Leticia Castillo entered the Assembly after an unsuccessful campaign in 2022. A first-generation Mexican American born in Riverside, she graduated from Lee Pollard High School while attending the Corona College of Cosmetology in 1989. She holds degrees in human services, counseling psychology, and social and behavioral studies. Prior to her election, she worked as a psychotherapist in private practice. She won Assembly District 58 on her second attempt, taking an open seat by 596 votes. Her early legislative agenda has included parental rights, transgender issues, abortion and election identification.
ROOTS AND THE JOB
Castillo was born in Riverside on April 27, 1971. In 1989, she graduated from Lee Pollard High School while simultaneously attending the Corona College of Cosmetology. She holds an associate degree in social and behavioral studies from Riverside City College, a bachelor’s degree in human services from the University of Phoenix, and a master’s degree in counseling psychology from National University.
Prior to her election, Castillo was a psychotherapist in private practice. Her biography also includes Lee Pollard High School, the Corona College of Cosmetology and Riverside City College.
THE SECOND RUN
Castillo first ran for the California State Assembly in 2022. She placed third in the primary and did not reach the general election against incumbent Democrat Sabrina Cervantes. Two years later, she returned for the open race to succeed Sabrina Cervantes, who ran for the California State Senate.
The 2024 primary put Castillo against two Democratic members of the Riverside City Council, Clarissa Cervantes and Ronaldo Fierro. Castillo advanced, then defeated Clarissa Cervantes by 596 votes in the general election. Her victory was seen as a major upset in a blue-leaning district.
The outcome was attributed in part to a swing among Latino voters toward Donald Trump in the concurrent presidential election, as well as Clarissa Cervantes’ two arrests for driving under the influence. Castillo’s route to office included a second campaign, an open seat, two city councilmembers as primary opponents and a 596-vote general-election margin.
THE FIRST RECORD
In February 2025, Castillo introduced numerous anti-trans bills and promoted the parental rights movement. One proposal would state that a parent’s refusal to use a child’s preferred pronouns or chosen name, or a parent’s allowing a child to access gender-affirming health care, is not child abuse. It would also bar judges from considering whether a parent is gender-affirming in child-custody cases.
Another bill would require students, with a parent’s permission, to be excused from public-school curricula, assemblies or lessons involving “transgender concepts” and receive an alternative educational activity. Castillo also introduced legislation promoting adoption as an alternative to abortion. The anti-abortion California Family Council supported the bill.
In April 2025, she supported an unsuccessful voter ID law. The proposal would have required proof of citizenship to register to vote, government-issued identification at polling places, and the last four digits of a government identification number on absentee ballots.
THE POLICY SIGNATURE
Parental authority in disputes involving gender and schools is a recurring element of Castillo’s early legislative record. Her bills would bar judges from considering whether a parent is gender-affirming in child-custody cases, state that specified parental actions involving a child’s gender identity are not child abuse, and require students, with a parent’s permission, to be excused from school discussions of transgender concepts.
Her early record also includes legislation promoting adoption as an alternative to abortion, supported by the anti-abortion California Family Council. She additionally supported an unsuccessful voter ID proposal that would have imposed proof-of-citizenship and identification requirements on voter registration, polling-place voting and absentee ballots.
Taken together, Castillo’s early Assembly record includes parental-rights and transgender-related legislation, an adoption bill presented as an alternative to abortion, and support for stricter election-identification requirements. These actions followed her 596-vote victory in Assembly District 58.
- State Assembly · Assembly District 58 · 2024–present
Leticia Castillo entered the Assembly after an unsuccessful campaign in 2022. A first-generation Mexican American born in Riverside, she graduated from Lee Pollard High School while attending the Corona College of Cosmetology in 1989. She holds degrees in human services, counseling psychology, and social and behavioral studies. Prior to her election, she worked as a psychotherapist in private practice. She won Assembly District 58 on her second attempt, taking an open seat by 596 votes. Her early legislative agenda has included parental rights, transgender issues, abortion and election identification.
ROOTS AND THE JOB
Castillo was born in Riverside on April 27, 1971. In 1989, she graduated from Lee Pollard High School while simultaneously attending the Corona College of Cosmetology. She holds an associate degree in social and behavioral studies from Riverside City College, a bachelor’s degree in human services from the University of Phoenix, and a master’s degree in counseling psychology from National University.
Prior to her election, Castillo was a psychotherapist in private practice. Her biography also includes Lee Pollard High School, the Corona College of Cosmetology and Riverside City College.
THE SECOND RUN
Castillo first ran for the California State Assembly in 2022. She placed third in the primary and did not reach the general election against incumbent Democrat Sabrina Cervantes. Two years later, she returned for the open race to succeed Sabrina Cervantes, who ran for the California State Senate.
