What is the process of amending a state Constitution?
Article V of the Constitution provides two ways to propose amendments to the document. Amendments may be proposed either by the Congress, through a joint resolution passed by a two-thirds vote, or by a convention called by Congress in response to applications from two-thirds of the state legislatures.
Where did the Constitutional Convention take place in Alaska?
the University of Alaska-Fairbanks
Alaskans elect 55 delegates from across the Territory to the Constitutional Convention which is held at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. On February 5, 1956, the Constitutional Convention delegates adopt the Alaska Constitution which voters subsequently ratify and which later goes into effect at statehood.
What two assemblies can approve a constitutional amendment in a state?
What two assemblies can approve a constitutional amendment in a state? State legislatures or special state constitutional conventions.
How can an amendment be ratified by state conventions?
To become part of the Constitution, any amendment proposed by that convention must be ratified by three-fourths of the states through a vote of either the state legislature or a state convention convened for that purpose.
In what way is the formal amendment process an example of federalism at work?
The formal amendment process reflects federalism by taking place at the national level and ratification at the state level. Congress has contributed to the process of constitutional change and development by passing laws to spell out several of the Constitution’s provisions.
How can the Alaska Constitution be amended?
The current (and first) Alaska Constitution was ratified in 1956 and went into effect when Alaska became a state on January 3, 1959. Thus, amendments in Alaska can be put on the ballot through referral by the legislature or by a constitutional convention.
How many Alaska Native delegates were at the Alaska Constitutional Convention?
55 delegates
Delegates ran for seats at the convention. The 55 delegates matched the size of the group that drafted the United States Constitution in 1787. Anchorage, Juneau and Fairbanks sent 31 delegates, leaving 24 to represent other communities from Kotzebue to Ketchikan.
At which level of government can changes to the US Constitution be proposed?
the Congress
The Constitution provides that an amendment may be proposed either by the Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the State legislatures.
What happens if a state constitutional amendment is in conflict with the US Constitution?
Judicial action One way a court ruling can do this is when a federal court decides that an amendment to a state’s constitution is in conflict with the U.S. Constitution and must therefore be removed from that state’s constitution and declared null-and-void.
Which amendment is only one not ratified by state legislature?
the 21st Amendment
State ratifying conventions are one of the two methods established by Article V of the United States Constitution for ratifying proposed constitutional amendments. The only amendment that has been ratified through this method thus far is the 21st Amendment.
What are the five informal ways to amend the Constitution?
Terms in this set (5)
- basic legislation. passing of laws by congress.
- executive action. the manner in which the 43 presidents have used their powers.
- court decisions. the courts interpret and apply the constitution in many cases they hear.
- political parties.
- custom.
How many amendments have there been to the Alaska Constitution?
As of 2006 there have been 28 amendments to the Alaska Constitution, as well as 12 which were rejected by voters. This is substantially fewer than in most state constitutions (which average 115 amendments), due both to the short period the constitution has been in force and to its generalized construction.
What does Article 1 of the Alaska Constitution mean?
Article I: Declaration of Rights. The constitution begins by establishing the basic rights of Alaska’s citizens. Much of Article I essentially reiterates the United States Bill of Rights, but includes several original provisions.
Can the state of Alaska give preference to residents of Alaska?
ยง 23. Resident Preference This constitution does not prohibit the State from granting preferences, on the basis of Alaska residence, to residents of the State over nonresidents to the extent permitted by the Constitution of the United States. [Amended 1988]
What is the history of the Alaska Constitution Convention?
Constitutional convention. On November 8, 1955, 55 elected delegates from across Alaska (a number chosen to echo the 55 in attendance at the Philadelphia Convention of 1787) met at the brand new student union building at the University of Alaska. The building, quickly christened Constitution Hall by the Board of Regents,…