UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1365
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AN ACT proposing an amendment to Section 29 of the Constitution of Kentucky 1
relating to citizen ballot initiatives. 2
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 3
Section 1. Are you in favor of amending the Constitution of Kentucky to 4
establish that citizens of this state can propose changes to the law through ballot 5
initiatives, provided the changes presented do not target a particular class of individuals, 6
as stated below? 7
Section 2. It is proposed that Section 29 of the Constitution of Kentucky be 8
amended to read as follows: 9
(1) The legislative power shall be vested in a House of Representatives and a 10
Senate, which, together, shall be styled the "General Assembly of the Commonwealth of 11
Kentucky[.]"; but the people reserve to themselves the initiative power to propose laws 12
and to enact or reject the same at the polls independent of the General Assembly. 13
(2) The initiative power of the people may be invoked by petition that contains 14
the proposed measure set forth at length and signatures of at least two percent of the 15
population of this state as established by the most recent decennial census of the 16
United States. Initiative petitions shall contain only one subject, and cannot target a 17
particular class of individuals. 18
(3) The initiative petition shall be filed with the Secretary of State, and the 19
Secretary of State shall submit the measure to the voters of the State at the next regular 20
election. 21
(4) Any measure submitted by initiative to the voters shall become law when 22
approved by a majority of the voters at the regular election. 23
(5) If conflicting measures are approved by a majority of the votes severally cast 24
for and against the measures at the same election, the measure receiving the highest 25
number of affirmative votes shall become law. 26
(6) The veto power of the Governor shall not extend to measures reserved to the 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1365
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people under this section. 1
(7) The General Assembly may provide by general law procedures to facilitate 2
and safeguard the initiative power of the people, but not to hamper, restrict, or impair 3
this power. 4
Section 3. This amendment shall be submitted to the voters of the 5
Commonwealth for their ratification or rejection at the time and in the manner provided 6
for under Sections 256 and 257 of the Constitution, KRS 118.415, and Sections 4 and 5 7
of this Act. 8
Section 4. Notwithstanding any provision of KRS 118.415 to the contrary, the 9
Secretary of State shall cause the entirety of the question in Section 1 of this Act and the 10
entirety of the proposed amendment to the Constitution of Kentucky contained in Section 11
2 of this Act to be published at least one time in a newspaper of general circulation 12
published in this state, and shall also cause to be published at the same time and in the 13
same manner the fact that the amendment will be submitted to the voters for their 14
acceptance or rejection at the next regular election at which members of the General 15
Assembly are to be voted for. The publication required by this section and KRS 118.415 16
shall be made no later than the first Tuesday in August preceding the election at which 17
the amendment is to be voted on. 18
Section 5. Notwithstanding any provision of KRS 118.415 to the contrary, the 19
Secretary of State, not later than the second Monday after the second Tuesday in August 20
preceding the next regular election at which members of the General Assembly are to be 21
chosen in a year in which there is not an election for President and Vice President of the 22
United States, or not later than the Thursday after the first Tuesday in September 23
preceding a regular election in a year in which there is an election for President and Vice 24
President of the United States, shall certify the entirety of the question in Section 1 of this 25
Act and the entirety of the proposed amendment to the Constitution of Kentucky 26
contained in Section 2 of this Act to the county clerk of each county, and the county clerk 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1365
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shall have the entirety of the question and the amendment, as so certified, indicated on 1
the ballots provided to the voters in paper or electronic form as applicable to the voting 2
machines in use in each county or precinct. 3