Series Descriptions

Physical Description: 353 file folders

Arranged chronologically by session, then by house of origin and bill number.

Bill files created by Patrick Johnston document legislation he authored while serving as a member of the state Assembly and the Senate. An average file may contain drafts of bills, analyses by committees and state agencies, comments by constituents or other interested parties, notes by Johnston and his staff, relevant background reports or newspaper articles, correspondence in support of or opposed to legislation, veto messages, notices from the legislative counsel about related bills and other miscellaneous materials.

While the series as a whole offers the full spectrum of Johnston's legislative interests, several notable bills illustrate Johnston's legislative priorities. Throughout Johnston's career, he often built his legislation around issues of major public concern. Public school safety became an increasingly important matter during the mid 1990s. Johnston responded to growing public fear regarding school safety by authoring SB 966 (Stats. 1995, ch. 972). The law mandated that schools expel students for at least a semester as punishment for bringing any weapons on campus or selling drugs on school property. The legislation also created the ZMZ (Zero Means Zero) Corporation, a nonprofit organization formed to implement an advertising campaign geared towards kids to promote the message of Zero Tolerance of weapons and drugs. Scientific advances in genetic testing and cloning in the 1990s brought forth new public concerns about the potential of such information. Johnston authored several bills designed to protect individuals from discrimination based on genetic testing including, SB1146 (Stats. 1994, ch. 761), SB 970 (1995 not enacted), SB 1020 (Stats. 1995, ch. 695), SB 1740 (Stats. 1996, ch. 532), SB 654 (Stats. 1998, ch. 99), SB 1654 (Stats. 1998, ch. 521), SB 1800 (Stats. 1998, ch. 897), SB 1185 (Stats. 1999, ch. 311). In addition, he authored SB1344 (Stats. 1997, ch. 688), which placed a five-year moratorium on the cloning of human beings in order to weigh the social, ethical, moral, spiritual, and legal consequence of such scientific advances.

Many of the important bills authored by Johnston directly correspond with other series in the collection. For example, the bills Johnston authored on Japanese Redress which include, AB 2710 (Stats. 1982, ch. 523), AB4087 (Stats. 1988, ch.555), SB353 (1991 not enacted), and SB164 (Stats. 1999, ch. 471) can be used in conjunction with the Japanese Redress Files. Because of the information Johnston gathered in the Savings and Loan Law Regulation Files, he authored AB 3643 (Stats. 1990, ch. 1118). Likewise, the Delta Protection Act, SB 1866 (Stats 1992, ch. 898) was a result of his ongoing interest in preservation of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, shown in the Delta Protection Files.

1981-1982 AB487-AB3779, ACA54, ACR95-ACR121,AJR64-AJR99 (15ff) LP335:1-15

1983-1984 AB247-AB3718, ACA46, ACR48-ACR98 (25ff) LP335:16-40

1985-1986 AB99-AB4125, ACR20-ACR95(29ff) LP335:41-69

1987-1988 AB82-AB4089, ACA63, ACR107, AJR21(36ff) LP335:70-105

1989-1990 AB27-AB4282, AJR29-AJR83, AB11X (28ff) LP335:106-133

1991-1992 SB239-SB1907, SCR48, SJR37 (47ff) LP335:134-180

1993-1994 SB4-SB2068, SCR31, SCR56, SR20 (46ff) LP335:181-226

1995-1996 SB43- SB2176, SCR11, SCR59, SJR16,SJR20, SR20 (56ff) LP335:227-282

1997-1998 SB146- SB2236, SCR11- SCR89, SB9X (42ff) LP335:283-324

1999-2000 SB43- SB2156, SCR38 (29ff) LP335:325-353

Physical Description: 142 file folders

Arranged alphabetically by subject title.

Includes correspondence, reports, notes, memorandums, and other materials. The subject files demonstrate the wide array of Johnston's political interests. The files reveal the kind of information he gathered on various subjects throughout his career. Specifically the files illustrate his on going interest in improving the community he served by gathering information on issues that directly affected his district. Education, health care, and energy are just a few of the issues highlighted in these files. Johnston's interest in agricultural issues is also present in the series. His substantial file on the Medfly documents the state's efforts in eradicating the Mediterranean Fruit Fly, which devastated crops in the early 1980s. A list of subject headings is available in Appendix A of the finding aid at the California State Archives.

Physical Description: 83 files folders

Arranged by index and then alphabetically by subject tile.

Includes hearing transcripts, court records, subpoenaed documents and newspaper clippings. As Chairperson of the Assembly Finance and Insurance Subcommittee on Savings and Loan Law Regulations, 1989-1990, Johnston gathered a substantial amount of material on the 1989 Lincoln Savings and Loan scandal, junk bond investments, and real estate speculation. The files document Johnston's activity on the committee and his investigation into Savings and Loan criminal activity. A list of subject headings and restricted files is available in Appendix B of the finding aid at the California State Archives.

Due to the investigative nature of the materials in the series, several files are restricted under the Public Records Act, California Government Code, sections 7929, 7927.005, 7924.300-7924.335, 7924, and 7923.600-7923.625 (formerly Gov. Code sections 6254 (d) (1,2,4) (f)).

Physical Description: 59 file folders

Arranged alphabetically by subject title and chronologically thereafter.

Includes reports, maps, hearing transcripts, letters, background notes, legislation, and newspaper clippings. The files represent Johnston's deep concern for the preservation of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The files contain in depth information on the Delta itself. In addition, the files contain information on California water policy in general. Several maps in the files were used to create the Primary and Secondary Zones of the delta in Johnston's 1992 legislation. The files also consist of materials related to the Delta Protection Commission. A list of subject headings is available in Appendix C of the finding aid at the California State Archives.

Physical Description: 51 file folders

Arranged alphabetically by subject title.

Includes letters, reports, hearing transcripts, background notes, and newspaper clippings. The Insurance Files primarily contain background material on a wide array of insurance related subjects such as fraud, and insurance insolvency. Many of the files follow the public activities of various insurance companies. The files represent Johnston's on going interest in improving insurance through laws and regulation. A list of subject headings and restricted files is available in Appendix D of the finding aid at the California State Archives.

Three folders within the Insurance files are restricted under the Public Records Act, California Government Code, sections 7929, 7927.005, 7924.300-7924.335, 7924, and 7923.600-7923.625 (formerly Gov. Code sections 6254 (d) (1,2,4) (f)).

Physical Description: 87 file folders

Arranged with General Information (1980-1992) first, followed by Photographs, and then State Personnel Board material (1942-1946).

Includes letters, photographs, memorandums, and newspaper clippings. The Japanese Redress Files primarily consist of papers created by the State Personnel Board between 1942 and 1946. The series is also comprised of files containing background information on the internment of Japanese during World War II and constituent letters regarding the passage of Johnston's AB 2710 of 1982. A list of subject headings and restricted files is available in Appendix E of the finding aid at the California State Archives.

Several files in the series are investigative in nature and contain personal information on former state employees. Such records are restricted under the Information Practices Act, sec. 1798.24.

Physical Description: 13 file folders

Arranged alphabetically by subject tile.

The correspondence files contain letters from constituents, invitations, form letters and mass mailings. Johnston's thoughtful use of form letters and mass mailings, outlining his current legislation and positions on legislative issues, illustrate his dedication to the community he served. The series serves as an example of Johnston's ability to keep in touch with appropriate interest groups, constituents, and other elected officials. A list of subject headings is available in Appendix F of the finding aid at the California State Archives.