Mark DeSaulnier

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Mark James DeSaulnier (pronounced IPA: /dəsoʊnjɛə/) is an American politician who has represented California Assembly District 11 for the Democratic Party since December 2006. DeSaulnier's district includes the cities of Antioch, Clayton, Concord, Hercules, Martinez, Pinole, and Pittsburg, as well as several unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County. He is currently running for the California State Senate in district 7 - the seat currently held by Tom Torlakson who will be termed out.

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[edit] Background

Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, DeSaulnier earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from the College of the Holy Cross. A longtime restaurant owner, he lives in Concord with his two sons. DeSaulnier is an avid runner and has completed twenty-one marathons.[citation needed]

[edit] Local government

Prior to becoming a supervisor, he served as the mayor of Concord and was a city councilmember from 1991 to 1993. He also served on the Concord Planning Commission and was a member of the University of California Toxic Substances Research and Teaching Program Advisory Committee.

DeSaulnier served on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors district 4 from 1993 until 2006. In 2002, he retained his seat with 80 percent of the vote, the highest percentage recorded in a contested election in the history of the county.[1] During DeSaulnier's time on the Board of Supervisors, he sponsored the Industrial Safety Ordinance and the Refinery Flare Rule for local refineries and chemical facilities. DeSaulnier served on the executive boards of the Association of Bay Area Governments, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, California Air Resources Board and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. He was chairman of the Regional Agency Coordinating Committee. DeSaulnier introduced a Women's Health Program serving the health care needs of all women in Contra Costa County. He also established the annual Children and Families' Budget, a separate County budget that reviews and measures the effectiveness of County programs in these areas. His other projects for children include AfterSchool4All, the Future Fund and the Children and Families Committee of the Board of Supervisors.

[edit] Special programs

In 2003 he participated as a fellow (sponsored by Fannie Mae) in the Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government Leadership Program and Symposium on Affordable Housing. DeSaulnier was a featured speaker for the Japanese Automotive Research Institute in Tokyo, Japan, and co-chaired the World Fuel Cell Conference in Lucerne, Switzerland in July 2002. He also participated in two transportation-land use study tours sponsored by the German Marshall Fund to promote trans-Atlantic dialogue around the issues of smart growth, regional planning, air pollution and transportation. He has been a speaker on smart growth and regionalism numerous times.

[edit] Run for the State Assembly

On the July 14, 2006 democratic primary, DeSaulnier carried over 51% of the democratic vote over Laura Canciamilla, the wife of termed out former assemblymember Joe Canciamilla.[2] DeSaunier was endorsed by the SF Chronicle and the Contra Costa Times.[3] Some pundits had predicted that Canciamilla would win.[4] In the general election, DeSaulnier was endorsed by most major Democrats including US Senator Barbara Boxer and California Senator Tom Torlakson. DeSaulnier won an easy election to his first term in the assembly over Arne Simonsen with over 66% of all votes cast.[5]

[edit] Assemblymember

Mark DeSaulnier chairs the Select Committee on Growth Management and he is a member on the assembly Committees on Transportation, Appropriations, Human Services, and Labor and Employment, and Rules committee. DeSaulnier has authored twenty-three bills and joint or principal coauthored an additional eighteen bills for the 2007-2008 Legislative Session. His bills address truancy among school children, preschool access, suicide prevention, childhood obesity, reducing air pollution, secondhand smoke, and creating opportunities for at-risk youth.

On July 7, 2007, the day of the Live Earth concert, DeSaulnier delivered the Democratic weekly radio address on steps people can take to reduce their carbon footprint.[6]

One bill introduced by DeSaulnier, AB 1617 would have restricted tobacco smokers from purchasing tobacco products via the internet.[7] The bill was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger.[8]

In April 2008, DeSaulnier introduced AB 2235 would require a biometric feature be incorporated into all new handguns sold in California, a technology which does not yet exist for firearms.[9] For this move, DeSaulnier received an F rating from the National Rifle Association.[citation needed]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Mark DeSaulnier - Publication Details
  2. ^ CA Secretary of State - Primary Election- State Assembly District 11 - Districtwide
  3. ^ Mark DeSaulnier - Publication Details
  4. ^ Capitol Weekly: The Newspaper of California State Government and Politics
  5. ^ [1]
  6. ^ (http://cms.markdesaulnier.com/PublicationDetail.aspx?PublicationID=213)
  7. ^ AB 1617 Assembly Bill - INTRODUCED
  8. ^ AB 1617 Assembly Bill - Bill Analysis
  9. ^ Bill List

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Joe Canciamilla
2001-2006		 California Assembly
11th district
Mark DeSaulnier
2007—present		 Succeeded by
—