As their session came to a close Tuesday, Colorado state lawmakers passed a sensible reform to the initiative process. They raised the standards to qualify an initiative that would change the state constitution, but lowered the standard to qualify an initiative that changes a mere statute. There had been no separate standard before, and that meant that the Colorado constitution had a lot of new amendments. Why bother with changing the law when, for the same money and effort, you can change the state constitution?

This legislation is important because it recognizes the value of lowering signature standards. In most cases, reform consists of raising signature standards -- which merely adds cost and limits the process to rich individuals and interest groups.