reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MT Code § 13-27-205 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 13. Elections|Chapter 27. Ballot Issues|Part 2. Form of Petitions|13-27-205. Petition for referendum

  13-27-205. Petition for referendum. (1) The following is substantially the form for a petition calling for approval or rejection of an act of the legislature by the referendum:   PETITION TO PLACE REFERENDUM NO.____ON THE ELECTION BALLOT   (a) If 5% of the voters in each of 34 legislative representative districts sign this petition and the total number of voters signing the petition is ____, Senate (House) Bill Number ____ will appear on the next general election ballot. If a majority of voters vote for this referendum at that election it will become law.   (b) We, the undersigned Montana voters, propose that the secretary of state place the following Senate (House) Bill Number ____, passed by the legislature on ____________ on the next general election ballot:   (Title of referendum written pursuant to 13-27-312)(Statement of purpose and implication written pursuant to 13-27-312)(Yes and no statements written pursuant to 13-27-312)   (c) Voters are urged to read the complete text of the referendum, which appears (on the reverse side of, attached to, etc., as applicable) this sheet. A signature on this petition is only to put the referendum on the ballot and does not necessarily mean the signer agrees with the referendum.   (d)   WARNING   A person who purposefully signs a name other than the person's own to this petition, who signs more than once for the same issue at one election, or signs when not a legally registered Montana voter is subject to a $500 fine, 6 months in jail, or both.   (e) Each person is required to sign the person's name and list the person's address or telephone number in substantially the same manner as on the person's voter registration form or the signature will not be counted.   (2) Numbered lines must follow the heading. Each numbered line must contain spaces for the signature, date, residence address, legislative representative district number, and printed last name and first and middle initials of the signer. In place of a residence address, the signer may provide the signer's post-office address or the signer's home telephone number. An address provided on a petition by the signer that differs from the signer's address as shown on the signer's voter registration form may not be used as the only means to disqualify the signature of that petition signer.   History: En. 37-119 by Sec. 5, Ch. 342, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 37-119; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 198, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 488, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 537, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 323, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 481, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 372, L. 2011; amd. Sec. 24, Ch. 368, L. 2017.
MT Code § 13-27-206 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 13. Elections|Chapter 27. Ballot Issues|Part 2. Form of Petitions|13-27-206. Petition for initiative for constitutional convention

  13-27-206. Petition for initiative for constitutional convention. (1) The following is substantially the form for a petition to direct the secretary of state to submit to the qualified voters the question of whether there will be a constitutional convention:   PETITION TO PLACEINITIATIVE NO.____, CALLING FORA CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION, ONTHE ELECTION BALLOT   (a) If 10% of the voters in each of 40 legislative districts sign this petition and the total number of voters signing this petition is _____, the question of whether to have a constitutional convention will appear on the next general election ballot. If a majority of voters vote for the constitutional convention, the legislature shall call for a constitutional convention at its next session.   (b) We, the undersigned Montana voters, propose that the secretary of state place the question of whether to hold a constitutional convention on the _______________, 20__, general election ballot:   (Title of the initiative written pursuant to 13-27-312)(Statement of purpose and implication written pursuant to 13-27-312)(Yes and no statements written pursuant to 13-27-312)   (c) A signature on this petition is only to put the call for a constitutional convention on the ballot and does not necessarily mean the signer is in favor of calling a constitutional convention.   (d)   WARNING   A person who purposefully signs a name other than the person's own to this petition, who signs more than once for the same issue at one election, or who signs when not a legally registered Montana voter is subject to a $500 fine or 6 months in jail, or both.   (e) Each person is required to sign the person's name and list the person's address or telephone number in substantially the same manner as on the person's voter registration form or the signature will not be counted.   (2) Numbered lines must follow the heading. Each numbered line must also contain spaces for the signature, residence address, legislative representative district number, and printed last name and first and middle initials of the signer. In place of a residence address, the signer may provide the signer's post-office address or the signer's home telephone number. An address provided on a petition by the signer that differs from the signer's address as shown on the signer's voter registration form may not be used as the only means to disqualify the signature of that petition signer.   History: En. 37-120 by Sec. 6, Ch. 342, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 37-120; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 198, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 488, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 19, Ch. 51, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 537, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 323, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 372, L. 2011; amd. Sec. 25, Ch. 368, L. 2017.
MT Code § 13-27-207 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 13. Elections|Chapter 27. Ballot Issues|Part 2. Form of Petitions|13-27-207. Petition for initiative for constitutional amendment

