Rob Bonta sworn in as California...

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Bonta’s historic appointment marked the first time a Filipino American had ever been chosen to serve as California attorney general.

As the child of a Filipino mother, Bonta said that his identity plays a significant role in his post, honoring his parents for fostering his desire for public office.

In November 2022, Bonta would win the general election for attorney general of California with 57.2% of the vote.

“A few generations ago, as an Asian American, the law would have denied me the ability to freely testify in court, to access public accommodations like hotels and restaurants, to marry Mia, the person I love,” Bonta stated.

He continued, “This role is a privilege, a duty, and a sacred obligation. I will not squander it. I will use the full authority of my office — the full force of the law — to help as many people as possible and do as much good as I can.”

Since his initial 2021 appointment, Bonta has increased the role of attorney general by tackling everything “from the housing crisis to disparities in our healthcare, education, and criminal justice systems,” he said.

Among Bonta’s achievements so far as attorney general include enacting several measures to “[protect] reproductive freedom,” reinforcing housing rights for people with disabilities and issuing warnings against illegal evictions, cracking down on human trafficking rings, and protecting healthcare rights for California’s elders and Medi-Cal beneficiaries.

Bonta also reavowed his mission to promote gun control laws and public safety, despite his office’s failed online dashboard that was designed to promote transparency regarding data on firearm ownership but accidentally allowed the unauthorized breach of personal information in 2022.

Last month, Bonta joined 18 other states in support of the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) “ghost gun” rule that would crack down on unserialized weapons that allow unauthorized manufacturers to circumvent state gun laws to make firearms untraceable.

In addition to Bonta’s inaugural address on Friday, Newsom was also sworn into his second term as California governor. g