Legislator of the Year

Overview November 6, 2019

Legislator of the Year
CFT honors outstanding California legislators

The CFT names a Legislator of the Year to acknowledge an individual’s extraordinary efforts in the State Capitol on behalf of educators and education. The award is presented at the CFT Convention.

Award Recipients

2021 Assemblymember Rob Bonta, D-Oakland
2019 Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell, D-Long Beach
2018 Senator Connie Leyva, D-San Bernadino, and Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, D-San Diego
2017 Assemblymembers Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, and Phil Ting, D-San Francisco
2016 Assemblymember Jose Medina, D-Riverside
2015 Assemblymember Paul Fong, D-San Jose (Award of Appreciation)
2014 Senator Marty Block, D-San Diego
2013 Assemblymember Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley
2012 Assemblymembers Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, and Paul Fong, D-San Jose
2011 Senator Loni Hancock, D-Berkeley

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Article March 30, 2021 CFT Convention

Legislative Action

Rob Bonta named Legislator of the Year
Addresses delegates on cusp of becoming state Attorney General

This year’s Legislator of the Year award went to Oakland Assemblymember Rob Bonta. In his first public address since Governor Newsom appointed him to fill Xavier Becerra’s position as California attorney general after Becerra became Secretary of U.S. Health and Human Services, Bonta spoke to the CFT Convention.

California Teacher April 30, 2019 CFT Convention awards

Legislative Action

Legislator of the Year Patrick O’Donnell brings the classroom to Sacramento

Former teacher and Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell, who has lobbied for more school funding, and served as chair of the Assembly Education Committee, received the Legislator of the Year Award.

California Teacher March 23, 2018 CFT Convention

Legislative Action

Legislators of the Year: Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher and Connie Leyva

Community College Council President Jim Mahler first met Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) when she worked in Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante’s office. She supported labor then, and she supports it now, he said, advocating for International Workers’ Day and passing paid sick leave for all workers.

California Teacher May 1, 2017 CFT Convention awards

Legislative Action

Kevin McCarty, Phil Ting: CFT Legislators of the Year

When the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges put City College of San Francisco on the severest sanction, a lot of legislators didn’t get it, said Tim Killikelly, president of AFT Local 2121, the faculty union there.

California Teacher March 1, 2016 CFT Convention

Legislative Action

Legislator of the Year: Jose Medina

Many legislators, although they seem good at first, have a “shelf life,” said Community College Council President Jim Mahler, which expires when they stop responding to the people who elected them. Mahler said to combat this by finding your own candidates. Assemblyman Jose Medina, D-Riverside, winner of CFT’s Legislator of the Year Award, was just who the union was looking for.

California Teacher May 1, 2014 CFT Convention

Legislative Action

San Diego education advocate named Legislator of the Year

CFT’s Community College Council President Jim Mahler called state Senator Marty Block, who represents the cities of San Diego, Coronado, Del Mar and Solana Beach, the union’s “go-to guy on every issue for decades,” when awarding Block the CFT’s Legislator of the Year Award.

Legislator of the Year

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