The right of the people to a clean, safe, and healthy natural environment and to its preservation (first consideration).
If ratified, SJR37 would require that any restrictions on these environmental rights undergo strict scrutiny review by the courts. This means that any limitations imposed would need to demonstrate a compelling state interest and be narrowly tailored, having no reasonable less restrictive alternatives. As such, this amendment could significantly influence state environmental regulations, reinforcing protections for air and water quality and potentially impacting industries and activities that could harm the environment.
SJR37 is a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at establishing the right of the people of Wisconsin to a clean, safe, and healthy natural environment. This includes the right to clean water, clean air, healthy soils, self-sustaining ecosystems, and a stable climate. The amendment is designed to ensure that these rights are protected equitably for all communities across the state and asserts that the right to such an environment shall never be infringed. SJR37 also designates the state as a trustee responsible for safeguarding Wisconsin's natural resources for the present and future generations.
Contention regarding SJR37 may arise from various stakeholders, including businesses that might view the strict scrutiny standard as an impediment to economic activities, such as construction or manufacturing. Advocates for environmental protection, on the other hand, support the measure for its intention to elevate the importance of environmental quality in state legislation. The requirement for adoption by two successive legislatures along with popular ratification underscores the significance and contentiousness of the amendment, indicating a broad societal debate over environmental rights versus economic development.