The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1914-04-11
PROPOSED AMENDMENT
] TO STATE CONSTITUTION.
People to Vote on Question Of In
itiatiye and Referendum
Next November.

Next november.
A Concurrent Resolution Proposing
an Amendment to Section 33. of
the Constitution of Mississippi.
Providing for Initiative and Ref
erepdum.
Resolved by the House of Repre-
sentatives and the Senate of the
State of Mississippi. two-thirds of
the members of each House con-
curing therein, that Sec. 33, of
the State Constitution be amended
SO as to read as follows:
Sec. 33. The legislative authority
of this State shall be vested in
Legislature which shall consist of
Senate and House of Representa-.
tives. but the people reserve to
themselves the power to propose
legislative measures, laws. resolu-
tions and amendments to the Con-
stitution. and to enact or reject
the same at the polls independent
of the Legislature, and also reserve
the power, at their own option, to
approve or reject at the polls any
act, item. section or any part of
any act, or measure passed by
the Legislature.
/. The first power reserved by
the people is the initiative and not
more than seven thousand five hun
dred qualified voters shall be re-
quired to propose any measure by
initiative petition and every such
|fpetition shall include the full text
of the measure so proposed. Ini-
tiative petitions shall be filed with
the Secretary of State not less than
three months before the election
at which they are to be voted upon.
2 The second power reserved by
the people is the referendum and it
may be ordered either by a petition
signed by the required number of
qualified voters or by the LegisIa-
ture as other bills are enacted.
Not more than six thousand quail
fed voters may be required to sign
and make valid referendum petit
tion. The filing of referendum
petition against one or more items. :,
sections, or parts of any measure
shall not delay the remainder from
becoming operative. Referendum I
petitions against measures passed
by the Legislature shall be filed
with the Secretary Of State not
later than ninety days after the
final adjournment Of the session of
the Legislature at which such meas.
ures were passed, except when ad-
ssjonrnment shall be taken tenn
porarily for a longer period than
ninety days. in which case such
petition shall be filed not later than
ninety days after such temporary
adjournment. All measures re-
ferred to a vote of the people by
referendum petitions shall remain
IN allegiance until such vote is
taken.
8. If it shall be necessary for the
immediate preservation of the pub
llc peace, health or safety, then a
measure shall become effective
without delay. such necessity shall
be stated in one section, and if up
on a yea and nay vote. three-fourths
of those voting in each House shall
vote in favor of the measure going
into immediate operation such
measure shall become operative at
once 1t shall be necessary to state
in such section the facts constitut-
ing such emergency Provided.
that an emergency shall not be de-
clared on any franchise or special
privilege or act creating any vested
right or interest. or alternating any
property of the State If refer
endum petition is filed against such
emergency measure. such measure
shall be law until it is voted up
on by the people. and if it is then
rejected, by majority of the voters
voting thereon. 1t shall be there by
repealed.
A. Tie word Measure as used
herein means any law, bill. resolu-
tion. constitutional amendment. or
Iany other legislative measure. All
elections on general. local, and
special measures referred to the
people OF the State shall be held at
| the general State or Congressional
Ielections. except when the Legisla-
| ture shall order a special election.
| Any measure submitted to the
people as herein provided shall take
Ieffect and become a law when ap-
proved by a majority of the votes
cast thereon and not otherwise.
Such measure shall be in operation
| on and after the 30th day after the
Ielection at which it is approved.
| The veto power of the Governor
lshaIl not extend to measures init
lated by or referred to the people
| II conflicting measures submitted to
1.-THE people shall be approved by a
majority of the votes severally cast
! for and against the same. the one
having the highest number Of
affirmative votes shall thereby be
come law No measure enacted
! by vote of the people shall be
amended or repealed by the Legis-
Iature except by yea and nay votes.
upon roll call OF lhree.fourths Of
the members Of each House voting
thereon. Qualified electors only
shall be counted upon petitions
Petitions may be scircniated and
presented in parts. bat each part OF
Amy petition shall have attached
thereto the affidavit Of the person
circulating the same that alI the