Bob Huff
Bob Huff | |
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150px | |
California State Senate Republican Leader | |
In office January 5, 2012 – August 27, 2015 |
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Preceded by | Bob Dutton |
Succeeded by | Jean Fuller |
California State Senate Republican Caucus Chair |
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In office August 1, 2009 – January 5, 2012 |
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Preceded by | George Runner |
Succeeded by | Tom Harman |
Member of the California State Senate from the 29th district |
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Assumed office December 1, 2008 |
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Preceded by | Bob Margett |
California State Assembly Republican Caucus Chair |
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In office December 8, 2006 – November 30, 2008 |
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Preceded by | Greg Aghazarian |
Succeeded by | Cameron Smyth |
Member of the California State Assembly from the 60th district |
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In office December 6, 2004 – November 30, 2008 |
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Preceded by | Bob Pacheco |
Succeeded by | Curt Hagman |
Personal details | |
Born | Calexico, California |
September 9, 1953
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | Mei Mei Huff[1] |
Residence | San Dimas, California |
Alma mater | Westmont College |
Occupation | Agriculture Businessman |
Religion | Protestant |
Website | Senator Bob Huff |
Robert S. Huff (born September 9, 1953) is an American businessman and politician, who was the California State Senate Minority Leader and Senate Republican Leader from January 5, 2012 until to August 27, 2015.[2] Since December 1, 2008, he has represented the Senate's 29th District, which includes portions of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino counties.
Contents
Early life
Born on September 9, 1953 in Calexico, California, Huff grew up on his family's farm near El Centro.[3] He has a bachelor's degree in psychology from Westmont College,[4] and his business background is in grain handling and commodity wholesaling.[5][6]
Political career
Diamond Bar
Huff served on the Diamond Bar City Council, and was mayor of the city in 1997 and 2001.[5] He was also involved in local transportation issues, serving on the Four Corners Transportation Policy Group,[when?] Foothill Transit,[when?] and the Alameda Corridor East Construction Authority.[5]
State Assembly
Huff was elected to the California State Assembly in 2004, defeating Gail Pacheco, the wife of term-limited Bob Pacheco. The election was considered an upset.[7] Reelected in 2006, he was a member of the California State Assembly until 2008.
State Senate
Huff was elected to the California State Senate for the 29th district in 2008, succeeding the term-limited Bob Margett. In 2012, he was elected by the Republican Caucus to succeed the term-limited Bob Dutton as Senate Republican Leader.[6] After the 2012 California State Senate elections, Huff was re-elected Senate Republican Leader.[8] His current term runs until 2016, when due to term limits Huff will not be able to run for re-election (to the State Senate).
Huff is a member of the Senate Education Committee and has authored legislation affecting K-12 education. He is an advocate of charter schools,[9] school choice, and standardized testing.[10] He supported SB 161,[11] which allows trained volunteers to administer emergency medication to students with epilepsy who suffer a seizure at school. Huff introduced Senate Bill 1295,[12] a measure to approve the placement of commercial advertisements on the exterior of school-buses. This bill was rejected by the Senate Education Committee but was given an option to be re-introduced at a later time.[13] He introduced Senate Bill 1116 with Leland Yee (D-San Francisco), which defined and regulated "heritage schools", private after-school programs that teach foreign language and culture and required them to register with the California Department of Education instead of being licensed as child day care centers by the California Department of Social Services (DSS)[14][15] Huff opposed a plan that would have replaced the current testing system with new tests based on the Common Core learning goals. Because test scores would be unavailable during the new test's two-year trial period, the U.S. Department of Education threatened to impose financial penalties on the state. The alternative supported by Huff was to require the use of both the old and the new test during that period. The state Senate approved the bill.[16]
Huff cast a deciding vote in 2009 on a Senate rule waiver that allowed a measure on environmental exemptions favorable to one of Huff's donors, Majestic Realty.[17] This vote led to criticism, as Majestic was also a client of his wife's consulting business.[1] In 2011, Huff opposed Governor Jerry Brown’s plan to abolish California’s redevelopment agencies.[17]
In a state government that as of 2012 is controlled by Democrats with super majorities in both houses,[18] Huff has a reputation as a moderate Republican.[citation needed] The Los Angeles Times opined that "Senate Republican leader Bob Huff of Diamond Bar was more pragmatic, given his party's weakened political position in Sacramento. Brown 'is the most conservative of the three leading Democrats in Sacramento,' Huff said."[19] Huff has worked with Brown on issues such as California's prison crisis.[20]
Committee memberships
Huff serves on the Senate Education Committee and is the past Vice Chair of the Senate Budget Committee. He also serves as a member of the Joint Committee on Senate Rules, 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 committees.[21]
Huff's sub-committee assignments include: Education: Sustainable School Facilities and Education: Policy Research.
