SB-512 • 2026

District elections: initiatives.

Education Elections Taxes

Vetoed

The latest official action shows the governor vetoed this bill. Check the bill history to see whether lawmakers later overrode that veto.

Sponsor: Pérez
Last action: 2026-03-02
Official status: Veto sustained.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill was vetoed by the governor on March 2, 2026. It is unclear whether lawmakers will attempt to override this veto or introduce similar legislation in the future.

District Elections: Initiatives

This bill allows voters in districts with authority to impose taxes for transportation purposes to propose and vote on a retail transactions and use tax through an initiative measure, subject to existing district laws.

What This Bill Does

Allows voters in districts that can already impose taxes for transportation purposes to create a new retail transactions and use tax by voting on it as an initiative measure.
Limits the maximum rate of this new tax to what is allowed under existing district laws.
Requires any proposed tax through voter initiatives to include spending limits and accountability rules similar to those set by the district's governing body.

Who It Names or Affects

Voters in districts that can already impose taxes for transportation purposes.
County elections officials who would have more work if voters propose and pass new taxes through initiatives.

Terms To Know

initiative measure: A proposal made by citizens to change laws or policies, often put to a public vote.
state-mandated local program: When the state requires local governments to do something that costs money, and the state agrees to pay for at least part of it.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill was vetoed by the governor on March 2, 2026.
It is unclear if lawmakers will try to override this veto or introduce similar legislation in the future.
Details about specific districts and their current tax authority are not provided.

Bill History

2026-03-02 California Legislative Information
Veto sustained.
2026-03-02 California Legislative Information
Stricken from file.
2025-10-13 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending.
2025-10-13 California Legislative Information
Vetoed by the Governor.
2025-09-22 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
2025-09-11 California Legislative Information
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 30. Noes 10. Page 2898.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
2025-09-09 California Legislative Information
From committee: That the Assembly amendments be concurred in. (Ayes 3. Noes 1. Page 2752.)
2025-09-08 California Legislative Information
From committee: Be re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10(d). (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 2570.) Re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A.
2025-09-08 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on RLS. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10(d).
2025-09-04 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
2025-09-04 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 50. Noes 19. Page 2938.) Ordered to the Senate.
2025-08-21 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-08-20 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 4.) (August 20).
2025-07-17 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-07-16 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (July 16).
2025-06-19 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on ELECTIONS pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.
2025-06-16 California Legislative Information
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E.M.
2025-05-12 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on E.M.
2025-04-10 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
2025-04-10 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 35. Noes 0. Page 750.) Ordered to the Assembly.
2025-04-08 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.
2025-04-07 California Legislative Information
From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to consent calendar.
2025-03-28 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 7.
2025-03-25 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 13. Noes 0. Page 531.) (March 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-03-03 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing March 25.
2025-02-26 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on G.O.
2025-02-20 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 22.
2025-02-19 California Legislative Information
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 512, Pérez.
District elections: initiatives.
Existing law prescribes the procedures by which a proposed ordinance may be submitted to the governing board of a district by an initiative measure. These procedures do not apply to specified districts, including a district formed under a law that does not provide a procedure for elections.
This bill would authorize the voters of any district that has authority to impose a transactions and use tax for transportation purposes to impose a retail transactions and use tax by an initiative measure. The bill would prohibit the initiative tax from exceeding the maximum authorized rate for a tax imposed by an ordinance enacted by the governing body of the district, and the bill would require the initiative measure to contain all spending limitations and substantive
accountability standards applicable to a tax imposed by an ordinance enacted by the governing body. To the extent the bill would increase the duties of county elections officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Current Bill Text

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