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On the 2008 ballot

The Rocky

Published July 29, 2008 at 3:23 p.m.
Updated July 29, 2008 at 3:23 p.m.

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The Secretary of State's office has already approved four citizen measures for the November ballot, and the legislature has voted to place four more questions, known as referenda, before voters. Supporters of at least a dozen more measures could deliver signatures before the Aug. 4 deadline. The 2008 ballot could be one of the longest in recent history. The 2006 ballot contained 14 statewide questions. The most issues on a ballot - 32 - occurred in 1912, the first year the initiative process was legalized in Colorado.

APPROVED FOR THE BALLOT

AMENDMENT 46: Colorado Civil Rights Initiative

* Prohibits the state from granting preferential treatment to anyone on the basis of race, sex or ethnicity in hiring, education and contracts.

* Proponents: Measure would put into the Colorado Constitution language that mirrors the 1964 Civil Rights Act

* Opponents: Affirmative action programs address past and current and promote diversity

* Funds raised for/against: $200,000/$87,000

AMENDMENT 47: Right to Work

* Would outlaw agreements requiring workers covered by union contracts to pay fees for representation

* Proponents: Gives workers a choice of whether to associate with a union

* Opponents: Workers will get union benefits without paying for them

* Dollars raised for/against: $556,000/$4.3 million

AMENDMENT 48: Would ban abortion by defining personhood as beginning at fertilization

* Proponents: Protect rights of unborn by defining the beginning of life at the moment of fertilization

* Opponents: Could outlaw abortion even in the cases of rape, incest and when a woman's life is at risk and could prohibit invitro fertilization

* Dollars raised for/against: $159,000/$200,000

AMENDMENT 49: Would bar governments in Colorado from taking unions dues directly out of workers' paychecks

* Proponents: Governments should not be collecting money for special interests

* Opponents: An anti-union measure that treats public employees differently from others

REFERENDUM L: Would lower the age of a candidate for the Colorado House and Senate from 25 to 21.

REFERENDUM M: Would eliminate obsolete provisions in the constitution about land value increases

REFERENDUM N: Would eliminate obsolete provisions in the constitution about intoxicating liquor

REFERENDUM O: Would increase the number of signatures required on petitions for constitutional amendments

Petitions pending with Secretary of State's office

AMENDMENT 120: Severance Tax - transportation

* Would allocate more severance tax money to transportation

AMENDMENT 121: Gaming

* Would allow casino towns to vote on whether to increase bet limits to $100 from $5, expand hours or operation and add games

AMENDMENT 128: Sales tax for disabled services

* Increase state sales tax for services for individuals with developmental disabilities

Signatures not yet delivered

(Due Aug. 4)

AMENDMENT 59: Campaign finance curbs

* Would restrict contributions from government sole-source contractors

AMENDMENT 74: Corporate fraud

* Tougher sanctions for fraud committed by businesses, executives

AMENDMENT 76: Just Cause

* Would require employers to provide a reason for firing a worker

AMENDMENT 82:

Discrimination/preferential treatment by Colorado governments

AMENDMENT 85:

Consumer protection for alternative and complementary health care

AMENDMENT 92: Health coverage for employees

* Would require employers with 20 or more workers to provide health care coverage for workers

AMENDMENT 93: Safe Workplaces

* Would boost employer requirements for providing safe workplaces

AMENDMENT 100: Public schools attendance

* Would allowing a parent to excuse child with 2.0 grade point average from compulsory attendance

AMENDMENT 113: Severance Tax

* Would reduce oil company tax breaks and use revenue to pay for college scholarships, other programs

AMENDMENT 126: Education Funding

* Would change the way the state funds K-12 education

Comments

  • July 29, 2008

    9:18 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    jacka writes:

    YES on 47, shouldn't you be able to voluntarily join a union?

    Where is the Union's "Just Cause" initiative? Why won't they file that? They never collected signatures for it, that's how much they believe in their 'causes'.

    YES on Amendment 47 for real employee free choice.

  • August 13, 2008

    10:06 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jacka writes:

    Amendment 47 affirms employees can't be forced to join the union and pay forced union due just to keep their job. Its simple and its fair.

    Amendment 47 text from State website reads:

    Be it Enacted by the People of the State of Colorado:
    SECTION 1. Article XVIII of the constitution of the state of Colorado is amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION to read:

    Section 16. Right to work.

    (1) THIS AMENDMENT SHALL BE KNOWN AND MAY BE CITED AS THE "COLORADO RIGHT TO WORK AMENDMENT".

    (2)(a) NO PERSON SHALL, AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT, BE REQUIRED TO:
    (I) BE A MEMBER OF A LABOR UNION; AND
    (II) PAY ANY DUES, FEES, ASSESSMENTS, OR OTHER CHARGES OF ANY KIND TO A LABOR UNION OR TO ANY CHARITY OR OTHER THIRD PARTY, IN LIEU OF SUCH PAYMENTS.

    (2)(b) NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL PREVENT ANY PERSON FROM VOLUNTARILY BELONGING OR VOLUNTARILY PROVIDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO A LABOR UNION.

    (3) ANY PERSON WHO DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY VIOLATES ANY PROVISION OF THIS SECTION COMMITS A MISDEMEANOR AND UPON CONVICTION THEREOF SHALL BE PUNISHED BY A FINE IN AN AMOUNT EQUIVALENT TO THE MOST STRINGENT MISDEMEANOR CLASSIFICATION PROVIDED BY LAW.

    (4) THIS SECTION SHALL APPLY TO ALL UNION EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS ENTERED INTO AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION AND SHALL APPLY TO ANY RENEWAL OR EXTENSION OF ANY EXISTING UNION CONTRACT.

    (5) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, "LABOR UNION" MEANS ANY ORGANIZATION OF ANY KIND, OR AGENCY OR EMPLOYEE REPRESENTATION COMMITTEE OR ORGANIZATION, THAT EXISTS FOR THE PURPOSE, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, OF DEALING WITH EMPLOYERS CONCERNING WAGES, RATES OF PAY, HOURS OF WORK, OTHER CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT, OR OTHER FORMS OF COMPENSATION; ANY ORGANIZATION THAT EXISTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING OR OF DEALING WITH EMPLOYERS CONCERNING GRIEVANCES; AND ANY ORGANIZATION PROVIDING OTHER MUTUAL AID OR PROTECTION IN CONNECTION WITH EMPLOYMENT.

    SECTION 2. Effective date. This amendment shall take effect upon proclamation of the vote by the governor.

    YES on Amendment 47 for all Coloradans.