The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1914-10-22
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE
CONSTITUTION OF MISSOURI, .
AND REFERENDUM PROPOSITIONS
ORDERED BY THE PETITION
OF THE PEOPLE.
FIRST CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND-
MENT.


Joint and Concurrent resolution sub
mittinx to the qualtlied voters Of Mis-
souri, an anne ndment to the Constitution
thereof, cOncerninR the initiative and
referendum repeating section 81 OF
article 4 Of the Constitution and enact-
ing a new section in lieu thereof.
Be it resolved BY the Senate, the House
of Representatives c0ncu,ring therein:
That at the general election to be held
In this state on the first Tuesday AFTER
the first Monday in November, 1914,
there shall be submitted for adoption to
the qualified voters Of the state the fol-
lowing amendment to the Constitution.
Section /. That section 81 OF article
OF the Constitution Of the state OF Mis-
souri, is hereby repealed.
Sec g. That in lieu of the said section 81
Of article of the Constitution OF the state
Of Missouri hereby repealed there shall be
enacted the following new section to be
known as section 81 Of article 4. viz:
Sec. ST. The legislative authority of the
state shall be vested in legislative as
sembly consisting Of a senate and house
of representatives, but the people re-
serve to themselves power to propose
laws and amendments to the Constitu-
ton and to enact or reject the same at
the polls, Independent of the legislative
assembly, and also reserve power at
their own option to approve or reject at
the polls any act of the legislative as
sembly. The first power reserved by the
people is the initiative, and not more
than eight per cent of the legal voters In
each of at least two thirds OF the con-
gressional districts in the state shall be
required to propose any measure by such
petition, and every such petition shall
include the full text Of the measure so
proposed. Initiative petitions shall be
Rlt .,,ikt, two
the respective counties in which the
signers thereof reside and vote not less
than four months before the election at
which they are to be voted upon. With
In 80 days after said petitions are filed
with the respective county clerks OF the
respective counties said initiative petit
lions shall be, by said respective county
Of the respective counties, and said
petitions shall be examined by the
respective county courts Of the respective
counties, and If the signatures thereto
are found to be genuine signatures OF
voters Of such counties, they SHALL at least
three months before the election at which
they are to be voted upon, be certified
by the respective county courts OF the
respective counties to the secretary OF
state The second power Is the referen-
dunn and it may be ordered Except as to
matters of taxation hereinafter men
toned, and as to laws necessary for the
Immediate preservation of the public
peace, health or safety, and laws making
appropriations for the current expenses
of the state government for the mainte-
nance of the state institutions and for the
support of the public schools) either by
petitions signed by five per cent of the
legal voters In each of at least two-thirds
of the congressional districts in the state
or by the legislative assembly as other
bills are enacted. Referendum petitions
shall be filed with the county clerks OF
the respective counties in which the sign
ers thereof reside and vote not more
than 80 days after the final adjournment
of the session of the legislative assembly
which passed the bill on which the ref
erendum IL demanded, and within 80 days
thereafter the clerks OF the county courts
of the respective counties shall lay said
petitions before the county courts or the
respective counties-and within said time
the county courts Of the respective coun-
ties shall examine and review said ref
erendum petitions. and. II the signature
thereto are found to be the genuine sig
natures Of voters of such counties, the
respective county courts shall certify said
petitions to the secretary OF state within
1920 days after the final adjournment OF
the session of the legislative assembly
which passed the bill on which referen-
governor shall not extend to measures
referred to the people. All elections on
measures referred to the. people OF the
state shall be had at the biennial regular
general elections except when the legis-
iative assembly shall order a special cleo
ton Any measure referred to the people
shall take effect and become the law
when 1t is approved by majority Of the
votes cast thereon. and not otherwise.
The style OF all bills shall be: BE 1t
enacted by the people Of the state OF
Missouri" This section shall not be
construed to deprive any member Of the
legislative assembly of the right to in
troduce any measure. The whole num-
Der Of votes cast for justice Of the SUI
preme court at the regular election last
preceding the fling of any petition for
the initiative, or for the referendum.
shall be the basis on which the number
of legal voters necessary to sign said pc
titions shall be counted. Petitions and
orders for the initiative and for the ref
erendum shall be certified to and filed
with the secretary of state as aforesaid,
and In submitting the same to the people
the secretary Of state and all other Of
fcer[sl shall be guided by the general
laws and the act submitting this amend
ment until legislation shall be especially
provided therefor Whenever the word
county is used herein 1t shall he con-
strued to INCLUDE or mean the city OF
st. Louis. and whenever the words "coun
ty court" are used herein they shall be
construed to include or mean the board
Of election, commissioners of said city,
and whenever the words county clerk
or clerk Of the county court" are used
herein they shall be construed to In
ciude or mean the secretary Of said board
Of election commissioners. The powers
reserved or contained in this section as
aforesaid shall not be used to pass q
law or constitutional amendment author
ising any classification Of property for
the purpose Of levying different rates Of
taxation thereon, or Of authorixing the
levy Of any single tax on land or land
values or land sites at higher rate or
by q different rule than II. or may be,
applied to Improvements thereon. or to
personal property. or to authorize or
confer LEGAL option or other local powers
IN matters u taxation in or upon any
u the counties. municipalities, or politi-
eel Subdivisions Of tho state. or to re-
peal. amend or modify these provisions
relating % taxation. When any measure
shall have been submitted to the people
for their approval under the powers no
0erved Or oontaihed In this section ~
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