# How do I go about changing a state's constitution? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 20, 2002, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-go-about-changing-a-states-constitution/137820 "2002-11-20T23:00:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MrTuffPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MrTuffPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrTuffPaws)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-go-about-changing-a-states-constitution/137820/1 "2002-11-20T23:00:29Z")
Hello all, long time reader, first time poster etc…. I am wondering how I would go about getting a constitutional amendment on a state’s ballot for a future election. The state is California. I assume that I would need to author the amendment within legal boundaries of the state/Fed government, and collect enough signatures to actually have it placed on the ballot. For some reason though, I think that there is more involved. Just call me a pessimist. For those curious, the amendment would outlaw “riders” on bills. Yes, I know all about a snowball’s chance in hell. Thanks MrTuffPaws ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-go-about-changing-a-states-constitution/137820/2 "2002-11-20T23:11:55Z")
Well, here’s a site that might help: > **[Cain Initiative • Speaker's Commission](http://www.cainitiative.org/)** > > Speaker's Commission especially here: [http://www.cainitiative.org/library/legal-restrict.html](http://www.cainitiative.org/library/legal-restrict.html) Generally, though (from the report at the above link: > [@](#): > > (a) The initiative is the power of the electors to propose statutes and amendments to the Constitution and to adopt or reject them . > (b) An initiative measure may be proposed by presenting to the Secretary of State a petition that sets forth the text of the proposed statute or amendment to the Constitution and is certified to have been signed by electors equal in number to 5 percent in the case of a statute, and 8 percent in the case of an amendment to the Constitution, of the votes for all candidates for Governor at the last gubernatorial election > (c) The Secretary of State shall then submit the measure at the next general election held at least 131 days after it qualifies or any special statewide election held prior to that general election. The Governor may call a special statewide election for the measure. > (d) An initiative measure embracing more than one subject may not be submitted to the electors or have any effect. ---
**Author:** ![MrTuffPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MrTuffPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrTuffPaws)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-go-about-changing-a-states-constitution/137820/3 "2002-11-20T23:20:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Captain Amazing \* > **(d) An initiative measure embracing more than one subject may not be submitted to the electors or have any effect.** How ironic. That is just what I want limited at the legislative level. Thanks for the reply MrTuffPaws ---
**Author:** ![MrTuffPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MrTuffPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrTuffPaws)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-go-about-changing-a-states-constitution/137820/4 "2002-11-20T23:24:54Z")
Arrggg I mean **"How ironic. That is just what I want at the legislative level."** ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-go-about-changing-a-states-constitution/137820/5 "2002-11-21T00:01:24Z")
Could someone tell me what are these “riders” things? ---
**Author:** ![MrTuffPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MrTuffPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrTuffPaws)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-go-about-changing-a-states-constitution/137820/6 "2002-11-21T00:26:28Z")
Riders are bills that usually would not pass on their own merits, so to get them into law, our senators / representatives attach them to the end of a law that will pass on its own. For example, the Homeland security bill had several riders attached to it. One of which strikes down lawsuits against drug companies that produce vaccines that people die from and get sued over the deaths. I think the original bill was about 65 pages, but after rider attachment, it bloomed to over 400 pages. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-go-about-changing-a-states-constitution/137820/7 "2002-11-21T00:33:48Z")
The [California Secretary of State](http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_h.htm) can help. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-go-about-changing-a-states-constitution/137820/8 "2002-11-21T03:31:45Z")
**MrTuffPaws** best of luck on your most quixotic of quests. You can also go to the State Library and look through old initiatives (ones that both made the ballot and didn’t make the ballot) to see if anyone else tried the same thing. I would not be surprised if someone else hadn’t tried this before. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-go-about-changing-a-states-constitution/137820/9 "2002-11-21T04:00:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MrTuffPaws \* > \*\*Riders are bills that usually would not pass on their own merits, so to get them into law, our senators / representatives attach them to the end of a law that will pass on its own. > > . \*\* Thanks, I understand what you mean. However, I’m not sure how they could be outlawed. You would have to find a way to tell apart the"riders" and the elements genuinely related to the bill. It could be obvious in some cases that the “rider” has nothing to do with the bill, but how would the line be drawn? And who would get to decide whether the article 55 is a actually an essential part of the bill or an unrelated “rider”?