Jump to Content

Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Inventory of the William P. (Bill) Campbell Papers
LP175:134-166, LP195:124-170, LP332:1-357  
View entire collection guide What's This?
Search this collection
Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Descriptive Summary
  • Administrative Information
  • Biography
  • California State Assembly, 1967-1972; 1975-1976
  • Scope and Content
  • Indexing Terms

  • Descriptive Summary

    Title: William P. (Bill) Campbell Papers
    Dates: 1967-1989
    Collection number: LP175:134-166, LP195:124-170, LP332:1-357
    Creator: William P. Campbell, California Legislator
    Collection Size: 19 cubic feet
    Repository: California State Archives
    Sacramento, California
    Abstract: William P. (Bill) Campbell, Republican, was a State Assembly Member, 1967-1972 and 1975-1976, and a State Senator, 1977-1989. The William P. Campbell Papers consist of 19 cubic feet of records reflecting his activities during his time in the legislature. Campbell's main interests were in lowering taxes and state spending, and in "sunset" legislation.
    Physical location: California State Archives
    Languages: Languages represented in the collection: English

    Administrative Information

    Access

    Collection is open for research.

    Publication Rights

    For permission to reproduce or publish, please consult California State Archives staff. Permission for reproduction or publication is given on behalf of the California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility for possible infringement that may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives' collections.

    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item], William P. Campbell Papers, LP[number]:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

    Acquisition and Custodial History

    The California State Archives received the William P. Campbell Papers over a number of years and archives staff arranged them at various times. Therefore, the physical arrangement of the records does not necessarily follow the inventory's order.

    Biography

    William P. (Bill) Campbell, Republican, was a State Assembly Member, 1967-1972 and 1975-1976, and a State Senator, 1977-1989. He represented cities within Los Angeles County in the 50th Assembly District and, after his reelection, in the 64th Assembly District. He continued to represent communities in Los Angeles County in the 33rd Senate District. After 1985 reapportionment, he represented parts of Los Angeles and Orange Counties in the 31st Senate District.
    Campbell was born in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania in 1935. He attended Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania and Columbia University in New York and served in the 101st Airborne Division of the US Army. Before entering politics he made his living as a school administrator. Campbell married Margene Taylor with whom he had three daughters: Kimberly Ann, Michelle Lynn, and Stephanie Jo.
    In addition to politics, Bill Campbell was also a member of the American Cancer Society, a Kiwanis member, and a La Puente-Industry Chamber of Commerce member. He was a charter member of the Southern California Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association and Chair of the Board of Directors La Puente-City of Industry United Way.
    Bill Campbell initially ran for a seat in the State Assembly in 1964 but was not elected until his second attempt in 1966. He served in the Assembly through 1972 when he resigned to run for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Unsuccessful in his bid and without an Assembly seat to return to, he worked first as an executive with prepaid health plan firms and then as a lobbyist. He returned to the Assembly (although in a different district) in the 1974 election and served through 1976 when he was elected to the Senate. He was the first freshman Senator to be elected to the Senate Rules Committee since 1939 and served as Senate Minority Floor Leader, 1978-1983. Campbell's main interests were in lowering taxes and state spending, and in "sunset" legislation. He also ran an unsuccessful campaign for State Controller in 1986. According to the California Legislature at Sacramento (Handbooks), Campbell served on the following committees:

    California State Assembly, 1967-1972; 1975-1976

    • Standing Committees
    • Commerce and Public Utilities, 1971-1972
    • Education, 1967-1970; 1975-1976
    • Finance and Insurance, 1971-1972
    • Governmental Organization, 1970-1972; 1975-1976
    • Health, 1971-1972
    • *Chair, 1971-1972
    • Health and Welfare, 1969-1970
    • Housing and Community Development, 1975-1976
    • Municipal and County Government, 1967-1968
    • Public Utilities and Corporations, 1967-1968
    • Urban Affairs and Housing, 1969
    • *Vice Chair, 1969
    • Utilities and Commerce, 1993-1994
    • Ways and Means, 1993-1994
    • Subcommittees
    • Medi-Cal, 1971
    • Select Committees
    • Fire Services, 1976
    • *Chair, 1976
    • Health Manpower, 1972
    • Joint Committees
    • Higher Education, 1970
    • *Chair, 1970
    • Special Committees
    • Subcommittee on Bilingual-Bicultural Education Programs, 1976

    California State Senate, 1977-1989

    • Standing Committees
    • Appropriations, 1985-1989
    • Bonded Indebtedness and Methods of Financing, 1989
    • Education, 1977-1980
    • *Vice Chair, 1977-1978
    • Elections and Reapportionment, 1980-1982
    • Finance, 1979-1984
    • Governmental Organization, 1977-1989
    • *Vice Chair, 1981-1989
    • Health and Human Services, 1985-1989
    • Health and Welfare, 1977-1984
    • Industrial Relations, 1987-1989
    • *Vice Chair, 1987-1989
    • Local Government, 1985-1986
    • Rules, 1977-1978
    • Select Committees
    • Business Development, 1984-1989
    • *Chair, 1984-1989
    • Fire Services, 1979-1981
    • *Chair, 1980-1981
    • Fish and Game Wildlife, 1980
    • Nutritional and Environmental Influences Upon Human Health, 1982-1984
    • Public Transportation Problems in L.A., 1980
    • Joint Committees
    • Fire, Police, Emergency and Disaster Services, 1982-1989
    • *Chair, 1982-1989
    • Legislative Budget, 1982; 1984-1989
    • *Chair, 1987-1989
    Senator Campbell resigned from the legislature on December 15, 1989 to assume the presidency of the California Manufacturers Association (CMA), a lobbying and trade group. He retired from the CMA in 1998.

    Scope and Content

    The William P. Campbell Papers consist of 19 cubic feet of records reflecting Campbell's activities during his time as both an Assembly Member and a Senator. The records contain Assembly and Senate bill files, 1975-1989; subject files, 1967-1989; correspondence, 1975-1989; newsletters, 1968-1988; press releases, 1975-1980; opinions, 1975-1989; proposed legislation, 1979-1989; and resolutions, 1979-1989.
    The bill files in the collection document Campbell's activity during the latter period of his service in the California State Legislature (bill files for 1967-1972 were not transferred to the Archives). Bills introduced by Campbell cover a wide array of subjects including tax cuts, election reform, and freedom of choice in medical treatment. Subject files include background information for possible legislation and focus on such topics as state-agency oversight ("sunset" legislation), education, and the Peripheral Canal. Newsletters and press releases give a snapshot view of constituents' issues, highlight Campbell's concerns, and document his efforts to address such issues. Opinions are from either the Attorney General or Legislative Counsel in response to Campbell's queries on behalf of constituents or his own contemplated legislation. These files, together with the proposed legislation files, clearly illustrate the foundations of the legislative process. Resolutions, authored or co-authored by Campbell, honor individuals for commendable service or commemorate events or individuals and can be a source of genealogical information.

    Indexing Terms

    The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
    Campbell, William P.
    Elections California
    Taxation