The Attorney General prepares a circulating title and summary of the chief purpose and points of a proposed initiative measure. Proposed initiative measures are cleared for circulation on the day the circulating title and summary is sent to the initiative proponent(s). No petition may be circulated for signatures before it has been cleared to do so by the Attorney General.
Please note: Counties have 8 working days after a proposed initiative measure's circulation deadline (Elections Code section 9030(b)) to notify the Secretary of State's Office if any petition signatures were received. If no signatures are submitted, a proposed initiative measure will fail on the 9th working day after its circulation deadline.
For initiative petitions filed between August 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020, please see Executive Order N-76-20 extending county reporting deadlines.
1885. (19-0028A1)
REQUIRES STATE REGULATIONS TO REDUCE PLASTIC WASTE, TAX PRODUCERS OF SINGLE-USE PLASTICS, AND FUND RECYCLING AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS. INITIATIVE STATUTE.
Summary Date: 01/08/20 | Circulation Deadline: 07/06/20* | Signatures Required: 623,212
*Circulation deadline extended per Court Order 07/02/2020(PDF)
Proponent(s): Michael J. Sangiacomo, Caryl Hart, and Linda Escalante | Official Top Funders List
Requires CalRecycle to adopt regulations reducing plastic waste, including to: (1) require that single-use plastic packaging, containers, and utensils be reusable, recyclable, or compostable, and to reduce such waste by 25%, by 2030; (2) prohibit polystyrene container use by food vendors; and (3) tax producers of single-use plastic packaging, containers, or utensils by January 1, 2022, and allocate revenues for recycling and environmental programs, including local water supply protection. Prohibits Legislature from reducing funding to specified state environmental agencies below 2019 levels. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: State revenue from new tax on single-use plastic packaging and foodware likely in the range of a few billion dollars annually. Revenues would be used to administer and implement programs intended to reduce waste, increase recycling, and restore habitats. Unknown net effect on local governments. There would likely be increased costs for waste collecting and sorting which might be partially or fully offset by new tax revenue, payments from producers to support recycling, or lower costs associated with a reduction in total plastic waste collected. (19-0028A1.)
1886. (19-0029A1)
AUTHORIZES NEW TYPES OF GAMBLING. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY AMENDMENT.
Summary Date: 01/21/20 | Circulation Deadline: 07/20/20* | Signatures Required: 997,139
*Circulation deadline extended per Court Order 9/15/2020 (PDF)
Proponent(s): Edwin "Thorpe" Romero, Jeff L. Grubbe, Anthony Roberts, Mark Macarro | Official Top Funders List
Allows federally recognized Native American tribes to operate roulette, dice games, and sports wagering on tribal lands, subject to compacts negotiated by the Governor and ratified by the Legislature. Beginning in 2022, allows on-site sports wagering at only privately operated horse-racing tracks in four specified counties for persons 21 years or older. Imposes 10% tax on sports-wagering profits at horse-racing tracks; directs portion of revenues to enforcement and problem-gambling programs. Prohibits marketing of sports wagering to persons under 21. Authorizes private lawsuits to enforce other gambling laws. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Increased state revenues, potentially reaching the tens of millions of dollars annually, from payments made by facilities offering sports wagering and new civil penalties authorized by this measure. Some portion of these revenues would reflect a shift from other existing state and local revenues. Increased state regulatory costs, potentially reaching the low tens of millions of dollars annually. Some or all of these costs would be offset by the increased revenue or reimbursements to the state. Increased state enforcement costs, not likely to exceed several million dollars annually, related to a new civil enforcement tool for enforcing certain gaming laws. (19-0029A1.)
1890. (19-0033)
ALLOWS FOR JURY TRIALS IN CHILD-CUSTODY AND DEPENDENT-CHILD DETERMINATIONS. INITIATIVE STATUTE.
