Bills · 2011-2012 Regular Session
continuity of government (second consideration).
- Introduced, stopped here
- Passes Senate, not reached
- Passes Assembly, not reached
- Adopted, not reached
Unfamiliar terms? Glossary
What this bill does
Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau
Explanation of Proposal
This proposed constitutional amendment, to be given second consideration by
the 2011 legislature for submittal to the voters in April 2011, was first considered by
the
2009
legislature in 2009 Assembly Joint Resolution
59
, which became
2009
Enrolled Joint Resolution
14
.
Article IV, section 34, of the Wisconsin Constitution provides that the
legislature, to ensure continuity of state and local government operations in periods
of emergency resulting from enemy attack, must provide for prompt and temporary
succession to the powers and duties of public offices, of whatever nature and whether
filled by election or appointment, the incumbents of which may be unavailable to
carry on the powers and duties of the offices. In addition, the legislature must adopt
any other measures that may be necessary to obtain the objectives of that section of
the constitution.
This constitutional amendment amends that provision in article IV, section 34,
to strike the phrase "enemy action in the form of an attack" and substitute "a severe
or prolonged, natural or human-caused, occurrence that threatens life, health, or the
security of the state," thereby providing for legislative action to ensure continuity in
periods of emergency, whether resulting from enemy attack or from other causes.
Procedure for second ConsideratioN
When a proposed constitutional amendment is before the legislature on second
consideration, any change in the text approved by the preceding legislature causes
the proposed constitutional amendment to revert to first consideration status so that
second consideration approval would have to be given by the next legislature before
the proposal may be submitted to the people for ratification [see joint rule 57 (2)].
If the legislature approves a proposed constitutional amendment on second
consideration, it must also set the date for submitting the proposed constitutional
amendment to the people for ratification and must determine the question or
questions to appear on the ballot.