California's Initiative Process

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California's Initiative Process
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Preview

• California's use of the initiative process
• California's process in the national context
• Recent IR legislation

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The Top 5 Initiative Users
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The Top 5 Over Time
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When Initiatives Can Be on the Ballot
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Constitutional Initiatives as a of Total1912 -
2008
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Constitutional Initiatives as a of Total1912 -
2008
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California Initiatives by Type1912- 2008
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Legislative Amendment Repeal
Prohibited
Supermajority vote
Waiting period (2-3 years)
No restriction
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Raw of Signatures (2008)
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Raw of Signatures/VAP
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Circulation Periods

• Longest 4 years (FL)
• Shortest 90 days (OK)
• Average 15 months
• California 150 days/5 months

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Budget Appropriations

• No appropriations or revenue measures
• (AK, MA, MO, MT, NV, WY)
• Any new spending needs an increased revenue
  source (not the general fund) - AZ
• Measure with new spending must identify which
  program will be reduced to fund it - MS

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Recently Enacted IR Legislation

• Prohibition on payment-per-signature
• Earlier petition submission deadline
• 60 vote to approve constitutional amendments
• Paid circulator registration training

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Major IR Legislation Enacted in 2008

• Arizona petition fraud
• Colorado petition fraud, circulation period
• Oregon citizen review panels, ballot titles

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Other IR Bills Considered This Year

• Arizona's approaches to fiscal constraints
• Allow legislature to divert funds created or
  allocated by an initiative under certain
  circumstances
• Limits an initiative's authorization to spend
  state funds to eight years

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Voter Attitude Toward Changes

• 42 questions on the ballot (1996-2008)
• 28 from legislatures
• 27 increased regulation of the process
• 63 of those approved by voters

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For More Information

• www.ncsl.org
• Ballot Measures Database
• Initiative Process Data
• Initiative Reform Legislation Database
• jennie.bowser_at_ncsl.org
• 303-856-1356

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