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Selective focus voting yes on California Gubernatorial Recall Election Ballot Los Angeles, CA, Sept. 10, 2021. (Photo: Elliott Cowand Jr/Shutterstock)

Special Vote Thresholds for Amending Voter-Approved Ballot Measures

Most initiative measures proposed by voters and approved at the statewide election cannot be amended by the Legislature

By Chris Micheli, June 12, 2026 2:00 pm

12 Jun 2026 2:00 pm

As you may be aware, initiative measures proposed by voters and approved at the statewide election cannot be amended by the Legislature, unless the initiative authorizes that to occur. In most instances, a higher vote requirement is imposed (most commonly a 2/3 vote) and the legislative amendment must be consistent with or further the purposes of the ballot measure.

In the following chart, I list the statewide ballot measure along with the required vote needed for the two houses of the Legislature to approve.

Ballot Measure Adopted by the Voters Vote Required
To pass a bill amending the Safety for All Act of 2016 (Sec. 13, Prop. 63, Nov. 8, 2016) 22 in the Senate and 44 in the Assembly
To pass a bill amending Title 9 (commencing with Section 81000) of the Government Code, the Political Reform Act of 1974 27 in the Senate and 54 in the Assembly
To pass a bill amending Section 6 of the Smaller Classes, Safer Schools and Financial Accountability Act, Section 47614 of the Education Code 27 in the Senate and 54 in the Assembly
To pass a bill suspending the minimum funding guarantee for K-14 education contained in Prop 98 (1988) 27 in the Senate and 54 in the Assembly
To pass a bill amending the California Voters FIRST Act, commencing with Section 8251 of the Gov’t Code (Prop. 11, 2008) 27 in the Senate and 54 in the Assembly
To pass a bill amending California’s Arts and Music in Schools Act, Education Code Section 8821(c) (Prop. 28, Nov. 2022) 27 in the Senate and 54 in the Assembly
To pass a bill amending the No Place Like Home Program, commencing with Section 5849.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code (Prop. 2, 2018) 27 in the Senate and 54 in the Assembly
To pass a bill amending the California State Lottery Act, numerous sections of the Government Code (Prop. 37, 1984) 27 in the Senate and 54 in the Assembly
To pass a bill amending California’s Mental Health Services Act (Prop. 63, Nov. 2004) 27 in the Senate and 54 in the Assembly
To pass a bill amending the After School Education and Safety Program Act of 2002 in the Education Code (Prop. 49, 2002) 27 in the Senate and 54 in the Assembly
To pass a bill amending the “California Privacy Rights Act of 2020” in the Civil Code (Prop.24, 2020) 27 in the Senate and 54 in the Assembly
To pass a bill amending the statutory provisions, other than the bond provisions, of the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Act (Sec. 8, Prop. 71, Nov. 2, 2004) 28 in the Senate and 56 in the Assembly
To pass a bill amending the statutory provisions of the Victims’ Bill of Rights Act (Sec. 9, Prop. 9, Nov. 4, 2008) 28 in the Senate and 56 in the Assembly
To pass a bill amending the statutory provisions, other than the bond provisions, of the California Stem Cell Research, Treatments, and Cures Initiative of 2020 (Sec. 26, Prop. 14, Nov. 3, 2020) 28 in the Senate and 56 in the Assembly
To pass a bill amending the Death Penalty Reform and Savings Act of 2016 (Sec. 20, Prop. 66, Nov. 8, 2016) 30 in the Senate and 60 in the Assembly
To pass a bill amending specified provisions of the Tobacco Tax and Health Protection Act of 1988 (Prop. 99, Nov. 8, 1988; Sec. 30130, R.& T.C.) 32 in the Senate and 64 in the Assembly
To pass a bill amending the Clean Air and Transportation Improvement Act of 1990 (Prop. 116, June 5, 1990; Sec. 99605, P.U.C.). 32 in the Senate and 64 in the Assembly
To pass a bill amending the California Wildlife Protection  Act of 1990 (Sec. 8, Prop. 117, June 5, 1990) 32 in the Senate and 64 in the Assembly
To pass a bill amending specified provisions of the California Healthcare, Research and Prevention Tobacco Tax Act of 2016 (Sec. 9(c), Prop. 56, Nov. 8, 2016) 32 in the Senate and 64 in the Assembly
To pass a bill amending the Emergency Ambulance Employee Safety and Preparedness Act (Prop. 11, Nov. 6, 2018; Sec. 890, Lab. C.) 32 in the Senate and 64 in the Assembly
To pass a bill amending the Prevention of Cruelty to Farm Animals Act (Sec. 8, Prop. 12, Nov. 6, 2018) 32 in the Senate and 64 in the Assembly
To pass a bill amending specified provisions of the Protect App-Based Drivers and Services Act (Prop. 22, Nov. 3, 2020; Sec. 7465, Bus. & Prof.) 35 in the Senate and 70 in the Assembly
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