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.
1979. (25-0003)
INCREASES ETHNIC STUDIES REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION FROM THE CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY. INITIATIVE STATUTE.
Summary Date: 05/30/25 \ Circulation Deadline: 11/26/25 \ Signatures Required: 546,651
Proponent(s): Emeka Ogbatue
Under current law, undergraduate students at the California State University (CSU) must complete one three-unit ethnic studies course to graduate. This measure would change CSU’s graduation requirements to require, beginning in the 2030-2031 academic year: (1) undergraduate students to complete two ethnic studies courses (one three-unit lower division course and one three-unit upper division course); and (2) graduate students to complete one three-unit ethnic studies course. Prohibits the Legislature from reducing the number of required courses for graduation or altering required course curriculum. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Increased state costs in the tens of millions of dollars annually during initial implementation of the measure, with the bulk of costs phasing out over time. (25-0003.)
1980. (25-0002A1)
RESTRICTS INSURANCE DENIALS FOR PHYSICIAN-RECOMMENDED MEDICAL CARE. INCREASES INSURERS’ POTENTIAL LIABILITY. INITIATIVE STATUTE.
Summary Date: 05/30/25 \ Circulation Deadline: 11/26/25 \ Signatures Required: 546,651
Proponent(s): Paul Eisner
Prohibits health insurers from delaying, denying, or modifying physician-recommended medical care if doing so could seriously harm the patient. Permits only licensed physicians to make coverage decisions. In lawsuits challenging coverage decisions, places burden on insurer to prove it did not violate the law; awards triple damages and attorney’s fees for violations. The measure does not define key terms (e.g., “insurer”, “medical procedure”) and its full scope therefore is uncertain and may be subject to litigation. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Either limited or extensive effect on state and local government health care costs, potentially from the hundreds of millions of dollars to as much as the billions of dollars annually, depending on how courts interpret the measure and how insurers react to the measure’s new restrictions. (25-0002A1.)
1981. (25-0004A1)
LIMITS ABILITY OF VOTERS TO RAISE REVENUES FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
Summary Date: 07/16/25 | Circulation Deadline: 01/12/26 | Signatures Required: 874,641
Proponent(s): Jon Coupal
Limits voters’ ability to pass voter-proposed local special taxes by raising the vote approval threshold requirement for such ballot measures from a simple majority (over 50%) to two-thirds. In charter cities, prohibits voters from approving real estate transfer taxes other than the existing 0.11% transfer tax authorized by Revenue and Taxation Code section 11911. Overturns all existing voter-approved property-related taxes that do not comply with these requirements two years after the measure is enacted. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Annual loss of revenues to local governments totaling up to a couple of billion dollars, predominantly affecting certain charter cities. Potential future reduction in what local governments would otherwise collect in revenues due to a higher vote threshold for certain taxes and fewer types of taxes that local governments can adopt. (25-0004A1.)
1982. (25-0005A1)
LIMITS ABILITY OF VOTERS TO RAISE REVENUES FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
Summary Date: 07/16/25 | Circulation Deadline: 01/12/26 | Signatures Required: 874,641
Proponent(s): Jon Coupal
Limits voters’ ability to pass voter-proposed local special taxes by raising the vote approval threshold requirement for such ballot measures from a simple majority (over 50%) to two-thirds. In charter cities, prohibits voters from approving real estate transfer taxes that exceed the rate specified in Revenue and Taxation Code section 11911 (0.11%). Overturns all existing voter-approved property-related taxes that do not comply with these requirements two years after the measure is enacted. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Annual loss of revenues to local governments totaling up to a couple of billion dollars, predominantly affecting certain charter cities. Potential future reduction in what local governments would otherwise collect in revenues due to a higher vote threshold for certain taxes, limits on tax rates, and fewer types of taxes that local governments can adopt. (25-0005A1.)
1983 (25-0006A1)
LIMITS ABILITY OF VOTERS TO RAISE REVENUES FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
Summary Date: 08/29/25 | Circulation Deadline 02/25/26 | Signatures Required: 874,641
Proponent(s): Jon Coupal
Limits voters’ ability to pass voter-proposed local special taxes by raising the vote approval threshold requirement for such ballot measures from a simple majority (over 50%) to two-thirds. In charter cities, prohibits voters from approving real estate transfer taxes other than the existing 0.11% transfer tax authorized by Revenue and Taxation Code section 11911. Overturns all existing voter-approved property-related taxes, including real estate sales and transfer taxes, that do not comply with these requirements two years after the measure is enacted. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Annual loss of revenues to local governments totaling up to a couple of billion dollars, predominantly affecting certain charter cities. Potential future reduction in what local governments would otherwise collect in revenues due to a higher vote threshold for certain taxes and fewer types of taxes that local governments can adopt. (25-0006A1.)
1984 (25-0007A1)
ESTABLISHES ADDITIONAL VOTER IDENTIFICATION AND CITIZENSHIP VERIFICATION REQUIREMENTS. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
Summary Date: 09/19/25 | Circulation Deadline 03/18/26 | Signatures Required: 874,641
Proponent(s): Carl DeMaio, Tony Strickland, Donald J. DiCostanzo
Under current law, when registering to vote, individuals must state under penalty of perjury that they are United States citizens and provide information to verify their identity (e.g., birthdate, driver’s license or Social Security number). This measure would amend the California Constitution to further require that:
- voters present government-issued identification at the polls or the last four digits of a government-issued identification number when voting by mail;
- the State provide voter identification cards on request; and
- elections officials annually report percentage of each county’s voters whose citizenship they have verified.
Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: One-time state and local government costs in the tens of millions of dollars to prepare for implementation of the measure. Increased annual state and local government costs potentially ranging in the tens of millions of dollars to the low hundreds of millions of dollars to fulfill new requirements related to elections administration. (25-0007A1.)
*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.
