The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1908-06-19


sec. g. Art. Nv OF the present constitution
Is changed so as 10 prohibit the legislature
from adopting any rule that will prevent a
majority of its members from taking a bill
from the hands OF a committee This amend
ment is deemed TO be wholesome one. It's
purpose is TO defeat the practice OF COM
mittees refusing to report out bills In their
hands. and thereby prevent action thereon.
Under the two-thirds rue now existing a
minority are enabled to prevent bill COM
ing before the legislature This amendment
will place control of all bills in the hands
OF the majority where IL clearly belongs.
No other change is made in said section ex-
cept for the purpose OF improving its phrase
ology.
Sec. 16 Each house shall keep a jour
nal OF its proceedings and publish the
same, except such parts as may require
secrecy. The yeas and nays of the
members of either house on any ques-
ton shall be entered on the journal at
the request Of one-fifth of the membe. )
PRESENT. Any member OF either
house may dissent from and protest
against any act, proceeding or resolu-
ton which he may deem injurious 10
any person or the public, and have the
reason for his dissent entered en- the
journal.
The words members elected in the pres
ent constitution Sec 10, Art. ~, are changed
10 nTS2. bers present" In the revision. This
Will make II somewhat easier TO obtain a
yea and nay vote in either house, one
smaller number than one-ifth of the mem
bers elected. This change was dictated by a
desire to insure greater publicity of the acts
and sv1tes % the Individual members.
See =. In all elections by either
hour" Ar in joint convention the votes
sh DE given viva voce. All votes on
nominations to the senate shall be
taken by yeas and nays and published
with the journal of it's proceedings.
No change from sec IL, Art ~ of the
Experimentation
Sec. IS. The doors OF each house shall
be open unless the public welfare re-
quirCs secrecy. Neither house shall
without the consent of the other, ad-
journ for more than three days, nor to
any other place than where the legisla-
ture may then be in session.
No change from Sec. u, Art. Nv of the
present constitution
Sec. 10. All legislation shall be by bill
and may originate in either house of
the legislature.
This section formerly read as follows
"Bills may originate in either house of the
legislature" 1t was changed to prevent leg
islation by concurrent resolution Of the two
houses. All legislation must be by bill under
the revision, thus insuring greater publicity
Legislative action by joint resolution was
designed chiefly for administrative purposes
Of local and temporary character. The
uses of the joint resolution have been un-
duly extended and II was deemed wise 10
forestall the abuses practiced under it by
the foregoing section. See Sec. 13, Art. "
OF the present constitution.
Sec. 20. The style Of the laws shall
be: The People of the State of Mich
igan enact
No change from Sec. As, Art. " of the
present constitution.
Sec. q. No law shall embrace more
than one object, which shall be ex-
pressed in its title. No law shall he
revised, altered or amended by refer
IN hi1f IA ~
vised and the section or sections OF the
act altered or amended shall be re-
enacted and published al length. No
act shall take effect or be in
force until the expiration of ninety
days from the end OF the session at
which the same is passed EXCEPT
THAT the legislature MAY GIVE M
MEDIATE EFFECT TO ACTS MAX
ING APPROPRIATIONS AND ACTS
IMMEDIATELY NECESSARY FOR
THE PRESERVATION OF THE
PUBLIC PEACE, HEALTH OR
SAFFT b. a twO-thirds vote of tie
members elected to each house.
This section combines Secs % and 25 Art.
~ Of the present constitution and an inn
portant change is mad therein. Under the
present constitution any act can be given
immC date effect by a twO-thirds vote of each
house. Under the new section only apprC-
priation bills ard acts necessary for the
preservation Of the public peace. health or
SAFETY can De given immediate effect. All
other acts go into effect ninety days after the
close of the session. This amendment is
designed to give those persons affected by
any act, and the public generally ample
notice OF the time when such laws take
effect.
Sec. %. No bill shall be passed or be-
come a law at any regular session OF
the legislature until it has been printed
and in the possession Of each house for
at least five days. No bill snail be
I
lature on any other subjects than those
expressly stated in the governors
proclamation or submitted by special
message. No bill shall be altered or
amended on its passage through either
house so as to change its original rur-
pose.
This is new section. It was inserted 10
prevent hasty and careless legislative action.
also to deal effectively with so-called snap
legislation. The provision that no bill shall
be passed until it has been printed and in
the possession Of each house for five days
means much greater publicity I'm legislative
proceedings. Time is thus provided whereby
the people may become acquainted with pro-
posed legislation and to petition, or re-
rhonstrate, before bill is passed. II is be-
loved that this provision will measurably
improve the tone Of legislative action When
the legislature is convened in special session
the revision limits its action to those matters
expressly stated in the governors proclama-
ton. This wisely limits the sphere OF action
Of the Legislature, in special session, and tie
governors proclamation is notice TO the pub
lie Of the work which the legislature can law |
fully undertake. The provision that no bill
shall be altered on its passage so as 10
change its original purpose is included so
that by no possibility can the publicity Sc
cured by the fve-day rule be nullified or
evaded.
Sec. 3d. Every bill shall be
read three times in each house before
the final passage thereof No bill
shall become law without the
concurrence of a majority of al the
members elected to each house. ON the
final passage of all bills, the vote shall :
be by yeas and nays and entered on
the journal.
Provision having been made that all legis-
lation shall be by bill the words "joint reso-
luton" where occurring In Sec. 49, Art. w
OF the present constitution are eliminated
in the foregoing section. There is no other
change.
Sec. "a. The assent Of two-thirds of |
the members elected to each house OF /
the legislature shall be requisite to !
every bill approprating the public |
money or property for local or private |
purposes.
No change from Sec. As, Art. * of the
present constitution.
Sec. %. Fuel. stationery. blanks, |
printing and binding for the use of the |
state shall be furnished under contract |
or contracts with the lowest bidder or
bidders who shall give adequate and |