The Attorney General prepares a circulating title and summary of the chief purpose and points of a proposed initiative measure. Proposed initiative measures are cleared for circulation on the day the circulating title and summary is sent to the initiative proponent(s). No petition may be circulated for signatures before it has been cleared to do so by the Attorney General.
Please note: Counties have 8 business days after the filing of a petition to determine the total number of signatures affixed to the petition and transmit this information to the Secretary of State's office (Elections Code section 9030(b)). If no signatures are submitted, a proposed initiative measure will fail on the 9th business day after its circulation deadline.
1977. (24-0001A2)
REQUIRES FUTURE VOTE ON WHETHER CALIFORNIA SHOULD BECOME INDEPENDENT COUNTRY. INITIATIVE STATUTE.
Summary Date: 01/23/25 \ Circulation Deadline: 07/22/25 \ Signatures Required: 546,651
Proponent(s): Marcus Evans
If enacted, this measure places the following question on November 2028 ballot: “Should California leave the United States and become a free and independent country?” If at least 50% of registered voters participate in that election, and at least 55% vote “yes”, it would constitute “a vote of no confidence in the United States of America” and “expression of the will of the people of California” to become an independent country, but would not change California’s current government or relationship with the United States. Creates commission to report on California’s viability as independent country. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Around $10 million dollars in one-time election-related costs and to form the new commission on national sovereignty and independence. Around $2 million in annual state costs to operate the commission. (24-0001A2.)
*Elections Code section 9034 requires that once proponent(s) of a proposed initiative measure have gathered 25% of the number of signatures required (currently 136,663 for an initiative statute and 218,661 for a constitutional amendment) proponent(s) must immediately certify that they have done so under penalty of perjury to the Secretary of State.
Upon receipt of the certification, the Secretary of State must provide copies of the proposed initiative measure and the circulating title and summary to the Senate and the Assembly. Each house is required to assign the proposed initiative measure to its appropriate committees and hold joint public hearings, at least 131 days before the date of the election at which the measure is to be voted on. However, the Legislature cannot amend the proposed initiative measure or prevent it from appearing on the ballot.
