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Inventory of the California State Senate Transportation and Housing Committee Records
LP426  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Descriptive Summary
  • Administrative Information
  • Committee History
  • Scope and Content
  • Indexing Terms
  • Related Collections at the California State Archives

  • Descriptive Summary

    Title: California State Senate Transportation and Housing Committee Records
    Dates: 2005-2008
    Collection number: LP426
    Creator: State Senate Transportation and Housing Committee Records
    Collection Size: 12.5 cubic feet
    Repository: California State Archives
    Sacramento, California
    Abstract: The Senate Transportation and Housing Committee records consist of 12.5 cubic feet of textual and audiovisual records organized into the following record series: Bill Files covering legislative sessions between 2005-2008; Hearing Files from 2005-2008; Chronological Correspondence from 2005-2008; and Committee Bill Logs from 2005. The records reflect the activity of the committee in overseeing legislation and other matters affecting transportation, housing and community development issues.
    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], Senate Transportation Committee Records, LP426: [folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

    Acquisition History

    The California State Archives acquired the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee Records according to state law.

    Committee History

    The Senate Transportation and Housing Committee is the most recent Senate committee to oversee legislation regarding the ownership and operation of transportation vessels, state transportation agencies and organizations, general transportation matters at both state and local levels and legislation regarding housing and community development in California.
    The first committee to consider bills relating to transportation was the Senate Transportation Committee. Developed in 1949 by Senate Resolution 3, the Senate Transportation Committee was created to investigate "bills amending the a)Vehicle Code, b) Streets and Highway Code, c) Harbors and Navigation Code, and d) Uncodified legislation relating to the same subjects or to aviation." In 1975 the committee changed its scope to consider "bills relating to the operation, safety, equipment, transfer of ownership, licensing, and registration of vehicles, aircraft, and vessels," "bills relating to the Department of Transportation and the Department of Motor Vehicles," and "bills relating to waterways, harbors, highways, public transportation systems, and airports."
    The first committee that had housing matters under its purview was the Senate Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, created by Senate Resolution 11 in January 1983 to consider "bills related to housing, community development, codes and standards, fair housing, foreclosure, housing finances, manufactured housing, housing element, and the Subdivision Map Act." In 1995, Senate Resolution 8 changed the committee's name to the Senate Housing and Land Use Committee and its scope broadened to consider "bills relating to housing and land use." Finally, in December 1999 the Senate created the Senate Housing and Community Development Committee with Senate Resolution 4, which changed the scope of the committee to consider "bills relating to housing and community development."
    In December 2004, the Senate passed Senate Resolution 4, which combined the Transportation and Housing committees to form the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee. The committee was created to investigate "bills relating to the operation, safety, equipment, transfer of ownership, licensing and registration of vehicles, aircraft and vessels," "bills relating to the Division of Highways and the Department of Motor Vehicles," "bills relating to waterways, harbors, highways, public transportation systems, and airports" and "bills relating to housing and community redevelopment."
    The Senate Transportation and Housing Committee consisted of 14 members. The chairs of the committee were:
    Tom Torlakson (Dem.) in 2005
    Alan Lowenthal (Dem.) from 2006-2008

    Scope and Content

    The Senate Transportation and Housing Committee records consist of 12.5 cubic feet of textual and audiovisual records organized into the following record series: Bill Files covering legislative sessions between 2005-2008; Hearing Files from 2005-2008; Chronological Correspondence from 2005-2008; and Committee Bill Logs from 2005. The records reflect the activity of the committee in overseeing legislation and other matters affecting transportation, housing and community development issues.
    The bill files document the legislation directed to the committee. The files include committee analysis, letters from interested parties, and the comments of affected agencies. These files show the close involvement of the committee in such issues as the Federal "Real ID Act" HR 1286 (SB60, 2005-2006), seismic retrofitting (SB172, 2005-2006), the Military Personnel Privacy Protection Act of 2006, Donate Life (SB681, 2005-2006), abandoned vehicle abatement (SB1225, 2005-2006), renewable fuel regulations (SB1511, 2005-2006), special license plates (AB84, 2005-2006), smog check reform, mobilehome park conversion (SB900, 2007-2008), The Swimming Pool and Spa Safety Act of 2006 (AB382, 2007-2008), and others.
    The Senate Transportation and Housing Committee considered bills that generated a substantial community response. The committee played an important role in creating neighborhood electric vehicle plans in Northern California (SB956, 2007-2008); establishing a recycled material tracking system for Caltrans (SB735, 2007-2008); protecting workers by increasing the fines and penalties associated with double-fine zones (SB254, 2005-2006); regulating traffic violator schools (AB107, 2005-2006),; and protecting California consumers from purchasing flood damaged cars salvaged from post-Katrina Louisiana (AB 1854, 2005-2006). The bill files also reflect the committee's close involvement with various interest groups and agencies such as the California Chamber of Commerce, the League of California Cities, California Association of Realtors, Western Center on Law and Poverty, California Gray Panthers, Retail Industry Leaders Association, the Sierra Club, California Motor Car Dealers Association, and others.
    The committee conducted hearings, special hearings, and interim hearings on issues such as migratory fish passage, hot rod lifting, the Federal Real ID Act, the Governor's budget, housing opportunity plans, earthquake safety and other various legislative bills. These hearings, their agendas, committee notes, roll call votes, bill amendments, action reports and related information are included in the hearing files. Chronological Correspondence include general correspondence organized by year regarding job applications, hearings, meetings, correspondence to Governor Schwarzenegger urging his signature on specific legislation, and letters to Congress. Committee Bill Logs include specific information on bills heard by the committee in 2005.
    Together, these records reflect the committee's attempt to balance the varied and sometimes conflicting demands of California's citizens for responsible and affordable transportation and housing, safe and secure communities, public safety issues, and environmental protection.

    Indexing Terms

    The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
    California. Legislature. Senate. Committee on Transportation and Housing
    California. Legislature. Senate. Committee on Transportation
    California. Dept. of Housing and Community Development

    Related Collections at the California State Archives

    Assembly Transportation Committee Records, 1954-2006
    Assembly Interim Transportation and Commerce Committee, 1945-1969
    Assembly Transportation and Commerce Committee, 1945-1969
    Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee Records, 1975-1984
    Assembly Urban Development and Housing Committee Records, 1968-1974
    Senate Transportation Committee, 1948-2004
    Senate Housing and Land Use Committee Records, 1977-1998
    Senate Housing and Community Development Committee, 1999-2004