The Tupelo journal., 1912-10-25
Proposed Amendments to the
Constitution oe the State
Of Mississippi.

Constitution o. the State
Of Mississippi.
Office Of the Secretary Of State. Jackson. Miss.
At a regular session Of the Legislature of the
State of Mississippi, held January, February,
and March. 1912, three concurrent resolutions
were adopted submitting to the qualified electors
Of the State for ratification or rejection at an ell.
ection to be held on Tuesday after the first Mon.
day in November: 1917, Amendment to Sections
81. 80. and Sc of the Constitution, which amend.
ments are in words following, to-wit:
H. c. R. No. 81.
A Concurrent Resolution to amend Section 81 ii
the State Constitution SO that nine or more ju-
rors in civil suits may agree on the verdict and
return 1t as the verdict of the jury.
Be it resolved by the Legislature Of the State Of
Mississippi, two-thirds OF each House agreeing
thereto, That the following amendment to the
State Constitution be submitte to the qualified
electors of the State for ratification or rejection
at an election to be held on the first Tuesday after
the first Monday in November, 1912, viz:
Amend Section 81 Of the Constitution SO that it
will read as follows:
Sec. 81. The right Of trial by jury shall remain
i~nviolate, but the Legislature may, by enactment.
provide that in all civil suits tried in the Circuit
or Chancery Courts, nine or more jurors may
agree on the verdict, and return it as the verdict
Passed the House of Representatives on Sd
reading March 9Th. 1912.
H. M. QUIN.
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Passed the Senate March 18th, 1912.
THEO. G, BILBO
President of the Senate.
S. C. R. No. 9.
A Concurrent Resolution proposing an amend
ment to Article A, Section 80 of the Constitution
of Mississippi providing for the Initiative and
Referendum Act.
Resolved by the Legislature of the State of
Mississippi, two-thirds of each House concurring
therein, That the following amendment to the
State Constitution be submitted to the qualified
electors of the State for ratification or rejection
at an election to be held on the first Tuesday after
the first Monday in November. 1912. viz:
Amend Article a. Section 33 of the Constitution
of the State Of Mississippi 80 as to read as fol-
lows:
Section L. The legislative power of the State
of Mississippi is vested in the Senate and House
of Representatives, but the people reserve to
themselves the power to propose laws and amend
them to the Constitution, and to enact or reject
the same at the poll independent of the Legislative
assembly. and also reserve power. at their own
option to approve or reject at the polls any Acts
of the Legislative Assembly.
Sec. 2. The first power reserved by the people
is Initiative and fifteen per centum of the legal
voters shall have the right to propose any legisla-
tive measure. and twenty per centum of the legal
voters shall have the right to propose amend
ments to the Constitution by petition and every
such petition shall include a full text of the meas
ure so proposed. Initiative petitions shall be filed
with Secretary Of the State not less than three
months before the election at which they are to
be voted upon.
The second power is the Referendum. and it
may be ordered Except as to laws necessary for
the immediate preservation OF the public peace,
health or safety either by petition, signed by ten
per centum of the legal voters or by the Legisla-
ture as other bills are enacted. The ratio and
per centum of legal voters hereinbefore stated
shall be based upon the total number of votes cast
at the last general election for the State office re-
ceiving the highest number of votes at such cleo
tior.
Sec. 3. Referendum petit ions shall be filed with
the Secretary of State not more than ninety days
after the final adjournment of the session of the
Legislature which passed the bill on which the
Referendum is demanded. The veto power of the
Governor shall not extend to measures voted on
by the people. All elections en- measures referred
to the people of the State shall be had at the next
election held throughout the State, except when
the legislature or the Governor shall order a
special election for the express purpose of NAL =
ing such reference. Any measure referred to the
people by the Initiative shall take effect and be in
force when it shall have been approved by the
majority of the votes cast in slch election. Any
measure referred to the people by the Referens-
um shall take effect and be in force when it shall
have been appro we'd by a majority of the votes
cast thereon, and not otherwise.
Petitions and orders for the Initiative and for
the Referendum shall be filed with the Secretary
of the State and addressed to the Governor of the
| State, who shall submit the same to the people.
The Legislature to make suitable provision for
carrying into effect the provisions of this Article.
Sec. 4. The Referendum may be demanded by
the people against one or more items. sections or
parts of any Act of the Legislature, in the same
manner in which such power may be exercised
against a complete Act. The filing = OF a referen-
dun petition against one or more items, sections
or part of an Act shall not delay the remainder of
such Act from becoming operative.
Sec. 5. The powers of the Initiative and Refer
endum reserved to the people by this Constitution
for the State at large are hereby further reserved
to the legal voters of every county, district and
municipality therein as to all local legislation or
action in the administration of county. district
and municipal government in and for their respec-
tive counties, districts and municipalities. The
manner of exercising said powers shall be pre-
scribed by general laws except that boards of
supervisors may provide for the time of exercis-
ing the Initiative and Referendum powers as to
local Legislation in their respective counties and
districts. The requisite number of petitioners
for the invocation of the Initiative and Referend-
UNI in counties and districts shall bear twice or
double the ratio to the whole number of legal vot-
ers in such county or district as herein provided
therefor in the State at large.
Sec. 6. Any measure rejected by the people
through the power of the Initiative and Referen-
DUN can not be again proposed by the Initiative
within three years thereafter by less than thirty
per centum of the legal voters.
Sec. Z. The reservation of the powers of the
Initiative and Referendum in this Article shall
not deprive the Legislature of the right to repea
any law, propose or pass any measure which may
be consistent with the Constitution OF the State
and the Constitution of the United States.
Sec. s. Jaws shall be provided to prevent cor
ruption in making, procuring and submitting
Initiative and Referendum petitions.
Passed by the Senate February 21st. 1912.
THEO. G. BILBO,
President of the Senate.
Passed the House of f Representatives March Is.
1912. H.. M QUlN,
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
S. C. r. No. g.
A Concurrent Resolution proposing an amend
ment to Article a, Section Sc. to the Constitution
of the State of Mississippi, changing the style
of bills.
Resolved by the Legislature of the State OF
Mississippi, two-thirds of each House concurring
therein. that the following amendment to the