ACR 79 is a commemorative resolution that would establish an annual observance. It designates July 15, 2025, and each subsequent July 15th, as Equestrian Heritage Day.
This measure would proclaim the month of May 2025, as Melanoma Awareness Month, and would encourage individuals, businesses, and organizations throughout the state to participate in activities and events that promote awareness of melanoma and support families affected by the disease throughout the year.
(1) The California Constitution defines the power of the initiative as the power of the electors to propose statutes and amendments to the Constitution and to adopt or reject them. The California Constitution, before circulation of an initiative for signatures, requires a copy of the initiative to be submitted to the Attorney General to prepare a title and summary of the measure. This measure would require an initiative measure proposing to impose or increase a tax or a fee to meet specified requirements, including that the title of the initiative measure begin with the capitalized words "TAX INCREASE:" or "FEE INCREASE:", and that the summary state whether the charge is a tax or a fee, the amount or rate of the charge, and the duration of the charge. (2) The California Constitution requires a state statute that would result in any taxpayer paying a higher tax to be imposed by an act passed by 23 vote of each house of the Legislature, and defines "tax" for these purposes to mean any levy, charge, or exaction of any kind imposed by the state. The California Constitution provides that all taxes imposed by a local government are either general taxes or special taxes, and requires that taxes imposed, extended, or increased by a local government be submitted to the electorate and approved by a majority vote, in the case of general taxes, or a 23 vote, in the case of special taxes. The California Constitution prohibits a local government from imposing, extending, or increasing a general tax unless the tax is submitted to the electorate and approved by a majority vote, and prohibits a local government from imposing, extending, or increasing a special tax unless the tax is submitted to the electorate and approved by a 23 vote. This measure would prohibit a local law or amendment to a charter from imposing, extending, or increasing any special tax until that tax is submitted to the electorate and approved by a 23 vote. The measure would also prohibit the imposition or increase of a tax or fee on savings or investments, changing one's residency from this state to another state or country, motor vehicles, and motor vehicle fuels, as specified, unless the imposition or increase of the tax or fee is submitted to the electorate and approved by a majority of the voters for general purposes, or by 23 of the voters for specific purposes.
(1) The California Constitution generally requires appropriations from the General Fund to be enacted in a bill passed by a 23 vote in each house of the Legislature. Notwithstanding that requirement, the California Constitution authorizes the budget bill, other bills providing for appropriations related to the budget bill, and bills that make General Fund appropriations for the public schools, to be passed by a majority vote. The California Constitution also generally requires a statute enacted at a regular session to go into effect on the January 1 next following a 90-day period from the date of enactment, except that the budget bill and other bills providing for appropriations related to the budget bill take effect immediately upon being signed by the Governor or upon a date specified in the legislation. This measure would repeal the exceptions to the requirement that a bill making General Fund appropriations must be passed by a 23 vote, thereby requiring any bill that makes General Fund appropriations to be passed by a 23 vote. The measure would also repeal the exception authorizing the budget bill and other bills providing for appropriations related to the budget bill to take effect immediately upon being signed by the Governor or upon a date specified in the legislation. (2) The California Constitution requires any change in state statute that results in any taxpayer paying a higher tax to be enacted in a bill passed by a 23 vote in each house of the Legislature. This measure would also prohibit any action by a state agency that would impose a new charge, or that would increase an existing charge, on any person from taking effect unless the action is ratified by a bill passed by a 23 vote in each house of the Legislature. (3) The California Constitution includes every officer and employee of the State within the state civil service, except as provided. The state judiciary has construed this civil service mandate to prohibit the state from contracting with private entities for the performance of governmental functions, except under specified circumstances. Notwithstanding the prohibition on contracting with private entities, the California Constitution authorizes the state and local governments to contract with qualified private entities for architectural and engineering services for public works of improvement. This measure would expressly authorize the State of California and local governmental entities to contract with private entities for the performance of governmental services. The measure would require every state agency to annually subject at least 10% of its program activities, as measured by total budgetary expenditures for that state agency, to fair and open competitive bidding and would make each program activity executed by a state agency subject to competitive bidding at least once every 7 years. The measure would exclude state or local governmental services performed by sworn law enforcement personnel from these provisions. The measure, beginning in the 2028–29 fiscal year, would prohibit total state employment costs from exceeding 95% of total state employment costs in the 2024–25 fiscal year, as provided. Beginning in the 2029–30 fiscal year, the measure would prohibit total state employment costs from exceeding total state employment costs in the immediately preceding fiscal year, as adjusted by the annual percentage change nationally in average wages as determined by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. The measure would require the California State Auditor to certify compliance with these requirements.
