Martha Escutia
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Martha Escutia | |
|---|---|
 Escutia in 2013 | |
| Member of the California State Senate from the 30th district | |
| In office December 7, 1998 – November 30, 2006[1] | |
| Preceded by | Charles Calderon |
| Succeeded by | Ronald Calderon |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 50th district | |
| In office December 7, 1992 – November 30, 1998[2] | |
| Preceded by | Curtis R. Tucker Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Marco Antonio Firebaugh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 16, 1957 East Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Leo Victor Briones (m. 1994) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Southern California (BS) Georgetown University (JD) |
Martha M. Escutia (born January 16, 1957) is an American politician and attorney. She served in the California Senate from 1998 to 2006 and the California Assembly from 1992 to 1998.
Early life and education
[edit]Escutia was born and raised in East Los Angeles, California. She received a bachelor's degree in public administration from the University of Southern California and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. She also holds certificates in Advanced International Legal Studies relating to Trade and Tariffs from the World Court at The Hague and in Foreign Investment from the National Autonomous University in Mexico City.
Career
[edit]Escutia represented the 30th District. In the Senate, she chaired the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications (EU&C), as well as the Health and Human Services Committee. She was the first Latina to chair the Senate Judiciary Committee. In the Assembly, she was the first woman to chair the Judiciary Committee. She also became the first woman to lead the 27-member California Legislative Latino Caucus and chaired the California Legislative Women's Caucus.
Escutia authored legislation that established the first low-cost auto insurance program for low-income residents in Los Angeles County, California and San Francisco, California.
She received recognition including being named "Legislator of the Year" by the California Labor Federation (AFL-CIO),[3] the "Good Housekeeping Award for Women in Government" for her work on Children's Environmental Health Protections, and in 1999, the "Legislator of the Year Award" from the California School Boards Association.[4]
In November 2005, the Corona New Primary Center in Bell, California was renamed the Martha Escutia Primary Center in her honor.
Since 2013, Escutia has served as Vice President for Government Relations at the University of Southern California.[5][6]
Escutia also serves on the Board for College Futures,[7] a nonprofit that seeks to increase the rate of postsecondary education completion among underserved populations.
As of 2019, Escutia was appointed to the California High Speed Rail Authority Board.[8] The Authority is responsible for the planning, designing, building and operating of the high speed rail line.
Personal life
[edit]Escutia married Leo Victor Briones in 1994. They have two children.
References
[edit]- ^ "Record of State Senators 1849–2025, p. 31" (PDF). Office of the Secretary of the Senate. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 23, 2025. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
- ^ "Record of Members of the Assembly 1849–2025, p. 56" (PDF). Office of the Secretary of the Senate.
- ^ https://shea.senate.ca.gov/sites/shea.senate.ca.gov/files/hispanic_health_state_legislative_say_2005.pdf
- ^ "Elected Women: 100 Years in California Legislature". California State Library. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
- ^ "Contact Us | Communities | USC". communities.usc.edu. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
- ^ "Martha Escutia". USC Center for the Political Future. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
- ^ "College Futures Board of Directors". College Futures Foundation. Archived from the original on May 1, 2025. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
- ^ "Martha M. Escutia, Board Member". State of California. Archived from the original on March 20, 2025. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
External links
[edit]- Escutia's Profile with Manatt, Phelps, and Phillips
- California School Boards Association Q&A with Martha Escutia
- Profile and The Senators firm
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Join California Martha Escutia
 | This article about a member of the California State Assembly is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
| This article about a member of the California State Senate is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- 1957 births
- 21st-century American women politicians
- California state senators
- Georgetown University Law Center alumni
- Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in California
- Hispanic and Latino American women in politics
- Living people
- Members of the California State Assembly
- American politicians of Mexican descent
- Hispanic and Latino American people in California politics
- People from East Los Angeles, California
- USC Sol Price School of Public Policy alumni
- Women state legislators in California
- 21st-century members of the California State Legislature
- 20th-century members of the California State Legislature
- 20th-century American women politicians
- California State Assembly Member stubs
- California state senator stubs