Descriptive Summary
Administrative Information
Biography
Scope and Content
Accruals
Indexing Terms
Descriptive Summary
Title: Tim Leslie Papers Papers
Dates: 1987-2006
Collection number: LP450
Creator:
Leslie, Tim
Collection Size:
30.5 cubic feet
Repository:
California State Archives
Abstract: Tim Leslie, Republican, served in the California Legislature from 1987 to 2006. The Tim Leslie Papers consist of 30.5 cubic
feet of textual records and audio/visual materials and cover the years 1986-2006.
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], Tim Leslie Papers, LP450:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of
State, Sacramento, California.
Biography
Tim Leslie, Republican, served in the California Legislature from 1987 to 2006. Leslie first ran for the California State
Assembly 5th District in 1984 against Democrat Jean M. Moorhead and was defeated by 1,700 votes. Two years later Moorhead
chose not to run and Leslie won his first legislative election representing the 5th Assembly District in the California State
Assembly. From 1987-1991 Leslie represented the 5th Assembly District, which included northern Sacramento and southern Placer
County. In a special election in May of 1991 Leslie was elected to the California State Senate representing the 1st Senate
District after John Doolittle left the California Senate for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. The California
1st Senate District was one of the biggest districts in California running along the eastern border from Oregon down the Nevada
border to Mammoth Lakes, and across the foothills to include the eastern portion of the Sacramento Valley. It includes the
counties of Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Modoc, Mono, Lassen, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sierra, Yuba, and most of Butte.
Leslie served as the representative of the California Senate 1st District from 1991-2000. Because of term limits in the Senate,
in 2000, Tim Leslie moved back to the Assembly representing California’s 4th Assembly District. Another large district, the
4th Assembly District runs along the Nevada border from Lake Tahoe to Mammoth Lakes and across the foothills of the Mother
Lode. It includes Amador City, Angels Camp, Auburn, Colfax, Ione, Jackson, Lincoln, Loomis, Mammoth Lakes, Placerville, Plymouth,
Rocklin, Roseville, South Lake Tahoe, and Sutter Creek. Leslie served in the 4th Assembly District from 2001-2006, when term
limits ended his time in the Legislature.
Robert Timothy (Tim) Leslie was born February 4, 1942, in Ashland, Oregon. In 1944 Leslie’s family moved from Oregon to Southern
California. Leslie attended California State University, Long Beach, earning a Bachelor’s degree in political science. He
also attended the University of Southern California where he earned a master’s degree in public administration. In 1963,
Leslie moved from Southern California to Northern California. Prior to his election to the legislature in 1986, Leslie was
active in both state and local politics. According to the Who’s Who in California Legislature, from 1964-1986 Leslie worked
as an associate analyst for Sacramento County Executive’s Office, principal legislative representative for the County Supervisors’
Association of California, as well as a financial consultant to the Assembly Ways and Means Committee. In addition, Leslie
was Vice President of two reality firms, Moss and Thompson, Inc. and Kuhl Corporation. Long active in his local church, Leslie
also acted as a Presbyterian Church deacon. In 1996, Leslie fought a brief battle with a rare form cancer which he overcame.
In 1998, Leslie ran an unsuccessful campaign for Lieutenant Governor. He and his wife Clydene have two children and two grandchildren.
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
As a State Legislator, Leslie’s legislative interests were varied, ranging from prison reform programs to mining permits and
logging roads to tort reform and unemployment benefits. Leslie is responsible for making “I Love You California” the official
state song with AB1535 (1987-1988). He also authored numerous bills relating to the proposed Auburn Dam, an increase in DUI
and underage alcohol penalties, harsher punishments for child pornography, increased medical privacy rights, repeal of the
State Lottery, and welfare, Medi-Cal, and school reform. Over the span of his time in the legislature, Leslie consistently
advocated for parents’ interests, including requiring schools get parental consent with regards to sex and AIDS education.
Leslie was highly concerned with preventing the spread of AIDS, expanding tax credits, protecting individual privacy, and
looked for ways to reduce the increasing number of mountain lion attacks by allowing local hunters the right to control California
mountain lion populations.
During his term in the California Legislature, Leslie served on the following committees according to the California Legislature
at Sacramento (Handbooks), Assembly Final History, Senate Final History, and Pocket Directory of the California Legislature.
