Bill Text: CA SB151 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Senate Bill 151 (Prior Session Legislation)

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: Elections.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-10-08 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 566, Statutes of 2019. [SB151 Detail]

Download: California-2019-SB151-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 151

Introduced by Senator Umberg

January 22, 2019

An act to amend Section 11320 of the Elections Code, relating to elections.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 151, as introduced, Umberg. Recall elections.

Existing law specifies the procedures for recall elections of state and local officers. Existing law specifies the information required to be included on ballots for recall elections and the format of that information.

This bill would authorize an officer in a voter-nominated office who is subject to a recall election to have the officer’s party preference identified on the ballot. The bill would specify the format and appearance of the statement of party preference. By increasing the duties of local officials relative to the information to be displayed on a recall election ballot, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 11320 of the Elections Code is amended to read:

11320.

The following shall appear on the ballots at every recall election, except in the case of a landowner voting district, with respect to each officer sought to be recalled:

(a) The question “Shall [name of officer sought to be recalled] be recalled (removed) from the office of [title of office]?”

(b) To the right of the foregoing question, the words “Yes” and “No” on separate lines with an enclosed voting space to the right of each.

(c) If the officer sought to be recalled holds a voter-nominated office, the officer may elect to have the officer’s party preference identified on the ballot. The statement of party preference shall appear immediately to the right of and on the same line as the officer’s name, or immediately below the officer’s name if there is not sufficient space to the right of the officer’s name, and shall appear in substantially the following form:
(1) If the officer stated a political party preference on the candidate’s declaration of candidacy pursuant to Section 8002.5, the statement shall read: “Party Preference:____” (inserting the name of the qualified political party stated on the declaration of candidacy).
(2) If the officer did not state a political party preference on the candidate’s declaration of candidacy pursuant to Section 8002.5, the statement shall read: “Party Preference: None.”

SEC. 2.

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.