00                CS FOR SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 4(JUD)                                                               
01 Proposing amendments to the Constitution of the State of Alaska prohibiting the                                         
02 establishment of or increase to a state tax without the approval of the voters of the state,                            
03 relating to effective dates of laws, and relating to the initiative process.                                            
04 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
05    * Section 1. Article II, sec. 18, Constitution of the State of Alaska, is amended to read:                         
06 Section 18. Effective Date. Laws passed by the legislature become effective                                           
07 ninety days after enactment. The legislature may, by concurrence of two-thirds of the                                   
08 membership of each house, provide for another effective date. This section does not                                 
09 apply to a law establishing a State tax or increasing a State tax under Section 1(b)                                
10       of Article IX.                                                                                                
11    * Sec. 2. Article IX, sec. 1, Constitution of the State of Alaska, is amended to read:                           
12            Section 1. Taxing Power. (a) The power of taxation shall never be                                        
13       surrendered. This power shall not be suspended or contracted away, except as                                      
14       provided in this article.                                                                                         
15    * Sec. 3. Article IX, sec. 1, Constitution of the State of Alaska, is amended by adding new                        

01 subsections to read:                                                                                                    
02 (b)  A law enacted under Sections 14 - 17 of Article II that establishes a state                                        
03 tax or increases the nominal rate of an existing state tax shall not take effect unless it is                           
04 approved by the voters of the State in the first statewide election held more than one                                  
05 hundred twenty days after the enactment of the law. The lieutenant governor shall                                       
06 prepare a ballot title and proposition summarizing the law, and shall place them on the                                 
07 ballot. If a majority of the votes cast on the proposition favor its adoption, the law                                  
08 becomes effective on January 1 of the fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the                                
09 lieutenant governor certifies the election returns or, if an effective date is provided, on                             
10 the effective date provided for by concurrence of two-thirds of the membership of                                       
11 each house. If a majority of the votes cast on the proposition favor its rejection, the                                 
12       law is rejected and does not take effect.                                                                         
13 (c)  Unless rejected by the legislature under this subsection, a law enacted by                                         
14 voters through the initiative process under Article XI that establishes a tax or increases                              
15 the nominal rate of an existing tax takes effect January 1 of the fiscal year following                                 
16 the fiscal year in which the law is enacted by voters. The legislature shall have the first                             
17 sixty days of the next regular session beginning after the initiative election, or a full                               
18 session if of shorter duration, to reject the initiated law. The law must be rejected by                                
19 resolution concurred in by a majority of the members in joint session. If the legislature                               
20       rejects the initiated law, the initiated law does not take effect.                                                
21    * Sec. 4. Article XI, sec. 6, Constitution of the State of Alaska, is amended to read:                             
22 Section 6. Enactment. If a majority of the votes cast on the proposition favor                                        
23 its adoption, the initiated measure is enacted. If a majority of the votes cast on the                                  
24 proposition favor the rejection of an act referred, it is rejected. The lieutenant governor                             
25 shall certify the election returns. Except as provided in Section 1(c) of Article IX,                               
26 an [AN] initiated law becomes effective ninety days after certification, is not subject                             
27 to veto, and may not be repealed by the legislature within two years of its effective                                   
28 date. It may be amended at any time. An act rejected by referendum is void thirty days                                  
29 after certification. Additional procedures for the initiative and referendum may be                                     
30       prescribed by law.                                                                                              
31    * Sec. 5. The amendments proposed by this resolution shall be placed before the voters of                          

01 the state at the next general election in conformity with art. XIII, sec. 1, Constitution of the                        
02 State of Alaska, and the election laws of the state.