Citizens in Charge Foundation News and Media

Ohio: Ballot Board to Take Up Right-to-Work Amendment

AmandaKathryn — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:59:36 -0500

It just happened in Indiana and it could happen in Ohio, if a proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution that would enable workers to benefit from a collective bargaining contract a union negotiates with an employer without having to contribute a dollar of their pay to that union, as a condition of employment, makes the General Electiton ballot in NOvember.

Ohio voters, who last November rejected a Republican-backed bill that radically reformed the rules governing collective bargaining in the state by a nearly 2-1 margin, could have another chance to weigh-in on whether amending the constitution to reign in union dues collection is preferable to the bill (SB 5) that fired up Democratas, progressive, unions and their allies to turn out to turn the bill down.

Washington: Ballot Challenge Certain for Gay Marriage Bill

AmandaKathryn — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:57:42 -0500

Washington state is likely to become the seventh state to legalize same-sex within the next two weeks, but opponents have already promised a ballot challenge would halt any summertime weddings.

As supporters celebrated the Senate’s 28-21 vote passing the measure on Wednesday night, a coalition of religious groups promised to start collecting referendum signatures as soon as the measure is signed into law. The bill still has to be approved by the House, but with the tougher hurdle of the Senate already cleared, that second vote is just a formality.

California: Patients Facing Unaffordable Premiums & Consumer Advocates Launch Historic All-Volunteer Signature-Gathering Effort

AmandaKathryn — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:55:48 -0500

Patients facing skyrocketing health insurance premiums, including one who is now uninsured due to rising prices, joined consumer advocates today to launch an historic all-volunteer signature-gathering effort to qualify an initiative measure for California’s November ballot to regulate health insurance rates. Millions of registered voters will be receiving ballot petitions to sign in the mail and in their email, reminiscent of the volunteer mail effort that qualified insurance reform Prop 103 for the ballot in 1988. View the mailer and email at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyUi2yXYUto&feature=youtu.be.

Arizona: Tobin Measure Last-Ditch Effort for New Political Maps

AmandaKathryn — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:53:44 -0500

A proposal by House Speaker Andy Tobin may give Republicans one last chance to rid themselves of congressional and legislative maps they’ve fought so hard to eliminate. The Paulden Republican wants a November ballot measure that would overhaul the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission.

Nevada: Lawsuit Seeks to Block Anti-Abortion Ballot Initiative

AmandaKathryn — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:07:11 -0500

A District Court lawsuit has been filed by groups aimed at stopping an anti-abortion petition from appearing on the election ballot.

“We hope the court will do the right thing and reject the latest attempt to insert the government into personal, private medical decisions Nevada women and families make every day,” said Elisa Cafferata, president and chief executive officer of Nevada Advocates for Planned Parenthood Affiliates.

The lawsuit was filed in Carson City on Tuesday by the Planned Parenthood Federation and the American Civil Liberties Union.

Missouri: Fighting the Petition Effort

AmandaKathryn — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:05:37 -0500

When Safer Missouri Citizens Coalition called for a petition ceremony for its local control ballot initiative on Monday, they were met with citizens demanding real local control.

The group, sponsored by billionaire financier Rex Sinquefield, had promised the support of more civic leaders and elected officials than it was able to deliver.

Minnesota: Ballot May See Right-to-Work Law

AmandaKathryn — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:01:49 -0500

Lawmakers want voters to decide if Minnesota should become a right-to-work state like its neighbors in North Dakota, South Dakota and Iowa.

A bill to put the right-to-work issue on the November ballot is being authored by state Republicans Sen. Dave Thompson from Lakeville and Rep. Steve Drazkowski from Mazeppa.

Thompson, a freshman senator, said his bill is finished and will be introduced today.

North Dakota: Group Outlines Opposition to Measure 2

AmandaKathryn — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:54:18 -0500

Members of Keep It Local North Dakota, a group opposed to the June 12 ballot measure that would abolish property taxes in North Dakota, labeled it as the wrong approach to handling people’s tax burden. They spoke during a Wednesday morning news conference at the Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce.

North Dakota Chamber of Commerce President Andy Peterson called Measure 2 a reckless attempt at a solution to dealing with property taxes.

California: Measure to Outlaw Labor Agreements on Projects Fails to Qualify

AmandaKathryn — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:52:24 -0500

A proposed June ballot measure that would have prohibited the city of Sacramento from requiring labor organization agreements on publicly-funded construction projects has failed to gather enough signatures.

Sacramento County elections officials ruled today that 62 percent of the signatures it inspected from proponents of the Fair and Open Competition Sacramento measure were valid. Another 19 percent of signatures were from people not registered to vote and 7.5 percent were from voters registered outside of the city.

Washington: Marijuana Legalization on the November Ballot

AmandaKathryn — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:28:54 -0500

Efforts to legalize marijuana for recreational use are gaining momentum in Washington state and Colorado, despite fierce opposition from the federal government and a decades-long cultural battle over America’s most commonly used illicit drug.

Officials in Washington state on Friday said an initiative to legalize pot has enough signatures to qualify for the ballot in November. In Colorado, officials are likely this week to make a similar determination about an initiative there.

Supporters are prepared to possibly spend millions of dollars ahead of the November ballot, when they hope a strong voter turnout, particularly among youth, for the U.S. presidential election will aid their cause.