The Sacramento Press Club will welcome Kevin de León for the first time since he took over as Senate President Pro Tempore in December. The Senate leader will discuss his priorities for the coming year at a January 29 lunch that is open to members and the public.
De León’s ascension to the leadership role caps eight years in the Legislature where he has championed education, environmental protection, and public safety. A few of his many legislative accomplishments include a compromise he helped broker to ban single-use plastic bags, creation of the country’s first “yes means yes” policy for sexual assaults on college campuses, creation of a retirement savings program for low-income workers, and the first law protecting parents from losing parental rights because of their immigration status.
Senator de León has provided hints about his agenda for 2015 already, saying he will introduce a bill requiring the state’s two pension funds to divest from coal-producing companies and promising legislation to expand state-subsidized child care for working parents.
De León was the first member of his family to graduate from high school. He graduated with honors from Pitzer College, and worked as a teacher and community organizer before his election to the Assembly in 2006. He is the first Latino to serve as Senate President Pro Tempore in 130 years.
The lunch, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., will take place at the Capitol Plaza Ballroom, 1025 Ninth Street, 3rd Floor. Doors open at 11:30 a.m.
Priced at $29 for members and $40 for non-members, tickets may be purchased at www.sacpressclub.org. The RSVP deadline is 5 pm. Monday, January 26.
