California lawmakers, many elected by razor-thin margins in districts where the turnout was historically low, were formally sworn in Monday for the two-year session.

Even on the first day, the battle lines were being drawn for the 2015-16 session: Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, demanded “zero-based budgeting with a thorough public discussion” for the University of California, which recently approved a new round of tuition increases.

The Senate is poised to run light in the New Year – with three members heading to Congress. A fourth seat will be filled later this month when former Sen. Rod Wright is replaced in an election for the 35th District. The others will be filled in the spring after Gov. Brown calls special elections to determine the replacements.

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http://capitolweekly.net/lawmakers-sworn-in-what-now/