Biography

After serving one full term in the California State Assembly (2006-2008), Curren Price won a special election in May 2009 to represent the 26th District in the State Senate, which includes the cities of Culver City and Los Angeles, including the communities of Beverlywood, Century City, West Los Angeles, Mid-Wilshire, Hollywood, Larchmont, Hancock Park, South Los Angeles, Baldwin Hills, Koreatown, Silver Lake and Los Feliz. He was re-elected by an overwhelming majority in November 2010.

After six years in the Legislature, Senator Price has earned a reputation as a thoughtful, principled, and effective leader. He is a strong advocate for investing in our public schools, empowering parents and challenging all students to meet higher academic standards. He seeks to give all Californians, regardless of income or socioeconomic status, the chance to go to college and develop the skills needed to succeed in today’s highly competitive workplace.

As a leading champion for working families, Senator Price has fought to protect the rights of California workers. He has led efforts to support homecare workers, hotel workers, security guards and other workers that are vital to California’s economy, in order to organize for better wages and benefits.

Senator Price has worked to expand the quality and affordability of health care for all Californians and has authored legislation that would allow parents to add dependent children up to age 26 to their employer-based health plans. He has also authored legislation that was signed into law requiring hospitals to provide public notification prior to closing its doors or eliminating vital health services.

A state leader who works across party lines to find common ground, Senator Price speaks his conscience, and who gets things done for his constituents. His passion to serve his community led him to work towards expanding and improving job training opportunities, particularly for our youth, and investing in our families and their futures.

As a strong and consistent advocate for small business, Senator Price has continued to prove that he is among California’s most influential voices advocating for new opportunities for small business enterprises. He believes in policies that spark economic growth, encourage innovation, open the doors for diversity in public contracting, create jobs and stimulate our state’s economy. He authored legislation that would increase opportunities for small businesses to compete for state contracts and would offer incentives for creating new jobs.   He has also carried bills expanding health care, increasing educational opportunities, promoting civic engagement and supporting the Arts.

In addition to his legislative responsibilities, Senator Price was chosen by Senate Leadership to serve on a range of important legislative committees that reflect his priorities and interests. Senator Price chairs the Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee, which has jurisdiction over legislation related to business and professional services, practices, and regulations, and international trade.

In 2006, Mr. Price established and chaired the Assembly Select Committee on Procurement.  Mr. Price will continue to chair the Select Committee on Procurement, which ensures that small businesses fully participate in state contracting and procurement opportunities.

Senator Price also chairs the Joint Legislative Committee on the Arts, and he chairs the Legislative Black Caucus, vowing to push for improvements in education, health and jobs.

Additionally, Senator Price currently serves on the following standing committees: Appropriations, Banking, Finance and Insurance, Education, and Public Safety. He previously served on Governmental Organizations and Local Government. He also serves on more than 10 Select Committees focusing on major issues and opportunities confronting California.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Senator Price attended Morningside High School in Inglewood and earned a scholarship to Stanford University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. He studied law at Santa Clara University and graduated in 1976 with a Juris Doctor degree.

After receiving his law degree, Senator Price relocated to Washington D.C. in 1979, where he was active for ten years in the satellite communications industry.  Mr. Price worked with an export management firm which sold industrial projects to clients in the Far East and Middle East.  As an advocate for minority enterprise, he was a frequent speaker at conferences sponsored by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Senator Price returned to California in 1999, serving as a deputy to two members of the Los Angeles City Council.  He later served as the Southern California Coordinator for a statewide association that provided training to assist community-based organizations develop commercial real estate projects. Senator Price has life time teaching credentials for Adult Education and the California Community Colleges.

Prior to serving in the California Legislature, Senator Price was a ten-year member of the Inglewood City Council. He has also been a business owner and consultant for domestic and international transactions.

Throughout his tenure as an elected official, Senator Price has been awarded numerous honors in recognition of his legislation and advocacy on behalf of students, working families, and small businesses, the Arts and international trade. Since 2007, he has been recognized as “Legislator of the Year” by various groups and organizations including the University of California Student Association, the West Basin Municipal Water District and the Southern California Apartment Owners Association.

Mr. Price introduced a Senate Resolution to raise the visibility of the Federal EB-5 Visa Investment Program established in 1990 to attract foreign investment in the United States. He has been honored by numerous organizations for his advocacy for international relations.  And most recently, he received the 2012 Peace Award from the Center for African Peace and Conflict Resolution at California State University, Sacramento.