Store Research
Assembly Bill 3132 (Waters – 1949)
Chapter 760, Statutes of 1949 - AB 3132
Some bill research does not include the Governor's file because at the time we researched the bill, the sitting Governor had not released his chaptered bill file. If the Governor's file is not included with this particular research, please contact our office (1-530-666-1917 or quote@legintent.com) and we will be happy to provide this file at no charge if it is available. Please Note: Governor files did not exist prior to 1943.
As enacted in 1949, Assembly Bill 3132 was a single-section bill that amended only former Business and Professions Code section 20880, the precursor to current Business and Professions Code section 13532, relating to the sales of petroleum products. (See Exhibit #1c) Assembly member Lauglin E. Waters, an Attorney from Los Angeles, introduced this bill on April 21, 1949. (See Exhibits #1a and #6)
Assembly Bill 3132 was assigned to the Assembly Committee on Manufacturing and Mining Industry and the Senate Committee on Business and Professionals where policy issues raised by the bill were considered. (See Exhibit #2) One amendment was made to Assembly Bill 3132. (See Exhibits #1b and #2) Subsequent to legislative approval, Governor Earl Warren signed the bill on June 24, 1949, and it was recorded by the Secretary of State on the same day as Chapter 760 of the Statutes of 1949. (See Exhibits #1c and #2)
The Summary Digest of Statutes Enacted, prepared by Legislative Counsel states that Assembly Bill 3132 “[r]equires sign indicating reduced price to state total price, including taxes, of each brand or trade name of fuel sold.” (See Exhibit #7)
Neither of the committees hearing this bill nor its author has left documentation surviving upon its consideration. Given these circumstances, we found that the post-enrollment legislative bill file for the Governor regarding this legislation provided the most useful documents. (See generally, Exhibit #3) Through the materials located in the Governor’s file we are able to gain some insight into the intent of the legislation. The information in these materials was presumably presented to the legislature by the writers who were participants in the legislative process. (Id.)
The purpose of Assembly Bill 3132 is explained in the Legislative Memorandum to the Governor as follows:
Assemblyman Waters, the author of the measure, writes urging approval. He states that the purpose of the bill is to prevent fraud and deception, and points out that the Attorney General has ruled the present law forbids the type of signs forbidden by this measure, but that its enforcement has not been successful because of vagueness of the present laws. He encloses copy of letter from the Independent Refiners’ Association, urging this measure as necessary to prevent fraud and deception.
(See Exhibit #3, document PE-15)