From a bill legalizing magic mushrooms in Oregon to one replacing a Confederate-themed flag in Mississippi, approved local ballot measures made a splash on Election Night 2020.
Voters in 32 states cast votes on a total of 120 local ballot measures, including ones that legalizing marijuana and reversing a ban on pit bulls.
Here’s a round-up of the weirdest and most historic measures that passed Tuesday.
Mississippi will wave a new state flag
Mississippi voted to replace its state flag — which features the Confederate stars and bars — with a new flower-centric design.
The new flag includes a white magnolia, Mississippi’s state flower, encircled by stars and words “In God We Trust” on a dark blue background.
Made by local artist Rocky Vaughan, the design also features a single star made of diamonds, which represents Native Americans who lived in the state before settlers arrived.
The magnolia centered banner chosen by the Mississippi State Flag Commission displayed outside the Old State Capitol Museum in downtown Jackson.APOregon legalizes magic mushroom therapy
The Beaver State became the first state to legalize the use of magic mushrooms in therapy sessions.
The bill, measure 109, allows trained “facilitators” to give patients psilocybin — the psychedelic compound in mushrooms — as a mental health treatment, and guide them through trips at licensed centers.
Regulatory details, including how to qualify as a therapist, will be hammered out over the next two years.
In a separate measure, the state also made history with the approval of a bill that decriminalizes the possession of small amounts of drugs such as heroin, cocaine, meth.
New Jersey legalizes marijuana
Voters in the Garden State approved a ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana — which is expected to bring in $210 million in state taxes.
Roughly two-thirds of voters approved a referendum to amend the Constitution to legalize the recreational use of pot for people 21 and older. Cultivation, processing and sale of retail marijuana was also legalized
But it will take months before cannabis actually hits the shelves.
A vote yes to marijuana legalization lawn sign as seen in Hawthorne, NJ.Christopher SadowskiArizona gives weed the green light, too
Voters in the Grand Canyon State legalized recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older, joining a total of 11 other states.
Freshly approved Proposition 207 allows possession of as much as an ounce of marijuana and sets up a licensing system for the retail sale of the drug. Pot will go on sale in the state beginning in March.
California voters side with Uber and Lyft on labor law
California voters decided that Uber and Lyft can deny drivers benefits by classifying them as independent contractors instead of employees.
Under the new bill, the ride-hailing and delivery companies can continue operating as they do currently — without giving workers “full employment” status, which allows workers to seek sick pay, health care and minimum wage protections.
The initiative, Proposition 22, overturned a state labor law that made it easier to count drivers as employees rather than independent contractors.
Florida passes $15-an-hour minimum wage bill
Voters in Florida raised its minimum wage to $15 an hour by steps through 2026 — becoming the eighth state to adopts such legislation.
The Sunshine State’s Amendment 2 increases minimum wage from $8.56 to $10 per hour starting Sept. 30, 2021, then raises it $1 each year until 2026.
Denver voters lift city’s ban on pit bulls
Voters in the Colorado city approved a measure to lift a 30-year-ban on the breed of pooches.
To keep own a pit bull, residents are now required to get a restricted license for their pit bull — which are limited to two per home — and must have each dog microchipped.
Owners must also pay a higher fee than is required for other dogs and have no problems for three years before the restricted license can be scrapped.
Maryland voters OK sports gambling
Voters in Maryland approved a measure to legalize sports gambling in the state — paving the way for more tax revenue for state schools.
With the passage of the ballot measure, the state legislature was given the green light to begin writing a sports gambling bill, FOX DC reported.
The industry will be taxed 20 percent by the state. Most of the tax revenue — 19 percent of it — will go towards education, the report said.
