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CALIFORNIA STATUTES AND CODES
SECTIONS 9000-9018
ELECTIONS CODE
SECTION 9000-9018
9000. This article applies only to initiative and referendum measures affecting the Constitution or laws of the state. 9001. (a) Prior to the circulation of any initiative or referendum petition for signatures, the text of the proposed measure shall be submitted to the Attorney General with a written request that a circulating title and summary of the chief purpose and points of the proposed measure be prepared. The electors presenting the request shall be known as the "proponents." The Attorney General shall preserve the written request until after the next general election. (b) Each and every proponent of any proposed initiative measure shall, at the time of submitting the text of the proposed measure, provide both of the following: (1) An original signed certification stating that "I, (insert name), declare under penalty of perjury that I am a citizen of the United States, 18 years of age or older, and a resident of (insert county), California." (2) Public contact information. (c) The proponents of any initiative measure, at the time of submitting the text of the proposed measure to the Attorney General, shall pay a fee of two hundred dollars ($200), which shall be placed in a trust fund in the office of the Treasurer and refunded to the proponents if the measure qualifies for the ballot within two years from the date the summary is furnished to the proponents. If the measure does not qualify within that period, the fee shall be immediately paid into the General Fund of the state. (d) All referenda and proposed initiative measures must be submitted to the Attorney General's Initiative Coordinator located in the Sacramento Attorney General's Office via U.S. Postal Service, alternative mail service, or personal delivery. Only printed documents will be accepted, facsimile or e-mail delivery will not be accepted. (e) The Attorney General's office shall not deem a request for a circulating title and summary submitted until all of the requirements of this section are met. 9002. (a) The Attorney General shall provide a copy of the title and summary to the Secretary of State within 15 days after receipt of the final version of a proposed initiative measure, or, if a fiscal estimate or opinion is to be included, within 15 days after receipt of the fiscal estimate or opinion prepared by the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee pursuant to Section 9005. If during the 15-day period the proponents of the proposed initiative measure submit amendments, other than technical, nonsubstantive amendments, to the final version of the measure, the Attorney General shall provide a copy of the title and summary to the Secretary of State within 15 days after receipt of the amendments. (b) The amendment must be submitted with a signed request by all the proponents to prepare a circulating title and summary using the amended language. (c) The amendment must be submitted to the Attorney General's Initiative Coordinator located in the Sacramento Attorney General's Office via U.S. Postal Service, alternative mail service or personal delivery. Only printed documents will be accepted, facsimile or e-mail delivery will not be accepted. 9003. In the event that the Attorney General is a proponent of a proposed measure, the circulating title and summary of the chief purpose and points of the proposed measure, including an estimate or opinion on the financial impact of the measure, shall be prepared by the Legislative Counsel, and the other duties of the Attorney General specified in this chapter with respect to the circulating title and ballot title and summary and an estimate of the financial effect of the measure shall be performed by the Legislative Counsel. 9004. (a) Upon receipt of the text of a proposed initiative measure, the Attorney General shall prepare a circulating title and summary of the chief purposes and points of the proposed measure. The circulating title and summary shall not exceed a total of 100 words. The Attorney General shall also provide a unique numeric identifier for each proposed initiative measure. The circulating title and summary shall be prepared in the manner provided for the preparation of ballot titles and summaries in Article 5 (commencing with Section 9050), the provisions of which, in regard to the preparation, filing, and settlement of ballot titles and summaries, are hereby made applicable to the circulating title and summary. (b) The Attorney General shall provide a copy of the circulating title and summary and its unique numeric identifier to the proponents and to the Secretary of State within 15 days after receipt of the fiscal estimate or opinion prepared by the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee pursuant to Section 9005. The date the copy is delivered or mailed to the proponents is the "official summary date." (c) Upon receipt of the circulating title and summary from the Attorney General, the Secretary of State shall, within one business day, notify the proponents and county elections official of each county of the official summary date and provide a copy of the circulating title and summary to each county elections official. This notification shall also include a complete schedule showing the maximum filing deadline, and the certification deadline by the counties to the Secretary of State. 