The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association is excited to announce that former State Senator Patricia “Pat” Bates has joined the Board of Directors.
Sen. Bates brings extraordinary experience that is certain to help guide HJTA to more and greater accomplishments for taxpayers. Before her election to the state Senate, Pat served on the Orange County Board of Supervisors from 2007 to 2014, and before that she was a member of the state Assembly from 1998 until 2014.
Pat earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Occidental College and worked as a social worker for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services. In 1989, she became the first mayor of the city of Laguna Niguel and served on the city council for a decade. She was a founding member of the Conservative Women’s Leadership Association, which expanded into the California Women’s Leadership Association, and has been a supporter and mentor for women throughout Orange County.
Sen. Bates’ legislative accomplishments include authoring legislation to crack down on sex offenders and illegal distributors of fentanyl, curb opioid abuse and addiction, and fight homelessness, among many others. She also sponsored Brandon’s Law, which prohibits drug rehab facilities from misrepresenting their services.
In 2017, she was elected to serve as the minority leader in the state Senate, only the second woman in the history of the state to lead a party caucus.
The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association is so very pleased and grateful to welcome Patricia “Pat” Bates to the HJTA Board of Directors.