| Mimi Walters | |
|---|---|
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| Member of the California State Senate from the 37th district |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office December 3, 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Bill Emmerson |
| Member of the California State Senate from the 33rd district |
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| In office December 1, 2008 – December 3, 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Dick Ackerman |
| Succeeded by | Ricardo Lara |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 73rd district |
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| In office December 6, 2004 – November 30, 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Patricia C. Bates |
| Succeeded by | Diane Harkey |
| Laguna Niguel City Councillor | |
| In office December 2, 1996 – December 6, 2004 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | May 14, 1962 |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | David Walters |
| Residence | Laguna Niguel, California |
| Alma mater | University of California Los Angeles |
| Occupation | Stockbroker |
Mimi K. Walters (born May 14, 1962) is a Republican State Senator from the state of California, representing the 37th District since 2012. She previously represented the 33rd Senate District, and also served in the Assembly for four years from 2004 to 2008, where she served in the Republican leadership as Assistant Republican Leader and Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee.
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Early years and education [edit]
Walters earned a BA in Political Science from University of California, Los Angeles in 1984. Before her election to the California State Assembly, Walters was a stockbroker.
Political career [edit]
Walters was Councilwoman and Mayor of Laguna Niguel during 1996–2004, and helped defeat efforts to convert Marine Corps Air Station El Toro to a commercial airport.
Walters was elected in 2004 to represent the 73rd Assembly District, which includes coastal Orange and San Diego county communities of Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, Oceanside, Dana Point, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, and Aliso Viejo.
Since the US Supreme Court decision Kelo v. New London in June 2005, Walters has been at the forefront of amending California government acquisition and the regulation of private property laws. She introduced two bills, AB 590 and AB 1990, in the 2005-06 session on these topics. After both bills failed in committee by party line votes, Walters became a leading figure in the campaign for Proposition 90. She was named honorary chair of the Save Our Homes initiative campaign. Supporters of Proposition 90 referred to their effort as protecting property rights. The initiative received over one million signatures to qualify for the November 2006 ballot. Proposition 90 failed with 47.6% of the vote.
In the 2007-2008 session, Walters introduced ACA 2, a state Constitutional Amendment to change government acquisition and the regulation of private property by California local governments.
Walters introduced a package of bills in February 2011 to address the California pension crisis, SB520 through SB 528.[1]
In a blog post prior to the 2012 general election, Walters slams Democrats Kevin DeLeon (D-Los Angeles) and Governor Jerry Brown for introducing and signing a bill that will create first state-run retirement savings plan for private-sector workers.[2] The bill, SB1234, will establish the California Secure Choice Retirement Savings Program for more than 6 million lower-income, private-sector workers whose employers do not offer retirement plans.[3]
2010 California State Treasurer election [edit]
In January 2010, Walters announced that she would run for California State Treasurer against Democratic Incumbent Bill Lockyer. She became Republican Party nominee for State Treasurer the following June.
Investigation by the Fair Political Practices Commission [edit]
In early 2012, the Fair Political Practice Commission opened an inquiry as to whether Walters violated conflict-of-interest laws when her office placed phone calls to California prison officials about the status of a financial claim her husband's company had filed.[4]
The inquiry was disclosed in a written notice to Walters' attorney by Gary Winuk, chief of enforcement for the state Fair Political Practices Commission. He wrote that his office "will be pursuing an investigation regarding whether or not Sen. Walters violated the Political Reform Act's conflict-of-interest prohibitions."[5]
The FPPC inquiry ultimately found that no wrongdoing had occurred. .[6]
2012 California State Senate race [edit]
On September 20, 2012, Democratic candidate Steven R. Young filed a petition of extraordinary writ seeking declaratory relief to the California Secretary of State to exclude opponent Mimi Walters from the 2012 election ballot for failing to establish a clear residency status in the district she was running in. Under state law, state legislators are required to live in the districts they represent.[7][8] Walters and her family have long been associated with Laguna Niguel, where she served on the City Council and was elected to two terms in the Assembly and one in the Senate. But last year, the new California Citizens Redistricting Commission re-drew the state’s legislative districts. To run in the newly drawn 37th Senate District, Walters says she moved to Irvine. Young and two registered Republicans who have joined in the suit say Walters’ move was pure fiction. According to the suit, Walters and her husband, David, have lived in a 14,000-square-foot mansion in Laguna Niguel since 1999. Then, this year, the suit says that Walters changed her voter registration to reflect that she’s living in a 570-square-foot apartment in Irvine with no dishwasher or washer/dryer hook ups.[9][10]
California State Prison system canceled the contract with Drug Consultants Inc, a firm part owned by MS Walters husband for failure to pay subcontractors. Consultants has been paid 61.8 million July 2003 to Feb 2012. American Healthcare, another Co. owned by David Walters was paid 15.6 million during the same time period by the State. Source, Orange Co. Register, OC Watchdog article in Local Section Sat. Nov 3, 2012
Personal life [edit]
She and her husband, David, live in Bear Brand Ranch in Laguna Niguel with their four children.
References [edit]
- ^ Pensions Emerge as Key Issue
- ^ Walters, Mimi. "State-Run Private Sector Retirement Plans Subsidized by Taxpayers Coming in 2013".
- ^ "SB1234".
- ^ McGreevy, Patrick. "Ethics panel investigates state Sen. Mimi Walters".
- ^ McGreevy, Patrick. "Ethics panel investigates state Sen. Mimi Walters". L.A. Times.
- ^ Template:Http://www.ocregister.com/news/walters-503341-state-company.html
- ^ "California Election Code section 201".
- ^ "California Election Code Section 2040-8041".
- ^ McGreevy, Patrick. "State Sen. Mimi Walters challenged by opponent over her residency". LATimes.
- ^ Brian Joseph (20 September 2012). "Democrat sues to keep Mimi Walters off the ballot". OC Register. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
External links [edit]
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