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Mello (Henry J.) Political papers
MS.041
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Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
University of California, Santa Cruz
Title: Henry J. Mello Political papers
Creator:
Mello, Henry J.
Identifier/Call Number: MS.041
Physical Description:
215 Linear Feet
172.5 cartons, 1 flat
Date: 1975-1996
Abstract: This collection includes Sacramento
Capital Office Legislative records (1977-1996), Gilroy District Office files (1977-1996),
Monterey District Office files (1977-1996), Salinas District Office files (1977-1996), and
Santa Cruz District Office files (1975-1996) documenting the career of California State
Assemblyman and Senator Henry J. Mello.
Physical Location: Stored offsite at NRLF. Advance notice
is required for access to the papers.
Language of Material:
English
Collection is open for research.
Copyright for the items in this collection is owned by the creators and their heirs.
Reproduction or distribution of any work protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair
use requires permission from the copyright owner. It is the responsibility of the user to
determine whether a use is fair use, and to obtain any necessary permissions. For more
information see UCSC Special Collections and Archives policy on Reproduction and Use.
Henry J. Mello Political Papers, MS 41, Special Collections, University Library, University
of California, Santa Cruz.
Gift of Henry J. Mello. Additional material given by John Mello in November 2003.
A Watsonville native, Henry John Mello was born in Watsonville, California, on March 27th,
1924, the child of an immigrant Portuguese family from the Azores. He attended Watsonville
High School and Hartnell College in Salinas. With his father, he worked in the apple
business, establishing a family farming business in 1940. Together they founded the Mello
Packing Company in 1948, and the Central Industrial Sales Company in 1965. From the
mid-1950's on Mello was involved in many local charitable and non-profit organizations. His
initial foray into politics began in 1950 when he was a Democratic volunteer during the
senate campaign between Richard M. Nixon and Helen Gahagan Douglas. Throughout the 1950's he
worked on Democratic campaigns, and was elected to the Democratic Central Committee. His
local public service career began when he served as a member of the California Agricultural
Advisory Board and as a fire commissioner.
His political career began in earnest in 1966 when he was elected to the Santa Cruz County
Board of Supervisors, where he served until 1974. In 1976 he was elected to the State
Assembly representing the 28th district. As a moderate Democrat he served two terms, until
1980, in what was then a nominally Republican district. In the Assembly he began his long
involvement in senior issues as chairman of the standing Committee on Aging, and also became
an influential member of the Ways and Means Committee.
He was elected to the State Senate in 1980 in what was then the 17th (after 1993 the 15th)
District, and as a freshman senator was appointed to the Senate Rules Committee (1983-1992)
and elected Majority Whip (1981-1992), two of that body's most powerful leadership
positions. In 1992 he was elected Majority Leader. During his tenure as State Senator, Mello
had a singular legislative record, frequently having more bills signed into law than any
other senator. His legacy includes a remarkable legislative record in initiating senior
citizens programs, an innovative arts and corrections program (arts in the prisons),
bilingual education, and statewide economic development. During his tenure, Mello carried
727 bills and resolutions, of which 456 were signed by the governor and the remainder
integrated into other bills or vetoed. He authored over 120 bills dealing with seniors,
including the establishment of the California Senior Legislature, the first programs
focusing on Alzheimers that included respite care, adult day health care, and Multipurpose
Senior Services Programs, as well as inititating important changes in laws affecting
conservatorship and elder abuse, funding for senior meals programs, and nursing home reform.
He is held in high regard by seniors throughout the state for his work in their behalf.
Mello was term-limited out of office in December, 1996. He died in Watsonville on September
4th, 2004, at the age of 80.
Scope and Content of the Collection
This collection includes Sacramento Capital Office Legislative records (1977-1996), Gilroy
District Office files (1977-1996), Monterey District Office files (1977-1996), Salinas
District Office files (1977-1996), and Santa Cruz District Office files (1975-1996),
scrapbooks, photographs, plaques, and some audiovisual materials documenting the public life
and career of California State Assemblyman and Senator Henry J. Mello.
The archive has been arranged into seven series by the donor:
- Sacramento Capital Office, 1977-1996
- Santa Cruz District Office (SCDO), 1975-1996
- Salinas District Office, (SDO), 1977-1996
- Monterey District Office (MDO), 1977-1996
- Gilroy District Office, (GDO), 1977-1996
- Handout Indexes, 1977-1996
- Scrapbooks and Award Plaques, 1977-1996
The container list has been arranged by subject within each series except Series 7 which is
arranged chronologically.
Finding aid revision statement
This finding aid was revised in the Reparative Archival Redescription Project in 2021-2022.
Previous versions of this finding aid are available upon request.
