AB 895 specifies that elections officials must provide DTS voters who appear to vote at a polling place a written notice that identifies those ballots that the voter is eligible to cast; the notice must be translated into languages for which the elections official is required to provide other translated elections materials.  AB 895 also requires a sufficient number of ballots be available at the polling place to reasonably meet the turnout of DTS voters who may request a qualifying partisan ballot. 

“It is fundamental to the electoral process that DTS voters are informed of their right to vote in specific primary elections, for which they are eligible,” said Furutani.  “A lack of accurate information and ballot materials causes undue confusion and compromises the integrity of our elections.”

Assembly Bill 894 requires enhanced cost disclosures of proposed ballot measures.  AB 894 specifies that the cost of a proposed measure to be circulated for signatures be provided in bold face print in the title of the measure.  It also requires that the fiscal analysis of a ballot measure include an analysis of the General Fund impact and an estimate of the percentage of the General Fund that would be expended if the measure were passed.

“Before the public votes on ballot measures and initiatives, they need to understand the fiscal impact of the proposed measures and what the implications are on the state budget,” said Furutani. 

Assemblymember Furutani also today introduced Assembly Bill 892 to allow districts receiving Goods Movement Emission Reduction Program (GMERP) funds to be more efficient and effective in improving air quality.  Proposition 1B created the program, which provides incentive funding for the replacement, re-power, or retrofit of high polluting engines such as heavy-duty diesel trucks, locomotives, and port equipment.  AB 892 would allow funds resulting from cancelled GMERP contracts to be applied to an approved back-up project in the district.

“In this time of limited resources, we must promote more efficient and effective uses of these funds,” said Furutani.