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State Ballot Measure Monthly: February 2016
From Ballotpedia
| Ballot Measure Monthly | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 2016 Measures | |
| Total certified | 157 |
| Total proposed | 1,000+ |
Seven statewide ballot measures were certified for the ballot in February. Therefore, at the end of February, the total count for ballot measures in 2016 stood at 59. This number is still down slightly from the 68 measures that were certified by this time in 2014. By the end of February, at least one signature filing deadline had passed in nine states.
February certifications and news
- Florida Amendment 1: Two high-profile certifications occurred in Florida on February 1, including Amendment 1. If approved by voters in November, the measure would grant Florida residents the right to own or lease equipment that produces solar energy for personal use. It would also ensure that those who do not produce their own solar energy would not be required to subsidize the costs of electric grid access and backup power to those who do.[1]
- Florida Amendment 2: The second notable measure certified on February 1 is Amendment 2. If approved by voters, the measure would legalize medical marijuana for individuals with debilitating medical conditions as determined by a licensed state physician.[1] The group United for Care successfully placed a similar initiative, also called Amendment 2, on the November 4, 2014, ballot in Florida. However, the measure was defeated on Election Day. Although a 57.62 percent majority voted in favor of the amendment, Florida's state constitution requires a 60 percent supermajority vote for an amendment to pass. Following Amendment 2's defeat, John Morgan, the central proponent of and largest donor to the narrowly defeated measure, started planning a re-run for 2016. United for Care, which supported the narrowly defeated Amendment 2 of 2014, is supporting the 2016 medical marijuana initiative. The group's director, Ben Pollara, said the new initiative contains explicit language clarifying areas that opponents of Amendment 2 were concerned about. For example, the new initiative makes clear that minors cannot acquire medical marijuana without parental consent.[2][3][4][5]
- Virginia Property Tax Exemption Amendment: On February 15, the Virginia Property Tax Exemption for Surviving Spouses of Police and Service Personnel Amendment was certified for the November ballot. The measure, upon voter approval, would provide a local option property tax exemption for the surviving spouse of "any law-enforcement officer, firefighter, search and rescue personnel, or emergency medical services personnel who was killed in the line of duty." A surviving spouse would only be eligible for a property tax exemption if he or she occupies a property as his or her primary place and resident and if the spouse has not remarried.[6]
- Maine Minimum Wage Increase Initiative: The Maine Minimum Wage Increase Initiative was certified for the November ballot on February 16. The measure would increase the minimum wage to $9 in 2017, $10 in 2018, $11 in 2019, and $12 in 2020. After 2020, the minimum wage would rise and fall with changes in the consumer price index.[7] Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap (D) confirmed supporters collected more than enough valid signatures to send the measure to the ballot. First, the Maine State Legislature will weigh in. Legislators can either approve the measure themselves or take no action. If no action is taken, the measure will go before voters in November.[8]
- Arizona Proposition 124: Arizona's Prop 124 was also certified for the November ballot on February 16. The measure, which was referred to the ballot by the Arizona Legislature, would preserve the legislature’s current ability to modify public retirement benefits for future employees and replace the current benefit system with a new compounding cost of living adjustment.[9]
- New Mexico Denial of Bail Amendment: The New Mexico Denial of Bail Amendment, which was certified for the November ballot on February 17, would grant courts the authority to deny release on bail to dangerous defendants in felony cases. The measure, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment, must be approved by a simple majority of voters.[10]
- Maine Background Checks for Gun Sales Initiative: The Maine Background Checks for Gun Sales Initiative was certified for the ballot on February 18. It's the second firearms-related measure to be approved for the 2016 ballot; the first was certified for Nevada's ballot in March 2015. If approved by voters in November, the Maine measure would require a background check before a gun sale or transfer between people who are not licensed firearm dealers. If neither party is licensed, they must meet at a licensed dealer, who would then complete a background check on the transferee. Background check exceptions would include emergency self-defense, while the parties are shooting or hunting, and transfers between family members.[9] Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap (D) confirmed supporters collected more than enough valid signatures to send the measure to the ballot. First, the Maine State Legislature will weigh in. Legislators can either approve the measure themselves or take no action. If no action is taken, the measure will go before voters in November.[11]
See also
- Ballotpedia's Tuesday Count for 2016
- 2016 ballot measures
- Potential 2016 ballot measures
- Local ballot measure elections in 2016
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Florida Department of State, "Constitutional Amendment Petition Form," accessed November 18, 2015 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "dos" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "Florida medical marijuana supporters will try again on 2016 ballot," November 26, 2014
- ↑ Sarasota Herald-Tribune, "Florida medical marijuana backer John Morgan to take fight to Tallahassee," November 5, 2014
- ↑ WPTV, "Medical marijuana: On the ballot in 2016?" November 8, 2014
- ↑ Claims Journal, "Florida Medical Marijuana Backers Plot Strategy After Ballot Measure Fails," November 7, 2014
- ↑ Virginia Legislature, "House Joint Resolution 597," accessed March 6, 2015
- ↑ Bangor Daily News, "Referendum launched for $12 Maine minimum wage by 2020," April 16, 2015
- ↑ Portland Press Herald, "Maine secretary of state gives green light to minimum wage initiative," February 16, 2016
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Arizona Sonora News, "Legislative roundup: new ballot measure, coffee shop and dangers of indoor tanning," February 25, 2016 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "text" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ New Mexico Legislature, "Senate Joint Resolution 1," accessed January 20, 2016
- ↑ Newsweek, "MAINE GUN BACKGROUND CHECK INITIATIVE QUALIFIES FOR NOVEMBER BALLOT," February 19, 2016
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