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Portrait of Al Muratsuchi

Al Muratsuchi

Democratic

State Assembly · Assembly District 66

In office
2016–present
BiographyReporting (Tier 3) · reviewed

Before Sacramento, Al Muratsuchi served as a trustee for the Torrance Unified School District and the Southern California Regional Occupation Center and as a Deputy Attorney General. He also worked as a prosecutor in the California Department of Justice and served as regional director of the Japanese American Citizens League’s Pacific Southwest District. These roles included work in education, law enforcement and a regional civic organization. Muratsuchi was first elected to the Assembly in 2012 and now represents the 66th Assembly District. His tenure includes a narrow defeat in 2014, followed by a return two years later.

BACKGROUND AND FORMATION

Albert Yasuro Muratsuchi was born on September 4, 1964, and grew up on U.S. military bases in Okinawa, Japan. His father, a second-generation Japanese American, was a civilian employee of the United States Army. His mother was born in Gifu Prefecture on Honshu, Japan.

Muratsuchi attended the University of California, Berkeley, and UCLA School of Law. He became a prosecutor in the California Department of Justice and served as a Deputy Attorney General. He also served as regional director of the Japanese American Citizens League Pacific Southwest District.

His local public record includes two education posts: trustee for Torrance Unified and trustee for the Southern California Regional Occupation Center. In Sacramento, education finance became one of his committee responsibilities.

THE PATH TO OFFICE

Muratsuchi first won the 66th District seat in 2012. He was narrowly defeated during the 2014 Republican wave, then won back the seat in a 2016 rematch. He has held it since.

The elections that followed were less close. Muratsuchi was easily reelected over former Torrance Mayor Frank A. Scotto in 2018. In 2020, he won by a wide margin over Arthur C. Schaper. Former Hermosa Beach Mayor George Barks challenged him in 2022; Muratsuchi prevailed, 59.9% to 40.1%.

Term limits prevented him from seeking legislative reelection in 2026. He also ran unsuccessfully for Superintendent of Public Instruction, receiving 8% of the vote. His career included a local school district, the state Department of Justice and the Assembly seat he lost once and recovered.

THE WORK

Muratsuchi’s committee assignments cover the budget, schools, the environment, the courts, veterans and aerospace. He has served as chairman of the Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies. He is chairman of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance and the Assembly Select Committee on Aerospace.

He is also a member of the Assembly committees on Natural Resources, Judiciary, Budget and Veterans Affairs. Outside the committee rooms, he was appointed to the California Coastal Conservancy and Governor Brown’s Military Council. He served on the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission and the Inter-agency Veterans Council.

His appointments and commission service span coastal conservation and bay restoration, military affairs and veterans. His chairmanships give him defined responsibilities in three areas—climate policy, education finance and aerospace—while his other committee seats extend into natural resources, the judiciary and the state budget.

THE POLICY SIGNATURE

Education is the clearest through line in Muratsuchi’s record. He served as a Torrance Unified trustee, sat on the Southern California Regional Occupation Center board, chairs the Assembly budget subcommittee responsible for education finance and later sought the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. The documented offices and assignments repeatedly return to schools and their funding.

His environmental record is most concrete in AB-345, which he introduced in 2020. The bill sought a minimum setback of 2,500 feet between oil wells and public areas where children are present. It did not become law: the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee rejected it on a 5–4 vote. His climate chairmanship, Natural Resources Committee membership, Coastal Conservancy appointment and Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission service provide the institutional side of that work.

The interests most plainly present in his record are students and education systems, children near oil wells, coastal and climate programs, veterans, military affairs and aerospace. His record includes committee chairmanships, committee memberships and appointments alongside the AB-345 proposal.

Record of service
  • State Assembly · Assembly District 66 · 2016–present
BiographyReporting (Tier 3) · reviewed before publication

Before Sacramento, Al Muratsuchi served as a trustee for the Torrance Unified School District and the Southern California Regional Occupation Center and as a Deputy Attorney General. He also worked as a prosecutor in the California Department of Justice and served as regional director of the Japanese American Citizens League’s Pacific Southwest District. These roles included work in education, law enforcement and a regional civic organization. Muratsuchi was first elected to the Assembly in 2012 and now represents the 66th Assembly District. His tenure includes a narrow defeat in 2014, followed by a return two years later.

BACKGROUND AND FORMATION

Albert Yasuro Muratsuchi was born on September 4, 1964, and grew up on U.S. military bases in Okinawa, Japan. His father, a second-generation Japanese American, was a civilian employee of the United States Army. His mother was born in Gifu Prefecture on Honshu, Japan.

Muratsuchi attended the University of California, Berkeley, and UCLA School of Law. He became a prosecutor in the California Department of Justice and served as a Deputy Attorney General. He also served as regional director of the Japanese American Citizens League Pacific Southwest District.

His local public record includes two education posts: trustee for Torrance Unified and trustee for the Southern California Regional Occupation Center. In Sacramento, education finance became one of his committee responsibilities.

THE PATH TO OFFICE

Muratsuchi first won the 66th District seat in 2012. He was narrowly defeated during the 2014 Republican wave, then won back the seat in a 2016 rematch. He has held it since.

