Candidate for
State Senator; District 9

Loni Hancock Biography

Loni Hancock has had a remarkable public service career, spending more than three decades as a forceful advocate for open government, educational reforms, environmental protections, health care, economic development and social justice. She has served at the local, state and federal levels, including under Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. Now serving in her third term as the representative of the 14th Assembly District, Assemblywoman Hancock chairs the Committee on Natural Resources. Assemblywoman Hancock has led the Committee to pass historic environmental legislation that protects open space, expands recycling programs and promotes healthy city-infill strategies in the state. Assemblywoman Hancock also chairs the Assembly Select Committee on Bridging the Achievement Gap. Under her guidance, the Committee has tackled issues related to high dropout rates, school-to-career programs and oversight of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. In 2006, the Governor signed legislation authored by Assemblywoman Hancock that greatly expands career technical education programs for high school students. In addition, the Assemblywoman sits on the Committee on Rules and chairs the Subcommittee on Sexual Harassment and Violence Prevention. She is a member of the Committee on Education, the Committee on Housing and Community Development, the Budget Committee and the Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services. As a member of the Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, she helped expand health care programs for children, increased funding for foster youth programs and fought cuts in Medi-Cal stipends and proposed cuts to programs for seniors and people with disabilities. In addition to issues of the environment, education and health care, Assemblywoman Hancock is strongly committed to campaign finance reform, and she authored AB 583, the California Clean Money and Fair Elections Act, to provide full public financing for all statewide races in California. Recognizing the importance of communication between constituents and their elected officials, Assemblywoman Hancock was the first state Assemblymember in California to launch a Web log, or "blog." This successful blog enabled her to communicate directly with and receive input from her constituents on a variety of issues. Before being elected to the Assembly, Assemblywoman Hancock headed the Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Education. Working with schools, communities, state and local governments, she helped launch many of President Clinton's education initiatives. Prior to her position with the Clinton administration, Assemblywoman Hancock broke through the glass ceiling by her election as the first woman to serve as the Mayor of Berkeley, California. Serving as mayor for two terms, she led an urban renaissance in Berkeley, balanced seven straight city budgets, forged a historic agreement between the city and the University of California, began the revitalization of downtown Berkeley, led efforts to secure additional open space and launched a Bio-Tech Academy at Berkeley High School in partnership with the Bayer Corporation. Assemblywoman Hancock also served as President Jimmy Carter's Regional Director for ACTION, overseeing a host of domestic volunteer programs including VISTA, Foster Grandparents, Senior Companions and Retired Senior Volunteer Program. Assemblywoman Hancock has lived in Berkeley since 1964 and is married to Tom Bates. They have four children and seven grandchildren.