Elections: Secretary of State.

Existing law provides that for a referendum measure, upon receipt of a petition certified to have been signed by the requisite number of qualified voters, the Secretary of State must issue a certificate of qualification certifying that the measure, as of that date, is qualified for the ballot, must notify the proponents of the measure and the elections official of each county that the measure, as of that date, is qualified for the ballot, and must include the measure in a list of all statewide referendum measures that have qualified for the ballot, as specified. This bill would instead require the Secretary of State to, in the case of a referendum measure, issue a certificate of qualification certifying the measure is qualified for the ballot on the 131st day prior to the date of the election, as specified, or upon receipt of a petition certified to have been signed by the requisite number of qualified voters if fewer than 131 days remain until the election, as specified. The bill would also require the Secretary of State to notify the measure's proponents and county elections officials of the measure's qualification, and to publish the referendum on the list of all statewide referendum measures located on the Secretary of State's website based on the aforementioned timing. If a referendum measure has been issued a certificate of qualification as of the effective date of this bill, the Secretary of State would be required to void that certificate of qualification and issue a new certificate of qualification, as specified. The bill would allow proponents of any such referendum measure to withdraw that measure, as specified, at any time between the effective date of this bill and the date on which the Secretary of State issues a new certificate of qualification, as specified.