April 15, 2021
California Federation of Republican Women
Sue Blair, President
Submitted by the CFRW Legislative Analyst Committee
Gretchen Cox, Elaine Freeman, Lou Ann Flaherty, Val Emick
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RECALL PETITIONS
SB 663 – Existing law authorizes a voter who has signed an initiative, referendum, or recall petition to remove their name from the petition by filing a written request to do so with the appropriate elections official prior to the day the petition is filed. This bill would extend that period until the day prior to the 45th day after the petition is filed.
This bill would also, unless the number of registered voters eligible to vote in the recall election is less than 50,000, authorize the target of a recall petition to inspect the petition and related memoranda for purposes of communicating with registered voters to determine whether they signed the recall petition and whether they understood the recall petition they may have signed, and to assist registered voters to withdraw their signatures on the recall petition, if they so desire.
THIS MEANS ANYONE WHO SIGNS A RECALL PETITION COULD BE SUBJECTED TO UNWANTED CONTACT, PRESSURE OR RETALIATION FROM THE RECALL TARGETED PERSON. This bill passed in the Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee on 4/12/21 and has been sent to the Judiciary Committee. No matter where you live in California, we urge you to call Senator Josh Newman’s offices (SD29) and demand he rescind this bill which he introduced. He has himself attempted to harass voters who dared to sign the petition that started the successful effort to recall him back in 2018 when he named individuals who had signed that petition in a lawsuit. We do not want our elected officials using this type of intimidation against the voters!
EMERGENCY POWERS
Essential services: religious services. SB-397- This bill, the Religion is Essential Act, would, during a state of emergency or local emergency, require the Governor or the local government to deem religious services to be an essential service and to be necessary and vital to the health and welfare of the public.
The bill would prohibit the state and local government from taking discriminatory action against a religious organization, as those terms are defined, and would require the state and local government to permit a religious organization to continue operating and engaging in religious services during a state of emergency to the same or greater extent than other organizations or businesses that provide essential services that are necessary and vital to the health and welfare of the public are permitted to operate.
HOUSING
SB 601 – This bill, for taxable years on or after 1/1/21 and before 1/1/26 would revise the exclusion to provide that if a home buyer of a qualified principal residence, is a qualified first-time homeowner, the amount of the exclusions is increased to $300,000 (single) or $600,000 (married).
The bill would limit the increased exclusion amount to transactions in which, on or before the closing date of the sale or exchange of the qualified principal residence, the seller obtains a certification from the buyer in writing, signed under penalty of perjury, that the buyer is a qualified first-time homeowner and including specified information concerning the sale of the qualified principal residence. By expanding the scope of the crime of perjury, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Gives a break to the seller’s taxable amount from the sale of their home.
UPDATES ON PREVIOUSLY NOTED BILLS
ELECTION LAW – SB 503 – Voting: ballots and signature verification. NOW SUSPENDED.
CRIMES: Murder: Punishment- SB 300 – Changes to penalties for murder accomplices. The hearing is now set for April 19.
http://www.legislature.ca.gov/the_state_legislature/calendar_and_schedules/audio_tv.html
The More We Know…
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