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Leland Yee 余胤良
Member of the California State Senate from the 8th district
Incumbent
Assumed office December 2006
Preceded by	Jackie Speier
Member of the California State Assembly from the 12th district
In office December 2002 – December 2006
Preceded by	Kevin Shelley
Succeeded by	Fiona Ma
Member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from District 4
In office January 1997 – December 2002
Preceded by	district created in 2000; prior terms were for city-wide seat
Succeeded by	Fiona Ma
Personal details
Born	(1948-11-20) November 20, 1948 (age 76) Guangdong, China
Nationality	United States
Political party	Democratic
Residence(s)	San Francisco, California
Alma mater	UC Berkeley San Francisco State University University of Hawaii
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Child psychologist
Website	dist08.casen.govoffice.com

Leland Yee (Chinese: 余胤良; pinyin: Yú Yìnliáng, born November 20, 1948 in China) is a California State Senator in District 8 which represents the western half of San Francisco and most of San Mateo County. Prior to becoming state senator, Yee was a California State Assemblyman, Supervisor of San Francisco's Sunset District, and was a member and President of the San Francisco School Board. In 2004 Yee became the first Asian American to be appointed Speaker pro Tempore, making him the second highest ranking Democrat of the California State Assembly. He is often mentioned as a candidate for Mayor of San Francisco in 2011.

Early Life and Education

Leland Yee immigrated to San Francisco from Taishan, Guangdong, China when he was three years old and later became a naturalized United States citizen. His father served in the U.S. Army and the Merchant Marines. Yee attended San Francisco's Mission High School and earned a bachelor's degree from UC Berkeley, a master's from San Francisco State University and a Ph.D. in Child Psychology from the University of Hawaii.

Early career

After obtaining his PhD in Child Psychology, Yee worked as a therapist in the Mental Health Department of San Franicisco, the Oakland School District and with Asian American for Community Involvement, a non-profit that serves low-income people.

San Francisco School Board Member and President

Yee was elected to the San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education in 1988 and served two, four-year terms on the board including one as Board President. During his tenure, Yee called for audits of all schools in the San Francisco Unified School District and fought to establish performance standards for educators.

District 4 Supervisor

After serving eight years on San Francisco's School Board, Yee successfully ran for supervisor in 1996. As District 4 supervisor Yee was appointed to chair of the Finance Committee where he helped establish the "Rainy Day" budget reserve and introduced General Obligation Bond Accountability Act. He was re-elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2002.

District 12 Assemblyman

Yee was elected to the California State Assembly in November 2002 to represent the 12th Assembly District.

In his first year in the Legislature, he was appointed to the Speaker’s leadership team as the Assistant Speaker pro Tempore. In 2004 Yee became the first Asian Pacific American to be appointed Speaker pro Tempore in the California State Assembly and was elected President of the National Asian Pacific American Caucus of State Legislators.

2003

In his first term the Legislature, Yee had 15 bills signed into law.

These bills include AB 1371 which strengthens informed consent requirements for mentally handicapped patients that take part in medical research.

2004

Yee had 11 bills chaptered into law in 2004.

Noteworthy bills include AB 2412 which allows part-time community college faculty to access unemployment benefits and AB 3042 which enhances sentences for child prostitution.

2005

Yee had 12 bills chaptered into law in 2005.

Included in his bill package were AB 800 which ensures a patient’s medical records include his/her spoken language, AB 1179 which bans the sale of violent video games to children, and AJR 14 which states that California officially opposes the weakening of the federal offshore oil drilling moratorium

2006

Yee had 10 bills chaptered into law in 2006.

Notable bills include AB 1969 which increases renewable energy production in the state, AB 2581 which aims to protect student free speech and prohibit school administrators from censoring school newspapers and broadcast journalism, AB 409 which establishes tighter controls and higher health standards for nail salons, and AB 1207 which adds sexual orientation to the list of protections in the Code of Fair Political Practices.

