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Title: Bob Epple Papers
Dates: 1981-1994
Collection number: LP503
Creator:
Epple, Bob
Collection Size:
7 cubic feet and 6 items
Repository:
California State Archives
Sacramento, California
Abstract: California legislator Robert David "Bob" Epple, Democrat, was a State Assembly Member, 1988-1994. He served two terms from
1988 to 1992 as representative of the 63rd Assembly District including the cities of Artesia, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens,
Santa Fe Springs, most of Norwalk, and parts of Lakewood, southern and eastern Whittier, and Long Beach in southern Los Angeles
County. Following redistricting, Epple was elected to a third term representing the 56th Assembly District including the communities
of Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, parts of Lakewood, Long Beach, Norwalk, and South Gate in Los
Angeles County. Epple championed legislative efforts relating to education, youth drug use and gang crime; seniors and mobile
homes; labor and retirement; and consumer protections. The Bob Epple Papers are organized into five series: (1) Bill Files,
(2) Committee Files, (3) Press Files, (4) Correspondence, and (5) Subject Files.
Physical location: California State Archives
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
While the majority of the records are open for research, any access restrictions are noted in the record series descriptions.
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.
[Identification of item], Bob Epple Papers, LP503:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State,
Sacramento, California.
Acquisition and Custodial History
The California State Archives acquired the Bob Epple papers in a series of four transfers, beginning in 1990 (Accession Numbers:
90-218, 92-12-30, 94-12-08 and 95-10-04).
California legislator Robert David "Bob" Epple, Democrat, was a State Assembly Member, 1988-1994. He served two terms from
1988 to 1992 as representative of the 63rd Assembly District including the cities of Artesia, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens,
Santa Fe Springs, most of Norwalk, and parts of Lakewood, southern and eastern Whittier, and Long Beach in southern Los Angeles
County. Following redistricting, Epple represented the 56th Assembly District including the communities of Artesia, Bellflower,
Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, parts of Lakewood, Long Beach, Norwalk, and South Gate in Los Angeles County.
Epple was born on November 18, 1948 in Los Angeles, California. He graduated from Excelsior High School in Norwalk followed
by four years in the U.S. Army. Epple attended Cerritos College where he was active in student government and served on the
negotiating team for the school employees union. Epple met his first wife Cheryl at Cerritos College and they married on August
12, 1972. Their daughter Nicole was born in 1981. Epple graduated from Cerritos College in January 1974 with an associate
degree in economics. He attended California State University, Dominguez Hills and later went on to earn a law degree from
American College of Law in 1979. Before his election to the Assembly, Epple was an attorney and tax consultant for small businesses.
In 1980, Epple campaigned to represent the 33rd California Senate District, but lost the election to William P. "Bill" Campbell.
Epple was elected to the Cerritos College Board of Trustees in November 1981 and served until 1988. Epple also involved himself
with community issues as a member of the Frontier District Advisory Board of the Boy Scouts of America, the Su Casa Family
Crisis Center in Lakewood, the Downey YMCA, the Bellflower Lions Club, the Southeast Bar Association, the Bellflower Brethren
Church, and many other community organizations.
In 1988, Epple successfully challenged Republican Wayne R. Grisham for the 63rd California Assembly District. Epple championed
legislative efforts relating to education, youth drug use and gang crime; seniors and mobile homes; labor and retirement;
and consumer protections. For example, he brought legislation to shorten the approval period for school textbook purchases
and add more teachers to the state Curriculum Development and Supplemental Materials Commission.
In 1990, Epple defeated Republican Diane P. Boggs to win a second term. Epple won his second term on an anti-crime campaign
that focused on "drug free zone" legislation he sponsored that toughened penalties for people convicted of selling or using
drugs near a school. AB1179 (1993-1994) sought to increase prison penalties for those convicted of graffiti crimes and AB2428
(1993-1994) established a task force on juvenile crime and the response of state and local agencies with input from all relevant
youth services agencies.
