Inventory of the California State Assembly Insurance Committee Records

Processed by Brenda Newman
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/
© 2012
California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.

Inventory of the California State Assembly Insurance Committee Records

Collection numbers: LP435

California State Archives

Office of the Secretary of State

Sacramento, California
Processed by:
Brenda Newman
Date Completed:
April 2012
Encoded by:
Brenda Newman
© 2012 California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.

Descriptive Summary

Title: California State Assembly Insurance Committee Records
Dates: 1991-2008
Collection number: LP435
Creator: California State Assembly Insurance Committee
Collection Size: 43 cubic feet, 65 audiotapes, 21 videotapes
Repository: California State Archives
Sacramento, California
Abstract: The Assembly Insurance Committee records consist of 43 cubic feet of textual and audiovisual records and are organized into five records series and one subgroup: Bill Files, 1991-2008; Hearing Files, 1991-2008; Subject Files, 1989-1994; Correspondence Files, 1993-1994 and 2005-2006; and Committee Records, 1996-2006, as well as subcommittee files from the Subcommittee on Insurance Reform Files, 1998. It is anticipated that the Archives will receive further records from the Assembly Insurance Committee. Researchers should check for recently received, unprocessed records of this committee.
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], Assembly Insurance Committee Records, LP435: [folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

Acquisition and Custodial History

The State Archives received these records in accordance with California Government Code 9080(b) which requires legislative committees to transfer their records to the State Archives when they are no longer needed by the committee.

Committee History

The Assembly Insurance Committee is the most recent committee to oversee bills related to insurance, workers compensation, and unemployment compensation. Health insurance is currently overseen by the Assembly Health Committee; however, some health insurance concerns are addressed within this collection.
The first committee to oversee bills related to insurance was the Assembly Finance and Insurance Committee. The Finance and Insurance Committee was divided into the Insurance Committee and the Banking, Finance and Bonded Indebtedness Committee when House Resolution 7 passed on January 18, 1991. When HR5 was adopted on January 11, 1993, the Finance and Insurance Committee was revived for a few months and bills related to insurance and finance were again reviewed by a single committee. Then on March 11, 1993, HR13 was adopted and the committee was renamed the Finance, Insurance and Public Investment Committee.
When HR34 was adopted on January 10, 1994, the Finance, Insurance and Public Investment Committee was renamed the Committee on Banking and Finance and the Committee on Insurance was created as a standing committee of the Assembly. The committee has retained its name as the Insurance Committee since 1994.
The chairs of these committees were:
Margolin, Burt (Dem.) from 1991-1992
Peace, Steve (Dem.) in 1993
McDonald, Juanita (Dem.) in 1994
Knowles, David (Rep.) from 1995-1996
Figueroa, Liz (Dem.) from 1997-1998
Scott, Jack (Dem.) from 1999-2000
Calderon, Thomas M. (Dem.) from 2001-2002
Vargas, Juan (Dem.) from 2003-2006
Coto, Joe (Dem.) from 2007-2008

Scope and Content

The Assembly Insurance Committee records consist of 43 cubic feet of textual and audiovisual records and are organized into five records series and one subgroup: Bill Files, 1991-2008; Hearing Files, 1991-2008; Subject Files, 1989-1994; Correspondence Files, 1993-1994 and 2005-2006; and Committee Records, 1996-2006, as well as subcommittee files from the Subcommittee on Insurance Reform Files, 1998. It is anticipated that the Archives will receive further records from the Assembly Insurance Committee. Researchers should check for recently received, unprocessed records of this committee.
These files show the committee's involvement in issues such as unemployment insurance, insurance fraud, workers compensation, health coverage, mental health coverage, auto insurance, homeowners insurance, earthquake insurance, insurance claims, and life insurance. Other issues include AIDS coverage and genetic characteristics discrimination. Workers' compensation is one of the most prominent topics and has many different elements addressed in these records including notification to insurers, vocational rehabilitation, insurance fraud, choosing your own medical provider, permanent disability and many other concerns.
The Assembly Insurance Committee not only handled legislation but also reviewed the actions of people involved with the insurance industry. There are several files on former insurance commissioner Chuck Quackenbush and his handling of earthquake insurance funds from the Northridge earthquake, many of them dated from June 6-26, 2000. These files concern the alleged misappropriation of funds by the former commissioner. There are many hearing transcripts and witness testimony within these records on the Quackenbush investigation.

