IA 111th CONGRESS 2d Session H. J. RES. 69 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 21, 2010 Mr. Hoekstra introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary JOINT RESOLUTION Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to give citizens of the United States the right to enact and repeal laws by voting on legislation in a national election.

That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years after the date of its submission for ratification:  —

1.The people shall have the right to enact any law which the Congress has authority to pass, and to repeal any provision of law passed by Congress which has become law, except that the people shall not have the right to declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, make rules concerning captures on land and water, or call forth the militia.

2.A petition proposing the enactment of a law, or the repeal of a provision of law, shall be submitted to an officer of the Government of the United States whom the Congress shall designate by law. Each petition shall contain the text of the proposed law, or, in the case of a proposed repeal of a provision of law, the text of the provision of law that shall cease to be effective if repealed under this article. Each petition shall be signed by at least 3 percent of the whole number of people, in each of at least 10 States, who voted in the most recent election for President, or for electors for President, occurring before the date on which the petition is submitted to the officer designated by Congress, and the total number of signatures on such petition shall be at least 3 percent of the whole number of people, from all of the several States, who voted in such election. All such signatures shall be collected within the 18-month period ending on the date the petition is submitted to the officer designated by the Congress. Within 90 days after a petition is submitted to the officer designated by the Congress, such officer shall determine the validity of the signatures contained in the petition. If the petition contains the required number of valid signatures, the officer shall certify the petition and shall direct the chief executive officer in each State to place a copy of the proposed law, or provision of law proposed to be repealed, contained in the petition on the ballot in the first election (other than an election to fill a vacancy) for Members of the House of Representatives which is held at least 120 days after such certification. The Congress shall by law establish procedures for the preparation and submission of any such petition and for the validation of signatures on such petition.

3.If a law or repeal proposed under this article receives a majority of the votes cast in three-fifths of the several States, the proposed law or repeal shall be introduced to the Congress by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate on the first day of the first session of Congress following the vote. If Congress does not enact the proposed law or repeal, without amendment, before the end of one year and 90 days after the first day of the first session of Congress following the vote, the officer to whom the petition was submitted shall direct the chief executive officer in each State again to place a copy of the proposed law, or provision of law proposed to be repealed, contained in the petition, together with any amended version approved by Congress, on the ballot in the first election (other than an election to fill a vacancy) for Members of the House of Representatives which is held at least 120 days after such direction. If a law or repeal again placed on the ballot pursuant to this article receives a majority of the votes cast in three-fifths of the several States, the proposed law or repeal shall be enacted and take effect according to its terms. No law, or repeal of a provision of law, which is enacted under this article shall be subject to approval of the President. The Congress may not, during the 2-year period beginning on the date on which a law enacted by the people under this article takes effect, or the date on which a law repealed by the people under this article ceases to be effective, repeal or amend a law so enacted, or reenact any part of a law so repealed, except by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Members of each House of Congress.

4.The people in each State voting under this article shall have the qualification requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislature. The Congress shall by law prescribe the manner in which the results of the voting conducted under this article shall be ascertained and declared.

.