Lori Saldana

Lori Saldana
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Candidate for
U.S. House, California, District 52
Party	Democratic
Prior offices
California State Assembly
2004-2010

Lori Saldana was a 2012 Democratic candidate seeking election to the U.S. House representing the 52nd Congressional District of California. She was formerly a Democratic member of the California State Assembly. She represented the 76th District and served as Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore. She was first elected to the California state assembly in November 2004, and then again in 2006 and 2008.

Saldana has worked as a coach at Clairemont High School, San Diego City College and Madison High School. She was a professor at San Diego Community College, and was an Associate Dean and Director of the Service Learning Program at San Diego Mesa College. Saldana has an undergraduate degree in physical education, and a master's degree in education, from San Diego State University.

Often referred to as a national expert in water quality, Saldana chairs a local chapter of the Sierra Club, and has co-founded and chaired San Diego Earth Day Celebrations. Additionally, she was a Presidential appointee to the Border Environment Cooperation Commission.

Policy positions

Legislative scorecard

Capitol Weekly, California's major weekly periodical covering the state legislature, publishes an annual legislative scorecard to pin down the political or ideological leanings of every member of the legislature based on how they voted on an assortment of bills in the most recent legislative session. The 2009 scores were based on votes on 19 bills, but did not include how legislators voted on the Proposition 1A (2009). On the scorecard, "100" is a perfect liberal score and "0" is a perfect conservative score. ,

On the 2009 Capitol Weekly legislative scorecard, Saldana ranked as a 97.

Saldana is a staunch advocate of environmental legislation. She co-authored the Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32), which sought to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while instituting renewable energy mandates. She also sought to decrease the use of fossil fuels while making solar energy more affordable by co-authoring the Million Dollar Solar Initiative. Additionally, she authored legislation to increase California's Environmental Fund, which included increasing the use of hybrid vehicles and reduced-emission buses.

Initiative rights

In the 2009 session of the state legislature, Saldana introduced three bills that would restrict California's ballot initiative process:

• Assembly Bill 6, which would require petition drive management companies to pay an annual fee and register with the California Secretary of State.
• Assembly Bill 426, which would increase the fee that proponents of an initiative measure are required to pay at the time of submitting the draft of the measure to the Attorney General from $200 to $2,000.
• Assembly Bill 1068, which would forbid contracts with signature gatherers premised upon whether or not the measure qualifies for the ballot.

Committee assignments

Committees of the California State Assembly

Saldana was a member of these legislative committees:

• Select Committee on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
• Assembly Legislative Ethics
• Elections and Redistricting Committee, California General Assembly
• Housing and Community Development Committee, California General Assembly
• Select Committee on Ports
• Revenue and Taxation Committee, California General Assembly
• Veterans Affairs Committee, California General Assembly
• Select Committee on Wine

Sponsored legislation

Saldana's sponsored legislation includes:

• AB 330 - Elections: voting devices
• AB 436 - Elections: initiatives
• AB 1068 - Petitions: signature gathering

For details and a full listing of sponsored bills, see the House site.

Elections

2012

See also: California's 52nd congressional district elections, 2012

Saldana ran in the 2012 election for the U.S. House, representing California's 52nd District. She was defeated in the June 5, 2012, open primary.

2010

Saldana was ineligible to run for re-election in 2010 due to the term limits of the California State Assembly.

2008

In 2008 Saldana was re-elected to the California State Assembly District 76. Saldana (D) finished with 113,754 votes and was followed by Denney Ralph (R) with 55,128 votes and Daniel Baehr (L) with 8,224 votes.

California State Assembly District 76
Candidates		Votes
Lori Saldana (D)		113,754
Denney Ralph (R)		55,128
Daniel Baehr (L)		8,224

Campaign donors

2008

Lori Saldana on medical marijuana

Below are Saldana's top 5 campaign contributors in the 2008 election:

Contributor	2008 total
CA State Council of Laborers	$10,800
AFSCME California	$10,200
CA School Employees Assoc	$9,200
CA Dental Assoc	$8,800
United Health Care Workers West	$8,700

External links

Suggest a link

• Legislative profile of Lori Saldana on Project Vote Smart
• Biographical profile of Lori Saldana on Project Vote Smart
• Campaign contributions: 2008, 2004

References

Political offices
Preceded by -	California State Assembly District 76 2004–2010	Succeeded by Toni Atkins