| Eduardo Garcia represents California's 36th Assembly District, which includes Imperial County and cities and communities in Riverside County and San Bernardino County. Elected in 2014, Garcia presides as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy, overseeing critical issues such as ensuring energy stability, affordability, and safety and California's groundbreaking efforts to decarbonize its electrical grid. He serves on the Assembly Committees on Budget; Budget Subcommittee 3; Communications and Conveyance; Governmental Organization; and Human Services. Assemblymember Garcia is an Ex Officio Member of the California Air Resources Board. He chairs the newly established Assembly Select Committee on California's Lithium Economy and previously chaired the Assembly Committees on Water, Parks, and Wildlife; and Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy.
During his tenure, Garcia has achieved success on legislation that would increase access to healthcare, create new parks, support small businesses, invest in broadband infrastructure, improve air and water quality, expand affordable housing, provide workforce training, and bring economic relief to underserved areas, like those in his district. He also secured historic investments for regional environmental priorities such as the Salton Sea and New River.
Notably, Assemblymember Garcia has distinguished himself as a climate change, renewable energy, and environmental justice champion who has worked to ensure equity, improve public health, protect vulnerable communities from extreme heat, combat pollution, and create new clean energy jobs.
In 2016, Garcia led Assembly efforts to pass SB 32 and AB 197, landmark climate change legislation that established California's emission reduction mandate and a policy framework that prioritized climate investments for disadvantaged communities most impacted by pollution. Building upon those efforts, in 2017, Garcia authored AB 398 and AB 617, which developed a statewide climate action plan, and the Community Air Protection Program. The United States Environmental Protection Agency recognized Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia with a National Climate Leadership Award.
In the Legislature, Garcia remains committed to ensuring all Californians have access to safe, affordable drinking water and safe parks and outdoor spaces. He joint authored SB 200, legislation that created the Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) program. This program is bringing vital water infrastructure investments to underserved areas across the state. His work on SB 5, the Prop 68 California Parks, Environment, and Water Bond Act of 2018, released $4 billion in long overdue and much-needed state resources. Garcia has already delivered nearly $60 million in Prop 68 funds to improve and build new parks throughout his district.
Before serving the State Assembly, Garcia was elected to the Coachella City Council, and at the age of 29, he became Coachella's first elected Mayor. His vision transformed the city into a vibrant economic and cultural center.
A graduate of local public schools, Garcia attended Coachella Valley High School and the University of California, Riverside. He also completed the "Senior Executives in State and Local Government" Public Administration program from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He earned a master's degree from the University of Southern California School of Policy, Planning, and Development.
He is a proud father, husband, and life-long resident of the Coachella Valley. |