Citizens in Charge

Oklahoma’s “Reforming the Reform Process” event is only one example of how Oklahomans are rolling up their sleeves to protect the once vibrant state initiative process. Oklahomans clearly see that the initiative process is the best tool available for reforming government and holding it accountable.

State Sen. Randy Brogdon and State Rep. Randy Terrill have stepped up and will propose legislation to open the state’s initiative process by (1) ending the current 90-day limit on petitioning time, (2) lowering the nation’s highest signature requirement, and (3) reforming the process so that initiatives are not thrown out after all the signatures are gathered because a “gist statement” or ballot title is found deficient.

These legislators pushed similar bills in the last session, but their legislation was blocked in the Senate. At the time, senators acknowledged that Attorney General Drew Edmondson had lobbied them to kill the bill. Now, after the November election, a much changed Senate offers a far better prospect for passing real reform of the state’s initiative process. More importantly, Rep. Terrill and Sen. Brogdon will have the support of a growing grassroots network, including three active state groups that will help mobilize the public - Oklahomans for Responsible Government, Oklahomans for Initiative Rights and Americans for Prosperity-Oklahoma.

While Oklahoma is our number one priority for 2009, since it provides the very best opportunity to advance the initiative process, we see plenty of other opportunities and challenges on the horizon - in Arizona, Florida, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, Washington and more. Through CSI, we’ll help build pro-initiative grassroots groups, mobilize citizens, highlight the issue in the media (online and off), educate the public, and aggressively litigate to overturn the many unconstitutional restrictions on our petition rights.

Already in 2008, we’ve played a critical role in Deters v. Citizens for Tax Reform, a huge victory that overturned petition payment restrictions passed by Ohio legislators. Not only did Citizens in Charge Foundation file an amicus brief in the federal Sixth Circuit, we also stepped in to fund the final stages of this successful litigation. Weeks ago, the case ended when the U.S. Supreme Court denied the state’s final appeal.

Citizens in Charge Foundation also filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of Michigan Civil Rights Initiative proponents, who are being denied the right to intervene in a lawsuit seeking to strike down their successful initiative. (We take no position on the issue, but we support the right of any proponent to defend their initiative.)