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rebecca Democrat Serving in the State Assembly

Rebecca Bauer-Kahan was elected to the State Assembly in 2018 to represent the 16th Assembly District. She immediately made her mark on the legislature when she was selected by her colleagues to serve in the Assembly leadership as Assistant Speaker pro Tempore and Chair of the Select Committee on Women's Reproductive Health – the first committee of its kind in the nation.

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In the Assembly, Rebecca has focused on issues that reflect our community's values and delivering resources that our region desperately needs. In just a few months of service, she authored 13 pieces of legislation, all which received bipartisan support, including bills to strengthen gun safety, protect victims of sexual exploitation, provide better access to health care, improve the environment and more. She also secured millions for local projects.

Before serving her community in the Assembly, Rebecca was an accomplished attorney, environmental advocate, community volunteer, law professor and mother. As an attorney, Rebecca specialized in ensuring major corporations complied with environmental laws and regulations by leading internal investigations to improve their environmental practices, while maintaining profitability. She also oversaw and grew her office’s pro bono program to include civil rights, immigration, homelessness and domestic violence.

Rebecca is the granddaughter of refugees, who came to the United States to escape the Holocaust. They were able to secure a sponsor, a stranger who made a great sacrifice to allow them to survive – and thrive. Their experience has shaped Rebecca's perspective, inspiring her to help others in her own community. That included coordinating the legal services effort at SFO on behalf of the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) to assist refugees and immigrants impacted by the Trump Administration’s travel ban.

Rebecca is a proud Bay Area native and a product of public schools. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and Georgetown University Law Center. She and her husband, Darren, live in Orinda with their three young children.