9005. (a) The Attorney General, in preparing a circulating title and summary for a proposed initiative measure, shall, in boldface print, include in the circulating title and summary either the estimate of the amount of any increase or decrease in revenues or costs to the state or local government, or an opinion as to whether or not a substantial net change in state or local finances would result if the proposed initiative is adopted. (b) The estimate as required by this section shall be made jointly by the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, who shall deliver the estimate to the Attorney General so that he or she may include the estimate in the circulating title and summary prepared by him or her. (c) The estimate shall be delivered to the Attorney General within 25 working days from the date of receipt of the final version of the proposed initiative measure from the Attorney General, unless, in the opinion of both the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, a reasonable estimate of the net impact of the proposed initiative measure cannot be prepared within the 25-day period. In the latter case, the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee shall, within the 25-day period, give the Attorney General their opinion as to whether or not a substantial net change in state or local finances would result if the proposed initiative measure is adopted. (d) A statement of fiscal impact prepared by the Legislative Analyst pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 12172 of the Government Code may be used by the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee in the preparation of the fiscal estimate or the opinion. 9006. (a) Upon receipt of the text of a proposed referendum, the Attorney General shall prepare a circulating title and summary of the chief purpose and points of the proposed statute at issue. The circulating title and summary shall not exceed a total of 100 words. No fiscal analysis shall be included. (b) The Attorney General shall provide a copy of the circulating title and summary of the proposed referendum to the proponents and to the Secretary of State within 10 days after receipt of the proposed referendum. (c) Upon receipt of the circulating title and summary from the Attorney General, the Secretary of State shall, within one business day, notify the proponents and county elections official of each county of the official summary date and provide a copy of the circulating title and summary to each county elections official. This notification shall also include a complete schedule showing the maximum filing deadline, and the certification deadline by the counties to the Secretary of State. 9007. Immediately upon the preparation of the circulating title and summary of a proposed initiative or referendum measure, the Attorney General shall forthwith transmit copies of the text of the measure and the circulating title and summary to the Senate and the Assembly. The appropriate committees of each house may hold public hearings on the subject of the measure. However, nothing in this section shall be construed as authority for the Legislature to alter the measure or prevent it from appearing on the ballot. 9008. Every proposed initiative measure, prior to circulation, shall have placed across the top of the petition in 12-point or larger roman boldface type, all of the following: (a) The Attorney General's unique numeric identifier placed before the circulating title and summary upon each page where the circulating title and summary is to appear. (b) The circulating title and summary prepared by the Attorney General upon each page of the petition on which signatures are to appear. (c) The circulating title and summary prepared by the Attorney General upon each section of the petition preceding the text of the measure. (d) The circulating title and summary prepared by the Attorney General as required by subdivision (c) shall be preceded by the following statement: "Initiative measure to be submitted directly to the voters." 9009. The heading of an initiative petition shall be in substantially the following form: Initiative Measure to Be Submitted Directly to the Voters The Attorney General of California has prepared the following circulating title and summary of the chief purpose and points of the proposed measure: (Here set forth the unique numeric identifier provided by the Attorney General and circulating title and summary prepared by the Attorney General. Both the Attorney General's unique numeric identifier and the circulating title and summary must also be printed across the top of each page of the petition whereon signatures are to appear.) To the Honorable Secretary of State of California We, the undersigned, registered, qualified voters of California, residents of ____ County (or City and County), hereby propose amendments to the Constitution of California (the ____ Code, relating to ____) and petition the Secretary of State to submit the same to the voters of California for their adoption or rejection at the next succeeding general election or at any special statewide election held prior to that general election or as otherwise provided by law. The proposed constitutional (or statutory) amendments (full title and text of the measure) read as follows: 9010. Across the top of each page of a referendum petition, there shall be printed in 12-point boldface type the following: "Referendum Against an Act Passed by the Legislature." 