Nicole Parra

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Nicole M. Parra (born February 3, 1970 in Bakersfield, California) has been a California State Assemblywoman since 2002. She represents the 30th Assembly District which includes portions of Fresno County, Tulare County and Kern County and all of Kings County. She succeeded Dean Florez who had been elected to the State Senate. Parra chairs the Assembly Agricultural Committee. She is a Democrat. Parra is widely known as one of the more moderate or conservative members of the California Assembly Democratic Caucus; she chairs the "New Democratic Caucus" which consists of moderate to conservative democrats [1]. She is against gay marriage and has spoken out against gay marriage on several occasions, although she has stated she supports civil unions on her project vote-smart profile. Parra has often received criticism from liberals for her pro-business stance, but has also received criticism from conservatives for supporting driver license for illegal immigrants. Overall within her district Parra is popular among rural farmers and Hispanics. She has an ongoing feud with Dean Florez [2]. In June 2007, Parra allowed several of Florez's bills to die in her agriculture committee without a motion for a vote [3]. Now Florez's mother Fran Florez, the mayor of Shafter, is seeking to succeed Parra in 2008 when Parra is term limited out of the Assembly.

[edit] Background

Parra's hometown is Hanford, California. Her father has served Kern County as a Supervisor and her mother works for the Bakersfield Adult School. Parra is Catholic. She attended Highland High School where her brother, Peter, now teaches. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 1992 with a B.A. in Economics. In 1998, she earned a J.D. from the Catholic University School of Law in Washington D.C., although she has repeatedly failed the California Bar Exam and has consequently never become a licensed California attorney. In 1996, worked for her father Supervisor Pete Parra as a Field Director. Parra spent many years working on behalf of Congressman Cal Dooley. Parra served as Dooley’s campaign manager in 2000 and as his district director from 1998 to 2002.

[edit] Assembly

Parra was elected to the Assembly in 2002 by 266 votes [4]. She serves as Chair of the Agriculture Committee. She also serves on the Banking & Finance, Insurance, and Water Parks and Wildlife Committees.

Representing a region with a large agricultural sector, Parra has authored several key bills that would aid farmers and workers. She has also created an Agriculture Advisory Group, which gives farmers throughout the district a forum to discuss issues relating to the industry.

Public safety has been one of her Parra's main priorities. She chaired the Select Committee on Megan's Law and Sex Offender Registration. She authored several key bills aimed at strengthening and expanding Megan's Law in California, target methamphetamine dealers, and toughen laws against child pornography.

She was honored by several organizations for her legislation on public safety. Parra has recognized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the Sexual Assault Investigators Association, the California State Sheriffs Association, the Crime Victims United, and the California Police Chiefs Association. She was named 2003 Legislator of the Year by the California Main Street Alliance and the California Downtown Association based on her efforts to accelerate economic development and secure more jobs for struggling communities around the state. Recently, Assemblywoman Parra was honored with the 2006 Mark Bingham Award for Achievement by the California Alumni Association, the alumni association for her alma mater, the University of California, Berkeley.

Her successful effort in authoring and co-authoring several bills and house resolutions relating to military personnel, veterans and their families has been recognized by several organizations. Parra was the recipient of the California National Guard’s highest honor for a civilian, the Order of California Public Service Award. The California Association of County Veteran Service Officers, the California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Alliance, the Veterans of Foreign have also honored Parra for her work on behalf of veterans.

On February 1, 2008, a soon to be termed out Ms. Parra announced she would not be seeking office in the state senate in order to focus on her personal life.

[edit] References

Political offices
Preceded by
Dean Florez		 California State Assemblywoman, 30th District
2002 – present		 Succeeded by
incumbent