On August 26, the California State Appeals Court issued a 20-page opinion in Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association v Newsom, C086334. It says that a 2016 law passed by the legislature, authorizing public funding of campaigns by the state or any local government, is invalid. This is because in 1988 the voters passed Proposition 73, which bans public funding of campaigns. Proposition 73 did not put the ban into the state constitution. It was merely a statute. But California generally does not allow the legislature to repeal or amend laws enacted by initiative, unless that original initiative said the legislature could amend it. So, the 2016 law is void.

The issue is complicated because of the numerous changes to the California campaign finance laws. It is likely the state will ask the State Supreme Court to review this decision.