Assembly and Senate Chambers

The Assembly and Senate Chambers were designed to reflect the important role of the Legislature in the California state government. The Roman Corinthian columns and pilasters present in both chambers allude to the Greek and Roman influences on our democratic processes. While both the Senate Chamber and the Assembly Chamber share similar neoclassical designs, each room’s decoration is intentionally distinctive. The color palettes of the chambers reflect the precedents set in British Parliament. Red is the dominant color in the Senate Chamber – a color historically associated with Britain’s House of Lords. In the Assembly Chamber, green is instead the predominant color, a tradition borrowed from the British House of Commons.

Different Latin mottos are centrally displayed in the chambers: LEGISLATORUM JUSTAS LEGES CONDERE in the Assembly, which translates to “It is the duty of legislators to make just laws,” and EST CIVITATIS LIBERTATEM TUERI in the Senate, meaning “It is the duty of a Senator to guard the liberty of the Commonwealth.” Both chambers feature presidential portraits: George Washington in the Senate Chamber, and Abraham Lincoln in the Assembly Chamber. Visitors to the Capitol may also notice visual indications of the Senate and the Assembly’s differing voting methods. While the Senate usually uses voice roll-call voting, the Assembly adopted electronic pushbutton voting in 1935. As Assembly Members cast their votes, a green light (for a “yes” vote) or a red light (for a “no” vote) appears next to each name on panels located at the front of the chamber.

The chambers, as they appear today, have been carefully restored. Upon the completion of the Capitol building in 1869, a reporter for the Sacramento Daily Union wrote, “This happy mingling of colors by the painter’s brush, this ingenious carving by the skillful worker in wood, that horn of plenty . . . all tend to impress the mind with pleasurable and patriotic emotions.” As the needs of the Capitol grew, however, a series of modernizations slowly began to chip away at the chambers’ original grandeur. By the 1970s, the details described by the Sacramento Daily Union had been replaced with lowered ceilings, fluorescent lighting, and white paint.

When the restoration of the Capitol began in 1976, the Assembly and Senate Chambers were painstakingly returned to their original appearance. Craftspeople, architects, and historians consulted historic photographs and physical evidence to recreate these important symbols of democracy. Design elements like the plaster pendants hanging from the ceilings, the bronze and crystal wall sconces, and elaborate Wilton carpeting were carefully reproduced.

Public awareness, access, and participation in the legislative process are crucial during the consideration of laws that affect Californians. The people of California can view Senate and Assembly proceedings via online streaming, cable television stations across the state, and even in person from the balcony galleries that overlook the chamber floors. The galleries are architectural features that symbolically represent the democratic process, as they enable the public to observe their elected officials in action.

The responsibilities of the California Legislature have increased tremendously since its creation. In 1849, the first Legislature passed 146 laws and 19 resolutions. Today’s Legislature will propose, analyze, and debate over 6,000 bills in a single two-year session.

California State Assembly Homepage | California State Senate Homepage |