Louis Papan received his Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 1997. He has a distinguished career of public service. He was first elected to the California State Assembly in 1972, where he served until 1986. Papan was Speaker Pro Tempore from 1974 to 1976 and chaired the powerful Assembly Rules Committee from 1976 to 1986. After he left the Assembly in 1986, Papan served as a Commissioner on the California Medical Assistance Commission.

In the Assembly, Papan also chaired the Joint Committee on Public Investment and Finance. He was a member of the Committee on Finance and Insurance, the Public Employees and Retirement Committee, and the Committee on Public Investment, Finances and Bonded Indebtedness.

As an Assemblyman, Papan was known as an advocate for disabled children. He wrote laws to improve public instruction for disabled students and laws to require reporting child and elder abuse. Papan also wrote legislation to significantly reform California's banking and insurance industries. Papan made all legislative records public through the Open Records Act thereby ensuring the viability and professional management of the public employees and state teachers retirement systems in California. He secured funding to purchase beachfront property in Pacifica for the state parks system and to protect endangered species in an area proposed for development on San Bruno Mountain.

As Chair of the Assembly Rules Committee, Papan oversaw restoration of the State Capitol, a six-year project with a $6 million budget the project was completed on budget and on time. Under his leadership, the Rules Committee created the first minority outreach program for the State Legislature.

Papan received his B.A. in Economics from Syracuse University in New York in 1951. He served in the U.S. Army and in the U.S. Air Force. Papan was also a Special Agent for the FBI in San Francisco and Chicago. He has been a real estate broker and general insurance agent since 1958 and co-founded the Peninsula Bank of Commerce in 1981.

He has two daughters, Virginia and Diane, who practice law in San Francisco. Papan's wife, Irene, is Executive Director of John's Closet an organization that provides new sets of clothing for needy children.

Papan was re-elected to the Assembly in the November 1996 election. He Chairs and Banking and Finance Committee and is the Dean of the Assembly with over 14 years of experience in the legislature.

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