California Ballot Propositions on the November Ballot

This November, California voters will be asked to vote on 10 ballot measures that range from crime to climate action.

On June 27, Secretary of State Shirley Weber certified the measures that would show up on the ballot. On July 3, Weber assigned numbers to the ballots.

Here is what you are being asked to vote on:

California Proposition 2 – School Measures

Under Proposition 2, the plan would be to borrow $10 billion to build schools—this includes $8.5 billion for K-12 schools and $1.5 billion for community colleges for construction and modernization. This is a result of AB 247.

California Proposition 3 – Marriage Equality for same-sex couples (updating language)

The California Constitution provides that only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California, and federal law permanently enjoins the state from enforcing this constitutional provision. This measure would repeal this unenforceable constitutional provision and would instead provide that the right to marry is a fundamental right, as specified. This is a result of ACA 5

California Proposition 4 – Borrowing of $10 billion for climate programs

This bill would enact the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024, which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $10,000,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance projects for safe drinking water, drought, flood, and water resilience, wildfire and forest resilience, coastal resilience, extreme heat mitigation, biodiversity and nature-based climate solutions, climate-smart, sustainable, and resilient farms, ranches, and working lands, park creation and outdoor access, and clean air programs. This is a result of SB 867 (see story)

California Proposition 5:  It Would Lower Voter Approval Requirements for Local Housing and Infrastructure Bond

This would lower the threshold for voter support for passage from 66.67% down to 55% for local special taxes and bond measures that fund housing an public infrastructure.

This measure would create an additional exception to the 1% limit that would authorize a city, county, city and county, or special district to levy an ad valorem tax to service bonded indebtedness incurred to fund the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or replacement of public infrastructure, affordable housing, including downpayment assistance, or permanent supportive housing, or the acquisition or lease of real property for those purposes, if the proposition proposing that tax is approved by 55% of the voters of the city, county, city and county, or special district, as applicable, and the proposition includes specified accountability requirements. ACA 1 was amended by ACA 10, which will appear on the ballot as Proposition 5.

• This measure would authorize a local government to impose, extend, or increase a sales and use tax or transactions and use tax imposed in accordance with specified law or a parcel tax for the purposes of funding the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or replacement of public infrastructure, affordable housing, including downpayment assistance, or permanent supportive housing, or the acquisition or lease of real property for those purposes, if the proposition proposing that tax is approved by a majority vote of the membership of the governing board of the local government and by 55% of its voters voting on the proposition and the proposition includes specified accountability requirements.

California Proposition 6: Slavery (Forced labor in state prisons)

This measure would instead prohibit slavery in any form. This measure would prohibit the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from disciplining any incarcerated person for refusing a work assignment. The measure would also clarify that its provisions do not prohibit the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from awarding credits to an incarcerated person who voluntarily accepts a work assignment. This proposition is the result of ACA 8 (See Story)

California Proposition 32: Raises Minimum Wage to $18 an Hour

This measure extends these annual increases ($1.00 per year) until minimum wage—currently, $15.00 per hour for businesses with 26 or more employees, and $14.00 per hour for smaller businesses—reaches $18.00 per hour.  (21-0043A1.)

California Proposition 33: Rent Control

This bill would roll back a state law (Feb 1995). This measure would repeal that state law and would prohibit the state from limiting the right of cities and counties to maintain, enact, or expand residential rent-control ordinances.  . (22-0008.)

California Proposition 34: Restricts Spending By Health Care providers

Requires certain health care providers to spend 98% of revenues from federal discount prescription drug program on direct patient care. Applies only to health care providers that: spent over $100,000,000 in any ten-year period on anything other than direct patient care; and operated multifamily housing with over 500 high-severity health and safety violations. Penalizes noncompliance by revoking health care licenses and tax-exempt status. Permanently authorizes state to negotiate Medi-Cal drug prices on statewide basis.  (23-0021A1.)

California Proposition 35: Permanent Funding For Medi-CAL Health Care Services

This makes permanent the existing tax on managed health care insurance plans, currently set to expire in 2026, which the state uses to pay for health care services for low-income families with children, seniors, people with disabilities, and other groups covered by the Medi-Cal program. Requires revenues to be used only for specified Medi-Cal services, including primary and specialty care, emergency care, family planning, mental health, and prescription drugs. Prohibits revenues from being used to replace other existing Medi-Cal funding.  (23-0024A1.)

California Proposition 36: Increase Penalties for Theft and Drug Crimes

Essentially, a repeal of Prop 47 which allows for felony charges and increases sentences for certain drug and theft crimes which include:

• Allows felony charges for possessing certain drugs, including fentanyl, and for thefts under $950—both currently chargeable only as misdemeanors—with two prior drug or two prior theft convictions, as applicable. Defendants who plead guilty to felony drug possession and complete treatment can have charges dismissed.
• Increases sentences for other specified drug and theft crimes.
• Increased prison sentences may reduce savings that currently fund mental health and drug treatment programs, K-12 schools, and crime victims; any remaining savings may be used for new felony treatment program.
• More information: (23-0017A1.)

Note – the California Prop 47 Reform Initiative Qualifies for November Ballot in June.

For more information from the state:  click here

For more information on ballot measures, candidate statement filing requirements, and election deadlines, please visit: https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/general-election-nov-5-2024.