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State Ballot Measure Monthly: July 2016
From Ballotpedia
| Ballot Measure Monthly | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 2016 Measures | |
| Total certified | 157 |
| Total proposed | 1,000+ |
Fifteen statewide ballot measures were certified for the ballot in July. Therefore, at the end of July, the total count for ballot measures in 2016 stood at 130. An imminent court ruling about a veto referendum in Nevada, however, brought the certified number for July down to 14. As has been the trend so far this year, the number of certified measures for 2016 is still down from the 148 measures that were certified by this time in 2014. However, as of August 1, 2016, citizen initiatives made up 53 out of the 130 ballot measures with guaranteed spots on the ballot this year. This compares to about 27 citizen initiatives certified for the ballot by this time in 2014. By the end of July, Colorado and Oklahoma were the only two states left with signature filing deadlines for initiative petitions.
HIGHLIGHTS
July certifications and news
- Montana Animal Trap Restrictions, I-177: If this initiated state statute is approved by voters in November, it would prohibit the use of animal traps and snares on state public lands. The initiative would also provide for misdemeanor penalties for violations of the law.[1]
- Massachusetts Minimum Size Requirements for Farm Animal Containment, Question 3: This indirect initiated state statute would prevent the sale of eggs, veal, or pork of a farm animal "confined in a cruel manner." As an indirect initiated state statute, supporters of the measure had to collect at least 64,750 signatures by December 2, 2015, which qualified the initiative to be put before the legislature for a vote. The legislature did not enact the initiative, which required supporters to gather another 10,792 signatures by July 6, 2016, to place the initiative on the ballot for voters.[2][3][4]
- Massachusetts Marijuana Legalization, Question 4: This indirect initiated state statute would approve the legalization of the use, cultivation, possession, and distribution of recreational marijuana. If approved, Massachusetts would join Alaska, Colorado, Washington state, and the District of Columbia in legalizing recreational marijuana. As an indirect initiated state statute, this initiative followed the same process detailed above for the Massachusetts Farm Animal Containment Initiative.[5]
- Massachusetts Authorization of Additional Charter Schools and Charter School Expansion, Question 2: This indirect initiated state statute would authorize the approval of up to 12 new charter schools or enrollment expansions in existing charter schools per year. As an indirect initiated state statute, this initiative followed the same process detailed above for the Massachusetts Farm Animal Containment Initiative.[6]
- Arkansas Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative: If passed, this initiated state statute would legalize medical marijuana in Arkansas. The measure may face a competing initiated constitutional amendment on the ballot, called Arkansas Medical Marijuana, Issue 6. While similar, the two measures differ on patient card fee limits, the organizations proposed to implement the program, and the distribution of sales tax revenues generated from the program.[7]
- Nevada Legislature to Minimize Regulations on the Energy Market and Eliminate Legal Energy Monopolies, Question 3: This measure was placed on the ballot as an initiated constitutional amendment and would make electricity markets in Nevada open and minimize regulatory burden on the electric energy sector if approved by voters. Nevada law requires initiated constitutional amendments to be approved by voters in two even-numbered election years, so Question 3 would need to be approved in 2016 and 2018 to amend the constitution.[8]
- Nevada Medical Equipment Sales Tax Exemption, Question 4: The "Medical Patient Tax Relief" Act is an initiated constitutional amendment that would require durable medical equipment, mobility enhancement equipment, and oxygen delivering equipment to be exempt from the sales tax. Nevada law requires initiated constitutional amendments to be approved by voters in two even-numbered election years, so Question 4 would need to be approved in 2016 and 2018 to amend the constitution.[9]
- Nevada Solar Rate Restoration Veto Referendum, Question 5: This veto referendum was put on the ballot in response to a section of Senate Bill 374, which established a fixed fee for solar customers that was different from the fixed fee for other customers. On August 4, 2016, however, the Nevada Supreme Court removed Question 5 from the ballot citing a lawsuit arguing that the summary of the referendum used on petition sheets during signature gathering was biased. If the veto referendum had remained on the ballot and had been approved, SB 374 would have been upheld, but if it has been defeated, the targeted section of SB 374 would have been repealed.[10][11]
- Montana Medical Marijuana Initiative, I-182: If approved by voters, this initiated state statute would amend the Montana Marijuana Act of 2011 with provisions including repealing a three-patient limit for providers and allowing providers to hire employees to cultivate, dispense, and transport medical marijuana. Montana voters approved the Montana Medical Marijuana Allowance Initiative in 2004, but in 2011, the legislature passed a bill that placed strict restrictions on medical marijuana.[12][13]
