Death penalty supporters filed an initiative for the November 2014 election -- to radically alter death penalty procedures in California and make them more like those in Texas or Virginia.

SAFE California (a group we support) sprang into action as soon as we knew (back in December). We convened legal and policy experts to conduct a thorough analysis.

Why Do We Oppose This Initiative?

The findings were exactly as we had imagined: the initiative is riddled with legal, fiscal and practical problems, and will actually increase the risk that we will execute an innocent person.

We intend to fight this misleading proposal every step of the way. There is no doubt that California’s death penalty is broken beyond repair. We know, and half of California voters know, that the only real solution is to replace the death penalty with life in prison without the possibility of parole.

How Can You Help Now?

Today, we expect the Attorney General to issue a title and summary for this proposed initiative. At that point, death penalty proponents will be authorized to print and begin circulating petitions to attempt to qualify their flawed initiative for the November ballot.

They will have until April 2014 to collect over 800,000 valid voter signatures.

We learned from the “Yes on 34” campaign that collecting a large number of valid signatures is no easy feat; it requires a tremendous amount of time and money. We have no reason to believe that this flawed initiative will qualify for the November ballot.

But we will be on the lookout for paid signature gatherers on the streets circulating petitions.

• If someone asks you to sign a petition for this initiative, please let SAFE California know immediately!