Arlen Gregorio Papers, 1971-1978

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Summary

Creators:
Arlen Gregorio, California Legislator
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.
Extent:
4.25 cubic feet
Language:
Languages represented in the collection: English

Background

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.

Biographical / historical:

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:

  • 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.

Acquisition information:
The California State Archives acquired the Arlen Gregorio Papers following his final term in the State Legislature.
Physical location:
California State Archives
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Access and use

Location of this collection:
1020 "O" Street
Sacramento, CA 95814, US
Contact:
(916) 653-2246
reference@sos.ca.gov
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