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
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