California voters could decide whether to exempt certain homeowners age 60 and older from paying property taxes under a new constitutional amendment now cleared to gather signatures.
Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D., announced that the proposal officially entered circulation on Feb. 5, 2026, a requirement for it to be placed on the statewide ballot for the November general election. Supporters must collect 874,641 valid signatures by Aug. 4, 2026, for the measure to qualify.
The proposed amendment would exempt a principal residence from property taxes if the homeowner or their spouse is at least 60 years old and has either lived in the home for five consecutive years or lived in California for at least 10 years. The exemption would end if the property no longer serves as a primary residence. After five years, homeowners would need to certify that they still qualify. The measure would not apply to voter-approved special taxes, assessments or bonds.
The Attorney General issued the official title and summary, which states the proposal would reduce local property tax revenues by exempting qualifying homes from taxation.
“Many homeowners age 60 or older would pay lower property taxes. This would reduce revenue for local governments and schools by $12 billion to $20 billion per year. These losses would grow over time,” states a fiscal estimate from the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) and the Director of Finance.
Weber said the initiative was cleared after the Attorney General completed the required legal review process and forwarded the official language of the measure to her office and the name of the proponent.
The proposal, filed as Initiative 25-0035, is sponsored by Rishi Kumar of Campbell. To qualify for the ballot, supporters must gather signatures equal to 8% of the total votes cast for governor in the November 2022 election.
If approved by voters, the measure would amend the California Constitution and could significantly reshape how property taxes fund local governments and public schools across the state.
