Denise Moreno Ducheny
Encyclopedia
Denise Moreno Ducheny is a California State Senator
who represents Senate District 40, which includes southern San Diego County, part of Riverside County, and all of Imperial County. Ducheny is a Democrat
. She lives with her husband, Al, in San Diego, California
.
. She graduated with a BA
in History
from Pomona College
. She earned her JD
in 1979 from Southwestern University School of Law
. After graduation, she practiced law from 1979 in south San Diego, California
. Ducheny served on the San Diego Community College Board from 1990 to 1994.
in 1994 to 2000. She was the first San Diegan, first woman, and first Latino
ever to be appointed to this powerful position overseeing the state's $100 billion spending plan. While in the Assembly, Ducheny served as Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee between 1997 and 2000, and as Vice-Chair in 1996. She also served, as Chair of the Select Committee on California-Mexico
Affairs, as Co-Chair of the Special Committee on Welfare Reform, as Vice-Chair of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, and as Vice-Chair of the Latino Legislative Caucus.
Ducheny served in numerous committees and authored landmark legislation, including the CAL Works Welfare Reform Act of 1997, which assisted many in the transition from welfare to work; the College Affordability Act, which rolled back student fees at the UC
, CSU
, and Community Colleges for the first time in 13 years; the Reverse Mortgage bill, which provided protection to senior homeowners and consumers; the California Public School Library Act, which provided an additional funding source for school libraries; the Indian Child Welfare Act
; the California development certificate to teach K-12 students; and legislation regarding vacant residential structures, which enabled local government to rehabilitate vacant dwellings to improve the quality of life in their communities.
in November 2002. Ducheny chairs the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee. She is Vice Chair of the Agriculture Committee, a member of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee and also chairs the Select Committees on California-Mexico Cooperation and Oversight of the UC Energy Labs.
She has been a strong advocate of a so-far unsuccessful effort to repeal California's mandatory motorcycle helmet
law http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/05-06/bill/sen/sb_0951-1000/sb_969_cfa_20060106_102059_sen_comm.html.
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...
who represents Senate District 40, which includes southern San Diego County, part of Riverside County, and all of Imperial County. Ducheny is a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. She lives with her husband, Al, in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
.
Background
Ducheny was born in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. She graduated with a BA
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 Pomona College
Pomona College
Pomona College is a private, residential, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. Founded in 1887 in Pomona, California by a group of Congregationalists, the college moved to Claremont in 1889 to the site of a hotel, retaining its name. The school enrolls 1,548 students.The founding member...
. She earned her JD
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
in 1979 from Southwestern University School of Law
Southwestern University School of Law
Southwestern Law School is a private ABA-accredited law school located in Los Angeles, California , with about 1,000 students. Its campus includes the Bullocks Wilshire building, an admired art deco National Register of Historic Places landmark built in 1929...
. After graduation, she practiced law from 1979 in south San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. Ducheny served on the San Diego Community College Board from 1990 to 1994.
State Assembly
Ducheny served in the California State AssemblyCalifornia 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 1994 to 2000. She was the first San Diegan, first woman, and first Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
ever to be appointed to this powerful position overseeing the state's $100 billion spending plan. While in the Assembly, Ducheny served as Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee between 1997 and 2000, and as Vice-Chair in 1996. She also served, as Chair of the Select Committee on California-Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
Affairs, as Co-Chair of the Special Committee on Welfare Reform, as Vice-Chair of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, and as Vice-Chair of the Latino Legislative Caucus.
Ducheny served in numerous committees and authored landmark legislation, including the CAL Works Welfare Reform Act of 1997, which assisted many in the transition from welfare to work; the College Affordability Act, which rolled back student fees at the UC
UC
-Education:United States:* University of California* University of Charleston, West Virginia* University of Chicago, Illinois* University of Cincinnati, Ohio* Utica College, Utica, New York* Harvard UC, Harvard College's student government bodyOther:...
, CSU
CSU
The acronym CSU may refer to:*Constant speed unit - a mechanical device on an aircraft propeller that regulates engine speed by automatically changing pitch.*Concordia Student Union*Channel Service Unit - a WAN equivalent of a network interface card....
, and Community Colleges for the first time in 13 years; the Reverse Mortgage bill, which provided protection to senior homeowners and consumers; the California Public School Library Act, which provided an additional funding source for school libraries; the Indian Child Welfare Act
Indian Child Welfare Act
The Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 is a Federal law that governs jurisdiction over the removal of Native American children from their families.-General:...
; the California development certificate to teach K-12 students; and legislation regarding vacant residential structures, which enabled local government to rehabilitate vacant dwellings to improve the quality of life in their communities.
State Senate
She was first elected to represent the 40th District in the California State SenateCalifornia 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...
in November 2002. Ducheny chairs the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee. She is Vice Chair of the Agriculture Committee, a member of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee and also chairs the Select Committees on California-Mexico Cooperation and Oversight of the UC Energy Labs.
She has been a strong advocate of a so-far unsuccessful effort to repeal California's mandatory motorcycle helmet
Motorcycle helmet
A motorcycle helmet is a type of protective headgear used by motorcycle riders. The primary goal of a motorcycle helmet is motorcycle safety - to protect the rider's head during impact, thus preventing or reducing head injury or saving the rider's life...
law http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/05-06/bill/sen/sb_0951-1000/sb_969_cfa_20060106_102059_sen_comm.html.