INITIATIVE PETITION

AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION

PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO

ARTICLE IV, ADDING SECTION 55 AS FOLLOWS:

SEC. 55. THE LEGISLATURE SHALL ENACT NO LAW ON OR AFTER MARCH 1, 2000, THAT INTERVENES, OR INCREASES THE SCOPE OF ITS INTERVENTION, IN THE MUNICIPAL CONCERNS, PROPERTY OR GOVERNMENT OF A CITY, VILLAGE, COUNTY, TOWNSHIP OR ANY MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF TWO-THIRDS OF THE MEMBERS ELECTED TO AND SERVING IN EACH HOUSE OF THE LEGISLATURE.IN ADDITION, NO CONDITION IMPOSED UPON RECEIPT OF ANY APPROPRIATION OF UNRESTRICTED AID CONTAINED IN A LAW ENACTED ON OR AFTER MARCH 1, 2000, THAT INTERVENES, OR INCREASES THE SCOPE OF THE LEGISLATURE'S INTERVENTION, IN THE MUNICIPAL CONCERNS, PROPERTY OR GOVERNMENT OF A CITY, VILLAGE, COUNTY, TOWNSHIP OR MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY SHALL BE EFFECTIVE UNLESS THE LAW IMPOSING THE CONDITION IS APPROVED BY TWO-THIRDS OF THE MEMBERS ELECTED TO AND SERVING IN EACH HOUSE OF THE LEGISLATURE.

MUNICIPAL CONCERNS, PROPERTY OR GOVERNMENT OF A CITY, VILLAGE, COUNTY, TOWNSHIP, OR MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY ARE ALL MATTERS OVER WHICH A CITY, VILLAGE, COUNTY, TOWNSHIP, OR MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY COULD EXERCISE ITS POWERS, UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OR LAW EFFECTIVE AS OF MARCH 1, 2000, BY ADOPTION OF APPROPRIATE CHARTER PROVISIONS, ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS OR CONTRACTS, WHETHER EXERCISED OR NOT. A LAW ENACTED ON OR AFTER MARCH 1, 2000, DOES NOT INTERVENE IN THE MUNICIPAL CONCERNS, PROPERTY OR GOVERNMENT OF A CITY, VILLAGE, COUNTY, TOWNSHIP, OR MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY IF THE CITY, VILLAGE, COUNTY, TOWNSHIP, OR MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY HAS THE OPTION TO APPLY THAT SPECIFIC LAW, IN THE MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW.

PROVISIONS OF EXISTING CONSTITUTION ALTERED OR ABROGATED BY SUCHPROPOSAL IF ADOPTED:

ARTICLE IV, SECTION 26

"Section 26. No bill shall be passed or become a law at any regular session of the legislature until it has been printed or reproduced and in the possession of each house for at least five days. Every bill shall be read three times in each house before the final passage thereof. No bill shall become a law without the concurrence of a majority of the members elected to and serving in each house. On the final passage of bills, the votes and names of the members voting thereon shall be entered in the journal."

OFFICIAL BALLOT LANGUAGE

PROPOSAL 00-2

A PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION TO REQUIRE A SUPER MAJORITY VOTE (2/3 VOTE) OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO ENACT CERTAIN LAWS AFFECTING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

The proposed constitutional amendment would:

1.) Require a super majority vote (2/3 vote) of the State Legislature to enact any law which addresses a matter which a county, city, township, village or municipal authority could otherwise address under its governing powers or which places a condition on unrestricted aid extended local governments by the State. (Currently, a simple majority vote of legislature is required to enact such laws.)

2.) Retroactively apply the super majority vote requirement to any such law enacted on or after March 1, 2000.

3.) Exempt from the super majority vote requirement any such law which can be applied at the option of local governments.

Should this proposal be adopted?

Yes
No