Rendon takes the oath as the 70th Assembly Speaker at a ceremony surrounded by family, friends and dignitaries from around the state.
SACRAMENTO—At a ceremony inside the Assembly chamber, surrounded by family, friends and dignitaries from around the state, Assemblymember Anthony Rendon was sworn in today as the 70th Speaker of the California State Assembly.
Speaker Rendon (D-Paramount) took the oath of office alongside his spouse, Annie Lam, and his parents Tom and Gloria Rendon. The 69th Speaker of the Assembly, Assemblymember Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) performed the oath.
In his swearing-in remarks, Speaker Rendon pledged to focus on the issues of poverty, oversight and participation, saying it is unacceptable for almost 2.5 million children to be living in poverty in California, that state agencies – including the Legislature – must be accountable to Californians, and that more Californians should take part in the political process, especially in communities with great needs.
Speaker Rendon, who authored the state's landmark water bond in 2014, noted he would not be authoring legislation this year, but would focus on managing the Assembly and "fighting for the needs of my district and for what I believe in."
Speaker Rendon acknowledged Republican Leader Chad Mayes for his devotion to California and the "constructive discussions" they have had, and said that while Democrats and Republicans may not always agree on issues, "everyone here deserves an environment where they can advocate forcefully for their ideas and their constituents." Speaker Rendon also thanked the Capitol staff for their work, saying the Legislature, "can't work without you."
Sharing their personal stories, Speaker Rendon said he and his spouse, the daughter of immigrants, "benefitted from the generosity of a state that promised to never turn its back on us—and it never did," and urged his colleagues to use the years they have in the Assembly "to pay California back for all that it has provided."
Speaker Rendon described how he would ride the bus home from warehouse jobs and watch others get off the bus to head to their college classes, and how his spouse, growing up, worked picking fruit in the fields: "Today, I raised my hand to take the oath to serve as Speaker. Maybe one day that oath will be taken by some other Californian, who, right now, is riding home on a bus or picking fruit in a field. Someone who will benefit from the work we do to enable them, believe in them, and invest in them."
Prior to serving in the Assembly, Rendon was an educator, non-profit executive director, and environmental activist.
Rendon attended Cerritos Community College before earning his Bachelors and Masters of Arts Degrees from California State University, Fullerton. As a recipient of a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship, he earned his Ph.D. from the University of California, Riverside and completed post-doctoral work at Boston University. Rendon served as adjunct professor in the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice at California State University, Fullerton from 2001 to 2008.
A copy of Speaker Rendon's swearing in remarks is available here.
Assemblymember Rendon Sworn-In as 70th Speaker of the California State Assembly
(Sacramento) --Assemblymember Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) was sworn into office as the 70th Speaker of the California Assembly surrounded by family, friends, legislators and other dignitaries. Speaker Rendon noted his top priorities include addressing poverty, oversight and voter participation.
"Today I raised my hand to take the oath to serve as Speaker," said Speaker Rendon. "Maybe one day that oath will be taken by some other Californian, who right now, is riding home on a bus or picking fruit in a field. Someone who will benefit from the work we do to enable them, believe in them and invest in them."
Many of Speaker Rendon's colleagues took part in ceremonial events, including the 69th Speaker of Assembly, Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego), who administered the oath of office. Watch this Assembly Access Live Stream to see the ceremony in its entirety.
Below are photos from today's ceremony:
Below are links to audio of Speaker Rendon:
Speaker Anthony Rendon delivers his remarks after being sworn in as the 70th Speaker of the Assembly. (13:32)
Speaker Rendon says there are three areas the Assembly will focus on during his tenure as Speaker. (:08)
Speaker Rendon says child poverty must be addressed. (:21)
Speaker Rendon says oversight of the state's departments and agencies will be major focus of the State Assembly. (:09)
Speaker Rendon wants to engage and empower more voters in California. (:09)