Ann W. Richards Papers, 1933-2000, Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.
Records are correspondence, reports, legal documents, procedures, memoranda, plans, proclamations, executive orders, contracts, bid specifications, press releases, resolutions, legislative bills, copies of programs, resumes, applications, photographs, videotapes, clippings, minutes, studies, petitions, financial records, manuals, handbooks, rules, regulations, questionnaires, and memoranda of agreement. Materials date from 1990 to 1995 (bulk 1991-1994), and are the administrative correspondence files for the General Counsel's Office under Governor Ann Richards. Records relate to criminal justice, prison overcrowding, paroles, pardons, emergency medical reprieves, execution of death row inmates, juvenile justice, lawsuits, claims by citizens, grievances, state agencies, intergovernmental relations, historically underutilized businesses, the super collider, judicial selection and redistricting, nursing homes, Indian gaming, bingo, task forces, census undercount, North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), oil overcharge/stripper well settlement funds, appointments to judgeships, ethics, requests for State Cemetery burials, open records requests, gifts to the governor, disaster plans, immigration, the environment, and Matagorda Island. Correspondents include inmates, agency heads and staff, board and commission members, and the general public. Dave Talbot served as general counsel to Governor Richards. His assistants included Karen Gladney, Nancy P. Kaul, Susan Albers, and David Weiser. Administrative correspondence is arranged by year. Documents are grouped somewhat by subject, although records relating to a particular topic may be found in several spots within a year. Inventory notes provide a better idea of the materials found in each box.
Records are correspondence, court records, legal documents, memoranda, petitions, clippings, videotapes, proclamations and requests for reprieves. Files date from 1972 to 1994 (bulk 1991-1994) and are the capital clemency files from Governor Richards' general counsel's office. With recommendation from the Board of Pardons and Paroles, the governor of Texas has the right to pardon, grant a 30-day reprieve in a capital case, commute sentences, and remit fines. Records are files regarding death row inmates executed during Governor Richards' term in office. Correspondents include the inmate and his family, the inmate's lawyers, the governor and her general counsel, district and appellate court judges, staff of the Attorney General's Office, the Texas Department of Corrections (later the Texas Department of Criminal Justice), the Board of Pardons and Paroles, and the general public. David Talbot served as General Counsel during Governor Richards' term in office. Additional correspondence from individuals and groups opposing the execution of death row inmates can be found in the General Counsel's Administrative correspondence. Records are divided between files of background information on death row inmates and protest correspondence. Arrangement is somewhat alphabetical by last name of the inmate.
Records are mainly internal memoranda, but also include correspondence, drafts, reports, notes, summaries, maps, charts, statistics, and videotapes, dating 1991-1995. These files are legal opinions and advice provided by the General Counsel staff to Governor Ann Richards. Subjects covered are reorganization of the Governor's Office, the Capitol restoration project, problems with agencies (including the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and the Texas Department of Commerce), nursing home reform, appointments, energy conservation, executions, pardons and paroles and other criminal justice issues, contracts for services, agreements, grants, settlements and judgments, open records requests, legislation and special sessions, the supercollider, redistricting, relations with Mexico, immigration, the Job Training Partnership Act, lawsuits and litigation, user fee airports, claims, deeds and easements, Indian gaming, the Ombudsman, and the oil overcharge fund. Correspondents include Governor's Office staff, Attorney General's Office staff, other agency heads and staff, litigants and their attorneys, and Hans Mark. Handwritten notes from Governor Richards document her responses to some of the recommendations by the General Counsel. Records are somewhat grouped by topic. Contents sometimes appear to be filed alphabetically.
The Policy Council in the Office of the Governor was created to help ensure that the governor's policies were implemented by state agencies and commissions. The council was organized by issues such as education, health and human services, environment, and border and immigration; it advised the governor on emerging problems and opportunities and developed policy options for the governor's consideration. Directors of the council were the governor's primary liaisons to state agencies and board members, and they directed special committees or projects that the governor authorized. The Policy Council recommended candidates for appointments to agency positions and evaluated potential appointments. It also analyzed legislative proposals (in cooperation with the Legislative Office) and assisted the Budget and Planning Office in evaluating agency budget proposals.
