In February, we began writing about the “5 Big Issues” that concern voters in Nez Perce County and the LC Valley. One of those issues is “Threats to Democracy”. At the time, we framed this in the context of national issues, like the SAVE Act and similar legislation, ICE, and government attempts to limit free speech. Luke Mayville of Reclaim Idaho has identified a different threat – one that potentially impacts all Idahoans. The good news – the issue is on the ballot in November.
In a recent email to supporters, Mayville wrote:
This November, there will be a measure on the ballot that would undermine our ballot-initiative rights. The measure is called HJR 4, and it was placed on the ballot by the Idaho Legislature. The measure would prohibit Idaho citizens from using the initiative process to legalize marijuana or other controlled substances.
But the truth is that HJR 4 is not just about drugs; it’s about the power voters have to make decisions for themselves. If the legislature can eliminate our right to decide on marijuana, they can take away our right to decide on any other issue—whether it be education policy, healthcare policy, or anything else.
According to BallotPedia, the bill known as the Grant Legislature Exclusive Authority and Prohibit Citizen-Initiated Measures on Marijuana, Narcotics, and Psychoactive Substances Amendment, would prevent citizens from using the initiative process to change state laws about marijuana and other psychoactive substances. Only the state legislature could authorize such changes.
There are two ways to create or change state law in Idaho: through the state legislature or by citizens using the initiative process. HJR4 would eliminate one method for changing marijuana laws, and, as Luke Mayville suggests, would open the door to future limits on the initiative process.
There are four initiatives on the ballot this November:
- HJR4 – amending the Idaho state constitution to prevent citizens from using the initiative process to change state laws about marijuana and other psychoactive substances.
- HJR6 – Add constitutional language designating English as the official language of Idaho. (By law, English has been the official state language since 2007. This initiative woud amend the state constitution.)
- Official State Gun Question – A non-binding advisory initiative that asks voters to select a state gun from a list of 6 options.
- Proposition 1 – The Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act Initiative. Supporters of this initiative collected 110,000 signatures to qualify the initiative for the November ballot.
One could argue that HJR6 is redundant and the Official State Gun Question is a distraction from other critical issues. But the overwhelming support for Proposition 1 illustrates the power and importance of the initiative process.
Regardless of your stance on legalizing marijuana, HJR4 sets a dangerous precedent and should be defeated.
Vote NO on HJR4 in November.
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Mike Johnston is a retired IT executive living in Lewiston. The opinions he expresses are his own, and do not necessarily reflect those of the Nez Perce County Democrats.
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