FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 2, 2023

Proposed Initiative Enters Circulation

Requires Schools to Report any Change in a Student’s Expressed Gender, Without Exception for Student’s Safety.
Initiative Statute.
 

SACRAMENTO, CA – Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber announced that the proponents of a new initiative were cleared to begin collecting petition signatures on November 1, 2023.

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 proponents and to the Secretary of State, and the initiative may be circulated for signatures. The Secretary of State then provides a calendar of deadlines to the proponents and to county elections officials. The Attorney General’s official title and summary for the measure is as follows:

REQUIRES SCHOOLS TO REPORT ANY CHANGE IN A STUDENT’S EXPRESSED GENDER, WITHOUT EXCEPTION FOR STUDENT’S SAFETY. INITIATIVE STATUTE. Requires K-12 schools to notify parents whenever a student under age 18 asks to be treated as a gender different from what is listed on their school records—for example, by requesting to use an alternate name or pronouns, or use facilities for a different gender. Does not provide exception if student requests confidentiality or where disclosure would endanger their safety; includes exception only for certain communications with school counselors. Prohibits schools from recognizing the student’s expressed gender without written parental authorization. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Minor administrative costs to schools, which could range from no effect to several millions of dollars initially, depending on whether the measure can be legally implemented. (23-0018A1.)

The Secretary of State’s tracking number for this measure is 1960 and the Attorney General's tracking number is 23-0018A1.

The proponents of the measure, Clare Erin Friday and Jonathan Zachreson, must collect signatures of 546,651 registered voters (five percent of the total votes cast for governor in the November 2022 general election) in order for the measure to become eligible for the ballot. The proponents have 180 days to circulate petitions for the measure, meaning the signatures must be submitted to county elections officials no later than April 29, 2024. The proponents may be contacted at info@protectkidsca.com and (916) 900-6121. 

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