SB 1253 Summary: Ballot Initiative Transparency Act

• Requires Attorney General to initiate a 30-day public review period for proposed initiative measures, allowing proponents to submit amendments during this time before circulation begins.

• Extends the deadline for filing initiative petitions with signatures from 150 days to 180 days after the official summary date, and changes fiscal estimate preparation from Department of Finance alone to a joint estimate by Department of Finance and Legislative Analyst, due within 50 days instead of 25 working days.

• Requires Secretary of State to transmit initiative measures to the Legislature once proponents certify they have collected 25% of required signatures (rather than waiting for full qualification), allowing legislative committees to hold joint public hearings at least 131 days before the election.

• Allows initiative proponents to withdraw their measure after filing petitions with elections officials but before the Secretary of State certifies qualification; makes it a crime to seek payment in exchange for withdrawing an initiative after filing.

• Requires Secretary of State to establish a website consolidating ballot measure information including summaries, total contributions supporting/opposing each measure, top 10 contributors, and links to campaign finance disclosures; permits voters to receive ballot materials electronically instead of by mail.