Initiative efforts frustrated in Ohio, Oregon

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, July/August 1998:

Save The Doves on June 9 submitted
almost 140,000 signatures to the Ohio
secretary of state’s office in support of a referendum
measure on the November 1998 ballot
which, if approved, would restore a state
ban on hunting mourning doves––but was
informed on June 30 that only 84,320 signatures
were valid. Save The Doves was given
another 10 days to collect the 16,073 additional
signatures needed to reach the minimum
of 100,393 required to go before the
voters. Ohio first banned dove hunting in
1917. The ban was repealed in 1975, was
restored in 1977, and was repealed again in
1995. If Save The Doves gets enough signatures,
the pro-dove hunting front Ohioans
for Wildlife Conservation has indicated that
it will attempt to legally challenge the petition
format. Ohioans for Wildlife
Conservation appears to have been organized
by the Columbus-based Wildlife Legislative
Fund of America, which initially formed in
response to a 1977 attempt to ban leghold
traps in Ohio via referendum, then expanded
into a national organization with support
from the National Rifle Association.

The Oregon Sheep Growers
Association in mid-June apparently blocked
efforts led by Lake Oswego attorney Robert
Babcock to amend the state law pertaining to
dogs who chase livestock via the referendum
process by asking the state high court to
review the language of Babcock’s petition.
Babcock had only until July 2 to collect the
73,261 signatures required to put the question
on the fall ballot. Babcock opposes the portion
of the present law which allows counties
to order the death of any dogs caught chasing
livestock. He told media that he would be
back with another initiative measure for the
ballot in 2000—”and the next one won’t be
so moderate,” he added.