Series Descriptions

Physical Description: 213 file folders

Bill files are arranged chronologically by legislative session and numerically by bill number.

Paul Carpenter's bill files may contain bill analyses, amendments and resolutions, author's statements, testimony, press releases, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and committee statements. Senate Democratic Caucus bill analyses appear in his bill files, showing that party's policy approach. Three files folders contain Legislative Council opinions covering 1977 to 1980. The bill files from these legislative sessions were processed under a separate LP number. Although Carpenter maintained many interests, he focused on local issues in Orange County, the environment, business, education, healthcare, and crime. SB618 (Chapter 756, Statutes of 1981) established the superfund in California as a response to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-510). This bill created a trust of public funds to pay for hazardous waste clean up. Carpenter's SB649 (Chapter 1184, Statutes of 1985) mandated recycling the waste generated by superfund sites. He wanted to mandate revising the Hazardous Material California Assessment Manual and create a Hazardous Waste Scientific Advisory Board with SB1777 (1981-1982) but the bill died in the Assembly. Governor Deukmejian vetoed SB1557 (1985-1986), a bill to implement a hazardous waste education program. He introduced SB660 (1983-1984) in order to continue funding a toxic-waste-storage-drum recycling plan, which Governor Deukmejian also vetoed. In the 1985-1986 session, he fought to pass SB1486 to provide limited liability immunity to hazardous waste managers, a "channeled liability" according to Carpenter.

Further environmental legislation focused on local issues. Carpenter sought to allow local government and landowners in Orange County to petition the Department of Fish and Game, with input from the State Coastal Conservancy, to prepare habitat conservation plans for the Bolsa Chica Wetlands near Huntington Beach with SB429 (Chapter 1203, Statutes of 1983).

Business oriented legislation includes the following. He was the principle author of SB575 (Chapter 814, Statutes of 1981), along with thirty-one fellow legislators from both parties. The bill required government entities to compensate small businesses for court costs in failed regulation lawsuits. He created standard procedures for evicting residents unknown to the property owner under unlawful detainer procedures with SB2076 (Chapter 1220, Statutes of 1986). SB 1235 (Chapter 1528, Statutes of 1984) typified Carpenter's interest in mobile homes. The bill redefined the term "salesperson" for laws regulating mobile homes and commercial coach sales to include persons selling manufactured homes while authorizing sales persons to negotiate leases and sales.

Carpenter claimed he wanted to place "greater emphasis on the use of private sector mental health services" with the Short-Doyle Program with SB871 (1981-1982) but the bill failed in committee. Similarly, SB1774 (1981-1982) would have mandated hospitals bid for Medi-Cal funds in the private sector if the bill had passed the Senate.

In his furthering concern for education, Carpenter authored SB1714 (1983-1984), which would have created the California Academic Advancement Fund to match private funds put towards community colleges with public funds. Governor Deukmejian vetoed the bill. In SB1923 (Chapter 1255, Statutes of 1984), he increased regulation of private-post-secondary education institutions seeking "approved" status from the Superintendent of Public Instruction under the aegis of ceasing diploma mills. Following the passage of Proposition 37 in 1984, many school districts became concerned over local control of the lottery funds. In the 1985-1986 session, he introduced SB374 (Chapter 1052, Statutes of 1985) with popular support to allow school districts to control lottery fund usage.

Other notable legislation authored by Carpenter includes SB12 (1985-1986) mandating seatbelt use, which died in the Senate Transportation Committee. SB653 (1983-1984) to would have implemented a Democratic Party delegate selection plan although it failed in the Assembly. With SB459 (Chapter 722, Statutes of 1981), Carpenter added an "equal pay for equal work" provision to public employment, which included aspects drawn from AB129 (Lockyer, 1981-1982). The provision requires gender pay equality across different jobs.

1977-1978: SB71-SB2224, SCA11, SCR11, SCR54, SJR13 (LP211:211-238).

1977-1980: Legislative Counsel Opinions (LP408:166-169).

1979-1980: SB43-SB906 (LP211:239-248).

1979-1980: SB944-SB1998, SCA4, SCA25, SCR11, SJR4- SJR35, SCR36 (LP212:1-14).

1981-1982: Preprint SB3-Preprint SB13, SB10-SB2057, SCA4-SCA36, SCR43-SCR89, SJR10-SJR65, Legislative Counsel Opinions (LP408:1-52).

1983-1984: SB72-SB2227, SCR1-SCR1, SJR49, SR16-SR36, SB15X, Legislative Counsel Opinions (LP408:53-113).

1985-1986: Preprint SB6, SB12-SB2616, SCR14-SCR91, SR36-SR37 (LP408:114-165).

Physical Description: 65 file folders

Correspondences are arranged alphabetically by subject and then alphabetically by last name.

Correspondence contains letters, newspaper clippings, memoranda, and reports. Subjects include the budget, crime, education, energy, hazardous waste, insurance, religions and cults, senior citizens, and state agencies. The series relates to Carpenter's legislation.

Physical Description: 12 file folders

Subject Files are arranged alphabetically by subject.

Subject files are primarily correspondence on specific topics. Subject files include Jane Fonda, Proposition 13, Jarvis-Gann, and SB1270 (1979-1980) correspondence. The subjects did not correlate to specific legislation by Senator Carpenter. SB1270 from the 1979 to 1980 session is the exception. The support and oppose correspondence is found in this series while the actual bill can be found in LP212.