SB 654

Bill Subjects

Abstract

(1) Existing law, the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, requires the state and certain counties to provide voting materials in languages other than English, as specified. Existing law requires the Attorney General, upon receipt of the text of a proposed initiative measure, to prepare a circulating title and summary of the chief purpose and points of the proposed measure. Existing law requires the Attorney General to provide a copy of the circulating title and summary of a proposed initiative measure to the proponents of the measure and the Secretary of State within 15 days, as specified. Existing law specifies that the official summary date of a proposed measure is the date a circulating title and summary is delivered or mailed by the Attorney General to the proponents of the proposed measure. This bill would require the Attorney General to provide a notice to the proponents stating that, if the proponents intend to circulate the petition for the proposed initiative measure, the proponents shall notify the Attorney General, in the manner prescribed by the Attorney General, of their intention to circulate. Upon receipt of the proponents' notice of intention to circulate, this bill would require the Attorney General to prepare a translation of the circulating title and summary of the proposed initiative measure in each language in which the state or a county is required to provide voting materials pursuant to the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965. This bill would require the Attorney General to provide a copy of each translation to the proponents and the Secretary of State, as specified. This bill would provide that if the proponents of a proposed initiative measure do not submit a notice of intention to circulate, the proponents' request for a circulating title and summary shall be deemed withdrawn and the petition shall not be circulated for signature. This bill would specify that the official summary date of a proposed initiative measure is the date a copy of each translation of the circulating title and summary is delivered or mailed to the proponents. (2) Existing law permits any person who is a voter or who is qualified to register to vote in the state to circulate an initiative petition for signature and imposes certain requirements on these circulators. This bill would require a copy of the applicable translated circulating title and summary prepared by the Attorney General to be attached to the petition and made available to each person whom the circulator solicits in that language to sign the petition and to any other person upon request. (3) Existing provisions of the California Constitution and statute authorize the recall of state officers. Existing law requires the proponents of the recall to file 2 blank copies of the petition to recall the officer with the Secretary of State, who is required to ascertain if the proposed form and wording of the petition meet specified requirements. This bill would require the Secretary of State to prepare a translation of the petition for the recall of a state officer in each language in which the state or a county, as specified, is required to provide voting materials pursuant to the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965. This bill would require the Secretary of State, within 10 days after ascertaining that the proposed form and wording of the recall petition meet specified requirements, to provide a copy of each translation to the proponents. (4) Existing law requires a recall petition to use a specified format and contain certain information. Under existing law, any person who is a registered voter of the electoral jurisdiction of the officer sought to be recalled may circulate the recall petition for signatures. If a recall petition is circulated in a specified county, this bill would require a copy of the applicable translation of the petition prepared by the Secretary of State to be attached to the petition and made available to each person whom the circulator solicits in that language to sign the petition and to any person upon request.