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| Title | Ann T. O'Donnell Papers |
| Finding Aid Identifier | MS 88 |
| Finding Aid Title | Finding aid for Ann T. O'Donnell papers, Ms 88 |
| Subject | Ann T. O'Donnell; finding aid; Washington State politics; Democratic Caucus; Washington State House of Representatives; Washington State government |
| Abstract | Ann T. O'Donnell was a Washington state legislator from the 37th District (Seattle area) to the House of Representatives (1959-1965). She served as secretary of the Democratic Caucus, was an active legislative committee member, and was chair of the House Labor and Industrial Insurance Committee during the 1965 legislative session. |
| Biography | Ann Teresa O'Donnell (c1936 – c1965) was appointed state representative from the 37th District (Seattle) in 1959 to replace Fred Dore, who was appointed state senator. As a 23-year old law student, O'Donnell was labeled by the Democratic club in her district as having "efficiency, intelligence, and qualities of leadership written all over her."
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O'Donnell was born in Montana, and moved to the Seattle area in 1943. Coming from a strong Democratic family, she became active in politics as early as 1952. She held a state office in the Young Democrats and in 1956 was state co-chairman of the Young Voters for Rosellini. She graduated from Immaculate High School and went on to Seattle University, where she was editor of the university's weekly newspaper and president of the Silver Scroll (a women's honorary). After graduating in 1957, she enrolled in the University of Washington's Law School. She had been a precinct committeewoman, a member of the executive committee of the Democratic Party in King County, and a delegate to the state convention. At the time of her appointment to the House of Representatives, she was serving as a receptionist in the office of the House Speaker. The local newspapers proclaimed her to be the youngest woman legislator in the United States. She was elected as the 37th While she served on a variety of House committees during her three-plus sessions as a legislator, the majority of the collection relates more specifically to her involvement with the House Labor and Industrial Insurance and House Ways and Means committees during the 1965 session. Major issues facing the Labor and Industrial Insurance committee during that session included employment security and unemployment benefits (HB 28/ SB 28); industrial insurance benefits, including monthly pension awards to beneficiary survivors of fatal industrial accidents, and awards to totally or permanently disabled workers (HB 39 / SB 39); establishing standards for child care agencies (HB 272); revisions to the Workman's Compensation Act relating to District's state representative in 1960, and was re-elected in 1962, and 1964. She became ill during the latter part of the 1965 legislative session. Her untimely death shortly after ended the career of one of the Democratic Party's rising stars of the 1960s. |
| Scope and Content | Portions of the papers relate to her regional leadership and political activities associated with the Encampment for Citizenship, Young Democratic Clubs of America, and the King County Democratic Central Committee, but the bulk of the Ann T. O'Donnell papers relate to her work in the state of Washington's House of Representatives (1959-1965). The majority of her legislative files concern the 1965 legislative session. Her correspondence files, for the most part, reflect her own order and filing system. Files labeled "Correspondence" consist of her responses as a legislator to inquiries from constituents and lobbyists, as well as occasional letters of a more personal nature. However, there is some correspondence mixed in with her specific committee files, particularly the House Labor and Industrial Insurance Committee (1965 session) and the House Ways and Means Committee (1965 session). br/ br/ While she served on a variety of House committees during her three-plus sessions as a legislator, the majority of the collection relates more specifically to her involvement with the House Labor and Industrial Insurance and House Ways and Means committees during the 1965 session. Major issues facing the Labor and Industrial Insurance committee during that session included employment security and unemployment benefits (HB 28/ SB 28); industrial insurance benefits, including monthly pension awards to beneficiary survivors of fatal industrial accidents, and awards to totally or permanently disabled workers (HB 39 / SB 39); establishing standards for child care agencies (HB 272); revisions to the Workman's Compensation Act relating to permanent partial disability awards for loss of a limb, cost of living increases in time loss compensation schedules, and the method of appealing contested cases (HB 478 and SB 422); and proposed changes to the state employees retirement system (SB 223). The majority of the House Ways and Means Committee files relate to creating a biennium budget, and include requests and rationale from various agencies seeking new or increased appropriations. br/ br/ Legislative redistricting and reapportionment was a controversial issue spread over several sessions. O'Donnell's files contain a considerable amount of material concerning the various proposals considered by the legislature and the governor, particularly during the 1965 session. Other legislative subject files coinciding with O'Donnell's personal interests include education, civil rights, and the abolition of capital punishment. br/ br/ Files relating to O'Donnell's involvement in the House Democratic Caucus (1963-1965), where she served as secretary and on the steering committee, offer some partisan insight to discussions about issues and legislation being considered by the legislature. Of particular interest are the correspondence files of the Caucus (1963 and 1965 sessions), and the Caucus Steering Committee minutes (1965). br/ br/ Reports, studies, and surveys (circa 1962-1965) from various state agencies, lobbyist groups, and other institutions or organizations that were distributed to O'Donnell as a legislator, or because of her particular committee and personal interests, make up approximately one-third of the collection. |
| Keywords | Ann T. O'Donnell; finding aid; women's history; politics; |
| Inclusive Dates | 1953 - 1965 |
| Restrictions | None |
| Volume | 3.75 linear feet |
| Accession number | 2001.75 |
| Electronic Publisher | Washington State Historical Society |
| Contributors | WSHS ; Ed Nolan |
| Object Type | finding aid |
| Format | text / pdf |
| Rights | Property of the Washington State Historical Society - All Rights Reserved |
| Data Entry | kam |
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