Inventory of the Wesley Chesbro Papers

Processed by Gayle O’Hara
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/
© 2016
California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.

Inventory of the Wesley Chesbro Papers

Collection number: LP473

California State Archives

Office of the Secretary of State

Sacramento, California
Processed by:
Gayle O’Hara
Date Completed:
July 2016
Encoded by:
Paul Rendes
© 2016 California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.

Descriptive Summary

Title: Wesley Chesbro Papers
Dates: 1999-2014
Collection number: LP473
Creator: Wesley Chesbro, California Legislator
Collection Size: 9.5 cubic feet
Repository: California State Archives
Sacramento, California
Abstract: Wesley Chesbro was a State Senator from 1998-2006 and a member of the State Assembly from 2008-2014. The Wesley Chesbro Papers consist of three series: Bill Files, 1999 to 2006 and 2009-2014, Office Files, 1999-2014, and Speeches Files, 2009-2013. The records document his legislative activity during his term as a member of the California State Legislature.
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], Wesley Chesbro papers, LP473:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

Acquisition and Custodial History

California State Archives acquired the Wesley Chesbro papers, in a series of seven transfers, beginning in 2003 (Accession Numbers: 2003-043, 2003-062, 2005-016, 2005-035, 2006-071, 2006-256, 2015-031).

Biography

Wesley Chesbro, Democrat, was a State Senator from 1998 to 2006, and a State Assembly Member from 2008 to 2014. As a State Senator, his 2nd District included Eureka, Santa Rosa, Napa, Ukiah and Vallejo in the counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Lake, Napa, Sonoma and Solano. As a State Assembly Member, his 1st District included Arcata, Crescent City, Eureka, Santa Rosa and Ukiah in Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma (partial) and Trinity counties. Following redistricting after the 2010 census, he represented the 2nd Assembly District which included Arcata, Crescent City, Eureka, Garberville, Santa Rosa and Ukiah within Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Sonoma (partial) and Trinity counties.
Wesley Chesbro was born in Glendale, California, on August 20, 1951. He attended Humboldt State University from 1969 to 1973. He did not complete his degree at that time due to becoming heavily involved in various endeavors with the local community. He co-founded the North Coast’s first recycling center in 1971, as well as the North Coast Environmental Center in that same year. Chesbro was the first Executive Director of both organizations. In addition, he was elected to the Arcata City Council from 1974 to 1980. He served as a Humboldt County Supervisor from 1980 to 1990. Chesbro later returned to college and received his bachelor’s degree in organizational behavior in 1996 from the University of San Francisco. He is married with two sons.
In 1990, Chesbro was appointed to the California State Integrated Waste Management Board with the goal of assisting the state in reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills, and increasing use of recycled materials. He served on the board from 1990 to 1998 and again from 2006 to 2008.
Wesley Chesbro was elected to the State Senate in 1998 and continued there until he was termed out in 2006. He was then elected to the State Assembly in 2008 and continued his service there until he reached his term limit in 2014. His districts were predominantly rural. Timber and livestock as well as tourism and the wine industry were major economic factors in the districts.
Wesley Chesbro retired after his final term in the State Assembly.

Chronology

1951 Born in Glendale, California
1998 Elected to California State Senate
1999 Began term in the State Senate representing the 2nd District
1999-2000 Chair of Revenue and Taxation Committee
1999-2006 Chair of Select Committee on California’s Wine Industry, Chair of Select Committee on Developmental Disabilities and Mental Health
2000 Co-Chair of Joint Committee on Mental Health Reform
2003-2006 Chair of Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review
2006 Ended term in State Senate
2008 Elected to California State Assembly
2009 Began term in the State Assembly representing the 1st District
2009-2010 Chair of Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee
2009-2014 Chair of Select Committee on Disabilities
2011-2014 Chair of Natural Resources Committee, Chair of Select Committee on Wine, Chair of Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture
2013 After redistricting, began term representing the 2nd Assembly District
2014 Ended term in State Assembly

