Senate Bill No. 139

Introduced By _______________________________________________________________________________

A Bill for an Act entitled: "An Act submitting to the qualified electors of Montana an amendment to Article XI of the Montana Constitution by adding a section prohibiting the state from imposing mandates on political subdivisions unless funded by the state or approved by a vote of the qualified electorate or the political subdivision's local legislative body."

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Montana:

Section 1.  Article XI of The Constitution of the State of Montana is amended by adding a new section that reads:

Section 10.  Mandated programs. The state shall not mandate or assign any new, expanded, or modified programs or responsibilities to any political subdivision in a way that necessitates additional local expenditures by the political subdivision unless the programs or responsibilities are fully funded by the state or unless the programs or responsibilities are approved for funding by a vote of the qualified electorate or the local legislative body of the political subdivision.

NEW SECTION. Section 2.  Submission to electorate. This amendment shall be submitted to the qualified electors of Montana at the general election to be held in November 1998 by printing on the ballot the full title of this act and the following:

[] FOR prohibiting state-imposed mandates on political subdivisions unless funded by the state or approved by the political subdivision's electorate or local legislative body.

[] AGAINST prohibiting state-imposed mandates on political subdivisions unless funded by the state or approved by the political subdivision's electorate or local legislative body.

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