Massachusetts voters made vital decisions this November regarding the five ballot measures, and now the focus shifts toward the future impact of these ballot measures. Three of these ballot measures passed; however, those regarding the growth, possession, and use of natural psychedelic substances and the ability to increase the minimum wage for tipped employees to meet the standard minimum wage were both denied. Let’s break down these outcomes and what happens next for the three ballot measures that were passed.
Question 1: Allows Audits of the State Legislature
While 71.6% of voters approved a measure to grant State Auditor Diana DiZinglio the authority to audit the Massachusetts legislature, the next steps remain uncertain. An audit is the review or inspection of a company or individual’s accounts by an independent body. According to WGBH, DiZinglio has faced resistance from top lawmakers for over a year, and in response, DiZoglio sent a letter to the House Speaker Ron Marino and Senate President Karen Spilka detailing her intentions to proceed with the audit focusing on state contracts, taxpayer-funded and non-disclosure agreements. Spilka and Mariano have not specifically stated the next steps are for this measure, but they are trying to emphasize separation of powers in their response to the ballot measure. DiZoglio has published a partial audit based on the documents she had access to and wants to complete this audit by including areas the Legislature denied in the past , such as whether policy laws are applied equally to all lawmakers. Although this ballot measure got approved, lawmakers can still delay the audit and use their budget power to weaken the auditor’s office. If this happens, the issue could end up in court, where DiZoglio has tried to receive help before without success, but she now hopes the issues will be resolved in court.
Question 2: Eliminating MCAS as a Graduation Requirement
The second question of the five ballot measure was designed to eliminate the requirement that students must pass standard based testing (MCAS) to graduate high school. As reported by Boston.com , 59% of voters voted yes, ensuring the measure will take effect immediately. In result, the class of 2025 will not need to pass the MCAS to graduate in May. According to WCVB, a recent poll by business groups found that 75% of voters supported the creation of a new state graduation requirement to replace the previous MCAS requirement. Many supporters want to still evaluate student achievement, but with a more holistic approach. Historically, the MCAS graduation requirement was tied into the landmark 1993 education reform law that poured billions of state dollars into public schools in exchange for statewide testing as accountability. Now, it is up to the Healy administration and the Legislature to figure out how accountability will be held in the absence of state testing.
Question 3: Unionization Rights for Drivers
54% of voters approved the measure that gives Uber and Lyft drivers in Massachusetts the ability to unionize, negotiate wages, benefits, and working conditions through sector-based bargaining. Driver unions will try to address issues like low pay, irregular hours, and poor benefits. As stated by NBC Boston, The Commonwealth Employment Relations Board will be in charge of overseeing these agreements, and the Secretary of Labor will approve or reject the terms. Some people worry that this will lead to higher ride prices, as Uber and Lyft may charge more to cover better wages and benefits for drivers, though this is not explicitly stated in the law. The Tufts Center for State Policy Analysis report showed that Seattle also tried to incorporate sector- based bargaining, but it was stopped by lawsuits. It is not clear if lawmakers will make changes to the law.
Since many ballot measures don’t take effect immediately, the future is still uncertain. Lawmakers often delay action until they’re ready to respond, as seen with the State Audit measure. However, these measures showcase voters’ priorities, and it will be interesting to see how everything will unfold in the next few years.