Maienschein seeks re-election

Brian Maienschein

Maienschein seeks re-election

Republican Brian Maienschein is the incumbent 77th District California Assembly member running for re-election Nov. 6.

A San Diego resident who grew up in the district, Maienschein has represented the 77th since first being elected to the seat in 2012.

His legislative accomplishments include authoring new laws to make it easier for veterans to attain military documents, and to provide professional licenses to out-of-state military spouses stationed in California. He co-authored the Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Act of 2014 and authored other measures aimed at helping veterans and the homeless. Maienschein has also authored laws requiring caregivers at the Department of Social Services to undergo extensive criminal background checks, increasing sentencing for assaults on disabled victims and doubling the sentence for the exploitation of minors.

Maienschein serves on 21 legislative committees in the Assembly, including those handling issues relating to biotechnology, health, homelessness, housing affordability for the middle and working class, local emergency preparedness, STEAM education, and workforce development and diversity in the innovation economy.

Before being elected as an assembly member, Maienschein was a member of the San Diego City Council from 2000 to 2008, during which time he served as the city’s first commissioner on homelessness.

Maienschein is credited during his years on the Council with leading the response and rebuilding of two communities after the 2003 Cedar and 2007 Witch Creek fires, heading the effort to complete State Route 56, and preserving more than 10,000 acres from development in the San Pasqual Valley.

Prior to his career in elected office, Maienschein was the executive director of Youth Court, described on his re-election website as “an innovative program that has forged a partnership between law enforcement, schools and community groups to get first-time juvenile offenders back on track.” Maienschein received the District Attorney’s Crime Victims’ Rights Award for his work on the program. From 2009 to 2012, he served as a commissioner on the United Way of San Diego’s Plan to End Chronic Homelessness.

Other awards Maienschein has earned include being named a Tech Champion by TechAmerica, Legislator of the Year by the California Small Business Association, and receiving the Humane Hero Compassion Award from the San Diego Humane Society and the Assembly Advocate Award from Easter Seals.

In addition to his work in the Assembly, Maienschein also teaches a course on Election Law at the University of San Diego Law School.

Maienschein earned a bachelor of arts in communications degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a juris doctorate from California Western School of Law.

Numerous attempts to reach Brian Maienschein to arrange an interview for this article were unsuccessful. Information for this article was gathered from Maienschein’s re-election website, his Assembly webpage, votesmart.org, LinkedIn and media reports.