Bill Text: IA HJR12 | 2021-2022 | 89th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa relating to the right of the people to a clean environment.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-03-16 - Sponsor added, Sunde. H.J. 595. [HJR12 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2021-HJR12-Introduced.html
House
Joint
Resolution
12
-
Introduced
HOUSE
JOINT
RESOLUTION
12
BY
ISENHART
,
STAED
,
BROWN-POWERS
,
STECKMAN
,
HUNTER
,
ANDERSON
,
and
WINCKLER
HOUSE
JOINT
RESOLUTION
A
Joint
Resolution
proposing
an
amendment
to
the
Constitution
1
of
the
State
of
Iowa
relating
to
the
right
of
the
people
to
a
2
clean
environment.
3
BE
IT
RESOLVED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
4
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H.J.R.
12
Section
1.
The
following
amendment
to
the
Constitution
of
1
the
State
of
Iowa
is
proposed:
2
Article
1
of
the
Constitution
of
the
State
of
Iowa
is
amended
3
by
adding
the
following
new
section:
4
Sec.
1B.
Right
to
clean
environment.
Every
person
has
5
the
right
to
a
clean
and
healthy
environment,
including
pure
6
water,
clean
air,
ecologically
healthy
habitats,
and
the
7
preservation
of
the
natural,
scenic,
historic,
and
aesthetic
8
qualities
of
the
environment.
The
state
shall
not
infringe
9
upon
these
rights
by
action
or
inaction.
The
state’s
public
10
natural
resources,
including
its
soils,
waters,
air,
flora,
11
fauna,
climate,
and
public
lands,
are
the
common
property
of
12
the
people,
including
both
present
and
future
generations.
As
13
trustee
of
these
resources,
the
state
shall
conserve,
maintain,
14
and
restore
these
resources
for
the
health
and
benefit
of
all
15
the
people.
This
section
and
the
rights
stated
herein
are
16
self-executing
and
shall
be
in
addition
to
any
rights
conferred
17
by
the
public
trust
doctrine
or
common
law.
18
Sec.
2.
REFERRAL
AND
PUBLICATION.
The
foregoing
proposed
19
amendment
to
the
Constitution
of
the
State
of
Iowa
is
referred
20
to
the
general
assembly
to
be
chosen
at
the
next
general
21
election
for
members
of
the
general
assembly,
and
shall
be
22
published
as
provided
by
law
for
three
months
previous
to
the
23
date
of
that
election.
24
EXPLANATION
25
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
26
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
27
This
joint
resolution
proposes
an
amendment
to
the
28
Constitution
of
the
State
of
Iowa
providing
that
every
person
29
has
a
right
to
a
clean
and
healthy
environment,
including
30
pure
water,
clean
air,
ecologically
healthy
habitats,
and
the
31
preservation
of
the
natural,
scenic,
historic,
and
aesthetic
32
qualities
of
the
environment.
The
state
shall
not
infringe
33
upon
these
rights
by
action
or
inaction.
The
proposed
34
amendment
declares
that
the
state’s
public
natural
resources
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H.J.R.
12
are
the
common
property
of
the
people,
including
both
present
1
and
future
generations,
and
that
the
state,
as
trustee,
shall
2
conserve,
maintain,
and
restore
these
resources
for
the
health
3
and
benefit
of
all
the
people.
The
proposed
amendment
and
4
the
rights
stated
therein
are
self-executing
and
shall
be
in
5
addition
to
any
rights
conferred
by
the
public
trust
doctrine
6
or
common
law.
7
The
resolution,
if
adopted,
would
be
published
and
then
8
referred
to
the
next
general
assembly
(90th)
for
adoption
a
9
second
time,
before
being
submitted
to
the
electorate
for
10
ratification.
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