Stephen Peace
Encyclopedia
J. Stephen "Steve" Peace (born March 30, 1953) is a film writer and producer, and a U.S.
Democratic politician
from California
.
Peace was born in 1953 in San Diego, California
and is an alumnus of UC San Diego.
His few film credits include the famous cult-movies
in the parody Killer Tomatoes series (Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!, Return of the Killer Tomatoes!, Killer Tomatoes Strike Back
, and Killer Tomatoes Eat France
(under the name J. Stephen "Rock" Peace). He acted in the first 3, wrote the two first and the final film, and produced all 4. He is also took on all 3 aforementioned jobs in unrelated film Happy Hour AKA Sour Grapes.
Peace got his start in politics as a protégé of Assemblyman Larry Kapiloff.
Peace served in the California State Assembly
from 1982–1992 and the California Senate from 1993–2002.
In 1994, Peace authored a series of criminal justice reform measures signed by Governor Pete Wilson that significantly increased penalties for violent criminals, including the "one strike and you're out" bill aimed at violent sex offenders http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/93-94/bill/asm/ab_0001-0050/ab_25_bill_931001_chaptered. Peace also co-authored legislation that increased the punishment for drug dealers who sell controlled substances on or around elementary, middle, and high schools http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/93-94/bill/asm/ab_0101-0150/ab_104_bill_930928_chaptered.
In 2000 and 2001, then Senator Peace wrote and secured the passage of new laws to protect the privacy of individuals' personal information. Senate Bill 129 created the Office of Privacy Protection within the Department of Consumer Affairs to inform the public of potential options for protecting their privacy, receive complaints concerning persons unlawfully using others' personal information, and to help prosecute identity theft and other privacy related crimes http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/99-00/bill/sen/sb_0101-0150/sb_129_bill_20000930_chaptered.html.
Many claim he wrote the electricity
deregulation
bill that many believed resulted in the California electricity crisis
of 2000 and 2001. At the time, several prominent California newspapers came out in support of AB 1890, including the San Jose Mercury News. An editorial from 1996 supported the measures taken by the legislature at the time.
"Last year the California Public Utilities Commission rolled out a plan to turn electric power monopolies into free-market competitors. It was a flickering bulb. A half-dozen legislators and their staffs burned the midnight oil this summer to improve it. What they have produced glows brightly. Their plan protects residential and small business customers; it treats public and investor-owned utilities fairly; it maintains important social programs such as energy efficiency and assistance." .
However, although Peace was then Chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy, it was not "his" bill. The "Steve Peace Death March", as it was known, caused many legislators to switch their votes to support deregulation. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/12/31/MN167927.DTL. The energy crisis
was enough to cause him to abandon a proposed run for California Secretary of State
. As part of his campaign to distance himself from the energy crisis, he posted a short video on his state website which included several clips of him opposing the type of deregulation which was eventually included in the energy bill. In the years after the energy crisis, information about market abuse by Enron and ineffective federal oversight by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission emerged. Peace's contends that the crisis was not, as pundits claimed at the time, a result of "his" energy bill.
After being term limit
ed out of the assembly he was appointed Director of the California Department of Finance by then governor Gray Davis
.
Peace is currently senior advisor for San Diego Padres owner John Moores, chairman of the board of directors for the California Independent Voter Project and CEO of Killer Tomatoes Entertainment. He is currently married to his wife Cheryl and has three sons.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Democratic politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Peace was born in 1953 in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
and is an alumnus of UC San Diego.
His few film credits include the famous cult-movies
Cult film
A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but specific group of fans. Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame among mainstream audiences...
in the parody Killer Tomatoes series (Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!, Return of the Killer Tomatoes!, Killer Tomatoes Strike Back
Killer Tomatoes Strike Back
Killer Tomatoes Strike Back is the third film in the Killer Tomatoes film series, following Attack of the Killer Tomatoes and Return of the Killer Tomatoes and followed by Killer Tomatoes Eat France...
, and Killer Tomatoes Eat France
Killer Tomatoes Eat France
Killer Tomatoes Eat France! is a 1991 film released as the third sequel to Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. The film was planned to be the third in the Series according to Return of the Killer Tomatoes, but was replaced as the third film by Killer Tomatoes Strike Back...
