Gun control, pot initiatives headed to Legislature

Boxes with a total of 246,674 signatures are seen outside of the Clark County Election Center in North Las Vegas where volunteers with Nevadans for Background Checks hosted a press conference before submitting 246,674 signatures to place the Background Check Initiative on the November 2016 ballot Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2014. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Volunteers with Nevadans for Background Checks stand outside of the Clark County Election Center in North Las Vegas during a press conference before submitting 246,674 signatures to place the Background Check Initiative on the November 2016 ballot Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2014. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Joshua Martinez carries a gun on his belt as he protests outside of the Clark County Election Center in North Las Vegas where volunteers with Nevadans for Background Checks hosted a press conference before submitting 246,674 signatures to place the Background Check Initiative on the November 2016 ballot Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2014. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Nevadans for Background check backers from left Bill Young,former Clark County Sheriff, Dr. Robert E. Fowler, Pastor, Victory Missionary Baptist Church, Justin Jones, Nevada State Senator and Lisa Lynn Chapman, Director, Community Relations, Safe Nest, during the launch of the statewide initiative campaign at Victory Missionary Baptist Church, 500 West Monroe Ave. on Monday, Aug. 18, 2014. (Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Panelists, from left, Dr. Brian Lawenda, attorney Carlos Blumberg, Clark County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani, attorney Edward M. Bernstein and Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson talk about medical marijuanaճ impact on Nevada during a discussion at United Way of Southern Nevada at 5830 W. Flamingo Road in Las Vegas on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

State Sen. Tick Segerblom (D-Las Vegas) rolls a cart full of petitions to regulate and tax marijuana at the Clark County Annex Building, 965 Trade Drive, North Las Vegas on Tuesday, Nov.11, 2014. The group collected over 200,000 names to qualified the marijuana measure in the 2016 November ballot. (Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

State Sen. Tick Segerblom (D-Las Vegas) stands beside boxes of petitions to regulate and tax marijuana at the Clark County Annex Building, 965 Trade Drive, North Las Vegas on Tuesday, Nov.11, 2014. The group collected over 200,000 names to qualified the marijuana measure in the 2016 November ballot. (Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

CARSON CITY — Petitions seeking to expand background check requirements for gun purchases and to allow the recreational use of marijuana are sufficient and will be submitted to the 2015 Legislature, Secretary of State Ross Miller said Monday.

If lawmakers do not enact the initiative petitions, the measures will go to the voters in 2016.

A review of the signatures of registered voters for the background check initiative showed more than 40,000 signatures in each of the four Congressional districts. Just over 25,000 valid signatures were needed in each district. Signatures totaled 166,779.

The recreational marijuana petition had between 33,000 and 38,000 signatures in each district with total signatures of 138,453.

Each measure needed a total of 101,667 signatures from registered Nevada voters to qualify.

The measure from Nevadans for Background Checks would extend background checks for all gun buyers, including people who purchase firearms over the Internet and at gun shows. There are some limited exceptions.

The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol is pushing the measure to legalize one ounce or less of marijuana for recreational use for people who are at least 21 years old. It would prohibit giving or selling marijuana to minors, driving under the influence of marijuana and using marijuana in public. The Nevada Department of Taxation would issue licenses for the legal pot trade.

The Legislature has 40 days to act on the measures. If lawmakers pass them and the governor signs them, the measures become law. If the Legislature does nothing or if the governor doesn’t sign them, the initiatives will go on the ballot.

If lawmakers amend the measures, both the original version and the amended measures would go on the ballot. If both pass with more than 50 percent of the vote, the one with the larger number of “yes” votes becomes law.

Contact Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900. Find him on Twitter: @seanw801.