Inventory of the Keith Olberg Papers

California State Archives

1020 "O" Street

Sacramento, California 95814

Phone: (916) 653-2246

Fax: (916) 653-7363

Email: ArchivesWeb@sos.ca.gov

URL: http://www.sos.ca.gov/archives/

Inventory of the Keith Olberg Papers

Collection number:LP448

California State Archives

Office of the Secretary of State

Sacramento, California

Processed by:: Kaitlyn Crain
Date Completed:: September 2013
Encoded by:: Lisa C. Prince

Descriptive Summary

Title: Inventory of the Keith Olberg Papers

Dates: 1995-2000

Collection number: LP448

Creator: Olberg, Keith

Collection Size: 9.5 cubic feet

Repository: California State Archives

Sacramento, California

Abstract: The Keith Olberg Papers consist of 9.5 cubic feet of textual records that reflect Olberg's legislative activities during his six-year career in the Assembly. The records are organized into the following record series: Bill Files, 1995-2000; Correspondence Files, 1995-1997; Budget Files, 1995-1999; and Subject Files, 1991-1998.

Physical location: California State Archives

Languages: Languages represented in the collection: English

Administrative Information

Access

While the majority of the records are open for research, any access restrictions are noted in the record series descriptions.

Publication Rights

For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the California State Archives. Permission for reproduction or publication is given on behalf of the California State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives collections.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Keith Olberg Papers, LP448:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

Biography

Keith Olberg, Republican, was a State Assembly Member, 1995-2000. He represented the 34th Assembly District, which at the time included Apple Valley, Barstow, Hesperia, Ridgecrest, Tehachapi, Victorville, and other cities in Inyo, Kern, and San Bernardino Counties.

Keith Olberg was born on October 29, 1960, in Chicago, Illinois, and established residence in California in 1990. He earned a B.A. in Political Science from Bethel College, a M.A. in Comparative Politics from American University, and a Ph.D. in Constitutional Law and Political Philosophy from Claremont Graduate School. He married his wife, Lisa, in 1982. Together they had two children named Jordan and Lindy.

Olberg was elected to the State Assembly in 1994 after incumbent Kathleen Honeycutt stepped aside for health reasons. Prior to his election, Olberg served in the administrations of President Reagan and President Bush representing the Legal Services Corporation before the U.S. Congress.

As an Assembly Member, Olberg lead negotiations on welfare reform, education reform, and issues relating to the Endangered Species Act. During his term in the Legislature, Keith Olberg was also a member of the following committees:

Assembly Standing Committees

Appropriations, 1995-1998

Consumer Protection, Government Efficiency, and Economic Development, 1999

Education, 1995

Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments, 1996, 2000

Health, 1997

Housing and Community Development, 1999

Human Services, 1999

Natural Resources, 1995-1998

Vice Chair, 1995

Chair, 1996

Revenue and Taxation, 2000

Rules 1997-1998

Water, Parks and Wildlife, 1995-1996

Select Committees

Assembly Defense Conversion Select Committee, 1998

School Facilities Finance Select Committee, 1998, 2000

Joint Committees

Rules, 1998-1999

Scope and Content

The Keith Olberg Papers consist of 9.5 cubic feet of textual records that reflect Olberg's legislative activities during his six-year career in the Assembly. The records are organized into the following record series: Bill Files, 1995-2000; Correspondence Files, 1995-1997; Budget Files, 1995-1999; and Subject Files, 1991-1998.

The Bill Files include legislation that was introduced by Olberg and consist of a wide array of subjects including education, budget reform, and California's natural resources. The Correspondence Files consist of incoming and outgoing correspondence between Assembly Member Olberg and his constituents, Republican Party colleagues, and fellow Assembly Members. These correspondence document Olberg's positions on different issues and his political interests.

Budget Files highlight Olberg's interest in the State of California's budget as it pertains to his legislative efforts. The Budget Files series includes budget reports, analyses, funding requests, and other related materials. Subject Files expand upon topics found in the bill files and contain materials such as newspaper clippings, reports, notes, and memorandums.

Accruals

No further accruals are expected.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Welfare reform

California Environmental Quality Act

LP448:1-149

Series 1 Bill Files 1995-2000

Physical Description: 149 file folders-1 VHS tape

Arrangement

Bill Files are arranged chronologically by legislative session, then numerically by bill number.

Access Information

Access to audiovisual material requires the production of use copies.

Scope and Content Note

The series contains bill files created by Keith Olberg while he served as an Assembly Member, 1994-2000. The files may include bill analyses, amendments and resolutions, author's statements, testimony, press releases, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and committee statements.

Some notable legislation introduced by Olberg includes proposed amendments to the California Environmental Quality Act (AB423, AB1330, AB3044, and AB3045; 1995-1996), a proposal to stop State trust fund investments from supporting music companies that produced and sold violent music (AB2357, 1997-1998), and a recycling reform proposal named the "bottle bill" (AB1244, 1999-2000). Olberg also co-authored a comprehensive school facilities reform package (SB50, 1997-1998). SB50, which consists of twenty-six file folders, was introduced in the Senate after being co-authored with Senator Leroy F. Greene and Assembly Member Antonio Villaraigosa.

1995-1996: AB419-AB3464, AJR6 (42ff) LP448:1-42

1997-1998: AB21-AB2799, ACR41-66, AJR42-73 (52ff) LP448:43-94

1997-1998: SB50, SB1415 (26ff) LP44:95-120

1999-2000: AB28-AB2728, ACA9 (23ff) LP448:121-149

LP448:150-157

Series 2 Correspondence 1995-1997

Physical Description: 8 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by last name of the recipient. Letters addressed openly to the Assembly and Republican colleagues can be found at the end of the series.

Scope and Content Note

The correspondence series represents a sampling of Olberg's office's active communication with his constituents, Republican colleagues, and the Assembly. These letters range in topics such as overcrowding in schools, property rights, health care, crime, and natural resources. Open letters addressing the entire Assembly cover topics such as crime, welfare reform, and education.

LP448:158-175

Series 3 Budget Files 1995-1999

Physical Description: 18 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by fiscal year.

Scope and Content Note

The Budget Files contain correspondence from constituents and Assembly Members requesting support or opposition for bills relating to budget and funding. Budget Files also contain member requests from Olberg seeking funding for specific district-related projects or proposals, in addition to requests made for funding for significant budget initiatives and specific legislature.

Olberg made requests to the Assembly Budget Committee on behalf of the San Bernardino County Probation Department, the City of Ridgecrest Civic Center Complex, the California Cadet Corps, and the City of Tehachapi DMV field office proposal. The series also contains reports and background information presented to Olberg when he served on the Assembly Appropriations Committee and School Facilities Finance Select Committee.

LP448:176-204

Series 4 Subject Files 1991-1999

Physical Description: 29 file folders, 2 VHS tapes

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by subject headings.

Access Information

Access to audiovisual material requires the production of use copies.

Scope and Content Note

Subject Files expand upon topics found in the bill files and include newspaper articles, reports, correspondence, and internal memoranda regarding legislative topics addressed by Olberg. Major subjects covered by the files include education, budget reform, and the California Arts Council.

Audio visual materials have been separated to a cold-storage for preservation purposes and a separation sheet has been placed within files to alert the researcher of their existence.

A list of subject headings is available in Appendix A in the Master Finding Aid, available on the California State Archives Minerva website