→ View All
Community Celebrates Student Entrepreneurs at FuturePreneurs Pitch Week Showcase
The inaugural FuturePreneurs Pitch Showcase, hosted by Sierra Business Council and the Truckee Chamber of Commerce, was a resounding success, filling the Truckee Town Council Chambers with a crowd...
Community of Writers
Listed under: Art, Culture & Media Education
This Holiday Season, Donate to Give Back Tahoe.
Official Links: WEBSITE
View CalMatters Page
The first Indian-American elected to the California State Assembly, Ash Kalra has established himself as a voice for the vulnerable, having authored bills that help animals, high school students, and working families, among others. Serving in District 27, which predominantly spans east San Jose, Kalra was reelected in 2018 and cruised to a third term after winning 74.5 percent of the vote in November 2020. After redistricting he moved to Assembly District 25—which is still predominantly along Santa Clara Valley’s eastern foothills—and won with 72.7 percent of the vote.
Background
Born in Toronto in 1972, Kalra moved to San Jose as a child, growing up in the Hayes neighborhood that he still lives in. After earning a law degree from Georgetown University, he worked for 11 years in the public defender’s office for Santa Clara County and then served eight years on the San Jose City Council. He has also been a long-time teacher at the Lincoln School of Law in San Jose.
Committees
Aging and Long-Term CareEducationJudiciaryLabor and EmploymentWater, Parks, and Wildlife
Select Legislation
AB 2177, the Equine Welfare and Safety in Horse Racing Act: One of the more recent bills Kalra has authored, introduced in February 2020, addresses safety, welfare, and medication for horse racing. It would add required steps prior to euthanizing race horses for injuries, including mandating CT scan equipment use.
AB 2215, Veterinarians: cannabis: animals: At Kalra’s lead, California became the first state in the nation to allow veterinarians to discuss the use of medical cannabis for canines. While the Sacramento Bee noted that the bill faced early concerns, it passed relatively quickly from the time Kalra introduced it in early 2018, with then-Gov. Jerry Brown signing the bill into law that September.
AB 830, High school exit examination: repeal: California high school students who no longer have to take an exit exam for secondary school have Kalra to thank. He authored the 2017 bill that repealed the exam, with Kalra saying after Gov. Brown signed it that the state had adopted new and rigorous standards to prepare students for life after high school.
District Boundaries and Office Locations
Kalra’s district covers sections of downtown, east, and south San Jose, from neighborhoods like Alum Rock and Little Portugal in the northern parts of his district and Silver Creek and Edenvale further south. As such, he has district offices in the following locations:
• Capitol office: State Capitol, PO Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0025. Phone: (916) 319-2025. Fax: (916) 319-2125.
• District office: 111 W. St. John St, Suite 1150, San Jose, CA 95113. Phone: (408) 286-2535. Fax: (408) 286-2560.
From San Jose Spotlight...
From Monterey Herald...
From San Jose Inside...
Assemblymember Ash Kalra, a San Jose Democrat who chairs the Assembly labor and employment committee, said that where labor organizing campaigns have failed in low-wage industries, the government needs to act.
You are subscribed!
Look for our confirmation message in your email inbox.
And look for our newsletter every Monday morning. See you then!
You're already subscribed
It looks like you're already subscribed to the newsletter. Not seeing it in the email inbox of the address you submitted? Be sure to check your spam folder or promotions folder (Gmail) in case your email provider diverted it there.
There was a problem with the submitted email address.
We can't subscribe you with the submitted email address. Please try another.