Candidate for
Member of the State Assembly; District 41

Jayne Murphy Shapiro's life has been characterized by a never-ending commitment to community service and activism. Whether in her family, profession, neighborhood, faith, or in the public policy arena, Jayne Murphy Shapiro has always given countless hours to better the lives of those around her.

Jayne received her Masters of Public Administration from the California State University, Northridge and is currently certified as a sexual assault nurse examiner. Her career as a Registered Nurse included work in cardiac intensive care units, followed by working in the office of her husband, Dr. William Shapiro, a successful Ear, Nose and Throat physician. Dr. Shapiro passed away in 1990.

Throughout her life, Jayne has focused on the needs and education of children. Jayne's major public activism began in 1995, when a friend's child was molested by a repeat child molester who had been paroled into the neighborhood with no notice to the community. In the course of comforting her friend, Jayne discovered that California Law allowed a child molester to be released into a neighborhood without any notice. Jayne founded a non-profit group, KIDS SAFE, and began a grassroots effort to change the law.

Jayne convinced the California Legislature to introduce and pass the landmark "Megan's Law" legislation in 1996. With the success of bringing Megan's Law to California, Jayne Murphy Shapiro and KIDS SAFE have continued to fight for the safety of California's children. In the years since passing Megan's Law, Jayne has actively advanced numerous safety and education programs for children and is a frequent voice in the media advocating on various children's health and safety issues.

Under Jayne's leadership and before it was fashionable, KIDS SAFE tackled the issue of school safety. In 1999, to safeguard school campuses for California students, Jayne Murphy Shapiro established the Los Angeles Task Force on School Safety, bringing together school officials, law enforcement, teachers and parents in an effort to make campuses safer places to learn.

In addition to her leadership founding KIDS SAFE, Jayne Murphy Shapiro is active in her faith. A member of the Valley Beth Shalom Temple, Jayne is a member of the National Executive Committee of the American-Israel Political Action Committee (AIPAC) and a former chairperson of the Women's Division of the Jewish Federation of the San Fernando Valley. She is also Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan's appointee to the Los Angeles Commission on the Status of Women and a Governor appointee to the State Developmental Disabilities Board, Area 10. Additionally, Jayne is an Attorney General's Office of Continuing Justice Planning appointee to a task force creating public policy on child Internet safety. She also serves as Chair of the Los Angeles County Committee to pass the Convention for the federal Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) on the local level.

An expert on public safety, health care, and women's issues, Jayne Murphy Shapiro's increasing involvement and success in the public policy arena has led her to explore a campaign for State Assembly in her home 41st District. In the course of her public service career, Jayne Murphy Shapiro has amassed numerous "firsts" and innumerable awards and honors. Some of these honors include the Distinguished Service Award from the California Youth Authority, 1998, the Northridge Chamber of Commerce Life Savers Award in 1997, and Charity of the Year of the Woodland Hills Chamber of Commerce, 1997.

Jayne was born on October 14, 1945 in Evergreen Park, Illinois. She has four children, Josh, 24, Ryan, 22, Daniel, 17, and Gabe, 16. She resides in Encino and has lived in the San Fernando Valley for 23 years.