Yes. Technically, citizen repeal of legislatively- enacted laws is called reforendum - and citizen writing of new state laws is called initiative. But yes it’s the same general idea.
California progressives introduced it in 1911.
People are just better at getting the job done than politicians.
Common sense is simply an idea whose time has come.
Thanks for clarifying. I was sloppy in the terminology. IIRC though, there have been some initiatives that were put on the ballot by the legislature as well, haven’t there?