Sacramento, CA – The Armenian National Committee – Western Region (ANC-WR) is pleased to welcome Assemblymember Paul Krekorian (D-Burbank) to his new post as Assistant Majority Floor Leader of the California State Assembly. The post is the third-ranking leadership position in the Assembly after Speaker of the Assembly Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) who appointed Krekorian on December 2, 2008.

“We would like to offer our congratulations to Assemblymember Krekorian on his newly appointed position in the California State Assembly,” said ANC-WR Executive Director Andrew Kzirian. “As an Armenian-American, the Assemblymember has been a strong activist and voice for the community within the State Assembly and we look forward to continue working with him in his new post,” he added.

Krekorian, together with Majority Leader Alberto Torrico, will be the Speaker’s principal representatives on the Assembly Floor. As Assistant Majority Floor Leader, Krekorian will help to lead all floor debates in the Assembly on behalf of the Democratic Caucus, and he will provide policy and political guidance to the Speaker.

“Assemblymember Krekorian is a strong advocate for the Armenian American community,” stated ANC-WR Chairman Vicken Sonentz-Papazian. “I am confident that his creativity, energy and leadership will set the standard for the incoming Assembly in 2009,” he remarked.

During his first year in office, Assistant Majority Floor Leader Paul Krekorian introduced AJR 15 (Assembly Joint Resolution), which designated April 24, 2007 as California Day of Remembrance for the Armenian Genocide of 1915 through 1923. Krekorian’s AJR 15 urged Congress and the President of the United States “to formally recognize and reaffirm the historical truth that the atrocities committed against the Armenian people constituted genocide,” and called upon the Republic of Turkey to “acknowledge the facts of the Armenian Genocide and to work toward a just resolution.”

In 2008, Krekorian was the co-author of SJR 24 (Senate Joint Resolution), a similar resolution, which noted that “by consistently remembering and openly condemning the atrocities committed against the Armenians, California residents demonstrate their sensitivity to a need for constant vigilance to prevent similar atrocities in the future.” To help highlight the enduring legacy of legendary Armenian-American playwright and author William Saroyan, Assemblymember Krekorian co-authored SCR 9, which designated the year 2008 as the William Saroyan Year for enriching the cultural diversity of the state, and in particular, for celebrating over 100 years of the cultural contribution of Armenian-Americans to the people of the state.

Assemblymember Paul Krekorian (D-Burbank) represents the 43rd Assembly District, including the cities of Burbank and Glendale, and the Los Angeles communities of Atwater Village, Los Feliz, North Hollywood, Silver Lake, Toluca Lake, Valley Glen, Valley Village and Van Nuys.

The Armenian National Committee – Western Region is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANC-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

Photo caption: Assemblymember Paul Krekorian.