The Last Chance Of Freedom : States Take the Initiative

The Supreme Court's Dobbs decision, overturning Roe v. Wade, has elevated the debate about abortion initiatives in five states
Kentucky and Kansas will choose whether to amend their respective state constitutions to deny explicitly that any language in their founding documents implies a right to an abortion
In Montana, voters will decide on a law declaring that infants born alive during an abortion procedure are persons and must receive medical care
Unionization is on the ballot in Illinois and Tennessee, albeit in different ways
A wave of right-to-work legislation has swept the country in recent years
Four states bordering Illinois have adopted laws giving workers the right to opt out of unions
Illinois has also put forth a constitutional amendment that explicitly states that Illinois may not pass laws restricting unions' ability to negotiate over wages and benefits

The unexpectedly robust rebound in tax revenues after the Covid-induced economic lockdowns has left many states flush with cash
A ballot initiative in Colorado will give voters a chance to cut the state's income-tax rate to 4.40 percent
This would be the second voter-approved cut in two years
In 2020, Colorado residents approved a reduction from 4.63 percent to the current level
Democratic governor Jared Polis backed the initiative
Massachusetts wants to take their state in a dramatically different direction
They want to raise taxes by $2 billion

Monday, August 1, 2022