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State Ballot Measure Monthly: June 2023
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By Ballot Measures Project staff
This edition of the State Ballot Measure Monthly covers the certifications of 2023 and 2024 ballot measures, as well as notable ballot measure news, from May 15 through June 6.
2023 ballot measures
Overview: Nationally, 30 ballot measures have been certified in eight states for elections in 2023.
Status of indirect initiatives: In Maine, signatures for three indirect initiatives were verified and pending legislative action:
- Maine Prohibit Foreign Spending in Elections Initiative
- Maine Voter Approval of Borrowing Above $1 Billion by State Entities and Electric Cooperatives Initiative
- Maine "Right to Repair Law" Vehicle Data Access Requirement Initiative
The Maine State Legislature has until the end of the legislative session to act on the proposals; rejection or no action would result in the initiatives going before voters in November. There is disagreement about whether these initiatives have already been certified for the Nov. 2023 ballot, and the Legislature has asked the Maine Supreme Judicial Court to issue an opinion.[1]
In Ohio, one initiative to legalize marijuana had been certified to the legislature, which had four months to act on the proposal; as the Legislature took no action, a second signature-gathering period commenced on May 3.
Changes in 2023 ballot measure numbers
- See also: Ballotpedia's Tuesday Count for 2023
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Comparison to earlier years
From 2011 through 2021, an average of 18 ballot measures were certified for odd-numbered year ballots during the second week of June of the election year. An average of 33 total ballot measures were certified for odd-numbered year ballots from 2011 through 2021.
2023 certifications
- See also: Ballotpedia's Tuesday Count for 2023
From May 15 through June 6, 18 statewide measures were certified for the ballot in Louisiana, New York, and Texas for the elections in 2023.
May 15:
• Texas Increase Mandatory Retirement Age for State Judges Amendment: The ballot measure would increase the mandatory retirement age for state judges and justices from 75 to 79. In the Senate, the vote was 27-4. In the House, the vote was 141-5.
May 16:
• Texas Abolish Galveston County Treasurer Amendment: The ballot measure would eliminate the office of treasurer for Galveston County and allow the county government to employ or contract a qualified person or designate another county officer to fulfill the function. A simple majority vote is required statewide and in Galveston County for the approval of the amendment. In the Senate, the vote was 27-4. In the House, the vote was 106-32.
May 17:
• New York Exclude Indebtedness for Sewage Facilities Amendment: The constitutional amendment would allow municipalities to exclude from their constitutional debt limits debt from constructing or reconstructing sewage facilities for an additional ten years up until 2034. In 2013, voters approved this amendment as Proposal 3. This year's amendment received unanimous support from legislators in both the Senate and Assembly.
• Texas Tax Exemption on Medical Equipment and Inventory Amendment: The ballot measure would authorize the legislature to provide for a property tax exemption on equipment and inventory manufactured by medical or biomedical companies. In the Senate, the vote was 26-4. In the House, the vote was 125-10.
May 19:
• Texas Prohibit Wealth or Net Worth Tax Amendment: The ballot measure would prohibit the Legislature from enacting a wealth or net worth tax in the future. In the Senate, the vote was 22-9. In the House, the vote was 101-45.
• Texas Property Tax Exemption for Childcare Facilities Amendment: The ballot measure would allow counties or municipalities to authorize a property tax exemption on the appraised value of real property used to operate childcare facilities. In the Senate, the vote was 25-6. In the House, the vote was 114-31.
May 21:
• Texas Creation of the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund Amendment: The ballot measure would create the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund—a trust fund for the creation and improvement of state parks. In the Senate, the vote was 123-21. In the House, the vote was 28-3.
May 25:
• Texas Changes to Teacher Retirement System Amendment: The ballot measure would authorize the Legislature to make cost-of-living adjustments to certain annuitants, as defined by law, of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. In the Senate, the vote was 31-0. In the House, the vote was 140-0.
May 28:
• Texas Broadband Infrastructure Fund Amendment: The ballot measure would create the broadband infrastructure fund to finance broadband and telecommunications projects. In the House, the vote was 128-10.
