PRESS RELEASE

PR26-94
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2026
Contact: sospress@sos.ca.gov

California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D., Announces Proponents Withdraw Initiative to Limit Automobile Accident Victims’ Recovery of Medical Expenses and Fees Their Attorneys May Receive  

 

Sacramento, Calif. – California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D. announced today that an initiative eligible for the November 3, 2026, General Election ballot has been withdrawn by the proponents.  

The Attorney General's official title and summary of the measure is as follows:  

LIMITS AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT VICTIMS' RECOVERY OF MEDICAL EXPENSES AND FEES THEIR ATTORNEYS MAY RECEIVE. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. Automobile accident victims often hire an attorney on a contingency basis, meaning the attorney receives an agreed-upon percentage of the victim’s monetary recovery if the victim wins. This measure would:  

  • -limit the fees such attorneys may receive so victims retain at least 75% of their monetary recovery, but does not restrict fee arrangements for defendants’ attorneys; 
  • -for certain medical expenses, increase victims’ burden of proof and limit the amounts they may recover; and 
  • -prohibit certain financial arrangements between attorneys and medical providers. 

Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Likely net savings to the state trial courts ranging from the millions of dollars to the tens of millions of dollars annually. These effects would depend on the overall reduction in motor vehicle accident cases being filed as well as the degree to which remaining cases would take longer to resolve. Increased state Medi-Cal costs that could range from the millions to tens of millions of dollars annually due to various factors, including a reduction in compensation for some motor vehicle accidents used to offset Medi-Cal costs. (25-0022A1.) 

Pursuant to Elections Code section 9604(b), proponents may withdraw an initiative at any time before the Secretary of State certifies it as qualified. 

The proponents of the initiative are John Moffatt and Kurt R. Oneto. The address for the proponents is c/o Kurt R. Oneto, Nielsen Merksamer LLP, 1415 L Street, Suite 1200, Sacramento, CA 95814. The proponents may also be contacted at (916) 446-6752 and koneto@nmgovlaw.com. 

For more information about how an initiative qualifies for the ballot in California, visit https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-measures/how-qualify-initiative/. 

###