2007 Ballot Initiatives
Seven states had ballot initiatives this year. These states had the following number of items on their ballots: |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Louisiana 4 |
Maine 5 |
New Jersey 4 |
Oregon 2 |
Texas 16 |
Utah 1 |
Washington 6 |
Louisiana
The election was held on October 20, 2007.| Ballot item | Description | Pass/fail |
|---|---|---|
| Ballot Measure 1 | SB 2, Act 483 - Salaries for law enforcement and fire protection officers | Pass |
| Ballot Measure 2 | SB 128, Act 485 - Supplemental pay for police officers | Pass |
| Ballot Measure 3 | SB 127, Act 484 - State retirement system | Pass |
| Ballot Measure 4 | HB 260, Act 486 - Exempt jewelry from property taxes | Fail |
More information: Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, Inc. Guide to the Proposed Constitutional Amendments, October 20, 2007
Maine
| Ballot item | Description | Pass/fail |
|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Question to allow a Maine tribe to run a harness racing track with slot machines and high-stakes beano games in Washington County | Fail |
| Question 2 | Bond issue: Funds for economic development and job creation; funds for research, development and commercialization for targeted technology sectors | Pass |
| Question 3 | Bond issue: Funds for improvements to education facilities | Pass |
| Question 4 | Bond issue: Funds for land conservation, water access, wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation opportunities, farmland and working waterfront; and for state parks, historic sites and riverfront, community and farm infrastructure | Pass |
| Question 5 | Referendum to extend term limits for legislators from 4 to 6 terms | Fail |
More information: Maine Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions: Ballot Questions, November 6, 2007 Referendum Election
New Jersey
| Ballot item | Description | Pass/fail |
|---|---|---|
| Public Question 1 | Dedicated annual revenue of an amount equal to a tax rate of 1% under the state sales tax for property tax reform | Fail |
| Public Question 2 | Stem cell research bond issue | Fail |
| Public Question 3 | Green Acres, Farmland, Blue Acres, and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 2007 | Pass |
| Public Question 4 | Constitutional amendment concerning the right to vote for certain persons; replace phrase "idiot or insane person" with "person who has been adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting." | Pass |
More information: Division of Elections: 2007 Public Questions
Oregon
| Ballot item | Description | Pass/fail |
|---|---|---|
| Measure 49 | Clarifies right to build homes; limits large developments; protects farms, forests, groundwater | Pass |
| Measure 50 | Amends Constitution: Dedicates funds to provide health care for children, fund tobacco prevention, through increased tobacco tax | Fail |
Texas
| Ballot item | Description | Pass/fail |
|---|---|---|
| Proposition 1 | HJR 103 - Funding for Angelo State University. | Pass |
| Proposition 2 | SJR 57 - Funds for educational loans to college and university students. | Pass |
| Proposition 3 | HJR 40 - Homestead taxes; provides the legislature with the authority to limit the maximum increase in appraised value of a homestead to 10% in a tax year regardless of how much time has passed since the last reappraisal. | Pass |
| Proposition 4 | SJR 65 - Bonds for maintenance, improvement, repair, and construction projects and for the purchase of needed equipment. | Pass |
| Proposition 5 | SJR 44 - Local property taxes; allows certain small communities participating in the Main Street or Downtown revitalization programs to conduct a vote of its residents to freeze property taxes in the downtown area for a period of 5 years or until the property is sold. | Pass |
| Proposition 6 | HJR 54 - Motor vehicle taxes; authorizes the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation one motor vehicle owned by an individual and used in the course of the owner's occupation or profession and also for personal activities of the owner. | Pass |
| Proposition 7 | HJR 30 - Allows governmental entities to sell property acquired through eminent domain back to the previous owners at the price the entities paid to acquire the property. | Pass |
| Proposition 8 | HJR 72 - Clarifies certain provisions relating to the making of a home equity loan and use of home equity loan proceeds. | Pass |
| Proposition 9 | SJR 29 - Property tax exemption for disabled veterans. | Pass |
| Proposition 10 | HJR 69 - Abolishes the constitutional authority for the Office of Inspector of Hides and Animals. | Pass |
| Proposition 11 | HJR 19 - Public record of votes in the legislature; requiring that legislators record their votes by name. | Pass |
| Proposition 12 | SJR 64 - Highway improvement bonds. | Pass |
| Proposition 13 | HJR 6 - Authorizes denial of bail in felony and family violence cases. | Pass |
| Proposition 14 | HJR 36 - Permits a judge reaching retirement age to complete the remainder of his or her term. | Pass |
| Proposition 15 | HJR 90 - Establishes a statewide cancer research and prevention institute. | Pass |
| Proposition 16 | SJR 20 - Sewer and water supply bonds. | Pass |
More information: League of Women Voters Voters Guide - 2007 Constitutional Amendment Election
Utah
| Ballot item | Description | Pass/fail |
|---|---|---|
| Citizens' Referendum 1 | HB 148 - Education vouchers; creates a program to award scholarships to students to attend a private school. | Fail |
Washington
| Ballot item | Description | Pass/fail |
|---|---|---|
| HJR 4204 | Provides for school district excess property tax levies. | Fail |
| HJR 4215 | Authorizes the investment of money in higher education permanent funds and permits investment in stocks or bonds issued by any company. | Pass |
| SJR 8206 | Establishment of a budget stabilization account. | Pass |
| SJR 8212 | Inmate labor - authorizes state-operated inmate labor programs and programs in which inmate labor is used by private entities through state contracts; prohibits privately operated programs from unfairly competing with Washington businesses. | Pass |
| Initiative Measure 960 | Requires two-thirds legislative approval or voter approval for tax increases, legislative approval of fee increases, certain published information on tax-increasing bills, and advisory votes on taxes enacted without voter approval. | Pass |
| Referendum Measure 67 | ESSB 5726 - Health insurance referendum; this bill would make it unlawful for insurers to unreasonably deny certain coverage claims, and permit treble damages plus attorney fees for that and other violations. | Pass |
More information: Secretary of State - 2007 Ballot Measures