Propositions must follow the law
Re “Prop. 77: No harm, no foul,” editorial, July 12
From a legal and constitutional perspective, the quibbling over whether the revisions to Proposition 77 were “technical” or substantive enough to change the title and summary entirely misses the point. The attorney general has a duty to provide the people a title and summary that reflects the initiative they see on the ballot. My office never got a chance to review Proposition 77.
In failing to provide my office the initiative they placed before voters, the proponents violated the law and the Constitution. To this day, voters cannot go to my website or the secretary of state’s website and view a copy of Proposition 77.
Public confidence in the initiative process cannot survive if we allow such violations to stand. The Times acknowledges the potential for “bait-and-switch” tactics and says officials should guard against such abuses. That is exactly why The Times should support my lawsuit to remove Proposition 77 from the ballot.
Bill Lockyer
California Attorney General
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