The California Constitution requires any change in state statute that increases the tax liability of any taxpayer to be imposed by an act passed by 23 of the membership of each house of the Legislature, and prohibits specified taxes on real property from being so imposed. For these purposes, the California Constitution defines a "tax" as any state levy, charge, or exaction, except as described in certain exceptions. The California Constitution describes one of those exceptions as a charge imposed for entrance to or use of state property, or the purchase, rental, or lease of state property, except charges governed by a specified provision of the California Constitution. This measure, on or after its effective date, would provide that the exception described above does not include a road usage charge, as described, thereby requiring the imposition of this type of charge to be subject to the 23 vote requirement. The California Constitution conditions the imposition of a general tax by a local government upon the approval of a majority of its voters voting on the tax, and conditions the imposition of a special tax by a local government upon the approval of 23 of the voters voting on the tax. The California Constitution defines a "tax" for these purposes as any local government levy, charge, or exaction, except as described in certain exceptions, and includes as one of those exceptions a charge imposed for entrance to or use of local government property. The California Constitution defines "special tax" to mean any tax imposed for specific purposes. This measure, on or after its effective date, would provide that the exception described above does not include a road usage charge, as provided. The measure would also restrict to specific purposes the use of revenues derived from a road usage charge, described below, thereby subjecting the local imposition of this type of charge to the 23 local voter approval requirements. This measure would require that any road usage charge be imposed at a uniform rate, and not vary based on any factor. The measure would prohibit the Legislature from imposing both a road usage charge, and either a motor vehicle fuel tax or a tax on the sale, storage, use, or other consumption in this state of motor vehicle fuels that are used in vehicles subject to a road usage charge. The measure would require all revenues derived from a road usage charge imposed at both the state and local level be used solely for transportation purposes, as defined. The California Constitution authorizes the Legislature to impose a motor vehicle fuel tax, and directs the revenues of that tax, or any alternative source of revenue to replace the revenue derived from that tax, to be deposited in the Highway Users Tax Account in the Transportation Tax Fund. The California Constitution also directs the revenues from a tax on the sale, storage, use, or other consumption in this state of motor vehicle fuels, or any alternative source of revenue to replace the revenue derived from that tax, to be deposited in the Transportation Investment Fund. The measure would specify that road usage charges are not subject to the above requirements.
The California Constitution declares that the general welfare requires that the water resources of the state be put to beneficial use to the fullest extent of which they are capable, and that the right to the use of water does not extend to the waste or unreasonable use, method of use, or method of diversion of water. This measure, the California Water Resiliency Act, would require the Treasurer to annually transfer an amount equal to 1% of all state revenues from the General Fund to the Water Conveyance and Capacity Infrastructure Fund, which the measure would create. The measure would continuously appropriate moneys in the fund to the California Water Commission for its actual costs of implementing these provisions and for administering grants for the entitlement, repair, design, and construction of water infrastructure projects that will maintain or expand the availability of clean, safe drinking water for homes and businesses, and water for agricultural uses, consistent with area of origin water rights.
The California Constitution makes a person convicted of a nonviolent felony offense and sentenced to state prison eligible for parole after completing the full term of their primary offense. The California Constitution gives the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation authority to award credits for good behavior and approved rehabilitative or educational achievements. The California Constitution requires the department to adopt regulations for these purposes. This measure would repeal those provisions.
The California Constitution prohibits slavery and prohibits involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. This measure would instead prohibit slavery in all forms. This measure would clarify that its provisions do not prohibit the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from awarding credits to an incarcerated person who voluntarily accepts a work assignment.
