Ahead of the June primary election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.
Name: Celeste Rodriguez
Current job title: Assemblymember
Political party affiliation: Democratic
Incumbent: Yes
Other political positions held: Mayor of San Fernando and City Councilmember of San Fernando
City where you reside: San Fernando
Campaign website or social media: votecelesterodriguez.com
Do you believe balancing the state budget should rely more on spending cuts, new revenue streams or a combination? Tell us how you would propose tackling California’s projected budget deficit. (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
As a mom of three, including a newborn, I think about California’s budget the way I think about my own family’s finances: you protect what matters most, and you don’t spend what you don’t have. I think about families, like the one I grew up in, struggling to make ends meet. Families who are working hard and contributing to their communities. All while massive companies make record profits and avoid paying their fair share.
My approach starts with protecting core commitments: public education and health care access, and those most important to Californians: addressing housing and homelessness, public safety, climate change, and supporting our most vulnerable. I look carefully at where the state can reduce waste or delay lower-priority spending.
I support asking the wealthiest corporations and individuals to pay their fair share. When everyday Californians are stretched thin by housing, childcare, and grocery costs, we cannot justify corporate tax loopholes that undermine our ability to fund essential programs. Closing those loopholes creates a steady revenue stream without cutting into services families depend on.
I also push for outcome-based budgeting — every dollar tied to a measurable public benefit. When I look at my kids, I’m thinking about the California they’ll inherit: whether their schools are funded, whether they can afford to live here, if where they live is safe from man-made, climate disasters, whether the safety nets their grandparents relied on will still exist. A responsible budget has to answer those questions, not just close a gap on paper.
For you, what’s a non-starter when talking about budget cuts? Why? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Budget cuts are never easy, and I don’t think it serves anyone to draw rigid lines before we’ve seen the full picture. What I do believe is that any cut has to be evaluated by who bears the cost, and whether that cost is impacting people who are already stretched thin — children, working families, and seniors. Health care access, homelessness prevention, food assistance are essential and help keep families stable.
I think about this as someone who has studied economics and social work. If a parent loses childcare, a senior loses housing support, or a student loses access to school-based services, that does lasting damage. Communities end up paying the price later through deeper poverty, worse health outcomes, and greater strains on emergency systems. Those are not real savings, they’re delayed costs. California cannot afford to retreat from investments that keep families stable and communities intact, especially in areas of our state that have historically been left behind.
Budget decisions should be based on whether proposed cuts strengthen the state’s long-term stability, fairness, and effectiveness. Cuts that weaken essential services or make it harder for working families to stay afloat should not be pursued.
Fiscal responsibility is important, and it must be balanced with protecting people who are already struggling to meet basic needs.
What are the top three most pressing issues facing the state, and what would you propose, as a state legislator, to address them? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
In my next term, I will continue working to lower the cost of living and strengthening the programs that help families create financial security, find good jobs, and build a more stable future. I will also work to advance family-centered policies that give parents the tools and support they need to help their children thrive from the beginning. By investing in early learning, workforce pathways, and family stability, I’ll work to ensure that economic growth benefits all Californians.
Housing insecurity continues to destabilize families across our region. California must increase housing production at all income levels, streamline approvals, and invest in prevention strategies such as rental assistance, eviction defense, and supportive services. Keeping people housed is both more humane and more cost-effective than responding after a crisis.
Another pressing issue is protecting immigrant families from the fear and instability caused by ICE raids. These raids tear families apart, disrupt workplaces and schools, and create lasting trauma in our communities. No one should be afraid to go to work, take their child to school, or seek medical care because of immigration enforcement. I will continue fighting to oppose cooperation between local agencies and ICE, further fund legal defenses, rapid response networks, and community-based immigrant services, and strengthen California’s protective laws. As an Assemblymember, I will continue to stand firmly with immigrant families to ensure California remains a place where all residents, regardless of immigration status, are able to live without fear, treated with dignity, and protected under the law.
What specific policy would you champion in the statehouse to improve the cost of living for residents? Would you see this having an immediate impact on Californians or would it take some time? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I know what housing insecurity looks like up close. Growing up, my family navigated economic instability after my mother was injured at work. The uncertainty of not knowing whether you can stay in your home never leaves you.
That’s why I’ve spent my career working on this. From connecting unhoused veterans and families to resources in the City of LA, to running for the San Fernando City Council specifically to bring supportive services to our residents who didn’t have access to them, housing stability has been central to my work long before I was elected to the Assembly.
