Proposed 2018 Ballot Issues

The following issues have been referred to the voters by 2017 Legislature and will appear on the November 6, 2018 general election ballot:

LR-128 (SB 85)
Subject: Referendum submitting a 6-mill levy for support of the Montana University System to voters.
Type: Legislative Referendum
Status: Legislature referred SB 85 to the 2018 general election ballot.   APPROVED BY VOTERS.

LR-129 (SB 352)
Subject: Referendum on prohibition of ballot collection by certain individuals.
Type: Legislative Referendum
Status: Legislature referred SB 352 to the 2018 general election ballot.   APPROVED BY VOTERS.

Please Note: Ballot issue numbers listed below are assigned by the order in which they were received at the Office of the Montana Secretary of State. They do not reflect a ranking or how the initiative would be numbered if it were placed on the ballot.

The following are citizen proposals for statewide ballot initiatives for the November 6, 2018, general election ballot that were submitted to the Secretary of State.

Ballot Issue #9 I-185
Subject: Raise tobacco taxes to fund health care programs.
Contact Person: Jessie Luther
Sponsor: Robert Shepard, MD
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS:  February 22, 2018
Status: Petition has qualified for the 2018 General Election Ballot.   REJECTED BY VOTERS.
Petition County Summary I-185

Ballot Issue #14 I-186
Subject: Require the Department of Environmental Quality to deny a permit for any new hardrock mines in Montana unless the reclamation plan provides clear and convincing evidence that the mine will not require perpetual treatment of water polluted by acid mine drainage or other contaminants.
Contact Person: Thomas Schoenleben
Sponsor: Thomas Schoenleben
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS:  April 4, 2018
Status: Petition has qualified for the 2018 General Election Ballot.   REJECTED BY VOTERS.
Petition County Summary I-186

Ballot Issue #1 I-183
Subject: Require a person using a locker room or protected facility in a government building or public school to use the facility that is designated for that person’s sex.
Contact Person: Jeff Laszloffy
Sponsor: Jeff Laszloffy
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS:  May 10, 2017
Status: Petition has been approved for signature gathering as of July 26, 2017. On September 28, 2017, Secretary of State issued revised petition form containing Attorney General’s revised ballot statements.
Next Step: Sponsor may submit signatures to county election offices.

Ballot Issue #2 
Subject: Require investor-owned utilities to supply incrementally higher percentages of their electricity from renewable energy sources, and establish a displaced fossil-fuel workers program and a fossil-fuel pensioner program.
Contact Person: Ken Crouch
Sponsor: Ken Crouch
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS:  June 6, 2017
Status: Withdrawn by Sponsor.

Ballot Issue #3 
Subject: Require investor-owned utilities to supply incrementally higher percentages of their electricity from renewable energy sources, and establish a displaced fossil-fuel workers program and a fossil-fuel pensioner program.
Contact Person: Ken Crouch
Sponsor: Ken Crouch
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS:  July 17, 2017
Status: Rejected by Secretary of State after review under 13-27-202(4), MCA.

Ballot Issue #4 I-184
Subject: Require investor-owned utilities to supply incrementally higher percentages of their electricity from renewable energy sources, and establish a displaced fossil-fuel workers program and a fossil-fuel pensioner program.
Contact Person: Ken Crouch
Sponsor: Ken Crouch
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS:  August 24, 2017
Status: Petition has been approved for signature gathering as of October 31, 2017.
Next Step: Sponsor may submit signatures to county election offices.
Total Signatures: 8,498  /  Districts Qualified: 3
Petition County Summary I-183, Petition County Summary I-184, Petition County Summary I-185, Petition County Summary I-186

Ballot Issue #5 
Subject: Equalize civil and criminal court proceeding time limits, filing privileges and deadlines, and filing fees for governmental and non-governmental parties and participants.
Contact Person: Roger Roots
Sponsor: Roger Roots
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS:  January 23, 2018
Status: Rejected by Secretary of State after review under 13-27-202(4), MCA.

Ballot Issue #6 
Subject: Levy a disposable container fee for the Older Montanans Trust Fund and for Montana’s 60 and older population and caregiver population.
Contact Person: Charlie Rehbein
Sponsor: Charlie Rehbein
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS:  February 13, 2018
Status: Withdrawn by Sponsor.

Ballot Issue #7 
Subject: Require the Legislature to establish and provide a funding source for the Older Montanans Trust Fund.
Contact Person: Charlie Rehbein
Sponsor: Charlie Rehbein
Type: Constitutional initiative
Received by SOS:  February 13, 2018
Status: Withdrawn by Sponsor.

