Biography

Early Years
Curren Price’s commitment and service to the 51st Assembly District began as a student at Morningside High School. Even in those early years, Price was active in community affairs and student government. In 1967 he was elected Morningside’s first African-American Student Body President.

In 1968, Price received a scholarship to Stanford University; graduating with a degree in Political Science four years later. Shortly thereafter, Price entered law school at the University of Santa Clara; where he was elected President of the Black Law Students Association and earned his Juris Doctor degree in 1976.

Public Life Begins
In 1988, Price returned to Los Angeles to further pursue his life-long passion for public service. He served effectively as Deputy to two members of the Los Angeles City Council and was the Southern California Coordinator for a statewide association that provided training to assist community based organizations. Price was an elected member of the Inglewood City Council from 1993 to 1997 and 2001 to 2006. As a City Councilman, he represented Inglewood’s 1st Council District and initiated innovative programs to improve quality of life in the City.

Curren De Mille Price, Jr. was elected to the California State Assembly in November of 2006. Assemblymember Price represents the 51st Assembly District, which includes Inglewood, Hawthorne, Gardena, Playa Vista, Westchester, Lawndale, West Athens, Lennox, Alondra Park, West Compton, Del Aire, and Willowbrook; as well as portions of the unincorporated area of Ladera Heights. Assemblymember Price serves as Chair of the Governmental Organization Committee and the Elections and Redistricting Committee and the Select Committee on Procurement. He is Co-Chair of the Legislative Ethics Committee and a member of the Business and Professions, Governmental Organizations, and Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy Committees.

Currently
In his freshman term, Assemblymember Price authored 30 legislative measures, including bills that strengthen voter’s rights; expand worker’s benefits; increase economic aid for small businesses; and encourage familial connection and rehabilitation for youth in custody. He successfully garnered legislative approval for three resolutions: ACR 47 – National Multicultural Cancer Awareness Week, ACR 67 – Voter Registration Month (January), and AJR 34 – National Lupus Awareness Month (October). As a result of his proposed legislation to increase financial aid for students through the Cal-Grant program, Assemblymember Price was named “Legislator of the Year” by the University of California Student’s Association. At the close of the 2007 legislative session, 12 of Assemblymember Price’s bills were signed by the Governor, with nine receiving unanimous, bi-partisan support.

Assemblymember Price was instrumental in ensuring that Californians had a more powerful voice in the 2008 Presidential election by pushing for an earlier primary. He recently authored historic legislation, AB 1819, which will allow 16 year-old Californians to pre-register to vote. Price is a strong education advocate and has recently been at the forefront of protests against budget cuts that will adversely impact teachers, students and schools. Two of his 2008 measures are education related: AB 2438 seeks to streamline the exit criteria for school accountability programs and AB 2325 will require Latin and African American cultural education as part of core history curriculum to help address ethnic tensions between students.