Phillip Chen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theCalifornia State Assembly | |
| Assumed office December 5, 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Ling Ling Chang |
| Constituency | 55th district (2016–2022) 59th district (2022–present) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1978-04-22)April 22, 1978 (age 47) El Monte, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Residence | Yorba Linda, California |
| Education | California State University, Fullerton (BA) University of Southern California (MPA,PhD) |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Chinese name | |
| Traditional Chinese | 陳立德 |
| Simplified Chinese | 陈立德 |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Chén Lì Dé |
Phillip Chen (born April 22, 1978) is an American politician and psychologist who is a member of theCalifornia State Assembly. He is aRepublican representing the59th district, encompassing parts of NorthOrange County, and small parts ofSan Bernardino County. The district includes the cities ofBrea,Yorba Linda,Placentia,Villa Park,Orange,North Tustin,Anaheim Hills,Chino, andChino Hills. Prior to being elected to the state assembly, he was a school board trustee for theWalnut Valley Unified School District.[1]
Chen graduated from Servite High School inAnaheim. In 2002, Chen earned hisB.A. inCommunications fromCalifornia State University, Fullerton. In 2005, Chen earned aMaster of Public Administration degree from theUniversity of Southern California and, in 2014, also earned aPh.D. ineducational psychology from the university.[2]
Chen is the owner of aproperty management company.[2]
In 2013, Chen became an Adjunct Faculty Professor at theUSC Sol Price School of Public Policy.[2][3]
Chen is a former Los Angeles County Reserve Sheriff’s Deputy.[3] Chen was appointed by formerCalifornia GovernorPete Wilson to the Governor’s Office of Criminal Justice Planning, overseeing California’s juvenile justice programs. He was a member of the State Advisory Group, Juvenile Justice Legislative Committee and Juvenile Justice Native American Committee.[4]
Chen was appointed to serve as a Board Member for the California Physical Therapy Board and worked as a health deputy to formerLos Angeles County SupervisorMichael D. Antonovich.[5]
Chen also served as adjunct faculty atCalifornia State Fullerton from 2007-2008[3] and atCalifornia State University, Los Angeles in 2016.[6]
Chen was elected in November 2011 to theWalnut Valley Unified School Board and re-elected to a second term in 2015.[7]
In 2014, Chen ran for theCalifornia State Assembly. He lost thejungle primary with a third place finish.Diamond BarCity CouncilwomanLing Ling Chang went on to easily win the general election.[8]
Chen was elected to theCalifornia State Assembly in November 2016, when Chang left the State Assembly in an unsuccessful run for theCalifornia State Senate. He was appointed to serve in leadership as Deputy Whip to the Assembly Republican Caucus. His committee membership consists of the Banking and Finance Committee (where he serves as Vice-Chair), the Business and Professions Committee, the Insurance Committee, the Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy Committee, and the Utilities and Energy Committee.[9]
In 2018, in the wake of California's growingmental health andhomeless epidemic, Chen authored Assembly Bill 2156, to clarify and fine tune the definition of “gravely disabled”.[10] Chen later pulled that bill from consideration by the Assembly's Health Committee.[11] That same year, Chen also introduced AB 3005 which aimed to protect the sensitive personal information of children in foster care.[12] Like his other bill, Chen also requested this bill to be pulled from consideration by the relevant committee.[13]
In 2019, Chen introduced AB 517 to create a Property Crime Task Force inOrange County to prevent crimes as well as identify and arrest criminals who participate in property crimes.[14] Chen's bill died after clearing the public safety committee.[15]
To address the growing number of homeless encampments, Chen introduced AB 1908, the Homeless Encampment and Litter Program (HELP), putting more accountability on Caltrans in coordinating access to housing and supportive services for those who need it most.[16] The bill died in committee with no action taken.[17] A few days after introducing AB 1908, Chen introduced AB 2021 in an effort to preserve open space in Southern California. The bill would have required the California Department of Parks and Recreation to seek opportunities for acquiring land to expandChino Hills State Park.[18] The bill unanimously passed the Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee, but then died in the Appropriations Committee.[19]
