Arkansas Lawmakers Attempt to Limit Ballot Initiatives

Republican lawmakers in Arkansas are taking steps to limit the number of ballot initiatives that voters can approve, in what some see as a response to a 2016 initiative that legalized medical marijuana, and a 2018 initiative that raised the minimum wage. Under new legislation signed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a proposed initiative and the signatures collected for it will be reviewed at the same time; if a word out of place disqualifies an initiative from the ballot, the time and money spent collecting signatures would be wasted, critics say. Andrew DeMillo, an Associated Press correspondent based in Little Rock, told CBS News that the issues passed in Arkansas through ballot initiatives were surprising for a solidly red state, but have been passed in similar situations in other states. "You're hearing similar complaints in other states that the initiative process is becoming an easy target for out-of-state groups,” said DeMillo. Arkansas legislators also placed an issue on next year’s ballot that, if approved by voters, would triple the number of counties in which organizers have to collect a minimum number of signatures, and would eliminate a 30-day grace period in which organizers can collect additional signatures if they fall short initially. “Everything they have done has the ultimate goal to eliminate the petitioning process so that the people have no voice, and it is outrageous,” said Melissa Fults, director of the Drug Policy Education Group, which hopes to place recreational marijuana on the ballot soon. Republican state Sen. Mat Pitsch, who sponsored the legislation, said that the process needs to go. “When you change your constitution three times every other year, that’s more like legislating than having a constitution,” said Pitsch. David Couch, the attorney who sponsored the minimum wage and medical marijuana initiatives, said he now plans to place an initiative on next year’s ballot that will compete with the one proposed by the legislature. Arkansas is not alone—Florida, North Dakota, South Dakota and Utah have also been successful in restricting ballot initiatives this legislative session. In all, 120 bills in 16 states were introduced to make the process more difficult. [CBS News; Associated Press]

BUSINESS TAX BENEFITS | Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, signed a bill that will eliminate the tax deduction businesses can claim for moving expenses if that move takes a company out of state. On Twitter, Evers called the previous system an “unfair tax advantage” for businesses that leave Wisconsin. Before the bill reached Evers, it passed the state legislature with bipartisan support, and was supported by labor groups like the AFL-CIO. Stephanie Bloomingdale, president of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, said that the measure is particularly important for workers. "Think about a worker who is being laid off from their job, being eliminated, and then to have salt put in the wound that they have to subsidize this company in terms of tax breaks," she said. Republican state Sen. Dan Feyen, the bill’s sponsor, said that the measure will encourage businesses to remain in the state, thereby boosting the Wisconsin economy.  "We all want to see our economy grow and prosper. Our tax dollars should not be wasted on subsidizing the moving costs for companies who are leaving the state,” said Feyen. The state Department of Revenue said the change is unlikely to result in a significant increase in the amount of taxes paid to the state by businesses, likely less than $1 million per year. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Wisconsin Public Radio; Associated Press]

FLOATING BILLBOARDS | New York state lawmakers have passed a measure that will ban “floating billboards,” which are attached to boats and driven down waterways. The ban on digital billboards, those with flashing lights, and those that are within 1,500 feet of shore comes after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration sued Ballyhoo Media, a floating billboard company that operates on the Hudson River, for being a public nuisance. “Billboards belong in Times Square, not in the middle of the Hudson and East Rivers or the Erie Canal. These floating billboards are a dangerous distraction to boaters and drivers, not to mention an eyesore...New Yorkers already see way too much advertising in their daily lives,” said state Sen. Brad Hoylman and state Rep. Richard Gottfried, both Democrats, and the bill’s sponsors. The CEO of Ballyhoo Media, however, said that the measure is an overstep, and plans to fight it. “Albany’s actions did nothing but attempt to put a small company out of business. It won’t work,” said CEO Adam Shapiro. [CBS New York; New York Post] 

HEPATITIS OUTBREAK | In the last week, Florida reported 77 new cases of hepatitis A, bringing the state’s total to 1,636. More cases of the contagious liver disease have now been reported in 2019 than in the previous five years combined. While most of the new reports came from the Tampa area, the disease has also appeared in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. A fourth death was reported this week, and cases amongst restaurant workers have been particularly concerning, given their interactions with so many people’s food. Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez met with federal health officials to discuss strategies for pinpointing the source and containing the outbreak. “Maybe we need to look at things more broadly to see if there is something we are not looking at currently that would be driving up those numbers. It’s very challenging to pinpoint the root cause,” she said. The state is now offering free vaccinations for the disease at county health departments. [South Florida Sun Sentinel; WPTV]

TEENAGER FOR CITY COUNCIL | In Murfreesboro, Tennessee, a 17-year-old named Zach Ouellette has announced his bid for city council, saying that recent property tax hikes are unacceptable. “Ouellette, like thousands of other Murfreesboro residents, is disappointed in the actions of the current city council that wastes money as if they care more about tennis courts than taxpayers,” a post announcing his campaign on Facebook reads. “Ouellette will keep our taxes and spending low, which will bring more jobs to our city and set up a brighter future for generations to come.” The council recently voted to raise property taxes by 36% and annual trash fees by 50%. Ouellette says he is a conservative, and will be 18 before the 2020 election, making him eligible for the council. [FOX 17 Nashville; Daily News Journal]