FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 14, 2023

Proposed Initiative Enters Circulation

Limits Environmental Lawsuits Challenging New Housing Construction. Caps Development Fees On New Housing.
Initiative Statute.

SACRAMENTO, CA – Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber announced that the proponent of a new initiative was cleared to begin collecting petition signatures on November 13, 2023.

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 a calendar of deadlines to the proponent and to county elections officials. The Attorney General’s official title and summary for the measure is as follows:

LIMITS ENVIRONMENTAL LAWSUITS CHALLENGING NEW HOUSING CONSTRUCTION. CAPS DEVELOPMENT FEES ON NEW HOUSING. INITIATIVE STATUTE. Prohibits private parties from filing lawsuits challenging new housing construction based on alleged non-compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Authorizes only district attorneys to file such lawsuits, as well as the Attorney General if the project is located in multiple counties. Caps fees that local and state agencies may impose on builders for construction of new homes and related infrastructure. Caps do not apply to regulatory costs authorized by statute, school district fees, bond repayments, or costs of providing utility service and roadway access to new homes. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Reduced local government development fee revenue, likely at least hundreds of millions of dollars per year, and potentially exceeding $1 billion per year. Uncertain, but potentially significant, savings to state and local governments as a result of lower project costs due to fewer CEQA lawsuits being filed against public projects. (23-0025A1)

The Secretary of State’s tracking number for this measure is 1967 and the Attorney General's tracking number is 23-0025A1.

The proponent of the measure, Stephen Hilton, must collect signatures of 546,651 registered voters (five percent of the total votes cast for governor in the November 2022 general election) in order for the measure to become eligible 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 13, 2024. The address for the proponent is c/o Mason Harrison, 455 Capitol Mall, Suite 600, Sacramento, CA 95814. The proponent may also be contacted at (209) 743-9439 and mason@brandpolicy.co.

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