AP15:092
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 9, 2015
CONTACT: Sam Mahood
(916) 653-6575
Proposed Initiative Enters Circulation
Childhood Sexual Abuse. Statutes of Limitation. Initiative Statute.
SACRAMENTO – Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced the proponent of a new initiative was cleared to begin collecting petition signatures today.
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:
CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE. STATUTES OF LIMITATIONS. INITIATIVE STATUTE. Eliminates statute of limitations for civil actions based on childhood sexual abuse committed on or after the effective date of the measure. Eliminates statute of limitations for felony prosecutions for certain sexual crimes committed against children on or after the effective date of the measure, and for such crimes committed before the effective date of the measure for which the statute of limitations has not yet expired. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Probably minor increase in costs to the state courts, as well as the state and local criminal justice system, from an increase in cases filed and individuals convicted. The fiscal impact on local governments related to civil claims is not likely to be significant on a statewide basis, but the effect on individual local government entities could vary substantially. (15-0059.)
The Secretary of State’s tracking number for this measure is 1721 and the Attorney General’s tracking number is 15-0059.
The proponent of the measure, William Lynch, must collect the 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 proponent has 180 days to circulate petitions for the measure, meaning the signatures must be submitted to county elections officials by May 9, 2016. The proponent can be reached at (415) 307-6004.
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