The proponent of an initiative to repeal or amend various portions of the law that recently increased California gasoline taxes asked the Supreme Court for help this week. The proponent — Assemblyman Travis Allen — didn’t like the circulating title and summary that the State’s Attorney General, Xavier Becerra, prepared for the initiative. He prevailed on a challenge in the superior court, but the Court of Appeal reversed two weeks ago. Now, he wants the Supreme Court to review the Court of Appeal decision — Becerra v. Superior Court. Meanwhile, other similar initiatives are in progress.
The Supreme Court regularly interprets initiatives, like it did today, and adjudicates the validity of initiatives, both before and after voters pass them. Other times, as in Becerra, the court is asked to decide issues regarding the mechanics of putting an initiative on the ballot.