These are the files of Governor Richards' Policy Council and they cover border and immigration, education, the environment, health and human services, and transportation issues. Susan Rieff served as director of the Policy Council during Ann Richards' tenure as Governor. Subseries are organized by policy areas. Records are correspondence, clippings, memos, lists, notes, charts, agenda, press releases, reports, proposals, resolutions, charts, publications, maps, minutes, rules, legislation, forms, recommendations, timelines, and printed material, dating from 1988 to 1995.
Records are correspondence, clippings, memos, lists, notes, charts, agenda, press releases, reports, proposals, resolutions, charts, publications, maps, minutes, rules, legislation, forms, recommendations, and printed material, dating from 1990-1994 (bulk 1993-1994). These are subject files for the Governor's policy council section on border and immigration issues. Subjects include colonias, relations with Mexican border states and cities, the North American Free Trade Agreement, education, ecology, communication, the environment, health, immigration, transportation, utilities, and Tropical Storm Arlene. Geographical areas covered are the Rio Grande Valley, El Paso, Laredo, and the Mexican border states. A small amount of material is in Spanish. Sandra Martinez served as the director of border issues for the Governor's Policy Council. Part of the files are arranged alphabetically by subject. Other sections are grouped by broad topic and then are alphabetical.
Records are correspondence, reports, overviews, memos, legislation, publications, timelines, lists, clippings, goals, press releases, charts, correspondence, master plans, program information, and a correspondence log, dating from 1988-1994 (bulk 1994). Materials are files of the Governor's Policy Council section on health and human services. Subjects of letters include nursing homes and elderly care, child care, requests to serve as delegates to the 1995 White House Conference on Aging, medically underserved areas, and substance abuse programs in prison. Additional files detail the Texas Criminal Justice Treatment Initiative, involving substance abuse treatment in prisons or alternative locations. Pat Cole served as director of health and human services issues for the Policy Council. The correspondence probably was to be filed in the main correspondence files, but filing was not done before Richards left office. Correspondence is in chronological order by month. Arrangement of substance abuse treatment files is somewhat by type of material.
Records are mainly correspondence, but also include copies of legislation, clippings, memos, press releases, lists, maps, and environmental assessments, dating from 1990-1995. Records are the Governor's Policy Council files on environmental issues. Subjects of correspondence include low level radioactive waste, hazardous waste, the Edwards Aquifer, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, water quality, state parks, the golden cheeked warbler and other endangered species, and state implementation plans for Environmental Protection Agency emissions regulations. A separate file contains information on Playa del Rio, a proposed resort, and efforts to save the wetlands from resort development by creating a wildlife refuge on Boca Chica. Susan Rieff served as director of environmental issues for the Policy Council, and was assisted by Frank Fuller and Allison Baker. Arrangement is somewhat chronological.
Records are correspondence with attachments including booklets, reports, resumes, press releases, clippings, test results, publications, proposals, and memos, dating from 1994-1995. Subjects include higher education, elementary and secondary education, discrimination, literacy, educational standards, violence in schools, workforce development, rewards for teacher excellence, and programs for at-risk youth, including Upward Bound. Correspondents include Texas Education Agency and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board officials, U.S. Department of Education officials, parents and teachers. Sonia Hernandez served as Policy Council director of education issues. Arrangement is somewhat chronological.
Records are correspondence, memos, briefing updates, clippings and printed material dating from 1993-1994. These are the files of Clint Winters, who was in charge of transportation issues for the Policy Council. Winters provided Governor Richards with memos detailing transportation issues in specific locations so that she would be aware of problems and concerns when visiting places throughout Texas. Files are arranged alphabetically by city or county.