Susan Rubio

Susan Rubio (born December 25, 1970) is an American politician serving in the California State Senate. A Democrat, she represents the 22nd Senate District in eastern Los Angeles County. Prior to being elected to the California Legislature in 2018, she was an elected official for the City of Baldwin Park for 13 years and a public school teacher for 17 years.

Susan Rubio
Member of the California Senate
from the 22nd district
Assumed office
December 3, 2018
Preceded byEd Hernandez
Personal details
Born (1970-12-25) December 25, 1970
Ciudad Juárez, Mexico
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2013; div. 2016)​
RelativesBlanca Rubio (sister)
EducationEast Los Angeles College
Azusa Pacific University (BA, MA)

She is the first Latina Chair of the State Senate Insurance Committee, Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Domestic Violence, and Senate Assistant Majority Whip.

Early life and education

Rubio was born in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. Rubio's parents twice immigrated to the United States without proper documentation. The first time the family settled in Texas, from which they were deported in 1975, after about two years. The family returned to the US several years later, again as undocumented immigrants, this time settling in Los Angeles.[1][2] She became a U.S. citizen in 1994 after being sponsored by her youngest sister, Sylvia, who was born in El Paso.[1]

Rubio attended East Los Angeles College (ELAC) and earned an undergraduate degree and a master's degree in Education from Azusa Pacific University.

Earlier career

Rubio started her teaching career in Baldwin Park Unified School District and was a teacher at Monrovia Unified School District for 17 years. Rubio was first elected as City Clerk in Baldwin Park in 2005. In 2009, she was elected to the Baldwin Park City Council and reelected in 2013.

California State Senate

Rubio represents the 22nd Senate district in eastern Los Angeles County. In 2018, she finished in second place over Baldwin Park City Councilwoman Monica Garcia in the primary, then won November runoff against former state Assemblyman Mike Eng.

Her district comprises the cities of Alhambra, Arcadia, Azusa, Baldwin Park, Covina, El Monte, Industry, Irwindale, La Puente, Monterey Park, San Gabriel, Rosemead, South El Monte, Temple City and West Covina as well as the unincorporated communities of Avocado Heights, Charter Oak, Citrus, East Pasadena, East San Gabriel, Mayflower Village, North El Monte, South Monrovia Island, South San Gabriel, South San Jose Hills, Valinda, Vincent and West Puente Valley.

She is Chair of the Senate Insurance Committee and committee member of Energy, Utilities, Communications; Health; Transportation; and Governmental Organization.  She is a member of the Senate Housing Group and was recently appointed as Senate Assistant Majority Whip.[3]

She is Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Domestic Violence[4] and Co-Chair of the Wildfire Working group.[5] She is also a Select Committee member of The Social Determinants of Children’s Well-Being; Asian Pacific Islander Affairs; Mental Health; California-Mexico Cooperation; and California, Armenia and Artsakh Mutual Trade, Art and Cultural Exchange.

Rubio is a Member of the Latino Legislative Caucus, Legislative Jewish Caucus, Los Angeles Caucus, San Gabriel Valley Caucus and Legislative Women’s Caucus.[6]

Domestic violence legislation

In February 2019, Rubio introduced SB 273, The Phoenix Act, a bill intended to help victims of domestic violence by lengthening the state of limitations from 3 to 5 years in certain cases and requiring additional police training on dealing with such cases.[7] It was signed into law. She also passed SB 316, which requires the number of the National Domestic Violence Hotline to be printed on the back of student ID cards.

In 2020, she passed SB 1141, which allows domestic violence victims to use evidence of psychologically damaging or abusive behavior, commonly referred to as coercive control, as evidence in Family Court or criminal proceedings.[8][9]

2018 election results
California's 22nd State Senate district, 2018[10][11]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Eng 38,051 45.3
Democratic Susan Rubio 22,136 26.4
Democratic Monica Garcia 17,404 20.7
Democratic Ruben Sierra 6,377 7.6
Total votes 83,968 100.0
General election
Democratic Susan Rubio 101,936 52.3
Democratic Mike Eng 93,018 47.7
Total votes 194,954 100.0
Democratic hold

Personal life

Her ex-husband is former Assemblyman Roger Hernández, whom she divorced in 2016 after winning a restraining order due to allegations of several domestic violence incidents during their marriage, including "pushing, shoving, and choking" her.[12][13] Her sister is California State Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio.

Rubio resides in Baldwin Park, California.

References
  1. "Sister Act: The Remarkable Road To History For Two CA Legislators". IVN.us. November 13, 2018.
  2. "Meet the Immigrant Legislators Putting Their Stamp on the Capitol". KQED. May 2, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  3. "Senate Leader Atkins Announces Leadership, Committee Appointments". California State Senate. February 10, 2021.
  4. "Senate Leader Atkins Announces Senate Select Committees for the 2021–22 Legislative Session". California State Senate. March 24, 2021.
  5. von Kaenel, Camille (April 6, 2021). "Proposed Bill Would Give California Farmers Last-Resort Option for Fire Insurance". Times of San Diego.
  6. "Biography". Senator Susan Rubio. November 19, 2010. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  7. Modesti, Kevin (May 28, 2019). "'Emotional': LA-area Sen. Susan Rubio's domestic-violence bill advances". San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  8. Pardo, Daniela (September 26, 2020). "California Bill Aims to Change How Domestic Violence Is Defined". Spectrum News 1.
  9. Ryzik, Melena; Benner, Katie (January 22, 2021). "What Defines Domestic Abuse? Survivors Say It's More Than Assault". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  10. "2018 California primary election State Senator results" (PDF). Retrieved June 23, 2019.
  11. "2018 California general election State Senator results" (PDF). Retrieved June 23, 2019.
  12. "Judge orders West Covina assemblyman to stay away from wife following domestic violence allegations". Los Angeles Times. April 15, 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  13. "Assemblyman Roger Hernandez ordered to stay away from wife due to abuse allegations". San Gabriel Valley Tribune. July 1, 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
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