68th Legislature SB 56.1
1 SENATE BILL NO. 56
2 INTRODUCED BY E. MCCLAFFERTY
3 BY REQUEST OF THE STATE ADMINISTRATION AND VETERAN AFFAIRS INTERIM COMMITTEE
4
5 A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT AN ACT REVISING CERTAIN BALLOT INITIATIVE PETITION
6 FORMS FOR CONSISTENCY WITH DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS SET BY THE MONTANA
7 CONSTITUTION; AMENDING SECTIONS 13-27-204 AND 13-27-207, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN
8 IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE AND AN APPLICABILITY DATE.”
9
10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
11
12 Section 1. Section 13-27-204, MCA, is amended to read:
13 "13-27-204. Petition for initiative. (1) The following, including the language provided for in
14 subsection (2)(b), is substantially the form for a petition calling for a vote to enact a law by initiative:
15 PETITION TO PLACE INITIATIVE NO.____ ON THE ELECTION BALLOT
16 (a) If 5% of the voters in each of one-half of the counties one-third of the legislative representative
17 districts (totaling 34 legislative representative districts) sign this petition and the total number of voters signing
18 this petition is _____, this initiative will appear on the next general election ballot. If a majority of voters vote for
19 this initiative at that election, it will become law.
20 (b) We, the undersigned Montana voters, propose that the secretary of state place the following
21 initiative on the _____________, 20__, general election ballot:
22 (Title of initiative written pursuant to 13-27-312)
23 (Statement of purpose and implication written pursuant to 13-27-312)
24 (Yes and no statements written pursuant to 13-27-312)
25 (c) Voters are urged to read the complete text of the initiative, which appears (on the reverse side
26 of, attached to, etc., as applicable) this sheet. A signature on this petition is only to put the initiative on the ballot
27 and does not necessarily mean the signer agrees with the initiative.
28 (d) Voters are advised that either an interim committee or an administrative committee of the
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68th Legislature SB 56.1
1 legislature in accordance with 5-5-215 or 5-11-105 reviewed the content of this initiative and [did] or [did not]
2 support the placement of the proposed text of this initiative on the ballot. The outcome of the vote was [x] in
3 favor of placing the measure on the ballot and [x] against placing the measure on the ballot.
4 (e)
5 WARNING
6 A person who purposefully signs a name other than the person's own to this petition, who signs more
7 than once for the same issue at one election, or who signs when not a legally registered Montana voter is
8 subject to a $500 fine, 6 months in jail, or both.
9 (f) Each person is required to sign the person's name and list the person's address or telephone
10 number in substantially the same manner as on the person's voter registration form or the signature will not be
11 counted.
12 (2) (a) If the attorney general determines the proposed ballot issue will likely cause significant
13 material harm to one or more business interests in Montana pursuant to 13-27-312(9), the statement in
14 subsection (2)(b) must appear on the front page of the petition form before the information set forth in
15 subsection (1).
16 (b)
17 WARNING
18 The Attorney General of Montana has determined the proposed ballot issue will likely cause significant
19 material harm to one or more business interests in Montana.
20 (3) Numbered lines must follow the heading. Each numbered line must contain spaces for the
21 signature, date, residence address, county of residence, and printed last name and first and middle initials of
22 the signer. In place of a residence address, the signer may provide the signer's post-office address or the
23 signer's home telephone number. An address provided on a petition by the signer that differs from the signer's
24 address as shown on the signer's voter registration form may not be used as the only means to disqualify the
25 signature of that petition signer."
26
27 Section 2. Section 13-27-207, MCA, is amended to read:
28 "13-27-207. Petition for initiative for constitutional amendment. (1) The following is substantially
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68th Legislature SB 56.1
1 the form for a petition for an initiative to amend the constitution:
2 PETITION TO PLACE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NO.____ ON THE ELECTION BALLOT
3 (a) If 10% of the voters in each of one-half of the counties two-fifths of the legislative
4 representative districts (totaling 40 legislative representative districts) sign this petition and the total number of
5 voters signing the petition is _____, this constitutional amendment will appear on the next general election
6 ballot. If a majority of voters vote for this amendment at that election, it will become part of the constitution.
7 (b) We, the undersigned Montana voters, propose that the secretary of state place the following
8 constitutional amendment on the ____________, 20__, general election ballot:
9 (Title of the proposed constitutional amendment written pursuant to 13-27-312)
10 (Statement of purpose and implication written pursuant to 13-27-312)
11 (Yes and no statements written pursuant to 13-27-312)
12 (c) Voters are urged to read the complete text of the constitutional amendment, which appears (on
13 the reverse side of, attached to, etc., as applicable) this sheet. A signature on this petition is only to put the
14 constitutional amendment on the ballot and does not necessarily mean the signer agrees with the amendment.
15 (d)
16 WARNING
17 A person who purposefully signs a name other than the person's own to this petition, who signs more
18 than once for the same issue at one election, or who signs when not a legally registered Montana voter is
19 subject to a $500 fine, 6 months in jail, or both.
20 (e) Each person is required to sign the person's name and list the person's address or telephone
21 number in substantially the same manner as on the person's voter registration form or the signature will not be
22 counted.
23 (2) Numbered lines must follow the heading. Each numbered line must contain spaces for the
24 signature, date, residence address, county of residence, and printed last name and first and middle initials of
25 the signer. In place of a residence address, the signer may provide the signer's post-office address or the
26 signer's home telephone number. An address provided on a petition by the signer that differs from the signer's
27 address as shown on the signer's voter registration form may not be used as the only means to disqualify the
28 signature of that petition signer."
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68th Legislature SB 56.1
1
2 NEW SECTION. Section 3. Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.
3
4 NEW SECTION. Section 4. Applicability. [This act] applies to petitions that are approved as to form
5 as provided in 13-27-202 on or after [the effective date of this act].
6 - END -
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Statutes affected: SB0056_1.pdf: 13-27-204, 13-27-207
SB0056_X.pdf: 13-27-204, 13-27-207
Enrolled: 13-27-204, 13-27-207
Introduced: 13-27-204, 13-27-207