TRI TA, Assemblyman, District 70

Capitol Offices, Sacramento:  1021 O Street, Suite 5540, Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 319-2070

District Office:   14361 Beach Boulevard, Suite 211, Westminster, CA 92683; (714) 379-0970

Interview date: 1/30/2026; LWVOC Interviewers: Debbie Gilmore, Linda Moon, Shirley Nixon

Background: (from Ballotpedia https://ballotpedia.org/Tri_Ta )

Tri Ta, Republican Party, is a member of the California State Assembly representing District 70 which consists of much of the Little Saigon area of northwestern Orange County. He assumed office on December 5, 2022; his current term ends December 7, 2026.  He was born in Saigon, Vietnam, and earned a degree in international relations from California State University, Los Angeles. He was elected to the Westminster City Council in 2006, where he served for ten years as council member, mayor pro-temp and mayor.

Tri Ta Committee assignments, 2025-2026:  Appropriations, Government Organization, Housing & Community Development, Local Government (Vice chair), Revenue & Taxation (Vice Chair), Rules, and Utilities & Energy.

1)    What Major Issues Must the Legislature Deal With in 2026?

• Balancing the Budget & Financial Issues affecting Californians and state government

2)    What are your personal legislative priorities?

1. Lowering costs for working families; reducing homelessness; enhancing public safety; improving the quality of life for constituents. 
2. Examples of “working across the aisle” to further these goals resulted in 2025 enactments including:

• AB 88, that allows dependents of active-duty California military service members stationed elsewhere to receive California financial aid for college
• AB 951 – “Autism eligibility for benefits bill” that relieves burdensome testing & re-certification requirements for persons diagnosed with lifelong behavioral health conditions

1. Striving toward greater legislative transparency and government accountability.
2. Specific bills Tri Ta has sponsored this session include:

• ACR 71 – Little Saigon Freeway (Ordered to special consent calendar 2/10/2026)
• ACR 120 – Positive Parenting Awareness Month
• AB 1638 – County Veterans Services Officers; additional resources.  Aims to increase support for California veterans by providing state-funded stipends to counties that host active U.S. military bases.  These funds will support placing a County Veterans Service Officer on-base to directly assist separating service members and their families in accessing benefits. (2/9/2026 – Referred to Committee on Military & Veterans Affairs)
• HR 84 – Relative to Condemning racism (Read & unanimously adopted 2/9/2026)
• AB 1727 – Crimes, Unlawful use of DNA.  Seeks to criminalize the unauthorized collection, retention, analysis, or sale of an individual's DNA sample or genetic information without express consent.  The bill targets the intentional collection or retention of another person's DNA with intent to analyze it, or accessing such information without authorization, defining this as unlawful use of DNA.  (possible committee hearing 3/8/2026)
• AR 77 – Relative to school governance: Public School Board Appreciation (adopted 2/5/2026)
• AR 76 – Affordable Home Ownership (adopted 2/5/2026) Highlights the importance of the CalHome Program, California's sole state initiative dedicated to creating and maintaining affordable homes for lower-income residents, and emphasizes that increasing the supply of affordable homes for purchase benefits the entire housing market.
• AR 78 – Boat People Awareness. Designates July 23, 2026, to July 30, 2026, as Boat People Awareness Week and September 2026 as Boat People Awareness Month to honor the Vietnamese refugees, referred to as "boat people," who fled Vietnam by boat and ship between 1975 and 1995 to escape an oppressive communist regime.
• AB 1567 – General Plan: annual report – congregate care for the elderly.  This bill amends existing law to allow local governments, when revising their housing elements for the seventh time and subsequent revisions, to include the number of approved units for congregate care for the elderly, as defined by Section 50062.5 of the Health and Safety Code, as part of their annual report to the state. This inclusion can account for up to 15% of a jurisdiction's allocated regional housing need for any income category. Congregate care for the elderly refers to housing that provides both shelter and supportive services for older adults. This change aims to provide more flexibility in how local governments report on their progress in meeting housing needs, particularly for seniors.)02/02/2026: Referred to Coms. on H. & C.D. and L. GOV.
• AB 1587 – Prescription drugs for life-threatening conditions. Allow pharmacists in California to provide patients with up to a 30-day supply of a prescription drug for a life-threatening condition if the pharmacy has previously dispensed that drug to the patient and the patient cannot get a new prescription before running out. This provision is intended to ensure continuity of care for serious illnesses, and the bill explicitly states that pharmacists and pharmacies will not be held liable for furnishing these drugs under these specific circumstances, with "life-threatening" defined according to existing health and safety code. 02/02/2026: Referred to Com. on Business & Professions.
• AB 1565 – Income & Corporation Taxes: Credits; Work Opportunity Credit. Creates a tax credit for businesses that hire individuals who have been convicted of a felony, aimed at reducing recidivism by helping ex-felons find employment.