SACRAMENTO - Assembly Member Hector De La Torre was appointed to the Budget Committee, Environmental Safety and Toxics Materials Committee, Local Government Committee, and the Utilities and Commerce Committee by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez. Earlier, Speaker Nunez appointed Assembly Member De La Torre as Chair of Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health and Human Services.

"California faces many challenges, particularly our budgetary crisis. These policy committee assignments provide me the opportunity to advocate for good public policy that will help gain greater public confidence in our government. These assignments will certainly help me to better address the needs of my district's constituents," stated Assembly Member De La Torre. "I will tackle our health and human services crisis by closely examining each agency's efficiency while ensuring that we protect the needed services for Californians."

Each policy committee faces difficult public policy debates that impact Californians on a wide array of issues. Assembly Member De La Torre is prepared to help tackle the state's energy needs and the growing concern over toxic contamination plaguing our urban communities.

Building on his experience cleaning up the South Gate corruption scandal, De La Torre is ready to advance his legislation, Assembly Bill 11. The bill aims to prohibit the unscrupulous practice of salary-padding by limiting the compensation for city council members sitting on commissions and/or agencies within their cities to no more than $150 per month. This would close a loophole that some city officials have used to make thousands of dollars above their state mandated salaries.

"As a member of the Local Government Committee, I will not only push for my clean government bill, AB 11, but I will advocate for transparency in municipal government," said Assembly Member Hector De La Torre.

Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez formally announced his committee assignments today. The Assembly has 28 standing committees and is composed of 80 Assembly Members, each representing approximately a half-million Californians.

De La Torre represents the 50th Assembly District which is located in Southeast Los Angeles County and includes the cities of Bell, Bell Gardens, Bellflower, Commerce, Cudahy, Downey, Lynwood and South Gate, as well as the unincorporated communities of Florence-Graham and Walnut Park.