Moore (Gwen) Papers, 1979-1994

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Summary

Title:: Guide to the Gwen Moore Papers
Dates:: 1979-1994
Creators:: Moore, Gwen
Abstract:: Gwen Moore, Democrat, served in the California State Assembly from 1979 through 1994 representing the 49th assembly district until 1990, when the district was renumbered as the 47th. The Gwen Moore Papers consist of 35 cubic feet of textual records and audio/visual materials and cover the years 1979-1994.
Extent:: 35 cubic feet
Language:: Languages represented in the collection: English
Preferred citation:: [Identification of item], Gwen Moore Papers, LP442:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

Background

Scope and content:

The Gwen Moore Papers consist of 35 cubic feet of textual records and audio/visual materials and cover the years 1979-1994. The records are organized into the following record series: Bill Files, 1979-1994; Family Leave Files, 1983-1984; Weight Distance Files, 1983; Correspondence, 1991-1994; and Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee Files, 1984.

The Bill Files document Moore's legislative activity during her time as a member of the California State Assembly. As an Assembly Member, Moore introduced bills on many pressing issues in California, but it is her dedicated work in a few major fields of public policy that defines her tenure in the Assembly. As an advocate for children in California, Moore introduced eight major bills that extended unpaid family and parental leave for California workers up to four months: AB613 (1985-1986), AB368 and AB2738 (1987-1988), AB77 (1989-1990), AB77 and AB2477 (1991-1992), and AB1460 and AB3619 (1993-1994). These bills were all variations of legislation that would allow family members to take time off to care for a newborn or newly adopted child, or for a seriously ill child, parent or grandparent, or elderly spouse. In addition to the Bill Files, Family Leave Files also include reports, memoranda, employer policies and surveys regarding these issues. Family Leave Files pertain to the overall public policy issue instead of the nuances of each specific bill, but generally cover past and present family leave laws, both in California and in other states. Family Leave Files also cover topics such as cost analysis and effects on business and specific studies and projects done by Californian interest groups.

In addition to advocating for longer unpaid family leave, Moore created legislation to benefit families and children such as AB1574 and AB1575 (1979-1980) changing a previous law that held that the child's natural parents must give consent before giving them up for adoption; AB2384 (1981-1982) or the Priorities in Placement of Children in Foster Care and Adoptions and Redesign of the Adoption Assistance Program, providing that ethnic background and religious preference be used as a criterion when placing a child in foster care or for adoption; AB3326 (1985-1986) which would shift the burden of proof from the female to the male when he takes a genetic paternity test and continues to deny paternity. Another of Moore's primary political causes was suspending tax incentives and benefits for private clubs that discriminated against women. AB3011 (1981-1982) suspended liquor licenses to clubs that denied membership based on race and gender; AB184 (1983-1984), AB239 and AB2239 (1987-1988) disallowed deductions for expenses at clubs which discriminate based on sex or race. Other Bill Files that cover private club discrimination are AB1159, AB1160, AB1161, and AB2655 (1981-1982).

From early in her career in the Assembly, Moore focused on weight distance and transportation issues within the trucking industry. Of particular interest to Moore was taxation regarding weight distance and cost allocation. Her work in this area incited the opposition of the large trucking industry in California. Additionally, Moore took part in a series of meetings regarding nuclear decommissioning and Pullman Power Products in Diablo Canyon; the corresponding documents are included in the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee Files from 1984.

One of Moore's main legislative accomplishments is AB1348 (1983-1984), also known as the Moore Universal Service Telephone Act which required the Commission to establish a program to provide low-income households with access to affordable basic residential telephone service.

Biographical / historical:

Gwen Moore, Democrat, served in the California State Assembly from 1979 through 1994 representing the 49th assembly district until 1990, when the district was renumbered as the 47th. Her district extended from the coast of Los Angeles County to the Wilshire District and covered Playa Del Rey and Westchester in Los Angeles, Ladera Heights, Marina Del Rey and Rancho Park. Moore was born in Los Angeles and graduated from California State University, Los Angeles. She received a teaching credential from the University of California, Los Angeles and served as a Los Angeles County deputy probation officer, an administrator in the Manpower and Development Training Program, and director of public affairs for the Los Angeles Community Action Agency. In 1975, she began her political career after being elected to the board of the Los Angeles Community College District. In 1978, she successfully ran for Assembly in the 49th district.

During her time in the Assembly, Moore's legislative interests were varied; however, she focused her efforts on bills related to Parental and Family Leave, adoption, private club discrimination, public utilities and telecommunications, and weight distance and transportation. She gained national prominence in 1983 for authoring the Moore Universal Telephone Service Act, also known as the Moore Act. The act secured the availability of telephone service to all Californians and is regularly reevaluated and formatted to fit the current telecommunication trends and forecasts. Moore's national reputation was also augmented by her service as Chair of the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee. She has testified before Congress regarding telecommunications, utilities, transportation, and business issues. From 1986-1988, Moore was targeted in an FBI sting operation when she agreed to carry two bills (AB3773 and AB4203) that were written by undercover agents in exchange for $10,500 in illegal campaign contributions. Moore was acquitted in 1990 because of a lack of evidence, but her former legislative aide, Tyrone Netters, was charged and convicted on counts of extortion, conspiracy, racketeering, money laundering, and income tax evasion. Moore was elected to be the Democratic Majority Whip in 1989 following the scandal, a move the party made to let Californians know they still had confidence in Moore.

Moore finished her tenure with the California State Assembly in 1994. The same year, she ran for Secretary of State and lost. After leaving the State Capitol, Moore founded a legislative consulting company called CeM Communications Group out of Los Angeles, where she works as the chief consultant for clients regarding public utilities and telecommunications issues and helps develop and implement public affairs and legislative strategies and community outreach programs. Moore also founded the Community Education Organization, a non-profit that offers after school programs in Los Angeles. In 2007, Moore was appointed to the State Bar Board of Governors.

During her term in the California Legislature, Moore served on the following committees according to the California Legislature at Sacramento (Handbooks) and the California Blue Book:

Standing Committees

Revenue and Taxation, 1979-1984

Housing and Community Development, 1979-1980

Human Resources, 1979-1980

Criminal Justice, 1981-1982

Public Employees and Retirement, 1981-1982

Human Services, 1981-1982

Utilities and Commerce, Chair, 1983-1994

Criminal Law and Public Safety, 1983-1984

Labor and Employment, 1983-1994

Transportation, 1983-1984

Consumer Protection, 1985-1986

Finance and Insurance, 1985-1994

Public Safety, 1985-1986

Health, 1987-1990

Public Employee Retirement and Social Security, 1987-1988

Governmental Efficiency and Consumer Protection, 1989-1990

Local Government, 1989-1990

Education, 1991-1994

Consumer Protection, Governmental Efficiency and Economic Development, 1991-1992

Governmental Organization, 1991-1994

Insurance, 1991-1994

Televising the Assembly, 1991-1994

Higher Education, 1993-1994

Select Committees

Select Committee on Utility Performance, Rates and Regulation, 1983-1984

Special Committees

Special Committee on Community Colleges, 1983-1984

Task Force on Defense Conversion, 1993-1994

Accruals:

No further accruals are expected.

Physical location:

California State Archives

Rules or conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:: Parental Leave
Telecommunication

About this collection guide

Date Encoded:: Machine-readable finding aid created by Sarah Starke. Machine-readable finding aid derived from MS Word. Date of source: January 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], Gwen Moore Papers, LP442:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

Location of this collection:: California State Archives

1020 "O" Street

Sacramento, CA 95814, US