Thomas M. Hannigan
Encyclopedia
Thomas M. Hannigan served in the California State Assembly
from 1978 until he was termed out
in 1996. From 1986 through 1995 he was the Majority Floor Leader in the Assembly. He was a Democrat
from Solano County
. Throughout his political career, Hannigan was a strong supporter of legislation supporting the protection and development of water resources. He was a key proponent of Proposition 204, which voters approved in November 1996. The Safe, Clean, Reliable Water Supply Act provided $995 million to fund water programs and statewide levees.
After he was termed out of office, Hannigan was appointed by California Governor Gray Davis
to be the Director of the California Department of Water Resources
. During Hannigan's tenure as Director, the State of California was faced with a severe energy crisis
, and DWR was authorized to purchase power on behalf of the state.
Hannigan is an alumnus of Santa Clara University
.
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
from 1978 until he was termed out
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
in 1996. From 1986 through 1995 he was the Majority Floor Leader in the Assembly. He was a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
from Solano County
Solano County, California
Solano County is a county located in Bay-Delta region of the U.S. state of California, about halfway between San Francisco and Sacramento and is one of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. The county's population was reported by the U.S. Census to be 413,344 in 2010...
. Throughout his political career, Hannigan was a strong supporter of legislation supporting the protection and development of water resources. He was a key proponent of Proposition 204, which voters approved in November 1996. The Safe, Clean, Reliable Water Supply Act provided $995 million to fund water programs and statewide levees.
After he was termed out of office, Hannigan was appointed by California Governor Gray Davis
Gray Davis
Joseph Graham "Gray" Davis, Jr. is an American Democratic politician who served as California's 37th Governor from 1999 until being recalled in 2003...
to be the Director of the California Department of Water Resources
California Department of Water Resources
The California Department of Water Resources , is a department within the California Natural Resources Agency. The Department of Water Resources is responsible for the State of California's management and regulation of water usage...
. During Hannigan's tenure as Director, the State of California was faced with a severe energy crisis
California electricity crisis
The California electricity crisis, also known as the Western U.S. Energy Crisis of 2000 and 2001 was a situation in which California had a shortage of electricity caused by market manipulations and illegal shutdowns of pipelines by Texas energy consortiums...
, and DWR was authorized to purchase power on behalf of the state.
Hannigan is an alumnus of Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University is a private, not-for-profit, Jesuit-affiliated university located in Santa Clara, California, United States. Chartered by the state of California and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, it operates in collaboration with the Society of Jesus , whose...
.