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Bill

SJR 146

Relating to: reserving to the people the power of referendum to reject acts of the legislature and the power of initiative to propose and approve at an election laws and constitutional amendments (first consideration).

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Tim Carpenter and 3 co-sponsors

Wisconsin constitutional amendment proposal grants citizens power to directly reject laws via referendum and propose new laws/constitutional amendments via initiative petitions.

Failed to adopt pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
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Bill Summary · SJR 146

Legislative bill overview

SJR 146 proposes a constitutional amendment to establish referendum and initiative powers in Wisconsin, allowing citizens to directly reject legislative acts through referendum and propose new laws or constitutional amendments through initiative petitions. This would fundamentally alter Wisconsin's legislative process by adding direct democracy mechanisms currently absent from the state constitution.

Why is this important

Wisconsin is one of fewer than a dozen states without constitutional referendum and initiative provisions, making this a significant shift in how citizens can participate in lawmaking. The proposal directly challenges the legislature's exclusive authority to propose laws and constitutional changes, potentially redistributing political power between elected representatives and the general voting public.

Potential points of contention

  • Implementation complexity: Establishing petition signature thresholds, verification procedures, ballot placement processes, and timeline requirements would require detailed statutory framework that could become contentious
  • Legislative authority concerns: Legislators may resist diluting their exclusive power to initiate laws and constitutional amendments, viewing this as undermining representative democracy
  • Ballot clutter and voter burden: Critics worry frequent referendums and initiatives could overwhelm voters with complex policy questions or enable well-funded special interests to circumvent legislative deliberation
  • Fiscal impact uncertainty: Unclear costs for managing petition processes, election administration, and potential duplicative ballot measures

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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