NTE2cg640.xml Guide to the Otto Amen Papers 1973-1983 Amen (Otto) Papers Finding aid prepared by Baodi Zhou Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections © 2026 Finding aid encoded by Suzanne James-Bacon. 2026 Finding aid written in English. English. Finding aid based on DACS 2nd Edition ( Describing Archives: A Content Standard). Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections Cage 640 Amen, Otto, 1912-2011 Otto Amen Papers 1973-1983 9 Linear feet of shelf space 8 Boxes The legislative papers of Otto Amen consist of subject files, constituent correspondence, and various reports and enclosures. The majority of the documents are from Amen's final two terms in the Legislature, during the years 1979 - 1983. Collection materials are in English

Otto Amen (1912-2011) served as Washington State Representative from the 9th District for eight terms from 1967 to 1983. He was the Speaker Pro Tempore and a member of the committees of Agriculture, Rules, and Appropriations--General Government, as well as the Special Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government. He was the chairman of the Special Committee of Legislative Budget. He was educated at Washington State University in pharmacy, and then became a farmer by occupation. He was a resident of Ritzville, Washington, and actively involved in community activities. He was an active member of the Grange, the Farm Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce, and Washington Wheat Growers Association.

The legislative papers of Otto Amen consist of subject files, constituent correspondence, and various reports and enclosures. The majority of the documents are from Amen's final two terms in the Legislature, during the years 1979 - 1983.

Series 1. Legislative Files, 1973-1979, is organized into three subseries: Miscellaneous; Appropriations; and House Bills. Series 2. Legislative Files, 1979 to 1981, is organized into four subseries: Correspondence, arranged according to places of the correspondents first and then according to topics discussed; House Bills Sponsored; Subject Files; and Appropriations. Series 3. Legislative Files, 1981 to 1983, is organized into six subseries: 1981 Correspondence; 1981 Subject Files; 1982 Correspondence; 1982 Subject Files; House Bills Sponsored; and Miscellaneous.

The papers are filed in the original order in which they were received. They are organized in three chronological series, each further arranged into subseries by topics.

This collection is open and available for research use.

Copyright restrictions may apply.

[Item description]

Otto Amen Papers, 1973-1983 (Cage 640)

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

The papers were donated to the Washington State University Libraries in 1985 by Otto Amen (MS85-41).

This collection was processed in summer 1996 by Baodi Zhou.

