Secretary of State Bill Galvin’s office has certified two more initiative petitions dealing with conservation efforts and starter homes, bringing the total to 11 questions advancing toward the 2026 ballot.
The office said Monday that it had certified 89,216 signatures for an initiative that supporters say could steer up to $100 million annually toward land conservation and restoration work. The office also certified 84,343 signatures for the initiative to ease zoning rules by allowing for single-family homes on smaller lots.
Ballot proposals needed to hit 74,574 certified signatures to advance in the lengthy initiative petition process. Galvin’s office will now transmit the 11 measures to the Legislature, which faces a May 5 deadline to consider and potentially act on the proposals. If the Legislature decides not to take action, petitioners must then collect an additional 12,429 signatures to ensure the questions appear on the ballot.
The conservation measure would direct sales tax revenue from sporting goods — such as golf clubs, RVs and camping gear — into a new fund. The $100 million projection stems from the $2.49 billion in sporting goods sales that the state recorded in 2022, according to coalition spokesperson Andrew Farnitano. The proposed question would also create an oversight board that would set rules on how the funding should be allocated.
The “Legalize Starter Homes” measure would allow for single-family homes to be constructed in any residentially zoned area if the land has at least 5,000 square feet, access to public sewer and water services, and at least 50 feet of land bordering the road it faces. Supporters say the proposed question would reduce costs for buyers and drive the creation of smaller homes.
Other questions already certified by Galvin’s office would implement all-party state primaries, establish statewide rent control, subject most records of the governor and Legislature to the public records law, allow people to register and vote on Election Day, reduce the state’s personal income tax rate from 5% to 4%, reform the Legislature’s stipend system, and roll back recreational cannabis use.
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