Answer of the Justices to the Acting Governor

To His Honor, the Acting Governor of the Commonwealth:

The undersigned Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court respectfully submit their answer to the questions set forth in a request transmitted to us on August 27, 1997.

The request presents the following questions1:

*1202“1. Can petitions number 97-2 through 97-5 be said to be not substantially the same as chapter 230 of the Acts of 1994 (‘chapter 230’), which was submitted to the people at the 1994 biennial state election, either . . because:

“(a) with respect to petitions 97-2 and 97-3, the fact that chapter 230 was a statute and said petitions are…