Measure would tighten process for ballot initiatives to amend ND Constitution

BISMARCK — North Dakota lawmakers need to make it harder for citizen-initiated measures to vary the state structure.

The Senate State and Native Authorities Committee on Thursday heard Senate Concurrent Decision 4013, introduced by Sen. Janne Myrdal, R-Edinburg.

The panel didn’t not take fast motion on the proposed measure, which might require petitioners who need to convey constitutional initiatives to a public vote to have lived in North Dakota for at the very least 120 days, ban petitioners from accepting cash or in-kind presents, and require signatures equaling 5% of the state’s most up-to-date federal decennial census, up from 4%.

“That is completed to advertise the rights of the folks of North Dakota,” Myrdal informed the Senate panel. “By no means, on any degree, are you able to construe this to saying I am taking away the rights of the folks with this measure.”

She expressed considerations that “our structure is being modified by out-of-state monies and out-of-state residents.”

Myrdal requested the Senate panel to contemplate requiring signatures be gathered from all through the state.

“We simply don’t need it to be 90% or 80% from the large cities,” she mentioned.

She additionally proposed amendments to take away a provision requiring 67% of voters approve of such measures as soon as they attain the poll, quite than a easy majority of greater than 50%.

North Dakota lawmakers lately have grumbled about sure constitutional initiatives voters have accredited, together with measures for a state Ethics Fee in 2018 and for time period limits final 12 months, proposals many legislators opposed.

Myrdal’s measure should cross the Senate and the Home of Representatives to be positioned on the November 2024 poll for voters to find out.

Practically 62% of voters in 2020 rejected a measure from lawmakers that might have given the Legislature a say in passing constitutional initiatives.

The Legislature’s Republican majority leaders have co-sponsored Myrdal’s measure. Senate Majority Chief David Hogue, R-Minot, who in 2019 introduced the measure voters rejected in 2020, mentioned he signed onto the measure resulting from its residency necessities.

He mentioned his observations in speaking with signature gatherers on the North Dakota State Honest in Minot final 12 months for the time period limits measure have been “that they have been right here from one other state.”

“That is alleged to be a grassroots course of, and if any person who’s paying for signature gatherers is bringing in any person from out of state, that is not grassroots,” Hogue informed the Tribune.

Measure opponent and North Dakota Watchdog Community Managing Director Dustin Gawrylow steered a safe, on-line petition by the secretary of state web site for residents to learn and signal.

“Individuals who do petitioning don’t love bothering folks. It takes a sure character to do that, so if we put it on-line, we eradicate that issue,” he informed the Senate panel.

Gawrylow additionally mentioned a web-based petition would allow folks to coach themselves a few proposed measure at their very own tempo, quite than within the second when approached by a petitioner. On-line petitioning additionally would eradicate the necessity to rent petitioners, he mentioned.

“If we need to really empower the grassroots, let’s take approaches that cut back the necessity for cash,” Gawrylow mentioned.