Citizens' Initiative Review gets a hearing!

UPDATE: 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.