• Texas State Energy Fund Amendment: The ballot measure would create the Texas Energy Fund. The Public Utility Commission would administer the Fund, which would be used for projects to modernize electric generating facilities. In the House, the vote was 103-35.
• Texas University Fund and Appropriations Limit Exemption Amendment: The ballot measure would rename the National Research University Fund to the Texas University Fund and allocate annually the interest income, dividends, and investment earnings from the state's rainy day fund to the university fund to support research activities at state universities.
• Texas Water Fund Amendment: The ballot measure would create the Texas Water Fund. The Texas Water Development Board would administer the Fund, which would be used to finance water projects in the state. In the House, the vote was 142-0.
May 30:
• Louisiana Constitutional Right to Worship in a Church or Place of Worship Amendment: The ballot measure would add language to the Louisiana Constitution to provide that "the freedom to worship in a church or other place of worship is a fundamental right that is worthy of the highest order of protection." In the Senate, the vote was 39-0. In the House, the vote was 86-13.
• Louisiana Prohibit Property Tax Exemptions for Nonprofits Owning Damaged Residential Property Amendment: The ballot measure would restrict a nonprofit organization from receiving a property tax exemption if it owns residential property that is deemed dangerous to the public's health or safety, as determined by the governing authority of the municipality or parish where the property is situated. In the Senate, the vote was 37-0. In the House, the vote was 80-18.
June 5:
• Louisiana State Retirement System Funding Amendment: The ballot measure would require that 25% of nonrecurring state revenue go toward the unfunded accrued liability of the state's four public retirement systems. In the House, the vote was 103-0. In the Senate, the vote was 37-2.
June 6:
• Louisiana Property Tax Exemptions for First Responders Amendment: The ballot measure would authorize local governments to provide a property tax exemption for first responders, defined to include firefighters, police officers, EMTs, and emergency services dispatchers. In the House, the vote was 98-1. In the Senate, the vote was 38-1.
• Louisiana Remove Constitutional References to Inactive State Funds Amendment: The ballot measure would repeal constitutional language that established several funds that are now inactive, including the Atchafalaya Basin Conservation Fund, Higher Education Louisiana Partnership Fund, Millennium Leverage Fund, Agricultural and Seafood Products Support Fund, First Use Tax Trust Fund, and Louisiana Investment Fund for Enhancement. The ballot measure would provide that any remaining money in these funds would be transferred to the general fund. In the Senate, the vote was 36-0. In the House, the vote was 97-0.
• Louisiana Revenue Stabilization Trust Fund Amendment: The ballot measure would make changes to the Revenue Stabilization Trust Fund, including allowing the Legislature to use up to $250 million to alleviate a budget deficit. A two-thirds vote would be required to appropriate the funds to address a budget deficit. In the Senate, the vote was 36-0. In the House, the vote was 97-0.
2024 certifications
- See also: Ballotpedia's Tuesday Count for 2024
From May 15 through June 6, four statewide measures were certified for the ballot in Connecticut, Minnesota, and Nevada for the election on November 5, 2024.
May 18:
• Nevada Remove Constitutional Status of Board of Regents Amendment: The ballot measure would remove the constitutional status of the Board of Regents—which governs, controls, and manages the state universities in Nevada—thus allowing the Legislature to review and change the governing organization of state universities. In 2020, a similar amendment titled Question 1 was defeated with 50.15% of the electorate voting 'No'.
May 21:
• Minnesota Continue to Provide Lottery Revenue to Environment and Natural Resources Fund: The ballot measure would extend the dedication of revenue from the state-operated lottery to the Environment and Natural Resources Fund through December 31, 2050. The measure would also create a grant program to provide funding for projects related to addressing environmental issues in affected communities, environmental education, and natural resource conservation. In 1988, more than 80% of voters approved a constitutional amendment to create the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Fund. The amendment did not include a dedicated source of revenue. Also in 1988, voters approved an amendment to allow for state-operated lotteries. In 1990, the Legislature asked voters to dedicate at least 40% of revenue from state-operated lotteries to the Environment and Natural Resources Fund until 2001. The amendment was approved. In 1998, voters approved an extension, requiring the revenue dedication until 2025.
