By Phoenix Carter, Staff Writer
http://capitolweekly.net/down-ballot-propositions-rocky-road/
The year of 2016 has been filled with crazy moments that some want to remember and some don’t. While many of these moments, like the presidential debates and election, received extensive media coverage, other important topics, like the many propositions put on the ballot in California, did not. In California, politicians and citizens can propose propositions that, if passed, can lead to a change in laws and procedures governing life in the state. During this election, a number of propositions were created and placed on the ballot. On election day, November 8th, the public voted on solutions they thought was best for California as a whole.
Proposition 51 related to education. If passed, it would distribute $9 billion to K-12 schools and community colleges. The proposition resulted in the majority voting yes to put it in place. Therefore, schools were awarded the money. This supplied them with enough money to improve the education of children, teens, and young adults in college. Construction of new schools will soon go underway now that they have this money. Many education related propositions had been put on the ballot in past years but Proposition 51 was the first ballot initiative in 10 years. A ballot initiative is when a petition gets signed by the needed amount of registered voters which allows for a public vote. Three billion was given to construct new school facilities, five hundred million was for the building of charter schools, three million to modernize schools, five hundred million was put toward building facilities for career technical education programs, and finally two billion was given to community colleges to reconstruct and renovate them.
Two death penalty propositions appeared on the ballot this year, proposition 62 and proposition 66. Proposition 62 would have revoked the death penalty making prisoners serve life in prison without any possibility of parole. Many people were quick to say no to this proposition due to personal opinions, others felt empathy towards prisoners whose lives were being taken because of the death penalty. This proposition was shut down by 53.93% of voters who believed we need to keep the death penalty in place. Proposition 66 promised to keep the death penalty in place but offered different constructive changes to it so things would speed up. Criminals that have been put on death row have years more to live because of how slow the death penalty system is, which is why proposition 66 was proposed. The proposition would establish a time frame for a death penalty review, thereby not allowing the case to take years and have no justice served. The proposition also requires all cases to have an appointed attorney to work on each case itself. Optimists believe this will work, while pessimists don’t believe anything that this proposition has promised.
Proposition 64, the legalization of Marijuana has been long awaited. Protests have been held for years to legalize marijuana. On November 9th, 2016 it was finally announced that marijuana had been legalized making people cheer with triumph. Although there was a big win, 43.86% of people still wanted marijuana to be illegal, but the 56.14% gained the victory. The legal age to use marijuana for recreational use will be 21 years or older. Certain conditions come with the legalization of marijuana such as it being illegal to possess any marijuana while minors are present on the grounds of a youth center, daycare, or school. People will be allowed to grow up to six plants in one’s household, but the area which they are grown must be locked and not visible to others. It is hoped that underage population will not use marijuana but if they do then there will be consequences; anyone using it illegally will have to attend drug education or a counseling program and partake in community service. Selling marijuana illegally has much more serious consequences such as up to 6 months in county jail and a fine of $500. This is a big change for California and with the right laws in place proposition 64 could positively affect everyone involved.
Proposition 51 related to education. If passed, it would distribute $9 billion to K-12 schools and community colleges. The proposition resulted in the majority voting yes to put it in place. Therefore, schools were awarded the money. This supplied them with enough money to improve the education of children, teens, and young adults in college. Construction of new schools will soon go underway now that they have this money. Many education related propositions had been put on the ballot in past years but Proposition 51 was the first ballot initiative in 10 years. A ballot initiative is when a petition gets signed by the needed amount of registered voters which allows for a public vote. Three billion was given to construct new school facilities, five hundred million was for the building of charter schools, three million to modernize schools, five hundred million was put toward building facilities for career technical education programs, and finally two billion was given to community colleges to reconstruct and renovate them.
Two death penalty propositions appeared on the ballot this year, proposition 62 and proposition 66. Proposition 62 would have revoked the death penalty making prisoners serve life in prison without any possibility of parole. Many people were quick to say no to this proposition due to personal opinions, others felt empathy towards prisoners whose lives were being taken because of the death penalty. This proposition was shut down by 53.93% of voters who believed we need to keep the death penalty in place. Proposition 66 promised to keep the death penalty in place but offered different constructive changes to it so things would speed up. Criminals that have been put on death row have years more to live because of how slow the death penalty system is, which is why proposition 66 was proposed. The proposition would establish a time frame for a death penalty review, thereby not allowing the case to take years and have no justice served. The proposition also requires all cases to have an appointed attorney to work on each case itself. Optimists believe this will work, while pessimists don’t believe anything that this proposition has promised.
Proposition 64, the legalization of Marijuana has been long awaited. Protests have been held for years to legalize marijuana. On November 9th, 2016 it was finally announced that marijuana had been legalized making people cheer with triumph. Although there was a big win, 43.86% of people still wanted marijuana to be illegal, but the 56.14% gained the victory. The legal age to use marijuana for recreational use will be 21 years or older. Certain conditions come with the legalization of marijuana such as it being illegal to possess any marijuana while minors are present on the grounds of a youth center, daycare, or school. People will be allowed to grow up to six plants in one’s household, but the area which they are grown must be locked and not visible to others. It is hoped that underage population will not use marijuana but if they do then there will be consequences; anyone using it illegally will have to attend drug education or a counseling program and partake in community service. Selling marijuana illegally has much more serious consequences such as up to 6 months in county jail and a fine of $500. This is a big change for California and with the right laws in place proposition 64 could positively affect everyone involved.