MS ballot initiative dies in Senate

JACKSON, Miss. - Mississippi residents will still be unable to bypass lawmakers and put policy proposals on statewide ballots because Senate Accountability, Efficiency and Transparency Committee Chairman John Polk (R-Hattiesburg) killed a plan March 23 to create a new initiative process. The proposal would have let people petition on a wide range of issues, but not on abortion. In a state of 3M residents, the Senate proposed a requirement of about 240,000 signatures to put an initiative on the ballot. The House proposed about 106,000. Polk told reporters he was unwilling to go close to the House number and let the bill die in committee. (The AP 03/23/23) Mississippi senator kills initiative plan, minus abortion | Mississippi | wtva.com

Senate Accountability, Efficiency and Transparency Committee Chairman John Polk said he liked the ban on abortion initiatives but he had concerns about other parts of the proposal.

In a state of roughly 3 million residents, the Senate proposed a requirement of about 240,000 signatures to put an initiative on the ballot and the House proposed about 106,000. Polk told reporters he was unwilling to go close to the House number.