Healdsburg Democrat Mike McGuire appointed to a top California Senate leadership post

Healdsburg Democrat Mike McGuire, who represents the North Coast, was selected to serve as assistant majority leader of the California Senate, a newly created leadership post that will put him among California’s top Democrats shaping the majority party’s legislative agenda in 2019.

The position was created by California Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego. McGuire’s selection was announced Friday among five other leadership appointments and 45 committee assignments for the upcoming legislative session that starts in January.

Among those, State Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, was reappointed to serve as chairman of the governmental organization committee, a position which enabled Dodd to lobby for adding millions of dollars to boost the state’s mutual aid firefighting system at a time of fierce wildfires.

McGuire will continue serving as vice chairman of the Democratic caucus and chairman of the state Senate’s governance and finance committee, which oversees core policy areas such as housing, land use development and special district revenue.

McGuire said in an interview Saturday his appointment is “a big deal” for the North Coast district he’s represented for four years, stretching from Santa Rosa to the Oregon border. It’s an area, he said, with acute needs for policies that promote affordable housing, increased homeless services and better wildfire prevention and response.

“Representing the needs of small communities and rural counties is extremely important in a legislature made up of mostly urban members,” McGuire said.

California Democrats won two-thirds supermajorities in both houses in the November election. With a supermajority of votes, Democrats don’t need Republican support to take certain actions such as overriding the governor’s vetoes, raising taxes, drafting bond measures and suspending legislative rules.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 707-521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.

Healdsburg Democrat Mike McGuire, who represents the North Coast, was selected to serve as assistant majority leader of the California Senate, a newly created leadership post that will put him among California’s top Democrats shaping the majority party’s legislative agenda in 2019.

The position was created by California Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego. McGuire’s selection was announced Friday among five other leadership appointments and ?45 committee assignments for the upcoming legislative session that starts in January.

Among those, State Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, was reappointed to serve as chairman of the governmental organization committee, a position that enabled Dodd to lobby for adding millions of dollars to boost the state’s mutual aid firefighting system at a time of fierce wildfires.

McGuire will continue serving as vice chairman of the Democratic caucus and chairman of the state Senate’s governance and finance committee, which oversees core policy areas such as housing, land use development and special district revenue.

McGuire said in an interview Saturday his appointment is “a big deal” for the North Coast district he’s represented for four years, stretching from Santa Rosa to the Oregon border. It’s an area, he said, with acute needs for policies that promote affordable housing, increased homeless services and better wildfire prevention and response.

“Representing the needs of small communities and rural counties is extremely important in a legislature made up of mostly urban members,” McGuire said.

California Democrats won two-thirds supermajorities in both houses in the November election. With a supermajority of votes, Democrats don’t need Republican support to take certain actions such as overriding the governor’s vetoes, raising taxes, drafting bond measures and suspending legislative rules.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 707-521-5220.