ballot initiative
Just hours ago Washington governor, Chris Gregoire signed into law a bill that will afford certain elderly domestic couples as well as same sex couples all of the same legal rights and benefits as any married couple in the state. The bill falls short of recognizing same sex marriage and places no obligations on the state’s churches to do so.
Just 11 years ago, Washington state lawmakers barred same-sex marriage with the passage of the Defense of Marriage Act. This week, that law is on the edge of becoming irrelevant.
Today, Gov. Chris Gregoire is set to sign an “everything but marriage” bill that gives gay and lesbian couples all the state-provided benefits that married heterosexual couples have. A referendum effort to overturn the law has already ramped up.
In the last days of the 2009 session, the Legislature ended its revolt and decided to honor the decision of the voters to use tobacco lawsuit money to fight tobacco addiction. The Legislature justified its temporary rebellion with the argument that the voters didn’t know what they were doing when they voted on the measure.
Recently Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has been in the news again, this time for taking a position on ballot initiatives in her state.
According to Politico:
“The Alaska Public Offices Commission found Friday night that she did not violate state election laws by announcing her position on a controversial ballot measure requiring tougher environmental standards for new mines.”
Supporters of a ballot initiative that would limit all statewide office holders to 2 four-year terms have began collecting signatures. They hope to place the measure on the November 2010 ballot.
Today, Citizens in Charge Foundation released a new video entitiled “A History Lesson from a Four Year Old.”
A four year old takes time to give grown-ups an American history lesson. Watch him explain the Declaration of Independence, the Boston Tea Party and the rights of American citizens. He also explains how the ballot initiative process can help citizens take charge of government!.
A four year old takes time out of his busy schedule to give grown-ups an American history lesson. Watch him explain the Declaration of Independence, the Boston Tea Party and the rights of American citizens.
Even he understands citizens should be in charge! Take some time out of your schedule to find out how ballot initiatives can work for you at www.CitizensInCharge.org
The Ohio Attorney General has accepted the ballot summary language for an initiative that would allow casinos in four of the state’s largest cities. The proponents original language was rejected on March 23. The petition must now go before the Ohio Ballot Board to determine if it is considered a single amendment.
A legislative committee has been hearing testimony today on a citizen initiative seeking to cut Maine’s car excise tax in half. The excise tax, which varies depending on the age and the value of a car, is collected locally. The proposal also calls for eliminating the 5 percent sales tax and the first three years of car excise taxes on certain fuel-efficient vehicles.
After two failed attempts to make the ballot, a $9.95 billion bond measure was approved by voters in November to help fund the first leg of what would ultimately be an 800-mile system - service between San Francisco and Anaheim, home to Disneyland - at a promised travel time of 2 1/2 hours.
Nothing is creating more heat in the nation’s capitol than the battle over “The Employee Free Choice Act,” (EFCA) popularly known as “card check.”
This proposal has mass support from union leaders as it makes it easier to unionize workers. EFCA replaces the current system of a federally supervised secret ballot election with a card given to workers to opt-in for unionization. Critics are calling foul, as the proposal does away with a workers right to a secret ballot.
Denver’s KBDI Channel 12 today broadcasted an interview with Paul Jacob, President of Citizens in Charge Foundation, discussing the ballot initiative and referendum (I&R) process. Host Jon Caldera of the Independence Institute asked Jacob questions on reforming the I&R process, its affects on voters and public policy.
Tim Eyman, an activist in Washington State, just sent out an email announcing his legal victory of Initiative 960, requiring the state legislature to have a 2/3 majority vote in order to increase taxes. The Supreme Court unanimously rejected challenges to I-960.
Many times initiatives which have passed at the ballot box are challenged in the court system. In this case, Mr. Eyman won the challenge and the taxpayer protection initiative will stand. He writes:
Under intense pressure from both sides in the debate over same-sex marriage, the California Supreme Court will hear arguments Thursday on the ballot initiative passed by voters last November that outlawed such unions.
For opponents of the measure, Proposition 8, the three-hour hearing is a critical legal test. But it is also, they say, a prime moment to rally their forces and demonstrate resilience after a stinging election loss that many among them believe could have been avoided.
In 2007 Paul Jacob, an anti-big-government grassroots activist, and two colleagues were indicted by the state of Oklahoma. Their crime? They had hired people who were not Oklahoma citizens to gather petition signatures for a referendum to impose spending limits on Oklahoma’s profligate legislators. State law said that only residents could pass out petitions, but Jacobs had actually spoken with officials before the petition drive and been assured that as long as signature-gatherers were staying in the state—even if only temporarily—they could carry out their tasks.