BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1100
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ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB
1100 (Low and Bloom)
As Amended March 24, 2015
Majority vote
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|Committee |Votes |Ayes |Noes |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|----------------+------+--------------------+----------------------|
|Elections |5-2 |Ridley-Thomas, |Grove, Travis Allen |
| | |Gatto, Gordon, | |
| | |Mullin, Perea | |
| | | | |
|----------------+------+--------------------+----------------------|
|Appropriations |12-5 |Gomez, Bloom, |Bigelow, Chang, |
| | |Bonta, Calderon, |Gallagher, Jones, |
| | |Daly, Eggman, |Wagner |
| | |Eduardo Garcia, | |
| | |Holden, Quirk, | |
| | |Rendon, Weber, Wood | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY: Increases the fee to submit a proposed state ballot
initiative to the Attorney General (AG) for preparation of the
circulating title and summary from $200 to $8,000.
AB 1100
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FISCAL EFFECT: According to the AG's office, between 2009 and
2013 there were 315 proposed initiative measures submitted for a
circulating title and summary, of which only 27 qualified for the
ballot. The AG's estimates that an average of 56 hours of staff
time is accumulated in the preparation of each title and summary.
Although the current fee is $200, the average proposed initiative
will cost the state more than $8,000. Any costs for preparing a
title and summary that exceed the $200 fee are ultimately covered
by the General Fund.
This significant fee increase could greatly reduce the number of
initiative proposals submitted for title and summary, and thus
reduce the AG's workload in this area, in addition to that of the
Legislative Analyst's Office and the Department of Finance, which
jointly prepare a fiscal estimate of proposed initiatives.
COMMENTS: According to the author, "AB 1100 will increase the
ballot initiative proposal fee from $200 to $8,000. The $200 fee
was set in 1943 to cover the administrative costs by the AG to
analyze a proposal and prepare a title and summary. According to
the Consumer Price Index, the value of $200 today is the
equivalent of $14.80 in 1943 dollars. It has been 72 years since
this aspect of the initiative process has been updated. This
proposal is long overdue."
Under current law proponents must pay a $200 fee to the AG, a fee
that is placed in a trust fund in the office of the Treasurer and
is refunded in full to the proponent(s) if the initiative
qualifies for the ballot within two years after the summary has
been issued to the proponents. If the measure fails to qualify
the fee is immediately paid into the General Fund of the state.
AB 1832 (Saldana) of 2010 was similar to this bill, but raised the
filing fees incrementally. Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed AB 1832
arguing that it would make it more difficult for citizen groups to
AB 1100
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qualify an initiative.
Analysis Prepared by:
Lori Barber / E. & R. / (916) 319-2094 FN:
0000402