Sheila Kuehl (1941- )
An alumnus of UCLA and Harvard Law School, former California Assemblymember Sheila Kuehl worked as an attorney and law professor before her career in the California State Legislature. She also co-founded and worked as managing attorney at the California Women’s Law Center. In 1994, Kuehl was elected to represent California Assembly district 41, becoming the first openly LGBTQ+ California legislator. In 2000, Kuehl ran and was elected as a California State Senator for the 23rd district. During her time in the California state legislature, Kuehl authored numerous anti-discrimination bills, most notably AB 222, or the Dignity for All Students Act, which was enacted into law in the 1999-2000 session. The act protects students from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Kuehl served in the California State Legislature from 1994 to 2008, for a total of fourteen years. Afterwards,Kuehl served as the Los Angeles County District 3 Supervisor, a position she held from 2014 until retiring in 2022.