Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl was sworn in Friday to represent the county on the South Coast Air Quality Management District Governing Board.

Kuehl, who also served on the board from 2017 to 2019, replaced Supervisor Kathryn Barger in the position.

“I’ve been working to improve the environment for all our families through most of my career in public service,” Kuehl said. “I’m really looking forward to re-joining the Governing Board to address our regional air quality which continues to have very serious negative health consequences for many people who live in southern California.”

Kuehl has represented the Third District on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors since being elected in November 2014. Her district includes more than 400 square miles and 2 million residents.

Aside from her work on environmental issues, Kuehl has focused her attention on affordable housing, reducing homelessness, reforming the juvenile justice system and L.A. County’s “care first, jail last” initiative.

Before becoming a Los Angeles County supervisor, Kuehl served in the California State Senate for eight years and in the California State Assembly for six years. She was the first openly gay or lesbian person to be elected to the state legislature, and later became the first woman in California to become Speaker Pro Tempore of the Assembly.

>> Want to read more stories like this? Get our Free Daily Newsletters Here!