California Proposition 7, State Government Continuity in Wartime Amendment (1958)

California Proposition 7
Election date November 4, 1958
Topic Government continuity policy
Status Approved
Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature

California Proposition 7 was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in California on November 4, 1958. It was approved.

A “yes” vote supported this constitutional amendment to: authorize the Legislature to enact laws ensuring the continuity of state and local government operations during or after a war-caused or enemy-caused disaster; provide for the filling of vacancies in the Legislature or the governor's office if at least one-fifth of the members or the governor are killed, missing, or unable to perform their duties due to such a disaster; permit the Legislature to convene in general or extraordinary sessions during or after a disaster and specify the subjects to be considered; and permit the Legislature to select a temporary state capital and temporary county seats if made necessary by enemy attack, among other changes.

A “no” vote opposed this constitutional amendment to give the Legislature authority to maintain government operations and fill vacancies during or after a war-caused or enemy-caused disaster, including relocating the state capital if necessary.

Election results

California Proposition 7
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		3,247,586	78.26%
No		902,328	21.74%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Proposition 7 was as follows:

“

Government Functions: Wartime Disaster. Assembly Constitutional Amendment No. 5.

”

Ballot summary

The ballot summary for this measure was:

“

Adds enabling provision to Constitution authorizing Legislature to adopt wartime disaster laws, providing for filling offices of legislators or governor in case of death or disabling injury of one-fifth of legislators or incumbent governor; for convening of general or extraordinary legislative sessions; for elections to fill vacant or temporarily-occupied offices, and for temporary location of state capital and county seats. Modifies existing constitutional provision regarding succession to governorship.

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the California Constitution

A two-thirds vote was needed in each chamber of the California State Legislature to refer the constitutional amendment to the ballot for voter consideration.

See also

1958 Measures

• 1958 Measures
• Government continuity policy on the ballot
• 1958 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 1958)