California "Devolution" Panel Initiative (2016)

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This measure was not put on an election ballot

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The California Devolution Panel Initiative (#15-0006) did not make the November 8, 2016 ballot, as an initiated state statute.

Introduction

The measure would have established the "New Hope for California Panel." The panel would have been tasked with investigating the effects of devolution on California and the collective United States. "Devolution" would have been defined as "the legal transfer of authority or jurisdiction from the United States federal government to the California state government." The panel would have called upon expert testimony, held public hearings, produced a publication of relevant findings twelve months from the first state the panel convenes or July 1, 2018, which ever is later, and produced publications annually thereafter.

The New Hope for California Panel would have had 12 members, including the California Lieutenant Governor, the Director of the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, the California Legislative Council, two additional members from the California Office of Legislative Council and eight additional expert panelists who aren't serving in government. The measure would have provided for legal defense.

Text of measure

Ballot title:

Advisory Group to Consider California’s Autonomy from the United States. Initiative Statute.

Official summary:

"Creates state panel of government officials and private experts to explore establishing California’s autonomy from the United States. Requires the panel to hold public hearings and take expert testimony, investigate impacts from California’s statehood, determine impact of establishing autonomy, submit a monthly report on its activities to the Legislature, and prepare an annual report of its findings."

Fiscal impact statement:

Note: The fiscal impact statement for a California ballot initiative authorized for circulation is jointly prepared by the state's legislative analyst and its director of finance.

"Likely state costs of at least hundreds of thousands of dollars annually."

Background

Devolution

The panel would have explored the possibility of devolution, reminiscent of Scotland. Devolution is, according to the BBC, "a process designed to decentralise government and give more powers," in the case of the United Kingdom, "to the three nations which, together with England, make up the UK."

In September 2014, Scots voted on sovereign independence from the United Kingdom, but pro-independence forces came up about ten percentage points short. UK Prime Minister David Cameron (Conservative), in an attempt to encourage voters to reject independence, offered Scotland "maximum devolution," a term explicitly referenced in Sovereign California's initiative. Essentially, "maximum devolution" implies that Scotland would receive most government powers, except over foreign affairs and defense.

Sovereign California's initiative defined "devolution" as "the legal transfer of authority or jurisdiction from the United States federal government to the California state government."

Support

Sovereign California fronted the campaign in support of the Devolution Panel Initiative. The organization also supported the Resident Deportation Ban Initiative. Sovereign California also planned to propose multiple ballot initiatives “seeking to redefine the relationship between the United States and the California Republic.” In addition to ballot initiatives, Sovereign California planned to seek to qualify a new political party, the California National Party.

Arguments

Sovereign California's "findings and declarations concerning California" section of the initiative stated:

“

(a) California's Gross State Product is comparable to the Gross Domestic Products of Russia and Brazil, and our economy is on track to overtake Brazil's as the world's seventh largest; (b) California is a major oil producer, comparable to Malaysia, and has over 2,900 million barrels of crude oil in reserves and 17 oil refineries with a capacity of 1.96 million barrels per calendar day. (c) California is a major global exporter comparable to Indonesia and is home to two ofthe top fifty major global seaports - Los Angeles, ranking 16th and Long Beach, ranking 23rd; (d) California is on average more linked to the global economy than the rest ofthe United States and about 150% more dependent on international trade; (e) California remains the top destination of foreign investment in the world while foreign investment in the United States has continued to fall over the past decade; (f) Californians are more likely to be involved in international trade than American citizens. (g) California's population is the most diverse population in the United States and its size of over 38 million is comparable to the population of Poland. (h) California's population is isolated from the vast majority ofthe American population, resulting in different social needs and unique public and economic policy preferences. (i) California has a high concentration of college graduates, comparable to the United Kingdom, and more Californians have college degrees than the national average; G) California's life expectancy is comparable to life expectancy in the United Kingdom; California's Human Development Index score is among the best in the world, comparable to Sweden. Human Development Index is a snapshot measuring wealth, health and education.

”

Sovereign California's "findings and declarations concerning the Federal Government ofthe United States" section of the initiative stated:

“

(a) The Bureau of Land Management, the United States Forest Service, the Fish & Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service collectively own nearly half of the territory within California, restrict our access to these lands and unjustly deprive us ofthe natural resources that exist upon them; (b) The National Park Service has denied us access to forests which rightfully belong to the People of California. They are responsible for the mismanagement of these forests, resulting in millions of dollars in damage to California homes caused by otherwise preventable forest fires, and millions of dollars to the California state government; (c) The Environmental Protection Agency has issued regulations denying us access to water resources which rightfully belong to the People of California. There has been no reprieve even during periods ofsevere drought, causing a man-made dustbowl in our once lush Central Valley. Federal Courts have upheld these regulations, and the Supreme Court has refused to intervene; (d) The United States Government has for decades levied income taxes on the People of California which have been appropriated for the development of infrastructure in other states while infrastructure in California is consistently ranked among the worst in the Nation; (e) The United States Government has denied the People of California an equal voice in government. Of all the states in the Union, California has the lowest number of representatives in Congress per million citizens. As a result, the People of California have less access to their elected representatives than the people of any other state. Meanwhile, California ranks 50th in Electoral College voting power, with the most diluted vote for president in the Nation; (f) The National Security Agency and the Drug Enforcement Agency have engaged in illegal mass surveillance and warrantless wiretapping ofthe People of California; (g) The United States has repeatedly pursued a foreign policy in conflict with California's interest, hurting our reputation globally. These foreign policies have disproportionately hurt the People of California since our economy is more linked to the international economy than any other state.

”

Donors

One ballot measure campaign committee registered in support of the measure as of November 20, 2014:

Committee	Amount raised	Amount spent
Sovereign California	$0	$0
Total	$0	$0

Path to the ballot

See also: California signature requirements

• Louis J. Marinelli submitted a letter requesting a title and summary on February 20, 2015.
• A title and summary were issued by California's attorney general's office by April 28, 2015.
• 365,880 valid signatures were required for qualification purposes.
• Supporters had until October 26, 2015, to collect the signatures, but the measure failed on November 6, 2015.

See also

Suggest a link

• 2016 ballot measures
• California 2016 ballot propositions

External links

• Sovereign California
• Sovereign California Facebook
• Sovereign California Twitter

Additional reading

• Santa Monica Mirror, "Next Up: A Semi-Sovereign California Movement?" November 29, 2014

Footnotes

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