IA 111th CONGRESS 2d Session H. J. RES. 70 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 propose amendments to the Constitution by an initiative process.

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 propose amendments to the Constitution through the initiative process provided in this article.

2.A petition proposing an amendment to the constitution 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 amendment. 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 amendment 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 the amendment proposed under this article receives a majority of the votes cast in three-fifths of the several States, the amendment shall be deemed proposed to the States for ratification under article V of this Constitution. Congress shall provide by law which of the eligible modes of ratification shall be used.

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.

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