BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 971
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Date of Hearing: April 29, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
AB
971 (Chang) - As Introduced February 26, 2015
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: Np
SUMMARY:
This bill requires the state, rather than counties, to pay the
cost of all special elections since January 1, 2015 and
henceforth to fill vacant seats in the Legislature or in
Congress. If a special election is consolidated with a statewide
AB 971
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or local election, the state would pay only for the additional
expenses attributable to the special election.
FISCAL EFFECT:
General Fund reimbursement costs of the four special elections
thus far in 2015 (three concluded primaries and one run-off
schedule for May 19) will be around $6 million (assuming $1.5
million per unconsolidated election on average). Future costs,
which will depend on the number of special elections in any
given year, could be significant.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. From 1993 through 2007, the state reimbursed counties
for the costs of special elections to fill vacancies in the
Legislature or in Congress. The provision of state law that
required reimbursement expired January 1, 2008. According to
the Secretary of State's Office, since 2008 there have been 45
such special elections with one more currently scheduled, and
the associated costs have required the redirection of county
resources from other county-provided services. This bill
resumes the state's responsibility for paying these costs,
retroactive to January 1 of this year.
2)Prior Legislation. AB 971 is the most recent of numerous
legislative efforts to reimburse a county or counties for
special elections costs. Generally these bills have all been
held on Suspense in either Senate or Assembly Appropriations.
Analysis Prepared by:Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916)
AB 971
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319-2081