BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair
16 (DeSaulnier)
Hearing Date: 8/27/2009 Amended: As Introduced
Consultant: Maureen Ortiz Policy Vote: ER&CA 3-2
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BILL SUMMARY: SCA 16 provides an alternate to the initiative
process by authorizing a measure to qualify with less
signatures, providing that the measure be reviewed by the
Legislature prior to its being placed on the ballot.
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Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 Fund
Ballot costs $298
General
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STAFF COMMENTS: SUSPENSE FILE.
SCA 16 will result in one-time General Fund costs of
approximately $298,000 to print an analysis of the measure and
arguments for and against the measure in the statewide voter
pamphlet. The most recent cost estimates from the Secretary of
State's office are $74,500 per page for printing and mailing,
and the above fiscal impact reflects four pages of text. Actual
costs could be slightly higher or lower depending on the final
length of the ballot measure.
If this measure is enacted by January 28, 2010 it will appear on
the June 8, 2010 statewide primary election ballot. If it is
enacted after January 28, 2010, but before June 24, 2010, SCA 16
will appear on the November 2, 2010 statewide general election
ballot.
Under existing law, a proponent of any initiative measure must
first obtain the signatures of registered voters equal in number
to 5% of the votes for all candidates for Governor at the last
election. The signature threshold to qualify initiatives
proposing constitutional amendments is 8%. There is currently
no mechanism for amending an initiative once it has been
approved for circulation by the Secretary of State or once it
has qualified for the ballot.
SCA 16 will provide an alternate procedure by authorizing a
proponent to present to the Secretary of State, at any time the
Legislature is in session, a petition that has been signed by 3%
of voters for all candidates for Governor at the last
gubernatorial election in the case of proposed statute, or
signed by 6% of the voters if the measure amends the
constitution. The Secretary of State will transmit the petition
to the Legislature within 10 days. The Legislature may then
amend the initiative, however, this measure does not define a
timeline for making those changes.
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SCA 16 (DeSaulnier)
The California Constitution requires the Secretary of State to
submit statewide initiative measures at the next general
election held at least 131 days after they qualify or at any
special statewide election.
SCA 16 provides, if the proposed statute, with or without
change, is enacted by the Legislature, the statute will go into
effect on the applicable date. If the Legislature approves the
proposed constitutional amendment, with or without change, by a
2/3 vote of each house, the proposed amendment will be submitted
to the electors for approval at the first statewide election
occurring on an unspecified number of days later.
If by an unspecified number of days, the Legislature rejects the
initiative measure or has taken no action on it, the measure
will be submitted to the voters.
There are currently 8 states (Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Mississippi, Nevada, Ohio, Utah, and Washington) that have an
indirect initiative process.
This measure is similar to SCA 10 (Ducheny) which is currently
on the Suspense File in this committee.