George Runner

• Biography:

  George Runner was elected to the State Senate in 2004 after serving six years in the Assembly. As a thoughtful conservative, Runner’s priorities in the Legislature are to focus on improving economic prosperity, business growth, education excellence, and family preservation for all Californians.

  Runner and his wife, former Assemblywoman Sharon Runner, are the authors of California’s Jessica’s Law and honorary co-chairs of Proposition 83-Jessica’s Law which was passed by over 70% of California voters in November 2006. It created some of the toughest and most comprehensive sex offender management and control laws in the nation. He was also the author of the well-known Amber Alert in California, which has resulted in over a hundred successful reunions of parents with their kids.

  He serves as the Senate Republican Caucus Chair and vice chair of the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality. He is a member of Senate Committee on Banking, Finance and Insurance, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senate Committee on Revenue and Taxation, and Senate Committee on Human Services.

  Recently, Runner was named Legislator of the Year by the:

  California State Sheriffs’ Association
  Crime Victims United
  California Sexual Assault Investigators Association
  Coalition of Chief Probations Officers
  California Coalition of Directors of Environmental Health
  California Community College Trustees
  California Building Industry Association

  He also received the Pursuit of Justice Award from the Association of Deputy District Attorneys - Los Angeles County.

  Some of his other successful legislative measures in the State Legislature include authoring:

  Joint Strike Fighter tax credit which was designed to make California competitive with other states by allowing $250 million in tax credits for wages and equipment used in the production of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF);

  Proposition 11 in 1998, to allow flexibility for local governments to enter into sales tax revenue sharing agreements;

  Military families law that provides a permanent exemption from non-resident tuition at all California public universities for active military personnel and their families;

  Landmark food safety legislation that improves and updates California’s food safety code and is based on the best available food safety science. This law was crafted to ensure that consumers are protected when they eat at retail food facilities; and

  The HOV Lane law, that allows High Occupancy Vehicle lanes on State Route 14 available to single-occupancy drivers during non-commuter hours.

  Prior to his election to the State Senate, Runner served in the State Assembly for three terms, from 1996 to 2002. During this time of service, Runner was involved in developing and implementing real solutions to the challenges Californians face and served as Vice Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee.

  George and Sharon are the first husband and wife in California history to serve concurrently in the Legislature. They are proud parents of their son, Micah, daughter-in-law, Sandy, daughter Rebekah, and three grandchildren.