Alan Lowenthal
Encyclopedia
Alan S. Lowenthal has been a Democratic
member of the California State Senate
, representing the 27th District since 2004. He previously served in the California State Assembly representing the 55th Assembly district from 1998 until 2004. In both posts, he represented the city of Long Beach
and its surrounding suburbs.
, where he served until 2004, at which time he successfully ran for the State Senate. He was reelected for a second term in 2008.
and earned a Ph.D. from Ohio State University
. After earning his doctorate and prior to entering politics, Lowenthal became a professor of community psychology
at California State University, Long Beach
in 1969 where he remained on leave for several years until retiring recently.
. His ex-wife, Bonnie Lowenthal
, was elected to the California State Assembly in 2008. His son Daniel is an elected judge to the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
(although Senator George
and Assemblywoman Sharon Runner, who served concurrently from 2004 to 2008, and Senator Tony
and Assemblywoman Audra Strickland
, who are serving concurrently with the Lowenthals, were both non-divorced pairs of husbands and wives to serve concurrently).
Lowenthal provided significant commentary throughout the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?
.
communities of Avalon
, Long Beach
, Signal Hill, Lakewood
, Cerritos
, Artesia
, Bellflower
, Downey
, South Gate
, Lynwood
, Paramount
, Hawaiian Gardens
, Florence-Graham and Willowbrook
.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the California State Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
, representing the 27th District since 2004. He previously served in the California State Assembly representing the 55th Assembly district from 1998 until 2004. In both posts, he represented the city of Long Beach
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
and its surrounding suburbs.
Legislative career
Senator Lowenthal serves as Chair of the Senate Committee Education as well as the Select Committee on California Ports and Goods Movement. Senator Lowenthal was named Legislator of the Year by the California Firefighters Association in 2002 after he passed a law that limited liability for organizations that donated firefighting equipment. The League of California Cities named him Legislator of the Year in 2001 due to his advocacy on behalf of local governments. He has also received the "Rivie" Award from the Friends of the Los Angeles River due to his efforts to help clean up the troubled river. Other legislation that Senator Lowenthal has had signed into law is a law to reduce diesel emissions at the ports by limiting idling time for trucks conducting transactions at the ports, a bill established a grant program to provide financial incentives for purchasing or leasing electric vehicles, and a bill to protects highways.Political Career Prior to Assembly Service
Lowenthal entered elected office as a member of the Long Beach City Council in 1992. In 1998 he won a seat in the California State AssemblyCalifornia State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
, where he served until 2004, at which time he successfully ran for the State Senate. He was reelected for a second term in 2008.
Education and Academic Career
He graduated with a B.A. from Hobart CollegeHobart and William Smith Colleges
Hobart and William Smith Colleges, located in Geneva, New York, are together a liberal arts college offering Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in Teaching degrees. In athletics, however, the two schools compete with separate teams, known as the Hobart Statesmen and the...
and earned a Ph.D. from Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
. After earning his doctorate and prior to entering politics, Lowenthal became a professor of community psychology
Community psychology
Community psychology deals with the relationships of the individual to communities and the wider society. Community psychologists seek to understand the quality of life of individuals, communities, and society...
at California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach is the second largest campus of the California State University system and the third largest university in the state of California by enrollment...
in 1969 where he remained on leave for several years until retiring recently.
Personal life
Lowenthal was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. His ex-wife, Bonnie Lowenthal
Bonnie Lowenthal
Bonnie Lowenthal is a Democratic Assembly Member representing California's 54th State Assembly district. She was elected to that post in 2008 and re-elected in 2010...
, was elected to the California State Assembly in 2008. His son Daniel is an elected judge to the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Distinctions
With Bonnie Lowenthal's election and Alan Lowenthal's reelection in 2008, Senator and Assemblywoman Lowenthal are the first divorced husband and wife to serve concurrently in the California State LegislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
(although Senator George
George Runner
George C. Runner, Jr. is the Republican Board Member for District 2 of the five-member California Board of Equalization ....
and Assemblywoman Sharon Runner, who served concurrently from 2004 to 2008, and Senator Tony
Tony Strickland
Anthony A. "Tony" Strickland is a California State Senator, representing the 19th District. Strickland is a member of the Republican Party and a former Assemblyman, representing the 37th District from 1998 to 2004.-Early life:...
and Assemblywoman Audra Strickland
Audra Strickland
Audra Strickland is a Republican who served as a member of the 37th district of the California State Assembly from December 2004 to November 2010. She succeeded her husband, Tony Strickland, who was term-limited. Prior to serving in the Assembly, she was a junior high school teacher for a year at...
, who are serving concurrently with the Lowenthals, were both non-divorced pairs of husbands and wives to serve concurrently).
Lowenthal provided significant commentary throughout the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?
Who Killed the Electric Car?
Who Killed the Electric Car? is a 2006 documentary film that explores the creation, limited commercialization, and subsequent destruction of the battery electric vehicle in the United States, specifically the General Motors EV1 of the mid 1990s...
.
The 27th State Senate District
The 27th District includes the Los Angeles CountyLos Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
communities of Avalon
Avalon, California
Avalon, or Avalon Bay, is the only incorporated city on Santa Catalina Island of the California Channel Islands, and the southernmost city in Los Angeles County. Besides Avalon, the only other center of population on the island is the small unincorporated town of Two Harbors...
, Long Beach
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, Signal Hill, Lakewood
Lakewood, California
Lakewood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 80,048 at the 2010 census. It is bordered by Long Beach on the west and south, Bellflower on the north, Cerritos on the northeast, Cypress on the east, and Hawaiian Gardens on the southeast. Major thoroughfares...
, Cerritos
Cerritos, California
Cerritos is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, and is one of several cities that constitute the Gateway Cities of southeast Los Angeles County. It was incorporated on April 24, 1956...
, Artesia
Artesia, California
Artesia is a city in southeast Los Angeles County, California. Artesia was incorporated on May 29, 1959 and is one of Los Angeles County's Gateway Cities. The city has a 2010 census population of 16,522...
, Bellflower
Bellflower, California
Bellflower is a city in Los Angeles County, California, and is a suburb of Los Angeles. It was incorporated on September 3, 1957. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 76,616, up from 72,878 at the 2000 census....
, Downey
Downey, California
Downey is a city located in southeast Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city is best known as the birthplace of the Apollo space program, and is the city where folk singer Karen Carpenter lived and died...
, South Gate
South Gate, California
South Gate is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The sixteenth largest city in Los Angeles County, it encompasses . South Gate is located just southeast of downtown Los Angeles It is part of the Gateway Cities region of southeastern Los Angeles County...
, Lynwood
Lynwood, California
Lynwood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 69,772, down from 69,845 at the 2000 census. Lynwood is located near South Gate and Compton in the southern portion of the Los Angeles Basin. Incorporated in...
, Paramount
Paramount, California
Paramount is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. According to the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 54,098 down from 55,266 at the 2000 census...
, Hawaiian Gardens
Hawaiian Gardens, California
Hawaiian Gardens is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the smallest city in the county and was incorporated on April 9, 1964. The population was 14,254 at the 2010 census, down from 14,779 at the 2000 census.The town's unusual name originated in a 1920s refreshment...
, Florence-Graham and Willowbrook
Willowbrook, California
Willowbrook is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California. The population was 35,983 at the 2010 census, up from 34,138 at the 2000 census. The community is located near the southeast edge of, and is often considered part of, South Los Angeles...
.