by Derek P. Cole on March 18, 2017
posted in
Elections, Recent Court Decisions,
In Napa County, a group of voters proposed an initiative that would enact a number of measures to protect the quality of watersheds and oak resources. In Wilson v. County of Napa, an appellate court recently found their initiative proposal defective because it did not comply with an important procedural requirement known as the “full text” rule.
Wilson is a good reminder to initiative proponents that the rules for qualifying initiatives can be unforgiving. Proponents must take great care to make sure they satisfy all the procedural requirements before submitting their proposed measures.
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tags:
Elections, Full-Text Rule, Initiatives, Oak Woodlands,
by Derek P. Cole on January 19, 2015
posted in
Elections, Medical Marijuana,
Efforts to legalize marijuana continued to pick up steam in last November’s elections with voters in Oregon, Alaska, and Washington, D.C., approving legalization measures. Most expect California voters to follow suit in 2016.
Considering this trend, one is tempted to conclude that marijuana is on an unstoppable winning streak at the polls. A closer look reveals this may not be the case.
In November, voters in three rural counties defeated measures intended to repeal or relax local marijuana cultivation standards. All three measures were supported by patient advocates who claimed the ordinances ... Continue Reading
tags:
Election, Initiatives, Marijuana Legalization, Referendums, Rural California,
by Derek P. Cole on August 12, 2014
posted in
CEQA, Elections, Initiatives,
Californians are fond of government by initiative. At the ballot box, state voters have registered their preferences on a number of hot-button issues. Voters have done the same at the local level, often using the initiative power to slow the pace of growth and gain control over land use.
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tags:
Big-box Retail, CEQA, Elections Code, Initiatives,
