Guide to the Donald (Don) Rogers Papers

California State Archives

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/

Guide to the Donald (Don) Rogers Papers

Collection number: LP456

California State Archives

Office of the Secretary of State

Sacramento, California

Processed by:: Cori Schmidtbauer
Date Completed:: January 2014
Encoded by:: Sara Roberson

Descriptive Summary

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

Administrative Information

Access

While the majority of the records are open for research, any access restrictions are noted in the record series descriptions.

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], Don Rogers Papers, LP456:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

Biography

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

Scope and Content

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.

Accruals

No further accruals are expected.

Indexing Terms

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