We don’t want to be that newsletter. You know the one. They start writing about midterm elections 15 months before they happen.
But there’s one noteworthy, precedent-setting vote looming in the Pacific Northwest, and both sides are gearing up for a major battle.
Making waves: The potential ballot measure getting attention is the “Abuse, Neglect and Assault Exemption Modification and Improvement Act,” also known as Petition 13. It could pop a critical question to Oregon voters in November 2022.
The initiative would eliminate exemptions for agricultural, hunting, and fishing practices that currently exist in Oregon’s animal abuse laws. Specific to agriculture, the current exemptions allow for practices like dehorning, castration, and artificial insemination, among others.
If passed in its current form, Petition 13 would remove such exemptions, leaving those practices in violation of criminal law. AKA – basic production practices could potentially put farmers behind bars…or more likely, out of business.
Petitioners have until July 8 to submit 112,020 signatures in support of the initiative for it to officially earn a spot on the ballot next year. If that happens, you can expect it to become a focus of the 2022 election cycle.
While we are here: A similar proposed measure — known as the PAUSE Act — was on course to appear on Colorado’s next ballot. However, the state’s Supreme Court just sent the measure back to the State Title Board, ruling the measure was too broad.