatro Campesino, also gave a short speech honoring the new speaker.

The Speaker Rivas era

Rivas has not yet been specific about his leadership style or his policy priorities, sticking to the “one speaker at a time” line during the six-month transition period. But he provided some hints during his Friday speech and a post-ceremony news conference.

Rivas used his remarks to draw a parallel between his upbringing and the state’s most serious struggles. He retold the story of his family’s rise — from growing up in farmworker housing with eight family members to buying a $140,000 home in Hollister during the late 1980s.

“I wonder if our story would be possible today,” Rivas said.

Rivas cited increasing home prices and said ownership is “out of reach” for nearly all residents. He also reflected on years spent at California’s public schools and universities.

Today, Rivas said, students question the value of college due to high tuition costs.

“At every stage of life in California — from early schooling, to getting a higher degree, to that crucial step of buying a first home — success feels increasingly out of reach,” he said.

Rivas also pointed to other priorities, including homelessness, the environment and infrastructure issues.

“We must use every tool at our disposal to end homelessness,” he said. “Because the inhumane conditions on our streets are completely unacceptable.”

Rivas did not provide any specific policy recommendations in his speech, but he did allude to a potential new leadership style. He pointed to “focusing less on how many bills we can pass and more on the impact.”

“Sometimes this will mean going back and fixing something rather than passing a new law,” Rivas said.

In conversation with reporters, Rivas did not have any specific examples of how we would put those lines into action. But he did mention he wanted to “bring back the power of oversight legislation” and “see how we can improve laws that have been on the books for quite some time.”

He also suggested the Assembly may see some committee position shake-ups, saying his office will “have some initial changes that we will be announcing next week.”

Rendon was known for his hands-off approach to legislation and committee chairs, and Rivas didn’t indicate whether that would change under his speakership.

“Every member wants to be supported, but they also want to be involved,” Rivas said. “They want to feel a part of the decisions we have to make. And so, certainly, we really look forward to ensuring that we’re developing a speaker’s office that’s going to enable that.”