Runner has represented the 17th Senate District since last year and served as an Assemlywoman for 36th District from 2002 to 2008.
She also bravely performed her duties while suffering from a rare, uncurable disease – limited scleroderma, that ravaged her lungs. She was placed on a transplant waiting list for two new lungs then removed from the list when her condition improved. However, in January, the 57-year-old Senator was once again placed on the list.
Runner was diagnosed more than 20 years ago with limited scleroderma, or CREST syndrome. But the autoimmune disease did not seriously impair her lungs until late 2006.
Runner was born May 17, 1954 in Los Angeles but was raised in Antelope Valley where she graduated from Antelope Valley High School and attended Antelope Valley College.
Prior to her involvement in politics, Runner and her husband, George, co-founded Desert Christian Schools in 1977. She currently serves on the board. Before that, Runner worked as a licensed realtor with Red Carpet Real Estate Company where she was once named “Realtor of the Year.”
In 2002, Runner was elected to represent the 36th Assembly District, and served in the State Assembly for three terms, from 2002 to 2008.
In 2006, she along with her husband, then Senator George Runner, authored Proposition 83, which is California’s version of Jessica’s Law. The measure passed with the support of 71 percent of California voters, and passed in 57 of California's 58 counties.
Jessica’s Law ensures that all sexual offenders who are convicted of activity with children under the age of 14 are put into a prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years or 25 years to life, eliminates all "first-offense" sexual offense provisions from California law and also eliminates all "good-time" credits for sexual offenders serving prison terms. They are required to serve their entire sentence and will not be released for good behavior. When released, offenders must wear a GPS bracelet for life. It also creates a 2,000-foot (615 meter) zone around schools and parks in which registered sex offenders are prohibited from residing.
Runner ran for election to the California State Senate, a seat left vacant by her husband, who was elected to the State Board of Equalization in November 2010. She defeated Democrat Darren Parker 66 percent – 34 percent to avoid a runoff.
In 2009, Runner was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. She served on the board until Dec. 22, 2010.
While in the Assembly she served on the Veteran's Committee; Housing Committee; Select Committees dealing with Foster Care; the Committee on Drug and Alcohol Abuse; as well as the Task Force on the Environment, Energy, and the Economy. She also held key fiscal leadership positions, serving as the Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee and as a member of the Budget Committee and Budget Subcommittee on Education. During her first term in office, Runner was appointed as Assistant Republican Leader.
Her husband currently serves as a member of the California State Board of Equalization. From 2004 to 2008, then-Senator George Runner and then-Assemblywoman Sharon Runner were the first husband and wife in California history to serve concurrently in the state legislature.
Runner has volunteered her time on several boards and committees including the United Way, Antelope Valley Hospital Gift Foundation, Antelope Valley Crime Task Force, Healthy Homes Advisory Council, and Care Net, a pregnancy resource center. She also spent five years on the Board of Directors for the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce. In 1998, California Governor Pete Wilson appointed Runner to serve on the Antelope Valley Fair Board of Directors, where she oversaw the operations of the 50th Agriculture District and managed its multimillion dollar budget. She held this position until 2002.