Accruals

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.
California. Legislature. Assembly. Committee on Insurance
Insurance law --California
Earthquake insurance --California

Related Collections at the California State Archives

Assembly Finance and Insurance Committee Records, 1968-1990
Burt Margolin Papers
Steve Peace Papers
Liz Figueroa Papers
Jack Scott Papers
Thomas M. Calderon Papers
Juan Vargas Papers
Patrick Johnston Papers

LP435:1-669

Series 1 Bill Files 1991-2008

Physical Description: 669 file folders

Access Information

Several items are restricted from bill files SB1020 (1995-1996) and AB1179 (2001-2002) under the Public Records Act, California Government Code, 7927.7 (formerly Gov. Code section 6254(c)) because they contain private medical information.

Arrangement

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

Scope and Content Note

Bill files created by the Assembly Insurance Committee may include bill analyses, amendments and resolutions, author's statements, press releases, editorials and newspaper clippings, correspondence, veto messages and other information. The largest file in the series is AB110 from the 1993-1994 session, which amended and repealed many sections of the insurance and labor code and the topics within it ranged from workers' compensation, psychiatric claims, rehabilitation, employers bills of rights, and similar subjects. Other topics covered in these files include mental health coverage, motor vehicle insurance, unemployment insurance, homeowners insurance and other matters. Workers' compensation is the most prominent topic in the series.
Assembly Insurance Committee, 1991-1992
1991-1992: AB69-AB3775, AB49X-AB64X, AB1XX-AB4XX (85ff) LP435:1-85
1991-1992: SB10-SB2004 (36ff) LP435:86-121
Assembly Finance, Insurance and Public Investment Committee, 1993-1994
1993-1994: AB9-AB3826 (65ff) LP435:122-186
1993-1994: SB4-SB2065, SCR29, SJR36-SJR37 (46ff) LP435:187-232
Assembly Insurance Committee, 1995-2008
1995-1996: AB8-AB3478 (61ff) LP435:233-293
1995-1996: Preprint SB5, SB49-SB2101, SB5X (38ff) LP435:294-331
1997-1998: AB7-AB2689 (34ff) LP435:332-365
1997-1998: SB17-SB2101 (22ff) LP435:366-387
1999-2000: AB70-AB2906, AJR67 (28ff) LP435:388-415
1999-2000: SB32-SB2199 (26ff) LP435:416-441
2001-2002: AB5-AB3023 (33ff) LP435:442-474
2001-2002: SB40-SB2093, SB2XXX (21ff) LP435:475-495
2003-2004: AB81-AB3088, AJR44, AB1XXXX-AB16XXXX (44ff) LP435:496-539
2003-2004: SB64-SB1903, SB2XXXX-SB11XXXX (26ff) LP435:540-565
2005-2006: AB82-AB3072 (33ff) LP435:566-598
2005-2006: SB2-SB1847, HR19 (15ff) LP435:599-613
2007-2008: AB166-AB3057, AJR56 (36ff) LP435:614-649
2007-2008: SB116-SB1717 (20ff) LP435:650-669
See Appendix A for LP numbers

Series 2 Hearing Files 1991-2008

Physical Description: 257 file folders, 52 Audiotapes, 19 Videotapes

Access Information

Access to audiovisual material requires the production of use copies.

Arrangement

Hearing Files are arranged chronologically by date of hearing.

