It's baaaaack.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006 (SF Chronicle)
CAMPAIGN200G: November Initiatives/Abortion notice returns to voters
John Wildermuth, Chronicle Political Writer
An initiative that would require parents to be notified before a minor
could receive an abortion will be on the November ballot, along with
another measure that would boost cigarette taxes by $2.60 a pack to pay
for a variety of health-related services.
The two initiatives each collected far more than the nearly 600,000
signatures needed to qualify for the ballot. This brings the number of
measures on the November ballot to 10, with a handful of other initiatives
still needing to get approval before the June 29 deadline.
The parental notification measure is almost identical to last November's
Proposition 73, which was rejected by voters, 53 percent "no" to 47
percent "yes." Despite the loss, it did better than any of the seven other
measures on the special election ballot.
The measure requires that the parent or guardian of an unmarried and
unemancipated woman younger than 18 receive 48 hours notice before an
abortion can be performed, but allows a judge to waive the notification if
it is in the best interest of the woman.
The only differences between the new initiative and Prop. 73 were made to
resolve complaints of opponents, said Albin Rhomberg, a spokesman for Life
on the Ballot, which sponsored both initiatives.
The new measure eliminates Prop. 73's description of abortion as the
killing of "a child conceived, but not yet born" and requires that newly
required statistical information on the number of notification waivers
requested, refused or granted be reported on a county-by-county basis,
rather than judge-by-judge, as the original measure called for.
While backers of the initiative hope the changes will bring more support
to the parental notification plan, the timing of the new measure also will
help, they believe.
"The results of the special election showed a very skewed turnout of the
electorate," with a poor turnout in the state's more conservative areas,
Rhomberg said. "The general election should provide a more representative
turnout."
The cigarette tax initiative would nearly quadruple the state's levy from
the current 87 cents to $3.47 a pack, making it by far the highest rate in
the nation.
The measure, backed by a variety of anti-smoking and public health groups,
is expected to raise about $2.1 billion a year, although that amount could
fall as high cigarette prices force more people to quit. The money would
be used for hospital emergency room services, nursing education and health
insurance for eligible children. It also would go toward anti-smoking
programs and medical research.
E-mail John Wildermuth at jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com. ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2006 SF Chronicle
CAMPAIGN200G: November Initiatives/Abortion notice returns to voters
John Wildermuth, Chronicle Political Writer
An initiative that would require parents to be notified before a minor
could receive an abortion will be on the November ballot, along with
another measure that would boost cigarette taxes by $2.60 a pack to pay
for a variety of health-related services.
The two initiatives each collected far more than the nearly 600,000
signatures needed to qualify for the ballot. This brings the number of
measures on the November ballot to 10, with a handful of other initiatives
still needing to get approval before the June 29 deadline.
The parental notification measure is almost identical to last November's
Proposition 73, which was rejected by voters, 53 percent "no" to 47
percent "yes." Despite the loss, it did better than any of the seven other
measures on the special election ballot.
The measure requires that the parent or guardian of an unmarried and
unemancipated woman younger than 18 receive 48 hours notice before an
abortion can be performed, but allows a judge to waive the notification if
it is in the best interest of the woman.
The only differences between the new initiative and Prop. 73 were made to
resolve complaints of opponents, said Albin Rhomberg, a spokesman for Life
on the Ballot, which sponsored both initiatives.
The new measure eliminates Prop. 73's description of abortion as the
killing of "a child conceived, but not yet born" and requires that newly
required statistical information on the number of notification waivers
requested, refused or granted be reported on a county-by-county basis,
rather than judge-by-judge, as the original measure called for.
While backers of the initiative hope the changes will bring more support
to the parental notification plan, the timing of the new measure also will
help, they believe.
"The results of the special election showed a very skewed turnout of the
electorate," with a poor turnout in the state's more conservative areas,
Rhomberg said. "The general election should provide a more representative
turnout."
The cigarette tax initiative would nearly quadruple the state's levy from
the current 87 cents to $3.47 a pack, making it by far the highest rate in
the nation.
The measure, backed by a variety of anti-smoking and public health groups,
is expected to raise about $2.1 billion a year, although that amount could
fall as high cigarette prices force more people to quit. The money would
be used for hospital emergency room services, nursing education and health
insurance for eligible children. It also would go toward anti-smoking
programs and medical research.
E-mail John Wildermuth at jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com. ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2006 SF Chronicle