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HB0240 • 2023

Ballot initiative process amendments.

AN ACT relating to elections; providing for the people to make appropriations; requiring the legislature to assign appropriations as specified; requiring the secretary of state to provide the number of people who voted for the office of governor in the preceding general election to a committee of applicants for an initiative or referendum upon request; and providing for effective dates.

Budget Elections
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Representative Provenza
Last action
2023-01-31
Official status
inactive
Effective date
3/1/2023

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass and is contingent on a constitutional amendment being approved in the 2024 general election.

Amendments to Ballot Initiative Process

This act amends ballot initiative rules, allowing citizens to propose appropriations and requiring the legislature to assign these appropriations in the next session if an initiative passes.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows citizens to make appropriations through initiatives.
  • Requires the legislature to assign any appropriations proposed by successful initiatives during the following legislative session.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Citizens who want to propose new laws or changes through initiatives.
  • The Wyoming legislature, which must assign appropriations as requested by successful initiatives.

Terms To Know

initiative
A process that allows citizens to propose new laws or changes directly through a ballot vote.
appropriations
Money set aside for specific purposes, such as funding government programs or projects.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The act will only take effect if voters approve a constitutional amendment in the 2024 general election.
  • It does not specify what happens if the legislature fails to assign appropriations as required by successful initiatives.

Bill History

  1. 2023-01-31 House

    H Did not Consider for Introduction

  2. 2023-01-25 House

    H Received for Introduction

  3. 2023-01-24 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
23LSO-0565
2023
STATE OF WYOMING
23LSO-0565
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0240

Ballot initiative process amendments.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Provenza, Berger, Chestek, Niemiec and Zwonitzer, Dn and Senator(s) Barlow

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to elections; providing for the people to make appropriations; requiring the legislature to assign appropriations as specified; requiring the secretary of state to provide the number of people who voted for the office of governor in the preceding general election to a committee of applicants for an initiative or referendum upon request; and providing for effective dates.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.

W.S. 22
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24
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301, 22
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24
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310(d) and 22
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24
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407(d) are amended to read:

22
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24
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301.

Right of initiative; limitations.

(a)

The people may propose and enact laws by the initiative. However, the initiative shall not be used to
dedicate revenues, make or
repeal appropriations, create courts, define the jurisdiction of courts or prescribe their rules, enact local or special legislation, enact anything prohibited by the constitution for enactment by the legislature, or enact anything that is substantially the same as that defeated by an initiative election within five (5) years preceding the time of filing of the petition.

(b)

The people may make appropriations by initiative. Upon the enactment of an initiative that makes an appropriation, the legislature shall appropriately assign the appropriation in the immediately following legislative session. The legislature's failure to assign an appropriation shall be subject to judicial review.

22
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24
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310.

Petitions; generally.

(d)

Upon request of the committee of applicants, the secretary of state shall report the number of persons who voted
for the office of governor
in the preceding general election.

22
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24
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407.

Petitions; generally.

(d)

Upon request of the committee of applicants, the secretary of state shall report the number of persons who voted
for the office of governor
in the preceding general election.

Section 2
.

(a)

Subject to subsection (b) of this section, this act is effective December 1, 2024
.

(b)

This act shall only be effective if the electors adopt the constitutional amendment proposed in 2023 House Joint Resolution 0008 at the 2024 general election.

(END)

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HB0240