House to consti House. SEC. 8. A majority of each house shall constitute a quorum Majority of each to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day tute a quorum. to day, and compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner and under such penalties as each house may prescribe. SEC. 9. Each house shall choose its own officers, determine Powers of each the rules of its proceedings, and judge of the qualifications, elections and returns of its members; and may, with the concurrence of two-thirds of all the members elected, expel a member. No member shall be expelled a second time for the Rules-expulsion same cause, nor for any cause known to his constituents antecedent to his election. The reason for such expulsion shall be entered upon the journal, with the names of the members voting on the question. of members. keep journal. SEC. 10. Each house shall keep a journal of its proceedings, Each House to and publish the same, except such parts as may require secrecy. The yeas and nays of the members of either house, on any question, shall be entered on the journal at the request of one-fifth of the members elected. Any member of either house may dissent from and protest against any act, proceeding or resolution which he may deem injurious to any person or the public, and have the reason of his dissent entered on the journal. voce. SEC. 11. In all elections by either house, or in joint Con- Elections viva vention, the votes shall be given viva voce. All votes on Yeas and Nays. nominations to the Senate shall be taken by yeas and nays, and published with the journal of its proceedings. -adjournments. SEC. 12. The doors of each house shall be open, unless the Doors to be open public welfare require secrecy. Neither house shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than where the Legislature may then be in session. SEC. 13. Bills may originate in either house of the Legis- Bills. lature. tions to be pre ernor. SEC. 14. Every bill and concurrent resolution, except of Bills and resolu adjournment, passed by the Legislature, shall be presented to sented to Govthe Governor before it becomes a law. If he approve, he shall sign it; but if not, he shall return it with his objections to the house in which it originated, which shall enter the objections at large upon their journal, and reconsider it. On such reconsideration, if two-thirds of the members elected agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent with the objections to the other house, by which it shall be reconsidered. If approved by two-thirds of the members elected to that house, it shall become Compensation of members. Mileage. Stationery. Postage. President of Sen of House. a law. In such case the vote of both houses shall be deter mined by yeas and nays; and the names of the members voting for and against the bill shall be entered on the journals of each house respectively. If any bill be not returned by the Governor within ten days, Sundays excepted, after it has been presented to him, the same shall become a law, in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the Legislature, by their adjourn ment, prevent its return; in which case it shall not become a law. The Governor may approve, sign and file in the office of the Secretary of State, within five days after the adjournment of the Legislature, any act passed during the last five days of the session; and the same shall become a law. SEC. 15. The compensation of the members of the Legisla ture shall be three dollars a day for actual attendance, and when absent on account of sickness, for the first sixty days of the sesssion of the year one thousand eight hundred and fiftyone, and for the first forty days of every subsequent session, and nothing thereafter. When convened in extra session, their compensation shall be three dollars a day for the first twenty days, and nothing thereafter; and they shall legislate on no other subjects than those expressly stated in the Governor's proclamation, or submitted to them by special message. They shall be entitled to ten cents and no more for every mile actually traveled, going to and returning from the place of meeting, on the usually traveled route; and for stationery and newspapers, not exceeding five dollars for each member during any session. Each member shall be entitled to one copy of the laws, journals and documents of the Legislature of which he was a member; but shall not receive, at the expense of the State, books, newspapers, or other perquisites of office, not expressly authorized by this Constitution. SEC. 16. The Legislature may provide by law for the payment of postage on all mailable matter received by its members and officers during the sessions of the Legislature, but not on any sent or mailed by them. Compensation of SEC. 17. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of ate and Speaker the House of Representatives shall be entitled to the same 2 Mich. Rep. 306. per diem compensation and mileage as members of the Legislature, and no more. No member to receive civil ap in SEC. 18. No person elected a member of the Legislature pointment, nor shall receive any civil appointment within this State, or to the contract with the Senate of the United States, from the Governor, the Governor and Senate, from the Legislature, or any other State authority, State. during the term for which he is elected. All such appointments, and all votes given for any person so elected for any such office or appointment, shall be void. No member of the Legislature shall be interested, directly or indirectly, in any contract with the State, or any county thereof, authorized by any law passed during the time for which he is elected, nor for one year thereafter. tions to be read 3 Gilman, 466. SEC. 19. Every bill and joint resolution shall be read three Bills and resolu times in each house, before the final passage thereof. No three times. bill or joint resolution shall become a law without the concurrence of a majority of all the members elected to each house. On the final passage of all bills, the vote shall be by Ayes and noes on yeas and nays, and entered on the journal. final passage. but one SEC. 20. No law shall embrace more than one object, which No law to emshall be expressed in its title. No public act shall take effect object. 