Oklahoma 2025 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SJR5 Latest Draft

Bill / Introduced Version Filed 01/12/2025

                             
 
 
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STATE OF OKLAHOMA 
 
1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025) 
 
SENATE JOINT 
RESOLUTION 5 	By: Bergstrom 
 
 
 
 
AS INTRODUCED 
 
A Joint Resolution directing the Secretary of State 
to refer to the people for their approval or 
rejection a proposed amendme nt to Section 3 of 
Article V and Section 1 of Article XXIV of the 
Oklahoma Constitution; increasing percentage of vote 
required to pass certain measures; providing ballot 
title; and directing filing . 
 
 
 
 
 
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
1ST SESSION OF THE 60TH OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE: 
SECTION 1.  The Secretary of State shall refer to the people for 
their approval or rejection, as and in the manner provided by law, 
the following proposed amendment to Section 3 of Article V of the 
Oklahoma Constitution to read as follows: 
Section 3.  Referendum petitions shall be filed with the 
Secretary of State not more than ninety (90) days after the final 
adjournment of the session of the Legislature which passed th e bill 
on which the referendum is demanded.  The veto power of the Governor 
shall not extend to measures voted on by the people.  All elections 
on measures referred to the people of the state shall be had at the   
 
 
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next election held throughout the state, exc ept when the Legislature 
or the Governor shall order a special election for the express 
purpose of making such reference.  Any measure referred to the 
people by the initiative or referendum shall take effect and be in 
force when it shall have been approved by a majority not less than 
sixty percent (60%) of the votes cast thereon and not other wise. 
The style of all bills shall be:  “Be it Enacted By the People 
of the State of Oklahoma. ” 
Petitions and orders for the initiative and for the referendum 
shall be filed with the Secretary of State and addressed to the 
Governor of the state, who shall submit the same to the people.  The 
Legislature shall make suitable provisions for carrying into effect 
the provisions of this article. 
SECTION 2.  The Secretary of State shall refer to the people for 
their approval or rejection, as and in the manner provided by law, 
the following proposed amendment to Section 1 of Article XXIV of the 
Oklahoma Constitution to read as follows: 
Section 1.  Any amendment or amendments to this Constitution may 
be proposed in either branch of the Legislature, and if the same 
shall be agreed to by a majority of all the members elected to each 
of the two (2) houses, such proposed amendment or amendments shall, 
with the yeas and nays thereon, be entered in their journals and 
referred by the Secretary of State to the people for their approval 
or rejection, at the next regular general election, except when the   
 
 
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Legislature, by a two -thirds (2/3) vote of each house, shall order a 
special election for that purpose.  If a majority not less than 
sixty percent (60%) of all the electors voting on any proposed 
amendment at such election shall vote in favor thereof, it shall 
thereby become a part of this Constitution. 
No proposal for the amend ment or alteration of this Constitution 
which is submitted to the voters shall embrace m ore than one general 
subject and the voters shall vote separately for or against each 
proposal submitted; provided, however, that in the submission of 
proposals for the amendment of this Constitution by articles, which 
embrace one general subject, each proposed article shall be deemed a 
single proposal or proposition. 
SECTION 3.  The Ballot Title for the proposed Constitutional 
amendment as set forth in S ECTIONS 1 and 2 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 Section 3 of Article 5 of the Oklahoma 
Constitution. It would increase the vote required to pass an 
initiative or referendum petition from a simple majority to a 
60% vote of the electors voting on the petition.  This measure 
would also amend Section 1 of Article 24 of the Oklahoma 
Constitution.  It would i ncrease the vote required to pass a   
 
 
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constitutional amendment proposed by the Legislature from a 
simple majority to a 60% vote of the electors voting on the 
amendment. 
SHALL THE PROPOSAL BE APPROVED? 
FOR THE PROPOSAL — YES _____________ 
AGAINST THE PROPOSAL — NO  _____________ 
SECTION 4.  The President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall, 
immediately after the passage of this resolution, prepare and file 
one copy thereof, including the Ballot Title set forth in SECTION 3 
hereof, with the Secretar y of State and one copy with the Attorney 
General. 
 
60-1-204 TEK 1/12/2025 2:06:30 PM