HomeMy WebLinkAboutCalifornia Presidential Primary Election - Tuesday, March 3,
California
Presidential
Primary
Election TuesdayMarch 3, 2020
Polls Are Open From 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Election Day!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ OFFICIAL VOTER INFORMATION GUIDE ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Certifcate of Correctness
I, Alex Padilla, Secretary of State of the State of California, do hereby
certify that the measure included herein will be submitted to the
electors of the State of California at the Presidential Primary Election
to be held throughout the State on March 3, 2020, and that this guide
has been correctly prepared in accordance with the law. Witness my
hand and the Great Seal of the State in Sacramento, California, this
9th day of December, 2019.
Alex Padilla, Secretary of State
★ You may request additional copies of the Offcial Voter Information Guide by contacting your county elections offcial or by calling (800) 345-VOTE (8683) ★
VOTER BILL OF RIGHTS
YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING RIGHTS:
1 The right to vote if you are a registered
voter. You are eligible to vote if you are:
• a U.S. citizen living in California
• at least 18 years old
• registered where you currently live
• not currently in state or federal prison or
on parole for the conviction of a felony
• not currently found mentally incompetent
to vote by a court
2 The right to vote if you are a registered
voter even if your name is not on the
list. You will vote using a provisional
ballot. Your vote will be counted if
elections offcials determine that you
are eligible to vote.
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The right to vote if you are still in line
when the polls close.
The right to cast a secret ballot without
anyone bothering you or telling you how
to vote.
The right to get a new ballot if you
have made a mistake, if you have not
already cast your ballot. You can:
Ask an elections offcial at a polling place
for a new ballot,
Exchange your vote-by-mail ballot for a
new one at an elections offce or at your
polling place, or
Vote using a provisional ballot.
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The right to get help casting your ballot
from anyone you choose, except from
your employer or union representative.
The right to drop off your completed
vote-by-mail ballot at any polling place
in California.
The right to get election materials in a
language other than English if enough
people in your voting precinct speak
that language.
The right to ask questions to elections
offcials about election procedures and
watch the election process.
If the person you ask cannot answer your
questions, they must send you to the right
person for an answer. If you are disruptive, they
can stop answering you.
The right to report any illegal or
fraudulent election activity to an
elections offcial or the Secretary of
State’s offce.
On the web at www.sos.ca.gov
✆ By phone at (800) 345-VOTE (8683)
By email at elections@sos.ca.gov
IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE BEEN DENIED ANY OF THESE RIGHTS, CALL THE SECRETARY OF STATE’S
CONFIDENTIAL TOLL-FREE VOTER HOTLINE AT (800) 345-VOTE (8683).
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TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE
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QUICK-REFERENCE GUIDE 5
PROPOSITION
13 Authorizes Bonds for Facility Repair, Construction, and Modernization at Public Preschools, K–12 Schools,
Community Colleges, and Universities. Legislative Statute. 10
OVERVIEW OF STATE BOND DEBT 18
POLITICAL PARTY STATEMENTS 24
TEXT OF PROPOSED LAW 36
VOTER INFORMATION
Voter Bill of Rights 2
Presidential Candidate Statements 3
Letter from the Secretary of State 4
Find Your Polling Place 6
How to Vote for President 7
Census Bill of Rights 8
Census 2020 9
Elections in California 20
Top Contributors to Ballot Measures 21
Voter Registration 22
Voter Registration Privacy Information 22
Same Day Voter Registration 22
Check Your Voter Status Online 23
Pre-Register at Sixteen 23
Military and Overseas Voters 26
Provisional Voting 27
Voter’s Choice Act 28
How to Vote by Mail 29
Pre-paid Postage 29
Assistance for Voters with Disabilities 30
Frequently Asked Questions 31
County Elections Offices 35
Dates to Remember 47
U.S. Presidential Candidates
Information on candidates running for President will be available on the Secretary of
State’s Voter Information Guide website. Visit voterguide.sos.ca.gov for more details.
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Remember to Vote!
Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
February 3
First day to vote-by-mail.
February 18*
Last day to register to vote.
February 25
Last day that county elections officials will
accept any voter’s application for a vote-by-mail ballot.
For additional copies of the Voter Information Guide
in any of the following languages, please call:
English: (800) 345-VOTE (8683)
TTY/TDD: (800) 833-8683
Español/Spanish: (800) 232-VOTA (8682)
中文/Chinese: (800) 339-2857
/Hindi: (888) 345-2692
/Japanese: (800) 339-2865
/Khmer: (888) 345-4917
/Korean: (866) 575-1558
Tagalog: (800) 339-2957
/Thai: (855) 345-3933
/Vietnamese: (800) 339-8163
Check your voter registration status online at voterstatus.sos.ca.gov
*You can still “conditionally” register and vote at your county elections office after the 15-day voter registration deadline.
Text Vote to GOVOTE (468683) to find the location of your polling place.
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Secretary of State
Dear Fellow Californian,
The right to vote is the foundation of American democracy. Your vote
shapes the future of our nation, our state, and your community. Your
participation matters.
This Voter Guide can help you make informed decisions and prepare for
the March 3, 2020, Presidential Primary Election. It includes impartial,
nonpartisan analysis and arguments in favor and against the statewide
ballot measure. You can also review important election rules and your
rights as a California voter.
This guide is also available online, in ten languages, at the California
Secretary of State’s website: voterguide.sos.ca.gov.
If you have any questions about voter registration or casting your ballot,
you can contact the Secretary of State’s office by calling toll free
1-800-345-VOTE (8683).
You can also visit vote.ca.gov for helpful election resources and tools.
Our civic duty does not end after the polls close on Election Day.
In 2020, we need all Californians to participate in the U.S. Census.
This once-a-decade population count has a direct impact on your
community—determining the federal funding we receive for our
schools, infrastructure, healthcare, and emergency services for the next
ten years. The census count will also dictate California’s number of
congressional representatives and electoral college votes.
Thank you for your commitment to our democracy. Whether you plan to
vote by mail or in person at the polls, make a plan to cast your ballot
in 2020. Your vote is important. California is stronger when more
citizens—like you—vote.
California Presidential Primary Election
Tuesday
March 3, 2020
Polls Are Open From 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Election Day!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★QUICK-REFERENCE GUIDE ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Pull out this Reference
Guide and take it with
you to the polls!
This pull-out reference guide
contains summary and contact
information for each state
proposition appearing on the
March 3, 2020, ballot.
Special Notice
•Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on the day
indicated in the county Voter Information Guide.
•Instructions on how to vote can be obtained from a poll worker
or by reading your county Voter Information Guide.
•New voters may be asked to provide identifcation or other
documentation according to federal law. You have the right
to cast a provisional ballot, even if you do not provide the
documentation.
•Only eligible voters can vote.
•It is against the law to tamper with voting equipment.
Quick-Reference Guide | 5
QUICK-REFERENCE GUIDE
AUTHORIZES BONDS FOR FACILITY REPAIR, PROP CONSTRUCTION, AND MODERNIZATION AT PUBLIC 13 PRESCHOOLS, K–12 SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND UNIVERSITIES. LEGISLATIVE STATUTE.
SUMMARY Put on the Ballot by the Legislature
Authorizes $15 billion in state general obligation bonds for construction and modernization of public education facilities. Fiscal Impact: Increased state costs to repay bonds estimated at about $740 million per year (including interest) over the next 35 years.
WHAT YOUR VOTE MEANS YES A YES vote on this measure means: The state could sell $15 billion in general obligation bonds to fund school, community college, and university facility projects. In addition, school districts and community college districts would be authorized to issue more local bonds, and school districts would have new limits on their ability to levy developer fees.
ARGUMENTS PRO YES on PROP. 13 funds essential repairs to make California public schools safer and healthier. Removal of toxic mold and asbestos from aging classrooms. More school nurse facilities. Cleaner drinking water. Fire and earthquake safety upgrades. Strong taxpayer controls. Endorsed by frefghters, doctors, nurses, and teachers. For California’s children. YesonProp13.com
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
FOR Californians for Safe and Healthy Learning, Yes on Prop. 13 info@safeschoolsandhealthylearning.com YesonProp13.com
NO A NO vote on this measure means: The state could not sell $15 billion in general obligation bonds to fund education facility projects. The state also would not make changes to school districts’ and community college districts’ existing local borrowing limits or the existing rules for school districts to levy developer fees.
CON This measure authorizes $15 billion in borrowing, costing taxpayers $27 billion including interest, to build and repair schools. Borrowing is nearly twice as expensive as paying for school construction from the regular budget, which has a huge $21 billion surplus. This is just more government waste. Vote no.
AGAINST Jon Coupal Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association 921 11th St. #1201 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 444-9950info@hjta.orgwww.hjta.org
Find Your Polling Place or
a Vote Center
Polling places and vote centers are established
by county elections offcials. Look for your polling
place address or vote center locations in the county
Voter Information Guide that you receive in the mail
a few weeks before Election Day.
You may also visit the Secretary of State’s website
at vote.ca.gov or call the toll-free Voter Hotline at
(800) 345-VOTE (8683).
You can also text Vote to GOVOTE (468683) to fnd
the location of your polling place.
If you live in Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado,
Fresno, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Napa,
Nevada, Orange, Sacramento, San Mateo, Santa
Clara, or Tuolumne County, you can vote in any vote
center in your county. Visit voterschoice.sos.ca.gov
or see page 28 of this guide for more information.
Want to see the March 3, 2020, Presidential
Primary Election results after the polls close
at 8:00 p.m.? Visit the California Secretary
of State’s Election Results website at
electionresults.sos.ca.gov.
The Election Results website is updated every fve
minutes on Election Night as counties report results
to the Secretary of State. County elections offcials
send semi-offcial election results to the Secretary
of State’s website after the polls close at 8:00 p.m.
and continue to send updates at least every two
hours until all Election Day ballots are counted.
Beginning on March 5 through April 2, 2020, the
Election Results website will update every day at
5:00 p.m. as counties count the remaining ballots.
The offcial results of the election will be posted by
April 10, 2020, at sos.ca.gov/elections.
6 | Quick-Reference Guide
HOW TO VOTE FOR PRESIDENT
Registered to vote as No Party Preference*?
As a voter registered with No Party Preference, if you want to vote for U.S.
President, you must request a primary election ballot with presidential
candidates from one of the following parties:
•American Independent Party
•Democratic Party
•Libertarian Party
If you vote by mail, you will need to request this ballot from your county
elections offce.
If you vote at the polls, you can request a ballot when checking in at the
polling place.
For more information on this process, visit HowToVoteForPresident.sos.ca.gov.
If you want to vote for the Green, Peace and Freedom, or Republican Parties'
presidential candidates, you must re-register with that specifc party. To
change your voter registration, visit registertovote.ca.gov.
*Voters registered with a non-qualifed political party are considered No Party Preference voters.
Registered with a Qualifed Political Party?
If you registered with any of the following qualifed political parties, you can
only vote for that party's presidential candidates:
•American Independent Party
•Democratic Party
•Green Party
•Libertarian Party
•Peace and Freedom Party
•Republican Party
If you want to vote for another party's presidential candidate, you must
re-register with that specifc party. To change your registration, visit
registertovote.ca.gov.
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CENSUS BILL OF RIGHTS
YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING RIGHTS:
STARTS APRIL 2020! californiacensus.org
CENSUS 2020
1.To be counted in the 2020 Census.
•Every person living in California on April 1, 2020, regardless of citizenship status, must be
counted in the census.
2.To participate in the federal decennial census free of threat or intimidation.
3.To confdentiality and privacy.
•Under federal law (Title 13), the U.S. Census Bureau is NOT allowed to share your individual
census responses with the public or with other government agencies, such as immigration and
law enforcement.
4.To respond to the census either online, by telephone, or by paper.
5.To request language assistance.
•The printed census form will be available in only English and Spanish.
•The online questionnaire and telephone assistance are available in the following languages:
Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Russian, Arabic, Tagalog, Polish, French, Haitian Creole,
Portuguese, and Japanese.
•The U.S. Census Bureau’s Language Assistance Guides will be available in 59 non-English
languages, including American Sign Language.
6.To verify the identity of a census employee.
•If a U.S. Census Bureau employee comes to your door or contacts you, you can ask to see
identifcation or for their name to confrm they work for the Bureau. You have a right to refuse
to provide any personal information to someone who comes to your door without federal
identifcation that proves they are a U.S. Census Bureau employee.
SPECIAL NOTICE:
Under California law, a person who does either of the following is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by
imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fne not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000),
or by both a fne and imprisonment:
•Falsely represents that they are a census taker with the intent to interfere with the operation of the census
or with the intent to obtain information or consent to an otherwise unlawful search or seizure.
•Falsely assumes some or all of the activities of a census taker with the intent to interfere with the operation of
the census or with the intent to obtain information or consent to an otherwise unlawful search or seizure.
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By completing the 2020 Census form,
you will help your community getCENSUS resources and funding to:
BUILD BETTER ROADS AND SCHOOLS2020
FUND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS FOR
STARTS APRIL 2020! californiacensus.org
CENSUS 2020
SENIORS, CHILDREN, AND FAMILIES
IMPROVE HOUSING
KEY U.S. CENSUS BUREAU DATES IN 2020
MAR 12 – 20 Invitations to complete the 2020 Census
questionnaire online will be mailed
MAR 26–APR 3 Reminder letter will be mailed
APR 1 Census Day
APR 8 –16 Second reminder and questionnaire will be mailed
APR 20 – 27 A fnal reminder letter will be mailed before
the Census Bureau follows up in person
MAY– JULY Primary non-response follow-up operation to
households that did not self-respond
Your 2020 Census data is safe, protected, and confdential. California is
committed to ensuring a complete and accurate count of all Californians.
CALIFORNIACENSUS.ORG
#CALIFORNIAFORALL
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13
PROPOSITION AUTHORIZES BONDS FOR FACILITY REPAIR, CONSTRUCTION,
AND MODERNIZATION AT PUBLIC PRESCHOOLS, K–12 SCHOOLS,13 COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND UNIVERSITIES. LEGISLATIVE STATUTE.
OFFICIAL TITLE AND SUMMARY PREPARED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
The text of this measure can be found on page 36 and the Secretary of State’s website at
https://voterguide.sos.ca.gov.
•Authorizes $15 billion in state general
obligation bonds for public education
facilities: $9 billion for preschools
and K–12 (includes $5.2 billion for
modernization, $2.8 billion for new
construction, $500 million for charter
schools, and $500 million for career
technical education); $6 billion for
public universities and community
colleges.
