The Hollingsworth Succession Bill

Dennis Hollingsworth

Monday marks the fifth anniversary of the chaptering of SB 1530 (Hollingsworth), which added the offices of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Insurance Commissioner, and the Chair of the Board of Equalization to the Governor’s line of succession. Through the hard work of three Senate Fellows and an Executive Fellow, this bill added three constitutional officers into line just ahead of the Disaster Acting Governors, of whom only Earl Smittcamp remains. While it

In recognition of this anniversary, we would like to provide you with the full current line of succession to the Governor:

Governor – Jerry Brown
Lt. Governor – Gavin Newsom
Senate President pro Tempore – Darrell Steinberg
Speaker of the Assembly – John A. Perez
Secretary of State – Debra Bowen
Attorney General – Kamala Harris
Treasurer – Bill Lockyer
Controller – John Chiang
Superintendent of Public Instruction – Tom Torlakson
Insurance Commissioner – Dave Jones
Chair, Board of Equalization – Jerome Horton
Disaster Acting Governor #1 – VACANT (last officeholder died 1999)
Disaster Acting Governor #2 – VACANT (last officeholder died 1970s)
Disaster Acting Governor #3 – VACANT (last officeholder died 1990s)
Disaster Acting Governor #4 – VACANT (last officeholder died 2011)
Disaster Acting Governor #5 – VACANT (last officeholder died 1990s)
Disaster Acting Governor #6 – Earl S. Smittcamp
Disaster Acting Governor #7 – VACANT (last officeholder died 1970s)

Additionally, the two other people whose offices could potentially allow them into the line of succession are;

Assembly Speaker Pro Tem – Nora Campos (as the successor to the Speaker) and
Vice Chair of the Board of Equalization – Michelle Steel (as the successor to Chairman Horton)