Alongside local, state and national races, Massachusetts residents will be presented with five ballot measures to decide on during the Nov. 5 general election.
Question 1 asks voters to authorize the state auditor to audit the state legislature and to remove existing regulations regarding the auditing progress.
According to Ballotpedia.org, a yes vote on this measure would allow the “state auditor to audit the accounts, programs, activities and functions of all departments, offices, commissions, institutions and activities of the state legislature, and any authorities or districts created by the state legislature.”
Question 2 would repeal the high school graduation requirement for passing the 10th grade MCAS test.
According to the summary on mass.gov, students would still be required to take the test in 10th grade and if they did not reach the minimum score, they would be required to take it again in 11th or 12th grade. Any student that enters a Massachusetts school in 11th or 12th grade would be required to take the test only once. For students who were previously unable to graduate strictly due to poor performance on the MCAS, they would be allowed to request and receive a high school diploma from their school as long as they met all other graduation requirements.
In addition to the changes to the test requirements itself, the proposed law would prohibit a student’s MCAS performance from being included on their official high school transcript without the student’s permission.
For Question 3, voters will be asked to choose whether transportation network drivers, like Uber or Lyft drivers, will be able to unionize.
From the summary on mass.gov, the measure would allow unionized drivers to collectively bargain with their companies. Under this law companies would also be allowed to form multi-company associations to represent them in negotiations with driver unions.
Additionally, the new proposed law would define certain activities by a company or union as an “unfair work process.” It would also establish a hearing process for the state Employment Relations Board when a company or union is charged with an unfair work practice. The law would allow this board to take action when an unfair work practice is committed.
With Question 4, residents are asked to vote to approve or deny whether or not people 21 and over would be allowed to grow, posses and use certain natural psychedelic substances.
According to the summary on mass.gov, the allowed substances would be psilocybin and psilocyn, which are found in mushrooms; and dimethyltryptamine, mescaline and ibogaine, which are found in plants. While the proposed law would allow the purchase of these substances under the supervision of a licensed facilitator, they would not be available to purchase in other retail sales. The law would also allow for taxation on these substances.
If the measure is approved, it would allow people 21 and over to possess “personal use amounts” 1 gram of psilocybin, 1 gram of psilocyn, 1 gram of dimethyltryptamine, 18 grams of mescaline and 30 grams of ibogaine. Not included in the personal use amounts is whatever they may be growing at home.
The summary also states that the proposed law would create a Natural Psychedelic Substances Commission, which would have five members appointed by the governor, attorney general and treasurer. This commission would “adopt regulations governing licensing qualifications, security, recordkeeping, education and training, health and safety requirements, testing and age verification.” In addition, the governor, attorney general and treasure would also appoint a 20-member Natural Psychedelic Substances Advisory board to make recommendations to the commission.
The law also would establish that towns could restrict the time, place and manner of operation of licensed facilities offering psychedelic substances, but could not ban them outright.
In terms of taxation, substances would be subject to the state sales tax, an additional excise tax of up to 15% and cities and towns would have the option to impose a separate tax of up to 2%. Funds from these taxes would be put into a Natural Psychedelic Substances Regulation fund and would be used for the administration of the proposed law.
The proposed law would not affect existing laws around the use of motor vehicles while under the influence.
Lastly, Question 5 asks voters to approve or deny a gradual increase to the hourly wage an employee must pay a tipped worker.
According to the ballot question summary on mass.gov, each year until 2029 this rate will increase until it reaches 100% of the minimum wage. As of Jan. 1, 2025, the tipped workers wage will be 64% of the state minimum wage; on Jan. 1, 2026, it will be 73% of the state minimum wage; On Jan. 1, 2027, it will be 82% of the state minimum wage; on Jan. 1, 2028, it will be 91% of the state minimum wage; and on Jan. 1, 2029, it will be the same as the state minimum wage.
Through the end of 2028, employers will still be required to pay the difference between the state minimum wage and what a tipped worker receives in hourly wages, plus tips. Employers are also able to calculate the difference over a weekly or biweekly payroll period.
The summary states that the proposed law would also allow employers who pay their workers the state minimum wage to administer a “tip pool” that combines all the tips given by customers to tipped workers and distributes them among all the workers.
