initiative reform
Sacramento, California political columnist Dan Walters begs the question, has the Legislature become irrelevant because of an excessive number of ballot measures challenging their authority? Or is it the other way around?
Many, Walters included, think that the initiative process is flawed and should be reformed. Democrats, having super-majority powers in the Golden State, are very much in a position to change things. However, the reforms that are being proposed don’t seem so much like reforms as they do hindrances.
Walters argues that Democrats are pandering to their allies rather than seeking true reform to the initiative process.
Read more at the Sacramento Bee
Oklahoma Senate Bill 800 was signed into law by Gov. Brad Henry yesterday. The bill will move challenges to the ballot wording (“gist statement”) to before signatures are collected rather than after. This will prevent ballot initiative petitions from being thrown out due to minor technicalities after the hard work of gathering signatures has been done.
The Oklahoma Legislature passed a bill yesterday that will extend the period for gathering signatures on a petition from 90 days to one year. The bill must now be signed by the Governor to become law. This is the third ballot initiative process reform bill passed in Oklahoma this year.