August 30th marked the 8th anniversary of the passing of Rose Ann Vuich, the first woman elected the California State Senate in 1976. Before her, just 14 women had been elected to the Legislature, the first to the Assembly in 1918.

The Chief of Staff for one of the Democratic state senators confided in me last fall as we stood outside Senate Pro-Tem Leader Darrell Steinberg's office. She recounted the tale of Rose Ann Vuich, the first woman elected to the CA Senate. When Vuich arrived, there was no bathroom, and no recreational, social, or other facilities for women legislators. She became so incensed when her colleagues would address the Senate as "Gentlemen" that she rang a bell at her desk each time to remind them women had finally infiltrated the boy's club.

By 1986, the mostly-female legislative staff members, including schedulers, legislative aides and the like, were still referred to as "girls." Newly-elected Assemblywoman Bev Hansen was on the Assembly floor with a male colleague. A second Assemblyman approached and said, "Well look at that! I didn't know they were letting the girls on the floor." His male colleague replied, "Assemblyman, meet Assemblywoman Hansen."

In 1985, there were finally enough elected women to constitute a caucus. Today there are 34 women in the California Legislative Women's Caucus, 13 Senators and 21 Assemblywomen. Rose Ann Vuich passed away August 30, 2001, but she paved the way for equal opportunities for women in Sacramento.

Photo: Senator Gloria Romero rings a bell in front of Vuich's portrait in the State Capitol.