9011. Across the top of each page after the first page of every referendum petition or section of a referendum petition, which is prepared and circulated, there shall be printed in 18-point gothic type a short title, in 20 words or less, showing the nature of the petition and the subject to which it relates. A space at least one inch wide shall be left blank at the top of each page and after each name, for the use of the county elections official, in verifying the petition. 9012. Any petition for a proposed initiative measure or referendum may be presented in sections, but each section shall contain a full and correct copy of the circulating title and summary and text of the proposed measure. The text of the proposed measure shall be printed in type not smaller than 8 point. 9013. A space at least one inch wide shall be left blank across the top of each page of every initiative and referendum petition and after the name of each voter who has signed the petition for the use of the county elections official in verifying the petition. 9014. A petition for a proposed initiative measure or referendum shall not be circulated for signatures prior to the official summary date. A petition with signatures on a proposed initiative measure shall be filed with the county elections official not later than 150 days from the official summary date, and no county elections official shall accept a petition on the proposed initiative measure after that period. A petition for a proposed referendum measure shall be filed with the county elections officials not later than 90 days from the date the legislative bill was chaptered by the Secretary of State, and a county elections official shall not accept a petition for the proposed referendum after that period. 9015. Officers required by law to receive or file in their offices any initiative or referendum petition shall not receive or file any initiative or referendum petition not in conformity with this article. 9016. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no initiative measure shall be placed on a statewide special election ballot that qualifies less than 131 days before the date of the election. 9017. If, for any reason, any initiative or referendum measure proposed by petition as provided by this article is not submitted to the voters at the next succeeding statewide election, that failure shall not prevent its submission at a succeeding statewide election. 9018. The Secretary of State shall prepare and provide to any person, upon request, a pamphlet describing the procedures and requirements for preparing and circulating a statewide initiative measure and for filing sections of the petition, and describing the procedure used in determining and verifying the number of qualified voters who have signed the petition.
SECTION 9000-9018
9000. This article applies only to initiative and referendum measures affecting the Constitution or laws of the state. 9001. (a) Prior to the circulation of any initiative or referendum petition for signatures, the text of the proposed measure shall be submitted to the Attorney General with a written request that a circulating title and summary of the chief purpose and points of the proposed measure be prepared. The electors presenting the request shall be known as the "proponents." The Attorney General shall preserve the written request until after the next general election. (b) Each and every proponent of any proposed initiative measure shall, at the time of submitting the text of the proposed measure, provide both of the following: (1) An original signed certification stating that "I, (insert name), declare under penalty of perjury that I am a citizen of the United States, 18 years of age or older, and a resident of (insert county), California." (2) Public contact information. (c) The proponents of any initiative measure, at the time of submitting the text of the proposed measure to the Attorney General, shall pay a fee of two hundred dollars ($200), which shall be placed in a trust fund in the office of the Treasurer and refunded to the proponents if the measure qualifies for the ballot within two years from the date the summary is furnished to the proponents. If the measure does not qualify within that period, the fee shall be immediately paid into the General Fund of the state. (d) All referenda and proposed initiative measures must be submitted to the Attorney General's Initiative Coordinator located in the Sacramento Attorney General's Office via U.S. Postal Service, alternative mail service, or personal delivery. Only printed documents will be accepted, facsimile or e-mail delivery will not be accepted. (e) The Attorney General's office shall not deem a request for a circulating title and summary submitted until all of the requirements of this section are met. 9002. (a) The Attorney General shall provide a copy of the title and summary to the Secretary of State within 15 days after receipt of the final version of a proposed initiative measure, or, if a fiscal estimate or opinion is to be included, within 15 days after receipt of the fiscal estimate or opinion prepared by the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee pursuant to Section 9005. If during the 15-day period the proponents of the proposed initiative measure submit amendments, other than technical, nonsubstantive amendments, to the final version of the measure, the Attorney General shall provide a copy of the title and summary to the Secretary of State within 15 days after receipt of the amendments. (b) The amendment must be submitted with a signed request by all the proponents to prepare a circulating title and summary using the amended language. (c) The amendment must be submitted to the Attorney General's Initiative Coordinator located in the Sacramento Attorney General's Office via U.S. Postal Service, alternative mail service or personal delivery. Only printed documents will be accepted, facsimile or e-mail delivery will not be accepted. 