Mills, James R., 1927-

Biography

James R. Mills, Democrat, was a member of the Assembly from 1961 to 1966 and a member of the Senate from 1967 to 1982. As an Assembly Member, he represented the 79th District, which included downtown San Diego, North Park, and East San Diego. As a Senator, he represented the 40th District, which included from 1967 to 1975, parts of Imperial and San Diego counties. After redistricting took effect in 1975, his district was only in San Diego County.

He was born in San Diego on June 6, 1927. He attended public schools in San Diego. He received a B.A. in Social Studies and an M.A. in History from San Diego State College. He served with United States Army from 1950-1953. On January 9, 1959, he married Joanna Rohrbough. They had three children: Beatrice, William, and Eleanor. He was a teacher and historian. Before his election to the Assembly, he served as the Curator at the Serra Museum.

He was a member of the San Diego Historical Society, the American Legion, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Urban League, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Southeast San Diego Chamber of Commerce and the San Diego Maritime Research Society and F. & A.M.. He also served as a contributing editor for San Diego Magazine. He wrote two books on the history of San Diego: San Diego: Where California Began and Historical Landmarks of San Diego County . He also published The Gospel According to Pontius Pilate and Poems of Inspiration from the Masters . He served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Amtrak from 1980-1982.

After working as a volunteer for the California Democratic Council, Assembly Member Mills was elected to the State Assembly of California in 1960. After reapportionment opened up new seats in the Senate, he was elected to that chamber in 1966. He served as the Democratic Caucus Chairman, 1970. He was elected President pro Tempore on the Senate in January 1971 and served until January 1981.

According to the California Legislature at Sacramento (Handbooks), he served on the following committees:

After Senator Mills left office, he continued to update his history of San Diego on a regular basis. He also published an account of his first five years in Sacramento, The Disorderly House: The Brown-Unruh Years in Sacramento (Berkeley: Heyday Books, 1987).

Assembly, 1961-1966

Standing Committees

Constitutional Amendments, 1963-1966

Engrossment and Enrollment, 1961-1962

Chair, 1961-1962

Finance and Insurance, 1963-1966

Chair, 1963-1964

Fish and Game, 1961-1964

Industrial Relations, 1961-1962

Interstate Cooperation, 1965-1966

Legislative Representation, 1965-1966

Chair, 1965-1966

Rules, 1965-1966

Chair, 1965-1966

Social Welfare, 1961-1962

Transportation and Commerce, 1961-1962

Ways and Means, 1963

Joint Committee

Budget, 1963-1966

Senate, 1967-1982

Standing Committees

Agriculture, 1967-1970

Elections and Reapportionment, 1967-1968, 1980-1981

Chair, 1967-1968

Energy and Public Utilities, 1981-1982

Governmental Organization, 1970-1974

Industrial Relations, 1977-1978

Institutions, 1969

Insurance and Financial Institutions, 1970

Natural Resources, 1967-1968

Public Employment and Retirement, 1977-1978, 1981-1982

Public Utilities and Corporations, 1971-1974

Public Utilities, Transit, and Energy, 1975-1976

Revenue and Taxation, 1969

Rules, 1971-1980

Chair, 1971-1980

Transportation, 1967-1970, 1972-1976, 1979-1982

Water Resources, 1967-1970

Vice Chair, 1969-1970

Joint Committee

Legislative Audit, 1975-1976

From the guide to the James R. Mills Papers, 1961-1982, (California State Archives)