Dr. Ed Hernandez had only one goal as a young man – to serve the health care needs of the community he came from.  As an optometrist and local businessman, he never dreamed he would one day work in the California State Assembly.  As a health care provider in predominantly low-income communities though, Dr. Ed routinely saw the ravages of diseases that went untreated because patients had no access to regular health care.  More than anything else, the need to improve access to health care is what drove him to run for office.  Dr. Ed won his seat in the California State Assembly in November of 2006, in his first bid ever for a publicly elected office.

As one of the few health care providers serving in the state legislature, Assemblymember Hernandez serves on the Assembly Committee on Health as well as Budget Subcommittee 1 – which has direct oversight over the portions of the budget dealing with Health and Human Services.  These assignments have afforded Assemblymember Hernandez the opportunity to play a central role in what has been this legislative session’s most critical policy debate – improving access to health care for Californians.  He is also Chair of the Public Employees Retirement and Social Security Committee (PERSS), and serves on the Business and Professions Committee as well. 

Assemblymember Hernandez is the Chair of the San Gabriel Valley Legislative Caucus, made up of 13 Senators and Assemblymembers representing the greater San Gabriel Valley.  This position has allowed him to work in cooperation with fellow legislators on issues critical to the San Gabriel Valley, including water and transportation.

Assemblymember Hernandez grew up in La Puente, attended local schools and graduated from Bassett High School.  He worked his way through school, attending both Rio Hondo and Mt. San Antonio Community Colleges before going on to get his B.S. degree in Biology from Cal State Fullerton.  He received a scholarship to study Optometry at Indiana State University, which is also where he met his wife Diane.  After returning home, Dr. Ed and his wife setup their first practice in his hometown of La Puente.

Before being voted into the Assembly, Dr. Ed worked as an optometrist in the San Gabriel Valley with offices in three communities.  He and his wife Diane, also an optometrist, have together served over 50,000 patients.  He happily donated his time to the community - providing free eye care to low-income children and working with local schools to examine the eyes of thousands of students.  He led the San Gabriel Valley campaign for Proposition 72 (health insurance) and his practices provide care to at-risk diabetic patients.

Although a new member of the Assembly, Dr. Ed is no stranger to the State Capitol.  While practicing as an optometrist he worked his way up the ranks of the California Optometric Association and served as president of the organization in 2000 and 2001, advocating in Sacramento on behalf of patients and members of the Association.  Until his election to the Assembly he had also served as President of the California Board of Optometry.

Dr. Ed’s daughter, Valerie Hernandez, works as the Business Manager for his optometric practice while working on her MBA, and his younger daughter Jennifer Hernandez is a senior in high school with plans to pursue a Fine Arts degree in college.

Assemblymember Hernandez represents the 57th Assembly District, which includes the cities of Azusa, Baldwin Park, Covina, La Puente, West Covina, Irwindale, Industry, and other unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County.