Reggie Jones-Sawyer

Jones-Sawyer was born in Little Rock, Arkansas on January 14, 1957. His uncle, Jefferson Thomas, was one of the "Little Rock Nine" high school students.{{cite web|url=https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/la-west/news/2020/06/12/california-assemblymember-shares-connection-to-little-rock-nine-#|title=California Assemblymember Shares Connection to Little Rock Nine |date=June 12, 2020|author=Sandoval, Sarina|website=Spectrum News 1}} He attended and graduated from the University of Southern California, earning a Bachelor of Science degree degree in Public Administration.{{cite web|url=https://www.kqed.org/news/11948198/examining-reparations-and-the-historical-harms-of-slavery-and-racism-in-california|title=Mini-Documentary: California's Reparations Task Force on the Foundation for Lasting Reparative Justice|author=Taylor Jr., Otis R.|date=May 2, 2023|website=KQED}}

Prior to his election to the California State Assembly, Jones-Sawyer worked for the City of Los Angeles, including as Director of Asset Management and Assistant Deputy Mayor.{{cite web|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/la-pol-ca-double-dipping-california-legislator-pensions-20180404-htmlstory.html|title=These 14 California legislators are getting two government checks a month|date=April 4, 2018|author=McGreevy, Patrick|website=The San Diego Union-Tribune}} He also served as the Secretary of the California Democratic Party, Chair of the Baldwin Hills Conservancy, Chair of the Los Angeles County Small Business Commission, and Vice President for SEIU's Local 721 within the Los Angeles Professional Managers Association.{{cite web|url=https://lasentinel.net/bernie-sanders-calls-out-deceptive-pro-efren-martinez-mailer.html|title=BERNIE SANDERS CALLS OUT DECEPTIVE PRO-EFREN MARTINEZ MAILER|date=October 15, 2020|website=Los Angeles Sentinel}}{{cite web|url=https://dailytrojan.com/2023/10/20/usc-area-lawmakers-talk-student-issues/|title=USC-area lawmakers talk student issues|date=October 20, 2023|author=Gamson, Benjamin|website=Daily Trojan}}

Jones-Sawyer was elected to the State Assembly in 2012, being re-elected five more times until 2022; he was twice re-elected without any opposition.{{cite web|url=https://www.dailybreeze.com/2022/05/28/election-2022-reggie-jones-sawyer-runs-unopposed-for-57th-assembly-district-reelection/|title= Election 2022: Reggie Jones-Sawyer runs unopposed for 57th Assembly District reelection |date=May 28, 2022|author=Evains, Tyler Shaun|website=Daily Breeze}} In 2014, he was fined for campaign violations, admitting that he accepted campaign contributions from a friend that was over the limit of contributions.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-two-calif-state-lawmakers-fined-for-campaign-violations-20140606-story.html|title=Two Calif. state lawmakers fined for campaign violations|date=June 9, 2014|author=McGreevy, Patrick|website=Los Angeles Times }} In 2021, Jones-Sawyer sought to change the statewide entry requirements for police officers with AB89, which would've required at least a bachelor's degree or at least 25 years of age before entering a police academy.{{Cite web|last=Koseff|first=Alexei|date=2021-01-04|title=California considers requiring police recruits to finish college or setting minimum age of 25|url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/California-could-require-police-recruits-to-15842180.php|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-05|website=San Francisco Chronicle|language=en-US}}

In 2023, Jones-Sawyer announced that he would be challenging appointed incumbent councilor Heather Hutt in the 2024 Los Angeles elections.{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/california-playbook/2023/02/17/they-know-the-way-from-sacramento-to-l-a-00083399|title=They know the way from Sacramento to L.A.|date=February 17, 2023|website=Politico|author=White, Jeremy B.}} He was eliminated in the primary.

In 2023, Jones-Sawyer committee chair of Public Safety Committee, disapproved of Senate Bill 14, a bill that would include sex trafficking of a minor in the lists of crimes that are defined as serious under California law, making the crime a strike under the Three Strikes law. Jones-Sawyer said it would disproportionately affect “Black and Brown Communities.” Proponents of the bipartisan bill argued that over 70% of trafficked women in shelters are black and over 50% of children trafficked are black i.e. Figueroa St. Los Angeles. Jones-Sawyer argued, “there is no evidence that if you lock someone up for long periods of time, it helps them”. However, proponents of SB14 argued this is to protect victims and prevent repeat perpetrators from further trafficking.

Jones-Sawyer is a member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.{{cite web |title=Legislative Progressive Caucus |url=https://www.assembly.ca.gov/offices-caucuses/legislative-progressive-caucus |website=assembly.ca.gov |publisher=California State Assembly |access-date=11 April 2024}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://asmdc.org/members/a59/}}
• [http://www.joincalifornia.com/candidate/13873 Join California Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer Sr.]

{{California State Assembly}}

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Category:Democratic Party members of the California State Assembly

Category:Living people

Category:1957 births

Category:Politicians from Little Rock, Arkansas

Category:Politicians from Los Angeles

Category:African-American state legislators in California

Category:21st-century African-American politicians

Category:20th-century African-American politicians

Category:21st-century members of the California State Legislature