SACRAMENTO >> A proposed piece of state legislation could give California municipalities more options when it comes to placing initiatives on the ballot.
California Assemblyman Evan Low, a former Campbell mayor, has written Assembly Bill 765, which if signed into law would give city and town councils the option to hold off on calling special elections and move a ballot issue to the next regularly scheduled election, rather than having to decide to adopt the initiative as is or hold a special election.
For time-sensitive matters, municipalities could still call for a local special election instead of waiting until the next regularly scheduled election.
The issue is particularly relevant to the city of Campbell as the council had to call for a roughly $560,000 special election on April 25 for a referendum on medical marijuana. Campbell City Council reviewed the bill during a July 18 council meeting.
“I really appreciate the assembly bill,” said Councilwoman Susan Landry. “That special election cost a heck of a lot of money. That money could have gone to paved roads or parks.”
The medical marijuana initiative was sparked by a group called Keep Campbell Green. The initiative was unable to qualify for last November’s general election, thus resulting in the special election.
Vice Mayor Paul Resnikoff said he approached Low to work on the bill.
“I brought this idea to Assmblymember Low basically because of what we went through,” Resnikoff said.
If the council had not called for the April 21 special election, the city’s other option would have been to adopt the Keep Campbell Green initiative as it was written. It sought to allow medical marijuana dispensaries in the city and would have allowed cultivation up to 500 square feet of marijuana for caregivers and 100 square feet for patients.
In response to the Keep Campbell Green initiative, the city added two of its own measures. One was to oppose the initiative and the other to implement a tax on dispensaries should Keep Campbell Green’s initiative passed. The city measures won out.
The election itself saw a 29 percent voter turnout, according to the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters.
At press time Low told this newspaper the bill was ready for review on the Senate floor. Should it make it past that phase, it would head to Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk to be considered for approval.
Low said he was optimistic the bill could be make it to the governor’s desk and be signed.
“Hopefully this means that it won’t be an issue again,” Resnikoff said.
Low represents the 28th district of the California State Assembly.
