District 51 voters elected Rick Chavez Zbur to the State Assembly in 2022, after a public life that included environmental law, LGBT civil rights and electoral politics. More than a quarter-century earlier, he ran for Congress in a district represented by Republican Steve Horn. Between that race and his Assembly victory, Zbur practiced law, held leadership posts in the California League of Conservation Voters and led Equality California. He is a member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus. In 2025, he also led Assembly opposition to a proposal to increase housing supply and gave a speech defending single-family exclusive zoning.
ROOTS AND THE JOB BEFORE THE JOB
Zbur was born March 2, 1957, and grew up with his mother, Erlinda Chavez Zbur, on a farm in the Rio Grande Valley of rural New Mexico. He has distant Sephardi Jewish ancestry. His legal career included about three decades practicing environmental law before he retired from Latham & Watkins in 2014.
His work outside the law office included HIV/AIDS advocacy and political fundraising. In the early 1980s, Zbur campaigned against HIV/AIDS and later helped found the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation. In 1992, he organized fundraisers for Bill Clinton and Barbara Boxer; both were elected.
Zbur also became active in California’s environmental movement. From 2011 to 2017, he served as president of the California League of Conservation Voters and as a chair of its board of directors. In 2014, the year he retired from Latham & Watkins, he became executive director of Equality California. He led the LGBT civil rights organization until 2021, part of nearly four decades as a vocal leader in that movement.
THE PATH TO OFFICE
In 1996, Zbur ran for the U.S. House in California’s 38th Congressional District against Republican incumbent Steve Horn. His campaign priorities included environmental protection, Social Security and Medicare. On March 26, Zbur won the Democratic primary, becoming the first openly gay non-incumbent congressional primary candidate to win an election. He lost the general election to Horn.
In April 2020, Zbur said he would run in the 2022 Los Angeles city attorney election. He subsequently decided not to compete for that office. In 2021, he instead announced his candidacy for Assembly District 51.
Zbur won the Assembly primary and then the 2022 general election. His route to the Assembly included a congressional defeat, work in law and advocacy organizations, and a city attorney campaign he later chose not to pursue. He is a member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.
THE POLICY SIGNATURE
Zbur’s documented policy work includes environmental protection, HIV/AIDS and LGBT civil rights. That work has included about three decades of environmental law, service as president of the California League of Conservation Voters from 2011 to 2017, helping found the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation, and leadership of Equality California from 2014 to 2021. His 1996 congressional platform also included Social Security and Medicare.
His Assembly record includes a housing intervention. In 2025, Zbur led Assembly opposition to SB 79, bipartisan legislation to increase California’s housing supply, and gave a speech defending single-family exclusive zoning. He is also a member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.
Zbur’s public work has included campaigning against HIV/AIDS, helping found the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation, advocating for LGBT civil rights and participating in California’s environmental movement. On housing, he gave a 2025 speech defending single-family exclusive zoning. His record also includes leadership of California organizations, electoral campaigns and service in the State Assembly.
- State Assembly · Assembly District 51 · 2022–present
District 51 voters elected Rick Chavez Zbur to the State Assembly in 2022, after a public life that included environmental law, LGBT civil rights and electoral politics. More than a quarter-century earlier, he ran for Congress in a district represented by Republican Steve Horn. Between that race and his Assembly victory, Zbur practiced law, held leadership posts in the California League of Conservation Voters and led Equality California. He is a member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus. In 2025, he also led Assembly opposition to a proposal to increase housing supply and gave a speech defending single-family exclusive zoning.
ROOTS AND THE JOB BEFORE THE JOB
Zbur was born March 2, 1957, and grew up with his mother, Erlinda Chavez Zbur, on a farm in the Rio Grande Valley of rural New Mexico. He has distant Sephardi Jewish ancestry. His legal career included about three decades practicing environmental law before he retired from Latham & Watkins in 2014.
His work outside the law office included HIV/AIDS advocacy and political fundraising. In the early 1980s, Zbur campaigned against HIV/AIDS and later helped found the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation. In 1992, he organized fundraisers for Bill Clinton and Barbara Boxer; both were elected.
Zbur also became active in California’s environmental movement. From 2011 to 2017, he served as president of the California League of Conservation Voters and as a chair of its board of directors. In 2014, the year he retired from Latham & Watkins, he became executive director of Equality California. He led the LGBT civil rights organization until 2021, part of nearly four decades as a vocal leader in that movement.
THE PATH TO OFFICE
In 1996, Zbur ran for the U.S. House in California’s 38th Congressional District against Republican incumbent Steve Horn. His campaign priorities included environmental protection, Social Security and Medicare. On March 26, Zbur won the Democratic primary, becoming the first openly gay non-incumbent congressional primary candidate to win an election. He lost the general election to Horn.
In April 2020, Zbur said he would run in the 2022 Los Angeles city attorney election. He subsequently decided not to compete for that office. In 2021, he instead announced his candidacy for Assembly District 51.
Zbur won the Assembly primary and then the 2022 general election. His route to the Assembly included a congressional defeat, work in law and advocacy organizations, and a city attorney campaign he later chose not to pursue. He is a member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.
THE POLICY SIGNATURE
Zbur’s documented policy work includes environmental protection, HIV/AIDS and LGBT civil rights. That work has included about three decades of environmental law, service as president of the California League of Conservation Voters from 2011 to 2017, helping found the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation, and leadership of Equality California from 2014 to 2021. His 1996 congressional platform also included Social Security and Medicare.
His Assembly record includes a housing intervention. In 2025, Zbur led Assembly opposition to SB 79, bipartisan legislation to increase California’s housing supply, and gave a speech defending single-family exclusive zoning. He is also a member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.
Zbur’s public work has included campaigning against HIV/AIDS, helping found the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation, advocating for LGBT civil rights and participating in California’s environmental movement. On housing, he gave a 2025 speech defending single-family exclusive zoning. His record also includes leadership of California organizations, electoral campaigns and service in the State Assembly.
The record
5,560 events, each with its sourceCalWORKs: temporary absence: immigration detention.
School athletics: coaches: youth athletics behavioral and mental health training.
Sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts.
Health care coverage: enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits.
AB 292 Patterson Assembly Third Reading
AB 375 Nguyen Assembly Third Reading
AB 442 Hadwick Assembly Third Reading
AB 464 Aguiar-Curry Assembly Third Reading
AB 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
Rental vehicles: law enforcement.
Public health: California Epilepsy Program
Lagos State, Nigeria: sister state relationship.
Postsecondary education: segments: tribal colleges and universities.
Relative to Unclaimed Property Month.
Relative to the Lunar New Year.
National School Counseling Week.
Day of Solidarity with Ukraine.
Relative to boat people awareness.
Interscholastic athletics: youth sports: coaches: behavioral and mental health training.
Taxation: private detention facilities.
AB 34 Patterson Assembly Third Reading
AB 35 Alvarez Third Reading Urgency