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Amen, Otto, 1912-2011 -- Archives Washington (State). Legislature. House of Representatives -- History Washington (State), Eastern -- Politics and government -- 20th century Statutes -- Washington (State) Law -- Washington (State) -- Interpretation and construction Legislation -- Washington (State) -- 20th century Agriculture and politics -- Washington (State) -- 20th century Washington (State) Politics and Politicians Agriculture 1 Legislative Files 1973-1979 Subject Files 1 1 Agriculture 1977-1978 1 2 Agriculture Appropriations 1977-1979 1 3 Agricultural Committee 1977-1978 1 4 Agriculture - Commissioned Merchants 1975-1977 1 5 Agriculture - SHB 1219 (corporate agriculture) 1977 1 6 Agriculture - Hazardous Substances Act 1977 1 7 Agriculture - Irrigation Legislation 1967-1977 1 8 Alcoholism 1 9 Anti-Corporate Farming Information 1974-1977 1 10 Corporate Framing Legislation 1973-1977 1 11 Death with Dignity Information 1975-1976 1 12 Drought of 1977 1 13 Education Initiative #53, B.A.S.I.C. 1976 1 14 Elected Officials 1976-1977 1 15 Evergreen State College, Leaves 1972-1977 1 16 Facilities Committee (House) 1976 1 17 Fertilizer Lien Law 1976 1 18 Illegal Aliens, HB96 1977 1 19 Income Tax Legislation (1) 1973-1975 1 20 Income Tax Legislation (2) 1977 1 21 Inheritance Tax 1976 1 22 Initiative 59, Agriculture 1976-1977 1 23 Initiative 59- Alternatives 1977 1 24 Interagency for Outdoor Recreation 1976 1 25 Labor and Employment Securities 1976-1979 1 26 Labor Relations 1975-1977 1 27 Long Term Drought, Subcommittee on 1977 1 28 Market Promotion, Subcommittee on 1977-1978 1 29 Medicine, Drugs, Abortion 1974-1977 1 30 Mental Health, Whitman County Administrative Board 1977 1 31 Miscellaneous (correspondence) 1977 1 32 Natural Resources, Pollution 1966, 1973 1 33 Newspaper Clippings 1977 1 34 OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Act) and WISHA (Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act) 1974-1974 1 35 Page Application and Letters 1969-1977 1 36 Pensions 1976 1 37 Personnel 1976-1977 1 38 Port Districts 1977 1 39 Public Utility Districts 1966-1970 1 40 Pullman By-pass 1975 1 41 Roll Call Transcripts 1977 1 42 Salary Survey 1976, 1978 1 43 Sales Tax Information 1977 1 44 Shoreline Legislation 1971-1974 1 45 State Salaries 1976-1976 1 46 Sunset Committee 1977 1 47 Washington Warehouse Act, HB 1131 (Rep. Clayton) 1977 1 48 Water Pollution Control, Agriculture 1975-1976 1 49 Water resource Act, HB 1447 & SB 3081 1975-1976 1 50 Welfare-Social & Health service 1976-1977 Appropriations 1 51 Appropriation 1975-1978 1 52 Budget 1977-1979 2 53 Budget and Accounting Act 1977 2 54 Education, K-12, (questionnaire) 1976-1977 2 55 Employment Relations 1977 2 56 Revenue 1973-1979 2 57 State Agencies, Miscellaneous 1976-1979 2 58 Budget - Evans Proposal 1977-1979 2 59 Department, Social and Health Services 1971-1977 2 60 Education,, Budget 1977-1979 2 61 Higher Education - Budget 1977 2 62 Supplemental Budget 1975-1977 2 63 University of Washington - appropriation 1977 2 64 Washington State University - Agricultural Research Center - Budget Needs 1975 2 65 Washington State University - appropriation 1972-1977 2 66 Washington State University, Budget 1977-1979 House Bills 2 67 HB 129 - Fiscal Impact of Legislation 1977 2 68 HB 136 - Agriculture Repeals 1976-1977 2 69 HB 137 - Traffic Safety 1977 2 70 HB 139, 141, 144 1977 2 71 HB 231 - Reports, Agencies & Officials 1977 2 72 HB 233 - Reports, Control Bill 2 73 HB 281 - Educational Service Districts 1976-1977 2 74 HB 406 - Minor Political Parties 1976-1977 2 75 HB 602 - Salary Surveys 1976-1977 2 76 HB 603 - Merit System Administration 1977 2 77 HB 678 - Livestock Theft 1977 2 78 HB 844 - County Library Districts 1976-1977 2 79 HB 936 1977 2 80 House Joint Memorial 9 - Livestock Insurance Corp 1977 2 Legislative files 1979-1981 Correspondence 2 81 Hatton and Cunningham, Adam County 1979-1980 2 82 Lind, Adams