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California Tribal Sports Betting Initiative (2024)
| California Tribal Sports Betting Initiative | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 5, 2024 | |
| Topic Gambling | |
| Status Not on the ballot | |
| Type Constitutional amendment | Origin Citizens |
The California California Tribal Sports Betting Initiative (#23-0031) was not on the ballot in California as an initiated constitutional amendment on November 5, 2024.
The initiatives would have legalized sports betting for adults 21 years of age on professional, collegiate, and amateur sporting or athletic events. It also would have prohibited it on sporting events involving animals other than horses, and all amateur sports involving minors. It would have also only authorized federally recognized Indian tribes to operate in-person or online sports betting.[1][2]
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title would have been as follows:[3]
| “ | Allows for legalization of online and in-person sports wagering. Initiative constitutional amendment.[4] | ” |
Petition summary
The summary provided for inclusion on signature petition sheets was as follows:[3]
| “ | Amends California Constitution to authorize the Legislature or the voters by initiative to legalize online and in-person sports wagering, which currently is prohibited, if offered by federally recognized Indian tribes. Authorizes the Legislature to approve gaming compacts with tribes choosing to offer sports wagering. Such compacts must:
|
” |
Fiscal impact
The fiscal impact statement was as follows:[3]
| “ | No immediate fiscal effects on the state and local governments as the Legislature would be allowed—but not required—to authorize sports wagering. If the Legislature authorizes sports wagering, uncertain increase in state and local government costs and revenues depending on various factors including the specific regulatory and other requirements adopted. Federal courts have generally limited tribal payments to state and local governments to the amount necessary to cover their regulation and other costs related to gaming activities.[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 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 2024 ballot:
- Signatures: 874,641 valid signatures 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 initiative was filed on October 27, 2023, by Ryan Tyler Walz.[2]
- The initiative was cleared for circulation on January 2, 2024.[2]
- The initiative did not submit a sufficient number of signatures by the circulation deadline of July 1, 2024.[2]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ California Attorney General's Office, "Full text," accessed October 31, 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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