Leland Yee

• Biography:

  Elected to the California State Assembly in November 2002, Leland Yee represents the 12th Assembly District, which includes San Francisco and the cities of Broadmoor, Colma, and Daly City in San Mateo County. In his first year in the legislature, he was appointed to the Speaker’s leadership team as the Assistant Speaker pro Tempore. In 2004, Assemblymember Yee became the first Asian Pacific American to be appointed Speaker pro Tempore, the number two position in the California State Assembly. This same year, Speaker pro Tem Yee was also elected President of the National Asian Pacific American Caucus of State Legislators.

  In his first term, Dr. Yee fought for children, mental health services, working families, the environment, and language access by successfully passing 24 bills through the Legislature. In 2003, the Governor signed eleven of his bills including AB 938 (Ch. 473, Stats. of 2003), which establishes the Licensed Mental Health Provider Education Program and the Mental Health Practitioner Education Fund to offer incentives to mental health practitioners working in medically under-served communities. Also in the field of mental health, AB 1102 (Ch. 269, Stats. of 2003) requires evaluation of current mental health sensitivity training for law enforcement officers, and AB 1371 (Ch. 397, Stats. of 2003) strengthens informed consent requirements for mentally ill patients involved in medical research.

  Other notable legislation includes AB 566 (Ch. 82, Stats. of 2003), that modifies the Fish and Game Code to end unnecessary penalization of merchants for conducting business in their native language. To promote language access and protect children, Dr. Yee authored AB 292 to prohibit a state or local governmental agency from using children as interpreters, except under limited circumstances. Additionally, in 2004, Speaker pro Tem Yee authored measures to guard our state beaches from litter and pollution (AB 454); ensure fair treatment of workers (AB 3037); protect our children from violent video games (AB 1793); increase penalties to those who abuse children (AB 3042); create incentives for biotech companies to stay in California (AB 3034); and restore local sales taxes to the communities in which they are generated (AB 2466). But most importantly, when our community colleges and UC's were facing some of the most drastic budget cuts in history, Speaker pro Tem Yee fought such proposals. As a result, these cuts did not come to pass and now thousands of young Californians can still afford a college education.

  Prior to the Assembly, Dr. Yee spent eight years on the San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education where he fought to streamline bureaucracy, direct funds towards higher standards in core curriculum, update educational materials, reduce class sizes, and increase public access to school services.

  In 1996, Dr. Yee was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. As Chair of the Finance Committee, he championed fiscal responsibility and accountability and established the largest "Rainy Day" budget reserve in San Francisco's history. Dr. Yee introduced and passed the General Obligation Bond Accountability Act and helped to pass the Sunshine Ordinance to allow the public real access to what goes on at City Hall. He also became the first Supervisor to hold budget hearings in San Francisco neighborhoods, making it easier for communities to participate in the local budget process.

  Dr. Yee emigrated at the age of three to San Francisco from China. He was educated in San Francisco's public schools, and received his bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley, and his master's degree from San Francisco State University. After earning his doctorate in Child Psychology at the University of Hawaii, Dr. Yee worked in various mental health and school settings.