ACA 12

Bill Subjects

Abstract

The California Constitution provides that all judicial, school, county, and city offices, and the office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, are nonpartisan. This measure would provide that the office of the Secretary of State is also a nonpartisan office. 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. Prior to 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 is required to 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 ballot pamphlet, for each measure that appears on a statewide ballot. This measure would require that an initiative or referendum petition be submitted to the Secretary of State instead of the Attorney General, and would transfer from the Attorney General to the Secretary of State the duty of preparing the title and summary for an initiative or referendum petition that is to be circulated. The measure would also require, for each measure that appears on a statewide ballot, that the Secretary of State prepare the ballot label and the ballot title and summary for the ballot pamphlet.