Pedro Nava (politician)

Pedro Nava (born 1948) is a Democratic politician who has represented California's 35th Assembly district since December of 2004. He succeeded Hannah Beth Jackson who was term limited.

Assemblyman Nava currently serves as Chair of both the Assembly Banking and Finance Committee, and the Joint Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security. He is a member of the Transportation Committee, Appropriations, the Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials, and Water Parks and Wildlife, the California Transportation Commission and the Select Committee on Ports. Pedro also serves on the California Ocean Protection Council, which is charged with coordinating and improving protection and management of California's ocean and coastal resources; the Little Hoover Commission, an independent state oversight agency that works to promote economy, efficiency, and improved services in the transaction of the public business; and the California Emergency Council, which serves as the official advisory body to the Governor during times of emergency and on matters pertaining to emergency preparedness.

Background

Assemblyman Nava grew up and attended public schools in Southern California. He studied at San Bernardino Valley College, graduated from California State University, San Bernardino, and obtained his law degree from the University of California, Davis, Martin Luther King Jr. Hall, School of Law. After graduation from law school, Assemblyman Nava worked in job training programs for the economically disadvantaged in Fresno. Assemblyman Nava later became a Deputy District Attorney in the Fresno County DA's Office, involved in Targeted Narcotics Prosecution; headed up the county-wide Drug Crime Task Force; was a Board member of the Fresno Rape Crisis Center; and was President of the Fresno Community College President's EOP&S Advisory Committee. In 1985, he joined the Santa Barbara DA's office where, for a time, he was assigned to the Consumer/Business Law Section. Since 1987, Assemblyman Nava has been a civil litigator, primarily representing nurses and health care practitioners.

Assemblyman Nava also served on the California Coastal Commission from 1997 until 2004.

Assemblyman Nava is the domain registrant of the website savethecondor.com, and the author of a controversial bill to ban the use of lead-based ammunition in the habitat of the endangered California Condor, which was signed into law by Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Assemblyman Nava was endorsed in the 2006 elections by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

Awards

Since his election, Assemblyman Nava has received the following awards:

Humane Society United States Legislator of the Year Award;
Southern California Contractors Association Legislator of the Year Award;
California Museum Association, President’s Award;
California Coastal Coalition and Southern California Wetlands Recovery Project Award;
California Animal Association Award;
Environment California Environmental Champion Award;
CALPIRG Public Interest Champion Award;
California Labor Federation and State Building and Construction Trades Council Award;
State Coalition of Probation Organizations Legislator of the Year Award;
The Faculty Association of California Community Colleges Freshman Term Legislator of the Year Award;
Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition Award;
The Association of California School Administrators Region 13 Friend of Education Award.

Personal

Assemblyman Nava is married to Susan Jordan, co-founder of the California Coastal Protection Network (CCPN) and Vote The Coast. They have one son, a sophomore in college. They live in Santa Barbara.Santa Barbara.