The state Senate has given its okay to a proposed Constitutional amendment, to raise the vote required to pass Constitutional amendments to 60 percent, plus one vote.
It’s now at 50 percent plus one vote.
"Our Constitution is a much-higher governing authority than a simple law," said Sen. Jeff Barta (R-Grand Forks). "It both defines the scope of government authority, and, very importantly, the limits on that government authority, so to protect the natural God-given rights of the people."
Barta said because of that, it should be harder to change the Constitution.
But Sen. Sean Cleary (R-Bismarck) urged the Senate to reject the measure.
"Section three of our North Dakota Constitution is appropriately titled 'Powers reserved to the people,'" Cleary said. "I think the folks who drafted our Constitution were wise to give this tool, that measures can be referred to the voters of North Dakota — the same folks that elected us to serve in this chamber — to decide whether or not the want to amend the Constitution."
HCR 3003 passed on a 33 to 13 vote. It will be on the statewide ballot next year.
