Sectional Analysis for HJR 6

Proposing amendments to the Constitution of the State of Alaska authorizing the use of the initiative to amend the Constitution of the State of Alaska.

Section 1 adds language to the Initiative and Referendum section of the constitution to allow for initiated constitutional changes.

Section 2 adds necessary language to the section of the constitution lays out how an initiative application is made, and includes a technical change to make a reference to the Lt. Governor gender neutral.

Section 3 adds necessary language to the section of the constitution that directs the Lt. Governor to place initiated changes on the statewide election ballot.

Section 4 describes how the Lt. Governor certifies the vote and disposition of an initiated law or constitutional change. If a majority of the votes cast is in favor of the initiative, a constitutional change becomes effective 30 days after certification of the election. A statute change would be effective after 90 days. Subsection (d) includes a technical change to clarify the use of the referendum.

Section 5 amends that portion of the constitution that currently limits amendment of the constitution to those proposed by the Legislature.

Section 6 directs that the proposed amendment be placed before the voters in the next general election in conformity with that section of the constitution that governs how the constitution may be amended. Article XIII, sec. 1 requires that the proposed amendment pass the legislature by a 2/3 vote of each house and be approved by more than half the voters in the election. When passed, the amendment takes effect 30 days after certification of the election by the Lt. Governor.