One statutory requirement mandates the Historic State Capitol Commission
(Commission) to maintain all materials relating to the Project:

SEC. 8.  Article 9 (commencing with Section 9149) is added to Chapter 1 of Part 1
of Division 2 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read:  Article 9.  The Historic State
Capitol Commission

9149.9 “The commission shall maintain and may utilize all historic data, research,
and project files developed and gathered by the state, and in the possession of
the state, in connection with the State Capitol Restoration Project. On the date
that the commission commences business, all of the written materials covered
under this section shall be transferred to the State Archives to inventory, process,
and store on behalf of the commission.”

Numerous records related to the 1976-1982 Capitol Restoration Project had been
collected in various repositories around the state. The Commission felt that these
materials should be centralized and organized in order to better serve the stewards of
the Capitol who need access to the documents to ensure continuity in the ongoing
maintenance of the historic building. To this end, the Commission convened a Capitol
Restoration Project Repository Committee in 1999, charged with identifying the current
location of the Capitol Restoration Project archival materials, determining opportunities
and constraints for centralizing those materials, and making a recommendation to the
Commission regarding the most appropriate and viable home for the reunified
collection. The Committee consisted of a representative from each agency that either
currently managed historic materials from the project or had an interest in using the
collection. The recommendations of this committee were adopted by the Commission
at the January 12, 2001 meeting.

The Commission agreed with the Committee that the California State Archives, a division
of the Office of the Secretary of State, was the appropriate repository for centralizing and
maintaining this important collection.  The records were placed on deposit at the State Archives. 
As a deposit with the Archives, the Legislature retained ownership and control of the materials,
which limited access to the materials by Legislative staff and public researchers.  In 2001, the
Commission requested that legal title to the materials on deposit at the State Archives be
transferred to the Secretary of State/State Archives.  The transfer would allow the materials
to join other records and objects already in the State Archives as a consolidated collection,
while remaining under the care and administration of the State.  The Legislature agreed; however,
they retained legal rights.  By preserving these records and making them available to researchers,
the Legislature ensured that a significant part of the story of California’s State Capitol was not lost
and would be accessible to the public.