Series Descriptions

Physical Description: 294 file folders

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

Bill files created by Dominic Cortese document legislation he authored while serving as a member of the State Assembly. Files generally include drafts of bills, analyses by committees and state agencies, comments by constituents or interested parties, notes by Cortese and his staff, relevant background reports or newspaper articles, correspondence in support of or opposed to the legislation, veto messages, notices from the legislative counsel about related bills, and other miscellaneous materials. Depending on the extent of the bill file, they may help reveal the legislator's intent for the measure.

One example of the many significant initiatives sponsored by Dominic Cortese is AB2641 (Chapter 944, Statutes of 1982), which sought to extend the California's Peace Officers' Bill of Rights to all persons in the State with law enforcement powers, including park rangers, school security officers, airport police, and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) police. In 1981, Cortese introduced AB1183 (Chapter 127, Statutes of 1982), aimed at securing a 24-hour dispatching system for all game wardens and state park rangers. In 1983, he submitted AB91 to include firefighters in the Peace Officers' Bill of Rights, although this bill was vetoed. Dominic Cortese actively worked to introduce bills that sought to bolster advancements and learning in California's high-technology business sector. In a press release from August, 1982 Cortese stated, "Almost half of all the new jobs in the next ten years will come from the high-technology indust...we cannot afford to let other countries take jobs away from our citizens." Cortese also introduced legislation (AB1078, Chapter 1491, Statutes of 1984) aimed at preventing and prosecuting thefts of high-technology equipment and intellectual property. Following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, Cortese authored several bills aimed at dealing with problems associated with seismic events. AB200 (Chapter 699, Statutes of 1991) sought to disclose potential earthquake hazards, while AB204 (Chapter 173, Statutes of 1991) dealt with rewriting the Health and Safety Code to require seismic retrofitting on structures deemed unsafe.

1981-1982 AB189-AB3691, ACA73-ACA84, HR35 (32ff) LP365:1-32

1983-1984 AB91-AB3901, ACA10-ACA56 (46ff) LP365:33-78

1985-1986 AB115-AB4417, ACA44, ACR46-ACR143, AJR52, HR16 (60ff) LP365:79-138

1987-1988 AB195-AB4644, ACA24, ACR4-ACR21, AJR62 (45ff) LP365:139-183

1989-1990 AB192-AB4177, ACA19-ACA60, ACR131-ACR180, AJR10-AJR27, AB15X-AB35X (43ff, 1 videocassette) LP365:184-226

1991-1992 AB171-AB3644, ACR135, AB9X-AB19X (21ff) LP365:227-247

1993-1994 AB97-AB3791, ACR6-ACR127, AJR52-AJR63, HR53 (28ff) LP365:248-275

1995-1996 AB86-AB3184, ACR44, AJR30, HR23-HR84 (19ff) LP365:276-294

Physical Description: 48 file folders

Chronological Correspondence is arranged chronologically by date of letter.

The correspondence series represents a sampling of his office's active communication with his constituents. For every letter or group of letters that Assembly Member Cortese's Sacramento or San Jose office received, he would send a response. These letters range from displeased constituents with certain needs to thank you letters from constituents who were pleased with Cortese's representation.

Physical Description: 7 file folders

Hearing files are arranged chronologically by date of hearing.

Hearing files can contain hearing agendas, audiocassettes, proceeding summaries, transcripts, testimony, background reports, and working files for regular session hearings, interim hearings, and some joint session hearings.

10/20/1988 Local Government Committee hearing on Growth and Development Issues (1ff) LP365:343

03/11/1991 California Drought/Water Plan (1ff, 2 audiocassettes) LP365:344

1991 Health Care/Mental Health, Direction of health care in California; Analysis of budget dynamics (1ff) LP365:345

07-08/1992 Rules Committee hearing on rules (1ff, 5 audiocassettes) LP365:346

12/9/1993 East Side Union High School District, Hearing on at risk youth (1ff, 3 audiocassettes) LP365:347

02/22/1994 California Transportation Commission, Hearing on funding of federal transportation enhancement activities (1ff) LP365:348

1996 Mobile Home/AB622/Proposition 199 (1ff) LP365:349

Physical Description: 3 file folders

Press releases are arranged chronologically.

Press releases can include topics relating to the status of proposed, pending, and newly enacted legislation, committee hearings and actions, and legislative agendas. The specific topics covered in the press releases vary broadly. However, the documents from 1988-1995 deal exclusively with the Select Committee on California Wine Production and the Economy.

Physical Description: 3 file folders

Special interest letters are arranged chronologically.

Special interest letter files can include letters sent to, and in some cases letters received from constituents. Topics generally cover legislative updates, public events, greetings, and legislative positions. Some special interest letters cover legislative updates on bills that would appeal to specific constituents. Pending handgun and firearm legislation is one topic covered in the special interest letter series. The letters may also cover topics such as: crime, corrections, health care, taxes, transportation, toxic spills, libraries, labor unions, and government funding.

Physical Description: 53 file folders

Subject files are arranged alphabetically by subject heading.

Subject files can contain newspaper clippings, press releases, correspondence, reports, notes, memorandums, and other materials. Several files contain information related to committee proceedings and actions, as well as topics that garnered special attention from Cortese during his legislative career.

A list of subject headings is available in Appendix A in the master finding aid at the California State Archives.

Physical Description: 18 file folders

The Select Committee files are arranged chronologically.

Select Committee files may contain hearing agendas, audiocassettes, correspondence, reports, memorandums, news clippings, notes, press releases, testimony, and other materials. The series contains several hearing audio recordings that highlight some committee actions.