EDITORIAL NEW BLOOD INCOMING ASSEMBLY LEADERS MUST UPHOLD PROMISE TO END PARTISANSHIP.

IT'S not only a new year, but a new era in Sacramento, say the incoming leaders of the state Assembly.

Let's hope they're right.

Thanks to term limits, two fresh faces will be taking the reins in the legislative body. The new speaker, representing the majority Democrats, will be Los Angeles' Fabian Nunez, who takes office next month. Meanwhile, Bakersfield Republican Kevin McCarthy will become the new minority leader Monday.

What makes these two top legislators different from their predecessors is a notable distinction: They're both freshmen.

In the old days, seniority put the political dinosaurs at the head of the pack, but term limits have since rendered the legislative dinos extinct. The parties have responded by putting their young pups in charge, hoping they can grow into the job over the course of their limited tenure.

Separating Nunez and McCarthy even more from past leaders is their vow to work together.

``I think you will see a new decorum,'' says Nunez, ``not just in terms of how the Assembly is run on the floor, but also as it relates to issues that are of principal importance to the state of California.''

And not a moment too soon.

Intense partisanship has hobbled the Legislature for years, and at no time more than in last year's budget battles. Democrats and Republicans refused to work together to balance California's books, resulting in a budget that was not only way overdue, but failed to address key issues facing the state.

There were, however, some bright moments of cooperation as the year came to an end. Under the leadership of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the parties came together to toss out highly flawed legislation that would have given driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. And after some initial head-butting, both sides were able to craft a compromise fiscal recovery plan.

Nunez and McCarthy - and their yet-to-be-named counterparts in the Senate - will need to build on such bipartisan efforts in the months ahead. At issue is not only the still-busted state budget, but also workers' compensation, state pension costs and sundry other long-ignored problems.

Only by working together can Nunez, McCarthy and fellow legislators begin to turn California around. Their promise to leave partisan rancor in the past is one New Year's resolution that must not be forgotten.