No, that doesn’t mean the 2016 ballot will be THAT long, but rather 16 petitions have cleared the hurdle of conforming to proper formatting and not running afoul of subjects off limits to this process per the MA Constitution. Some of these are multiple versions of essentially the same question, only one of which presumably will make it to the ballot. There is another round of signatures that are needed and always the chance the General Court will act on them in a manner satisfactory to the sponsors thus rendering a ballot question moot. For Constitutional amendments, two separate General Courts with an election intervening, must provide 25% of the vote in Constitutional Conventions which are joint meetings of the legislative chambers. The following questions have been certified at this point and allowed to move forward:
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
- Prohibiting state funding for abortions
- Surtax on incomes exceeding $1M to fund education and infrastructure
TOPICS COVERED IN NON-CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS
- Record keeping and restrictions on animal euthanasia
- Enforcement against animal cruelty
- Strengthening public record laws
- Ending Common Core
- Renewable energy requirements
- Pricing of health insurance and care
- Legalization, regulation, and taxation of adult marijuana cultivation, possession, and use
- Eliminating sales tax on tobacco products subject to a separate excise tax
- Access to charter schools
- Expanded gaming
- Fair workplace scheduling
There were also rejections, which the AGO emphasizes are strictly for legal/constitutional reasons and not policy preferences, to wit:
- Several constitutional amendment proposals to regulate campaign finance, though the rejection letter says the General Court could initiate this.
- Prohibiting government entities from working with Holocaust denial organizations
- Allowing the private purchase and possession of fireworks
- Amending Open Meeting Law to apply to the General Court
- Studying the risks of radiation
Finally, petitions regarding paid parental leave and private funding for the Boston Olympics were withdrawn, and action on a constitutional amendment which would provide for non-partisan elections for AG was deferred at the petitioner’s request. Today’s press release from the AGO announcing this action and explaining the procedure is here. The complete list of the petitions is here. At the latter link you can get more information about the specific proposals. For approved petitions click “Certified” for a summary of the proposal and for non-approved petitions click “NC” to read the rejection letter. Rejected petitioners have the option to appeal the AG’s ruling to the SJC.
There are two different marijuana questions (one of which has three versions, iirc). If the legislature doesn’t pass something (I wouldn’t hold my breath), is it likely that the groups behind them will coalesce on one, or still move forward with competing questions?
A bummer about the opern records law & the legislature – rejected because it was not “in the proper form.” It would e great to get this passed to apply to the Leg & the Executive office.
Is this actually an issue? Did some state agency get caught doing this?