Status of 2008 ballot proposals
Both today's Democrat-Gazette and today's Benton County Daily Record include articles about the status of this year's ballot proposals. To wit:
Adoption ban
The Family Council, a Little Rock-based group, has offered an initiated act that would ban unmarried sexual partners, whether gay or heterosexual, from adopting or becoming foster parents in Arkansas. Needs 61,974 signatures of eligible voters by July 7 to gain access to the November 4 ballot. As of Friday, they’d counted 48,193.
State lottery
Lt Gov. Bill Halter's Hope for Arkansas has offered a constitutional amendment that would authorize the General Assembly to operate state lotteries to fund scholarships and grants for Arkansans in certified two-year and four-year colleges and universities in the state. Needs 77,468 signatures of eligible voters by July 7. Lt. Governor Halter has already gathered over the required number of signatures and is continuing to gather signatures as a cushion.
Four Year Terms For County Sheriffs
The Arkansas Sheriffs’ Association is seeking a constitutional amendment that would change the term of all county sheriffs from two to four years, beginning in 2010. Needs 77,468 signatures of eligible voters by July 7.
Ban on benefits for illegals
A group named Secure Arkansas has offered an initiated act to prevent people who are unlawfully in the United States from receiving some public benefits. Needs 61, 974 signatures of eligible voters by July 7. The group does not know how many signatures it has gathered currently.
Four Year Terms for Elected County Officials
Marvin Cossey is seeking a constitutional amendment that would change the term of all county elected officials from two to four years, beginning in 2010. Needs 77,468 signatures of eligible voters by July 7.
Casino gambling
Former state Rep. Charles Ormond of Morrilton has offered a proposed amendment that would legalize a lottery and casino gambling in the state and create a commission to oversee the games. Under Ormond's proposal, he'd be the initial director of the commission. Needs 77,468 signatures of eligible voters by July 7.
Wet-dry issue In Benton County
Dave Routon is heading up Citizens for Choice, which intends to put an issue on the ballot to decide whether Benton County will keep its dry-county liquor status. Needs more than 36,000 signatures by July 7 to make it on to the county ballot.
Legislative proposals:
Referred Question 1 would allow the state Natural Resources Commission to issue general obligation bonds under the Arkansas Water, Waste Disposal and Pollution Abatement Facilities Financing Act of 2007, to finance and refinance development of water, waste disposal, water pollution control, abatement and prevention, drainage, irrigation flood control and wetlands and aquatic resources projects. Will be on the November 4 ballot.
Proposed Constitutional Amendment 1: An Amendment Concerning Voting, Qualifications of Voters and Election Officers, and the Time of Holding General Elections ("cleans up" antiquated language in the constitution governing who can vote and who can be poll workers). Will be on the November 4 ballot.
Proposed Constitutional Amendment 2: Annual legislative sessions. This is an Amendment Providing That No Legislative Appropriation Shall Be For a Period Longer Than One Year, Providing For Fiscal Legislative Sessions, Requiring the General Assembly to Meet Every Year With Regular Sessions Continuing to be Held in Odd-numbered Years and Fiscal Sessions Held in Even-numbered Years, Unless the General Assembly Votes to Hold Regular Sessions in Even-numbered Years and Fiscal Sessions in Odd-numbered Years, and Allowing the General Assembly to Consider Non-fiscal Matters During a Fiscal Session Upon Approval of Two-thirds of Both Houses. Will be on the November 4 ballot.
No longer being pursued:
Severance tax
Former utility executive Sheffield Nelson offered a proposed initiated act to raise the state severance tax on natural gas. This initiated act was headed off by legislative action in a 2008 special session called by Governor Beebe.
Legislative term limits
Ormond has offered another amendment to extend the terms of state representatives from two to four years. He is no longer working on behalf of that proposal.
The Attorney General has approved popular names and ballot titles for all of these proposed issues.
Adoption ban
The Family Council, a Little Rock-based group, has offered an initiated act that would ban unmarried sexual partners, whether gay or heterosexual, from adopting or becoming foster parents in Arkansas. Needs 61,974 signatures of eligible voters by July 7 to gain access to the November 4 ballot. As of Friday, they’d counted 48,193.
State lottery
Lt Gov. Bill Halter's Hope for Arkansas has offered a constitutional amendment that would authorize the General Assembly to operate state lotteries to fund scholarships and grants for Arkansans in certified two-year and four-year colleges and universities in the state. Needs 77,468 signatures of eligible voters by July 7. Lt. Governor Halter has already gathered over the required number of signatures and is continuing to gather signatures as a cushion.
Four Year Terms For County Sheriffs
The Arkansas Sheriffs’ Association is seeking a constitutional amendment that would change the term of all county sheriffs from two to four years, beginning in 2010. Needs 77,468 signatures of eligible voters by July 7.
Ban on benefits for illegals
A group named Secure Arkansas has offered an initiated act to prevent people who are unlawfully in the United States from receiving some public benefits. Needs 61, 974 signatures of eligible voters by July 7. The group does not know how many signatures it has gathered currently.
Four Year Terms for Elected County Officials
Marvin Cossey is seeking a constitutional amendment that would change the term of all county elected officials from two to four years, beginning in 2010. Needs 77,468 signatures of eligible voters by July 7.
Casino gambling
Former state Rep. Charles Ormond of Morrilton has offered a proposed amendment that would legalize a lottery and casino gambling in the state and create a commission to oversee the games. Under Ormond's proposal, he'd be the initial director of the commission. Needs 77,468 signatures of eligible voters by July 7.
Wet-dry issue In Benton County
Dave Routon is heading up Citizens for Choice, which intends to put an issue on the ballot to decide whether Benton County will keep its dry-county liquor status. Needs more than 36,000 signatures by July 7 to make it on to the county ballot.
Legislative proposals:
Referred Question 1 would allow the state Natural Resources Commission to issue general obligation bonds under the Arkansas Water, Waste Disposal and Pollution Abatement Facilities Financing Act of 2007, to finance and refinance development of water, waste disposal, water pollution control, abatement and prevention, drainage, irrigation flood control and wetlands and aquatic resources projects. Will be on the November 4 ballot.
Proposed Constitutional Amendment 1: An Amendment Concerning Voting, Qualifications of Voters and Election Officers, and the Time of Holding General Elections ("cleans up" antiquated language in the constitution governing who can vote and who can be poll workers). Will be on the November 4 ballot.
Proposed Constitutional Amendment 2: Annual legislative sessions. This is an Amendment Providing That No Legislative Appropriation Shall Be For a Period Longer Than One Year, Providing For Fiscal Legislative Sessions, Requiring the General Assembly to Meet Every Year With Regular Sessions Continuing to be Held in Odd-numbered Years and Fiscal Sessions Held in Even-numbered Years, Unless the General Assembly Votes to Hold Regular Sessions in Even-numbered Years and Fiscal Sessions in Odd-numbered Years, and Allowing the General Assembly to Consider Non-fiscal Matters During a Fiscal Session Upon Approval of Two-thirds of Both Houses. Will be on the November 4 ballot.
No longer being pursued:
Severance tax
Former utility executive Sheffield Nelson offered a proposed initiated act to raise the state severance tax on natural gas. This initiated act was headed off by legislative action in a 2008 special session called by Governor Beebe.
Legislative term limits
Ormond has offered another amendment to extend the terms of state representatives from two to four years. He is no longer working on behalf of that proposal.
The Attorney General has approved popular names and ballot titles for all of these proposed issues.
posted by Steve Harrelson @ 6/23/2008 11:21:00 AM | Permalink |
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