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California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus

A History of Asian Americans in the California Legislature

A total of twenty-one Asian Pacific Islanders (APIS) have served in the California Legislature. Nine currently serve in the Assembly and one in the Senate. They include: Mike Eng (D-Monterey Park), Warren Furutani (D- Gardena), Mary Hayashi (D-Hayward), Shirley Horton (R-Chula Vista), Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco), Alan Nakanishi (R-Lodi), Alberto Torrcio (D-Newark), Van Tran (R-Costa Mesa), and Leland Yee (D-San Francisco).

Past APIs that have served in the California Legislature include:

Alfred Song
Alfred Song became the first API and Korean American to serve in the Legislature when he was elected to the Assembly in 1961. Prior to his election, Mr. Song served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II as the first Korean American commissioned officer. He began his career in public service as the first Asian American on the Monterey Park City Council in 1960. Four years after his historic election to the Assembly, Mr. Song was elected to the State Senate. His accomplishments during his three terms in the Senate include serving as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and establishing and chairing the Senate Democratic Caucus.

March Fong Eu
March Fong Eu became the first API woman and Chinese American elected to the Legislature in 1966. She represented the 15th Assembly District, which included Alameda County. Ms. Fong Eu earned her Doctorate of Education degree at Stanford University and served on the Alameda County Board of Education for three terms prior to her election to the Assembly. She is still remembered for her legislative efforts on behalf of environmental preservation and the protection of women’s rights. Ms. Fong Eu served on the Education and Public Health committees, and was the vice chairperson of the Committee on Revenue and Taxation. After having served four terms in the State Assembly, Ms. Fong Eu went on to become the first woman and Asian American elected to statewide office as Secretary of State.

Tom Hom
The election of Tom Hom to the State Assembly in 1967 increased the number of APIs in the Legislature to three. Mr. Hom represented the 79th District from San Diego and served for one term. He was the first Chinese American man to serve in the Legislature.

Paul Bannai
In 1972, Paul Bannai became the first Japanese American elected to the State Legislature. A veteran of the United States Army Intelligence Service, Mr. Bannai began his career in public service as a councilman for the city of Gardena. He represented the 53rd Assembly District for four terms until 1980. Committees Mr. Bannai served on include: Criminal Justice, Finance and Insurance, Veterans Affairs, Ways and Means, and Rules.

Floyd Mori
Floyd Mori was elected to the Assembly in 1974 to represent the 15th Assembly District and served three terms until 1980. He served as both mayor and council member for the Pleasanton City Council prior to his election to the Assembly. Formerly a college economics professor, Mr. Mori was an active member of the community and is currently the Executive Director of the National Japanese American Citizens League.

Nao Takasugi
It was another decade before another API was elected to the Legislature. Nao Takasugi was elected to the Assembly in 1992 and left in 1998 as a result of term limits. During his term, he served as the chairperson of the Committee on Revenue and Taxation. Nao Takasugi, a graduate of Temple University and Wharton School of Business, served as a council member on the Oxnard City Council prior to his election to the Assembly. He now serves as the chair of the Oxnard Harbor District Board of Directors.

Mike Honda
Mike Honda, Democrat, was elected to the Legislature in 1996. Mr. Honda is a third generation Californian who began his career as an educator in the San Jose school system and went on to serve on the Santa Clara Board of Supervisors. His accomplishments before being elected include interrupting his college career to answer the call of public service; he served in the Peace Corp for two years, building schools and health clinics in El Salvador. In Mr. Honda’s career as an educator, he was a science teacher, served as a principal at two public schools, and conducted educational research at Stanford University. During his time in the Assembly, Mr. Honda served as the Chairperson of the Committee on Public Employees, Retirement, and Social Security, and the Committee on Public Safety. After representing the 23rd Assembly District from 1996-2000, Mr. Honda was elected to Congress in 2000.

George Nakano
Assemblymember George Nakano served as a Torrance City Councilmember for 14 years before his election to the State Assembly in 1998. He represented the 53rd District, encompassing the southern coastal region of Los Angeles County. Nakano was appointed by the Speaker in January 2002 to serve as Democratic Caucus Chair, he was the first Asian American to hold the leadership position. He was a member of the Committees for Veterans Affairs, Transportation, Insurance, Health, Budget, Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism, and Internet Media, and the Joint Committee to Develop the California Master Plan for Education. In January 2001, Nakano was elected by his colleagues to serve the inaugural Chair of the Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus. The eldest of four children, Assemblyman Nakano was born in Los Angeles and grew up in a poor neighborhood in East Los Angeles. After he and his family spent four years in internment camps during World War II, George returned to Los Angeles and graduated from John H. Francis Polytechnic High. Assemblyman Nakano and his wife Helen, a realtor, have resided in the South Bay for 42 years. They have two grown children and two grandchildren.

Carol Liu
Assemblymember Carol Liu represented the 44th Assembly District from 2000 to 2006. The district includes the cities of La Canada Flintridge, Pasadena, South Pasadena, Temple City and Duarte. Her interests ranged form K-12 education to career/technical education, adult education and higher education. She was Chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee and a member of the Assembly Education Committee, the Assembly Committees on Transportation and Governmental Organization, and California’s Seismic Safety Commission. Liu also chaired the Legislative Women’s Caucus in 2005 and is a past Co-Chair of the Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus. In 2003, Liu was recognized as the “Legislator of the Year” by both the California State Student Association and the University of California Alumni Associations. Liu was again named “Legislator of the Year” in 2004 by the National Organization for Women. Before being elected to the assembly, Liu served in the public education system for 17 years and was a member of the La Canada Flintridge City Council in which she served two terms as Mayor.

Wilma Chan
Assemblywoman Wilma Chan represented the 16th Assembly District from 2000 to 2006. The district includes the Alameda, Oakland and Piedmont areas. Her primary concerns were health care, senior services, early childhood education, environmental health, job creation and economic development. Chan served as the Chairwoman of the Assembly Committee on Health, Assembly Select Committee on California Children’s School Readiness and Health, and the Assembly Select Committee on Asian Trade. She also co-chaired the Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus and was the Assembly Majority Whip during her term. Most notably, Chan is the first woman and the first Asian American to serve as the Assembly Majority Leader. In addition to her leadership roles, Chan sat on the Assembly Budget Committee, Education Finance subcommittee, Assembly Committees on Transportation, and Labor and Employment. In 2004, Chan launched the “Adopt A School – Partnership for Success” program which linked local organizations with public schools. Prior to her role as Assemblywoman, Chan served two terms on the Board of Supervisors, where she was the first Chair of the Alameda County Children and Families Commission.

Judy Chu
Assemblywoman Judy Chu was elected to the California State Assembly in May 2001. She represented the 49th Assembly District, which includes Alhambra, El Monte, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel, San Marino and South El Monte. During her time in the Assembly, Dr. Chu held several pivotal roles, such as Chair of the State Assembly Appropriations Committee, Select Committee on Hate Crimes and Chair of the California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus. She was also a member of the Budget Conference, Assembly Revenue and Taxation, Labor and Employment, and Environmental Safety and Toxic Material committees. Prior to serving in the state Assembly, she served on the Monterey Park City Council for thirteen years, from 1988 to 2001, and served as Mayor of the city three times. Dr. Chu has been dedicated to education throughout her career. She started her career in public service as a board member of the Garvey School District from 1985 to 1988. Dr. Chu was named by California Journal as one of California's top new legislators. She has received a 100% rating by the Children's Advocacy Institute, the Congress of California Seniors, the Better Business Alliance and the California League of Conservation Voters.