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Inventory of the Constitutional Revision Commission Records, 1964-1972
F3675:1-474  
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  • Descriptive Summary
  • Administrative Information
  • Agency History

  • Descriptive Summary

    Title: Constitutional Revision Commission Records,
    Date (inclusive): 1964-1972
    Inventory: F3675:1-474
    Creator: Constitutional Revision Commission
    Repository: California State Archives
    Sacramento, California
    Language: English.

    Administrative Information

    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], Constitutional Revision Commission Records, F3675:1-474, California State Archives.

    Agency History

    The creation of the California Constitutional Revision Commission can be found in actions and recommendations on two separate but related fronts. In 1959 the Legislature directed the Citizens' Legislative Advisory Commission to study the techniques and procedures necessary to secure a revision of the State Constitutions (Assembly, House Resolution No. 278, 1959 Regular Session). The Commission's final report recommended that Article XVIII of the California Constitution be amended to permit the Legislature to submit to the people a revised constitution, or a revision of any part, and that a commission be established by statute to make recommendations for a total or partial revision.
    The Assembly Interim Committee on Constitutional Amendments also undertook an examination of the need for constitutional reform. The Committee's 1960 report to the Legislature also recommended the need of fundamenta revision.
    Acting on these recommendations the Legislature in 1961 adopted Assembly Constitutional Amendment No. 14 (Stats. 1961, Res. ch. 222). The measure proposed on amendment to Article XVIII to authorize the Legislature to act, in effect, as a constitutional convention by allowing it to submit proposals for revision of the Constitution to the voters. The amendment, Proposition 7 on the November, 1962 ballot, was approve by a margin of 2 to 1.
    To implement Proposition 7 the Legislature adopted in the following year Assembly Concurrent Resolutions No. 77 and No. 7 (Stats. 1963, Res. ch. 181 and Stats. 1963, 1st Ex. Sess., Res. ch. 7). The resolutions called for the creation of a Constitutional Revision Commission, under the auspices of and appointed by the Joint Committee on Legislative Organization, composed of not less than 25 nor more than 50 citizen members, and 6 legislative members. Subsequent legislation increased the number of citizen members and extended the existence of the Commission to an indefinite period. The Commission continued to meet through 1970. Implementation of Commission recommendations continued through 1974 with the submission of several proposed constitutional amendments appearing on the ballot for the November general election.
    The papers of the Constitutional Revision Commission, comprising some 20 cubic feet, are arranged in 5 series: Meeting Files, including transcripts and minutes of full Commission meetings and minutes of Article Committee meetings; Article Committee Files, documentation relating to their activities and recommendations; Administrative Files, documentation relating to the activities of the Commission's staff; Personnel Files, largely biographical data on Commission and Staff members and their selection and/or appointment; and Legislative Files, legislative activities relative to Commission recommendations and the placing of said proposals on the ballot for submission to the electorate. Additional detail on each of the series is provided below. Tables I-IV are added to provide greater detail on meeting dates and materials available.
    • Table I: Transcripts of Meetings
    • Table II: Minutes of Meetings
    • Table III: Minutes of Executive Committee Meetings
    • Table IV: Minutes of Article Committee Meetings