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State legislative office

California State Assembly Member, District 59

This office represents Assembly District 59 in the California Legislature.

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Data coverage
Government
State of California
Public body
California State Assembly
Electoral area
Assembly District 59
Map of California State Assembly District 59
State Assembly district
i
Assembly District 59 boundary from the U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb current legislative-district layer.

Office overview

The office at a glance

See what this office does, the government it belongs to, the area it represents, and how voters choose its officeholder.

Government levelStateState of California
Contest typePartisanVoter-nominated office
SeatDistrict 59One of 80 State Assembly seats
Regular term2 yearsAssembly seats are elected every two years

What this office does

Represents District 59 in the State Assembly

The office votes on state laws, appropriations, and oversight while representing residents and communities within the district.

California State Assembly Chief Clerk

Election process

A top-two primary leads to the general election

California uses a top-two primary for this office. The two candidates receiving the most votes advance to the general election regardless of party.

Next electionJune 2, 2026

Open the 2026 Election Page
Detailed district statistics2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates

Survey estimates describe the current Assembly district and are not the same as the official 2020 redistricting population count. Margins of error use the ACS 90% confidence level. Hispanic or Latino includes people of any race; the remaining race categories are non-Hispanic.

People and households

Estimated population
470,942±4,440
Median age
41.3 years±0.5 years
Households
159,857±1,790

Income and education

Median household income
$134,737±$2,458; 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars
People below the poverty line
7.2%±0.6 percentage points
Bachelor's degree or higher
50.1%±0.7 percentage points; population age 25+

Housing

Housing units
164,986±1,694
Occupied housing units
159,857±1,790
Vacant housing units
5,129±653
Vacancy rate
3.1%±0.4 percentage points

Race and ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino (any race)
27.7%±0.8 percentage points
White alone, not Hispanic
40.7%±0.8 percentage points
Black alone, not Hispanic
2.3%±0.3 percentage points
American Indian or Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic
0.0%±0.0 percentage points
Asian alone, not Hispanic
24.0%±0.7 percentage points
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic
0.1%±0.0 percentage points
Some other race alone, not Hispanic
0.6%±0.2 percentage points
Two or more races, not Hispanic
4.7%±0.3 percentage points
U.S. Census Bureau district profile

Current officeholder

Who currently holds this office?

Current officeholder identified by the official California State Assembly directory.

Official portrait of Phillip Chen
California State Assembly

Current officeholder

Phillip Chen

California State Assembly Member, District 59

Status
Current officeholder
Party
Republican
Connected election
June 2, 2026

Legislative work

Committee assignments

2025–2026 legislative session
Standing Committees
  • Banking and FinanceVice Chair
  • Business and ProfessionsMember
  • Governmental OrganizationMember
  • InsuranceMember
  • Labor and EmploymentMember
  • Utilities and EnergyMember
Select Committees
  • Select Committee on Asia/California Trade and InvestmentMember
  • Select Committee on Biotechnology and Medical TechnologyMember
Special Committees
  • Assembly Legislative EthicsCo-Chair
Official committee list

Contact this office

Office
P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0059
Official contact page Official office source
Past officeholders1 verified succession record

Succession history

Explore prior service

Verified Assembly District 59 session snapshots beginning with 2015–2016; one earlier session is included when needed to identify a predecessor.

Service ranges identify the first and last biennial sessions in the California State Library dataset; they do not assert exact swearing-in or departure dates. District numbers continue across redistricting, so earlier records may describe materially different boundaries.

Electoral area

Where this office represents

See the geographic area represented by this office and open its location information when available.

Interactive area map

Explore places and districts connected to Assembly District 59

Assembly District 59 overlaps 13 mapped communities in Orange County and San Bernardino County, including Anaheim, Chino Hills, Chino, Orange, Fullerton, Yorba Linda, and Brea, plus 6 other mapped communities.

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Places and districts shownLoading related pages

Past elections

Election history

This section covers completed elections. Current and upcoming contests remain on the Election Page linked from the top of this Office Page. A published past Election Page contains the full candidate list, certified result, campaign-finance coverage, methodology, and source documents.

