Darrell Steinberg

• Biography:

  Darrell Steinberg was elected on November 7, 2006 to the California State Senate, representing the 6th District, which includes the capital city of Sacramento, parts of Elk Grove and Citrus Heights.

  Prior to his election to the State Senate, Steinberg served three terms representing the 9th District of the State Assembly, which includes most of the capital city of Sacramento.

  He is the author and co-proponent of Proposition 63, the mental health initiative that was approved by more than 5.6 million California voters on November 2, 2004. Proposition 63 will finally fulfill the promise made by Governor Reagan in 1968 when California closed most of its mental hospitals and pledged to replace them with a community-based system of treatment, prevention and support services. It will generate more than $1 billion per year in state and federal funds to establish mental health programs throughout the state based on the highly successful AB 34 and AB 2034 programs that Steinberg authored earlier.

  Steinberg’s hard work and dedication in the Assembly brought him an array of public recognition. He was honored in California Journal’s biennial “Minnie Awards”, which recognize legislators who represent “a pattern of conduct, an outlook and demeanor that exemplifies the best kind of public service”. The nonpartisan magazine named Steinberg “Assemblymember of the Year” for 2004 and also honored him as the Assembly’s top member in the categories of integrity, best problem-solver, and hardest working.

  “No other member of either house was praised as often as Darrell Steinberg when it came to identifying those traits that make up the consummate legislator”, wrote Journal Editor A. G. Block in the magazine’s August, 2004, issue. “Most observers credited him with being in the thick of nearly every tough problem to come before the legislature over the past two years. He was cited repeatedly for his problem-solving abilities, quick intelligence, integrity and hard work. No other member so dominated the Minnies in his or her house.”

  In 2000, during his first term in office, Steinberg was a nearly unanimous choice for the magazine’s “Rookie of the Year” award. In 2002, he was honored as the Assembly’s best problem solver and the member with the most integrity. Steinberg was twice named Legislator of the Year by the California Psychiatric Association. Other Legislator of the Year awards include the California School Boards Association; California Federation of Teachers; Californians for Disability Rights; Girl Scout Councils of California; and the California Probation, Parole and Correctional Association. Mr. Steinberg also received the outstanding Public Service Award from the California School Employees Association and the Phillip S. Tow Government Award (Clean Air Award) from the American Lung Association.

  During his tenure in the Assembly, Steinberg served as Chair of the Assembly Committees on Budget, Appropriations, Judiciary, Labor and Employment, and the Select Committee on High Priority Schools. He also served as a member of the Assembly Housing and Local Government Committees.