SACRAMENTO (AP) _ State senators have formerly selected Democrat Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento as their next leader.

Steinberg will succeed Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata on Nov. 30, when the Oakland Democrat will be termed out. The Legislature will begin its 2009 session on Dec. 1.

The choice of Steinberg has been known for months. The Senate’s Democratic majority picked him to succeed Perata at a caucus meeting in February.

Republicans went along with the choice on Thursday, agreeing to Steinberg in a voice vote that drew no opposition.

The 48-year-old Steinberg pledged to work in bipartisan fashion to improve schools and health care and fix what he called California’s maddening system of financing state and local government.