Biography
Dedicated environmental champion and Angeleno, Senator Henry Stern proudly represents the 27th Senate District, from Los Angeles to Ventura County. First elected in November 2016, Senator Stern legislates on the frontlines for sustainable practices and the protection of California's natural resources.
After the horrific 2018, Woosley fire destroyed his home; Senator Stern displayed his commitment to wildfire resilience by authoring the Wildfire Resilience through Community and Ecology Act (2021). This legislation sparked Governor Newsom’s idea for the CA Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force at the state and neighborhood levels, identifying high-risk buildings in wildfire-prone areas and enhancing fire-safe building standards.
A fierce advocate for environmental justice, Senator Stern took on the oil and gas industry to protect his community and the environment. Notably, he led efforts to close down the Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Storage Facility, which at the time had the largest methane leak recorded. Additionally, Senator Stern has pushed for increased disclosure requirements when oil companies employ toxic acid treatment procedures for drilling operations. These efforts all contribute to Senator Stern's legacy of attacking climate change and protecting vulnerable communities.
ATTACKING CLIMATE CHANGE During his time as Chair of the Senate Natural Resources & Water Committee (2018-2022), Senator Stern spearheaded building decarbonization efforts to reduce the harmful impact of indoor air pollution caused by fossil fuels. In 2018, he authored SB 1477 establishing the Technology and Equipment for Clean Heating (TECH) initiative, providing $200 million worth of incentives to fund low-emission space and water-heating technologies in existing buildings. The program evolved in the 2022 budget to include over $750 million in incentives for water pump and water heating technologies. Additionally, he authored SB 801 (2017) requiring Southern California Edison and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to deploy cost-effective grid-connected energy storage solutions that would also reduce the demand for natural gas.
PROTECTING VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES In both the 2019-20 and 2020-21 budget cycles, Stern championed funding for programs to help those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). For the 2019-20 budget, he successfully pushed for $250 million in additional IDD funding. The following year, he sought to increase the IDD budget by another $400 million, but due to COVID-19 related budget cutbacks, the funding was not approved. However, the existing IDD budget was not reduced.
In 2020, SB 596 was signed into law to help provide lower utility rates and generators to IHSS recipients suffering from power outages caused by Public Safety Power Shutoffs.
Senator Stern currently serves as the Chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies, providing oversight to California's carbon neutrality efforts and supporting resilient climate infrastructure acceleration. He also serves as the Senate's Ex Officio member to the California Air Resources Board. Senator Stern also serves as a member of three standing Senate Policy Committees: Judiciary; Natural Resources and Water; and Energy, Utilities and Communications.
Senator Henry Stern's unwavering dedication, expertise, and legislative achievements make him a respected advocate for the environment and a leading force in California's pursuit of sustainable and resilient practices. A former educator and environmental attorney, Senator Stern went through K-12 public school, received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University and earned his law degree at UC Berkeley. He was raised in Malibu, California and currently he lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children.