In 2021 Chen helped secure funds for theTitan Gateway Pedestrian Bridge atCal State Fullerton. Chen, a graduate of the school, said that although the school is outside his district, many students are constituents in his district, and the bridge would be a great investment in the students.[20][21]
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men'swushu taolu | ||
Representing United States | ||
| Pan American Championships | ||
 | 2000 Manaus | Nandao |
 | 2000 Manaus | Nanquan |
| 2000 Manaus | Nangun |
Chen founded the CSUF Wushu Club in 1997 as president and coach.[22] The team competed in theCollegiate Wushu Tournament for the first time in 1999.[23] During this time, the club grew in its standing in the university and became a for-credit course.[22] Chen was the tournament director of the 2001 Collegiate Wushu Tournament hosted at CSUF.[24]
Chen was an A-team member of the 1999US Wushu Team and competed at the1999 World Wushu Championships in Hong Kong, where he finished seventh in nanquan and tenth in nandao.[25] A year later at the 2000Pan American Wushu Championships, he was the Pan American champion in nandao and additionally won silver medals in nanquan and nangun.[26] The following year, Chen was again an A-team member of both the Berkeley and Baltimore US Wushu Teams but did not compete in the following World or Pan American championships.
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Republican | Ling Ling Chang | 13,242 | 28.7 | |
| Democratic | Gregg D. Fritchle | 12,243 | 26.5 | |
| Republican | Phillip Chen | 10,659 | 23.1 | |
| Republican | Steve Tye | 9,987 | 21.6 | |
| Total votes | 46,131 | 100.0 | ||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Gregg D. Fritchle | 32,439 | 35.9 | |
| Republican | Phillip Chen | 19,684 | 21.8 | |
| Republican | Mike Spence | 18,737 | 20.7 | |
| Republican | Ray Marquez | 10,881 | 12.0 | |
| Republican | Steven M. Tye | 8,600 | 9.5 | |
| Total votes | 90,341 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Republican | Phillip Chen | 98,960 | 57.7 | |
| Democratic | Gregg D. Fritchle | 72,471 | 42.3 | |
| Total votes | 171,431 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Republican | Phillip Chen (incumbent) | 42,664 | 47.2 | |
| Democratic | Gregg D. Fritchle | 20,441 | 22.6 | |
| Democratic | Melissa Fazli | 14,016 | 15.5 | |
| Republican | James G. Gerbus | 9,731 | 10.8 | |
| Republican | Scott Lebda | 3,571 | 3.9 | |
| Total votes | 90,423 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Republican | Phillip Chen (incumbent) | 87,928 | 54.9 | |
| Democratic | Gregg D. Fritchle | 72,256 | 45.1 | |
| Total votes | 160,184 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Republican | Phillip Chen (incumbent) | 64,785 | 56.2 | |
| Democratic | Andrew E. Rodriguez | 50,458 | 43.8 | |
| Total votes | 115,243 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Republican | Phillip Chen (incumbent) | 125,212 | 54.9 | |
| Democratic | Andrew E. Rodriguez | 102,683 | 45.1 | |
| Total votes | 227,895 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Republican | Phillip Chen (incumbent) | 75,555 | 99.2 | |
| No party preference | Leon Sit (write-in) | 551 | 0.7 | |
| Libertarian | David Naranjo (write-in) | 58 | 0.1 | |
| Total votes | 76,164 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Republican | Phillip Chen (incumbent) | 113,363 | 70.0 | |
| No party preference | Leon Q. Sit | 48,602 | 30.0 | |
| Total votes | 161,965 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Republican | Phillip Chen (incumbent) | 75,179 | 63.8 | |
| Democratic | Dave Obrand | 42,719 | 36.2 | |
| Total votes | 117,898 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Republican | Phillip Chen (incumbent) | 139,113 | 60.5 | |
| Democratic | Dave Obrand | 90,834 | 39.5 | |
| Total votes | 229,947 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
Chen and his mother are small business owners who own and operate a property management company. Chen's brother, David, is a Deputy District Attorney with the Orange County District Attorney's office.[38]
