Bob Huff

Robert S. Huff (born September 9, 1953) is a U.S. politician, who is a Republican member of the California State Senate, representing the 29th Senate District, which includes portions of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino counties. He has served in that body since December 1, 2008 and is the chair of the Republican Caucus.

A resident of Diamond Bar, California, he served on its City Council from 1995 to 2004 and was Mayor in 1997 and 2001. Huff won the 2004 Assembly election to succeed the term-limited Bob Pacheco and was reelected in 2006. He won the 2008 election to succeed the term-limited Bob Margett for the 29th district in the California State Senate.

Education and professional life

Born in Calexico, California, Huff grew up on his family's farm in the Imperial Valley. Huff attended Westmont College in Santa Barbara, where he earned a bachelor's degree in psychology, graduating with honors.

Most of his professional and business experience has been in the agricultural industry. Working through the ranks to become the youngest vice president in a grain handling corporation, he became manager-owner of the Ray S. French Company, an independent commodity wholesaler, shortly after he moved his family to Diamond Bar in 1983.

Bob Huff and his wife Mei Mei make their home in Diamond Bar. They have three sons, a daughter, and five grandchildren.

Community service

Prior to serving on the Diamond Bar City Council, Huff served on the Diamond Bar Planning Commission, the Diamond Bar General Plan Advisory Committee, and was a founding member of the Tres Hermanos Conservation Authority. He is also a member of Walnut Valley Rotary Club and former member of the Diamond Bar Improvement Association and Diamond Bar Chamber of Commerce.

With a focus on transportation issues, Bob Huff was Diamond Bar’s delegate to the Four Corners Transportation Policy Group and was Vice President of the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments. He was President of the Foothill Transit Executive Board, and founding Chairman and Executive Board Member of the Alameda Corridor East Construction Authority (ACE).

Legislative leadership

Senator Huff serves as a key leader in the Senate Republican Caucus, holding the position of Republican Caucus Chair and is the primary Senate Republican negotiator for all state budget issues.

Senator Huff serves on the following standing committees: Vice Chair of Budget and Fiscal Review, Vice Chair of Governance and Finance, and member of the committees for Transportation and Housing, Education, and Budget Subcommittee 1 on Education.

In the Assembly from 2004–2008, Bob Huff also held leadership positions of Whip, Republican Caucus Chairman and Vice Chair of the San Gabriel Valley Legislative Caucus.

Committee membership

Senator Huff serves on the following standing committees: Vice Chair of the Senate Budget Committee, Vice Chair of the Governance and Finance Committee and also serves as a member of the Education and Transportation and Housing Committees.

In addition, Senator Huff serves on the Select Committees of Asian Pacific Islander Affairs, California Job Creation and Retention, California’s Horse Racing Industry, Earthquake and Disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery and High-Speed Rail.

Senator Huff's Sub-Committee assignments include: Budget: Subcommittee 1 on Education, Education: Sustainable School Facilities and Education: Policy Research

Legislation

Senator Bob Huff is an experienced businessman and an accomplished legislator who advocates for streamlining government regulations that strangle job creation. He is also known for advocating accountability and reform in our public schools.

Senator Huff has had legislation signed into law guaranteeing more funding for public charter schools. He has also led efforts to continue the Standard Testing and Reporting (STAR) program for second graders and fought for parents' right to choose the best school for their children. Senator Huff has been a leader in expanding school choice for parents and students, including two reauthorizations of the School District of Choice program, the creation of the Open Enrollment Act and the nationally recognized “Parent Trigger” law.

In 2010, Senator Huff had legislation signed into law that protects private after school programs that tutor children in schoolwork, as well as teach foreign language and culture.

One of his proudest accomplishments is getting SB161 signed into law in 2011, which places the health and welfare of California schoolchildren first, by allowing trained volunteers to administer emergency medication to students with epilepsy when they suffer a seizure at school.

Rankings, awards and recognition

Senator Huff’s fight for local control and his refusal to accept “business as usual” in Sacramento translated into several high profile awards during the 2011 Legislative Session.

Senator Huff was recognized as Legislator of the Year in 2011 by the League of California Cities, California Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse, the California Business Properties Association, the American Council of Engineering Companies, California and the Inland Empire Caucus, which serves citizens with disabilities. He was recognized for his efforts to protect local control, his legislative work on behalf of the industrial real estate industry and his tireless efforts to improve the business and jobs climate in California. He was also recognized as the 2011 Job Champion of Anaheim by the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce and received a received a perfect score in the 2011 California Chamber of Commerce Legislative Scorecard.

Senator Huff was awarded the 2005 Local Distinguished Service Award in Transportation from the American Public Transit Association and the Outstanding Community Leader of 2005 by the Boy Scouts of America Old Baldy Council.

In addition, he has received first-rate legislative vote rankings from the California Taxpayers Association, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, California Chamber of Commerce, National Federation of Independent Businesses, California Farm Bureau Federation, and the California Manufacturers and Technology Association.

External links

• Official Senate web site
• Official Campaign web site