SB 1094 Summary

• Requires at least 5% of signatures on initiative petitions to be collected by unpaid volunteers or nonprofit employees, with paid signature gatherers prohibited from collecting signatures to satisfy this requirement.

• Mandates different colored petition papers: white paper with contrasting ink for volunteer-circulated petitions and colored (non-white) paper with contrasting ink for paid circulators, with required disclosure notices on each.

• Extends signature verification timelines from 8 to 10 days for initial signature counts and from 30 to 35 days for qualified voter verification after petitions reach 100% of required signatures.

• Invalidates petition sections obtained through fraud, misrepresentation, or false claims about being unpaid, enforceable by civil action by the Secretary of State, Attorney General, or district/city attorneys with clear and convincing evidence standard.

• Exempts initiative petitions for which the Attorney General issued a circulating title before January 1, 2017, and requires state voter registration database compliance with federal Help America Vote Act before certain provisions take effect.