California "Personhood Begins at Moment of Conception" Initiative (2012)

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A California "Personhood Begins at Moment of Conception" Initiative" (#11-0041) has been approved for circulation in California as an initiated constitutional amendment. To earn a spot on the state's 2012 ballot, sponsors of the initiative must collect 807,615 signatures.

If the initiative qualifies for the ballot and the state's voters approve it, it will:

• Defines 'person' as including "all living human beings from the beginning of their biological development as human organisms, for purposes of state constitutional protections of due process and equal protection."
• Eliminate state constitutional protections of due process and equal protection for non-biological entities, such as corporations.

Ballot language

See also: Ballot titles, summaries and fiscal statements for California's 2012 ballot propositions

Ballot title:

Constitutional Definition of a Person. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.

Official summary:

"Defines 'person' as including all living human beings from the beginning of their biological development as human organisms, for purposes of state constitutional protections of due process and equal protection. Eliminates state constitutional protections of due process and equal protection for non-biological entities, such as corporations."

Summary of estimated fiscal impact:

(This is a summary of the initiative's estimated "fiscal impact on state and local government" prepared by the California Legislative Analyst's Office and the Director of Finance.)

"Costs from the establishment of due process and equal protection rights for zygotes, embryos, and fetuses, potentially in the tens of millions of dollars annually."

Path to the ballot

• Walter B. Hoye, II submitted a letter requesting a ballot title on September 27, 2011.
• The ballot title and ballot summary were issued by the Attorney General of California's office on November 17, 2011.
• 807,615 valid signatures are required for qualification purposes.
• The 150-day circulation deadline for #11-0041 is April 16, 2012.
• However, to qualify for the November 6, 2012 ballot, signatures must be submitted earlier than the initiative's 150-day deadline, if the full-check verification method must be deployed. In that event, the signatures would have had to be turned in by March 2, 2012. For the random sampling method, signatures would have to be submitted by late April.

External links

• Letter requesting a ballot title for Initiative 11-0041

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