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 business days after the filing of a petition to determine the total number of signatures affixed to the petition and transmit this information to the Secretary of State's office (Elections Code section 9030(b)). If no signatures are submitted, a proposed initiative measure will fail on the 9th business day after its circulation deadline.
1976. (23-0035A1)
CREATES NEW MONETARY PENALTIES FOR INJURIES TO MINORS CAUSED BY CERTAIN SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES. INITIATIVE STATUTE.
Summary Date: 02/21/24 | Circulation Deadline: 08/19/24 | Signatures Required: 546,651
Proponent(s): James P. Steyer
Under current law, individuals may sue to recover their actual monetary damages for injuries caused by a company’s negligence (failure to act with ordinary care). This measure would make social media companies with annual revenues exceeding $100,000,000 liable for additional monetary penalties for injuries (such as addiction or self-harm) caused by the platform’s negligence to persons under 18 years old. Penalties would be either: (1) $5,000 per violation, up to $1,000,000 per minor, or (2) three times the minor’s actual damages. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Increased state court costs likely in the millions of dollars depending on the type and volume of additional civil cases filed in state courts and how they are resolved. Uncertain impact on state and local tax revenue that would depend primarily on how social media platforms respond to the measure. (23-0035A1)
*Elections Code section 9034 requires that once proponent(s) of a proposed initiative measure have gathered 25% of the number of signatures required (currently 136,663 for an initiative statute and 218,661 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.
