Ed Hernandez

Edward Paul "Ed" Hernández (born October 17, 1957) is an American politician currently serving in the California State Senate. A Democrat, he represents the 22nd Senate District, which includes the San Gabriel Valley cities of Alhambra, Azusa, Baldwin Park, Covina, La Puente, San Gabriel, and West Covina. Prior to the 2010 redistricting, he represented the 24th Senate District.
Hernandez is a member of the California Latino Legislative Caucus. An optometrist, he currently serves as the Chair of the Senate Committee on Health. Prior to his election to the State Senate in 2010, he served in the California State Assembly, representing the 57th Assembly District from 2006 until 2010.
In 2016, Hernandez announced that he would run to replace Gavin Newsom as Lieutenant Governor in 2018.

Hernández is a native of La Puente and he graduated from Bassett High School. Hernández earned his bachelor's degree from California State University, Fullerton and he earned his optometry degree from Indiana University. In 2000 and 2001, Hernández served as president of the California Optometric Association. Prior to serving in the Assembly, he was President of the California Board of Optometry.

Hernández main legislative priorities are providing quality, affordable health care to residents in California, increasing access to health care for all Californians, and implementing the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. He has donated his time and skills from his training to the community by providing free eye care to low-income children and working with the local schools to examine the eyes of thousands of school children. He also has given free care to at-risk diabetic patients.

Hernández is married to Diane, also an optometrist. He has one daughter from that marriage, and one from a previous marriage. The Hernández family resides in Azusa.

In 2010, Hernández ran a successful campaign for the California State Senate, to represent the 22nd Senate district. He is running unopposed in the 2014 election, and will be termed out of the Senate in 2018.

Hernández authored and introduced Senate Constitutional Amendment No.5 (SCA5), which proposed an amendment to the Constitution of the State to repeal portions of California Proposition 209, in order to allow the State of California to consider race in student admissions. It was passed in the California Senate on Jan. 30, 2014. Proposition 209 prohibits state government institutions from considering race, sex, or ethnicity, specifically in the areas of public employment, public contracting, and public education. Proposition 209 is considered by others to be a proposition which has resulted in low minority enrollment

, and to have been driven by racial divisions. The proposal led many to speculate the motive behind Hernandez's act.