Jim Beall (California politician)

James Thomas "Jim" Beall, Jr. (born December 7, 1951) is an American politician currently serving in the California State Senate. A Democrat, he represents the 15th Senate District, which encompasses the South Bay and Silicon Valley.
Prior to being elected to the State Senate in 2012, Beall served as a member of the California State Assembly representing the 24th Assembly District. Before his time in the Legislature, he served a member of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, as well as a member of the San Jose City Council.

Beall served on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors from 1994 until 2006, prior to which he served 14 years on the San Jose City Council. As a councilman and county supervisor, Beall served two decades on the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, where he lobbied commissioners to select the extension of the Bay Area Rapid Transit system to San Jose as a top priority project, enabling it to eventually receive $900 million in federal funding. In the spring of 2012, Valley Transportation Authority and BART officials broke ground on the extension.

In 2011, Beall announced his candidacy for the new District 15 seat of the California State Senate. He won the June 2012 primary election, finishing more than 11 percent ahead of his opponent, fellow Democrat Joe Coto, and again in the general election in November 2012, defeating Coto 57% to 42%.[1].

On July 9, 1983, he and Patricia F. "Pat" Lafkas were married. He has two stepsons, Gregory B. Chubb (born November 7, 1967) and Mark J. Chubb (born June 16, 1970). Beall is a vegetarian. Beall Jr. also graduated from San Jose State University with a BA in Political Science.

• American Psychiatric Association – Jacob Javits Public Service Award, 2009
• The ARC of California – Bulldog Award, 2012
• California Small Business Association – Summa Cum Laude Award, 2009
• Campaign for College Opportunity – Champion of College Opportunity, 2009
• National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter – California Public Citizen of the Year, 2011
• Planned Parenthood Mar Monte – Legislator of the Year, 2011
• Women’s Foundation of California – Champion Award, 2011
• Silicon Valley Legal Advocates for Youth – LACY Award, 2011