•Projects will improve facilities’ health/
safety conditions (including earthquake/
fre safety and removing lead from
water) and increase affordable student
housing.
•Limits administrative costs to 5%.
•Appropriates money from General Fund
to repay bonds.
SUMMARY OF LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S ESTIMATE
OF NET STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT FISCAL
IMPACT:
•Increased state costs to repay bonds
estimated at about $740 million per
year (including interest) over the next
35 years.
•Mixed effect on the amount of local
bonds issued by school and community
college districts and a likely reduction in
the amount of developer fees collected
by certain school districts going forward.
FINAL VOTES CAST BY THE LEGISLATURE ON AB 48 (PROPOSITION 13)
(CHAPTER 530, STATUTES OF 2019)
Senate: Ayes 35 Noes 4
Assembly: Ayes 78 Noes 1
ANALYSIS BY THE LEGISLATIVE ANALYST
BACKGROUND
California Provides Public Education to
9.2 Million Students. California provides
public education spanning from preschool
through the university level. About two-thirds
of students are enrolled at the preschool,
elementary, or secondary school levels.
California currently has about 10,000 of
these types of schools operated by 944
school districts. (About 1,300 of these
schools are charter schools, which typically
are approved by the nearest school district
but operate somewhat independently.) The
10 | Title and Summary / Analysis
Summary of State Costs
New Borrowing
Principal $15 billion
Interest 11 billion
Total Estimated Cost $26 billion
Payments
Average annual cost $740 million
Likely payment period 35 years
Source of payments General Fund tax revenues
PROPOSITIONAUTHORIZES BONDS FOR FACILITY REPAIR, CONSTRUCTION,
AND MODERNIZATION AT PUBLIC PRESCHOOLS, K–12 SCHOOLS,
COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND UNIVERSITIES. LEGISLATIVE STATUTE. 13 13
ANALYSIS BY THE LEGISLATIVE ANALYST
remaining one-third of students are enrolled
in public colleges or universities. The
California Community College (CCC) system
consists of 115 campuses operated by 73
districts. The state has two public university
systems—the California State University
(CSU) and the University of California (UC).
The CSU system has 23 campuses and the
UC system has 10 campuses.
State Helps Cover the Cost of Public Education
Facilities. Traditionally, the state helps
cover the cost to construct or renovate
academic facilities, including classrooms,
science laboratories, and career technical
education spaces (such as automotive
workshops). New academic facilities typically
are constructed when areas are growing in
enrollment. Renovation (or modernization)
projects typically are undertaken when a
building’s components (such as its electrical,
plumbing, or heating and cooling systems)
are old and become less reliable or a life-
safety issue is identifed (such as the need
to remove mold or strengthen a building’s
ability to withstand an earthquake).
Traditionally, the state has not funded
preschool facilities, with school districts
tending to fund these projects using local
funding.
State Reviews Facility Requests. For school
facility projects, school districts submit
applications for state funding to the Offce
of Public School Construction. The offce
reviews the applications and then brings
eligible applications to the State Allocation
Board for approval on a frst-come, frst-
served basis. For community colleges and
universities, campuses submit proposals
to their system offces. (The CCC system is
overseen by the Board of Governors, the CSU
system by the Board of Trustees, and the
UC system by the Board of Regents.) Each
CONTINUED
system’s governing board then compiles
these campus requests and submits selected
projects to the Legislature and Governor for
review and approval.
State Has Rules for Sharing Project Costs
With Schools. For school districts, the state
traditionally covers a standard share of
the cost of each approved facility project.
Specifcally, the state covers 50 percent
of the cost of most new construction
projects and 60 percent of the cost of most
renovation projects. School districts are
expected to cover remaining project costs
using local funds, though school districts
that have diffculty covering their local share
may qualify for additional state funding. For
community college districts and university
campuses, the state also often shares
project costs, though state law does not
have standard share-of-cost requirements for
them.
State Historically Has Used Bonds to Fund
Education Facilities. The state typically
uses general obligation bonds (a form of
borrowing) to pay for its share of project
costs. A majority of voters statewide must
approve these bonds. Voters give the state
permission to sell bonds to investors. The
bonds provide the funding that the state
uses for projects. The state then repays the
investors, with interest, from the General
Fund. (The General Fund is the state’s main
operating account, which gets its revenues
primarily from personal income taxes, state
sales and use taxes, and corporation taxes.)
The state typically repays investors by
making annual payments over a few decades.
Bond repayment is guaranteed by the state’s
general taxing power. (For more information
on the state’s use of bonds, see “Overview of
State Bond Debt” later in this guide.)
For the full text of Proposition 13, see page 36. Analysis | 11
13
PROPOSITION AUTHORIZES BONDS FOR FACILITY REPAIR, CONSTRUCTION,
AND MODERNIZATION AT PUBLIC PRESCHOOLS, K–12 SCHOOLS, 13 COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND UNIVERSITIES. LEGISLATIVE STATUTE.
ANALYSIS BY THE LEGISLATIVE ANALYST
State Has Some Bond Authority Remaining
but Much of It Has Been Committed. Figure 1
shows that from 2002 through 2016,
voters approved four education facility bond
measures that provided a total of $45 billion
in state bond funding. Three of the bond
measures provided funding for school and
community college districts as well as
universities, whereas one (Proposition 51 in
2016) funded only school and community
college districts. Of the $45 billion in
approved bond funding, the state already
has sold bonds totaling $37.2 billion,
with $7.8 billion not yet sold to investors.
Virtually all of these unsold bonds are from
remaining Proposition 51 funds. The state,
however, already has received applications
nearly in excess of the remaining
Proposition 51 bond authority for school
projects. (The state currently is processing
these applications.) The state also has
already committed about two-thirds of
Proposition 51 bond funding for community
college projects. (A lag typically exists from
the time the state commits bond funding for
projects to the time it sells the associated
bond.) The state’s current annual payment
on previously sold education facility bonds is
$2.9 billion.
State Now Relies on University
Bonds to Fund CSU and UC
Projects. In 2013, the state
developed a new way of
funding university facility
projects. Under the new
way, the universities—
rather than the state—issue
bonds. Unlike state general
obligation bonds, voters
do not approve university
bonds. The universities pay
back the debt on their bonds
CONTINUED
using funding they receive from the state.
This change was intended to give CSU and
UC greater control over their facilities and
encourage campuses to reduce projects
costs. Since developing this new funding
system, CSU and UC each have undertaken
about $2 billion in university bond-funded
facility projects. The universities currently
make total annual payments of about
$140 million for these projects.
Districts Typically Raise Their Local Share by
Issuing Local Bonds. School and community
college districts tend to cover their local
share of project costs using local general
obligation bonds. Districts must get at least
55 percent of their voters to approve the
sale of local general obligation bonds. Since
2002, voters have approved $154 billion in
local general obligation bonds for school and
community college facility projects.
State Law Places Limits on Local Borrowing.
State law limits the total amount of local
bonds that school and community college
districts may issue. The limits are based on
the assessed value of property within the
district. Elementary and high school districts
may issue bonds equal to 1.25 percent of
their assessed property value. For unifed
12 | Analysis
Figure 1
Recent State General Obligation Bonds for Education
(In Billions)
Year Proposition
Authorized Amounts
Schools
Community
Colleges
California
State
University
University
of
California Totals
2002 47 $11.4 $0.7 $0.5 $0.4 $13.1
2004 55 10.0 0.9 0.7 0.7 12.3
2006 1D 7.3 1.5 0.9 0.7 10.4
2016 51 7.0 2.0 ——9.0
Totals $35.7 $5.2 $2.1 $1.8 $44.8
PROPOSITIONAUTHORIZES BONDS FOR FACILITY REPAIR, CONSTRUCTION,
AND MODERNIZATION AT PUBLIC PRESCHOOLS, K–12 SCHOOLS,
COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND UNIVERSITIES. LEGISLATIVE STATUTE. 13 13
ANALYSIS BY THE LEGISLATIVE ANALYST CONTINUED
school districts and community college
districts, the limit is higher—2.5 percent—
if the districts comply with certain other
borrowing conditions. School districts that
are unable to raise at least $5 million
through local bonds under these limits may
apply for additional state funding. School
districts also may seek waivers from the state
to exceed these caps. Since 2010, 7 percent
of school districts have received these
waivers.
School Districts Also Raise Local Funds From
Developer Fees. Unlike community colleges
and universities, school districts can raise
funds for their facilities by assessing
one-time fees on residential,
commercial, and industrial
developments. For example, a
school district can charge a fee
to a developer of a new housing
community if the district can show
that the new development will bring
new students into the district. The
exact amount that school districts
can charge is based on rules
specifed in state law. Districts
use the resulting revenue to help
cover the cost of constructing new
schools within that area. Since
2002, approximately 90 percent of
school districts have raised some
revenue from developer fees. During
this time, school districts have
raised a total of about $10 billion
from these fees. Though developer
fee revenue makes up a small
portion (about 5 percent) of overall
funding for school facilities, these
fees can contribute up to half
of construction costs for certain
projects.
PROPOSAL
Proposes Bond Funding for Public Education
Facilities. As Figure 2 shows, this measure
allows the state to sell general obligation
bonds totaling $15 billion—of which
$9 billion is for public schools and $6 billion
is for higher education facilities. The funding
for school facilities is designated for four
specifc types of projects: renovation, new
construction, charter schools, and career
technical education facilities. School
districts could seek some of the bond
funding for their preschool facilities. The
higher education funding is spread evenly
For the full text of Proposition 13, see page 36. Analysis | 13
Figure 2
Uses of Proposed Bond Funds
(In Billions)
Amount
Public School Facilities
Renovation $5.2a,b
New construction 2.8a
Career technical education facilities 0.5
Charter school facilities 0.5
Total $9.0
Public Higher Education Facilities
Community college facilities $2.0
California State University facilities 2.0
University of California facilities 2.0c
Total $6.0
Grand Total $15.0d
a Of this amount, up to 10 percent would be reserved for school districts with 2,500 or
fewer students.b Of this amount, $150 million would be reserved for testing and treating lead in water at
schools.c Some of this amount could be used for facilities at Hastings College of the Law, which
is affiliated with the University of California.d Up to 5 percent of bond funding may be used for administrative purposes.
13
PROPOSITION AUTHORIZES BONDS FOR FACILITY REPAIR, CONSTRUCTION,
AND MODERNIZATION AT PUBLIC PRESCHOOLS, K–12 SCHOOLS, 13 COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND UNIVERSITIES. LEGISLATIVE STATUTE.
ANALYSIS BY THE LEGISLATIVE ANALYST
among CCC, CSU, and UC. The measure
is linked to legislation that makes several
changes to the rules governing public
education facility projects (described below).
If the measure passes, these changes will go
into effect.
Modifes Facility Rules for Schools. If the
measure passes, three notable changes
would be made to the rules for school
facilities. First, the state’s existing share
of project costs (50 percent for new
construction and 60 percent for renovation)
would be replaced with a sliding scale.
Under the sliding scale, school districts
would qualify for state funding equal to
between 50 percent and 55 percent of costs
for new construction projects and between
60 percent and 65 percent for renovation
projects. The higher state share would be
for districts that have less capacity to raise
local funds and enroll higher shares of low-
income students, foster youth, and English
learners. Second, the state would replace
its existing frst-come, frst-served approach
for reviewing applications with new rules.
The new rules set forth certain prioritization
categories. Health and life-safety projects
would receive highest priority, followed by
applications submitted by districts that
have diffculty raising their local share
and projects that test for and address
lead in water at school sites, among other
categories. Within each of these priority
categories, applications would be further
prioritized if districts have an agreement
to use unionized construction labor. The
third change is that a school district would
be required to submit a fve-year facility
master plan as a condition of receiving bond
funding.
Establishes New Expectations for Selection
of University Projects. The state also would
CONTINUED
use new rules for prioritizing CSU and
UC projects. To qualify for state bond
funds, the CSU Board of Trustees and UC
Board of Regents would be required to
prioritize projects that address life-safety
and certain other defciencies with existing
facilities. University campuses also would
be required to develop fve-year plans to
expand affordable housing options for their
students. The system boards would be
required to consider these housing plans as
an additional factor in prioritizing among
campuses’ facility projects.
Changes Local Funding Rules for Districts. The
state also would make three key changes
relating to school districts’ and community
college districts’ local revenue-raising
capacity. First, districts would be allowed
to issue a higher amount of local general
obligation bonds. Specifcally, for elementary
and high school districts, the limit would
be raised from 1.25 percent to 2 percent of
assessed property value. For unifed school
districts and community college districts,
the limit would be raised from 2.5 percent
to 4 percent of assessed property value.
Second, school districts unable to raise
$15 million under these new limits (up
from the existing $5 million threshold)
would be able to apply for additional state
funding. Third, the state would establish
new limits on developer fees. Specifcally,
school districts would be prohibited from
assessing developer fees on multifamily
residential developments (such as apartment
complexes) located within a half-mile of
a major transit stop (such as a light rail
station). For all other multifamily residential
developments, currently allowable developer
fee levels would be reduced by 20 percent
moving forward. These limitations would be
in place until January 1, 2026.
14 | Analysis
PROPOSITIONAUTHORIZES BONDS FOR FACILITY REPAIR, CONSTRUCTION,
AND MODERNIZATION AT PUBLIC PRESCHOOLS, K–12 SCHOOLS,
COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND UNIVERSITIES. LEGISLATIVE STATUTE.13 13
ANALYSIS BY THE LEGISLATIVE ANALYST
FISCAL EFFECTS
Measure Would Increase State Costs to Repay
Bonds. This measure would allow the state
to borrow $15 billion by selling general
obligation bonds. The state would pay off
the bonds, with interest, from the General
Fund. The cost of these bonds would depend
on various factors, such as the interest rates
on the bonds when sold and the time period
over which they are repaid. We estimate that
the cost to pay off the bonds would total
$26 billion—$15 billion for the principal
plus $11 billion for the interest. The state
would pay off the bonds by making annual
payments of about $740 million per year for
35 years. This amount is about one-half of
1 percent of the state’s current General Fund
budget.
Uncertain How Measure Would Affect
University Facilities. For CSU and UC
projects, the measure’s effect would depend
upon future decisions. If the state provided
funding for university bonds in addition to
the proposed state bond, then more CSU and
UC projects would be undertaken and state
costs would be higher than estimated above.
Alternatively, if the proposed state bond were
used instead of university bonds, then state
costs would not be higher than estimated
above.
