Incumbent – Grade B

Political Party:

Democrat

Ballot Designation:

 State Assemblymember / Mother

Law Enforcement Contributions:

California Correctional Peace Officers Association (CCPOA PAC)
Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC PAC)
National Peace Officers & Firefighters Benefit Association
California Association of Highway Patrolmen PAC

Background:

 Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan was first elected to the State Assembly in 2018. Prior to entering politics, Bauer-Kahan worked as an environmental and immigration attorney, and was among the lawyers who provided legal services to migrants who were impacted by Trump’s travel ban. She was also a law professor at both Santa Clara University and Golden Gate University.

Public Safety Platform:

Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan has introduced some good justice reform bills. This session, she introduced good bills such as AB 862, which requires county jails to issue reports on recidivism and the effectiveness of programming provided inside the jails, and AB 1643, which would allow more youth to participate in diversion programs by raising the eligible restitution limit from $1000 to $5000. 

While Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan does not have a written public safety platform, her mental health platform highlights the following: “AB 988 is named for Miles Hall, a 23-year-old who was shot and killed by police officers in 2019 during a mental health crisis.  AB 988 implements 9-8-8, the national Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis hotline, an alternative to police response for people experiencing a mental health crisis.  A person in crisis can now call 988 (instead of 911), an easy-to-remember number that can connect the caller to mobile crisis support teams staffed by mental health professionals and trained peers, much reducing the role of police in crisis response.  Calling 988 will save lives – a recent study found that at least 1 in 4 fatal law enforcement encounters involves an individual with serious mental illness.” 

Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan also authored AB 2527 which bans solitary confinement for people who are pregnant and during the first 12 weeks postpartum – but then amended the bill to allow pregnant people to remain in solitary, completely undoing the original intent of her bill and failing the advocates who worked with her.

However, Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan also voted for AB 1990, a bill strongly opposed by IJ Action, that would have authorized physical custody for petty shoplifting. She has also accepted campaign contributions from law enforcement agencies and has the endorsement of the CA Association of Highway Patrolmen. 

While improving her grade on IJ Action’s Scorecard from a “C” last year to a “B” this year, her highly troubling amendments to AB 2527 and support from law enforcement groups has earned her a harm reduction recommendation.

Website:

https://www.rebeccabauerkahan.com/

Political Party:

Republican

Ballot Designation:

 Business Principal / Father

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

Background:

Rubay is the Chair of the Walnut Creek Police Officers Association and perennial candidate for state office, having run in every election since 2016.

Public Safety Platform:

 Rubay’s platform outlines strong support for law enforcement, stating: “While some are advocating defunding the police, I have actively helped to see that law enforcement in my community are well respected and properly funded. In 2021 my community held an election where we raised the annual fee for our police services by a multiple of four.”

Website:

https://joerubay.nationbuilder.com/