On September 27, California Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 1253. It makes several important changes to the statewide initiative process. It expands the period for collecting signatures from 150 days to 180 days. Until the bill was signed, California had the shortest period for collecting signatures for a statewide initiative of any state, except for Massachusetts and Oklahoma.

The measure permits sponsors of an initiative to withdraw their initiative, until 131 days before the election at which it was scheduled to be voted on. Sometimes when the legislature sees that an initiative has qualified, it then is motivated to pass a bill on the same subject. But under the old law, even if that happened and the proponents of the initiative were satisfied with the legislature’s action, they had no ability to withdraw the initiative. The bill makes it a crime for proponents to withdraw an initiative in return for payment.

The bill permits sponsors of the bill to amend their initiative during the first 30 days after it has been approved for circulation. The bill also provides for public hearings during that time, for interested persons to make suggestions.