Don Parkinson (politician)
{{Short description|American politician (1942–2020)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|image=
|caption=
|alt=
|name = Don Parkinson
|office = Speaker of the 23rd Guam Legislature
|term_start = January 2, 1995
|term_end = January 6, 1997
|predecessor = Joe T. San Agustin
|successor = Antonio R. Unpingco
|office1 = Majority Leader of the Guam Legislature
|term_start1 = January 2, 1989
|term_end1 = January 1, 1995
|office2 = Member of the Guam Legislature
|term_start2 = January 3, 1983
|term_end2 = January 6, 1997
|birth_name = William Don Parkinson
|birth_date = 1942
|birth_place = Idaho, U.S.
|death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|8|31|1942}}
|death_place = Philippines
|party = Democratic
|spouse = Marina Parkinson
|children = 7; including William
|education = J.D., University of Idaho
|website =
}}
William Don Parkinson (1942 – August 31, 2020) was an American Veteran and Sergeant of the Vietnam war, politician, and lawyer who served as Speaker of the Guam LegislatureGuampedia. [https://www.guampedia.com/guam-legislature/ Guam Legislature], Hagatna, Guam. from 1995 to 1997 and as Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995. A member of the Democratic Party of Guam, he also served as a Senator for 7 consecutive terms, from 1983 to 1997.
Early life
{{anchor#Early career}}
Parkinson was born in 1942 in Idaho and served in the U.S. military during the Vietnam War.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nx88AQAAIAAJ&q=%22Parkinson%2C+Don%22|title = Martindale Hubbell Law Directory 2001|isbn = 9781561604395|author1 = Martindale-Hubbell|date = March 2001| publisher=Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, Incorporated }}{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K9GrFFXNtE4C&q=Don+Parkinson+guam+born&pg=PA334|title = Guam Commonwealth: Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Insular and International Affairs of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, House of Representatives, One Hundred First Congress, First Session, on H.R. 98, Guam Commonwealth Act|year = 1991}}Pacific Daily News. [http://content-static.guampdn.com/guampublishing/special-sections/election_06/generaltab/parkinson.html Don Parkinson D-Mongmong-Toto-Maite ], Hagatna, Guam. He graduated from the University of Idaho law school.The State Bar of California. [https://members.calbar.ca.gov/fal/Licensee/Detail/60360 William Don Parkinson], California.
Law practice
{{anchor|Legal career}}
Parkinson was admitted to the State Bar of California on November 25, 1974,{{ref|name="California Bar"}} served as a staff attorney for the Micronesian Constitutional Convention of 1975,{{ref|name="2006Profile"}} and as a prosecuting attorney for Colfax, Washington.{{ref| name="2006Profile"}}{{when|date=April 2020}}
Guam Legislature
=Elections=
| class="wikitable sortable" id="elections" |
| style="vertical-align:bottom;"
!Election !Guam Legislature !Primary Placement !General Placement !Result |
| 1982
| 18 | 4 |
| 1984
| 10 | 8 |
| 1986
| 1 | 2 |
| 1988
| 6 | 8 |
| 1990
| 3 | 3 |
| 1992
| No primary election | 15 |
| 1994
| 4 | 7 |
| 1996
| 24th Guam Legislature | 8 | 24 |
| colspan=5| |
| 2000
| 26th Guam Legislature | No primary election | 26 |
| colspan=5| |
| 2004
| 20 | N/A |
| 2006
| 10 | 24 | Not electedGuam Election Commission. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ncBz_XTNRsw3_94elTraQBnG1ueRQr6m/view Election 2006 Comparative Analysis Report], Hagatna, Guam. |
=Leadership roles=
| class="wikitable sortable" id="committee leadership" |
| style="vertical-align:bottom;"
!Guam Legislature !Term !Position |
| 20th Guam Legislature
| 1989-1991 | Majority Leader |
| 21st Guam Legislature
| 1991-1993 | Majority Leader |
| 22nd Guam Legislature
| 1993-1995 | Majority Leader |
| 23rd Guam Legislature
| 1995-1997 | Speaker |
| class="wikitable sortable" id="committee leadership" |
| style="vertical-align:bottom;"
!Guam Legislature !Term !Position !Committee |
| 19th Guam Legislature
| 1987-1989 | Chairman | Committee on Energy, Utilities and Consumer Protection |
| 20th Guam Legislature
| 1989-1991 | Chairman | Committee on Energy, Utilities and Consumer Protection |
| 21st Guam Legislature
| 1991-1993 | Chairman | Committee on Energy, Utilities and Consumer Protection |
| 22nd Guam Legislature
| 1993-1995 | Chairman | Committee on Electrical Power and Consumer Protection |
| 23rd Guam Legislature
| 1995-1997 | Chairman | Committee on Electrical Power and Consumer Protection |
=Policy=
==Bills and public laws introduced==
- 17th Guam Legislature - Introduced 16 bills,Guam Legislature. Bill Sponsor File - 17th Guam Legislature - Don Parkinson, Hagatna, Guam. 2 of which became public laws.Guam Legislature. [http://www.guamlegislature.com/Public_Laws_17th/PL%2017-41.pdf Public Law 17-41], Hagatna, Guam. 10 January 1984. including Public Law 17-17, which established a 10 year alternative energy plan for Guam.Guam Legislature. [http://www.guamlegislature.com/Public_Laws_17th/PL%2017-77.pdf Public Law 17-77], Hagatna, Guam. 5 December 1984.
