BISMARCK, N.D. – North Dakota’s Republican-led Legislature is getting some criticism for trying to make it more difficult for citizen-led initiatives to get on the ballot.
Beulah power plant worker Kevin Herrmann told a Senate committee on Thursday that the move “will hamper or stop” citizen efforts to amend the state constitution.
Senators voted this month to allow the Legislature to vote on an initiated measure following voters’ approval. The initiative would go back to voters for final approval if lawmakers don’t endorse it.
Lawmakers also have a resolution to raise to 60 percent the margin necessary to approve a constitutional amendment, rather than a simple majority. Another would double the number of signatures required to put a measure before voters.
This version corrects Hermann’s job title.
