Diane PapanIncumbent
Candidate for Assembly District 21
Diane Papan is the incumbent Democratic member of the California State Assembly for District 21. It is a Bayside San Mateo County district. She has represented it since December 2022. She was born August 22, 1963, in Millbrae, California. She is the daughter of former Assembly Speaker Lou Papan. She grew up in San Mateo County, attending Capuchino High School in San Bruno. She earned a B.A. in political science from UCLA in 1985. She earned a J.D. from UC Hastings College of the Law, now UC Law San Francisco, in 1988. She worked as an attorney in private practice. This included work as executive director of the nonprofit John's Closet in Daly City. Papan began her elected career on the San Mateo City Council. She won election in 2015. She later served as Deputy Mayor in 2018. Her council tenure ended in 2022. She won the newly redrawn Assembly District 21 seat in 2022. In the Assembly she chairs the Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee. She has previously served as Assistant Majority Leader. She is running for reelection to Assembly District 21 in the November 2026 general election. Born August 22, 1963. Home: San Mateo, near Millbrae, in San Mateo County, California. Occupation: attorney. She is the incumbent California State Assemblymember. Prior office: incumbent since December 2022. Earlier: San Mateo City Council member, 2015 to 2022. Deputy Mayor of San Mateo, 2018.
On the issues
- Economy & Jobs
Lists workforce expansion with an emphasis on green jobs and economic development as a general priority area.
Source → - Housing & Homelessness
Supports incentivizing affordable housing development as part of her legislative work.
Source → - Health & Health Care
Authored legislation (the 'LIKES Act,' AB 2829) aimed at addressing social media's impact on youth mental health, and lists healthcare access as a policy priority.
Source → - Reproductive & Social Issues
Lists reproductive rights as a policy priority and has authored legislation removing hazardous chemicals from women's health products.
Source → - Education & Schools
Co-hosted a webinar to help constituent families learn about and access CalKIDS state college-savings scholarship accounts.
Source → - Family & Social Services
Has worked on legislation expanding access to paid family leave.
Source → - Environment, Energy & Climate
Prioritizes wildfire prevention, drought management, and climate adaptation as chair of the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee.
Source → - Water & Natural Resources
As chair of the Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee, has prioritized water reliability and authored legislation (AB 93) that would have required data centers to disclose their water consumption, which Governor Newsom vetoed.
Source →
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