Ballot Issue #8 
Subject: Require that new hardrock mines in Montana have a reclamation plan that provides that the mine will not require perpetual treatment of water polluted by acid mine drainage or other contaminants such as arsenic, lead, or mercury.
Contact Person: Thomas Schoenleben
Sponsor: Thomas Schoenleben
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS:  February 21, 2018
Status: Rejected by Secretary of State after review under 13-27-202(4), MCA.

Ballot Issue #9 I-185
Subject: Raise tobacco taxes to fund health care programs.
Contact Person: Jessie Luther
Sponsor: Robert Shepard, MD
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS:  February 22, 2018
Status: Petition has qualified for the 2018 General Election Ballot.   REJECTED BY VOTERS.

Ballot Issue #10 CI-117
Subject: Limiting voting to individuals who are U.S. citizens and Montana residents at least 30 days before the election.
Contact Person: Chris Gallus
Sponsor: Chris Gallus
Type: Constitutional initiative
Received by SOS:  March 1, 2018
Status: Petition has been approved for signature gathering as of April 23, 2018.
Next Step: Sponsor may submit signatures to county election offices.

Ballot Issue #11 
Subject: Require the Legislature to establish and provide a funding source for the Older Montanans Trust Fund.
Contact Person: Charlie Rehbein
Sponsor: Charlie Rehbein
Type: Constitutional initiative
Received by SOS:  March 15, 2018
Status: Withdrawn by Sponsor.

Ballot Issue #12 
Subject: Require that new hardrock mines in Montana have a reclamation plan that provides that the mine will not require perpetual treatment of water polluted by acid mine drainage or other contaminants such as arsenic, lead, or mercury.
Contact Person: Thomas Schoenleben
Sponsor: Thomas Schoenleben
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS:  March 16, 2018
Status: Withdrawn by Sponsor.

Ballot Issue #13 
Subject: Equalize state court proceeding time limits, filing privileges and deadlines, and filing fees for governmental and non-governmental parties and participants.
Contact Person: Roger Roots
Sponsor: Roger Roots
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS:  April 2, 2018
Status: Review by Legislative Services Division.
Next Step: Sponsor will have the opportunity to respond to Legislative Services.

Ballot Issue #14 I-186
Subject: Require that new hard-rock mines in Montana have a reclamation plan that provides that the mine will not require perpetual treatment of water polluted by acid mine drainage or other contaminants such as arsenic, lead, or mercury.
Contact Person: Thomas Schoenleben
Sponsor: Thomas Schoenleben
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS:  April 4, 2018
Status: Petition has qualified for the 2018 General Election Ballot.   REJECTED BY VOTERS.

Ballot Issue #15 
Subject: Reserve to the people the power to amend or repeal laws passed by initiative.
Contact Person: Nathan Pierce
Sponsor: Nathan Pierce
Type: Constitutional initiative
Received by SOS:  April 23, 2018
Status: Reviewed by Legislative Services.
Next Step: Sponsor has the opportunity to respond to Legislative Services.

Ballot Issue #16 
Subject: Require that, upon request of a person accused of violating a law involving a civil or misdemeanor penalty, a public body or agency will have 5 days to produce the information requested or seek an order of protection.
Contact Person: Scott Sales
Sponsor: Scott Sales
Type: Constitutional initiative
Received by SOS:  April 25, 2018
Status: Reviewed by Legislative Services.
Next Step: Sponsor has the opportunity to respond to Legislative Services.

Ballot Issue #1 I-183
Subject: Require a person using a locker room or protected facility in a government building or public school to use the facility that is designated for that person’s sex.
Contact Person: Jeff Laszloffy
Sponsor: Jeff Laszloffy
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS:  May 10, 2017
Status: Petition has been approved for signature gathering as of July 26, 2017. On September 28, 2017, Secretary of State issued revised petition form containing Attorney General’s revised ballot statements.
Next Step: Sponsor may submit signatures to county election offices.
Petition County Summary I-183

Ballot Issue #4 I-184
Subject: Require investor-owned utilities to supply incrementally higher percentages of their electricity from renewable energy sources, and establish a displaced fossil-fuel workers program and a fossil-fuel pensioner program.
Contact Person: Ken Crouch
Sponsor: Ken Crouch
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS:  August 24, 2017
Status: Petition has been approved for signature gathering as of October 31, 2017.
Next Step: Sponsor may submit signatures to county election offices.
Petition County Summary I-184

Ballot Issue #10 CI-117
Subject: Limiting voting to individuals who are U.S. citizens and Montana residents at least 30 days before the election.
Contact Person: Chris Gallus
Sponsor: Chris Gallus
Type: Constitutional initiative
Received by SOS:  March 1, 2018
Status: Petition has been approved for signature gathering as of April 23, 2018.
Next Step: Sponsor may submit signatures to county election offices.

