RESULT OF "YES" VOTE: "Yes" vote increases number of signatures required to place initiative to amend constitution on ballot.
RESULT OF "NO" VOTE: "No" vote rejects increasing signatures required to place initiative to amend constitution on ballot.
SUMMARY: Amends constitution. Currently, initiative to amend Oregon Constitution can be placed on the ballot by a petition signed by a number of qualified voters equal to 8 percent of the total number of votes cast for all candidates at last election for Governor. Measure increases number of signatures required to place initiative to amend constitution on ballot to 12 percent of total number of votes cast for all candidates at last election for Governor. Applies to initiative submitted for vote after November 2000 election.
ESTIMATE OF FINANCIAL IMPACT: No financial effect on state government expenditures or revenues.
Counties are estimated to incur an additional $4,300, statewide, once every two years in additional signature verification costs.
PARAGRAPH 1. The Constitution of the State
of Oregon is amended by creating a new section 1d to be added to and made a part
of Article IV, and by amending section 1, Article IV, such sections to read:
Sec. 1. (1) The legislative power of the state,
except for the initiative and referendum powers reserved to the people, is
vested in a Legislative Assembly, consisting of a Senate and a House of
Representatives.
(2)(a) The people reserve to themselves
the initiative power, which is to propose laws and amendments to the
Constitution and enact or reject them at an election independently of the
Legislative Assembly.
(b) An initiative law may be
proposed only by a petition signed by a number of qualified voters equal to six
percent of the total number of votes cast for all candidates for Governor at the
election at which a Governor was elected for a term of four years next preceding
the filing of the petition.
(c) An initiative amendment
to the Constitution may be proposed only by a petition signed by a number of
qualified voters equal to [eight] 12 percent of the total number
of votes cast for all candidates for Governor at the election at which a
Governor was elected for a term of four years next preceding the filing of the
petition.
(d) An initiative petition shall include the
full text of the proposed law or amendment to the Constitution. A proposed law
or amendment to the Constitution shall embrace one subject only and matters
properly connected therewith.
(e) An initiative petition
shall be filed not less than four months before the election at which the
proposed law or amendment to the Constitution is to be voted upon.
(3)(a) The people reserve to themselves the referendum
power, which is to approve or reject at an election any Act, or part thereof, of
the Legislative Assembly that does not become effective earlier than 90 days
after the end of the session at which the Act is passed.
(b) A referendum on an Act or part thereof may be ordered by a petition signed
by a number of qualified voters equal to four percent of the total number of
votes cast for all candidates for Governor at the election at which a Governor
was elected for a term of four years next preceding the filing of the petition.
A referendum petition shall be filed not more than 90 days after the end of the
session at which the Act is passed.
(c) A referendum on
an Act may be ordered by the Legislative Assembly by law. Notwithstanding
section 15b, Article V of this Constitution, bills ordering a referendum and
bills on which a referendum is ordered are not subject to veto by the Governor.
(4)(a) Petitions or orders for the initiative or
referendum shall be filed with the Secretary of State. The Legislative Assembly
shall provide by law for the manner in which the Secretary of State shall
determine whether a petition contains the required number of signatures of
qualified voters. The Secretary of State shall complete the verification process
within the 15-day period after the last day on which the petition may be filed
as provided in paragraph (e) of subsection (2) or paragraph (b) of subsection
(3) of this section.
(b) Initiative and referendum
measures shall be submitted to the people as provided in this section and by law
not inconsistent therewith.
(c) All elections on
initiative and referendum measures shall be held at the regular general
elections, unless otherwise ordered by the Legislative Assembly.
(d) Notwithstanding section 1, Article XVII of this
Constitution, an initiative or referendum measure becomes effective 30 days
after the day on which it is enacted or approved by a majority of the votes cast
thereon. A referendum ordered by petition on a part of an Act does not delay the
remainder of the Act from becoming effective.
(5) The
initiative and referendum powers reserved to the people by subsections (2) and
(3) of this section are further reserved to the qualified voters of each
municipality and district as to all local, special and municipal legislation of
every character in or for their municipality or district. The manner of
exercising those powers shall be provided by general laws, but cities may
provide the manner of exercising those powers as to their municipal legislation.
In a city, not more than 15 percent of the qualified voters may be required to
propose legislation by the initiative, and not more than 10 percent of the
qualified voters may be required to order a referendum on legislation.
(6) Making Signature Gatherers Be Registered Oregon
Voters. A person gathering signatures on an initiative or referendum petition
shall be registered to vote in this state in the manner provided by law.
SECTION 1d. (1) The amendment to section 1 of this
Article by House Joint Resolution 21 (1999) does not apply to any initiative
petition that, if filed with the Secretary of State with the required number of
signatures of qualified voters, will be submitted to the people at the general
election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2000.
(2) The amendment to section 1 of this Article by
House Joint Resolution 21 (1999) does apply to any initiative petition that, if
filed with the Secretary of State with the required number of signatures of
qualified voters, will be submitted to the people at a general election
occurring after the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2000,
regardless of when the prospective petition for the initiative petition is
filed.
(3) This section is repealed December 31,
2002.
PARAGRAPH 2. The amendment proposed by this resolution shall be submitted to the people for their approval or rejection at a special election held throughout this state on the same date as the next biennial primary election.
NOTE: Boldfaced type indicates new language; [brackets and italic] type indicates deletions or comments.