After eight years as chair of the Assembly Judiciary Committee, Scotts Valley Democrat Mark Stone declined to run for reelection last year. To replace him, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon tapped Brian Maienschein, a former San Diego City Council member who switched his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat four years ago.

A graduate of California Western School of Law, Maienschein clerked for San Diego County Superior Court Judge Norbert Ehrenfreund before turning to a career in business law, including a stint at Chapin, Fleming & Winet. In 2000 he was elected to the San Diego City Council and served two terms before running unsuccessfully for city attorney in 2008. He became homelessness commissioner for the United Way of San Diego County and was elected to the state Assembly in 2012.