The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1921-01-27
AMENDMENTS TO
VERMONT CONSTITUTION
Majority Of Special Commission Re
port Nine Proposals and Minority
Three.


t pointed at the 1919 session Of the Leg
. islature to propose amendments 10 th'
: State Constitution has completed il
I duties and presents its report, eopiel
: of which have been distributed. Tn,
majority Of the committee proposes
nine amendments and the minority
! three.
The nine amendments proposed by
) the majority follows:
! Proposal one would amend section
"a Of Chapter II, providing that every
person" p years old, instead Of every
"man" shall be qualified as a freeman
efter tcking the proper oath, makes
the section conform to the nineteenth
amednment.
i Proposal two would amend section 2
Of Chapter II, providing for the veto
Of bills by the governor and their sub
sequent reconsideration. The follow
ing clause is added to the section:
"Bills making appropriations Of
money out Of the treasury shall spec
ify the objects and purposes for which
the same are made and appropriate to
them respectively their several
amounts in distinct items and sections
and if the governor shall not approve
any one or more of the items or sec
tions contained in any bill but shall
approve the residue thereof it shall
become a law as to the residue in like
manner as if he had signed it. The
governor shall then return the bill
with his objections to the items or
sections Of the same not approved by
him to the House in which the bill
shall have originated, which House
shall enter the objections at large up
on its journal and proceed to reconsid-
er SO much Of said bill as is not APP
proved by the governor The same
proceedings shall be had in both
Houses in reconsidering the same as isl
horeinbefore provided in case Of an
entire bill returned by the governor
with his objections and if any item
or section of said bill not approved by
the governor shall be passed by two
thirds of the members elected to each
Of the two Houses Of the General
Assembly it shall become part Of said
law notwithstanding the objections Of
the governor"
Proposal three would amend section
IS Of Chapter II providing for the
election Of representatives by towns
by giving the General Assembly pow
er to regulate by law the mode Of
filing all vacancies in the House caus-
ed by death, resignation or otherwise.
Proposal four would amend section
30 to Chapter II providing for trials
by jury by excepting leases requiring
an accounting with numerous items"
Proposal five would amend article 10
Of Chapter | defining the rights Of an
accused criminal in court such as a
speedy trial by jury, etc, by allowing
him the privilege Of waving jury
trial and submitting with prescribed
formality the issue Of his guilt to the
the judgment and determination Of the
court. This applies only to cases not
punishable by death or Imprisonment
in the State prison.
Proposal six would amend section 50
for the recording Of deeds
and conveyances Of land in town
clerks offices or for want thereof in ,,
county clerks Offices by giving the
the right to designate by
law how deeds of this description shall
be filed.
Proposal seven would amend sec .
ions 7, 35, 3S and As of Chapter II by
the biennial elections to Sep
.ember and the opening Of the Legis-
sture to October.
Proposal eight is for new amend
nent which would give the Public
Service Commission the powers Of a /,
,ourt at law and in equity in matters ,
under its jurisdiction.
Proposal nine would add new sec
ion to be known as Section 51A and :
o read:
section 81 A. The General Assem- !,
ly shall have authority to provide for :
compulsory voting at elections" :
The minority committee proposals :
re: !
Proposal one would amend Section :
s Of Chapter II providing FOR the y
roeezs of amending the constitution r
) making It possible 20 propose
meadments at any session Of the Leg
#i-taIo instead Of every ten years as
or. the former nethod q other pro p.
Hre 70 be retained E
Prepoesl two would amend several
astions e Chapter IT, which II adopt i
4 would Do away with the assistant
ldFe5 Of county court as constitution
ofieers.
pronosal three would amend Sec