Sam Aanestad

Sam Aanestad ( R-Grass Valley) is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who was elected to the California State Legislature in 1998 to represent the 3rd Assembly District. In 2006, Aanestad was elected to serve a second term in the California State Senate. Dr. Aanestad and his wife, Susan, have lived in Grass Valley since 1980 and have three grown children and three grandchildren. Senator Aanestad served as the primary author for the Governor's ambitious water bond proposal during the 2005-2006 Senate Legislative Session, a bill that eventually appeared on the November, 2006 ballot, gaining nearly 65% of the vote. The Senator's work on Proposition 1E, the Disaster Preparedness & Flood Prevention Act of 2006, guarantees that bond funding will be spent on real "rock, sand and concrete" projects that will help protect against flooding in Northern California, while guaranteeing a fresh, clean and safe supply of water for Southern California. Senator Aanestad was also named 2006 California Charter School Legislator of the Year by the California Charter Schools Association for successful legislative efforts that benefited Charter Schools.