Alan Gerald Sieroty (December 13, 1930 – March 16, 2024) was an American politician and attorney who served as a member of both chambers of the California State Legislature.

Alan Sieroty
Member of the California Senate
from the 22nd district
In office
March 24, 1977 – November 30, 1982
Preceded byAnthony C. Beilenson
Succeeded byHerschel Rosenthal
Member of the California Assembly
In office
January 2, 1967 – March 24, 1977
Preceded byAnthony C. Beilenson
Succeeded byMel Levine
Constituency59th District (1967–1974)
44th District (1974–1977)
Personal details
Born
Alan Gerald Sieroty[1]

(1930-12-13)December 13, 1930
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DiedMarch 16, 2024(2024-03-16) (aged 93)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationStanford University (AB)
USC Gould School of Law (JD)

Early life and education

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Born in Los Angeles, California, Sieroty was the son of retail store chain executive Julian M. Sieroty and the grandson of Adolph Sieroty, the downtown Los Angeles merchant who built the historic Eastern Columbia Building.[2][3] His mother was Jean Sieroty, an immigrant from Poland who became a philanthropist and activist.[4] He graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 1948, then received his A.B. in Economics in 1952 from Stanford University, where he was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. He then received his LL.B. from USC Gould School of Law in 1956.[5] Sieroty was Jewish.[6][7]

Career

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From 1961 to 1965, he was Administrative Assistant and Executive Secretary to Lieutenant Governor Glenn M. Anderson. From 1965 to 1966, Sieroty was Deputy Director of the Chile-California Program.[5][8]

A Democrat, Sieroty was a California State Assemblyman from 1967 until 1977, when he resigned just two months into his sixth term to become a California State Senator. He was re-elected in 1978 but did not seek re-election in 1982. Sieroty was the author of the bill which made the California Sabretooth Tiger (Smilodon californicus) the official state fossil. His fellow politicians in the Legislature named a Marin County beach for him, Alan Sieroty Beach.[8]

Sieroty was Chairman of the Arts Task Force of the National Conference of State Legislatures and was also a member of the board of directors of the American Civil Liberties Union.[5] In 1985, Sieroty became founding vice president of the California State Summer School for the Arts and has been a member of its board of trustees ever since.[8]

Sieroty died in Los Angeles on March 16, 2024, at the age of 93.[9]

References

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  1. ^ Men of Achievement, Volume 9. Melrose Press, Ltd. December 1983. ISBN 9780900332661.
  2. ^ "Julian M. Sieroty; Retail Store Chain Former Executive". Los Angeles Times. April 1, 1989. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  3. ^ Daniels, Cynthia (June 10, 2004). "An Art Deco Landmark Will Shine Once More as Urban Living Space". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  4. ^ "Passings: Jean Sieroty". Los Angeles Times. July 21, 2010. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c "Inventory of the Alan G. Sieroty Papers - Biography". Online Archive of California. Retrieved March 18, 2011.
  6. ^ Tugend, Tom (May 27, 1979). "Five Jews seek top Los Angeles post next year". New York Jewish Week.
  7. ^ Yaffe, Richard (January 17, 1982). "Coast Senator can't see why anti-Semitic blast should cost him censure". New York Jewish Week.
  8. ^ a b c "Alan Sieroty". JoinCalifornia. Retrieved March 18, 2011.
  9. ^ Tchekmedyian, Alene (March 18, 2024). "Alan G. Sieroty, former state senator who helped create the Coastal Commission, dies at 93". LA Times. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
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California Assembly
Preceded by California State Assemblyman
59th District

January 2, 1967 – November 30, 1974
Succeeded by
Preceded by California State Assemblyman
44th District

December 2, 1974 – March 24, 1977
Succeeded by
California Senate
Preceded by California State Senator
22nd District

March 24, 1977 – November 30, 1982
Succeeded by