California Initiative to Regulate the Timber Industry (2014)

Not on Ballot
This measure was not put on an election ballot

A California Initiative to Regulate the Timber Industry (#13-0001 and #13-0018) was approved for circulation in California as a contender for the November 4, 2014, ballot as an initiated state statute.

For Initiative #13-0001, sponsors did not submit any signatures to election officials by the deadline. Initiative #13-0018 failed to qualify .

If the initiative qualified for the ballot and was approved by the state's voters, it would have:

• Imposed a harvest tax on timber and other forest products at rate of 33% of profits on product from public lands and 8% of profits on product from private lands.
• Exempted other forest products harvested on Native American lands, and timber harvested from private lands solely for private noncommercial use.
• Established a department to collect and allocate the tax, and overseen timber harvesting and environmental protection and restoration.
• Transferred Department of Forestry and Fire Protection timber harvest oversight responsibilities to the new department.
• Prohibited use of new revenues by other state agencies or federal government.

Supporters of the measure referred to it as the "Statewide Voter Initiative to Reform and Regulate the Timber Industry in California."

Text of measure

Version 13-0018

Ballot title:

Tax to Fund Increased Oversight of Timber Industry. Initiative Statute.

Official summary:

"Replaces current timber tax with new harvest tax on timber and forest products at rate of 33% of profits on products from public lands and 2% of profits on products from private lands. Exempts certain harvests for fire prevention, for noncommercial use, and of non-timber products. Transfers Department of Forestry and Fire Protection timber harvest oversight responsibilities to new department, which collects and allocates the tax, conducts harvests on public lands, and oversees environmental protection, restoration, and fire mitigation measures. Bars use of tax revenues by other state agencies."

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.

"It is the opinion of the Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance that the measure would result in a substantial net change in state finances."

Version 13-0001

Ballot title:

Tax to Fund Increased Oversight of Timber Industry. Initiative Statute.

Official summary:

"Imposes harvest tax on timber and other forest products at rate of 33% of profits on product from public lands, 8% of profits on product from private lands. Exempts other forest products harvested on Native American lands, and timber harvested from private lands solely for private noncommercial use. Establishes department to collect and allocate tax, and oversee timber harvesting and environmental protection and restoration. Transfers Department of Forestry and Fire Protection timber harvest oversight responsibilities to new department. Prohibits use of new revenues by other state agencies or federal government."

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.

"It is the opinion of the Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance that the measure would result in a substantial net change in state finances."

Path to the ballot

See also: Signature requirements for ballot measures in California

• James D. Smith submitted a letter requesting a ballot title for Version #13-0001 on February 13, 2013.
• James D. Smith submitted a letter requesting a ballot title for Version #13-0018 on September 9, 2013.
• A ballot title and summary were issued by California's attorney general's office for Version #13-0001 on April 11, 2013.
• A ballot title and summary were issued by California's attorney general's office for Version #13-0018 on October 30, 2013.
• 504,760 valid signatures are required for qualification purposes.
• The 150-day circulation deadline for #13-0001 was September 10, 2013. However, no signatures were filed by this deadline.
• The 150-day circulation deadline for #13-0018 was April 1, 2014. However, no signatures were filed by this deadline.
• The measure failed to qualify for the ballot on April 14, 2014.

External links

Suggest a link

• Details on #13-0001
• Letter requesting a ballot title for Initiative 13-0018

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This article about a California ballot proposition is a sprout.