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AB-1278 Elections: initiatives.(2009-2010)

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AB1278:v98#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Assembly  April 14, 2009

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2009–2010 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 1278

Introduced  by  Assembly Member Harkey
 (Coauthor(s): Assembly Member DeVore, Jeffries, Nestande, Silva)

February 27, 2009

An act to amend Section 9088 of, and to add Section 13281.5 to, the An act to amend Section 9088 of the Elections Code, relating to elections.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1278, as amended, Harkey. Elections: initiatives.
Existing law requires that ballot labels for state measures voted on at elections contain specified information. Existing law requires the Legislative Analyst to prepare a discussion of the state’s current bonded indebtedness for the ballot pamphlet at a statewide general election in which a state bond measure is submitted for voter approval.
This bill would require the Legislative Analyst to include additional information in the ballot pamphlet for an election for each state initiative measure that proposes the issuance of a state bond. The bill also would require that the ballot labels for those state bond measures include additional information relating to the proposed bond.

Because the bill would require local elections officials to provide additional information for state bond measures on election ballots, it would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YESNO   Local Program: YESNO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 9088 of the Elections Code is amended to read:

9088.
 (a) At each statewide election at which state bond measures will be submitted to the voters for their approval or rejection, the ballot pamphlet for that election shall include a discussion, prepared by the Legislative Analyst, of the state’s current bonded indebtedness situation.
(b) This discussion shall include information as to the dollar amount of the state’s current authorized and outstanding bonded indebtedness, the approximate percentage of the state’s General Fund revenues that are required to service this indebtedness, and the expected impact of the issuance of the bonds to be approved at the election on the items specified in this subdivision. If a bond measure allocates funds for programs, the discussion shall also include, to the extent practicable, the proportionate share of funds for each major program funded by the measure.

(c)The discussion required by this section shall appear on a separate page in the ballot pamphlet immediately following the rebuttal to the argument against the last ballot measure included in the ballot pamphlet.

(d)

(c) (1) Each initiative measure that proposes the issuance of a state bond shall include within the ballot pamphlet a description, prepared by the Legislative Analyst, of the measure containing all of the following information that shall be printed in ____ typeface and indented from the discussion described in subdivision (a):
(A) The total amount of the proposed bond indebtedness.
(B) The total amount of interest that would be paid over the term of the proposed bond.
(C) The total of the amounts in subparagraphs (A) and (B).
(2) The description prepared by the Legislative Analyst shall also inform the voters of the following:
(A) By approving the measure, they are authorizing the state to incur debt.
(B) Whether tax revenue will be used to repay part or all of the proposed bond indebtedness.
(C) Repayment of the proposed bond indebtedness may take priority over funding provided to local government or provided for public safety services and other services voters expect to be provided by the state.
(d) The information required by this section shall appear in the initial provisions of the analysis prepared by the Legislative Analyst.

SEC. 2.Section 13281.5 is added to the Elections Code, to read:
13281.5.

(a)If a state initiative measure on the ballot proposes the issuance of a state bond, the ballot label for the measure shall contain the following information prepared by the Legislative Analyst, printed in ____ typeface and indented from other material printed on the ballot label:

(1)The total amount of the proposed bond indebtedness.

(2)The total amount of interest that would be paid over the term of the proposed bond.

(3)The total of the amounts in paragraphs (1) and (2).

(b)In addition to the information required by subdivision (a), the ballot shall include an analysis, prepared by the Legislative Analyst, of the financial rating category that may be assigned to the proposed bond by a bond underwriter.

SEC. 3.

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.