SACRAMENTO - A measure changing the California Constitution so that a state budget can be adopted by 55 percent of lawmakers, instead of the current two-thirds majority, is getting mixed reviews from voters, according to a poll released Thursday.

The Budget Accountability Act, expected to be on the March ballot, also would prevent the governor and legislators from collecting their salaries and expenses when the budget is late. And it requires legislators seeking re-election to disclose how they voted on spending bills.

But the Field Poll found voter reaction to the proposal differs dramatically depending on how the initiative is described.

Voters oppose the measure, 44 percent to 38 percent, when only told that the initiative lowers the threshold for adopting the state budget. When voters are informed of all the provisions of the measure, they overwhelmingly support it -- 61 percent to 25 percent.

Poll director Mark DiCamillo said the big swing in voter sentiments points out the vulnerability of the measure to interpretation.

"The way opposition campaigns are run in California these days, they attack the weakest link," he said. "It seems that voters like the idea of holding the legislators accountable but are a little leery about just changing the threshold."

He pointed out that lowering the threshold to approve a budget also lowers the threshold for approving new taxes, something not missed by most voters.

Backed by the League of Women Voters of California, the California Parent Teachers Association, as well as a list of unions and community groups, the Budget Accountability Act grew out of frustration in recent years with the inability of the Legislature to adopt a budget on time.

As one of just three states that require a budget to be approved by a two-thirds majority, the California Legislature has been unable to meet the June 15 deadline since 1986, and has missed it 18 times in the past 22 years.

Although Democrats hold big majorities in both houses, last year's budget was a record 76 days late and this year's budget was stalled by Republicans more than a month over objections to higher taxes.

Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access, one of the initiative sponsors, said he is convinced voters will support the measure.

"At the end of the day they are voting on a comprehensive plan," he said. "And when presented the full details, they support it convincingly."