Inventory of the Paul Carpenter Papers

Processed by Chris Deutsch
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/
© 2010
California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.

Inventory of the Paul Carpenter Papers

Collection number: LP211, LP212, LP408

California State Archives

Office of the Secretary of State

Sacramento, California
Processed by:
Chris Deutsch
Date Completed:
January 2010
Encoded by:
Cori Schmidtbauer
© 2013 California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.

Descriptive Summary

Title: Paul Carpenter Papers
Dates: 1975-1986
Collection number: LP211, LP212, LP408
Creator: Paul Carpenter, California Legislator
Collection Size: 13 cubic feet
Repository: California State Archives
Sacramento, California
Abstract: Paul Carpenter served as a Democrat in the State Assembly from 1975 to 1976 and the State Senate from 1977 to 1986. He represented the 71st Assembly District and the 37th Senate District. Both districts encompassed parts of Orange County. The Paul Carpenter Papers consist of 11 cubic feet of textual records from his term as an Assembly Member, 1975-1976, and from his term in the Senate, 1977-1986. The collection is organized into three series: Bill Files, Correspondence, and Subject Files. The papers were processed at two separate times. The 1977-1980 bill files were processed under LP211 and LP212. The 1981-1986 bill files, the correspondence, and subject files were assigned identification number LP408. This collection does not contain any records from his tenure in the Assembly.
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], Paul Carpenter Papers, LP[number]:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

Acquisition and Custodial History

The California State Archives acquired the Paul Carpenter Papers following his final term in the State Legislature.

Biography

Paul Carpenter served as a Democrat in the State Assembly from 1975 to 1976 and the State Senate from 1977 to 1986. He represented the 71st Assembly District and the 37th Senate District. Both districts encompassed parts of Orange County. According to Paul Carpenter and the 1977 Members of the California Legislature and Other State Officials, he was born in 1928 in Sioux City, Iowa. He matriculated to the University of Iowa, the University of Missouri, and the University of Florida, earning a Ph.D. in experimental psychology. He worked as a professor in the California State College system, a business executive and a research scientist. Before entering the Assembly, he helped develop the first Orange County Master Plan for health care as the Associate Director of the Orange County Health Planning Council.
According to the 1977 Members of the California Legislature and Other State Officials Carpenter, entered politics because he has "a strong sense of community responsibility" and felt "strongly that elected officials at all government levels must 'fight to keep the workingman's head above water.'" He left the Legislature after the 1985-1986 session for the Board of Equalization. He was elected to serve the fourth district.
He married Janie Carpenter in 1953. They met while at the University of Florida while each worked on their Ph.D. They had two daughters and lived in Orange County beginning in the 1950s, lasting throughout his public service.In 1990, Carpenter was convicted of obstruction of justice and money laundering and sentenced stemming from a Federal Bureau of Investigations sting operation. After briefly fleeing to Costa Rica, a judge sentenced him to seven years in prison in 1995. He was released in 1999 and died in 2002.
According to the California Legislature at Sacramento (Handbooks), the Senate Final History, and the Assembly Final History, Carpenter served on the following committees:

State Assembly, 1975-1976

  • Standing Committees
  • Education, 1976
  • Elections and Reapportionment, 1975
  • Governmental Organization, 1976
  • Housing and Community Development, 1975
  • Human Resources, 1975-1976 (Vice Chair, 1975-1976)
  • Vice Chair, 1975-1976

State Senate, 1977-1986

  • Standing Committees
  • Banking and Commerce, 1981-1986 (Vice Chair, 1983-1984)
  • Vice Chair, 1983-1984
  • Business and Professions, 1983-1986
  • Education, 1979-1986 (Chair, 1979-1980)
  • Chair, 1979-1980
  • Elections, 1985-1986 (Chair, 1985-1986)
  • Chair, 1985-1986
  • Elections and Reapportionment, 1977-1978 (Vice Chair, 1977-1978)
  • Vice Chair, 1977-1978
  • Governmental Organization, 1979-1986
  • Health and Human Services, 1983-1986
  • Health and Welfare, 1977-1982
  • Public Employment and Retirement, 1977-1986 (Vice Chair, 1981-1982)
  • Vice Chair, 1981-1982
  • Select Committees
  • Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 1985-1986
  • Genetic Disease, 1977-1982
  • Governmental Efficiency, 1981-1986
  • Innovation in School Finance and Character Education, 1979-1980
  • Mobilehomes, 1981-1986
  • Pacific Rim, 1985-1986
  • Chair, 1985-1986
  • Southern California Transportation Problems, 1981-1984 (Chair, 1981-1984)
  • Chair, 1981-1984
  • Joint Committees
  • Ad Hoc Educational Sunset Review, 1979-1982
  • Legislative Audit, 1977-1986
  • Legislative Retirement, 1981-1982
  • Mass Transit, 1981-1986
  • Refugee Resettlement, 1985-1986
  • Special Committees
  • Solid and Hazardous Waste, 1985-1986
  • Subcommittees
  • Aging, 1981-1986
  • Cable Television, 1985-1986
  • Caucus
  • Senate Democratic Caucus, 1981-1986 (Chair, 1981-1986)
  • Chair, 1981-1986
  • Boards, Commissions, and Councils
  • Hazardous Waste Management Council, 1981-1984
  • Commission on the Status of Women, 1983-1986
  • State Public Works Board, 1979-1986

