ballot initiative

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California Considers a 'Luigi Mangione Act'

Ex-litigator behind proposed ballot initiative says he shares alleged killer's concerns about health insurers

(Newser) - Proposed laws are sometimes named after victims of crimes. But alleged murderers? Not so much. That's where a ballot initiative in California breaks with tradition. The "Luigi Mangione Access to Health Care Act," a ballot initiative named for the man who allegedly killed United Healthcare CEO Brian...

Abortion Rights Victory in Florida Could Have 'Massive Implications'

Amendment to enshrine abortion access has enough signatures for 2024 ballot, pending other ruling

(Newser) - Voters in Ohio , Kansas , and other states have opted to enshrine abortion rights in their respective constitutions, and Florida may be next. The Tampa Bay Times reports that proponents have secured more than enough signatures to place on the 2024 ballot a constitutional amendment that would unravel the state's...

Plan to Split California in 3 Hits Major Stumbling Block

Measure is kicked off November ballot

(Newser) - Tim Draper's latest plan to split California into multiple smaller Californias has hit a major stumbling block. The plan to create three Californias—Northern California, including the Bay Area and points north; Southern California, from Fresno to the Mexican border; and California, a coastal strip including Los Angeles—was...

Nebraska Votes to Bring Back Death Penalty
Nebraska Votes
to Bring Back
Death Penalty
BALLOT MEASURES
Nov 9, 2016 12:52 AM CST

Nebraska Votes to Bring Back Death Penalty

Lawmakers repealed penalty last year

(Newser) - The death penalty is back from the dead in Nebraska: Voters overwhelmingly supported a ballot measure to restore the penalty, which was abolished by state lawmakers last year , reports the AP . Around 61% of voters chose to "repeal the repeal" in the state, which had 10 people on death...

Calif. Plan: Make Politicians Wear Donor Names

Republican wants to take financial transparency to a NASCAR level

(Newser) - NASCAR drivers have their sponsors' names and logos stitched into the very fabric of their clothes—making it very apparent who's paying the freight—and a California Republican legislator thinks that level of transparency is a good idea for politicians, as well. John Cox says he's "ridiculing...

Colorado Counties Will Vote on Secession Tomorrow

And other strange 2013 ballot measures

(Newser) - Could "North Colorado" soon become the 51st state? Voters in 11 northern Colorado counties will get to weigh in tomorrow on whether or not they'd like to secede from the state , CNN reports. Ten of the conservative-leaning counties would become North Colorado, while the other would become a...

Nate Silver: We'll Have Gay Marriage Before 2020

Support has been rising steadily for 9 years, he finds

(Newser) - The second of two landmark gay rights cases is before the Supreme Court today, but supporters of marriage equality can take heart even if the decisions don't go their way, says New York Times stats whiz Nate Silver. Support for gay marriage hasn't surged recently, he finds, but...

Obama Endorses State Measures for Gay Marriage

Backs ballot efforts in Maine, Maryland, Washington

(Newser) - After announcing his support for gay marriage in May, President Obama is putting his weight behind ballot measures to make those unions a reality. Obama is supporting measures in Maine, Maryland, and Washington state to legalize same-sex marriage, the AP reports. "Washington's same-sex marriage law would treat all...

Ohio Personhood Initiative Fails
 Ohio Personhood Initiative Fails
Jul 4, 2012 2:16 AM CDT

Ohio Personhood Initiative Fails

Anti-abortion group gets just 30K of 385K signatures needed

(Newser) - Another setback for the "personhood" movement: An anti-abortion group in Ohio has failed to gather enough signatures to be able to ask voters to amend the state constitution to declare that life begins when a human egg is fertilized, AP reports. Backers of the proposed amendment only gathered 30,...

San Francisco May Vote on Circumcision Ban

Activists submit signatures for ballot initiative

(Newser) - Is San Francisco about to cut out circumcision? A group of "intactivists" hope so; they’ve submitted 12,265 signatures to the city’s Department of Elections in a bid to get a ban on the practice placed on the ballot this November, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. If...

