California Solar Family Farms Initiative (2024)
| California Solar Family Farms Initiative | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 5, 2024 | |
| Topic Energy and Environment | |
| Status Not on the ballot | |
| Type State statute | Origin Citizens |
The California Solar Family Farms Initiative (#23-0008) was not on the ballot in California as an initiated state statute on November 5, 2024.
The initiatives would have exempted solar family farms from being regulated as electrical corporations. The initiative would have defined solar family farms as "a photovoltaic array, sited on agricultural land no larger than 100 acres in size, with a service area no larger than allowed by this act."[1][2]
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title was as follows:[3]
| “ | Allows smaller solar farms to sell electricity without being regulated by the state as a public utility. Initiative statute.[4] | ” |
Petition summary
The summary provided for inclusion on signature petition sheets was as follows:[3]
| “ | Allows solar farms located on up to 100 acres of agricultural land to sell electricity within a two-mile radius service area without state regulation of utility safety or rates. Requires these solar farms to comply with safety and other county codes related to electric power systems. Prohibits these farms from using utility power lines without permission. Requires local utilities to provide electrical service on the same terms to existing customers who choose to receive electricity from these solar farms.[4] | ” |
Fiscal impact
The fiscal impact statement was as follows:[3]
| “ | Potential costs to state and local governments of an uncertain magnitude should safety issues such as fires arise at solar farms. Potential uncertain fiscal effects for local governments depending primarily on the degree to which additional inspections are needed.[4] | ” |
Full text
The full text of the initiative can be read here.
Path to the ballot
The state process
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 2024 ballot:
- Signatures: 546,651 were required.
- Deadline: The deadline for signature verification was 131 days before the general election, which was around June 27, 2024. 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.
Details about this initiative
- The initiatives were filed on July 3, 2023, by Jonathan D. Greenberg and Anthony S. Wexler.[2]
- The initiative was cleared for circulation on September 6, 2023.[2]
- Proponents of the initiative did not submit a sufficient number of signatures by the circulation deadline of March 4, 2024.[2]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ California Attorney General's Office, "Full text," accessed July 5, 2023
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 California Secretary of State's Office, "List of petitions," accessed May 12, 2023
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 California Secretary of State, "Initiatives and Referenda Cleared for Circulation," accessed October 20, 2021
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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