Bill Text: HI SB1024 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii Senate Bill 1024 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Constitution of the State of Hawaii; Amendments Proposed by the Legislature (ConAm)

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-01-24 - Referred to JDL. [SB1024 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2013-SB1024-Introduced.html

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1024
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE XVII, SECTION 3, OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAII.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. Article XVII, section 3, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii is amended to read as follows:

"AMENDMENTS PROPOSED BY LEGISLATURE

Section 3. The legislature may propose amendments to the constitution by adopting the same, in the manner required for legislation, by a two-thirds vote of each house on final reading at any session, after either or both houses shall have given the governor at least ten days' written notice of the final form of the proposed amendment, or, with or without such notice, by a majority vote of each house on final reading at each of two successive sessions.

Upon such adoption, the proposed amendments shall be entered upon the journals, with the ayes and noes, and published once in each of four successive weeks in at least one newspaper of general circulation in each senatorial district wherein such a newspaper is published, within two months' period immediately preceding the next general election.

At such general election the proposed amendments shall be submitted to the electorate for approval or rejection upon a separate ballot.

[~~The conditions of and requirements for ratification of such proposed amendments shall be the same as provided in section 2 of this article for ratification at a general election.~~] The full text of any proposed amendment shall be made available for inspection on the website of the office of elections at least days before such general election. Each amendment shall be submitted in the form of a question embracing but one subject; and provided further that each question shall have designated spaces to mark YES or NO on the amendment.

The amendment shall be effective only if approved at a general election by a majority of the votes tallied upon the question, this majority constituting at least fifty per cent of the total votes cast at the election, or at a special election by a majority of all the votes tallied upon the question, this majority constituting at least thirty per cent of the total number of registered voters. Only affirmative and negative votes shall be tallied upon the question; blank ballots and spoiled ballots shall not be tallied upon the question.

The provisions of this section shall be self-executing, but the legislature shall make the necessary appropriations and may enact legislation to facilitate their operation."

SECTION 2. The question to be printed on the ballot shall be as follows:

"Shall Hawaii's constitutional provisions regarding approving of or ratifying constitutional amendments proposed by the legislature be amended to provide that only yes or no votes be counted in determining whether or not a majority of votes have approved or ratified an amendment?"

SECTION 3. Constitutional material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New constitutional material is underscored.

SECTION. This amendment shall take effect upon compliance with article XVII, section 3, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

BY REQUEST

Report Title:

Constitution of the State of Hawaii; Amendments Proposed by the Legislature

Description:

Proposes a constitutional amendment to provide that only yes or no votes be counted in determining whether or not a majority of votes have approved ratifying or approving an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Hawaii that has been proposed by the Legislature.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.