The Minnesota House of Representatives passed legislation yesterday on a bipartisan vote of 76 to 57 that would allow Minnesotans to vote on a constitutional amendment in the November 2002 General Election giving them the right to initiative and referendum ballot reform.

Initiative and referendum would allow Minnesota citizens to propose laws or repeal existing laws by collecting signatures on a statewide petition. If enough signatures were collected, the proposed law or law repeal would be put before voters in the next statewide general election.

"Representative democracy works well in Minnesota, but there is a time for people to take it upon themselves to use this additional mechanism of self-governance," said State Representative Erik Paulsen (R-Eden Prairie), author of House File 643. "Initiative and referendum empowers citizens to act on issues when the Legislature has acted inappropriately or failed to act at all."

Paulsen's bill is designed specifically with safeguards and thresholds to ensure that initiative and referendum is workable for Minnesotans and cannot be abused. For example, unlike California and other states, Paulsen's bill requires geographic distribution, allowing issues to get on the ballot only when petitions are signed by 5 percent of those who voted in the last gubernatrial election in six of Minnesota's eight congressional districts. Also, while California and other states allow initiative and referendum issues to be voted on in primary and general elections, Paulsen's bill would only allow issues to be voted on in general elections.

"Twenty-four states already allow their citizens to check government power through the initiative and referendum process," said Paulsen. "Voter turnout in these states has historically been 5 to 7 percent higher than in states without initiative and referendum. The reason for this is simple: voters feel that their vote for or against an issue on the ballot really does make a difference."

Paulsen's legislation not only has bipartisan support among Republicans and Democrats in the House, but also is supported by Governor Ventura, the Independence Party, the Green Party and the Libertarian Party. The legislation now goes to the Minnesota Senate.

"Recent polls show that 80 percent of Minnesota voters favor initiative and referendum, and 78 percent believe that it's important that the Legislature offer Minnesotans the opportunity to vote on this issue in the upcoming general election," added Paulsen. "I hope the Senate will take notice and listen to what Minnesotans are saying."

HF 643 A REASONABLE APPROACH TO I&R COMPARED TO OTHER STATES:

- Twenty-four states already have Initiative and Referendum.

- Twelve of these states have geographic threshold requirements for petition collection.

Among the twelve states, there has been on average only one initiative on the ballot each election cycle. HF 643 has similar geographic requirements and would put Minnesota in this category so that the process would be used sparingly.

- Of the 24 states that have I&R, 70 percent of all initiative activity is concentrated in six states (AZ, CA, ND, OR, CO, WA) states that do not have any geographic requirements for petition collection.

- Some states with I&R prohibit changing an initiated law. HF 643 contains a two-year sunset provision, so the Legislature or people can change an initiated law after the first general election from which it was first adopted.

- Some states like California permit initiative activity in primary elections and special elections. Under HF 643, Initiative & Referendum could only be voted on in a general election.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS AND SAFEGUARDS IN HF 643:

- To initiate or repeal a law, signatures of five percent of those who voted in the last gubernatorial election from six of eight congressional districts, and the state as a whole, are required.

- For a constitutional amendment change, signatures of eight percent of those who voted in the last gubernatorial election from six of eight congressional districts, and the state as a whole, are required.

- If the Legislature is concerned about a petition drive, it may put on the ballot a similar measure to compete, so that the one getting the most votes prevails.