California Psilocybin Legalization Initiative (2022)
| California Psilocybin Legalization Initiative | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 8, 2022 | |
| Topic Drug crime policy | |
| Status Not on the ballot | |
| Type State statute | Origin Citizens |
The California Psilocybin Legalization Initiative (#21-0005) was not on the ballot in California as an initiated state statute on November 8, 2022.
The ballot measure would have legalized psilocybin, including psilocybin mushrooms, truffles, sclerotia, and mycelium, in California.[1]
Text of the measure
Ballot title
The ballot title would have been as follows:[2]
| “ |
Decriminalizes Psilocybin Mushrooms. Initiative Statute.[3] |
” |
Petition summary
The summary provided for inclusion on signature petition sheets was as follows:[2]
| “ |
For individuals 21 and over, decriminalizes under state law the cultivation, manufacture, processing, distribution, transportation, possession, storage, consumption, and retail sale of psilocybin mushrooms, the hallucinogenic chemical compounds contained in them, and edible products and extracts derived from psilocybin mushrooms. Authorizes research and use of psilocybin mushrooms for treatment by qualified healthcare practitioners. Requires an “independent professional certifying body” to establish qualifications for healthcare practitioners who provide psilocybin mushroom-assisted therapy and to create protocols for such therapy. Requires state agencies to adopt and implement these qualification requirements and protocols.[3] |
” |
Fiscal impact
The fiscal impact statement would have been as follows:[2]
| “ |
Reduced costs, not likely to exceed a few million dollars annually, to state and local governments related to enforcing psilocybin-related offenses, handling the related criminal cases in the court system, and incarcerating and supervising psilocybin offenders. Annual state costs to regulate psilocybin businesses and treatment providers, ranging from minimal to the tens of millions of dollars. These costs could eventually be partially or fully offset by fee revenue. Potential increase in state and local tax revenues, not likely to exceed a few million dollars annually.[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 state statute is equal to 5 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 state statutes certified for the 2022 ballot:
- Signatures: 623,212 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 #20-0005
Ryan Munevar filed the ballot initiative on July 12, 2021.[4] The Attorney General of California issued ballot language for the initiative on September 16, 2021, allowing a signature drive to begin. Signatures were due on March 15, 2022. The campaign did not sumbit the required number of signatures by the deadline.[2]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ California Attorney General, "Initiative 21-0005," July 12, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 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 July 17, 2021
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