State Senator

On June 6, 2006, Yee defeated his opponents Mike Nevin and Lou Papan to win the Democratic nomination for the California State Senate, representing the 8th District. In the final vote tally certified on June 27, 2006 by San Mateo County Chief Elections Officer Warren Slocum, Yee gathered 51.9 percent, Nevin received 35.4 percent and Papan took 12.7 percent of the vote. Since Jan. 1, Nevin spent $887,562.80 of campaign contributions, Yee spent $673,372.59 and Papan ran a modest campaign, spending just $289,862.64. He was elected to the California State Senate in the November 7, 2006 election by a landslide of 77.5% of votes cast . With San Francisco and San Mateo County having a high Democratic base Yee was elected as Senator for the 8th District on November 7, 2006 . This was a notable election making him the first Chinese-American elected to the California State Senate in 156 years. Yee replaced Jackie Speier, who left office due to term limits.

Yee actively serves on the following Senate committees:

• Appropriations
• Business, Professions and Economic Development
• Governmental Organization
• Human Services
• Labor and Industrial Relations
• Select Committee on Biotechnology
• Select Committee on California's Wine Industry
• Select Committee on California's Horse Racing Industry
• Select Committee on Integrity of Elections
• Select Committee on International Business Trade

Additionally, Yee chairs the following Senate committees:

• Select Committee on California's Public Record and Open Meeting Laws
• Select Committee on Asian Pacific Islander Affairs
• Select Committee on Bay Area Sustainable Development and Economic Progress

2007

Senator Yee had 11 bills chaptered into law in 2007.

Included in these bills are SB 279 which makes it illegal to park cars for sale, deemed a public nuisance and traffic hazard, along public roads, SB 190 which brings more transparency to the compensation practices of administrators at the University of California and the California State University, SB 523 which increases the quantity of child support payments collected in San Mateo County, and SCR 52 which declares the legislature “finds that joint governance of the University of California Retirement Plan is necessary to ensure that significant pension plan decisions are based on full and accurate information, to prevent conflicts of interest from impacting the management and performance of the University of California Retirement Plan, and to ensure that the University of California Retirement Plan is financially sound and well managed in a fair and appropriate manner.”

On April 12, 2007 Yee criticized the US Army’s program to will spend $2 million in tax dollars to sponsor the Global Gaming League. Yee claims the military individuals on the site who are "desensitized to real-life violence through the online violent video games."

On August 29, 2007, Yee again criticized the ESRB, this time for not disclosing what content was removed from Manhunt 2 to re-rate the game from an AO rating for violence to the ESRB Mature rating. Yee asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the change in rating. In response, ESRB president Patricia Vance stated the details for a product that has not yet been released will not be disclosed.

2008

Senator Yee had 14 bills chaptered into law in 2008.

Among these bill, SB 697 prohibits balance billing of patients in the California's Healthy Families program, SB 1217 allows public oversight of the state bar pilots commission, SB 1356 which aims to protect victims of domestic violence from the threat of jail when they refrain from testifying against their abuser in court, SB 1370 which protects teachers from the retaliatory action of school officials as a result of student speech, SB 1696 which states that contracts between a government and a private entity should be subject to the same disclosure requirements as other public records, and SB 1419 which creates a double-fine zone on 19th and Van Ness Avenues—an area area with a historically high pedestrian collision rate.

Yee and Assemblyman Ted Lieu of Los Angeles challenged the legality of the LPGA's English language policy, resulting in a revision of policy by the end of 2008. Yee introduced SB 242, prohibiting businesses from denying services to customers that don't speak English. The bill was vetoed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on October 11, 2009.

Opposition to Schwarzenegger healthcare plan

On January 23, 2008 during a committee meeting, Yee announced his opposition to the health care plan sponsored by Governor Schwarzenegger and supported by a majority of Democrats in the California State House and Senate, while opposed by a majority of Republicans. Yee's opposition along with the opposition of Democratic Senator and Health Committee Chair Sheila Kuehl led the NY Times to predict that California's healthcare bill would be effectively killed.

2009

Senator Yee had 9 bills chaptered into law in 2009.

He wrote SB 340 which requires businesses to list all automatic renewal offer terms and obtain customer approval, SB 13 which provides $16.3 million for domestic violence shelters, SB 786 which preserves an individual's right to enforce open government laws, and SB 447 which reforms the criminal background check laws for people seeking employment at youth organizations.

