November 1996 California Elections

Election Results
Official & Nonpartisan Sources
Campaign Finance 		Ballot Measures
Statewide Candidates
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Election Results

Official Election Results

Official & Nonpartisan Sites

California Secretary of State General Election Web Site
California Ballot Pamphlet
California Online Voter Guide

Ballot Measures

Financing California's Statewide Ballot Measures
This report by the Secretary of State summarizes campaign financing activity to qualify, support and oppose all of California's statewide measures on the March 1996 primary election ballot and the November 1996 general election ballot.

California Voter Foundation
Background information, summaries and brief analysis of impact on ballot measures.

Legislative Analyst's Office Analyses of Measures on the November 1996 Election Ballot
Senate Office of Research Analysis of Propositions on the November 1996 Ballot
League of Women Voters Nonpartisan Analysis

Proposition 204 - Safe, Clean, Reliable, Water Supply Act
Provides for a bond issue of nine hundred ninety-five million dollars ($995,000,000) to provide funds to ensure safe drinking water, increase water supplies, clean up pollution in rivers, streams, lakes, bays, and coastal areas, protect life and property from flooding, and protect fish and wildlife and makes changes in the Water Quality Bond Law of 1986 and the Clean Water and Reclamation Bond Law of 1988 to further these goals.

Proposition 205 - Youthful and Adult Offender Local Facilities
Provides for a bond issue of seven hundred million dollars ($700,000,000) to provide funds for the construction, renovation, remodeling, and replacement of local juvenile and adult correctional facilities.

Proposition 206 - Veterans' Bond Act of 1996
Provides for a bond issue of four hundred million dollars ($400,000,000) to provide farm and home aid for California veterans.

Proposition 207 - Attorneys. Fees. Right to Negotiate. Frivolous Lawsuits
Declares this measure to be in conflict with the "Lawyer Contingent Fee Limitation Act" initiative and similar measures. Provides the right to negotiate amount of attorneys' fees, whether fixed, hourly or contingent, shall not be restricted. Prohibits attorney from charging/collecting excessive or unconscionable fees. Authorizes court to impose sanctions upon attorney who files a lawsuit or pleading which is completely without merit or filed solely to harass opposing party. Prohibits sanctioned attorney from collecting fees for case. Requires State Bar to recommend appropriate discipline for attorneys who have repeated sanctions.

Proposition 208 - Campaign Contributions and Spending Limits. Restricts Lobbyists
Limits a contributor's campaign contributions per candidate to $100 for districts of less than 100,000, $250 for larger districts, and $500 for statewide elections. Committees of small contributors can contribute twice the limit. Contribution limits approximately double for candidates who agree to limit spending. Limits total contributions from political parties, and specific committees and individuals. Prohibits transfers between candidates. Limits fundraising to specified time before election. Prohibits lobbyists from making and arranging contributions to those they influence. Requires disclosure of top contributors on ballot measure advertising. Increases penalties under Political Reform Act.

Proposition 209 - Prohibition Against Discrimination or Preferential Treatment
Prohibits the state, local governments, districts, public universities, colleges, and schools, and other government instrumentalities from discriminating against or giving preferential treatment to any individual or group in public employment, public education, or public contracting on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Exempts reasonably necessary sex-based classifications and actions necessary for receipt of federal funds from prohibition. Mandates enforcement to the extent permitted by federal law. Requires uniform remedies for violations. Provides for severability of provisions if invalid.

Proposition 210 - Minimum Wage Increase
Increases the current state minimum wage of $4.25 per hour to $5.0 0 per hour on March 1, 1997, and then to $5.75 per hour on March 1, 1998 for all industries. Requires the California Industrial Welfare Commission to adopt minimum wage orders consistent with this section, which are to be final and conclusive for all purposes.

Proposition 211 - Attorney-Client Fee Arrangements. Securities Fraud. Lawsuits
Prohibits restrictions on fee arrangements attorneys may make with clients, except those existing on January 1, 1995. Allows courts to prohibit illegal or unconscionable fees. Prohibits deceptive conduct in purchase or sale of securities resulting in loss to institutional or personal retirement funds, savings. Imposes civil liability, including punitive damages, for losses. Authorizes class actions, derivative suits; declares "fraud on market" doctrine applicable. Business entities cannot indemnify officers found liable for specified deceptive practices, but may purchase insurance covering such liability. Declares measure conflicts with ballot measures restricting attorney fees or securities fraud actions.

Proposition 212 - Campaign Contributions and Spending Limits
Limits contributor's contributions per candidate per election to $200 for statewide offices, $100 for most other offices. Allows committees of small contributors 100 times this individual limit. Imposes spending limits. Prohibits more than 25% of contributions from outside district. Limits total contributions by committees and individuals. Limits fundraising to nine months before election. Bans contributions from businesses, unions, banks, and nonprofit corporations. Prohibits transfers between candidates. Prohibits tax deduction for lobbying expenses. Prohibits lobbyists from making/arranging contributions to those they influence. Requires disclosure of top contributors on ballot measure advertising.

Proposition 213 - Limitation on Recovery to Felons, Uninsured Motorists, Drunk Drivers
Denies all recovery of damages to a convicted felon whose injuries were proximately caused during the commission of the felony or immediate flight therefrom. Denies recovery for noneconomic damages (e.g., pain, suffering, disfigurement) to drunk drivers, if subsequently convicted, and to uninsured motorists who were injured while operating a vehicle.

Proposition 214 - Health Care. Consumer Protection
Prohibits health care businesses from: discouraging health care professionals from informing patients or advocating for treatment; offering incentives for withholding care; refusing services recommended by physician or nurse without examination by business' own professional. Requires health care businesses to: make tax returns and other financial information public; disclose certain financial information to consumers including administrative costs; establish criteria for authorizing or denying payments; provide for minimum safe and adequate staffing of health care facilities.

Proposition 215 - Medical Use of Marijuana
Provides that patients for defined caregivers, who possess or cultivate marijuana for medical treatment recommended by a physician, are exempt from general provisions of law which otherwise prohibit possession or cultivation of marijuana.

Proposition 216 - Health Care. Consumer Protection. Taxes on Corporate Restructuring
Prohibits health care business from: discouraging health care professionals from informing patients or advocating for treatment; offering incentives for withholding care; refusing services recommended by physician or nurse without examination by business' own professional; conditioning coverage on arbitration agreement; increasing charges without filing required statement. Requires health care businesses to: make tax returns public; establish written criteria for denying payments which are determined by licensed health professionals. Assesses taxes for certain downsizings, mergers, and conversions to for-profit status.

Proposition 217 - Top Income Tax Brackets. Reinstatement. Revenues to Local Agencies
Continues highest tax rates of 10% and 11% on residents with taxable income over $100,000 and $200,000, respectively, and residents who are heads of households with taxable income over $136,115 and $272,230, respectively. Requires appointment of revenues from continued tax brackets among counties. Requires counties to allocate such revenues among local agencies in accordance with each agency's proportionate share of property tax revenue that must be transferred under 1994 legislation to local school and community college districts. Prohibits future reduction of a local agency's proportionate share of property taxes.

Proposition 218 - Voter Approval for Local Government Taxes
Limits authority of local governments to impose taxes and property-related assessments, fees, charges. Requires majority of voters approve increases in general taxes and reiterates that two-thirds must approve special tax. Assessments, fees and charges must be submitted to property owners for approval or rejection, after notice and public hearing. Assessments are limited to the special benefit conferred. Fees and charges are limited to the cost of providing the service, and may not be imposed for general governmental services available to the public.

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