Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-01-13
vERMONT'S
CONSTITUTION
Proposals Of AmepGm 1nts Made
by Official Commission
TEXT OF REPORT TO GOVERNOR

LAW W w VIII " WV S77VVts
Would Abolish "Time Lock" Clause
Give Veto Power to Governor,
Change Date For state Election and
sitting Of Legislature, Forbid Mem
bers Of General Assembly From
Taking Office Create by That Body
Prohibit Special Charters For Cor
poratione, Etc.
His Excelleucy, George II. Prouty
Governor of Vermont:
The commission appointed by you
under the authority of Joint Reso
luton (No. 4l9) approved Nov. 18th
1908, to prepare and present to the
next session OF the general assembly
proposals of amendment to the Con-
stitution of Vermont, with suggestions
In support Of the same, have the
honor to present the following:
PROPOSAL ONE
That Section I Of Article (25) Of
the Amendments to the Constitution
be amended to read as follows:
ARTICLE (25), Section 1. AT any
ression Of the general assembly Of this
ptate the senate may, by vote Of a
majority Of its members, make pro-
posals Of amendment TO the constitu
hon Of the state -"
Continuing through Section / the
same as now
The change in our constitution most
needed at the present time is to re-
move the restriction which prevents
Any proposals of amendments oftenel
Than once in ten years. This provi-
zion is In the 25th Article of Amend
ment, adopted in 1870, and is popu-
larly known as the time lock clause.
1t ought not to be necessary tC
change frequently the fundamental
law of state. Much of the respect
accorded a constitution is due to its
permanency. The accepted ways tC
save constitutions from rapid changes
ut the mere within of majority are
10 require that proposals Of change
lhall be adopted by considerable ma
Iority of the voters or be passed upon
more than once or be approved in
more than one way.
The constitution of the United
States was in the nature of a COM
promise contract and there were spe-
cial reasons for guarding it against
sudden and unnecessary changes; but
there is no restriction in It, Dycept
q limitation long since expired, upon
the time when proposals of amend
ment may be made. Nor do we know
of any other state that has attempted
to tie Its own hands as the state of
Vermont has done by the time lock
clause.
The great changes occurring in the
life of this state, in common with the
whole country, raise novel questions
which must be met as they arise
We are utterly opposed to the spirit
81 recent years manifest in some OF
tie newer states, Of loading up a con-
rtitution with matters that belong tc
the statute books only. The method
and number of times Of consideration
requisite for constitutional change:
should continue to he exactlng: but
being so safe guarded the people
should be free to make such changes
tha OcraSinp rp,t,ipoC ~
much more likely to hold to conserva
tive, safe and sane changes if the pos
sibility OF making them always exists
than II every tenth year the legisla
ture is compelled to propose all the
changes which can po.s,.l te re
guired during the following decennial
The present requirement that a pro
pOsal cannot go to the house of repre-
sentatives except By tN.-tair>4 rot,
OF the members of the senate Is re-
strictive in the same way upon thu
right OF initiative, It is inconsisten
also with the fact that only major
lty of the senate in the next legisla
ture IS required to concur in the pro
IObdI Ht-l q 10 ~ EtJDu reason VIII
the proposal of constitutional change
should be more difficult than thei
adoption. Proposal One, therefore
also changes the vote of the senat
from two-thrds to a majority, tn
pame as is required in the house o
representatives the first session an
IN both houses upon concurrence tn
next session, and OF the vote of tn
people upon final adoption.
PROPOSAL TWO
That Article N1) Of the Amend
rents TO the Constitution be mende
10 read as follows:
ARTICLE ~. Every bill which shal
have passed the senate and house o
representatives. shall, before II be
comes law, DC presented to the oov
ernor; " ne approve, he shall sign It
II not. he shall return it, with his OBJ
Jectlons In writing, 10 the house, i
which 1t shall have originated; While
shall proceed to reconsider il. II. 10
On such reconsideration, two third
Of the members present Of the hous
shall pass the bill it shall, toaethe
with the objections, be cent to tn
other house, by which it shall, like
Wise, he reconsdered, and, If an
proved by tWo-thirds OF the member
present Of that house, II shall hecom
law. ~
lRemainder Of Article the same a
~OW.l