A first-generation American and daughter of Salvadoran immigrants, Caroline Menijivar served in the U.S. Marine Corps and worked as an emergency medical technician and domestic violence counselor before being elected to the Assembly in 2022. She brings a wealth of experience to her role representing the people of Burbank and the San Fernando Valley.
As Chair of the Senate Health Committee, Menjivar has prioritized mental health reform. In response to investigative reports highlighting understaffing and neglect in for-profit psychiatric hospitals, she introduced SB 596 (Health facilities: administrative penalties) in February 2025. This legislation mandates emergency nurse-to-patient ratios and grants the California Department of Public Health authority to enforce staffing requirements promptly, aiming to protect patients from unsafe conditions.
Menjivar also authored SB 223 (Pupil personnel services: child welfare and attendance services), allowing Local Education Agencies to certify Child Welfare and Attendance professionals, thereby increasing the number of specialized mental health staff in K–12 public schools. The bill passed in fall 2023.