  13-27-207. Petition for initiative for constitutional amendment. (1) The following is substantially the form for a petition for an initiative to amend the constitution:   PETITION TO PLACE CONSTITUTIONALAMENDMENT NO.____ ONTHE ELECTION BALLOT   (a) If 10% of the voters in each of one-half of the counties sign this petition and the total number of voters signing the petition is _____, this constitutional amendment will appear on the next general election ballot. If a majority of voters vote for this amendment at that election, it will become part of the constitution.   (b) We, the undersigned Montana voters, propose that the secretary of state place the following constitutional amendment on the ____________, 20__, general election ballot:   (Title of the proposed constitutional amendment written pursuant to 13-27-312)(Statement of purpose and implication written pursuant to 13-27-312)(Yes and no statements written pursuant to 13-27-312)   (c) Voters are urged to read the complete text of the constitutional amendment, which appears (on the reverse side of, attached to, etc., as applicable) this sheet. A signature on this petition is only to put the constitutional amendment on the ballot and does not necessarily mean the signer agrees with the amendment.   (d)   WARNING   A person who purposefully signs a name other than the person's own to this petition, who signs more than once for the same issue at one election, or who signs when not a legally registered Montana voter is subject to a $500 fine, 6 months in jail, or both.   (e) Each person is required to sign the person's name and list the person's address or telephone number in substantially the same manner as on the person's voter registration form or the signature will not be counted.   (2) Numbered lines must follow the heading. Each numbered line must contain spaces for the signature, date, residence address, county of residence, and printed last name and first and middle initials of the signer. In place of a residence address, the signer may provide the signer's post-office address or the signer's home telephone number. An address provided on a petition by the signer that differs from the signer's address as shown on the signer's voter registration form may not be used as the only means to disqualify the signature of that petition signer.   History: En. 37-121 by Sec. 7, Ch. 342, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 37-121; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 488, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 20, Ch. 51, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 537, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 323, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 481, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 372, L. 2011; amd. Sec. 26, Ch. 368, L. 2017.
MT Code § 13-27-208 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 13. Elections|Chapter 27. Ballot Issues|Part 2. Form of Petitions|13-27-208. Petitions to be made available in each county election administrator's office

  13-27-208. Petitions to be made available in each county election administrator's office. Upon final approval of a proposed ballot issue as provided in 13-27-202, the secretary of state shall forward a copy of the petition, along with signature sheets, to the election administrator of each county. The election administrator shall make a copy of each approved petition available for reading in the administrator's office during business hours in an election year until the petitions are submitted under 13-27-301. The secretary of state may charge the person who submitted the proposed ballot issue a fee, which must be set and deposited in accordance with 2-15-405.   History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 158, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 191, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 396, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 537, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 481, L. 2007.
MT Code § 13-27-209 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 13. Elections|Chapter 27. Ballot Issues|Part 2. Form of Petitions|13-27-209. Issues referred by legislature

  13-27-209. Issues referred by legislature. The secretary of state shall transmit a copy of an act referred to the people or a constitutional amendment proposed by the legislature to the attorney general no later than 6 months before the election at which the issue will be voted on by the people.   History: En. Sec. 12, Ch. 481, L. 2007.
MT Code § 13-27-210 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 13. Elections|Chapter 27. Ballot Issues|Part 2. Form of Petitions|13-27-210. Physical prevention of obtaining signatures or physical intimidation of signature gatherers prohibited

  13-27-210. Physical prevention of obtaining signatures or physical intimidation of signature gatherers prohibited. A person may not knowingly or purposefully physically prevent an individual from obtaining signatures or attempting to obtain signatures on a petition for a ballot issue or physically intimidate another individual when that individual is obtaining or attempting to obtain signatures on a petition for a ballot issue. A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of not more than $500, by imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or by both a fine and imprisonment.   History: En. Sec. 13, Ch. 481, L. 2007.
MT Code § 13-27-211 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 13. Elections|Chapter 27. Ballot Issues|Part 2. Form of Petitions|13-27-211. Petitions for initiative -- requirements and limitations

  13-27-211. Petitions for initiative -- requirements and limitations. (1) In accordance with Article III, section 4, of the Montana constitution, the text of an initiative may not provide for the appropriation of revenue.  (2) For the purposes of this section, "appropriation" includes but is not limited to the act of designating or setting aside budgetary authority or directly or indirectly incurring a financial obligation with the expectation that a certain amount of money will be expended or directed for a specific use or purpose. The term also includes increasing or expanding eligibility to a government program.   History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 554, L. 2021.
MT Code § 13-27-301 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 13. Elections|Chapter 27. Ballot Issues|Part 3. Submission and Processing of Petitions|13-27-301. Submission of petition sheets -- withdrawal of signatures

