Elections: ballot materials.

Existing law requires the Attorney General, upon receipt of a draft of a petition for a proposed initiative or referendum, to prepare a title and summary of the proposed measure. Under existing law, the Attorney General is required to determine the effect of a proposed initiative measure on revenues and expenditures of the state or local government. If the Attorney General determines that a proposed measure would affect state or local revenues or expenditures, he or she must include in the title either the estimate of the amount of change in state or local revenues or costs or an opinion as to whether a substantial net change in state or local finances would result if the proposed initiative is adopted. Existing law requires the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee to prepare jointly the fiscal estimate that may be included in the title. Existing law imposes specified deadlines on the preparation of a title and summary, and a fiscal estimate. This bill would require the Legislative Analyst, instead of the Attorney General, to prepare the ballot title and summary for all measures submitted to the voters of the state and would require the Legislative Analyst, instead of the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, to prepare any fiscal estimate or opinion required by a proposed initiative measure. The bill would also change the deadlines applicable to the preparation of a title and summary and a fiscal estimate or opinion. The bill would impose specified requirements with respect to the ballot materials required to be prepared by the Legislative Analyst. The bill would require a court, in determining whether to issue a peremptory writ of mandate regarding a ballot title and summary, ballot label, or other ballot materials prepared by the Legislative Analyst, to not give deference to the Legislative Analyst, but rather to be guided by its duty to protect the interest of the voters to accurate, fair, impartial, and understandable ballot materials. The bill would repeal a provision of law requiring an argument against a measure submitted to the voters by the Legislature to be drafted by a Member of the Legislature and included within the ballot pamphlet, and would grant priority for placement within the ballot pamphlet to an argument against the measure submitted by a voter or group of voters. The bill would make its operation contingent upon the approval by the voters of SCA 19 of the 2011–12 Regular Session, as provided.