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Califdrmia SlATI AICBIVES California State Archives State Government Oral History Program Oral History Interview with NICHOLAS C. PETRIS California State Senator, 1967 - California State Assemblyman, 1959 - 1966 December 20, 1988, February 14, February 26 April 6, October 12, and October 31, 1989 Sacramento and Oakland, California By Gabrielle Morris Regional Oral History Office University of California, Berkeley RESTRICTIONS ON THIS INTERVIEW None. LITERARY RIGHTS AND QUOTATIONS This manuscript is hereby made available for research purposes only. No part of the manuscript may be quoted for publication without the written permission of the California State ^chivist or Regional Oral History Office, University of California at Berkeley. Requests for permission to quote for publication should be addressed to: California State Archives 1020 O Street, Room 130 Sacramento, California 95814 or Regional Oral History Office 486 Library University of California Berkeley, California 94720 The request should include information of the specific passages and identification of the user. It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows: Nicholas C. Petris, Oral History Interview, Conducted 1988 and 1989 by Gabrielle Morris, Regional Oral History Office, University of California at Berkeley, for the California State Archives State Government Oral History Program. Information (9Ki) 4-io-A-m California State Archives March Fong Eu Document Restoration (916) 445-4293 1020 O Street, Room 130 Exhibit Hall (916) 445-0748 Secretary of State Legislative Bill Service (916) 445-2832 Sacramento, CA 9.5814 {prio^ \ears) <FOR PREFACE On September 25, 1985, Governor George Deukmejian signed into law A.B. 2104 (Chapter 965 of the Statutes of 1985). This legislation established, under the administration of the California State Archives, a State Government Oral History Program "to provide through the use of oral history a continuing documentation of state policy development as reflected in California's legislative and executive history." The following interview is one of a series of oral histories undertaken for inclusion in the state program. These interviews offer insights into the actual workings of both the legislative and executive processes and policy mechanisms. They also offer an increased understanding of the men and women who create legislation and implement state policy. Further, they provide an overview of issue development in California state government and of how both the legislative and executive branches of government deal with issues and problems facing the state. Interviewees are chosen primarily on the basis of their contributions to and influence on the policy issues of the state of California. They include members of the legislative and executive branches of state government as well as legislative staff, advocates, members of the media, and other people who played significant roles in specific issue areas of major and continuing importance to California. By authorizing the California State Archives to work cooperatively with oral history units at California colleges and universities to conduct interviews, this program is structured to take advantage of the resources and expertise in oral history available through California's several institutionally based programs. Participating as cooperating institutions in the State Government Oral History Program are: Oral History Program History Department California State University, Fullerton Oral History Program Center for California Studies California State University, Sacramento Oral History Program Claremont Graduate School Regional Oral History Office The Bancroft Library University of California, Berkeley Oral History Program University of California, Los Angeles The establishment of the California State Archives State Government Oral History Program marks one of the most significant commitrnents made by any state toward the preservation and documentation of its governmental history. It supplements the often fragmentary historical written record by adding an organized primary source, enriching the historical information available on given topics and allowing for more thorough historical analysis. As such, the program, through the preservation and publication of interviews such as the one which follows, will be of lasting value to current and future generations of scholars, citizens, and leaders. John F. Bums State Archivist July 27, 1988 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTERVIEW HISTORY i BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY ii SESSION 1, December 20, 1988 [Tape 1, Side A] 1 Recollections of childhood in Oakland-relatives in Greece-Army service in World War II-Administrative assistant on managing Senator Petris's office-Allied mission observes