Lawmakers across both chambers and aisles agree that Mississippi needs a new initiative process. They also agree that a new process should only be able to make statutory changes rather than amend the state constitution. Representative Nick Bane says the current form of the bill also includes several restrictions.
Bane says “You can not propose any new law, or amend any existing law relating to Mississippi’s Public Employees Retirement System (PERS). You can not propose any new local and private law. You can’t do anything the legislature can’t do. You can not appropriate money. And you can not propose any new law, amend or repeal anything in any law that relates to abortion.”
Lawmakers have also considered heightening the requirements to get an initiative onto the ballot. Under current language in the constitution, residents must gather signatures in each congressional district, totaling an amount equal to 12% of ballots cast in the most recent gubernatorial election. The resolution as it was passed by the Senate changed that, basing it off Presidential elections, essentially doubling the number of signatures needed. Representative Joel Bomgar proposed an amendment in the House to restore the original language.
Bomgar says “At the current level it is unachievable. There is no possible way to collect that many signatures the way that it is in the bill right now. This just restores it to the way it’s been for the last 30 years, which is 12% of the former aggregate votes for governor in the previous gubernatorial election.”
The amendment was adopted, and the measure passed the house despite some pushback from lawmakers who would rather the current constitutional language be updated rather than modified.
