Inventory of the Jerome E. Horton Papers

Processed by Sangeet Gill and Michelle Howard
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/
© 2022
California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.

Inventory of the Jerome E. Horton Papers

Collection number: LP497

California State Archives

Office of the Secretary of State

Sacramento, California
Processed by:
Sangeet Gill and Michelle Howard
Date Completed:
April 2022
Encoded by:
Michelle Howard
© 2022 California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.

Descriptive Summary

Title: Jerome E. Horton Papers
Dates: 2001-2006
Collection number: LP497
Creator: Jerome E. Horton, California Legislator
Collection Size: 8 cubic feet and 1 item
Repository: California State Archives
Sacramento, California
Abstract: The Jerome E. Horton Papers consist of 8 cubic feet of textual records and one compact disc that reflect the political activities and interests of Assembly Member Horton during his six years in the California State Legislature. They are organized into four series: Bill Files, Caucus and Committee Files, Resolutions, and Press Releases. Horton was elected to represent the fifty-first district in the California State Assembly as a Democrat on December 4, 2000. He easily won reelection to this position in 2002 and again in 2004, completing his final term in the Assembly on November 30, 2006. Throughout his time in the legislature, Horton took interest in issues related to tax law, small business, insurance, gambling, tobacco, youth violence, health care, horse racing, and economic development.
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], Jerome E. Horton Papers, LP497:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

Acquisition and Custodial History

The California State Archives received the Jerome E. Horton papers in a single transfer in 2006.

Biography

Jerome Edgar Horton was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas on September 14, 1956 and grew up in Los Angeles County. He studied Accounting and Finance at California State University, Dominguez Hills, graduating in 1979. Horton worked as an accountant for the State Board of Equalization for over 20 years, specializing in business tax law and auditing. During this time he also served as the Legislative Deputy and Business Tax Advisor for the 3rd District of the Board of Equalization and an Inglewood City Council member. For several years he was involved in real estate sales and investments.
These experiences served Horton well when he was elected to represent the fifty-first district in the California State Assembly as a Democrat on December 4, 2000. This district included the cities of Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lennox, Lawndale, West Athens, Del Aire, Alondra Park, Gardena, West Compton, and Playa Vista. He easily won reelection to this position in 2002 and again in 2004, completing his final term in the Assembly on November 30, 2006.
Throughout his six years in the legislature, Horton took interest in issues related to tax law, small business, insurance, gambling, tobacco, youth violence, health care, and economic development. He was especially involved in authoring legislation on horse racing, on topics such as establishing rules for satellite wagering facilities (AB401, Chapter 556, 2003), increasing worker's compensation for jockeys and other staff (AB701, Chapter 40, 2004), and requiring the state to contract with the University of California to perform equine drug testing (AB52, Chapter 179, 2005).
Horton served as a member of several committees during his time in the legislature. These included the Assembly Committees on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism, and Internet Media; Banking and Finance; Insurance; and Utilities and Commerce. He served as chair of the Assembly Committees on Governmental Organization and Rules, and the Assembly Select Committees on California Horse Racing and Gang Violence and Juvenile Crimes, in addition to his membership on a number of other Assembly Select Committees. Horton was also a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus.
Horton used his position as Assembly Member to initiate outreach programs in his community and throughout California. He spent time mentoring high school students and leading economic development seminars. He also founded a local African American Leadership Development Program to provide young African American students an opportunity to participate in leadership training, networking, and mentorships with other members of the California legislature. He also served as a member of the California State Work Force Investment Board, California Historical and Cultural Endowment Board, and the Medical Assistance Commission.
After leaving the legislature, Horton was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as the first African American to serve on the California State Board of Equalization. He represented the third district, and upon joining the Board was immediately voted to be vice chair. In 2010 and 2014 he was reelected to the Board, now representing the fourth district, and served as chair of the Board from 2011 to 2016. His term expired in 2019.

Scope and Content

The Jerome E. Horton Papers consist of 8 cubic feet of textual records and one compact disc that reflect the political activities and interests of Assembly Member Horton during his six years in the California State Legislature.
Bill Files (2001-2006) make up the bulk of the collection at about 5.5 cubic feet and document legislation which Assembly Member Horton authored or co-authored. They may include bill analyses, amendments and resolutions, author's statements, testimony, press releases, editorials and newspaper clippings, correspondence, committee statements, and comments from affected agencies. These files show Horton's close involvement in issues such as taxes, insurance, economic development, horse racing, health care, youth violence, and cigarettes and tobacco. Not every bill that Horton authored is represented in these files. Included at the end of the 2005-2006 legislative session are materials related to potential legislation that Horton was considering but which did not become formal bills.
Caucus and Committee Files (2001-2006) include about 1.5 cubic feet of correspondence, meeting notes, brainstorming documents, invitations, committee statements, newspaper clippings, presentations, and supporting materials assembled in the course of Horton's work as a member of various caucuses and committees. Horton kept files for most, but not all, of the committees and caucuses on which he served. Throughout his time in the legislature he was a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus, for which several materials exist in this series. His previous career experience led to his membership on the Assembly Committees on Banking and Finance and Insurance, also represented in these files. Of particular note are several files on the Assembly Select Committee on Gang Violence and Juvenile Crimes, which Horton chaired during the 2003-2004 legislative session.
Resolutions (2001-2005) include five file folders of official notices, biographical and other background information used to draft resolutions, and correspondence from community members and organizations requesting resolutions to honor individuals. Horton honored several religious leaders and community activists with resolutions, especially from within his district. Organizations that provided contributions to their communities were also honored, such as rotary clubs, fraternities, and high-performing schools. Some resolutions have been issued jointly with the California Legislative Black Caucus.
Press Releases (2005-2006) make up one file folder of official statements issued by Horton's office defining his stance on a topic or calling attention to particular legislation. They were often released in conjunction with the introduction, passage, or vetoing of legislation. Topics include announcements of events that Horton would be speaking at or hosting, legislation passing key committee votes, awards that Horton was to receive, and joint statements with other state and local officials to support or oppose state and federal policies.

