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Colorado Independent Ethics Commission Initiative (2017)
| Colorado Independent Ethics Commission Initiative | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 7, 2017 | |
| Topic Government accountability and State judiciary | |
| Status Not on the ballot | |
| Type Constitutional amendment | Origin Citizens |
The Colorado Independent Ethics Commission Initiative did not qualify for the ballot in Colorado as an initiated constitutional amendment on November 7, 2017.
The measure would have replaced the Commission on Judicial Discipline with an Independent Ethics Commission. The Independent Ethics Commission would have been responsible for investigating judicial misconduct and judges' disabilities that interfere with performance. The commission would have recommended actions, such as prosecution, against judges.[1]
Text of measure
Constitutional changes
- See also: Article XXIX and Article VI of the Colorado Constitution
The initiative would have amended Section 5 of Article XXIX and Section 23 of Article VI of the Colorado Constitution.[1]
Full text
The full text of the measure is available here.
Support
Chris Forsyth and Laurie Forsyth of Jefferson County, Colorado, submitted the initiative for review and comment.[2]
Background
In 1966, Coloradans created the Commission on Judicial Discipline via Measure 3. Voters approved Amendment 3 in 1982, renaming the Commission on Judicial Qualifications as the Commission on Judicial Discipline and establishing procedures for removing or discipling judges. The section of the constitution authorizing the Commission on Judicial Discipline was updated in 2002 after voters passed Referendum D.
Path to the ballot
Chris Forsyth and Laurie Forsyth submitted the initiative to the Colorado Legislative Counsel for review and comment on May 20, 2016. On June 1, the counsel offered comments. Compliance with these recommendations was not required. Proponents submitted a draft to the Colorado secretary of state on June 3, 2016. The initiative's sponsors withdrew the measure on December 7, 2016.[2]
The number of signatures required for a successful petition is equal to 5 percent of the total number of votes cast for the office of secretary of state in the preceding general election. The same number of signatures is required for constitutional amendments, statutes, and referendums. In 2017, the number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment was 98,492. Due to the passage of Amendment 71 in November 2016, signatures equivalent to at least 2 percent of the registered electors who reside in the state's 35 senate districts must be part of the total.
In Colorado, petitioners have six months to collect signatures after the ballot language and title are finalized. The Constitution says that the petition must be filed three months before the election at which the measure would appear. In 2017, three months before the election was August 7.
See also
- 2017 ballot measures
- Colorado 2017 ballot measures
- Laws governing the initiative process in Colorado
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Colorado Secretary of State, "Independent Ethics Commission," accessed December 1, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedpetition
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