FIRST REGULAR SESSION

SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 7

94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

     Reported from the Committee on Pensions, Veterans' Affairs and General Laws, March 29, 2007, with recommendation that the Senate Committee Substitute do pass.

TERRY L. SPIELER, Secretary.

0401S.02C

JOINT RESOLUTION

Submitting to the qualified voters of Missouri, an amendment to article I of the Constitution of Missouri relating to English as the official state language.

Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring therein:

            That at the next general election to be held in the state of Missouri, on Tuesday next following the first Monday in November, 2008, or at a special election to be called by the governor for that purpose, there is hereby submitted to the qualified voters of this state, for adoption or rejection, the following amendment to article I of the Constitution of the state of Missouri:

            Section A.  Article I, Constitution of Missouri, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 34, to read as follows:

            Section 34.  That English shall be the language of all official proceedings in this state.  Official proceedings shall be limited to any meeting of a public governmental body at which any public business is discussed, decided, or public policy formulated, whether such meeting is conducted in person or by means of communication equipment, including, but not limited to, conference call, video conference, Internet chat, or Internet message board.  The term "official proceeding" shall not include an informal gathering of members of a public governmental body for ministerial or social purposes, but the term shall include a public vote of all or a majority of the members of a public governmental body, by electronic communication or any other means, conducted in lieu of holding an official proceeding with the members of the public governmental body gathered at one location in order to conduct public business.

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