For most Californians, housing is the single biggest monthly expense, and if we do not bring that down, families will keep falling behind. I’ve championed faster housing production, stronger tenant protections, emergency rental assistance, and real support for first-time homeownership. I pair that with policies that lower the cost of raising a family — because childcare, healthcare, and transportation are also major drivers of financial stress.
California must make it easier to stay housed, easier to work, and easier to raise children without constantly being pushed to the financial edge.
Some impacts can be immediate. Rental assistance, eviction prevention, and help with fines, fees, or health care access can help with the cost of living right away. But the full relief comes over time as we build more housing, expand childcare capacity, and create better-paying career pathways. That requires both immediate relief and long-term structural change, and families who are already stretched thin cannot afford for us to choose only one.
There have been numerous efforts made in the state legislature to curtail federal immigration enforcement in California, from prohibitions on agents wearing masks to banning federal officers from future employment in a public agency. Do you see any area where the state could better protect its residents from the federal government’s widespread immigration crackdown? Would you prefer the state work more hand-in-hand with the federal government on immigration? Where does the role as a state legislator fall into your beliefs here? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
We must do everything we can to protect Californians from the aggressive ICE actions that continue to threaten our communities. The state has an obligation to stand up for our communities, protect children from trauma, and ensure that fear does not prevent someone from receiving an education, healthcare, or help in an emergency.
Authoring AB 495, the Family Preparedness Plan Act, which the governor signed into law last year, was a direct response to that need. It created new joint guardianship protections so parents facing separation can designate a trusted caregiver without losing their parental rights, and it extended protections to childcare centers and preschools.
I support continuing to enforce protections around schools, hospitals, childcare settings, and other essential public spaces so they remain places of safety, not fear. I also support more state investment in legal defense, rapid response networks, and community-based organizations that help families understand their rights and stay connected in moments of crisis.I
do not believe California’s role is to become an arm of federal immigration enforcement. The state’s role is to protect constitutional rights, due process, public health, and family stability. That includes setting clear standards for when state and local institutions can cooperate with federal agencies and when they cannot. My responsibility as an Assemblymember is to make sure California law reflects what we actually believe: that no child should come home from school to find their parent gone, and that fear of enforcement should never be the reason someone doesn’t call for help.
Health care costs — like in many other areas — are continuing to rise. What policies, specifically, would you support or like to champion that could lower premiums or out-of-pocket expenses? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
To lower healthcare costs, California needs to focus on what people are actually paying for regularly: hospital bills, prescription drugs, insurance premiums, and the cost of seeing a doctor when something first comes up. Too many families avoid care because it’s too expensive or too hard to access, and that often leads to more serious and costly problems later. I support stronger oversight of hospital and drug pricing, along with efforts to crack down on excessive cost increases.
For working families, affordability is about more than just the monthly premium. It’s about copays, deductibles, prescription costs, and whether they can take time off work without falling behind financially. Healthcare should be something people can actually use, not something that puts them deeper into debt when they need it most.
Health care needs to be easier to access in the first place. Expanding primary care, mental health services, and community-based clinics can help people get treated earlier, before their health issues become emergencies. Mobile and field-based care can also help reach people who can’t easily get to a doctor’s office. Investing in preventive care—especially maternal health and mental health—is key to keeping costs down over time. When people can get the care they need early, they are healthier and avoid more expensive treatments later.
Would you support expanding state health care programs to ensure more residents — including those who are not citizens — are covered? How would you propose the state fund such an expansion? Or, how would you propose the people who cannot afford health care still get the necessary care they need without expanding state programs? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Yes, I support expanding state health care programs so more residents, including non-citizens, can get coverage. Health care should not depend on immigration status. When people are uninsured, they delay care, their conditions worsen, and the cost shows up later in emergency rooms, lost productivity, and preventable suffering.
California should fund expansion through a combination of revenue, smarter health care purchasing, and savings that come from prevention and earlier treatment. We should also keep looking at ways to reduce administrative waste and reinvest those dollars into care.
For people who still cannot afford health care, the answer cannot be “go without it.” Making sure families can see a doctor, get medication, access prenatal care, or talk to a therapist is not only morally right—it is fiscally smarter than waiting until problems become emergencies. The state should strengthen community clinics, school-based care, maternal health services, mental health access, and nonprofit partnerships so people can get necessary treatment before a crisis.
