Posted on Dec 15, 2022
Ballot measures on weed and abortion won in 2022. Now lawmakers are cracking down
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Right-leaning states like Missouri have moved to make ballot measures tougher to pass after the success of voter initiatives on abortion rights, marijuana and Medicaid expansion.
In 2022, voters expanded Medicaid in South Dakota, legalized recreational marijuana in Missouri, and enshrined the right to an abortion in Michigan.
This was possible because in about half of all U.S. states, citizens have the power to pass laws or amend the state's constitution themselves, sidestepping lawmakers. Such ballot initiatives have become a popular tactic to change policy in states dominated by one party, often the GOP.
That's led to pushback from state lawmakers.
In 2022, voters expanded Medicaid in South Dakota, legalized recreational marijuana in Missouri, and enshrined the right to an abortion in Michigan.
This was possible because in about half of all U.S. states, citizens have the power to pass laws or amend the state's constitution themselves, sidestepping lawmakers. Such ballot initiatives have become a popular tactic to change policy in states dominated by one party, often the GOP.
That's led to pushback from state lawmakers.
Ballot measures on weed and abortion won in 2022. Now lawmakers are cracking down
Posted from kcur.org
Republicans
Voting
Marijuana
Abortion
Posted >1 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Republican state lawmakers say such ballot initiatives are too easy
Just weeks after the November election, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a Republican, and Republican representative Brian Stewart rolled out a resolution that would require all future constitutional amendments to receive a 60% supermajority at the polls, rather than the current 50%.
"This is about trying to make the Ohio constitution less susceptible to special interests," LaRose said.
This comes as advocates for abortion rights, legal marijuana use, and redistricting reform are all gearing up to put their issue on the ballot in Ohio in 2023 or 2024.
Since 2018 voters in Missouri approved ballot initiatives to raise the minimum wage from $7.85 to $12 over five years, expand Medicaid, and legalize marijuana. In 2022, Missouri lawmakers responded by introducing more bills to restrict constitutional amendments than any other state.
"I think the recent passage of recreational marijuana, which you know I oppose, maybe indicates it's a little too easy to get things through initiative petition," says Missouri's new Republican state Senate majority leader Cindy O'Laughlin.
On average, fewer than half of all citizen-initiated measures pass, according to Ballotpedia. But targeted campaigns in support of economic or social issues that are popular with a majority of voters have had success even in conservative states.
Advocates for direct democracy say lawmakers are simply out of sync with their own constituents.
"What's clear here is that this is an effort to block the people of Ohio's ability to amend our Constitution and to ensure that we can enshrine rights and protections for the people that obviously Ohio Republicans don't want us to have," says Katy Shanahan with the Equal Districts Coalition, a group that opposes partisan gerrymandering in Ohio."...
..."Republican state lawmakers say such ballot initiatives are too easy
Just weeks after the November election, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a Republican, and Republican representative Brian Stewart rolled out a resolution that would require all future constitutional amendments to receive a 60% supermajority at the polls, rather than the current 50%.
"This is about trying to make the Ohio constitution less susceptible to special interests," LaRose said.
This comes as advocates for abortion rights, legal marijuana use, and redistricting reform are all gearing up to put their issue on the ballot in Ohio in 2023 or 2024.
Since 2018 voters in Missouri approved ballot initiatives to raise the minimum wage from $7.85 to $12 over five years, expand Medicaid, and legalize marijuana. In 2022, Missouri lawmakers responded by introducing more bills to restrict constitutional amendments than any other state.
"I think the recent passage of recreational marijuana, which you know I oppose, maybe indicates it's a little too easy to get things through initiative petition," says Missouri's new Republican state Senate majority leader Cindy O'Laughlin.
On average, fewer than half of all citizen-initiated measures pass, according to Ballotpedia. But targeted campaigns in support of economic or social issues that are popular with a majority of voters have had success even in conservative states.
Advocates for direct democracy say lawmakers are simply out of sync with their own constituents.
"What's clear here is that this is an effort to block the people of Ohio's ability to amend our Constitution and to ensure that we can enshrine rights and protections for the people that obviously Ohio Republicans don't want us to have," says Katy Shanahan with the Equal Districts Coalition, a group that opposes partisan gerrymandering in Ohio."...
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