Biography

Dave Jones (D-Sacramento) is serving his third term representing the 9th District (Sacramento) in the California State Assembly. He currently chairs the Assembly Health Committee and serves on the Appropriations, Judiciary (former Chair) and Accountability & Administrative Review Committees.

Previously, Dave Jones served as a Sacramento City Councilmember and worked as a legal aid attorney with Legal Services of Northern California providing free legal assistance to the poor. In 1995, Jones was one of only 13 Americans awarded the prestigious White House Fellowship. He served in the Clinton Administration for three years as Special Assistant and Counsel to U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno.

Dave Jones has passed over 70 bills demonstrating his commitment to children and families, affordable housing, education (with special emphasis on early childhood education), consumer and environmental protection, healthcare, privacy rights, civil rights, equal access to the courts, economic development, and privacy protection.

A few highlights of important legislation Dave Jones authored include:

• His Assembly Bill 1233, called the “most important housing bill of the year” in 2005 by affordable housing advocates.
• His landmark 2006 conservatorship reform bill, AB 1363, enacted sweeping protections for seniors and dependent adults facing abuse.
• His 2008 Assembly Bill 2759 created the nation’s largest early childhood education and preschool program to give children the best possible start.
• His consumer protection legislation added important new protections to Californians‘ financial, personal and medical privacy.
• His environmental legislation helped improved air and water quality, protect the endangered California Sea Otter, and promote communities where people can walk, bike or take public transit.

Assemblymember Jones led the fight to end abusive tax loopholes that contributed to record state deficits. Additionally, he has worked to address the foreclosure crisis plaguing California. Jones led the effort to put the $4.09 billion Disaster Preparedness and Flood Protection bond on the ballot in 2006. He also improved equal access to the courts by increasing resources to meet the legal needs of low income, disabled and senior Californians.

Named “2008 Consumer Champion” by the California Consumer Federation, Dave Jones also was awarded the “Leadership Award” by the Western Center on Law and Poverty. He has been honored by Planned Parenthood, Environment California, the Urban League, Preschool California and CalPIRG. Capitol Weekly named Assemblymember Jones California’s “most effective legislator.”

Jones is a graduate of DePauw University, Harvard Law School and Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He and his wife, Kim Flores, have two young children, Isabelle and William, and live in Sacramento.