Chip Faulkner will be at the State House this
afternoon to deliver our memo and testify before the Joint (House
and Senate) Committee on Election Laws against the first of several
bills proposed to eviscerate the citizens' initiative and referendum
process. This process was amended to the state constitution as
Article 48 in 1918. For years if not decades Beacon Hill pols have
been attacking it, trying to make it more difficult if not
impossible. CLT and its allies across the political spectrum have
fought back. So far, we have been able to defend and protect the
process, despite the relentless assaults. (See:
CLT Update - Feb. 18 - "Initiative
petition process under attack, sheesh again")
This year the anti-democratic forces are back
with a number of assaults coming from different directions. All
attempt to make the constitutional provision that provides an
ultimate voice to the people more difficult if not impossible to
achieve.
Below is a list of what we've discovered so far.
It's interesting to note that the anti-democratic cabal has referred
these bills to both the Election Laws Committee AND the
Committee on the Judiciary – and
scheduled them for different times, instead of all on one day as has
been the tradition. Tracking them, and taking the time to testify
numerous times at different dates and times will make defense of the
people's ultimate prerogative far more difficult.
Each year it gets harder to
find where these now-expected assaults are buried and when the
attacks will surface. Can this be the sponsors' intent for
this unusual and onerous scheduling – or is
the Legislature really this disorganized?
H01830
http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/187/House/H01830
Filed By: Provost
For a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to the
subject matter of initiative and referendum petitions
By Ms. Denise Provost of Somerville, petition (accompanied by
proposal for constitutional amendment, House, No. 01830) of Denise
Provost for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to
initiative and referendum petitions. [Joint Committee on Election
Laws - Hearing scheduled for 03/23/2011 from
01:30 PM-03:30 PM in B-1]
H00206
http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/187/House/H00206
Filed By: Stanley
An Act relative to the collection of signatures for initiative and
referendum petitions.
By Mr. Stanley of Waltham, petition (accompanied by Bill, House, No.
00206) of Thomas M. Stanley and others relative to the collection of
signatures for initiative and referendum petitions. [Joint Committee
on Election Laws.]
H00207
http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/187/House/H00207
Filed By: Stanley
An Act relative to prohibiting the collection of signatures for
initiative or referendum petitions for compensation
By Mr. Stanley of Waltham, petition (accompanied by Bill, House, No.
00207) of Thomas M. Stanley and others relative to prohibiting the
collection of signatures for initiative or referendum petitions for
compensation. [Joint Committee on Election Laws.]
H00529
http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/187/House/H00529
Filed By: Wolf, Rushing
Proposal for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to
the subject matter of initiative petitions
By Ms. Wolf of Cambridge, petition (accompanied by Proposal for
Constitutional Amendment, House, No. 00529) of Tom Sannicandro and
others for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to
the subject matter of initiative petitions. [Joint Committee on the
Judiciary.]
H00203
http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/187/House/H00203
Filed By: Speliotis
An Act relative to ballot questions.
By Mr. Theodore C. Speliotis of Danvers, petition (accompanied by
bill, House, No. 00203) of Theodore C. Speliotis for legislation to
limit contributions for the promotion or defeat of ballot questions
or initiative petitions. [Joint Committee on Election Laws.]
H02735
http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/187/House/H02735
Filed By: Provost
An Act to protect the integrity of initiative and referendum
petitions
By Ms. Provost of Somerville, a petition (accompanied by bill,
House, No. 2735) of Jehlen and others relative to initiative and
referendum petitions. [Joint Committee on Election Laws.]
H01822
http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/187/House/H01822
Filed By: Gobi
Proposal to amend the Constitution excluding all matters relating to
fisheries and wildlife
By Ms. Anne M. Gobi of Spencer, petition (accompanied by proposal
for constitutional amendment, House, No. 01822) of Anne M. Gobi for
a legislative amendment to the Constitution to exclude matters
relating to fisheries and wildlife from the subject matter of
initiative petitions. [Joint Committee on the
Judiciary.]
S00013
http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/187/Senate/S00013
Filed By: Rosenberg
For a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to the
subject matter of initiative and referendum petitions
By Mr. Rosenberg, petition (accompanied by proposal, Senate, No. 13)
of Stanley Rosenberg, Kenneth Donnelly, Carl M. Sciortino and other
members of the General Court proposal for a legislative amendment to
the Constitution relative to the subject matter of initiative and
referendum petitions. [Joint Committee on the
Judiciary.]
S00012
http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/187/Senate/S00012
Filed By: Creem
For a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to the
subject matter of initiative petitions
By Ms. Cynthia Creem, petition (accompanied by proposal for
constitutional amendment, Senate, No. 00012) of Linda Dorcena Forry,
James Eldridge, Marty Walz and other members of the General Court
proposal for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to
the subject matter of initiative petitions. [Joint Committee on the
Judiciary.]
S00314
http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/187/Senate/S00314
Filed By: Rosenberg
An Act to protect the integrity of initiative and referendum
petitions.
By Mr. Rosenberg, petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 314) of
Provost, Kennedy, Wolf and other members of the General Court for
legislation to protect the integrity of initiative and referendum
petitions [Joint Committee on Election Laws].
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Chip Ford |