CONTINUED
Measure Would Impact Districts in Various
Ways. Many school and community college
districts could undertake more facility
projects because of the additional state
bond funding available and the additional
capacity to issue local bonds. Other districts
could decide to undertake the same number
of facility projects as otherwise planned but
at lower local cost (accessing the available
state bond funding but not increasing
local borrowing). A few school districts,
primarily those affected by the new limits
on developer fees, might undertake fewer
projects.
Visit http://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/campaign/
measures/ for a list of committees primarily
formed to support or oppose this measure.
Visit http://www.fppc.ca.gov/
transparency/top-contributors.html
to access the committee’s top 10 contributors.
https://www.sos.ca.gov/campaign-lobbying/cal-
access-resources/measure-contributions/2020-
ballot-measure-contribution-totals/
A copy of the full text of the state measure
can be found on page 36 of this guide.
For the full text of Proposition 13, see page 36. Analysis | 15
PROPOSITION AUTHORIZES BONDS FOR FACILITY REPAIR, CONSTRUCTION,
AND MODERNIZATION AT PUBLIC PRESCHOOLS, K-12 SCHOOLS, 13 COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND UNIVERSITIES. LEGISLATIVE STATUTE.
13 ★ ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF PROPOSITION 13 ★
PROP. 13 WILL MAKE CALIFORNIA’S SCHOOLS & COLLEGES SAFER AND HEALTHIER
The current condition of California’s school buildings is unacceptable.
Despite research showing students learn better in classrooms which are modern and safe, too many school buildings are dilapidated, unsafe, and unhealthy. Thousands remain at risk of wildfres or earthquakes. Others are contaminated with lead, mold, asbestos, and other hazardous materials. California’s children deserve better.
Prop. 13 is the STRONGEST STATEWIDE SCHOOL BOND IN HISTORY, making California’s school buildings healthier, more secure, and more conducive to learning. It’s an essential step forward to protecting and educating our children.
According to Public Policy Institute of California, 70% of our state’s 10,000-plus schools and 300,000 classrooms are more than 25 years old. 10% are at least 70 years
old. Schools statewide are projected to need more than $10O billion over the next decade simply to meet basic health, safety, and curriculum standards. Yet California’s
per-pupil spending on school facilities has sharply declined since 2006.
PROP. 13 REPAIRS AND UPGRADES CALIFORNIA’S
PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Too many schools suffer from unsafe conditions, including poor air and water quality and contamination from mold and asbestos. Prop. 13 provides funding to fx rundown buildings, replace deteriorating water pipes with clean drinking water, and remove hazardous materials from aging classrooms.
PROP. 13 ADDS CRITICAL SAFETY MEASURES TO SCHOOLS. It provides schools needed resources to increase student safety including fre and violence prevention. Prop. 13 provides for functioning smoke and fre alarms, physical security improvements, and long-overdue seismic upgrades. It also expands access to preschool, guidance counselors, and school nurses for health care and mental health.
PROP. 13 RESTORES SCHOOLS AFFECTED BY
WILDFIRES, EARTHQUAKES, AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS. In emergencies, safe operation of local schools is more important than ever. Prop. 13 provides vital and immediate assistance, including temporary facilities and power generators, to schools impacted by wildfres and catastrophic events.
PROP. 13 SUPPORTS CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION FOR VETERANS. Prop. 13 enables local schools and community colleges to expand high-quality career technical education to help more Californians, including veterans who have served our country, prepare for high-skill, high-wage jobs in the modern economy.
PROP. 13 PROTECTS LOCAL CONTROL OVER EVERY PROJECT. It funds local school improvement projects, where local communities and taxpayers have a powerful voice in deciding how these funds can be prioritized to strengthen neighborhood schools.
PROP. 13 CONTAINS ROBUST TAXPAYER ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES. Fiscally responsible, Prop. 13 strictly limits administrative costs, ensuring that funds are directly spent on schools, not government bureaucracy. It requires tough independent audits and open public hearings.
PROP. 13 HAS STRONG BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. It was placed on the ballot by an overwhelming bipartisan majority of state lawmakers. It’s also supported by a broad-based coalition of teachers, doctors, nurses, frefghters, and military veterans.
The science is clear—safe, healthy, high-quality school buildings increase learning. And California’s students can’t afford to wait any longer.
For the safety of our children and our future as a state, PLEASE JOIN US IN VOTING YES ON PROP. 13.
BRIAN RICE, President California Professional Firefghters
E. TOBY BOYD, President California Teachers Association
PAMELA KAHN, President California School Nurses Association
★ REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF PROPOSITION 13 ★
HOMEOWNERS, RENTERS, AND ALL TAXPAYERS BEWARE OF TAX HIKES!
Hidden in this year’s Proposition 13 is a near DOUBLING of the limits that local school districts can borrow. When school districts borrow money, that debt is repaid exclusively by PROPERTY TAXES! Who pays property taxes? We all do, either directly in property tax bills or through higher rents and other costs. Unlike the original Proposition 13 from 1978, this Proposition 13 puts all taxpayers at risk of higher taxes.
NO GUARANTEES AGAINST WASTE!
The question isn’t whether we need well-maintained school buildings, but how best to pay for them and whether past promises have been kept. Voters already approved $9 billion in 2016 to build and repair schools. Now they tell us they never repaired the deteriorating water pipes and removed asbestos from classrooms? How does High Speed Rail get full funding but yet schools don’t?
TAXPAYERS WILL BE ON THE HOOK FOR MORE BORROWING AND DEBT!
Borrowing $15 billion for school construction and repairs makes no sense when California has a $22 billion budget surplus. What’s worse, the 80% estimated interest cost means we’re actually on the hook for $27 billion. Instead, let’s spend the money we have directly in the classroom to address declining test scores and high dropout rates.
Don’t let Sacramento’s misplaced priorities and irresponsible borrowing put California deeper in debt and lead to higher local taxes.
VOTE NO ON PROPOSITION 13!
STATE SENATOR BRIAN JONES District 38
JON COUPAL, President Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
LARRY SAND, Retired Teacher
16 | Arguments Arguments printed on this page are the opinions of the authors, and have not been checked for accuracy by any offcial agency.
PROPOSITIONAUTHORIZES BONDS FOR FACILITY REPAIR, CONSTRUCTION,
AND MODERNIZATION AT PUBLIC PRESCHOOLS, K-12 SCHOOLS,
COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND UNIVERSITIES. LEGISLATIVE STATUTE. 13
★ ARGUMENT AGAINST PROPOSITION 13 ★ 13
THIS YEAR’S PROP. 13 IS A PHONY!
Don’t be confused by the deceptive title of this spending measure to be “Prop. 13.” Unlike the landmark taxpayer protection of 1978, this year’s Prop. 13 instead will put taxpayers on the hook for $27 billion.
TYPICAL CREDIT CARD MATH BY SACRAMENTO POLITICIANS
The politicians plan to borrow $15 billion from Wall Street and then make taxpayers pay it back plus 80% in total interest costs. That’s an additional $12 billion we’ll be forced to pay, bringing the entire bill to $27 billion.
THE GOVERNOR & LEGISLATURE FAIL TO MAKE SCHOOLS A PRIORITY
Instead of spending the state’s $21 billion surplus on upgrading school facilities and providing high quality education for our children, the Governor and the Legislature
are wasting our money on their own pet projects. That surplus money could have gone into solutions for our education system—both in classroom instruction and for new facilities—without new debt that our children will be paying for three decades!
HIGHER LEVELS OF DEBT LEADS TO HIGHER TAXES
We’ve seen this before from Sacramento politicians—they
overspend, they issue bonds, and they punish us with tax hikes on our cars, gasoline, and income. And those tax hikes almost never go to what the politicians say they will— just look at our crumbling roads and see the billions of dollars diverted to High Speed Rail!
BILLIONS WILL GO TO MONEY PITS, NOT INTO CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION
Wasteful money pits in the vast education bureaucracy will grab much of this money while not one cent of it will
be spent for direct instruction in school classrooms. This money will go to wasteful construction projects that beneft special interests.
LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILL GO FURTHER INTO DEBT
A hidden provision of this proposition will encourage local school districts to increase their borrowing by more than 60%. Local school debt is paid back with higher property taxes. We’re already paying a fortune for previous borrowing, and the problem is never fxed.
SWEETHEART DEAL FOR DEVELOPERS, NO MONEY FOR FIRST RESPONDERS
Only in the State Capitol would someone decide to subsidize wealthy developers while withholding money from local police and fre fghters. Yet that’s exactly what this proposition would do. The politicians were hoping no one would read the small print, but we did and we caught them red-handed.
WE CAN DO BETTER FOR OUR KIDS AND GRANDKIDS
California’s schools are consistently ranked near the lowest in the country. Rather than just throwing $27 billion into school construction projects, our state needs a well-thought out, long-term solution to achieve a high standard of excellence in reading, writing, and math. This costly measure does nothing to improve classroom instruction or help our children succeed.
VOTE NO ON THIS PHONY PROPOSITION 13.
SENATOR BRIAN JONES District 38
JON COUPAL, President Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
LARRY SAND, Retired Teacher
★ REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT AGAINST PROPOSITION 13 ★
Don’t believe the false attacks.
Proposition 13 will fx and upgrade public schools all across
California that are unsafe, out-of-date, and badly in need
of repair. It’s broadly endorsed by teachers, principals,
frefghters, doctors, and nurses—and has the strong
support of Republicans, Democrats, and independents
alike.
Proposition 13 makes local school buildings stronger and healthier. Removes asbestos, toxic mold, and hazardous materials from aging classrooms. Replaces deteriorating pipes so children have safe drinking water. Adds school nursing facilities. Makes schools safer in wildfres, earthquakes, and natural disasters. Studies show that safe school buildings are more likely to result in higher student
performance.
Proposition 13 also guarantees that every dollar spent is
accountable, audited, and transparent to state taxpayers.
It requires administrative costs be limited to no more
than 5%, ensuring that more funds than ever are invested
directly into schools.
Don’t take our word for it. Listen to the experts:
California Professional Firefghters President Brian Rice says: “Proposition 13 will fund improvements to make our schools safer. Safer schools create safer communities. That’s why public safety experts support Prop. 13.”
Dr. Peter Bretan, President of California Medical Association, the state’s largest physician organization, says: “Students deserve access to healthy schools with clean water, breathable air, and school nurses. California’s health providers support Proposition 13.”
California Association of School Business Offcials CEO Molly McGee Hewitt says: “School bonds are proven to be the most effective and fscally responsible way to fund repairs to deteriorating school buildings. Yes on Proposition 13!”
CELIA JAFFE, President California State Parent Teachers Association
DR. LINDA KAMINSKI, President Association of California School Administrators
PAMELA KAHN, President California School Nurses Association
Arguments printed on this page are the opinions of the authors, and have not been checked for accuracy by any offcial agency. Arguments | 17
18 | Overview of State Bond Debt
OVERVIEW OF STATE BOND DEBT PREPARED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ANALYST
This section describes the state’s bond
debt. It also discusses how the bond
measure on the ballot (Proposition 13),
if approved by voters, would affect state
costs to repay bonds.
State Bonds and Their Costs
What Are Bonds? Bonds are a way
that governments and companies
borrow money. The state government
uses bonds primarily to pay for the
planning, construction, and renovation
of infrastructure projects such as
bridges, dams, prisons, parks, schools,
and offce buildings. The state sells
bonds to investors to receive “up-front”
funding for these projects and then
repays the investors, with interest, over
a period of time.
Why Are Bonds Used? A main reason
for issuing bonds is that infrastructure
typically provides services over many
years. Thus, it is reasonable for people,
both currently and in the future, to help
pay for the projects. Also, the large
costs of these projects can be diffcult
to pay for all at once.
What Are the Main Types of Bonds? The
two main types of bonds used by the
state are general obligation bonds and
revenue bonds. One difference between
general obligation bonds and revenue
bonds is how they are repaid. The state
repays general obligation bonds using
the state General Fund (the state’s main
operating account, which it uses to pay
for education, prisons, health care, and
other services). The General Fund is
supported primarily by income tax and
sales tax revenues. The state repays
revenue bonds from the General Fund
but also from other sources, such as
fees paid by users of the funded project
(such as from bridge tolls). Another
difference between state general
obligation bonds and revenue bonds
is how they are approved. General
obligation bonds issued by the state
have to be approved by voters, while
revenue bonds generally do not.
What Are the Costs of Bond Financing?
After selling bonds, the state makes
regular payments typically over the next
few decades until the bonds are paid
off. (This is very similar to the way a
family pays off a mortgage.) The state
pays somewhat more for projects it
funds through bonds than for projects
it funds up-front because of interest.
The amount of additional cost depends
primarily on the interest rate and the
time period over which the bonds have
to be repaid.
State Spending on Bonds
Amount of General Fund Debt. The state
has about $80 billion of General
Fund-supported bonds on which it is
making principal and interest payments
each year. In addition, the voters and
the Legislature have approved about
$42 billion of General Fund-supported
bonds that have not yet been sold.
Most of these bonds are expected to be
sold in the coming years as additional
projects need funding. Currently, we
estimate that the state is paying about
$6 billion annually from the General
Fund to repay bonds.
Proposition on This Ballot. There is
one general obligation bond measure
on this ballot. Proposition 13 would
allow the state to borrow $15 billion
for modernization and construction of
Overview of State Bond Debt | 19
OVERVIEW OF STATE BOND DEBT CONTINUED
preschool, K–12, and higher education
school facilities.
This Election’s Impact on Debt Payments.
We estimate that the total cost
(including interest) to pay off the
general obligation bond measure on this
ballot would be about $26 billion. This
total would equal an average of about
$740 million per year over the next
35 years, which is about 13 percent
more than the state currently spends
from the General Fund on its bond
debt. The exact costs would depend on
the specifc details of the bond sales.
This Election’s Impact on the Share of
State Revenues Used to Repay Debt. One
indicator of the state’s debt situation is
the portion of the state’s annual General
Fund revenues that must be set aside
to pay for bond debt. This is known as
the state’s debt-service ratio (DSR).
Because these revenues must be used
to repay debt, they are not available to
spend on other state programs, such as
operating colleges or paying for health
care. As shown in Figure 1, the DSR
is now around 4 percent. If voters do
not approve the proposed bond on this
ballot, we project that the state’s DSR
on already approved bonds will grow
over the next couple of years—peaking
at about 4.1 percent in 2020–21—and
then begin decreasing. If voters approve
the proposed general obligation bond on
this ballot, we project it would increase
the DSR by less than one-half of one
percentage point compared to what it
would otherwise have been. The state’s
future DSR would be higher than shown
in the fgure if the state and voters
approve additional bonds in the future.
