‘Hard Time’ Initiative Moves Ahead

Secretary of State Ralph Munro cleared the way Monday for the Legislature to consider the “Hard Time for Armed Crime” initiative.

Munro said a check of petition signatures supporting Initiative 159 showed the proposal has met the constitutional requirement for a minimum 181,667 valid signatures of registered voters.

Under the measure, the most serious gun crimes would net the offender an extra five years in prison, with 10 years for a second offense - this on top of the standard sentence for the crime.

The measure also would curtail “good time” early releases for felons who use weapons and would widen the range of crimes subject to the death penalty to include murders committed in drive-by shootings or to win membership in a gang.

The proposal already has won House Corrections Committee approval and is now before the Law and Justice panel. It is expected to clear that committee this week.

The Legislature has three options:

It can approve the measure as written, in which case it becomes law.

It can enact an alternative, in which case both proposals would go to the voters next November.

It can ignore the initiative, in which case the measure would go on the general election ballot.