Civil Government of Nebraska by True

DIVISION V.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
   The constitution is not intended to be unalterable. As the state grows in wealth and population, the new industries, enlarged business enterprises and additional population may demand new machinery of government or an alteration of the old machinery. Time and experience may also show defects in the frame of the constitution, so serious as to demand remedies. For these reasons, the constitution itself provides that it may be amended. This may be done in one of two ways.

   In Detail. Either house of the legislature may, by joint resolution, propose an amendment to any part of the constitution. To this resolution, three-fifths of all the members elected to each house must agree. The amendment proposed is published in some paper in each county of the state during three months immediately preceding the next general election for members of the legislature. At that election, the voters may vote for that amendment, or against it. If a majority of all the voters who voted at that election voted for the amendment it is adopted, and becomes at once a part of the constitution. If a voter, who votes at that election does not vote for the amendment nor against it, his vote is counted against it. It is not thought to be best to make a change in the organic law unless a majority of the voters desire that change. If a voter does not vote for the amendment, when he has the opportunity, that is pretty good evidence that he does not desire it.

   By Convention. The amendment of the constitution, by the method described above, may be best when
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CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.

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the amendments are few, or unimportant, but when they are many or important, the process of amendment by convention is best. The legislature, in the ordinary manner of passing a law, by three-fifths of all the members elected to each house, passes a law for a vote of the people upon a proposition to call a convention for a revision of the constitution. This vote is taken at the next general election for choosing members of the legislature. If a majority of the votes cast are for the convention, the legislature may then pass a law calling the convention. The number of its members must be the same as the number of members of the house of representatives. The act states the districts from which the members of the convention shall be elected, the time when they shall meet, and their pay. This convention may propose a few, or many, amendments, or it may make an entirely new constitution. The amendments, or the new constitution, must be submitted to a vote of the people, and will be adopted if more votes are cast for it than against it.

QUESTIONS.
   1. Why may amendments be needed to the constitution?
   2. How many methods are there of amendment?
   3. What is the first? and describe it.
   4. What is the second? and describe it.