Elections: initiatives and referenda.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on the potential impact of this change on voter understanding or any associated costs.

Changing Who Writes Ballot Summaries

This law changes who writes summaries for initiatives and referenda on California ballots from the Attorney General to the Legislative Analyst.

What This Bill Does

• Transfers the responsibility of preparing titles and summaries for proposed initiatives and referenda from the Attorney General to the Legislative Analyst.
• Requires the Legislative Analyst to prepare ballot labels, titles, and summaries for voter guides when a measure is on the statewide ballot.

Who It Names or Affects

• Voters who read ballot summaries in California
• The Attorney General's office
• The Legislative Analyst's office

Terms To Know

initiative

A way for citizens to propose new laws or changes to the state constitution.

referendum

A process where voters can decide whether a law should be approved or rejected.

Limits and Unknowns

• Does not specify how this change will affect voter understanding of ballot measures.
• The bill does not explain the reasons for changing who writes these summaries.
• It is unclear if there are any costs associated with transferring duties between offices.

Official Summary Text

SCA 3, as introduced, Niello.
Elections: initiatives and referenda.
The California Constitution provides that the electors may propose a statute or an amendment to the California Constitution by initiative and approve or reject a statute by referendum. An initiative measure may be proposed by presenting to the Secretary of State a petition that sets forth the text of the proposed statute or amendment to the Constitution and is certified to have been signed by the required number of electors, as prescribed. A referendum measure may be proposed by presenting to the Secretary of State a petition that sets forth the statute or part of the statute to be submitted to the electors, and is certified to have been signed by the required number of electors. Before the circulation of an initiative or referendum petition for signatures, the California Constitution requires that a copy of the petition be submitted to the Attorney General, who must prepare a title and
summary of the measure. Existing statutory law also directs the Attorney General to prepare the ballot label and the ballot title and summary that is included in the state voter information guide for each measure that appears on a statewide ballot.
This measure would transfer from the Attorney General to the Legislative Analyst the duty of preparing the title and summary for a proposed initiative or referendum. The measure would also require, for each measure that appears on a statewide ballot, the Legislative Analyst to prepare the ballot label and the ballot title and summary for the state voter information guide.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF