Darrell Steinberg

Darrell Steinberg
Born	Darrell Steven Steinberg 15 10, 1959
Birthplace	San Francisco, California, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, attorney, policy adviser
Known for	56th Mayor of Sacramento; California Senate President pro Tempore; Mental Health Services Act
Education	University of California, Davis (JD)
Spouse(s)	Julie Steinberg
Children	2

Darrell Steven Steinberg (born October 15, 1959) is an American politician, attorney, and policy adviser who served as the 56th mayor of Sacramento, California, from 2016 to 2024. Before leading the state capital, Steinberg served as the 49th President pro tempore of the California State Senate from 2008 to 2014, making him one of the most prominent legislative leaders in modern California history. His career in public office spans more than three decades, beginning with his election to the Sacramento City Council in 1992, followed by terms in the California State Assembly (1998–2004) and the California State Senate (2006–2014). Throughout his career, Steinberg has been closely associated with mental health policy reform in California, most notably as the author of the Mental Health Services Act (Proposition 63), which was approved by voters in 2004 and established a dedicated funding stream for mental health services through a tax on incomes exceeding one million dollars. After completing his tenure as mayor in December 2024, Steinberg joined the law and consulting firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips as a national adviser, and has continued to engage in public policy discussions related to housing, homelessness, mental health, and artificial intelligence regulation.

Early Life

Darrell Steven Steinberg was born on October 15, 1959, in San Francisco, California. He grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and later relocated to the Sacramento region, where he would build his political career and establish deep roots in the community. Steinberg has resided in the Pocket-Greenhaven neighborhood of Sacramento.

Details about Steinberg's childhood and family background prior to his college years are limited in available public records. However, in public appearances and interviews, Steinberg has discussed his early interest in law, public policy, and community advocacy as formative influences that steered him toward a career in public service. His upbringing in the Bay Area, one of California's most politically active and culturally diverse regions, provided an early exposure to the issues of social justice and governance that would later define his legislative agenda.

Education

Steinberg pursued his undergraduate education at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then attended the University of California, Davis School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctor (JD) degree. His legal training at UC Davis would prove instrumental in shaping his approach to lawmaking, particularly his focus on crafting detailed and technically rigorous legislation in areas such as mental health, environmental regulation, and labor law. His connection to UC Davis has remained strong throughout his career; in October 2025, Steinberg returned to the university to participate in a fireside chat hosted by Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society, where he discussed his career, leadership, and the future of local governance with students.

Career

Sacramento City Council (1992–1998)

Steinberg began his career in elected office in 1992 when he won a seat on the Sacramento City Council representing the 6th district. He succeeded Kimberly J. Mueller, who later became a federal judge. During his six years on the city council, Steinberg engaged with a range of local issues including land use, community development, and neighborhood services. His tenure on the council established him as a pragmatic legislator with a focus on collaborative governance. When Steinberg departed the council in 1998 to run for the state assembly, he was succeeded by Dave Jones.

California State Assembly (1998–2004)

In 1998, Steinberg was elected to the California State Assembly representing the 9th district, succeeding Deborah Ortiz, who had moved to the state senate. He served three terms in the assembly before being termed out in 2004. During his time in the assembly, Steinberg focused on mental health policy, criminal justice reform, and environmental issues.

One of Steinberg's most consequential early legislative accomplishments was his work on the AB 34 program, a pilot initiative that provided comprehensive community-based services for individuals with severe mental illness. The program, which was implemented in several California counties, demonstrated that intensive, coordinated mental health services could reduce homelessness, incarceration, and hospitalization among individuals with serious psychiatric conditions. The success of the AB 34 program provided much of the empirical foundation for Steinberg's subsequent authoring of the Mental Health Services Act.

Steinberg also engaged in environmental and workplace safety legislation during his assembly tenure. In one notable case involving the Tosco Corporation, Steinberg was involved in legislative efforts related to industrial safety following a fatal flash fire at a Tosco refinery, which resulted in a $2 million settlement.

Mental Health Services Act (Proposition 63)

The signature achievement of Steinberg's assembly career was his authorship of the Mental Health Services Act, which appeared on the November 2004 ballot as Proposition 63. The measure imposed a 1% income tax surcharge on personal income exceeding $1 million, with the revenues dedicated to expanding mental health services across California. The proposition was approved by 53.8% of voters.

The act established a framework for county-level mental health programs, including Full Service Partnerships (FSPs), which provided wraparound services for individuals with the most severe needs. Subsequent evaluations of the program showed measurable reductions in hospitalization, incarceration, and homelessness among participants. The Mental Health Services Act has generated billions of dollars in funding for California's mental health system and is considered one of the most significant mental health funding mechanisms in the United States.

The California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA), created under the act, implemented statewide prevention and early intervention programs, including suicide prevention campaigns and stigma reduction efforts. By 2013, the mental health program funded by the act was showing measurable success, with data indicating positive outcomes for participants in the full-service partnership model.

California State Senate (2006–2014)

After a two-year hiatus from elected office following his assembly term limit, Steinberg was elected to the California State Senate in 2006, representing the 6th district. He again succeeded Deborah Ortiz, who had been termed out of the senate. Steinberg quickly rose through the leadership ranks of the senate Democratic caucus.

President pro Tempore (2008–2014)

On December 1, 2008, Steinberg was elected as the 49th President pro tempore of the California State Senate, succeeding Don Perata. He assumed the leadership at one of the most challenging periods in modern California history — the state was in the grip of the Great Recession, facing a massive budget deficit that required difficult negotiations and deep spending cuts.

