65th Legislature HB0595.01 HOUSE BILL NO. 595

1 INTRODUCED BY D. SKEES

2

3 A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT SUBMITTING TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF MONTANA AN

4 AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE II, SECTION 17, OF THE MONTANA CONSTITUTION DEFINING "PERSON" TO

5 INCLUDE ALL MEMBERS OF THE SPECIES HOMO SAPIENS AT ANY STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT; AND

6 PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE."

7

8 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

9

10 Section 1. Article II, section 17, of The Constituti on of the State of Montana is amended to read:

11 "Section 17. Due process of law. (1) No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without

12 due process of law.

13 (2) As used in this section, the word "person" applies to all members of the species Homo sapiens at

14 any stage of development, including the stage of fertilization or conception, regardless of age, health, level of

15 functioning, or condition of dependency.

16 (3) The legislature shall implement th is section by appropriate legislation."

17

18 NEW SECTION. Section 2. Severability. If a part of [this act] is invalid, all valid parts that are severable

19 from the invalid part remain in effect. If a part of [this act] is invalid in one or more of its applications, the part

20 remains in effect in all valid applications t hat are severable from the invalid applications.

21

22 NEW SECTION. Section 3. Two-thirds vote required. Because [section 1] is a legislative proposal

23 to amend the constitution, Article XIV, section 8, of the Montana constitution requires an affirmative roll call vote

24 of two-thirds of all the members of the legi slature, whether one or more bodies, for passage.

25

26 NEW SECTION. Section 4. Effective date. [This act] is effective upon approval by the electorate.

27

28 NEW SECTION. Section 5. Submi ssion to electorate. [This act] shall be submitted to the qualified

29 electors of Montana at the general election to be held in November 2018 by printing on the ballot the full title of

30 - 1 - Authorized Print Version - HB 595 65th Legislature HB0595.01 [this act] and the following:

1 [] YES on Constitutional Amendment ____.

2 [] NO on Constitutional Amendment ____.

3 - END -

4 - 2 - Authorized Print Version - HB 595