9003. In the event that the Attorney General is a proponent of a proposed measure, the circulating title and summary of the chief purpose and points of the proposed measure, including an estimate or opinion on the financial impact of the measure, shall be prepared by the Legislative Counsel, and the other duties of the Attorney General specified in this chapter with respect to the circulating title and ballot title and summary and an estimate of the financial effect of the measure shall be performed by the Legislative Counsel. 9004. (a) Upon receipt of the text of a proposed initiative measure, the Attorney General shall prepare a circulating title and summary of the chief purposes and points of the proposed measure. The circulating title and summary shall not exceed a total of 100 words. The Attorney General shall also provide a unique numeric identifier for each proposed initiative measure. The circulating title and summary shall be prepared in the manner provided for the preparation of ballot titles and summaries in Article 5 (commencing with Section 9050), the provisions of which, in regard to the preparation, filing, and settlement of ballot titles and summaries, are hereby made applicable to the circulating title and summary. (b) The Attorney General shall provide a copy of the circulating title and summary and its unique numeric identifier to the proponents and to the Secretary of State within 15 days after receipt of the fiscal estimate or opinion prepared by the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee pursuant to Section 9005. The date the copy is delivered or mailed to the proponents is the "official summary date." (c) Upon receipt of the circulating title and summary from the Attorney General, the Secretary of State shall, within one business day, notify the proponents and county elections official of each county of the official summary date and provide a copy of the circulating title and summary to each county elections official. This notification shall also include a complete schedule showing the maximum filing deadline, and the certification deadline by the counties to the Secretary of State. 9005. (a) The Attorney General, in preparing a circulating title and summary for a proposed initiative measure, shall, in boldface print, include in the circulating title and summary either the estimate of the amount of any increase or decrease in revenues or costs to the state or local government, or an opinion as to whether or not a substantial net change in state or local finances would result if the proposed initiative is adopted. (b) The estimate as required by this section shall be made jointly by the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, who shall deliver the estimate to the Attorney General so that he or she may include the estimate in the circulating title and summary prepared by him or her. (c) The estimate shall be delivered to the Attorney General within 25 working days from the date of receipt of the final version of the proposed initiative measure from the Attorney General, unless, in the opinion of both the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, a reasonable estimate of the net impact of the proposed initiative measure cannot be prepared within the 25-day period. In the latter case, the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee shall, within the 25-day period, give the Attorney General their opinion as to whether or not a substantial net change in state or local finances would result if the proposed initiative measure is adopted. (d) A statement of fiscal impact prepared by the Legislative Analyst pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 12172 of the Government Code may be used by the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee in the preparation of the fiscal estimate or the opinion. 9006. (a) Upon receipt of the text of a proposed referendum, the Attorney General shall prepare a circulating title and summary of the chief purpose and points of the proposed statute at issue. The circulating title and summary shall not exceed a total of 100 words. No fiscal analysis shall be included. (b) The Attorney General shall provide a copy of the circulating title and summary of the proposed referendum to the proponents and to the Secretary of State within 10 days after receipt of the proposed referendum. (c) Upon receipt of the circulating title and summary from the Attorney General, the Secretary of State shall, within one business day, notify the proponents and county elections official of each county of the official summary date and provide a copy of the circulating title and summary to each county elections official. This notification shall also include a complete schedule showing the maximum filing deadline, and the certification deadline by the counties to the Secretary of State. 