Jesse Arreguín Sworn Into California State Senate
Elected Last Month, Senator Arreguín Joins Diverse Incoming Group of State Senators
SACRAMENTO – Today at the California State Capitol, Jesse Arreguín was sworn into office as a California State Senator for the 7th Senate District. The oath of office was administered by Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court Patricia Guerrero.
“I am honored by the strong support of East Bay residents to represent them in Sacramento, to fight for our shared progressive values,” said Senator Arreguín. “I look forward to bringing the successes we have made in Berkeley to a state level, paving the way for a brighter future for all Californians.”
Born in Fresno, and the son and grandson of migrant farmworkers, Arreguín grew up in San Francisco and faced housing insecurity and displacement. He overcame the odds and dedicated his life to public service to make the California Dream a reality for others.
Prior to his election to the Senate, Arreguín served for twenty years in the City of Berkeley government, including as a Berkeley City Councilmember and as the first Latino elected as City Mayor from 2016 to 2024. As Mayor, Arreguín also stood up to white supremacists attempting to spread fear in communities by establishing the Berkeley Stands United Against Hate campaign, which quickly caught on across the region, the state, and now the country. In addition, under Arreguín’s bold leadership, Berkeley saw its largest growth in housing production in decades, switched the City’s electricity sources to 100% renewable, and oversaw a 45% drop in unsheltered homelessness over the past two years after leading significant investments in homeless services.
“I look forward to bringing the successes we have made in Berkeley to a state level..."
Immediately after taking the oath of office, the California Legislature convened a special session called by Governor Newsom to protect Californians against the potential dismantling of civil, reproductive, and immigrant rights from the incoming federal administration. In 2017 as Mayor, Arreguín expanded Berkeley’s sanctuary city policy in defiance of threats. Safeguarding vulnerable residents will remain a vital priority to ensure that California can remain a place for women, immigrants, LGBTQ+, and other communities to thrive.
As State Senator, Arreguín will advance legislation to address California’s housing crisis, reduce homelessness, strengthen access to healthcare, reform insurance regulations, and combat climate change.
State Senate District 7 consists of nearly 1 million residents across Northern Alameda County and West Contra Costa County, including the cities of Oakland, Berkeley, Richmond, Alameda, San Pablo, Hercules, El Cerrito, and Emeryville.