Dawn Addis

Dawn Addis is a former special education teacher and mother of two who represents California's coastal 30th Assembly District, encompassing portions of San Luis Obispo, Monterey, and Santa Cruz Counties ^[1,2]. First elected in 2022, she is the first Democrat from San Luis Obispo County to serve in the State Assembly since 1922, and the first Democratic woman ever to hold this seat ^[3,4]. While her progressive policy positions diverge from CFC priorities on many issues, her two-decade career serving students with disabilities, her authorship of notable legislation protecting child sexual abuse survivors, and her advocacy for stronger families through parental leave and child abuse prevention training reflect shared concerns for the welfare of children and the strength of families ^[5,6]. With a 19% CFC Biblical Values Scorecard rating, Addis's voting record has consistently diverged from the California Family Council's worldview framework on the sanctity of life (Chapter 6), parental authority in education (Chapter 8), and religious liberty (Chapter 9).

Dawn Junea Addis was born on July 12, 1972, in San Francisco, California ^[3]. She earned a bachelor's degree in art education and Spanish and a master's degree in special education from San Francisco State University, obtaining teaching credentials in elementary education, secondary education, and special education ^[1,2,4]. Fluent in Spanish, Addis spent more than 20 years as a public school special education teacher in the San Luis Coastal Unified School District, dedicating her professional life to serving students with learning differences and disabilities ^[2,5]. She and her husband Marcus have raised two children on the Central Coast, and the family includes two rescue pets ^[2,4].

Addis entered public service through the Morro Bay Citizen Finance Advisory Committee before winning election to the Morro Bay City Council in 2018, where she served until 2022 ^[1,4]. On the Council, she advocated for healthy communities, clean water, housing, and support for women's and children's needs ^[5]. Her community involvement has been extensive, including affiliations with the San Luis Coastal Teachers Association, the Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce, the League of Women Voters, Rotary International, and the Morro Bay Open Space Alliance ^[1,3]. In 2017, she was named a Congressional Woman of the Year ^[3]. She co-founded the Women's March in San Luis Obispo, which drew approximately 10,000 attendees, and served on the Planned Parenthood Central Coast Action Fund board ^[2,3].

Her 18.2% Biblical Values Scorecard rating across 74 scored floor votes reflects consistent divergence from CFC's worldview framework. Her voting record has supported abortion access expansion over the sanctity of human life, government-directed education over parental authority and school choice, and progressive social mandates over religious liberty protections.

Nevertheless, Addis's biography reveals a public servant whose career has been anchored in direct service to children, particularly those with special needs and those who have suffered abuse. CFC families in the 30th District will find a legislator who, despite policy differences on several key issues, brings genuine dedication to children's wellbeing and community service rooted in her own experience as a parent and educator ^[2,4,5].