District elections: initiatives.

Senator Pérez's initiative measure legislation expands voter authority in California districts that oversee transportation-related transactions and use taxes, allowing residents to directly propose retail tax measures through ballot initiatives. The proposed changes to the Elections Code maintain existing rate caps and accountability requirements while creating a new pathway for voter-driven revenue measures.

Under the amended framework, voter initiatives must incorporate the same spending limitations and accountability standards that apply to district-governing body ordinances, including detailed transportation expenditure plans outlining intended uses of tax proceeds. The maximum tax rate permitted through voter initiatives cannot exceed what district boards may impose via ordinance. While initiatives require expenditure plans, the legislation removes requirements for local agency approval of those plans.

The measure preserves current exclusions for certain district types, including irrigation districts and those lacking election procedures. County elections officials would take on additional administrative duties to implement the new initiative process, with provisions for state reimbursement of associated costs through established mechanisms if deemed a state mandate by the Commission on State Mandates.