Henry J. Mello: A Life in California Politics by the Regional
History Project, University Library, University of California at Santa Cruz, 2001.
Acronyms
- AARPAmerican Association of Retired People
- AAUWAmerican Association of University Women
- ABAssembly Bill
- ACRAssembly Concurrent Resolution
- ADAAmerican Disability Act
- ADHCAdult Day Health Care
- AFDCAid to Families with Dependent Children
- AIDSAcquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- AJRAssembly Joint Resolution
- ALRBAgricultural Labor Relations Board
- AMBAGAssociation Monterey Bay Area Goverments
- ATOCAcoustic Thermometry of Ocean Climate
- BAYMECBay Area Municipal Elections Committee
- CAADSCalifornia Association for Adult Day Services
- CACCalifornia Arts Council
- CALPAWCalifornia Parks and Wildlife Initiative
- CalTransCalifornia Department of Transportation
- CASACourt Appointed Special Advocates
- CCRICalifornia Civil Rights Initiative
- CEQACalifornia Environmental Quality Act
- CH.Chapter
- CHISPACalifornia Highway Patrol
- CLASCalifornia Learning Assessment System
- COXCoalition of Parent's Support
- CPERSCalifornia Public Employees' Retirement System
- CRTACalifornia Retired Teachers Association
- CSLCalifornia Senior Legislature
- CSLCalifornia State Legislature
- CSLCalifornia State Library
- CSUCalifornia State University
- CSUMBCalifornia State University Monterey Bay
- CTFCorrectional Training Facility
- CYACalifornia Youth Authority
- DLIDefense Language Institute
- EDDEmployment Development Department
- EIREnvironmental Impact Report
- ESOPSEmployee Stock Ownership Plans
- FEMAFederal Emergency Management Agency
- FHWAFederal Highway Administration
- FORAFort Ord Reuse Authority
- GDOGilroy District Office
- HCDHousing Community Development
- HDGHousing Development Grants
- HICAPHealth Insurance Counseling Advocacy Program
- HJMHenry J. Mello
- IFFIntrastate Funding Formula
- IHSSIn-Home Supportive Services
- JRCRJoint Rules Committee Resoultion
- LAFCOLocal Agency Formation Commission
- LCPLocal Coastal Plan
- LRDPLong Range Development Plant
- LULACLeague of United Latin American Citizens
- MBUAPCDMonterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District
- MDOMonterey District Office
- MPWMDMonterey Peninsula Water Management District
- MRWPCAMonterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency
- MSSPMultipurpose Senior Services Program
- NAFTANorth American Free Trade Agreement
- NCSLNational Conference of State Legislatures
- OCSOffice of Community Services
- OESOffice of Emergency Services
- OSHAOccupational Safety and Health Administration
- PACEPolicy Analysis for California Education
- PEAPopulação Economicamente Ativa (Economically Active Population)
- PERSPublic Employees Retirement System
- PICPrivate Industry Council
- PORACPeace Officers Research Association
- PUCPublic Utilities Commission
- PVUSDPajaro Valley Unified School District
- PVWMAPajaro Valley Water Management Assoc.
- RCFEResidential Care Facility for the Elderly
- ROWRight of Way
- SACSacremento Capital Office
- SBSenate Bill
- SBCWC-FCDSanta Barbara County Water Conservation - Flood Control District
- SCASenate Constitutional Amendment
- SCAMPSeafloor Characterization And Mapping Pods
- SCAPSanta Cruz AIDS Project
- SCDOSanta Cruz District Office
- SCRSentae Concurrent Resoultion
- SCRAMPSports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Penninsula
- SDFSoquel Demonstration State Forest
- SDOSalinas District Office
- SEOSponsors for Educational Opportunity
- SEPSpecial Experimental Project
- SHAREStroke Handicapped Adult Rehabilitation Education
- SJMSenate Joint Measure
- SJRSenate Joint Resolution
- SLVUSDSan Lorenzo Valley Unified School District
- SORStanding Order
- SRSenate Resolution
- STIPStatewide Transportation Improvements Program
- TAMCTransporation Agency for Monterey County
- THPTimber Harvest Permits
- UFWUnited Farm Workers
- WICWomen, Infants, Children
- WINWork Incentive Program
- xExtraordinary Session (in legislative bill numbers)
- YWCAYoung Women's Christian Association
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Natural resources -- California --
Monterey County
Elkhorn Slough (Calif.)
Transportation -- Law and legislation --
California
Water -- Law and legislation --
California
Health planning -- California
Land use -- California -- Fort Ord --
Planning
Military base conversion -- California --
Fort Ord
Educational law and legislation --
California
Older people -- Government policy --
California
Mello, Henry J.
California. Legislature. Senate
California. Legislature. Assembly