After redistricting, Epple won a third term in California's 56th Assembly District against Republican Phillip D. Hawkins in
1992. Epple was chairman of the Assembly Public Safety Committee during his final term in office where he sought to strengthen
penalties for sex offenders and support the creation of women's shelters. Epple was also concerned the proper allocation of
state funds to the southern Los Angeles region, and advocated legislation that would enhance the prospects of local business
growth and further economic development in his district. Epple raised funds for community facilities, like the $2.1-million
Norwalk Sports Complex, and the $100,000 Downey community swimming pool. Epple believed that the centers would be cornerstone
of an overall community plan to fight gangs.
The area remained a battleground district causing Epple to lose his bid for reelection to Hawkins in November 1994. After
his government service, Epple resumed his practice as a tax attorney. He returned to serve on the Cerritos College Board of
Trustees from 2005-2010 and remained active in local community organizations. Bob Epple passed away at the age of 62 in Norwalk,
California on April 13, 2011 after a long battle with leukemia.
The Bob Epple Papers consist of 7 cubic feet of records, plus audiovisual materials, including Assembly Bill Files, 1989-1994;
Press Files, 1982-1989; Committee Files, 1986-1990; Correspondence, 1989; and Subject Files, 1981-1992.
The bill files document his legislative activity during his three terms as a member of the California State Legislature. The
bill files often focus on youth crime prevention, voting rights for new citizens, protection of seniors and retirees, and
consumer protections. Of note are bills that sought to extend voting rights to new citizens. Epple worked to protect seniors
in long-term care facilities and sought improvements to the Teacher's and Public Employees Retirement Systems. Epple introduced
legislation to reduce youth crime by increasing penalties for drug and gang related crimes. He was also concerned with the
consumer protections through insurance regulation and fraud prevention. He brought truth in advertising legislation targeted
at lip synching in concerts. Epple's legislation also targeted transportation and parking fines. In addition, Epple sought
to indemnify 911 dispatchers from liability for offering first aid advice. These bill files are only a portion of those bills
authored by Epple in his six years in the legislature.
The committee files contain information on Epple's participation on the following Assembly Committees: Finance and Insurance;
Labor and Employment; Aging and Long Term Care; Public Employees and Retirement and Social Security; and Utilities and Commerce
in his first few years in office. Epple would later become a member of Assembly Judiciary, and Assembly Ways and Means Committees,
and these files reflect his early interest in their projects.
The press files contain expanded information on Epple's public relations strategy in the beginning of his legislative career.
There are files for press releases, speeches, articles, letter campaigns, and public service announcements, as well as newspaper
clippings from many local southeast Los Angeles County newspapers within Epple's district. The correspondence files contain
expanded information on Epple's collaboration with his colleagues in the California Legislature.
The subject files contain expanded information on Epple's legislative interests, background material on political topics,
and research on ethnic minorities, seniors, women and veterans. Several files related to disadvantaged youth, drug and alcohol
abuse, and education reflect Epple's work on legislation to address juvenile crime and promote Red Ribbon Week. Several files
contain newspaper clippings, newsletters and legislative history for Assemblyman Norm Waters. The Loma Prieta Earthquake files
preserve many of the notices from California's Office of Emergency Services and Governor Deukmejian issued in the days after
the disaster. These include information about recovery efforts, as well as discussions around future emergency planning and
disaster assistance legislation.
No further accruals are expected.
Related Material at the California State Archives
Assembly Public Safety Committee Records, 1959-2010
Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee Records, 1978-2005
Norman S. (Norm) Waters Papers, 1977-1990
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Epple, Bob
Juvenile delinquency - Prevention - California
California. Legislature. Assembly. Committee on Public Safety
Education
California. State Teachers Retirement System
Seniors
Mobile homes - California
California. Public Employees’ Retirement System
Loma Prieta Earthquake, Calif., 1989