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Two Parental Notification Initiatives Enter Circulation

SACRAMENTO - Secretary of State Debra Bowen today announced that the proponent of two new initiatives may begin collecting petition signatures for his measures.

The Attorney General prepares the legal title and summary that is required to appear on initiative petitions. When the official language 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 county elections officials, and the initiative may be circulated for signatures. The Attorney General’s official title and summary for the first measure is as follows:

PROHIBITS ABORTIONS FOR FEMALES UNDER 18 WITHOUT PARENTAL NOTIFICATION. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. Changes California Constitution to prohibit abortion for unemancipated minor until physician notifies her parent/legal guardian in writing. Provides exceptions for medical emergency, parental waiver, or parental abuse documented by notarized statement from law enforcement, protective services, or certain adult relatives. Permits judge to waive notice if minor appears personally in court and proves maturity or waiver is in her best interest. Requires physicians to report specific abortion information to Department of Public Health. Physicians can be sued for violating these provisions up to 12 years after abortion. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Potential unknown net state costs of several million dollars annually for health and social services programs, court administration, and state health agency administration combined. (11-0076)

The Secretary of State's tracking number for this measure is 1547 and the Attorney General's tracking number is 11-0076.

The Attorney General's official title and summary for the second measure is as follows:

PROHIBITS ABORTIONS FOR FEMALES UNDER 18 WITHOUT PARENTAL NOTIFICATION AND WAITING PERIOD. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. Changes California Constitution to prohibit abortion for unemancipated minor until 48 hours after physician notifies her parent/legal guardian in writing. Provides exceptions for medical emergency, parental waiver, or parental abuse documented by notarized statement from law enforcement, protective services, or certain adult relatives. Permits judge to waive notice if minor appears personally in court and proves maturity or waiver is in her best interest. Requires physicians to report specific abortion information to Department of Public Health. Violating physicians subject to suit for 12 years. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Potential unknown net state costs of several million dollars annually for health and social services programs, court administration, and state health agency administration combined. (11-0077)

The Secretary of State's tracking number for this measure is 1548 and the Attorney General's tracking number is 11-0077.

The proponent for these measures, John Smith, must collect signatures of 807,615 registered voters – the number equal to eight percent of the total votes cast for governor in the 2010 gubernatorial election – for each measure, in order to qualify it for the ballot. The proponent has 150 days to circulate petitions for these measures, meaning the signatures must be collected by June 11, 2012.

The initiative proponent can be reached at john.smith.jsjs@gmail.com. No phone number was provided.

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