Hillary Clinton Campaign Press Release - California State Senator Sheila Kuehl Endorses Hillary Clinton

The Hillary Clinton Campaign announced the endorsement of California State Senator Sheila Keuhl today, illustrating the mounting support Hillary Clinton has in the LGBT community and the Golden State.

"Our country is ready for change and I strongly believe Hillary Clinton is the candidate with the experience to lead our nation forward," said Kuehl. "I have confidence Hillary Clinton will represent all Americans and all communities and I am proud to support her candidacy."

Sheila James Kuehl was elected to the State Senate in 2000 and again in 2004 after serving for six years in the State Assembly. During the 1997-98 legislative session, she was the first woman in California history to be named Speaker pro Tempore of the Assembly. She is also the first openly gay or lesbian person to be elected to the California Legislature. A former pioneering civil rights attorney and law professor, Sen. Kuehl represents the 23rd Senate District in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.

"I am honored to receive the endorsement of Senator Sheila Kuehl, a strong leader in the LGBT community and an advocate for women, children and families," said Clinton.

In her twelve years in the State Legislature, Sen. Kuehl has authored 160 bills that have been signed into law. She has championed gender-related issues, writing legislation establishing the rights contained in Roe vs. Wade in California statute, strengthening protection for domestic violence victims and their children, and prohibiting discrimination on the basis of gender and disability in the workplace and sexual orientation in education. She has also authored legislation establishing paid family leave, overhauling California's child support services system, establishing nurse to patient ratios in every hospital, increasing the rights of crime victims, and safeguarding the environment and drinking water.

Prior to her election to the Legislature, Senator Kuehl drafted and fought to get into California law more than 40 pieces of legislation relating to children, families, women, and domestic violence. She was a law professor at Loyola, UCLA and USC Law Schools, and co-founded and served as managing attorney of the California Women's Law Center.