BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                      



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          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                  AB 1499|
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                                 THIRD READING


          Bill No:  AB 1499
          Author:   Assembly Budget Committee
          Amended:  6/25/12 in Senate
          Vote:     21

           
           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  Not relevant


           SUBJECT  :    Elections:  ballot order for statewide measures

           SOURCE  :     Author


           DIGEST  :    This bill requires that bond measures and 
          constitutional amendments, including those proposed by 
          initiative, appear on the ballot before all other 
          legislative, initiative, and referendum measures.  
          Appropriates $1,000.00.

           ANALYSIS  :    Existing law specifies the order in which 
          statewide ballot measures are required to appear on the 
          ballot.

          This bill:

          1.Establishes that bonds measures, including those proposed 
            by initiative, shall appear first on ballots in the order 
            in which they qualify.

          2.Establishes that constitutional amendments, including 
            those proposed by initiative, shall appear on ballots 
            after bond measures, in the order in which they qualify.
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                                                               AB 1499
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          3.Establishes that legislative measures and other 
            initiative measures shall appear after bond measures and 
            constitutional amendments, including those proposed by 
            initiative.

          This bill makes the following findings and declarations:

          1.That bond measures and constitutional amendments should 
            have priority on the ballot because of the profound and 
            lasting impact these measures can have on our state.  
            Bond measures create debts against the state treasury 
            that obligate the resources of future Californians.  
            Constitutional amendments make changes to our state's 
            fundamental principles and protections.  In recognition 
            of their significance, bond measures and constitutional 
            amendments should be placed at the top of the ballot to 
            ensure that the voters can carefully weigh the 
            consequences of these important measures.

          2.That the Secretary of State has received funding in the 
            Budget Act of 2012, and an appropriation contained 
            herein, to provide direction to counties regarding the 
            preparation of ballots, and to prepare the ballot 
            pamphlet, in a manner that is consistent with the changes 
            to the Elections Code provided by this act.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  Yes   Fiscal Com.:  Yes   
          Local:  No


          DLW:n  6/26/12   Senate Floor Analyses 

                       SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  NONE RECEIVED

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