S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  6321

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                             March 20, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced by M. of A. THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee
  on Judiciary

            CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY

proposing an amendment to the constitution, in relation to providing the
  electors with the power of initiative and referendum

  Section  1.  Resolved  (if  the Senate concur), That article 20 of the
constitution be renumbered article 21 and a new article 20 be  added  to
read as follows:
                               ARTICLE XX
                        INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM
  SECTION  1. THE LEGISLATIVE POWER OF THIS STATE SHALL BE VESTED IN THE
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, BUT THE PEOPLE RESERVE TO THEMSELVES THE  POWER  TO
PROPOSE  LAWS AND AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION, AND TO ADOPT OR REJECT
THE SAME, AT THE POLLS, INDEPENDENT OF THE LEGISLATURE, AND ALSO RESERVE
THE POWER, AT THEIR OWN OPTION, TO  SO  ADOPT  OR  REJECT  ANY  ACT,  OR
SECTION OR PART OF ANY ACT, PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE.
  S  2.  A. THE INITIATIVE IS THE POWER OF THE ELECTORS TO PROPOSE STAT-
UTES AND AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION AND TO  ADOPT  OR  REJECT  THEM.
EVERY  INITIATIVE STATUTE WHICH MANDATES THE EXPENDITURE OF MONIES SHALL
CLEARLY STATE THE REVENUES FROM WHICH  SUCH  MONIES  SHALL  BE  DERIVED.
EVERY  INITIATIVE  STATUTE  WHICH  MANDATES  A  REDUCTION IN REVENUES OR
EXPENDITURES SHALL  CLEARLY  STATE  WHAT  REVENUES  WILL  REPLACE  THOSE
REDUCED OR THE EXPENDITURES AND SERVICES TO BE REDUCED OR ELIMINATED.
  B.  AN  INITIATIVE MEASURE MAY BE PROPOSED BY PRESENTING TO THE SECRE-
TARY OF STATE A PETITION THAT SETS FORTH THE TEXT OF THE PROPOSED  STAT-
UTE  OR  AMENDMENT  TO  THE  CONSTITUTION  AND IS CERTIFIED TO HAVE BEEN
SIGNED BY ELECTORS EQUAL IN NUMBER TO FIVE PERCENT  IN  THE  CASE  OF  A
STATUTE,  AND EIGHT PERCENT IN THE CASE OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITU-
TION, OF THE VOTES FOR ALL CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR AT THE LAST  GUBERNA-
TORIAL ELECTION.
  C.  THE  SECRETARY  OF STATE SHALL THEN SUBMIT THE MEASURE AT THE NEXT
GENERAL ELECTION HELD AT LEAST ONE  HUNDRED  THIRTY-ONE  DAYS  AFTER  IT

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

A                                                          LBD89080-02-5

A. 6321                             2

QUALIFIES OR AT ANY SPECIAL STATEWIDE ELECTION HELD PRIOR TO THAT GENER-
AL  ELECTION. THE GOVERNOR MAY CALL A SPECIAL STATEWIDE ELECTION FOR THE
MEASURE.
  D.  AN  INITIATIVE  MEASURE EMBRACING MORE THAN ONE SUBJECT MAY NOT BE
SUBMITTED TO THE ELECTORS OR HAVE ANY EFFECT EXCEPT THAT ANY  NUMBER  OF
DISCRETE  INITIATIVE  MEASURES  MAY  BE SUBMITTED TO THE ELECTORS AT ANY
GENERAL ELECTION OR ANY SPECIAL STATEWIDE ELECTION CALLED BY THE  GOVER-
NOR.
  S  3. A. AN INITIATIVE OR REFERENDUM MEASURE APPROVED BY A MAJORITY OF
THE VOTES THEREON TAKES EFFECT FIVE DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF THE  OFFICIAL
DECLARATION OF THE VOTE BY THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS UNLESS THE MEAS-
URE PROVIDES OTHERWISE. IF A REFERENDUM PETITION IS FILED AGAINST A PART
OF  A  STATUTE  THE  REMAINDER  OF THE STATUTE SHALL NOT BE DELAYED FROM
GOING INTO EFFECT.
  B. IF PROVISIONS OF TWO OR MORE MEASURES APPROVED AT THE SAME ELECTION
CONFLICT, THOSE OF THE MEASURE RECEIVING THE  HIGHEST  AFFIRMATIVE  VOTE
SHALL PREVAIL.
  C.  ANY  ISSUE  DEFEATED  BY  REFERENDUM CANNOT BE RECONSIDERED BY THE
LEGISLATURE FOR A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS. ANY INITIATIVE MEASURE  THAT  HAS
BEEN  ADOPTED  CANNOT  BE  REPEALED  OR AMENDED BY THE LEGISLATURE FOR A
PERIOD OF TWO YEARS.
  D. THE VETO POWER OF THE GOVERNOR SHALL NOT EXTEND TO AN INITIATIVE OR
REFERENDUM STATUTE APPROVED BY THE ELECTORS.
  E. PRIOR TO CIRCULATION OF AN INITIATIVE OR  REFERENDUM  PETITION  FOR
SIGNATURES,  A COPY SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WHO SHALL
PREPARE A TITLE AND SUMMARY OF THE MEASURE AS PROVIDED BY LAW.
  F. THE LEGISLATURE SHALL PROVIDE THE MANNER IN WHICH  PETITIONS  SHALL
BE  CIRCULATED,  PRESENTED  AND CERTIFIED, AND MEASURES SUBMITTED TO THE
ELECTORS WITHIN A TWO YEAR PASSAGE OF THIS AMENDMENT  TO  THE  CONSTITU-
TION.
  S 4. INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM POWERS MAY BE EXERCISED BY THE ELECTORS
OF  EACH  MUNICIPALITY  UNDER  PROCEDURES  THAT  THE  LEGISLATURE  SHALL
PROVIDE.
  S 5. NO AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION, AND NO STATUTE PROPOSED TO  THE
ELECTORS BY THE LEGISLATURE OR BY INITIATIVE, WHICH NAMES ANY INDIVIDUAL
TO  HOLD  ANY  OFFICE, OR NAMES OR IDENTIFIES ANY PRIVATE CORPORATION TO
PERFORM ANY FUNCTION OR TO HAVE ANY POWER OR DUTY OR ATTEMPTS TO ABOLISH
AN EXISTING STATE AGENCY, MAY BE SUBMITTED TO THE ELECTORS OR  HAVE  ANY
EFFECT.
  S  6.  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  OTHER PROVISION OF THIS ARTICLE, UPON ALL
INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM PETITIONS PROVIDED FOR  IN  THIS  ARTICLE,  IT
SHALL BE ADDITIONALLY NECESSARY TO FILE FROM EACH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
OF  THE STATE SUCH PETITIONS BEARING THE SIGNATURES OF NOT LESS THAN TWO
THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED OF THE ELECTORS OF SUCH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
  S 2. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That the foregoing amendment  be
referred  to  the  first regular legislative session convening after the
next succeeding general election of members of  the  assembly,  and,  in
conformity  with  section  1  of  article  19  of  the  constitution, be
published for 3 months previous to the time of such election.