Governor Jerry Brown has confirmed reports he would name John Laird, one of the first openly gay men to serve in the state Legislature, as Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency.
Brown, who took his third oath of office as the state’s top official on January 3, is expected to make several more high profile LGBT appointments.
Laird, 60, represented Santa Cruz in the Assembly for six years before being termed out of office. He lost a bid last summer for a state Senate seat.
Laird’s appointment requires confirmation by the state Senate. A longtime environmental activist, Laird will oversee policies that cover everything from logging and water, to state parks and farming issues. Laird is expected to be a vocal opponent of offshore oil drilling. He was instrumental in pushing through the state’s cutting edge climate change law AB 32, which regulates greenhouse gas emissions and has been fiercely opposed by oil companies. While in the statehouse, Laird was an active voice for Sierra forest protection, water conservation and renewable energy.
Prior to leaving office, former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced he had selected four openly gay or lesbian people for state boards and commissions.
Just before the Christmas holiday, Schwarzenegger also announced he had reappointed James Vaughn, a gay Republican, to the California State Bar Board of Governors Examining Committee. Vaughn, 46, has served in the unpaid, volunteer capacity since 2007 and has been the vice chair of the Moral Character Determination Subcommittee.
