Biography

Since Pedro’s election to the State Assembly in 2004, he has shown a strong commitment to public safety, emergency preparedness and protecting the environment. Whether he’s fighting to advance the rights of sexual assault victims, punish animal abusers or help police officers and fire fighters protect our communities, you can count on Pedro.

The week Pedro started in the Capitol, the Ventura County La Conchita tragedy cost 10 people their lives and buried 30 homes under a tsunami of mud. He was responsible for coordinating emergency response and recovery legislation in the State Assembly. For the past 4 years, he has chaired the Joint Senate/Assembly Committee on Emergency Services and Homeland Security, and during this time worked to merge two departments -- the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security -- into one, CalEMA (the California Emergency Management Agency). He is also a member of the California Emergency Council, which serves as the official advisory body to the Governor during times of emergency and on matters pertaining to preparedness.

Additionally, Pedro has been recognized by the California State Sheriffs’ Association as “Outstanding Legislator 2008.” The National Latino Peace Officers Association has also honored Pedro "for [his] outstanding dedication and support of the National Latino Peace Officers Association".

As a Deputy District Attorney in Fresno, he headed the Targeted Narcotics Prosecution/Asset Seizure program, served on the Rape Crisis Center board of directors and was the first non-peace officer named “Peace Officer of the Year” by the Latino Peace Officers Association. As a prosecutor in Santa Barbara he worked in the Consumer Business Law Section. As a lawmaker, he has authored bills to protect victims’ personal information from sexual violent predators and give prosecutors the tools to keep these criminals off our streets. Recently, Pedro was honored for these efforts as well, having been appointed by Assembly Speaker Karen Bass to a seat on the Domestic Violence Program Advisory Council.

Following his career in law enforcement, Pedro was a civil litigator, primarily representing health care practitioners in medical malpractice cases. 

He is well known in the environmental community, having earned one of the highest environmental protection voting records while serving for 8 years on the California Coastal Commission. Since his election, he has introduced important legislation to protect the environment. Some of the highlights include a bill banning the use of lead in areas frequented by the endangered California Condor, the establishment of a comprehensive oil spill prevention program, and legislation to protect watersheds.

Before becoming a prosecutor, Pedro worked with community colleges, private vocational tech educators, the private sector, community based organizations and local government, helping the unemployed find jobs.

Born in 1948, and living in Santa Barbara, Pedro grew up and attended public schools in Southern California. He is a strong supporter of public education. He studied at San Bernardino Valley College, graduated from California State University, San Bernardino, and obtained his law degree from the University of California, Davis’ Martin Luther King Jr. School of Law.

Pedro has a long history of community involvement, having been President of the Board of Trustees of the Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law, and the Santa Barbara Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and serving as a Board Member of Santa Barbara Women Lawyers, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and the Santa Barbara Jewish-Latino Roundtable and as an Honorary Board Member of the Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center. Pedro was also a recipient of the first Women's Economic Ventures "Man of Equality" award.