As pro tem, Steinberg led the senate through a series of consequential legislative sessions. His leadership style was noted for its emphasis on consensus-building and willingness to engage in bipartisan negotiations, even as the California Legislature grappled with deeply contentious fiscal and policy issues. He oversaw the passage of legislation on budget reform, education funding, environmental regulation, and continued expansion of mental health services under the Mental Health Services Act.

During his senate tenure, Steinberg also worked on health care policy. In 2013, he was involved in budget negotiations that addressed various health care issues, navigating the intersection of state fiscal constraints and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act in California.

Steinberg also maintained a focus on criminal justice reform during his senate years, advocating for approaches that combined public safety with treatment and rehabilitation, particularly for individuals with mental illness who were involved in the justice system.

His term as president pro tempore ended on October 15, 2014, when he was succeeded by Kevin de León. Steinberg was subsequently succeeded in his 6th district senate seat by Richard Pan.

Mayor of Sacramento (2016–2024)

On June 7, 2016, Steinberg was elected mayor of Sacramento, winning the election outright and avoiding a runoff. He took office on December 13, 2016, succeeding Kevin Johnson. As mayor, Steinberg brought his extensive legislative experience and policy expertise to bear on the challenges facing California's capital city, including homelessness, affordable housing, economic development, and public safety.

Homelessness and Housing

Homelessness was one of the defining issues of Steinberg's tenure as mayor. Sacramento, like many California cities, experienced a significant increase in its unhoused population during Steinberg's time in office. He pursued a multifaceted approach that included the development of new shelters, investment in permanent supportive housing, and advocacy for state and federal funding to address the crisis. Steinberg drew on his long history with mental health policy to push for approaches that combined housing with wraparound services for individuals with mental illness and substance use disorders.

Steinberg's approach to homelessness sometimes drew both praise and criticism — praised for its ambition and its integration of mental health services, and criticized by some advocates who argued the city was not moving quickly enough to address the scale of the crisis. His emphasis on comprehensive mental health care as a component of homelessness solutions remained a consistent theme throughout his mayoral tenure and has continued in his post-mayoral advocacy. In a September 2025 opinion piece, Steinberg argued for removing barriers to care for California's most vulnerable homeless individuals, supporting legislation that would provide for instant enrollment in comprehensive mental health programs rather than requiring lengthy application processes.

Economic Development and City Governance

During his two terms as mayor, Steinberg oversaw a period of significant growth and development in Sacramento. He worked to attract investment to the city's downtown core and advocated for infrastructure improvements. His administration also navigated the fiscal and public health challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which hit during his second term.

Steinberg was reelected and served until December 10, 2024, when he was succeeded by Kevin McCarty.

Post-Mayoral Career

After leaving the mayor's office, Steinberg transitioned to the private sector while maintaining an active role in public policy. In April 2025, he joined the law and consulting firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips as a national adviser, based in the firm's Sacramento office. In this role, Steinberg advises clients on regulatory, state policy, and government affairs matters, drawing on his decades of experience in California government.

Since leaving office, Steinberg has also engaged in public commentary and advocacy on several policy fronts. In June 2025, he co-authored an article in Tech Policy Press with former U.S. Senator Tom Daschle and policy analyst David Beier, arguing against a proposed federal moratorium on state-level artificial intelligence regulation. The authors contended that such a moratorium would undermine democratic norms and advocated instead for a cooperative federal-state approach to AI governance.

In June 2025, Steinberg also contributed to discussions about California's "abundance agenda," the concept that the state must streamline housing and infrastructure permitting processes to build more affordable, sustainable communities. He connected this to alternative dispute resolution mechanisms as a means of reducing delays in development projects.

In 2025, Steinberg was also involved in California Governor Gavin Newsom's initiative to transform San Quentin State Prison into a rehabilitation-focused facility. In collaboration with the governor's office, a $239 million education and learning center was opened at San Quentin, reflecting a shift in the correctional facility's mission toward education and reentry preparation.

Personal Life

Steinberg is married to Julie Steinberg, and the couple have two children. The family has long resided in the Pocket-Greenhaven neighborhood of Sacramento. Steinberg has spoken publicly about his personal connection to mental health issues, which has informed his legislative focus on mental health policy throughout his career.

A member of the Democratic Party, Steinberg has been described as a pragmatic progressive who emphasizes coalition-building and evidence-based policy. His approach to governance has consistently reflected a belief in the role of government in addressing social problems, particularly those related to mental health, housing, and poverty.

Legacy

Steinberg's legacy in California politics is most closely associated with his work on mental health policy. The Mental Health Services Act, which he authored, fundamentally restructured the state's approach to mental health funding and service delivery. By creating a permanent, dedicated revenue stream through a millionaire's tax, the act ensured that mental health programs would have sustained funding independent of the annual budget process. The Full Service Partnership model developed under the act became a nationally recognized approach to serving individuals with severe mental illness, and outcome data have consistently shown reductions in hospitalization, incarceration, and homelessness among program participants.

As President pro Tempore of the California Senate, Steinberg led the upper house through the fiscal crisis of the Great Recession, a period that tested the state's governance structures and required difficult compromises. His leadership during this period was characterized by an emphasis on negotiation and institutional stability.

As mayor of Sacramento, Steinberg confronted the homelessness crisis with a combination of emergency shelter expansion, permanent supportive housing development, and mental health service integration. While the crisis persisted throughout his tenure — as it did in cities across California — his administration's emphasis on linking housing with services reflected the principles that had animated his legislative career.

In his post-government role at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, and through his continued public commentary on issues ranging from AI regulation to criminal justice reform and housing policy, Steinberg remains an active participant in California's policy debates. His career, which began on the Sacramento City Council in 1992 and continued through the state legislature, the mayor's office, and into the private sector, represents one of the longer and more consequential arcs of public service in modern Sacramento and California politics.