CACR 41 – VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES

08Mar2006… 1162h

11May2006… 2215eba

2006 SESSION

06-2510

06/01

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 41

RELATING TO: representative districts.

PROVIDING THAT: representative districts shall be apportioned according to specified standards.

SPONSORS: Rep. Kurk, Hills 7; Rep. Kennedy, Merr 4; Sen. Flanders, Dist 7

COMMITTEE: Election Law

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This constitutional amendment concurrent resolution provides that when a town or ward has enough inhabitants to equal or exceed the number required for one representative seat, it shall have its own district. The legislature shall form towns, wards, or unincorporated places with fewer than the number of inhabitants necessary for a representative seat into districts entitled to one or more representatives. Excess population may be combined with other contiguous districts to allow for additional at-large or floterial representatives.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

08Mar2006… 1162h

11May2006… 2215eba

06-2510

06/01

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Six

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION PROPOSING CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

RELATING TO: representative districts.

PROVIDING THAT: representative districts shall be apportioned according to specified standards.

Be it Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring, that the

Constitution of New Hampshire be amended as follows:

I. That the second part of the constitution be amended by replacing article 11 with the following:

[Art.] 11. [Small Towns; Representation by Districts.] When the population of any town or ward, according to the last federal census, is within a reasonable deviation from the ideal population for one or more representative seats the town or ward shall have its own district of one or more representative seats. The apportionment shall not deny any other town or ward membership in one non-floterial representative district. When any town, ward, or unincorporated place has fewer than the number of inhabitants necessary to entitle it to one representative, the legislature shall form those towns, wards, or unincorporated places into representative districts which contain a sufficient number of inhabitants to entitle each district so formed to one or more representatives for the entire district. In forming the districts, the boundaries of towns, wards, and unincorporated places shall be preserved and contiguous. The excess number of inhabitants of a district may be added to the excess number of inhabitants of other districts to form at-large or floterial districts conforming to acceptable deviations. The legislature shall form the representative districts at the regular session following every decennial federal census.

II. That the above amendment proposed to the constitution be submitted to the qualified voters of the state at the state general election to be held in November, 2006.

III. That the selectmen of all towns, cities, wards and places in the state are directed to insert in their warrants for the said 2006 election an article to the following effect: To decide whether the amendments of the constitution proposed by the 2006 session of the general court shall be approved.

IV. That the wording of the question put to the qualified voters shall be:

“Are you in favor of amending the second part of the Constitution by amending article 11 to read as follows:

[Art.] 11. [Small Towns; Representation by Districts.] When the population of any town or ward, according to the last federal census, is within a reasonable deviation from the ideal population for one or more representative seats the town or ward shall have its own district of one or more representative seats. The apportionment shall not deny any other town or ward membership in one non-floterial representative district. When any town, ward, or unincorporated place has fewer than the number of inhabitants necessary to entitle it to one representative, the legislature shall form those towns, wards, or unincorporated places into representative districts which contain a sufficient number of inhabitants to entitle each district so formed to one or more representatives for the entire district. In forming the districts, the boundaries of towns, wards, and unincorporated places shall be preserved and contiguous. The excess number of inhabitants of a district may be added to the excess number of inhabitants of other districts to form at-large or floterial districts conforming to acceptable deviations. The legislature shall form the representative districts at the regular session following every decennial federal census.”

V. That the secretary of state shall print the question to be submitted on a separate ballot or on the same ballot with other constitutional questions. The ballot containing the question shall include 2 squares next to the question allowing the voter to vote “Yes” or “No.” If no cross is made in either of the squares, the ballot shall not be counted on the question. The outside of the ballot shall be the same as the regular official ballot except that the words “Questions Relating to Constitutional Amendments proposed by the 2006 General Court” shall be printed in bold type at the top of the ballot.

VI. That if the proposed amendment is approved by 2/3 of those voting on the amendment, it becomes effective when the governor proclaims its adoption.