State legislative officeCertified

California State Assembly District 59

June 2, 2026 Statewide Direct Primary Election · 2 candidates
Money in
$0.00
Money out
$0.00
Open Election Page

Election and finance details summarize the connected record. Missing or unpublished filings do not mean zero activity.

Public records

Records connected to this office

Open the official records used to follow the work, decisions, or disclosures connected to this office.

Legislative activity

Authored legislation

Review Assembly bills authored by the officeholder during each legislative session. Coauthored bills, resolutions, and constitutional amendments are not included in this list.

Phillip Chen is listed as the author of each assembly bill below. Statuses were reviewed August 17, 2026. Showing all 33 bills.

AB 78 Attorney’s fees: book accountsAuthored by Phillip Chen Chaptered AB 236 Digital financial asset businesses: regulatory feesAuthored by Phillip Chen Assembly · Died · Appropriations AB 304 Training programs: clinical laboratories and personnel: grantsAuthored by Phillip Chen Assembly · Died · Appropriations AB 328 IndemnityAuthored by Phillip Chen Assembly · Died AB 415 Office of Small Business Advocate: internet website: informationAuthored by Phillip Chen Senate · Business, Professions and Economic Development AB 460 Radiologic technologists: venipuncture: direct supervisionAuthored by Phillip Chen Chaptered AB 511 Radiologist assistantsAuthored by Phillip Chen Assembly · Died · Appropriations AB 665 Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation: report: Office of the OmbudsAuthored by Phillip Chen Chaptered AB 711 Civil Actions: shorthand reportersAuthored by Phillip Chen Chaptered AB 778 Local Agency Public Construction Act: internet website postingAuthored by Phillip Chen Assembly · Died · Local Government AB 856 Sales and Use Tax: exemptions: manufacturingAuthored by Phillip Chen Assembly · Died · Revenue and Taxation AB 1048 Workers’ compensationAuthored by Phillip Chen Senate · Appropriations AB 1118 Criminal procedure: search warrantsAuthored by Phillip Chen Assembly · Died · Public Safety AB 1158 MortgagesAuthored by Phillip Chen Assembly · Died · Appropriations AB 1179 Credit unionsAuthored by Phillip Chen Assembly · Died · Banking and Finance AB 1323 County employees’ retirement: administration: retirement board member compensation for meetingsAuthored by Phillip Chen Assembly · Died · Public Employment and Retirement AB 1364 Private security services: patrol operators: trainingAuthored by Phillip Chen Assembly · Died AB 1589 Firearms: silencersAuthored by Phillip Chen Assembly · Inactive AB 1742 Civil actions: service of summons: commercial buildingsAuthored by Phillip Chen Assembly · Judiciary AB 1827 Small claims court: jurisdictionAuthored by Phillip Chen Senate · Appropriations AB 1828 County recorder: county clerks: bondsAuthored by Phillip Chen Assembly · Passed AB 2009 Blood banks and plasma centersAuthored by Phillip Chen Senate · Second Reading AB 2028 Deferred deposit transactions: assessmentsAuthored by Phillip Chen Senate · In Desk Process AB 2061 California FAIR Plan Association: dataAuthored by Phillip Chen Senate · Third Reading AB 2137 Occupational safety and health: fabrication activities: slab solid surface productsAuthored by Phillip Chen Assembly · Appropriations AB 2256 Radiologist assistantsAuthored by Phillip Chen Assembly · Appropriations AB 2425 Department of Financial Protection and Innovation: budget reportsAuthored by Phillip Chen Assembly · Passed AB 2435 Professional engineering, geology, geophysics, and land surveying: practice without a license: administrative penaltiesAuthored by Phillip Chen Senate · Business, Professions and Economic Development AB 2437 Impounded vehiclesAuthored by Phillip Chen Assembly · Passed AB 2477 Structural pest controlAuthored by Phillip Chen Senate · Third Reading AB 2498 Exempt surplus land: surplus land subject to a valid legal restrictionAuthored by Phillip Chen Assembly · Local Government AB 2537 Cannabis Enforcement Accountability and Public Health Prioritization Act of 2026Authored by Phillip Chen Senate · Appropriations AB 2629 Vehicles: registration servicesAuthored by Phillip Chen Assembly · Appropriations
Open the complete official session search

Official directory

Assemblymember directory record for District 59

Verify the office, current officeholder or vacancy, committee assignments, contact links, and district assignment.

