California 1978 ballot propositions

1979 →

← 1976

In 1978, voters decided on 21 statewide ballot measures in California. On June 6, voters decided on 13. On November 7, voters decided on eight.

• One was an initiated constitutional amendment.
• Three were initiated state statutes.
• 13 were legislatively referred constitutional amendments.
• One was a legislatively referred state statute.
• Three were bond issues.
• Voters approved 12 (57.14%) and rejected nine (42.86%).

On the ballot

June 6, 1978

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	Proposition 10	Allow the Legislature to exempt from property taxes the value of improvements made to qualified rehabilitated residential buildings		2,306,938 (43%)	3,080,947 (57%)
LRCA	Proposition 11	Prohibit a new county or other political subdivision from taxing property owned by the county that the land used to be a part of		2,299,581 (44%)	2,962,838 (56%)
LRCA	Proposition 12	Establish a commission to set the salary, retirement, insurance, and other benefits of constitutional officers, legislators, and judges		2,009,835 (38%)	3,270,577 (62%)
CICA	Proposition 13	Require that properties be taxed at no more than 1% of their full cash value and limit annual increases of assessed value to the inflation rate or 2%.	a	4,280,689 (65%)	2,326,167 (35%)
BI	Proposition 1	Issue $350 million in bonds for the construction or improvement of public school buildings		2,047,496 (35%)	3,809,609 (65%)
BI	Proposition 2	Issue $375 million in bonds for water pollution control and water conservation projects	a	3,111,505 (53%)	2,706,544 (47%)
LRCA	Proposition 3	Allow the Legislature to exempt property that is used for alternative energy systems from taxation		2,510,658 (45%)	3,046,041 (55%)
LRCA	Proposition 4	Require that all voters living in a school district governed by the city board of education be allowed to vote on charter changes regarding board of education members	a	2,778,474 (52%)	2,565,319 (48%)
LRCA	Proposition 5	Prohibit any agency from declaring a state law unconstitutional and refusing to enforce a state law	a	2,784,847 (54%)	2,329,365 (46%)
LRCA	Proposition 6	Require county sheriffs to be elected offices in all counties	a	3,276,230 (61%)	2,109,533 (39%)
LRCA	Proposition 7	Allow two or more local government bodies to join in insurance pools to provide payment for losses	a	2,780,013 (54%)	2,414,946 (46%)
LRCA	Proposition 8	Allow local governments to tax owner-occupied dwellings at a lower tax rate than all other types of property		2,972,424 (47%)	3,345,622 (53%)
LRCA	Proposition 9	Allow the Legislature to set interest rates on court judgments at up to 10%	a	2,696,517 (51%)	2,568,989 (49%)

November 7, 1978

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
BI	Proposition 1	Issue $500 million in bonds for veterans home and farm loan program.	a	3,878,181 (62%)	2,347,861 (38%)
LRCA	Proposition 2	Remove power of the PUC to appoint a commissioner to hold hearings or investigations.		2,157,725 (38%)	3,478,996 (62%)
LRCA	Proposition 3	Allow lands purchased with transportation funds to be sold to conservation, parks, and fish and game agencies.	a	3,230,184 (55%)	2,628,527 (45%)
LRSS	Proposition 4	Expand the number of agencies that can accredit chiropractic schools.	a	4,429,405 (75%)	1,475,263 (25%)
CISS	Proposition 5	Prohibit smoking in enclosed public places.		3,125,148 (46%)	3,721,682 (54%)
CISS	Proposition 6	Require schools to fire lesbian and gay teachers if a if school board determines them unfit for service.		2,823,293 (42%)	3,969,120 (58%)
CISS	Proposition 7	Expand the use of death penalty and life imprisonment for murders.	a	4,480,275 (71%)	1,818,357 (29%)
LRCA	Proposition 8	Establish that property reconstructed after a disaster shall not be considered "newly constructed" for taxation purposes.	a	4,698,244 (78%)	1,287,241 (22%)

See also

• Laws governing the initiative process in California
• List of California ballot measures
• 1978 ballot measures

External links

• California Voter Guide (June 1978)
• California Voter Guide (November 1978)