AB 1416, Ballot DISCLOSE Act, Passes Assembly Elections Committee

(Sacramento, CA) — With a vote of 6-1, the Assembly Elections Committee passed AB 1416. This bill is the Ballot DISCLOSE Act, authored by Assembly Member Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) and sponsored by the California Clean Money Campaign. This bill can help counteract the flood of money in ballot measure campaigns by adding to the ballot one of the most important pieces of information to help voters: who supports and opposes each measure.

"Voters should be able to see who supports and opposes ballot measures right on their ballot, plain and simple," said Assembly Member Miguel Santiago.  "I am proud to author AB 1416 because voters deserve more transparency and information about ballot measures at an easily accessible location — right on the ballot itself."

In a 2019 poll by the California Clean Money Campaign of 661 likely California voters, 79% said it is important to them to know who supports and opposes ballot measures when they vote but only 21% were very confident they knew the important supporters and opponents when they vote.

"AB 1416 by Assembly Member Santiago will finally make it plain to California voters who is for and against the ballot measures we're given the privilege to consider.  We need that information to decide how we vote.  It's that simple," said Senator Henry Stern (D-Los Angeles), a co-author of the legislation.

AB 1416 will add to the ballot a short list of supporters and opponents from the official arguments in the voter information guide.  It has rules that prevent inclusion of sham organizations and political parties.

"I am pleased to co-author AB 1416 which would simply list the supporters and opponents of a ballot measure in the most looked at location, that is the ballot label.  I have always been a strong advocate for clear, unambiguous information to be made available to voters.  AB 1416 is exactly that," said Assembly Speaker pro Tempore, Kevin Mullin (D).

"Assembly Elections Committee Chair Isaac Bryan and the rest of the Elections Committee took a major step towards informing voters about who really supports and opposes ballot measures by forwarding AB 1416 today," said Trent Lange, President of the California Clean Money Campaign, sponsor of AB 1416.  "We look forward to continuing to work with Assembly Member Santiago, principal coauthors Senators Henry Stern, Ben Allen, and Tom Umberg, plus Speaker pro Tem Kevin Mullin to pass AB 1416 so voters know the truth when they vote."

AB 1416 next moves to the Assembly Appropriations Committee which must decide whether to pass it on to the Assembly floor by January 20.

Assembly Member Miguel Santiago is the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Governmental Organization and the Assembly Select Committee on Los Angeles County Homelessness. He represents the 53rd District composed of the cities of Los Angeles, Huntington Park, and Vernon.