Gil Cedillo

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American politician

title: "Gil Cedillo" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1954-births", "living-people", "activists-from-los-angeles", "american-politicians-of-mexican-descent", "american-trade-unionists-of-mexican-descent", "american-trade-union-leaders", "democratic-party-california-state-senators", "democratic-party-members-of-the-california-state-assembly", "hispanic-and-latino-american-city-council-members", "hispanic-and-latino-american-state-legislators-in-california", "los-angeles-city-council-members", "people-from-barstow,-california", "people-from-boyle-heights,-los-angeles", "people's-college-of-law-alumni", "service-employees-international-union-people", "ucla-college-of-letters-and-science-alumni", "21st-century-members-of-the-california-state-legislature", "20th-century-members-of-the-california-state-legislature"] description: "American politician" topic_path: "law" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gil_Cedillo" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American politician ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox officeholder"]

FieldValue
nameGil Cedillo
imageGil Cedillo 2014 front (cropped).jpg
captionCedillo in 2014
officeMember of the Los Angeles City Council
from the 1st district
term_startJuly 1, 2013
term_endDecember 11, 2022
predecessorEd Reyes
successorEunisses Hernandez
state_assembly1California
district145th
term_start1December 6, 2010
term_end1November 30, 2012
predecessor1Kevin de León
successor1Bob Blumenfield
state_senate2California
district222nd
term_start2December 2, 2002
term_end2November 30, 2010
predecessor2Richard Polanco
successor2Kevin de León
state_assembly3California
district346th
term_start3January 16, 1998
term_end3November 30, 2002
predecessor3Louis Caldera
successor3Fabian Núñez
birth_date
birth_placeBarstow, California, U.S.
partyDemocratic
spouseRuby Oliva Cedillo (deceased)
children1
educationUniversity of California, Los Angeles (BA)
People's College of Law (JD)
signatureGil Cedillo signature.png
::

|name = Gil Cedillo |image = Gil Cedillo 2014 front (cropped).jpg | caption = Cedillo in 2014 |office = Member of the Los Angeles City Council from the 1st district |term_start = July 1, 2013 |term_end = December 11, 2022 |predecessor = Ed Reyes |successor = Eunisses Hernandez |state_assembly1 = California |district1 = 45th |term_start1 = December 6, 2010 |term_end1 = November 30, 2012 |predecessor1 = Kevin de León |successor1 = Bob Blumenfield |state_senate2 = California |district2 = 22nd |term_start2 = December 2, 2002 |term_end2 = November 30, 2010 |predecessor2 = Richard Polanco |successor2 = Kevin de León |state_assembly3 = California |district3 = 46th |term_start3 = January 16, 1998 |term_end3 = November 30, 2002 |predecessor3 = Louis Caldera |successor3 = Fabian Núñez |birth_date = |birth_place = Barstow, California, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Democratic |spouse = Ruby Oliva Cedillo (deceased) |children = 1 |education = University of California, Los Angeles (BA) People's College of Law (JD) |signature = Gil Cedillo signature.png Gilbert Anthony Cedillo (born March 25, 1954) is an American politician who served as a member of the Los Angeles City Council for the 1st district from 2013 to 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, Cedillo was previously a member of both the California State Assembly and the California State Senate.

When Hilda Solis joined the Obama administration, Cedillo became a candidate to replace her for California's 32nd congressional district seat, but lost to Judy Chu in the 2009 special election. Cedillo lost his Los Angeles City Council seat in the 2022 election to left-wing challenger Eunisses Hernandez. In October 2022, Cedillo faced widespread calls for his resignation after an audio recording of him and other council members making racist remarks was released. He was formally censured by the City Council in a unanimous 12-0 vote on October 26.

Early life and education

Cedillo was born in Barstow, California and grew up in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles. His father worked as a mechanic at American Can in Vernon and was a member of the United Steelworkers of America. His mother was a garment worker at Sears and Times-Mirror Press.

Cedillo attended Lorena Street and Euclid Avenue Elementary, Stevenson Junior High and Roosevelt High.

In 1977, Cedillo earned a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from UCLA. In 1983, Cedillo earned a J.D. degree from the unaccredited People's College of Law, in Los Angeles.