Ballot Issue #13 
Subject: Equalize state court proceeding time limits, filing privileges and deadlines, and filing fees for governmental and non-governmental parties and participants.
Contact Person: Roger Roots
Sponsor: Roger Roots
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS:  April 2, 2018
Status: Reviewed by Legislative Services Division.
Next Step: Sponsor has the opportunity to respond to Legislative Services.

Ballot Issue #15 
Subject: Reserve to the people the power to amend or repeal laws passed by initiative.
Contact Person: Nathan Pierce
Sponsor: Nathan Pierce
Type: Constitutional initiative
Received by SOS:  April 23, 2018
Status: Reviewed by Legislative Services.
Next Step: Sponsor has the opportunity to respond to Legislative Services.

Ballot Issue #16 
Subject: Require that, upon request of a person accused of violating a law involving a civil or misdemeanor penalty, a public body or agency will have 5 days to produce the information requested or seek an order of protection.
Contact Person: Scott Sales
Sponsor: Scott Sales
Type: Constitutional initiative
Received by SOS:  April 25, 2018
Status: Reviewed by Legislative Services.
Next Step: Sponsor has the opportunity to respond to Legislative Services.

Ballot Issue #2 
Subject: Require investor-owned utilities to supply incrementally higher percentages of their electricity from renewable energy sources, and establish a displaced fossil-fuel workers program and a fossil-fuel pensioner program.
Contact Person: Ken Crouch
Sponsor: Ken Crouch
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS:  June 6, 2017
Status: Withdrawn by Sponsor.

Ballot Issue #3 
Subject: Require investor-owned utilities to supply incrementally higher percentages of their electricity from renewable energy sources, and establish a displaced fossil-fuel workers program and a fossil-fuel pensioner program.
Contact Person: Ken Crouch
Sponsor: Ken Crouch
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS:  July 17, 2017
Status: Rejected by Secretary of State after review under 13-27-202(4), MCA.

Ballot Issue #5 
Subject: Equalize civil and criminal court proceeding time limits, filing privileges and deadlines, and filing fees for governmental and non-governmental parties and participants.
Contact Person: Roger Roots
Sponsor: Roger Roots
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS:  January 23, 2018
Status: Rejected by Secretary of State after review under 13-27-202(4), MCA.

Ballot Issue #6
Subject: Levy a disposable container fee for the Older Montanans Trust Fund and for Montana’s 60 and older population and caregiver population.
Contact Person: Charlie Rehbein
Sponsor: Charlie Rehbein
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS: February 13, 2018
Status: Withdrawn by Sponsor.

Ballot Issue #7 
Subject: Require the Legislature to establish and provide a funding source for the Older Montanans Trust Fund.
Contact Person: Charlie Rehbein
Sponsor: Charlie Rehbein
Type: Constitutional initiative
Received by SOS:  February 13, 2018
Status: Withdrawn by Sponsor.

Ballot Issue #8 
Subject: Require that new hardrock mines in Montana have a reclamation plan that provides that the mine will not require perpetual treatment of water polluted by acid mine drainage or other contaminants such as arsenic, lead, or mercury.
Contact Person: Thomas Schoenleben
Sponsor: Thomas Schoenleben
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS:  February 21, 2018
Status: Rejected by Secretary of State after review under 13-27-202(4), MCA.

Ballot Issue #11
Subject: Require the Legislature to establish and provide a funding source for the Older Montanans Trust Fund.
Contact Person: Charlie Rehbein
Sponsor: Charlie Rehbein
Type: Constitutional initiative
Received by SOS:  March 15, 2018
Status: Withdrawn by Sponsor.

Ballot Issue #12 
Subject: Require that new hardrock mines in Montana have a reclamation plan that provides that the mine will not require perpetual treatment of water polluted by acid mine drainage or other contaminants such as arsenic, lead, or mercury.
Contact Person: Thomas Schoenleben
Sponsor: Thomas Schoenleben
Type: Statutory initiative
Received by SOS:  March 16, 2018
Status: Withdrawn by Sponsor.