Friedman, Laura

Laura Friedman represents California's 30th congressional district in the House of Representatives as a Democrat. She was elected in 2024 after serving in the California State Assembly from 2016 to 2024, where she represented the 44th district. Before her state legislative career, Friedman served on the Glendale City Council from 2009 to 2016 and served as mayor of Glendale in 2011-2012. She brings professional experience as a former film producer to her work in Congress.

Friedman serves on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Within the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, she holds positions on subcommittees covering economic development, highways and transit, railroads and hazardous materials, and water resources and environment. She is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

During her time in the state legislature, Friedman authored notable legislation on housing and animal welfare. She championed a bill to eliminate minimum parking requirements for housing near mass transit stations, which was signed into law in 2022. In 2019, she authored legislation that made California the first state to ban the sale of new fur products. In 2024, she co-authored legislation prohibiting commercial octopus farming in California, making it the second state to enact such a ban.

Friedman's legislative priorities in Congress reflect her background and state-level work, focusing on transportation infrastructure, housing policy, and environmental protection.