1335. (08-0002, Amdt. #1S)

Bans Abortion of Viable Fetus Unless Necessary to Save Mother’s Life. Declares God Creator of Life. Constitutional Amendment and Statute.

Summary Date: 03/26/08 Failed: 09/30/08

Proponent: Laura Storms

Amends Constitution to: (1) create presumption that a fetus becomes viable at 24 weeks; (2) define fetal viability to include the use of life support; (3) ban abortion of a viable fetus except where necessary to save mother’s life; and (4) give viable fetuses rights to life and medical care. Provides abortion after 24 weeks is murder unless necessary to save mother’s life. Requires taxpayers pay all legal costs proponent incurs fighting challenges to initiative. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Potential costs to state and local governments not likely to exceed $20 million annually after a few years for public benefit programs, legal proceedings, and incarceration. (Initiative 08-0002.) (Full Text)

1336. (08-0004)

Bans Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research. Criminal Penalties. Constitutional Amendment and Statute.

Summary Date: 03/26/08 Failed: 09/30/08

Proponent: Laura Storms

Prohibits stem cell or other research or procedures that would injure or destroy a human embryo, as defined. Prohibits buying, selling, receiving, or transferring a human embryo for certain prohibited purposes. Subjects violators to fifteen years in prison without possibility of parole, a fine of at least $250,000 and permanent revocation of a medical license. Renders unenforceable contracts for payment of license fees and royalties derived from prohibited research. Requires taxpayers pay all legal costs proponent incurs fighting challenges to initiative. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Potential state savings up to the low hundreds of millions of dollars annually over the next few decades resulting from reduced principal and interest costs for bonds to fund embryonic research. Unknown potential loss of state and local revenue gains and cost savings due to reduced research funding for embryonic research. (Initiative 08-0004.) (Full Text)

1337. (08-0005)

Bans Activities Defined as “Human Cloning.” Criminal Penalties. Constitutional Amendment and Statute.

Summary Date: 03/26/08 Failed: 09/30/08

Proponent: Laura Storms

Amends constitution to ban activities related to “human cloning,” defined as: “human asexual reproduction, accomplished by introducing the genetic material from one or more human somatic cells into a fertilized or unfertilized oocyte whose nuclear material has been or will be removed or inactivated, so as to produce an organism, at any stage of development with a human or predominantly human genetic constitution.” Subjects violators to 15 or 25 year prison terms without possibility of parole, fines of at least $250,000, and permanent medical license revocation. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Potential state savings up to the low hundreds of millions of dollars annually over the next few decades resulting from reduced principal and interest costs for bonds to fund embryonic research. Unknown potential loss of state and local revenue gains and cost savings due to reduced research funding for embryonic research. (Initiative 08-0005.) (Full Text)

1341. (08-0009)

Marijuana Legalization. Individual Rights. Constitutional Amendment.

Summary Date: 04/08/08 Failed: 09/30/08

Proponent: Christopher Springer

Amends constitution to legalize marijuana and hemp within California and to provide for broad individual constitutional rights, including rights to food, shelter, medical care, and to be free from “unreasonable” taxation. Allows marijuana to be sold in any store that sells alcohol. Establishes local boards with expansive powers, including powers to regulate and tax marijuana. Requires marijuana tax revenues support specified programs. Exempts marijuana sales profits from income tax. Forbids most testing for marijuana used outside the workplace. Prohibits most marijuana, alcohol, and tobacco advertisements. Immunizes marijuana growers and sellers from liability. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Potential savings of up to several tens of millions of dollars annually to state and local governments, which would no longer incur the costs of incarcerating and supervising certain marijuana offenders. Potential costs of up to the tens of millions of dollars to state and local governments to fund the one-time start-up costs of the local boards. A potentially significant increase in state and local spending on substance abuse treatment services that could possibly be partially or fully offset by revenues from this measure. Potential increased revenues in the tens of millions to low hundreds of millions of dollars annually from marijuana stamps and licenses to support specified programs and the local boards. Unknown but potentially significant increase in state and local revenues from collection of sales and use taxes on the sale of Marijuana. Unknown but potentially significant decrease in state and local revenues from taxes on tobacco and alcohol due to a prohibition of advertising for these goods that would likely result in a decline in sales. (Initiative 08-0009.) (Full Text)

1342. (08-0010, Amdt. #2NS)

Redevelopment Areas. Limitations on Using Property Tax to Secure Debt. Statute.

