The Online Catalog allows searching and browsing of information about the Florida State Archives’ holdings of over 48,000 cubic feet of state and local government records and historical manuscripts. The catalog provides descriptions of over 3,400 collections and lists the contents of containers and folders in many of those collections. For assistance with accessing and using State Archives collections, call our Reference Staff at 850.245.6719 or email us at archives@dos.myflorida.com.
Barnett People for Better Government records, 1978-1996.
Amount:
5.00 cubic ft.
Medium Included:
Organization/Arrangement:
Alphabetical by subject, then chronological by year.
Restrictions:
Terms Governing Use:
Biographical/Historical:
Barnett People for Better Government, Inc. (BPBG) formed in 1978 as a political action committee (PAC) of Barnett Banks of Florida, Inc. (BBFI). Barnett CEO Charlie Rice had participated in lobbying in Tallahassee and had recognized that regulatory and legal issues would become increasingly important in the future. Rice worked with Harold Johnson, Barnett's primary lobbyist and one of Barnett's more colorful executives, to build BPBG into the second largest bank political action committee in the country.
BPBG focused on the political and regulatory issues facing banking in Florida. These included product deregulation, geographic deregulation, ATM fees, intangible tax assessments, and rules governing lending. BPBG consisted of Barnett employees, shareholders, directors, and their families. Its purpose was threefold: to promote better banking regulations, maintain the free enterprise system by making financial contributions to pro-banking candidates, and keeping its members well-informed about the issues and positions of various candidates. BBFI underwrote the administrative expenses of BPBG, which utilized all its funds for direct contributions to candidates and political parties at national, state and local levels. Those most active members of BPBG, who served in leadership positions known as Coordinators and Captains, were invited to make annual trips to Tallahassee during the Legislative Session and to Washington, D.C., to visit with lawmakers and get a first-hand view of the legislative process.
Summary:
The collection documents the organization, operations, and activities of Barnett People for Better Government, Inc. (BPBG). The collection consists of correspondence among BPBG directors, Barnett presidents, and state officials regarding the Legislative Day Program in Tallahassee; correspondence among BPBG directors, members of U.S. House of Representatives, and Senators about the legislative process on Washington trips; board meeting notes, agendas, expenses, notices, memos, and photographs of Florida Legislative Session from 1987 to 1989 and Washington trips from 1981 to 1990; and Better Government Bulletins detailing contributions received from members and donated to elections. The collection also includes legislative materials on bank issues such as bank annuities sales, bank insurance, branch banking, and interstate banking.
Finding Aids:
Folder listing available. 0
Additional Physical Form:
Reproduction Note:
Location of Originals/Duplicates:
Associated Materials:
Language Notes:
Ownership/Custodial History:
Publication Note:
General Note:
This collection was arranged and described from materials obtained from Barnett Banks, Inc. when the Barnett Bank records were transferred to the Florida State Archives between 1999 and 2002.
Electronic Records Access:
Subject Access Fields:
Barnett Banks
Annuities Florida Banking law Florida Banks and banking History Florida. Banks and banking Insurance business Florida Branch banks Florida Interstate banking Florida Legislation Florida Lobbying Florida Lobbyists Florida
Photographs. aat
for detailed listing.