Session of 2019
Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 1608
By Committee on Federal and State Affairs
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1 A PROPOSITION to amend sections 5, 6 and 9 of article 1 of the
2 constitution of the state of Kansas, relating to the update of the
3 language in the executive article.
4
5 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the State of Kansas, two-thirds of
6 the members elected (or appointed) and qualified to the Senate and two-
7 thirds of the members elected (or appointed) and qualified to the House
8 of Representatives concurring therein:
9 Section 1. The following proposition to amend the constitution of
10 the state of Kansas shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the state
11 for their approval or rejection: Sections 5, 6 and 9 of article 1 of the
12 constitution of the state of Kansas is hereby amended to read as follows:
13 "§ 5. Governor's duties for legislature; messages; special
14 sessions; adjournment. The governor may, on extraordinary
15 occasions, call the legislature into special session by proclamation;
16 and shall call the legislature into special session, upon petition
17 signed by at least two-thirds 2/3 of the members elected to each
18 house. At every session of the legislature the governor shall
19 communicate in writing information in reference to the condition
20 of the state, and recommend such measures as he the governor
21 deems expedient. In case of disagreement between the two houses
22 in respect of the time of adjournment, the governor may adjourn
23 the legislature to such time as he the governor deems proper, not
24 beyond its next regular session."
25 "§ 6. Reorganization of state agencies of executive branch.
26 (a) For the purpose of transferring, abolishing, consolidating or
27 coordinating the whole or any part of any state agency, or the
28 functions thereof, within the executive branch of state government,
29 when the governor considers the same necessary for efficient
30 administration, he the governor may issue one or more executive
31 reorganization orders, each bearing an identifying number, and
32 transmit the same to the legislature within the first thirty 30
33 calendar days of any regular session. Agencies and functions of the
34 legislative and judicial branches, and constitutionally delegated
35 functions of state officers and state boards shall be exempt from
36 executive reorganization orders.
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1 (b) The governor shall transmit each executive reorganization
2 order to both houses of the legislature on the same day, and each
3 such order shall be accompanied by a governor's message, which
4 shall specify with respect to each abolition of a function included
5 in the order, the statutory authority for the exercise of the function.
6 Every executive reorganization order shall provide for the transfer
7 or other disposition of the records, property and personnel affected
8 by the order. Every executive reorganization order shall provide for
9 all necessary transfers of unexpended balances of appropriations of
10 agencies affected by such order, and such changes in responsibility
11 for and handling of special funds as may be necessary to
12 accomplish the purpose of such order. Transferred balances of
13 appropriations may be used only for the purposes for which the
14 appropriation was originally made.
15 (c) Each executive reorganization order transmitted to the
16 legislature as provided in this section shall take effect and have the
17 force of general law on the July 1 following its transmittal to the
18 legislature, unless within sixty 60 calendar days and before the
19 adjournment of the legislative session either the senate or the house
20 of representatives adopts by a majority vote of the members elected
21 thereto a resolution disapproving such executive reorganization
22 order. Under the provisions of an executive reorganization order a
23 portion of the order may be effective at a time later than the date on
24 which the order is otherwise effective.
25 (d) An executive reorganization order which that is effective
26 shall be published as and with the acts of the legislature and the
27 statutes of the state. Any executive reorganization order which that
28 is or is to become effective may be amended or repealed as statutes
29 of the state are amended or repealed."
30 "§ 9. State seal and commissions. There shall be a seal of the
31 state, which shall be kept by the governor, and used by him the
32 governor officially, and which shall be the great seal of Kansas. All
33 commissions shall be issued in the name of the state of Kansas; and
34 shall be signed by the governor, countersigned by the secretary of
35 state, and sealed with the great seal."
36 Sec. 2. The following statement shall be printed on the ballot with
37 the amendment as a whole:
38 "Explanatory statement. This amendment would update
39 language in article 1 of the constitution of the state of
40 Kansas, the executive article, by deleting all masculine
41 pronouns from the article.
42 "A vote for this proposition would eliminate all masculine
43 pronouns from article 1 of the constitution of the state of
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1 Kansas.
2 "A vote against this proposition favors retaining current
3 constitutional provisions, which contain masculine pronouns
4 in article 1 of the constitution of the state of Kansas."
5 Sec. 3. This resolution, if approved by two-thirds of the members
6 elected (or appointed) and qualified to the Senate, and two-thirds of the
7 members elected (or appointed) and qualified to the House of
8 Representatives shall be entered on the journals, together with the yeas
9 and nays. The secretary of state shall cause this resolution to be published
10 as provided by law and shall cause the proposed amendment to be
11 submitted to the electors of the state at the general election in November
12 in the year 2020, unless a special election is called at a sooner date by
13 concurrent resolution of the legislature, in which case it shall be
14 submitted to the electors of the state at the special election.