This issue is about public health. A healthier California is a stronger California. If you live here, work here, raise your family here, and contribute to your community here, you should be able to get care when you need it.
As part of combating homelessness, elected officials often talk about the need to prevent people from losing their homes in the first place. What policies or programs should the state adopt to make housing more affordable for renters and homeowners? What do you propose the state do to incentivize housing development and expedite such projects? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I will continue to advocate for both prevention and production. We do not solve this crisis by choosing one or the other. I agree that preventing homelessness starts with making housing more affordable and keeping people from losing the homes they already have. The state should expand emergency rental assistance, strengthen eviction prevention and legal support, protect renters from unfair displacement, and help first-time buyers and fixed-income homeowners stay in their homes.
California must also build far more housing and build it faster. That means streamlining approvals and making it easier for affordable housing projects to move from planning to construction. We should also align state funding with local governments that are actually producing housing and using land responsibly.
I believe housing policy should reflect the real lives of working families. That means more supportive housing and more coordination between housing, mental health, and social services. It also means recognizing that families on the edge often need one intervention, such as rent help, legal aid, or childcare, to avoid falling into homelessness.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law in 2023 authorizing state energy regulators to penalize oil companies making excessive profits. But the California Energy Commission put off imposing the penalties last year after two oil refineries, which represent nearly a fifth of California’s refining capacity, said they would shut down operations. Those announcements prompted many to be concerned about soaring gas prices. What do you think of the commission’s decision? And how would you, as a state legislator, propose balancing California’s climate goals with protecting consumers from high gas prices at the pump? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Californians are already dealing with high costs, especially higher gas prices right now, and a sudden spike in gas prices would hit working families hard. The state should still hold oil companies accountable when consumers are being gouged, while also planning seriously for refinery transitions and supply disruptions. There is always the possibility of disruptions, and this needs to be planned and accounted for.
California needs a better bridge between climate policy and consumer protection. We cannot ask families to absorb all the short-term costs of a transition without giving them viable alternatives. Greater and faster investment in clean transportation, cleaner fuels, energy efficiency, reliable transit, and clean energy infrastructure investment are all priorities that can have short- and long-term positive effects on both costs and our environment.
The choice should not be between climate leadership and economic survival. I support ambitious climate action, paired with an affordability focus. Investing in energy-efficient buildings, clean water systems, and resilient energy infrastructure while making sure low- and middle-income Californians are not left paying more at the pump or on their utility bills are the means to our goals. California has both move toward a cleaner future while protecting everyday people during the transition.
In 2024, voters approved Proposition 36 to increase penalties for certain drug and retail theft crimes and make available a drug treatment option for some who plead guilty to felony drug possession. Would you, as a legislator, demand that more funding for behavioral health treatments be included in the budget? How would you ensure that money is used properly? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Yes, if the state is going to expand penalties and create treatment-based alternatives, then it also has to fund behavioral health treatment in a serious way. Otherwise, these are promises with no follow-through. If treatment is part of the promise of Proposition 36, then treatment capacity has to be funded and transparent.
I support more investment in mental health and substance-use treatment, especially community-based programs that can intervene early and connect people to the care they need instead of letting them cycle between the street, the emergency room, and jail. Funding alone is not enough, however; there must also be clear accountability standards.
Accountability standards should include measurable outcomes, regular public reporting, and strong oversight so the money is actually reaching treatment beds, outpatient care, crisis services, and recovery support. Local providers should be able to show what is working, where gaps are, and how many people are being treated effectively.
What role should the state play in ensuring hospitals and doctors are providing gender-affirming care to LGBTQ+ residents? Similarly, what role do you believe the state could play should other states adopt policies that restrict that care? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
The state has a responsibility to ensure that gender-affirming care is accessible, protected, and treated as both essential health care and a matter of basic human rights. As other states continue restricting this care, California must remain a place of refuge and stability. We should protect patients who come here for care, support providers who serve them, and resist efforts to weaponize state power against people seeking medically appropriate treatment. As an Assemblymember, I stand firmly against any efforts to roll back rights and will continue to work to ensure that LGBTQ+ Californians are not only protected under the law but also supported in their daily lives and through full legal and social equality.
