The bill's author, Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens), plans to bring the proposal to a state Senate committee hearing next week. It is the second bill introduced in the Legislature this year that would move California's presidential primary from June to the third Tuesday in March. "By holding our primary earlier, we will ensure that issues important to Californians are prioritized by presidential candidates from all political parties," Padilla said. California lawmakers first moved the presidential primary to March in 1996. In 2008, the presidential primary was held in February, and voter turnout was higher than it had been for almost three decades.

Source: Los Angeles Times April 11, 2017 18:56 UTC