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California Prohibit Slavery and Involuntary Servitude Initiative (2022)
| California Prohibit Slavery and Involuntary Servitude Initiative | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 8, 2022 | |
| Topic Constitutional rights | |
| Status Not on the ballot | |
| Type Constitutional amendment | Origin Citizens |
The California Prohibit Slavery and Involuntary Servitude Initiative (#21-0003) was not on the ballot in California as an initiated constitutional amendment on November 8, 2022.
The ballot measure would have added language to the California Constitution stating that "slavery and involuntary servitude is prohibited."[1]
Text of the measure
Ballot title
The ballot title was as follows:[2]
| “ |
Prohibits Involuntary Servitude as a Punishment for Crime. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.[3] |
” |
Petition summary
The summary provided for inclusion on signature petition sheets was as follows:[2]
| “ |
Amends California Constitution to prohibit involuntary servitude in all instances, by removing the current exception that allows involuntary servitude to punish crime. For example, requiring inmates to work without pay would not be permitted.[3] |
” |
Fiscal impact
The fiscal impact statement was as follows:[2]
| “ |
Fiscal effects on state and local government could range from no effect to a significant increase in state and local costs, depending on how the measure is interpreted and implemented.[3] |
” |
Full text
The full text is available here.
Path to the ballot
Process in California
In California, the number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is equal to 8 percent of the votes cast in the preceding gubernatorial election. Petitions are allowed to circulate for 180 days from the date the attorney general prepares the petition language. Signatures need to be certified at least 131 days before the general election. As the verification process can take multiple months, the secretary of state provides suggested deadlines for ballot initiatives.
The requirements to get initiated constitutional amendments certified for the 2022 ballot:
- Signatures: 997,139 valid signatures were required.
- Deadline: The deadline for signature verification was 131 days before the general election, which was around June 30, 2022. However, the process of verifying signatures can take multiple months and proponents are recommended to file signatures at least two months before the verification deadline.
Signatures are first filed with local election officials, who determine the total number of signatures submitted. If the total number is equal to at least 100 percent of the required signatures, then local election officials perform a random check of signatures submitted in their counties. If the random sample estimates that more than 110 percent of the required number of signatures are valid, the initiative is eligible for the ballot. If the random sample estimates that between 95 and 110 percent of the required number of signatures are valid, a full check of signatures is done to determine the total number of valid signatures. If less than 95 percent are estimated to be valid, the initiative does not make the ballot.
Initiative #20-0003
Proponents filed the ballot initiative on April 20, 2021.[4] The Attorney General of California issued ballot language for the initiative on June 24, 2021, allowing a signature drive to begin. Signatures were due on December 21, 2021; no signatures were filed.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ California Attorney General, "Initiative 21-0003," April 20, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 California Secretary of State, "Initiatives and Referenda Cleared for Circulation," accessed May 11, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ California Attorney General, "Initiatives," accessed April 29, 2021
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State of California Sacramento (capital) |
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