Author: Jackie Mitchell
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Oklahoma to decide State Question 802 to expand Medicaid on June 30
Oklahoma voters will decide State Question 802 on June 30. The initiative would expand Medicaid in Oklahoma under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It would provide Medicaid coverage for certain low-income adults between 18 and 65 with incomes below 133% of the federal poverty level (FPL). For 2020, the FPL is $12,490 for individuals and…
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Colorado to vote on repeal of Gallagher Amendment
The Colorado Legislature referred a constitutional amendment to the 2020 ballot that would repeal the Gallagher Amendment of 1982. The Gallagher Amendment limits the residential and non-residential property tax assessment rates so that residential property tax revenue equals 45% of the total share of state property tax revenue and non-residential property tax revenue equals 55%…
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Georgians to vote in November on waiving state’s sovereign immunity
The Georgia State Legislature on Tuesday gave final approval to House Resolution 1023, sending it to the November 2020 ballot. The measure would allow residents to seek declaratory relief from state or local laws that are found to violate the U.S. Constitution, state Constitution, or state law. Under the amendment, a court could not award…
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Colorado Legislature gives final approval to a charitable bingo and raffles amendment and a cigarette tax increase measure
On Monday, the Colorado State Legislature sent two measures to the November 2020 ballot. One measure would amend the state constitution to require charitable organizations to have existed for three years before obtaining a charitable gaming license instead of the current constitutional requirement of five years. The amendment would allow charitable organizations to hire managers…
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Proponents of a veto referendum in Washington file signatures to repeal a bill requiring comprehensive sexual health education in public schools
Parents for Safe Schools, sponsors of Referendum 90, submitted 266,000 signatures to the Washington Secretary of State’s office on Wednesday. To qualify the referendum for the November ballot,129,811 of the signatures must be valid. Referendum 90 petitioners seek to repeal Senate Bill 5395, which was signed by Governor Jay Inslee (D) on March 27, 2020. Senate…
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Atlanta voters approve measure to reauthorize 1% sales tax to fund water and sewer projects
Voters in Atlanta, Georgia, approved a measure Tuesday reauthorizing the city to levy the 1% Municipal Option Sales Tax (MOST). With 89 precincts reporting, the vote was 71% in favor to 29% against. Going into the election, the city levied a 1% sales tax that was set to expire on September 30, 2020. This measure…
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Coloradans will decide a ballot initiative in November that would prohibit abortions after 22 weeks gestational age
Initiative #120, sponsored by Due Date Too Late, was designed to prohibit abortions after a fetus reaches 22 weeks gestational age as calculated from the first day of the woman’s last menstrual period (LMP). To qualify for the ballot, 124,632 valid signatures were required. Sponsors submitted 114,647 valid signatures on the March 4 deadline and…
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Louisiana Legislature sends five constitutional amendments to the 2020 ballot and a sports betting measures to the governor’s desk
The Louisiana State Legislature adjourned its 2020 regular session on June 1, 2020, and immediately started a special session to consider the state’s annual budget bill for the fiscal year beginning July 1. During the 2020 regular session, the state legislature referred five constitutional amendments to the 2020 ballot for voter approval or rejection: House…
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Sponsors of Oklahoma State Question 805 turned in 260,000 signatures on Monday
Yes on 805, sponsors of proposed Oklahoma State Question 805, turned in 260,000 signatures to the Secretary of State’s office on June 1. State Question 805 would prohibit a convicted person’s former felony convictions from being used to “enhance the statutorily allowable base range of punishment, including but not limited to minimum and maximum terms.”…
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U.S. District Judge rules Florida cannot condition voting on financial obligations a felon is unable to pay
On May 24, 2020, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle ruled that Florida cannot prevent felony convicts from voting based on fines, fees, or restitution they are unable to pay. Florida voters approved Amendment 4, a citizen initiative, in 2018 by a vote of 65% in favor to 35% against. The initiative was designed to automatically…