California Online Voter Guide

11th Edition, November 2004 General Election

Proposition 66: Limitations on "Three Strikes" Law. Sex Crimes. Punishment. Initiative Statute. Failed

Official Summary

Amends "Three Strikes" law to require increased sentences only when current conviction is for specified violent and/or serious felony. Redefines violent and serious felonies. Only prior convictions for specified violent and/or serious felonies, brought and tried separately, would qualify for second and third "strike" sentence increases. Allows conditional re-sentencing of persons with sentences increased under "Three Strikes" law if previous sentencing offenses, or prior convictions used to increase sentences, would no longer qualify as violent and/or serious felonies. Increases punishment for specified sex crimes against children.

Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Unknown, but significant net savings to the state ranging from several tens of millions of dollars to several hundreds of millions of dollars annually due to lower prison operating costs partially offset by costs associated with court-related activities, parole supervision, and the incarceration of and counseling services for sex offenders. Potential state deferral of several hundreds of millions of dollars in capital outlay costs associated with delayed construction of additional prison beds. Increased one-time costs of up to several tens of millions of dollars for jail and court-related costs; ongoing costs of a couple of tens of millions of dollars. Full Text of Proposition (PDF)

Campaign Web Sites and Contact Information

Yes on Proposition 66
Citizens Against Violent Crime
1625 E. 17th Street, Suite 105, Santa Ana, CA 92705
(866) 3-STRIKES or jimbenson@amend3strikes.org
No on Proposition 66
Californians United for Public Safety
1415 L Street, Suite 410, Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 447-8186 or campaign@keep3strikes.org

Who Signed the Ballot Arguments

Yes on Proposition 66:

Rod Hodges, President, Violence Research Foundation
Rev. Rick Schlosser, Executive Director, California Church Impact
Ronald Hampton, Executive Director, National Black Police Association
Mark Leno, Chairman, California State Assembly Committee on Public Safety
Ramona Ripston, Executive Director, ACLU of Southern California
Joe Klaas, Chairman, Citizens Against Violent Crime

No on Proposition 66:

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California
Bill Lockyer, Attorney General of California
Harriet Salarno, Chair, Crime Victims United of California
Cam Sanchez, President, California Police Chiefs Association
Jon Coupal, President, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
Shiela Anderson, President, Prevent Child Abuse California

Follow the Money

Supporters of Proposition 66 have raised approximately $2.5 million as of October 16, 2004. The largest contributor as of October 31st is Jerry Keenan, Owner of Keenan Insurance Management Group, Inc. (Fair Oaks, CA). Other major contributors, each having given $500,000 to the effort to pass the measure, include Peter B. Lewis, Chairman of the Board of the Progressive Corporation; George Soros, Investor, Soros Fund Management; and John. G. Sperling, President of the Apollo Group, Inc.

The only contributor to the organized campaign against Proposition 66 as of October 31, 2004 is the California Organization of Police and Sheriffs PAC. In addition, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association has made a number of independent expenditures to oppose Proposition 66.

Detailed information about all contributors for and against Prop 66 is available through Cal-Access, the Secretary of State's campaign finance website.

For More Information, CVF Recommends...

The California Secretary of State publishes the Official Voter Information Guide with both a Quick Summary and Detailed Information about Proposition 66.

Other good nonpartisan resources include the League of Women Voters' Pro/Con Analysis and In-Depth Analysis of Proposition 66, the California Journal, the McGeorge School of Law California Initiative Review and the Easy Voter Guide.

Was this guide helpful?

We are interested in hearing your feedback about CVF's California Online Voter Guide. If you have suggestions, complaints, requests, or questions, please contact us. If you found this guide helpful, please consider making a contribution to help support CVF's nonpartisan voter education work.