22 Facts About Jenny Oropeza

Jenny Oropeza was elected to her first term in the California State Senate in November 2006 and garnered 62 percent of the vote.

Jenny Oropeza died less than two weeks before the November 2,2010 election, in which she had been expected to easily win reelection.

Jenny Oropeza's name remained on the ballot in the 28th Senate District.

Jenny Oropeza served in the California State Assembly for the six years prior to her time in the Senate.

Jenny Oropeza graduated from Alhambra High School in 1975 and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from California State University, Long Beach.

Jenny Oropeza began her career in public service as the first Latina student body president, and the first to serve two terms, at California State University, Long Beach.

Jenny Oropeza was the first Latina to serve as a member of the Long Beach Unified School District Board of Education and held office from 1988 to 1994.

Jenny Oropeza was a member of the California State Assembly from 2000 to 2006 for the 55th Assembly District.

From 2004 to 2006, Jenny Oropeza chaired the Assembly Transportation Committee.

Jenny Oropeza was Vice Chair of the dual-house Latino Caucus.

Jenny Oropeza long supported transportation improvements, including Proposition 42 in 2002, which sought to dedicate a portion of gasoline taxes toward construction.

On June 6,2006, Jenny Oropeza won a very close Democratic primary against former Assembly member George Nakano.

Jenny Oropeza was endorsed by the California Democratic Party and the California League of Conservation Voters.

Jenny Oropeza chaired the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee and was a member of the Appropriations; Transportation; and Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committees.

Jenny Oropeza chaired the Select Committees on Integrity of Elections, and Public Health and the Environment.

Jenny Oropeza was a member of the Select Committees on the Alameda Corridor and Asian Pacific Affairs.

Jenny Oropeza introduced legislation in the areas of local sales, massage therapy, teacher credentials, and air pollution in ports.

Jenny Oropeza was admitted to Long Beach Memorial Medical Center for difficulty breathing, but later died there the evening of October 20,2010.

Jenny Oropeza had been undergoing treatment for a blood clot in her abdomen since May 2010.

Jenny Oropeza was survived by her husband Tom Mullins, mother Sharon, sister Lynne, and brother John.

Jenny Oropeza successfully worked with Federal, State and local government entities, as well as the railroads and Metropolitan Transportation Authority to find the funds to construct this last and critical portion of the project.

Jenny Oropeza, who died in 2010 at age 53, was the first Latina to serve on the Long Beach USD school board and the city council.