Mary Hayashi

Mary Chung Hayashi (born Mary Chung, August 13, 1967) is a healthcare advocate and California Democratic politician, who represented 18th Assembly District in the California State Legislature. Mary Hayashi was elected to the California State Assembly in November 2006 and served 6 years until she was termed out in 2012. Mary served as a member of the leadership team for Assembly Speaker John Pérez, Assembly Speaker Karen Bass and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, serving as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Business, Professions and Consumer Protection. Previously, Mary Hayashi served as a member of the California Board of Registered Nursing and Commissioner on the California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, which was created to monitor the implementation of California Proposition 63 (2004). Mary Hayashi ran unsuccessfully for California State Senate in 2014 finishing third place in the race.

Mary Hayashi
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 18th district
In office
December 4, 2006 – November 30, 2012
Preceded byJohan Klehs
Succeeded byRob Bonta
Personal details
Born
Mary Chung

(1967-08-13) August 13, 1967
Gwangju, South Korea
NationalityAmerican
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Dennis Hayashi
ResidenceCastro Valley, California
Alma materUniversity of San Francisco
Golden Gate University
ProfessionCalifornia Director, American Public Health Association

Early life and career

Prior to serving in the California State Legislature, Mary Hayashi served as the Alameda County Coordinator in the winning campaign to pass California Proposition 63 (2004), which provides increased funding for prevention and treatment services in county and statewide mental health programs. Mary Hayashi served as a Commissioner on the California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, which was created to monitor the implementation of California Proposition 63 (2004). She is also a member of the Executive Committee for the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, a public-private partnership that helps guide the implementation of the goals and objectives of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.

Mary Hayashi has worked for several non-profit and philanthropic organizations dedicated to healthcare issues including the American Public Health Association, the Foundation Consortium for California's Children and Youth, and the National Asian Women's Health Organization. In 2016 Mary Hayashi was appointed Project Director of the Women's Sport Safety Initiative,[1] a special project fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation[2] dedicated to protecting the lives of women and girls by raising awareness of sports-related injuries.

Mary Hayashi served as a member of the California Board of Registered Nursing and as Chair of the Planned Parenthood Golden Gate Political Action Committee. She was also a board member of the National Breast Cancer Coalition and Research!America, which successfully doubled the federal budget for the National Institutes of Health. She is a former board member of Girls Inc of Alameda County, and served as the honorary chair for their "Strong, Smart and Bold" annual luncheon.

Mary Hayashi's journey from her childhood in Korea to prominence as a health care leader is documented in her book, Far from Home: Shattering the Myth of the Model Minority.[3] She has been honored by diverse organizations for her work on behalf of minority health and women, from Redbook Magazine and Ladies' Home Journal, to Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California and the Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Center. Mary was named Legislator of the Year by the California Medical Association and the American Red Cross. She also received the Distinguished Public Service Award from the Alameda County Democratic Lawyers Club. Mary earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Economics from the University of San Francisco and her Master in Business Administration degree from Golden Gate University. She lives in Hayward, California with her husband Dennis Hayashi, a judge with the Alameda County Superior Court.[4]

Hayashi unsuccessfully ran for Alameda County Board of Supervisors seat 2 in 2012. She came in third after Richard Valle and Union City Mayor Mark Green.[5]

California State Assembly

In the Legislature, Mary authored a number of bills focused on health and education reform. Among her bills that have been signed into law is AB 25,[6] a concussion safety bill that placed California alongside Washington as the states with the toughest return-to-play laws for student athletes.

Mary also authored AB 108,[7] prohibiting health plans and insurers from rescinding an individual health insurance policy, protecting consumers from losing their health care coverage during the times they need it most. In addition, she authored AB 235, a mental health parity bill that requires insurers to cover treatment for psychiatric emergencies without prior authorization, and AB 509,[8] which served as the catalyst for establishing California's first Office of Suicide Prevention. She has also championed public education, authoring AB 142[9] to help increase funding for schools through changes to the California State Lottery.

Shoplifting

In late October 2011, she was charged with theft after being caught on video surveillance shoplifting $2,445 worth of merchandise from San Francisco's Neiman Marcus store.[10][11] Prosecutors said that Hayashi had taken the items into a dressing room, put them in a shopping bag, and walked out of the store.[12] Her attorney stated that she intended to pay for the items but became distracted by a cellphone call and a snack at the cafe and inadvertently left the store without paying.[13][14][15]

During her 2014 senate campaign, Hayashi denied that she was responsible for the shoplifting incident, citing a medical condition and distraction.[16]

Hayashi subsequently pleaded no contest to charges of shoplifting. She was sentenced to an $180 fine and three years probation and was ordered to stay more than 50 feet from the store. Her attorney suggested her actions may have been the result of a benign brain tumor.[17][18]

Campaigns

In February 2014, Hayashi announced her candidacy in the 2014 Democratic primary election for the California State Senate, in the 10th District.[19]

On June 3, 2014, Mary Hayashi placed third in the District 10 Blanket Primary,[20] behind Democrat Bob Wieckowski and Republican Peter Kuo, with Wieckowski later defeating Kuo in the runoff election on November 4.[21]

References
  1. "Home - Women's Sports Safety Initiative". Women's Sports Safety Initiative. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
  2. "Silicon Valley Community Foundation". Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
  3. Amazon.com
  6. "AB 25 - Student Athletes Return to Play Guidelines". California Legislative Information. California Legislative Information. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  7. "AB 108 – Health Insurance Policy Rescission". California Legislative Information. California Legislative Information. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  8. "AB 509 - Office of Suicide Prevention". California Legislative Information. California Legislative Information. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  9. "AB 142 - Increased Educational Funding through State Lottery". California Legislative Information. California Legislative Information. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  10. Mishak, Michael J. (October 28, 2011). "Assemblywoman charged with shoplifting at Neiman Marcus". Los Angeles Times.
  11. Gafni, Matthias; Vorderbrueggen, Lisa (October 28, 2011). "Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi charged with felony shoplifting". San Jose Mercury-News.
  12. Brain tumor cited in Hayashi shoplifting incident, ABC News, January 6, 2012
  13. Mishak, Michael J. (October 29, 2011). "Assemblywoman Hayashi facing shoplifting charge". Los Angeles Times.
  14. Steven Harmon (November 19, 2011). "Hayashi's political career, legacy in jeopardy with charges looming". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
  15. Sulek, Julia (May 16, 2014). "Mary Hayashi's shoplifting conviction looms large in Senate campaign". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  16. Mary Hayashi: I did not shoplift $2,500 worth of goods", San Francisco Chronicle, May 1, 2014
  17. "Assemblywoman pleads no contest to shoplifting; lawyer cites brain tumor". Los Angeles Times. January 6, 2012. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  18. Ho, Vivian (January 6, 2012). "Assemblywoman pleads no contest in shoplifting". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  19. Richman, Josh (February 14, 2014). "Mary Hayashi rolls out her state Senate campaign". Contra Costa Times. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  20. Richman, Josh (3 June 2014). "Wieckowski, Kuo advancing to November election in 10th State Senate District". The Mercury News. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  21. Mihalik, Lily. "California 2014 primary election complete results". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
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