Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 10:32:46 -0500 From: "David B. O'Donnell" Subject: Additional on the OCA Initiative (fwd) Originally Posted by "Michael B. Clark" . Send replies to that address ONLY. ------------------ JUDGE BLOCKS OCA STATEWIDE INITIATIVE Marion County Circuit Court Judge Rodney Miller ruled Thursday that the OCA's 1994 statewide anti-gay initiative violates the Oregon Constitution and may not be placed on the ballot. Judge Miller ruled that the proposed initiative which has not yet qualified for the ballot, violates two provisions of the Oregon Constitution. One provision requires that a proposed initiative amendment must relate to a single subject and the other requires that an initiative petition can only propose an amendment to the Constitution, not a revision of the Constitution. Judge Miller agreed with the plantiffs' arguments that the OCA measure deals with several different subjects and revises several different parts of the Constitution. He said he would sign an order enjoining Secretary of State Phil Keisling from placing the measure on the November ballot. The case was filed by ACLU Cooperating Attorneys Charles Hinkle and Katherine McDowell. "This is a tremendous victory for civil rights in Oregon," Hinkle said. "The OCA tried to combine several different subjects into a single confused and complicated measure, and we are delighted that the court enjoined it. No person's rights should ever be subject to a popular vote, and we hope the OCA will let this issue rest."