State Constitutions
Table 1.4
Constitutional Amendment Procedure: By the Legislature, Constitutional Provisions
| State or other jurisdiction |
Legislative vote required for proposal (a) |
Consideration by two sessions required |
Vote required for ratification |
Limitations on the number of amendments legislature can submit at one election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 3/5 | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Alaska | 2/3 | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Arizona | Majority | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Arkansas | Majority | No | Majority vote on amendment | 3 |
| California | 2/3 | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Colorado | 2/3 | No | 55% vote on amendment (y) | (b) |
| Connecticut | (c) | (c) | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Delaware | 2/3 | Yes | Not required | No referendum |
| Florida | 3/5 | No | 3/5 vote on amendment (d) | None |
| Georgia | 2/3 | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Hawaii | (e) | (e) | (f) | None |
| Idaho | 2/3 | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Illinois | 3/5 | No | (g) | 3 articles |
| Indiana | Majority | Yes | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Iowa | Majority | Yes | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Kansas | 2/3 | No | Majority vote on amendment | 5 |
| Kentucky | 3/5 | No | Majority vote on amendment | 4 |
| Louisiana | 2/3 | No | Majority vote on amendment (h) | None |
| Maine | 2/3 | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Maryland | 3/5 | No | Majority vote on amendment (h) | None |
| Massachusetts | Majority (j) | Yes | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Michigan | 2/3 | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Minnesota | Majority | No | Majority vote in election | None |
| Mississippi | 2/3 (k) | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Missouri | Majority | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Montana | 2/3 (i) | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Nebraska | 3/5 (w) | No | Majority vote on amendment (f) | None |
| Nevada | Majority | Yes | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| New Hampshire | 3/5 | No | 2/3 vote on amendment | None |
| New Jersey | (l) | (l) | Majority vote on amendment | None (m) |
| New Mexico | Majority (n) | No | Majority vote on amendment (n) | None |
| New York | Majority | Yes | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| North Carolina | 3/5 | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| North Dakota | Majority | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Ohio | 3/5 | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Oklahoma | Majority (w) | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Oregon | (o) | No | Majority vote on amendment (x) | None |
| Pennsylvania | Majority (p) | Yes (p) | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Rhode Island | Majority | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| South Carolina | 2/3 (q) | Yes (q) | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| South Dakota | Majority | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Tennessee | (r) | Yes (r) | Majority vote in election (s) | None |
| Texas | 2/3 | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Utah | 2/3 | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Vermont | (t) | Yes | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Virginia | Majority | Yes | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Washington | 2/3 | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| West Virginia | 2/3 | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Wisconsin | Majority | Yes | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Wyoming | 2/3 | No | Majority vote in election | None |
| American Samoa | 2/3 | No | Majority vote on amendment (u) | None |
| No. Mariana Islands | 3/4 | No | Majority vote on amendment | None |
| Puerto Rico | 2/3 (v) | No | Majority vote on amendment | 3 |
|
Source: John Dinan and The Council of State Governments
|
Footnotes:
| (a) | In all states not otherwise noted, the figure shown in the column refers to the proportion of elected members in each house required for approval of proposed constitutional amendments. |
| (b) | Legislature may not propose amendments to more than six articles of the constitution in the same legislative session. |
| (c) | Three-fourths vote in each house at one session, or majority vote in each house in two sessions between which an election has intervened. |
| (d) | Three-fifths vote on amendment, except that an amendment for “new state tax or fee” not in effect on Nov. 7, 1994 requires two-thirds of voters in the election. |
| (e) | Two-thirds vote in each house at one session, or majority vote in each house in two sessions. |
| (f) | In Hawaii, the majority vote on amendment must be at least 50 percent of the total votes cast at the election; or, at a special election, a majority of the votes tallied which must be at least 30 percent of the total number of registered voters. In Nebraska the majority vote on amendment must be at least 35 percent of the total votes cast at the election. |
| (g) | Majority voting in election or three-fifths voting on amendment. |
| (h) | In Louisiana, if five or fewer political subdivisions of the state are affected, majority in state as a whole and also in each of affected subdivisions is required. In Maryland, if an amendment affects only the City of Baltimore or only one county, majority in state as a whole and also in affected subdivision is required. |
| (i) | Two-thirds of all members of the legislature. |
| (j) | Majority of members elected sitting in joint session. |
| (k) | The two-thirds must include not less than a majority elected to each house. |
| (l) | Three-fifths of all members of each house at one session, or majority of all members of each house for two successive sessions. |
| (m) | If a proposed amendment is not approved at the election when submitted, neither the same amendment nor one which would make substantially the same change for the constitution may be again submitted to the people before the third general election thereafter. |
| (n) | Amendments concerning certain elective franchise and education matters require three-fourths vote of members elected and approval by three-fourths of electors voting in state and two-thirds of those voting in each county. |
| (o) | Majority vote to amend constitution, two-thirds to revise (“revise” includes all or a part of the constitution). |
| (p) | Emergency amendments may be passed by two-thirds vote of each house, followed by ratification by majority vote of electors in election held at least one month after legislative approval. |
| (q) | Two-thirds of members of each house, first passage; majority of members of each house after popular ratification. |
| (r) | Majority of members elected to both houses, first passage; two-thirds of members elected to both houses, second passage. |
| (s) | Majority of all citizens voting for governor. |
| (t) | Two-thirds vote in the senate and majority vote in the house on first passage; majority in both houses on second passage. As of 1974, amendments may be submitted only every four years. |
| (u) | Within 30 days after voter approval, governor must submit amendment(s) to U.S. Secretary of the Interior for approval. |
| (v) | If approved by two-thirds of members of each house, amendment(s) submitted to voters at special referendum; if approved by not less than three-fourths of total members of each house, referendum may be held at next general election. |
| (w) | The legislature may, by a four-fifths vote in Nebraska or a two-thirds vote in Oklahoma, call a special election for voters to consider amendments. |
| (x) | There is an exception for an amendment containing a supermajority voting requirement, which must be ratified by an equal supermajority. |
| (y) | An amendment repealing, in whole or in part, any constitutional provision only requires approval by a majority on the amendment. |