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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
HOUSE JOINT
RESOLUTION 1048 By: Fugate
AS INTRODUCED
A Joint Resolution directing the Secretary of State
to refer to the people for their approval or
rejection a proposed amendment to Sections 1 and 5 of
Article V of the Constitution of the State of
Oklahoma; requiring any change to the initiative
petition process made by the Legislature shall
require a vote of the people; requiring that any
change to the general laws for county and district
initiative petition or referendum shall require a
vote of the people; providing ballot title; and
directing filing.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE SENATE
OF THE 2ND SESSION OF THE 60TH OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE:
SECTION 1. The Secretary of State shall refer to the people for
their approval or rejection, as and in the manner provided by law,
the following proposed amendment to Section 1 of Article V of the
Constitution of the State of Oklahoma to read as follows:
Section 1. The Legislative authority of the state shall be
vested in a Legislature, consisting of a Senate and a House of
Representatives; but the people reserve to themselves the power to
propose laws and amendments to the Constitution and to enact or
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reject the same at the polls independent of the Legislature, and
also reserve power at their own option to approve or reject at the
polls any act of the Legislature. The people reserve the right to
accept or reject any proposed amendment or change to the initiative
or referendum process by the Legislature, and any such amendment or
change shall require a vote of the people.
SECTION 2. The Secretary of State shall refer to the people for
their approval or rejection, as and in the manner provided by law,
the following proposed amendment to Section 5 of Article V of the
Constitution of the State of Oklahoma to read as follows:
Section 5. The powers of the initiative and referendum reserved
to the people by this Constitution for the state at large, are
hereby further reserved to the legal voters of every county and
district therein, as to all local legislation, or action, in the
administration of county and district government in and for their
respective counties and districts. The manner of exercising said
powers shall be prescribed by general laws approved by vote of the
people, except that boards of county commissioners may provide for
the time of exercising the initiative and referendum powers as to
local legislation in their respective counties and districts.
The requisite number of petitioners for the invocation of the
initiative and referendum in counties and districts shall bear
twice, or double, the ratio to the whole number of legal voters in
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such county or district, as herein provided therefor in the state at
large.
SECTION 3. The Ballot Title for the proposed Constitutional
amendment as set forth in SECTIONS 1 and 2 of this resolution shall
be in the following form:
BALLOT TITLE
Legislative Referendum No. ____ State Question No. ____
THE GIST OF THE PROPOSITION IS AS FOLLOWS:
This measure amends the Oklahoma Constitution in Sections 1 and
5 of Article 5. The first change would confirm that the people
of Oklahoma have the right to make laws and amend the
Constitution through the initiative and referendum process. It
would also state that if the Legislature proposes any changes
to the initiative or referendum process, those changes must be
approved by a vote of the people before they can take effect.
The second change would update the rules for how initiative and
referendum powers are used at the county and district level.
Current law gives these powers to voters in each county and
district for local laws and actions. This proposal keeps those
powers in place. It also makes clear that the general laws
that set the rules for using these powers must be laws that
have been approved by a vote of the people, not just passed by
the Legislature. Counties may still set the timing for when
local initiative or referendum measures are voted on. The rule
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that local petition signature requirements must be twice the
ratio required for statewide petitions would also remain in
place.
SHALL THE PROPOSAL BE APPROVED?
FOR THE PROPOSAL — YES _____________
AGAINST THE PROPOSAL — NO _____________
SECTION 4. The Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives,
immediately after the passage of this resolution, shall prepare and
file one copy thereof, including the Ballot Title set forth in
SECTION 3 hereof, with the Secretary of State and one copy with the
Attorney General.
60-2-15775 MJ 12/11/25