2025 HJTA Initiatives
On May 12, 2025, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA) submitted two versions of a state constitutional amendment initiative, focused on a few specific tax rules. Following the California Supreme Court pulling the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Initiative from the November 2024 ballot, the next round begins.
These initiatives both seek to increase the vote threshold on local special tax measures proposed by a citizen initiative from a simple majority (50 percent, plus one) to a two-thirds supermajority. They would ban most taxes related to real property sales, transfers, documents or recordings. One version would impose these new constitutional provisions retroactively and, effective December 31, 2028, invalidate local agencies’ special tax revenues approved by a majority of their voters. The other version is forward looking. HJTA’s proposed initiative is aimed at the November 3, 2026, statewide ballot.
The California Secretary of State’s suggested last day for proponents to submit a proposed initiative measure to the Attorney General and request a circulating title and summary is August 13, 2025. October 17, 2025, is the last day for the Attorney General to prepare and issue the circulating title and summary. April 17, 2026, is the last day for proponents to file signed petitions with county elections officials. To qualify a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment for the 2026 statewide ballot, proponents need to gather at least 874,641 valid signatures from registered voters, which is equivalent to eight percent of the total votes cast for Governor in the most recent gubernatorial election.
The initiatives can be tracked on the Office of the Attorney General website here: https://oag.ca.gov/initiatives/active-measures