Martin Block
Martin "Marty" Block is a former Democratic member of the California State Senate, representing District 39 from 2012 to 2016. He previously served in the California State Assembly, representing District 78 since from 2008 to 2012 and serving as Assistant Majority Whip from 2010 to 2012.
Block did not seek re-election to the California State Senate in 2016.
Biography
Block earned his B.A. in political science/Education from Indiana University and his J.D. from the DePaul University College of Law. He was the director of Student Legal Services at Western Illinois University from 1978-1979 and a history teacher in Illinois School District 68 from 1972-1978. He was a professor and dean at San Diego State University and a judge pro tem for the San Diego Superior Court. Block was a delegate to the Democratic Party's national convention in 1988, 1992, 1996, 2004.
Committee assignments
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Block served on the following committees:
| California committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Banking and Financial Institutions, Chair |
| • Budget and Fiscal Review |
| • Business, Professions, and Economic Development |
| • Education |
| • Governmental Organization |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Block served on the following committees:
| California committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Budget and Fiscal Review |
| • Business, Professions, and Economic Development |
| • Education |
| • Public Employment and Retirement |
| • Public Safety |
| • Veterans Affairs |
| • Fisheries and Aquaculture |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Block served on these committees:
| California committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Accountability and Administrative Review |
| • Emergency Management |
| • Governmental Organization |
| • Higher Education, Chair |
| • Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy |
| • Veterans Affairs |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Block served on these committees:
| California committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Accountability and Administrative Review |
| • Arts |
| • Health |
| • Higher Education |
| • Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy |
Issues
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.[1][2]
On the 2009 Capitol Weekly legislative scorecard, Block ranked as a 91.[3]
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2016
- See also: California State Senate elections, 2016
Elections for the California State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election was held on June 7, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was February 25, 2016, for candidates filing with signatures. The deadline for candidates using a filing fee to qualify was March 11, 2016.[4] Incumbent Martin Block (D) did not seek re-election.
Toni Atkins defeated John Renison in the California State Senate District 39 general election.[5][6]
| California State Senate, District 39 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Toni Atkins |
62.52% | 258,686 | |
| Republican | John Renison | 37.48% | 155,053 | |
| Total Votes | 413,739 | |||
| Source: California Secretary of State | ||||
Toni Atkins and John Renison defeated J. Bribiesca and Richard M. Fago in the California State Senate District 39 Blanket primary.[7][8]
| California State Senate, District 39 Blanket Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Toni Atkins |
66.33% | 159,970 | |
| Republican | John Renison |
18.14% | 43,760 | |
| Republican | J. Bribiesca | 11.01% | 26,565 | |
| Republican | Richard M. Fago | 4.52% | 10,895 | |
| Total Votes | 241,190 | |||
2012
- See also: California State Senate elections, 2012
Block won the 2012 election for California State Senate District 39. He and George Plescia (R) advanced past the blanket primary on June 5, 2012, defeating Patrick Marsh (D). Block was victorious in the general election on November 6, 2012.[9][10][11]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Marty Block |
58.4% | 221,012 | |
| Republican | George Plescia | 41.6% | 157,305 | |
| Total Votes | 378,317 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |
Martin Block |
46.3% | 85,930 | |
| Democratic | Patrick Marsh | 10% | 18,510 | |
| Republican | George Plescia |
43.7% | 81,214 | |
| Total Votes | 185,654 | |||
2010
Block won re-election to the 78th District seat in 2010. He had no opposition in the June 8 primary. He advanced past the blanket primary on June 5, 2012, defeating Republican Rick L. Powell in the November 2 general election.[12]
| California State Assembly, District 78 General Election (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Martin Block (D)
|
72,036 | |||
| Rick L. Powell (R) | 49,455 | |||
2008
In 2008 Block was elected to the California State Assembly District 78. Block (D) finished with 93,938 votes while his opponent John McCann (R) finished with 75,350 votes.[13]
| California State Assembly District 78 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Martin Block (D)
|
93,938 | |||
| John McCann (R) | 75,350 | |||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the California State Legislature in 2015.
