Assembly Human Services Committee Records, 1976-2006

Summary

Title:

California State Assembly Human Services Committee Records

Dates:

1976-2006

Creators:

Assembly Human Services Committee

Abstract:

The Assembly Human Resources Committee and the Human Services Committee Records consist of 31 cubic feet of textual records and audiovisual materials reflecting the activity of the committee in overseeing legislation and other matters pertaining to public and social services in California. The records cover the years 1976-2006 and are organized into the following series: Bill Files, Hearing Files, and Welfare Reform Deliberation Files. There are multiple files dealing with the welfare reform deliberations that took place in 1997.

Extent:

31 cubic feet

Language:

Languages represented in the collection: English

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], [Committee Name] Records, LP[number]:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

Background

Scope and content:

The Assembly Human Resources Committee and the Human Services Committee Records consist of 31 cubic feet of textual records and audiovisual materials reflecting the activity of the committee in overseeing legislation and other matters pertaining to public and social services in California. The records cover the years 1976-2006 and are organized into the following series: Bill Files, Hearing Files, and Welfare Reform Deliberation Files. There are multiple files dealing with the welfare reform deliberations that took place in 1997. It is anticipated that the Archives will receive further records from the Assembly Human Services Committee. Researchers should ask a reference archivist about recently received, unprocessed records of the committee.

The majority of files pertain to welfare services. While many files focus on aid to children including services from oral health to general requirements for child-care, there are also a significant amount of bills dealing with aid to adults too. Another significant amount of bills pertained to services for the elderly. The Assembly Human Services Committee reviewed bills ranging in topics from Community Care Facilities to In-Home Support Services. Aids in all its various forms were the focus of the majority of the bills reviewed by the committee.

The aid to adults is what generally sparked the most controversy, as welfare seemed to be a key topic during the reform period of 1995-1998. In order to comply with new federal limitations put in place by the federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, the Assembly Human Services Committee held numerous hearings, often joined by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and spent over a year compiling information on how to best reform the system.

Biographical / historical:

The Assembly Rules Committee created the Assembly Human Resources Committee by way of House Resolution Number 208 on August 31, 1974. On January 12, 1981 the name of the committee changed from Human Resources to Human Services through House Resolution Number 9. The committee reviewed bills concerning various public services including all aspects of welfare distribution which encompassed programs like Assistance to Families with Dependent Children (later renamed Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) and In-Home Support Services.

The committee membership fluctuated between six and ten members throughout the course of its existence under both Human Resources and Human Services. Assemblyman Kenneth Maddy (Rep.) was the first Human Resources chair from 1975-1976. He was replaced by Assemblywoman Teresa Hughes (Dem.) who served as chair from 1977-1978. Serving as the final chair for the Human Resources Committee from 1979-1980 was Assemblyman Richard Alatorre (Dem.). During the 1981-1982 legislative term, the Human Resources Committee became known as the Human Services Committee and the first chair was Assemblyman Bill Lockyer (Dem.). Assemblyman Tom Bates (Dem.) then became chair of the committee, serving from 1983 until 1994. Assemblyman Tom Bordonaro (Rep.) then took over as chair from 1995-1996, but was replaced by Assemblywoman Dion Aroner (Dem.) who chaired the committee from 1997 until 2002. From 2003-2004, Assemblywoman Lois Wolk (Dem.) chaired the committee and was followed by Assemblywoman Noreen Evans (Dem.) who served as chair from 2005-2006.

The Assembly Human Services Committee considered many bills that drew significant public interest because of their focus on welfare services. During the 1995-1996 session, the committee saw several bills on Assistance to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). These bills dealt with eligibility guidelines as well as funding and how much should be granted to the program from the general fund. The major bill regarding welfare came in the fourth extraordinary session of 1996. The bill (AB1XXXX) discussed reductions to AFDC as well as Supplementary Income/State Supplementary Payments (SSI/SSP), Habilitation Programs and Regional Centers.

Acquisition information:

The State Archives received these records in accordance with California Government Code 9080(b) which requires legislative committees to transfer their records to the State Archives when they are no longer needed by the committee.

Accruals:

Further accruals are expected.

Physical location:

California State Archives

Rules or conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Related resources

Related material:

Kenneth Maddy Papers

Teresa Hughes Papers

Richard Alatorre Papers

Bill Lockyer Papers

Tom Bates Papers

Tom Bordonaro Papers

Dion Aroner Papers

Senate Health and Human Services Committee Records

Senate Industrial Relations Committee Records

Oral Histories

Tom Bates, oral history interview conducted 2001-2002 by Leah McGarrigle, Regional Oral History Office, University of California Berkeley, for the California State Archives State Government Oral History Program.

Kenneth Maddy, oral history interview conducted 1999 by Donald B. Seney, Center for California Studies, California State University Sacramento, for the California State Archives State Government Oral History Program.

Indexed terms

Subjects:

Public welfare - California
Developmentally disabled Care

Names:

Social welfare - California

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:

Processed by Michelle Voelker

Date Prepared:

© 2009

Date Encoded:

Machine-readable finding aid created by Michelle Voelker. Machine-readable finding aid derived from MS Word. Date of source: 1 October 2009.

Restrictions:

While the majority of the records are open for research, any access restrictions will be 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], [Committee Name] Records, LP[number]:[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

Contact:

(916) 653-2246

reference@sos.ca.gov

Website