PERSON: Jimmy Gomez

California State Assembly

Member

Jimmy Gomez was first elected in November of 2012 and subsequently reelected in 2014, and 2016 to represent California’s 51st Assembly District, which includes Northeast Los Angeles and unincorporated East Los Angeles County.

Gomez was born and raised in Southern California, a region his parents moved to from Mexico in the 1970’s. Gomez’ parents often worked multiple jobs to provide for their family, and in one incident, a childhood injury and subsequent hospital trip nearly forced his family to sell their home to pay medical bills.

His parents’ struggle helped Gomez realize how hard it can be for working families to make ends meet and provide opportunities for their children. Gomez was also the first in his family to attend college, an experience that he nearly missed out on had it not been for a friend convincing him to take his first class at a community college. Gomez went on to graduate from UCLA and earn a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Harvard University.

Gomez’ passion for public service is rooted in his family’s history of migration and economic insecurity, and his own experience in accessing higher education for economic mobility. These events shape Assemblymember Gomez’s priorities to pursue progressive legislation to lift up the most vulnerable members of society such as immigrants, the working poor, and students saddled with increasingly unmanageable amounts of debt.

For example, Assemblymember Gomez authored Assembly Bill 908, California’s landmark Paid Family Leave expansion bill. AB 908, was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown and hailed as a model for Congress by President Obama because it expanded the program to work for all who pay into it and made it affordable for those on the lowest rungs of the economic ladder.

Campaign finance disclosure, in the wake of Citizens United, is also a high priority for Gomez. His Assembly Bill 700 in 2016-16 and Assembly Bill 14 in 2017-18 intend to provide the highest level of campaign finance disclosure in the nation. In partnership with the California Clean Money Campaign, Gomez is pushing to provide the transparency needed to help identify the true funders of political campaigns. This will disallow any attempt by billionaires like the Koch brothers to hide behind front groups that use misleading names.

Assemblymember Gomez has also authored landmark legislation to address public health, environmental justice, water conservation, access to education, civic engagement, domestic violence and sexual assault prevention, LGBT rights and affordable housing issues.

Assemblymember Gomez’s significant legislative accomplishments along with chairing the powerful Appropriations Committee and his knack for negotiation have made him a key figure in the California Legislature. Assemblymember Gomez aims to use his significant clout to continue to work for working families.

Assemblymember Gomez has received the following awards for his leadership in the Legislature:

Habitat for Humanity California: Legacy Award, 2016
Planned Parenthood Los Angeles: Champion of Choice Award, 2015
Faculty Association of California Community Colleges: Freshman Legislator of the Year, 2014
California Clean Money Campaign Champion, DISCLOSE Act, 2015
Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters: Smith-Weiss Environmental Champion Award 2016
Inner City Struggle: Felicitas & Gonzalo Mendez Leadership Award 2015
East Los Business Association, Advocacy Award 2016
Unites Nurses Associations of California, Community Leader of the Year 2013
California Women in Agriculture Cornucopia Award, 2016
Community Health Center Champion Award, 2016
California Podiatric Medical Association 2014 Legislature of the Year
California Community College EOPS Association Hero Award 2013 for AB 595
Audubon Center, Debs Park: 2016 Puro Audubon Award
California Victim Compensation Program, Excellence in Victims Rights Award 2014
Prior to being elected to the Legislature, Assemblymember Gomez served as Political Director of the United Nurses Associations of California. Assemblymember Gomez brings with him over a decade of experience in local, state and national politics, including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), National League of Cities, Democratic National Committee, office of former L.A. City Councilman Michael Feuer, and the office of former Congresswoman Hilda Solis. Assemblymember Gomez lives in Eagle Rock with his wife Mary, and dog Austin.

— naifacalifornia.org