California

* California Constitution - CONS

372 sections, each with the official text and a plain-English explanation of what it means for you.

• § SEC. 1 — The judicial power of this State is vested in the Supreme Court, courts of appeal, and superior courts, all of which are courts of record.
• § SEC. 1.1 — The state shall not deny or interfere with an individual’s reproductive freedom in their most intimate decisions, which includes their fundamental right to choose to have an abortion and their fundame
• § SEC. 1.3 — (a) For the purposes of Section 1, a “single object or work,” for which the Legislature may create a debt or liability in excess of three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) subject to the requirement
• § SEC. 1.5 — The annual calculation of the appropriations limit under this article for each entity of local government shall be reviewed as part of an annual financial audit.
• § SEC. 10 — Real property in a parcel of 10 or more acres which, on the lien date and for 2 or more years immediately preceding, has been used exclusively for nonprofit golf course purposes shall be assessed for
• § SEC. 10.5 — For fiscal years beginning on or after July 1, 1990, the appropriations limit of each entity of government shall be the appropriations limit for the 1986–87 fiscal year adjusted for the changes made f
• § SEC. 11 — (a) The Legislators’ Retirement System shall not pay any unmodified retirement allowance or its actuarial equivalent to any person who on or after January 1, 1987, entered for the first time any state
• § SEC. 12 — (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), taxes on personal property, possessory interests in land, and taxable improvements located on land exempt from taxation which are not a lien upon land suffic
• § SEC. 12.5 — Within 10 days following the submission of a budget pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 12, following the proposed adjustments to the Governor’s Budget required by subdivision (e) of Section 13308
• § SEC. 13 — Notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution, the Legislature shall have power to release, rescind, cancel, or otherwise nullify in whole or in part any encumbrance on property, personal o
• § SEC. 14 — “Appropriations subject to limitation” of each entity of government shall not include appropriations of revenue from the California Healthcare, Research and Prevention Tobacco Tax Act of 2016 Fund cre
• § SEC. 14.1 — If a felony is prosecuted by indictment, there shall be no postindictment preliminary hearing.
• § SEC. 14.5 — The Legislature may provide for the issuance of revenue bonds to finance the acquisition, construction, and installation of facilities utilizing cogeneration technology, solar power, biomass, or any o
• § SEC. 15 — A person is ineligible to be a judge of a court of record unless for 10 years immediately preceding selection, the person has been a member of the State Bar or served as a judge of a court of record i
• § SEC. 16 — (a) Judges of the Supreme Court shall be elected at large and judges of courts of appeal shall be elected in their districts at general elections at the same time and places as the Governor.
• § SEC. 17 — The State shall not in any manner loan its credit, nor shall it subscribe to, or be interested in the stock of any company, association, or corporation, except that the State and each political subdiv
• § SEC. 18 — (a) The Assembly has the sole power of impeachment.
• § SEC. 18.1 — The Commission on Judicial Performance shall exercise discretionary jurisdiction with regard to the oversight and discipline of subordinate judicial officers, according to the same standards, and subj
• § SEC. 18.5 — (a) Upon request, the Commission on Judicial Performance shall provide to the Governor of any State of the Union the text of any private admonishment, advisory letter, or other disciplinary action tog
• § SEC. 19 — The Legislature shall prescribe compensation for judges of courts of record.
• § SEC. 2 — (a) The Citizens Redistricting Commission shall be created no later than December 31 in 2010, and in each year ending in the number zero thereafter.
• § SEC. 2.1 — The State Board of Education, on nomination of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, shall appoint one Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction and three Associate Superintendents of Public Ins
• § SEC. 2.2 — (a) Protection of Fire Services, Emergency Response, and County Services.
• § SEC. 2.3 — (a) Each county shall annually, no later than the date specified by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration by regulations adopted pursuant to this section, determine the gain for the
• § SEC. 2.5 — A voter who casts a vote in an election in accordance with the laws of this State shall have that vote counted.
• § SEC. 20 — (a) (1) The Budget Stabilization Account is hereby created in the General Fund.
• § SEC. 21 — Property owned before marriage or acquired during marriage by gift, will, or inheritance is separate property.
• § SEC. 22 — (a) Upon the Governor’s proclamation declaring a budget emergency and identifying the conditions constituting the emergency, the Legislature may pass a bill that does any of the following: (1) Suspend
• § SEC. 23 — The tax imposed by the California Healthcare, Research and Prevention Tobacco Tax Act of 2016 and the revenue derived therefrom, including investment interest, shall not be considered General Fund rev
• § SEC. 24 — (a) The Legislature may not impose taxes for local purposes but may authorize local governments to impose them.
• § SEC. 25 — The Legislature shall provide, in the same fiscal year, reimbursements to each local government for revenue lost because of Section 3(k).
• § SEC. 25.5 — (a) On or after November 3, 2004, the Legislature shall not enact a statute to do any of the following: (1) (A) Except as otherwise provided in subparagraph (B), modify the manner in which ad valorem
• § SEC. 26 — (a) Taxes on or measured by income may be imposed on persons, corporations, or other entities as prescribed by law.
• § SEC. 27 — The Legislature, a majority of the membership of each house concurring, may tax corporations, including state and national banks, and their franchises by any method not prohibited by this Constitution
• § SEC. 28 — (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution, no bill shall take effect as an urgency statute if it authorizes or contains an appropriation for either (1) the alteration or modificatio
• § SEC. 29 — (a) The Legislature may authorize counties, cities and counties, and cities to enter into contracts to apportion between them the revenue derived from any sales or use tax imposed by them that is coll
• § SEC. 3 — The electors may amend the Constitution by initiative.