Descriptive Summary
Administrative Information
Biography
State Assembly, 1983-1990
Scope and Content
Indexing Terms
Descriptive Summary
Title: Charles Bader Papers
Dates: 1983-1990
Collection number: LP380
Creator:
Charles Bader, California Legislator
Collection Size:
2.5 cubic feet
Repository:
California State Archives
Abstract: Charles "Chuck" Bader, a Republican, served as an Assembly Member in the California legislature from 1983-1990. The Charles
Bader Papers consist of 2.5 cubic feet of textual records covering the years 1983-1990. The majority of documentation covers
the years 1983-1984 and 1989-1990. The collection contains one series: Bill Files, 1983-1990.
Physical location: California State Archives
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Administrative Information
Access
Collection is open for research.
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], Charles Bader Papers, LP380:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary
of State, Sacramento, California.
Acquisition and Custodial History
The California State Archives acquired the Charles Bader Papers following his final term in the State Legislature.
Biography
Charles "Chuck" Bader, a Republican, was first elected to the Assembly in 1982, representing the 65th District. This district
includes a section of Pomona in Los Angeles County, parts of Ontario and Victorville, the Hesperia Community, and a large
unincorporated area of western San Bernardino County, plus Adelanto.
Assembly member Bader was born in Los Angeles on March 19, 1940, and raised in Pomona. Following his graduation from Pomona
High School, he continued his education at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he earned a Bachelor of Science
degree in business administration. Additionally, Bader has been involved in the real estate and property management business
since 1967. In 1973, he formed his own company, Condominium Management Services.
Bader prepared for the Assembly by actively participating in community affairs. After serving as a Pomona city commissioner,
he became the youngest councilman in Pomona's history when he was elected in 1971; he was elected vice mayor in 1974. The
people of Pomona elected Bader to be their mayor in 1977 and 1979.
Assembly member Bader was well known for his expertise in the area of school construction, combining his knowledge of education
and housing issues. Issues championed by Bader also include workers compensation, reforming the criminal justice system, toxic
waste regulation, and mobile home regulation. Additionally, serving as Vice Chair of the Assembly Education Committee from
1985-1988 allowed Bader to play a key role shaping education policy for millions of California students.
According to the California Legislature at Sacramento (Handbooks) and the California Blue Book, Bader served on the following
committees:
State Assembly, 1983-1990
-
Standing Committees
- Economic Development and New Technologies, 1983-1984
- Education, 1983-1990
- *Vice Chair, 1985-1988
- Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials, 1985-1990
- Finance and Insurance, 1989-1990
- Housing and Community Development, 1983-1988
- Revenue and Taxation, 1987-1990
- Ways and Means, 1985-1986
Scope and Content
The Charles Bader Papers consist of 2.5 cubic feet of textual records covering the years 1983-1990. The majority of documentation
covers the years 1983-1984 and 1989-1990. The collection contains one series: Bill Files, 1983-1990. The bill files document
Bader's legislative activity during his term as a member of the California State Assembly. While the bills introduced by Charles
Bader include a wide array of subjects, his primary concerns included workers compensation; education; financing of school
construction; and toxic waste, dairy, and mobile homes regulation.
There are several bills of note from Assembly Member Bader's first term in office. AB 1046 (1983-1984) addressed what Bader
saw as a loophole in the worker's compensation system. Previous legislation (AB684, Chapter 992, 1982) allowed a broad exception
to what is otherwise a "no-fault" insurance program for workers injured on the job. Bader felt that the "power-press" exception
was overly broad and left employers open to unfair liabilities. This attempt to remedy the loophole in worker's compensation
law did not pass during the 1983-1984 legislative session, however, it would not be Bader's last bill concerning this issue.
During the 1983-1984 session, Bader attempted to greatly alter the structure of the bureaucracy responsible for credentialing
teachers. AB2486 (1983-1984) was Assembly Member Bader's effort to abolish the independent commission responsible for issuing
teaching credentials and place their responsibilities under the purview of the state board of education. His main concerns
were twofold: that there was no objective standard for evaluating prospective teachers, and more importantly, that the commission
on teacher credentialing was shirking its statutory mandate to produce the standards. This bill made it out of the Education
committee on an 8-2 vote, but the Ways and Means committee did not bring it up for a vote.
Also of considerable note is Bader's Assembly Constitutional Amendment 35 (ACA35 1983-1984). Had it passed, this sweeping
change to the California Constitution would have dramatically changed how local governments interacted with the state government.
Bader proposed in ACA35 to essentially make all unfunded mandates on local governments voluntary. As the law dictated at the
time, localities were required to comply with and the state was obligated to fund all legislative mandated programs. However,
the state did not always fund their mandates. Out of frustration for this process came the solution proposed in ACA35. This
contentious issue produced voluminous correspondence and analysis, but no actual change in law; this measure failed to clear
the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee.
Bader attempted again in the 1985-1986 session to remove the "power press" exception from the worker's compensation law. AB156
was a highly controversial bill and contained much correspondence from individuals and trade organizations expressing both
support and opposition for this bill. This bill died in the Finance and Insurance committee without ever coming up for a vote.
AB1931 (1987-1988) responded to an ongoing problem with the Stringfellow toxic waste dump in Riverside County. Accumulated
liquid toxic waste that had been leaching into the surrounding water table and bedrock was creating serious problems for the
town of Glen Avon and destabilizing the surrounding area. This bill would have provided a first $13 million to create a hydraulic
system south of State Highway 60 to stabilize the area. However, this bill failed to make it out of committee.
AB817 (Ch.1254, 1989) was a successful attempt by Assemblyman Bader to clarify existing law regarding the classification and
storage of recyclable toxic waste. This bill made it easier for generators of toxic waste to transport it for consolidation
and recycling.
Another highly contentious bill was Bader's AB2134 (1989-1990), which would have allowed open enrollment in K-12 schools.
This controversial bill file includes numerous news clippings, a lengthy report on the impacts of parental choice and education,
and a substantial amount of correspondence in support and opposition of the measure.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Bader, Charles
Education
Environmental protection
Workers' compensation