County 1979-1980 2 83 Benge, Adams County 1979 2 84 Othello, Adams County 1978-1980 2 85 Ritzville, Adams County (1) 1979-1980 2 86 Ritzville, Adams County (2) 1979-1980 2 87 Washtucna, Adams County 1978-1980 2 88 Asotin & Anatone, Asotin County 1979-1980 2 89 Clarkston, Asotin County 1979-1980 2 90 Dayton, Columbia County 1979-1980 2 91 Pomeroy, Garfield County 1979-1980 2 92 Warden, Grant County 1977, 1979-1980 2 93 Colfax, Whitman County 1978-1980 3 94 Endicott & Winona, Whitman County 1979-1980 3 95 Lacrosse, Whitman County 1979-1980 3 96 Lamont, Whitman County 1979-1980 3 97 Palouse, Whitman County 1979-1980 3 98 Pullman, Whitman County (1) 1979-1980 3 99 Pullman, Whitman County (2) 1979-1980 3 100 Pullman, Whitman county (3) 1979-1980 3 101 St. John, Whitman County 1979-1980 3 102 Miscellaneous, Whitman County 1978-1980 3 103 Miscellaneous Letters, (MTST) 1979 3 104 Out of District 1979-1980 House Bills Sponsored 3 105 HB 351 - Ag. Commodity Wheat Assessment 1979 3 106 HB 959 - Minor Public Office, Disclosure 1979 3 107 HB 1205 - Snake River Legislation 1979-1980 3 108 HB 1205 - Snake River, Scenic River 1973, 1979 3 109 HB 1444 - Low Income Utility Fees 1980 3 110 HB 1596 - City Programs, Agriculture, Lands 1979-1980 3 111 HB 1784 - Bond Pay, Irrigation district 1980 3 112 HB Subject files 3 113 Agriculture and Blood Bank 1979-1980 Agriculture 3 114 Agricultural Compact 1979 3 115 Allen Land Ownership 1978-1979 3 116 Commercial Feed Act 1978 3 117 Crop Lien, HB 45 1979 3 118 Gasohol Information 1976, 1978 3 119 Irrigation advisory Committee 1979 3 120 Marketing, HB 46 1979 3 121 Miscellaneous Information 1975-1977 3 122 Omnibus Bill 1978 3 123 Pesticide Application Act 1978 3 124 Pesticide Control Act 1978-1979 3 125 Proposed Legislation 1979 3 126 Wheat Growers, Washington association 1979 3 127 Association of Washington Business 1980 3 128 Attorney General 1980 3 129 Children and Families, Legislation Affecting 1979-1980 3 130 Correctional Institutions 1979-1980 3 131 Day Care Expenditure 1980 3 132 Energy 1973-1980 4 133 Full Time Equivalent Staff in State Government 1980 4 134 GOPinion Pull 1979 4 135 GOPinion Pull 1980 4 136 Handicapped Legislation 1980 4 137 Housing Finance Commission, State, HB 20 1979 4 138 Human Resource - General Information 1977-1980 4 139 Inheritance Tax Information 1979 4 140 Insurance and Compensation, Industrial Insurance, Workmen's 4 140 Compensation 1971-1977 4 141 Insurance and Compensation, Unemployment Compensation 1972-1977 4 142 Insurance and Compensation 1977-1979 4 143 Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation 1979 4 144 Judiciary 1965, 1980 4 145 Juvenile and Families in Conflict, ESSB 1768 1979 4 146 Library, Ninth District 1981 4 147 Local Projects 1968, 1975-1979 4 148 "Outlook" 1979 4 149 "Outlook" 1980 4 150 Pages 1977-1980 4 151 Pension Information 1980 4 152 Pension Reform Information 1978-1980 4 153 Prime Sponsored Legislation 1979 4 154 Products Liability Information 1979 4 155 Proposed Legislation 1979-1980 4 156 Retirement Pension 1979-1980 4 157 Roll Call Transcripts 1979 4 158 Roll Call Transcripts 1980 4 159 School Legislation - Pending File (Answers from School Administration 1979 4 160 Schools 1980 4 161 Senior Citizen Legislation 1979-1980 4 162 Social and Health Services, Department of 1979-1981 4 163 Special Mailings 1978-1980 4 164 Special Reports - Communications 1979 4 165 Special Reports, Republican Caucus 1979-1980 4 166 State Patrol 1980 4 167 Stationary (Ordering and Samples) 1977-1980 4 168 Tax Information 1976, 1977, 1979 4 169 Washington Education association - 1980 Voting Record 4 170 Washington State Crop Improvement Association 1979-1980 Appropriations Appropriations 4 171 Adult and Corrections 1978-1981 4 172 Budget 1979 5 173 Budget, Miscellaneous Information 1975-1977, 1978-1979 5 174 Capital Budget 1979 5 175 Committee Membership, 5 176 Compensations 1979 5 177 Education, K-12 1979-1981 5 178 General Government 1979-1981 