as Assembly speaker in March 2016. 2014 California State Assembly election State Senate She ran as candidate for the California's 39th State Senate district in 2016, initially challenging the incumbent Marty Block, also a Democrat, before Block bowed out. In the general election, she defeated Republican John Renison with 63% of the vote. In 2018, Atkins succeeded Kevin de León as State Senate President pro tempore. This made her the first woman and the first openly LGBT person to lead the California State Senate. Housing legislation In May 2019, after Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Anthony Portantino blocked Senate Bill 50, a bill proposing major reforms to address the California housing shortage by reducing local control (such as requiring the permitting of more apartment construction near public transit and in suburbs with high-paying jobs), from leaving committee and entering the Senate for debate and voting, Atkins refused to step in and take the bill out of committee, which was within her powers. Proponents of the bill accused Portantino of abusing his powers to deny SB50 a debate and a vote in the Senate. Atkins' action stopped legislators from bringing the bill back for consideration that year. Due to this delay, the bill could not be considered by the Senate until 2020. In January 2020, when the bill was being reconsidered, Atkins exercised her parliamentary powers to move the bill out of Portantino's committee. The bill made it to the senate floor and was subsequently defeated after multiple floor votes. Climate legislation Atkins has faced criticism for accepting donations from fossil fuel corporations and failing to pass major climate legislation. In particular, critics noted that she appointed opponents of climate action to committees on which they would have an outsized impact on climate legislation. Personal life Atkins is one of eight members of the California Legislative LGBT Caucus. She lives in the South Park neighborhood with her spouse, Jennifer LeSar. See also List of female speakers of legislatures in the United States References External links Join California Toni Atkins |- |- 1962 births 20th-century American politicians 20th-century American women politicians 21st-century American politicians 21st-century American women politicians Democratic Party California state senators Emory and Henry College alumni Lesbian politicians LGBT mayors of places in the United States American LGBT city council members LGBT people from California LGBT people from Virginia LGBT state legislators in California Living people Mayors of San Diego People