- California Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by the chamber.
- California Civil Liberties Advocacy — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to civil liberties.
- California Environmental Justice Alliance — Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental issues.
- California Labor Federation — Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to labor.
- California League of Conservation Voters — Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental issues.
- California ProLife Council — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by CPC.
- Congress of California Seniors — Legislators are scored on their votes on senior issues.
- Consumer Federation of California — Legislators are scored on their votes on consumer issues.
- Equality California — Legislators are scored on their votes on LGBT issues.
- Health Access California — Legislators are scored by Health Access California on how they voted in the session on "critical health policy legislation that impacts consumers, communities, patients and the public interest."
- Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association — Legislators are scored on their votes on taxpayer-related issues.
- Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California — Legislators are scored on bills related to reproductive health issues.
- Secular Coalition for California — Legislators are scored on their stances on secular policy.
- Sierra Club California — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the California State Legislature in 2014.
- California Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by the chamber.
- California Civil Liberties Council — Legislators are scored by the California Civil Liberties Council on their votes on "bills related to due process, privacy rights, equal protection, and criminal justice."
- California Clean Money Action Fund — Legislators are scored by California Clean Money Action on their votes on bills "to limit the undue influence of Big Money in politics in California."
- California Environmental Justice Alliance — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- California Labor Federation — Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to labor.
- California League of Conservation Voters — Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental issues.
- Congress of California Seniors — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills that relate to senior issues.
- Consumer Federation of California — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to consumers.
- Equality California — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported by the organization.
- Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association — Legislators are scored on their votes on taxpayer-related issues.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues.
- Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by the organization.
- Secular Coalition for California — Legislators are scored on their stances on secular policy.
- Sierra Club California — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the California State Legislature in 2013.
- California Environmental Justice Alliance — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- California Humane Society — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills and letters supported by CHS.
- California Labor Federation — Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to labor.
- California ProLife Council — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by CPC.
- Capital Resource Institute — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family issues.
- Congress of California Seniors — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to senior issues.
- Consumer Federation of California — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to consumers.
- Equality California — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported by EQ CA.
- Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association — Legislators are scored on their votes on taxpayer-related issues.
- Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by PP.
- Sierra Club California — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Block is married to Cindy Block.
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term Martin + Block + California + Legislature
See also
- California State Legislature
- California State Senate
- California Senate Committees
- California State Senate District 39
External links
- Campaign website
- Profile from Open States
- Legislative profile of Martin Block on Project Vote Smart
- Biographical profile of Martin Block on Project Vote Smart
- Campaign contributions via Follow the Money
- Facebook page
Footnotes
- ↑ Capitol Weekly, "Capitol Weekly's Legislative Scorecard," December 17, 2009
- ↑ Fox and Hounds Daily, "Random Thoughts on the Political Scene," December 18, 2009
- ↑ Capitol Weekly, "2009 Capitol Weekly State Legislative Scorecard (Archived)," accessed March 13, 2014
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Key Dates and Deadlines," accessed April 18, 2017
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Certified List of Candidates for the November 8, 2016, General Election," accessed September 7, 2016
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "2016 General Election results," accessed December 23, 2016
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Certified List of Candidates for Voter-Nominated Offices," accessed April 4, 2016
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Statement of Vote," accessed August 22, 2016
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official primary candidate list," accessed March 13, 2014
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official 2012 Primary election results," accessed March 13, 2014
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official 2012 General election results," accessed March 13, 2014
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official 2010 General election results," accessed March 13, 2014
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official 2008 General election results," accessed March 13, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Christine Kehoe (D) |
California State Senate District 39 2012–2016 |
Succeeded by Tony Atkins (D) |
| Preceded by - |
California State Assembly District 78 2008–2012 |
Succeeded by Toni Atkins (D) |
