Pursuant to Elections Code Section 9005, we have reviewed the proposed initiative regarding eligibility for elective office (A.G. File No. 25-0015).

Background

Redistricting. Every ten years, after the U.S. Census is completed, the state draws new district boundaries for seats in the U.S. House of Representatives apportioned to California, the Assembly, the Senate, and the Board of Equalization. Although it is rare for redistricting to occur sooner than every ten years, voters will consider new congressional district maps proposed by the Legislature in a special election on November 4, 2025 (Proposition 50).

Citizens Redistricting Commission (Commission). Through two statewide constitutional initiatives (Proposition 11 of 2008 and Proposition 20 of 2010), voters in California established an independent commission to draw state district maps. The State Constitution sets limitations on Commission members’ eligibility to run for elective office in the future. It specifies that “a commission member shall be ineligible for a period of 10 years beginning from the date of appointment to hold elective public office at the federal, state, county, or city level in this State.” The State Constitution places additional limitations on Commission members for a period of five years from the date of appointment that prohibit them from (1) holding appointive federal, state, or local public office; (2) serving as paid staff or consultants to the Board of Equalization, U.S. Congress, Legislature, or any individual legislator; or (3) registering as a federal, state, or local lobbyist in California.

Proposal

Applies Limitations on Holding Elective Office. The measure would affect any state legislator who, after January 1, 2025, votes in the Legislature in favor of (1) proposing or ratifying any redistricting map or (2) any amendment to the State Constitution to modify or suspend the state redistricting process that was in effect as of January 1, 2025. For affected legislators, the measure would establish the same limitations for elective office and employment as the State Constitution establishes for Commission members, including the ten-year prohibition on holding federal, state, or local elective office and the five year prohibition on certain kinds of employment and lobbying. Under the measure, if there are affected legislators holding federal, state, or local elective office at the time the measure takes effect, these affected legislators would be allowed to complete their term of office before the prohibition on holding elective office applied to them.

Fiscal Effects

No Direct Fiscal Effect on State or Local Government. The measure likely would have no direct fiscal effect on state or local government.

Summary of Fiscal Impacts. We estimate that the measure would have the following fiscal effects:

• No direct fiscal effect on state or local governments.