THE I&R RESOLUTION HAS MULTIPLE USES

  • When giving an I&R informative talk, near the close of the meeting, you might want to present a copy of this resolution to one of the officers, asking that he/she at the organization's next meeting hold a short discussion and vote on whether or not they wish to adopt the I&R resolution. You might want to close your presentation by reading the resolution aloud to your audience and point out where the resolution is to be sent, given it is adopted. Also, during your presentation, urge audience members to go to www.initiativefortexas.org to sign the online I&R petition and to JOIN THE MOVEMENT. (It would be good idea to have a hard copy of the petition with you and invite those who don't "do" computers to sign it after the meeting is over.)

  • Another use: Contact your County Judge, asking to be put on the Commissioners' Court agenda for an I&R presentation. Again, end your short time ( probably 10 to 15 minutes) with a request for the court's adoption of the resolution. (Try to gain a sense of when the court would consider the resolution adoption and plan on being present. It may happen at the close of your presentation or it might be brought up at the court's next meeting.)

  • Another use: Looking to the March primary, please go to the homepage and CLICK on A Strategy Kit for the County I&R Activist link. Then, CLICK on the link, A Position Paper: On a Strategy to Acquire I&R Rights for the Texans--Looking toward the 2008 March Primary; the Democratic and Republican State Conventions, the 2008 November Elections and the 2009 Legislative Session. Those pro-I&R Democratic and Republican party leaders who have been identified as convention delegates, who will staff an I&R booth, can introduce this resolution at their March precinct meetings after the polls close. If the resolution is adopted, the precinct chairperson will probably forward it to the County Convention Chairman, and from there it goes to the Chairman of the State Convention's Resolution Committee.

  • The last use: During the primaries, this resolution may be used by any Republican or Democrat at a precinct meeting following the close of the polls to inform his/her party of the state's urgent need for I&R rights.


 The I & R  Resolution

CALLING FOR STATEWIDE INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM (I&R)
RIGHTS FOR TEXANS IN 2009
 
1. WHEREAS, Article 1 of the Texas Constitution confirms that "All political power is inherent in the people;"
 
2. WHEREAS, Initiative is the right of citizens to propose laws or constitutional amendments for approval or rejection by the voters;
 
3. WHEREAS, Use of the Initiative in various states has brought reforms such as the right to vote for women, the eight-hour workday, voter approval of taxes, term limits, and campaign finance reform;
 
4. WHEREAS,  Twenty-four (24) states have adopted and retained Initiative and Referendum since the first in 1898; 
 
5. WHEREAS, Voters have the right through the Referendum process to repeal legislation passed by the legislature; 
 
6. WHEREAS, Initiative and Referendum make government more responsive to its citizens, neutralize the power of the special interests, and stimulate public involvement in state issues, 
 
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, That this organization calls upon the Texas Legislature to pass a JOINT RESOLUTION proposing a constitutional amendment that prescribes voter access to the binding statewide INITIATIVE and REFERENDUM for Constitutional Amendments and State Statutes.
Adopted by:
Organization or Individual (circle one) _____________________________________________________
City__________________________State_____Zip____________Date_______
 
Phone__________________Fax (optional) _____________________E-mail (optional) ____________
 
Officer/Position: ____________________________________________
 
 

The Texas Citizens' Model Initiative & Referendum Amendment can be viewed at
www.initiativefortexas.org   Go to the  Home page, click on SHOW ME THE WORDING,
then click on THE WORDING.

 

 

 

  

PRINT/DOWNLOAD THE I&R RESOLUTION