21 Facts About Loni Hancock

Loni Hancock served Berkeley as a member of the Berkeley City Council from 1971 to 1979.

Loni Hancock helped conduct a study by a group of students from the University of California, Berkeley that showed that major development in the marina area would threaten the wildlife in the area.

Loni Hancock was the first woman to be elected the Mayor of Berkeley, California, succeeding Gus Newport in 1986.

Senator Loni Hancock 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.

In 1994, Loni Hancock left her position as mayor of Berkeley to serve in the administration of President Bill Clinton.

Loni Hancock headed the Western Regional Office of the US Department of Education.

Loni Hancock led the committee to pass environmental legislation that protects open space, expands recycling programs, and promotes healthy city-infill strategies in the state.

Loni Hancock chaired the Assembly Select Committee on Bridging the Achievement Gap, which worked to reduce high dropout rates, improve school-to-career programs, and provide oversight of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

Loni Hancock worked in her committee positions to help expand health care programs for children, increase funding for foster youth programs, and prevent cuts in Medi-Cal stipends and proposed cuts to programs for seniors and people with disabilities.

In 2005, Loni Hancock authored AB 144, which provided financing for the construction of the new eastern span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

Loni Hancock was the first Assemblymember in California to launch and maintain a blog.

Loni Hancock was sworn in as a State Senator on December 1,2008.

Loni Hancock previously served as Chair of the Senate Committee on Elections and Constitutional Amendments.

Loni Hancock served as a member of the Senate committees on Education, Governance and Finance, Environmental Quality, Human Services, and Agriculture.

Loni Hancock drew national attention in 2011 for her introduction of SB 234, which proposed the imposition of a state sales tax on out-of-state internet companies, like Amazon.

In 2013, Loni Hancock authored and passed SB 260, which provides a parole hearing process for state prisoners who committed their crimes before age 18 and were prosecuted as an adult.

Loni Hancock authored SB 254, The Used Mattress Recovery and Recycling Act, in 2013 with then-Senator Lou Correa.

Ilona Harrington, known as Loni Hancock for short, was born in Chicago, Illinois on April 10,1940.

Loni Hancock grew up in New York City, the daughter of two Unitarian ministers.

Loni Hancock received her Bachelor of Arts from Ithaca College, and a Masters of Arts from the Wright Institute.

Loni Hancock has two children, two stepchildren from Bates's previous marriage, and seven grandchildren.