May 26:
• Nevada Revising Language Related to Public Entities for Individuals with Mental Illness, Blindness, or Deafness Amendment: The ballot measure would revise language in the state constitution related to public entities that benefit individuals with mental illness, blindness, or deafness. The amendment received unanimous approval from legislators during two legislative sessions.
May 30:
• Connecticut No-Excuse Absentee Voting Amendment: The ballot measure would authorize the Legislature to pass a law for no-excuse absentee voting. During the 2023 legislative session, the amendment was approved 26-8 in the Senate and 113-38 in the House.
Headlines
Texas State Legislature sends 13 ballot measures to the November ballot during its regular session—the most since 2007
- See also: Texas 2023 ballot measures
Texas voters will decide on 13 constitutional amendments this November—the most since 2007 when voters decided on 17 measures on two election dates. The average number of measures appearing on Texas odd-numbered-year ballots was 14 between 1985 and 2021. The year with the highest number of measures was 1987 with 25 on one election date.
The state legislature convened on Jan. 10. The Texas State Legislature is one of 16 states that requires a two-thirds vote in each legislative chamber—100 votes in the House and 21 votes in the Senate (assuming no vacancies)—during one legislative session to refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot. During the 2023 legislative session, legislators introduced 297 constitutional amendments, of which 47 passed at least one chamber. This compares to 218 introduced constitutional amendments with 16 passing at least one chamber in 2021 and 216 amendments with 19 passing at least one chamber in 2019.
One 2023 amendment that would have stated that only citizens could vote in Texas passed the Senate but failed in the House by a vote of 88-0 with 54 present and not voting.
Excluding the four newest additions to the ballot that do not have official vote totals yet, the average number of yes votes in both chambers for amendments on the 2023 ballot was 150. This is lower than the average yes votes received by amendments appearing on even and odd-numbered year ballots in Texas between 1995 and 2022, which was 164 votes.
The 2023 right-to-farm amendment received the most yes votes with 175. The amendment to prohibit a wealth or net worth tax received the fewest yes votes with 123—surpassing the two-thirds supermajority threshold by one vote in both chambers.
During the 2023 legislative session, Republicans controlled both chambers of the state legislature, as well as the governor's office, making Texas a Republican trifecta. At the general election on November 8, 2022, Republicans retained control of the House and Senate, increased their 86-64 majority in the House, and gained one seat in the Senate. The new majority in the Senate following the election was 19-12. Changes in the state have impacted the prospects of constitutional amendments making the ballot. Republicans held 21 seats in the state Senate in 2018, which was enough to pass a constitutional amendment without support from Democrats. In 2023, Republicans held 19 seats, meaning at least two Democrats were needed to pass a constitutional amendment in the state Senate.
Gov. Greg Abbott (R) called a special session that convened on May 29 to address property taxes and the border. During the regular session, the Senate introduced a constitutional amendment to increase the homestead exemption from $40,000 to $70,000, which was amended by the House to $100,000. However, the two chambers did not pass a final version of the amendment prior to the regular session adjournment.
Gov. Abbott last called for a special legislative session in August 2021 that resulted in the placement of two constitutional amendments on the May 2022 ballot—the first even-numbered year statewide measures since 2014.
In Texas, a total of 281 ballot measures appeared on statewide ballots between 1985 and 2022. Two hundred forty-eight ballot measures were approved, and 33 ballot measures were defeated.
See also
- 2023 ballot measures
- Ballot initiatives filed for the 2023 ballot
- Ballot Measure Scorecard, 2023
- Ballotpedia's Tuesday Count for 2023
Related articles
Footnotes
- ↑ Bangor Daily News, "Legislature asks Maine’s high court to settle referendum dispute with Janet Mills," May 14, 2023
- ↑ This number includes citizen-initiated measures, legislative referrals, and automatic referrals.
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