Incumbent – Grade A

Political Party:

Democrat

Ballot Designation:

 State Assemblymember

Law Enforcement Contributions:

California Correctional Peace Officers Association Local (CCPOA PAC)
Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC PAC)
Los Angeles Police Protective League PAC
California Association of Highway Patrolmen PAC

Background:

 Assemblymember Pellerin was first elected to the State Assembly in 2022 after serving as the Santa Cruz County Clerk for 27 years, where she presided over the elections process for all county residents.

Public Safety Platform:

This session, Assemblymember Gail Pellerin served on the Assembly Elections Committee and voted in favor of ACA 4, an IJ Action sponsored bill to restore voting rights to people in prison. During the committee vote, Pellerin remarked that after reflection she arrived at the conclusion that felony disenfranchisement was “unconstitutional” and “discriminatory” and therefore voted yes. 

Assemblymember Pellerin has a mixed record on criminal justice issues, often supporting both reform measures and criminalization bills. For example, she supported AB 2178 to reduce the prison bed threshold while also voting to support AB 1990 and AB 1960, two dangerous bills that created new enhancements and authorized physical custody for shoplifting, respectively. She has received campaign contributions from multiple law enforcement agencies and is endorsed by the Peace Officers Research Association of California.

Despite her support for some bad bills, Assemblymember Pellerin has also supported good pieces of legislation, earning an A in our 2023 and 2024 Legislative Scorecards. For this reason, and because her opponent is significantly more pro-police and pro-prison expansion, IJ Action recommends AD 28 voters re-elect Assemblymember Pellerin.

Website:

https://www.gailpellerinforassembly.com/

Political Party:

Republican

Ballot Designation:

 Retired Monte Sereno Mayor

Law Enforcement Contributions: None as of 8/23/24

Background:

 Lawler is the former Mayor of and current Council Member for the City of Monte Sereno. Her professional background is in advertising, and she is also a Better Streets Commissioner, focusing on street repairs and beautification.

Public Safety Platform:

Lawler’s public safety platform, which is titled “Stop the Violence,” outlines the following: “Public safety is of increasing concern as lawlessness abounds and police officers are demoralized and defunded. “No bail” and other misguided policies are leaving violent people on the street and fostering “smash and grab”, car-jacking, and other serious crimes. To restore safety, we need to end “no bail” and hold violent and habitual criminals accountable.” 

Per her website, her platform has three main goals: “1) Revise the state’s excessively lenient early release policies, particularly where they pertain to violent offenders, to ensure dangerous felons serve the majority of their sentence. 2) Allow for the arrest, possible jail time and drug treatment court for those who shoplift less than $950; 3) Preserve cash bail, which is a proven safeguard for the “accused” to appear at their mandated court appearances.”

Website:

https://lizlawler.com/