Southeast Initiatives for November

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

x Ernest on Initiative 92

I feel that abstentions shouldn't affect the outcome negatively.  I can see requiring  that a certain portion of registered voters must agree in order to pass amendments, but a requirement that causes casting an abstention to make it more difficult for a proposition to pass than if no vote at all was cast makes an abstention not an abstention in my book.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

The Lt. Governor could hold the title of Lottery Commissioner and could be designated as the person who compiles the initiatives and handles the elections. Just to give something to do.

That sounds like a good idea.  Until an initiative regarding the powers and responsibilities of the Lieutenant Governor is worked out, consider my Initiative 94 suspended for now.


Also, x Q on Initiative 92.

Actually as it stands now, if there is not a Lottery Commisioner, the Lt. Governor has those duties, hust as he does when there is no Alcohol Commissioner, no Tobacco Commissioner, no Hemp and Cannabis Commissioner, and no Transportation Commisioner.  Back when I was governor, I set up a number of these Commissions and with the exception of the Lottery Commission, I set them up by Initiative not Regulation. They all have the feature that if there is not a Commissioner appointed by the Governor, their duties fall onto the shoulders of the Lt. Governor.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Section Two includes "individual"s and "government"; does this exclude partnerships and corporations?

Good point; I've changed the term to "person" (which would include both natural persons and artificial persons).

Actually it wouldn't do that. Initiative #16 which would have codified that interpretation into Southeast law was rejected back in January.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I'm pretty sure pot is legal in the Southeast (with a heavy tax)... but I may be wrong.

Hmm, you seem to be right. (I had looked at the initiatives list for "marijuana," but the initiative referred to "cannabis.")

No, we haven't decriminalized (or criminalized) marijuana.  Any state laws on the subject haven't yet been affected, IIRC.  What we have done is tax marijuana and done so in a way that allows people to pay the tax without worrying that doing so might give law enforcement a clue as to where they need to go to make a drug bust.  I know it sounds crazy, but it's done in the real world as well.  Drug dealers don't bother paying the tax (most of what little revenue that is collected is from people whio buy the tax stamps for the drugs as a novelty) so what it usually does is give prosecutors a second crime they charge a drug dealer with that they can use as leverage in a plea bargain.  The rates are set so that if we ever do decriminalize they should produce revenue rather than encourage tax cheating, but the tax measure was not a decriminalization measure.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I'm in favor of legalization, but the main bar to taht (unless the feds have passed some law that I didn't pay attention to) is the national restrictions on its sale.  So long as marijuana remains squarely on Schedule I, anything the Southeast does will have minimal impact on that issue.  That said, I'm not at all in favor of eliminating the excise tax on cannabis, so here goes an alternative, it decriminalizes cannabis, allows for reasonable regulation, and it also provides a way for those who wouldn't be guilty of a crime after decriminalization to be released.  The date of effect was chosen to be Januarty 1, 2006 because that's the same date that the original Southeastern Hemp and Cannibis Initiative goes in effect.

Initiative 96: Cannabis Decriminalization Initiative

§1. Any law of any subdivision of the Southeast Region that criminalizes the production of, possession by, or sale to persons 21 years old or older of cannabis (as defined by the Southeastern Hemp and Cannibis Initiative) shall be null and void as of January 1, 2006.

§2. The Southeast Hemp and Cannabis Commission and the subdivisions of the Southeast Region may pass regulations on the use of cannabis in public areas so as to prevent persons not wishing to engage in the consumption of cannabis from being affected by second hand smoke.  Regulations passed by the Southeast Hemp and Cannabis Commission may only affect use at the place of business of a licensed processor or distributor of cannabis.

§3. Nothing in this initiative shall be construed as to affect any law providing a punishment for either public intoxication due to the use of cannabis or driving under the influence.of cannabis.

§4. Persons convicted by a Southeastern court prior to January 1, 2006 of the production, possession, or sale of cannabis may file with that court for a reduction of sentence to time served.  Such reduction shall be granted under this initiative only if the plaintiff can show that his activity would not be illegal if the provisions of section 1 of this initiative had been in force at the time of conviction.  The burden of proof for a reduction in sentence under this initiative shall be the plaintiff's.  Reduction in sentence under this initiative shall not involve expunging convinctions from any person's criminal record.  Nothing in this section shall alter or affect any other process of pardon or parole available with respect to such crimes.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Fortunately, the Senate has passed a federal Marijuana Legalization and Taxation Act.

