Ed Chau

Edwin “Ed” Chau (born September 17, 1957) is an American jurist and politician who served in the California State Assembly as a Democrat representing the 49th state assembly District from 2012 to 2021. On November 29, 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Chau to be a judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court.^[2]

Ed Chau
Judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court
Incumbent
Assumed office December 11, 2021
Appointed by	Gavin Newsom
Member of the California State Assembly from the 49th district
In office December 3, 2012 – December 10, 2021
Preceded by	Mike Eng
Succeeded by	Mike Fong
Personal details
Born	(1957-09-17) September 17, 1957 (age 67) British Hong Kong
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Candice[1]
Residence(s)	Arcadia, California
Alma mater	University of Southern California (BA, BS) Southwestern University School of Law (JD)
Chinese name
Chinese	周本立
Hanyu Pinyin	Zhōu Běn Lì
Jyutping	Zau1 Bun2 Laap6

Biography

Ed Chau (Chinese name: 周本立 ) was born in Hong Kong in 1957 and grew up in Los Angeles. He has a B.A. in sociology and a B.S. in computer science from the University of Southern California. He also received a J.D. degree from Southwestern University School of Law.^[3]

Mr Chau can speak Cantonese, Mandarin, and is very fluent in English.

California State Assembly

In June, 2021, Chau was appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly to serve as the Assistant Majority Leader. Prior to the appointment, Chau served as the Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection from 2016 to 2021.^[4] Previously, he was the Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Housing and Community Development.^[5] Chau also served as a member of the following standing committees: Appropriations, Judiciary, Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy, Natural Resources, and Privacy and Consumer Protection.

In addition, Chau was the Chairman of the Assembly Select Committee on Emerging Technologies and Innovation. As Chair, he had convened informational hearings on the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence, Facial Recognition Technology, 5-G Technology, and Mobile Applications, among others. He was also a member of the following Select Committees: Asia/California Trade and Investment Promotion, California's Clean Energy Economy, Cybersecurity, and Regional Transportation Solutions.

In 2018, Chau introduced and passed the landmark privacy law, alongside Senator Robert Hertzberg, the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA), giving California consumers significant control over the collection, use and processing of their personal information. The law, considered the most comprehensive privacy law in the nation, has frequently been compared to the European Union landmark privacy law, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).^[6]

In addition, Chau passed a law that would require data brokers to publicly register with the Attorney General's office,^[7] providing Californians transparent information about who is collecting their personal information. Other laws passed by Chau include prohibiting the sale, purchase and use of hacked data;^[8] making it a crime to assist in soliciting another to commit hacking;^[9] requiring credit reporting agencies to fix vulnerabilities regarding data breaches;^[10] protecting individuals' privacy from devices like drones;^[11][12] authorizing the California Military Department to conduct cybersecurity assessments in schools;^[13][14] requiring disclosure of a data breach to California residents when the encryption key is lost;^[15] and authorizing local governments to provide broadband services, while adhering to “net neutrality rules”.^[16] Chau also introduced legislation to safeguard personal data collected by digital health trackers.^{[17][18][19][20]} as well as address biases in the use of automated artificial intelligence systems.

Moreover, Chau passed laws to help curb climate change;^[21][22] protect water resources through groundwater cleanup funding;^[23] combat wild fires through forest management;^[24] protect seniors against elder abuse;^[25] require Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) to receive training on how to interact with dementia patients and their caregivers;^[26] mandate advance notice before increasing life insurance costs on consumers;^[27] ensure that students in California receive instruction on the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the contributions made by Chinese Americans in establishing the Transcontinental Railroad;^[28] protect students by removing from classrooms teachers charged with a sex offense;^[29] safeguard children from cyber sexual bullying;^[30] prohibit the online marketing of cannabis products or services to minors;^[31] and legally protect Good Samaritans that break into hot vehicles to rescue children.^[32][33]

Chau also passed a number of legislative measures to address the housing crisis;^[34][35][36] assist with language access in hospital settings and the language accessibility needs of voters;^[37][38] and to help small business owners facing frivolous lawsuits.^[39]

Electoral history

2012 California State Assembly

See also: California State Assembly elections, 2012

California's 49th State Assembly district election, 2012

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Matthew Lin	20,549	52.2
	Democratic	Ed Chau	13,746	34.9
	Democratic	Mitchell Ing	5,074	12.9
Total votes			39,369	100.0
General election
	Democratic	Ed Chau	64,791	56.4
	Republican	Matthew Lin	50,153	43.6
Total votes			114,944	100.0
	Democratic hold

2014 California State Assembly

See also: California State Assembly elections, 2014

California's 49th State Assembly district election, 2014

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ed Chau (incumbent)	17,540	60.2
	Republican	Esthela Torres Siegrist	11,576	39.8
Total votes			29,116	100.0
General election
	Democratic	Ed Chau (incumbent)	33,030	61.5
	Republican	Esthela Torres Siegrist	20,678	38.5
Total votes			53,708	100.0
	Democratic hold

