Alan S. Lowenthal

• Biography:

  Alan Lowenthal was elected to represent the 27th District of the California State Senate in November of 2004 following six years in the California State Assembly. The 27th Senate District includes the Los Angeles County communities of Avalon, Long Beach, Signal Hill, Lakewood, Cerritos, Artesia, Bellflower, Downey, South Gate, Lynwood, Paramount, Hawaiian Gardens, Florence-Graham and Willowbrook.

  Senator Lowenthal is strongly committed to ensuring that the interests of the 27th Senate District are represented in Sacramento, including education, public safety, economic development and environmental protection.

  Lowenthal has had legislation signed into law to reduce diesel emissions at the ports by limiting idling time for trucks conducting transactions at the ports, established a grant program to provide financial incentives for purchasing or leasing electric vehicles, and a bill which gives the City of Los Angeles greater flexibility in using port property.

  His legislation limiting the liability for organizations donating firefighting equipment was hailed as a major accomplishment by the California State Firefighters Association, which named him their 2002 “Legislator of the Year.”

  In addition, Senator Lowenthal has authored laws which help protect seniors from elder abuse, require the ports to cover open petroleum coke piles and removed the toll from the Vincent Thomas Bridge. His strong advocacy on behalf of local governments led to him being named “Legislator of the Year” by the League of California Cities in 2001.

  He has been a vocal leader in the drive to clean the L.A. River, securing state funding for that purpose in the last three budgets. His efforts led to him being one of the first recipients of the “Rivie” award by the Friends of the Los Angeles River. In addition, as a member of the Assembly Natural Resources and Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committees, he has exhibited strong leadership in the cleanup of California's beaches and coastline by securing funds to reduce pollution on area beaches.

  Senator Lowenthal serves as Chair of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee as well as the Select Committee on California Ports

  A resident of Long Beach, Senator Lowenthal is married to Dr. Debbie Malumed, a family practice physician. He has two adult sons, Joshua and Daniel (married to Suja) and one grandson, Avinash. He graduated with a B.A. from Hobart College and earned a Ph.D. from Ohio State University.

  Prior to his election to the Senate, Lowenthal served six years in the State Assembly and six years on the Long Beach City Council. A professor of community psychology, Lowenthal is on leave from California State University, Long Beach, where he has taught since 1969.