My 12 years in the congregation – Pasadena Star News

Rep. Chris Holden on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Serving in the California Assembly for the past 12 years has been the most exciting, exhausting, impactful, stressful, consequential, and innovative endeavor I could have imagined. Enacting legislation that protects the most vulnerable and disenfranchised has been my guiding light. I serve the hope and promise of an inclusive society. When I entered the Assembly in 2013 as a member of the new 12-year legislative session, I thought this was our chance to be good stewards and envision the best for California. I set out to protect the natural environment and invest in deferred infrastructure improvements for roads, bridges, and highways. I set out to create policies that would improve water systems and transition the electric grid to 100% carbon-free electricity to reliably and cost-effectively meet the challenges of climate change.

This is the passion for what is possible that I have brought to the State Capitol every day for nearly twelve years. Whether under the leadership of Governor Jerry Brown or Governor Gavin Newsom, I can look back and see the progress the Legislature has made thanks to policy, budget and electoral victories that have steadily moved the state forward. Leading the largest state in the union and the fifth largest economy in the world provides an opportunity to develop solutions that meet the challenges facing California, the nation and the global community. I look at the jobs created by the growing opportunities in solar, wind, offshore wind, geothermal, lithium and carbon trading markets and I feel an overwhelming sense of inspiration.

Investing in transportation and connectivity is a concern of mine that dates back to my time on Pasadena City Council. I walked onto the Assembly floor with a promise to complete the Gold Line through the San Gabriel Valley to Montclair and one day to Ontario Airport. Equity is about connecting people. Reducing traffic is critical and why I fought to stop the 710 Freeway extension and allocated state funds to study extending the Gold Line to Burbank Airport. As a member, I had the opportunity to think big and lay the groundwork for a light rail system connecting two airports. It gives me great satisfaction to know that I, along with my colleagues, have been instrumental in making impactful progress.

During that journey, I’ve experienced a fair share of storms. As chair of the Assembly Energy and Utilities Committee, my job was to set policy and manage eight of the 10 largest wildfires in state history while helping the nation’s largest utility, PG&E, find a path out of bankruptcy. That included preventing future blackouts and working with the governor and the legislature to control utilities’ liability for wildfires. Looking back, I think of the chaos of that moment and the composure we needed to find legislative solutions that restored market stability.

Twelve years and over 180 bills later, I can say I have contributed to real change in the state of California. Even as I leave office, I will continue to see how my dual enrollment legislation benefits students and look back on my time as Majority Leader, Chair of the Black Caucus, Chair of the Budget Committee, and all the moments that inspired me to strive for greater things. Our district has grown, connected, and healed time and time again. It has been a distinct honor to support early earthquake and wildfire warnings, library funding, transportation and resources for the developmentally disabled community, the performing arts, and more, bringing hundreds of millions to the 41st District. I am blessed and privileged to have had a wonderful family and coworkers stand by me, comfort me, and inspire me along the way. It has been both exciting and exhausting—but it has been an amazing journey.

Chris Holden represents the 41st district.