Indirect initiative statute

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An indirect initiative statute is when statutes (laws) proposed by citizens through initiative do not go immediately to the ballot after a successful petition drive to collect sufficient valid signatures to qualify the measure.

Rather, once the signatures are collected, the law that the citizens are proposing must first be submitted to the state legislature for consideration. If the state legislature agrees to adopt the law, then it does not go to the ballot.^[1]

Currently there are nine American states that allow this type of initiative:

Alaska. Alaska only allows the indirect initiative statute.
Maine. Indirect only.
Massachusetts. Indirect only.
Michigan. Indirect only. In Michigan, statutes are indirect but constitutional amendments are direct.
Nevada. Indirect only.
Ohio. Indirect only.
Utah. Utah allows direct and indirect initiated state statutes.
Washington. Washington allows direct and indirect initiated state statutes.
Wyoming. Indirect only.

References

↑ What is I&R?, Initiative and Referendum Institute

v • d • e Types of ballot measures

General terms	Initiated state statute • Initiated constitutional amendment • Indirect initiated state statute • Indirect initiative amendment • Indirect initiative • Legislative referral • Legislatively-referred state statute • Legislatively-referred constitutional amendment • Commission referral • Statute affirmation • Automatic ballot referral • Veto referendum • Constitutional convention • Bond issue • Recall

State-specific terms	Ballot question (Colorado) • Initiatives to the Legislature (Washington) • Initiatives to the People (Washington) • Referendum (Colorado) • Legislative Referendum (Michigan) • Referendum Bill (Washington) • Referendum Election (Navajo Nation)

Local terms	City council ballot referral • Redevelopment and Housing Authority Referendum (Virginia) • Reverse referendum (Minnesota) • Tax rate recall referendum (Kentucky)

	v • d • e Laws governing the initiative process
State overviews	Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Florida · Idaho · Maine · Massachusetts · Michigan · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · New Mexico · Nevada · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · South Dakota · Utah · Washington · Wyoming
Signatures	Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Florida • Idaho • Illinois • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Mexico • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • South Dakota • Utah • Washington • Washington, D.C. • Wyoming
Lawsuits	2010 litigation • 2009 litigation • 2008 litigation • Ballot title litigation • Lawsuit news • Pay-per-signature litigation • Petitioner access • Post-certification signature challenges • Prohibited subjects • Signature challenges • Signature recovery lawsuits • Single-subject lawsuits • Superseding initiatives
Requirements	Access • Badges • Ballot title issues • Deadlines • Defining a signature • Distribution • Pay restrictions • Signature withdrawal • Residency • Signature numbers • Single subject • Signature transcription
Changes	2007 changes • 2008 changes • 2009 changes • Pseudo-reforms of the ballot initiative process
Terms	Ballot summary • Circulation period • Circulator • Circulator affidavit • Forged signature • Fraudulent signature • Invalid signature • Legislative tampering • Paid circulator • Petition • Registered voter • Signer • Valid signature • Volunteer circulator