Bob Huff served as the Senate Minority Leader in the California State Senate from January 2012-August 2015. He represents the 29th Senate District covering portions of Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino Counties. He is an experienced businessman and an accomplished legislator who advocates for streamlining government regulations that strangle job creation.
Senator Huff has had legislation signed into law guaranteeing more funding for public charter schools. He has also led efforts to continue the Standard Testing and Reporting (STAR) program for second graders and fought for parents' right to choose the best school for their children. Senator Huff has been a leader in expanding school choice for parents and students, including two reauthorizations of the School District of Choice program, the creation of the Open Enrollment Act and the nationally recognized “Parent Trigger” law.
In 2010, Senator Huff had legislation signed into law that protects private after school programs that tutor children in schoolwork, as well as teach foreign language and culture. One of his proudest accomplishments is getting SB 161 signed into law in 2011, which places the health and welfare of California schoolchildren first, by allowing trained volunteers to administer emergency medication to students with epilepsy when they suffer a seizure at school. Senator Huff is also the author of SB 1266, which requires public schools to stock epinephrine auto injectors on campus so critically important medicine can be administered quickly and safely if a student suffers from a serious anaphylactic allergy reaction during school hours.
Assemblyman and Senator
The former Senate Republican Leader has served in a number of key leadership positions within the Senate Republican Caucus, including Republican Caucus Chair and Vice-Chair of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee. In the Assembly from 2004-2008, Bob Huff also held leadership positions of Republican Whip and Caucus Chairman. He currently serves as a member of the Senate Education Committee, Joint Committee on Rules and the Vice Chair of the San Gabriel Valley Legislative Caucus.
Community Service
A resident of Diamond Bar, Bob Huff served on the City Council from 1995-2004, and served as Mayor in 1997 and 2001. Prior to the City Council, Huff served on the Diamond Bar Planning Commission, the Diamond Bar General Plan Advisory Committee, and was a founding member of the Tres Hermanos Conservation Authority. He is also a member of Walnut Valley Rotary Club and former member of the Diamond Bar Improvement Association and Diamond Bar Chamber of Commerce.
With a focus on transportation issues, Bob Huff was Diamond Bar's delegate to the Four Corners Transportation Policy Group and was Vice President of the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments. He was President of the Foothill Transit Executive Board, and founding Chairman and Executive Board Member of the Alameda Corridor East Construction Authority (ACE).
Awards
Senator Huff has been recognized as Legislator of the Year by the League of California Cities, the California Charter Schools Association, Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse, the California Business Properties Association, the American Council of Engineering Companies, California, Southern California Association of Governments, the Red Cross and the Inland Empire Caucus, which serves citizens with disabilities. He was recognized for his efforts to protect local control, his legislative work on behalf of the industrial real estate industry and his tireless efforts to improve the business and jobs climate in California. Mobility 21 also recognized the Senator’s leadership on important transportation issues. California Parents for Public Virtual Education presented Senator Huff with the Golden Apple Award in 2012 and he was also recognized as the 2011 Job Champion by the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce.
In addition, the California Epilepsy Foundation recently named three fellowships in honor of Senator Huff at UCLA, USC and Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles for his work on behalf of students with epilepsy. The Children’s Specialty Care Coalition also recognized Senator Huff with an award for his work on behalf of children with special health care needs.
Senator Huff was awarded the 2005 Local Distinguished Service Award in Transportation from the American Public Transit Association and the Outstanding Community Leader of 2005 by the Boy Scouts of America Old Baldy Council. In 2000, he was recognized by The Los Angeles Times as one of the "Most Influential People" for his work in shaping the Inland Valley communities.
Senator Huff has also been recognized for his dedication to a lean, efficient and transparent government to provide society’s needed services, while fostering a job-creating climate to generate needed revenues for “safety net” from more jobs, not higher taxes. This work is reflected in 100% vote rankings from the California Taxpayers Association, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, California Chamber of Commerce, California Farm Bureau Federation and California Manufacturers and Technology Association.
Education
Bob Huff attended Westmont College in Santa Barbara, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, graduating with honors.
Personal
Born in Calexico, CA, Bob Huff grew up on his family's farm in the Imperial Valley. Most of his professional and business experience has been in the agricultural industry. Working through the ranks to become the youngest vice president in a grain handling corporation, he purchased and operated a small wholesale commodity firm shortly after he moved his family to Diamond Bar in 1983. Senator Huff and his wife, Mei Mei, have three sons, a daughter and six grandchildren.