▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁are ▁allowed ▁to ▁serve ▁ 1 2 ▁years ▁in ▁the ▁legisl ature ▁in ▁any ▁combination ▁of ▁four - year ▁State ▁Senate ▁or ▁two - year ▁State ▁Assembly ▁terms . ▁ ▁M embers ▁of ▁the ▁State ▁Senate ▁serve ▁four - year ▁terms . ▁Every ▁two ▁years , ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁Senate ' s ▁ 4 0 ▁seats ▁are ▁subject ▁to ▁election . ▁This ▁is ▁in ▁contrast ▁to ▁the ▁State ▁Assembly , ▁in ▁which ▁all ▁ 8 0 ▁seats ▁in ▁the ▁Assembly ▁are ▁subject ▁to ▁election ▁every ▁two ▁years . ▁ ▁Me eting ▁chamber ▁ ▁The ▁red ▁t ones ▁of ▁the ▁California ▁State ▁Senate ▁Chamber ▁are ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁British ▁House ▁of ▁L ords , ▁which ▁is ▁out f itted ▁in ▁a ▁similar ▁color . ▁ ▁The ▁da is ▁rest s ▁along ▁a ▁wall ▁sh aped ▁like ▁an ▁" E ", ▁with ▁its ▁central ▁projection ▁housing ▁the ▁ro str um . ▁The ▁Lower ▁tier ▁da is ▁runs ▁across ▁the ▁entire ▁chamber , ▁there ▁are ▁several ▁ch airs ▁and ▁computers ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁sen ate ▁officers , ▁the ▁most ▁prominent ▁seat ▁is ▁reserved ▁for ▁the ▁secretary ▁who ▁calls ▁the ▁roll . ▁The ▁higher ▁tier ▁is ▁smaller , ▁with ▁three ▁ch airs , ▁the ▁two ▁largest ▁and ▁most ▁orn ate ▁ch airs ▁are ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁President ▁Pro ▁Temp ore ▁( right ▁chair ) ▁and ▁the ▁Lieutenant ▁Governor ▁( left ▁chair ). ▁The ▁third ▁and ▁smallest ▁chair , ▁placed ▁in ▁the ▁center , ▁is ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁pres iding ▁officer ▁( act