Descriptive Summary
Administrative Information
Biography
State Senate, 1971-1978
Scope and Content
Related Material at the California State Archives
Microfilm
Indexing Terms
Descriptive Summary
Title: Arlen Gregorio Papers
Dates: 1971-1978
Collection number: LP171:1-105; LP172:213-219
Creator:
Arlen Gregorio, California Legislator
Collection Size:
4.25 cubic feet
Repository:
California State Archives
Abstract: Arlen Gregorio, Democrat, was a State Senator from 1971-1978. The Gregorio Papers include Bill Files, Legislative Counsel
and Bill Analyses, Gregorio's weekly columns to newspapers, and Press Releases from his office. He sponsored legislation
on a variety of topics including legislative reform, Health topics in schools, taxation of cigarettes, posession of marijuana,
and the California Arts Commission/Council.
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 consult California State Archives staff. Permission for reproduction or publication
is given on behalf of the California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, 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], Arlen Gregorio 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 Arlen Gregorio Papers following his final term in the State Legislature.
Biography
Arlen Gregorio, Democrat, was a State Senator from 1971-1978. He was first elected to the 12th Senatorial District in 1970,
which represented San Mateo County. After reapportionment in 1973, his Senate District changed to the 10th District and
represented southern San Mateo County and Santa Clara County cities of Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Sunnyvale.
Gregorio was born in San Francisco on September 11, 1931, and is a fourth generation Californian. He attended Burlingame
High School and San Mateo Junior College and received his A.B. and LL.B. from Stanford University. After obtaining his law
degree in 1955 he served in the United States Navy for three years. He practiced law from 1958-1970 for a private firm and
also served as the assistant city attorney for San Bruno from 1962-1970. He also was chair of the San Mateo County Democratic
Central Committee from 1964-1970.
He was married to Donna Prentice and had three sons; John, Stephen, and Arlen. After a divorce from his first wife, he remarried
again in 1980.
According to the
California Legislature at Sacramento (Handbooks), Gregorio was a member of the following committees:
State Senate, 1971-1978
-
Standing Committees
- Education, 1971-1978
- Elections and Reapportionment, 1975-1976
- Finance, 1977-1978
- Government Organization, 1975-1978
- Health and Welfare, 1973-1978
- *Chair, 1975-1978
- Judiciary, 1971-1972
- Local Government, 1971-1975
- *Vice Chair, 1971-1974
- Natural Resources and Wildlife, 1971-1974
- Public Utilities and Corporations, 1971-1972
-
Subcommittees
- Finance Subcommittee on Transit Problems in Santa Clara County, 1977-1978
- Health and Welfare Subcommittee on Bay Area Cancer Study, 1977-1978
-
Joint Committees
- Atomic Development and Space, 1971
- Arts, 1973-1974
- Joint Legislative Budget Committee, 1977-1978
- Revision of Elections Code, 1971-1976
- Revision of Education code, 1972-1974
- Telecommunications, 1973-1974
-
Select Committees
- Airport Access, 1971-1972
- Health Sciences Education, 1975-1976
- Housing and Urban Affairs, 1977-1978
- Innovation in the Structure and Administration of Public Education, 1973-1975
- Investment Priorities and Objectives, 1978
- Laws Relating to Alcoholic Beverages, 1972-1976
In addition, as a member of the Legislature, Gregorio served on the Advisory Committee to the Office of Emergency Services,
the Advisory Health Council, the California Council on Criminal Justice, the California Council on Vocational Education and
Technology Training, the Education Innovation and Planning Commission, the Highway Users Tax Committee, and the State Environmental
Quality Study Council.
In 1978 Gregorio lost his Senate seat, losing the election by only ninety votes. He served as a Supervisor on the San Mateo
County Board of Supervisors from 1979-1985 and changed his party affiliation to Independent. In 1984 he ran on the Democratic
ticket in a bid to regain his old seat in the Senate, but lost. He currently works for a San Francisco law firm.
Scope and Content
The Arlen Gregorio Papers consist of Bill Files, 1971-1978. The bill files document his legislative activity during his term
as a member of the California State Legislature. Bills introduced by him cover a wide array of subjects. Specific legislation
relative to his district included state park status for Montara Beach and San Bruno Mountain. He also sponsored bills on
legislative reform, including a unicameral legislature, term limits, and campaign reform through campaign contribution disclosure.
Health topics included giving school districts the power to establish smoking areas on campuses; making physical education
optional for junior and senior high school students; taxation of cigarettes for anti-smoking campaigns and research; and alcohol
rehabilitation plans. In addition, he created legislation to make possession of small amounts of marijuana changed from a
felony to a misdemeanor. He also sponsored law which changed the name of the California Arts Commission to Council and gave
it broader and more powerful duties and created the Joint Committee on the Arts, 1973-74.
Other files include legislative counsel and bill analyses, Gregorio's weekly columns to
newspapers, and press releases from his office.
Related Material at the California State Archives
Oral History
Arlen Gregorio, Oral History Interview, conducted in 1989 by Ann Lage, Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library,
University of California, Berkeley, for the State Government Oral History Program, is available at the California State Archives
and other repositories.
Microfilm
Some of the records are available on microfilm at the California State Archives.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Gregorio, Arlen
Legislative bodies Reform
Arts