HJR1048 HFLR Page 1 BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - FLOOR VERSION STATE OF OKLAHOMA 2nd Session of the 59th Legislature (2024) COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 1048 By: Roberts and Hill of the House and Daniels and Jett of the Senate COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE A Joint Resolution directing the Secretary of State to refer to the people for their approval or rejection a proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of Oklahoma by adding a new Section 4b to Article III; imposing requirements with respect to elections; requiring votes to have certain characteristics; prohibiting v otes from having other characteristics; requiring certain measures to be limited in content; auth orizing enabling legislation; providing ballot title; and directing fi ling. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE SENATE OF THE 2ND SESSION OF THE 59TH OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE: SECTION 1. The Secretary of State shall refer to the peopl e for their approval or rejection, as and in the manner provided by law, the following proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of HJR1048 HFLR Page 2 BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Oklahoma by adding a new Section 4b to Article III thereof, to read as follows: A. In all elections held by the State Election Board, a county election board, or a municipality, the following shall be required: 1. A candidate who receives the most votes at an election shall be certified the winner of that election in the manner prescribed by the Legislature; 2. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the Legislature to enact a mandatory prima ry system as provided in Section 3 of Article III of this Constitution. B. All elections held by the State Election Board, a county election board, or a municipality shall be conducted in the following manner: 1. A voter shall vote for only one candidate for the same office; 2. A vote for one candidate shall not be reallocated to another candidate for the same office; and 3. One voter's vote for a candidate for an office shall hold the same weight as other voters' votes for a candidate for the same office. C. 1. This section shall remain in effect unless and until it is repealed by a vote of the people by initiative or referendum as provided in this Constitution. HJR1048 HFLR Page 3 BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2. An initiative or referendum to repeal this section shall contain no subject other than the repeal of this section. D. The Legislature shall have the authority to implement this section with appropriate legislation. SECTION 2. The Ballot Title for the proposed Constitutional amendment as set forth in SECTION 1 of this resolution shall be in the following form: BALLOT TITLE Legislative Referendum No. ____ State Question No. ____ THE GIST OF THE PROPOSITION IS AS FOLLOWS : This measure would amend the Oklahoma Constitut ion. It would add a new Section 4A to Article 3. If the measure passes, elections would have to be conducted in a specific manner. Elections could only provide for a person to win the election for an office if that person received the highest number of votes cast for the particular office. Nothing about this measure would amend or modify o r limit the ability of the Legislature to provide for a system of primary elections. It would require a voter to ca st only one vote for a person with respect to any public office. Each vote cas t would be required to have the exact same weight as any other vote cast for the office. The provisions of this section would remain the law unless, pursuant to an amendment , to the Constitution by means of an initiative petition or a measure referred to a vote of the HJR1048 HFLR Page 4 BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 people by the Legislat ure. An initiative petition or a referendum measure could only contain a provision to repeal this section and could not contain an amendment t o this section. The Legislature would have the ability to enact laws in order to implement the provisions of t his section. SHALL THE PROPOSAL BE APPROVED? FOR THE PROPOSAL — YES _____________ AGAINST THE PROPOSAL — NO _____________ SECTION 3. The Chief Clerk of the House of Representat ives, immediately after the passage of this resolution, shall pr epare and file one copy thereof, including the Ballot Title set forth in SECTION 2 hereof, with the Secretary of State and one copy with the Attorney General. COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE O N RULES, dated 02/28/2024 - DO PASS, As Amended and Coauthored.