Portantino regains chairmanship

Pasadena Assemblyman Anthony Portantino has been reappointed to the chairmanship of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, according to Capitol Weekly.

Portantino lost the position less than a month ago, apparently as punishment for challenging Speaker Fabian Nunez's hand-picked replacement, Los Angeles Democrat Karen Bass. But no one was appointed to replace Portantino, leaving open the possibility that the removal was only temporary.

Another top candidate for the speakership, Hector De La Torre, also lost his chairmanship of the powerful Rules Committee. But De La Torre does not seem about to regain his chairmanship anytime soon: the gavel has already been passed to Ted Lieu, D-Torrance.