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Inventory of the Tony Cardenas Papers
LP460  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Descriptive Summary
  • Administrative Information
  • Biography
  • California State Assembly, 1997-2002
  • Scope and Content
  • Accruals
  • Indexing Terms

  • Descriptive Summary

    Title: Tony Cardenas Papers
    Dates: 1997-2002
    Collection number: LP460
    Creator: Tony Cardenas, California Legislator
    Collection Size: 7 cubic feet
    Repository: California State Archives
    Sacramento, California
    Abstract: Tony Cardenas, Democrat, served in the California State Assembly from 1997 to 2002. He was elected to the California State Assembly in 1997 and became the first Latino state legislator from the San Fernando Valley. The Tony Cardenas papers consist of 7 cubic feet of textual records 1997-2002. The records are organized into two series: Bill Files, 1997-2002, and Juvenile Justice Files, 2000-2002.
    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], Tony Cardenas papers, LP460:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

    Acquisition and Custodial History

    California State Archives acquired the Tony Cardenas papers following the end of his third term in the State Assembly (Accession Number: 2002-286).

    Biography

    Tony Cardenas, Democrat, served in the California State Assembly from 1997 to 2002. He was elected to the California State Assembly in 1997 and became the first Latino state legislator from the San Fernando Valley.
    During his Assembly term he represented the 39th Assembly District, encompassed most of the San Fernando Valley and the Los Angeles cities of Panorama City, Pacoima, Sepulveda, and Sylmar. After his term ended, Cardenas served as a City Councilmember for Los Angeles' Second District from 2003 to 2013, before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in January 2013.
    Cardenas was born on March 31, 1963, in Pacoima, California. The youngest of 11 children of a migrant farm worker, Cardenas graduated from University of California, Santa Barbara with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. After college, Cardenas worked as an engineering specialist for Hewlett-Packard and later as a real estate agent. Before he was elected to the California State Assembly, Cardenas was active in the City of Los Angeles Business Advisory Committee, the San Fernando Association of Realtors, and the Coalition against the Keystone XL Pipeline. At the local level, he served as president and partner of Our Community Real Estate Company in Pacoima, and as commissioner for the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument. Cardenas and his wife, Norma, have three children.
    As a state legislator, Cardenas' legislative interests were varied and included juvenile justice, education reform, postsecondary education and healthcare. He also authored numerous bills related to public safety, business growth, property laws, and Native American issues.
    During his term in the California Legislature, Cardenas served on the following committees according to the California Legislature at Sacramento (Handbooks), Assembly Final History, and Pocket Directory of the California Legislature:

    California State Assembly, 1997-2002

    • Standing Committees
    • Appropriations, 1997-1998
    • Banking and Finance, 1999-2000
    • Budget, 1997-2002
    • *Chair, 1999-2000
    • Business and Professions, 2001-2002
    • Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments, 1999-2002
    • Governmental Organization, 1997-2002
    • Natural Resources, 1997-1998
    • Transportation, 1997-1998
    • Utilities and Commerce, 1997-2002
    • Subcommittees
    • Information Technology/Transportation (Budget, No. 5), 1997-1998, 2001-2002
    • *Chair, 1997-1998, 2001-2002
    • Resources (Budget, No. 3), 1999-2000
    • Select Committees
    • Aerospace, 1997-1998
    • California Indian Nations, 2001-2002
    • *Chair, 2001-2002
    • Indian Gaming, 1997-2000
    • *Chair, 1997-2000
    • Juvenile Justice, 2001-2002
    • *Chair, 2001-2002
    • Joint Committees
    • Legislative Budget, 1997-2000

    Scope and Content

    The Tony Cardenas papers consist of 7 cubic feet of textual records 1997-2002. The records are organized into two series: Bill Files, 1997-2002, and Juvenile Justice Files, 2000-2002.
    The Bill files are the bulk of the collection and a strong source of information about his legislative interests. Within this series, recurring topics include: public safety, (AB2674, 1997-1998; AB1913, 1999-2000), education reform (AB1453, 1997-1998; AB801, 1999-2000), business growth (AB83, 2000-2001; AB777, 1999-2000), and child protection issues (AB1730, 1999-2000).
    The Juvenile Justice files focus on the implementation of AB1913 (1999-2000), also known as the Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act of 2000. Notable subjects relate to statewide implementation of the Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act, juvenile crime research materials, and youth crime data statistics.

    Accruals

    No further accruals are expected.

    Indexing Terms

    The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
    Cardenas, Tony
    Public safety
    Education
    Child welfare--California
    Juvenile corrections--California