General Fund Debt-Service Ratio
Figure 1
Percent of General Fund Revenues Spent on Debt Service
Bonds Already Sold
Authorized,
but Unsold
Bond on
March 2020 Ballot
1
2
3
4
5
6
7%
00-01 05-06 10-11 15-16 20-21 25-26
Projection
Elections in California
The Top Two Candidates Open Primary Act requires that all candidates for
a voter-nominated offce be listed on the same ballot. Previously known as
partisan offces, voter-nominated offces include state legislative offces,
U.S. congressional offces, and state constitutional offces.
In both the open primary and general elections, you can vote for any candidate
regardless of what party preference you indicated on your voter registration
form. In the primary election, the two candidates receiving the most votes—
regardless of party preference—move on to the general election. If a candidate
receives a majority of the vote (at least 50 percent +1), a general election still
must be held.
California’s open primary system does not apply to candidates running for
U.S. President, county central committee, or local offces.
Write-in candidates for voter-nominated offces can still run in the primary
election. However, a write-in candidate can only move on to the general
election if the candidate is one of the top two vote-getters in the primary
election. Additionally, there is no independent nomination process for a
general election.
Superintendent of Public Instruction is a nonpartisan offce. If a candidate
for Superintendent of Public Instruction were to receive a majority of the vote
(at least 50 percent +1) at the primary election, then that candidate would
be elected, and no general election would be held. Additional information on
nonpartisan offces can be found below.
California law requires the following information to be printed in this guide.
Party-Nominated/Partisan Offces
Political parties may formally nominate candidates for party-nominated/partisan
offces at the primary election. A nominated candidate will represent that party
as its offcial candidate for the specifc offce at the general election and the
ballot will refect an offcial designation. The top vote-getter for each party at
the primary election moves on to the general election. Parties also elect offcers
of county central committees at the primary election.
A voter can only vote in the primary election of the political party he or she has
disclosed a preference for upon registering to vote. However, a political party
may allow a person who has declined to disclose a party preference to vote in
that party’s primary election.
20
Voter-Nominated Offces
Political parties are not entitled to formally nominate candidates for voter-
nominated offces at the primary election. A candidate nominated for a voter-
nominated offce at the primary election is the nominee of the people and
not the offcial nominee of any party at the general election. A candidate for
nomination to a voter-nominated offce shall have his or her qualifed party
preference, or lack of qualifed party preference, stated on the ballot, but
the party preference designation is selected solely by the candidate and is
shown for the information of the voters only. It does not mean the candidate is
nominated or endorsed by the party designated, or that there is an affliation
between the party and candidate, and no candidate nominated by the voters
shall be deemed to be the offcially nominated candidate of any political party.
In the county Voter Information Guide, parties may list the candidates for voter-
nominated offces who have received the party’s offcial endorsement.
Any voter may vote for any candidate for a voter-nominated offce, if they meet
the other qualifcations required to vote for that offce. The top two vote-getters
at the primary election move on to the general election for the voter-nominated
offce even if both candidates have specifed the same party preference
designation. No party is entitled to have a candidate with its party preference
designation move on to the general election, unless the candidate is one of the
two highest vote-getters at the primary election.
Nonpartisan Offces
Political parties are not entitled to nominate candidates for nonpartisan offces
at the primary election, and a candidate at the primary election is not the
offcial nominee of any party for the specifc offce at the general election.
A candidate for nomination to a nonpartisan offce may not designate his or
her party preference, or lack of party preference, on the ballot. The top two
vote-getters at the primary election move on to the general election for the
nonpartisan offce.
Top Contributors to State Candidates and Ballot Measures
When a committee (a person or group of people who receive or spend money
for the purpose of infuencing voters to support or oppose candidates or
ballot measures) supports or opposes a ballot measure or candidate and
raises at least $1 million, the committee must report its top 10 contributors
to the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC). The
committee must update the top 10 list when there is any change.
These lists are available on the FPPC website at
http://www.fppc.ca.gov/transparency/top-contributors.html.
21
Voter Registration
If you have already registered to vote, you do not need to re-register unless you change your name,
home address, mailing address, or if you want to change or select a political party.
You can register to vote online at registertovote.ca.gov or call the Secretary of State’s toll-free Voter
Hotline at (800) 345-VOTE (8683) to get a form mailed to you.
Voter registration forms can be found at most post offces, libraries, city and county government
offces, county elections offces, and the California Secretary of State’s Offce.
Same Day Voter Registration
Did you forget to register or update your voter registration? No Problem! A new law allows you to
register to vote and vote until 8:00 p.m. on Election Day at your county elections offce or at any
vote center or polling place in your county. This process is called Conditional Voter Registration
(CVR) and is commonly referred to as Same Day Voter Registration. Here’s how it works:
1.Visit your county elections offce, a vote center, or polling place in your county which can
be found in your county Voter Information Guide or at vote.ca.gov.
2.Complete a voter registration card.
3.Vote your ballot at your county elections offce, vote center, or polling place.
4.Once the county elections offcial processes your registration and determines you are
eligible, you will be registered to vote and your ballot will be counted.
To learn more about Conditional Voter Registration, visit vote.ca.gov.
Vote centers are available for voters living in Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Los
Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Sacramento, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and
Tuolumne counties. Visit voterschoice.sos.ca.gov or see page 28 for more information on the
Voter’s Choice Act and vote centers.
Voter Registration Privacy Information
Safe at Home Confdential Voter Registration Program: Certain voters facing life-threatening
situations (i.e., victims and survivors of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, human
traffcking, elder/dependent adult abuse) may qualify for confdential voter status if they are active
members of the Safe at Home program. For more information, contact the Secretary of State’s
Safe at Home program toll-free at (877) 322-5227 or visit sos.ca.gov/registries/safe-home.
Voter Information Privacy: Information on your voter registration affdavit will be used by elections
offcials to send you offcial information on the voting process, such as the location of your
polling place and the issues and candidates that will appear on the ballot. Commercial use of
voter registration information is prohibited by law and is a misdemeanor. Voter information may
be provided to a candidate for offce, a ballot measure committee, or other person for election,
scholarly, journalistic, political, or governmental purposes, as determined by the Secretary of State.
Driver license and social security numbers, or your signature as shown on your voter registration
card, cannot be released for these purposes. If you have any questions about the use of voter
information or wish to report suspected misuse of such information, please call the Secretary of
State’s Voter Hotline at (800) 345-VOTE (8683).
22
Check Your Voter Status Online
Visit the Secretary of State’s My Voter Status page at
voterstatus.sos.ca.gov, where you can check your voter
status, fnd your polling place or a vote center, and much
more.
Use My Voter Status to:
• See if you are registered to vote and, if so, in what county
• Check your political party preference
• Find your polling place
• Find a vote center (for voters living in Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Los Angeles,
Madera, Mariposa, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Sacramento, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Tuolumne
counties)
• Find upcoming elections in your area
• Receive your state Voter Information Guide (VIG) by email before each statewide election (see
below for more information on opting out of the VIG)
• Find contact information for your county elections offce
• Check the status of your vote-by-mail ballot or provisional ballot
To check your voter status you will need to enter your frst name, last name, California driver license or
identifcation card number, the last four (4) digits of your social security number, and date of birth.
You can use the My Voter Status tool to opt out of receiving the state VIG. However, if another registered
voter in your household requests to get it by mail, a state VIG will still be mailed to your address. If you
have opted out and do not receive the state VIG in the mail, information on statewide candidates and ballot
measures will still be available on the VIG website (voterguide.sos.ca.gov) before each statewide election.
Go to voterstatus.sos.ca.gov to get started.
Pre-register at sixteen. Vote at eighteen.
Online pre-registration is now available for eligible 16- and 17-year-olds at registertovote.ca.gov or via the
paper voter registration form. California youth who pre-register to vote will have their registration become
active once they turn 18 years old.
Pre-register in 4 easy steps:
1. Visit registertovote.ca.gov
2. Click the “Pre-register to Vote” button
3. Become automatically registered on your 18th birthday
4. Cast your ballot on Election Day!
What is Pre-registration?
If you are 16 or 17 years old and meet all other voter eligibility requirements, you can pre-register to vote
at registertovote.ca.gov.
Simply complete the online pre-registration application and on your 18th birthday, you will automatically be
registered to vote.
23
POLITICAL PARTY STATEMENTS OF PURPOSE
★ REPUBLICAN PARTY ★
The California Republican Party is committed to making California affordable for everyone. The failed leadership in California has led to a skyrocketing cost of living, a homelessness epidemic, and failing schools. We need new leaders—with a new vision—who will fx the serious problems faced by our state. We are focused on engaging in and listening to each and every community to make the California dream a reality for millions. California’s diversity is the strength that can bring us together to build a state for future generations to thrive. We want to make California the land of opportunity—with good paying jobs and affordable homes. We believe hard work should be rewarded with increased opportunity.
California Republican Party 1001 K Street, 4th Floor Sacramento, CA 95814
We believe every child deserves a world-class education provided by effective, well-paid teachers. We are committed to fnding a long-term, viable, and comprehensive solution to California’s homelessness epidemic. We believe Californians have the right to feel safe in their homes, their neighborhoods, and throughout the state. Our doors are open to you and we hope you will decide to help fnd solutions to California’s serious problems by joining the California Republican Party. Visit www.CAGOP.org to learn more.
(916) 448-9496 Email: Info@cagop.org Website: www.cagop.org
★ DEMOCRATIC PARTY ★
California Democrats are committed to fghting for working families, regardless of who you are, or who you love. We believe every person deserves to have a job that allows them to provide for themselves and their family. Californians should have access to safe, affordable housing, and comprehensive, universal healthcare. We believe in the Labor Movement and the collective bargaining rights for workers. We want to expand education and childcare opportunities for youth. Our planet is facing a climate crisis; we must act now to secure our future. We will lead the fght against climate change and for a green economy. Everyone should have the
Rusty Hicks, Chair California Democratic Party 1830 9th Street Sacramento, CA 95811
right to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and enjoy our natural resources. We strongly support legal protections for our immigrant neighbors. We believe in the full equality of women and LGBTQ individuals; no person should ever be subjected to bullying, harassment, assault, or discrimination because of race, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, physical disability, economic status, or religion, and no person should live in fear of gun violence. California Democrats are fghting for an inclusive and progressive future. We invite you to join our effort to continue building the future California deserves.
(916) 442-5707 Website: www.cadem.org Facebook: facebook.com/cadems Twitter: @CA_Dem
★ LIBERTARIAN PARTY ★
Libertarians stand for something: Respect and Freedom
Respect for each individual’s life and liberty, without government coercion or force. We strive to reduce the use of force, thus increasing happiness, harmony, and prosperity for all. We believe that the most peaceful, prosperous, socially fair, and tolerant society is one that solves its problems without government force. We believe that social woes like inaccessible healthcare, inadequate social justice, inadequate housing, economic instability, and racial disparity are caused and perpetuated by offcials who would rather increase their power instead of solving problems.
Honor “Mimi” Robson, Chair The Libertarian Party of California 770 L Street, Suite 950 Sacramento, CA 95814
We believe in freedom. For 46 years, the Libertarian Party has been at the forefront of advocating once radical issues like marijuana legalization, marriage equity, school choice, gun rights, transportation competition, and ending mandatory minimum sentences and asset forfeiture laws. We oppose foreign wars and want to bring our troops home from overseas. We want to stop giving money and power to the same people who have caused the problems we face today. It is time for a big change. If you are tired of throwing away your vote, send a message—Vote Libertarian!
(916) 446-1776 Email: offce@ca.lp.org Website: https://ca.lp.org
The order of the statements was determined by randomized drawing. Statements on this page were
24 | Political Party Statements of Purpose supplied by political parties and have not been checked for accuracy by any offcial agency.
POLITICAL PARTY STATEMENTS OF PURPOSE
★ AMERICAN INDEPENDENT PARTY ★
The American Independent Party is the party of ordered liberty in a nation under God. We believe in strict adherence to written law. We believe the Constitution is the contract America has with itself. Its willful distortion has led to the violation of our Tenth Amendment guaranteed right to limited government—which inevitably requires oppressive taxation. Its faithful application will lift that burden. Freed from the lawless oppression of Progressive rule, we may then compassionately and justly use our energy and ingenuity to provide for ourselves and our families. We will then establish truly free and responsible enterprise and reassert the basic human right to property.
American Independent Party of California 476 Deodara Street Vacaville, CA 95688-2637
We believe in protecting all human life however weak, defenseless, or disheartened; endorse the family as the essential bulwark of liberty, compassion, responsibility, and industry; and declare the family’s right and responsibility to nurture, discipline, and educate their children. We assert the absolute, concurrent Second Amendment guaranteed individual right to self defense coupled with a strong common defense, a common defense which requires a national sovereignty not damaged by imprudent treaties. We oppose all illegal immigration. We support secure borders and immigration policies, inviting the best of the world to join us in freedom.
(707) 359-4884 Email: markyavelli@gmail.com Website: www.aipca.org
★ PEACE AND FREEDOM PARTY ★
The Peace and Freedom Party is a working class party in a country run by and for the wealthy and their corporations. We should not have to sacrifce our health, our livelihoods, and our planet for billionaires’ profts. Tax the rich, whose wealth is created by workers, to pay for people’s needs. Our Goals: Social justice & equality: •Free universal health care for all. •Free education for everyone, preschool through university. •Full immigrant rights; no deportations. •End homelessness, housing for all. •Jobs or Income; labor rights for all. •End racism, LGBTQ and women’s oppression, and all discrimination. •Comprehensive services for disabled people. Environment: •Reverse Climate change. •Restore and
Peace and Freedom Party P.O. Box 24764 Oakland, CA 94623
protect the environment. Justice reform: •Abolish the death penalty. •Stop police abuse and prison torture. Peace: •No U.S. wars, sanctions, or coups. •No foreign bases. Democracy: •Repeal California’s “top two” election law. •Implement proportional representation. While capitalism puts the wealthy frst, we will continue to suffer war, police brutality, low wages, unsafe workplaces, and pollution. We advocate socialism: the ownership and democratic control of the economy by the people. By taking control of our industries and natural resources, we can make progress for the common good. Register Peace and Freedom Party!
