SCA 9

Bill Subjects

Abstract

(1) Existing constitutional provisions require each house of the Legislature to pass a bill appropriating money from the General Fund, except appropriations for the public schools, by a 23 vote. This measure would also exempt from this 23-vote requirement appropriations made in a Budget Bill, and appropriations made in a bill identified in the Budget Bill as containing only changes in law necessary to implement the Budget Bill. Instead, this measure would require that a Budget Bill, and any bill identified in the Budget Bill as containing only changes in law necessary to implement the Budget Bill, be passed by a 55% vote in each house. (2) Existing constitutional provisions provide that a statute takes immediate effect upon enactment if the statute calls for an election, provides for a tax levy or makes an appropriation for the usual and current expenses of the state, or is an urgency statute. In addition, the Constitution exempts these statutes from the power of referendum, which is the power to approve or reject statutes or parts of statutes. This measure would add, as statutes that take effect immediately and are exempt from referendum, statutes enacting the Budget Bill and statutes enacting bills identified in the Budget Bill as containing only changes in law necessary to implement the Budget Bill. (3) The California Constitution requires a change in state taxes enacted for the purpose of increasing state revenues to be by a23vote of each house of the Legislature. This measure would delete that 23 vote requirement. (4) This measure would find and declare that certain changes to Section 12 of Article IV of the California Constitution proposed by this measure and SCA 13 of the 2007−08 Regular Session, as amended by SCA 30 of the 2007−08 Regular Session, are complementary, and not in conflict. The measure would incorporate the changes proposed by both measures in Section 12 if both measures are approved by the voters.