Open official record

News and Press Releases

Updates from this office

Read press releases, official updates, and coverage selected by this office. Follow each link to its source.

About independent coverage: These articles were selected by Paper Trail Politics because the office did not provide a usable news archive. They are not official statements, coverage selected by the office, or endorsements by Paper Trail Politics.

CalMatters
Independent coverage

California’s Lawmakers Love to Talk, but These Eight Barely Say a Word

A CalMatters Digital Democracy analysis included Phillip Chen among the least-talkative members of the Legislature and reported his recorded speaking time for the session.

Independent reportingRead article
Voice of OC
Independent coverage

Will California’s Striking Workers Get Unemployment Pay?

Voice of OC examined legislation concerning unemployment benefits for striking workers and reported how Phillip Chen and other Orange County legislators voted.

Independent reportingRead article
Voice of OC
Independent coverage

Orange County Voter Guide: November 2022 Election

Voice of OC’s voter guide reviewed the District 59 contest between incumbent Assemblymember Phillip Chen and challenger Leon Sit.

Independent reportingRead article

Sources

Sources and data coverage

Review the public records used on this page, what Paper Trail Politics has captured, and what remains incomplete.

Current assessmentComplete coverage

The office identity, electoral area, connected 2026 election, and available official sources are included.

Assessed August 17, 2026 · Current 2026 records

No current limitations were reported by the completion validator.

Sources used on this page10 source organizations · 14 records
California Secretary of State

1 record from this source is used on the page.

California State Assembly District 59 district totalshttps://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2026-primary/sov/95-state-assembly.xlsx
U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb

1 record from this source is used on the page.

Boundary source for California State Assembly District 59https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Legislative/MapServer/2
California State Assembly Chief Clerk

1 record from this source is used on the page.

Official government information about the office and public bodyhttps://clerk.assembly.ca.gov/legislative-information/elected-officials
California Legislative Information

2 records from this source are used on the page.

Complete authored assembly bills search for 2025–2026 Sessionhttps://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billSearchClient.xhtml?session_year=20252026&house=Both&author=Chen&lawCode=AllComplete authored assembly bills search for 2023–2024 Sessionhttps://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billSearchClient.xhtml?session_year=20232024&house=Both&author=Chen&lawCode=All
U.S. Census Bureau district profile

1 record from this source is used on the page.

2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates detailed district statisticshttps://data.census.gov/profile?g=620XX00US06059
Census Reporter

1 record from this source is used on the page.

Access copy of the 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates Census tables used for district statisticshttps://censusreporter.org/profiles/62000US06059/
California State Assembly

3 records from this source are used on the page.

Current officeholder identified by the official California State Assembly directory.https://lcmspubcontact.lc.ca.gov/PublicLCMS/ContactPopup.php?district=AD59&inframe=NPortrait source page for Phillip Chenhttps://www.assembly.ca.gov/assemblymembers/59Official logo used when an update does not publish a reusable imagehttps://www.assembly.ca.gov/
California State Library · Demographics in the California Legislature

1 record from this source is used on the page.

Verified succession chronology for California State Assembly Member, District 59https://lab.data.ca.gov/dataset/demographics-in-the-california-legislature/9dc0c75b-5a89-483f-9590-ec41bfe26882
CalMatters

1 record from this source is used on the page.

Independent coverage: California’s Lawmakers Love to Talk, but These Eight Barely Say a Wordhttps://calmatters.org/politics/2025/08/california-lawmakers-speaking-rates/
Voice of OC

2 records from this source are used on the page.

Independent coverage: Will California’s Striking Workers Get Unemployment Pay?https://voiceofoc.org/2023/09/will-californias-striking-workers-get-unemployment-pay/Independent coverage: Orange County Voter Guide: November 2022 Electionhttps://voiceofoc.org/2022/10/orange-county-voter-guide-november-2022-election/
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