Biography
In his short time as Speaker, Rendón has led successful efforts to pass a balanced state budget on time, restore critical funding for childcare, eliminate the punitive maximum family grant rule, extend the the state Earned Income Tax Credit, and pass an increase in the state minimum wage.
Rendón is a second-generation Mexican-American and Democrat. During his first term in office, Rendón chaired the Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee and authored Proposition 1, the $7.5 billion state water bond, which voters passed overwhelmingly in the November 2014 election. This landmark bond provides hundreds of millions of dollars to provide safe drinking water to at-risk communities and billions in funds for protection and restoration of coastlines, watersheds, and rivers – including the Los Angeles River. In addition, Rendón passed legislation to ensure that communities in his district had a stronger protections from unfair decisions made by private water companies.
He previously served as chairman of the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee. In this role, he fought hard to make sure that government agencies that regulate public utilities operate transparently and in the best interest of consumers. He also served as a member of the committees on Appropriations, Natural Resources, Public Employees, Retirement and Social Security, and Water, Parks & Wildlife. In his second term, Rendón authored a law to revitalize the lower portion of the Los Angeles River and another proposal which connects schools with resources to improve clean drinking water infrastructure.
Rendón is committed to fighting for clean and open government. His work on the successful state water bond reflected this commitment. As the author of the bond, Rendón demanded a series of 16 public hearings throughout the state to hear from the people of California on this important issue. He brought Democrats, Republicans and independents together to craft a proposal that served every community and was free of special interest earmarks and shady backroom deals.
Prior to serving in the Assembly, Rendón was an educator, non-profit executive director, and environmental activist. He served as the Interim Executive Director of the California League of Conservation Voters and then subsequently as Executive Director of Plaza de la Raza Child Development Services, Inc.
Anthony Rendón represents the 63rd District in the California State Assembly. As an Assemblymember, he serves the residents of Bell, Cudahy, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, Lynwood, Maywood, the northern portion of Long Beach, Paramount, and South Gate.
Rendón was sworn in as the 70th Speaker of the California State Assembly in March 2016.
Rendón attended Cerritos Community College before earning his Bachelors and Masters of Arts Degrees from California State University, Fullerton. He was a recipient of a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship, earned his Ph.D. from the University of California, Riverside, and completed post-doctoral work at Boston University. Rendón taught as an adjunct professor in the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice at California State University, Fullerton from 2001 to 2008.
Rendón resides in Lakewood with his wife Annie.