An A319 captain reported diverting to lax after flight attendant reported electrical smoke in cabin.

Attributes
ACN	589346
Time
Date	200307
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : lax.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
ASRS Report	589346
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Approximately 20000 ft climbing out of san to ZZZ, flight attendant reported smell of electrical smoke in cabin, aft to center area. Odor was very strong. Confirmed by all 3 flight attendants. Diverted to lax with emergency declared. Landing uneventful. Odor dissipated on ground. I noticed 1 fluorescent light out above row 16. Light turned back on at gate area and odor returned. Passenger deplaned through jetway at door 1C. Maintenance replaced light assembly above row 16. Plane returned to service and continued flight to ZZZ.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A319 CAPT RPTED DIVERTING TO LAX AFTER FLT ATTENDANT RPTED ELECTRICAL SMOKE IN CABIN.

Narrative: APPROX 20000 FT CLBING OUT OF SAN TO ZZZ, FLT ATTENDANT RPTED SMELL OF ELECTRICAL SMOKE IN CABIN, AFT TO CTR AREA. ODOR WAS VERY STRONG. CONFIRMED BY ALL 3 FLT ATTENDANTS. DIVERTED TO LAX WITH EMER DECLARED. LNDG UNEVENTFUL. ODOR DISSIPATED ON GND. I NOTICED 1 FLUORESCENT LIGHT OUT ABOVE ROW 16. LIGHT TURNED BACK ON AT GATE AREA AND ODOR RETURNED. PAX DEPLANED THROUGH JETWAY AT DOOR 1C. MAINT REPLACED LIGHT ASSEMBLY ABOVE ROW 16. PLANE RETURNED TO SVC AND CONTINUED FLT TO ZZZ.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.