Several hundred people gathered in the state Capitol Wednesday to rally against widespread changes to the state’s Bill of Rights.
Republican lawmakers have requested drafts for 56 amendments to the Montana Constitution. By comparison, 18 proposals were requested in 2021, and 14 in 2019.
The drafts outline possible amendments to change abortion rights, judicial reform and how the state draws its political lines. Two of the amendment requests have been introduced. It's not known if lawmakers will bring others for formal consideration by the Legislature.
Former Republican Gov. Marc Racicot spoke in the state Capitol at the rally organized by Northern Plains Resource Council and other interest groups questioning the number of amendment proposals that have been requested.
“It cannot escape notice that the unprecedented number of the proposed constitutional amendments presented to a single Legislature exceeds the total number of legislatively referred constitutional amendments placed on the ballot during the last 50 years,” Racicot said
With a two-thirds supermajority, the GOP can vote to send constitutional referendums to voters without Democratic support.
There have been 50 amendment proposals that passed the Legislature and were placed on the ballot since 1972. A majority of Montana voters must approve any amendment to the Constitution.
