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AP19:065
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 9, 2019
CONTACT:
SOS Press Office
(916) 653-6575
Proposed Initiative Enters Circulation
Authorizes Bonds To Fund Projects For Wildfire Prevention, Safe Drinking Water, And Protecting Wildlife And Lands From Climate Risks. Initiative Statute.
SACRAMENTO, CA - Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced that the proponent of a new initiative was cleared to begin collecting petition signatures on Friday, September 6, 2019.
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:
AUTHORIZES BONDS TO FUND PROJECTS FOR WILDFIRE PREVENTION, SAFE DRINKING WATER, AND PROTECTING WILDLIFE AND LANDS FROM CLIMATE RISKS. INITIATIVE STATUTE. Authorizes $7.883 billion in state general obligation bondsfor various projects to mitigate climate risks and impacts in the following categories: $3.508billion for wildfire prevention and community resilience; $2.2 billion for safe drinking water;$975 million for fish and wildlife; $770 million for coastal lands, bays, and oceans; $200 millionfor agricultural lands; and $230 million for workforce development and education regardingthese issues. Appropriates money from General Fund to pay off bonds. Generally prioritizesprojects benefitting disadvantaged communities. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analystand Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: State costs of $15.4 billion to pay off principal ($7.9 billion) and interest ($7.5 billion) on bonds over a 40-year period. Annual payments would average $385 million. Some amount of state and local government savings possible based on to the degree to which bond-funded activities reduce future fire or flood damages (and associated state and local costs) that would otherwise have occurred. Potential savings to local governments, primarily for fire protection and water supply projects, averaging in the low tens of millions of dollars annually over the next few decades. (19-0005.)
The Secretary of State’s tracking number for this measure is 1866 and the Attorney General's tracking number is 19-0005.
The proponent of the measure, Joseph Caves, must collect signatures of 623,212 registered voters (five percent of the total votes cast for Governor in the November 2018 general election) in order to qualify it for the ballot. The proponent has 180 days to circulate petitions for the measure, meaning the signatures must be submitted to county elections officials no later than March 4, 2020. The proponent can be reached c/o Lance H. Olson of Olson, Hagel & Fishburn, LLP at (916) 442-2952. The address for Olson et al., LLP is 555 Capitol Mall, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95814.
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