Assemblymember Jim Wood Contact information

Jim Wood was elected to represent California’s 2nd Assembly District in 2014, covering Del Norte, Trinity, Humboldt, and Mendocino counties, along with northern and western Sonoma County, including Santa Rosa. A resident of Northern California since 1987, Wood, a dentist by profession, began his public service on the Healdsburg City Council in 2006, later serving two terms as mayor.

His initiatives at the local level focused on enhancing government efficiency, budget balancing, environmental and health advocacy, and streamlining the building permit process. During his mayoral tenure, he successfully implemented a local ordinance raising the age for tobacco purchases to 21.

Eager to extend his public service to the state level, Wood ran for the Assembly in 2013. After his election, his legislative priorities included healthcare, broadband access, environmental protection, wildfire prevention and recovery, property insurance, clean energy, and economic development. Wood chaired the Assembly Health Committee from early 2016 until November 2023 when he was appointed Speaker pro Tempore by Speaker Robert Rivas.

Throughout his Assembly tenure, Wood achieved legislative success in expanding access to medical, dental, and mental health care in rural areas. He also addressed prescription drug costs, nursing home closures, surprise medical bills, and increased the tobacco purchase age to 21. Post-2017 wildfires, Wood secured bipartisan funding for vegetation management and supported further funding for wildfire prevention, including a dedicated unit within the Office of the Fire Marshal.

Environmental protection efforts included funding for managing working lands and forests, safeguarding watersheds, and addressing environmental damage from illegal cannabis cultivation. Wood played a role in developing medical cannabis regulations to protect small farmers and ensure accessible rules for small businesses.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Wood advocated for funding local public health departments and supported public health officers. Economic support and broadband expansion remained top priorities for his district, urging Caltrans to implement a “dig once” policy during road projects and supporting funding for rural broadband infrastructure.

Beyond his legislative work, Wood serves as a forensic dentistry expert consultant for five Northern California counties. He established a mass disaster identification team, contributing to disaster responses like 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the Valley Fire, and the Camp Fire. His efforts aim to provide closure to affected families and loved ones in times of tragedy.