2016 California State Assembly

See also: California State Assembly election, 2016

California's 49th State Assembly district election, 2016

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ed Chau (incumbent)	44,922	99.5
	Republican	Peter Amundson, Jr. (write-in)	188	0.4
	Libertarian	Matthew "Boomer" Shannon (write-in)	25	0.1
Total votes			45,135	100.0
General election
	Democratic	Ed Chau (incumbent)	82,964	70.0
	Republican	Peter Amundson, Jr. (write-in)	35,533	30.0
Total votes			118,497	100.0
	Democratic hold

2018 California State Assembly

See also: California State Assembly election, 2018

California's 49th State Assembly district election, 2018

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ed Chau (incumbent)	35,365	69.0
	Republican	Burton Brink	15,910	31.0
Total votes			46,349	100.0
General election
	Democratic	Ed Chau (incumbent)	75,421	71.2
	Republican	Burton Brink	30,506	28.8
Total votes			105,927	100.0
	Democratic hold

2020 California State Assembly

2020 California's 49th State Assembly district election

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ed Chau (incumbent)	36,985	52.0%
	Republican	Burton Brink	17,531	24.6%
	Democratic	Bryan Mesinas Pérez	9,006	12.7%
	Democratic	Priscilla Silva	7,628	10.7%
Total votes			71,150	100%
General election
	Democratic	Ed Chau (incumbent)	80,751	68.1
	Republican	Burton Brink	37,867	31.9
Total votes			118,618	100.0
	Democratic hold

See also

• List of Asian American jurists

References

1. "Full Biography for Edwin "Ed" Chau". Archived from the original on 2019-11-20.
2. "Governor Newsom Announces Judicial Appointments 11.29.21". Office of Governor Gavin Newsom. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
3. "Biography". Assemblymember Ed Chau, District 49. California State Assembly. Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
4. "Speaker Rendon Announces Leadership Team, Committee Chairs | Official Website - Speaker Anthony Rendon Representing the 63rd California Assembly District". speaker.asmdc.org. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
5. "California Assembly announces committee chairs". The Sacramento Bee. Archived from the original on 2014-12-13.
6. "California's groundbreaking privacy law takes effect in January. What does it do?". the Guardian. 2019-12-30. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
7. "California to Create Data Broker Registry, Fines for Failure". news.bloomberglaw.com. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
8. "Bill Text - AB-1391 Unlawfully obtained data". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
9. "Bill Text - AB-195 Unauthorized access to computer systems". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
10. "Bill Text - AB-1859 Customer records". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
11. "Bill Text - AB-2306 Constructive invasion of privacy: liability". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
12. "Editorial: How to protect celebrities from paparazzi drones". Los Angeles Times. 2014-08-20. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
13. "Bill Text - AB-1352 Independent information security assessments: Military Department: local educational agencies". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
14. "Calif. Military Dept. to Conduct School Security Assessments". GovTech. 2021-10-13. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
15. "Bill Text - AB-2828 Personal information: privacy: breach". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
16. "Bill Text - AB-1999 Local government: public broadband services". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
17. "Bill Text - AB-2167 Information privacy: digital health feedback systems". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
18. "Bill Text - AB-384 Information privacy: digital health feedback systems". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
19. "Bill Text - AB-2280 Information privacy: personal health record information: software or hardware". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
20. "Bill Text - AB-1252 Information privacy: digital health feedback systems". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
21. "Bill Text - AB-739 State vehicle fleet: purchases". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
22. "Bill Text - AB-39 California-China Climate Institute". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
23. "Bill Text - AB-1043 Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006: groundwater contamination". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
24. "Bill Text - AB-697 Forest resources: national forest lands: Good Neighbor Authority Fund: ecological restoration and fire resiliency projects". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
25. "Bill Text - AB-381 Estates and trusts: undue influence and elder abuse". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
26. "Bill Text - AB-453 Emergency medical services: training". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
27. "Bill Text - AB-2634 Life insurance". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
28. "Bill Text - AB-2864 Pupil instruction: Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882: Chinese Americans' contributions to establishment of transcontinental railroad". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
29. "Bill Text - AB-872 School employees: employment: sex offenses". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
30. "Bill Text - AB-2536 Pupil discipline and safety: cyber sexual bullying". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
31. "Bill Text - AB-3067 Internet: marketing: minors: cannabis". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
32. "Bill Text - AB-2717 Motor vehicles: unattended children: liability". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
33. "Hot Car Rescues: New CA Law Protects Good Samaritans". Walnut Creek, CA Patch. 2020-10-01. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
34. "Bill Text - AB-984 The California Housing Finance Agency". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
35. "Bill Text - AB-569 Real property: divided lands". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
36. "Bill Text - AB-744 Planning and zoning: density bonuses". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
37. "Bill Text - AB-389 Hospitals: language assistance services". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
38. "Bill Text - AB-1443 Voters: language accessibility". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
39. "Bill Text - AB-1583 Proposition 65: enforcement: certificate of merit: factual basis". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-19.

External links

• Join California Edwin Chau