Referendum to Overturn the California Dream Act is NOW Collecting Signatures

According to California Secretary of State Debra Bowen’s office today.

Opponents of a new law that allows illegal immigrants to receive college financial aid were given the green light to begin collecting signatures for a referendum to overturn the measure, Secretary of State Debra Bowen’s office announced today.

Led by Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, R-Twin Peaks, referendum backers hope to halt implementation of the California Dream Act. Gov. Jerry Brown signed the measure Oct. 8.

Donnelly’s group has until Jan. 6 to collect valid signatures from 504,760 registered voters. Donnelly has said he hopes to wage a largely volunteer effort fueled by social media and talk radio.

This referendum will be very popular in California and I am positive there will be some donors to pay to gather the signatures. The California GOP will want to bring voters to the polls to vote against this entitlement for illegal immigrants.

With such a poor California economy, even the most altruistic voter will have to consider the financial impacts of this law.

The law is not scheduled to take effect until 2013, but if sufficient signatures are gathered, the law will be suspended until an election on the referendum is held in either June (another referendum) or November 2012.