Scope and Content Note

Hearing files created by the Assembly Insurance Committee may include transcripts of hearings, testimony, correspondence, and committee working papers and focus on hearings to set bills into action, oversight hearings, earthquake insurance coverage, workers compensation, and similar issues. Among the more significant hearings are information on the Northridge Earthquake relief funds and Chuck Quackenbush scandal. Many hearings focus on the implementation of various bills. Researchers should note that hearing recordings, including audio and video cassettes have been removed to cold storage; separation sheets are included within the relevant file folders indicating this.
For a list of hearing dates and topics, see Appendix A in in Additional Series Information.

Additional Series Information

See Appendix B for LP Numbers

Series 3 Subject Files 1991-2000

Physical Description: 42 file folders, 2 videotapes

Access Information

Access to audiovisual material requires the production of use copies.

Arrangement

Subject files are arranged alphabetically by subject heading.

Scope and Content Note

The subject files document the committee's work in different areas, a large portion being about worker's compensation. Other subjects include auto insurance, rehabilitation, and unemployment insurance. Within these files researchers will find articles, letters, notes, drafts of bills, and reports. Researchers should note that audio and video cassettes have been removed to cold storage; separation sheets are included within the relevant file folders indicating this.
For a list of Subject Files, see Appendix B in in Additional Series Information.

Additional Series Information

LP435:969-973

Series 4 Correspondence Files 1993-2006

Physical Description: 5 file folders

Arrangement

Correspondence files are arranged chronologically by year then alphabetically by subject heading.

Scope and Content Note

Correspondence files include letters to and from members of the assembly and the committee chair. Letters include information about bill support and opposition as well as topics being heard by the committee.
1993: Letters to Legislative Counsel (1ff) LP435:969
1993: Miscellaneous Correspondence (1ff) LP435:970
1994: Letters to Assembly (1ff) LP435:971
2005: Letters from Juan Vargas, Committee Chair (1ff) LP435:972
2005-2006: Miscellaneous Correspondence (1ff) LP435:973
LP435:974

Series 5 Committee Records of Bills 1996-2006

Physical Description: 1 file folder

Arrangement

Committee Records of Bills are arranged chronologically by year.

Scope and Content Note

The Committee Records of Bills contain the bill number, author, summary of title, date of hearing and committee action. The records of bills were created by bill number and reflect actions taken toward each bill.
 

Subcommittee on Insurance Reform 1998

Scope and Content Note

The Subcommittee on Insurance Reform was created by Speaker of the Assembly Antonio Villaraigosa on April 2, 1998, as a Select Committee on Insurance Reform. Later it changed to a Subcommittee on Insurance Reform on July 30, 1998. The committee was created to address concerns over the implementation of Proposition 103 of 1988 as well as other insurance concerns. Diane Martinez was Chairwoman under both committee titles. Since the committee only existed for one year and changed names during that time, many of the documents in these files contain both names for the committee.
LP435:975-1008

Series 1 Hearing Files 1998

Physical Description: 34 file folders, 13 audiotapes

Arrangement

Hearing files are arranged alphabetically by hearing topic.

Access Information

Access to audiovisual material requires the production of use copies. Audiotapes from LP435:975 and LP435:987 will require additional processing when they are transferred as they were recorded at a high rate of speed.

Scope and Content Note

Subcommittee Hearing Files were kept by subject by the committee and their original order has been maintained. These documents include hearing transcripts, letters, bill information, background information on topics. The four topics covered include auto insurance, earthquake insurance, long-term care, and workers' compensation. The four audiotapes listed in Long-Term Care also concern Workers' Compensation hearings. A separation sheet is included in both files indicates where to find these tapes. Researchers should note that hearing recordings, including audio and video cassettes have been removed to cold storage; separation sheets are included within the relevant file folders indicating this.
1998: Auto Insurance (11 ff, 3 audiotapes) LP435:975-985
1998: Earthquake Insurance (11 ff, 6 audiotapes) LP435:986-996
1998: Long-Term Care (9 ff, 4 audiotapes) LP435:997-1005
1998: Workers' Compensation (3 ff) LP435:1006-1008