Bill Text: CT SJ00005 | 2016 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Resolution Proposing An Amendment To The State Constitution Concerning The Environment And Natural Resources Of The State.
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-02-11 - Public Hearing 02/19 [SJ00005 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2016-SJ00005-Introduced.html
General Assembly |
Senate Joint Resolution No. 5 | ||
February Session, 2016 |
LCO No. 1016 | ||
*01016_______ENV* | |||
Referred to Committee on ENVIRONMENT |
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Introduced by: |
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(ENV) |
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RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION CONCERNING THE ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE STATE.
Resolved by this Assembly:
Section 1. That the following be proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the State, which, when approved and adopted in the manner provided by the Constitution, shall, to all intents and purposes, become a part thereof:
Article first of the Constitution is amended by adding section 21 as follows:
(NEW) Sec. 21. Every citizen has the right to clean air, pure water, freedom from excessive and unnecessary noise and the right to the enjoyment and preservation of the natural, scenic historic and esthetic qualities of the environment. The state's public natural resources are the common property of all the citizens of the state, including generations yet to come. As trustee of such resources, the state shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all people. Any state land or easement held for conservation purposes shall not be used for other purposes or otherwise disposed of except by an act approved by a two-thirds vote of the membership of the general assembly following a public hearing on such act. Any funds realized by the state from the disposal of any such conserved land or easement shall be used for the acquisition of land or an easement that has an equivalent conservation value to the disposed land or easement.
RESOLVED: That the foregoing proposed amendment to the Constitution be continued to the next session of the General Assembly elected at the general election to be held on November 8, 2016, and published with the laws passed at the present session, or be presented to the electors at the general election to be held on November 8, 2016, whichever the case may be, according to article sixth of the amendments to the Constitution. The designation of said proposed amendment to be used on the ballots at such election shall be "Shall the Constitution of the State be amended to: (1) Provide each citizen with the right to clean air, pure water, freedom from excessive and unnecessary noise and the right to the enjoyment and preservation of the natural, scenic historic and esthetic qualities of the environment, (2) require that any state land or easement held for conservation purposes not be used for other purposes or otherwise disposed of except by an act approved by a two-thirds vote of the membership of the General Assembly following a public hearing on such act, and (3) dedicate any funds realized by the state from the disposal of any such conserved land or easement to the acquisition of land or an easement that has an equivalent conservation value to the disposed land or easement?"