Author: Victoria Antram
-
Texans to vote on right to farm, ranch, timber production, horticulture, and wildlife management in November
The Texas State Legislature voted to send a constitutional amendment establishing a right to farm, ranch, timber production, horticulture, and wildlife management on a person’s owned or leased property to the Nov. 2023 ballot. The amendment states that the right does not preclude the state legislature from passing laws to regulate farming, ranching, timber production,…
-
Texas voters to decide constitutional amendment related to conservation and reclamation districts in El Paso County in November
The Texas State Legislature took the final vote to send a constitutional amendment to the Nov. 2023 ballot on April 25. The measure would amend section 59 of Article XVI of the state constitution to authorize the legislature to permit conservation and reclamation districts in El Paso County to issue bonds to fund parks and…
-
Texas Legislature proposes parental rights amendments
The Texas State Senate passed two constitutional amendments related to parental rights. They are now pending before the House. If approved by the House, they would appear on the ballot for Nov. 7, 2023. Senate Joint Resolution 29 would provide a state constitutional right for parents or legal guardians to direct their children’s education, including choosing…
-
Abortion, marijuana decriminalization, the climate, and law enforcement featured on local ballots in Texas on May 6
Ballotpedia is covering 47 ballot measures in seven counties in Texas on May 6. Five of the 47 are citizen initiatives, and the remaining 42 were referred to the ballot by a vote of a local governing board, such as a county board or city council. Compared to the May elections in 2019 and 2021…
-
Abortion related-ballot measures in 2023 and 2024
Maryland and New York voters will be deciding on two abortion-related ballot measures in Nov. 2024. Measures have been proposed in several other states. Maryland voters will decide whether to establish a right to reproductive freedom, defined to include “decisions to prevent, continue, or end one’s own pregnancy,” in its state constitution. If approved, Maryland will…
-
Texas State Legislature proposed 295 constitutional amendments in 2023
The Texas State Legislature proposed 295 constitutional amendments during the 2023 legislative session, an increase over previous odd-year regular sessions where legislators proposed 218 amendments in 2021 and 216 amendments in 2019. Texas is one of a handful of states that frequently vote on constitutional amendments in odd-numbered years. Fourteen of the 295 proposed amendments…
-
Maryland voters to decide on state constitutional right to abortion in 2024
The Maryland State Legislature voted to send a constitutional amendment to voters that would add a new article to the Declaration of Rights in the state constitution establishing a right to reproductive freedom, defined to include “the ability to make and effectuate decisions to prevent, continue, or end one’s own pregnancy.” The amendment was introduced…
-
New Mexico State Legislature sends two constitutional amendments related to veteran property tax exemptions to the 2024 ballot
The New Mexico State Legislature voted to send two constitutional amendments to statewide ballots in 2024 on March 17 before adjourning on March 18. House Joint Resolution 5 (HJR 5) would extend the disabled veteran property tax exemption to all disabled veterans (or their widows) in proportion to their federal disability rating. Currently, the state…
-
Voters in Burlington, Vermont, and Redondo Beach, California, approve ranked-choice voting measures
Voters in Burlington, Vermont, and Redondo Beach, California approved ranked-choice voting measures in local elections on March 7. Burlington Question 6 was approved with 64.4% of the vote. The measure amended the city’s charter to adopt ranked-choice voting for elections for the mayor, school commissioners, and ward election officers. Before Question 6, the candidate receiving…
-
Voters in Redondo Beach, California will decide on six local ballot measures, including ranked-choice voting, on March 7
Voters in Redondo Beach, California, will decide on five charter amendments and one ordinance at an election on March 7. Charter Amendment 1 would make the following changes to the bid process for public works projects: increase the threshold for public works projects required to go through the formal bidding process from $50,000 to $200,000;…