July 26, 2006, Introduced by Rep. Ward and referred to the Committee on House Oversight, Elections, and Ethics.
A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the state
constitution of 1963, by amending section 2 of article XII, to
provide that a constitutional amendment proposed by petition be
approved by a majority of electors at two successive general
elections before becoming part of the constitution.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
state of Michigan, That the following amendment to the state
constitution of 1963, to provide that a constitutional amendment
proposed by petition be approved by a majority of electors at two
successive general elections before becoming part of the
constitution, is proposed, agreed to, and submitted to the people
of the state:
ARTICLE XII
Sec. 2. Amendments may be proposed to this constitution by
petition of the registered electors of this state. Every petition
shall include the full text of the proposed amendment, and be
signed
by registered electors of the this
state equal in number
to at least 10 percent of the total vote cast for all candidates
for governor at the last preceding general election at which a
governor
was elected. Such The
petitions shall be filed with the
person
authorized by law to receive the same petitions
at least
120 days before the general election at which the proposed
amendment
is to be voted upon. Any such Every petition shall be
in the form, and shall be signed and circulated in such manner, as
prescribed
by law. The person authorized by law to receive such
the petition shall upon its receipt determine, as provided by law,
the validity and sufficiency of the signatures on the petition, and
make
an official announcement thereof of the validity and
sufficiency of the signatures on the petition at least 60 days
prior to the general election at which the proposed amendment is to
be voted upon.
Any
An amendment proposed by such petition
shall be
submitted, not less than 120 days after it was filed, to the
electors
at the next general election. Such The
proposed
amendment,
existing provisions of the constitution
which that
would
be altered or abrogated thereby by the proposed amendment,
and the question as it shall appear on the ballot shall be
published
in full as provided by law. Copies of
such the
publication shall be posted in each polling place and furnished to
news media as provided by law.
The
ballot to be used in such the
general election shall
contain a statement of the purpose of the proposed amendment,
expressed
in not more than 100 words, exclusive of caption. Such
The statement of purpose and caption shall be prepared by the
person authorized by law, and shall consist of a true and impartial
statement
of the purpose of the amendment in
such language
as
shall create no prejudice for or against the proposed amendment.
If the proposed amendment is approved by a majority of the
electors voting on the question at the general election, the
question shall be resubmitted to a vote of the electors, in the
same manner that the question was originally submitted, at the next
succeeding general election. The question shall be republished in
full in the same manner that the original question was published.
If the proposed amendment is approved at the next succeeding
general election by a majority of the electors voting on the
question, it shall become part of the constitution, and shall
abrogate or amend existing provisions of the constitution at the
end of 45 days after the date of the general election at which it
was finally approved. If two or more amendments that are finally
approved by the electors at the same election conflict, that
amendment receiving the highest affirmative vote shall prevail.
Resolved further, That the foregoing amendment shall be
submitted to the people of the state at the next general election
in the manner provided by law.