A Guide to California’s Ballot Measures
Californians are facing decisions on 17 statewide ballot propositions. The Rose Institute of State and Local Government at Claremont McKenna College has produced an online “Video Voter” series to give voters an objective, easy-to-understand guide to these propositions. In brief 2-3 minute videos, we present each measure’s basic purpose, major supporters and opponents, and arguments pro and con. We hope these videos help you make informed voting decisions.
Subtitles are available for each video in English and Spanish.
To access the subtitles, click on the YouTube video, click on “settings” and select “subtitles” either in English or Spanish.
Hay subtítulos para cada vídeo en inglés y español.
Para acceder a los subtítulos, haz clic en el vídeo YouTube, haz clic en “settings,” y elija “subtitles” en inglés o español.
List of Videos
Proposition 51: School Bond
Proposition 52: Hospital Fees
Proposition 53: Voting on Revenue Bonds
Proposition 54: Legislative Procedures
Proposition 55: Income Tax
Proposition 56: Tobacco Tax
Proposition 57: Criminal Sentences
Proposition 58: Bilingual Education
Proposition 59: Instruction on Campaign Finance
Proposition 60: Condoms in Adult Films
Proposition 61: Prescription Drug Pricing
Proposition 62: Death Penalty Abolition
Proposition 63: Gun and Ammunition Control
Proposition 64: Legalization of Marijuana
Proposition 65: Carry-Out Bag Revenues
Proposition 66: Death Penalty Enhancement
Proposition 67: Plastic Bag Ban
Proposition 51: School Bond
Overview
Proposition 51 would authorize $9 billion in bonds to fund the construction and renovation of facilities at the state’s K-12 schools and community colleges. (Grace Lee)
Proposition 51 passed with 55.2% of the vote in favor.
Proposition 52: Hospital Fees
Overview
Proposition 52 would lock in the state’s current hospital fee program, which helps California secure federal Medicaid funds. (Tyler Finn)
Proposition 52 passed with 70.1% of the vote in favor.
Proposition 53: Voting on Revenue Bonds
Overview
Proposition 53 would give voters the right to vote on state-issued revenue bonds totaling more than $2 billion for a project, such as the state’s high-speed rail project. (Skip Wiltshire-Gordon)
Proposition 53 failed with 49.4% of the vote in favor.
Proposition 54: Legislative Procedures
Overview
Proposition 54 would require the Legislature to publish bills online for 72 hours before final votes and expand access to audiovisual recordings of proceedings. (Wesley Whitaker)
Proposition 54 passed with 65.4% of the vote in favor.
Proposition 55: Income Tax
Overview
Proposition 55 would extend the temporary increase in the state personal income tax for high earners voters approved in 2012 and provide additional money to public education and health care programs. (Grace Lee)
Proposition 55 passed with 63.3% of the vote in favor.
Proposition 56: Tobacco Tax
Overview
Prop 56 would raise the tax on all tobacco products in California by $2. It would use the most of the new revenues to fund health care and smoking prevention programs. (Alec Lopata)
Proposition 56 passed with 64.4% of the vote in favor.
Proposition 57: Criminal Sentences
Overview
Proposition 57 would give nonviolent felons greater opportunities for early release and parole, and give judges, rather than prosecutors, power to decide whether to try juveniles in adult court. (Tyler Finn)
Proposition 57 passed with 64.5% of the vote in favor.
Proposition 58: Bilingual Education
Overview
Prop. 58 would make it easier for public schools to provide bilingual education programs. It would overturn Prop. 227, the English-only measure voters approved in 1998. (Bryn Miller)
Proposition 58 passed with 73.5% of the vote in favor.
Proposition 59: Instruction on Campaign Finance
Overview
Proposition 59 is an advisory question asking voters whether they support the reversal of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) and related court rulings. (Zachary Wong)
Proposition 59 passed with 53.2% of the vote in favor.
Proposition 60: Condoms in Adult Films
Overview
Proposition 60 would place new regulations on California’s adult film industry, including a requirement that performers wear condoms and other protective devices during filming. (Wesley Edwards)
Proposition 60 failed with 46.3% of the vote in favor.
Proposition 61: Prescription Drug Pricing
Overview
Prop. 61 would require California to buy certain drugs at prices no higher than the prices paid by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (Bryn Miller)
Proposition 61 failed with 46.8% of the vote in favor.
Proposition 62: Death Penalty Abolition
Overview
Proposition 62 would abolish the death penalty in California and make the state’s most severe sentence life in prison without possibility of parole. (Ellen Lempres)
Proposition 62 failed with 46.8% of the vote in favor.
Proposition 63: Gun and Ammunition Control
Overview
Proposition 63 would establish new, more restrictive regulations on guns and ammunition in California. (Alec Lopata)
Proposition 63 passed with 63.1% of the vote in favor.
Proposition 64: Legalization of Marijuana
Overview
Proposition 64 would legalize marijuana for general use in California and would tax and regulate the marijuana industry. (Zachary Wong)
Proposition 64 passed with 57.2% of the vote in favor.
Proposition 65: Carry-Out Bag Revenues
Overview
Proposition 65 would use proceeds from state-mandated sales of reusable bags to fund environmental programs. (Tamara Skinner)
Proposition 65 failed with 46.1% of the vote in favor.
Proposition 66: Death Penalty Enhancement
Overview
Proposition 66 would make it easier for the state to enforce the death penalty. It competes with Proposition 62, which would abolish capital punishment in California. (Ellen Lempres)
Proposition 66 passed with 51.1% of the vote in favor.
Proposition 67: Plastic Bag Ban
Overview
Proposition 67 would prohibit stores from providing customers single-use plastic bags and would require stores to charge customers a minimum of 10 cents for each paper or reusable bag. (Tamara Skinner)
Proposition 67 passed with 53.3% of the vote in favor.
The Rose Institute would like to sincerely thank these individuals for their translation services:
Lanie Corrigan, Nick Federochko, Professor Esther Hernandez, Bryn Miller, Alejandro Salvador, Sonia Skinner, Professor Raquel Vega-Duran, Edgar Warnholtz
For additional information about California’s ballot measures, please reference the League of Women’s Voters‘ Voters Edge California.