FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 16, 2025

Proposed Initiative Enters Circulation: Prohibits Government Entities from Restricting Boycotts and Other Activities Supporting Palestinian Rights or Opposing Israel’s Actions. Initiative Statute.

Sacramento, Calif. – California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D., announced that the proponents of a new initiative were cleared to begin collecting petition signatures on October 15, 2025.

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(s) 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 proponent(s) and to county elections officials. The Attorney General’s official title and summary for the measure is as follows:

PROHIBITS GOVERNMENT ENTITIES FROM RESTRICTING BOYCOTTS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES SUPPORTING PALESTINIAN RIGHTS OR OPPOSING ISRAEL’S ACTIONS. INITIATIVE STATUTE. Prohibits policies by state and local governments and agencies, California State University, and University of California that: (1) restrict engagement in activities—including boycotts, divestments, and sanctions—that express support for Palestinian rights or opposition to Israel’s actions (“BDS activities”); or (2) condition eligibility for contracts, grants, or other funding on agreement not to participate in BDS activities. Prohibits high schools, colleges, and universities from disciplining students for certain BDS activities. Prohibits public investment and retirement funds from adopting policies that restrict support of BDS activities. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Net increase in state and local government costs, not likely to exceed the low millions of dollars annually, related to (1) developing new guidance and policies, (2) resolving alleged violations in the courts, and (3) responding to related public records requests. (25-0011.)

The Secretary of State’s tracking number for this measure is 1988 and the Attorney General's tracking number is 25-0011.

The proponents of the measure, Hatem al-Bazian and Malak Afaneh, 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 13, 2026. The address for the proponents is 2425 Channing Way, Suite 335, Berkeley, CA 94704. The proponents may also be contacted at hatemb@berkeley.edu and (510) 914-6722 as well as malak@palestinepolicy.org and (773) 858-9157.

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