Parrish Collins

Parrish Collins, a policy consultant to Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, died last Thursday, July 23, after an unexpected illness. He would have turned 31 on July 27.

Collins leaves a six-month old daughter, Amiya Collins, with his girlfriend, Amanda Fulkerson, deputy secretary of communications at the State and Consumer Services Agency.

An Assembly staffer since 2001, Collins was best known for his work at the crossroads of jobs and environmental legislation.

“Parrish's passion was working on issues that would advance at-risk youth,” Fulkerson said. “Especially job training in the green-tech sector. His pride is a bill (AB 3018, 2008) that established the green collar jobs council under LWDA (California Labor and Workforce Development Agency).”

Collins was also active on AB 32, the landmark global warming bill from 2006, championed by then-Assemblywoman Fran Pavley and then-Speaker Fabian Nunez.

“Parrish also worked to establish a summer youth work program at assembly district offices,” Fulkerson said. “That program is set to debut this summer.”

Also an avid golfer and gardener, Collins is also survived by a brother, Terrance Leonard, and sister, Inga Randle.

Bass honored Collins on the Assembly floor on the day he died. There will be a memorial service on Sunday, Aug. 2, at 7 p.m. at the Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park at the corner of 8th and N Streets. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Parrish’s memory can be made to a trust for Amiya Collins: Amiya Fulkerson-Collins CUTMA Account, c/o The Golden 1 Credit Union, 1109 L Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, checks should be made out to "Amiya Fulkerson-Collins CUTMA Account." For questions regarding the trust please contact Sumi Sousa at 916-319-3641 or sumi.sousa@asm.ca.gov.