Scope and Content

The Paul Carpenter Papers consist of 11 cubic feet of textual records from his term as an Assembly Member, 1975-1976, and from his term in the Senate, 1977-1986. The collection is organized into three series: Bill Files, Correspondence, and Subject Files. The papers were processed at two separate times. The 1977-1980 bill files were processed under LP211 and LP212. The 1981-1986 bill files, the correspondence, and subject files were assigned identification number LP408. This collection does not contain any records from his tenure in the Assembly.
According to correspondence with his constituents, he supported environmentalism that did not hamper the economy. Examples of this approach include authoring bills to continue recycling hazardous waste storage drums and to provide limited liability for hazardous waste companies. Despite seeking this balance, he continually authored legislation designed to protect and clean up hazardous waste. In 1981, Carpenter authored the California superfund legislation. Aside from the environment, Carpenter felt that the state needed to promote and protect the economy, particularly small businesses and land owners. According to his correspondence with constituents, he felt that the free market and competition forced people to achieve their best work. Except with regard to the environment, his bills frequently attempted to decrease state regulation. His efforts to hasten renters' evictions by property owners as well as his successful bill requiring state agencies to compensate small businesses for court costs caused by unsuccessful regulation suits emerged from this business focus. Constituent correspondence forms the bulk of the subject and correspondence files. He often explained his policy positions in form letter responses but added notes expanding on his decisions. This material contains Carpenter explaining his legislative record, often by citing constituent support.
One of Senator Carpenter's most prominent media appearances involved a fight between then Governor Jerry Brown and the Senate. In 1979, Brown nominated Jane Fonda for the California Arts Council. Carpenter, along with the Senate, rejected the nomination. Jane Fonda, with the Governor's backing, and the rejecting Senators publicly attacked each other. The spat escalated into a personal feud when Carpenter issued a newspaper advertisement offering to change his vote if Fonda would apologize for her anti-war actions and spurious comments regarding her rejection. Carpenter received plenty of comments from across the state. The correspondence is included in the subject files series. No clear consensus emerged but Carpenter claimed his constituents fully supported his position.

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.
Carpenter, Paul B., 1928-
Orange County Health Planning Council
California Arts Council


LP211:211-248; LP212:1-14; LP408:1-169

Series 1 Bill Files 1977-1986

Physical Description: 213 file folders

Arrangement

Bill files are arranged chronologically by legislative session and numerically by bill number.

