Former student body president Rivas takes a break from
politics
When Rick Rivas dresses in his button-down shirts and ties, with
his dark hair slightly spiked and his illuminating smile, the lanky
young man looks like he could be the current student body president
at San Benito High School. But eight years after graduating from
SBHS, Rivas has made his mark on local and state politics. Now he’s
ready to make a mark on the civil justice system.
Former student body president Rivas takes a break from politics
When Rick Rivas dresses in his button-down shirts and ties, with his dark hair slightly spiked and his illuminating smile, the lanky young man looks like he could be the current student body president at San Benito High School. But eight years after graduating from SBHS, Rivas has made his mark on local and state politics. Now he’s ready to make a mark on the civil justice system.
Rivas will be taking a break from state politics though he will stay close to Sacramento as he starts a new job June 11 as the director of public affairs for the Civil Justice Association of California.
“The work we do helps consumers, businesses and taxpayers,” Rivas said.
CJA of California is a nonprofit coalition founded in 1979 with the mission of improving California’s civil liability system. The goal is to reduce excessive and unwarranted litigation, which the association members believe increases business and government expenses and drives up the costs of goods and services for consumers. The organization does its work on several fronts. Through legislative lobbying, they support bills that further their goal and help defeat bills that don’t. One recent bill they have supported is Assembly bill 1505 that would reform class action lawsuits.
The association also supports state ballot propositions, such as the 2004 proposition 64, which stops lawsuits being filed by private lawyers against businesses. The group reviews all briefs filed in the California Supreme Court and the Courts of Appeal, as well as documenting the harm that lawsuit abuse causes taxpayers, businesses, consumers and professionals.
In his new position, Rivas will be the public spokesperson for the statewide agency. He will also work closely with the association’s political action committee, which contributes to political candidate campaigns that staff feel will support their mission.
“They’ve spent over $1 million [in 2004] on candidates that understand their issues,” Rivas said.
The association’s PAC contributed to local Assembly member Anna Caballero while she was running for office. In fact, it was while working as Caballero’s campaign manager that Rivas first got to know about the group.
“CJA was supportive of Anna [Caballero’s] campaign,” Rivas said. “I got to know them and see the quality of their work.”
Rivas worked first as Caballero’s campaign manager when she was running for the 28th Assembly district last year and then served as a legislative aide/communications director for her since she took office in Sacramento.
“I thought it was an appropriate time to move on,” Rivas said. “I’ve worked with officials almost my entire adult life. I wanted to work in a position that would help families and create a civil justice system that makes sense.”
While Rivas will be less in the state political arena, he said he would stay active in San Benito County.
“It’s a great county and I miss living there,” Rivas said. “But I have plans to go home on the weekends and I want to make it a better place.”
The Hollister native first became interested in politics when he was a student at San Benito High School. He served as student body president his senior year and graduated in 1999. He attended Santa Clara University, where he studied political science and English. After receiving a Public Policy and International Affairs Fellowship, he attended the University of Michigan and completed a Master’s in Public Policy there.
