Tag: ballot measures
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Minneapolis group submits signatures for Nov. 2 initiative to replace police department with department of public safety
On April 30, Yes 4 Minneapolis submitted over 20,000 signatures for an initiative to repeal and replace provisions in the city charter governing the police department. This initiative would remove language concerning the city’s police department from the city charter, including provisions requiring minimum funding for the department and giving the mayor control over the…
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Voters pass measure making Lubbock, Texas, the largest city in Texas to ban abortions
Voters in Lubbock, Texas, approved Proposition A by a vote of 62% to 38% on May 1. The measure amended city ordinances to ban abortions within the city and to declare Lubbock a Sanctuary City for the Unborn. Twenty-two other cities in Texas and two in Nebraska have also banned abortions by city ordinance. Lubbock…
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Arkansas passes bill with multiple restrictions on the ballot initiative process
On April 29, Arkansas Senate Bill 614 became law (Act 951). The bill added several restrictions to the state’s ballot initiative and veto referendum process, including to: • ban paying signature gatherers based on the number of signatures gathered, a payment method called pay-per-signature; • require circulators to be state residents and citizens; • add…
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Austin voters approve five of eight measures, including a sit-lie ordinance, changes to police oversight office, ranked-choice voting
On May 1, voters in Austin approved five measures and defeated three. Proposition A was approved 81% to 19%. It requires the city and firefighters association to participate in binding arbitration. Proposition B was approved 58% to 42%. It prohibits and creates criminal penalties for sitting, lying down, sleeping outdoors, and soliciting money at certain…
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Tennessee legislature sends right-to-work amendment to voters in 2022
On April 29, the Tennessee General Assembly voted to refer a constitutional amendment to the 2022 ballot that would make it illegal for workplaces to require mandatory labor union membership as a condition for employment. This type of policy is known as right-to-work. Tennessee enacted a right-to-work statute in 1947. Sen. Brian Kelsey (R), the…
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Florida to vote in 2022 on abolishing the Florida Constitution Revision Commission
The Florida State Legislature gave final approval to SJR 204 on April 27, 2021. The measure, which will appear on the November 2022 ballot in Florida, would abolish the Florida Constitution Revision Commission if approved by 60% of voters. The Florida Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) is a 37-member commission provided for in the state constitution…
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Arkansas Legislature sends third and final constitutional amendment concerning religious freedom to November 2022 ballot
On April 27, the Arkansas State Legislature passed a third constitutional amendment titled the “Arkansas Religious Freedom Amendment,” which will appear on the state’s November 2022 ballot. The measure would amend the state constitution to provide that “government shall not burden a person’s freedom of religion even if the burden results from a rule of…
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Montana State Legislature sends ballot measure to change the state supreme court election process to 2022 ballot
Voters will decide in 2022 on a measure to change the election of state supreme court justices in Montana from nonpartisan statewide elections to by-district elections. The measure would not remove any sitting state supreme court justice. Associate justices would be assigned district numbers according to their seat number, and the chief justice would be…
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Florida State Legislature sends constitutional amendment to 2022 ballot concerning flood resistance improvements and property taxes
On April 26, 2021, the Florida State Legislature gave final approval to House Joint Resolution 1377. Voters will decide the constitutional amendment in November 2022. The measure would authorize the state legislature to pass laws prohibiting flood resistance improvements to a home from being taken into consideration when determining a property’s assessed value for property…
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The 2020 election gave West Virginia Republican lawmakers the votes needed to place an amendment prohibiting the state judiciary from interfering with impeachments on the 2022 ballot
On April 9, the West Virginia State Legislature voted to refer a constitutional amendment to the 2022 ballot that would say that no state court has jurisdiction to intercede, intervene in, or interfere with impeachment proceedings of the West Virginia House of Delegates or the state Senate. Currently, the state constitution does not state a…