Assemblymember John Laird was elected in 2002, and again in 2004 and 2006, to represent the 27^th Assembly District, which includes portions of Santa Cruz , Monterey and Santa Clara Counties .  In 2004, Mr. Laird was named by Assembly Speaker Núñez to join the Assembly leadership team as chair of the Budget Committee, a position to which Speaker Nunez reappointed him in December 2006.  Along with the Budget Committee, Mr. Laird serves as a member the Labor and Employment, Judiciary, and Natural Resources Committees.

In 1981, Mr. Laird was elected to the Santa Cruz City Council, where he served nine years, including two one-year mayor's terms, becoming one of the first openly gay mayors in the United States .  He served as an elected member of the Cabrillo College Board of Trustees from 1994 to his election to the Assembly in 2002.

John Laird lives in Santa Cruz with his partner John Flores. He is fluent in Spanish, has traveled widely, has conducted extensive family history research and is a life-long Chicago Cubs fan.

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Updated: Monday, December 11, 2006