Bill Leonard
Encyclopedia
William R. Leonard is a Republican
U.S.
politician
who served as a member of the California State Board of Equalization from 2002 until his resignation in March 2010.
in history
from the University of California, Irvine
, Bill Leonard worked in real estate
and property management
.
Leonard served on the Board of Directors
of the San Bernardino Valley
Municipal Water District before being elected to the California State Assembly
in 1978 on the coattails of Proposition 13
.
In 1988, after serving five terms in the Assembly, he successfully won election to the State Senate
, representing an 11000 square miles (28,489.9 km²) district. During his time in the Senate, Leonard was the longest-serving Republican Caucus
Chairman, holding the post from 1990 until term limit
s forced him to leave the Senate in 1996.
During his time in the Senate, Leonard wrote California's Leonard Law
, the only law in the United States to extend First Amendment
rights to students at private
college
s and universities
.
In 1996, by a margin of 63%-37%, voters returned Leonard to the Assembly, where he served as Republican Leader
from 1997 to 1998. He was re-elected in 1998 with 72% of the vote and in 2000 with 58% of the vote in a three-way race.
After term limits forced Leonard to leave the Assembly in 2002, he won election to represent the Second District on the five-member State Board of Equalization
with 59% of the vote. He was re-elected in 2006 with 55.8% of the vote.
Leonard resigned from the State Board of Equalization in March 2010 in order to join Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
's administration.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who served as a member of the California State Board of Equalization from 2002 until his resignation in March 2010.
Life and career
After earning his B.A.Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
from the University of California, Irvine
University of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA...
, Bill Leonard worked in real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
and property management
Property management
Property management is the operation, control of ususally on behalf of an owner, and oversight of commercial, industrial or residential real estate as used in its most broad terms. Management indicates a need to be cared for, monitored and accountability given for its usable life and condition...
.
Leonard served on the Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of the San Bernardino Valley
San Bernardino Valley
The San Bernardino Valley is a valley in Southern California. It lies at the south base of the Transverse Ranges. It is bordered on the north by the eastern San Gabriel Mountains and San Bernardino Mountains, on the east by the San Jacinto Mountains, and on the south and west by the Santa Ana...
Municipal Water District before being elected to the California State Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
in 1978 on the coattails of Proposition 13
California Proposition 13 (1978)
Proposition 13 was an amendment of the Constitution of California enacted during 1978, by means of the initiative process. It was approved by California voters on June 6, 1978. It was declared constitutional by the United States Supreme Court in the case of Nordlinger v. Hahn,...
.
In 1988, after serving five terms in the Assembly, he successfully won election to the State Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
, representing an 11000 square miles (28,489.9 km²) district. During his time in the Senate, Leonard was the longest-serving Republican Caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
Chairman, holding the post from 1990 until term limit
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
s forced him to leave the Senate in 1996.
During his time in the Senate, Leonard wrote California's Leonard Law
Leonard Law
The Leonard Law is a California law passed in 1992 that applies the First Amendment to the United States Constitution to private colleges and universities. The law also applies Article I, Section 2 of the California Constitution to private colleges and universities. California is the only state to...
, the only law in the United States to extend First Amendment
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
rights to students at private
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
s and universities
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
.
In 1996, by a margin of 63%-37%, voters returned Leonard to the Assembly, where he served as Republican Leader
Floor Leader
Floor Leaders are leaders of their political parties in each of the houses of the legislature.- Senate :In the United States Senate, they are elected by their respective party conferences to serve as the chief Senate spokesmen for their parties and to manage and schedule the legislative and...
from 1997 to 1998. He was re-elected in 1998 with 72% of the vote and in 2000 with 58% of the vote in a three-way race.
After term limits forced Leonard to leave the Assembly in 2002, he won election to represent the Second District on the five-member State Board of Equalization
State Board of Equalization (California)
The State Board of Equalization is a public agency charged with tax administration and fee collection in the state of California in the United States. The areas of authority of the Board fall into four broad areas: sales and use taxes, property taxes, special taxes, and acting as an appellate body...
with 59% of the vote. He was re-elected in 2006 with 55.8% of the vote.
Leonard resigned from the State Board of Equalization in March 2010 in order to join Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
's administration.