California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 2265


Introduced by Assembly Members Mark Stone and Dahle

February 18, 2016


An act to amend Section 9160 of the Elections Code, relating to elections.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2265, as introduced, Mark Stone. County ballot measures: impartial analysis.

Existing law requires the county counsel or district attorney of a county in which an election on a county measure is to be held to prepare an impartial analysis of the measure showing the effect of the measure on the existing law and the operation of the measure. Existing law requires the analysis to include a statement indicating whether the measure was placed on the ballot by a petition signed by the requisite number of voters or by the board of supervisors.

This bill would authorize the county counsel to prepare a summary of the impartial analysis in a format that answers the questions “What does a yes vote mean?” and “What does a no vote mean?” for the measure. The bill would prohibit the summary from exceeding 75 words for each question and would authorize the summary information to be included in the voter information portion of the sample ballot.

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

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

P2    1

SECTION 1.  

Section 9160 of the Elections Code is amended
2to read:

3

9160.  

(a) begin deleteWhenever end deletebegin insertIf end inserta county measure qualifies for a place
4on the ballot, the county elections official shall transmit a copy of
5the measure to the county auditor and to the county counsel or to
6the district attorney in a county thatbegin delete has noend deletebegin insert does not have aend insert county
7counsel.

8(b) begin insert(1)end insertbegin insertend insert The county counsel or district attorney shall prepare an
9impartial analysis of the measure showing the effect of the measure
10on the existing law and the operation of the measure. The analysis
11shall include a statement indicating whether the measure was
12placed on the ballot by a petition signed by the requisite number
13of voters or by the board of supervisors. The analysis shall be
14printed preceding the arguments for and against the measure. The
15analysis may not exceed 500 words in length.

begin insert

16(2) Additionally, the county counsel or district attorney may
17prepare a summary of the impartial analysis in a format that
18answers the questions “What does a yes vote mean?” and “What
19does a no vote mean?” for each measure, with the summary for
20each question limited to 75 words or less. If the county counsel or
21district attorney prepares a summary pursuant to this paragraph,
22it may be included in the voter information portion of the sample
23ballot.

end insert
begin delete

24In

end delete

25begin insert(3)end insertbegin insertend insertbegin insertInend insert the event the entire text of the measure is not printed on
26the ballot, nor in the voter information portion of the sample ballot,
27there shall be printed immediately below the impartial analysis,
28in no less than 10-point boldface type, a legend substantially as
29follows:

30“The above statement is an impartial analysis of Ordinance or
31Measure ____. If you desire a copy of the ordinance or measure,
32please call the elections official’s office at (insert telephone
33number) and a copy will be mailed at no cost to you.”

begin delete

34The

end delete

35begin insert(4)end insertbegin insertend insertbegin insertTheend insert elections official may, at his or her discretion, add the
36following messagebegin insert to the statement in paragraph (end insertbegin insert3)end insert: “You may
37also access the full text of the measure on the county Web site at
38the following Web site address (insert Web site address).”

P3    1(c) Not later than 88 days prior to an election that includes a
2county ballot measure, the board of supervisors may direct the
3county auditor to review the measure and determine whether the
4substance thereof, if adopted, would affect the revenues or
5expenditures of the county. He or she shall prepare a fiscal impact
6statement which estimates the amount of any increase or decrease
7in revenues or costs to the county if the proposed measure is
8adopted. The fiscal impact statement is “official matter” within
9the meaning of Section 13303, and shall be printed preceding the
10arguments for and against the measure. The fiscal impact statement
11may not exceed 500 words in length.



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