CS/CS/HB 5 Summary - Ballot Measures

• Requires referenda to adopt or amend local discretionary sales surtaxes to be held at general elections rather than special elections.

• Requires initiative petition sponsors for charter county and regional transportation system surtaxes to provide final resolution/ordinance copies to the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability at least 180 days before the proposed referendum; failure to comply renders any referendum held void.

• Establishes registration requirements for paid petition circulators with the Secretary of State, including name, address, date of birth, and consent to state court jurisdiction; mandates that petition sponsors deliver forms to supervisors of elections within 30 days of signing or face fines ranging from $50 to $1,000 per form.

• Reduces the financial impact statement word limit from 150 to 75 words for initiative ballot measures and requires Financial Impact Estimating Conferences to complete analyses within 75 days (previously 45 days).

• Creates new criminal penalties: first-degree misdemeanor for compensating petition circulators based on number of forms gathered, and second-degree misdemeanor for failing to register as a paid petition circulator.