The records of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee and Senate Health and Human Services Committee consist of 134 cubic feet of material reflecting the activities of the committee in introducing and investigating legislation related to California's Health and Safety Code and Welfare and Institutions Code. The records cover the years 1970-2004. The record group also includes the records of many subcommittees.

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee was created with the adoption of Senate Resolution 9 on January 6, 1970. The Health and Welfare Committee evolved from the consolidation of three former standing Senate committees: the Institutions Committee; Public Health and Safety Committee formerly the Public Health Committee; and the Labor and Social Welfare Committee, formerly the Social Welfare Committee. At its inception, the eleven members of the Health and Welfare Committee were to review "all bills relating to public health; welfare; alcoholic beverages; and all bills relating to the State Department of Mental Hygiene or to institutions under its jurisdiction, including: state hospitals, homes for the feeble-minded, inebriate colonies, institutions for delinquents, homes for blind, industrial workshops, and any other institutions of a similar nature; and all bills relating to the Youth Authority and to institutions under its jurisdiction" (California Legislature at Sacramento, 1970, p93). In 1972, the number of committee members had been increased to thirteen and bills relating to alcoholic beverages were no longer referred to the Health and Welfare Committee, but to the Business and Professions Committee.

134 cubic feet, 394 audiotapes, 17 videotapes, 62 photographs, 5 reel-to-reel tapes

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.

While the majority of the records are open for research, any access restrictions are noted in the record series descriptions.