California Ballot Initiative Launched to Slow Implementation of State Greenhouse Gas Regulation
March 8, 2010 - Efforts to place an initiative on the November ballot that would suspend implementation of California climate change legislation (A.B. 32) was kicked off in Los Angeles last week. The ballot initiative would suspend implementation until California's unemployment rate dropped to 5.5 percent or lower for four consecutive quarters. The state currently has a 12 percent rate and most experts believe it will be several years before it would hit the 5.5 percent threshold.
While the group supporting the measure has named itself the California Jobs Initiative, the name on the official ballot if enough signatures are obtained would be "Suspends Air Pollution Control Laws Requiring Major Polluters to Report and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions That Cause Global Warming Until Unemployment Drops Below Specified Level for a Full Year Initiative" as determined by state attorney general Jerry Brown (D). Supporters will need to obtain 433,971 signatures from registered voters to qualify for placement on the November ballot.