9007. Immediately upon the preparation of the circulating title and summary of a proposed initiative or referendum measure, the Attorney General shall forthwith transmit copies of the text of the measure and the circulating title and summary to the Senate and the Assembly. The appropriate committees of each house may hold public hearings on the subject of the measure. However, nothing in this section shall be construed as authority for the Legislature to alter the measure or prevent it from appearing on the ballot. 9008. Every proposed initiative measure, prior to circulation, shall have placed across the top of the petition in 12-point or larger roman boldface type, all of the following: (a) The Attorney General's unique numeric identifier placed before the circulating title and summary upon each page where the circulating title and summary is to appear. (b) The circulating title and summary prepared by the Attorney General upon each page of the petition on which signatures are to appear. (c) The circulating title and summary prepared by the Attorney General upon each section of the petition preceding the text of the measure. (d) The circulating title and summary prepared by the Attorney General as required by subdivision (c) shall be preceded by the following statement: "Initiative measure to be submitted directly to the voters." 9009. The heading of an initiative petition shall be in substantially the following form: Initiative Measure to Be Submitted Directly to the Voters The Attorney General of California has prepared the following circulating title and summary of the chief purpose and points of the proposed measure: (Here set forth the unique numeric identifier provided by the Attorney General and circulating title and summary prepared by the Attorney General. Both the Attorney General's unique numeric identifier and the circulating title and summary must also be printed across the top of each page of the petition whereon signatures are to appear.) To the Honorable Secretary of State of California We, the undersigned, registered, qualified voters of California, residents of ____ County (or City and County), hereby propose amendments to the Constitution of California (the ____ Code, relating to ____) and petition the Secretary of State to submit the same to the voters of California for their adoption or rejection at the next succeeding general election or at any special statewide election held prior to that general election or as otherwise provided by law. The proposed constitutional (or statutory) amendments (full title and text of the measure) read as follows: 9010. Across the top of each page of a referendum petition, there shall be printed in 12-point boldface type the following: "Referendum Against an Act Passed by the Legislature." 9011. Across the top of each page after the first page of every referendum petition or section of a referendum petition, which is prepared and circulated, there shall be printed in 18-point gothic type a short title, in 20 words or less, showing the nature of the petition and the subject to which it relates. A space at least one inch wide shall be left blank at the top of each page and after each name, for the use of the county elections official, in verifying the petition. 9012. Any petition for a proposed initiative measure or referendum may be presented in sections, but each section shall contain a full and correct copy of the circulating title and summary and text of the proposed measure. The text of the proposed measure shall be printed in type not smaller than 8 point. 9013. A space at least one inch wide shall be left blank across the top of each page of every initiative and referendum petition and after the name of each voter who has signed the petition for the use of the county elections official in verifying the petition. 9014. A petition for a proposed initiative measure or referendum shall not be circulated for signatures prior to the official summary date. A petition with signatures on a proposed initiative measure shall be filed with the county elections official not later than 150 days from the official summary date, and no county elections official shall accept a petition on the proposed initiative measure after that period. A petition for a proposed referendum measure shall be filed with the county elections officials not later than 90 days from the date the legislative bill was chaptered by the Secretary of State, and a county elections official shall not accept a petition for the proposed referendum after that period. 9015. Officers required by law to receive or file in their offices any initiative or referendum petition shall not receive or file any initiative or referendum petition not in conformity with this article. 9016. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no initiative measure shall be placed on a statewide special election ballot that qualifies less than 131 days before the date of the election. 9017. If, for any reason, any initiative or referendum measure proposed by petition as provided by this article is not submitted to the voters at the next succeeding statewide election, that failure shall not prevent its submission at a succeeding statewide election. 9018. The Secretary of State shall prepare and provide to any person, upon request, a pamphlet describing the procedures and requirements for preparing and circulating a statewide initiative measure and for filing sections of the petition, and describing the procedure used in determining and verifying the number of qualified voters who have signed the petition.
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