LA County voters approve Measure ER. Now state approval is needed

During the June 2 California primary, L.A. County voters had the opportunity to vote on Measure ER, a proposed temporary half-cent funding measure, which passed on Wednesday with a 50.35% “yes” vote, according to the BallotPedia.

Although voters approved the measure, the tax increase cannot take effect without additional action from the state Legislature through Assembly Bill 1768, which was introduced by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, a Democrat from L.A..

The bill would allow L.A. County to exceed the state's sales tax cap, clearing the way for the measure's implementation. Beginning Oct. 1, Measure ER would raise the county's sales tax rate from 9.75% to 10.25% for five years.

Measure ER — projected to generate about $1 billion annually — is meant to prevent loss of healthcare services that have been cut by local funding by $800 million by the H.R.1, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” enacted last year.