Preceded by Ben Hueso Name Lorena Gonzalez Nationality American Role American Politician | Political party Democratic Education Stanford University Religion Roman Catholic | |
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Profession Secretary Treasurer, San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council (organized labor) Party California Democratic Party Residence San Diego, California, United States | ||
Disney cast member lorena gonzalez enjoying stayin alive epcot 2011
Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher is an American politician currently serving in the California State Assembly. A Democrat, she represents the 80th Assembly District, which encompasses southern San Diego and is the southernmost Assembly district in the state.
Contents
- Disney cast member lorena gonzalez enjoying stayin alive epcot 2011
- Lorena gonzalez wins state assembly seat
- Early life education and personal life
- 2005 San Diego City Council race
- California State Assembly
- Key legislation
- References
Gonzalez was first elected to the Assembly in a 2013 special election to replace then-Assemblymember Ben Hueso, who was elected to the State Senate in a special election. Prior to being elected to the Assembly, Gonzalez served as secretary-treasurer and CEO of the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council, AFL-CIO.
The current Vice-Chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus, Gonzalez Fletcher became the first Latina to ever serve as the Chair of the powerful Assembly Appropriations Committee in 2016.
Lorena gonzalez wins state assembly seat
Early life, education, and personal life
Gonzalez Fletcher is the daughter of an immigrant farmworker and a nurse. She attended public schools in San Diego County before earning a bachelor's degree from Stanford University, a master's degree from Georgetown University, and a Juris Doctor from UCLA School of Law.
Gonzalez served as Senior Adviser to former California Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante, as well as appointee to the California State Lands Commission and alternate on the California Coastal Commission. A community organizer and activist, Gonzalez was elected in 2008 as CEO and Secretary-Treasurer of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, AFL-CIO. She is the first woman and person of color to be elected to head the Labor Council since the organization was founded in 1891.
Gonzalez Fletcher lives in San Diego with her two children, Tierra and Antonio. On January 1, 2017, she married former assemblyman Nathan Fletcher; the two had been dating since 2015.
2005 San Diego City Council race
Gonzalez ran for San Diego City Council during a 2005 special election and advanced to a runoff against future San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer. However, Gonzalez ultimately lost the race to Faulconer by a margin of 724 votes out of 29,448 cast.
California State Assembly
Gonzalez was elected to California's 80th State Assembly district in a special election held May 21, 2013. She defeated former Chula Vista Councilmember Steve Castaneda with 70.75% of the vote.
Gonzalez Fletcher currently serves on the Assembly Committee on Education, the Assembly Committee on Health, the Assembly Committee on Insurance, the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife; and the Assembly Committee on Rules. She is also the first Chair of the Select Committee on Women in the Workplace.
Key legislation
Several pieces of Gonzalez Fletcher's legislation have been among the only bills to secure passage and signature by the Governor despite being opposed strongly by the Chamber of Commerce.
In January 2014, Gonzalez introduced AB 1522, which requires employers grant sick days to part-time employees. The legislation was signed by Governor Jerry Brown in September 2014, granting paid sick leave to about 6.5 million Californians. Other bills introduced by Gonzalez and signed into law in 2014 include AB 1873, which allows San Diego County to fill special election vacancies for Congress and the state Legislature by mail ballot until 2020; AB 2104, which allows residents to implement drought-tolerant landscaping without drawing penalties from homeowners associations; AB 2347, which requires specific notices to be placed on the cover page of annuities and life insurance policies; AB 2051, which makes it easier for affiliate primary care clinics to enroll into Medi-Cal and Family Planning, Access, Care and Treatment; and AB 2053, which adds instructions on abusive conduct (bullying) to workplace sexual harassment training.
In 2015, Gonzalez introduced a measure that would require double pay when a company makes workers come in on the Christmas or Thanksgiving holidays.'