Every Californian deserves to live with dignity, safety, and equality. I oppose any effort to roll back those rights. Access to gender-affirming care is not a policy issue but about whether people can live openly, safely, and with the care they need. I support ensuring that affirming healthcare is available and covered, expanding mental health resources for LGBTQ+ youth, and holding healthcare systems accountable for providing care without discrimination. The state should continue to strengthen protections for patients and providers, especially as other states move to restrict access. As a legislator, I believe my responsibility is to protect people’s freedom to make private healthcare decisions with their families and doctors, and equal treatment under the law.
Governments around the world are increasingly considering an age ban or other restrictions on social media use among young people, citing mental health and other concerns. Do you believe it’s the state’s responsibility to regulate social media use? Why or why not? And what specific restrictions or safeguards would you propose as a state lawmaker? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I do believe the state has a role in regulating social media when it comes to protecting children and teenagers. Parents should not have to navigate billion-dollar platforms alone while those platforms profit from addictive design, harmful content, and weak safeguards. Regulation should be thoughtful and focused on safety, not censorship. I support stronger protections around data privacy for minors, limits on manipulative platform design, clearer parental tools, more transparency about algorithms, and stronger standards around content that harms young users, including harassing or exploitative content.
I am especially interested in safeguards that reduce addictive features for minors. Improving age-appropriate settings by default and giving families more control without shutting young people out of digital life entirely, and some of the features that could be implemented to decrease habits that lead to social media addiction. We should also be ensuring that schools and parents have the resources and support they need to educate their children about digital wellbeing.
The state’s role is to set rules of the road so companies cannot design products in ways that knowingly harm young people and then walk away from the consequences. California has often led on consumer protection, and this is an area where our leadership is needed.
Artificial intelligence has become a ubiquitous part of our lives. Yet public concerns remain that there aren’t enough regulations governing when or how AI should be used, and that the technology would replace jobs and leave too many Californians unemployed. How specifically would you balance such concerns with the desire to foster innovation and have California remain a leader in this space? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
California should lead on AI, including by setting rules that protect people while encouraging innovation. I do not believe those goals are in conflict. If people do not trust how AI is being used, its innovative potential will lose public support.
I believe that requiring transparency, accountability, and worker protections is a fair standard while simultaneously continuing to support research, entrepreneurship, and responsible growth in the AI sector. Californians deserve to know when AI is being used in decisions that affect their daily lives, such as hiring and jobs, education, health care, housing, or legal services. And workers deserve protections when technology is used to monitor, evaluate, or replace them. California must also invest in workforce training and education so workers are prepared for how AI is changing the economy and create new workforce pathways.
California can remain the leader in AI by proving that technological progress and public accountability can move together and by ensuring that innovation works for the people, not just for profits. We need to build a system that includes human oversight and privacy protections and prevents harmful automated decisions.
Statistically, violent crime rates in California is on the decline, but still, residents are not feeling safe or at ease in their communities. How do you see your role in the state legislature in addressing the underlying issues that make Californians feel unsafe in their own neighborhoods? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
People deserve neighborhoods that feel safe. That includes cleaner streets, safer parks, positive school environments, and clean and available community spaces. I believe the state legislature should support local governments in creating and preserving such spaces.
I also support championing investments that give people stability and support: deeply affordable housing, accessible mental health and substance use treatment, youth programs, and re-entry services that help people successfully return to their communities. We know that when people are housed, connected to care, and have a pathway to a good job, communities are safer.
I’ve seen that prevention methods work. Real safety comes from strong communities—not just more enforcement. Investments in community schools, afterschool programs, job training, and neighborhood-based services reduce the conditions that lead to harm in the first place. That’s why I support expanding non-police crisis response teams, mobile mental health services, and culturally competent, trauma-informed care. For those leaving incarceration, we need stronger reentry programs that connect people to housing, employment, and counseling to reduce repeat offenses.
I believe accountability matters. Public safety systems should be transparent, responsive, and focused on real, everyday outcomes that people can actually feel in their day-to-day lives in their neighborhoods.
What’s a hidden talent you have? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
My hidden talent is the art of doing it all and somehow making it look seamless. As a mom of three, including a newborn, I’m multitasking on any given day, including managing a legislative agenda in Sacramento, helping with homework, getting dinner on the table, and keeping our house lively, filled with singing and dancing.
Moms are superhuman. We’re some of the most resourceful, strategic, and resilient people. I’m proud to share this perspective in the State Assembly and to represent the voices of working moms there.