Atkins spent her early years in Max Meadows, Virginia, moving to Roanoke at the age of seven. Her father was a miner and her mother a seamstress; she grew up in a home with no running water. She graduated from Emory & Henry College in 1984 and earned a BA in political science, focusing on community organizing. In 2004, Atkins completed Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government as a David Bohnett LGBTQ Victory Institute Leadership Fellow. Atkins relocated to San Diego in 1985.
San Diego City Council
When she first came to San Diego, she joined the staff of Womancare Health Center as Director of Clinic Services. She then served for a number of years as council representative and policy analyst to City Councilmember Christine Kehoe. When Kehoe was elected to the state legislature, Atkins was elected to Kehoe's City Council seat on November 7, 2000. She was reelected in March 2004, without the need for a November runoff. In April 2005 Mayor Dick Murphy resigned after criticism of his handing of the city's fiscal problems. Councilmember Michael Zucchet, who was deputy mayor, took over, but three days later, resigned along with Councilmember Ralph Inzunza after they were convicted of wire fraud and Hobbs Act violations. In an emergency vote on July 19, Atkins was chosen by the other five council members to take over as mayor pro-tem for one week. On July 25 they reaffirmed their choice and designated Atkins deputy mayor to serve until Jerry Sanders was sworn in as mayor on December 5. Atkins was the first openly lesbian mayor of San Diego. While on the council, she represented the City of San Diego at the San Diego Chapter of the League of Cities as well as on the board and executive committee of the Metropolitan Transit System. She sat on the San Diego Association of Governments Regional Housing Working Group, as an alternate to the Transportation Committee and the Regional Planning Committee, and the City/County Joint Homeless Task Force. She continues to serve on the San Diego River Conservancy as an appointee of former California State Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson. She lists among her priorities affordable housing, workers' rights, neighborhood revitalization and redevelopment of San Diego's older urban neighborhoods.
State legislature
State Assembly
She was elected to the State Assembly in November 2010, receiving 57.7% of the vote. She represented the 76th Assembly district. In November 2012 she ran in the 78th Assembly district due to redistricting, and won with 62% of the vote. In 2012 she introduced AB 1522, a bill to prevent the granting of financial support and other spousal rights to abusive spouses. The bill was inspired by the case of a San Diego woman who was ordered to pay legal fees and spousal support to her ex-husband even though he was in prison for abusing her. In 2012, she was the Majority Leader of the California State Assembly; in January 2014 she was chosen by the Democratic Caucus to take over as Speaker of the Assembly later in the year, replacing termed-out speaker John Pérez. She was the first Speaker of the Assembly from San Diego; the first lesbian to hold the position; and the third woman to do so. Atkins was reelected as Speaker by the Democratic caucus in November 2014. As Speaker she helped to write and secure passage for a $7.5-billion water bond that was approved by the legislature and the voters in 2014. Atkins stepped down as Assembly speaker in March 2016.
2014 California State Assembly election
State Senate
She ran as candidate for the California's 39th State Senate district in 2016, initially challenging the incumbent Marty Block, also a Democrat, before Block bowed out. In the general election, she defeated Republican John Renison with 63% of the vote. In 2018, Atkins succeeded Kevin de León as State Senate President pro tempore. This made her the first woman and the first openly LGBT person to lead the California State Senate.
Housing legislation
In May 2019, after Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Anthony Portantino blocked Senate Bill 50, a bill proposing major reforms to address the California housing shortage by reducing local control, from leaving committee and entering the Senate for debate and voting, Atkins refused to step in and take the bill out of committee, which was within her powers. Proponents of the bill accused Portantino of abusing his powers to deny SB50 a debate and a vote in the Senate. Atkins' action stopped legislators from bringing the bill back for consideration that year. Due to this delay, the bill could not be considered by the Senate until 2020. In January 2020, when the bill was being reconsidered, Atkins exercised her parliamentary powers to move the bill out of Portantino's committee. The bill made it to the senate floor and was subsequently defeated after multiple floor votes.
