|
STEPS IN THE INITIATIVE PROCESS
- Proponents write the text of the proposed law.
- The draft is submitted to the Attorney General, along with $200. The
money is refunded if the measure qualifies for the ballot; otherwise
it is placed in the state's general fund.
- The Attorney General prepares a title and official summary.
- The Attorney General sends the summary to proponents, the Senate,
the Assembly and the Secretary of State. The legislature may conduct
public hearings on it, but cannot amend it.
- Calendar deadlines are calculated from the date the summary is sent
to the proponents (the official summary date).
- Petitions must have the official summary on each signature page.
- Circulation of petitions can only begin on the official summary date.
Completed, signed petitions must be filed no later than 150 days from
the official summary date. Each initiative will be placed on the next
statewide general or special election ballot that occurs 131 days after
the petition qualifies.
- Number of signatures required:
- Initiative statute: 5 percent of the votes cast for all candidates
who ran for governor in the last election. The number of signatures
required to qualify for this ballot is 373,816.
- Initiative constitutional amendment: 8 percent of the voters cast
for all candidates who ran for governor in the last election. The
number required to qualify for this ballot was 598,105.
- Signers may withdraw their names by filing a written request.
- Petitions must be filed in the county in which they were circulated.
- If the state total based on random sampling is more than 110 percent
of the required number of signatures, the Secretary of State certifies
the initiative as qualified for the ballot. If the random sampling total
is between 95 and 110 percent of the required number, a full count of
all the signatures is ordered.
- When the initiative measure qualifies, it is sent to the legislature.
It is assigned to the appropriate committees, which then hold joint
public hearings on the subject at least 30 days before the election.
The Legislature has no authority to alter the measure or prevent it
from going on the ballot.
- Under the Political Reform Act of 1974, committees supporting or opposing
an initiative must file campaign disclosure statements if they have
made or received contributions or made expenditures.
- Proponents and opponents may submit arguments for inclusion in the
ballot pamphlet.
- An initiative measure approved by majority vote takes effect the day
after the election unless it specifies otherwise. If provisions of two
or more measures approved at the same election conflict, those of the
measure receiving the highest affirmative vote prevail. The Legislature
may amend or repeal initiative statutes by another statute that becomes
effective only when approved by voters, unless the initiative statute
permits amendment or repeal without their approval.
(For a detailed description of the initiative process, go to 2003-2004
Initiative Guide on the California Secretary of State's Web site.)
|
