LD31 - Referendum

(2018)

RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine To Require That Signatures on a Direct Initiative of Legislation Come from Each Congressional District

Sponsored by Representative Eleanor Espling (R – New Gloucester)

What is the bill?

Over 100 years ago, the Maine Federation of Labor and the broader labor movement spent two decades working to pass the citizen initiative and referendum so that ordinary people could have a direct voice in their democracy. Since then, and especially in recent years, Maine’s referendum process has served as a vehicle for ordinary people to address concerns when the Legislature fails to act. LD 31 would have changed the referendum signature collection process to make it more difficult for grassroots groups to get a referendum question on the ballot by requiring a set number of signatures from each Congressional district. This bill is part of a larger nationwide effort to undermine the referendum process. LD 31 passed the Senate and failed in the House.

What happened?

Defeated

Votes