Category: Ballot measures

On Tuesday, June 11, Arkansas lawyer and lobbyist Alex Gray filed a referendum petition on behalf of sponsors Safe Surgery Arkansas. The referendum petition effort seeks to overturn Act 579 (House Bill 1251), which was signed into law by Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) on March 27, 2019.   Act 579 amended the definition of practice…

On June 5, 2019, the Louisiana State Legislature passed a constitutional amendment stating that “nothing in this [Louisiana Constitution] shall be construed to secure or protect a right to abortion or require the funding of abortion.” Voters will decide whether to approve or reject the constitutional amendment on November 3, 2020.   The constitutional amendment…

Voters in Denver, Colorado, approved Initiated Ordinance 302 on Tuesday. According to preliminary reports, it was approved by 79 percent of voters. The initiative prohibits the city and county from using public funds in connection with future Olympic Games unless a majority of voters approve such funds.   The group Let Denver Vote circulated the…

The Louisiana State Legislature gave final approval to two constitutional amendments on Sunday, sending them to the October 2019 primary election ballot. Both amendments concern exemptions for ad valorem property taxes. In Louisiana, the state legislature can refer constitutional amendments to the ballot with a two-thirds (66.67 percent) vote of all members in each chamber.…

The Alabama Legislature adjourned its 2019 legislative session on May 31, 2019. In total, the legislature referred five constitutional amendments to the 2020 ballot where voters will approve or reject them. The measures will appear either on the March 3, 2020, primary ballot or the November 3, 2020, general election ballot. The measures are as…

On May 30, 2019, the Alabama Legislature gave final approval to Senate Bill 313, which would amend the Alabama Constitution to state that “only a citizen of the United States,” rather than “every citizen of the United States,” has the right to vote in Alabama (emphasis added).   Sen. Del Marsh (R-12) introduced the constitutional…

On November 3, 2020, voters in Nevada will decide on a ballot measure to create a declaration of voters’ rights in the Nevada Constitution. The ballot measure is similar to a declaration passed as statute in 2003.   The ballot measure would provide voters with a constitutional right to receive and cast a ballot that…

Since 1970, the Illinois Constitution has required the state personal income tax to be a flat rate. The Illinois State Legislature, with the support of Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D), passed legislation on May 27, 2019, to ask voters to repeal the requirement and instead allow for a graduated income tax by constitutional amendment.   Voters…

In Alabama, a 2020 ballot measure would, if approved, authorize the state legislature to recompile the state constitution during its 2022 regular session and also provide for its ratification.   According to the text of the proposed amendment, authorized changes to the constitution would include:   arranging it in proper articles, parts, and section; removing…

As of May 28, 2019, 15 statewide ballot measures were certified for 2019 ballots in four states. Fourteen were referred to voters by their state legislature and one was qualified for the ballot by a citizen initiative petition. Measures can still be added or removed from 2019 ballots.   Four of the 26 states with…