AP15:096
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 17, 2015
CONTACT: Sam Mahood
(916) 653-6575
Proposed Initiative Enters Circulation
Abortion Access Restriction. Parental Notification and Waiting Period for Females Under 16. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.
SACRAMENTO – Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced the proponents of a new initiative were cleared to begin collecting petition signatures yesterday.
The Attorney General prepares the legal title and summary that is required to appear on initiative petitions. When the official language is complete, the Attorney General forwards it to the proponent and to the Secretary of State, and the initiative may be circulated for signatures. The Secretary of State then provides calendar deadlines to the proponent and to county elections officials. The Attorney General’s official title and summary for the measure is as follows:
ABORTION ACCESS RESTRICTION. PARENTAL NOTIFICATION AND WAITING PERIOD FOR FEMALES UNDER 16. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. Changes California Constitution to prohibit abortion for unemancipated minor, as defined, until 48 hours after physician or other trained and licensed medical professional notifies her parent/legal guardian in writing. Provides exceptions for medical emergency, parental waiver, or parental abuse documented by notarized statement from law enforcement or relatives. Judge may waive notice if minor appears personally in court and proves maturity or waiver is in her best interest. Requires reporting of specific abortion information to State. Physicians/medical professionals subject to suit for 12 years. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: State administrative costs of at least $1 million, and potentially a few million dollars, annually. Uncertain net fiscal impact on state health and social services programs, potentially in the millions of dollars annually, to the extent the measure results in changes to the abortion and/or birth rates in the state. (15-0063.)
The Secretary of State’s tracking number for this measure is 1725 and the Attorney General’s tracking number is 15-0063.
The proponents of the measure, Thomas Tait and Teresa Smith, must collect the signatures of 585,407 registered voters (eight percent of the total votes cast for Governor in the November 2014 general election) in order to qualify it for the November 2016 ballot. The proponents have 180 days to circulate petitions for the measure, meaning the signatures must be submitted to county elections officials by May 16, 2016. The proponents can be reached c/o Kasey Reinitz at (949) 205-1611 or kasey.reinitz@gmail.com.
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