Article 14: Additional Amendments

No elected official in the State of San Andreas, at the state, county, or municipal level, shall receive compensation, salary, or stipend for holding public office. This provision is intended to ensure that public service is undertaken for the benefit of the citizenry and not for personal financial gain. The Legislature may, however, provide for the reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred by officials in the performance of their duties.

(a) The people of the State of San Andreas reserve to themselves the power to propose amendments to this Constitution through the process of initiative petition, independent of the General Assembly.

(b) An initiative petition to propose a constitutional amendment shall contain the full text of the proposed amendment and shall be signed by a number of qualified electors equal to at least ten percent (10%) of the total electorate in the State of San Andreas, or thirty percent (30%) of the total electorate within a defined legislative district.

(c) Petitions shall be filed with the Secretary of State no later than two (2) months prior to the next general or coordinated election. The Secretary of State shall prescribe by law the form, verification, and submission of such petitions and shall certify valid petitions for placement on the ballot.

(d) Upon certification, the proposed amendment shall be submitted to the people at the next general or coordinated election. The amendment shall become part of this Constitution if approved by at least fifty-five percent (55%) of the qualified electors voting thereon, as prescribed by Article VII, Section 4.

(e) No initiative amendment shall contain more than one subject, and the subject of the amendment shall be clearly expressed in its title. The Supreme Court of San Andreas shall have original jurisdiction to determine compliance with this provision prior to the referendum date of the first day of October before the general or coordinated election in November.

(f) An amendment proposed by citizen initiative shall not be subject to gubernatorial veto and shall take effect immediately upon proclamation of the vote by the Governor, unless the amendment provides otherwise.

(a) Any citizen of the State of San Andreas, qualified to vote under this Constitution, shall possess the right to propose legislation to the General Assembly.

(b) A proposal submitted by a citizen shall be introduced in writing, in a form consistent with the rules of legislative drafting, and transmitted to the presiding officer of the General Assembly. Such proposal shall thereupon be referred to the appropriate committee or body as determined by the rules of the Assembly.

(c) Citizens exercising this right shall not be deemed members of the General Assembly and shall not participate in debate upon the floor, nor cast any vote upon legislation. Their power shall be limited to the introduction of bills, resolutions, or amendments for the consideration of the Assembly.

(d) The General Assembly shall, by law, prescribe procedures for the submission, review, and consideration of citizen-proposed legislation, ensuring that such procedures are fair, accessible, and consistent with the orderly conduct of legislative business.

(e) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to diminish the rights of the people to propose laws or constitutional amendments through initiative or referendum, as may otherwise be provided by this Constitution.

(a) No act of war, nor any measure amounting to a declaration of war, the commencement of hostilities, or the authorization of armed conflict by the forces of this State, shall be undertaken except by the express approval of not less than two-thirds of the duly elected members of each chamber of the General Assembly.

(b) The Governor shall not, in the absence of such approval, commit the State to military action, nor deploy the organized militia or other forces of the State for offensive purposes, save in cases of invasion, insurrection, or imminent danger requiring immediate defensive action.

(c) Any defensive measures undertaken by the Governor without prior approval shall be reported forthwith to the General Assembly, which shall determine by a vote of no less than two-thirds of each chamber whether such measures shall be continued, modified, or terminated.

(d) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to limit the authority of the United States, under the Constitution thereof, to declare war or to command the armed forces of the nation, nor to diminish the duty of this State to render aid when lawfully called forth in the service of the Union.