Is your rent too damn high? Californians may vote on rent control initiatives

New initiative certifications in California and Oklahoma, deadlock in Michigan, and the results of Tuesday's state legislative special elections [Forward This](mailto:info@ballotpedia.org?&subject=Check out this week's State and Local Tap from Ballotpedia!&body=You%20can%20read%20it%20online%20here%3A%20https%3A//ballotpedia.org/The_State_and_Local_Tap%3A_Is_your_rent_too_damn_high%253F_Californians_may_vote_on_rent_control_initiatives) [blank][Tweet This]( [blank][Send to Linkedin]( [blank][Send to Facebook]( [blank] This week saw ballot measures advance in two states and stall in another, and Republicans retained effective control of a state legislature after Tuesday’s special elections. Want more state and local updates? Find them online in the unabridged edition of the State and Local Tap. [Check out the full edition]( Signatures filed for 2018 ballot initiative to allow local rent control in California Californians could vote on [an initiative]( to repeal the law prohibiting rent control on November 6. The Coalition for Affordable Housing, a PAC registered to support the initiative, announced Monday that more than 565,000 signatures were submitted. A total of 365,880 signatures need to be valid for the initiative to make the ballot. The measure would allow local governments to adopt amendments, ordinances, or regulations to govern how much landlords can charge tenants for renting apartments and houses. The measure would also repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (CHRHA). Passed in 1995, the CHRHA prohibited local governments from enacting rent control on housing first occupied after February 1, 1995, and single-family homes and other units where the title is separate from connected units (such as condominiums and townhouses). Eric Garcetti (D), mayor of Los Angeles, endorsed the ballot initiative Monday. The Coalition for Affordable Housing PAC, as of Monday had received 99.99 percent of funds from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF). The PAC had raised $2.05 million. The California Apartment Association organized a PAC called Californians for Responsible Housing to oppose the ballot initiative. The PAC had raised $3.70 million—$1.65 million more than supporters—with 59 percent of contributions from Essex Property Trust, Inc., and Affiliated Entities. --------------------------------------------------------------- Michigan Board of Canvassers deadlocked on certifying initiative to repeal prevailing wage, backers to take issue to court The Michigan Board of Canvassers was deadlocked Thursday on certifying signatures for [an initiative to repeal]( the law requiring that workers be paid prevailing wages and fringe benefits on state projects. Staff of the Michigan Department of State, who estimated that 268,403 signatures were valid, recommended certification. The state Board’s two Republican members voted for certification, while the two Democratic members voted against certification. The Democrats cited petitions from circulators who listed non-residential buildings as residential addresses, which was in violation of a state law requiring circulators to use a proper address. Attorney General Bill Schuette (R) said that while circulators could be prosecuted for violating the law, he did not believe that this could be a reason to reject petitions. Sponsors of the initiative said the campaign for the initiative would file a lawsuit in the Michigan Court of Appeals to order the board to certify the initiative. Under the existing prevailing wage law enacted in 1965, the state department of labor determines the prevailing wage and benefits required for each type of contractor or mechanic prior to advertising for contract bids. The wages are determined according to wages paid for similar projects in the local jurisdiction "under collective agreements or understandings between bona fide organizations of construction mechanics and their employers." As the initiative would remove this requirement, contractors that provide wages and benefits below the prevailing wage and benefit levels would be able to make bids on state projects. If the measure is eventually certified, it would go before the Michigan State Legislature for 40 days. The state legislature would be permitted to approve the initiative, which would keep it off the ballot. House Speaker Tom Leonard (R-93) said he believed House Republicans had enough votes to approve the initiative. Republicans control both the state House and state Senate. Unlike a bill, an initiative approved by the legislature does not need the signature of the governor. Gov. Rick Snyder (R) has said that he opposes repealing the prevailing wage law. --------------------------------------------------------------- Medical marijuana bill passes in Missouri State House The Missouri House of Representatives [approved House Bill 1554]( Monday. The measure would allow medical marijuana to be available to eligible patients with a terminal illness, including but not limited to cancer, glaucoma, HIV, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and epilepsy. Patients would be authorized to possess up to 20 ounces of smokeless medical marijuana. Preventing an eligible patient from accessing medical marijuana would be a class A misdemeanor. The House must vote a second time before sending HB 1554 to the Missouri State Senate. --------------------------------------------------------------- Democrats win New York Senate special elections, but Republicans will hold chamber Shelley Mayer (D) beat Julie Killian (R) Tuesday in the [special election]( for New York State Senate District 37. However, state Sen. Simcha Felder (D) will continue caucusing with Republicans, dashing Democratic hopes of reclaiming control of the state Senate and gaining a trifecta in New York ahead of the 2018 elections. Felder previously signaled that he might join the Democratic caucus if Mayer won in District 37 and Luis Sepulveda (D) held the more-safely Democratic District 32 (which he did). Earlier this month, eight members of the Independent Democratic Conference who caucused with Republicans rejoined the Democratic caucus, giving them a 32-31 numerical majority once Mayer and Sepulveda are sworn in. Felder’s continued alliance with Republicans will give the GOP effective control, though, and it will prevent the state from becoming a Democratic trifecta ahead of the November 2018 general elections. