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The State Assembly elected Karen Bass as their 67th speaker on Thursday, February 28. A Los Angeles native and democrat, Bass, 54, is the first black woman to hold such a post within state legislature. The position is considered by many as the second most important position in the state government, behind the governor.

"I am deeply honored and deeply humbled by the trust you have placed in me," Bass said moments after the vote assured her position as speaker. She will be assuming the duties of Fabian Nunez, who had served up his term limits within the Assembly.

Eight other legislators vied for the position, but with Nuñez's nomination, Bass secured enough pledges of support to trigger Thursday's vote. "Karen Bass is going to be the next speaker of this great house because she has the wherewithal, the experience, the intelligence and the substance," Nunez said.

As speaker, she will be responsible for running the daily operations of the 80-member Assembly. She will also be involved in negotiating California's $141 billion budget with Gov. Schwarzenegger and the other state legislative leaders. One of her first challenges will be dealing with an estimated $16 billion deficit through June 2009.

The daughter of a mail carrier and a homemaker, Bass grew up in the Venice-Fairfax neighborhood working as a physician assistant at the USC Medical Center and as founder and executive director of the grassroots organization, Community Coalition prior to her 2004 election to the Assembly.

Unlike the flashy Núñez, Bass is described as more low-key and more likely to delegate authority, according to colleagues. "For the last few weeks I have been able to talk to my colleagues about the importance of electing a woman as speaker," San Francisco Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, who also ran for the position, said of Bass. She added, "She demonstrates a grace under pressure and a quiet competence that will serve the Assembly well."

She will have until 2010 to stamp her goals, as her own Assembly term will run out. A freshman could have served until 2012, but Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes said the caucus opted for experience over longevity. "It seems like the natural transition to move to a sophomore who's been around, especially when we're facing these terrible budget issues," he said.

Bass, known as a staunch social activist and supporter of labor unions, has made efforts over such activities as improving the quality of life in South Los Angeles, foster care reform and her stance against budget cuts potentially affecting learning institutions, faculty unions and teachers (refer to Prop. 74-76).

The governor stated that he looks forward to continuing a collaborative relationship with Bass as he had with Nunez. "I look forward to building on this partnership … and achieving the same kinds of bipartisan success," Schwarzenegger said in a written statement.

However, Bass, a health advocate, is not too keen on discussions inside the governor’s smoking tent. "I'm going to have to make him come out of the smoking tent," Bass said, smiling. "That's going to make me sick."