- 18th Guam Legislature - Introduced 21 bills,Guam Legislature. Bill Sponsor File - 18th Guam Legislature - Don Parkinson, Hagatna, Guam. 1 of which became Public Law 18-26, which approved bond issues on behalf of 2 companies for the Guam Economic Development Authority and for which the Government of Guam disclaimed liability.Guam Legislature. [http://www.guamlegislature.com/Public_Laws_18th/P.L.%2018-26%20SBill%20No.%20295.pdf Public Law 18-26], Hagatna, Guam. 31 December 1985.
- 19th Guam Legislature - Introduced 6 public laws,Guam Legislature. [http://guamlegislature.com/19th_public_laws.htm 19th Guam Legislature - Public Laws], Hagatna, Guam. including Public Law 19-31, which raised the minimum wage on Guam to $3.75 on January 1, 1989,Guam Legislature. [http://guamlegislature.com/Public_Laws_19th/P.L.%2019-31%20Bill%20No.%20596.pdf Public Law 19-31], Hagatna, Guam. 26 October 1988. and Public Law 19-41 that requires that food, drugs, and consumer commodities be marked with an expiration date if recommended by the manufacturer or distributor.Guam Legislature. [http://guamlegislature.com/Public_Laws_19th/P.L.%2019-41%20Bill%20No.%20930.pdf Public Law 19-41], Hagatna, Guam. 30 December 1988.
- 20th Guam Legislature - Introduced 73 bills, 15 of which became public laws,Guam Legislature. [http://guamlegislature.com/20th_public_laws.htm 20th Guam Legislature - Public Laws], Hagatna, Guam. including Public Law 20-219 which provided a subsidy for essential power coverage.Guam Legislature. [http://guamlegislature.com/Public_Laws_20th/P.L.%2020-219%20Bill%20No.%201592.pdf Public Law 20-219], Hagatna, Guam. 30 August 1990.
==Unemployment insurance==
Parkinson introduced unemployment insurance legislation during each of 5 terms: Bill 929 during the 19th,Guam Territorial Law Library. Combined list of bills through 227-30, Hagatna, Guam. Bill 285 during the 20th,Guam Legislature. Bill Sponsor File - 20th Guam Legislature - Don Parkinson, Hagatna, Guam. Bill 101 during the 21st, Bill 123 during the 22nd, and Bill 99 during the 23rd Guam Legislatures, respectively.
=Speaker of the 23rd Guam Legislature=
It had been expected that Senator Thomas C. "Tom" Ada would be chosen by his colleagues as Speaker of the Guam Legislature, but a group of Democratic and Republican Senators elected Parkinson as Speaker, instead.Guampedia. [https://www.guampedia.com/republican-party-of-guam/ Republican Party of Guam], Hagatna, Guam.Haidee V. Eugenio. [https://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2019/01/04/democrats-pick-barnes-speaker/2480253002/ Democrats pick Barnes as speaker, Nelson as vice speaker, committee chairmanships], Hagatna, Guam. 4 January 2019.Haidee V. Eugenio. [https://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2019/01/03/minority-bills-should-heard-within-90-days/2469283002/ Minority wants bills heard within 90 days instead of 180 days, Barnes poised to become next speaker], Hagatna, Guam. 3 January 2019.
Candidacy for Attorney General of Guam
Parkinson ran for Attorney General of Guam in 2002.Steve Limtiaco. [https://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2018/08/30/moylan-gumataotao-team-up-general-election-ag-race/1140616002/ Moylan, Gumataotao team up in General Election AG race], Hagatna, Guam. 30 August 2018. He placed 3rd in the general election in November with 15% of the vote.Guam Election Commission. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aAeNsBLFGcTytGcbi8uSzRKOD8VA-51k/view Election 2002 Comparative Analysis Report], Hagatna, Guam.
Personal life and death
Don Parkinson married Marina Parkinson and was the father of 7 children. One of his children, William M. "Will" Parkinson, ran for the Guam Legislature and the Consolidated Commission on Utilities in 2018.Guam Election Commission. [https://gec.guam.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/2018PEOFFICIAL_Summary.htm 2018 Primary Election Official Results], Hagatna, GuamGuam Election Commission. [https://gec.guam.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-ge-official-summary.htm 2018 General Election Official Results], Hagatna, Guam. William Parkinson was later elected as a senator to the 37th Guam Legislature. Pacific Daily News. [https://www.guampdn.com/news/more-familiar-faces-head-to-37th-guam-legislature/article_9b573a2a-5f9b-11ed-bee6-dbca9012ca49.html More familiar faces head to 37th Guam Legislature.], Hagatna, Guam
Parkinson was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in the late 1980s. He died in the Philippines on August 31, 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.guampdn.com/story/obituaries/2020/08/31/former-sen-don-parkinson-dies/5676976002/|title=Pacific Daily News Obituaries and Guestbooks}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.pncguam.com/former-speaker-don-parkinson-dies/ |title=Former Speaker Don Parkinson dies |access-date=2020-08-31 |archive-date=2020-08-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200831034314/https://www.pncguam.com/former-speaker-don-parkinson-dies/ |url-status=dead }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Joe T. San Agustin}}
{{s-ttl|title=Speaker of the Guam Legislature|years=1995–1997}}
{{s-aft|after=Antonio "Tony" Unpingco}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parkinson, Don}}
Category:20th-century Guamanian politicians
Category:21st-century Guamanian politicians
Category:Washington (state) lawyers
Category:Military personnel from Idaho
Category:University of Idaho College of Law alumni
Category:Members of the Legislature of Guam