Veterans In The California State Legislature - 2013-14

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Veterans In The California State Legislature’s
2013-14 Legislative Session
The California State Legislature met on December 3, 2012 to convene the 2013-2014 Legislative
Session. The recent election brought in 39 freshmen legislators who will need to be educated
on veterans issues. This turnover comprises almost half of the Assembly. The Senate has only
one new member who had not previously served as an Assemblymember, retired Air Force
Major General Richard Roth. In addition to new legislators, there will be some new staff
members and new committee memberships. This is why it is so important for veterans
organizations to have a well attended Day at the Capitol event! We need to articulate the
importance of veterans issues, the good work your organization does in helping veterans, and
how the Legislature can help you to do this.

During the June 2012 Primary, a proposition was passed that altered California’s term limits.
Legislators can now serve a total of 12 years in either house or a combination of both houses.
Furthermore, the election brought some increased revenues (Prop 30) and a 2/3 super majority
of Democrats in the Senate and Assembly. It is unclear how exactly this will play itself out, but
it is certainly a new dynamic which could bring about new ways of conducting legislative
advocacy at the Capitol.

This election brought in 4 new legislators who are military veterans, one in the Senate and
three in the Assembly.

NEWLY ELECTED LEGISLATORS WHO ARE VETERANS

SENATOR RICHARD ROTH (DEMOCRAT, SENATE DISTRICT 31, RIVERSIDE)
Major General Roth was commissioned in June 1972. He attended Emory University School of
Law, graduating with a Juris Doctor degree in 1974. General Roth entered active duty in
February 1975 and served with Strategic Air Command and Pacific Air Forces units in Arizona,
Okinawa and California. Upon his release from active duty in April 1979, the general
transferred to the Air Force Reserve and was assigned as an individual mobilization augmentee
with Strategic Air Command bomb and refueling wings from 1979 to 1985. He subsequently
served three times as a staff judge advocate at the wing and group levels in Air Force Reserve
Command, then served as the mobilization assistant to the Judge Advocate General of the U.S.
Air Force, Washington, D.C. He retired in 2007.

ASSEMBLYMAN ROCKY CHAVEZ (REPUBLICAN, ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 76, OCEANSIDE)
Colonel Chavez worked his way through California State University in Chico and earned a BA
degree. He then served over 28 years as a United States Marine. He was subsequently
appointed Chief of Staff for the 4th Marine Division. Upon retirement from the Marine Corps,
he went on to spend nearly a decade on the Oceanside City Council. In 2009, Colonel Chavez
was appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger as Undersecretary of the California Department of
Veterans Affairs in Sacramento, later serving as Acting Secretary.

ASSEMBLYWOMAN SUSAN EGGMAN (DEMOCRAT, ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 13, STOCKTON)
After graduating from high school, Susan Eggman served four years as a medic in the U.S. Army.
She then attended California State University, Stanislaus, where she earned a B.A. in psychology
and a master's in social work. Susan worked as a mental health provider and a medical social
worker, before receiving her Ph.D. from Portland State University. Ms. Eggman most recently
served on the Stockton City Council. While there, she successfully lobbied the federal Veterans
Administration to build their new facility in San Joaquin County.

ASSEMBLYWOMAN MELISSA MELENDEZ (REPUBLICAN, ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 67, LAKE ELSINORE)
Melissa Melendez entered the United States Navy upon graduating high school. She attended
the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif., where she spent a year and a half in a
Russian language course, becoming a fluent Russian speaker. She then became one of the first
women approved by the U.S. Navy to fly aboard an Orion EP-3 reconnaissance aircraft overseas,
conducting intelligence-gathering operations in partnership with our allies. She served as a
Russian translator for ten years during the Cold War, as well as during Operation Desert Shield
and Desert Storm. While serving in the Navy full-time, Melissa also attended college and
received her BA in History and Political Studies from Chaminade University in Honolulu, Hawaii.
After the Navy, she then formed her own successful transcription company, contracting with
the Chief of Naval Operations and the Secretary of the Navy. Her husband is a Navy veteran,
having served 10 years on active duty as a journalist and public affairs officer. Ms. Melendez is
a member of the American Legion.

SENATOR STEVE KNIGHT (REPUBLICAN, SENATE DISTRICT 21, LANCASTER)
Senator Steve Knight is the son of the late Senator Pete Knight; combat pilot, test pilot, and
astronaut. Steve Knight was born at Edwards Air Force base and has lived in the Antelope
Valley for most of his life. After graduating from Palmdale High School, Steve served in the U.S.
Army from 1985-1987 as a track systems mechanic in Friedberg Germany and in the Army
Reserve from 1987-1993. Steve also served as a police officer in the Los Angeles Police
Department for 18 years. He served on the Palmdale City council. While in the Assembly,
Knight was awarded the American Legion’s Legislator of the Year in 2011.

SENATOR TED LIEU (DEMOCRAT, SENATE DISTRICT 28, TORRANCE)
Senator Lieu's family immigrated to the United States when he was three years old. Ted went
on to attend Stanford for his undergraduate degrees in Computer Science and Political Science,
then Georgetown University, where he received his law degree. Recognizing the great
opportunities America had given to his family, he joined the United States Air Force, where he
served as a prosecutor in the JAG corps. After serving on active duty for four years, he wanted
to continue to serve his country and joined the reserves. He continues to serve in the JAG corps
and was recently promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. Ted has received numerous medals for his
outstanding military service, including the Air Force Humanitarian Service Medal and two
Meritorious Service Medals. He has authored many bills dealing with veterans issues and has
served on the Assembly and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees. Lieu has been awarded
Legislator of the Year by the American Legion and the Vietnam Veterans of America.

ASSEMBLYMAN PAUL FONG (DEMOCRAT, ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 28, MOUNTAIN VIEW)
Assemblyman Fong enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and because of a knee injury he
was honorably discharged in 1973. Prior to being elected to the State Assembly,
Assemblymember Fong served on the Foothill-De Anza Community College District Board of
Trustees and the Foothill-De Anza Foundation Board of Directors, and served on the Board of
the California Community Colleges Trustees. Assemblymember Fong was also a political science
professor at Evergreen Valley College.
Assemblymember Fong holds two degrees from San Jose State University; a B.A. in Sociology
and a M.P.A. Also, he holds a MAEd. from the University of San Francisco.

ASSEMBLYMAN JEFF GORELL (REPUBLICAN, ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 44, CAMARILLO)
A third generation navy man, Jeff currently serves as a Lieutenant Commander (intelligence
officer) in the United States Navy Reserve. He has completed two one-year tours to the Middle
East and Afghanistan and was decorated for his leadership in a combat zone. In 2002, Jeff led a
combat camera team in Bagram, Afghanistan, and from 2011-2012, he commanded a targeting
cell embedded with the U.S. Marines in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Jeff is the grandson of
a Navy Seabee who fought in the Pacific during World War II, and the son of a career naval
officer and Vietnam veteran. From 1999-2006, Jeff Gorell was a Ventura County Deputy District
Attorney where he served as a trial prosecutor in the major narcotics and violent felony units.

ASSEMBLYWOMAN SHANNON GROVE (REPUBLICAN, ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 34, BAKERSFIELD)
Shannon Grove was raised in Arvin California, where she graduated from Arvin High School.
Shortly after high school, Shannon joined the United States Army serving at 5th Corps in
Frankfurt, Germany. After her service in the military, Shannon returned to Bakersfield and
worked for several employment agencies. In 1993, she and her sister-in-law formed Continental
Labor and Staffing Resources and today Shannon presides as Chief Executive Officer.
VER 12-12-12