5 179 Government, Counties 1975-1977 5 180 Government, State 1975-1979 5 181 Higher Education 1968, 1975, 1977, 1979-1981 5 182 Human Resources 1978-1981 5 183 Human Services, Mental Health only 1976-1979 5 184 Legislation to be Considered 1979 5 185 Operating Budget, Information 1977-1979 5 186 Parks and Game 1977-1979, 1979-1981 5 187 Revenue 1979 5 188 Revenue 1980 5 189 Supplemental Budget 1979 5 190 Washington State University, Budget 1979 5 191 Attorney General 1981 5 192 Education - Legislation 1978-1979 5 193 Local Government - Program element 1979 5 194 Nursing Homes Legislation 1978-1979 5 195 Public Health 1975, 1979, 1981 5 196 Research 1980 3 Legislative files 1981-1983 1981 Correspondence Representative Otto Amen - personal 1982 6 197 Personal 1982 District Correspondence 1981 6 198 Benge, Adams County 1981 6 199 Lind, Adams County 1981 6 200 Lidka Sykora, Othello 1981 6 201 Othello, Adams County 1981 6 202 Ritzville, Adams County 1981 6 203 Washtucna, Adams County 1981 6 204 Asotin & Anatone, Asotin county 1981 6 205 Clarkston, Asotin County (1) 1981 6 206 Clarkston, Asotin County (2) 1981 6 207 Dayton, Columbia County 1981 6 208 Connell, Franklin County 1981 6 209 Pasco, Franklin County 1981 6 210 Pomeroy, Garfield County 1981 6 211 Warden, Grant County 1981 6 212 Albion, Whitman County 1981 6 213 Colfax, Whitman County 1981 6 214 Colton, Uniontown, Whitman County 1981 6 215 Endicott, Whitman County 1981 6 216 Hay, Whitman County 1981 6 217 Lacrosse, Whitman County 1981 6 218 Palouse, Whitman County 1981 6 219 St. John, Whitman County 1981 6 220 Pullman, Whitman County (1) 1981 6 221 Pullman, Whitman County (2) 1981 6 222 Pullman, Whitman County (3) 1981 6 223 Pullman, Whitman County (4) 1981 6 224 Out of District (1) 1981 6 225 Out of District (2) 1981 1981 Subject files 6 226 Abortion 1981 6 227 Application for Appointments 1980 6 228 Association of Washington Business 1981 6 229 Big Bend Community College, Moses Lake 1981 6 230 Columbia Basin College, Pasco 1981 6 231 Department of Social and Health Services 1978-1981 6 232 Fiscal Crisis - Correspondence regarding Suggestions and Comments 1981 6 233 Governor John Spellman, Olympia 1981 6 234 Hells Canyon National Recreation Area 1981 7 235 Higher Education - Correspondence re 10% Budget Cut 1981 7 236 Higher Education - Correspondence re Graduate Student Tuition Increase 1981 7 237 Higher Education, Faculty salary 1981 7 238 Legislative Hotline Calls - Summary 1981 7 239 Legislative Liaison Contact List - State Agencies 1981 7 240 Levy Lid 1981 7 241 Pages 1980-1981 7 242 Pages 1981-1982 7 243 Parent Co-op School Program 1981 7 244 Press 1981-1982 7 245 School Budget 1981 7 246 Schools - Classified Employees 1982 7 247 Senior Citizens 1981 7 248 Speech Material 1982 7 249 State Treasurer - Robert V. Graham 1981 7 250 Tax Reform - Correspondence Opposing 1981 7 251 Tax Reform - Correspondence Supporting 1981 7 252 Transportation Request 1981 7 253 Tuition Increase and/or Waiving of Tuition and Fees for Athletics - SB 3237 1981 7 254 Usury - 12% Ceiling on Interest Rates 1981 7 255 Welfare 1975-1981 7 256 WPPSS (Washington Public Power Supply System) 1982 1982 Correspondence 7 257 Adams County 1981-1982 7 258 Benge, Adams County 1982 7 259 Cunningham, Adams County 1982 7 260 Lind, Adams County 1982 7 261 Othello, Adams County 1982 7 262 Othello Chamber of Commerce, Adams County 1981-1982 7 263 Ritzville, Adams County 1982 7 264 Washtucna, Adams County 1982 7 265 Asotin, Asotin County 1982 7 266 Clarkston, Asotin County 1982 7 267 Dayton, Columbia County 1982 7 268 Connell, Franklin County 1982 7 269 Pasco, Franklin County 1982 7 270 Pomeroy, Garfield County 1982 7 271 Warden, Grant County 1982 7 272 Albion, Whitman County 1982 7 273 Colfax, Whitman County 1982 7 274 Colton, Whitman County 1982 7 275 Endicott, Whitman County 1982 7 276 Garfield, Whitman County 1982 7 277 Lacrosse, Whitman County 1982 7 278 Lamont, Whitman County 1982 7 279 Palouse, Whitman