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Edited by Brittany Clingen
1 certification
3 measures for 2013
Another measure is set to appear on the Washington ballot in the general election on November 5, 2013. Initiative 517, also known as the "Protect the Initiative Act," is an Initiative to the Legislature; the legislature did nothing with the measure, thereby referring it to the ballot.[1]
I-517, sponsored by initiative promoter Tim Eyman, would define what constitutes interference with or retaliation against petition-signers and signature gatherers. It would also render these acts a criminal misdemeanor and subject perpetrators to penalties. Furthermore, I-517 would mandate that all measures receiving the required number of signatures be placed on the ballot, and it would increase the amount of time supporters of a measure have to file and gather signatures from 10 months to 16 months before the corresponding election.[1]
The full text of the measure can be found here.
The Colorado Funding for Public Schools Initiative has finally received the green light to formally begin their campaign efforts after Colorado's legislature passed Senate Bill 213.[2]
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Mike Johnston (D-33), would create a new school finance act that increases state revenues to fund public education.[3] However, SB 213 has no funding language in the bill. Therefore, though it has passed the legislature, its viability will be determined if and when voters approve the initiative to be featured on the November 5, 2013 ballot.[2]
There are currently 16 proposed ballot initiatives that have been submitted to the Secretary of State by supporters, each varying slightly in the structure by which Colorado residents would be taxed. Some are in favor of a tiered system, others a flat tax. Regardless of which initiative moves forward toward the ballot, voters will ultimately be deciding whether or not to approve a $1.1 billion tax increase that will be siphoned into public education.[2]
Supporters of both SB 213 and the initiatives have until August 5, 2013 to collect 86,105 valid signatures and determine which initiative should be sent to voters.[2]
The Ohio-based Center for Community Solutions, a non-partisan policy institute that focuses on studying and promoting the well-being of people in need, is toying with the idea of putting the expansion of Medicaid before voters in either 2013 or 2014.[4][5]
The House removed a proposed Medicaid expansion from Gov. John Kasich's (R) budget before forwarding it to the Senate, where Senate President Keith Faber (R-12) said that the upper chamber's version of the budget also excluded the expansion of Medicaid. Senate Democrats are still hopeful they can introduce a bill similar to Kasich's that could be voted on.[5]
John Begala, executive director of the Center for Community Solutions, is still optimistic that Medicaid expansion can be handled within the legislature, as opposed to putting it before voters. Speaking about the potential ballot measure, Begala said, "Our first preference is certainly not to go this route. This is our last resort."[5]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Washington Secretary of State: Elections & Voting, "Proposed Initiatives to the Legislature - 2012," retrieved May 7, 2013
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 DenverPost.com, "Colorado school finance revamp next takes tax increase to voters," May 5, 2013
- ↑ Colorado State Legislature, "SB 213 (text)," retrieved May 7, 2013
- ↑ The Center for Community Solutions, "About Us: Our Mission," retrieved May 7, 2013
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 NewsOK, "Advocates consider Medicaid issue for Ohio ballot," May 1, 2013
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