The California Constitution declares that all property is taxable and establishes or authorizes various exemptions from tax for real property, including a homeowners' exemption in the amount of $7,000 of the full value of a dwelling unless the dwelling receives another real property exemption. If the Legislature increases the homeowners' exemption, the California Constitution requires that the Legislature provide a benefit increase to qualified renters comparable to the average increase in benefits to homeowners. The California Constitution and existing property tax law establish a veterans' exemption in the amount of $4,000 for a veteran who meets certain military service requirements and generally exempts from property taxation the same value of property of a deceased veteran's unmarried spouse and parents. The California Constitution authorizes, and existing property tax law establishes, a disabled veterans' exemption in the amount of $100,000 or $150,000 for the principal place of residence of a veteran or a veteran's spouse, including an unmarried surviving spouse, if the veteran, because of an injury incurred in military service, is blind in both eyes, has lost the use of 2 or more limbs, or is totally disabled, as those terms are defined, or if the veteran has, as a result of a service-connected injury or disease, died while on active duty in military service. Existing law prohibits receiving the veterans' exemption on property owned by an unmarried person who owns more than $5,000 of property or a married person who owns more than $10,000 of property. Existing law prohibits receiving the deceased veterans' exemption on property owned by a deceased veteran's unmarried spouse who owns more than $10,000 of property, a deceased veteran's unmarried parent who owns more than $5,000 of property, or a deceased veteran's married parent who owns more than $10,000 of property. This measure would allow a dwelling that receives the veterans' exemption or the disabled veterans' exemption to also receive the homeowners' exemption. The measure would authorize the Legislature to exempt property eligible for the veterans' exemption in an amount up to the full value of the property. If the Legislature increases the homeowners' exemption, the measure would require that the Legislature provide the same increase in the veterans' exemption, except as limited by the full value of the property. The bill would remove the above-described prohibitions on a property receiving the veterans' or deceased veterans' exemption based on the amount of property that a veteran or veteran's parent or spouse owns.
This measure would proclaim the month of October 2025 as Republic of Vietnam Month in commemoration of the 69th anniversary of the adoption of the first Constitution of the Republic of Vietnam, in honor of the lives lost for freedom and democracy during the Vietnam War, and in recognition of the positive contributions of Vietnamese Americans to the State of California.
This Assembly Concurrent Resolution (ACR 3) designates June 19, 2025, as "Veterans of the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Day" to honor South Vietnamese military personnel who served during the Vietnam War. It recognizes their service, sacrifices (including over 250,000 South Vietnamese military deaths and 200,000+ injuries), and post-war experiences, such as imprisonment in communist camps after 1975. The resolution has no legal effect beyond commemoration; it does not create new benefits or obligations. It directly affects veterans of the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces and their families, particularly the estimated 100,000+ living in California.
The California Constitution prohibits the total annual appropriations subject to limitation of the State and of each local government from exceeding the appropriations limit of the entity of government for the prior year adjusted for the change in the cost of living and the change in population. The California Constitution defines "appropriations subject to limitation" of the State for these purposes. The California Constitution establishes the Budget Stabilization Account and requires, for every fiscal year and based on the Budget Act for that fiscal year, the Controller to transfer from the General Fund to the Budget Stabilization Account, no later than October 1, a sum equal to 1.5% of the estimated amount of General Fund revenues for that fiscal year. The California Constitution requires other transfers between the General Fund and the Budget Stabilization Account, as specified. The California Constitution prohibits the amount transferred pursuant to these provisions for any fiscal year from exceeding an amount that would result in a balance in the account that, when the transfer is made, exceeds 10% of the amount of the General Fund proceeds of taxes for the fiscal year estimate, as specified. This measure would change the 1.5% required transfer to an undetermined percentage of the estimated amount of General Fund revenues for that fiscal year. The measure would change the 10% limit on the balance in the Budget Stabilization Account to 20% of the amount of the General Fund proceeds of taxes for the fiscal year estimate, as specified. The measure would specify that funds transferred under these provisions to the Budget Stabilization Account do not constitute appropriations subject to the above-described annual appropriations limit.