(510) 465-9414 Email: info@peaceandfreedom.org Website: www.peaceandfreedom.org
★ GREEN PARTY ★
Vote Green for viable solutions to our greatest challenges from inequality to climate change. Greens’ actions match our values because we refuse contributions from corporations. Since 2010, Green candidates have run on the real Green New Deal. Over 350 California Greens have served in elected offce since 1990. Greens’ early vision and leadership has led to successes including cannabis legalization, closing California’s last nuclear power plant, and enabling public banking. Voting Green means: ECONOMIC FAIRNESS • Living wages, green jobs, workers’ rights • Universal healthcare, free higher education, affordable housing, food security for all • Reforming Proposition 13 to close corporate loopholes, restore schools and public services • Taxing the super-rich ACTION ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS • Going 100% renewable through publicly-owned, clean energy and effciency programs
Green Party of California P.O. Box 485 San Francisco, CA 94104
• Switching from fossil fuels to clean electric-powered public transportation • Restoring groundwater and watersheds • Reforestation, restorative agriculture HUMAN RIGHTS • Ending oppression based on race, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, economic status • Protecting immigrants with sanctuary and pathways to citizenship • Black Lives Matter, police accountability • Gun control/safety • Abolishing the death penalty, ending private prisons, reducing prison populations ELECTORAL REFORM • Publicly-fnanced elections to eliminate corporate money • Proportional representation, ranked choice voting • Overturning Top Two primary Register and vote Green.
(916) 448-3437 Email: gpca@cagreens.org Website: www.cagreens.org Social Media: @cagreens
The order of the statements was determined by randomized drawing. Statements on this page were
supplied by political parties and have not been checked for accuracy by any offcial agency. Political Party Statements of Purpose | 25
Tips for California’s Military and Overseas Voters
Taking part in elections is more convenient than ever for Californians serving in the
military or living outside the United States. It begins when you register to vote as a
military or overseas voter and receive election materials by mail, fax, or email.
• Start early. California’s county elections offcials begin sending ballots to military
and overseas voters 60 days before Election Day. Fill out a voter registration
application early at registertovote.ca.gov to ensure that you receive your voting
materials in time.
• Know your options. When registering to vote as a military or overseas voter, you can
choose to have your ballot mailed, faxed, or emailed to you. You may return your
voted ballot to your county elections offcial by mail or, in certain circumstances,
by fax. If you meet the requirements to return your ballot by fax, you must also fax
the Oath of Voter form (available from your county elections offcial) waiving your
right to a confdential ballot.
• Stay in touch. Once you register as a military or overseas voter, you will continue to
receive a ballot and election materials from your county elections offcial before
each election. We encourage you to update your registration each year, if needed;
however, you must re-register to vote if you change your address, your name, or
your political party preference, or if you do not participate in four consecutive
statewide general elections. Visit sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/military-
overseas-voters for more election resources designed especially for you.
Dates to remember:
February 18: last day to register to vote and request your ballot.
February 25: last day to update or change how you want to receive your ballot.
March 3: Election Day. Mailed ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day
and received by your county elections offce no later than March 6. Faxed ballots must
be delivered to your county elections offce by close of polls, no later than 8:00 p.m.
Pacifc Standard Time, on Election Day.
For more information contact:
California Secretary of State Federal Voting Assistance Program
(800) 345-VOTE (8683) (800) 438-VOTE (8683)
www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-www.fvap.gov registration/military-overseas-voters/
26
27
Provisional Voting
If your name is not on the voter list at your polling place or vote center, you have the
right to vote a provisional ballot.
What is a provisional ballot?
A provisional ballot is a regular ballot that is placed in a special envelope prior to
being put in the ballot box.
Who casts a provisional ballot?
Provisional ballots are ballots cast by voters who believe they are registered to vote
even though their names are not on the official voter registration list at the polling
place or vote center.
Vote-by-mail voters may need to cast provisional ballots if the voter wants to vote in
person at a polling place or vote center but did not receive their ballot or does not
have their ballot with them.
Will my provisional ballot be counted?
Your provisional ballot will be counted after elections officials have confirmed that
you are registered to vote in that county and you did not already vote in that election.
You may vote a provisional ballot at any polling place or vote center in the county in
which you are registered to vote; however, only the election contests you are eligible
to vote for will be counted.
How can you check the status of your provisional ballot?
You can check the status of your provisional ballot at voterstatus.sos.ca.gov.
Alternatively, every voter who casts a provisional ballot has the right to find out from
their county elections official if the ballot was counted and, if not, the reason why it
was not counted.
Visit sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-status for a list of county contacts and
information on how to check the status of your provisional ballot.
The Voter’s Choice Act
The Future of Voting in California
If you live in Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Napa,
Nevada, Orange, Sacramento, San Mateo, Santa Clara, or Tuolumne County, you can vote in any
vote center in your county. Visit voterschoice.sos.ca.gov. Voters in participating counties will have
three choices for how to vote:
Vote by Mail: You can mail your completed ballot as soon as you receive it. No postage is required.
Drop Box: You can drop off your completed ballot at any county drop box as soon as you receive it.
No postage is required.
Vote Center: Vote centers will replace polling places. You can vote in person at any vote center in your
county. Vote centers will be open for a minimum of 11 days, up to and including Election Day.
At every vote center you can:
•Vote in person
•Register to vote or update your registration
•Drop off your completed ballot
•Get a replacement ballot
•Vote using an accessible voting machine
•Get help and voting materials in multiple languages
Why the change?
The California Voter’s Choice Act became law in 2016 to make voting more convenient and
accessible. You can choose how, when, and where you vote.
When do I vote?
You will receive your ballot in the mail weeks before the election. After completing your ballot, you
may return it by mail or at any county drop box or vote center. Vote centers will be open for in-person
voting for 11 days, up to and including Election Day.
Where do I fnd a drop box or vote center?
You can fnd a drop box or vote center in your county at sos.ca.gov/elections/voters-choice-act/vca-
voting-locations.
What if I don’t receive my ballot?
Visit any vote center in your county or call your county elections offcial to request a replacement.
What if I’m not in a participating county?
If you live in a county that’s not currently participating in the Voter’s Choice Act, you will continue
to vote either by mail or at a polling place. Contact the Secretary of State’s toll-free Voter Hotline at
(800) 345-VOTE (8683) for more information.
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How to vote by mail
Who can vote by mail?
Any registered voter can vote by mail. You must request a vote-by-mail ballot from your county
elections offcial at least 7 days before the election, or you can register as a permanent vote-by-mail
voter and a ballot will automatically be mailed to you prior to each election.
If you live in Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, Napa, Nevada, Orange,
Sacramento, San Mateo, Santa Clara, or Tuolumne County, a vote-by-mail ballot will automatically be
mailed to you; visit voterschoice.sos.ca.gov or see page 28 of this guide for additional information.
How to get your vote-by-mail ballot
You must request your vote-by-mail ballot no later than February 25. Here’s how:
Fill out the vote-by-mail application in your county Voter Information Guide
OR
Go to vote.ca.gov and fll out the vote-by-mail application
How to return your vote-by-mail ballot
After marking your choices on your vote-by-mail ballot, place it in the offcial envelope provided by
your county elections offce and seal it. Sign the envelope where directed. You have multiple options
for returning your ballot.
To ensure your ballot arrives by the deadline, return it either:
By mail—must be postmarked on or before March 3 and received by your county elections
offce no later than March 6. No postage is required!
In person—drop off at your county elections offce, any vote center or polling place in
California, or any ballot drop off location before the polls close at 8:00 p.m. March 3.
State law gives voters the freedom to designate anyone they choose to return their vote-by-mail
ballots. However, we recommend that you only sign your completed ballot over to someone you trust.
And never hand over your vote-by-mail ballot if you have not sealed and signed the back of the return
envelope provided by your county elections offce.
Even if you receive your vote-by-mail ballot and envelope, you can still vote in person at your polling
place on Election Day. Bring your vote-by-mail ballot to the polling place and give it to a poll worker
to exchange for a polling place ballot. If you do not have your vote-by-mail ballot and envelope, you
may have to vote using a provisional ballot. This ensures that you have not already cast a ballot. (See
page 27 of this guide for more information about provisional ballots.)
Postage pre-paid ballots
‘No Stamp, No Problem’—All California vote-by-mail ballot return envelopes now have pre-paid
postage, ensuring that voting is free and convenient for all California voters. After you have filled out
your vote-by-mail ballot, place it in the return envelope, seal the envelope, sign on the designated
line, and place it into the mailbox.
29
Assistance for Voters with Disabilities
California is committed to ensuring every voter can cast their ballot privately and
independently.
For more detailed information about what assistance your county offers to voters
with disabilities, please check out your county Voter Information Guide or contact
your county. County contact information is available on page 35 of this guide.
Voting At a Polling Place or Vote Center
If you need help marking your ballot, you may choose up to two people to help you.
This person cannot be:
• your employer or anyone who works for your employer
• your labor union leader or anyone who works for your labor union
Curbside voting allows you to park as close as possible to the voting area. Elections
offcials will bring you a roster to sign, a ballot, and any other voting materials
you may need, whether you are actually at a curb or in a car. Contact your county
elections offce to see if curbside voting is available at your polling place or vote
center.
All polling places and vote centers are required to be accessible to voters with
disabilities and will have accessible voting machines.
Vote centers are available for voters living in Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado,
Fresno, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Sacramento, San
Mateo, Santa Clara, and Tuolumne counties. See page 28 for more information on
the Voter’s Choice Act and vote centers.
Voting At Home
Remote accessible vote-by-mail (RAVBM) systems provide an accessible option for
voters with disabilities to receive their ballots at home and mark them independently
and privately before sending them back to elections offcials. Contact your county
elections offcial for more information.
Audio & Large Print Voter Information Guides
This guide is available in audio and large print versions. The guide is also available
at no cost in English, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog,
Thai, and Vietnamese.
To order:
Call the Secretary of State’s toll-free Voter Hotline at (800) 345-VOTE (8683)
Visit vote.ca.gov
Download an audio MP3 version at voterguide.sos.ca.gov/en/audio
30
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I registered to vote?
To be eligible to register to vote in California, you must be:
•A United States citizen and a resident of California,
•18 years old or older on Election Day,
•Not currently in state or federal prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony, and
•Not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court.
To check the status of your voter registration, visit voterstatus.sos.ca.gov.
What if I forgot to register to vote or update my registration?
No Problem! A new law allows you to register to vote and vote until 8:00 p.m. on Election Day
at your county elections offce or at any vote center or polling place in your county. This process
is called Conditional Voter Registration (CVR) and is commonly referred to as Same Day Voter
Registration.
Here’s how it works:
1.Visit your county elections offce, a vote center, or polling place in your county which can be
found in your county Voter Information Guide or at vote.ca.gov.
2.Complete a voter registration card.
3.Vote your ballot at your county elections offce, vote center, or polling place.
4.Once the county elections offcial processes your registration and determines you are eligible, you
will be registered to vote and your ballot will be counted.
5.Check if your ballot was counted by visiting voterstatus.sos.ca.gov. County elections offces have
up until 60 days after Election Day to provide this information.
Where can I learn about candidates and propositions?
Check out your county Voter Information Guide for information about local candidates and measures.
On page 10 of this guide, you will fnd information about the statewide proposition.
California’s voluntary campaign spending limits do not apply to candidates for federal offces
including President, U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives. All U.S. House of
Representatives candidates may buy space for a candidate statement in county Voter Information
Guides. Some candidates, however, choose not to buy space for a statement.
State Senate and Assembly candidates may buy space for a candidate statement in the county Voter
Information Guides if they agree to keep their campaign spending under a certain dollar amount.
State Senate candidates may spend no more than $930,000 in the primary election. State Assembly
candidates may spend no more than $620,000 in the primary election.
To fnd the statements from Presidential candidates, visit the Secretary of State’s website at
vote.ca.gov.
To research campaign contributions for state and local candidates, visit the Secretary of State’s
website at powersearch.sos.ca.gov.
To research campaign contributions for Presidential and Congressional candidates, visit the Federal
Election Commission website at www.fec.gov.
31
Frequently Asked Questions continued
On the Secretary of State’s website you can also:
• Research campaign contributions and lobbying activity
• View this voter guide in other languages
• Check your registration status and registration information
• Find your polling place or a vote center on Election Day
• Get vote-by-mail ballot information
• Read helpful information for frst-time voters
• Watch live election results after polls close on Election Day
• Learn about exciting election improvements in Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Los
Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Sacramento, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and
Tuolumne counties
Where do I vote?
Every county has polling places or vote centers open on Election Day. Many counties also have in-
person, early voting locations. To fnd out the options in your county, visit vote.ca.gov or check your
county Voter Information Guide.
You may also call the Secretary of State’s toll-free Voter Hotline at (800) 345-VOTE (8683).
You can also text Vote to GOVOTE (468683) to fnd the location of your polling place.
If you live in Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Napa,
Nevada, Orange, Sacramento, San Mateo, Santa Clara, or Tuolumne County, you can vote in any vote
center in your county. Visit voterschoice.sos.ca.gov or see page 28 of this guide for more information.
How do I vote by mail?
Any registered voter can vote by mail. You must request a vote-by-mail ballot from your county
elections offce at least 7 days before the election. Please see page 35 for your county’s contact
information. You can also register as a permanent vote-by-mail voter, and a ballot will automatically
be mailed to you prior to each election.
If you live in Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, Napa, Nevada, Orange,
Sacramento, San Mateo, Santa Clara, or Tuolumne County, a vote-by-mail ballot will automatically be
mailed to you. Visit voterschoice.sos.ca.gov or see page 28 of this guide for additional information.
How much is postage for vote by mail?
No stamp, no problem! Postage for vote-by-mail envelopes is pre-paid by the county and free for all
voters in California.
32
33
How can I return my vote-by-mail ballot?
After marking your choices on your vote-by-mail ballot, place it in the official envelope provided by
your county elections office and seal it. Sign the envelope where directed. You have multiple options
for returning your ballot.
To ensure your ballot arrives by the deadline, return it either:
• By mail—must be postmarked on or before March 3 and received by your county elections office
no later than March 6. No postage is required!
• In person—drop off at your county elections office, any vote center or polling place in California,
or any ballot drop-off location before the polls close at 8:00 p.m. on March 3.
• State law gives voters the freedom to designate anyone they choose to return their vote-by-mail
ballots. However, we recommend that you only sign your completed ballot over to someone you
trust. Never hand over your vote-by-mail ballot if you have not sealed and signed the back of the
return envelope provided by your county elections office.
If I am signed up to vote by mail, can I still vote in person?
