Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee Records, 1957-2014

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Summary

Title:
California State Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee Records
Dates:
1957-2014
Creators:
Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee, 2003-present, Senate Natural Resources and Wildlife Committee, 1970-2002, and Senate Natural Resources Committee, 1957-1969
Abstract:
The Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee six record series consists of Senate Bill Files (1971-2014), Hearing Files (1959-2013), Subject Files (1972-2003), Committee Files (1960-2003), Salmon Files (1957-1969, 1997-1998), and Session Binder Files (2005-2011). These files show the close involvement of the committee in such issues as animal welfare, recreation, forest management, water resources, toxic chemicals and energy, and its close involvement with the Departments of Water Resources and Parks and Recreation.
Extent:
Approximately 93 cubic feet including videotapes, audiotapes, and CDs.
Language:
Languages represented in the collection: English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee Records, [LP number]:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

Background

Scope and content:

The Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee six record series consists of Senate Bill Files (1971-2014), Hearing Files (1959-2013), Subject Files (1972-2003), Committee Files (1960-2003), Salmon Files (1957-1969, 1997-1998), and Session Binder Files (2005-2011).

These files show the close involvement of the committee in such issues as animal welfare, recreation, forest management, water resources, toxic chemicals and energy, and its close involvement with the Departments of Water Resources and Parks and Recreation.

Biographical / historical:

The Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee is the most recent Senate committee to oversee legislation regarding California's natural resources and wildlife.

The first committee that had natural resources under its purview was the Senate Natural Resources Committee. It began studying legislation on January 8, 1941. Its purpose was to investigate legislation regarding bills amending the Public Resources Code and uncodified legislation relating to mines and mining, oil, forestry, parks, and to the public domain.

In 1967, its purpose was modified to include bills amending that portion of the Harbors and Navigation Code relating to the Department of Harbors and Watercraft.

In 1970, this committee was changed. The Senate Natural Resources and Wildlife Committee was formed by Senate Resolution 83, passed on February 18, 1970. In addition to bills amending the Public Resources code and the Harbors and Navigation code, it also reviewed bills on the Fish and Game code. Geothermal issues were added in 1972.

The Senate passed Senate Resolution 8 on January 5, 1981 which shifted the committee's focus. It began reviewing bills relating to the conservation and the management of public resources, fish and wildlife, regulation of oil, mining, geothermal development, and forestry practices, recreation, parks, and historical resources, and legislation affecting California boating and solid waste.

Senate Resolution 16, which passed on March 7, 1991, added to the committee's scope acid deposition, wetlands and lakes, global atmospheric effects, and beverage container recycling. It also removed the subject of solid waste.

On January 13, 1995, Senate Resolution 10 added ocean and bay pollution as a new concern for the committee.

On December 2, 2002, this committee was changed. The committee was renamed the Natural Resources and Water Committee by Senate Resolution 4, although the scope of the committee remained constant.

Senate Resolution 10, passed on March 17, 2005, added the subject of coastal resources and water supply management to the committee's focus, and beverage container recycling was removed.

The chairs of these committees from 1942 to 2014 were as follows:

Senate Natural Resources, 1941-1969

Wagy, J.I. (Rep.-Dem.), 1942

Fletcher, Edward (Rep.-Dem.), 1943-1946

DeLap, T.H. (Rep.-Dem.), 1947-1948

Mayo, Jesse M. (Rep.-Dem.), 1949-1950

Busch, Burt W. (Rep.-Dem.), 1951-1954

Johnson, Harold T. (Dem.), 1955-1958

Berry, Swift (Rep.), 1959-1960

Arnold, Stanley (Dem.), 1961-1962

Farr, Fred S. (Dem.), 1963-1966

Lagomarsino, Robert J. (Rep.), 1967-1969

Senate Natural Resources and Wildlife Committee, 1970-2002

Lagomarsino, Robert J. (Rep.), 1970-1972

Nejedly, John A. (Rep.), 1973-1980

Presley, Robert D. (Dem.), 1981-1986

McCorquodale, Dan (Dem.), 1987-1992

Thompson, Mike (Dem.), 1993-1994

Hayden, Tom (Dem.), 1995-2000

Kuehl, Sheila J. (Dem.) 2001-2002

Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee, 2003-present

Kuehl, Sheila J. (Dem.) 2003-2006

Steinberg, Darrell (Dem.), 2007-2008

Pavley, Fran (Dem.), 2009-2014

Acquisition information:
The California State Archives acquired the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee records according to state law.
Physical location:
California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
The Senate Natural Resources and Wildlife Committee Papers were processed by Denise Ferguson, 2008. The Senate Committee of Natural Resources and Water Committee Papers were processed by Beth Behnam, 2015.
Date Prepared:
© 2015
Date Encoded:
Finding aid written by Denise Ferguson, 2008. Finding aid revised by Beth Behnam, 2015. Date of source: 1 September 2015.

Access and use

Restrictions:

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

Terms of access:

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], Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee Records, [LP number]:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

Location of this collection:
1020 "O" Street
Sacramento, CA 95814, US
Contact:
(916) 653-2246
reference@sos.ca.gov
Website