Assemblywoman Diane Harkey (R-Dana Point) was elected to the California State Assembly in 2008 to represent the 73rd Assembly District.  The 73rd district includes the South Orange County cities of Aliso Viejo, Coto de Caza, Dana Point, Ladera Ranch, Mission Viejo, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano.

Diane brings a wealth of experience in business and budgeting to the State Capitol, having enjoyed a successful 30-year career in corporate finance and banking. Recognized for her financial expertise, she was selected to be the lead Republican on solvency strategies, charged with crafting fiscally-responsible solutions to address California's cash flow problems. In this role, she is working closely with Assembly budget staff, the Governor's Department of Finance, State Controller and the State Treasurer to develop strategies that protect taxpayers and enhance the future of our Golden State.

Recognized for her dedication to identify and eliminate wasteful spending, Diane was appointed to Vice Chair of the powerful Assembly Committee on Appropriations. In this capacity, Diane analyzes every fiscal bill making its way through both houses of the legislature. Diane measures the cost to the taxpayer for each bill while forcefully advocating for a government that lives within its means.

Diane also serves on the Assembly Committee on Public Employees Retirement System and Social Security (PERSS). As the former Vice Chair, Diane will continue to tackle the complex issues surrounding public employee and teacher's pensions as well as stresses in the social security system. She will address the issue of under funding, investment assumptions and other problems that have created unsustainable debt obligations on our state and future generations. Cooperation with the employees affected, as well as the taxpayers who are paying, is of the utmost importance to our state at this difficult time.

Serving as a member of the Assembly Select Committee on Biotechnology, she is working across the aisle to implement policies meshing academic achievement in our universities and community colleges with real-world opportunities for Californians in the biotech sector. She also serves as a member of the Banking and Finance Committee, Budget Committee, and Revenue and Taxation Committee, as well as the Select Committee on the Census.

In her first year in the Assembly, Harkey received a 100% pro-jobs rating from the California Chamber of Commerce on high-priority legislation related to economic growth and job creation. She quickly established a record of supporting pro-taxpayer legislation by voting for hard-working families and against the largest tax increase in the state's history in February 2009. Diane believes that the state cannot borrow its way to prosperity, but must reduce spending, balance the budget and plan for the future by setting aside reserves for emergencies. She understands that the Golden State must begin establishing policies that ensure future improvements in transportation, water and other basic necessities to enable California to retain its place as one of the top-ranking economies in the world.

A strong believer in public service, Harkey has been actively involved in countless grassroots efforts for issues affecting local communities throughout most of her adult life. Appointed by Orange County to the Architectural Review Board in 1987, she took an active leadership role in advocating for the incorporation of Dana Point in 1989. She would later serve as Mayor of the growing city, working to implement sensible long-term financial policies and forward-looking community planning to meet the challenging times we now face.

Diane worked her way through the State's Community College system and eventually graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of California, Irvine.

She and her husband, Dan, have one daughter, Jaclyn, a 2004 graduate of USC's Marshall School of Business.