Permanent Commission on the Status of Women records
Scope and Content
This record group consist primarily of records from the Commission's permanent support staff. Series 1. Executive Director, 1976-1990, subject files includes legislative summaries, legislation, correspondence, task force records, speeches, articles and refernce files on a variety of topics concerning women's issues. Series 2. Public Information Officer, 1973-1992, consists of news clipping files and subject files. The news clippings covering topics such as abuse, adoption, aging, birth control, child support and custody, disabilities, divorce, equal rights amendment, insurance, legislation, pay equity, social security, widow, unions and welfare, among others. Series 3. Legistlative Coordinator, 1973-1989 subject files consists primarily of materials relating to legislation either supported or opposed by the Commission. There are also workshop and task force files on a variety of subjects such as family law, maternity leave, family violence, sex equity in education and other proposed and passed legislation. Series 4. Office Manager, 1982-1986, subject files include correspondence, requests for information, conference materials, workshops and newslaetters as well as the commission meeting records and complaint files. Series 5. Special Project Director, 1986-1993, subject files include correspondence, Institutionalizing Equity Committee materials and a survey of boardm councils and commissions. Series 6. General Subject, 1972-1986, files consists of task force records, program guidelines, legislation, corresopndence, reports, speeches, publications, project files, and associate organization and committee files. Topics include drug abuse, child support, day care, object job evaluation, pay equity, displaced homemakers, women and children in the criminal justice system, insurance, rape shield laws, nontraditional occupations, minority women, sexual harassment, talent banks, aging, affirmative actions, pensions, women veterans, pregnancy/maternity, harrassment, hazardous waste, Title IX, vocational education, apprenticeships, and police and firefighter recruitment Series 7. Intake Officer, 1974-1991, complaint files consists of intake docuiments, affidavits, as correspondence regarding discrimination complaints. Series 8. Policy and Procedure Files, 1973-1986, consists of commissioner's testimony at public hearings, commission and committee minutes, commission proecedures, and the commission's affirmative action plans. Series 9. Photographs, undated, consist of ten 9x10 in. framed photographs.
Dates
- 1972-1993
Language of Materials
The records are in English.
Restrictions on Access
Records dealing with individual complaints of discrimination and referrals to the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) are confidential and the boxes are restricted. Researchers must obtain written permission from the CHRO Legal Department before submitting a request to examine the records.
Restricted boxes:
Accession 1992-047: 9, 20, 21, 22, 22A, 22B
Accession 1993-018: 26, 31, 36, 43, 44, 51, 64A, 64B, 71, 79, 80, 81
Accession 1995-008: 4
Accession 1995-009: 4, 5
Accession 1995-011: 2
These records are stored at an off-site facility and therefore may not be available on a same-day basis.
See the Rules and Procedures for Researchers Using Archival Records and Secured Collections policy.
Restrictions on Use
See the Reproduction and Publications of State Library Collections policy.
Historical Note
The General Assembly created the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) in 1973. Title 46(a) of the Connecticut General Statutes provides for a seventeen member commission and a support staff to work to eliminate sex discrimination within the state. The Governor appoints five members. The Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore appoint four members each. The co-chairs of the Judiciary Committee and its ranking minority members also serve as commissioners. Initially, these representatives came from the Joint Standing Committee on Human Rights and Opportunities, but the legislature changed the composition to reflect a broader legal perspective.
The Commission's first task was to review existing statutes to ensure conformity with the 1974 state equal rights amendment. Working with the legislature and private organizations interested in gender equality, the PCSW succeeded in making many state laws gender neutral. It continues its efforts to ensure equal employment, housing, credit and educational opportunities for the state's women.
In addition to its legislative efforts, the PCSW assists individuals who believe they have suffered sex discrimination in employment and other areas. The PCSW offers advice on legal rights and assists with filing formal complaints with the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, the state's enforcement agency on discrimination. The PCSW provides speakers and workshop leaders to organizations interested in issues affecting women and also maintains a talent bank listing qualified women available to serve in unpaid positions on various boards, councils and commissions in state government. In addition, the Commission's staff produces publications on topics ranging from job rights and non-traditional job resources to pregnancy and maternity leave.
From time to time, the Commission undertakes special projects. These have included surveying Connecticut industry to estimate the potential for industry-based child care as well as working with state government to increase the number of female troopers. Special Act 87-91 mandated that the PCSW study conditions of women and children in the criminal justice system including educational and occupational opportunities for female prisoners. Other projects have examined disabled women's needs, researched women's contributions to Connecticut history, assisted in improving equal educational opportunities, and studied the economic impact of divorce in Connecticut.
Extent
124 cubic feet
Abstract
The General Assembly created the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women in 1973. The Commission was charged to work to eliminate sex discrimination within the state.
Arrangement
Series 1. Executive Director, 1976-1990, 21.5 cubic feet
Subject files, Accession 1992-047 (part), 1979-1989, 3 cubic feet.
Subject files, Accession 1993-017 (part), 1976-1987, 9.5 cubic feet
Subject files, Accession 1995-008, 1976-1990, 9 c.f.
Series 2. Public Information Officer, 1973-1992, 29 cubic feet
News clipping files, Accession 1992-047 (part), 1976-1987, 3 cubic foot
Subject files, Accession 1992-047 (part), 1976-1987, 1 cubic foot
Subject files, Accession 1993-017 (part), 1973-1987, 21 cubic feet
Subject files, Accession 1995-010, 1973-1992, 4 cubic feet
Series 3. Legislative Coordinator, 1973-1989, 13 cubic feet
Subject files, Accession 1993-017 (part), 1975-1983, 6 cubic feet
Subject files, Accession 1995-011, 1973-1989, 7 cubic feet
Series 4. Office Manager, 1982-1986, 7 cubic feet
Subject files, Accession 1993-017 (part), 1985-1986, 2 cubic feet
Subject files, Accession 1995-009, 1982-1991, 5 cubic feet
Series 5. Special Projects Director, 1986-1993, 1 cubic foot.
Administrative files, Accession 1995-012, 1986-1993, 1 cubic foot
Series 6, General Subject Files, 1972-1987, 38 cubic feet
Accession 1992-047 (part), 1975-1987, 14 cubic feet
Accession 1993-017 (part), 1972-1986, 24 cubic feet
Series 7. Intake Officer, 1974-1985, 9 cubic feet
Complaint files, Accession 1992-047 (part), 1975-1991, 4 cubic feet
Complaint files, Accession 1993-017 (part), 1974-1985, 5 cubic feet
Series 8. Policy and Procedure Files, 1973-1986, 3.5 cubic feet
Accession 1993-017 (part), 1973-1986, 3.5 cubic feet
Series 9. Photographs, undated, 1 cubic foot
Accession 1992-047 (part), undated, 14 cubic foot
Provenance
The Commission's Executive Director and staff created and maintained these records for the Commission until their transfer to the State Archives as noted below. The staff transferred the bulk of the records in 1992 with two small accessions in 1992 and 1994.
Processing Information
All of the matieral in this record group is currently unprocessed. The various accessions overlap each other for dates and topics. Researchers should consult the entire finding aid to ensure finding all the appropriate records.
- Connecticut. Permanent Commission on the Status of Women -- Records and correspondence Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Correspondence Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Minutes Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- News clippings Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Reports Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Speeches Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Women's rights -- Connecticut Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- RG 176, Permanent Commission on the Status of Women
- Subtitle
- Inventory of Records
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Connecticut State Library staff.
- Date
- 2008
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Connecticut State Library Repository