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Title: Richard Katz Papers
Dates: 1980-1996
Collection number: LP392
Creator:
Richard Katz, California Legislator
Collection Size:
29 cubic feet of textual records, and 2 boxes of audio/visual materials containing 14 videocassettes and 36 audio cassetes
Repository:
California State Archives
Sacramento, California
Abstract: Richard Katz was first elected to represent the 39th Assembly district in 1980, and served until 1996, when he termed out
of office. The Richard Katz Papers consist of 29 cubic feet of textual records and 2 boxes of audio/visual records reflecting
Katz's legislative activities during his 16-year career in the State Assembly.
Physical location: California State Archives
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
While the majority of the records are open for research, any access restrictions are noted in the record series descriptions.
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.
[Identification of item], Richard Katz Papers, LP392:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of
State, Sacramento, California.
Acquisition and Custodial History
The California State Archives acquired the Richard Katz Papers following his final term in the State Legislature.
Democratic Assembly Member Richard Katz was born in Los Angeles on August 16, 1950. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Political
Science from California State University, San Diego. Katz established a graphic art and printing business in 1975. During
the mid-1970s, Katz was active in the Santa Monica Democratic Club (among several other business and community organizations).
Katz was a volunteer aide to San Francisco Mayor George Mascone during his 1973 gubernatorial campaign. In what was considered
a "Republican landslide year" (Who's Who, 1981), the voters of the 39th Assembly District elected Katz on November 4, 1980,
with 50% of the vote, defeating the one-term Republican incumbent.
Katz's sixteen consecutive years in the Assembly indicate that communities such as Pacoima, Sepulveda, San Fernando, and Panorama
City (municipalities included in the 39th District varied over the years) felt well represented by Katz. Katz held the post
of Assembly Democratic Minority Floor Leader in 1996. His legislative interests include hazardous waste, public health, law
enforcement, traffic management, and small business and consumer protection. Assembly Member Pringle introduced House Resolution
76 on August 5, 1996, commending the Honorable Richard Katz for his "exemplary service."
Unable to stay in office due to term limit laws, Katz returned home to Sylmar in 1996 with his wife, Gini Barrett, and their
numerous pets. Katz was later appointed by Governor Gray Davis to the California State Water Resources Control Board (2001-2006).
According to the California Legislature at Sacramento (Handbooks) and the Assembly Final History, Katz served on the following
committees:
- Standing Committees
- Aging and Long-Term Care, 1985
- Consumer Protection and Toxic Materials, 1981-1982
- Economic Development and New Technologies
- *Vice-Chair, 1983-1984
- Economic Development and Planning
- *Vice-Chair, 1981-1982
- Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments, 1991-1992
- Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials, 1985-1992
- Finance and Insurance, 1987-1990
- Government Organization, 1995
- Housing and Community Development, 1981-1982
- Policy Research Management
- *Chair, 1983-1984
- Televising the Assembly and Information Technology, 1995
- Transportation
- *Chair, 1985-1995
- Utilities and Commerce, 1983
- Water, Parks and Wildlife, 1981-1982, 1989-1992, 1995
- *Vice-Chair, 1983-1984
- Ways and Means, 1983-1984
- Select Committees
- Ethics, 1990
- Insolvency of Orange County, 1995-1996
- Olympic Oversight, 1983-1984
- Policy Research Management, 1987
- Small Business, 1990
- *Chair 1982-1984, 1987-1988
- Utility Performance, Rates and Regulations, 1982
- Veteran's Affairs, 1982
- Joint Committees
- Rules, 1996
The Richard Katz Papers consist of 29 cubic feet of textual records and 2 boxes of audio/visual records reflecting Katz's
legislative activities during his 16-year career in the State Assembly. The records are organized into the following series:
Bill Files, Chronological Files, Local Issues Files, Native American Remains (Repatriation) Files, Toxic Pits Files, Transportation
Files, Small Business Files, Subject Files, and Audio/Visual Materials. The Bill Files document much of Katz's prolific legislative
authorship during his term as a member of the California State Legislature. The Chronological Files consist of incoming and
outgoing correspondence. The Local Issues Files relate to the events and needs of the communities of the 39th Assembly District.
The Native American Remains (Repatriation) Files relate to AB2577 (1989-1990, vetoed) and AB12 (1991-1992, Chapter 370).
These two bills concern the issue of repatriation of Native American human remains, the Lowie Museum of Anthropology at University
of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Los Angeles Museum of Cultural History. The Toxic Pits Files primarily
relate to The Toxic Pits Cleanup Act of 1984 (AB3566, Chapter 1543), which addresses the issue of the toxic contamination
of the state's underground water supply caused by leakage from waste-disposal ponds ("toxic pits"). The Transportation Files
reflect the variety of legislation that the Assembly Transportation Committee reviewed during much of Katz's chairmanship
(1985-1995) of that committee. The Small Business Files relate to the legislation and projects reviewed by the Assembly Select
Small Business Committee during Katz's first chairmanship (1981-1984). The Subject Files contain 28 subjects, four of which
have sub-topics of their own. These four are: "Dolphin Bill," "Dunsmuir Spill," "Finance and Insurance," and "Super Agency
Bill." The Audio/Visual materials relate to many of the collection's significant topics, such as Native American remains
and repatriation, the insurance industry, graffiti, and the solicitation of drugs and prositution.
While the bills introduced by Katz include a wide array of subjects, Katz's primary concerns included environmental health
and safety, traffic management, and emphasized community and youth issues. Some notable legislation introduced by Katz in
the Assembly included The Equal Access to Justice Act (AB13, 1981-1982), The Water Marketing Act (AB3491, 1981-1982), The
California Small Business Office of Advocacy (AB1592, 1983-1984), The Toxic Pits Cleanup Act (AB3566, 1983-1984), Work Time
Credits (AB499, 1985-1986 and AB113 and AB2716, 1993-1994), The California Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (AB2833, 1987-1988),
The Children's Poison Protection Act (AB4160, 1989-1990), The "Kids Vote!" Program (AB169, 1991-1992), The Arson Information
Reporting System (AB2336, 1993-1994), Loitering and Solicitation (AB1035, 1995-1996), and The Oil Pipeline Environmental Responsibility
Act (AB1868, 1995-1996).
Audiocassettes and videocassettes have been separated to a cold-storage vault for preservation purposes and separation sheets
are in the files to alert the researcher to the existence of these items.
Note
The researcher should be aware that there is much topical crossover between the series within this collection. For example,
files concerning the topic of Lopez Canyon may be found in Bill Files, Local Issues Files, Toxic Pits Files, and Subject Files.
Related Material at the California State Archives
Assembly Aging and Long-Term Care Committee
Assembly Consumer Protection and Toxic Materials Committee
Assembly Economic Development and New Technologies Committee
Assembly Economic Development and Planning Committee
Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee
Assembly Finance and Insurance Committee
Assembly Government Organization Committee
Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee
Assembly Transportation Committee
Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee
Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee
Assembly Ways and Means Committee
California Native American Heritage Commission
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Katz, Richard
Transportation
Repatriation