Scope and Content

The Wesley Chesbro papers consist of 9.5 cubic feet of textual and audiovisual records reflecting Chesbro’s activities during his time as a State Senator from 1998 until 2006, and then as an Assembly Member from 2008 until 2014. The collection is organized into the following record series: Bill Files, 1999-2006 and 2009-2014; Office Files, 1999-2014; and Speeches Files, 2009-2013. The Bill Files document his legislative activity during his term as a member of the California State Legislature. The bills introduced by Wesley Chesbro include a wide array of subjects. He authored bills concerning environmental issues, mental health, services to the developmentally and physically disabled, elder care, rural healthcare, Native American tribal concerns, and the beer and wine industries. Office Files relate to his legacy as a member of the Legislature as well as to support grants for historic sites in his districts. Office Files also concern recognition of the contributions of “Peanuts” creator Charles M. Schulz and his wife Jean, who lived in Chesbro’s district; and press photographs from the Democratic Party's response to the Governor’s 2006 Budget. Speeches Files include speeches he gave covering topics such as education, the environment, disabilities, natural resources, and transportation.

Accruals

No further accruals are expected.

Related Material at the California State Archives

State Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee records
Integrated Waste Management Board records

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Chesbro, Wesley
Mental health facilities
Conservation of natural resources-California
Historic sites-Conservation and restoration-California
Transportation-California


LP473:1-186

Series 1 Bill Files 1999-2006, 2009-2014

Physical Description: 186 file folders, 3 video discs

Arrangement

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

Access Information

Certain records in file folder LP473:17 are restricted under California Government Code, section 7927.700 (formerly Government Code, 6254(c)).
Access to audiovisual materials requires the production of use copies.

Scope and Content Note

Bill files created by Wesley Chesbro may include bill analyses, amendments, resolutions, author statements, testimonies, press releases, editorials and newspaper clippings, correspondence, committee statements, and other information. Bills of note include SB130 (2003-2004), which concerned the use of seclusion and restraints in psychiatric and other care facilities; SB1148 (2001-2002) and SB258 (2005-2006), which recognized those who lived and died in state institutions and sought to establish proper burial for them; and SB962 (2005-2006) and AB1041 (2011-2012), which provided frameworks for increased independence for those with developmental disabilities. Bill Files pertinent to the preserving of the environment, reducing waste and increasing recycling include SB1832 (1999-2000), SB908 (2001-2002), SB515 (1999-2000) and AB341 (2011-2012).
1999-2000: SB2-SB2041, SCR20, SCR82 (42ff) LP473:1-42
2001-2002: SB12-SB1899, SCR6-SCR100, SR31, SB1X_22 (41ff) LP473:43-83
2003-2004: SB105-SB1842, SCR 40, AB1761 (26ff) LP473:84-109
2005-2006: SB153-SB1755, SCR19-SCR115, SJR23 (37ff) LP473:110-146
2009-2010: AB74-AB2608 (12ff) LP473:147-158
2011-2012: AB66-AB2474, ACR76, ACR118, AJR11 (14ff) LP473:159-172
2013-2014: AB261-AB2592, ACR15-ACR159, AJR43 (14ff) LP473:173-186
LP473:187-190

Series 2 Office Files 1999-2014

Physical Description: 4 file folders, 1 video disc

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Access Information

Access to audiovisual material requires the production of use copies.

Scope and Content Note

Office Files related to support for historic sites include letters written or co-written by Chesbro to the California Cultural and Historical Endowment (CCHE) on behalf of various stakeholders in his districts seeking to preserve and restore cultural heritage sites, as well as letters to the federal government seeking funds. Office Files related to Chesbro's legacy project include bills authored by Chesbro that were successfully chaptered into law, with brief summaries of their purpose. There is also a video disc with press photographs from the Democratic Party's response to the Governor's 2006 Budget, and a Joint Rules Committee Resolution and other documentation honoring "Peanuts" illustrator Charles M. Schulz and his wife, Jean.
LP473:191-201

Series 3 Speeches Files 2009-2013

Physical Description: 11 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by subject title.

Scope and Content Note

The Speeches Files include such topics as education, the environment, mental health and disabilities, and natural resources. See Appendix A in Additional Series Information for a complete listing of subject titles.

Additional Series Information