[supercat]

the entire text of the law must be printed with each individual petition, even if the law were to run to hundreds of pages

What happens if a bills sponsor adds in 10,000 pages of meaningless drivel which have no substantive effect on the legislation in an effort to "referendum" proof it?

[dpwiener]

What happens if a bills sponsor adds in 10,000 pages of meaningless drivel which have no substantive effect on the legislation in an effort to "referendum" proof it?

Good question. It probably would end up in court, and this is such a high-profile case that the courts (which still have a strong Republican majority at all levels) would likely side with the Republicans and say it was a too-obvious case of trying to circumvent the State Constitution.

However, that is by no means certain. There have been cases on the local level where ordinances have been passed with huge environmental impact reports and other documents "incorporated" in the measure as a way of making referenda totally impractical.

[Myrddin]

A referendum must be a single issue. Since any law is subject to challenge by referendum, then the law must also be a single issue subject to challenge by referendum. An attempt to "gum it up" with lots of garbage would open it to direct attack in the court system.