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Current state government trifectas] --------------------------------------------------------------- SCOTUS hears oral argument in Texas redistricting case The [Supreme Court of the United States]( heard oral argument Tuesday in [Abbott v. Perez](, a case involving allegations of unconstitutional racial gerrymandering in [Texas' congressional and state legislative district maps](. Texas' district maps have been the subject of litigation since 2011. In November 2011, the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas ordered that interim maps, drawn by the court, apply to the 2012 election (Texas had failed to obtain preclearance of the redistricting plans from the federal government as required by the Voting Rights Act at the time). In January 2012, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down this order, finding that the lower court had exceeded its authority. In February 2012, the district court issued new interim maps, which were used in the 2012 election. In June 2013, the state legislature enacted new district maps. In March and April 2017, the district court ruled that the original 2011 maps for congressional and state legislative districts had been drawn with the intent to dilute the voting strength of racial minority groups, a violation of federal law. This ruling did not apply to the 2013 maps, which are the focus of the case presently before the Supreme Court. The maps' opponents alleged that the 2013 maps, like the original maps, represented an [unconstitutional racial gerrymander](. State officials denied this, maintaining that the remedial maps were substantially the same as those issued by the court in 2012. Abbot v. Perez is the third major redistricting case that the Supreme Court has taken up this term. The other two, [Gill v. Whitford]( and [Benisek v. Lamone](, involve allegations of partisan gerrymandering. --------------------------------------------------------------- Eleventh Circuit stays federal district court order requiring changes to Florida's felon voting rights restoration process The [United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit]( voted 2-1 Wednesday to stay a federal judge's order implementing a permanent injunction against [Florida's felon voting rights restoration system](. The decision comes after Judge [Mark E. Walker](, of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, ruled that Florida's [felon voting rights]( restoration process violates the United States Constitution. On February 1, Walker issued his initial ruling on the matter, writing, "In Florida, elected, partisan officials have extraordinary authority to grant or withhold the right to vote from hundreds of thousands of people without any constraints, guidelines, or standards. The question now is whether such a system passes constitutional muster. It does not." On March 27, Walker issued a permanent injunction against the state's existing felon enfranchisement process and ordered state officials to "promulgate specific and neutral criteria to direct vote-restoration decisions" by this Thursday. On April 6, Governor [Rick Scott]( (R) and the other members of Florida's Executive Clemency Board petitioned the Eleventh Circuit for a stay of Walker's decision pending appeal. --------------------------------------------------------------- Oklahoma legislature sends amendment to voters for joint Governor and Lieutenant Governor tickets [The Oklahoma Joint Governor and Lieutenant Governor Tickets Amendment]( was certified Thursday for the November ballot. The measure would amend the state constitution to provide for the governor and lieutenant governor to be elected together on one ticket starting in 2026. The amendment was introduced by Sen. Adam Pugh (R) and Rep. Mark Lepak (R) as Senate Joint Resolution 66 and approved by the state Senate on March 13. The state House approved the measure with amendments Monday, and the state Senate concurred with the House amendments and approved the measure Wednesday. According to the National Lieutenant Governors Association, 26 states elect governors and lieutenant governors together. Seventeen states have separate tickets for the governor and the lieutenant governor for general elections. The secretary of state is the successor to the governor in three states, and the governor and secretary of state are elected separately. In the remaining four states, state senate leaders serve as the successors to the governor. In two of those states, the title of lieutenant governor is given to the presiding senate leaders. --------------------------------------------------------------- $8.877 billion bond initiative for water infrastructure and conservation certified for November ballot in California The secretary of state announced Wednesday that a [$8.877 billion bond initiative]( had qualified for the November ballot. The initiative would earmark bond revenue for water infrastructure, groundwater supplies and storage, surface water storage and dam repairs, watershed and fisheries improvements, and habitat protection and restoration. The state fiscal analyst said the initiated bond issue would generate about $8.4 billion in interest over a 40-year period, meaning the bond would cost the state a total of $17.3 billion. The largest amount of bond revenue—$2.355 billion—would go toward conservancies and state parks to restore and protect watershed lands and nonprofits and local agencies for river parkways. The measure would also allocate $640 million to groundwater sustainability agencies to implement their plans and $500 million for public water system infrastructure improvements to meet safe drinking water standards, including the treatment of contaminants, or ensure affordable drinking water. The ballot initiative would require that $1.398 billion be spent on projects benefiting what the state defines as disadvantaged communities and an additional $2.637 billion be prioritized for disadvantaged communities. California defines disadvantaged communities as communities with an annual median household income less than 80 percent of the statewide annual median household income. With a median household income of $63,783 in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 80 percent was $51,026. --------------------------------------------------------------- Hawaii State Senate approves bump stock ban The Hawaii State Senate [unanimously approved Senate Bill 2046]( Wednesday, which would prohibit the manufacture, sale, transfer, and possession of bump stocks and similar devices. The bump stock, which allows semi-automatic firearms to fire similarly to automatic weapons, was linked with the October 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas. The Hawaii Rifle Association, a National Rifle Association affiliate, opposed the bill. President Harvey Gerwig wrote in testimony that the bill was vague, overreaching, and would "turn an innocent gun owner into a felon." According to the Honolulu Civil Beat, the bill did not receive much other opposition. --------------------------------------------------------------- [States legislatures in session] --------------------------------------------------------------- Louisiana Senate approves bill banning abortions after 15 weeks The Louisiana State Senate [voted 31 to 3 on Senate Bill 181]( Tuesday, which would ban abortions after 15 weeks, down from 20 weeks under Louisiana law at the time. The bill would not go into effect unless a federal court approves a similar policy in Mississippi which is currently facing legal challenges. The bill was sent to the Republican-controlled state House for consideration. The Tap has thousands of loyal readers each week. Want to reach them? 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