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California Government > Final > Flashcards

Final Flashcards

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1
Q

When did California become the 10th state to enact the citizens’ initiative process?

A

1911, it was an outcome of the progressive movement

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2
Q

how many citizens’ initiatives have appeared on the states’ ballots?

A

342, and 115 have had voter approval

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3
Q

How many initiatives are there per decade?

A

about 60, compared to 44 in the 1980s and 22 in the 1970s

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4
Q

Article II of the California Constitution

A

All political power is inherent in the people…and they have the right to alter or reform it when the public good may require.

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5
Q

What is an initiative?

A
  • State or local ballot initiatives to change law or constitution
  • Constitutional initiatives require 807,615 signatures to be placed on the ballot
  • Statutory Initiatives (law) require 504,760 signatures to be placed on the ballot
  • Simple majority of those voting required for passage
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6
Q

What is a referendum?

A
  • Used to block state statute or local ordinance pending popular vote
  • Also used by the Legislature for Bond issuances
  • Requires 504,760 signatures (5% of votes in last Governors election) for ballot access
  • Simple majority of those voting decides
  • Not used often, but threat often effective
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7
Q

Recall

A
  • Petition procedure for placing on the ballot the question of removing any elected official from office in California
  • Fairly common locally; rare statewide
  • Governor Gray Davis recalled by voters in 2003 and replaced with Arnold
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8
Q

What different phases of the Petition Process are there?

A
  • Preparation
  • Qualification
  • Campaign
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9
Q

Petition Preparation

A
  • The author’s responsibility to ensure wording not ambiguous
  • Submitted to the Attorney General
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10
Q

Petition Qualification

A
  • Signatures must be from registered voters in the county signed
  • Secretary of State must verify the signatures 131 days before the election
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11
Q

Petition Campaign

A
  • Campaigns are extremely costly: major initiatives cost between 50 and 100 million dollars
  • Campaign consulting industry has blossomed in California
  • $83 million was spent on Proposition 8 in 2008 banning same sex marriage
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12
Q

Major Policy Changes through initiatives

A
  • For example, Proposition 13 in 1978, limiting property taxes (65% approval)
  • Proposition 98 in 1988, mandating a minimum percentage of the state budget to be spent on K-14 education
  • Proposition 140 in 1990, limiting the number of terms state senators and representatives can remain in office (52.2% approval).
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13
Q

Some more major policy changes due to petitions

A

Prop 184 (1994) - Three strikes law

Prop. 209 (1996) - Ending Affirmative Action in State Institutions

Prop. 215 (1996) - Medical Marijuana

Prop. 11 (2008) Redistricting Commission

Prop. 8 (2009) Definition of Marriage

Prop. 14 (2010) Open Primaries

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14
Q

Public Support for Initiative

A
  • Californians (75%) believe that it is a good thing that voters can make laws
  • Six in ten Californians say that public policy decisions made through the initiative process are probably better than those made by the governor and state legislature
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15
Q

Problems with Direct Dmocracy

A
  • Ballot access limited to those with large resources
  • The side that spends the most usually wins
  • Turnout is often small and unrepresentative
  • No opportunity to amend
  • Voters are not informed / Ballot items are complex
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16
Q

Additional problems with direct democracy

A
  • Ambiguous wording
  • Legal challenges Tricky Titles
  • Ballot Box Budgeting
  • There are just too many ballot propositions
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17
Q

Options for Reform of Direct Democracy

A
  • Remove money from the process
  • Provide better information
  • Open up the process/ Eliminate time limits
  • Raise the bar for passage
  • Empower the legislature as a check on the process
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18
Q

What purpose does the governor serve in the State of California?

A

They are the principal executive authority

19
Q

What are the eligibility requirements for running for governor in Cali?

A

Any citizen of the United States 21 year or older, who has been a resident of the state for five years or more immediately preceding election

20
Q

How is the governor elected?

A

By popular vote for a term of four years and holds office from the Monday after January 1 following the election.

21
Q

What are the formal duties of the governor?

A

The supreme executive power of the state and has the duty to ensure that the laws of the state are faithfully executed

22
Q

Who is the governor?

A

Jerry Brown

23
Q

State-of the-state Address

A

At the beginning of each session of the Legislature the governor presents this message to the members, outlining the conditions of the state and recommending a program of legislative action

24
Q

Who submits the annual budget and sets forth statements of the state government’s anticipated revenues and expenses?

A

The governor

25
Q

Specific duties of the Governor of California

A
  • Commander in Chief of the state military establishment
  • The powers of the executive and judicial appointments
  • The power to grant reprieves, commutations of sentence and pardons to those convicted in the courts of California
26
Q

Who has the power to veto bills?

A

The governor, however this veto can be set aside by only a two-thirds vote of both the Assembly and the State Senate

27
Q

Line-item veto

A

The governor may exercise selective veto powers over appropriation bills to reduce or eliminate any items of appropriation while approving other items covered in the same bill

28
Q

Who is the Lt. Governor

A

Gavin Newsom

29
Q

Responsibilities of the Lt. Governor

A
  • Acting Governor
  • President of the State Senate
  • Regent of the UC system
  • Trustee of the Cal State System
  • Numerous other boards & commissions
30
Q

Who is the Secretary of State?

A

Alex Padilla - replacing Deborah Bowen

31
Q

Responsibilities of the Secretary of State

A
  • Chief Election Officer
  • Maintains State’s official files
  • Recieves Lobbyists
  • Publishes campaign finance information
32
Q

Who is the Attorney General?

A

Kamala Harris

33
Q

What are the Attorney General’s duties?

A
  • State’s chief law enforcement officer
  • Legal adviser to state agencies
  • Head of the California Department of Justice
34
Q

Who is the Treasurer?

A

John Chiang

35
Q

What is the Treasurer Responsible for?

A
  • The Treasurer’s office manages the State’s Pooled Money Investment Account, which has nearly $100 billion in taxpayer funds on hand
  • Provides all banking and services for the state
  • Responsibility for sale of bonds and investment of securities
36
Q

Who is the Controller of California?

A

Betty Yee

37
Q

Controller’s duties

A
  • Principal accounting and disbursement officer for the state
  • Administers inheritance and gift taxes
  • Collects and publishes statistics on local government
38
Q

Superintendent of Public Instruction

A
  • Tom Torlakson
  • Heads the state department of education
  • Secretary of the State Board of Education
  • Ex officio member of various boards and commissions
  • Elected from a nonpartisan ballot for a four year term
39
Q

Insurance Commissioner

A
  • Dave Jones
  • Oversees the state department of insurance
  • The Commissioner enforces the laws of the California Insurance Code and promulgates regulations to implement these laws
40
Q

Board of Equalization

A
  • Four elected individuals plus the state controller
  • Administers and collects nearly $50 billion in sales taxes, excise taxes and fees each year.
  • Outmoded relic of progressive reforms
41
Q

California’s Bicameral Legislature

A

Senate, Assembly, California Citizen’s Redistricting Commission

42
Q

California state senate

A
  • 40 members apportioned based on population
  • Members limited to 12 years combined legislative service
  • President Pro Temp presides - currently Kevin de Leon
  • Power rests in the five member Rules Committee
43
Q

California Assembly

A
  • 80 members apportioned based on population
  • Speaker’s power has been reduced
  • Rules Committee becoming more important
  • Toni Atkins recently replaced John Perez as Speaker of the Assembly
44
Q

Citizen’s Redistricting Commission

A

Made up of 8 members - 3 Deomcrat, 3 Republican, two who are decline-to-state

California Government (1 decks)

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