California State Assembly, 1987-1991, 2001-2006
Standing Committees
Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism, and Internet Media, 2003-2004
Banking and Finance, 2001-2004
Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials, 2003-2004
Health, 1987-1990
Higher Education, 2005-2006
*Vice Chair, 2005-2006
Human Services, 1987-1988
*Vice Chair, 1987-1988
Judiciary, 1987-1990, 2005-2006
Public Employees, 1989-1990
Public Employees, Retirement, and Social Security, 2005-2006
Public Safety, 1987-1988
Retirement and Social Security, 1989-1990
Rules, 2001-2004
Transportation, 2001-2002
Water, Parks, and Wildlife, 2001-2004
*Vice Chair, 2003-2004
Subcommittees
Educational Reform, 1989-1990
Mental Health, Developmental disabilities, and Substance Abuse, 1989-1990
Select Committees
California Wine, 2001-2004
California’s Foreign Trade Officers, 2003-2004
Cancer Detection, Prevention, and Research, 2001-2004
Cyber Fraud, 2003-2004
Gun Violence Prevention, 2005-2006
Neighborhood Violence and Mediation, 1987-1989
Youth and Drug Abuse Prevention, 1987-1990
*Vice Chair, 1989-1989
Joint Committees
Develop a Master Plan to End Poverty in California, 2003-2004
Fairs Allocation and Classification, 2001-2004
Rules, 2001-2002
California State Senate, 1991-2000
Standing Committees
Appropriations, 1995-2000
*Vice Chair, 1995-2000
Budget and Fiscal Review, 1991-1994
*Vice Chair, 1993-1994
Education, 1991-1992
Finance, Investment, and International Trade, 1999-2000
*Chair, 1999-2000
Health and Human Services, 1993-1996
Housing and Urban Affairs, 1991-2992
*Vice Chair, 1991-1992
Insurance, 1997-2000
Judiciary, 1991-1998
*Vice Chair, 1993-1998
Natural Resource and Wildlife, 1991-2000
Toxics and Public Safety Management, 1991-1992
Subcommittees
California-European Trade Development, 1999
Corrections and Law Enforcement, 1993-1994
Health Care Reform, 1997-1998
Health, Human Services, and Labor #3, 1993-1994
River Protection and Restoration, 1997-1998
Rural Health Care, 1993-1996
Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta Protection, 1993-1994
Select Committees
California’s Wine Industry, 1995-2000
Genetics and Public Policy, 1995-2000
Information Services in State Government, 1995
Internet Privacy, 1999-2000
Northridge Earthquake, 1993-1996
Prison Management, 1997-1998
Joint Committees
Fairs Allocation and Classification, 1993-2000
Headwaters Forest and Ecosystem Management Planning, 1997-1998
Legislative Budget, 1993-2000
Mental Health Reform, 1999-2000
Prison Construction and Operations, 1993-1996
In addition, as a member of the Legislature, he served on the Joint Select Task Force on the Changing Family, 1987-1990
Scope and Content
The Tim Leslie Papers consist of 30.5 cubic feet of textual records and audio/visual materials and cover the years 1986-2006.
The records are organized into 8 record series: Bill Files, 1987-2006; Subject Files, 1986-2004; Hearing Files, 1987-1996;
Chronological Correspondence, 1986-1997; Subject Correspondence, 1992-1998; Press Releases, 1987-1997; News Summary, 1996-1997;
and Capitol Perspective Videos, 1991-2002.
The Bill Files are the bulk of his collection and a strong source of information about his legislative interests. The bills
introduced by Leslie include a wide array of subjects. These documents demonstrate Leslie’s activism for local North-Eastern
California issues as well as matters concerning the State of California as a whole. Within this series, reoccurring topics
include: Sacramento flood control and the proposed Auburn Dam (AB1751, 1987-1988; SB2103, 1995-1996; and AB1953, 2001-2002);
healthcare and healthcare benefits (SB1104, 1993-1994; SB1846, SB2158, 1995-1996; and SB2006, 1999-2000); timber and logging
related issues (SB300, 1991-1992; SB891, SB892, 1993-1994; and SB273, SB1283, 1995-1996); prison reform and punishment (AB1447,
1989-1990; AB1587, 1991-1992; SB1366, 1991-1992; and SB326, 1997-1998 ); privacy issues (SB1382, 1997-1998; AB21, 2001-2002;
and AB213, AB2163, AB2787, 2003-2004); youth crime, drug, and alcohol related issues (AB3869, 1987-1988; AB1870, AB3230,
ACR 121, 1989-1990; and SB326, SB1329, SB1952, 1997-1998); sex and drug education (AB3139, 1987-1988; SB2005, 1993-1994; SB6X,
1995-1996; SB1110, SB1484, SB1561, 1997-1998; and AB2152, 2001-2002); and alcohol and drugs (AB1512, AB3869, 1987-1988; AB1648,
AB4318, 1989-1990; AB2100, 1991-1992; SB3, 1997-1998; and AB19, 2003-2004). Furthermore, Leslie can be credited with authoring
a bill to make “I Love You California” the official state song of California (AB1535, 1987-1988).
Additionally reflective of his tenure with the California State Legislature, Leslie’s various subject files also add insight
into his numerous activities as a legislator. In general, as the records creator, Tim Leslie grouped his subject files together
alphabetically, and this order has thus been retained. Of particular importance to Leslie are his subject files on the Auburn
Dam, Match-Two Prisoner Outreach program, and the state budget from various years. From 1992-1998, Leslie also separated
some of his correspondence into subjects of importance to him. These can be found in the subject correspondence series.
Finally, from 1991-2004 Leslie made a series of videocassette tapes about issues he felt important to his constituents. These
videos are organized alphabetically and stored in the capitol perspective videos series.
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.
Education, Higher - California
California. Legislature. Assembly. Committee on Human Services
Public safety