County 1982 7 280 Pullman, Whitman County (1) 1982 7 281 Pullman, Whitman county (2) 1982 7 282 St. John, Whitman County 1982 7 283 Bailie Memorial Boys Ranch - Basin City 1982 7 284 Out of District 1982 1982 Subject files 7 285 Airplane Tax 1981-1982 7 286 Attorney Gnarl 1982 7 287 Big Bend Community College, Moses Lake 1982 7 288 Blood Bank Legislation & Correspondence (House Bill 872 & Senate Bill 4583) 1980-1982 7 289 Blood Banks Regulated, HB 1826 (1976-81) 7 290 Eastern Washington University, Cheney (1981-82) 7 291 Education Forum 1982 7 292 Education, Letters in Opposition to ESB 2343. Making miscellaneous changes in law re Education 1981-1982 7 293 Governor's Office - Staff and their Responsibilities 1981 7 294 House Roster, 47th Legislature 1981 8 295 Insurance Commissioner 1982 8 296 Milwaukee Road Right-of-way 1981-1982 8 297 North Columbia Toll Bridge Association 1979-1982 House Bills Sponsored 8 298 Bills Sponsored 1981 8 299 HB 31 (Workers' Compensation) 1981 8 300 HB 40 (Public Disclosure / Local Government) 1981 8 301 HB 198 (Irrigation Districts Contracts) 1981 8 302 HB 260 (Agriculture Committees Assessments) 1981 8 303 HB 265 (Ships, Vessels Property Tax) 1981 8 304 HPM 274 (Voter Requirements, Cooperative Districts) 1981 8 305 HB 300 (Leasing State Land) 1981 8 306 HB 333 (Wheat Commission Vacancies) 1981 8 307 HB 370 (Road District Excess Levies) 1979-1981 8 308 HB 394 (Law Enforcement, Service Districts) 1981 8 309 HB 408 (SEPA Actions, Bonds) 1981 8 310 HB 449 (Water Resource Supervisor) 1981 8 311 HB 456 (Agriculture, Committees Storage) 1981 8 312 HB 461 (Education Reciprocity with Idaho) 1981 8 313 HB 471 (Foreclosure Sales, Minimum Bid) 1981 8 314 HB 514 (Crime Victims County Program) 1981 8 315 HB 529 (Higher Education Construction Bid Amounts) 1981 8 316 HB 542 (Voter Requirements, Cooperative Districts) 1981 8 317 HB 612 (County Indicated Ratios) 1981 8 318 HB 631 (Race Track Fees) 1981 8 319 HB 666 (Resource Lands, management, use) 1981 8 320 HB 774 (Jail space requirements) 1981 8 321 HB 798 (Transient accommodations) 1981 8 322 HB 803 (Sick leave buy-back abolished) 1981 8 323 HB 804 (Milwaukee railroad, right-of-way) 1981 8 324 HB 849 (Education, Miscellaneous changes) 1982 8 325 HB 872 (Regulating blood bank) 1981-1982 8 326 HB 922 (Reduce prison overcrowding) 1981-1982 8 327 HB 923 (Voluntary action center) 1982 8 328 HB 937 (Assessing insurers) 1982 8 329 HB 1003 (Voting by mail) 1982 8 330 HB 1021 (Milwaukee Railroad / adjacent land) 1982 8 331 HB 1078 (WSU wastewater treatment plant) 1982 8 332 HB 1097 (Employment security, job service funding) 1982 8 333 HB 1129 (Superintendent of Public instruction redefined state education board) 1982 8 334 HB 1167 (Federal aid medical care program) 1982 8 335 HB 3356 (Remodeling jails / criteria) 1982 8 336 HJM 3 (Election returns reporting) 1981 8 337 HJM 17 (President's economic plan) 1981 8 338 HJM 20 (Acquire tribal claims) 1982 8 339 HJR 14 (Redistricting commission) 1982 8 340 HJR 16 (Superintendent of public instruction appointive / state education board) 1982 8 341 Bills passed during the special session 1981-1982 Miscellaneous 8 342 Budget 1978-1981 and 1981-1983 8 343 Budget - capital 1981 8 344 Budget - supplemental 1980-1981 8 345 Budget - supplemental (Mt. St. Helen's) 1981 8 346 Budget - supplemental (November - December 1981) 8 347 Budget Message - Governor John Spellman (1979-1981 & 1981-1983 Biennial Budgets) 8 348 Committee Assignments 1981 8 349 Government cost information 1981 8 350 Insurance 1981-1982 8 351 Intern programs 1981 8 352 Legislative Budget Committee 1981-1982 8 353 Letters of Recommendation for Appointments 1981-1982 8 354 Pacific Northwest Bell Rate Insurance 1981 8 355 Pensions 1981 8 356 Planning & Management Committee, 1080-82 8 357 Projects, Districts, Proposed-pending 1976-1981 8 358 Schools 1980-1981 8 359 Transportation 1977-1982 8 360 Washington Cities by Legislative Districts and Zip Codes 1982