As long as they have negative COVID test results, California legislators will be returning to the state Capitol Monday (January 11) to get back to work as the pandemic continues to rage in the Golden State.
Like it did last year, the health crisis will dominate the 2021 legislative session. Playing lead roles this year will be the eight members of the Legislative LGBTQ Caucus.
Returning as president pro tempore of the Senate is lesbian Senator Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), who has led the legislature's upper chamber since 2018.
She will be chairing the Senate's rules committee and serving on the Legislature's Joint Committee on Rules. As for the Senate's three other out members, Atkins appointed them to high-profile committees this year.