The Gary K. Johnson papers are drawn primarily from the later years of his tenure in the Wisconsin State Assembly (1970-1984) and are only a small part of the documentation that once existed. The papers document mainly the years 1980 to 1984, the years during which Johnson served as Assembly Majority Leader. The collection is arranged into BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION, CORRESPONDENCE, SUBJECT FILES, and BILL FILES.
The biographical information and campaign material includes candidate questionnaires distributed by the press and brochures detailing Johnson's background and service as assemblyman. The correspondence is arranged alphabetically, and further by month. Prominent correspondents include the Beloit Corporation, Wisconsin Power and Light, the Wisconsin Education Association, and the Wisconsin Hospital Association. Subject files, arranged alphabetically, concern Johnson's committee work; community concerns of the Beloit/Janesville, Wisconsin area; the University of Wisconsin system; dealings with state agencies; and the “open meetings” dispute and lawsuits. The subject files include, in chronological order, speeches, press releases and statements, and hearing testimony. The bill files cover twelve bills about which Mr. Johnson received specific correspondence. These cover the years 1978-1984. (Mention of various bills, however, is common throughout the correspondence.)
