THE BUZZ: Some assemblymembers may have felt more thankful than others this past weekend. Speaker Robert Rivas released a new slate of committee chairs as everyone was heading out of town for the long holiday weekend, rewarding loyal allies and giving us a peek into his leadership vision ahead of his first full session leading the body. Few anticipated the dramatic demotion of his longtime first lieutenant Isaac Bryan — who may have overplayed his influence in a fledgling regime, as POLITICO'S Melanie Mason reported. But much of the new roster met expectations of the Capitol community, which had been eagerly eying the changeup for more than a year. We do know that Rivas made some gametime decisions, waiting until the day of, or in some cases just a few hours before the announcement, to let members know where they landed. You might recall that new Speaker pro Tempore Jim Wood, who is not running for another term, signaled days before that he was staying on as Health chair. And it’s still not clear exactly how much power the speaker is willing to give chairs, who for the past seven years have presided over their committees like personal fiefdoms. “We have not had that discussion,” new Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry told Playbook when we asked her about chair powers. “Speaker Rivas holds his cards close to his chest.” Here’s what else you should know about the new docket of power players: Jesse Gabriel, Budget chair — Gabriel was always expected to get one of the top slots in the Assembly, and there’s no bigger job than the budget. It’s a huge vote of confidence for Gabriel, who will spend the next year haggling over hundreds of billions of dollars with leaders in the Senate and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office. But it’s also a political football. It’s not easy being Budget chair in good times, and with California facing the possibility of a deficit next year, Gabriel may be on the delivering end of some unpopular decisions. Buffy Wicks, Appropriations — This is another unsurprising appointment for one of Rivas’ top lieutenants and a fulfillment of Capitol rumors. Wicks is leaving her longtime perch as head of Housing to oversee the assembly’s most cutthroat committee — replacing Assemblymember Chris Holden, who is termed out and running for the LA County Board of Supervisors. Matt Haney, majority whip — Not the most prestigious of promotions for a member who was seen as being in Rivas’ tight inner circle. Haney was rumored to be jockeying for Judiciary chair, but only got a small bump up from minority whip. Ash Kalra, Judiciary — Another spoil of war for a loyal Rivas follower. We’re interested to see what Kalra, the head of the Progressive Caucus, does with this committee. Liz Ortega, Labor and Employment — An expected appointment for a fierce labor ally. Ortega previously served as the statewide political director for AFSCME Local 3299, the University of California’s largest employee union. Ortega also got the stamp of approval from Labor Fed leader Lorena Gonzalez: “A union leader heading the labor committee… we have waited a long time for this!” she posted on X. Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, Privacy and Consumer Protection — RBK was rumored to want the Judiciary Committee, but this is an unsurprising post for the lawmaker who has relationships with many of the big tech and privacy players and has been working on artificial intelligence legislation. Mia Bonta, Health — This gig typically goes to a doctor, but with Wood promoted and Akilah Weber running for state Senate there weren’t many MD options in the Rivas circle. As our colleague Rachel Bluth writes, Bonta, who previously wasn’t on the Health Committee, will be the gatekeeper for major legislation on such issues as single-payer health care and prescription drug costs. Kevin McCarty, Public Safety — McCarty takes over a committee that has been in the headlines perhaps more than any other this past year. He will likely have to preside over continued battles over fentanyl and retail crime — all while also running for Sacramento mayor. Cottie Petrie-Norris, Utilities and Energy — One of the more surprising picks from Rivas. As our colleagues at California Climate noted, Petrie-Norris most recently served as chair of Accountability and Administrative Review — which provides oversight of state spending and implementation of legislation — and has never sat on Utilities and Energy. GOOD MORNING. Happy Monday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. | 
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