On February 13, the Liberty Justice Center and the law office of Nicole C. Pearson, FACTS LAW TRUTH JUSTICE, co-filed a lawsuit on behalf of Protect Kids California, arguing that California Attorney General Rob Bonta failed to uphold his duty to Californians and violated the law when he provided a factually inaccurate, misleading, and biased title to a proposed ballot initiative—rather than a neutral title and summary as required under California law.
In September 2023, Protect Kids California submitted a proposed ballot initiative—presented as the “Protect Kids of California Act of 2024”—for California voters to consider this election. As part of his duties as Attorney General, Rob Bonta was required to provide a neutral and accurate title and summary for the initiative. Instead, he prepared a biased, factually inaccurate, and misleading title and summary that has prejudiced the initiative—rebranding it the “Restricts Rights of Transgender Youth Initiative.”
The Liberty Justice Center and Nicole C. Pearson argue that Attorney General Bonta’s failure to provide a neutral title and summary are the result of bias and a vested interest in the proposed legislation’s subject matter. The Attorney General is a party in multiple lawsuits opposing parental notification policies and supporting the transition of minors with or without their parents’ or guardians’ consent; has submitted multiple amicus briefs in related cases; and has issued dozens more press releases on these topics.
“Regardless of the perspective or content of a ballot initiative, Californians are owed a neutral title and summary of that initiative as part of their core political speech,” said Emily Rae, Senior Counsel at the Liberty Justice Center. “It is a threat to our system of government to allow individuals in positions of power to wield that power to silence, discredit, and shame those they disagree with. Ultimately, Rob Bonta owes it to Californians to uphold his duty as Attorney General—without injecting bias or prejudice into the matter.”
“Attorney General Bonta has repeatedly made his position clear—he is against the entire purpose of Protect Kids California’s initiative. They did not stand a chance in receiving an impartial title and summary. Moreover, Bonta has an insurmountable conflict of interest given that he is a plaintiff, a defendant, and an amicus in multiple lawsuits dealing with related issues,” said Erin Friday, Esq.
The petition requests that Attorney General Bonta rescind the current title and summary of Protect Kids California’s ballot initiative and provide a neutral title and summary in their place, as well as enlarge the time frame in which to collect signatures.
The legal filings in Protect Kids California v. Bonta are available here.
To interview the Liberty Justice Center, send a request to [email protected].
To interview Protect Kids California, send a request to [email protected].