JUNE BALLOT MEASURES

By Miriam Raftery

April 30, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--Several measures have qualified to appear on the June ballot, and others are still pending.  Ballot initiatives approved to appear on your June ballot thus far include measures impacting homeless veterans, health insurance rates, your rights to open government, and more.

 Prop 41, the Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Bond Act of 2014.  California has 19,000 homeless veterans- more than any other state in the nation. This measure would establish a Housing for Homeless Veterans fund through this $600,000 bond measure.

Prop 42 is a constitutional amendment that would make open government laws part of the state’s constitution so that the Legislature can’t take away the rights of citizens.  It would require all local agencies to comply with the Ralph M. Brown Act requiring open public meetings and notification to the public, also protecting the public’s right to access public records.

An important initiative for consumers, which has not yet been assigned a ballot number, would require health insurance companies to get approval from the Insurance Commissioner before they can raise your health insurance premiums. Such permission is already required for auto or homeowner insurance companies to raise rates. The initiative would also prohibit health, car and homeowners insurance insurers from using your credit history or lack of prior coverage to charge you more. 

Another measure aims to provide safe, clean and reliable drinking water for Californians, while yet another would prohibit the Legislature from sending appropriations bills to the Governor until an annual budget is passed, also imposing other budgetary restrictions on the Governor.

There is also a referendum that seeks to overturn Indian gaming compacts with two Native American tribes, the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians and the Wiyot Tribe.

Several proposed measures failed to get enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, including one that would have parental notification and a waiting period for abortions sought by young women under age 18.

Another measure that seeks to require drug and alcohol testing of doctors is pending signature approval. Numerous others are still circulating, seeking signatures to qualify for the June elections.