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FACT BRIEF

Do amendments to the Nevada Constitution have to be approved twice before enactment?

By Todd Butterworth
View this fact brief on The Nevada Independent
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YES

There are two ways the Nevada Constitution may be amended. The first requires two votes of approval by the Nevada Legislature and one by voters. The second requires two votes of approval by voters.

Article 16 of the state Constitution requires an amendment proposed during a legislative session to be approved by two consecutive Legislatures. This process requires an election to pass before the second approval. The Nevada Legislature meets only in odd-numbered years for regular sessions.

Article 19 of the state Constitution allows citizens to circulate a petition to gather signatures in support of a change to state law or the Constitution. If a sufficient number of signatures are collected, a majority of voters must approve the proposed changes in two consecutive elections. Only 18 states allow citizens to initiate constitutional amendments. 

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Nevada Legislature The Constitution of the State of Nevada
National Conference of State Legislatures Annual vs. Biennial Legislative Sessions
Ballotpedia States that allow initiated constitutional amendments
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The Nevada Independent
The Nevada Independent is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news and opinion website founded in 2017 by veteran political journalist and commentator Jon Ralston. The site and its supporting channels are focused on ethical, unbiased and transparent journalism. In general, we aim to gather and disseminate important public information and increase civic engagement. We are supported by corporate donations, memberships, event ticket sales and sponsorships and foundation grants. We disclose all our members and donors. Donors have no influence over our content, ever. The Nevada Independent is the dba for Nevada News Bureau, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 2010 by Elizabeth Thompson, who now serves as one of The Nevada Independent's managing directors and its Editor.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.