Jack R. Fenton(August 7, 1916 – November 6, 2007) was an American politician who representedCalifornia's 51st State Assembly districtandCalifornia's 59th State Assembly district16 years in theCalifornia State Assembly.He was part of theDemocraticleadership,majority leaderin 1972, and helped establishCalifornia's occupational health and safety regime.[2]
Jack R. Fenton | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theCalifornia State Assembly from the59thdistrict | |
| In office December 2, 1974 – November 30, 1980 | |
| Preceded by | Alan Sieroty |
| Succeeded by | Matthew G. Martínez |
| Member of theCalifornia State Assembly from the51stdistrict | |
| In office January 4, 1965 – November 30, 1974 | |
| Preceded by | John Moreno |
| Succeeded by | Robert G. Beverly |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 7, 1916 Rochester, New York |
| Died | November 6, 2007(aged 91) Dallas, Texas |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Betty Byer |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | SUNY Brockport |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| [1] | |
Personal
editHis parents wereLithuanianimmigrants.His father operated adelicatessen.
He earned adegreein 1939 from what was then calledBrockport State Normal School,and later studied atUniversity of California, Berkeley.
He wasdraftedinto theUnited States Armyin 1941, and served in thePacific Theater of OperationsduringWorld War II.After his discharge, he enteredLoyola Law Schoolin 1945, and wasgraduatedin 1949.
Also in 1945, he married Betty Byer who subsequently bore him four children.
He established a law practice inMontebello, Californiain 1949.
Fenton belonged to many organizations, including theOptimist Club,American LegionandRotary Club.
He received theGeorge MosconeMemorial Award for Outstanding Public Servicein 1978, from an association of consumer lawyers inLos Angeles.[3]
He was appointed a member of theJudicial Council of Californiain 1979.[4]
Political career
editWhen John Moreno, the first termMexican AmericanAssemblyman for the 51st District sought reelection, he faced both Dionisio Morales and Jack Fenton. With thechicanovote split, Fenton won the party's nomination in theprimary election.[5][6]He carried thegeneral electionwith 69% of the vote. He continued to represent Montebello, re-elected to seven more two year terms (from 1974, in the 59th Assembly District.)[7][8]
In the legislature, Fenton championed consumers, veterans, and labor (including farm workers.)[2]
AfterJess Unruhdeclared his candidacy forgovernorin 1969, Fenton andGeorge N. Zenovich encouraged Unruh (at first unsuccessfully) to resign as party leader in the Assembly.[9]
Following an industrial accident on June 24, 1971, when amethane gasexplosion fatal to seventeen workers occurred in theCalifornia Water Project'sSylmar tunnel,Fenton led the investigation in the Assembly's Committee on Industrial Safety. His investigation, andcivil litigation,found negligence by the contractor (Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company) and state inspectors. He was a leader promoting statutory change, notably the June 1973 California Occupational Safety and Health Act.[2]
Hospitals and staff threatened to cease organ transplantation activity in 1973 when its legal basis came into question. Criminal defense attorneys argued that harvesting a victim's organs while his heart was still beating caused death, not their clients. Dixon Arnett (R-Redwood City) introduced emergency legislation to recognize death when brain activity ceased. He was three votes short of the requiredsupermajoritywhen he enlisted Jack Fenton, who secured favorable action from two more members. After theCalifornia State Senatepassed the bill, Arnett flew toChicagoto secureGovernorRonald Reagan's signature giving force to the law.[10]
From 1977 to 1980 he was chairman of the Assembly's Judiciary Committee.[11] Earlier, he had been chairman of the Assembly's Finance and Insurance Committee.[12]
Fenton lost his primary election in 1980 toMatthew G. Martínez.
Art Torreswas a protégé andRepublicanAssemblyman Robert Hayden (ofSanta Clara's22nd district) was a friend.
References
edit- ^Guerra, Fernando J. and Dwaine Marvick (1986)."Ethnic Officeholders and Party Activists in Los Angeles County".Minorities in the Post-Industrial City.II(Year 1986 Paper 11). Institute for Social Science Research (University of California, Los Angeles).
- ^abc
Stewart, Jocelyn Y. (2007-11-17)."Jack R. Fenton, 91; legislator pushed worker safety".Los Angeles Times.p. B-13.Retrieved2008-09-16.
During his 14 years in the Capitol, Fenton was known as a gruff straight-talker with a fiery temper and a deep loyalty to his allies in the Democratic Party. He championed the rights of consumers and pushed for unemployment insurance for farm workers and benefits for veterans. But Fenton's greatest legislative achievement was the passage of laws that improved health and safety conditions for workers and implemented the state plan known as Cal-OSHA. The action came two years after the Sylmar tunnel disaster, which some critics said could have been prevented.
- ^ "Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles".Retrieved2008-09-17.
- ^ Judicial Council of California (2006-09-22).Profile(PDF)(Fourth ed.).San Francisco, California:Administrative Office of the Courts.Retrieved2008-09-17.
- ^Schmal, John P (2005-07-04)."Chicano Representation in California: Taking Control of their Destiny".HispanicVista Columnists.Archived fromthe originalon 2008-07-23.Retrieved2008-09-17.
When Assemblyman Moreno tried to get re-elected to his 51st District seat, he found himself up against another Chicano candidate, Dionisio Morales. This contest split the Chicano vote and led to victory in the Democratic Primary by Jack Fenton. Jack Fenton received 16,278 votes to John Moreno's 12,850 votes.
- ^
"SOMOS PRIMOS: Dedicated to Hispanic Heritage and Diversity Issues".Somos Primos.Retrieved2008-09-16.
In 1962, Philip Soto and John Moreno, both local Council members, became the first two Latinos from Los Angeles County to be elected to the California State Legislature in the Twentieth Century. They were also the first Latinos to be elected to serve in the State Assembly since the election of Miguel Estudillo of Riverside County in 1907. The election of these two men set a precedent for a long line of Latino legislators committed to the service of their communities... John Moreno, a World War II veteran, was a Democrat from Los Angeles and served as a representative of the 51st District to the California State Assembly. Unfortunately, in 1964, when Moreno tried to run again, he was defeated in the Democratic Primary by Jack Fenton.
- ^ Vassar, Alex; Shane Meyers."11-03-1964 Election".JoinCalifornia.The One Voter Project.Retrieved2008-09-16.
- ^ Vassar, Alex; Shane Meyers."Jack R. Fenton".JoinCalifornia.The One Voter Project.Retrieved2008-09-16.
- ^ Putnam, Jackson K. (2005).Jess: The Political Career of Jesse Marvin Unruh.University Press of America.ISBN978-0-7618-3068-9.Retrieved2008-09-16.
- ^"Brain Death Bill".San Diego Jewish World(Volume 2, Number 73).San Diego, California.2008-03-25. Archived fromthe originalon 2008-08-29.Retrieved2008-09-17.
- ^ Cain, Bruce E.; Thad Kousser (2004).Adapting to Term Limits: Recent Experiences and New Directions.Public Policy Institute of California.ISBN978-1-58213-101-6.
- ^ "First among Equals: California Legislative Leadership, 1964-1992".Retrieved2008-09-16.