AP20:113
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 20, 2020
CONTACT:
SOS Press Office
(916) 653-6575
Proposed Initiative Enters Circulation
Limits State and Local Officials’ Authority to Respond to Public Health Emergencies. Initiative Statute.
SACRAMENTO, CA - Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced that the proponent of a new initiative was cleared to begin collecting petition signatures yesterday.
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:
LIMITS STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS’ AUTHORITY TO RESPOND TO PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES. INITIATIVE STATUTE. Prohibits state and local officials from issuing enforceable orders, regulations, or ordinances to address public health emergencies (resulting from epidemics, infectious disease outbreaks, and similar conditions), or otherwise taking any actions in response to health emergencies that directly affect the operation of private businesses or public facilities (including beaches and parks), or that limit the exercise of individual liberties. Continues to permit state and local officials to issue public health advisories or public service announcements during public health emergencies. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Unknown, but potentially significant, fiscal effect due to the state and local governments being restricted in responding to public health emergencies. (20-0004.)
The Secretary of State’s tracking number for this measure is 1894 and the Attorney General's tracking number is 20-0004.
The proponent of the measure, Steve Clark, must collect signatures of 623,212 registered voters (five percent of the total votes cast for Governor in the November 2018 general election) in order to qualify it for the ballot. The proponent has 180 days to circulate petitions for the measure, meaning the signatures must be submitted to county elections officials no later than May 18, 2021. The proponent can be reached at CalAlimonyReform.org. The address for the proponent is 7071 Warner Avenue, Suite F385, Huntington Beach, CA 92647.
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