BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  ACA 7
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 15, 2013

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                 ACA 7 (Mullin) - As Introduced:  February 13, 2013 

          Policy Committee:                              ElectionsVote:5-2

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This measure proposes to amend the State Constitution to allow a  
          citizen who is 17-years-old and will be 18 at the time of the  
          next general election to register and vote in that election and  
          any intervening primary or special election.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          1)One-time General Fund costs of about $220,000 to include an  
            analysis of the measure, and arguments for and against the  
            measure, in the statewide voter pamphlet.

          2)County election officials would incur minor one-time costs to  
            reprogram computer systems. Statewide costs would probably be  
            in the range of $100,000.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Purpose  . According to the author, "Young voters have the  
            lowest turnout rate of any age demographic in California. For  
            most young adults, their first contact with the political  
            process is in high school through the mandated government  
            class during their senior year or through volunteering on  
            campaigns for community service credit.  This is the time to  
            give them ownership in the process by getting them to vote in  
            primaries while they still have a connection to their school  
            and community."

           2)Other States  . According to information provided by the  
            author's office, the following states have enacted legislation  
            or passed initiatives to allow 17-year-olds to vote in primary  
            elections: Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky,  








                                                                  ACA 7
                                                                  Page  2

            Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio,  
            Vermont, and Virginia.

           3)Related Legislation  . SB 113 (Jackson), pending in the Senate  
            Appropriations, authorizes 15-, 
            16-, and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote, and eliminates  
            an existing provision (See AB 30 below) authorizing  
            17-year-olds to pre-register to vote only after implementation  
            of a statewide voter registration database.
           
          4)Prior Legislation  . AB 30 (Price)/Chapter 364 of 2009, allows a  
            person who is 17 years of age to pre-register to vote,  
            provided he or she would otherwise meet all eligibility  
            requirements.

            In 2008, ACA 15 (Mullin), which was an identical measure,  
            failed passage on the Assembly floor. 

            In 2005, ACA 17 (Mullin), which was substantially similar to  
            this measure, was not taken up on the Assembly Floor. 

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081