Rob Bonta
Robert Andres "Rob" Bonta (born September 22, 1972) is an American politician serving in the California State Assembly. He is a Democrat representing the 18th Assembly District, encompasses the central East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area, including Oakland, Alameda, and San Leandro.
Rob Bonta | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 18th district | |
| Assumed office December 3, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Sandré Swanson (redistricted) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 22, 1972 Quezon City, Philippines |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Mialisa |
| Residence | Alameda, California |
| Alma mater | Yale University (B.A, J.D) |
| Profession | Attorney |
Prior to being elected to the Assembly in 2012, he was an Alameda City Councilman. He is the current Chair of the California Asian & Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus. Bonta was the first Filipino-American ever elected to the California Legislature.[1]
Education
Bonta is an alumnus of Bella Vista High School in Fair Oaks, California, Yale College, UC Berkeley, Oxford University and Yale Law School.[2]
2014 California State Assembly
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Rob Bonta (incumbent) | 44,321 | 85.8 | |
| Republican | David Erlich | 7,358 | 14.2 | |
| Total votes | 51,679 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Rob Bonta (incumbent) | 88,243 | 86.7 | |
| Republican | David Erlich | 13,537 | 13.3 | |
| Total votes | 101,780 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
2016 California State Assembly
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Rob Bonta (incumbent) | 98,202 | 89.1 | |
| Republican | Roseann Slonsky-Breault | 12,057 | 10.9 | |
| Total votes | 110,259 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Rob Bonta (incumbent) | 156,163 | 87.0 | |
| Republican | Roseann Slonsky-Breault | 23,273 | 13.0 | |
| Total votes | 179,436 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
2018 California State Assembly
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Rob Bonta (incumbent) | 85,354 | 89.0 | |
| Republican | Stephen Slauson | 10,549 | 11.0 | |
| Total votes | 95,903 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Rob Bonta (incumbent) | 150,862 | 88.9 | |
| Republican | Stephen Slauson | 18,894 | 11.1 | |
| Total votes | 184,754 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
2020 California State Assembly
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Rob Bonta (incumbent) | 65,092 | 87.7% | |
| Republican | Stephen Slauson | 9,154 | 12.3% | |
| Total votes | ||||
Legislative history
In 2013, Bonta introduced legislation that would require California public schools to teach students the contributions of Filipino Americans in the farm labor movement; it was signed into law in October of that same year by Jerry Brown.[3] Bonta's mother, Cynthia Bonta, helped organize Filipino and Mexican American farmworkers for the United Farm Workers.[1]
In 2017, Bonta introduced legislation that would protect government employees in California from being fired for being members of the Communist Party.[4] The proposal, AB22, would repeal an almost 70-year ban on Communist Party members holding government jobs in California.[4] Bonta's fellow assemblyman Travis Allen blasted the proposal, calling it "blatantly offensive to all Californians."[4] The bill was withdrawn after protests by veterans and by the Vietnamese community.
In 2018, Bonta and State Senator Robert Hertzberg co-authored to Senate Bill 10 that made California the first state in the nation to eliminate money bail for suspects awaiting trial and replace it with a risk-assessment system.[5] On August 28, 2018, Governor Jerry Brown signed the sweeping reform bill into law.[6]
Alameda City Council
Bonta was elected to Alameda City Council in November, 2010. Within a year, he declared his intent to run for state assembly. In 2012, some Alameda residents started a recall campaign against him.[7] The recall campaign ended when Bonta resigned his city council seat to serve in the assembly.
References
- Rene, Ciria-Cruz (April 3, 2013). "Bill to teach Filipinos' role in labor movement advances in California". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Inquirer Group of Companies. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- "Biography". ASMDC.org. October 31, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
- Pimentel, Joseph (October 9, 2013). "California writing Filipino Americans into the history books". Public Radio International. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
- Bollag, Sophia (May 8, 2017). "California may end ban on communists in government jobs". The Sacramento Bee. McClatchy. Retrieved May 14, 2017.
- Bollag, Sophia (August 21, 2018). "California Assembly OKs bill to eliminate bail for suspects". The Mercury News. Digital First Media. Associated Press. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
- Koseff, Alexei (August 28, 2018). "Jerry Brown signs bill eliminating money bail in California". The Sacramento Bee. McClatchy. ISSN 0890-5738. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
- Tavares, Steven (August 10, 2012). "Abel Guillen Files Complaint With FPPC Alleging Rob Bonta Violated Financial Disclosure Laws". East Bay Express. Retrieved October 24, 2017.
