▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁through ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁O ro pe za ▁represented ▁the ▁sout heast ▁cities ▁of ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁County ▁and ▁served ▁on ▁M TA ' s ▁Pl anning ▁and ▁Program ming ▁and ▁Const ruction ▁comm itte es . ▁While ▁with ▁the ▁M TA , ▁she ▁also ▁cha ired ▁the ▁Good s ▁Mov ement ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁Southern ▁California ▁Association ▁of ▁Govern ments . ▁ ▁Assembly member ▁O ro pe za ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁California ▁State ▁Assembly ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁for ▁the ▁ 5 5 th ▁Assembly ▁District . ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁with ▁bare ly ▁a ▁year ' s ▁experience ▁in ▁the ▁Assembly , ▁O ro pe za ▁was ▁named ▁chair ▁of ▁the ▁Assembly ▁Bud get ▁Committee ▁— ▁on ▁the ▁e ve ▁of ▁the ▁worst ▁def ic it ▁in ▁California ▁history . ▁She ▁served ▁two ▁years . ▁From ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁O ro pe za ▁cha ired ▁the ▁Assembly ▁Transport ation ▁Committee . ▁ ▁She ▁was ▁Vice ▁Chair ▁of ▁the ▁dual - house ▁Lat ino ▁C au cus . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁the ▁League ▁of ▁California ▁C ities ' ▁Lat ino ▁C au cus ▁named ▁her ▁Legisl ator ▁of ▁the ▁Year ; ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁the ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁League ▁of ▁Conserv ation ▁V ot ers ▁awarded ▁her ▁the ▁Smith - We iss ▁Environment al ▁Champion