Pocahontas star herald., 1925-03-19

od to submit as many amendments as
they may desire; to initiate laws and
to repeal laws they do not want; it
gives the people of cities and counties
the right to legislate for themselves
independent of the legislature. One of |
the proponents of the amendment Said
during the campaign for its adoption,
1T will prove a death blow to pernici- |
ous local legislation through the state
legislature, for the people will become
their masters in matters which affect
them locally and are not contrary to
state laws"
Inc first power reserved by the peo-
pie is that of the initiative. 1t is pro-
Vlded that eight per cent of the legal
voters may propose any law and ten
per cent may propose a constitutional
amendment. The original l. & r.
amendment, No. 10, adopted in 1911,
provided that eight per cent Of the
voters might initiate any measure.
The second power reserved by the
people is the referendum. Amendment
No. l3 changes the percentage of petit
toners from five per cent required by
No 10 to not less than six per cent,
which must be filed with the Secre-
tary of state not less than ninety days
after the final adjournment of the
legislative body which passed it. The
total number Of votes cast for Cover
nor in the last preceding election is
the basis upon which the number of
signatures for statewide initiative and
referendum petitions shall be comput-
ed. Upon all such petitions it is re-
, qulred that signatures shall be filed
from at least fifteen counties, amount
ing TO not less than one half of the
designated percentage for each county.
The emergency clause under the new
law is radical change from the So
called emergency clause to which the
legislature has been accustomed. The
alleged emergency must be specifically
set out in a separate clause "and if
upon a yea and nay vote two-thirds Of
all the members elected to each House
or two-thirds of all the members elect
ed to city and town councils, shall
vote upon separate roll call in favor
. OF the measure going into immediate
operation, such emergency measure
shall become effective without delay"
No emergency shall be declared upon
any franchise or special privilege. If
a referendum is filed against any mea-
sure, it shall be law until it may be
rejected my a majority of the people.
Initiative and referendum powers per-
tain to municipalities and counties as
well as to the state.
The veto power of the Governor or
mayor shall not extend to measures in
ltiated by or referred to the people.
No measure approved by the people
shall be amended or repealed by the
General Assembly or by a city council
except upon yea and nay vote of two
thirds of all members elect. All mea-
sures initiated shall be submitted only
at regular elections, but referendum
petitions may be referred to special
elections called when fifteen per cent
of the legal voters petition for the
same, or the city or town councils may
= order special election.
Any measure submitted to the people
e shall take effect when approved by a
majority of the votes cast upon such
measure shall not require a majority
of the electors voting at the election.
No measure shall be submitted by the
General Assembly except a proposed
constitutional amendment A measure
submitted to the people shall become
operative after the thirteenth day fol-
lowing the election at which it is ap-
proved.