Joseph Canciamilla is a Democratic politician who represented California's 11th State Assembly district

California's 11th State Assembly district

California's 11th State Assembly District is one of 80 districts in the California State Assembly. It is currently represented by Democrat Susan Bonilla of Concord.-District profile:...

 from 2000 until 2006. Upon being term limited in 2006, Mr. Canciamilla briefly ran for California's 7th State Senate district

California's 7th State Senate district

California's 7th State Senate District is one of 40 Senate Districts. It is currently represented by Democrat Mark DeSaulnier of Concord.-District profile:...

 in 2008 but eventually droppoed out in favor of the eventual winner, Mark DeSaulnier

Mark DeSaulnier

Mark James DeSaulnier is an American politician and a Democratic member of the California Legislature representing California's 7th State Senate district since December 2008. From 2006 to 2008, DeSaulnier represented California's 11th State Assembly district...

. Mr. Canciamilla is currently running for California Attorney General

California Attorney General

The California Attorney General is the State Attorney General of California. The officer's duty is to ensure that "the laws of the state are uniformly and adequately enforced" The Attorney General carries out the responsibilities of the office through the California Department of Justice.The...

 but may run for California's 10th congressional district

California's 10th congressional district

California's 10th congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of California in the East San Francisco Bay Area region of Northern California....

 upon the expected resignation of Ellen Tauscher

Ellen Tauscher

Ellen O'Kane Tauscher is an American politician and Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs...

.

Early Political Career

First elected to the Pittsburg Board of Education at the age of 17, Joe was the youngest elected official in the nation. After serving almost 4 terms on the school board Joe moved on to the Pittsburg City Council where he served over two terms, including two years as Mayor. He was elected to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors in 1996 and to the State Assembly in 2000 serving the 11th Assembly District.

Political Accomplishments

Mr. Canciamilla helped craft a new and innovative industrial safety ordinance and led a new growth management effort in the county that resulted in the protection of thousands of acres of open space. He also secured new money for transportation projects.

In his first term in the Assembly, he enacted legislation to protect investors from fraudulent and deceptive "Enron-like" partnerships, provide better security options for Animal Control Officers, and expand more energy options for California businesses.

During his second term, Mr. Canciamilla wanted to encourage more constructive dialogue and cooperation between Democratic and Republican legislators, therefore, he and Assemblymember Keith Richman

Keith Richman

Keith Stuart Richman was a California Republican politician. From 2000 to 2006, he served in the California State Assembly representing the 38th Assembly District based in Northwest Los Angeles County....

, a Republican from Northridge

Northridge

Northridge is the name of some places in the United States of America:*Northridge, Los Angeles, California, a community in California's San Fernando Valley** California State University, Northridge** The Northridge earthquake of 1994...

 organized the 27 member Bi-Partisan Group which regularly met to discuss policy issues.

Biography

Mr. Canciamilla has experience in the private sector as co-owner of Pittsburg Funeral Chapel, Inc., a family owned business for over 50 years, and as an attorney who maintained a practice for over 10 years. He is a graduate of Pittsburg High School, St. Mary's College

Saint Mary's College of California

Saint Mary's College of California is a private, coeducational college located in Moraga, California, United States, a small suburban community about east of Oakland and 20 miles east of San Francisco. It has a 420-acre campus in the Moraga hills. It is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church...

 and John F. Kennedy University College of Law.

Joe is married to Dr. Laura Stephenson-Canciamilla, Director of Alternative and Adult Education for the Acalanes Union High School District. Mrs. Canciamilla unsuccessfully attempted to succeed her husband in 2006, losing to Contra Costa County Supervisor Mark DeSaulnier

Mark DeSaulnier

Mark James DeSaulnier is an American politician and a Democratic member of the California Legislature representing California's 7th State Senate district since December 2008. From 2006 to 2008, DeSaulnier represented California's 11th State Assembly district...

.