Cedillo participated in Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (MEChA).

Organized labor

Cedillo worked for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU Local 660), Los Angeles County's largest union, where he served as general manager from 1990 to 1996. In his years as general manager, he protected youth programs and played a critical role in securing $364 million in federal assistance to ensure that the Los Angeles County Health Care system remained afloat. President Bill Clinton stated that his decision to provide funding "was reached after critical consultations with SEIU". Cedillo was fired from the union after losing a power struggle with Local 660's board of directors.

California State Assembly and State Senate

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Senator_Gilbert_Cedillo.JPG" caption="State Senator]] in 2008."] ::

Cedillo won a special election on January 13, 1998, to the California State Assembly's 46th district, and served there until 2002.

In 2002, he was elected to the State Senate. Cedillo attempted to have driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants reinstated, and was the author of the California DREAM Act. He also worked on increasing and expanding access to health care, developing regional solutions to combat homelessness, and encouraging economic development in his Downtown Los Angeles district. Gil Cedillo is a member of the Council of La Raza.

Cedillo was re-elected in 2006, defeating South Pasadena City Councilman Mike Ten, a Republican. Cedillo received 71,199 votes, Ten received 18,581 votes, and Murray Levy, a Libertarian candidate, received 3,469 votes. He was Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Immigration and the Economy and was a member of the Senate standing committees on Appropriations, Health, Public Safety, Rules, and Transportation and Housing.

On September 28, 2006, Cedillo was arrested along with approximately 200 others for blocking Century Blvd. in front of LAX, during a protest supporting the right for employees to unionize at the LAX hotels.

Congressional candidate

On January 8, 2009, Cedillo announced his candidacy for the 32nd Congressional District seat, which was vacated by Congresswoman Hilda Solis. Congresswoman Solis accepted an appointment from President-elect Barack Obama as United States Labor Secretary. In the blanket primary (now superseded by Proposition 14's "top two" primary system), Cedillo competed against Judy Chu, a former Monterey Park assemblywoman and vice-chairman of the State Board of Equalization; the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, voted to endorse Chu. Cedillo received a majority of other major endorsements, including eight members of California's Congressional Delegation, LA Sheriff Lee Baca, Los Angeles Police Chief Bill Bratton, and more than 100 current and former public officials, including Senator Gloria Romero, Senator Ron Calderon, and Assemblymember Ed Chavez, who all dropped out of the race and endorsed Cedillo. Chu defeated Cedillo with 15,338 votes (31.9%) to Cedillo's 11,244 votes (23.4%).

Following his failed bid for U.S. Congress, Cedillo was elected to the California State Assembly's 45th District seat in 2010. The seat had been vacated by Kevin de León, who won the 22nd State Senate seat. Cedillo served as chairman of California's Latino Congressional Caucus. In 2010, Cedillo authored California's SRC 113, a resolution for a statewide boycott of the State of Arizona, following Arizona's passage of SB 1070, an undocumented immigration enforcement bill.

Driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Forum_with_Sen._Gil_Cedillo.jpg" caption="Cedillo at a forum in 2009."] ::

Cedillo tried nine times, since 1998, to get bills passed in the California State Legislature that would allow undocumented immigrants in California to obtain driver's licenses. In 2001 and 2002 Governor Gray Davis vetoed two of Cedillo's bills that would have permitted this. In the midst of the 2003 recall election, Davis backed and signed SB 60 (2003), Cedillo's driver's license bill. After Davis was recalled and Arnold Schwarzenegger became governor, the state legislature, with Schwarzenegger's support, repealed the new law before it went into effect. Senator Cedillo agreed to repeal the law he wrote under the agreement with the Governor to work on a bipartisan bill. In 2004, Schwarzenegger vetoed AB 2895, an identical bill to Senator Cedillo's SB 1160 that stalled in the legislature, saying that it did not meet his security concerns. The governor wanted a "marked license" that was identifiable. AB 2895 was introduced to the legislature by one of Cedillo's closest allies, Speaker of the Assembly Fabian Núñez.