(under the name J. Stephen "Rock" Peace). He acted in the first 3, wrote the two first and the final film, and produced all 4. He is also took on all 3 aforementioned jobs in unrelated film Happy Hour AKA Sour Grapes.
Peace got his start in politics as a protégé of Assemblyman Larry Kapiloff.
Peace served in the California State Assembly
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 1982–1992 and the California Senate from 1993–2002.
In 1994, Peace authored a series of criminal justice reform measures signed by Governor Pete Wilson that significantly increased penalties for violent criminals, including the "one strike and you're out" bill aimed at violent sex offenders http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/93-94/bill/asm/ab_0001-0050/ab_25_bill_931001_chaptered. Peace also co-authored legislation that increased the punishment for drug dealers who sell controlled substances on or around elementary, middle, and high schools http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/93-94/bill/asm/ab_0101-0150/ab_104_bill_930928_chaptered.
In 2000 and 2001, then Senator Peace wrote and secured the passage of new laws to protect the privacy of individuals' personal information. Senate Bill 129 created the Office of Privacy Protection within the Department of Consumer Affairs to inform the public of potential options for protecting their privacy, receive complaints concerning persons unlawfully using others' personal information, and to help prosecute identity theft and other privacy related crimes http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/99-00/bill/sen/sb_0101-0150/sb_129_bill_20000930_chaptered.html.
Many claim he wrote the electricity
Electricity market
In economic terms, electricity is a commodity capable of being bought, sold and traded. An electricity market is a system for effecting purchases, through bids to buy; sales, through offers to sell; and short-term trades, generally in the form of financial or obligation swaps. Bids and offers use...
deregulation
Deregulation
Deregulation is the removal or simplification of government rules and regulations that constrain the operation of market forces.Deregulation is the removal or simplification of government rules and regulations that constrain the operation of market forces.Deregulation is the removal or...
bill that many believed resulted in the California electricity 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...
of 2000 and 2001. At the time, several prominent California newspapers came out in support of AB 1890, including the San Jose Mercury News. An editorial from 1996 supported the measures taken by the legislature at the time.
"Last year the California Public Utilities Commission rolled out a plan to turn electric power monopolies into free-market competitors. It was a flickering bulb. A half-dozen legislators and their staffs burned the midnight oil this summer to improve it. What they have produced glows brightly. Their plan protects residential and small business customers; it treats public and investor-owned utilities fairly; it maintains important social programs such as energy efficiency and assistance." .
However, although Peace was then Chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy, it was not "his" bill. The "Steve Peace Death March", as it was known, caused many legislators to switch their votes to support deregulation. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/12/31/MN167927.DTL. The energy crisis
Energy crisis
An energy crisis is any great bottleneck in the supply of energy resources to an economy. In popular literature though, it often refers to one of the energy sources used at a certain time and place, particularly those that supply national electricity grids or serve as fuel for vehicles...
was enough to cause him to abandon a proposed run for California Secretary of State
California Secretary of State
The Secretary of State of California is the chief elections officer of that U.S. state. The Secretary of State is also responsible for the California State Archives, as well as chartering corporations. The Secretary of State is elected to four year terms, concurrent with the other constitutional...
. As part of his campaign to distance himself from the energy crisis, he posted a short video on his state website which included several clips of him opposing the type of deregulation which was eventually included in the energy bill. In the years after the energy crisis, information about market abuse by Enron and ineffective federal oversight by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission emerged. Peace's contends that the crisis was not, as pundits claimed at the time, a result of "his" energy bill.
After being term limit
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...
ed out of the assembly he was appointed Director of the California Department of Finance by then 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...
.
Peace is currently senior advisor for San Diego Padres owner John Moores, chairman of the board of directors for the California Independent Voter Project and CEO of Killer Tomatoes Entertainment. He is currently married to his wife Cheryl and has three sons.
Trivia
- In a "Killer Tomatoes" DVD making fun of "Where are they now?", Peace was shown wearing a suit walking into the California Senate with an open parachuteParachuteA parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
attached to his back, spoofing his Killer Tomatoes character Wilbur Finletter, who was usually seen dragging an open parachute in the same manner.