LOS ANGELES — Backers of an initiative that would authorize the state to issue residence permits to immigrants without legal permission to live in the country have until Dec. 21 to gather enough signatures to qualify the measure for the ballot.

What author Louis J. Marinelli has dubbed “The California Immigration Reform Act” would also create a new state department to administer the permit system, require permit holders to pay state income taxes and makes permit holders eligible for certain public benefits.

The initiative would also prohibit state and local governments from using public funds to support or otherwise participate in federal immigration enforcement against permit holders.

“If you come forward, register, pay state income taxes and get your immunizations, California will allow you to stay in California and you will be here legally, at least as far as California is concerned,” Marinelli said.

Proof of immunizations would not be required until the immigrant was eligible to convert the interim residence card issued initially to a permanent residence card, available only after five years of residency, Marinelli said.

Passage of the initiative may result in a substantial net change in state or local finances, according to an analysis prepared by the Legislative Analyst’s Office and Department of Finance.

Valid signatures from 365,880 registered voters — 5 percent of the total votes cast for governor in the 2014 general election — must be submitted to qualify the measure for the November 2016 ballot, according to Secretary of State Alex Padilla, who on Wednesday gave backers permission to begin gathering signatures.

Marinelli is also the proponent of initiatives that would create an advisory group to explore establishing California’s autonomy from the United States; require the display of the California flag above the U.S. flag, change the governor’s title to president of California and ban out-of-state contributions to California election campaigns.