House Bill 399

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-369, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DELETE THE PROVISIONS WHICH REQUIRE AN EXPLANATORY STATEMENT OF THE CHIEF PURPOSE OF A PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO BE PRINTED ON THE ELECTION BALLOT WHENEVER THE LEGISLATURE PROPOSES A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 23-15-369, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

23-15-369. (1) (a) Whenever a constitutional amendment is submitted to the vote of the people, the full text of such amendment shall be printed * * * on the ballot after the list of candidates, if any. * * *

(b) * * * The Secretary of State shall give each proposed constitutional amendment a designating number for convenient reference. This number designation shall appear on the ballot. Designating numbers shall be assigned in the order of filing or certification of the amendments. The Secretary of State shall furnish the designating number and the text of each amendment to the circuit clerk of each county in which such amendment is to be voted on.

(c) The full text of each proposed constitutional amendment shall be published by the Secretary of State as provided for in Section 7-3-39, and shall be posted prominently in all polling places, with copies of said proposed amendment to be otherwise available at each polling place.

(2) Whenever any public measure, question or matter that requires an affirmative or negative vote is submitted to a vote of the electors, the measure or matter shall be printed on the ballot and also the words "FOR" or "AGAINST" to be so arranged by the proper officer so that the voter can intelligently vote his preference.

SECTION 2. The Attorney General of the State of Mississippi shall submit this act, immediately upon approval by the Governor, or upon approval by the Legislature subsequent to a veto, to the Attorney General of the United States or to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in accordance with the provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended and extended.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after the date it is effectuated under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended and extended.