The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-07-25
of Election, Constitutional
Amendment.
House Bill No. $50.

An Act entitled IAN Act for the submitting to
the qualified electors Of the state of Montana, an
the state of Montana, relating to the Legislative .
peps,tmens and providing for Direct Legislation
Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of ;
the State Of Montana:
Section I. There shall be submitted to the quail
rensr %s1et sisc,; OF the tbs stat" te, Of Mior'1 .%,sn at shs next ;a
state Of Montana:
That Section I, Article V. of the Constitut:on !
be-, and the same is hereby amended SO as to read
As follows:
Section l. The Legislative authority of the
state shall he vested in a Legislative Assembly. |
consisting of ii Senate and House of Representa-.
tives: bnt the people reserve to themselves power
to propose laws, and to enact or reject the same At
%priations of money, and except as to laws for the
submission of constitutional amendments. and
except as to local or special laws, as enumerated
in Article Y, Section a6, of this Constitution, in
dependent of the Legislative Assembly: and also
reserve power, ut their own option, to approve or
reject at the polls, any Act Of the Legislative AS
sembly, except rs to laws necessary for the imme-
dlate preservation of the public peace, health or
safety, and except Ms to laws relating to the ap-
nropriations OF money, and except as to laws for
and except ~ to local or special laws, as enumer-
ated in Article v, Section rs, of this Constitution
The first power reserved by the people is the Ini-
~tiative, and eight per cent. of the legal voters of
the state shall be required to propose any meas
ure ny petition; provided, that two-titths of the
Nuo1C uuiuVtT " tut COuDtLtS OI tue kCAtt must
each furnish as signers of said petition eight per
cent. of the legal voters in such county, and every
such petition ehall include the full text of the
measure. proposed. Initiative petitions shall be
filed with the Secretary of state not less than four
months before the election at which they are to be
voted upon.
may be ordered either by petition signed by five
per cent. OF the legal voters of the state; provided
that two-tifths of the whole number Of counties in
the state must each furnish as signers of said Pc
tition five per cent. of the legal voters in such
county. or. by the Legislative Assembly as other
Bills are enacted.
Referendum petitions shall be filed with the
Secretary Of State not later than six months after
the final adjournment Of the sessions Of the Legis-
Referendum il demanded. The veto power Of the
Governor shall not extend to measures referred to
the people by the Legislative Assembly or by lni-
tiative Referendum petitions.
All elections on measures referred to the people
of the state shall I've had at the biennial regular
general election. except when the Legislative As.
sembly. by q majority vote. shall Orle Il special
election Any measure referred to the people
shall still he in full force and effect unless such
petition be signed by fifteen per cent. of the legal
voters of a majority of the whole number of the
counties of the state, in which case the law shall
be imperative until such time as it shall he passed
upon at an election, and the result has been de-
%termlned and declared as provided by law. The
whole number of votes cast for Governor at the
regular election last preceding the filing of any
petition for the Initiative or Referendum, shall
be the basis on which the mum Der of the legal pc
titions and orders for the Initiative and for the
Referendum shall he filed with the Secretary of
sta %: and IN submitting the same to the people,
he. aud all other officers, shall he guided by the
General Laws and the Act submitting this amend
mcnt, until legislation shall be especially pro
vid"d therefor. The enactiny clause If every law
originated by the Initiative shall be as follows:
.Be it enacted by the People of Montana
This Section shall not I've construed to deprive
right to Introduce amy measure.
Section. =. That separate official ballots he used
! 1906, and shall have printed thereon the words