John Briggs

John Vern Briggs (March 8, 1930 – April 15, 2020) was an American politician in the state of California. A Republican, he served in the California State Assembly and the California State Senate. He is perhaps best known for sponsoring Proposition 6 in 1978, also known as the Briggs Initiative, a failed measure which attempted to remove all gay or lesbian school employees or their supporters from their jobs. Personal life Briggs was born in Alpena, South Dakota in 1930 and moved to southern California in 1935, where his single mother struggled to provide a stable home causing Briggs to be sent to foster care for a two-year period. He attended Fullerton Union High School and later served in the United States Air Force (1947–51) rising to the rank of Technical Sergeant, seeing action in the Korean Theater. After his stint in the Air Force, Briggs served in the United States Naval Reserve. Near the end of his military service, Briggs met Carmen Nicasio, at a USO dance. They married in December 1951 and moved to Fullerton, California where Briggs enrolled and graduated from Long Beach State College while working night shifts at Delco Remy Battery plant. Together, they had three children (Kathy Bailey, Dan Briggs and retired El Dorado County Supervisor Ron Briggs) and had eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Briggs began his insurance career as a salesman, and then started his own successful insurance brokerage firm. In 1966 Briggs was elected to the California state assembly representing North Orange County. In June 1973, Briggs was selected by his alma mater California State University Long Beach as Outstanding Alumnus. In 1976 he was elected to the state senate serving 5 years before resigning in 1981, citing financial needs. He began a successful 14-year career as a lobbyist representing heavy equipment contractors, drunk driver's treatment schools, minority owned business associations, among others. Throughout the years, Briggs remained active in a variety of community groups, including the Jaycees, the Rotary Club, and the Boys and Girls Club. He died on April 15, 2020, at the age of 90.