Prop 14: Stem Cell Research Institute Bond Initiative of 2020
As of 2004, California is a leader in cutting-edge stem cell research. The purpose of Proposition 14 is to provide $5.5 billion in bond funding to develop treatments and cures for diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, lower respiratory diseases, kidney disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, spinal cord injuries, blindness, ALS, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia, depression, and autism. Out of this amount, $1.5 billion will be dedicated to addressing brain and central nervous systems conditions.
Increased funding to this area of science is meant to allow more people to participate in clinical trials and to increase accessibility and affordability of potential cures. This initiative would also create jobs for Californians. It also establishes community care centers for the purpose of clinical trials and ensures that these centers are properly geographically distributed to promote equitable access. Bond payments will not begin for a minimum of five years post-implementation. The funding schedule is “designed to create a positive tax revenue stream for the state of california during the first five calendar years following the voters’ approval of the initiative.”
Proposition 15 notes that commercial and industrial property tax is a principal source of funding for education and community development. Historically, California has under assessed the value of commercial and industrial properties, allowing for owners to avoid over $11 billion in local taxes each year. If implemented, this legislation would provide increased stable revenue for schools, cities, and counties. 11% of the revenue will be allocated to community colleges. The remaining 89% of the funds will be used for school districts, charter schools, and county offices of education. This ballot measure only applies to taxable commercial and industrial property. This means that residential property is exempt, homeowners and renters will not be affected, and there is no alteration to the taxation of agricultural land.
Proposition 16 states that, “The State shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting.” This clause originally applied to not only the “State,” but also the city, county, public university system (including the University of California), community college district, school district, special district, or other political subdivisions. Despite the changes made by repealing Proposition 209, state and federal measures in place will still guarantee equal protection and prohibit unlawful discrimination. The main goal and purpose of the ballot measure is to “allow diversity as a factor in public employment, education, and contracting decisions.”
Proposition 17 will amend Section 2 and Section 4 of Article II of the California Constitution. According to the language of the measure, individuals serving in a state or federal prison are disqualified from voting during their sentence. However, “their right to vote [is] restored upon the completion of their prison term.” Section 4 originally disqualified electors from voting while, “imprisoned or on parole.” If the measure passes, this section will be amended to allow individuals to vote while on parole but not while “serving a state or federal prison term” for a felony conviction. Essentially, this amendment would expand voting rights for former felons.
Proposition 18 part (a) refines the language to say that citizens who are 18 years of age and residents of the State may vote. A second part is also added to this article, allowing 17 year old State residents to vote in any primary or special elections as long as they will be 18 years of age by the time of the next general election.
Proposition 19 limits the potential for property tax increases on the primary residence of senior citizens, disabled people, and natural disaster victims. It also protects the right of individuals to pass their family homes on to their children or grandchildren while eliminating unfair tax loopholes used by wealthy individuals to avoid paying property taxes on secondary properties such as vacation homes and beach rental homes.
Section 2.2 dedicates the revenue towards fire protection and emergency response. It also establishes a California Fire response fund within the State Treasury. 20% of these funds go towards the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to fund fire suppression staffing. The remaining 80% of the funds go towards the Special District Fire Response Fund. Implementation of this proposition has the potential to increase local government revenue via property taxes.
Prop 20: Criminal Sentencing, Parole, and DNA Collection Initiative
The purpose of Proposition 20 is to restrict parole for non-violent offenders and authorize felony sentences for certain offenses that are currently treated as misdemeanors. If successful, the initiative will reform the parole system so that violent felons will not get early release, restore accountability via theft law reform, and expand DNA collection from convicts. Section 4 states that when inmates are released, specific demographic information and tracking details will be collected from them and entered into a database made available to law enforcement agencies. This section also clarifies what constitutes a violent felony offense and expands the definition.
Section 5 discusses the requirement that individuals arrested for felonies shall provide buccal swab samples, right thumbprints, and a full palm print impression of each hand, and any blood specimens or other biological samples required. While that standard is being maintained, the process of DNA collection will also be extended to individuals (excluding juveniles) who are convicted of or plead guilty to misdemeanors.
The following section defines shoplifting as entering a commercial establishment with the intent to steal retail property or merchandise where the value of the property taken does not exceed $950. Section 7 lists the following as offenses that may be punishable by imprisonment in county jail: repeated petty theft, shoplifting, grand theft, burglary, carjacking, robbery, crime against elders, unlawful driving/taking of vehicles, forgery, unlawful sale/use of an access card, unlawful forgery of access cards, and identity theft.
