HR 462: State of Georgia; people have power to enact, repeal, or amend general statutory law by direct initiative and referendum process; provide - CA

Right now, Georgia law can only be made or changed by the General Assembly (the state legislature), and the Constitution can only be amended through legislative proposals or a constitutional convention. This resolution would let voters use direct initiative and referendum instead. Citizens could gather signatures from registered voters equal to 8 percent of those who voted in the last presidential election, spread across at least half of Georgia's congressional districts, to put a proposed law on the ballot. A separate, higher signature threshold of 10 percent would apply to citizen-proposed constitutional amendments. Certain topics, such as state budgets, taxation, retirement systems, and rules protecting public peace or health, would be off limits to this process. A citizen-proposed statute would need 60 percent voter approval to pass, and a constitutional amendment would need two-thirds approval. Rejected proposals could not be resubmitted for three years. If approved by the General Assembly and then by Georgia voters, the amendment would take effect and the legislature would still write supporting procedures.

• Creates a new constitutional process letting Georgia voters propose and pass state statutes directly through a petition and ballot process, without legislative approval.
• Sets the signature threshold for a statutory initiative or referendum at 8 percent of registered voters from the last presidential election, spread across half the state's congressional districts.
• Sets a separate 10 percent signature threshold for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments, which then require two-thirds voter approval to take effect.
• Exempts certain subjects, including budgets, taxation, retirement systems, and public health or safety emergencies, from the direct initiative and referendum process.
• Requires citizen-passed statutes to win 60 percent voter approval and bars resubmission of a rejected or similar proposal for three years.
• Directs the General Assembly to pass laws covering petition formatting, signature review, fiscal review, and appeals, without conflicting with these new constitutional rules.

Georgia's registered voters, who would gain a new way to propose and vote on laws and constitutional amendments; the General Assembly, whose lawmaking role would be shared with citizen initiatives; the Secretary of State's office, which would verify petitions; and the Attorney General and Legislative Counsel, who prepare ballot summaries.

If Georgia voters approve this constitutional amendment, everyday citizens could bypass the legislature to pass or repeal state laws directly, something the state does not currently allow. It would change how laws get made in Georgia and give organized signature drives real influence over statewide policy.

• Section 1 revises Article III, Section I to note that the General Assembly's lawmaking power is limited by the new direct initiative and referendum process.
• Section 2 adds Article III, Section XI, creating the direct initiative and referendum process, listing exempt subjects, and setting the 8 percent signature threshold and 60 percent approval requirement for statutes.
• Section 2 also requires petitions to state the full text of the proposed law, use a specific enacting clause, and be filed with the Secretary of State at least 180 days before a general election.
• Section 3 amends Article X, Section I to let citizens propose constitutional amendments directly, requiring a 10 percent signature threshold and two-thirds voter approval to pass.
• Section 3 requires ballot summaries for citizen-proposed constitutional amendments to be prepared the same way as legislature-proposed amendments.
• Section 4 sets the exact ballot question Georgia voters would see, asking whether to approve this power to enact, repeal, or amend statutes and the Constitution by direct initiative.

1. 2025-03-06House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-03-04House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-03-03House Hopper (House)

• Shea Roberts (D, HD-52)Primary sponsor
• Saira Draper (D, HD-90)
• Sam Park (D, HD-107)
• Long Tran (D, HD-80)
• Lisa Campbell (D, HD-35)

• ballot initiatives
• constitutional amendment
• direct democracy
• voting and elections
• state lawmaking process