JACKSON • State lawmakers on Tuesday passed a measure that would allow them to continue debating legislation that would partially restore citizens’ ability to place specific issues on the ballot.
The resolution that would have allowed citizens to gather signatures to directly amend state laws – but not the state constitution – died on Monday night because of a legislative deadline.
But both the House and Senate on Tuesday passed a resolution suspending the deadlines for all budget bills and the initiative resolution, giving lawmakers another chance to sort out their differences
“This is sort of a last ditch effort to try and get this settled,” Republican Rep. Fred Shanks of Brandon said.
Shanks, one of the lead legislators negotiating with the Senate on the initiative process, said that the major sticking point between the two senators involves the number of signatures that petitioners are required to gather before an item can be placed on a statewide ballot.
The House, according to Shanks, wanted to require petitioners to gather the signatures of 12% of voters who participated in the last statewide election for governor.
But it appears both chambers still agree that citizens should only be allowed to change state laws and prevent lawmakers from altering a law passed by voter initiative for two years.
“I had no heartburn about anything else,” Shanks said.
The Mississippi Supreme Court invalidated the state’s initiative process over technical issues when it was considering a lawsuit over medical marijuana.
Advocates have proposed using the initiative process to propose major policy items like Medicaid expansion and early voting.
If lawmakers decided to adjourn the session without giving Mississippians the ability to somehow change state, it could result in heavy criticism from constituents.
“We just about won’t be able to go home unless we get that sorted out,” Rep. Jerry Turner, R-Baldwyn, said of the initiative process.
