Weber Confirmed as SOS, Cooper Appointment Advanced

Of particular note this week, Assembly Member Shirley Weber was confirmed to be California’s Secretary of State by the Senate on a 29-0 vote and the Assembly on a 70-0 vote. Recall, Governor Newsom nominated Weber for the position after appointing Alex Padilla to the U.S. Senate, filling the vacancy created by the election of Vice President Kamala Harris. Weber was sworn into her new role this afternoon and becomes the first African American to serve as the state’s elections chief.

Weber’s confirmation as Secretary of State now leaves a vacancy in the Assembly. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon announced the appointment of a handful of other Assembly Members to committee slots vacated by Ms. Weber. Assembly Member Cristina Garcia was named the Chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 5 on Public Safety and was also placed on the Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 6 on Budget Process, Oversight, and Program Evaluation and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee. Assembly Member Laura Friedman was named to the Assembly Budget Committee.

In related news, the Senate Rules Committee on Thursday advanced the appointment of Jacey Cooper as the State Medicaid Director and Chief Deputy Director for Health Care Programs at the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Ms. Cooper received unanimous support from the committee, advancing on a 5-0 vote her confirmation for consideration by the full Senate.