Jump to full article: Fargo (ND) InForum, 2009-05-03
Author: Sen. John M. Andrist, Crosby, N.D.
Intro: The Forum’s Thursday editorial, “ND voters were clear on tobacco” is exactly right. The North Dakota House should have passed the Senate bill that implemented and funded Measure 3.
That said, I introduced Senate Bill 4038 because I sincerely believe Measure 3 was flawed, that it has at least one unconstitutional provision, that voters might not have been aware that there is expected to be $125 million involved in this tobacco-cessation effort.
Voters are stuck with an up or down “yes” or “no” on ballot measures. . . .
Forum readers need to know that most of us in this body are not constantly dealing in shenanigans and that most of us are seriously devoted to enacting and securing the best public policy.
Likewise, most of us have a strong commitment to the will of the voters. The power to initiate and refer is a precious heritage in populist North Dakota.
Whether or not SB4038 gets to the voters, they can count on my support to do the will expressed in the ballot box.
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