Mass. voters will decide 5 Ballot Questions on Election Day

These are the Ballot Questions and here is what voting ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ would mean

Special to The Advocate

Election Day 2024 is Tuesday, Nov. 5. While much of the focus will be on the contest between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Haris for President of the United States, Massachusetts voters will all have five ballot questions to answer when they head to the polls. The questions appearing on this year’s ballot will play a major role in shaping education, drug policy, the restaurant industry, the rideshare industry and the regulation of the Massachusetts Legislature.

Here are the five questions and what a “yes” and “no” vote means, according to the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts:

QUESTION 1: State Auditor’s Authority to Audit the Legislature

Do you approve of a law summarized below, on which no vote was taken by the Senate or the House of Representatives before May 1, 2024?

SUMMARY: The proposed law would specify that the State Auditor has the authority to audit the Legislature.

WHAT YOUR VOTE WILL DO

A YES VOTE would specify that the State Auditor has the authority to audit the Legislature.

A NO VOTE would make no change in the law relative to the State Auditor’s authority.

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QUESTION 2: Elimination of MCAS as High School Graduation Requirement

Do you approve of a law summarized below, on which no vote was taken by the Senate or the House of Representatives before May 1, 2024?

SUMMARY: The proposed law would eliminate the requirement that a student pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests (or other statewide or district-wide assessments) in mathematics, science and technology, and English in order to receive a high school diploma. Instead, in order for a student to receive a high school diploma, the proposed law would require the student to complete coursework certified by the student’s district as demonstrating mastery of the competencies contained in the state academic standards in mathematics, science and technology, and English, as well as any additional areas determined by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

WHAT YOUR VOTE WILL DO

A YES VOTE would eliminate the requirement that students pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) in order to graduate from high school but still require students to complete coursework that meets state standards.

A NO VOTE would make no change in the law relative to the requirement that a student pass the MCAS in order to graduate from high school.

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QUESTION 3: Unionization for Transportation Network

SUMMARY: The proposed law would provide Transportation Network Drivers (“Drivers”) with the right to form unions (“Driver Organizations”) to collectively bargain with Transportation Network Companies (“Companies”) – which are companies that use a digital network to connect riders to drivers for pre-arranged transportation – to create negotiated recommendations concerning wages, benefits and terms and conditions of work. Drivers would not be required to engage in any union activities. Companies would be allowed to form multi-Company associations to represent them when negotiating with Driver Organizations. The state would supervise the labor activities permitted by the proposed law and would have responsibility for approving or disapproving the negotiated recommendations.

The proposed law would define certain activities by a Company or a Driver Organization to be unfair work practices. The proposed law would establish a hearing process for the state Employment Relations Board (“Board”) to follow when a Company or Driver Organization is charged with an unfair work practice. The proposed law would permit the Board to take action, including awarding compensation to adversely affected Drivers, if it found that an unfair work practice had been committed. The proposed law would provide for an appeal of a Board decision to the state Appeals Court.

The proposed law also would establish a procedure for determining which Drivers are Active Drivers, meaning that they completed more than the median number of rides in the previous six months. The proposed law would establish procedures for the Board to determine that a Driver Organization has signed authorizations from at least five percent of Active Drivers, entitling the Driver Organization to a list of Active Drivers; to designate a Driver Organization as the exclusive bargaining representative for all Drivers based on signed authorizations from at least 25 percent of Active Drivers; to resolve disputes over exclusive bargaining status, including through elections; and to decertify a Driver Organization from exclusive bargaining status. A Driver Organization that has been designated the exclusive bargaining representative would have the exclusive right to represent the Drivers and to receive voluntary membership dues deductions.

The Board would make rules and regulations as appropriate to effectuate the proposed law.

WHAT YOUR VOTE WILL DO

A YES VOTE would provide transportation network drivers the option to form unions to collectively bargain with transportation network companies regarding wages, benefits and terms and conditions of work.

A NO VOTE would make no change in the law relative to the ability of transportation network drivers to form unions.

