23-17-45 - Publication of initiatives and Legislative Alternatives; inclusion of arguments or explanation; public hearing; notice of hearing.
§ 23-17-45. Publication of initiatives and Legislative Alternatives; inclusion of arguments or explanation; public hearing; notice of hearing.
(1) A pamphlet containing a copy of all initiative measures and legislative alternatives, including the ballot title and ballot summary, arguments or explanations for and against each measure and alternative and the fiscal analysis prepared by the chief legislative budget officer shall be compiled by the Secretary of State. The sponsor may prepare the argument or explanation on the measure. If the sponsor does not prepare the argument or explanation, then the Secretary of State shall do so. Each argument or explanation shall not exceed three hundred (300) words. The Secretary of State shall publish the ballot title, ballot summary, full text of each measure and arguments or explanations for and against each measure and alternative once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks immediately preceding the election in at least one (1) newspaper of general circulation in each county of the state. The costs of such printing and publication shall be borne by the Secretary of State from funds appropriated by the Legislature.
(2) The Secretary of State shall conduct at least one (1) public hearing in each congressional district on each measure to be placed on the ballot and shall give public notice thereof at least thirty (30) days before a hearing.
Sources: Laws, 1993, ch. 514, § 23, eff from and after August 3, 1993 (the date the United States Attorney General interposed no objections under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, to the creation of this section).