Voter

A Florida Senate committee Thursday unanimously approved a measure that seeks voter approval in 2008 of a constitutional amendment to prohibit oil and natural gas drilling within 250 miles of Florida’s coastline.

Against the backdrop of apparent voter confusion, strong opposition from various state newspaper editorial boards and a thumbs down from all five members of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), Proposition 80, California’s retail electricity reregulation ballot initiative, was rejected by California voters last Tuesday. The rejection was part of a broader avalanche of opposition at the ballot box to a number of initiatives up for consideration this year in the state.

Electric power and business interests throughout California arehailing the overwhelming voter rejection of Prop 9 (72%-28%), theelectric reform initiative that would have crippled California’scomplex pioneering effort at creating a competitive electricitymarket. Similar reactions were echoed on the East Coast whereQuestion 4 in Massachusetts was passed by voters, sustaining itsongoing electricity competition.