BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 2219
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 2219 (Fong)
As Introduced February 20, 2014
Majority vote
ELECTIONS 7-0 APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Ayes:|Fong, Donnelly, Mullin, |Ayes:|Gatto, Bigelow, Allen, |
| |Hall, Logue, Perea, | |Bocanegra, Bradford, Ian |
| |Rodriguez | |Calderon, Campos, |
| | | |Donnelly, Eggman, Gomez, |
| | | |Holden, Linder, Pan, |
| | | |Quirk, Ridley-Thomas, |
| | | |Wagner, Weber |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY : Allows county elections officials to discontinue
verifying signatures on a petition once an initiative or
referendum has qualified for the ballot, as specified.
Specifically, this bill :
1)Requires an elections official or registrar of voters, when
conducting a full check of all signatures filed for a
statewide initiative or referendum petition, to submit one or
more reports to the Secretary of State (SOS) showing the
number of signatures of qualified voters that have been
verified as of the date. Requires the SOS to determine the
number of reports required to be submitted and the manner of
their submission.
2)Requires the SOS to maintain a list indicating the number of
verified signatures of qualified voters who have signed the
petition based on the most recent reports submitted. Provides
that if the SOS determines, prior to each county completing
the examination of each signature filed, that based on the
list the petition is signed by the requisite number of voters
needed to declare the petition sufficient, the SOS must
immediately notify the elections official or registrar of
voters of every county or city and county in the state of this
fact.
3)Permits an elections official or registrar of voters,
AB 2219
Page 2
immediately after receipt of the notification described above,
to suspend signature verification until receipt of a
certificate from the SOS showing that the petition has been
signed by the requisite number of qualified voters pursuant to
current law, or until otherwise instructed by the SOS.
4)Provides that if an elections official determines, prior to
completing the examination of each signature filed for a
county initiative or referendum, that the petition is signed
by the requisite number of qualified voters to declare the
petition sufficient, the election official may terminate the
verification of the remaining unverified signatures.
5)Makes corresponding changes.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, ongoing savings to counties, from reduced workload
associated with discontinued signature verification, and minor
absorbable costs to the SOS.
COMMENTS : According to the author, "Under existing law, county
elections officials are required to continue to examine and
verify petition signatures even after the number has exceeded
the required amount of signatures to qualify the measure for the
ballot.
"This bill permits county elections officials to discontinue
verifying signatures on a petition once an initiative measure
has qualified for the ballot, as specified. AB 2219 has the
potential to decrease the cost and staff time spent on
continuing to verify signatures that will have no impact on the
petition's disposition.
"Specifically, AB 2219 allows a county elections official to
suspend signature verification on initiative or referendum
petitions once it has been determined by the Secretary of State
that the measure has the requisite number of valid signatures to
qualify the measure for the ballot. Additionally, this bill
permits the county elections official to end signature
verification on a petition for a county measure if it is
determined by the elections official that the petition has the
requisite number of signatures to qualify the measure for the
ballot."
AB 2219
Page 3
Analysis Prepared by : Nichole Becker / E. & R. / (916)
319-2094
FN: 0003200