Positions and affiliations
On education, Huff received an 83% rating from the California State University system in 2011.[22] He received an 11% rating in 2012 from the California School Employees Association.[23] On business and labor issues, in 2012 he was rated 100% by the California Chamber of Commerce[24] and 12% by the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO.[25] He received a 100% rating from the California Pro-Life Council in 2012[26] and a 20% rating from Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California in 2013.[27] He received a 92% rating from the National Rifle Association in 2012.[28]
In addition, he has received the following ratings: [29]
Interest group | Rating | Year |
---|---|---|
American Cancer Society, California Division | 53% | 2012 |
American Conservative Union | 91% | 2012 |
California Communities United Institute | 42% | 2011 |
California Farm Bureau Federation | 100% | 2007 |
California League of Conservation Voters | 5% | 2012 |
California Park and Recreation Society | 75% | 2011-12 |
California National Organization for Women | 8% | 2009 |
California's Political Action Committee for Animals | 0% | 2011 |
California Taxpayers Association | 100% | 2012[30] |
Children's Advocacy Institute | 58% | 2011 |
Congress of California Seniors | 37% | 2012 |
Consumer Federation of California | 13% | 2012 |
Drug Policy Forum of California (DPFCA) | 0% | 2012 |
Republican Liberty Caucus of California | 67% | 2011 |
In 2012, Huff raised $1,169,601 in campaign contributions. His largest donors came from the insurance, health professionals, and real estate sectors. The California Association of Realtors, the California Chamber of Commerce, the California Medical Association, the California Building Industry Association, and the California Dental Association were his largest contributors.[31]
Recognition
Huff was recognized as 2011 Legislator of the Year by the League of California Cities for "efforts to protect local redevelopment agencies".[32] He was also recognized by the American Council of Engineering Companies, California,[33] and as the 2011 Job Champion by the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce.[34] The California Epilepsy Foundation named three fellowships in honor of Huff at UCLA, USC and Children's Hospital Los Angeles for his work on behalf of students with epilepsy.[35] He was awarded the 2005 Local Distinguished Service Award in Transportation from the American Public Transit Association[5] and the Outstanding Community Leader of 2005 by the Old Baldy Council of the Boy Scouts of America.[5]
Personal life
Huff and his wife, Mei Mei, reside in San Dimas, California. They have four children and six grandchildren.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2012/09/am-alert-paul-ryan-hits-the-california-atm.html, posted Friday 7 September 2012, by Micaela Massimino, "... Sen. Bob Huff, R-Diamond Bar, turns 59 on Sunday." Per WP:CALC we have 1953-09-09 as date of birth.
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- ↑ Senate Bill 172[dead link]
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- ↑ California Department of Education. "State Schools Chief Torlakson Announces Deadline Extension for Heritage School Registration". Retrieved November 29, 2013.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://articles.latimes.com/2012/dec/02/local/la-me-cap-republicans-20121203, "...for the first time in 80 years both houses will be dominated by supermajorities, enough heft for Democrats to pass any legislation without Republican support." The current California Governor Jerry Brown is also a member of the Democratic party.
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- ↑ Project VoteSmart. Robert 'Bob' S. Huff's Ratings and Endorsements. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
- ↑ California Taxpayers Association. "2012 Legislative Voting Record". Retrieved November 29, 2013.
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- ↑ http://www.anaheimchamber.org/BusinessAdvocate/3-1/3-1.pdf
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
- Articles with dead external links from November 2013
- Pages with broken file links
- Vague or ambiguous time from November 2013
- Articles with unsourced statements from December 2013
- Official website not in Wikidata
- 1953 births
- American Protestants
- Businesspeople in agriculture
- California city council members
- California Republicans
- California State Senators
- Living people
- Members of the California State Assembly
- People from Imperial County, California
- People from Diamond Bar, California
- Westmont College alumni