Assemblymember Cindy Montañez was first elected to the California State Assembly and sworn
into office representing the
39th Assembly District on December 2, 2002. At 29 years old, she is the
youngest member elected to the California Assembly in 2002.
Montañez serves on the following Assembly standing committees:
Rules, Budget and Budget Subcommittee #3 (Resources), Health, Banking and
Finance, Judiciary and Natural Resources. Montañez also chairs the Assembly
Select Committee on Environmental Justice.
Current legislation authored by Assemblymember Montañez is in policy areas such as child welfare, health care reform, environmental protection and environmental justice, consumer and victim protection, prison education reform, school facilities and new school construction. For the upcoming 2004 legislative session she is proposing legislation to increase access to affordable housing, facilitate large venue recycling to help local government meet mandated solid waste diversion rates, increase redevelopment of brownfield areas, and improve physical education for the health and well being of students in our public schools. In addition, she is continuing to advocate for environmental justice in communities across the state and promoting reforms in higher education that will control administrative costs so that scarce education funds can be spent educating students rather than on increased bureaucracy.
Cindy Montañez is a lifelong resident of the 39th Assembly District in the San Fernando Valley. Emigrating from Mexico her parents worked hard to put Cindy and her five brothers and sisters through school. She learned the meaning of hard work from her father who held three jobs while taking electrician’s courses at night. His determination paid off in the early 1980’s when the family started Montañez Electric, a successful local family business.
Cindy has a long history of community service. Before seeking public office, she had an exemplary record of public service in numerous community and professional organizations dealing with youth advocacy, women’s issues, environmental protection, health, education and cultural arts. Cindy served as a Legislative Aide to former LA City Councilman Senator Richard Alarcón and was appointed a Cultural Arts Commissioner for the City of San Fernando. As a student at UCLA, Cindy Montañez participated in an historic 14-day hunger strike that resulted in the creation of the Cesar Chavez Mexican American Studies Center.
Prior to her election to the state Assembly, Montañez served on the San Fernando City Council from 1999-2002, including a term as Mayor in 2001. As mayor, Cindy spearheaded the development of the City’s new and improved library facility, secured funding for additional public park space, created a victim’s advocate position to assist domestic violence victims, fought hard for well-paying jobs and implemented a new historic preservation program. She worked closely with local law enforcement, and because of her efforts San Fernando now has one the state’s best crime response times. In addition, she led efforts to develop partnerships to enhance the quality of local schools, and her leadership in improving economic opportunities through smart growth and sound development standards has the future looking bright in the Northeast San Fernando Valley.
The 39th District of the California State Assembly includes the communities of Pacoima, Sylmar, Mission Hills, Arleta, Panorama City, Lake View Terrace, Sun Valley, the City of San Fernando, and parts of North Hills and North Hollywood.