Greek elections-Stanford law school- Helen Gahagan Douglas 1950 senate campaign. [Tape 1, Side B] 24 Oakland politics-Fifteenth Assembly District Democratic Club-Petris campaign for assembly, 1959--Myrtle Williams and George McLain's pension program-Law practice-Legislative goals for the environment. [Tape 2, Side A] 48 Health legislation for farm workers-Criminal Procedures Committee- Legislation on marijuana use-Changes in public attitudes on capital punishment-Choosing an assembly speaker in 1959-Govemor Pat Brown-North-south issues. SESSION 2, February 14, 1989 [Tape 3, Side A] 63 Alameda County assembly delegation-Constitutional amendments to divide California into two states-Petris proposals to eliminate the internal combustion engine-More on pesticide legislation. [Tape 3, Side B] 85 Citizens' help on legislation-Reelection campaign, 1961-Hispanic political agenda-Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation study of state tax structures-Resulting 1965 legislative tax package includes assessment reform, tax withholding-Little Hoover Commission- Organizational questions on department of revenue, overlapping functions, consumer affairs. SESSION 3, February 26, 1989 [Tape 4, Side A] 106 Origins of Lanterman-Petris-Short Mental Health Act-Investigating the state hospitals-the Short-Doyle Act-Assembly Office of Research Dilemma Report-New procedures reduce state hospital commitments- Patients' rights-Senator Alan Short urges bill passage. [Tape 4, Side B] 122 Different approaches to treating the mentally ill-Levels of county care and state fiscal cutbacks-Problems with the previously hospitalized- Senator Nejedly and indeterminate sentencing legislation-Corrections community opposition. [Tape 5, Side A] 145 Preliminaries to introducing legislation-The Rose Bird Court as a liberal versus conservative issue-Attempts to avoid politics in judicial appointments-Advantages of an independent Judiciary-Ideological aspect of 1964 Fair Housing initiative-Factions within the state Democratic party. [Tape 5, Side B] 165 Factions in Berkeley politics-Pro labor principles of Petris's father- Support for Berkeley moderates-The rent control issue-Streamlining the court system-Advantages of federal judiciary procedures-Ongoing legislative efforts to improve the system. [Tape 6, Side A] .... 186 Evaluating state needs and resources for future planning-Lack of legislative response-Petris's notebooks. SESSION 4, April 6, 1989 [Tape 7, Side A] 193 Work on the Joint Legislative Budget Committee-Capitol renovation and restoration-Reasons not to run for senate president pro tern-Senator James Mills as pro tem-Martin Huff as executive of the Franchise Tax Board-The issue of per diem for legislators. [Tape 7, Side B] 214 The Martin Huff-Kenneth Cory controversy-Unitary taxation-On-going effort to consolidate revenue agencies-Petris and John Knox effort to pass equitable tax bill. [Tape 8, Side A] 231 Assessment standards bill, A.B. 80, 1965-Petris opposition in 1966 and 1968 campaigns-Becoming a state senator-Staff assistants-California Tax Relief Association-Defeat of Tax Justice Act-Variety of campaign contributors-Relations with the insurance industry. SESSION 5, October 12, 1989 [Tape 9, Side A] 246 State Lands Commission and Save-the-Bay Association, 1961-Origins of Bay Conservation and Development Commission-Assemblyman Knox, Senator McAteer, and Petris push BCDC bill, 1965-Sierra Club support- Senator Dolwig comes around-Drafting the bill-Permanent commission established. [Tape 9, Side B] 265 Bay fill provisions-Legal challenges-Additional legislation-Interpreting environmental legislation-Commission members-Some jurisdictions resist compliance-Public access issues. [Tape 10, Side A] 285 More on BCDC-Coastal commission initiative-Senate seatmate Peter Behr-State senate voting behavior-Oakland and Port of Oakland interests-Al Davis and the Raiders football team-Petris* recordkeeping- BCDC importance as environmental detail. [Tape 10, Side B] 309 Different governors* enforcement policies-Legislative review of gubernatorial appointments-Career civil service-"Administrative subversion." SESSION 6, October 31, 1989 [Tape 11, Side A] 326 October 1989 earthquake damages in Oakland-Political response to requested financial aid-Legislative special session-Demolition concerns- Redevelopment in Oakland-Minority participation-Reapportionment. [Tape 11, Side B] 347 Republican party dominance historically in Califomia-Jesse Unruh's leadership style-Legislative-executive tensions-Governor Reagan's use of the veto-Apportionment of Petris's district. [Tape 12, Side A] 369 Petris runs in a new district, 1973-Fellow Alameda County legislators Rumford and Holmdahl-Changing relations with constituents-Tribune coverage of Petris-Senate Finance Committee chairmanship, 1976- Education and medical care budget