California bishops will endorse parental notification and marriage protection initiatives for the November state ballot if the proposed measures qualify, said California Catholic Conference officials this week after the bishops' spring teleconference April 14.

"We anticipate 'Sarah's Law' [requiring doctors to notify adult family members 48 hours before an unemancipated minor's pending abortion] will qualify. The Protect Marriage Amendment is close, it probably will qualify," said Carol Hogan, communications director for the California Catholic Conference.

If the two initiatives gain placement on the ballot, it's expected the bishops will issue a statement of support in early summer. The CCC will then be instructed to provide educational materials on the initiatives for distribution in parishes and Catholic institutions, said Hogan.

With dozens of initiatives currently being circulated in California for voter signatures, the CCC issued a background statement last month regarding the bishops' initiative policy. "California is the kingdom of initiatives, and the Catholic bishops of California are invited to support many [of them]," said Ned Dolejsi, executive director of the CCC.

According to Dolejsi, it is the policy of the bishops not to formally endorse any initiative until it has actually qualified for the ballot. And, according to CCC's policy on initiatives in circulation for signatures, any signature-gathering can not be done in a parish without the expressed consent of the bishop of the diocese as well as the permission of the pastor.

To comply with the CCC policy, the state's Respect Life offices have not organized signature-gathering campaigns, although individual Catholics wishing to participate in signature-gathering campaigns have been encouraged to do so by the bishops.

On March 27, Secretary of State Debra Bowen announced that proponents of three new initiatives banning viable fetus abortions, human embryonic stem cell research and human cloning may begin collecting petition signatures to qualify for the state ballot. Supporters must collect signatures of 694,354 registered voters for each measure in order to qualify by an August 25 deadline.