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Proposed Initiative Enters Circulation

Minimum Wage. Increases and Future Adjustments. Initiative Statute.

SACRAMENTO – Secretary of State Alex Padilla today announced the proponents of a new initiative may begin collecting petition signatures.  

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, and the initiative may be circulated for signatures. The Secretary of State then provides calendar deadlines to the proponent and to county elections officials. The Attorney General’s official title and summary for the measure is as follows: 

MINIMUM WAGE. INCREASES AND FUTURE ADJUSTMENTS. INITIATIVE STATUTE. Under existing law, California’s minimum wage will increase from $9.00 per hour to $10.00 per hour on January 1, 2016. This measure increases the minimum wage to $11.00 per hour, effective January 1, 2017, and by $1.00 each of the next four years, to $15.00 per hour on January 1, 2021. Thereafter, adjusts the minimum wage annually based on the rate of inflation for the previous year, using the California Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Change in annual state and local tax revenues potentially ranging from a loss of hundreds of millions of dollars to a gain of more than $1 billion. Changes in state revenues would affect required state budget reserves, debt payments, and funding for schools and community colleges. Increase in state and local government spending totaling billions of dollars per year. (15-0032.) 

The Secretary of State’s tracking number for this measure is 1695 and the Attorney General’s tracking number is 15-0032. 

The proponents for the measure, Steve Trossman and Arianna Jimenez, must collect signatures of 365,880 registered voters (five percent of the total votes cast for governor in the November 2014 general election) in order to qualify it for the November 2016 ballot. The proponents have 180 days to circulate petitions for the measure, meaning the signatures must be submitted to county elections officials by January 27, 2016.  The proponents can be reached at (213) 612-7803.

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