On July 22, 2009, Yee filed an amicus brief in support of Governor Schwarzenegger's appeal to the Supreme Court regarding the passing of a law which would criminalize the sale of extremely violent video games to minors, claiming that unlike books, movies and CDs, video games "can contain up to 800 hours of footage with the most atrocious content often reserve for the highest levels and can be accessed only by advanced players after hours upon hours of progressive mastery.”.

2010

This year, Senator Yee introduced SB 1451, a bill that ensures California students do not learn from a modified curriculum designed by Texas-based textbook publishers. He wrote SB 399, a bill that would give a juvenile sentenced to life in prison without parole, the right to ask for a court review after ten years. He also introduced SB 920, a bill allowing Californians to opt out of having phone books delivered to their homes. The Senate rejected the bill, however.

The remainder of Yee's bill package focuses on consumer protection, child safety, government transparency, and domestic violence prevention None of his bills have been chaptered in law this year.

Investigation into funds used for Sarah Palin's speech

In April 2010, Yee filed a public records request to discover if any state funds were used by California State Stanislaus Foundation to hire and pay former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin $75,000 to speak at the school's 50th anniversary celebration on June 25. The foundation refused to divulge the any information about fees paid to Palin.

In response, Yee introduced SB 330 which would require groups to abide by California's Public Records Act. On May 28, the Los Angeles Times reported that two California State sources disclosed that Sarah Palin will receive $75,000 for her speaking engagement. Officials would not confirm the amount of the disclosure. In response to the disclosure, Yee said, "It's rather disappointing that Sarah Palin is asking for nearly $100,000 to speak at this anniversary event when we're looking at state increases in student fees, cancellations of classes and the fact that this money could be going to scholarships… She could do wonders for all of us … by taking this money and donating it back to the foundation."

Awards

Lee was named the California Legislator of the Year by San Francisco Women’s Political Committee, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME Local 3299), California Society of Certified Public Accountants, Associated Students of the University of California (Davis) and the California Faculty Association among others.

Yee has also been awarded the following awards:

• Freedom of Information Award by the California Newspaper Publishers Association

• Modern Day Abolitionist Award by the San Francisco Collaborative Against Human Trafficking

• Building a State of Equality by Equality California

• Distinguished Service to Journalism Education Award by the Journalism Association of Community Colleges

• Service Award by Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse of San Mateo County

• Scholastic Journalism Award by the Journalism Education Association

• Beacon Award by the First Amendment Coalition

• Leadership Award from the California Animal Association

• Special Friend of Children Award by the National Association of School Psychologists

• Public Official Award by the Society of Professional Journalists

See also

• California State Senate elections, 2006

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External links

• Leland Y. Yee (Official California Senate Site)
• State Senate Campaign Site
• Leland Yee Political History
• San Mateo County Votes Tally Complete
• Yee’s biography on Asian Americans.net

v t e Members of the California State Senate
2025–26 Session President of the Senate Eleni Kounalakis (D) President pro tempore Mike McGuire (D) Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez (D) Minority Leader Brian Jones (R)
▌Megan Dahle (R) ▌Mike McGuire (D) ▌Christopher Cabaldon (D) ▌Marie Alvarado-Gil (R) ▌Jerry McNerney (D) ▌Roger Niello (R) ▌Jesse Arreguín (D) ▌Angelique Ashby (D) ▌Tim Grayson (D) ▌Aisha Wahab (D) ▌Scott Wiener (D) ▌Shannon Grove (R) ▌Josh Becker (D) ▌Anna Caballero (D) ▌Dave Cortese (D) ▌Melissa Hurtado (D) ▌John Laird (D) ▌Steve Padilla (D) ▌Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R) ▌Caroline Menjivar (D) ▌Monique Limón (D) ▌Susan Rubio (D) ▌Suzette Martinez Valladares (R) ▌Ben Allen (D) ▌Sasha Renée Pérez (D) ▌María Elena Durazo (D) ▌Henry Stern (D) ▌Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D) ▌Eloise Reyes (D) ▌Bob Archuleta (D) ▌Sabrina Cervantes (D) ▌Kelly Seyarto (R) ▌Lena Gonzalez (D) ▌Tom Umberg (D) ▌Laura Richardson (D) ▌Vacant ▌Steven Choi (R) ▌Catherine Blakespear (D) ▌Akilah Weber (D) ▌Brian Jones (R)
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