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Portrait of Lena Gonzalez

Lena Gonzalez

Democratic

State Senate · Senate District 33

In office
2019–present
BiographyReporting (Tier 3) · reviewed

Gonzalez’s documented local-government work included working for then-Councilman Robert Garcia and serving on the Long Beach City Council. She represented District 1 in Downtown Long Beach from 2014 to 2019. Since a June 2019 special election, she has represented the 33rd Senate District, which encompasses Southeast Los Angeles and includes Lakewood and Long Beach. Her Sacramento assignments have included chairing the Senate Transportation Committee, serving as Majority Whip and serving as Majority Leader from February 2024 to December 2025. Her legislation has included environmental standards, public health and insurance protections for HIV-positive people.

ROOTS AND THE JOB BEFORE THE JOB

Gonzalez was born in Torrance on January 26, 1981, the daughter of immigrants from Aguascalientes, Mexico. Her father worked as a cargo truck driver; her mother worked in the aerospace technology industry. Gonzalez earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from California State University, Long Beach, and a Master of Business Administration from Loyola Marymount University.

Her work has included local government and a corporate-affairs role at Microsoft. Before serving on the Long Beach City Council, she worked for Garcia when he was a councilman. At Microsoft, she was a corporate affairs manager responsible for the company’s philanthropy and civic engagement.

Gonzalez lives in Long Beach with Adam Carillo and three sons in a blended family. Gonzalez and Carillo met while playing softball. They married in 2019 at the new Long Beach City Hall building.

FROM CITY COUNCIL TO SENATE LEADERSHIP

Gonzalez served on the City Council for five years, from 2014 until 2019. Her move to the Senate came through the special election held to succeed Ricardo Lara.

As chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, Gonzalez became the first Latina to lead the committee and the only woman to do so in the previous 20 years. She was appointed Majority Whip on February 12, 2021. She was also one of several California lawmakers to attend the COP15 Summit.

In 2024, Gonzalez was appointed Senate Majority Leader, succeeding President Pro Tem Mike McGuire. She served as majority leader from February 2024 to December 2025. Her documented roles include service on the Long Beach City Council, an elected state Senate seat, a committee chairmanship and the posts of Majority Whip and Majority Leader.

THE POLICY SIGNATURE

Gonzalez’s Senate record includes legislation concerning environmental standards, public health, fossil fuels and access to insurance.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed The Equal Insurance HIV Act, which prohibits life and disability income insurance companies from denying coverage to HIV-positive individuals solely based on their HIV status.

Gonzalez has authored numerous bills concerning environmental standards and public health. In 2022, she introduced legislation requiring CalPERS and CalSTRS to engage in fossil-fuel divestment to align with the state’s climate-action goals. That same year, Newsom signed her bill to ban new oil and gas wells near homes and schools.

Gonzalez also introduced Senate Joint Resolution 2 with Assemblyman Ash Kalra. Upon its adoption, California became the largest economy endorsing the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative.

The documented measures concern HIV-positive people applying for life or disability income insurance, new oil and gas wells near homes and schools, public-pension investment policy, and environmental and public-health standards. They include insurance regulation, limits on new well locations, proposed fossil-fuel divestment by CalPERS and CalSTRS, and a state resolution endorsing the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative.

Record of service
  • State Senate · Senate District 33 · 2019–present
BiographyReporting (Tier 3) · reviewed before publication

Gonzalez’s documented local-government work included working for then-Councilman Robert Garcia and serving on the Long Beach City Council. She represented District 1 in Downtown Long Beach from 2014 to 2019. Since a June 2019 special election, she has represented the 33rd Senate District, which encompasses Southeast Los Angeles and includes Lakewood and Long Beach. Her Sacramento assignments have included chairing the Senate Transportation Committee, serving as Majority Whip and serving as Majority Leader from February 2024 to December 2025. Her legislation has included environmental standards, public health and insurance protections for HIV-positive people.

ROOTS AND THE JOB BEFORE THE JOB

Gonzalez was born in Torrance on January 26, 1981, the daughter of immigrants from Aguascalientes, Mexico. Her father worked as a cargo truck driver; her mother worked in the aerospace technology industry. Gonzalez earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from California State University, Long Beach, and a Master of Business Administration from Loyola Marymount University.

Her work has included local government and a corporate-affairs role at Microsoft. Before serving on the Long Beach City Council, she worked for Garcia when he was a councilman. At Microsoft, she was a corporate affairs manager responsible for the company’s philanthropy and civic engagement.

Gonzalez lives in Long Beach with Adam Carillo and three sons in a blended family. Gonzalez and Carillo met while playing softball. They married in 2019 at the new Long Beach City Hall building.

FROM CITY COUNCIL TO SENATE LEADERSHIP

Gonzalez served on the City Council for five years, from 2014 until 2019. Her move to the Senate came through the special election held to succeed Ricardo Lara.

As chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, Gonzalez became the first Latina to lead the committee and the only woman to do so in the previous 20 years. She was appointed Majority Whip on February 12, 2021. She was also one of several California lawmakers to attend the COP15 Summit.

In 2024, Gonzalez was appointed Senate Majority Leader, succeeding President Pro Tem Mike McGuire. She served as majority leader from February 2024 to December 2025. Her documented roles include service on the Long Beach City Council, an elected state Senate seat, a committee chairmanship and the posts of Majority Whip and Majority Leader.

THE POLICY SIGNATURE

Gonzalez’s Senate record includes legislation concerning environmental standards, public health, fossil fuels and access to insurance.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed The Equal Insurance HIV Act, which prohibits life and disability income insurance companies from denying coverage to HIV-positive individuals solely based on their HIV status.

Gonzalez has authored numerous bills concerning environmental standards and public health. In 2022, she introduced legislation requiring CalPERS and CalSTRS to engage in fossil-fuel divestment to align with the state’s climate-action goals. That same year, Newsom signed her bill to ban new oil and gas wells near homes and schools.

Gonzalez also introduced Senate Joint Resolution 2 with Assemblyman Ash Kalra. Upon its adoption, California became the largest economy endorsing the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative.

The documented measures concern HIV-positive people applying for life or disability income insurance, new oil and gas wells near homes and schools, public-pension investment policy, and environmental and public-health standards. They include insurance regulation, limits on new well locations, proposed fossil-fuel divestment by CalPERS and CalSTRS, and a state resolution endorsing the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative.

The record

4,979 events, each with its source
VoteYea
Voted Yea on SR 36

Be adopted as amended

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 507

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 627

Do pass and be ordered to the Consent Calendar

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 635

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 641

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 647

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 254

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 655

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 690

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 691

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 704

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 715

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 716

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 748

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 763

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteNay
Voted Nay on SB 554

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Local Government]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 772

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 797

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 802

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 804

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 814

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 820

Do pass

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 841

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 842

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 848

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 850

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Labor, Public Employment and Retirement ]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 857

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 500

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 497

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 489

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 484

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 457

[First] hearing set for [04-30-2025]: Failed passage in Committee. Reconsideration granted

VoteAbsent
Voted Absent on SB 457

Do pass

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 75

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 453

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 357

Do pass

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 337

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 330

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Environmental Quality]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 311

[First] hearing set for [04-30-2025]: Failed passage in Committee. Reconsideration granted

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 21

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteNay
Voted Nay on SB 311

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 303

Do pass as amended

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 292

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 274

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 258

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 256

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 606

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 618

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 455

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 695

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar