| Sharon Runner | |
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| Member of the California Senate from the 17th district |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office February 18, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | George Runner |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 36th district |
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| In office December 2, 2002 – November 30, 2008 |
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| Preceded by | George Runner |
| Succeeded by | Steve Knight |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 17, 1954 Los Angeles, California |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | George Runner |
| Residence | Lancaster, California |
| Alma mater | Antelope Valley College |
| Profession | Businesswoman |
| Website | http://www.sen.ca.gov/runner |
Sharon Runner (born May 17, 1954) is a Republican California State Senator, who has represented the 17th Senate District since 2011. She was previously a member of the California State Assembly from 2002 to 2008, representing the 36th district. She is the wife of California State Board of Equalization Member George Runner. From 2004 to 2008, then-Senator George Runner and then-Assemblywoman Sharon Runner were the first husband and wife in California history to serve concurrently in the California State Legislature.[1]
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Born in Los Angeles, California and raised in the Antelope Valley, Runner graduated from Antelope Valley High School and attended Antelope Valley College.[2]
In 1977, Sharon co-founded Desert Christian Schools with her husband, George Runner. It has since grown to become one of the largest private schools in California with nearly 1,700 students on three separate campuses [3]. She currently serves on the Board. Prior to Desert Christian Schools, Runner worked as a licensed realtor with Red Carpet Real Estate Company where she was named “Realtor of the Year.”[2]
She has volunteered her time on several boards and committees including the United Way, Antelope Valley Hospital Gift Foundation, Antelope Valley Crime Task Force, Healthy Homes Advisory Council, and Care Net, a pregnancy resource center. She also spent five years on the Board of Directors for the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce. In 1998, California Governor Pete Wilson appointed Runner to serve on the Antelope Valley Fair Board of Directors, where she oversaw the operations of the 50th Agriculture District and managed its multimillion dollar budget. She held this position until 2002.[4]
She has been involved with her church Grace Chapel Church in Lancaster for over 30 years.
In 2002, Runner was elected to represent the 36th Assembly District and served in the State Assembly for three terms, from 2002 to 2008. [2]
While in the Assembly she served on the Veteran's Committee; Housing Committee; Select Committees dealing with Foster Care; the Committee on Drug and Alcohol Abuse; as well as the Task Force on the Environment, Energy, and the Economy. She also held key fiscal leadership positions, serving as the Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee and as a member of the Budget Committee and Budget Subcommittee on Education. [2]
During her first term in office, Runner was appointed as Assistant Republican Leader by former Assembly Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy.[2]
In 2006, along with her husband, Senator George Runner, Sharon Runner authored Proposition 83, California's version of Jessica's Law. The measure passed with the support of 71% of California voters, and passed in 57 of California's 58 counties.[5]
Jessica's Law ensures that all sexual offenders who are convicted of activity with children under the age of 14 are put into a prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years or 25 years to life. It eliminates all "first-offense" sexual offense provisions from California law.
It also eliminates all "good-time" credits for sexual offenders serving prison terms; under the authored provisions they are required to serve their entire sentence and will not be released for good behavior. The law requires that sex offenders who are released from prison wear a GPS bracelet for life.
It also creates a 2,000-foot (615 meter) zone around schools and parks in which registered sex offenders are prohibited from residing.
Runner was an officer for the Antelope Valley Republican Assembly and remains active in many Republican groups in the Antelope Valley, including the Palmdale and High Desert Republican Women's Clubs. She has served on the board of California Women Lead, a bi-partisan organization that encourages and empowers women running for public office.[6] She is currently serving as President of the board of California's Women's Leadership Association for 2011-12.[2]
During the 2004 Presidential election, Runner served as the California Women's Coalition Chair for the Bush/Cheney Campaign. She was chosen as a delegate to the 2000 and 2004 Republican National Conventions. She has worked on several statewide campaigns including Governor Pete Wilson, California Gubernatorial Recall Election, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Meg Whitman for Governor 2010.[2]
In 2009, Runner was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. She served on the board until December 22, 2010. [7]
Runner ran for election to the California State Senate, representing the 17th District. The seat was left vacant by her husband, George Runner, who was elected to the State Board of Equalization in November, 2010.[8] The primary election took place on February 15, 2011, she defeated Democrat Darren Parker 66%-34% to avoid a runoff.[9]
She married George Runner in 1973. They have a son, Micah, daughter-in-law, Sandy, daughter Rebekah (who serves in the U.S. Coast Guard), and three grandchildren. [2]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by George Runner |
California State Assemblymember 36th District December 2, 2002 – November 30, 2008 |
Succeeded by Steve Knight |
| California State Senator 17th District February 18, 2011 – present |
Incumbent | |
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