  13-27-301. Submission of petition sheets -- withdrawal of signatures. (1) Signed sheets or sections of petitions with original signatures must be submitted to the official responsible for registration of electors in the county in which the signatures were obtained no sooner than 9 months and no later than 4 weeks before the final date for filing the petition with the secretary of state.   (2) If it is impractical to submit signed sheets or sections of petitions with original signatures by the deadline provided in subsection (1), a copy or facsimile may be submitted to the proper county official by the deadline. Signed sheets or sections of petitions with original signatures must be submitted within 7 calendar days after the deadline. Failure to submit signed sheets or sections of petitions with original signatures within 7 calendar days will invalidate the signed sheets or sections submitted by copy or facsimile.   (3) Signatures may be withdrawn from a petition for constitutional amendment, constitutional convention, initiative, or referendum up to the time of final submission of petition sheets as provided in subsection (1). The secretary of state shall prescribe the form to be used by an elector desiring to have the elector's signature withdrawn from a petition.   History: En. 37-122 by Sec. 8, Ch. 342, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 37-122(1); amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 400, L. 1979; (2)En. Sec. 15, Ch. 298, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 359, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 323, L. 2003.
MT Code § 13-27-302 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 13. Elections|Chapter 27. Ballot Issues|Part 3. Submission and Processing of Petitions|13-27-302. Certification of signatures

  13-27-302. Certification of signatures. An affidavit, in substantially the following form, must be attached to each sheet or section submitted to the county official:   I, (name of person who is the signature gatherer), swear that I gathered the signatures on the petition to which this affidavit is attached on the stated dates, that I believe the signatures on the petition are genuine, are the signatures of the persons whose names they purport to be, and are the signatures of Montana electors who are registered at the address or have the telephone number following the person's signature, and that the signers knew the contents of the petition before signing the petition.   ______________________________________   (Date on which the first signature was gathered)   ______________________________________   (Signature of petition signature gatherer)   ______________________________________   (Address of petition signature gatherer)   Subscribed and sworn to before me this ___ day of _________, 20__   Seal______________________________________   (Person authorized to take oaths)   ______________________________________   (Title or notarial information)   History: En. 37-122 by Sec. 8, Ch. 342, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 37-122(2); amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 488, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 21, Ch. 51, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 12, Ch. 537, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 323, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 14, Ch. 481, L. 2007.
MT Code § 13-27-303 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 13. Elections|Chapter 27. Ballot Issues|Part 3. Submission and Processing of Petitions|13-27-303. Verification of signatures by county official -- allocating voters following reapportionment -- duplicate signatures

  13-27-303. Verification of signatures by county official -- allocating voters following reapportionment -- duplicate signatures. (1) Except as required by 13-27-104, within 4 weeks after receiving the sheets or sections of a petition, the county official shall check the names of all signers to verify they are registered electors of the county. In addition, the official shall randomly select signatures on each sheet or section and compare them with the signatures of the electors as they appear in the registration records of the office. If all the randomly selected signatures appear to be genuine, the number of signatures of registered electors on the sheet or section may be certified to the secretary of state without further comparison of signatures. If any of the randomly selected signatures do not appear to be genuine, all signatures on that sheet or section must be compared with the signatures in the registration records of the office.   (2) For the purpose of allocating the signatures of voters among the several legislative representative districts of the state as required to certify a petition for a referendum or a call of a constitutional convention under the provisions of this chapter following the filing of a districting and apportionment plan under 5-1-111 and before the first gubernatorial election following the filing of the plan, the new districts must be used with the number of signatures needed for each legislative representative district being the total votes cast for governor in the last gubernatorial election divided by the number of legislative representative districts.   (3) Upon discovery of fraudulent signatures or duplicate signatures of an elector on any one issue, the election administrator may submit the name of the elector or the signature gatherer, or both, to the county attorney to be investigated under the provisions of 13-27-106 and 13-35-207.   History: En. 37-123 by Sec. 9, Ch. 342, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 37-123(3), (4); amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 400, L. 1979; (2)En. Sec. 1, Ch. 512, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 17, Ch. 298, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 374, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 323, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 27, Ch. 368, L. 2017.
MT Code § 13-27-304 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 13. Elections|Chapter 27. Ballot Issues|Part 3. Submission and Processing of Petitions|13-27-304. County official to forward verified sheets

  13-27-304. County official to forward verified sheets. The county official verifying the number of registered electors signing the petition shall forward it to the secretary of state by certified mail with a certificate in substantially the following form attached:   To the Honorable ____________, Secretary of State of the state of Montana:   I, ____________, ___________ (title) of the County of __________, certify that I have examined the attached sheets of the petition for (referendum, initiative, constitutional convention, or constitutional amendment) No. ____ in the manner prescribed by law; and I believe that ____ (number) signatures in (Legislative Representative District No. ____ or the County of ____) (repeat for each district or county included in sheet or section) are valid; and I further certify that the affidavit of the signature gatherer of the petition is attached.   Signed:______________ (Date)_______________ (Signature)   Seal_________________________ (Title)   History: En. 37-123 by Sec. 9, Ch. 342, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 37-123(1); amd. Sec. 13, Ch. 537, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 323, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 28, Ch. 368, L. 2017.
MT Code § 13-27-305 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 13. Elections|Chapter 27. Ballot Issues|Part 3. Submission and Processing of Petitions|13-27-305. Retention of copies by county official