Accruals

No further accruals are expected.

Related Material at the California State Archives

California Legislative Black Caucus records
Medical Assistance Commission records
State Board of Equalization records

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Horton, Jerome E.
California. State Board of Equalization
Horse racing - Law and legislation - California
California. Legislature. Legislative Black Caucus.
Indian Gambling


LP497:1-115

Series 1 Bill Files 2001-2006

Physical Description: 115 file folders, 1 CD

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by legislative session, then numerically by bill number.

Scope and Content Note

Bill files document legislation which Assembly Member Horton authored or co-authored and may include bill analyses, amendments and resolutions, author's statements, testimony, press releases, editorials and newspaper clippings, correspondence, committee statements, and comments from affected agencies. Of particular interest are those bills relating to business taxes, economic development, horse racing, health care, youth violence, and cigarettes and tobacco. Notable bills chaptered into law that are represented in these files include eviction protections for active members of the California National Guard (AB1433, Chapter 60, 2002), increased fines for schools that fail to submit a school safety plan (AB115, Chapter 423, 2003), and public disclosure of the top 250 individuals delinquent on sales tax annually (AB1418, Chapter 716, 2006). Materials for AB1418 include a compact disc containing a recording of the Assembly Appropriations Committee hearing held on January 18, 2006.
Audiovisual materials have been separated to a cold-storage vault for preservation purposes. Separation sheets are placed in the bill files to alert researchers to the existence of these audiovisual materials.
2001-2002: AB18-AB2968 (LP497:1-33)
2003-2004: AB14-AB3090, AJR3 (LP497:34-60)
2005-2006: AB15-AB3069, AJR29, HR27-HR31, Proposed Legislation (LP497:61-115)
LP497:116-144

Series 2 Caucus and Committee Files 2001-2006

Physical Description: 29 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by name of caucus or committee.

Scope and Content Note

Caucus and Committee Files include correspondence, meeting notes, brainstorming documents, invitations, committee statements, newspaper clippings, presentations, and supporting materials assembled in the course of Horton's work as a member of various caucuses and committees. Of particular note are several files of materials from the Assembly Select Committee on Gang Violence and Juvenile Crimes, which Horton chaired during the 2003-2004 legislative session, as well as materials assembled during Horton's time on the California Legislative Black Caucus.
Assembly Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism, and Internet Media Committee, 2001-2006 (LP497:116-118)
Assembly Banking and Finance Committee, 2001-2006 (LP497:119-122)
Assembly Insurance Committee, 2001-2006 (LP497:123-128)
Assembly Select Committee on Gang Violence and Juvenile Crimes, 2003-2006 (LP497:129-137)
California Legislative Black Caucus, 2001-2006 (LP497:138-140)
California Legislative Women's Caucus, 2001-2006 (LP497:141)
Speaker's Commission on Police Conduct, 2001-2006 (LP497:142-144)
LP497:145-149

Series 3 Resolutions 2001-2005

Physical Description: 5 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by year.

Scope and Content Note

Resolutions are official notices issued by Assembly Member Horton to honor a particular organization, individual, or event of importance to his district or the state. These files include resolutions on the contributions of religious leaders, civil rights activists (such as Odessa B. Cox), veterans, politicians (such as U.S. Representative Julian Carey Dixon), fraternities, rotary clubs, and the 2005 celebration of Lunar New Year. Some resolutions have been issued jointly with the California Legislative Black Caucus. Files contain the text of the resolution itself, some biographical information used to write the resolutions, and correspondence from community members and organizations requesting specific resolutions.
Resolutions, 2001 (LP497:145)
Resolutions, 2002 (LP497:146-147)
Resolutions, 2005 (LP497:148-149)
LP497:150

Series 4 Press Releases 2005-2006

Physical Description: 1 file folder

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by date.

Scope and Content Note

Press releases are statements by Assembly Member Horton defining his stance on a topic or calling attention to an event or subject. They were often released in conjunction with the introduction, passage, or vetoing of legislation. Topics include announcements of events that Horton would be speaking at or hosting, legislation passing key committee votes, awards that Horton was to receive, joint statements with other state and local officials to oppose President Bush's No Child Left Behind education policy, and Governor Schwarzenegger's veto of AB1076 (2005-2006), which would have added the role of Filipinos in World War II to the high school social studies curriculum.