California state Archives state Government Oral History Program Oral History Interview with HON. LOUIS J. PAPAN California state Assemblyman, 1972 - 1986 March 4, 21, 29, May 31, 1988 Millbrae, California By Carole Hicke Regional Oral History Office The Bancroft Library University of California, Berkeley RESTRICI'IOOS CN THIS INI'ERVIEH None. LITERARY RIGHI'S AND QUOTATIONS This nanuscript is hereby nade available for research plrposes only. No part of the nanuscript nay be quoted for publication without the written pennission of the California State Archivist or Regional oral History Office, University of california at Berkeley. Requests for pennission to quote for publication should be addressed to: california State Archives 1020 0 Street, Roam 130 Sacramento, california 95814 or Regional Oral History Office 486 Library University of California Berkeley, California 94720 The request should include identification of the sPeCific p3.ssages and identification of the user. It is reccmnended that this oral history be cited as follows: IDuis J. Papan, oral History Interview, Conducted 1988 by carole Hicke, Regional oral History Office, University of California at Berkeley, for the california State Archives State Government Oral History Program. Information (916) 445-4293 California State Archives March Fong Eu Document Restoration (916) 445-4293 1020 a Street, Room 130 Exhibit Hall (916) 445-0748 Secretary of State Legislative Bill Service (916) 445-2832 Sacramento, CA 95814 (prior years) 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 process of the state of California. They include members of the legislative and executive branches of the 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 commitments 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. Burns State Archivist July 27, 1988 This interview is printed on acid-free paper. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTERVIEW HISTORY BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY 11 BACKGROUND: EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND LOCAL POLITICS 1 [Session 1, March 4, 1988, Tape 1, Side A] 1 Childhood in Springfield, Massachusetts; Syracuse University 1 Early Entrepreneurship 2 ROTC 0951-53); FBI 0955-58); Parking Business; Real Estate and Insurance Business 4 Daly City City Council; Vice Mayor 5 Philosophy on Backgrounds of Public Officials 7 II EA RLY DAYS IN THE LEGISLATURE 13 Reasons for Running for Public Office 13 [Tape 1, Side B] 15 Change to Democratic Party 15 BART and ABAG 16 Retirement Committee 18 Key People: Leo McCarthy; Bob Moretti; John Foran; Governors Reagan and Deukmejian 22 Rules Committee 26 [Tape 2, Side A] 28 Transportation Committee 30 Revenue and Taxation Committee 34 Finance, Insurance, and Commerce Committee 35 [Session 2, March 21, 1988, Tape 3, Side A] 43 Housing and Community Development Committee: Rent Control and Housing Crisis 43 More on the Rules Committee: Chairman (1976-86); Open Records Act (1977-78) 50 III POWER IN THE LEGISLATURE 52 Assignment of Bills 52 1980 Speakership Battle: McCarthy vs. Berman 55 [Tape 3, Side B] 56 Role of Chairman of Rules 58 Relationship with the Speakers: Moretti, McCarthy, Brown 60 Restoration of the Capitol 64 [Tape 4, Side A] 69 Power of the Media 71 Ethical Considerations on the Rules Committee 79 [Session 3, March 29, 1988, Tape 5, Side A] 83 Speakership Battle 1976: McCarthy vs. Brown 83 More on Rules 86 Jesse Unruh and the Pension Funds 90 [Tape 5, Side B] 94 IV MAJOR LEGISLATIVE CONCERNS 99 Transportation: SamTrans, SP, BART 99 Special Education 108 [Tape 6, Side A] 108 Children's Legislation 110 Elderly and Handicapped Legislation 113 Juice Bills 115 Legislative Reforms: Election Reform; Proposition 9 119 Qualities of Legislators 121 [Tape 6, Side B] 122 More on the Press 123 [Session 4, May 31, 1988, Tape 7, Side A] 124 More Legislation: Bone Marrow Transplants; Children; Outdoor Advertising 124 Highway Patrol 126 Education 131 More on Finance, Insurance, and Commerce Committee 133 Ethnic Bills 135 Health and Housing 136 [Tape 7, Side B] 138 Relationship between State and Local Government 140 Various Bills: Hazardous Waste; Salary Increase for Legislators; Credit Card Interest; Headsets 141 V REFLECTIONS ON OTHER ISSUES IN GOVERNMENT 147 The Media 147 Proposition 1 A; Water 148 Tax Reform: Proposition 13 149 [Tape 8, Side A] 153 Limits on Powers of the Legislators 155 Proliferation of Committees 157 Senate Race; Board of Equalization; Ethics 158 Government Service: Rewards, Disadvantages, and Contributions 162 Community Activities 164 VI BACKGROUND INTERVIEW WITH C. MICHAEL THOMPSON: LEGISLATION OF LOUIS PAPAN 166 [Session 1, April 29, 1988, Tape 1, Side A] 166 Children's Issues 166 Consumer Affairs 168 Education and Finance 173 Health Care 175 Pay Raise for State Legislators 177 [Tape 1, Side B] 178 Capitol Restoration and Pensions 178 County Issues 178 APPENDIX: Papan: Chaptered Legislation 183 INTERVIEW HrSTORY Interviewer/Editor Carole Ricke Interview/Editor, State Government Oral. History Program Director, Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro History Project Director, Morrison & Foerster History Project M.A. San Francisco State University (history) B.A. University of Iowa (economics) Interview Time and Place March 4, 1988: one-and-a-haJf-hour session March 21, 1988: one-and-a-ha]f-hour session March 29, 1988: two-hour session May 31, 1988: one-and-a-haJf-hour session All. interviews took place in Millbrae, California Interview with Michael Thompson: April 29, 1988, sacramento, California: one-hour session Editing Ricke checked the verbatim manuscript of the interiew against the original tape recordings, edited for pmctuation, paragraphing, and spelling, and verified prOPer names. Insertions by the editor are bracketed. The interviewer also prepared the introductory materials. Mr. PaPan reviewed the transcript and approved it.. Mr. Thompson also reviewed the transcript of his interview and approved it. with minor corrections. Papers No papers are available for deposit in the State Archives. Tapes and Interview Records The original tape recordings of the interviews are in the university archives at the University of California at Berkeley along with the records relating to the interview. Master taPes are preserved at the California State Archives in Sacramento. i BIOORAPHICAL Sl.M1ARY Louis J. Papan was born on August 2, 1928 in Springfield, Massachusetts. He attended grade school and high school in Springfield, then received a B.A. degree in Econanics fran Syracuse University, 1951. He graduated fran the Federal Bureau of Investigation Academy in 1955. Mr. Papan was in the U.S. Anny 1946-1948 and in the U.S. Air E'orce 1951-1953. He worked as an agent for the FBI 1955-1958. Since that time, he has resided in San Mateo COunty, California, where he cwns an insurance and real estate brokerage finn. He has been a Daly City councilman and served as vice mayor of Daly City 1969-1972. He has also served on the Regional Planning canmission for the Association of Bay Area GoITerl'lIl'eI1ts. Serving as a Danocratic assemblyman in the California State Le;Jislature fran 1972 to 1986, he