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Headshot of Phillip Chen

Phillip Chen

Republican, State Assembly
District 59, Brea
Time in office:
  • Assembly: 2016-present

News coverage of Phillip Chen

Bio

Phillip Chen, 48, is a former school board member, reserve sheriff’s deputy and adjunct professor. He was a board member of the Walnut Valley Unified School District and health policy advisor for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. He has a degree from Cal State Fullerton and a master’s and a PhD from USC. He was an adjunct professor at USC’s Sol Price School of Public Policy and was a member of the state Physical Therapy Board. He’s a commercial real estate manager.

Ideology

Left

Moderate

Right

Bill Activity

0

Of 39 bills:
5 Passed
14 Failed
20 Pending

For this session year, this legislator initiated 38 bills: 5 passed, 14 failed, and 20 are currently pending.

Alignment Meter

See all-time percentage of this legislator’s alignment with any organization based on total votes.

xx%votes: xx

Financials

This feature tracks three sources of money intended to help a candidate win election: 1-Money given directly to a candidate’s committee, 2-Money given to an Independent Expenditure Committee, 3-Money given to a political party. (NOTE: Senators are elected every four years. Twenty of the 40 Senators are on the ballot in even-numbered years, so Senators may do little or no fundraising in the first two-year session of their Senate term).

Election

This display shows money given directly to the incumbent’s campaign committee (NOTE: The industry categories for donors come from Open Secrets, a nonpartisan research organization for campaign finance. Some contributions are “uncoded,” meaning they have not been assigned to an industry sector. As a result, the total for each sector is also an estimate).

Agriculture

$15.5K

Communications & Electronics

$4.5K

Construction

$18.0K

Energy & Natural Resources

$58.0K

Finance, Insurance & Real Estate

$146.0K

General Business

$59.5K

Government Agencies/Education/Other

$35.5K

Health

$74.0K

Ideology/Single Issue

$6.0K

Labor

$299.8K

Lawyers & Lobbyists

$1.0K

Transportation

$28.5K

Uncoded

$273.4K

Unitemized Contributions

$143.6K

Candidate Donations

Individuals, corporations, organizations and committees are limited to a maximum donation to candidates of $5,500 for the primary and for the general elections.

Total
$1.2M

146.0% higher than the average legislators

Grand Total for Elections

$1.2M

106.0% higher than the average legislators

This is a total of the money targeting this legislator's campaign(s) including direct donations to the candidate, money spent by Independent Expenditure Committees and money from political parties.


Influence

There are three categories of donations to legislators after they are elected that encourage a working relationship between the donor and the legislator. The three categories are: 1-Gifts, 2-Travel, 3-Behests.

Giver
Value
Date
Description
Rendon for Assembly 2022$35.87Apr 21, 2022Hat
Rendon for Assembly 2022$31.69Apr 21, 2022Snacks

Gifts

Legislators are not allowed to accept gifts of more than $10 per month from registered lobbyists. Gifts from any other single source are limited to $590 in a calendar year.

Gift Received Rating
#103/120

This legislator is ranked 103rd highest for the amount of personal gifts received.

Policy

Bills Authored by Phillip Chen

AB 2009
Blood banks and plasma centers.

Committee: Assembly Standing Committee on Health

In Progress
Blood banks and plasma centers.Committee: Assembly Standing Committee on Health
ACR 123 In Progress
AB 2425
Department of Financial Protection and Innovation: budget reports.

Committee: Assembly Standing Committee on Banking and Finance

In Progress
Department of Financial Protection and Innovation: budget reports.Committee: Assembly Standing Committee on Banking and Finance
View All Bills

Committees

Most of the policy work in the state Capitol is done in “Standing” committees. Legislators also work on budget subcommittees. There are also “Special” and “Select” committees with a more narrow topic focus. And there are “Joint” committees with members from the Senate and Assembly.

Hearings

Featured Comments

Below are links to the video and transcript of recent, substantive comments by this legislator in committee hearings or floor sessions.

Preview image for AB 21376MIN
Apr 22, 2026

AB 2137

Occupational safety and health: fabrication activities: slab solid surface products.

Preview image for AB 253710MIN
Apr 14, 2026

AB 2537

Cannabis Enforcement Accountability and Public Health Prioritization Act of 2026.

Preview image for AB 24775MIN
Apr 7, 2026

AB 2477

Structural pest control.

Preview image for AB 262920MIN
Apr 6, 2026

AB 2629

Vehicles: registration services.

Preview image for AB 18274MIN
Mar 17, 2026

AB 1827

Small claims court: jurisdiction.

Preview image for AB 158920MIN
Mar 3, 2026

AB 1589

Firearms: silencers.

Preview image for AB 46044SEC
Sep 12, 2025

AB 460

Radiologic technologists: venipuncture: direct supervision.

Preview image for AB 104810MIN
Jul 9, 2025

AB 1048

Workers’ compensation.

Preview image for AB 10481MIN
Jun 4, 2025

AB 1048

Workers’ compensation.

Preview image for AB 46040SEC
Jun 3, 2025

AB 460

Radiologic technologists: venipuncture: direct supervision.

Preview image for AB 9075MIN
Jun 3, 2025

AB 907

State Air Resources Board: board members: compensation.

Preview image for AB 6651MIN
May 27, 2025

AB 665

Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation: report: Office of the Ombuds.

View All Hearings

District

View of map with yellow overlay for Assembly District 59 boundaries.
District 59 is a Leans Republican District
Republican Party candidate has a high likelihood of winning in an election

Previous Election (2024):

Dave Obrand
39.5%
Phillip Chen
60.5%
WON

Party Registration

Census Data

Median age010203040

Median age