  13-27-305. Retention of copies by county official. The county official certifying the sheets or sections of a petition shall keep a copy of the sheets or sections certified in the official files of the official's office. The copies may be destroyed 3 months after the date of the election specified in the petition unless a court action is pending on the sufficiency of the petition.   History: En. 37-123 by Sec. 9, Ch. 342, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 37-123(2); amd. Sec. 86, Ch. 56, L. 2009.
MT Code § 13-27-306 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 13. Elections|Chapter 27. Ballot Issues|Part 3. Submission and Processing of Petitions|13-27-306. Challenge to signatures by elector of county

  13-27-306. Challenge to signatures by elector of county. A registered elector of a county having reason to believe that signatures on a petition that were not among those actually compared with signatures in the registration records of the county are not genuine may file a sworn statement or affirmation of the elector's belief and a request for comparison of those signatures that the elector believes are not genuine with the county official certifying the sheet or section of the petition. If any of the challenged signatures are not genuine, the county official shall compare all signatures on that sheet or section and issue an amended certificate to the secretary of state, giving the correct number of valid signatures, on or before the deadline, as provided for in 13-27-104, for filing in the office of the secretary of state.   History: En. 37-123 by Sec. 9, Ch. 342, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 37-123(5); amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 400, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 87, Ch. 56, L. 2009.
MT Code § 13-27-307 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 13. Elections|Chapter 27. Ballot Issues|Part 3. Submission and Processing of Petitions|13-27-307. Consideration and tabulation of signatures by secretary of state

  13-27-307. Consideration and tabulation of signatures by secretary of state. (1) The secretary of state shall consider and tabulate only the signatures on petitions that are certified by the proper county official. The secretary of state may reject any petition that does not meet statutory requirements. The secretary of state shall return a rejected petition to the proper county official. The county official shall correct the error, when applicable, or send or deliver the rejected petition to the signature gatherer. The secretary of state may consider and tabulate any signature not certified by the county official that is certified by a notary public of the county in which the signer resides to be the genuine signature of an elector legally qualified to sign the petition.   (2) The official certificate of the notary public for any signature not certified as valid by the county official must be in substantially the following form:   State of Montana)   )ss.   County of__________)   I, __________ (name), a qualified and acting notary public in and for the above-named county and state, certify that I am personally acquainted with all of the following-named electors whose signatures are affixed to the attached (petition) (copy of a petition) and I know that they are registered electors of the state of Montana and of the county or legislative district written after their names in the petition and that their post-office addresses are correctly stated in the petition.    (Names of electors)   In testimony whereof, I have set my hand and official seal this____ day of_________, 20__.   _________________________________ (Signature)   Seal_____________________________ (Notarial information)   History: En. 37-124 by Sec. 10, Ch. 342, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 37-124; amd. Sec. 212, Ch. 571, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 22, Ch. 51, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 12, Ch. 323, L. 2003.
MT Code § 13-27-308 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 13. Elections|Chapter 27. Ballot Issues|Part 3. Submission and Processing of Petitions|13-27-308. Certification of petition to governor

  13-27-308. Certification of petition to governor. When a petition for referendum, initiative, constitutional convention, or constitutional amendment containing a sufficient number of verified signatures has been filed with the secretary of state within the time required by the constitution or by law, the secretary of state shall immediately certify to the governor that the completed petition qualifies for the ballot.   History: En. 37-126 by Sec. 12, Ch. 342, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 37-126(part); amd. Sec. 88, Ch. 56, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 29, Ch. 368, L. 2017.
MT Code § 13-27-309 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 13. Elections|Chapter 27. Ballot Issues|Part 3. Submission and Processing of Petitions|13-27-309. Repealed

  13-27-309. Repealed. Sec. 195, Ch. 575, L. 1981.   History: En. 37-126 by Sec. 12, Ch. 342, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 37-126(part).
MT Code § 13-27-310 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 13. Elections|Chapter 27. Ballot Issues|Part 3. Submission and Processing of Petitions|13-27-310. Repealed

  13-27-310. Repealed. Sec. 27, Ch. 481, L. 2007.   History: En. 37-127 by Sec. 13, Ch. 342, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 37-127(1), (2); amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 400, L. 1979.