Before the Attorney General’s office
Bonta’s official biography describes work in private legal practice and as a deputy city attorney in San Francisco, followed by more than eight years in the California Assembly. He earned his law degree at Yale.
He was sworn in as Attorney General on April 23, 2021, the first Filipino American to hold the office, according to DOJ.
What the office does
The Attorney General represents California in civil and criminal cases, advises state agencies and assists law enforcement. DOJ also describes responsibilities in consumer protection, civil rights and environmental protection.
That is the context for judging his decisions. How the office enforces the law and how well it runs itself are separate questions.
A privacy enforcement example: Sephora
On August 24, 2022, Bonta announced a settlement resolving allegations that Sephora violated the California Consumer Privacy Act. DOJ said the company had failed to disclose sales of personal information and to process certain opt-out requests.
The settlement required $1.2 million in penalties plus changes to Sephora’s privacy disclosures, opt-out process, vendor contracts and reporting. It was a settlement, not a trial verdict.
Scope of this account
This is not a full history of Bonta’s legislation or tenure. The oversight pages take the same approach to each issue: what happened, what the record shows, how he responded and whether promised changes were made.
Sources for this page
- Official biography
California DOJ · Reviewed October 19, 2026
Career background and the date Bonta took office; the office’s own account.
- Responsibilities of the Attorney General
California DOJ · Reviewed October 19, 2026
The office’s responsibilities and areas of work.
- Sephora privacy settlement announcement
California DOJ · August 24, 2022
The office’s account of the allegations and settlement terms.
- Sephora filed judgment
Superior Court; hosted by California DOJ · August 24, 2022
The settlement’s court document. PDF.