Status of Women Commission Records, 1965-2010

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Summary

Title:
California Commission on the Status of Women Records
Dates:
1965-2010
Creators:
Commission on the Status of Women
Abstract:
The records of the California Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) consist of fourteen cubic feet of textual, photographic, and audiovisual records reflecting the Commission's research and recommendations specifically on women's issues within the state. The records date from 1965-2010.
Extent:
14 cubic feet
Language:
Languages represented in the collection: English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Commission on the Status of Women Records, R214.[series number], [box and folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

Background

Scope and content:

The records of the California Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) consist of fourteen cubic feet of textual, photographic, and audiovisual records reflecting the Commission's research and recommendations specifically on women's issues within the state. The records date from 1965-2010. The records are organized into sixteen record series: Meeting Files, Meeting Minutes, Business Meeting Files, Transcripts, Hearing Files, Chronological Correspondence, Commission Publications, Publications, Reports to the Legislature, Newsletters, Sex Equity in Education (SEEA) Regulations Files, Staff Files, Equal Rights Amendments (ERA) Files, Laws Affecting Women, Publicity Files, and Subject Files.

As the only state agency to exclusively focus on the needs and concerns of females of all ages and backgrounds, the Commission on the Status of Women holds a noteworthy place in the history of California. Their records reflect the diverse and complex topics that impact women in this state while chronicling the ever-changing nature of legislative attitudes surrounding those topics. Many series within the record group document the day-to-day activities of the Commission and its staff, such as the Meeting Files, Meeting Minutes, Business Meeting Files, Chronological Correspondence, Staff Files, and Subject Files. Other record series directly expose the Commission's presence in the middle of national debates and social movements to better the lives of women. These series include the Transcripts, Hearing Files, Commission Publications, Publications, Reports to the Legislature, Newsletters, the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) Files, and the Publicity Files.

Biographical / historical:

The California Advisory Commission on the Status of Women was established by Chapter 1378 (Statutes of 1965), for the purpose of "developing recommendations which will enable women to make the maximum contribution to society." The recommendations of this commission were due to the Governor by June 30, 1967. The 15 members of the Advisory Commission consisted of three members of the Senate appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, three members of the Assembly appointed by the Speaker, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Chief of the Division of Industrial Relations, and seven public members appointed by the Governor with the consent of the Senate. Chapter 854 (Statutes of 1967) extended the sunset date of the Commission through June 1969. It also increased the membership to 17 commissioners, with the Senate Rules Committee and the Speaker each appointing one public member in addition to their existing appointments. Chapter 721 (Statutes of 1969) again extended the sunset date of the Commission, this time through June 1971. The Advisory Commission (1965-1971) was authorized to conduct hearings, appoint an Advisory Committee of public members from a variety of backgrounds, encourage the development of local commissions of a similar nature, and perform research in the pursuit of their final recommendations.

On August 11, 1971, Chapter 541 (Statutes of 1971) was signed by the Governor, making the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) a permanent agency. In addition to its existing duties, CSW was also mandated to "act as an information center on the status of women's needs" and "develop and coordinate with [those] concerned with preventing problems brought about by the changing roles of women, and [those who] develop programs to enable women to be fully contributing members of society." Chapter 1596 (Statutes of 1984) created the Displaced Homemaker Emergency Loan Act (DHELA), a pilot loan program administered by CSW until 1998 (extended by Chapter 1385, Statutes of 1985, and Chapter 488, Statutes of 1995).

Neither the Advisory Commission nor CSW had any distinct organizational programs until 1981, when the work of CSW was divided into Research and Information Services, Legislative Liaison, and Administration. These divisions remained unchanged until 1985 when the Comparable Worth Task Force and the DHELA programs were added. In 1987, the Task Force was ended, the first three program areas were condensed into one, and DHELA was retained as a separate program. In 1999, DHELA was ended and, as of 2012, CSW remains a single multi-functional program of Administration-Legislation-Research and Information Services.

Over the course of its lengthy history, the Commission has formed many committees, including the following: Advisory, Child Care, Child Support/Custody, Community Involvement, Criminal Justice, Education, Employment, Executive, Health, Homemaker, Marital Property, and Public Information. Notable task forces include those on Minority Women and Comparable Worth.

Commission Chairs

Ruth Miller, 1965-1966

Kathleen Finucane, 1967

Betty Concannon, 1968-1971

Anita Miller, 1972-1978

Betty Stephens, 1978-1980

Irene Hirano, 1980-1982

Hannah-Beth Jackson, 1982-1983

Carole Ward-Allen, 1983-1984

Dorothy Jonas, 1984-1985

Verna Dauterive, 1986-1988

Jan Hall, 1988-1990

Meg Troughton, 1990-1991

Marjorie Hansen Shaevitz, 1991-1995

Lily Ring Balian, 1995-1997

Cheryl D. Kendrick, 1997-1999

Eileen Padberg, 1999-2000

Bonnie Sloane, 2000-2001

Elmy Bermejo, 2001-2005

Holly Mitchell, 2006-2007

Lindy DeKoven, 2008-2009

Elaine Suranie, 2010-2011

Geena Davis, 2012-present

Executive Directors

Marian Ash, 1965-1967

Carolyn Heine, 1968-1974

Pamela Faust, 1975-1982

Lee Novick, 1982-1983

Margaret Almada, 1984-1985

Pat Towner, 1986-1996

Karmi Speece, 1996-1999

Iola Gold, 2000-2001

Mary Wiberg, 2001-present

Acquisition information:
The California State Archives acquired the Commission on the Status of Women Records according to state law.
Accruals:

Further accruals are expected.

Physical location:
California State Archives
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Processed by Kim Mitchell
Date Prepared:
© 2012
Date Encoded:
Machine-readable finding aid created by Kim Mitchell. Machine-readable finding aid derived from MS Word. Date of source: 01 November 2012.

Access and use

Restrictions:

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

Terms of access:

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], Commission on the Status of Women Records, R214.[series number], [box and folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

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