The Western news., 1904-06-22
FOR THE INITIATIVE AND REF.
ERENDUn LAW.
TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION
Proposed Law Is T1odeled After Sys.
tenn That Gives Such Great
Satisfaction In Oregon.

bill which it will cause to be introduc.
ed al the next session of the leeisla-
ture, providing for constitutional
amendment in respect to the initiative
and referendum. The bill is said to
be modeled after the recently enacted
Oregon direct legislation amendment
and was drawn up by Gov Joseph X.
Ioole at the request of the club.
The bill provides that the proposed
am endment to the constitution be sub
mltted to the people at the general
election of 1906. 1t provides that the
state constitution shall be amended to
read as follows:
Section 1.-The legislative author
ity OF the state shall be vested in
legislative assembly consisting of
senate and house of representatives,
but the people reserve to themselves
po over to propose laws and amend
ments to the constitution and to enact
or reject the same at the polls, indie
pendent of the legislative assembly,
and also reserve power at their own
option to approve or reject at the polls
any act OF the Legislative assembly.
The first power reserved by the people
is the initiative, and not more than
per cent of the legal voters shall be re-
qu'red to propose any measure by such
petition, and every such petition shall
shall include the full text of the
measure so proposed. Initiative peti-
tions shall be filed with the secretary
of state not less than four months be-
fore the election at which they are to
be voted upon.
1.-The second power is the refere1.-
dunn, and it,may be ordered Except as
to laws necessary for the immediate |
preservation of the public peace health |
or safety, either by the petition sign
ed by per cent of the legal voters, or
by the Legislative assembly, as other |
bills are enacted. Referendum peti-
tions shall be filed with the secretary |
of state not more than 80 days after
the final adjournment of the session of |
the legislative assembly which passed
the bill on which the referendum is de-
manded.
''The veto power of the governor
shall not extend to measures referred
to the people. All elections on meas
ures referred to the people of the state
shall be had at the biennial regular
general election. Any measure re-
ferr ed to the people shall take effect
and become law when it is approved
by majority of the votes cast there
on, and not otherwise.
1.-THE whole number of votes cast
for justice of the supreme court at the
regular election last preceding the fiji
ing of any petition for the referendum
or for the initiative shall be the basis
on which the number of legal petit
tions and orders for the initiative and
of the referendum shall be filed will
the secretary of state, and in submit
ting the same to the people, he, and
all other officers, shall be guided by
the general laws and the act submit
sAA6 6 SAAAS uAllA 4Ck lSldtlOU |
shall be especially provided for.
"Section 2-That section 20, article
of the constitution of the state be,
and the same is hereby amended so as
to read as follows:
Section 2O-The enacting clause
OF every law shall be as follows: ''Be s.,
1t enacted by the people Of Montana.'
This section shall not be construed to
deprive any member of the legislative
assembly of the right to introduce any
measure
''Section 5-That separate official
ballots be used at the general election
to be held in November, 1906, and
shall have printed thereon the words
For the amendments to the constitu-
ton providing for direct legislation
and the words Against the Amend
ments to the constitution providing
for direct legislation