Prop 21: Local Rent Control Initiative
Proposition 21 introduces the “Rental Affordability Act.” Its purpose is to allow cities and counties within California to implement rent control policies as they see fit and in the process reduce the amount of evictions, displacement, and homelessness. Barring external provisions of law, this measure gives owners of residential property the right to establish rental rates provided that they satisfy requirements such as having a residential certificate of occupancy issued in the last fifteen years. Additionally, it states that if a tenant voluntarily vacates, abandons, or has been evicted, the owner may increase rent no more than 15 percent over a subsequent 3 year period.
Prop 22: App-Based Drivers as Contractors and Labor Policies Initiative
Proposition 22 notes that app-based independent contractors deserve economic security and healthcare coverage. Article 2 identifies app-based drivers as independent contractors. App-based driving networks do not set the shift times or lengths. There are no restrictions against individuals working for more than one app-based driving service and/or a non-driving job.
There is also an earning floor set to ensure that drivers are receiving fair compensation. Article 4 indicates that the networks will be required to provide quarterly healthcare subsidies to their independent contractors. Those who work 25 hours or more per week during the quarter will receive 100% of the average ACA contribution for the applicable monthly Covered California premium each month. Article 5 prohibits termination of contracts based on discriminatory factors such as race, sex, and gender. Independent contractors will be required to undergo safety training that involves topics such as driving safety, DUI, speeding, sexual assault, misconduct, and food safety for delivery drivers.
Since app-based driving is a cross-jurisdictional service, Section 7 gives the State responsibility for the following: compensation and gratuity, scheduling, healthcare, drivers licenses, and workers rights.
Prop 23: Dialysis Clinic Requirements Initiative
Proposition 23 requires that chronic dialysis clinics do not discriminate on the basis that a payer is an individual patient, private entity, insurer, Medi-Cal, Medicaid, or Medicare. Second, it mandates that all chronic dialysis clinics have one licensed physician present at all times to oversee patient treatment. In the case that the region has a shortage of licensed physicians able to assist, the department may make exceptions. To ensure transparency and accountability, each dialysis center must submit a quarterly report detailing information such as dialysis clinic health care associated infection data. The cost of implementing this act would likely be tens of millions of dollars per year. However, the measure explicitly states that California taxpayers should not be financially responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the act.
Prop 24: Consumer Personal Information Law and Agency Initiative
Proposition 24 would implement the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020. In 1972 the California Constitution was amended to include the right to privacy as an inalienable right. In 2018, the California Consumer Privacy Act was passed to allow California consumers the right to learn what information a business has collected about them, to delete their personal information, and to stop businesses from selling their information.
The initiative states that businesses that control the collection of a consumer’s personal information shall inform consumers of the categories of information being collected and whether it is being sold, if the business collects sensitive personal information, and the length and time the business intends to retain the information for. Prop 24 also requires that consumers have two or more ways to submit requests for information. Additionally it outlines specific rules for notifying, disclosing, correcting, or deleting information. Despite these privacy protections, there are exemptions for consumers’ requests to delete information if a law enforcement agency requires the information for an investigation
Prop 25: Replace Cash Bail with Risk Assessments Referendum
Proposition 25 would implement Senate bill 10 which aims to repeal cash bail and replace it with risk assessments. Article 1 allows for the preventive detention of pretrial defendants as long as the conditions comply with the existing state and federal Constitutions. It defines risk as, “the likelihood that a person will not appear in court as required or the likelihood that a person will commit a new crime if the person is released before adjudication of his or her current criminal offense.”
The initiative requires that Pretrial Assessment Services obtain the following information prior to the court date: results of the risk assessment, criminal charge for which the person was arrested, criminal history, and history of court appearances in the last 3 years. A person who has been assessed as having a low risk to public safety and a low risk of failing to appear in court will be released, “on his or her own recognizance, without review by the court.” Those with medium risk still have potential for release. Individuals assessed to have high risk will not be released from custody. The release status of the defendant can be altered at any time if new evidence comes to light about the origin of the crime being violent or associated with a threat of violence.
This proposition is likely to increase state and local costs for adopting the new release process. However, these costs may be offset by the decrease in county jail costs due to the decrease in the number of defendants in custody.
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