September 9, 2009
Where Do We Sign?
Changes California Law to Legalize, Regulate, and Tax Marijuana. Initiative Statute.
SACRAMENTO — September 9, 2009 — Secretary of State Debra Bowen today announced that the proponents of a new initiative may begin collecting petition signatures for their measure.
The Attorney General prepares the legal title and summary that is required to appear on initiative petitions. When the official language is complete, the Attorney General forwards it to the proponents and to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State then provides calendar deadlines to the proponents and to county elections officials, and the initiative may be circulated for signatures. The Attorney General’s official title and summary for the measure is as follows:
CHANGES CALIFORNIA LAW TO LEGALIZE, REGULATE, AND TAX MARIJUANA. INITIATIVE STATUTE. Repeals state laws that make it a crime for people 21 years old or older to use, possess, sell, cultivate, or transport marijuana or industrial hemp, except laws that make it a crime to drive while impaired or to contribute to the delinquency of a minor. Expunges state convictions based on the repealed marijuana-related laws. Requires state and local governments to regulate and tax commercial production and sale of marijuana. Requires taxes to be spent on education, healthcare, environmental programs, public works, and state parks. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Savings in the several tens of millions of dollars annually to state and local governments on the costs of incarcerating and supervising certain marijuana offenders. Unknown but potentially major new excise, income, and sales tax revenues related to the production and sale of marijuana products. (09-0022.)
The Secretary of State’s tracking number for this measure is 1374 and the Attorney General’s tracking number is 09-0022.
The proponents for this measure, Joe Rogoway, Omar Figueroa and James J. Clark, must collect signatures of 433,971 registered voters — the number equal to 5% of the total votes cast for governor in the 2006 gubernatorial election — in order to qualify it for the ballot. The proponents have 150 days to circulate petitions for this measure, meaning the signatures must be collected by February 5, 2010.
The initiative proponents can be reached at (415) 946-5591.
Tweet This Post! 
Filed Under: California, Election 2010, Marijuana, Press Releases
