Eduardo Martinez has spent nearly 20 years in California politics and public service, bringing a passion and strategic thinking to various roles in and around the Capitol. He currently serves as a Legislative Advisor for the Government Practice team in the Manatt Sacramento Office. In this role, he advises clients on a wide range of issues including health care, labor and employment, and the state budget.
Prior to joining Manatt, Eduardo served as the Legislative Director and Chief Lobbyist of the California Labor Federation. In that capacity, he has lead a coalition of affiliated labor unions on a wide range of policy priorities, including two successful efforts to pass broad-based COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave, protections for workers subject to labor disputes, and legislation to combat wage theft.
Prior to joining the Labor Federation, Eduardo spent four years as Chief of Staff to Assemblymember Todd Gloria. In this role, Eduardo lead a team of 12 Capitol and District staff to advance the Assemblymember’s ambitious goals. In addition to supervising the work of the legislative team, Eduardo was personally responsible for passing legislation to facilitate the development of a multi-model transit terminal in San Diego and to jump-start the construction of a critical water reliability project for the region.
Eduardo has significant trade association experience, having worked for the California Medical Association from 2013 to 2016. As an Associate Director for Government Relations, Eduardo was the lead lobbyist on budget-related matters, with particular focus on increasing California’s poor Medi-Cal provider reimbursement rates. In 2016, Eduardo worked with a coalition of providers to restore cuts to provider rates and secured state dollars for graduate medical education cuts.