Daily Archive
Stories Posted on May 8, 2008
Steve Wiegand: Fat Chance of Reforming Initiative Process
Category: Initiative and Referendum · State: California · Source: Sacramento Bee
One of the most admirable traits of political reformers is their earnest optimism. I thought of this last week, when Bob Stern dropped by the office. Stern is the president of the Center for Governmental Studies, which is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit, nonpartisan outfit that does research into various governmental and political issues and recommends ways to make them better. An attorney by trade, Stern was one of the guiding lights behind California's Political Reform Act of 1974 and was a longtime consigliere to the Fair Political Practices Commission. In other words, he knows something about the reform racket. Anyway, he was making the rounds of Capitol press corps offices, dropping off copies of a new 402-page tome called "Democracy by Initiative: Shaping California's Fourth Branch of Government."
Arkansas AG Certifies Illegal Immigration Measure
Category: Immigration · State: Arkansas · Source: Pine Bluff Commercial
The Arkansas attorney general's office cleared the way on Wednesday for supporters of a ballot measure requiring government agencies to verify all those seeking public benefits in the state are legal U.S. residents to begin gathering signatures. Attorney General Dustin McDaniel approved the language of the proposed initiated act by Secure Arkansas, allowing the group to begin collecting the 61,974 signatures necessary to put it before voters in November. Jeannie Burlsworth, a chairwoman for Secure Arkansas, has said the group plans to collect many of the signatures at polling places during the state's May 20 primary. If approved by voters, the proposal would require those older than 13 seeking public benefits from a state agency to sign an oath saying they live legally in the country. The group says those who falsely fill out an affidavit could face perjury charges. Verification would not be required for emergency medical treatment, prenatal care or public school enrollment.