BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1021
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Date of Hearing: May 18, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 1021 (Gordon) - As Introduced: February 18, 2011
Policy Committee: ElectionsVote:5-2
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill, as proposed to be amended , requires that specific
language be provided for the title and summary of a state
initiative petition and be included in the analysis of a state
proposition if the estimated fiscal impact of a proposed
initiative or proposition meets specified criteria.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires-if determined by the Legislative Analyst's Office
(LAO) that the fiscal impact of a proposed initiative or a
proposition, respectively, would (a) establish a new or
expanded program, (b) cost more than $1 million in any year,
and (c) not provide new revenues or eliminate or reduce other
programs sufficient to offset the new costs-that a statement
be provided to the Attorney General for potential inclusion in
the title and summary for an initiative petition and that a
similar statement be included in the analysis of a proposition
provided in the state ballot pamphlet.
The statement would say that it has been determined "?this
measure does not include sufficient funds to pay the cost of
the new program or expanded program or service provided
herein. Therefore, should the measure pass, its cost would
have to be supported from one or more of the following:
1) Reductions to existing state programs.
2) Revenue increases.
3) State reserves, if available."
1)Requires the LAO, in preparing the analysis of a proposition,
to:
a) Include the estimated percentage of the state General
AB 1021
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Fund that the measure would cost and use visual aids where
appropriate.
b) Use a uniform method in each analysis, to the extent
practicable, to describe the estimated increase or decrease
in cost or revenue of each proposition.
FISCAL EFFECT
Negligible fiscal impact. For every additional page required in
the state ballot pamphlet, the cost is $66,000. However, the
Secretary of State's (SOS's) office formats the Voter
Information Guide in 16-page increments, thus there is often
blank space available for additional information. Moreover,
additional pages would likely not be necessary solely to include
the additional language specified in this bill.
COMMENTS
1)Purpose . According to the author, "AB 1021 would require
greater transparency in the fiscal analysis of initiatives by
adding advisories to the fiscal impact statement for petitions
and the ballot pamphlet if the measure does not provide
adequate funding or corresponding reductions to fund
implementation. The democratic process requires transparency
and an honest evaluation of the cost of government.
Accordingly, this bill aims to give voters a better
understanding of the fiscal impact of initiatives proposed for
or placed on a ballot."
2)Related Legislation . AB 65 (Gatto), which passed the Assembly,
requires that the top five contributors of $50,000 or more to
each committee supporting or opposing a proposition be listed
in the state ballot pamphlet.
AB 732 (Buchanan), also on today's committee agenda, requires
that, for state bond measures, an explanatory table be
included for each measure summarizing the LAO's estimate of
the measure's fiscal impact.
3)Amendments proposed by the author simply clarify language in
the statement to be included in the voter pamphlet.
Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081
AB 1021
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