Even if you signed up to vote by mail, you can still vote in person at your polling place on Election
Day. Bring your vote-by-mail ballot to the polling place and give it to a poll worker to exchange for a
polling place ballot. If you do not have your vote-by-mail ballot and envelope, you may have to vote
using a provisional ballot. This ensures that you have not already cast a ballot. (See page 27 of this
guide for more information about provisional ballots.)
Can voters with disabilities vote by mail?
All county elections officials are required to offer an accessible option called remote accessible
vote-by-mail (RAVBM). RAVBM allows voters with disabilities to receive their ballots at home and
mark them independently and privately before sending them back to elections officials. Contact your
county elections official to see if this option is offered in your county.
How do I know the county received my vote-by-mail ballot?
Check if your ballot was counted by visiting voterstatus.sos.ca.gov. County elections offices have up
until 60 days after Election Day to provide this information.
Some county elections offices have signed up for the Secretary of State’s new program to track your
vote-by-mail ballot. Visit vote.ca.gov to learn about tracking your ballot.
Can I get time off from work to vote?
All employees are eligible for paid time off for the purpose of voting if they do not have enough time
outside of working hours to vote.
Employees can be given as much time as they need in order to vote, but only a maximum of two
hours is paid. Employers may require employees to give advance notice that they will need additional
time off for voting. Employers may require time off to be taken only at the beginning or end of the
employee’s shift.
If you have questions, call the Secretary of State’s toll-free Voter Hotline at (800) 345-VOTE (8683).
Frequently Asked Questions continued
Frequently Asked Questions continued
Do I need to show ID to vote?
In most cases, California voters do not have to show identifcation before they vote.
You may have to show one form of identifcation at the polling place if you are voting for the frst
time after registering by mail or online and you did NOT provide the following on your application:
•State-issued driver license or identifcation number, or
•The last four digits of your social security number
Following are some of the acceptable types of identifcation according to state and federal laws:
•Driver license or state-issued identifcation •Student identifcation
•Passport •Health club identifcation
•Employee identifcation •Insurance plan identifcation
•Military identifcation • Credit card or debit card
For the full list, see “Polling Place ID Requirements” at sos.ca.gov/elections/hava-id-standards.
How can I help?
Participate as a Poll Worker! Gain hands-on experience and take part in the single most important
part of our democracy—voting!
To serve as a poll worker, you must be:
•A U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident, or
•An eligible high school student
Poll workers:
•Set up and close a polling place
•Help voters understand their rights
•Protect ballots and voting equipment
•Earn extra money (amount varies by county)
•Contribute to their community and meet their neighbors
To serve as a high school poll worker, a student must:
•Be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident
•Be at least 16 years old on Election Day
•Attend a public or private high school
•Have at least a 2.5 grade point average
•Get permission from their parents and school
•Attend a training session
For more information about being a poll worker, contact your county elections offce (see page 35 of
this guide), call the California Secretary of State at (800) 345-VOTE (8683), or visit vote.ca.gov.
34
County Elections Offces | 35
County Elections Offices
Alameda County
(510) 272-6933
www.acvote.org
Alpine County (530) 694-2281www.alpinecountyca.gov/
Amador County
(209) 223-6465
www.amadorgov.org/government/elections
Butte County (530) 538-7761 or (800) 894-7761(within Butte County)www.buttevotes.net
Calaveras County
(209) 754-6376 or (209) 754-6375
www.calaverasgov.us
Colusa County
(530) 458-0500 or (877) 458-0501
www.countyofcolusa.org/elections
Contra Costa County
(925) 335-7800
www.contracostacore.us
Del Norte County (707) 465-0383 or (707) 464-7216www.co.del-norte.ca.us
El Dorado County
(530) 621-7480 or (800) 730-4322
www.edcgov.us/Elections
Fresno County (559) 600-8683www.fresnovote.com
Glenn County
(530) 934-6414
www.countyofglenn.net/dept/elections/
welcome
Humboldt County (707) 445-7481www.humboldtgov.org/890/Elections-Voter-Registration
Imperial County
(442) 265-1060 or (442) 265-1074
www.co.imperial.ca.us/regvoters
Inyo County (760) 878-0224http://elections.inyocounty.us/
Kern County
(661) 868-3590
www.kernvote.com
Kings County (559) 852-4401www.countyofkings.com
Lake County
(707) 263-2372
www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/
ROV.htm
Lassen County (530) 251-8217http://www.lassencounty.org/dept/county-clerk-recorder/elections
Los Angeles County
(800) 815-2666
www.lavote.net
Madera County
(559) 675-7720 or (800) 435-0509
www.votemadera.com
Marin County (415) 473-6456marinvotes.org
Mariposa County
(209) 966-2007
www.mariposacounty.org/87/Elections
Mendocino County (707) 234-6819www.mendocinocounty.org/government/assessor-county-clerk-recorder-elections/elections
Merced County
(209) 385-7541 or (800) 561-0619
www.mercedelections.org
Modoc County (530) 233-6205www.co.modoc.ca.us/departments/elections
Mono County
(760) 932-5537 or (760) 932-5530
monocounty.ca.gov/elections
Monterey County (831) 796-1499 or (866) 887-9274www.montereycountyelections.us/
Napa County
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TEXT OF PROPOSED LAW
13
PROPOSITION 13
This law proposed by Assembly Bill 48 of the
2019–20 Regular Session (Chapter 530,
Statutes of 2019) is submitted to the people in
accordance with the provisions of Article XVI of
the California Constitution.
This proposed law adds sections to the
Education Code; therefore, new provisions
proposed to be added are printed in italic type
to indicate that they are new.
PROPOSED LAW
SEC. 54. Part 71 (commencing with Section
101200) is added to Division 14 of Title 3 of
the Education Code, to read:
PART 71. THE PUBLIC PRESCHOOL,
K–12, AND COLLEGE HEALTH AND
SAFETY BOND ACT OF 2020
CHAPTER 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS
101200. This part shall be known, and may
be cited, as the Public Preschool, K–12, and
College Health and Safety Bond Act of 2020.
101201. The incorporation of, or reference to,
any provision of state statutory law in this part
includes all acts amendatory thereof and
supplementary thereto.
101202. Bonds in the total amount of ffteen
billion dollars ($15,000,000,000), not
including the amount of any refunding bonds
issued in accordance with Sections 101230,
101251, and 101339, may be issued and sold
for the purposes set forth in Sections 101220,
101242, 101310, and 101320. The bonds,
when sold, issued, and delivered, shall be and
constitute a valid and binding obligation of the
State of California, and the full faith and credit
of the State of California is hereby pledged for
the punctual payment of the principal of, and
interest on, the bonds as the principal and
interest become due and payable.
101203. It is the intent of the Legislature to
address the crisis of school facilities for all
California students attending public preschool,
K–12, community colleges, and universities to:
(a) Upgrade public school facilities for
earthquakes and other emergencies.
(b) Provide emergency funding to reopen
schools following major disasters, including
fres.
36 | Text of Proposed Law
(c) Remove mold, asbestos, and other
hazardous materials from classrooms and lead
from school drinking water.
(d) Repair and replace aging public school
buildings.
(e) Provide space for school nurses and
counselors to increase student access to health
care and mental health services.
(f) Modernize job, career, and vocational
training facilities, including for veterans
returning from duty.
(g) Require independent audits and public
hearings to provide accountability for taxpayer
dollars.
(h) Cap administrative costs at 5 percent.
101204. Not more than 5 percent of the
funds allocated pursuant to this part may be
used to support the costs to administer the
programs authorized by this act.
CHAPTER 2. PRESCHOOL-GRADE 12
Article 1. Preschool-Grade 12 School
Facilities Program Provisions
101210. The proceeds of bonds issued and
sold pursuant to this chapter, not including the
proceeds of any refunding bonds issued in
accordance with Section 101230, shall be
deposited in the 2020 State School Facilities
Fund established in the State Treasury under
Section 17070.415, and shall be allocated by
the State Allocation Board pursuant to this
chapter.
101211. All moneys deposited in the 2020
State School Facilities Fund for the purposes of
this chapter shall be available to provide aid to
school districts, county superintendents of
schools, and county boards of education of the
state in accordance with the Leroy F. Greene
School Facilities Act of 1998 (Chapter 12.5
(commencing with Section 17070.10) of
Part 10 of Division 1 of Title 1) to provide funds
to repay any money advanced or loaned to the
2020 State School Facilities Fund under any
act of the Legislature, together with interest
provided for in that act, and to reimburse the
General Obligation Bond Expense Revolving
Fund pursuant to Section 16724.5 of the
Government Code.
101212. The proceeds from the sale of bonds
issued and sold for the purposes of this chapter
TEXT OF PROPOSED LAW PROPOSITION 13 CONTINUED
shall be allocated in accordance with the
following schedule:
(a) (1) The amount of two billion eight hundred
million dollars ($2,800,000,000) for new
construction of school facilities of applicant
school districts pursuant to Chapter 12.5
(commencing with Section 17070.10) of Part
10 of Division 1 of Title 1.
(2) Of the amount allocated under this
subdivision, up to 10 percent shall be available
to small school districts pursuant to Article 11.5
(commencing with Section 17078.40) of
Chapter 12.5 of Part 10 of Division 1 of Title 1.
(3) Of the amount allocated in this subdivision,
up to the amount necessary to fund the list of
acknowledged applications due to a lack of
authority from general obligation bonds passed
before 2018 that support the new construction
of school facilities pursuant to the Leroy F.
Greene School Facilities Act (Chapter 12.5
(commencing with Section 17070.10) of
Part 10 of Division 1 of Title 1) shall be
available to support applications for the new
construction of school facilities submitted
pursuant to the Leroy F. Greene School Facilities
Act (Chapter 12.5 (commencing with Section
17070.10) of Part 10 of Division 1 of Title 1)
before February 29, 2020.
(b) (1) The amount of fve billion two hundred
million dollars ($5,200,000,000) for the
modernization of school facilities pursuant to
Chapter 12.5 (commencing with Section
17070.10) of Part 10 of Division 1 of Title 1.
(2) Of the amount allocated under this
subdivision, up to 10 percent shall be available
to small school districts pursuant to Article 11.5
(commencing with Section 17078.40) of
Chapter 12.5 of Part 10 of Division 1 of Title 1.
(3) Of the amount allocated in this subdivision,
up to the amount necessary to fund the list of
acknowledged applications due to a lack of
authority from general obligation bonds passed
before 2018 that support the modernization of
school facilities pursuant to the Leroy F. Greene
School Facilities Act (Chapter 12.5
(commencing with Section 17070.10) of
Part 10 of Division 1 of Title 1) shall be
available to support applications for the
modernization of school facilities submitted
pursuant to the Leroy F. Greene School Facilities
Act (Chapter 12.5 (commencing with Section
17070.10) of Part 10 of Division 1 of Title 1)
before February 29, 2020.
(4) Of the amount allocated under this
paragraph, up to one hundred ffty million
dollars ($150,000,000) shall be available to
address the remediation of lead in water
pursuant to Article 10.7 (commencing with
Section 17077.60) of Chapter 12.5 of Part 10
of Division 1 of Title 1.
13
(c) The amount of fve hundred million dollars
($500,000,000) shall be available for providing
school facilities to charter schools pursuant to
Article 12 (commencing with Section
17078.52) of Chapter 12.5 of Part 10 of
Division 1 of Title 1.
(d) The amount of fve hundred million dollars
($500,000,000) shall be available for facilities
for career technical education programs,
pursuant to Article 13 (commencing with
Section 17078.70) of Chapter 12.5 of Part 10
of Division 1 of Title 1.
Article 2. Preschool-Grade 12 School
Facilities Fiscal Provisions
101220. (a) Of the total amount of bonds
authorized to be issued and sold pursuant to
Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 101200),
bonds in the amount of nine billion dollars
($9,000,000,000), not including the amount of
any refunding bonds issued in accordance with
Section 101230, may be issued and sold to
provide a fund to be used for carrying out the
purposes expressed in this chapter and to
reimburse the General Obligation Bond Expense
Revolving Fund pursuant to Section 16724.5 of
the Government Code.
(b) Pursuant to this section, the Treasurer shall
sell the bonds authorized by the State School
Building Finance Committee established
pursuant to Section 15909 at any times
necessary to service expenditures required by
the apportionments.
101221. The State School Building Finance
Committee, established by Section 15909 and
composed of the Governor, the Controller, the
Treasurer, the Director of Finance, and the
Superintendent, or their designated
representatives, all of whom shall serve thereon
without compensation, and a majority of whom
shall constitute a quorum, is continued in
existence to act as the committee, as defned in
the State General Obligation Bond Law
Text of Proposed Law | 37
38 | Text of Proposed Law
TEXT OF PROPOSED LAW PROPOSITION 13 CONTINUED
13
(Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 16720)
of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the
Government Code), for purposes of this chapter.
The Treasurer shall serve as chairperson of the
committee. Two Members of the Senate
appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules,
and two Members of the Assembly appointed by
the Speaker of the Assembly, shall meet with
and provide advice to the committee to the
extent that the advisory participation is not
incompatible with their respective positions as
Members of the Legislature. For purposes of this chapter, the Members of the Legislature shall
constitute an interim investigating committee
on the subject of this chapter and, as that
committee, shall have the powers granted to,
and duties imposed upon, those committees by
the Joint Rules of the Senate and the Assembly.
The Director of Finance shall provide assistance
to the committee as it may require. The Attorney
General is the legal adviser of the committee.
101222. (a) The bonds authorized by this
chapter shall be prepared, executed, issued,
sold, paid, and redeemed as provided in the
State General Obligation Bond Law (Chapter 4
(commencing with Section 16720) of Part 3 of
Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code).
The provisions of that law, including all acts
amendatory thereof and supplementary thereto,
apply to those authorized bonds and this
chapter, and are hereby incorporated into this
chapter as though set forth in full within this
chapter, except that subdivisions (a) and (b) of
Section 16727 of the Government Code shall
not apply to the bonds authorized by this
chapter.
(b) For purposes of the State General Obligation
Bond Law, the State Allocation Board is
designated the “board” for purposes of
administering the 2020 State School Facilities
Fund.
101223. (a) Upon request of the State
Allocation Board, the State School Building
Finance Committee shall determine by
resolution whether or not it is necessary or desirable to issue bonds authorized pursuant to
this chapter in order to fund the related
apportionments and, if so, the amount of bonds
to be issued and sold. Successive issues of bonds may be authorized and sold to fund those
apportionments progressively, and it is not
necessary that all of the bonds authorized to be
issued be sold at any one time.
