Inventory of the Pauline L. Davis Papers
Jessica Herrick
California State Archives
1020 "O" Street
Sacramento, California 95814
Phone: (916) 653-2246
Fax: (916) 653-7363
Email: ArchivesWeb@sos.ca.gov
URL: http://www.sos.ca.gov/archives/
© 2006
California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.
Inventory of the Pauline L. Davis Papers
Collection number: LP364:1-68
California State Archives
Office of the Secretary of State
Sacramento, California
- Processed by:
- Jessica Herrick
- Date Completed:
- November 2006
- Encoded by:
- Jessica Herrick
© 2006 California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Pauline L. Davis papers
Dates: 1954-1976
Collection number: LP364
Creator:
Davis, Pauline L.
Collection Size:
2.5 cubic feet.
Repository:
California State Archives
Abstract: The Pauline L. Davis Papers consist of 2.5 cubic feet of records reflecting Davis' activities during her 25-year Assembly
career. The records contain Bill Files, 1961-1976; Subject Files, 1954-1976; and Committee Hearing Files, 1954-1974.
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 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], Pauline L. Davis papers, LP364:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary
of State, Sacramento, California.
Acquisition Information
California State Archives acquired the Pauline L. Davis Papers following her final term in the California State Legislature.
Biography
Pauline L. Davis, Democrat, was a California State Assembly Member from 1952-1976, the longest-serving woman in California's
State Assembly. In 1952, Davis succeeded her late husband, Assembly Member Lester Davis, Sr., by election to serve California's
2nd Assembly District. The 2nd Assembly District included cities within Trinity, Shasta, Siskiyou, Modoc, Lassen, Plumas,
and Sierra Counties. Following redistricting in 1966, she represented California's 1st Assembly District. This district,
the largest in California, encompassed more than 32,000 square miles in Del Norte, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra,
Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity, and Humboldt counties. She served the 1st Assembly District until 1976.
Pauline Davis was born on January 3, 1917 in Verdigre, Nebraska. She attended the public schools of Fremont, Nebraska, and
colleges in Sacramento, California. Davis worked as a traffic operator for Bell Telephone Company in Omaha, Nebraska before
moving to California and serving as a dispatcher for Western Pacific Railroad in Stockton. Davis had three children with
Lester Davis, Sr.: Karen Joyce, Marlene Kaye, and John Rodney. She was a member of Eastern Star, Portola, California; White
Shrine of Jerusalem, Beckwourth, California; Business and Professional Women's Club, Yreka, California; Soroptomists; and
served as a Past President of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen. Davis died December
14, 1995, in Sacramento.
As an Assembly member, Davis' interests included water development, recreation, fish and wildlife enhancement, emergency flood
and relief laws, highway safety laws, problems of the lumber industry, and enhancement of youth programs at local fairs.
She was the first Assembly member from the 1st Assembly District in over 30 years to serve on the Assembly Ways and Means
Committee, and was the only woman to chair the Assembly Committee on Conservation and Wildlife. Sometimes called the "Lady
of the Lakes," Davis' efforts to promote water development and water quality control earned her a place of recognition in
the Department of Water Resources' "California Water Heroes" Display at the California State Fair in 2006. Among her other
activities as an Assembly member, Davis helped author two highly influential pieces of water legislation: the Davis-Grunsky
Act (Stats 1959 ch. 1752) and the Davis-Dolwig Act (Stats 1961 ch. 867). The Davis-Grunsky Act established a statewide financial
assistance program for local public agencies to better develop, control, and conserve California's water resources. The Davis-Dolwig
Act provided that the interests of recreation and fish and wildlife be recognized as part of the State Water Project, making
the enhancement and preservation of fish and wildlife within the State Water Project the responsibility of the Department
of Water Resources.
Davis also served as the Secretary of the Democratic Caucus, 1961-1965, and as the Assembly's Assistant Speaker pro Tempore,
1975-1976.
