SPONSOR:

Rep. Valihura & Sen. McBride

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

141st GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 65

AN ACT PROPOSING THE AMENDMENT OF ARTICLE II OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE OF 1897, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND PROVIDING FOR THE EXERCISE OF LEGISLATIVE POWER BY THE PEOPLE OF DELAWARE THROUGH INITIATIVES AND REFERENDA.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE (Two-thirds of all members elected to each house thereof concurring therein):

Section 1. Amend Article II of the Constitution of the State of Delaware by striking § 1 thereof in its entirety, and by substituting in lieu thereof the following:

"§1. Legislative Authority; initiative and referendum

Section 1. The legislative power of this State shall be vested in a General Assembly, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives, and in the people. The people may exercise legislative power by initiative and referendum pursuant to, and to the extent provided by, the laws that the General Assembly may from time to time enact governing the submission of an initiative or referendum to the vote of the qualified voters of the State.".

SYNOPSIS

This Act is the first leg of a constitutional amendment to provide for legislative enactment through initiative or referendum by the qualified voters of the State of Delaware. If enacted, this Act provides the people of Delaware with the right to exercise legislative power through initiative and referendum according to the laws enacted by the General Assembly governing the submission of an initiative or referendum to the vote of the qualified voters of the State.