House Joint Resolution 7 H-1055 Amend House Joint Resolution 7 as follows: 1 1. Page 1, after line 18 by inserting: 2 < Sec. ___. The following amendment to the Constitution of 3 the State of Iowa is proposed: 4 The Constitution of the State of Iowa is amended by adding 5 the following new sections to a new article: 6 ARTICLE ___. 7 INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM. 8 Section 1. Reservation of power to enact and reject 9 laws. The people reserve the power to propose and enact or 10 reject laws and amendments to this Constitution by initiative, 11 independent of the general assembly, and also reserve the power 12 to approve or reject by referendum any Act of the general 13 assembly, except as otherwise provided in this article. 14 Sec. 2. Initiative petitions —— signatures required —— form 15 and procedure. An initiative petition proposing an amendment 16 to this Constitution shall be signed by a number of qualified 17 electors in each of at least three-fourths of the congressional 18 districts in the state equal to eight percent of the total 19 votes cast in the district for governor at the general election 20 immediately preceding the filing of the petition in which votes 21 were cast for the office of governor. The petition shall be 22 submitted to the secretary of state not less than six months 23 before the next general election. An initiative petition 24 proposing an amendment to the Constitution shall not contain 25 more than one amended article of the Constitution, or one new 26 article which shall not contain more than one subject and 27 matters properly related. An initiative petition proposing 28 an amendment to the Constitution shall include the resolving 29 clause “Be it resolved by the people of the state of Iowa:”. 30 An initiative petition proposing a law shall be signed by a 31 number of qualified electors in each of at least three-fourths 32 of the congressional districts in the state equal to five 33 percent of the total votes cast in the district for governor at 34 the general election immediately preceding the filing of the 35 -1- HJR 7.808 (2) 91 sb/js 1/ 3 #1.
petition in which votes were cast for the office of governor. 1 The petition shall be submitted to the secretary of state not 2 less than six months before the next general election. An 3 initiative petition proposing a law shall not contain more than 4 one subject which shall be clearly expressed in the title. An 5 initiative petition proposing a law shall include the enacting 6 clause “Be it enacted by the people of the state of Iowa:”. 7 Sec. 3. Appropriations by initiative —— effective date of 8 initiated laws —— conflicting laws concurrently adopted. An 9 initiative shall not appropriate any moneys other than new 10 revenues created and provided for in the initiative. Except as 11 otherwise provided in this Constitution, a law or amendment to 12 the Constitution proposed by an initiative takes effect when 13 approved by a majority of the votes cast thereon, unless a 14 later date is specified in the initiative. When conflicting 15 laws or amendments to the Constitution are approved at the same 16 election, the law or amendment to the Constitution receiving 17 the largest affirmative vote shall prevail. 18 Sec. 4. Referendum —— exceptions —— procedure. A referendum 19 to approve a bill passed by the general assembly, other than 20 laws necessary for the immediate preservation of the public 21 peace, health, or safety and laws making appropriations for the 22 current expenses of the state government, for the maintenance 23 of state institutions, or for the support of public schools, 24 may be ordered by a petition signed by a number of qualified 25 electors in each of at least three-fourths of the congressional 26 districts in the state equal to five percent of the total votes 27 cast in the district for governor at the general election 28 immediately preceding the filing of the petition in which votes 29 were cast for the office of governor. Referendum petitions 30 shall be filed with the secretary of state not more than 31 ninety days after the final adjournment of the session of the 32 general assembly in which the bill that is the subject of the 33 referendum was passed. A referendum shall be presented to the 34 people at the general election next held after the submission 35 -2- HJR 7.808 (2) 91 sb/js 2/ 3
of the petition to the secretary of state. 1 A bill referred to the people is not subject to approval or 2 veto by the governor and the approval or veto of a bill later 3 referred to the people shall be void. A bill referred to the 4 people shall take effect upon the approval of the referendum 5 by a majority of qualified electors who cast votes thereon, 6 regardless of any effective date stated in the bill. > 7 2. Title page, line 1, by striking < an amendment > and 8 inserting < amendments > 9 3. Title page, line 2, by striking < that > and inserting 10 < rights to > 11 4. Title page, line 3, by striking < have a > and inserting 12 < , including the > 13 5. Title page, line 3, after < wildlife > by inserting < , 14 to bring forth citizen initiatives to amend the Constitution 15 of the State of Iowa and the Iowa Code, and to initiate 16 referendums to approve certain bills passed by the general 17 assembly > 18 6. By renumbering as necessary. 19 ______________________________ GJERDE of Linn -3- HJR 7.808 (2) 91 sb/js 3/ 3 #2. #3. #4. #5. #6.