The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1912-08-23
Proposed Amendment to State
Constitution.

tary of State
TO whom it may concern: In obedience
to an act of the Legislature, approved
March 10, 1911, entitled as follows: An
Act to amend section l OF article II OF the
relating to legislative powers, providing
for the initiative and referendum, and
striking section 81 OF said article IL, re,
lating to the time when laws take effect,
there is hereby published for the considc
Grafton of the voters OF the state OF
the the o sad
state: ,
That at the general election to be held
ceeding the first Monday in November,
1912, there shall be supmlttedto the quail
flied electors of the state for adoption
and approval or rejection an amendment
to article ii of the Constitution of the
State of Washington: relating to legis,,
lative powers. by striking from article II
ali Of sections / and Fl, and inserting in
lieu thereof as section l the following, so
that the same shall read as follows;
authority Of the State OF Washington
shall be vested in the Legislature. consist
ing of a senate and house OF representa-
tives. which shall be called the legisla-
ture of the State of Washington. but the
people reserve to themselves the power
to propose bills, laws. and to enact or re.
the legislature, and also reserve power,
at their own option, to approve or reject
at the polls any act, item, section or part
of any bill, act or law passed by the leg
islature.
(a) Initiative. The nrSt power re-
served by the people is the initiative.
Ten per centum. but in no case more than
fifty thousand, of the legal voters shall
be required to propose any measure by
shall include the full text of the measure
so proposed. Initiative petitions shall be
than four months before the election at
which they are to be voted upon or not
less than ten days before s any
four months before the election at which
they are to be voted upon, he shall sub
init the same to the vote of the people at
the said election. If such petitions are
filed not less than ten days before any
regular session Of the legislature: he shall
soon as it convenes and organizes Such
initiative measure shall take precedence
over all other measures in the legislature
except appropriation bills and shall be
either enacted or rejected without change
or amendment by the Legislature before
the end of such regular session If any
such initiative measure shall be enacted
by the legislature it shall be subject to
the referendum petition. or it may be en-
the people for approval or rejection at the
next regular election. If ii is rejected or
if no action is taken upon it by the legis
lature before the end or such regular SEES
sion. the secretary of state shall submit
it to the people for approval or rejection
at the next ensuing regular general cleo
ton. The Legislature may reject any
measure so proposed by initiative petit
ton and propose a different one dealing
WITH Cne same subject, ana III Sucn
event both measures shall be submitted
by the secretary of state to the people
for approval or rejection at the next en-
suing regular general election. When
conflicting measures are submitted to the
people the ballots shall be SO printed that
voter con express separately by making
one cross (X) for each, two preferences.
first as between either measure and
neither, and secondly, as between one and
ing on the first issue is i for neither. both
fail, but in that case the votes the
SECOND issue shall nevertheless be care
fully counted and made public. If u ma
jority voting on the first issue is for
either, then the measure receiving "a ma
jority Of the votes on the second issue
shall be law.
CD Referendum. The second power
reserved by the people IS the referendum.
and 1t may be ordered on any act. bill
law. or any part thereof passed by the
Legislature except such laws may be
necessary for the immediate preservation
of the public peace. health or safety, sup
port of the state government and it's ex-
listing public institutions. either by petit
ton signed by the required percentage of
other bills are enacted Six per centum
but in no case more than thirty thousand
of the legal voters shall be required to
sign and make valid referendum petit
ton
tc), No act law. or bill subject to ref
erendum shall take effect until ninety
days after the adjournment of the session
at which 1t was enacted! No act. law. or
bill approved by a majority of the cleo
repealed by the Legislature within peri
Cd of two years following such enactment
But such enactment may be amended or
repealed at any general regular or special
election by direct vote of the people
thereon.
(d) The filing of a referendum peti-
ton against one or more items, sections
or parts of any act. law bill shall not
delay the remainder of the measure from
tons against measures passed by the leg
isiature shall be filed with the secretary
of state not later than ninety days after
the final adjournment of the session of
the legislature which passed the measure
on which the referendum is demanded.
The veto power of the governor shall not
extend to measures initiated by or re-
ferred to the people. All elections on
measures referred to the people of the
lar elections except when the Legislature
shall order special election. Any mea,
sure 5" b nt nadee BY the people or refeIea
take effect and become the law if it is
approved by u majority of the votes east
upon such question or measure shall
equal one third of the total votes east at
such election and not otherwise. Such
the. thirtieth day after the election at
which 1t is approved: The style of all
bills proposed by intiatiye petition shall
state Of Washington" This p section shall i
not be construed to deprive any member
of the Legislature of the right to introduce
any measure. The whole number of cleo
tors who voted for governor at the regu-
lar gubernatOral election last preceding
the filing of any petition for the initiative
or for the referendum shall he the basis
on which the number of legal voters nee
essa1y to sign such petition shall be
counted All such petitions shall be filed
with the secretary of state. who shall be
guided by the general laws in submitting
the same to the people until additional
legislation shall especially provide there
for. This section is self executing. but
legislation may be enacted especially to
facilitate its operation.
The Legislature shall provide methods
of publicity of all laws or parts of laws.
and amendments to the constitution re-
ferred to the people with arguments for
and against the laws and amendments so
referred. so that each voter of the state
shall receive the publication at least fifty
days before the election at which they are
to be voted upon.
There shall be printed on all ballots
provided for the said election. the words:
For the proposed amendment of see
ton ] of article III of the constitution of
the state of Washington, relating to leg
lslatve powers and providing for the
initiative and referendum"
Against the proposed amendment of
section of article III of the constitution
OF the State of Washington. relating to
legislative powers, and providing for the.
initiative and referendum"
For the proposed amendment of article
II of the constitution of the State of
Washington. by striking section 81 there