In 2005, Cedillo authored SB 60, another driver's license bill. He made new modifications to the proposal, specifying that undocumented immigrants would not be able to use the driver's license for purposes of identification for boarding airplanes, opening bank accounts, registering to vote, or other rights of U.S. citizens. Again, Schwarzenegger refused to sign the bill, on the grounds that it did not satisfy his security concerns. After Schwarzenegger vetoed the bill, Cedillo threatened to file a lawsuit against the Governor because of his belief that the Department of Motor Vehicles misinterpreted SB 976 (1993), which first prohibited the issuance of driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants. Undocumented immigrants in the process of becoming legal residents, and citizens considered to have authorized presence but not legal permanent residency status, are known as people residing under the color of the law.

In 2006 and 2009 Cedillo again brought the proposal before the California legislature, failing both times. On October 3, 2013, California Governor Brown signed AB 60, allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses. Cedillo remarked, ″It took a long time, but now it’s here. Today signifies much more than just another bill being signed by our governor. Today is history in the making because it is the day we return justice back to the people.″

California Dream Act

In 2011, Cedillo authored a pair of assembly bills to allow undocumented immigrants to obtain financial aid for universities through both private and public sources. The assembly bills, known as AB 130 and AB 131 for private and public financial aid respectively, became law. The measures have drawn both praise and criticism from various organizations. Proponents state that the bill would finally narrow the large gap in education for a US citizen and an undocumented immigrant, thus providing equality and greater opportunity. Critics claim that the measure is a waste of taxpayer money for an already cash-strapped California with tuition costs increasing and many students unable to continue their education.

AB 353

In August 2011, at nearly the same time AB 131 was passed by the Senate, AB 353 also passed. The bill allows drivers without a license who are stopped at checkpoints to have a licensed driver retrieve the vehicle and thereby avoid having the vehicle impounded for 30 days.

Filed for backpay during recession

In 2010, Cedillo attempted to reverse a pay cut approved by voters in 2009 for all 120 lawmakers (Prop. 25). Cedillo filed a claim in December 2010 with the California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board seeking back pay for what he maintains were illegal pay and benefit cuts. His complaint stemmed from the 2009 decision by the California Citizens Compensation Commission to slash legislators' pay and benefits by 18 percent. The cut reduced their remuneration from US$116,208 to $95,291.

Los Angeles City Council (2013–2022)

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/AB_60_Signing_Ceremony_(10073588505).jpg" caption="Cedillo (center) celebrating the signing of AB60 in 2013."] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Danny_Trejo_Day_proclamation_01.jpg" caption="Cedillo with Representative [[Tony Cárdenas]] and actor [[Danny Trejo]] in 2020."] ::

Elections

2013

Because of term limits, Cedillo could not run for reelection to the California State Legislature in 2012. He ran for a seat on the Los Angeles City Council representing Council District 1 and was elected in 2013.

2017

Gil Cedillo ran for reelection in Council District 1 in Los Angeles. As a 2016 Bernie Sanders delegate, he was backed by Our Revolution. His opponents were Jesse Rosas, Giovany Hernandez, and Joe Bray-Ali. In the primary election Cedillo won 49.4 percent, missing the threshold to avoid a runoff election. Challenger Joe Bray-Ali drew 38 percent, more than any other challenger, and was able to face Cedillo in the runoff. Cedillo defeated Bray-Ali in the runoff with over 70% of the voters in Council District 1 on May 16, 2017.

2022

Cedillo secured an endorsement from Bernie Sanders for his 2022 reelection race. However, he lost to political newcomer, Eunisses Hernandez.

Tenure

In December 2013, Cedillo authored a Los Angeles City Council resolution urging President Obama to halt most deportations and to expand the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to "all immigrant families who are not engaged in criminal activity."

In May 2017 Cedillo authored a motion requiring companies to disclose whether they were involved with the construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall promised by President Donald Trump before being able to work with the City of Los Angeles.

2022 audio recording scandal

Main article: 2022 Los Angeles City Council scandal

In October 2022, Cedillo faced calls to resign after attending a secretly recorded meeting where fellow Council member Kevin de León, Council president Nury Martinez, and Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera had made racist remarks was released anonymously on Reddit.

