Section 9087 Of Article 7. Ballot Pamphlet From California Elections Code >> Division 9. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 7.
9087
. (a) The Legislative Analyst shall prepare an impartial
analysis of the measure describing the measure and including a fiscal
analysis of the measure showing the amount of any increase or
decrease in revenue or cost to state or local government. If it is
estimated that a measure would result in increased cost to the state,
an analysis of the measure's estimated impact on the state shall be
provided, including an estimate of the percentage of the General Fund
that would be expended due to the measure, using visual aids when
appropriate. An estimate of increased cost to the state or local
governments shall be set out in boldface print in the ballot
pamphlet.
(b) The analysis shall be written in clear and concise terms, so
as to be easily understood by the average voter, and shall avoid the
use of technical terms wherever possible. The analysis may contain
background information, including the effect of the measure on
existing law and the effect of enacted legislation which will become
effective if the measure is adopted, and shall generally set forth in
an impartial manner the information the average voter needs to
adequately understand the measure. To the extent practicable, the
Legislative Analyst shall utilize a uniform method in each analysis
to describe the estimated increase or decrease in revenue or cost of
a measure, so that the average voter may draw comparisons among the
fiscal impacts of measures. The condensed statement of the fiscal
impact summary for the measure prepared by the Attorney General to
appear on the ballot shall contain the uniform estimate of increase
or decrease in revenue or cost of the measure prepared pursuant to
this subdivision.
(c) The Legislative Analyst may contract with a professional
writer, educational specialist, or another person for assistance in
writing an analysis that fulfills the requirements of this section,
including the requirement that the analysis be written so that it
will be easily understood by the average voter. The Legislative
Analyst may also request the assistance of a state department,
agency, or official in preparing his or her analysis.
(d) Prior to submitting the analysis to the Secretary of State,
the Legislative Analyst shall submit the analysis to a committee of
five persons, appointed by the Legislative Analyst, for the purpose
of reviewing the analysis to confirm its clarity and easy
comprehension to the average voter. The committee shall be drawn from
the public at large, and one member shall be a specialist in
education, one member shall be bilingual, and one member shall be a
professional writer. Members of the committee shall be reimbursed for
reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in performing their
duties. Within five days of the submission of the analysis to the
committee, the committee shall make recommendations to the
Legislative Analyst as it deems appropriate to guarantee that the
analysis can be easily understood by the average voter. The
Legislative Analyst shall consider the committee's recommendations,
and he or she shall incorporate in the analysis those changes
recommended by the committee that he or she deems to be appropriate.
The Legislative Analyst is solely responsible for determining the
content of the analysis required by this section.
(e) (1) The title and summary of any measure that appears on the
ballot shall be amended to contain a summary of the Legislative
Analyst's estimate of the net state and local government fiscal
impact.
(2) For state bond measures that are submitted to the voters for
their approval or rejection, the summary of the Legislative Analyst's
estimate described in paragraph (1) shall include an explanatory
table of the information in the summary.