Not to be confused with Laura Friedmann.
Laura Friedman
StateCalifornia
Term startJanuary 3, 2025
PredecessorAdam Schiff
Office 1Member of the California Assembly
Term start 1December 5, 2016
Term end 1November 30, 2024
Predecessor 1Mike Gatto
Successor 1Nick Schultz
Constituency 143rd district (2016–2022)
44th district (2022–2024)
Office 2Mayor of Glendale
Term start 2April 2011
Term end 2April 2012
Predecessor 2Ara Najarian
Successor 2Frank Quintero
Birth dateDecember 3, 1966 (age 59)
Birth placeNew York City, New York, U.S.
PartyDemocratic
SpouseGuillaume Lemoine
EducationUniversity of Rochester (BA)
WebsiteHouse website
Campaign website

Laura Syril Friedman[1] (born December 3, 1966)[2] is an American politician and former film producer who is the member for California's 30th congressional district. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously represented California's 44th State Assembly district from 2016 to 2024.

Prior to her election to the Assembly in 2016, Friedman was a member of the Glendale City Council from 2009 to 2016,[3] where she served as mayor of Glendale from 2011 until 2012.[4] She authored a bill to eliminate minimum parking requirements for housing near mass transit stations in California, which was signed into law in 2022.[5]

Early life and career

Friedman comes from a Jewish family in New York.[6] She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Rochester in New York.[7] In 1992, Friedman moved to Hollywood, eventually relocating to Glendale in 2000 where she has resided ever since.

Between 1994 and 1997, Friedman was the vice president of development at Rysher Entertainment, where she oversaw the production of approximately ten feature films annually as well as extensive television programming.[8]

In 1995, Friedman was the co-producer of the Warner Brothers release It Takes Two.[9] In 1996, she was associate producer of House Arrest; executive producer of Foxfire; executive producer of the family film Zeus and Roxanne; and associate producer of the independent film Aberration, which was released by LIVE Entertainment. Between 1998 and 1999, Friedman was the vice president of development at Cort/Madden Company. Since 2000, Friedman has owned and managed PlanetGlass.net, a web-based art glass dealership.[10]

Political career

In April 2011, Friedman became the mayor of Glendale, California.[11]

California State Assembly

In 2019, Friedman authored legislation supported by animal rights organizations and activists to prohibit the sale of new fur products in California. The bill was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in October 2019, making California the first state to ban the sale of fur.[12][13] In 2024, Friedman co-authored legislation with Assemblymember Steve Bennett to prohibit the commercial farming of octopuses in California. The legislation was enacted in September 2024, making California the second state to prohibit octopus farming after the state of Washington banned the practice earlier that year.[14][15]

On September 7, 2021, she delayed the release of $4 billion of voter approved bonds for the California High-Speed Rail, stating that the California High-Speed Rail Authority has "not provided us any real details about what the money would go towards this year". The CHSRA Chief Financial Officer, Brian Annis, countered by stating that the CHSRA already presented to the legislature the expenditure plan in February 2021 and that this delayed release by Friedman could cause budget delays to snowball.[16]

Friedman is a member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.[17]

Elections

2024

Main article: 2024 California's 30th congressional district election

In January 2023, Friedman launched her candidacy in the 2024 election in California's 30th congressional district.[18] The incumbent representative, Adam Schiff, vacated the seat in his successful bid in the 2024 United States Senate election in California. Friedman defeated physician Alex Balekian, receiving 68.4% of the vote.[19]

Committee assignments

Caucus membership

Electoral history

2016

See also: California State Assembly election, 2016

2018

See also: California State Assembly election, 2018

2020

See also: California State Assembly election, 2020

Personal life

Friedman is married to Guillaume Lemoine, a professional landscape designer.[8] The couple has a daughter, Rachel, born in 2013.[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Rep. Laura Friedman - D California, 30th- Biography". LegiStorm. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  2. ^ "Rep. Laura Friedman - D California, 30th, In Office - Biography | LegiStorm". www.legistorm.com. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
  3. ^ "Management Services: City Council". City of Glendale. Archived April 27, 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
  4. ^ Levine, Brittany (April 9, 2012). "Mayor Laura Friedman baffled by colleagues' indecision". Glendale News-Press
  5. ^ Parker, Jordan (September 23, 2022). "YIMBYs cheer 'landmark' law to eliminate parking mandates in housing near transit". San Francisco Chronicle
  6. ^ Arom, Eitan (January 6, 2017). "Jewish state legislators ready to make an impact". Jewish Journal
  7. ^ "Management Services: Laura Friedman". City of Glendale. Archived March 14, 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
  8. ^ "Qualifications". VoteLauraFriedman.com. January 9, 2009. Archived from the original on August 29, 2011. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
  9. ^ Klady, Leonard (November 20, 1995). "It Takes Two". Variety. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  10. ^ "Laura Friedman". Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved 2026-05-19.
  11. ^ "Laura Friedman's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  12. ^ "Bill Text - AB-44 Fur products: prohibition.". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  13. ^ Kaur, Harmeet (October 13, 2019). "California becomes the first state to ban fur products". CNN
  14. ^ Peterson, Jenna (16 August 2024). "What's California going to ban now? Farmed octopus sales". CalMatters. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
  15. ^ Jeong, Helen (30 September 2024). "Why did Newsom sign an octopus farming ban in California? Here's why". NBC Los Angeles. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
  16. ^ Rudick, Roger (September 7, 2021). "Friedman Derails Bullet Train Budget". Streetsblog California. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
  17. ^ "Legislative Progressive Caucus". assembly.ca.gov. California State Assembly. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  18. ^ Mason, Melanie & Mehta, Seema (February 3, 2023). "As Reps. Adam Schiff, Katie Porter launch Senate campaigns, the race to replace them begins". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
  19. ^ "November 5, 2024, General Election - United States Representative"
  20. ^ "Ranking Member Larsen Welcomes T&I Vice Ranking Members". The House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure. January 22, 2025.
  21. ^ "Caucus Members". Congressional Progressive Caucus. Retrieved 2025-01-15.

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