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Inventory of the California State Senate Environmental Quality Committee Records
LP362  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Descriptive Summary
  • Administrative Information
  • Committee History
  • Scope and Content
  • Accruals
  • Indexing Terms
  • Related Collections at the California State Archives
  • Related Collections at other Repositories

  • Descriptive Summary

    Title: California State Senate Environmental Quality Committee Records
    Dates: 1992-2008
    Collection number: LP362
    Creator: Senate Environmental Quality Committee
    Collection Size: 35 cubic feet
    Repository: California State Archives
    Sacramento, California
    Abstract: The Senate Environmental Quality Committee Records consists of 35 cubic feet of textual and audiovisual records reflecting the legislative activities of the California State Senate that were deemed to fall under the jurisdictions of this standing committee for review and/or revision. These records consist of two records series: Bill Files, covering the years 1997-2008, and Hearing Files, covering the years of 1992-2008.
    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], Senate Environmental Quality Committee Records, LP[number]:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

    Acquisition History

    The California State Archives acquired the Senate Environmental Quality Committee records according to state law.

    Committee History

    The Senate Environmental Quality Committee was created in 1997, replacing and assuming the responsibilities of the Senate Toxics and Public Safety Management Committee. During the 1997-1998 legislative session Senate Resolution 7 (Lockyer) made changes to certain Senate standing committees relating to their member composition and subject jurisdiction. Additionally, this resolution created a new standing committee: the Senate Environmental Quality Committee. The primary focus of this committee is to provide oversight of legislative bills related to environmental quality, air quality, toxics, and hazardous waste. At inception, the Environmental Quality Committee also had policy jurisdiction over bills relating to integrated waste management that was previously overseen by the Senate Committee on Governmental Organization. In the 1999-2000 legislative session, the Environmental Quality Committee was charged with policy jurisdiction over legislation relating to water quality.
    During the 1997-1998 legislative session, this standing committee consisted of nine members; however, it was increased to ten members in the 1999-2000 legislative session and then was reduced to nine members in the 2001-2002 session. This committee has since been reduced to seven members and remains active in reviewing legislation related to the areas of legislative oversight mentioned above. The state senators to have held the position of Environmental Quality Committee Chair are as follows: Byron D. Sher, (Dem.) 1997-2004, Alan Lowenthal, (Dem.) 2005, and Joe Simitian, (Dem.) 2006-2008.

    Scope and Content

    The Senate Environmental Quality Committee Records consists of 35 cubic feet of textual and audiovisual records reflecting the legislative activities of the California State Senate that were deemed to fall under the jurisdictions of this standing committee for review and/or revision. These records consist of two records series: Bill Files, covering the years 1997-2008, and Hearing Files, covering the years of 1992-2008.
    This committee oversees various types of pollution and associated legislative regulations. More specifically, the Environmental Quality Committee assesses specific applications of environmental mandates, proposed legislation that may effect previous legislation such as the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), or the nuances of Environmental Impact Report (EIR) requirements or exemptions. Much of the proposed legislation brought before this committee deals with issues involving hazardous waste, solid waste, air pollution, or water pollution.

    Accruals

    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.
    California State Senate Environmental Quality Committee
    Air Pollution California
    Water Pollution California
    Butyl methyl ether Environmental aspects California

    Related Collections at the California State Archives

    Lowenthal, Alan (Restricted)

    Related Collections at other Repositories

    Records for Byron D. Sher, first chair of this committee, may be found at the Cecil H. Green Library, Special Collections and University Archives; Stanford University; Stanford, CA 94305