Jim Beall (California politician)
| Jim Beall | |
|---|---|
 Beall in 2011 | |
| Member of the California State Senate from the 15th district | |
|
Assumed office December 3, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Elaine Alquist (redistricted) |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 24th district | |
|
In office December 4, 2006 – November 30, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Rebecca Cohn |
| Succeeded by | Rich Gordon |
| Member of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors from the 4th District | |
|
In office December 5, 1994 – December 4, 2006 | |
| Preceded by | Rod Diridon |
| Succeeded by | Ken Yeager |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
James Thomas Beall, Jr. December 7, 1952 San Jose, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Pat Lafkas |
| Residence | San Jose, California |
| Alma mater | San Jose State University |
James Thomas "Jim" Beall, Jr. (born December 7, 1951) is an American politician currently serving in the California State Senate. A Democrat, he represents the 15th Senate District, which encompasses the South Bay and Silicon Valley.
Prior to being elected to the State Senate in 2012, Beall served as a member of the California State Assembly representing the 24th Assembly District. Before his time in the Legislature, he served a member of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, as well as a member of the San Jose City Council.
Early life and education
James Thomas Beall, Jr. was born on December 7, 1952 in San Jose, California. He graduated from San Jose State University.
Political career
Santa Clara County roles
Beall served on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors from 1994 until 2006, prior to which he served 14 years on the San Jose City Council. As a councilman and county supervisor, Beall served two decades on the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, where he lobbied commissioners to select the extension of the Bay Area Rapid Transit system to San Jose as a top priority project, enabling it to eventually receive $900 million in federal funding. In the spring of 2012, Valley Transportation Authority and BART officials broke ground on the extension.
District 15 of California Senate
In 2011, Beall announced his candidacy for the new District 15 seat of the California State Senate. He won the June 2012 primary election, finishing more than 11 percent ahead of his opponent, fellow Democrat Joe Coto, and again in the general election in November 2012, defeating Coto 57% to 42%.[1] He officially took the position on December 3, 2012, taking the role from his predecessor Elaine Alquist (after rezoning).
He is currently serving in the California State Senate as a Democrat representing the 15th Senate District, which encompasses the South Bay and Silicon Valley.
Personal life
On July 9, 1983, he and Patricia F. "Pat" Lafkas were married. He has two stepsons, Gregory B. Chubb (born November 7, 1967) and Mark J. Chubb (born June 16, 1970). Beall is a vegetarian.[2] Beall Jr. also graduated from San Jose State University with a BA in Political Science.[3]
Awards
- American Psychiatric Association – Jacob Javits Public Service Award, 2009
- California Small Business Association – Summa Cum Laude Award, 2009
- Campaign for College Opportunity – Champion of College Opportunity, 2009
- National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter – California Public Citizen of the Year, 2011
- Planned Parenthood Mar Monte – Legislator of the Year, 2011
- Women’s Foundation of California – Champion Award, 2011
- Silicon Valley Legal Advocates for Youth – LACY Award, 2011
- The ARC of California – Bulldog Award, 2012
Notes
- ↑ .
- ↑ Thomas, Mat (October 2010). "Meat-Free Politicians". VegNews. San Francisco: Joseph Connelly. Archived from the original on 2011-04-19. Retrieved 2011-04-18.
Jim Beall may look like he routinely scarfs down steaks at every meal, but no—he's been meatless since 1993.
- ↑ "SJSU Distinguished Alumni". sjsu.edu. Retrieved 2014. Check date values in:
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External links
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Rod Diridon |
Santa Clara County Supervisor, 4th District December 5, 1994 – December 4, 2006 |
Succeeded by Ken Yeager |
| Preceded by Rebecca Cohn |
California State Assemblyman, 24th District December 4, 2006 - November 30, 2012 |
Succeeded by Rich Gordon |
| Preceded by Elaine Alquist |
California State Senater, 15th District December 3, 2012 – present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
Members of the California State Senate | ||
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