- Montana Bonds to Fund Biomedical Research Authority, I-181: Placed on the ballot as an initiated state statute, this measure would authorize the creation of $20 million in state bonds per year for ten years to establish and fund the Montana Biomedical Research Authority. The research authority would be responsible for reviewing grant applications for the development of therapies and cures for brain diseases and injuries and mental illnesses.[14]
- Oregon State Funding for Dropout Prevention and College Readiness Initiative: This measure qualified for the ballot as an initiated state statute and would require state funding for dropout prevention and career and college readiness programs in Oregon high schools. Currently, state funds are distributed directly to school districts, but the measure would require the legislature to provide at least $800 for each high school student to be placed in an account administered by the department of education. The department of education would then distribute the funds for dropout prevention and readiness programs.[15]
- Washington Minimum Wage Increase, Initiative 1433: This initiated state statute would increase the state's minimum wage from $9.47 to $11.00 in 2017, $11.50 in 2018, $12.00 in 2019, and $13.50 in 2020. The initiative would also require employers to provide paid sick leave. There were originally several versions of this measure, but supporters only submitted signatures for this version, known as I-1433.[16]
- Oregon Outdoor School Activities Lottery Fund Initiative: If approved by voters, this initiated state statute would create an Outdoor School Education Fund to support outdoor school programs. The fund would be financed by state lottery revenues. The initiative is supported by Nike and Keen Footwear, in addition to various health organizations.[17][18]
- Oregon Prohibition against Sale of Products from Endangered Species Initiative: This measure qualified for the ballot as an initiated state statute and would prohibit the sale of products and parts of 12 endangered animals in Oregon. Currently, shark fins are the only animal part that is prohibited from sale, but this initiative would add all products and parts from rhinos, cheetahs, tigers, sea turtles, lions, elephants, whales, sharks, pangolins, jaguars, rays, and leopards to the list. The law would provide exceptions for gifts, inheritances, and certain antiques and musical instruments.[19][20]
- Washington Individual Gun Access Prevention by Court Order, Initiative 1491: This initiated state statute would authorize courts to issue extreme risk protection orders in order to temporarily prevent an individual's access to firearms. A court order could be obtained by police, family members, or other members of a household for individuals exhibiting mental illness, violent, or other behavior indicating they may harm themselves or others.[21]
See also
- Ballotpedia's Tuesday Count for 2016
- 2016 ballot measures
- Potential 2016 ballot measures
- Local ballot measure elections in 2016
Footnotes
- ↑ Montana Department of State, "BALLOT LANGUAGE FOR INITIATIVE," accessed December 16, 2015
- ↑ Massachusetts Attorney General, "An Act to Prevent Cruelty to Farm Animals," accessed August 10, 2015
- ↑ The Millbury Sutton Chronicle, "Major signature hurdle cleared by seven ballot question campaigns," accessed December 23, 2015
- ↑ The Boston Herald, "Ballot initiative supporters face key deadline," November 29, 2015
- ↑ Mass.gov, "15-27," accessed December 4, 2015
- ↑ Mass.gov, "15-31," accessed December 4, 2015
- ↑ Arkansas Attorney General, "Opinion No. 2016-007," accessed February 18, 2016
- ↑ Nevada Secretary of State, "Initiative Petition," accessed February 5, 2016
- ↑ Nevada Secretary of State, "Initiative Petition - Constitutional Amendment," accessed January 7, 2016
- ↑ Las Vegas Sun, "Ballot measure would restore old rooftop solar rates," January 25, 2016
- ↑ Las Vegas Review-Journal, "Judge rules rooftop solar measure doesn’t qualify as referendum," March 28, 2016
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "BALLOT LANGUAGE FOR INITIATIVE NO. 182 (I-182)," accessed April 18, 2016
- ↑ Missoulian, "Governor vetoes repeal of medical marijuana law," April 14, 2011
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "BALLOT LANGUAGE FOR INITIATIVE NO. 181 (I-181)," accessed April 8, 2016
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "Ballot title," accessed March 23, 2016
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Proposed Initiatives to the People - 2016," accessed February 9, 2016
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "Ballot title," accessed July 26, 2016
- ↑ BigNewsNetwork.com, "Kaiser, Nike and other outdoor school proponents prepare for funding push," April 19, 2016
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "Wildlife Tracking Prevention Act," accessed October 13, 2015
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "Oregon Wildlife Tracking Prevention Act," accessed October 13, 2015
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Proposed Initiatives to the People - 2016," accessed May 12, 2016
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