Pay-per-signature petition bill advances

Petition circulators in Nebraska could be paid by the signature under a bill that cleared the first round of debate March 18.

LB367, introduced by North Platte Sen. Mike Groene, would remove a prohibition on circulators being paid by the number of signatures collected. Groene said the prohibition, in place since 2008, violates the free speech rights of Nebraskans.

“This absolutely destroys grassroots efforts to get an issue on the ballot,” he said, adding that average citizens cannot afford to finance a petition effort that requires hiring a company to collect signatures.

“It has really broken the back of people trying to take part in our government through the petition process,” Groene said.

Sen. John Murante of Gretna supported the bill, saying the right of citizens to petition their government is especially important in a state with a one-house Legislature where the people serve as the second house.

Murante said state lawmakers have added barriers to the petition process over the years, resulting in a cost of approximately $1 million to successfully place an issue on the ballot.

“The right to petition the government—the right of the petition initiative process—is in the constitution in the state of Nebraska and it is the first right reserved to the people,” he said.

The bill advanced to select file on a 38-0 vote.