English-Only, Anti-Sharia Measures Pass in Oklahoma
Oklahoma Votes Yes
to English, No to Sharia
unusual BALLOT MEASURES
Nov 3, 2010 2:05 AM CDT

Oklahoma Votes Yes to English, No to Sharia

...and the results of other unusual ballot measures

(Newser) - Oklahoma's voters passed a pair of ballot initiatives last night—and progressives and immigrant-rights groups are alarmed, AP reports. One of them requires that all official state actions be conducted in English, with exceptions for Native American languages and in cases when federal law requires otherwise. The other—described as...

Dems Look to Light Up Stoner Vote in 2012

Ballot measures to legalize pot could motivate youth, dude

(Newser) - Democratic strategists think they might be able to float to victory in 2012 on a cloud of Mary Jane. If California’s Proposition 19—the ballot initiative to legalize pot in the state—does a decent job of driving liberal young stoners to the polls, expect to see similar initiatives...

Costco Fights Washington Liquor Laws

Big-box retailer seeks to cut middleman, boost profits

(Newser) - Costco is out to change the face of alcohol distribution—and, not coincidentally, sell booze at the same steep discount it applies to everything else. It’s starting with a push in its home state of Washington, where the retain giant has pumped $500,000 into a campaign to change...

Legalizing Pot Likely to Make California Ballot
Legalizing Pot Likely to
Make California Ballot
petition deadline today
Mar 24, 2010 7:22 AM CDT

Legalizing Pot Likely to Make California Ballot

Expect an all-out campaign brawl that could make history

(Newser) - A proposition to legalize pot in California is all but certain to garner enough signatures to appear on the ballot in November by today’s deadline. Supporters and opponents are already gearing up for the campaign, the LA Times reports. Proponents believe that California’s new, promiscuous medical marijuana culture...

Denver Man Gets Alien Greeting Panel on Ballot
 Denver Man Gets Alien 
 Greeting Panel on Ballot 
KOOKY COLORADO
Dec 3, 2009 8:39 AM CST

Denver Man Gets Alien Greeting Panel on Ballot

Goal is to lay groundwork for successful 'diplomatic contact'

(Newser) - Every major US city should have a plan to greet extraterrestrial visitors, and Denver might just get its own come 2010. A local man has scared up enough signatures to have a proposition creating an Extraterrestrial Affairs Commission included on the ballot next year. Given that Jeff Peckman assumes the...

To Protect Marriage, Ban Divorce
To Protect Marriage,
Ban Divorce
Dec 2, 2009 1:54 PM CST

To Protect Marriage, Ban Divorce

Calif. man thinks straight people should give up rights, too

(Newser) - If the whole point of banning gay marriage in California was to protect “traditional” marriage, shouldn’t voters go a step further and outlaw divorce, the No. 1 threat to domestic bliss? John Marcotte thinks so, and to that end the happily married—Catholic—father of two and ardent...

Gay Marriage to Gambling: Key Ballot Initiatives

Two states vote on taxpayer bills of rights, to curb spending

(Newser) - Voters in six states will head to the polls next Tuesday to decide ballot initiatives on everything from medical marijuana to livestock care. The Atlantic lists some of the most interesting, and the most likely to reverberate across state lines.
  • Question 1, Maine. Maine voters are being given the chance
...

Recession Sparks Efforts to Legalize Pot

Full-scale regulation and taxation on the table in Calif.

(Newser) - The recession has given marijuana-legalization advocates an unexpected boost, Time reports, as cash-strapped states are tempted by possible revenues from pot taxes. With an existing medical-marijuana market and cuts to education and health services pending due to a huge budget deficit, California advocates are preparing both legislation and ballot initiatives...

Whistleblowers Eye 6-Figure Gov't Retirees

Amid criticism, group outs fat-cat pensioners on the public dime

(Newser) - A California interest group is on a mission to publicize the names of public retirees with outsize pensions, arguing that they’re bankrupting local governments, the Wall Street Journal reports. Atop one list sits a former small-town administrator who pulls in $499,674.84 a year. But critics say this...

Gay Marriage Debate Key to SF Mayor's Future

Focus on issue could mount with new ballot initiative

(Newser) - As San Francisco’s mayor looks to become California’s next governor, his gay-marriage activism may threaten his success—especially if voters are again asked to decide the issue for themselves, the AP reports. Though all the Democratic candidates support gay marriage, Gavin Newsom has a particularly strong association with...

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