According to the California Legislature at Sacramento (Handbooks) and the California Blue Book, Davis served on the following
committees:
California State Assembly, 1952-1976
-
Standing Committees
- Conservation and Wildlife, 1965-1967
- * Chair, 1965-1967
- Conservation and Natural Resources, 1969
- Conservation, Planning, and Public Works, 1953-1958
- Education, 1953-1958
- Elections and Reapportionment, 1953-1954
- * Vice Chair, 1953-1954
- Fish and Game, 1953-1963
- * Vice Chair, 1955-1958
- * Chair, 1959-1963
- Health, 1971-1974
- Industrial Relations, 1965
- Local Government, 1976
- Natural Resources and Conservation, 1971-1974
- Natural Resources, Planning, and Public Works, 1963
- Resources and Land Use, 1975
- Rules, 1975-1976
- Water, 1959-1974, 1976
- Ways and Means, 1959-1976
-
Subcommittees
- Subcommittee on Beaches and Parks, 1954
- * Chair, 1954
- Subcommittee on Conservation and Wildlife, 1969
- * Chair, 1969
- Subcommittee on Water, 1975
-
Select Committees
- Select Committee on North Coast Timber Economy, 1974
- Select Committee on Western States Forest Industries Task Force, 1976
-
Joint Committees
- Joint Budget Committee, 1974-1976
- Joint Fairs Allocation and Classification Committee, 1967-1976
- * Chair, 1974-1976
- Joint Interim Committee of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Levee Recreation Study Committee, 1961
- Joint Interim Committee on Water Problems, 1958
-
Additional committees
- Wildlife Conservation Board, 1961-1976
Scope and Content
The Pauline L. Davis Papers consist of 2.5 cubic feet of records reflecting Davis' activities during her 25-year Assembly
career. The records contain Bill Files, 1961-1976; Subject Files, 1954-1976; and Committee Hearing Files, 1954-1974.
The bill files document Davis' legislative activity during her term as a member of the California State Legislature. While
the bills introduced by Pauline Davis include a wide array of subjects, Davis' primary concerns included water conservation
and development, parks and recreation, and state disaster assistance for local agencies. The subject files provide further
detail on Davis' work regarding water development and conservation. The committee hearing files series includes transcripts
and minutes from various committee hearings attended by Davis, and further reflects her commitment to water development, fish
and wildlife enhancement, and recreation activities.
Arrangement
The collection is organized into three series: Bill Files, 1961-1976; Subject Files, 1954-1976; and Committee Hearing Files,
1954-1974.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Davis, Pauline L.
Water conservation
California State Water Project
Additional Information
Pauline Davis, Oral History Interview, conducted 1977, 1979, and 1982 by Malca Chall, Regional Oral History Office, University
of California, Berkeley. Sealed until 2010.
Hearing of the Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics in regard to Assemblywoman Pauline L. Davis and Assemblyman Lawrence
W. Townsend, August 10, 1971. Reporter's Transcript of Proceedings. Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics Records, LP202:173,
California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.
LP364:1-21
Series 1.
Bill Files
1961-1976
Physical Description: 21 file folders
Arrangement
Bill files are arranged chronologically by legislative session and numerically by bill number.
Scope and Content Note
Bill files created by Pauline Davis while she served as Assembly Member, 1952-1976. The files may include bill analyses, amendments
and resolutions, author's statements, testimony, press releases, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and committee statements.
California State Assembly
1961: AB1329 (1ff), LP364:1
1963: AB1253 (1ff), LP364:2
1965: AB7-AB1958, AJR4, HR51-HR582 (3ff), LP364:3-5
1966: ACR18, AB59X (2ff), LP364:6-7
1967: AB60-AB2589 (1ff), LP364:8
1968: AB531, ACR104, HR13 (3ff), LP364:9-11
1969: AB76-AB2139, ACR133 (3ff), LP364:12-14
1970: AB155-AB728, ACR20 (2ff), LP364:15-16
1971: AB7-AB2147, HR53 (2ff), LP364:17-18
1973-1974: AB1565, AB2735, AJR116 (2ff), LP364:19-20
1975-1976: AB316 (1ff), LP364:21
LP364:22-50
Series 2.
Subject Files
1954-1976
Physical Description: 29 file folders
Arrangement
Subject Files are arranged alphabetically by subject heading.
Scope and Content Note
Subject files can contain newspaper clippings, press releases, correspondence, reports, notes, memorandums, and other materials.
The subject files contain information gathered by Davis throughout her political career and demonstrate her interest in water
development and conservation, fish and wildlife, and recreation. See Master Finding Aid at California State Archives for
list of subject headings.
LP364:51-68
Series 3.
Committee Hearing Files
1954-1974
Physical Description: 18 file folders
Arrangement
Committee Hearing Files are arranged alphabetically by committee name then chronologically by hearing date.
Scope and Content Note
Committee Hearing Files consist of hearing transcripts and minutes from some of the committees on which Davis served. See
Master Finding Aid at California State Archives for list of hearings.