{"id":25085,"date":"2024-11-01T12:07:58","date_gmt":"2024-11-01T18:07:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/quick-guide-to-colorados-14-statewide-ballot-measures\/"},"modified":"2024-11-01T18:07:58","modified_gmt":"2024-11-01T18:07:58","slug":"quick-guide-to-colorados-14-statewide-ballot-measures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/quick-guide-to-colorados-14-statewide-ballot-measures\/","title":{"rendered":"Quick guide to Colorado\u2019s 14 statewide ballot measures"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Jerry
Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald
\nA sign on June 28. National Voter Registration Day, which is Tuesday, Sept. 20.<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Every Colorado ballot this year includes 14 statewide ballot measures, which include amendments and propositions.<\/p>\n

Amendments change the Colorado Constitution and can be completed only by ballot measure or a state constitutional convention.<\/p>\n

Propositions change statutes, which can also be altered by the Legislature.<\/p>\n

Here is a quick guide to this year\u2019s ballot measures:<\/p>\n

Amendment G<\/strong><\/a> proposes amending the state Constitution to expand the number veterans with a disability who qualify for reduced property tax obligations under the state\u2019s homestead exemption laws.<\/p>\n

A \u201cyes\u201d vote would expand eligibility for the state\u2019s homestead property tax exemption to veterans with \u201cindividual unemployability\u201d status from the VA.<\/p>\n

A \u201cno\u201d vote would leave in place the current homestead property tax exemption for disabled veterans, which is limited to those with a 100% permanent disability rating from the VA.<\/p>\n

Amendment H<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>proposes amending the state Constitution to create a new independent board to handle formal disciplinary proceedings for judges accused of misconduct.<\/p>\n

A \u201cyes\u201d vote would create a new independent body in the state\u2019s judicial department to handle formal disciplinary proceedings for judges accused of misconduct.<\/p>\n

A \u201cno\u201d vote would leave in place Colorado\u2019s current judicial disciplinary system.<\/p>\n

Amendment I<\/strong><\/a> is a proposed constitutional amendment that would create an exception to the right to bail for criminal defendants accused of first-degree murder.<\/p>\n

A \u201cyes\u201d vote would amend the state Constitution to allow judges to deny bail for criminal defendants accused of first-degree murder.<\/p>\n

A \u201cno\u201d vote would preserve constitutional language that effectively prohibits judges from holding first-degree murder suspects without bond.<\/p>\n

Amendment J<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>proposes the repeal of a previous state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.<\/p>\n

A \u201cyes\u201d vote would repeal the Colorado Constitution\u2019s same-sex marriage ban.<\/p>\n

A \u201cno\u201d vote would leave in place the Colorado Constitution\u2019s same-sex marriage ban.<\/p>\n

Amendment K<\/strong><\/a> proposes amending the state Constitution to modify several election-related deadlines, including a requirement that initiative petitions be submitted one week earlier than under current law.<\/p>\n

A \u201cyes\u201d vote would amend the state Constitution to modify several election-related deadlines.<\/p>\n

A \u201cno\u201d vote would preserve current election-related deadlines in the state Constitution.<\/p>\n

Amendment 79<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>proposes to recognize the right to abortion in the Colorado Constitution.<\/p>\n

A \u201cyes\u201d vote would protect abortion rights in the Colorado Constitution and repeal a prohibition on the use of public funds for abortion.<\/p>\n

A \u201cno\u201d vote would not protect abortion rights in the Colorado Constitution and would leave in place a prohibition on the use of public funds for abortion.<\/p>\n

Amendment 80<\/strong><\/a> proposes to enshrine the \u201cright to school choice\u201d in the Colorado Constitution.<\/p>\n

A \u201cyes\u201d vote would add new language affirming the \u201cright to school choice\u201d to the Colorado Constitution.<\/p>\n

A \u201cno\u201d vote would not add new language affirming the \u201cright to school choice\u201d to the Colorado Constitution.<\/p>\n

Proposition JJ<\/strong><\/a> is a referred statutory measure seeking voter approval for the state to keep excess revenues collected from its sports betting tax.<\/p>\n

A \u201cyes\u201d vote authorizes the state to keep an additional $2.8 to $7.2 million in revenue raised annually by its sports betting tax, with the funds going toward water conservation projects.<\/p>\n

A \u201cno\u201d vote would mean the state refunds the additional $2.8 to $7.2 million in revenue raised annually by its sports betting tax to taxpayers.<\/p>\n

Proposition KK<\/strong><\/a> asks voters to approve a new 6.5% excise tax on sales of guns, gun parts and ammunition, with the funds going toward mental health services, gun safety programs and support services for victims of violent crimes.<\/p>\n

A \u201cyes\u201d vote authorizes a new 6.5% excise tax on sales of guns, gun parts and ammunition, directing the revenue to mental health and victim support services.<\/p>\n

A \u201cno\u201d vote stops a new 6.5% excise tax on sales of guns, gun parts and ammunition from going into effect.<\/p>\n

Proposition 127<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>would ban the trophy hunting of mountain lions, bobcats and lynx in Colorado.<\/p>\n

A \u201cyes\u201d vote would make it illegal to hunt or trap mountain lions and bobcats in Colorado.<\/p>\n

A \u201cno\u201d vote would continue to allow licensed hunting and trapping of mountain lions and bobcats.<\/p>\n

Proposition 128<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>would make people convicted of certain violent crimes ineligible for parole until they have served at least 85% of their sentences.<\/p>\n

A \u201cyes\u201d vote would require people convicted of certain violent crimes to serve at least 85% of their sentences before becoming eligible for parole and eliminate \u201cearned time\u201d reductions for completing educational or professional programs.<\/p>\n

A \u201cno\u201d vote would preserve current laws requiring people convicted of certain violent crimes to serve at least 75% of their sentences before becoming eligible for parole and allowing them to further reduce that requirement with \u201cearned time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Proposition 129<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>would allow certain veterinary services to be practiced by associates without a full state-issued veterinarian\u2019s license.<\/p>\n

A \u201cyes\u201d vote would allow certain veterinary services to be practiced by associates without a full state-issued veterinarian\u2019s license.<\/p>\n

A \u201cno\u201d vote would preserve existing veterinary licensing laws.<\/p>\n

Proposition 130<\/strong><\/a> asks voters to make a one-time appropriation of $350 million to a new police officer training and support fund under the Colorado Department of Public Safety.<\/p>\n

A \u201cyes\u201d vote would make a one-time appropriation of $350 million to a new police officer training fund under the Colorado Department of Public Safety.<\/p>\n

A \u201cno\u201d vote would maintain current levels of state funding for local police departments.<\/p>\n

Proposition 131<\/strong><\/a> is a sweeping election reform measure that would abolish party primaries and establish a top-four, ranked choice voting system to decide general elections.<\/p>\n

A \u201cyes\u201d vote would abolish party primaries and establish a top-four, ranked choice voting system to decide general elections.<\/p>\n

A \u201cno\u201d vote would leave Colorado\u2019s current election system in place.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

weigh in on abortion rights, school choice and trophy hunting<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25086,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[791,266,28,308,1509,1621],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-25085","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-ballot-initiatives","tag-election","tag-headlines","tag-local-elections","tag-state-elections","tag-voting"],"acf":[],"author_name":"dh_admin","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25085","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25085"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25085\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25086"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25085"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25085"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25085"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=25085"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}