In introducing the first major change to the state’s initiative process in four decades, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) said his new law would increase public participation in the initiative process and spare the state potentially costly and divisive campaigns.
Initiatives could be amended based on public input during a 30-day review period at the start of the initiative process. When those proposing an initiative have collected 25% of the signatures needed to put it on the ballot, state legislative committees will hold public hearings.
The proponents of the initiative would then be given a choice to withdraw the measure before it qualifies if they are content with a legislative solution. Currently, initiatives cannot be removed from the ballot once signatures are turned in to qualify them.
In addition, the state will have to post the top 10 donors of the committees in support and in opposition of an initiative. The measure, SB 1253, also extends the signature-gathering period from 150 to 180 days.
The measure was opposed by most Republican senators, some of whom said they feared it would put a chill on the ability of citizens to bypass the Legislature and propose laws that legislators won’t adopt.