Frank D. Lanterman
| Frank D. Lanterman | |
|---|---|
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 47th district |
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In office 1950–1978 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | November 4, 1901 La Canada Flintridge, California, U.S. |
| Died | April 29, 1981 La Canada Flintridge, California. U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Republican |
| Residence | La Canada Flintridge |
| Profession | Politician |
Frank D. Lanterman (November 4, 1901 - April 29, 1981) was a California State Assemblyman from 1950-1978. He was known for authoring the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Act.
He was the grandson of the co-founder of La Cañada Flintridge, Dr. Jacob Lanterman. During his lifetime, he was a theater organist, a Republican activist, a real estate developer and a water company manager, as well as a politician. He also mentored many young politicians. One of his first jobs was playing the organ at the Alexander Theatre in Glendale, California for four years. In 1928, he went to Melbourne, Australia, where he became an organist at the State Theatre, where he remained for two years. He was also involved in Civil Defense work and served as an Air Raid Warden and Instructor for the Los Angeles County Civil Defense and Disaster Commission during World War II. He studied organ, piano and composition at the University of Southern California. Although he did not formally graduate from the university, he was given an honorary degree in Law.
Frank Lanterman was elected to the California State Assembly in 1950 and was reelected to serve for fourteen consecutive terms. His original 48th Assembly District included Pasadena, South Pasadena, La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, and North Glendale. The author of approximately 400 bills, Lanterman sponsored groundbreaking legislation affecting issues such as water, transportation, noise and air pollution, and the needs of the aging and developmentally disabled. During his time in office, he served on the Committee on Municipal and County Government, the Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee. His work with the transportation committee led to the naming of a portion of the upper Glendale freeway (2) as the Frank Lanterman Freeway.
He was the co-author of amendments to the 1911 Municipal Water District Act that allowed for the creation of the Foothill Municipal Water District serving the communities of La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta, and Altadena. At the time, all were unincorporated communities that would otherwise have been forced to annex themselves to surrounding cities if they wanted to receive water from the Metropolitan Water District. He also provided legislative relief for cities impacted economically by freeway projects.
In 1955, Frank Lanterman sponsored Assembly Bill 3574 requiring motor vehicles to be equipped with an approved pollution-reducing muffler. By 1960, he was supporting a bill requiring the installation of anti-smog devices on all motor vehicles. As a result, by 1966, California became the first state in the nation to have motor vehicle emission standards, leading to requirements for pollution controls.
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