On an unseasonably warm December afternoon in the elegantly restored Assembly chambers, Mark DeSaulnier raised his right hand and officially stepped into life as a member of the California Legislature.
The affable and gregarious former Contra Costa County supervisor strode through the largely ceremonial day brimming with his trademark humor and excitement.

But with his brothers and his two sons at his side Monday, the events of the day also prompted DeSaulnier to remember his late father, a former Massachusetts judge and state legislator.

Edward DeSaulnier Jr. resigned in 1972 after being accused of accepting a bribe. He later shot himself.

His father's fall from grace had a profound effect on DeSaulnier, who vowed to serve honorably for himself and his sons, Tristan, 23, and Tucker, 21.

"I was 6 years old when my dad was sworn in as a judge," DeSaulnier said. "I know it was 3,000 miles and 40 years ago, but standing in the Assembly chambers, I couldn't help but reflect on my dad."

Tristan sat next to his father on the Assembly floor, a lovely cream and green gallery lit with three massive chandeliers and flanked by classical columns.

"I don't get involved at home in my dad's politics, so I didn't know what to expect," he said. "But it's big. It's special. I'm really proud of my dad."

After the ceremony is over and the food his staff put out for the dozens of well-wishers who packed his windowless Sacramento office is gone, the Concord restaurant owner and marathon runner will have little time for reflection.

Despite the warm and fuzzy calls for bipartisanship in Monday speeches from Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, the state faces difficult challenges such as health care and prison reform for which no easy answers exist.

DeSaulnier, a veteran who served 12 years on the Board of Supervisors and held seats on the California Air Resources Board and Metropolitan Transportation Commission, could move quickly up the leadership ladder.

Nunez already has appointed him to the powerful Rules Committee, which assigns bills to the various committees.

"If you look at the resumes of the incoming freshmen, there aren't too many people like myself in terms of the length of service on boards like the California Air Resources Board," DeSaulnier said. "There is an expectation that we will jump in and not be a back-bencher."

Even if leaders demanded it, DeSaulnier is no wallflower.

As a county supervisor, he was renowned and reviled for his activist agenda, which often drew media attention.

Among the most memorable, DeSaulnier studied the relocation of Buchanan Field in Concord and the transformation of the airport into a transit village. The plan faded after developers failed to find a suitable airport site.

He proposed a countywide ban on outdoor smoking and restrictions on the sales of fast food. And he sought approval of an ordinance that would require lobbyists to register annually with the county.

"I believe in activism," he said. "I may have two or six years here, and I don't want to wait, when there are multiple things that you can be doing."

Each legislator may submit up to 40 bills, and DeSaulnier and his staff members are busy preparing drafts.

Among his ideas:

* Require developers to identify an energy source for new homes and shops, as they must do today for water.

* Establish a statewide urban growth boundary, patterned after Contra Costa County's urban limit line, and provide in-fill incentives.

* Form intensive early intervention programs, which will hopefully lead to a reduction in the numbers of children who end up in prison as adults.

* Study a switch to the Oregon election model, where residents vote only by mail.

In addition, DeSaulnier and Sen. Tom Torlakson, D-Antioch, longtime friends and colleagues, will develop a joint legislative package that tackles childhood obesity.

He has also asked to lead select committees on climate change or issues that affect working families.

But it is not all work in Sacramento, particularly for a man known for his quick wit and his sometimes ill-timed irreverence.

DeSaulnier already has joked with the Capitol police, who carry around pictures of the 36 new members until they memorize their identities.

"Okay, which one am I?" he asks when he approaches an entrance.

He razzes fellow members when he sees them jump into cars instead of walk between the Capitol and nearby restaurants.

And he has had great fun at what he calls "Legislature School," an orientation program for new members.

Here, they learn where to find their office, the size of their budgets, how to hire staff members and, very important, how to access the member-only parking garage.

It was at this class where DeSaulnier was given his official Assembly pin, a round gold and green pin about the size of a Snapple cap.

"They gave us a large pin and small pin, and told us the smaller pin was for our significant other," DeSaulnier said. "I don't have a significant other, so I asked if I could use it on dates."

If a trip to the floor of the Assembly is DeSaulnier's idea of a night out on the town, it probably will not get much use.

Lisa Vorderbrueggen covers politics. Reach her at 925-945-4773 or lvorderbrueggen@cctimes.com.

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