California’s November ballot is set. Here are the statewide measures you’ll vote on

Come November, California voters are going to have plenty of decisions to make.

Leaving aside the hotly contested presidential election, as well as numerous state and local races, California voters also will have to decide on a dozen different ballot measures.

Those measures touch on issues as varied as stem cell research, affirmative action and restoring the right to vote for parolees.

Here’s what you can expect to see on your ballot this November.

Proposition 14: Stem cell research

California voters are set to consider approval of a $5.7 billion bond to fund stem cell research.

If approved by voters, the bond would dedicate $1.5 billion to research of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, strokes, epilepsy and other brain and central nervous system diseases and conditions.

California taxpayers would ultimately pay $7.8 billion to pay off the principal and interest on the bonds, according to the Attorney General’s Office summary.

Proposition 15: The ‘split-roll’ initiative

California voters will decide this November whether to amend the state’s 40-year-old property tax restrictions to exclude commercial and industrial properties.

The 1978 Proposition 13 locked in strict limits on property tax increases, which this “split roll” measure would partially undo.

If passed, Proposition 15 would generate billions in new annual revenue for K-12 public schools, community colleges and local governments, according to the Attorney General’s Office summary.

The measure would not affect residential properties, and commercial and industrial properties worth less than $3 million also would be excluded.

Proposition 16: Affirmative action

More than two decades after Californians voted to block affirmative action in the state, voters are set to reconsider their decision.

This measure would undo Proposition 209, which banned the consideration of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin from consideration in university admissions, public employment or contracting.

Proposition 17: Parolee voting rights restored

California voters will have to decide whether to parolees should be given back the right to vote.

This measure would restore the voting franchise to more than 40,000 formerly incarcerated Californians.

Proposition 18: 17-year-olds voting

California a handful of other states in allowing 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections.

This measure would allow teens to vote in a primary election as long as they turn 18 by the date of the general election.

Proposition 19: Property tax base transfers

California voters will decide whether to remove restrictions in place for Californians 55 and older or who are severely disabled or the victim of a wildfire or natural disaster to transfer their property tax base to a replacement residence.

This measure would remove the requirements that the replacement property be of equal or lesser value, that it be in an eligible county and that such a transfer occurs only once. Three such transfers would be allowed under this measure.

The measure also would adjust the replacement property’s tax base based on market value and limit the tax benefits “for certain transfers between family members.”

The measure would establish a dedicated Fire Response Fund and also generate revenue for local governments and school districts.

Proposition 20: Crackdown on crime

Could the criminal justice pendulum in California once more swing toward harsher sentences?

California voters will be faced with the choice of whether to authorize felony charges for theft crimes where the value is between $250 and $950.

The measure also would expand the list of offenses that would disqualify an inmate from receiving parole. The measure also would require people convicted of certain misdemeanors to submit to the collection of their DNA for the state’s database.

Proposition 21: Rent control redux

California voters will once again be given the opportunity to vote on rent control.

The measure would give local governments the authority to establish rent control on residential properties over 15 years old. However, landlords who own no more than two homes would be exempt from such policies.

A similar initiative appeared on the ballot in 2018 and was defeated by voters.

Proposition 22: A referendum on AB 5

While the union-backed Assembly Bill 5 amended California labor law to recognize many independent contractors as regular employees, California voters will get the chance this November to exempt rideshare and delivery drivers from that law.

This measure would allow drivers for companies like Lyft, Uber and Doordash to continue to be classified as independent contractors, not subject to laws governing minimum wage, overtime, unemployment insurance or workers compensation.

Instead, such drivers would be subject to “specified alternative benefits” such as minimum compensation and health care subsidies based on engaged driving time, vehicle insurance, safety training and sexual harassment policies, according to the Attorney General’s Office summary.

This measure also would criminalize impersonation of a rideshare driver and require background checks to become one.

Proposition 23: Dialysis reform

California dialysis clinics could be required to have at least one licensed physician on-site, under a measure to be voted on by Californians in November. The measure allows the state to exempt clinics from that requirement if there is a shortage of qualified licensed physicians

This measure also requires state approval before a dialysis clinic can close or reduce services, and prohibits such clinics from discriminating against clients based on the source of payment for care.

Proposition 24: Consumer privacy

California privacy laws could soon get even tougher.

The measure would change the criteria for which businesses must comply with state privacy laws. It also would empower Californians to prevent businesses from sharing personal information, to correct inaccurate personal information and to limit businesses’ use of “sensitive personal information” such as race, religion or sexual orientation.

The measure also would triple the maximum penalties for privacy violations where the affected person was under the age of 16.

Finally, the measure would create a new state agency, the California Privacy Protection Agency, “to enforce and implement consumer privacy laws, and impose administrative fines,” according to the Attorney General’s Office summary.

Proposition 25: Bail reform referendum

California is poised to eliminate cash bail requirements for pre-trial inmates, but a voter referendum might prevent that law from ever going into place.

This measure would give voters the chance to weigh in on whether the state should move to a cashless bail system that instead relies on an assessment of an inmates risk of fleeing or to public safety when determining whether they should be held. The measure also would limit pre-trial detention for most misdemeanors.

This story was originally published July 3, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "California’s November ballot is set. Here are the statewide measures you’ll vote on."