Good!

Now all we need now is a responsible measure (such as the one I proposed) to override our state laws on the subject and not an irresponsible one that removes all regulation and sets a rate of taxation for pot that is lower than that of either alcohol or tobacco.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

What is the status of the legality or illegality (and associated penalties) of prostitution in the Southeast?

No laws at the regional level IIRC, so whatever Federal and State laws are on the books would still pertain.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

# 96 needs another signature besides Ebowed',s and mine.

And just in case Tcash is feeling particularly technical:

Ernest on #96

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Tentative, Unofficial Results (Last Voter Josh22)
GREEN Projected to pass.
BLACK Too close to call.
RED Projected to fail.

Init. 83: Protection of Developing Life Initiative
YEA 3 [Ebowed, Brandon H, Jake]
NAY 4 [Ernest, Dibble, Emsworth, htmldon]
ABSTAIN 2 [Bono, Josh22]

Init. 91: School Choice Initiative
YEA 6 [Bono, Ebowed, Emsworth, Brandon H, Jake, Josh22]
NAY 2 [Ernest, htmldon]
ABSTAIN 1 [Dibble]

Init. 92: Constitutional Amendment Process Initiative
YEA 7 [Bono, Ebowed, Ernest, Dibble, Emsworth, Brandon H, Josh22]
NAY 2 [htmldon, Jake]
ABSTAIN 0

Init. 93: Disbanding of Forum Elite Conspiracy Research Committe Initiative
YEA 8 [Bono, Ebowed, Ernest, Dibble, Emsworth, Brandon H, htmldon, Josh22]
NAY 1 [Jake]
ABSTAIN 0

Init. 94: Commissioner Accountability Amendment
YEA 7 [Bono, Ebowed, Dibble, Emsworth, Brandon H, htmldon, Josh22]
NAY 2 [Ernest, Jake]
ABSTAIN 0

Init. 95: Second Concealed Carry Initiative
YEA 6 [Bono, Ebowed, Dibble, Emsworth, Brandon H, Josh22]
NAY 3 [Ernest, htmldon, Jake]
ABSTAIN 0

Init. 96: Abortion Restriction Initiative
YEA 5 [Bono, Ebowed, Brandon H, Jake, Josh22]
NAY 4 [Ernest, Dibble, Emsworth, htmldon]
ABSTAIN 0

Init. 97: Community Choice Initiative
YEA 6 [Bono, Ebowed, Brandon H, htmldon, Jake, Josh22]
NAY 2 [Ernest, Emsworth]
ABSTAIN 1 [Dibble]

Init. 98: Southeast Prison Board Initiative
YEA 3 [Ebowed, Brandon H, Jake]
NAY 4 [Bono, Emsworth, htmldon, Josh22]
ABSTAIN 2 [Ernest, Dibble]

Init. 99: Public Assistance in Abortion Ban
YEA 9 [Bono, Ebowed, Ernest, DIbble, Emsworth, Brandon H, htmldon, Jake, Josh22]
NAY 0
ABSTAIN 0

Init. 100: Access for Recruiters Initiative
YEA 3 [Brandon H, htmldon, Jake]
NAY 5 [Bono, Ebowed, Dibble, Emsworth, Josh22]
ABSTAIN 1 [Ernest]

Init. 101: Complete Abolition of Capital Punishment Initiative
YEA 4 [Ebowed, Emsworth, Brandon H, htmldon]
NAY 5 [Bono, Ernest, Dibble, Jake, Josh22]
ABSTAIN 0

Init 102: Marijuana Legalization Initiative
YEA 6 [Bono, Ebowed, Dibble, Emsworth, htmldon, Josh22]
NAY 2 [Ernest, Jake]
ABSTAIN 1 [Brandon H]

Init 103: Cannabis Decriminalization Initiative
YEA 1 [Ernest]
NAY 7 [Bono, Ebowed, Dibble, Emsworth, htmldon, Jake, Josh22]
ABSTAIN 1 [Brandon H]

Init 104: Liberty of Contract Initiative
YEA 7 [Bono, Ebowed, Dibble, Emsworth, Brandon H, htmldon, Josh22]
NAY 2 [Ernest, Jake]
ABSTAIN 0