California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 193

Introduced by Assembly Member Logue

January 28, 2013

An act to amend Section 9287 of the Elections Code, relating to elections.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 193, as introduced, Logue. Municipal ballot measures: arguments.

Existing law permits a city ballot measure to be placed on the ballot and submitted to the voters of the city by petition or by the legislative body of the city. Existing law specifies procedures applicable to the preparation, submittal, and printing of arguments for and against a city ballot measure that qualifies for a place on the ballot. If more than one argument for or more than one argument against a city measure is submitted, existing law requires the city elections official to select one of the arguments for and one of the arguments against the measure for printing and distribution to the voters. In selecting the arguments, existing law requires the city elections official to give preference and priority, in the order named, to the arguments from specified persons, first of which are the arguments from the legislative body of the city, or a member or members of the legislative body authorized by that body.

This bill would instead require the city elections official to give preference and priority to the arguments of the legislative body, or a member or members of the legislative body authorized by that body, if the arguments are in favor of a measure that is placed on the ballot by the legislative body.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 9287 of the Elections Code is amended
to read:

9287.  

begin insert (a) end insert begin insert   end insert If more than one argument for or more than one
argument against begin delete any end delete begin insert a end insert city begin insert ballot end insert measure is submitted to the city
elections official within the time prescribed, he or she shall select
one of the arguments in favor and one of the arguments against
the measure for printing and distribution to the voters. begin delete In end delete

begin insert (b) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert In end insert selecting the argument begin insert in favor of or against a measure end insert
begin insert placed on the ballot by petition, end insert the city elections official shall
give preference and priority, in the order named, to the arguments
of the following:

begin delete

(a) The legislative body, or member or members of the
legislative body authorized by that body.

end delete begin delete

(b)

end delete

begin insert (1) end insert  The individual voter, or bona fide association of citizens, or
combination of voters and associations, who are the bona fide
sponsors or proponents of the measure.

begin delete

(c)

end delete

begin insert (2) end insert  Bona fide associations of citizens.

begin delete

(d)

end delete

begin insert (3) end insert  Individual voters who are eligible to vote on the measure.

begin insert

(c) In selecting the argument in favor of or against a measure
placed on the ballot by the legislative body, the city elections
official shall give preference and priority, in the order named, to
the arguments of the following:

end insert begin insert

(1) The legislative body, or a member or members of the
legislative body authorized by that body, if the argument is in favor
of the measure.

end insert begin insert

(2) Bona fide associations of citizens.

end insert begin insert

(3) Individual voters who are eligible to vote on the measure.

end insert