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
4,558 events, each with its sourceAB 1515 Labor and Employment Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 1516 REV. & TAX. Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
ACR 5 Nguyen Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 632 Hart Assembly Third Reading
AB 972 Wilson Assembly Third Reading
AB 760 Ta Assembly Third Reading
AB 1301 Petrie-Norris Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 1085 Stefani Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 358 Alvarez Assembly Third Reading
AB 592 Gabriel Assembly Third Reading
AB 1529 Housing and Community Development Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 379 Schultz Assembly Third Reading
AB 752 Ávila Farías Assembly Third Reading
AB 1334 Wallis Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 1528 Human Services Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
Relative to Behavioral Health Awareness Month.
AB 391 Michelle Rodriguez Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 655 Alvarez Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 416 Krell Assembly Third Reading
SCR 55 Niello Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 786 Solache Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 711 Chen Assembly Third Reading
AB 672 Caloza Assembly Third Reading
AB 309 Zbur Assembly Third Reading
AB 896 Elhawary Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 1341 Hoover Assembly Third Reading
AB 463 Michelle Rodriguez Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 876 Flora Assembly Third Reading
HR 38 Fong Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 1177 Connolly Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 1436 Ávila Farías Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 1415 Bonta Assembly Third Reading
AB 806 Connolly Assembly Third Reading
AB 992 Irwin Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 1142 Hoover Assembly Third Reading
AB 1166 Valencia Assembly Third Reading
ACR 80 Stefani Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month.
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
National Stuttering Acceptance Awareness Week.
AB 663 McKinnor Third Reading Urgency
AB 712 Wicks Assembly Third Reading
AB 574 Mark González Assembly Third Reading
AB 54 Krell Assembly Third Reading
AB 769 Wilson Assembly Third Reading
AB 348 Krell Assembly Third Reading