SENATE RULES COMMITTEE SR 58
Office of Senate Floor Analyses
(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) 327-4478
THIRD READING
Bill No: SR 58
Author: Blakespear (D), et al.
Introduced: 7/17/25
Vote: Majority
SUBJECT: The anniversary of the 19th Amendment
SOURCE: Author
DIGEST: This resolution honors the contributions of suffragists who fought for
women’s voting rights while recognizing the need to address ongoing barriers to
full civic participation.
ANALYSIS: This resolution makes the following legislative:
1) The 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, marked a pivotal moment in history by
dramatically changing voter demographics and adding millions of women to the
electorate.
2) California acted as a trailblazer becoming the sixth state in the nation to
approve women’s suffrage in 1911, nearly a decade before the federal
amendment. Women of color and women with disabilities were not guaranteed
their right to vote until the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
3) The late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg regarded the 19th Amendment as the first
step toward equal citizenship for women in the political and civil spheres of
public life.
4) The 19th Amendment has ultimately increased political representation across
the nation, including in California, where, for the first time in state history,
women currently hold a majority of state legislative seats.
5) The anniversary of the 19th Amendment serves as an opportunity to reflect on
its incredible legacy while acknowledging the ongoing struggle for voting rights
and equal representation for all Americans.
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This resolution honors the contributions of suffragists who fought for women’s
voting rights while recognizing the need to address ongoing barriers to full civic
participation.
Related/Prior Legislation
HR 50 (Soria, 2023) – Adopted by the Assembly.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No
SUPPORT: (Verified 8/19/25)
None received
OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/19/25)
None received
Prepared by: Sofia Pachon-Mendez / SFA / (916) 651-1520
8/20/25 23:44:17
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