The California government’s decisions directly impact businesses, the environment and state-funded universities, such as Cal Poly. The government makes decisions on academic programs, campus infrastructure and financial aid.
Like the federal government, the state legislature operates using a bicameral legislature, meaning there are two houses where legislators can pass bills: the Assembly and the Senate.
The legislature passed SB 68 in 2018, which allows qualifying undocumented immigrants who attended three years of school before college to pay in-state tuition at Cal State Universities.
What is the State Assembly? Who represents San Luis Obispo?
The Assembly serves as the lower house. Districts vote for their assembly members, who will represent their district. The Assembly consists of 80 members, and each member represents roughly 450,000 residents for two year terms.
Assemblymember Dawn Addis represents California’s 30th Assembly district, which includes the city of San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly. She was sworn into office in December 2022 and was reelected in 2024. Addis is the first Democrat to represent California’s 30th Assembly district since 1947 and is the first Democratic woman to hold this position.
Addis is adamant about improving education, healthcare and disability services for her constituents, according to her website. Her most recent proposed bill, AB 560, aims to improve special education programs in schools.
Addis will be up for reelection this year with the primary election June 2 and the general election Nov. 3.
READ MORE: Addis attends ‘No Kings Day’ rally
What is the State Senate? Who represents San Luis Obispo?
The Senate serves as the upper house of the legislature, where legislators finalize and vote on bills before passing them into law. The Senate is smaller than the Assembly, with 40 members who each represent just under one million residents for four year terms.
Senator John Laird represents California’s 17th Senate district, which includes San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly. Laird is a Democrat from Santa Cruz. He was one of the country’s first openly gay mayors, serving in the Assembly from 2002-2008 before becoming a state senator in 2020. California legislators can only serve for 12 years, this is Laird’s last available term and he is set to retire in November 2028.
Laird’s proposed bills often gear towards issues like protecting the environment and funding for education. His most recent bill, AB 956, requires the Department of Parks and Recreation to evaluate how much development the land can support before beginning any projects.
READ MORE: Laird discusses environmental impacts of data centers