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Third Measure Qualifies for November 2014 California Ballot

SACRAMENTO - Secretary of State Debra Bowen today certified the first initiative for the November 4, 2014, General Election ballot. The initiative, which would require approval by the state Insurance Commissioner prior to changing healthcare insurance rates, joins two other measures already on the November 2014 state ballot:

• A water bond measure, which was placed on the ballot by the Legislature; and
• A state finance measure, which was placed on the ballot by the Legislature.

In order to qualify for the ballot, the healthcare initiative needed 504,760 valid petition signatures, which is equal to five percent of the total votes cast for governor in the November 2010 General Election. The initiative exceeded that threshold today, qualifying through a full check of signatures. (The measure initially failed to qualify through the random sample signature check. When an initiative fails to qualify by random sampling, all counties must perform a full check of every signature submitted.)

The Attorney General’s official title and summary of the initiative is as follows:

APPROVAL OF HEALTHCARE INSURANCE RATE CHANGES. INITIATIVE STATUTE. Requires health insurance rate changes to be approved by Insurance Commissioner before taking effect. Requires sworn statement by health insurer as to accuracy of information submitted to Insurance Commissioner to justify rate changes. Provides for public notice, disclosure and hearing on health insurance rate changes, and subsequent judicial review. Does not apply to employer large group health plans. Prohibits health, auto and homeowners insurers from determining policy eligibility or rates based on lack of prior coverage or credit history. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Increased state administrative costs ranging in the low millions to low tens of millions of dollars annually to regulate health insurance rates, funded with revenues collected from filing fees paid by health insurance companies. (11-0070)

The proponent of this initiative is Jamie Court. No public contact information was provided by the proponent.

For more information about how an initiative qualifies for the ballot in California, go to www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-measures/how-to-qualify-an-initiative.htm.

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