Summary Date: 04/09/08 Failed: 09/30/08

Proponents: Don H. Lippman and Christopher A. Sutton

Prohibits use of certain property tax revenues allocated from a redevelopment project area to secure the payment of a bond, loan, advance, or other debt, unless approved by a local ordinance and a two-thirds vote at a county-wide election. Requires certain information to be contained in an ordinance approving use of redevelopment property tax revenue to secure debt. Requires counties to establish procedures for elections seeking approval for the use of redevelopment tax revenue to secure debt. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Over time, potential major shift in property tax revenues from redevelopment agencies to cities, counties, special districts, and schools. Increased property tax revenues to schools would result in a comparable decrease in required state spending for education. (Initiative 08-0010.) (Full Text)

Proponent: Paul McCauley

Imposes one-time tax of at least 55% on property exceeding $20 million of a California resident or held in California by nonresident. Imposes one-time tax (between 36.5% - 54.3%) on income exceeding $10 million when resident dies or leaves California. Imposes additional 17.5% tax on total incomes of taxpayers with income exceeding $150,000 if single, $250,000 if married; 35% if incomes exceed $350,000 if single, $500,000 if married. Creates tax credits. Requires State to acquire shares of specified corporations to influence environmental practices. May exempt new revenues from education funding requirements. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: One-time increase in state revenues potentially in the low hundreds of billions of dollars from imposition of a wealth tax, and ongoing increase in state revenues potentially in the billions of dollars from imposition of the tax on certain people dying or leaving the state. This revenue would be allocated to accomplish various goals related to environmental protection. Potential annual net increase in personal income tax revenues in the tens of billions of dollars annually. The first $7.5 billion annually would be allocated to the state General Fund with additional revenue allocated for environmental protection. Unknown state and local revenue reductions – potentially in the tens of billions of dollars annually – due to changes in taxpayer behavior. (Initiative 08-0012.) (Full Text)

Proponent: Roy Benson

Declares a state holiday on Election Day - the Tuesday following the first Monday in November during even-numbered years. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Increased state costs once every two years of up to $20 million. (Initiative 08-0013.) (Full Text)

1346. (08-0014)

Legislators’ Terms in Office. Campaign Contributions and Junkets. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.
Summary Date: 10/02/08 Circulation Deadline: 03/02/09 Signatures Required: 694,354

Proponent: Paul McCauley

Changes the California Constitution to allow legislators to serve more time in office. Allows a person to serve an additional four-year term in the Senate for a maximum of 12 years. Allows a person to serve an additional two-year term in the Assembly for a maximum of eight years. Provides that a legislator “may serve a further term beyond the current term in office” if he or she does not receive campaign contributions or accept any “privately-funded junkets.” Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: This measure would have no direct fiscal effect on state or local governments. (Initiative 08-0014.) (Full Text)

The list below reflects those proposed measures that have been submitted to the Attorney General for preparation of the title and summary that will appear on the initiative petitions. This process takes approximately 60 days; however, if amendments are submitted by the proponent the time period is lengthened. When the official summary is complete, the Attorney General forwards it to the proponent and to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State then provides calendar deadlines to the proponent and to the county elections officials.

Attorney General # Approximate Due Date to Secretary of State	Subject	Proponent(s)
08-0015 - 11/18/08	California Nonpartisan Primary Initiative	Steve Peace

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