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Title: Guide to the Gwen Moore Papers
Dates: 1979-1994
Collection number: LP442
Creator:
Moore, Gwen
Collection Size:
35 cubic feet
Repository:
California State Archives
Sacramento, California
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.
Physical location: California State Archives
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
While the majority of the records are open for research, any access restrictions are noted in the record series descriptions.
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.
[Identification of item], Gwen Moore Papers, LP442:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of
State, Sacramento, California.
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
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.
No further accruals are expected.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Parental Leave
Telecommunication