Senator Dave Cox

Dave Cox was first elected to the State Senate in November of 2004 and was re-elected in 2008. He represents the residents of the First Senate District, which includes all or portions of Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Lassen, Placer, Plumas, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Sacramento and Sierra Counties.

He serves as Chair of the Senate Local Government Committee and Vice-Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He also serves on the following Committees: Banking, Finance and Insurance; Energy, Utilities and Communications; Public Employment and Retirement; and Health.

Dave was first elected to the State Assembly in November of 1998, and the voters overwhelmingly re-elected him in 2000 and 2002.

In March of 2001, the Members of the Assembly Republican Caucus elected Dave to serve as their Assembly Republican Leader, a position he held until January of 2004 when he transitioned the leadership role to Assemblymember Kevin McCarthy.

During his tenure as the Republican Leader, Dave led efforts to successfully unite the Republican Caucus against proposals to raise billions of dollars in new taxes while advocating for a stronger economy and jobs climate. He led the fight against the illegal tripling of the car tax and helped trim waste from the state budget, freeing up money needed to fund essential education, public safety and health care programs.

After the recall election, Dave Cox served as a Member of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's Transition Team.

In January of 2009, Senator Cox was awarded the Patti Mattingly Distinguished Legislator Award by the Regional Council of Rural Counties. Dave was recognized as the California Building Industry Association Outstanding Legislator of 2003, and as Legislator of the Year by the American Electronics Association in 2002, the Consulting Engineers and Land Surveyors of California in 2001 and the California Business Properties Association in 2001. He was awarded the President's Award by the California State Association of Counties in 2001. This award is given to individuals who are committed to the development of sound public policy and service to the citizenry of California. In 2004, the Northern California Power Agency named Senator Cox as its State Legislator of the Year. The California State Sheriffs’ Association has recognized Senator Cox’s legislative efforts by naming him one of their Outstanding Senators in 2005, 2007 and in 2008.

Prior to his election to the State Assembly, Dave Cox served for six years on the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors.

Past affiliations include: service on the Sacramento Municipal Utility District Board of Directors, Senior Warden for St. Francis Episcopal Church of Fair Oaks, and memberships on the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross, the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Easter Seals, and KVIE-Channel 6, where he served as Chairman in 1982. Dave Cox graduated from the University of San Diego in 1961 with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration. He also has a Master of Science Degree.

Dave and his wife Maggie live in Fair Oaks. Together they raised three daughters. All three attended San Juan Unified School District schools and graduated from public California universities. He and Maggie are the proud grandparents of six grandchildren.

Above taken from the bio on his official Senate website (as of 6/24/2010)