SACRAMENTO, Calif.—San Diego Sen. Toni Atkins will make history Wednesday when she becomes the first woman and first lesbian to hold the California Senate’s top job. Article Continued BelowOn sexual misconduct, critics say the statehouse culture values the protection of lawmakers over justice for victims. Sharp disagreements over handling sexual misconduct investigations, a single-payer health care bill and other issues of style and substance have driven a wedge between the Senate and Assembly. Originally from Appalachian Virginia, Atkins moved west and was a health care administrator in San Diego before turning full time to politics. She also was the co-author of a contentious bill that would replace traditional health insurance companies with a single government-funded health care plan for everyone in the state.

Source: thestar March 18, 2018 18:00 UTC