Citizens' Initiative Review pilot legislation (2009)
UPDATE (June, 2009): The Citizens' Initiative Review pilot legislation was signed into law the Gov. Ted Kulongoski. During the 2010 election cycle, 1-3 statewide ballot measures will be reviewed with the results being placed in the statewide voters pamphlet. During this same election cycle a thourough evaluation of how the results of the CIR are used by voters will be conducted. Pending a successful pilot of the CIR process, legislation will be introduced in 2011 to make the CIR a permanent function of Oregon's initiative process.
_____________________________________________________________________
UPDATE (Mach, 2009): Citizens’ Initiative Review Hearing on Monday (3/30) The House Rules Committee of the Oregon Legislature will be hearing HB 2895, the Citizens’ Initiative Review pilot legislation, on Monday, 3/30. During this same hearing a number of initiative reform bills will be heard as part of the broad discussion taking place in the legislature on the initiative process.
The discussion was officially kicked off in the House last Wednesday with the introduction of the Secretary of State’s bill, HB 2005, which is aimed at changing some aspects of the signature gathering process for qualifying measures to the ballot.
The planned testimony in support of HB 2895 includes an introduction by the bill’s co-chief sponsors, Sen. Whitsett and Rep. Cannon, a presentation by Healthy Democracy Co-Directors to discuss how the Review works and key public opinion findings about the initiative process, a presentation by CIR panelists that participated in the 2008 CIR demonstration, and a statement of support by the League of Women Voters of Oregon.
The hearing will take place at the State Capitol in Hearing Room 50 (in the basement) on Monday (3/30) at 3pm.
_____________________________________________________________________
UPDATE (Feb, 2009): The Citizens' Initiative Review bill now has a bill number. It is HB 2895 and is available online here. While we are excited to now have a bill number, and pleased with the brevity of the bill itself, there are some important omissions to the bill that will require amendments once the bill receives a hearing. We'll keep you posted and send out an announcement about the HB 2895 and next steps very soon. Stay tuned.
______________________________________________________________________
The Citizens' Initiative Review legislation for 2009:
Building upon the successful demonstration of the Citizens' Initiative Review in 2008, Healthy Democracy Oregon is currently lobbying the Oregon Legislature to pass a bill which would allow for an expanded demonstration of the CIR process on 1-3 measures on the 2010 ballot.
Supported by Secretary of State Kate Brown, and sponsored by 25 legislators including Co-Chief Sponsors Sen. Doug Whitsett and Rep. Ben Cannon, the CIR pilot legislation would authorize a public/private partnership to convene the reviews. The resulting "Citizens' Statements" would be placed in an official new space in the voters' pamphlet. Following the 2010 CIR pilot a full scale evaluation of the results will be conducted to determine the utility of the "citizens' statements" and to look at how voters use the statewide voters' pamphlet.
Please check out our FAQ page for additional information on the CIR pilot legislation.
