History behind California’s first state Legislature | California Politics 360
The first state legislature consisted of 16 state senators and 36 assemblymen.
Well, next, we look at the first, at the history of the first California state legislature, the issue that divided them, and why we know so much about the first session. This week marks 176 years since the first California state legislature met. At the time, the legislature had 16 state senators and 36 assemblymen. Records show they proposed to meet at this first state house in San Jose on December 15th, 1849, but recent storms muddied the roads so much that only 20 of the 52 members showed up. Enough representatives arrived two days later for *** quorum, and the deliberations began. One of the first issues they faced was deciding how to divide California into counties. Records show *** Senate committee recommended the state be divided into 18 counties, but many areas didn’t want to be included in the counties proposed, and they wanted to create their own. Two months later, the legislature passed *** bill dividing California into the 27 counties you see here on this map. We know so much history from that first legislature because of one of the first assemblymen. During the first session of the legislature, there was an assemblyman named Bradford, and he went around and he I guess you could say interviewed the other members of the legislature, and said, hey, what’s your name? Where are you from? What’s your history? Uh, how did you come to California? he collected these handwritten notes. Uh, these were each biography was written by that legislator. That’s why we know so much about the legislators of the first session compared to some of the other early sessions is because one person went out of his way to capture history when it was easiest to do it while, while the members were all there and so, uh, this has been the basis for *** number of books, um, and it’s just, it’s. It’s amazing to just see the pages and think, yeah, this was just *** person taking time to document California history.
History behind California’s first state Legislature | California Politics 360
The first state legislature consisted of 16 state senators and 36 assemblymen.
Updated: 8:36 AM PST Dec 14, 2025
It’s been 176 years since the representatives in California’s first state Legislature met in San Jose, the Golden State’s first capital, before it ultimately moved to Sacramento.The first state Legislature comprised 16 state senators and 36 assemblymen.State Legislature records showed they were scheduled to meet in San Jose on Dec. 15, 1849. Recent winter storms muddied the roads so much that only 20 of the 52 members were able to meet. Enough representatives arrived two days later for a quorum, and deliberations began.One of the main issues the first state legislature decided was how to divide California into counties. Records show the Senate Committee on County Boundaries recommended that the state be divided into 18 counties. However, many areas didn’t want to be included in the proposed areas and requested to establish counties on their own. On Feb. 18, 1850, the state legislature passed a bill dividing California into 27 counties, including Sacramento, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara and San Diego counties.KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reports in-depth coverage of top California politics and policy issues. She is also the host of “California Politics 360.” Get informed each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
It’s been 176 years since the representatives in California’s first state Legislature met in San Jose, the Golden State’s first capital, before it ultimately moved to Sacramento.
The first state Legislature comprised 16 state senators and 36 assemblymen.
State Legislature records showed they were scheduled to meet in San Jose on Dec. 15, 1849. Recent winter storms muddied the roads so much that only 20 of the 52 members were able to meet. Enough representatives arrived two days later for a quorum, and deliberations began.
One of the main issues the first state legislature decided was how to divide California into counties. Records show the Senate Committee on County Boundaries recommended that the state be divided into 18 counties. However, many areas didn’t want to be included in the proposed areas and requested to establish counties on their own.
On Feb. 18, 1850, the state legislature passed a bill dividing California into 27 counties, including Sacramento, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara and San Diego counties.
KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reports in-depth coverage of top California politics and policy issues. She is also the host of “California Politics 360.” Get informed each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel