Leland Yee
Encyclopedia
Leland Yee 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 Assembly
man, 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
.
, 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 Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Middle 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
.
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.
These bills include AB 1371 which strengthens informed consent requirements for mentally handicapped patients that take part in medical research.
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.
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
Following news of the Hot Coffee Mod
in Rockstar North
's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
, Yee claimed that the ESRB knew about it in advance and criticized them for not rating the game "adults only". The controversy resulted from the Hot Coffee mod
created by PC users of the game using hacking tools to create a mod to play a mini game which was otherwise inaccessible to players. In response, Rockstar removed the content used for the mod. That same year, Yee passed California Assembly Bills 1792 & 1793
, a video game bill that criminalizes sale of video games rated M to children under 18 and require retailers to place M-rated games separate from other games intended for children. Yee's bills passed in part to mass media concentration on the speculative link between video game violence and real world violence, as well as several support of concerned parent groups. The bill was signed into law on October 7, 2005 and the Entertainment Software Association
(ESA) filed a lawsuit 10 days later. After the bill passed, it was ruled to be unconstitutional by Judge Ronald Whyte. The adverse ruling required the state to pay $324,840 to the ESA in legal fees.
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.
and Lou Papan
to win the Democratic nomination for the California State Senate
. 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 on November 7, 2006. Yee replaced Jackie Speier
, who left office due to term limits.
Yee actively serves on the following Senate committees:
Additionally, Yee chairs the following Senate committees:
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.
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.
led the New York Times to predict that California's healthcare bill would be effectively killed.
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 reserved for the highest levels and can be accessed only by advanced players after hours upon hours of progressive mastery.”. This action has been met with criticism from gamers that the Californian state senator is wasting resources on a law already judged unconstitutional at a time when the state is already facing economic problems
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. Yee was also the third largest taxpayer-funded gas card spender in the senate for 2010 costing $5,314.66. A spokesman said he commutes daily from the state Capitol
to his district to hold daily and evening meetings to better serve his constituents.
was an "another example in a long line of examples of insensitivity to the culture and traditions of the Asian American community." Proponents of the bill seek to discourage illegal shark finning
, a practice which involves cutting off the tails and fins of living sharks, which are then thrown back into the ocean to die. Opponents contend that restaurants do not acquire shark fins illegally and that the focus should be specifically on fins caught illegally. Yee followed up with a press conference at a San Francisco Chinatown restaurant where shark fin soup was served to reporters to demonstrate how the soup is served to customers.
On November 9 2011, almost exactly a year after filing his candidacy, He lost coming in fifth place.
Yee has also been awarded the following awards:
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." Palin's speech brought in a then record $200,000 profit for the Cal State Stanislaus Foundation
Yee has also been pulled over by SFPD twice, under the suspicion that he was cruising for prostitutes in the Mission District of San Francisco on South Van Ness Avenue. In each case, he was questioned by police and let go with no charges filed.
that IP addresses registered to computers in the California Senate office had made changes to its Wikipedia entry favoring Leland Yee.
mocked Chinese president Hu Jintao
during his visit to the White House
on his radio show. "Hu Jintao -- He was speaking and they weren’t translating. They normally translate every couple of words. Hu Jintao was just going ching chong
, ching chong cha," said Limbaugh, who imitated Hu's speech for seventeen seconds. Yee criticized Limbaugh for his remarks: "His classless act is an insult to over 3,000 years of cultural history, and is a slap in the face to the millions of Chinese Americans who have struggled in this country and to a people who constitute one-quarter of the world's population." He demanded an apology from Limbaugh for what he and others view as racist and derogatory remarks. He also organized with civil rights groups—including Chinese for Affirmative Action
, Japanese American Citizens League
and the California National Organization for Women
—to boycott companies like ProFlowers
, Sleep Train and Domino's Pizza
that advertise on Limbaugh's talk show
. Yee has received threatening messages and also received a fax from an unknown sender which made racist comments and labeling him a Marxist. "Rush Limbaugh will kick your Chink ass and expose you for the fool you are," part of the memo said.
had introduced Assembly Bill 376, a legislation intended to ban a method of harvesting shark fins, but the details of which also stipulates that any commercial or culinary use of any shark's fin become banned, in particular Shark's fin soup, which Assemblyman Fong describes as: "Anything that is unhealthy, that the culture is practicing, we should stop doing it. We used to bind women's feet and that was unhealthy for the woman". In what may be a described as a cynical analogy with a long obsolete practice of foot binding is echoed by Hawaii's former first lady Vicky Cayetano
who states that: "shark fin soup is about as cultural as bound feet", however, Senator Leland Yee, while voicing his concern about the illegal shark finning trade, argued that the mentality behind AB376 constitutes "the wrong approach and an unfair attack on Asian culture and cuisine... rather than launch just another attack on Asian American culture, the proponents of the (blanket) ban on shark fin soup should work with us to strengthen conservation efforts".
Critics said the bill unfairly targeted the Chinese-American community because it only restricts the sale of shark fins, which are used almost exclusively in Chinese cuisine. The bill does not apply to other shark products like oil or meat.
"I think what is most insidious about this particular bill is that it sends a very bad message, not only to us in California but to the rest of the world, that discrimination against Chinese-Americans is OK," Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, said. Sen. Yee supports the culling of shark fins for Chinese-America cuisine.
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...
in District 8
California's 8th State Senate district
California's 8th State Senate district is one of 40 Senate Districts. It is currently represented by Democrat Leland Yee of San Francisco.- District profile :The 8th district covers almost half of San Francisco and all but southeastern San Mateo County...
which represents the western half of San Francisco and most of San Mateo County. Prior to becoming state senator, Yee was a 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...
man, 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
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
to be appointed Speaker pro Tempore, making him the second highest ranking 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...
of 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...
.
Early life and education
Leland Yee immigrated to San Francisco from TaishanTaishan
Taishan is a coastal county-level city in Guangdong Province, China. The city is part of the Greater Taishan Region....
, Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
when he was three years old and later became a naturalized United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
citizen. His father served in the U.S. Army and the Merchant Marines. Yee attended San Francisco's Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Middle School and earned a bachelor's degree from UC Berkeley, a master's from San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
and a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in Child Psychology from the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
.
Early career
After obtaining his PhD in Child Psychology, Yee worked as a therapist in the Mental Health Department of San Francisco, 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
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 2000.District 12 Assemblyman
Yee was elected to the CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
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 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 chartered 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 chartered 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
Following news of the Hot Coffee Mod
Hot Coffee mod
The Hot Coffee mod is a normally inaccessible minigame in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, developed by Rockstar North. Public awareness of the existence of the minigame arrived with the release of the Hot Coffee mod, created for the version released in 2005 for Microsoft Windows...
in Rockstar North
Rockstar North
Rockstar North is a British video game developer based in Edinburgh, Scotland, best known for creating the Grand Theft Auto and Lemmings franchises in its earlier guise as DMA....
's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
, Yee claimed that the ESRB knew about it in advance and criticized them for not rating the game "adults only". The controversy resulted from the Hot Coffee mod
Hot Coffee mod
The Hot Coffee mod is a normally inaccessible minigame in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, developed by Rockstar North. Public awareness of the existence of the minigame arrived with the release of the Hot Coffee mod, created for the version released in 2005 for Microsoft Windows...
created by PC users of the game using hacking tools to create a mod to play a mini game which was otherwise inaccessible to players. In response, Rockstar removed the content used for the mod. That same year, Yee passed California Assembly Bills 1792 & 1793
California Assembly Bills 1792 & 1793
California Assembly Bills 1792 & 1793 were two bills introduced by Speaker pro Tempore of the Assembly Leland Yee . Commonly called the "ultraviolent video games bills" or simply "video game ban" bills, these two bills restricted sales of "ultraviolent" video games from minors under the age of 18...
, a video game bill that criminalizes sale of video games rated M to children under 18 and require retailers to place M-rated games separate from other games intended for children. Yee's bills passed in part to mass media concentration on the speculative link between video game violence and real world violence, as well as several support of concerned parent groups. The bill was signed into law on October 7, 2005 and the Entertainment Software Association
Entertainment Software Association
The Entertainment Software Association is the trade association of the video game industry in the United States. It was formed in April 1994 as the Interactive Digital Software Association and renamed on July 16, 2003...
(ESA) filed a lawsuit 10 days later. After the bill passed, it was ruled to be unconstitutional by Judge Ronald Whyte. The adverse ruling required the state to pay $324,840 to the ESA in legal fees.
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 NevinMike Nevin
Michael D. Nevin is a Democratic politician from the U.S. state of California.Nevin was educated at St. Ignatius High School, graduating in 1961, and at the City College of San Francisco and the University of San Francisco...
and Lou Papan
Lou Papan
Louis John Papan was a Democratic California politician. He was known as the "Dean of the Assembly" for his 20 years in the California State Assembly.-Early life:...
to win the Democratic nomination for the California 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...
. 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
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...
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 on November 7, 2006. Yee replaced Jackie Speier
Jackie Speier
Karen Lorraine Jacqueline "Jackie" Speier is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2008. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes the northern two-thirds of San Mateo County and the southwest quarter of San Francisco.She is also a former member of the California State...
, 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
Manhunt 2
Manhunt 2 is an action/adventure video game developed by Rockstar Games and the sequel to 2003's Manhunt. The game was released in North America for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and Wii on October 29, 2007....
to re-rate the game from an AO rating for violence to the ESRB Mature rating. Yee asked the Federal Trade Commission
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
to investigate the change in rating. In response, ESRB president Patricia Vance
Patricia Vance
Patricia Vance was appointed the third president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board in November 2002, replacing interim president, Marc Szafran. Vance is responsible for overseeing and enforcing the computer and video game industry's self-regulatory practices...
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
Ted Lieu
Ted W. Lieu is a Democratic Party California State Senator, who has represented the 28th Senate District since February 18, 2011, after being elected to fill the seat of deceased Senator Jenny Oropeza...
of Los Angeles challenged the legality of the LPGA
LPGA
The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
'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
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....
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 KuehlSheila Kuehl
Sheila James Kuehl is an American politician, and a former child actress. She most recently served as a Democratic member of the California State Senate, representing the 23rd district in Los Angeles County and parts of southern Ventura County...
led the New York 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 reserved for the highest levels and can be accessed only by advanced players after hours upon hours of progressive mastery.”. This action has been met with criticism from gamers that the Californian state senator is wasting resources on a law already judged unconstitutional at a time when the state is already facing economic problems
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. Yee was also the third largest taxpayer-funded gas card spender in the senate for 2010 costing $5,314.66. A spokesman said he commutes daily from the state Capitol
California State Capitol
The California State Capitol is home to the government of California. The building houses the bicameral state legislature and the office of the governor....
to his district to hold daily and evening meetings to better serve his constituents.
2011
This year, Senator Yee opposed AB376, which banned the sale of shark fins claiming that it was "an attack on Asian culture" and targeting the Chinese delicacyShark fin soup
Shark fin soup is a popular soup item of Chinese cuisine usually served at special occasions such as weddings and banquets, or as a luxury item in Chinese culture. The shark fins provide texture while the taste comes from the other soup ingredients.There is controversy over the practice of shark...
was an "another example in a long line of examples of insensitivity to the culture and traditions of the Asian American community." Proponents of the bill seek to discourage illegal shark finning
Shark finning
Shark finning refers to the removal and retention of shark fins and the discarding of the rest of the fish. Shark finning takes place at sea so the fishers only have to transport the fins.Shark finning is widespread, and largely unmanaged and unmonitored...
, a practice which involves cutting off the tails and fins of living sharks, which are then thrown back into the ocean to die. Opponents contend that restaurants do not acquire shark fins illegally and that the focus should be specifically on fins caught illegally. Yee followed up with a press conference at a San Francisco Chinatown restaurant where shark fin soup was served to reporters to demonstrate how the soup is served to customers.
2011 Mayoral Campaign
On November 10, 2010 Yee filed his candidacy for the San Francisco mayoral election.On November 9 2011, almost exactly a year after filing his candidacy, He lost coming in fifth place.
Awards
Yee 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 AssociationCalifornia Newspaper Publishers AssociationThe California Newspaper Publishers Association is a nonprofit trade association founded in 1888 that represents the daily and weekly newspapers of California. Its diverse membership consists of over 500 newspapers that elect 35 individuals to its governing board of directors...
- Modern Day Abolitionist Award by the San Francisco Collaborative Against Human Trafficking
- Building a State of Equality by Equality CaliforniaEquality CaliforniaEquality California or EQCA is a non-profit civil rights organization that advocates for the rights of LGBT people in California.-Early history:...
- 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 PsychologistsNational Association of School PsychologistsThe National Association of School Psychologists is the major national professional organization for school psychologists in the United States...
- Public Official Award by the Society of Professional Journalists
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 AlaskaAlaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
Governor Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
$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
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
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." Palin's speech brought in a then record $200,000 profit for the Cal State Stanislaus Foundation
Allegations
In 1992, Yee was accused of the petty misdemeanor crime of shoplifting a small bottle of sunscreen in Hawaii. In 1993, the case was closed without prejudice after Yee left the jurisdiction without informing law enforcement.Yee has also been pulled over by SFPD twice, under the suspicion that he was cruising for prostitutes in the Mission District of San Francisco on South Van Ness Avenue. In each case, he was questioned by police and let go with no charges filed.
Conflict of interest in editing Wikipedia
On September 4, 2007 it was revealed using WikiScannerWikiScanner
WikiScanner was a tool which consisted of a publicly searchable database that linked millions of anonymous edits on the free online encyclopedia Wikipedia to the organizations where those edits apparently originated, by cross-referencing the edits with data on the owners of the associated block of...
that IP addresses registered to computers in the California Senate office had made changes to its Wikipedia entry favoring Leland Yee.
Criticisms of Rush Limbaugh
On January 19, 2011, conservative political commentator Rush LimbaughRush Limbaugh
Rush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United...
mocked Chinese president Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao is the current Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China. He has held the titles of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China since 2002, President of the People's Republic of China since 2003, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission since 2004, succeeding Jiang...
during his visit to the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
on his radio show. "Hu Jintao -- He was speaking and they weren’t translating. They normally translate every couple of words. Hu Jintao was just going ching chong
Ching Chong
Ching chong is a pejorative term sometimes employed by speakers of the English language to mock people of Chinese ancestry, or other Asians who may look Chinese....
, ching chong cha," said Limbaugh, who imitated Hu's speech for seventeen seconds. Yee criticized Limbaugh for his remarks: "His classless act is an insult to over 3,000 years of cultural history, and is a slap in the face to the millions of Chinese Americans who have struggled in this country and to a people who constitute one-quarter of the world's population." He demanded an apology from Limbaugh for what he and others view as racist and derogatory remarks. He also organized with civil rights groups—including Chinese for Affirmative Action
Chinese for Affirmative Action
Chinese for Affirmative Action is a San Francisco-based advocacy organization. Founded in 1969, its initial goals were equality of access to employment and the creation of job opportunities for Chinese Americans. The group broadened its mission in the subsequent decades...
, Japanese American Citizens League
Japanese American Citizens League
The was formed in 1929 to protect the rights of Japanese Americans from the state and federal governments. It fought for civil rights for Japanese Americans, assisted those in internment camps during World War II, and led a successful campaign for redress for internment from the U.S...
and the California National Organization for Women
National Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
—to boycott companies like ProFlowers
ProFlowers
ProFlowers is a major flower retailer in the United States. It is an e-commerce company that sells products shipped from growers, suppliers and its own distribution facilities to consumers. ProFlowers is headquartered in San Diego, California...
, Sleep Train and Domino's Pizza
Domino's Pizza
Domino's Pizza, Inc. is an international pizza delivery corporation headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America. Founded in 1960, Domino's is the second-largest pizza chain in the United States and has over 9,000 corporate and franchised stores in 60 countries and all 50 U.S....
that advertise on Limbaugh's talk show
The Rush Limbaugh Show
The Rush Limbaugh Show is an American talk radio show hosted by Rush Limbaugh on Premiere Radio Networks...
. Yee has received threatening messages and also received a fax from an unknown sender which made racist comments and labeling him a Marxist. "Rush Limbaugh will kick your Chink ass and expose you for the fool you are," part of the memo said.
Shark finning legislation
California State Assemblyman Paul FongPaul Fong
Paul Fong is a Democratic California State Assembly member from California's 22nd State Assembly district. Prior to being elected to the assembly, he served as a Foothill De Anza Community College District Trustee....
had introduced Assembly Bill 376, a legislation intended to ban a method of harvesting shark fins, but the details of which also stipulates that any commercial or culinary use of any shark's fin become banned, in particular Shark's fin soup, which Assemblyman Fong describes as: "Anything that is unhealthy, that the culture is practicing, we should stop doing it. We used to bind women's feet and that was unhealthy for the woman". In what may be a described as a cynical analogy with a long obsolete practice of foot binding is echoed by Hawaii's former first lady Vicky Cayetano
Ben Cayetano
Benjamin Jerome "Ben" Cayetano served as the fifth Governor of the State of Hawaii from 1994 to 2002. He is the first Filipino American to serve as a state governor in the United States.- Early years :...
who states that: "shark fin soup is about as cultural as bound feet", however, Senator Leland Yee, while voicing his concern about the illegal shark finning trade, argued that the mentality behind AB376 constitutes "the wrong approach and an unfair attack on Asian culture and cuisine... rather than launch just another attack on Asian American culture, the proponents of the (blanket) ban on shark fin soup should work with us to strengthen conservation efforts".
Critics said the bill unfairly targeted the Chinese-American community because it only restricts the sale of shark fins, which are used almost exclusively in Chinese cuisine. The bill does not apply to other shark products like oil or meat.
"I think what is most insidious about this particular bill is that it sends a very bad message, not only to us in California but to the rest of the world, that discrimination against Chinese-Americans is OK," Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, said. Sen. Yee supports the culling of shark fins for Chinese-America cuisine.