California Propositions: What Affects You
November 15, 2016
In California, 11 new propositions have passed out of 16 total, legalizing recreational marijuana, reforming the death penalty and changing criminal sentencing, among other laws.
Senate race – 62.6% Kamala Harris, 37.4% Loretta Sanchez
Senator Barbara Boxer is retiring, and State Attorney-General Harris will now hold the second seat. This is the first statewide race where the top two candidates from the primary moved on. Herbert Gooch, political science professor at California Lutheran University said, although Sanchez did not win, she is likely “shaping up for 2018.”
Proposition 51
Grants bonds to fund construction in K-12 schools and colleges
$9 billion will be issued in bonds for new construction and renovations in
public schools at an estimated total cost of $17.6 billion because of interest.
PASSED 54% 46%
Proposition 52
Medi-Cal hospital fees
Private hospital fees used to fund Medi-Cal, uninsured patients and child
health care are extended indefinitely.
PASSED 70% 30%
Proposition 53
Revenue on bonds
This bill would have required voter approval of any revenue bonds issued
or sold by the state over $2 billion.
FAILED 54% 46%
Proposition 54
On legislative procedures
State legislative bills and changes to them will now have to be released 72 hours before voting occurs. State leg-
islature meetings will also be recorded and published online.
PASSED 64% 36%
Proposition 55
Tax extensions
The 2012 tax increases on individ- uals making over $250,000 are now
extended for twelve years.
PASSED 62% 38%
Proposition 56
Raising cigarette tax to $2 per pack
The California Voter Guide said this bill is expected to raise $1 billion to $1.4
billion, to be primarily spent on health care for low-income individuals.
PASSED 63% 37%
Proposition 57
On criminal sentences and juvenile crime proceedings
Judges will now be able to deter- mine if a minor is to be tried as an adult. Nonviolent offenders will be
able to receive earlier parole.
PASSED 64% 36%
Proposition 58
English proficiency and multilingual education
Public schools will be required to ensure English acquisition and will have
the freedom to choose what programs they will use.
PASSED 73% 27%
Proposition 59
Overturn of Citizens United Act Advisory Question
Asks representatives to pass a constitutional amendment overturning
ruling with certain limits on political spending by corporations and unions.
PASSED 52% 48%
Proposition 60
Requires adult film actors to wear condoms
This would have required actors to wear condoms and would have required
producers to pay for vaccines, medical testing and examinations.
FAILED 54% 46%
Proposition 61
California Drug Price Relief Act
This would have prohibited states from buying prescription medications at any price higher than what Veterans
Affairs pays.
FAILED 54% 46%
Proposition 62
Repeals the death penalty
Life without parole would have become the highest sentence. Because
Proposition 62 received less votes, Proposition 66 reforming capital pun- ishment passed.
FAILED 54% 46%
Proposition 63
Firearms and ammunition
This bill requires background checks for buying ammunition and prohibits
possession of large-capacity magazines.
PASSED 63% 37%
Proposition 64
Legalization of marijuana
Allows the use, sale and consumption of recreational marijuana for adults over
age 21. The drug will now be treated in the same manner as alcohol in criminal proce- dures with a 15 percent tax.
PASSED 56% 44%
Proposition 65
Charge for carry out bags
Money collected in grocery stores through the sale of bags would have
been redirected to environmental proj- ects. Proposition 66 issuing a ban on single-use plastic bags received more
FAILED votes. 55% 45%
Proposition 67
Ban on single-use plastic bags and drops the price of reusable bags
Stores will no longer be permitted to provide single-use plastic bags, and
customers will now have to pay 10 cents for any carry-out bag.
PASSED 52% 48%
Campus Thoughts
On Proposition 54
This bill is aimed at eliminating “gut and amend” practices where legislators form a new bill to be vot- ed upon before people have time to read the changes, according to the California GOP website.
“I think it’s going to take a lot to overcome the money that lobbyists spread out across the legislature,” said California Lutheran University political science professor Gregory Freeland.
On Proposition 57
The bill does not provide a definition for nonviolent offend- ers. Gooch said the previous rules regarding nonviolent crimes have been “pretty sloppy.”
On Proposition 58
“We got rid of it and now it’s back in, and I think that is a direct result of the state understanding that the demographics of the state have changed,” Cal Lutheran polit- ical science professor Haco Hoang said.
On Proposition 59
“It doesn’t really accomplish much,” Gooch said. Hoang said she is not sure it will create any safeguards against the influence of money.
On Proposition 61
Freeland and Gooch both said they wanted this to pass, but knew pharmaceuticals invested large sums of money fighting it.
On Proposition 64
“The tide seems to be turning culturally about legalization,” Ho- ang said. She also said the biggest issue will be how it is regulated.
On Proposition 66
This year, Californians voted for more leniency with certain crimes but “affirmed our steadfastness for the harshest penalty,” Hoang said.
**All percentages were provided by the California Secretary of State website as of 6:30 p.m., Nov. 10, 2016, and may be subject to change.
Dakota Allen
Staff Writer