The 2024 primary put Castillo against two Democratic members of the Riverside City Council, Clarissa Cervantes and Ronaldo Fierro. Castillo advanced, then defeated Clarissa Cervantes by 596 votes in the general election. Her victory was seen as a major upset in a blue-leaning district.
The outcome was attributed in part to a swing among Latino voters toward Donald Trump in the concurrent presidential election, as well as Clarissa Cervantes’ two arrests for driving under the influence. Castillo’s route to office included a second campaign, an open seat, two city councilmembers as primary opponents and a 596-vote general-election margin.
THE FIRST RECORD
In February 2025, Castillo introduced numerous anti-trans bills and promoted the parental rights movement. One proposal would state that a parent’s refusal to use a child’s preferred pronouns or chosen name, or a parent’s allowing a child to access gender-affirming health care, is not child abuse. It would also bar judges from considering whether a parent is gender-affirming in child-custody cases.
Another bill would require students, with a parent’s permission, to be excused from public-school curricula, assemblies or lessons involving “transgender concepts” and receive an alternative educational activity. Castillo also introduced legislation promoting adoption as an alternative to abortion. The anti-abortion California Family Council supported the bill.
In April 2025, she supported an unsuccessful voter ID law. The proposal would have required proof of citizenship to register to vote, government-issued identification at polling places, and the last four digits of a government identification number on absentee ballots.
THE POLICY SIGNATURE
Parental authority in disputes involving gender and schools is a recurring element of Castillo’s early legislative record. Her bills would bar judges from considering whether a parent is gender-affirming in child-custody cases, state that specified parental actions involving a child’s gender identity are not child abuse, and require students, with a parent’s permission, to be excused from school discussions of transgender concepts.
Her early record also includes legislation promoting adoption as an alternative to abortion, supported by the anti-abortion California Family Council. She additionally supported an unsuccessful voter ID proposal that would have imposed proof-of-citizenship and identification requirements on voter registration, polling-place voting and absentee ballots.
Taken together, Castillo’s early Assembly record includes parental-rights and transgender-related legislation, an adoption bill presented as an alternative to abortion, and support for stricter election-identification requirements. These actions followed her 596-vote victory in Assembly District 58.
The record
4,315 events, each with its sourceAB 501 Papan Assembly Third Reading
AB 634 Jeff Gonzalez Assembly Third Reading
AB 683 Davies Consent Calendar Second Day
AB 713 Solache Assembly Third Reading
AB 739 Jackson Assembly Third Reading
AB 762 Irwin Assembly Third Reading
AB 763 Ward Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 910 Bonta Assembly Third Reading
AB 939 Schultz Assembly Third Reading
AB 1049 Celeste Rodriguez Assembly Third Reading By JACKSON
AB 1080 Bryan Assembly Third Reading
AB 1126 Patterson Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 1153 Bonta Assembly Third Reading
AB 1165 Gipson Assembly Third Reading By WICKS
AB 1171 Patel Assembly Third Reading
AB 1198 Haney Assembly Third Reading
AB 1235 Rogers Assembly Third Reading
AB 1245 Stefani Assembly Third Reading
AB 1278 Harabedian Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 1382 Castillo Assembly Third Reading
AB 1383 McKinnor Assembly Third Reading
AB 1406 Ward Assembly Third Reading
AB 1421 Wilson Assembly Third Reading Amend By DEMAIO Set #1 Motion to Lay on the Table By AGUIAR-CURRY
AB 1421 Wilson Assembly Third Reading
AB 1439 Garcia Assembly Third Reading
AB 1485 Macedo Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1486 Soria Assembly Third Reading
SCR 106 Choi Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
State agencies: regulations and legislation: nondisclosure agreements.
Lagos State, Nigeria: sister state relationship.
Relative to Unclaimed Property Month.
Relative to the Lunar New Year.
National School Counseling Week.
Day of Solidarity with Ukraine.
Child protection: safe surrender.
AB 34 Patterson Assembly Third Reading
AB 35 Alvarez Third Reading Urgency
AB 52 Aguiar-Curry Assembly Third Reading
AB 72 Jackson Assembly Third Reading
AB 96 Jackson Assembly Third Reading
AB 230 Ransom Assembly Third Reading
AB 277 Alanis Assembly Third Reading
AB 643 Wilson Assembly Third Reading
AB 647 Mark González Assembly Third Reading
AB 664 Alvarez Assembly Third Reading
AB 673 Jackson Assembly Third Reading
AB 685 Solache Third Reading Urgency
AB 710 Irwin Assembly Third Reading