Three initiatives certified for the 2010 ballot in Montana (Updated)

July 20, 2010

HELENA, Montana: Bringing the total count of ballot measures in Montana to four, three initiatives were certified on July 19, 2010 for the general election ballot. The Montana Secretary of State had until August 19, 2010 to certify initiatives for the ballot, but stated that three measures had enough signatures to make the ballot well before that date. This leaves eight other initiatives hoping for ballot access dead, leaving sponsors to decide whether or not to try for a future ballot. Signatures must have been filed by June 18, 2010 to county clerks' offices. The deadline for those county clerks to submit signatures was July 16, 2010. The required amount of signatures for a state statute was 24,337, while the required number of signatures for constitutional amendments was 48,673. The three measures that were certified for the ballot are:

• The Hunter Access Funding initiative, which would increase nonresident big game license fees and abolishes outfitter-sponsored licenses.

• The New Property Tax Elimination amendment, which seeks to eliminate real estate or realty transfer tax. The tax, according to Montana law, is implemented when a sale is closed or if property is being transferred, along with other fees.

• The Loan Interest Rate Limit initiative, which would cap yearly interest rates of payday and title loans at 36 percent. The current interest rate is 400 percent.

It is particularly difficult to get an initiative on the ballot in Montana, percentages for this year show, as the 11 circulating initiatives were less than half of the actual proposed measures that were filed with the Secretary of State. According to Linda McCulloch, "Out of 26 proposed ballot measures, three have successfully met the requirements needed to qualify for the November ballot. Even after we tabulate the remaining signatures, none of the other ballot issues will have enough signatures to qualify.”

See also

• Montana counties turn in initiative signatures to Secretary of State
• Montana Secretary of State
• Montana 2010 ballot measures
• Laws governing the initiative process in Montana