California Proposition 65, Environmental Health and Chemical Regulations and Warning Requirements Initiative (1986)

California Proposition 65
Election date November 4, 1986
Topic Business regulations and Pollution, waste, and recycling policy
Status Approved
Type Initiated state statute	Origin Citizens

California Proposition 65 was on the ballot as an initiated state statute in California on November 4, 1986. It was approved.

A “yes” vote supported adopting new environmental health regulations, including: prohibiting businesses from knowingly releasing cancer-causing chemicals or certain amounts of substances linked to reproductive harm into sources of drinking water; requiring businesses to warn people before knowingly exposing them to such chemicals; requiring the state to publish lists of substances known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity; and allowing governments or individuals to sue businesses that violate the rules.

A “no” vote opposed adopting new environmental health regulations related to chemical discharges, public warnings, and enforcement through lawsuits.

Election results

California Proposition 65
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		4,400,471	62.57%
No		2,632,617	37.43%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Proposition 65 was as follows:

“

Restrictions On Toxic Discharges Into Drinking Water; Requirement Of Notice Of Persons' Exposure To Toxics. Initiative Statute

”

Ballot summary

The ballot summary for this measure was:

“

Provides persons doing business shall neither expose individuals to chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity without first giving clear and reasonable warning. nor discharge such chemicals into drinking water. Allows exceptions. Requires Governor publish lists of such chemicals. Authorizes Attorney General and, under specified conditions, district or city attorneys and other persons to seek injunctions and civil penalties. Requires designated government employees obtaining information of illegal discharge of hazardous waste disclose this information to local board of supervisors and health officer. Summary of Legislative Analyst's estimate of net state and local government fiscal impact: Costs of enforcement of the measure by state and local agencies are estimated at $500,000 in 1987 and thereafter would depend on many factors, but could exceed $1,000,000 annually. These costs would be partially offset by fines collected under the measure.

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Path to the ballot

See also: Signature requirements for ballot measures in California

In California, the number of signatures required for an initiated state statute is equal to 5 percent. For initiated statutes filed in 1986, at least 393,835 valid signatures were required.

See also

1986 Measures

• 1986 Measures
• Business regulations on the ballot
• Pollution on the ballot
• waste on the ballot
• and recycling policy on the ballot
• 1986 legislative sessions

California

• California ballot measures
• California ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• California Voter Guide (November 1986)