References

References

  1. Cagle, Kate. "INBOX: Progressive challenger Eunisses Hernandez declares victory over incumbent Democrat Gil Cedillo to represent Los Angeles Council District 1. Hernandez is a local community organizer who has been instrumental in pushing the County to build alternatives to incarceration.".
  2. (2022-10-26). "LA City Council censures Kevin de León, Gil Cedillo over role in racism scandal".
  3. (February 23, 2017). "Fresh Fruit With Gil Cedillo". Los Angeles Downtown News.
  4. "Gilbert Cedillo {{!}} HuffPost".
  5. "Gilbert Cedillo {{!}} HuffPost".
  6. Alarcon, Evelina. "Unions save hospital jobs in Los Angeles". People's Weekly World.
  7. MEYER, JOSH. (1996-04-30). "Head of Largest County Workers' Union Is Fired". Los Angeles Times.
  8. "County of Los Angeles Department of Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Official Election Returns January 13, 1998 - 46th State Assembly Special Runoff".
  9. "County of Los Angeles Department of Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk NOVEMBER 5, 2002 - GENERAL ELECTION Final Official Election Returns".
  10. [http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2006_general/senate_amended.pdf] {{webarchive. link. (July 24, 2008)
  11. "Twist-Tied in L.A. - Bridget Johnson - National Review Online".
  12. [http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/capitolalertlatest/018412.html.story]{{dead link. (October 2025)
  13. Grossman, Joshua. (2009-05-06). "How to Get Elected to Congress With 11,956 Votes". FiveThirtyEight.
  14. "Cedillo's money is talking - Los Angeles Times".
  15. Cedillo for Congress PAC book
  16. "California Secretary of State Statewide Special Election - Statement of Vote, May 19, 2009 Special Congressional and Senate District Election Results".
  17. "California Secretary of State General Election - November 2, 2010 State Assemblymember by District".
  18. "Kevin de León - Ballotpedia".
  19. (August 2010)
  20. (December 2, 2003). "Schwarzenegger scores victory in repeal of license law". CNN.
  21. "Pacific News Service > News > on Latino Minds: Schwarzenegger Can Handle Politics".
  22. "NUNEZ RELENTS ON LICENSES SPEAKER SAYS HE'D ALLOW SPECIAL DESIGNATION. - Free Online Library".
  23. Cedillo. "SB 60 Senate Bill - Analysis".
  24. Cedillo. "SB 60 Senate Bill - Veto".
  25. "Bill List".
  26. Governor, Office of the. "Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. - Newsroom".
  27. (2015-01-01). "Gov. Jerry Brown signs driver's license bill for undocumented immigrants".
  28. Sanders, Jim. "Cedillo's challenge to legislative pay cut is tentatively denied". The Sacramento Bee.
  29. McGreevy, Patrick. (November 14, 2012). "Assemblyman Gil Cedillo to run for Los Angeles City Council". Los Angeles Times.
  30. "Councilmember Gil Cedillo".
  31. (2016-07-27). "Gil Cedillo: "The Nation Has To Thank Bernie Sanders"".
  32. Mai-Duc, Christine. (2017-02-28). "The 'Bernie vote' is split in the race to replace Xavier Becerra in Congress".
  33. "Municipal elections in Los Angeles, California (2017)".
  34. Zahniser, David. (17 March 2017). "L.A. City Councilman Gil Cedillo and bike activist Joe Bray-Ali looking at May 16 runoff election". LA Times.
  35. "LA City Council: Cedillo Wins Reelection, Ridriguez Heads to victory in northeast Valley". La Times.
  36. Sanders, Bernie. (2021-02-21). "I'm proud to support @gilcedillo's campaign for reelection to the City Council. He knows that working people built Los Angeles, and he fights every day to make sure their voices are heard over the concerns of the wealthy and the powerful.".
  37. (22 February 2021). "Bernie endorses Gil {{!}} City vaccinations resume {{!}} Celebrity real estate".
  38. "Election Results".
  39. Linthicum, Kate. (2013-12-18). "L.A. City Council calls on Obama to halt most deportations". Los Angeles Times.
  40. (May 11, 2017). "Councilman: Firms That Want To Help Build Border Wall Should Not Work For City Of L.A.". CBS Los Angeles.
  41. (2022-10-10). "Editorial: Resign, Councilmembers Nury Martinez, Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

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