Section 9160 Of Article 3. Arguments Concerning County Measures From California Elections Code >> Division 9. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 3.
9160
. (a) Whenever a county measure qualifies for a place on the
ballot, the county elections official shall transmit a copy of the
measure to the county auditor and to the county counsel or to the
district attorney in a county that has no county counsel.
(b) The county counsel or district attorney shall prepare an
impartial analysis of the measure showing the effect of the measure
on the existing law and the operation of the measure. The analysis
shall include a statement indicating whether the measure was placed
on the ballot by a petition signed by the requisite number of voters
or by the board of supervisors. The analysis shall be printed
preceding the arguments for and against the measure. The analysis may
not exceed 500 words in length.
In the event the entire text of the measure is not printed on the
ballot, nor in the voter information portion of the sample ballot,
there shall be printed immediately below the impartial analysis, in
no less than 10-point boldface type, a legend substantially as
follows:
"The above statement is an impartial analysis of Ordinance or
Measure ____. If you desire a copy of the ordinance or measure,
please call the elections official's office at (insert telephone
number) and a copy will be mailed at no cost to you."
The elections official may, at his or her discretion, add the
following message: "You may also access the full text of the measure
on the county Web site at the following Web site address (insert Web
site address)."
(c) Not later than 88 days prior to an election that includes a
county ballot measure, the board of supervisors may direct the county
auditor to review the measure and determine whether the substance
thereof, if adopted, would affect the revenues or expenditures of the
county. He or she shall prepare a fiscal impact statement which
estimates the amount of any increase or decrease in revenues or costs
to the county if the proposed measure is adopted. The fiscal impact
statement is "official matter" within the meaning of Section 13303,
and shall be printed preceding the arguments for and against the
measure. The fiscal impact statement may not exceed 500 words in
length.