John Briggs (politician)

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John Briggs
William E. Dannemeyer
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 35th district
In office
January 2, 1967 – November 30, 1974
Preceded byGordon W. Duffy
Succeeded byGary K. Hart
Personal details
Born(1930-03-08)March 8, 1930
Mitchell, South Dakota, U.S.
DiedApril 15, 2020(2020-04-15) (aged 90)
Placerville, California, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseCarmen Nicasio Briggs
Children3
ProfessionPolitician, United States Air Force Pilot
Military service
Branch/service United States Air Force
Battles/warsKorean War

John Vern Briggs

Briggs Initiative,[2] a failed measure which attempted to remove all gay or lesbian
school employees or their supporters from their jobs.

Personal life

Briggs was born in Alpena, South Dakota in 1930 and moved to southern California in 1935, where his single mother struggled to provide a stable home causing Briggs to be sent to foster care for a two-year period.[

El Dorado County Supervisor Ron Briggs) and had eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.[3]

Briggs began his insurance career as a salesman, and then started his own successful insurance brokerage firm. In 1966 Briggs was elected to the California state assembly representing North Orange County. In June 1973, Briggs was selected by his alma mater

California State University Long Beach
as Outstanding Alumnus. In 1976 he was elected to the state senate serving 5 years before resigning in 1981, citing financial needs. He began a successful 14-year career as a lobbyist representing heavy equipment contractors, drunk driver's treatment schools, minority owned business associations, among others.

Throughout the years, Briggs remained active in a variety of community groups, including the

Rotary Club, and the Boys and Girls Club. He died on April 15, 2020, at the age of 90.[4][5]

Political career

Briggs' political career began as an outgrowth of his participation in the

Jaycees. He served as a local Jaycee president and California State Director as well as President of the Senior Chamber of Commerce. He also served as President of the Walter Knott Young Republican Club. In 1962 and 1964, Briggs ran unsuccessfully as the Republican nominee for the California State Assembly in the 69th District (which includes parts of Orange County). He was elected two years later in the 35th District
which included northern Orange County and neighboring parts of San Bernardino County. Re-elected three times in this district, Briggs went on to successfully compete in the 69th District in the 1974 election.

In 1976, Briggs ran for, and was elected a member of the California State Senate, representing the

35th District, comprising most of Orange County. He unsuccessfully sought the 1978 Republican nomination for governor
. Re-elected in 1978 and 1980, Briggs resigned from the Senate at the end of December 1981.

While in office, Briggs concentrated much of his attention on insurance reform, a wider application of the death penalty, nuclear energy development, and construction regulation. He was member of the Western Interstate Nuclear Board from 1971 to 1972. In the Assembly, he chaired the Agriculture and the Atomic Development Committees; and while in the Senate chaired the Governmental Efficiency and Governmental Investigations and Reports Committees.[6] In 1972 Briggs authored the state's first indoor clean air act (no smoking). He was solely responsible for the creation and funding of Chino Hills State Park and was instrumental in creating Caltrans District 11. For years Orange County was part of the Los Angeles Caltrans district creating a funding disparity. Briggs' action continues to bring Orange County billions in road funding.

Briggs was the proponent in several legislative initiatives in California, including:

Proposition 6

Main article:
Briggs Initiative

Briggs sponsored the 1978 initiative known as Proposition 6 or the

Briggs Initiative that would have prevented gays or those who supported gay rights from working in public schools. Of gay teachers, he said, "Most of them are in the closet, and frankly, that's where I think they should remain."[8]

Former California governor

Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, Reagan wrote, "Whatever else it is, homosexuality is not a contagious disease like measles. Prevailing scientific opinion is that an individual's sexuality is determined at a very early age and that a child's teachers do not really influence this."[9] California Governor Jerry Brown denounced Proposition 6, as did U.S. President Jimmy Carter.[10] The Log Cabin Republicans, a national organization of gay Republicans, subsequently credited Proposition 6 as being the catalyst leading to its formation. Opposition by leading politicians combined with grassroots
lobbying led to the defeat of Proposition 6 by 58.4% to 41.6%.

Post-political life

Following his retirement from politics, Briggs operated a successful political and business consulting firm for fifteen years. He was a registered California lobbyist from 1983 to 1996.

Briggs and his wife moved to Sun City Anthem in 2003, an age-restricted community in Nevada where he has run for the community's board of directors.

AIDS epidemic causing the deaths of thousands." He said that, "like President Reagan, and most of the country, I think differently now, and have put aside the '70s and '80s, and respectfully request others do as well and move on to the civil side of life." He also stated that he was, despite his differences with them, friendly with Harvey Milk and gay activist Randy Shilts.[12]

References

  1. ^ Miller Funeral Home: John Vern Briggs
  2. ^ Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library. "Ballot Propositions June 1978-June 1998". Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library. Archived from the original on 2008-10-26. Retrieved 2008-12-07.
  3. ^ a b c Beach, 1250 Bellflower Boulevard Long; California 90840 562.985.4111 (2018-11-27). "John V. Briggs". California State University, Long Beach. Retrieved 2022-03-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Senator John V. Briggs, Ret". 24 April 2020.
  5. ^ "Remembering state Sen. John Briggs". 23 April 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Inventory of the John V. Briggs Papers, 1967-1976". California. 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  7. ISBN 9781566399050
    . Retrieved 2008-12-07.
  8. ISBN 0-312-01900-9
    . (pbk.).
  9. ^ Reagan, Ronald (1978-11-01). "Editorial: Two Ill-advised California Trends". Los Angeles Herald-Examiner. p. A19.
  10. ISBN 9780262621137
    . Retrieved 2008-12-08.
  11. ^ Flyer for John Briggs's Campaign for the Sun City Anthem Board of Directors. Retrieved 10-01-2012.
  12. ^ anthemvoice.org

External links

California Assembly
Preceded by California State Assemblyman, 35th District
January 2, 1967-November 30, 1974 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Kenneth Cory
 California State Assemblyman, 69th District
December 2, 1974-November 30, 1976 		Succeeded by
William E. Dannemeyer
California Senate
Preceded by
James Edward Whetmore
 California State Senator, 35th District
December 6, 1976-December 28, 1981 		Succeeded by
John F. Seymour
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