#507 – Dick Bernard: Amending the Minnesota State Constitution

At this moment, it is uncertain how many proposed amendments to the State Constitution will be on the ballot in November.
If you have an interest in the 150 year history of these amendments, all the information can be accessed here. Click on the link to the Minnesota 2011-12 Legislative Manual (Blue Book) at the end of this page, and in the Blue Book, the information is found in Chapter 2 on pp 75-84.
Here’s a quick scan of Adoption or Rejection of amendments, by time period:
1858-1900
48 – Adopted
18 – Rejected
1898 legislature made it more difficult to pass amendments
1900-1950
26 – Adopted
56 – Rejected
1950 – present
45 – Adopted
18 – Rejected
In all, for the first 153 years of our history, here’s the cumulative totals for Amendments considered:
119 – Adopted
92 – Rejected
UPDATE February 6, 2011
Here’s another look at the issue by David Schultz at his blog.
And another from the Letter of the Day in the Minneapolis Star Tribune for February 6, 2012.

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