Summary Date: 03/04/20 | Circulation Deadline: 08/31/20 | Signatures Required: 623,212
Proponent(s): Wylmina Hettinga, Stephen D. Konnoff
Gives parties in child-custody matters the right to demand that a jury, rather than a judge, determine who receives legal custody of the child. Prohibits the judge from rejecting a jury’s joint-child-custody decision. Provides that findings in dependent-child proceedings, in which a juvenile may be declared a dependent of the court, can be made by a judge or jury. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Unknown ongoing net fiscal impact on state courts that would depend significantly on (1) how the measure is interpreted and implemented by the courts and (2) how individuals respond to the ability to demand a jury trial in child custody and juvenile dependency jurisdictional hearings. Potential ongoing increase in county costs that could reach the low millions of dollars annually related to juvenile dependency jurisdictional cases — some or all of which could be shifted to the state. (19-0033.)
1891. (20-0001A1)
REQUIRES VOTE ON WHETHER CALIFORNIA SHOULD BECOME A SEPARATE COUNTRY. INITIATIVE STATUTE.
Summary Date: 09/09/20 | Circulation Deadline: 03/08/21 | Signatures Required: 623,212
Proponent(s): Marcus Ruiz Evans
Places question of whether California should leave the United States on a future ballot. Treats result of such future vote as a vote of no confidence in the United States and an expression of the electorate’s desire for California to be an independent country if: (1) 50 percent of registered voters participate in election; and (2) 55 percent of those voting approve. Creates commission to evaluate and report on California’s current ability to govern itself independently, and California’s future economic and political viability as an independent country. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Around $1 million in added state costs for a new state commission on national sovereignty and independence. Potential state and local election administration costs in the tens of millions of dollars to ask voters to respond to a question on independence. Unknown, potentially major, fiscal effects if California voters approved changes to the state’s relationship with the United States at a future election after the approval of this measure. (20-0001A1.)
1893. (20-0002)
ALLOWS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO OVERRIDE STATE LAND-USE AND ZONING LAWS. REQUIRES STATE FUNDING FOR COUNTY HIGHWAYS, HOUSING, AND COURTS. CHANGES WHERE SOME INMATES ARE HOUSED. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY AMENDMENT.
Summary Date: 09/30/20 | Circulation Deadline: 03/29/21 | Signatures Required: 997,139
Proponent(s): Arnold Ruiz, Richard L. Hendrickson
Allows city and county land-use and zoning laws to override conflicting state laws. Requires Legislature to fund county highway construction and maintenance, housing infrastructure, and superior courts, as requested by county governments. Requires adequate superior court staffing to ensure adequate court services. Requires state prisons to house certain felons currently housed in jails if the county sheriff certifies that the county jails have reached maximum capacity. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Unknown, potentially significant increase in state costs because the state would assume financial responsibility over some local government services and/or costs. Unknown net decrease in local government costs associated with city and county costs that would shift to the state and some offsetting new costs. (20-0002.)
1894. (20-0004)
LIMITS STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS’ AUTHORITY TO RESPOND TO PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES. INITIATIVE STATUTE.
Summary Date: 11/19/20 | Circulation Deadline: 05/18/21 | Signatures Required: 623,212
Proponent(s): Steve Clark
Prohibits state and local officials from issuing enforceable orders, regulations, or ordinances to address public health emergencies (resulting from epidemics, infectious disease outbreaks, and similar conditions), or otherwise taking any actions in response to health emergencies that directly affect the operation of private businesses or public facilities (including beaches and parks), or that limit the exercise of individual liberties. Continues to permit state and local officials to issue public health advisories or public service announcements during public health emergencies. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Unknown, but potentially significant, fiscal effect due to the state and local governments being restricted in responding to public health emergencies. (20-0004.)
*Elections Code section 9034 requires that once proponent(s) of a proposed initiative measure have gathered 25% of the number of signatures required (currently 155,803 for an initiative statute and 249,352 for a constitutional amendment) proponent(s) must immediately certify that they have done so under penalty of perjury to the Secretary of State.
Upon receipt of the certification, the Secretary of State must provide copies of the proposed initiative measure and the circulating title and summary to the Senate and the Assembly. Each house is required to assign the proposed initiative measure to its appropriate committees and hold joint public hearings, at least 131 days before the date of the election at which the measure is to be voted on. However, the Legislature cannot amend the proposed initiative measure or prevent it from appearing on the ballot.
