BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1100
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB
1100 (Low and Bloom)
As Amended July 9, 2015
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: | | (May 26, |SENATE: |23-14 | (August 17, |
| |46-28 |2015) | | |2015) |
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Original Committee Reference: E. & R.
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 $2,000.
The Senate amendments reduce the filing fee proposed by this
bill from $8,000 to $2,000.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, potentially significant increase in filing fee
revenue which will be dependent on the number of initiatives
filed, and the number of those which eventually qualify for the
ballot (which results in a refund of the filing fee).
COMMENTS: According to the author, "AB 1100 will increase the
ballot initiative proposal fee from $200... The $200 fee was set
AB 1100
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in 1943 to cover the administrative costs by the Attorney
General (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."
The AG's office reports that 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 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 costs 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.
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.
Analysis Prepared by:
Lori Barber / E. & R. / (916) 319-2094 FN:
0001195
AB 1100
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