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.
- State Senate · Senate District 33 · 2019–present
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
172 events, each with its sourceRelative to California Wildlife Day.
Relative to Women’s Equality Day.
Women’s Small Business Month.
Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month.
Relative to Cambodian Genocide Memorial Week.
Relative to the Armenian Genocide.
Relative to Cinco de Mayo Week.
California Coastal Act of 1976.
California Coastal Act of 1976.
California Down Syndrome Awareness Month and California Down Syndrome Awareness Day.
Mutual water companies: assessments and water charges: notice.
Public postsecondary education: tuition and fees: Team USA student athletes.
Unlawful immigration-related practices.
Privacy for immigration support services providers.
Energy: nuclear powerplants: assessment.
Outdoor public recreation spaces: equitable access.
Medi-Cal benefits: employer reports.
State civil service: employment disqualification: disclosure.
Taxation: tax expenditures: Legislative Analyst’s Office: assessment, report, and recommendation.
State holidays: Cesar Chavez Day: Farmworkers Day.
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: funding conditions: high-speed rail.
Medi-Cal: eligibility: immigration status.
California Antihunger Response and Employment Training Act of 2026.
Law enforcement: facilitating medical care.
State Air Resources Board: regional air quality incident response program.
Criminal procedure: postconviction investigation.
Postsecondary education: Designation of California Hispanic-Serving Institutions.
Refineries: decommissioning and remediation: cost estimates.
Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Public contracts: University of California executives: conflicts of interest: prohibition.
Advertisement claims: health-related consumer products and services: digital replicas and synthetic performers.
Employees: bereavement leave.
Water Rate Assistance Program.