There were a couple of "Fair Insurance Responsibility" laws passed in 1999 which the trial attorneys supported and the insurance companies fought. The insurance companies were able to qualify two referenda (Propositions 30 & 31) and overturn the laws.
There was also a major threat of a referendum when the California legislature passed a bill in 1999 to effectively outlaw big-box stores like Wal-Mart and Costco. Costco inundated Gray Davis with hundreds of thousands of postcards that it collected from customers opposing the bill. Caught between the unions, who hate Costco and Wal-Mart, and the certain threat of a successful referendum (as evidenced by the postcards), Davis ended up vetoing the bill.
The barriers to a referendum are usually too great. There's very little time to circulate the petitions, it's very expensive, and the technical requirements are heavy (e.g., the entire text of the law must be printed with each individual petition, even if the law were to run to hundreds of pages). But it can be done. I have no doubt that it will be done, if necessary, should the Legislature proceed to hike the Car Tax.
Ah. Now that you mention it, I remember that. Thanks.
Caught between the unions, who hate Costco and Wal-Mart, and the certain threat of a successful referendum (as evidenced by the postcards), Davis ended up vetoing the bill.
I could see that happening here as well. Davis has done his usual hide-under-the-desk maneuver on whether he'd veto an increased vehicle license tax. So maybe a bunch of postcards this time would bring him down on our side. I won't hold my breath, but it would be nice if that happened.
The barriers to a referendum are usually too great. There's very little time to circulate the petitions, it's very expensive, and the technical requirements are heavy (e.g., the entire text of the law must be printed with each individual petition, even if the law were to run to hundreds of pages). But it can be done. I have no doubt that it will be done, if necessary, should the Legislature proceed to hike the Car Tax.
McClintock said that he's been in touch with every group representing taxpayers, and they're all on board. They'll be prepared to hit the ground running the second this bill becomes law. I'll be gathering signatures myself if it gets that far.
What happens if a bills sponsor adds in 10,000 pages of meaningless drivel which have no substantive effect on the legislation in an effort to "referendum" proof it?