Legislator of the Year Award

The CalSPAC Delegation selects a Legislator of the Year to recognize the efforts of a Legislator who has shown commitment to the CalSPAC focus areas and Junior League efforts. Delegates submit nominations for the “Legislator of the Year” using the nomination form to the Co-Chairs at least one week prior to the Winter Conference.  At the Winter Conference, each member league votes for one of the nominees. The award is then presented to the winning Legislator at the Day at the Capitol Conference in May.

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2022-2023 Legislator of the Year - Senator Dave Cortese

Senator Dave Cortese has been a champion for transitional age foster youth at the county and state level. In 2020, Senator Cortese led the creation of Santa Clara County’s first-in-the-nation universal basic income program to serve transitional age foster youth. After his 2020 election to statewide office, Senator Cortese authored SB739, The Universal Basic Income for Transition Age Foster Youth Act, which was later put into the state budget with an investment of $35,000,000 for the “California Guaranteed Income Pilot Program”. Senator Cortese has also recently introduced SB333, which would establish the Success, Opportunity, & Academic Resilience (SOAR), a universal basic income pilot program available to all of California's 12th grade unhoused students. Senator Cortese also has an incredibly responsive staff who have provided meaningful resources and support to both CalSPAC as well as the Junior League of San Jose.

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Past Winners

2021-2022 - Senator Susan Rubio

2020-2021 - Assemblymember Buffy Wicks

2018-2019 - Assemblymember Susan Talamantes Eggman

2017-2018 - Senator Scott Weiner

2016-2017 - Senator Toni Atkins

2013-2014 - Senator Marty Block

2012-2013 - Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal

2011-2012 - Senator Joe Simitian, Assemblymember Anthony Portantino

2010-2011 - Senator Mark DeSaulnier

2009-2010 - Assemblymember Fiona Ma, Assemblymember Pedro Nava

2008-2009 - Assemblymember Julia Brownley, Assemblymember Pedro Nava

2006-2007 - Senator Sheila Kuehl, Assemblymember Todd Spitzer

2004-2005 - Senator Elaine Alquist, Assemblymember Wilma Chan

2002-2003 - Senator Jackie Speier, Assemblymember Joe Simitian

2000-2001 - Senator Jackie Speier

1999-2000 - Senator Jackie Speier, Assemblymember Elaine Alquist 

1998-1999 - Assemblymember Sheila Kuehl

1997-1998 - Assemblymember Jim Cunneen *(Inaugural year of this award)