LWer sworn in the California Senior Legislature

Leisure World resident Mariann Klinger was recently sworn in as an assembly member of the California Senior Legislature at the Sacramento capitol. She was among the 31 newly elected senior senators and assembly members, along with 145 returning members. The California Senior Legislature is a volunteer organization established to represent the interests of older adults in the state by proposing legislation for sponsorship and passage by the state legislature. It was founded in 1980 to help raise awareness among state legislators about senior issues.

State Assemblywoman Lisa Calderon of Whittier led the oath of office for the swearingin ceremony held in the State Assembly room of the capitol. Klinger was among the six senior legislator members from Orange County at the event.

Before conducting the oath of office, Calderon praised the group on behalf of older adults, “you bring ideas that make a real difference,” she said. “Every older adult deserves to be safe and have the services they need,” she added, referring to the proposals the senior legislature members bring to the state legislature for passage into law.

Most recently, the legislature brought proposals to allocate funds to build a direct care workforce to support seniors aging at home, as well as proposals to provide education and prevention programs for seniors, covering topics like digital literacy and fraud prevention. The latter was recently passed into law.

Calderon thanked the members for their service, encouraging them to “keep speaking up.”

—Robin Smith

Mariann Klinger