Gibbons v. State Ballot Law Commission

We have before us two consolidated appeals from decisions of the State Ballot Law Commission (commission) . The commission rejected various challenges to a petition seeking to place on the ballot for the November, 1982, election the referendum question whether St. 1981, c. 571, commonly known as the “Bottle Bill,” should be repealed. The Bottle Bill requires that, effective January 17, 1983 (St. 1981, c. 571, §§ 1 and 5), a refundable deposit be paid for certain beverage containers sold in Massachusetts.

On December 3, 1981, within thirty days 2 of the November 16, 1981, enactment of the…