expediency of calling a Convention for the purpose of revising or amending this Constitution, and such amendments as may have been made to the same, such law shall be spread upon their respective journals. If the next General Assembly shall, in like manner, concur in such law, it shall provide for having a poll opened in each voting precinct in this state by the officers provided by law for holding general elections at the next ensuing regular election to be held for State officers or members of the House of Representatives, which does not occur within ninety days from the final passage of such law, at which time and places the votes of the qualified voters shall be taken for and against calling the Convention, in the same manner provided by law for taking votes in other State elections. The vote for and against said proposition shall be certified to the Secretary of State by the same officers and in the same manner as in State elections. If it shall appear that a majority voting on the proposition was for calling a Convention, and if the total number of votes cast for the calling of the Convention is equal to one-fourth of the number of qualified voters who voted at the last preceding general election in this State, the Secretary of State shall certify the same to the General Assembly at its next regular session, at which session a law shall be enacted calling a Convention to readopt, revise or amend this Constitution, and such amendments as may have been made thereto.

§ 259. Number and qualifications of delegates. The Convention shall consist of as many delegates as there are members of the House of Representatives; and the delegates shall have the same qualifications and be elected from the same districts as said Representatives.

§ 260. Election of delegates; meeting.

Delegates to such Convention shall be elected at the next general State election after the passage of the act calling the Convention, which does not occur within less than ninety days; and they shall meet within ninety days after their election at the Capital of the State, and continue in session until their work is completed.

§ 261. Certification of election and compensation of delegates. The General Assembly, in the act calling the Convention, shall provide for comparing the polls and giving certificates of election to the delegates elected, and provided for their compensation.

contests.

§ 262. Determination of election and qualifications of delegates; The Convention, when assembled, shall be the judge of the election and qualification of its members, and shall determine contested elections. But the General Assembly shall, in the act calling the Convention, provide for taking testimony in such cases, and for issuing a writ of election in case of a tie.

§ 263. Notice of election on question of calling Convention. Before a vote is

taken upon the question of calling a Convention, the Secretary of State shall cause notice of the election to be published in such manner as may be provided by the act directing said vote to be taken.

XI.

1941

XII.

1945

XIII.

1945

XIV.

XV.

XVI.

XVII.

Appendix II

AMENDMENTS ADOPTED SINCE 1891

Purpose

Authorize the legislature to provide by general law for levying by cities and counties of license fees and franchise taxes based on income derived from property or other sources.

Permit state to give, pledge, or lend credit to counties for road purposes and permit counties to levy a tax of 20 cents per $100 of assessed property value to pay principal and interest on voted road and bridge bonds.

Permit classification of property for tax purposes.

Permit use of prisoners for road work.

Permit telephone companies, under certain conditions, to buy or lease
competing companies.

Permit removal of local law enforcement officers for neglect of duty.
Prohibit manufacture, sale, or transportation of alcoholic beverages.
Repeal prohibition.

Permit old age pensions.

Permit 10 per cent of money appropriated by the legislature for school purposes to be used in an equalization fund, instead of being divided on a per capita basis.

Permit the use of voting machines.

Authorize the General Assembly to provide for absentee voting.

Guarantee that receipts from certain tax sources shall be placed in the
highway fund.

1949 Repeal the $5,000 salary limit and substitute limits of $12,000 per year
for officials with statewide jurisdiction and mayors of first class cities,
$8,400 for circuit judges, and $7,200 for all other officials.
1949 Changes from 90 to 75 the percentage of state appropriated school
funds to be divided on a per capita basis.

1953 Repeal Section 186, which required school funds to be distributed on a
per capita basis.

1955

Permit persons eighteen years of age or older to vote, provided they meet other qualifications, and remove the word "male" from the constitutional description of voters.

Exempt all household goods from taxation.

Permit agricultural land in urban areas to be assessed for taxation at its value for agricultural purposes and permit a unit of local government to tax property at different rates, in different areas, based upon ser

vices.

Exempt from taxation up to $6,500 of the assessed value of a single family residence owned and occupied by a person 65 or older. Restructure the state court system.

Extend "homestead exemption" to residences other than single family dwellings.

1896

181

1904

147

1906

145

1912

171

1912

253

1920

186

1920

91

1922

145

1924

246

Purpose

Would have permitted municipalities to tax property on the basis of
income.

Would have required voice voting instead of secret ballot.
Would have made payment of taxes a prerequisite to voting.
Would have permitted the classification of property for tax purposes.*
Would have permitted the employment of convict labor on public
roads.*

Would have provided that 10 per cent of the common school fund could
be distributed on other than a per capita basis.

Would have removed the Superintendent of Public Instruction from the list of elective officials.

Would have changed the Constitution so as to state that women could
vote and hold office.

Would have raised the $5,000 salary limit for certain specified officials.
Would have permitted absentee voting.

Would have abolished the $5,000 salary limit and substituted a
provision that the legislature should fix reasonable compensation.
Would have removed the two-amendment restriction.

Would have removed the salary limit on judges of the Court of Appeals.
Would have raised the debt limits of cities and counties in certain cases.
Would have permitted the legislature to exempt real and personal
property from taxation by the state.

Would have permitted the legislature to reorganize local government
and would have permitted consolidation of cities and counties.
Would have removed the limit on the number of constitutional
amendments to be submitted at one time.

Would have made women eligible to hold public office. **

Would have authorized and directed the General Assembly to provide aid to dependent children and needy blind.**

Would have permitted the legislature to pass a compulsory workmen's compensation law.

Would have removed the $5,000 salary limit.

Would have permitted an unlimited number of amendments to be submitted at one time and changed the time and manner of voting on amendments.

91 & 93 Would have removed the Secretary of State, Treasurer, Commissioner of Agriculture, Labor and Statistics, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction from the list of elective state officers.

91, 93,

95 & 96

Would have abolished the elective Superintendent of Public Instruction and established in his place a Commissioner of Education appointed by a nine-member Board of Education.