LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP AWARD
George Runner
California State Senator, 17th District
George Runner is a California state Senator representing the 17th Senate District and a taxpayer advocate for Americans for Prosperity.
George Runner and his wife, former Assemblywoman Sharon Runner, are the authors of California’s Jessica’s Law, which California voters passed by 70 percent in November 2006. It created some of the toughest and most comprehensive sex offender laws in the nation. He authored California’s Amber Alert System, which has resulted in close to 200 successful reunions of parents with their kids.
He was elected to the state Senate in 2004 after serving six years in the Assembly. As an advocate for California taxpayers, Runner has consistently earned top marks from Howard Jarvis Taxpayers’ Association, the pre-eminent taxpayer-rights organization in California.
This past year, he authored the Blue Alert legislation, which uses the existing statewide Amber Alert notification system when a peace officer has been killed, seriously wounded or assaulted with a firearm and the suspect has fled the scene. He has also authored other public safety legislation, such as requiring sex offenders to register their online addresses and expanding the law regarding throwing of bodily fluids at a peace officer (gassing). He has also taken a leadership role in fighting the mandated release of 38,000 California prisoners by the federal court.
His commitment to public safety has earned him awards and recognition from the California State Sheriffs’ Association, Crime Victims United, California Sexual Assault Investigators Association and the Coalition of Chief Probation Officers.
George and Sharon are the first husband and wife in California history to serve concurrently in the Legislature. They are the proud parents of son Micah, daughter-in-law Sandy and daughter Rebekah, who is currently serving in the United States Coast Guard. They have three grandchildren. The Golden Badge Foundation is proud to honor Senator George Runner as Legislator of the Year for his strong commitment to public safety and his dedication to the men and women of law enforcement throughout the State of California.