The elections that followed were less close. Muratsuchi was easily reelected over former Torrance Mayor Frank A. Scotto in 2018. In 2020, he won by a wide margin over Arthur C. Schaper. Former Hermosa Beach Mayor George Barks challenged him in 2022; Muratsuchi prevailed, 59.9% to 40.1%.

Term limits prevented him from seeking legislative reelection in 2026. He also ran unsuccessfully for Superintendent of Public Instruction, receiving 8% of the vote. His career included a local school district, the state Department of Justice and the Assembly seat he lost once and recovered.

THE WORK

Muratsuchi’s committee assignments cover the budget, schools, the environment, the courts, veterans and aerospace. He has served as chairman of the Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies. He is chairman of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance and the Assembly Select Committee on Aerospace.

He is also a member of the Assembly committees on Natural Resources, Judiciary, Budget and Veterans Affairs. Outside the committee rooms, he was appointed to the California Coastal Conservancy and Governor Brown’s Military Council. He served on the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission and the Inter-agency Veterans Council.

His appointments and commission service span coastal conservation and bay restoration, military affairs and veterans. His chairmanships give him defined responsibilities in three areas—climate policy, education finance and aerospace—while his other committee seats extend into natural resources, the judiciary and the state budget.

THE POLICY SIGNATURE

Education is the clearest through line in Muratsuchi’s record. He served as a Torrance Unified trustee, sat on the Southern California Regional Occupation Center board, chairs the Assembly budget subcommittee responsible for education finance and later sought the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. The documented offices and assignments repeatedly return to schools and their funding.

His environmental record is most concrete in AB-345, which he introduced in 2020. The bill sought a minimum setback of 2,500 feet between oil wells and public areas where children are present. It did not become law: the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee rejected it on a 5–4 vote. His climate chairmanship, Natural Resources Committee membership, Coastal Conservancy appointment and Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission service provide the institutional side of that work.

The interests most plainly present in his record are students and education systems, children near oil wells, coastal and climate programs, veterans, military affairs and aerospace. His record includes committee chairmanships, committee memberships and appointments alongside the AB-345 proposal.

The record

4,579 events, each with its source
VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 567

Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 61

SB 61 Cortese Consent Calendar Second Day

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 66

SB 66 Umberg Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 484

Do pass as amended, and be re-referred to the Committee on [Housing and Community Development] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar

VoteYea
Voted Yea on ACR 95

ACR 95 Kalra Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session

VoteYea
Voted Yea on ACR 93

ACR 93 Dixon Consent Calendar Second Day

Cosponsored
Cosponsored ACR 100

India’s Independence Day.

Cosponsored
Cosponsored AR 47

Relative to the 4th of July.

Cosponsored
Cosponsored ACR 99

Scleroderma Awareness Day.

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 101

SB 101 Wiener Senate Third Reading By GABRIEL

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SB 101

SB 101 Wiener Senate Third Reading By GABRIEL Amend By SANCHEZ Set #1 Motion to Lay on the Table By AGUIAR-CURRY

Cosponsored
Cosponsored ACR 95

The 2025 International Day of Yoga.

Cosponsored
Cosponsored ACR 96

Assembly Member Patty Berg Memorial Highway.

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1454

AB 1454 Rivas Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 392

AB 392 Dixon Assembly Third Reading

VoteAbsent
Voted Absent on AB 66

AB 66 Tangipa Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 566

AB 566 Lowenthal Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 692

AB 692 Kalra Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1146

AB 1146 Papan Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 383

AB 383 Davies Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 247

AB 247 Bryan Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1129

AB 1129 Celeste Rodriguez Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 456

AB 456 Connolly Assembly Third Reading

VoteAbsent
Voted Absent on AB 745

AB 745 Irwin Assembly Third Reading

VoteAbsent
Voted Absent on AB 687

AB 687 Patterson Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 84

AB 84 Muratsuchi Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 699

AB 699 Stefani Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 698

AB 698 Wicks Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1087

AB 1087 Patterson Assembly Third Reading

VoteAbsent
Voted Absent on AB 357

AB 357 Alvarez Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1037

AB 1037 Elhawary Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 69

AB 69 Calderon Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 426

AB 426 Dixon Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 825

AB 825 Petrie-Norris Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1331

AB 1331 Elhawary Assembly Third Reading

VoteAbsent
Voted Absent on AB 610

AB 610 Alvarez Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 660

AB 660 Wilson Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 246

AB 246 Bryan Assembly Third Reading

Cosponsored
Cosponsored AR 45

Relative to Animal Rights Awareness Week.

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1227

AB 1227 Ellis Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1074

AB 1074 Patel Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1119

AB 1119 Patel Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 830

AB 830 Rogers Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1448

AB 1448 Hart Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1084

AB 1084 Zbur Third Reading Urgency

VoteAbsent
Voted Absent on AB 481

AB 481 Blanca Rubio Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1079

AB 1079 Ávila Farías Assembly Third Reading

VoteAbsent
Voted Absent on AB 97

AB 97 Lackey Third Reading Urgency

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 402

AB 402 Patel Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 542

AB 542 Celeste Rodriguez Assembly Third Reading