Provides Funding for Pandemic Detection and Prevention by Increasing Tax on Personal Income over $5 Million. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute.
SACRAMENTO, CA – Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D. announced that an initiative became eligible for the November 5, 2024, General Election ballot today.
In order to become eligible for the ballot, the initiative needed 997,139 valid petition signatures, which is equal to eight percent of the total votes cast for governor in the November 2018 General Election.
A measure can become eligible via random sampling of petition signatures if the sampling projects that the number of valid signatures is greater than 110 percent of the required number. The initiative needed at least 1,096,853 projected valid signatures to become eligible by random sampling, and it has exceeded that threshold today.
On June 27, 2024, the Secretary of State will certify the initiative as qualified for the November 5, 2024, General Election ballot, unless it is withdrawn by the proponent prior to certification pursuant to Elections Code section 9604(b).
The Attorney General’s official title and summary of the measure is as follows:
PROVIDES FUNDING FOR PANDEMIC DETECTION AND PREVENTION BY INCREASING TAX ON PERSONAL INCOME OVER $5 MILLION. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT AND STATUTE. Increases tax on personal income over $5 million by 0.75% for 10 years, and allocates new tax revenues as follows: 50% to the California Institute for Pandemic Prevention (established by this measure), to award grants for research and development of technologies to detect and prevent future pandemics; 25% for public health programs for pandemic preparedness; and 25% for improvements to school facilities to limit disease transmission. Creates Independent Scientific Governing Board to administer the Institute; requires board members have specified medical, technological, or public-health expertise. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Increased state tax revenues that likely would range from around $500 million to $1.5 billion annually for the ten-year period the new tax would be in effect. Revenues entirely would support activities related to infectious disease control and pandemic prevention. (21-0022A1.)
The proponents of the measure are Max Henderson and Anna Maybach. They can be reached c/o George M. Yin of the Kaufman Legal Group at (213) 452-6565. The address for the Kaufman Legal Group is 777 S. Figueroa Street, Suite 4050, Los Angeles, CA 90017.
