Bill > HJR23

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to give West Virginia voters direct legislative powers through initiative, referendum, and recall mechanisms. The initiative and referendum provisions would allow registered voters to propose and enact new statutes or constitutional amendments, or reject existing legislation, through petition processes requiring signatures from at least 10% of voters in a district (with additional requirements for statewide measures). The recall power would enable voters to remove elected officials from office through a petition process requiring signatures from 20% of voters in the official's electoral district, with restrictions such as prohibiting recall elections less than one year before an official's term ends or more than once per term. The amendment sets specific procedural guidelines, including limitations on the types of legislation that can be proposed or rejected, requirements for petition signatures, timelines for filing and certification, and provisions for resolving potential conflicts between voter-approved measures. The Legislature would be responsible for establishing detailed procedures to implement these democratic tools, with an emphasis on making the processes accessible and not overly complicated. If approved by voters in the 2028 general election, this amendment would significantly expand direct democratic participation in West Virginia's governance.