MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2013 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Jackson (32nd), Jordan, Jones, Simmons (13th), Butler (36th), Dawkins, Wilemon, Norwood, Turner, Butler (38th), Browning, Jolly, Bryan, Simmons (12th), Jackson (11th), Frazier
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION POST-RATIFYING AMENDMENT XXIV TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES PROHIBITING THE IMPOSITION OF A POLL TAX IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
WHEREAS, the Eighty-Seventh Congress of the United States, on August 27, 1962, by the required vote of two-thirds of the membership of both houses thereof, did propose to the legislatures of the several states an amendment to the Constitution of the United States which reads as follows:
"AMENDMENT XXIV
QUALIFICATIONS OF ELECTORS; POLL TAX
Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.
Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."; and
WHEREAS, this amendment was declared by the Administrator of General Services on February 4, 1964, to have been ratified by the legislatures of 38 of the 50 states: Illinois, November 14, 1962; New Jersey, December 3, 1962; Oregon, January 25, 1963; Montana, January 28, 1963; West Virginia, February 1, 1963; New York, February 4, 1963; Maryland, February 6, 1963; California, February 7, 1963; Alaska, February 11, 1963; Rhode Island, February 14, 1963; Indiana, February 19, 1963; Utah, February 20, 1963; Michigan, February 20, 1963; Colorado, February 21, 1963; Ohio, February 27, 1963; Minnesota, February 27, 1963; New Mexico, March 5, 1963; Hawaii, March 6, 1963; North Dakota, March 7, 1963; Idaho, March 8, 1963; Washington, March 14, 1963; Vermont, March 15, 1963; Nevada, March 19, 1963; Connecticut, March 20, 1963; Tennessee, March 21, 1963; Pennsylvania, March 25, 1963; Wisconsin, March 26, 1963; Kansas, March 28, 1963; Massachusetts, March 28, 1963; Nebraska, April 4, 1963; Florida, April 18, 1963; Iowa, April 24, 1963; Delaware, May 1, 1963; Missouri, May 13, 1963; New Hampshire, June 12, 1963; Kentucky, June 27, 1963; Maine, January 16, 1964; South Dakota, January 23, 1964; Virginia, February 25, 1977.
Ratification was completed on January 23, 1964; and
WHEREAS, the amendment was rejected by Mississippi (and not subsequently ratified) on December 20, 1962; and
WHEREAS, it is common for state legislatures to continue to act upon amendments to the U.S. Constitution well after those amendments have already received a sufficient number of ratifications in order to become part of that document; and
WHEREAS, the people of present-day Mississippi strongly condemn the unconscionable practice of the imposition of poll taxes and firmly believe that it is fitting and proper that official action be taken now to finally place upon Amendment XXIV the special approval of the State of Mississippi:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MISSISSIPPI STATE SENATE, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That Amendment XXIV to the Constitution of the United States, quoted above and transmitted by resolution of the Eighty-Seventh Congress be, and the same hereby is, post-ratified by the Legislature of the State of Mississippi.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State of the State of Mississippi transmit properly attested copies of this concurrent resolution to the Archivist of the United States, pursuant to Public Law 98-497; to the Vice President of the United States, as presiding officer of the U.S. Senate; to the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; to both U.S. Senators and to all four U.S. Representatives from Mississippi with the request that this concurrent resolution's text be reproduced in its entirety in the Congressional Record.