Scope and Content Note

Paul Carpenter's bill files may contain bill analyses, amendments and resolutions, author's statements, testimony, press releases, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and committee statements. Senate Democratic Caucus bill analyses appear in his bill files, showing that party's policy approach. Three files folders contain Legislative Council opinions covering 1977 to 1980. The bill files from these legislative sessions were processed under a separate LP number. Although Carpenter maintained many interests, he focused on local issues in Orange County, the environment, business, education, healthcare, and crime. SB618 (Chapter 756, Statutes of 1981) established the superfund in California as a response to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-510). This bill created a trust of public funds to pay for hazardous waste clean up. Carpenter's SB649 (Chapter 1184, Statutes of 1985) mandated recycling the waste generated by superfund sites. He wanted to mandate revising the Hazardous Material California Assessment Manual and create a Hazardous Waste Scientific Advisory Board with SB1777 (1981-1982) but the bill died in the Assembly. Governor Deukmejian vetoed SB1557 (1985-1986), a bill to implement a hazardous waste education program. He introduced SB660 (1983-1984) in order to continue funding a toxic-waste-storage-drum recycling plan, which Governor Deukmejian also vetoed. In the 1985-1986 session, he fought to pass SB1486 to provide limited liability immunity to hazardous waste managers, a "channeled liability" according to Carpenter.
Further environmental legislation focused on local issues. Carpenter sought to allow local government and landowners in Orange County to petition the Department of Fish and Game, with input from the State Coastal Conservancy, to prepare habitat conservation plans for the Bolsa Chica Wetlands near Huntington Beach with SB429 (Chapter 1203, Statutes of 1983).
Business oriented legislation includes the following. He was the principle author of SB575 (Chapter 814, Statutes of 1981), along with thirty-one fellow legislators from both parties. The bill required government entities to compensate small businesses for court costs in failed regulation lawsuits. He created standard procedures for evicting residents unknown to the property owner under unlawful detainer procedures with SB2076 (Chapter 1220, Statutes of 1986). SB 1235 (Chapter 1528, Statutes of 1984) typified Carpenter's interest in mobile homes. The bill redefined the term "salesperson" for laws regulating mobile homes and commercial coach sales to include persons selling manufactured homes while authorizing sales persons to negotiate leases and sales.
Carpenter claimed he wanted to place "greater emphasis on the use of private sector mental health services" with the Short-Doyle Program with SB871 (1981-1982) but the bill failed in committee. Similarly, SB1774 (1981-1982) would have mandated hospitals bid for Medi-Cal funds in the private sector if the bill had passed the Senate.
In his furthering concern for education, Carpenter authored SB1714 (1983-1984), which would have created the California Academic Advancement Fund to match private funds put towards community colleges with public funds. Governor Deukmejian vetoed the bill. In SB1923 (Chapter 1255, Statutes of 1984), he increased regulation of private-post-secondary education institutions seeking "approved" status from the Superintendent of Public Instruction under the aegis of ceasing diploma mills. Following the passage of Proposition 37 in 1984, many school districts became concerned over local control of the lottery funds. In the 1985-1986 session, he introduced SB374 (Chapter 1052, Statutes of 1985) with popular support to allow school districts to control lottery fund usage.
Other notable legislation authored by Carpenter includes SB12 (1985-1986) mandating seatbelt use, which died in the Senate Transportation Committee. SB653 (1983-1984) to would have implemented a Democratic Party delegate selection plan although it failed in the Assembly. With SB459 (Chapter 722, Statutes of 1981), Carpenter added an "equal pay for equal work" provision to public employment, which included aspects drawn from AB129 (Lockyer, 1981-1982). The provision requires gender pay equality across different jobs.
1977-1978: SB71-SB2224, SCA11, SCR11, SCR54, SJR13 (LP211:211-238).
1977-1980: Legislative Counsel Opinions (LP408:166-169).
1979-1980: SB43-SB906 (LP211:239-248).
1979-1980: SB944-SB1998, SCA4, SCA25, SCR11, SJR4- SJR35, SCR36 (LP212:1-14).
1981-1982: Preprint SB3-Preprint SB13, SB10-SB2057, SCA4-SCA36, SCR43-SCR89, SJR10-SJR65, Legislative Counsel Opinions (LP408:1-52).
1983-1984: SB72-SB2227, SCR1-SCR1, SJR49, SR16-SR36, SB15X, Legislative Counsel Opinions (LP408:53-113).
1985-1986: Preprint SB6, SB12-SB2616, SCR14-SCR91, SR36-SR37 (LP408:114-165).
LP408:170-235

Series 2 Correpsondence 1977-1985

Physical Description: 65 file folders

Arrangement

Correspondences are arranged alphabetically by subject and then alphabetically by last name.

Scope and Content Note

Correspondence contains letters, newspaper clippings, memoranda, and reports. Subjects include the budget, crime, education, energy, hazardous waste, insurance, religions and cults, senior citizens, and state agencies. The series relates to Carpenter's legislation.
LP408:236-247

Series 3 Subject Files 1977-1978

Physical Description: 12 file folders

Arrangement

Subject Files are arranged alphabetically by subject.

Scope and Content Note

Subject files are primarily correspondence on specific topics. Subject files include Jane Fonda, Proposition 13, Jarvis-Gann, and SB1270 (1979-1980) correspondence. The subjects did not correlate to specific legislation by Senator Carpenter. SB1270 from the 1979 to 1980 session is the exception. The support and oppose correspondence is found in this series while the actual bill can be found in LP212.