SB 1337: Elections: form of petitions.

(1) Existing law requires a committee, as defined, that pays for the circulation of a state or local initiative, referendum, or recall petition to create an Official Top Funders sheet, as specified. Existing law authorizes such a committee to create a page on an internet website that includes a link to the Official Top Funders sheet and a link to the full text of the initiative or referendum. Existing law also requires this committee to submit the Official Top Funders sheet to the Secretary of State. Existing law requires a state or local initiative, referendum, or recall petition that requires voter signatures and that a committee pays to circulate either to include a disclosure statement on the petition, as specified, or for the circulator for the petition to present as a separate document the Official Top Funders sheet to a prospective signer of the petition.

This bill would remove the requirement that a committee that pays for the circulation of a state referendum create an Official Top Funders sheet and submit the Official Top Funders sheet to the Secretary of State. The bill would also remove the requirement for a state referendum petition that requires voter signatures and that a committee pays to circulate either to include a disclosure statement on the petition, as specified, or for the circulator to present as a separate document the Official Top Funders sheet to a prospective signer of the petition. The bill would instead require such a state referendum petition to include a different disclosure statement, as specified, on the first page of each section of the referendum petition.

(2) Existing law requires the top of each page of a state referendum petition to contain, in 12-point boldface type, the following text: Referendum Against an Act Passed by the Legislature.

This bill would substantially revise the required form and contents of a statewide referendum petition by mandating, among other things, the petition to contain an official title and summary of the law proposed to be overturned, as prepared by the Attorney General. Among other things, the bill would require a committee, as defined, that circulates a statewide referendum petition to submit to the Secretary of State the first page of the petition and any updates required to reflect a change in the top contributors to the committee. The bill would require the Secretary of State to post the first page of the petition on the Secretary of States internet website along with previous versions submitted by the committee.

(3) Existing law requires a petition for a state initiative or referendum to contain, among other things, each signers signature, printed name, residence address, and the name of the signers incorporated city or unincorporated community.

This bill would require a petition for a statewide referendum measure to include, in addition to the information above, before the space for the signers printed name, a box preceding the following statement: BY CHECKING THIS BOX, I confirm that I have reviewed the Official Top Funders listed on this page.