Martha Escutia

Escutia was born and raised in East Los Angeles. Escutia earned a Bachelor's degree in Public Administration University of Southern California and received her J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center. She holds certificates in Advanced International Legal Studies of Trade and Tariffs from the World Court at The Hague, Netherlands, and in Foreign Investment from the National Autonomous University in Mexico City.

Escutia represented California's 30th State Senate district. She served as Chair of the Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications (EU&C) and was also the first woman Chair of the 27-member California Legislative Latino Caucus.

As a Senator, Escutia held key leadership positions including: Chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee as a freshman senator, the first Latina Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the first woman Chair of the Assembly Judiciary Committee, and Chair of the California Legislative Women's Caucus.

Throughout her career, Escutia championed universal health care for children and is recognized as the creator of Healthy Families. Seeking to protect California's children from unhealthy levels of air contaminants, she established the first-ever Children's Environmental Health Protection Act.

Escutia was also successful in passing legislation to implement the first low-cost auto insurance program for low-income residents in Los Angeles and San Francisco counties.

The California Labor Federation AFL-CIO named her "Legislator of the Year" for her advocacy on behalf of working men and women. Her outstanding work on environmental issues has brought recognition from the California League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club and the American Lung Association. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has commemorated her "Commitment to the People of Los Angeles County." She was also awarded the "Good Housekeeping Award for Women in Government" for her work on the Children's Environmental Health Protections. In 1999, the California School Boards Association awarded her its "Legislator of the Year Award" for her efforts on behalf of schoolchildren and K-12 education.

In November 2005, the Corona New Primary Center in Bell, California was dedicated the Martha Escutia Primary Center in her honor.

Since 2013, Escutia has served as Vice President of the University of Southern California for Government Relations.[1]

Escutia has two children, Andres and Diego.

• 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