On March 4, the South Dakota legislature passed HJR 5003. It would change the State Constitution, so the voters will vote on the idea in November 2022. It would provide that initiatives to change the state constitution, and also initiatives to pass a statute that result in the state spending at least $10,000,000 additional in the next five years, can’t pass unless they receive a popular vote of 60%. Here is the text.
On March 4, the Utah legislature passed HB 136, which makes it more difficult for initiatives to get on the ballot. The bill makes it illegal for anyone to pay a petitioner except on an hourly basis. Also it requires initiative circulators who are being paid to wear a badge. In font size 24, the badge must say “Paid signature gatherer” and give the employee’s ID number. Also an initiative circulator commits a crime if he or she does not offer to let anyone approached see a piece of paper with the entire text of the initiative. Here is the text.
In the Senate the vote was 22-7. The seven “no” votes were cast by all six Democratic Senators, and one Republican, Michael McKell.
The U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether to hear Level the Playing Field v Federal Election Commission, 20-649, at its March 19 conference. This is the case, filed by the Libertarian and Green Parties, and others, over whether the FEC is failing to enforce federal campaign finance laws against the Commission on Presidential Debates.
The New Hampshire House Election Law Committee holds a working session on March 10, Wednesday. It will consider the bill to improve ballot access for minor parties, HB 570. It will consider the bills to move the September primary to an earlier date, HB 97 and HB 98. And it will consider SB 43, which allows each U.S. House district to elect its own presidential elector. That bill has already passed the Senate.
On March 4, Wyoming HB 160 passed the Corporations, Elections, and Political Subdivisions Committee. It changes the order of candidates on the general election ballot. Current law puts the nominees of the party that carried that county in the last election on the top line. The bill gives every candidate an equal chance to be listed first. It provides for alphabetical order, combined with a lottery every election year to settle the order of the various letters of the alphabet. The bill’s sponsor is Marshall Burt (L-Green River).
The vote was 6-3. The committee has seven Republicans, one Democrat, and one independent. The three “no” votes were cast by Republicans Aaron Clausen, Hans Hunt, and Joe MacGuire.