(b) A request of the State Allocation Board
pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be supported
by a statement of the apportionments made and
to be made for the purposes described in
Section 101212.
101224. There shall be collected each year,
in the same manner and at the same time as
other state revenue is collected and in addition
to the ordinary revenues of the state, a sum in
an amount required to pay the principal of, and
interest on, the bonds each year. It is the duty
of all offcers charged by law with any duty in
regard to the collection of the revenue to do and
perform each and every act that is necessary to
collect that additional sum.
101225. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of
the Government Code, there is hereby
appropriated from the General Fund in the State
Treasury, for the purposes of this chapter, an
amount that equals the total of the following:
(a) The sum annually necessary to pay the
principal of, and interest on, bonds issued and
sold pursuant to this chapter, as the principal
and interest become due and payable.
(b) The sum necessary to carry out Section
101228, appropriated without regard to fscal
years.
101226. The State Allocation Board may
request the Pooled Money Investment Board to
make a loan from the Pooled Money Investment
Account or any other approved form of interim
fnancing, in accordance with Section 16312 of
the Government Code, for the purpose of
carrying out this chapter. The amount of the
request shall not exceed the amount of the
unsold bonds that the committee, by resolution,
has authorized to be sold for the purpose of
carrying out this chapter excluding any
refunding bonds authorized pursuant to Section
101230, less any amount loaned and not yet
repaid pursuant to this section and withdrawn
from the General Fund pursuant to Section
101228 and not yet returned. The State
Allocation Board shall execute any documents
required by the Pooled Money Investment Board
to obtain and repay the loan. Any amounts
loaned shall be deposited in the 2020 State
School Facilities Fund to be allocated by the
State Allocation Board in accordance with this
chapter.
101227. Notwithstanding any other provision
of this chapter, or of the State General
TEXT OF PROPOSED LAW PROPOSITION 13 CONTINUED
13
Obligation Bond Law, if the Treasurer sells
bonds pursuant to this chapter that include a
bond counsel opinion to the effect that the
interest on the bonds is excluded from gross
income for federal tax purposes under
designated conditions or is otherwise entitled to
any federal tax advantage, the Treasurer may
maintain separate accounts for the investment of bond proceeds and for the investment
earnings on those proceeds. The Treasurer may
use or direct the use of those proceeds or
earnings to pay any rebate, penalty, or other payment required under federal law or take any
other action with respect to the investment and
use of those bond proceeds required or desirable
under federal law to maintain the tax-exempt
status of those bonds and to obtain any other
advantage under federal law on behalf of the
funds of this state.
101228. For purposes of carrying out this
chapter, the Director of Finance may authorize
the withdrawal from the General Fund of an
amount not to exceed the amount of the unsold
bonds, excluding any refunding bonds
authorized pursuant to Section 101230, less
any amount loaned and not yet repaid pursuant
to this section and withdrawn from the General
Fund pursuant to Section 101226 and not yet
returned, that have been authorized by the State
School Building Finance Committee to be sold
for the purpose of carrying out this chapter. Any
amounts withdrawn shall be deposited in the
2020 State School Facilities Fund and allocated
by the State Allocation Board in accordance
with this chapter. Any money made available
under this section shall be returned to the
General Fund, plus an amount equal to the
interest that the money would have earned in
the Pooled Money Investment Account, from
proceeds received from the sale of bonds for
purposes of carrying out this chapter.
101229. All moneys deposited in the 2020
State School Facilities Fund that are derived
from premium and accrued interest on bonds
sold pursuant to this chapter shall be reserved in the fund and shall be available for transfer to
the General Fund as a credit to expenditures for
bond interest, except those amounts derived
from premium may be reserved and used to pay
the cost of the bond issuance before any transfer
to the General Fund.
101230. The bonds issued and sold pursuant
to this chapter may be refunded in accordance
with Article 6 (commencing with Section
16780) of Chapter 4 of Part 3 of Division 4 of
Title 2 of the Government Code, which is a part
of the State General Obligation Bond Law.
Approval by the voters of the state for the
issuance of the bonds described in this chapter
includes the approval of the issuance of any
bonds issued to refund any bonds originally
issued under this chapter or any previously
issued refunding bonds. Any bond refunded
with the proceeds of refunding bonds as
authorized by this section may be legally
defeased to the extent permitted by law in the
manner and to the extent set forth in the
resolution, as amended from time to time,
authorizing that refunded bond.
101231. The proceeds from the sale of bonds
authorized by this chapter are not “proceeds of
taxes” as that term is used in Article XIII B of
the California Constitution, and the
disbursement of these proceeds is not subject
to the limitations imposed by that article.
CHAPTER 3. CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY
COLLEGE FACILITIES
Article 1. General Provisions
101240. (a) The 2020 California Community
College Capital Outlay Bond Fund is hereby
established in the State Treasury for deposit of
funds from the proceeds of bonds, not including
the proceeds of any refunding bonds issued in
accordance with Section 101251, issued and
sold for the purposes of this chapter.
(b) The Higher Education Facilities Finance
Committee established pursuant to Section
67353 is hereby continued in existence to act
as the committee, as defned in the State
General Obligation Bond Law (Chapter 4
(commencing with Section 16720) of Part 3 of
Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code),
for purposes of this chapter and to provide
funds to aid the California Community Colleges.
Article 2. California Community College
Program Provisions
101241. (a) From the proceeds of bonds
issued and sold pursuant to Article 3
(commencing with Section 101242), the sum
of two billion dollars ($2,000,000,000) shall
be deposited in the 2020 California Community
College Capital Outlay Bond Fund for purposes
of this chapter. When appropriated, these funds
Text of Proposed Law | 39
40 | Text of Proposed Law
TEXT OF PROPOSED LAW PROPOSITION 13 CONTINUED
13
shall be available for expenditure for purposes
of this chapter.
(b) The purposes of this chapter include
assisting in meeting the capital outlay fnancing
needs of the California Community Colleges.
(c) Proceeds from the sale of bonds issued and
sold for purposes of this chapter may be used to
fund construction on existing campuses,
including the construction of buildings and the
acquisition of related fxtures, construction of
intersegmental facilities, the renovation and
reconstruction of facilities, site acquisition, the
equipping of new, renovated, or reconstructed
facilities, which equipment shall have an
average useful life of 10 years, and to provide
funds for the payment of preconstruction costs,
including, but not limited to, preliminary plans
and working drawings for facilities of the
California Community Colleges.
(d) For purposes of this section,
“intersegmental” means may be used by more
than one segment of public higher education.
Article 3. California Community College
Fiscal Provisions
101242. (a) Of the total amount of bonds
authorized to be issued and sold pursuant to
Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 101200),
bonds in the total amount of two billion dollars
($2,000,000,000), not including the amount of
any refunding bonds issued in accordance with
Section 101251, may be issued and sold to
provide a fund to be used for carrying out the
purposes expressed in this chapter and to
reimburse the General Obligation Bond Expense
Revolving Fund pursuant to Section 16724.5 of
the Government Code.
(b) Pursuant to this section, the Treasurer shall
sell the bonds authorized by the Higher
Education Facilities Finance Committee
established pursuant to Section 67353 at any
different times necessary to service expenditures
required by the apportionments.
101243. (a) The bonds authorized by this
chapter shall be prepared, executed, issued,
sold, paid, and redeemed as provided in the
State General Obligation Bond Law (Chapter 4
(commencing with Section 16720) of Part 3 of
Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code).
The provisions of that law, including all acts
amendatory thereof and supplementary thereto,
apply to those authorized bonds and this
chapter, and are hereby incorporated into this
chapter as though set forth in full within this
chapter, except that subdivisions (a) and (b) of
Section 16727 of the Government Code shall
not apply to the bonds authorized by this
chapter.
(b) For purposes of the State General Obligation
Bond Law, each state agency administering an
appropriation of the 2020 Community College
Capital Outlay Bond Fund is designated as the
“board” for projects funded pursuant to this
chapter.
(c) The proceeds of the bonds issued and sold
pursuant to this chapter shall be available for
the purpose of funding aid to the California
Community Colleges for the construction on
existing or new campuses, and their respective
off-campus centers and joint use and
intersegmental facilities, as set forth in this
chapter.
101244. The Higher Education Facilities
Finance Committee established pursuant to
Section 67353 shall authorize the issuance of
bonds under this chapter only to the extent
necessary to fund the related apportionments
for the purposes described in this chapter that
are expressly authorized by the Legislature in
the annual Budget Act. Pursuant to that
legislative direction, the committee shall
determine by resolution whether or not it is
necessary or desirable to issue bonds authorized
pursuant to this chapter in order to carry out the
purposes described in this chapter and, if so,
the amount of bonds to be issued and sold.
Successive issues of bonds may be authorized
and sold to carry out those actions progressively,
and it is not necessary that all of the bonds
authorized to be issued be sold at any one time.
101245. There shall be collected each year
and in the same manner and at the same time
as other state revenue is collected, in addition
to the ordinary revenues of the state, a sum in
an amount required to pay the principal of, and
interest on, the bonds each year. It is the duty
of all offcers charged by law with any duty in
regard to the collection of the revenue to do and
perform each and every act that is necessary to
collect that additional sum.
101246. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of
the Government Code, there is hereby
appropriated from the General Fund in the State
Text of Proposed Law | 41
TEXT OF PROPOSED LAW PROPOSITION 13 CONTINUED
Treasury, for the purposes of this chapter, an
amount that equals the total of the following:
(a) The sum annually necessary to pay the
principal of, and interest on, bonds issued and
sold pursuant to this chapter, as the principal
and interest become due and payable.
(b) The sum necessary to carry out Section
101249, appropriated without regard to fscal
years.
101247. The board, as defned in subdivision
(b) of Section 101243, may request the Pooled
Money Investment Board to make a loan from
the Pooled Money Investment Account or any
other approved form of interim fnancing, in
accordance with Section 16312 of the
Government Code, for the purpose of carrying
out this chapter. The amount of the request
shall not exceed the amount of the unsold bonds
that the Higher Education Facilities Finance
Committee, by resolution, has authorized to be
sold for the purpose of carrying out this chapter
excluding any refunding bonds authorized
pursuant to Section 101251, less any amount
loaned and not yet repaid pursuant to this
section and withdrawn from the General Fund
pursuant to Section 101249 and not yet
returned. The board, as defned in subdivision
(b) of Section 101243, shall execute any
documents required by the Pooled Money
Investment Board to obtain and repay the loan.
Any amounts loaned shall be deposited in the
2020 California Community College Capital
Outlay Bond Fund to be allocated by the board
in accordance with this chapter.
101248. Notwithstanding any other provision
of this chapter, or of the State General
Obligation Bond Law, if the Treasurer sells
bonds pursuant to this chapter that include a
bond counsel opinion to the effect that the
interest on the bonds is excluded from gross
income for federal tax purposes under
designated conditions or is otherwise entitled to
any federal tax advantage, the Treasurer may
maintain separate accounts for the investment
of bond proceeds and for the investment
earnings on those proceeds. The Treasurer may
use or direct the use of those proceeds or
earnings to pay any rebate, penalty, or other
payment required under federal law or take any
other action with respect to the investment and
use of those bond proceeds required or desirable
under federal law to maintain the tax-exempt
status of those bonds and to obtain any other
advantage under federal law on behalf of the
funds of this state.
101249. (a) For purposes of carrying out this
chapter, the Director of Finance may authorize
the withdrawal from the General Fund of an
amount not to exceed the amount of the unsold
bonds, excluding any refunding bonds
authorized pursuant to Section 101251, less
any amount loaned and not yet repaid pursuant
to this section and withdrawn from the General
Fund pursuant to Section 101247 and not yet
returned, that have been authorized by the
Higher Education Facilities Finance Committee
to be sold for the purpose of carrying out this
chapter. Any amounts withdrawn shall be
deposited in the 2020 California Community
College Capital Outlay Bond Fund consistent
with this chapter. Any money made available
under this section shall be returned to the
General Fund, plus an amount equal to the
interest that the money would have earned in
the Pooled Money Investment Account, from
proceeds received from the sale of bonds for
purposes of carrying out this chapter.
(b) Any request forwarded to the Legislature
and the Department of Finance for funds from
this bond issue for expenditure for the purposes
described in this chapter by the California
Community Colleges shall be accompanied by
the fve-year capital outlay plan that refects the
needs and priorities of the community college
system and is prioritized on a statewide basis.
Requests shall include a schedule that
prioritizes the seismic retroftting needed to
signifcantly reduce, in the judgment of the
particular college, seismic hazards in buildings
identifed as high priority by the college.
101250. All moneys deposited in the 2020
California Community College Capital Outlay
Bond Fund that are derived from premium and
accrued interest on bonds sold pursuant to this
chapter shall be reserved in the fund and shall
be available for transfer to the General Fund as
a credit to expenditures for bond interest,
except those amounts derived from premium
may be reserved and used to pay the cost of the
bond issuance before any transfer to the General
Fund.
101251. The bonds issued and sold pursuant
to this chapter may be refunded in accordance
with Article 6 (commencing with Section
13
42 | Text of Proposed Law
TEXT OF PROPOSED LAW PROPOSITION 13 CONTINUED
13
16780) of Chapter 4 of Part 3 of Division 4 of
Title 2 of the Government Code, which is a part
of the State General Obligation Bond Law.
Approval by the voters of the state for the
issuance of the bonds described in this chapter
includes the approval of the issuance of any
bonds issued to refund any bonds originally
issued under this chapter or any previously
issued refunding bonds. Any bond refunded
with the proceeds of refunding bonds as
authorized by this section may be legally
defeased to the extent permitted by law in the
manner and to the extent set forth in the
resolution, as amended from time to time,
authorizing that refunded bond.
101252. The proceeds from the sale of bonds
authorized by this chapter are not “proceeds of
taxes” as that term is used in Article XIII B of
the California Constitution, and the
disbursement of these proceeds is not subject
to the limitations imposed by that article.
CHAPTER 4. UNIVERSITY FACILITIES
Article 1. General Provisions
101300. (a) The system of public universities
in this state includes the University of
California, the Hastings College of the Law, and
the California State University, and their
respective off-campus centers.
(b) The 2020 University Capital Outlay Bond
Fund is hereby established in the State Treasury
for deposit of funds from the proceeds of bonds,
not including the proceeds of any refunding
bonds issued in accordance with Section
101339, issued and sold for the purposes of
this chapter.
(c) (1) The Higher Education Facilities Finance
Committee established pursuant to Section
67353 is hereby continued in existence to act
as the committee, as defned in the State
General Obligation Bond Law (Chapter 4
(commencing with Section 16720) of Part 3 of
Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code),
for purposes of this chapter to provide funds to
aid the University of California, the Hastings
College of the Law, and the California State
University.
