BILL ANALYSIS Ó ------------------------------------------------------------ |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 1499| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |1020 N Street, Suite 524 | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ------------------------------------------------------------ THIRD READING Bill No: AB 1499 Author: Assembly Budget Committee Amended: 6/25/12 in Senate Vote: 21 SENATE BUDGET & FISCAL REVIEW COMMITTEE : 10-5, 6/27/12 AYES: Leno, Alquist, DeSaulnier, Evans, Hancock, Liu, Lowenthal, Negrete McLeod, Wolk, Wright NOES: Emmerson, Anderson, Fuller, Gaines, La Malfa NO VOTE RECORDED: Simitian ASSEMBLY FLOOR : Not relevant SUBJECT : Elections: ballot order for statewide measures SOURCE : Author DIGEST : This bill requires that bond measures and constitutional amendments, including those proposed by initiative, appear on the ballot before all other legislative, initiative, and referendum measures. Appropriates $1,000.00. ANALYSIS : Existing law specifies the order in which statewide ballot measures are required to appear on the ballot. This bill: 1.Establishes that bonds measures, including those proposed CONTINUED AB 1499 Page 2 by initiative, shall appear first on ballots in the order in which they qualify. 2.Establishes that constitutional amendments, including those proposed by initiative, shall appear on ballots after bond measures, in the order in which they qualify. 3.Establishes that legislative measures and other initiative measures shall appear after bond measures and constitutional amendments, including those proposed by initiative. This bill makes the following findings and declarations: 1.That bond measures and constitutional amendments should have priority on the ballot because of the profound and lasting impact these measures can have on our state. Bond measures create debts against the state treasury that obligate the resources of future Californians. Constitutional amendments make changes to our state's fundamental principles and protections. In recognition of their significance, bond measures and constitutional amendments should be placed at the top of the ballot to ensure that the voters can carefully weigh the consequences of these important measures. 2.That the Secretary of State has received funding in the Budget Act of 2012, and an appropriation contained herein, to provide direction to counties regarding the preparation of ballots, and to prepare the ballot pamphlet, in a manner that is consistent with the changes to the Elections Code provided by this act. FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: Yes Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No DLW:n 6/27/12 Senate Floor Analyses SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: NONE RECEIVED **** END **** AB 1499 Page 3