7 Ind. Rep. 516. or be in force until the expiration of ninety days from the end Ib. 681. of the session at which the same is passed, unless the Legisla- When acts to ture shall otherwise direct, by a two-thirds vote of the members 16 Ill. Rep. 361. elected to each house. take effect. grant extra com SEC. 21. The Legislature shall not grant nor authorize extra Legislature not to compensation to any public officer, agent or contractor, after pensation to offthe service has been rendered or the contract entered into. cers, etc. printing, etc., to tract. SEC. 22. The Legislature shall provide by law that the fur- Fuel, stationery, nishing of fuel and stationery for the use of the State, the print- be let by coning and binding the laws and journals, all blanks, paper and printing for the Executive departments, and all other printing ordered by the Legislature, shall be let by contract to the lowest bidder or bidders, who shall give adequate and satisfactory security for the performance thereof. The Legislature shall prescribe by law the manner in which the State printing shall. be executed, and the accounts rendered therefor; and shall prohibit all charges for constructive labor. They shall not rescind nor alter such contract, nor release the person or persons taking the same, or his or their sureties, from the performance of any of the conditions of the contract. No member of the Legislature, nor officer of the State, shall be interested directly or indirectly in any such contract. to authorize sale real estate, nor SEC. 23. The Legislature shall not authorize, by private or Legislature not special law, the sale or conveyance of any real estate belong- or conveyance of ing to any person; nor vacate nor alter any road laid out by vacate any road. commissioners of highways, or any street in any city or village, or in any recorded town plat. State Prison; not Chaplain for SEC. 24. The Legislature may authorize the employment of for Legislature. a chaplain for the State Prison; but no money shall be appropriated for the payment of any religious services in either house of the Legislature. Acts altered or amended to be SEC. 25. No law shall be revised, altered or amended by refPublished at erence to its title only; but the act revised, and the section re-enacted length. 5 Ind. R. 327; 6 or sections of the act altered or amended, shall be re-enacted and published at length. do. 31. Divorces. 3 Mich. R. 67. Lotteries. No bill to be introduced during SEC. 26. Divorces shall not be granted by the Legislature. SEC. 27. The Legislature shall not authorize any lottery, nor permit the sale of lottery tickets. SEC. 28. No new bill shall be introduced into either house last three days of during the last three days of the session, without the unanimous consent of the house in which it originates. session. Contested elections. Collectors and holders of public to office. SEC. 29. In case of a contested election, the person only shall receive from the State per diem compensation and mileage, who is declared to be entitled to a seat by the house in which the contest takes place. SEC. 30. No collector, holder, nor disburser of public moneys, money ineligible shall have a seat in the Legislature, or be eligible to any office of trust or profit under this State, until he shall have accounted for and paid over, as provided by law, all sums for which he may be liable. Private claims. Hour of adjournment. Meeting of Legisature. Election of Sena tors and Repre SEC. 31. The Legislature shall not audit nor allow any private claim or account. SEC. 32. The Legislature, on the day of final adjournment, shall adjourn at twelve o'clock at noon. SEC. 33. The Legislature shall meet at the Seat of Government on the first Wednesday in February next, and on the first Wednesday in January of every second year thereafter, and at no other place or time, unless as provided in this Constitution. SEC. 34. The election of Senators and Representatives, pursentatives in 1852 suant to the provisions of this Constitution, shall be held on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday of November, in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, and on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday of November of every second year thereafter. and thereafter. State paper. publishing laws. SEC. 35. The Legislature shall not establish a State paper. Compensation for Every newspaper in the State which shall publish all the general laws of any session within forty days of their passage, shall be entitled to receive a sum not exceeding fifteen dollars therefor. SEC. 36. The Legislature shall provide for the speedy pub- Publication of lication of all statute laws of a public nature, and of such cisions. judicial decisions as it may deem expedient. All laws and judicial decisions shall be free for publication by any person. SEC. 37. The Legislature may declare the cases in which Vacancies. any office shall be deemed vacant, and also the manner of filling the vacancy, where no provision is made for that purpose in this Constitution. 4 Selden, 472. SEC. 38. The Legislature may confer upon organized town- Local legislation. ships, incorporated cities and villages, and upon the Board of Supervisors of the several counties, such powers of a local, legislative and administrative character as they may deem proper. SEC. 39. The Legislature shall pass no law to prevent any Religious liberty. person from worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of his own conscience, or to compel any person to attend, erect or support any place of religious worship, or to pay tithes, taxes or other rates for the support of any minister of the gospel or teacher of religion. from Treasury for ses. SEC. 40. No money shall be appropriated or drawn from the No money drawn Treasury for the benefit of any religious sect or society, theo- religious purpo logical or religious seminary, nor shall property belonging to the State be appropriated for any such purposes. SEC. 41. The Legislature shall not diminish or enlarge the civil Rights of opinion. or political rights, privileges and capacities of any person on account of his opinion or belief concerning matters of religion. and press. SEC. 42. No law shall ever be passed to restrain or abridge Liberty of speech the liberty of speech or of the press; but every person may freely speak, write and publish his sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of such right. SEC. 43. The Legislature shall pass no bill of attainder, ex- Attainder, etc. post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts. SEC. 44. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus remains, Habeas corpus. and shall not be suspended by the Legislature, except in case of rebellion or invasion the public safety require it. ing money. SEC. 45. The assent of two-thirds of the members elected to Bills appropriateach house of the Legislature shall be requisite to every bill appropriating the public money, or property, for local or private purposes. SEC. 46. The Legislature may authorize a trial by a jury of Trial by jury. a less number than twelve men. SEC. 47. The Legislature shall not pass any act authorizing Licenses. |