Juneau -- The House State Affairs Committee today considered legislation sponsored by Representative Bill Williams (R-Saxman) that would change the initiative process in Alaska. The legislation, House Bill 45 and House Joint Resolution 7, would require statewide support of an initiative before it is put on the general election ballot.

Currently, an initiative needs signatures amounting to 10% of the total voters in the preceding general election. In addition, initiative sponsors need at least one signature from twenty-seven of the forty election districts.

HB 45 and HJR 7 would require signatures from 15% of the number of those who voted in the previous general election from three of every four districts. This would require that at least 30 election districts showed a level of support for a measure before it reached the ballot, thus ensuring a statewide perspective on any particular issue.

"I introduced these bills to require that before an issue is put before the voters it has a statewide perspective. In the 1998 election, each initiative sponsor gathered the vast majority of their signatures from one general area of the state (Anchorage/Mat-Su). I am concerned when a single, narrow perspective dictates the questions which will appear on the ballot." Williams said.

He continued, "Our constitutional fathers belabored this very point in 1955. In those days, gathering signatures from across the state would indeed have been too much of a burden. However, in the information age and with improved communication and transportation I believe that concern has been allayed. Also, in 1955 the demographics of the state were much different than they are today. Our population was spread out much more evenly. Today, the majority of our population is centered in one distinct area."

Williams concluded, "The bottom line is we need a broad perspective in making laws for this state. That is how the legislature is set up. Our representative government speaks for all portions of the state as laws are made. I believe all portions of the state should be heard as citizens make laws through initiative."

The bills were held in the state affairs committee until next Thursday (February 18th) for further discussion.

Note: The House Bill (HB 45) is needed to change statutory language regarding the initiative process. The House Joint Resolution (HJR 7) is needed to change the language in the state constitution.