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QUESTION 4: Limited Legalization and Regulation of Certain Natural Psychedelic Substances

SUMMARY: The proposed law would allow persons aged 21 and older to grow, possess and use certain natural psychedelic substances in certain circumstances. The psychedelic substances allowed would be two substances found in mushrooms (psilocybin and psilocyn) and three substances found in plants (dimethyltryptamine, mescaline and ibogaine). These substances could be purchased at an approved location for use under the supervision of a licensed facilitator. The proposed law would otherwise prohibit any retail sale of natural psychedelic substances. The proposed law would also provide for the regulation and taxation of these psychedelic substances.

The proposed law would license and regulate facilities offering supervised use of these psychedelic substances and provide for the taxation of proceeds from those facilities’ sales of psychedelic substances. It would also allow persons aged 21 and older to grow these psychedelic substances in a 12-foot by 12-foot area at their home and use these psychedelic substances at their home. The proposed law would authorize persons aged 21 or older to possess up to one gram of psilocybin, one gram of psilocyn, one gram of dimethyltryptamine, 18 grams of mescaline and 30 grams of ibogaine (“personal use amount”), in addition to whatever they might grow at their home, and to give away up to the personal use amount to a person aged 21 or over.

The proposed law would create a Natural Psychedelic Substances Commission of five members – appointed by the Governor, Attorney General and Treasurer – which would administer the law governing the use and distribution of these psychedelic substances. The Commission would adopt regulations governing licensing qualifications, security, recordkeeping, education and training, health and safety requirements, testing and age verification. The proposed law would also create a Natural Psychedelic Substances Advisory Board of 20 members – appointed by the Governor, Attorney General and Treasurer – which would study and make recommendations to the Commission on the regulation and taxation of these psychedelic substances.

The proposed law would allow cities and towns to reasonably restrict the time, place and manner of the operation of licensed facilities offering psychedelic substances, but cities and towns could not ban those facilities or their provision of these substances.

The proceeds of sales of psychedelic substances at licensed facilities would be subject to the state sales tax and an additional excise tax of 15 percent. In addition, a city or town could impose a separate tax of up to two percent. Revenue received from the additional state excise tax, license application fees and civil penalties for violations of this proposed law would be deposited in a Natural Psychedelic Substances Regulation Fund and would be used, subject to appropriation, for administration of this proposed law. This proposed law would allow property owners to prohibit the use, display, growing, processing or sale of these psychedelic substances on their premises. State and local governments could continue to restrict the possession and use of these psychedelic substances in public buildings or at schools.

The proposed law would take effect on December 15, 2024.

WHAT YOUR VOTE WILL DO

A YES VOTE would allow persons over age 21 to use certain natural psychedelic substances under licensed supervision and to grow and possess limited quantities of those substances in their home, and would create a commission to regulate those substances.

A NO VOTE would make no change in the law regarding natural psychedelic substances.

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QUESTION 5: Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers

SUMMARY: The proposed law would gradually increase the minimum hourly wage an employer must pay a tipped worker, over the course of five years, on the following schedule:

To 64% of the state minimum wage on January 1, 2025

To 73% of the state minimum wage on January 1, 2026

To 82% of the state minimum wage on January 1, 2027

To 91% of the state minimum wage on January 1, 2028

To 100% of the state minimum wage on January 1, 2029

The proposed law would require employers to continue to pay tipped workers the difference between the state minimum wage and the total amount a tipped worker receives in hourly wages plus tips through the end of 2028. The proposed law would also permit employers to calculate this difference over the entire weekly or biweekly payroll period. The requirement to pay this difference would cease when the required hourly wage for tipped workers would become 100% of the state minimum wage on January 1, 2029.

Under the proposed law, if an employer pays its workers an hourly wage that is at least the state minimum wage, the employer would be permitted to administer a “tip pool” that combines all the tips given by customers to tipped workers and distributes them among all the workers, including non-tipped workers.

WHAT YOUR VOTE WILL DO

A YES VOTE would increase the minimum hourly wage an employer must pay a tipped worker to the full state minimum wage implemented over five years, at which point employers could pool all tips and distribute them to all non-management workers.

A NO VOTE would make no change in the law governing tip pooling or the minimum wage for tipped workers.

  (Some of this information is courtesy of the Office of Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, William Galvin.)