20 Facts About Toni Atkins

Toni Gayle Atkins was born on August 1,1962 and is an American politician serving as the 51st and current President pro tempore of the California State Senate since 2018.

Toni Atkins has represented the 39th State Senate district since 2016, encompassing most of San Diego.

Toni Atkins served on the San Diego City Council from 2000 to 2008, including a term as Acting Mayor of San Diego in 2005.

Toni Atkins spent her early years in Max Meadows, Virginia, moving to Roanoke at the age of seven.

Toni Atkins's father was a miner and her mother a seamstress; she grew up in a home with no running water.

In 2004, Atkins completed Harvard University's John F Kennedy School of Government program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government as a David Bohnett LGBTQ Victory Institute Leadership Fellow.

Toni Atkins then served for a number of years as council representative and policy analyst to City Councilmember Christine Kehoe.

When Kehoe was elected to the state legislature, Toni Atkins was elected to Kehoe's City Council seat on November 7,2000.

Toni Atkins was reelected in March 2004, without the need for a November runoff.

Toni Atkins continues to serve on the San Diego River Conservancy as an appointee of former California State Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson.

Toni Atkins was the first Speaker of the Assembly from San Diego; the first lesbian to hold the position; and the third woman to do so.

Toni Atkins was reelected as Speaker by the Democratic caucus in November 2014.

Toni Atkins faced protest over her vote for legislation that would limit community choice aggregation.

Toni Atkins ran as candidate for the California's 39th State Senate district in 2016, initially challenging the incumbent Marty Block, a Democrat, before Block bowed out.

In 2018, Toni Atkins succeeded Kevin de Leon as State Senate President pro tempore.

In May 2019, after Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Anthony Portantino blocked Senate Bill 50, a bill proposing major reforms to address the California housing shortage by reducing local control, from leaving committee and entering the Senate for debate and voting, Toni Atkins refused to step in and take the bill out of committee, which was within her powers.

Toni Atkins' action stopped legislators from bringing the bill back for consideration that year.

In January 2020, when the bill was being reconsidered, Toni Atkins exercised her parliamentary powers to move the bill out of Portantino's committee.

Toni Atkins has faced criticism for accepting donations from fossil fuel corporations and failing to pass major climate legislation.

Toni Atkins is one of eight members of the California Legislative LGBT Caucus.