04/27/1998 01:18 PM House JUD

SB 313 - PROCEDURES FOR INITIATIVES                                            
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN GREEN announced the first item of business would be SB
, "An Act relating to sponsor certification of initiative                   
petitions; relating to sponsor identification during petition                  
circulation; relating to the voidability of an initiated law;                  
placing limitations on the compensation that may be paid to                    
sponsors of initiative petitions; prohibiting payments to persons              
who sign or refrain from signing initiative petitions; and                     
repealing procedures for filing a supplementary initiative                     
petition," sponsored by Senator Sharp.                                         
                                                                               
Number 0050                                                                    
                                                                               
MARILYN WILSON, Legislative Assistant to Senator Bert Sharp, Alaska            
State Legislature, read the following sponsor statement on behalf              
of Senator Sharp:                                                              
                                                                               
"It is often assumed that persons obtaining signatures on a ballot             
initiative are volunteers who believe strongly in their cause.                 
Unfortunately, that is more often not the case.  Instead, it is                
more likely these solicitors are signature bounty hunters who are              
paid by the sponsor of the initiative.                                         
                                                                               
"In an effort to bring the initiative process back to a more                   
grassroots effort, Senate Bill 313 requires visual identification              
of name and voter registration identification number of the                    
petition circulators and also prohibits payment per signature by               
the sponsor.  This bill also prohibits paying a person to sign a               
petition.                                                                      
                                                                               
"In addition, existing law grants a 30-day extension to a sponsor              
if they are unsuccessful in obtaining the required number of                   
verified signatures within the allowed time frame.  Senate Bill 313            
will eliminate this 30-day extension.  This way, if the required               
number of signatures are not successfully obtained, the initiative             
simply does not appear on the ballot.                                          
                                                                               
"The flurry of initiatives that we are currently experiencing has              
resulted in the verification of signatures, and thus qualifying for            
the ballot, coming as late as the middle of April, resulting in                
eliminating the possibility of the legislature being able to react             
by crafting a similar statute.  The number of initiatives appear to            
be growing, and the results may well be the Californization of our             
entire legislative process."                                                   
                                                                               
Number 0196                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE CON BUNDE said he thinks it is an excellent bill.               
He made a motion to move SB 313 from committee with the                        
accompanying fiscal notes.                                                     
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN GREEN asked if there was an objection.  There being none,             
SB 313 moved from the House Judiciary Standing Committee.