Initiatives for the June 2020 ballot are circulating. Many circulate, few actually qualify.
So, what is out there, gathering signatures and waiting to gather votes at the polls? The initiatives include calls for a California Constitutional Convention, changes to the number of votes needed to raise taxes and/or pass a budget, restrictions on who can voter or receive public benefits, allowing same sex couples to marry, allowing insurance companies to change the way they determine rates for some drivers, and legalizing pot.
Initiatives Which Have Been Approved
SCA 4 - Property tax: new construction exclusion: seismic retrofitting - Under provisions of this constitutional amendment, construction on an existing home for seismic retrofitting would not be taxed as new construction.
AB 583 - Political Reform Act of 1974: California Fair Elections Act of 2008 - Creates a Fair Elections Fund public financing system for elections.
SCA 4 - Elections: open primaries - The top two candidates who receive the most votes in a primary move to the general election regardless of party affiliation. The provision applies to state and congressional offices.
Constitutional Convention Items Still Circulating
1372 - Changes Constitution to Allow Voter to Call a Constitutional Convention with an Initiative. Initiative Constitutional Amendment - Allows voters to call a constitutional convention and write a new state Constitution by passing an initiative.
1373 - Calls a Convention to Draft a New State Constitution. Initiative Constitutional Amendment - Requires special election to elect 400 convention delegates. Closes convention to public and prohibits all outside contact with delegates. Allows simple majority of convention delegates to propose changes to any part of Constitution. Requires a special election to adopt or reject convention’s proposed new constitution, and requires a special election of new constitutional officers after adoption. Requires use of public money for campaign financing for all convention delegate candidates, convention fees, compensation for delegates and staff, and new statewide voting systems for three elections.
Reforms to Legislature Still Circulating
1366 - Part Time Legislature. Initiative Constitutional Amendment - Reduces time the Legislature is in session to no more than 95 days per year.
1367 - Mandatory Drug and Alcohol Testing for Members of the Legislature. Initiative Statute - All legislators must be tested for illegal use of drugs and "habitual use alcohol." Prevents a legislator who tests positive from performing official duties or getting paid until the legislator completes a substance abuse program at their own expense. Requires the legislator to permanently forfeit office upon a second positive test.
1368 - Requirement for Legislators to Certify that they Understand Legislation and Have not Accepted a Bribe or Engaged in Illegal Vote Swapping. Initiative Constitutional Amendment - Legislators must swear under penalty of perjury that they have read and understood legislation and execute a statement regarding their duties to the People.
1370 - Changes the Vote Requirement to Pass a Budget or Raise Taxes from Two-Thirds to Three-Fifths. Initiative Constitutional Amendment - Changes the legislative vote needed to pass the state budget and raise taxes from 2/3 (67%) to 3/5 (60%).
Limits on Undocumented Residents Still Circulating
1359, 1361, 1362 - Limits on Voting. Initiative Statute - Must present government-issued photo identification card to vote. Provisional ballots and mail-in ballots must be in envelopes marked with last four digits of a California driver's license, state identification card or social security number. Eliminates right to vote for citizens on probation for a felony offense. ***** There are 3 separate initiatives circulating with the approximately the same language put forth by the same people.
1365 - Denial of Public Benefits for Persons Who Cannot Verify Lawful Presence. Denial of Standard Birth Certificate for Children of Undocumented Parents. Initiative Statute - Requires verification of lawful presence in the United States to qualify for state, local and state-administered federal aid. Allows "Foreign Parent" birth certificate to be issued if the mother is undocumented.
Other Issues Still Circulating
1360 - Tax on Pension Distributions and Health Care Benefits. Initiative Statute - Imposes additional, annual taxes on California residents who receive income in excess of $40,000 from pension distributions, social security, and the cash value of health care benefits.
1363 - Tax on Employers Who Collect Life Insurance Benefits Upon the Death of Former Employees. Initiative Statute - Life insurance proceeds received by an employer upon the death of a former or retired employee will be considered taxable gross income when the employer lacks an "insurable interest" in the employerr.
1364 - Reinstates Right of Same Sex Couples to Marry, Initiative Constitutional Amendment - Repeals California Constitution provisions stating that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.
1369 - New Two-Thirds Requirement for Local Public Electricity Providers. Initiative Constitutional Amendment - Requires local governments to obtain the approval of two-thirds of the voters before providing electricity to new customers or expanding service to new territories if any public funds or bonds are involved.
1371 - Allows Insurance Companies to Increase or Decrease the Cost of Auto Insurance Based on Driver's Coverage History. Initiative Statute - Allows insurance companies to raise the cost of auto insurance based on the absence of prior automobile insurance coverage.
Initiatives in Attorney General's Office for Review
Corporate Taxation Reform - Repeals "elective single sales factor" in AB XXX15 of 2009 and SB XXX15 of 2009, repeal "loss carry back provisions" in AB 1452 of 2008 and repeal "tax credit sharing" provisions in AB 1452 of 2008.
Tax, Regulate, and Control Cannabis - Allows use, sharing, cultivation, transport, and sale to and buy individuals over age of 21. Allows government to tax cannabis.
McCauley-Rosen Wealth Tax and Oceans Preservation Act - Imposes an estate tax and directs that the monies be spent restoring Hetch Hethcy Valley and buying up the majority of common stock of defense contractors, energy companies and others.
Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis - Objective is to regulate cannabis similar to alcohol and decriminalize cannabis possession and cultivation for adults.
Common Sense Act - Allows marijuana to be legalized and taxed in California.
Initiatives Which Have Failed to Qualify in the Last 30 Days
1355 - Education Funding. Sales Tax. Initiative Statute and Constitutional Amendment - Imposes 1% sales and use take to supplement education funding.
1354 - State Budget. Penalties for Governor and Legislature if Budget Deadline is Not Met. Initiative Constitutional Amendment - Governor and Legislature automatically removed from office if the Legislature fails to approve a budget by June 15th and the Governor fails to sign a budget by June 30th.
1353 - State Budget/ Taxes. Repeal of Two-Thirds Legislative Vote Requirement. Initiative Constitutional Amendment - Lowers legislative vote needed to pass the state budget, spending bills related to the budget and budget-related tax increases from 2/3 (67%) to 55%.
1352 - State Budget/ Taxes. Repeal of Two-Thirds Legislative Vote Requirement. Initiative Constitutional Amendment - Lowers the legislative vote needed to pass the state budget and spending bills related to the budget from 2/3 (67%) to 55%.
1351 - Wealth Tax. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute - Imposes one-time tax of at least 55% on property in California exceeding $15 million if single, $20 million if married. Imposes one-time tax (between 36.5% - 54.3%) on income exceeding $10 million when resident dies or leaves California. Imposes additional 17.5% tax on total incomes of taxpayers with incomes exceeding $150,00 if single, $250,00 if married; 35% if incomes exceed $350,000, if single, $500,000 if married.
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