In fact, the court's decision on Thursday doesn't affect the best ideas contained in Measure 40. With the passage of several state laws, victims have become better-represented at every stage of court proceedings against the criminals who prey upon them. The debates about expanding the rights of crime victims and removing impediments to punishing those guilty of crimes are worth continuing in the Legislature and elsewhere. But they often involve distinct subjects that deserve discussion on their own merits. The Supreme Court assured that such a discussion will take place.
Legislators ought to heed the court's message here.
They should revamp Oregon's initiative system to root out measures tied together more by slogans than logic. As this case is presented to us, the merits of the various policy choices represented by Measure 40 are not at issue. The only question is whether the measure was adopted validly. We therefore hold that, because the measure does not comply with the requirements for adopting a constitutional amendment, it is invalid in its entirety. As we have discussed, the single-subject requirement . . .