(2) The addition of the Hastings College of the
Law to this section clarifes the Legislature’s
intent regarding, and is not intended to mark a
change from, the funding authorizations made
by Section 67354, as set forth in the Higher
Education Facilities Bond Act of 1986, or by
Section 67334, as set forth in the Higher
Education Facilities Bond Act of 1988.
Article 2. Program Provisions Applicable
to the University of California and
the Hastings College of the Law
101310. (a) From the proceeds of bonds
issued and sold pursuant to Article 4
(commencing with Section 101330), the sum
of two billion dollars ($2,000,000,000) shall
be deposited in the 2020 University Capital
Outlay Bond Fund for purposes of this chapter.
When appropriated, these funds shall be
available for expenditure for purposes of this
chapter.
(b) The purposes of this chapter include
assisting in meeting the capital outlay fnancing
needs of the University of California and the
Hastings College of the Law.
(c) The proceeds of the bonds issued and sold
pursuant to this chapter shall be available for
any of the following:
(1) The construction, reconstruction, and
remodeling of existing or new facilities,
including the construction of buildings and the
acquisition of related fxtures.
(2) The equipping of new, renovated, or
reconstructed facilities.
(3) The payment of preconstruction costs,
including, but not necessarily limited to,
preliminary plans and working drawings.
(4) The renovation and reconstruction of
facilities.
(5) The construction or improvement of off-
campus and on-campus facilities of the
University of California approved by the Regents
of the University of California, including the
acquisition of sites upon which these facilities
are to be constructed.
Article 3. Program Provisions Applicable
to the California State University
101320. (a) From the proceeds of bonds
issued and sold pursuant to Article 4
(commencing with Section 101330), the sum
of two billion dollars ($2,000,000,000) shall
be deposited in the 2020 University Capital
Outlay Bond Fund for the purposes of this
chapter. When appropriated, these funds shall
be available for expenditure for the purposes of
this chapter.
TEXT OF PROPOSED LAW PROPOSITION 13 CONTINUED
(b) The purposes of this chapter include
assisting in meeting the capital outlay fnancing
needs of the California State University.
(c) The proceeds of the bonds issued and sold
pursuant to this chapter shall be available for
any of the following:
(1) The construction, reconstruction, and
remodeling of existing or new facilities,
including the construction of buildings and the
acquisition of related fxtures.
(2) The equipping of new, renovated, or
reconstructed facilities.
(3) The payment of preconstruction costs,
including, but not necessarily limited to,
preliminary plans and working drawings.
(4) The renovation and reconstruction of
facilities.
(5) The construction or improvement of
off-campus and on-campus facilities of the
California State University approved by the
Board of Trustees of the California State
University, including the acquisition of sites
upon which these facilities are to be
constructed.
Article 4. University Fiscal Provisions
101330. (a) Of the total amount of bonds
authorized to be issued and sold pursuant to
Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 101200),
bonds in the amount of four billion dollars
($4,000,000,000), not including the amount of
any refunding bonds issued in accordance with
Section 101339, may be issued and sold to
provide a fund to be used for carrying out the
purposes expressed in this chapter and to
reimburse the General Obligation Bond Expense
Revolving Fund pursuant to Section 16724.5 of
the Government Code.
(b) Pursuant to this section, the Treasurer shall
sell the bonds authorized by the Higher
Education Facilities Committee, established
pursuant to Section 67353, at any different
times necessary to service expenditures required
by the apportionments.
(c) (1) It is the intent of the Legislature that
the University of California and the California
State University annually consider the inclusion
of intersegmental facilities as part of those
entities’ annual capital outlay planning process
and that, on or before May 15th of each year,
those entities report their fndings to the budget
committees of each house of the Legislature.
(2) For purposes of this subdivision,
“intersegmental” means may be used by more
than one segment of public higher education.
13
101331. (a) The bonds authorized by this
chapter shall be prepared, executed, issued,
sold, paid, and redeemed as provided in the
State General Obligation Bond Law (Chapter 4
(commencing with Section 16720) of Part 3 of
Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code).
The provisions of that law, including all acts
amendatory thereof and supplementary thereto,
apply to those authorized bonds and this
chapter, and are hereby incorporated into this
chapter as though set forth in full within this
chapter, except that subdivisions (a) and (b) of
Section 16727 of the Government Code shall
not apply to the bonds authorized by this
chapter.
(b) For the purposes of the State General
Obligation Bond Law, each state agency
administering an appropriation of the 2020
University Capital Outlay Bond Fund is
designated as the “board” for projects funded
pursuant to this chapter.
(c) The proceeds of the bonds issued and sold
pursuant to this chapter shall be available for
the purpose of funding aid to the University of
California, the Hastings College of the Law, and
the California State University, for the
construction on existing or new campuses, and
their respective off-campus centers and joint
use and intersegmental facilities, as set forth in
this chapter.
101332. The Higher Education Facilities
Finance Committee established pursuant to
Section 67353 shall authorize the issuance of
bonds under this chapter only to the extent
necessary to fund the apportionments for the
purposes described in this chapter that are
expressly authorized by the Legislature in the
annual Budget Act. Pursuant to that legislative
direction, the committee shall determine
whether or not it is necessary or desirable to
issue bonds authorized pursuant to this chapter
in order to carry out the purposes described in
this chapter and, if so, the amount of bonds to
be issued and sold. Successive issues of bonds
may be authorized and sold to carry out those
actions progressively, and it is not necessary
Text of Proposed Law | 43
44 | Text of Proposed Law
TEXT OF PROPOSED LAW PROPOSITION 13 CONTINUED
13
that all of the bonds authorized to be issued be
sold at any one time.
101333. There shall be collected each year
and in the same manner and at the same time as other state revenue is collected, in addition
to the ordinary revenues of the state, a sum in
an amount required to pay the principal of, and
interest on, the bonds each year. It is the duty
of all offcers charged by law with any duty in
regard to the collection of the revenue to do and
perform each and every act which is necessary
to collect that additional sum.
101334. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of
the Government Code, there is hereby
appropriated from the General Fund in the State
Treasury, for the purposes of this chapter, an
amount that equals the total of the following:
(a) The sum annually necessary to pay the
principal of, and interest on, bonds issued and
sold pursuant to this chapter, as the principal
and interest become due and payable.
(b) The sum necessary to carry out
Section 101337, appropriated without regard to
fscal years.
101335. The board, as defned in subdivision
(b) of Section 101331, may request the Pooled
Money Investment Board to make a loan from
the Pooled Money Investment Account or any
other approved form of interim fnancing, in
accordance with Section 16312 of the Government Code, for the purpose of carrying
out this chapter. The amount of the request
shall not exceed the amount of the unsold bonds
that the Higher Education Facilities Finance
Committee, by resolution, has authorized to be
sold for the purpose of carrying out this chapter,
excluding any refunding bonds authorized
pursuant to Section 101339. The board, as
defned in subdivision (b) of Section 101331,
shall execute any documents required by the
Pooled Money Investment Board to obtain and
repay the loan. Any amounts loaned shall be
deposited in the 2020 University Capital Outlay Bond Fund to be allocated by the board in
accordance with this chapter.
101336. Notwithstanding any other provision
of this chapter, or of the State General
Obligation Bond Law, if the Treasurer sells
bonds pursuant to this chapter that include a
bond counsel opinion to the effect that the
interest on the bonds is excluded from gross
income for federal tax purposes under
designated conditions, or is otherwise entitled
to any federal tax advantage, the Treasurer may
maintain separate accounts for the investment
of bond proceeds and for the investment
earnings on those proceeds. The Treasurer may
use or direct the use of those proceeds or
earnings on those proceeds to pay any rebate,
penalty, or other payment required under federal
law or take any other action with respect to the
investment and use of those bond proceeds
required or desirable under federal law to
maintain the tax-exempt status of those bonds
and to obtain any other advantage under federal
law on behalf of the funds of this state.
101337. (a) For purposes of carrying out this
chapter, the Director of Finance may authorize
the withdrawal from the General Fund of an
amount not to exceed the amount of the unsold
bonds, excluding any refunding of bonds
authorized pursuant to Section 101339, that
have been authorized by the Higher Education
Facilities Finance Committee to be sold for the
purpose of carrying out this chapter. Any
amounts withdrawn shall be deposited in the
2020 University Capital Outlay Bond Fund
consistent with this chapter. Any money made
available under this section shall be returned to
the General Fund, plus an amount equal to the
interest that the money would have earned in
the Pooled Money Investment Account, from
proceeds received from the sale of bonds for
purposes of carrying out this chapter.
(b) Any request forwarded to the Legislature
and the Department of Finance for funds from
this bond issue for expenditure for the purposes
described in this chapter by the University of
California, the Hastings College of the Law, or
the California State University shall be
accompanied by both of the following:
(1) The fve-year capital outlay plan of the
particular university or college.
(2) A schedule of projects consistent with the
requirements of Section 89776, for the
California State University, or Section 92170,
for the University of California. The schedule of
projects shall include consideration of projects
that address critical fre and life safety issues,
projects that address seismic defciencies, and
projects that address critical deferred
maintenance issues.
101338. All moneys deposited in the 2020
University Capital Outlay Bond Fund that are
TEXT OF PROPOSED LAW PROPOSITION 13 CONTINUED
13
derived from premium and accrued interest on
bonds sold pursuant to this chapter shall be
reserved in the fund and shall be available for
transfer to the General Fund as a credit to
expenditures for bond interest, except those
amounts derived from premium may be reserved
and used to pay the costs of the bond issuance
before any transfer to the General Fund.
101339. The bonds issued and sold pursuant
to this chapter may be refunded in accordance
with Article 6 (commencing with Section
16780) of Chapter 4 of Part 3 of Division 4 of
Title 2 of the Government Code, which is a part
of the State General Obligation Bond Law.
Approval by the voters of the state for the
issuance of the bonds described in this chapter
includes the approval of the issuance of any
bonds issued to refund any bonds originally
issued under this chapter or any previously
issued refunding bonds. Any bond refunded
with the proceeds of refunding bonds as
authorized by this section may be legally
defeased to the extent permitted by law in the
manner and to the extent set forth in the
resolution, as amended from time to time,
authorizing that refunded bond.
101340. The proceeds from the sale of bonds
authorized by this chapter are not “proceeds of
taxes” as that term is used in Article XIII B of
the California Constitution, and the
disbursement of these proceeds is not subject
to the limitations imposed by that article.
CHAPTER 5. TRANSPARENCY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY PROVISIONS
101350. (a) (1) A governing board of a
school district, governing board of a community
college district, county superintendent of
schools, governing board of a charter school, the
Board of Trustees of the California State
University, the Regents of the University of
California, or the Board of Directors of the
Hastings College of Law shall ensure that an
independent performance audit of any project
funded in whole or in part from the proceeds of
a bond authorized by this part is conducted to
ensure that the use of the applicable funds has
been reviewed for expenditure consistent with
the requirements of all applicable laws.
(2) A performance audit conducted for any
project funded in whole or in part from the
proceeds of bonds authorized by this part and
required by any other law, including, but not
limited to, an audit conducted pursuant to
Section 41024, shall be deemed to satisfy the
requirement of paragraph (1).
(3) The result of any audit required by this
subdivision shall be posted on the internet
website of the applicable school district,
community college district, county offce of
education, charter school, the California State
University, the University of California, or the
Hastings College of the Law.
(b) (1) (A) Before approving a project, or
projects, seeking funds from this part, the
governing board of a school district, county
board of education, or governing body of a
charter school shall hold at least one public
hearing to solicit input from members of the
public regarding a project, or projects, being
proposed for submission.
(B) Before approving a request for the
consideration of a project, or projects, by the
Legislature that would be funded by the
proceeds of a bond authorized by this part, the
governing board of a community college district
shall hold at least one public hearing to solicit
input from members of the public regarding a
project, or projects, being requested for
consideration.
(2) The public hearing required pursuant to
paragraph (1) may:
(A) Occur at the same public hearing in which
the applicable governing board or body approves
the project, or projects, seeking funds from this
part.
(B) Be conducted as part of a regularly
scheduled and publicly noticed hearing of the
applicable governing board or body.
(3) (A) A school district, county offce of
education, charter school, or community college
district shall post information regarding a
project, or projects, seeking, or requesting,
funds from this part that have been approved by
the applicable governing board or body on its
public internet website.
(B) The project information refected on the
internet website pursuant to subparagraph (A)
shall include, but not be limited to, the location
of the project, or projects, estimated project
costs, and the estimated timeline for the
completion of the project, or projects.
(4) (A) A school district, county offce of
education, charter school, or community college
Text of Proposed Law | 45
13
TEXT OF PROPOSED LAW PROPOSITION 13 CONTINUED
district shall retain all fnancial accounts,
documents, and records necessary for the audit
required pursuant to subdivision (a).
(B) For purposes of this paragraph, a school
district, county offce of education, charter
school, or community college district may
maintain records electronically, in compliance
with any applicable state and federal laws.
(c) (1) Before approving a request for the
consideration of a project, or projects, by the
Legislature that would be funded by the
proceeds of a bond authorized by this part, the
Board of Trustees of the California State
University, the Regents of the University of
California, and the Board of Directors of the
Hastings College of the Law shall hold at least
one public hearing to solicit input from
members of the public regarding a project, or
projects, being requested for consideration.
(2) The public hearing required pursuant to
paragraph (1) may:
(A) Occur at the same public hearing in which
the governing entity approves the submission of
the applicable project, or projects.
(B) Be conducted as part of a regularly
scheduled and publicly noticed hearing of the
governing entity.
(3) (A) The California State University, the
University of California, and the Hastings
College of the Law shall post information
regarding a project, or projects, that have been
approved for submission by the applicable
governing body on their respective public
internet websites.
(B) The project information refected on the
internet website pursuant to subparagraph (A)
shall include, but not be limited to, the location
of the project, or projects, estimated project
costs, and the estimated timeline for the
completion of the project, or projects.
(4) (A) The California State University, the
University of California, and the Hastings
College of Law, or its applicable campuses, shall
retain all fnancial accounts, documents, and
records necessary for the audit required
pursuant to subdivision (a).
(B) For purposes of this paragraph, the
California State University, the University of
California, and the Hastings College of Law, or
its applicable campuses, may maintain records
electronically, in compliance with any applicable
state and federal laws.
46 | Text of Proposed Law
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OSP 19 148402