RATES       _______________________________ LM __________________________________

Senator Tony Mendoza Appointed Chair of Senate Labor & Industrial Relations Committee

HMG-CN Political Wire

Sacramento – California State Senator Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia) announced today his appointment by Senate President pro Tem Kevin de Leon to Chair the Labor and Industrial Relations Committee. Senate Committee chairs will be formally adopted by the Senate Rules Committee when it convenes on January 7, 2015.

 “I am honored Senate Pro Tem Kevin de Leon appointed me as Chair of the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee,” said Senator Tony Mendoza. “I look forward to working with labor, business, and other stakeholders to create quality paying jobs and to promote sustainable long-term economic growth for the state.”

The Committee’s jurisdiction encompasses wages, hours, working conditions, mandated benefits, and special labor relations for the more than 18 million California workers and 980,000 employers. It also has jurisdiction over mandated insurance programs, Workers’ Compensation and Unemployment Insurance. The Committee exercises oversight responsibilities of state agencies charged with implementing labor laws.

Tony Mendoza, a Los Angeles native and former school teacher was elected on November 4, 2014 to represent the 1.1 million residents of the newly-drawn 32nd Senate District. Senator Mendoza previously served in the State Assembly from 2006 to 2012 representing the 56th District.

Senator Mendoza grew up in South Central Los Angeles. He is the first in his family of nine children to graduate from college. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree from California State University, Long Beach and his teaching credential at California State University, Los Angeles. He also obtained his Executive Masters in Leadership from the University of Southern California. For more than 10 years, Mendoza taught elementary school in East Los Angeles.

In 1997, he was elected to the Artesia City Council, becoming the first Latino councilmember. A year later, he became the youngest to serve as Artesia’s mayor at the age of 26.  Mendoza served three successful terms on the Artesia City Council before running for the State Assembly in 2006.

While serving in the State Assembly, he authored significant legislation signed into law: Under AB 97, California became the first state in the nation to ban the use of Trans Fats in food preparation in all restaurants; AB 1291 allows judges to sentence the parents of children with first-time gang offenses to anti-gang parenting education classes; and AB 22 prohibits the use of consumer credit reports in the hiring process.

Senator Mendoza lives in Artesia with his wife, Leticia, their three daughters and son.

The 32nd Senate District includes the cities and communities of Artesia, Bellflower, Buena Park, Cerritos, Commerce, Downey, Hacienda Heights, Hawaiian Gardens, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, Lakewood, Los Nietos, Montebello, Norwalk, Pico Rivera, Rose Hills, Santa Fe Springs, South Whittier and Whittier.

Senator Tony Mendoza, 43, a Los Angeles native and former elementary school teacher in East Los Angeles, represents the 32nd Senate District encompassing parts of Los Angeles and Orange Counties. For more information about Senator Mendoza visit his website or follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *