Guide to the Donald (Don) Rogers Papers
California State Archives
© 2014
1020 "O" Street
Sacramento, California 95814
Phone: (916) 653-2246
Fax: (916) 653-7363
Email: ArchivesWeb@sos.ca.gov
URL: http://www.sos.ca.gov/archives/
California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.
Guide to the Donald (Don) Rogers Papers
Collection number: LP456
California State ArchivesOffice of the Secretary of State
Sacramento, California
- Processed by:
- Cori Schmidtbauer
- Date Completed:
- January 2014
- Encoded by:
- Sara Roberson
© 2014 California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.
Title: Donald (Don) Rogers Papers
Dates: 1979-1996
Collection number: LP456
Creator:
Rogers, Donald
Collection Size:
10 cubic feet
Repository:
California State Archives
Sacramento, California
Abstract: Don Rogers, a Republican, was first elected in November 1978 to represent California's 33rd Assembly District. The Don Rogers
Papers consist of 10 cubic feet of textual records that cover the years 1979-1996.
Physical location: California State Archives
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
While the majority of the records are open for research, any access restrictions are noted in the record series descriptions.
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.
[Identification of item], Don Rogers Papers, LP456:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of
State, Sacramento, California.
Don Rogers, a Republican, was first elected in November 1978 to represent the 33rd Assembly District which covered most of
Kern County, including the cities of Bakersfield, Taft, Wasco, Shafter, Delano, Buttonwillow, Arvin, and Lamont, and a smaller
portion of southern Tulare County, including the cities of Tulare, Pixley, Terra Bella, and Lindsay.
In November 1986, Rogers was elected to represent the 16th Senatorial District in the southern San Joaquin Valley, which included
all of Kern and Kings Counties, a part of northern Los Angeles County, and part of San Bernardino County. At the end of 1992,
Rogers ran for a new seat in the 17th Senatorial District, which included Inyo County, northern and eastern San Bernardino
County, eastern Kern County, and northern Los Angeles County. He won and represented this district until the end of his term
in 1996.
Donald A. Rogers was born on April 28, 1928, in Natchitoches, Louisiana, and graduated with a degree in Geology from Louisiana
State University in 1951. While working for an oil company, he lived in Louisiana and Mississippi before establishing residence
in Bakersfield in 1963. Rogers was a registered geologist in the State of California. He was also a member of the Kern County
Farm Bureau, Future Farmers of America, National Federation of Independent Business, Gun Owners of California, Independent
Petroleum Association, and the San Joaquin Geological Society. He holds a commercial pilot's license, which he used to commute
to the State Capitol in his own single-engine airplane. He is also a U.S. Marine Corp veteran.
A former court reporter, Don's wife, Marilyn, was a member of the National Shorthand Reporters and the Certified Shorthand
Reporters of California. Their daughter, Mallorie, also became a court reporter. Their two sons were both accomplished athletes.
Grayson Rogers played football for Stanford, 1978-1979, before playing for the University of the Pacific Tigers, 1980-1981.
In 1982, Grayson also played on the UOP baseball team. Douglas Rogers also began his football career playing for Stanford,
1978-1981, before playing for the Atlanta Falcons, 1982-1983, New England Patriots, 1983-1984, and San Francisco 49ers, 1986.
Roger's first interest in politics came as a result of receiving a property tax bill as a geological consultant in a small
business. His taxes increased 45 percent in one year. This event led him to run for Bakersfield City Council in 1973. He
won election and was re-elected in 1977, serving until his election to the Assembly in 1978.
During his term in the California Legislature, Rogers served on the following committees according to the California Legislature
at Sacramento (Handbooks) and the California Blue Book:
California State Assembly, 1979-1986
Standing Committees
Economic Development and New Technologies, 1983-1984
Economic Development and Planning, 1981-1982
Chair, 1981-1982
Education, 1979-1980
Energy and Natural Resources, 1981-1982
Local Government, 1985-1986
Natural Resources, 1983-1986
Chair, 1985-1986
Public Safety, 1985-1986
Resources, Land Use, and Energy, 1979-1980
Rules, 1983-1984
Transportation, 1983-1984
Water, Parks, and Wildlife, 1979-1982
Select Committees
Aviation, 1983-1984
Economic Problems in Timer and Related Industries, 1979-1982
Energy Alternatives in Agriculture, 1981-1982
Genetic Diseases, 1979-1984
Local Implementation of Tax and Spending Initiatives, 1979-1980
Regulatory Oversight, 1979-1982
Utility Performance, Rates, and Regulations, 1983-1984
Subcommittees
Energy, 1979-1982
Postsecondary Education, 1979-1980
Public Lands, 1979-1980
Joint Committees
Rules, 1983-1984
State's Economy, 1981-1986
Commissions
Economic Development, 1981-1982
Seismic Safety, 1981-1982
California State Senate, 1987-1996
Standing Committees
Agriculture and Water Resources, 1987-1996
Bonded Indebtedness and Methods of Financing, 1987-1990
Vice Chair, 1987-1988
Budget and Fiscal Review, 1991-1992
Housing and Urban Affairs, 1987-1988
Insurance, 1993-1994
Insurance, Claims, and Corporations, 1991-1992
Natural Resources and Wildlife, 1987-1996
Public Employment and Retirement, 1987-1988, 1993-1996
Vice Chair, 1995-1996
Veteran's Affairs, 1989-1996
Chair, 1989-1994
Select Committees
Fairs and Rural Issues, 1987-1992
The Don Rogers Papers consist of 10 cubic feet of textual records that cover the years 1979-1996. The records are organized
into one record series: Bill Files, 1979-1996. The bill files document his legislative activity during his term as a member
of the California State Legislature. The bills introduced by Don Rogers discuss taxes, geology, and Kern and Tulare Counties.
Rogers was also involved in writing legislation that affected the United States on a national level.
No further accruals are expected.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Taxation --Law and legislation
Geology
Agriculture - California - Tulare County
LP456:1-206
Series 1 Bill Files 1979-1996
Physical Description: 206 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by legislative session, then numerically by bill number.
Scope and Content Note
Bill Files were created by Don Rogers while serving as a state Assembly Member, 1979-1986, and as a State Senator, 1987-1996.
The files may include bill analyses, amendments and resolutions, author's statements, testimony, position statements in support
or opposition, Legislative Counsel opinions and conflict letters, press releases, newspaper editorials and clippings, background
reports, information, and data that pertain to taxes, Kern and Tulare Counties, geology, and international relations.
Concerns regarding taxes influenced Rogers' political career. He wrote legislation that abolished the state inheritance tax
(AB264, 1979-1980), used sales tax revenue from sale of aviation jet fuel to fund improvements and maintenance of California-located
airports (AB3290, 1985-1986), and equalized state funds going to counties for road maintenance, particularly in Kern and Tulare
Counties (AB3830, 1985-1986).
Rogers, with a geology background, authored legislation regarding natural fuel sources such as oil and gasoline (AB1842, AB1900,
AB1901, AB1918, AB2926, and AB2960, 1979-1980) as well as energy resources (AB2256, AB2474, and AB3002, 1983-1984). In particular,
AB1466, 1981-1982, transfers funding responsibility for the Geothermal Regulatory Program from oil and gas operators to geothermal
operators by authorizing the collection of annual geothermal well fees.
Water was also a major topic for Rogers, especially within his own Assembly District. During the legislative session 1979-1980,
Rogers authored four bills affecting Kern and Tulare Counties -- AB1894 allowed four water districts in the 33rd Assembly
District to levy assessments within zones of benefit; AB1895 removed the residency requirement for water district board election
and only required that the director be a holder of title to land in the division; AB2170 granted statutory authority to four
water districts in the 33rd Assembly District to generate hydroelectric power along irrigation districts; and AB2897 provided
the four water districts with flood control powers and responsibilities. AB1063, 1981-1982, made changes in the Kern County
Water Agency Act. SB776, 1995-1996 amends the Water Conservation Bond Law of 1988. Other water legislation includes AB591
and AB1431, 1985-1986; SB1168 and SB1189, 1995-1996.
During his term in the legislature, Rogers authored AB2988, 1979-1980, and AB52, 1981-1982, which addressed the presence of
thumbprints on a DMV license and ID card application; SB2410, 1989-1990, which promoted an official Poppy Day; SB697 and SJR17,
1989-1990, which advocated for making December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor Day in perpetuity; SJR50, 1989-1990, to repeal the Panama
Canal Act of 1979; and SR54, 1989-1990, to encouraged diplomatic relations with Lithuania.
1979-1980: AB264-AB3296, AJR88 (3ff) LP456:1-3
1981-1982: AB52-AB3638, ACR36, AJR4-AJR68 (5ff) LP456:4-8
1981-1982: SB477, SB1922 (1ff) LP456:9
1983-1984: AB639-AB4051, ACR78, AJR118, AJR149 (4ff) LP456:10-13
1985-1986: AB444-AB4387, ACA51, ACR12-ACR139 (33ff) LP456:14-46
1987-1988: SB157-SB2148, SCR21-SCR72, SJR42 (47ff) LP456:47-93
1987-1988: AB813-AB2288(1ff) LP456:94
1989-1990: SB162-SB2816, SCA33, SCR86, SCR110, SJR10-SJR73, SR35, SR54 (37ff) LP456:95-131
1991-1992: SB155-SB2055, SCA39, SCR19-SCR68, SJR14-SJR42, SB8X, SB11X (28ff) LP456:132-159
1993-1994: SB585-SB2111, SCA25, SCR19-SCR45, SJR35-SJR47 (27ff) LP456:160-186
1995-1996: SB308-SB2127, SCA6, SCR58, SJR15 (20ff) LP456:187-206