Paul Lester Byrne (May 8, 1910 – August 28, 1962) served in the California State Senate for the 6th district from 1951 until his death in 1962.

[4] He attended University of California, Berkeley and graduated from Chico State College with a bachelor of arts in 1933.

He worked as the business manager for Associated Students at Chico State College, and for nine years at the Welfare Division at McClellan Field in Sacramento.

The Paul L. Byrne Agricultural Teaching and Research Center and the Paul L. Byrne Memorial University Farm at California State University, Chico are named after him.

[5][6] On August 28, 1962, Byrne died from an acute heart attack while working in his office in Chico.