Amendment #11 to S2916

Review of Ballot Question Summaries

Mr. Sweezey of Duxbury moves to amend the bill in section 2, in line 14, by striking the word “section” and inserting in place thereof the words “two sections”

and by inserting after line 27 the following:-

“Section 22 ¾ (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, not later than 5 business days after the attorney general transmits to the state secretary the fair, concise summary required under Article XLVIII of the Amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth, the attorney general shall make such summary publicly available on the website of the office of the attorney general.

(b) A challenge alleging that such summary is inaccurate, misleading, unfair, partisan, argumentative, one-sided, or otherwise insufficient under Article XLVIII shall be commenced in the supreme judicial court for Suffolk County not later than 10 business days after the summary is made publicly available. The court shall expedite consideration of any such challenge to the maximum extent practicable. If a court of competent jurisdiction determines, before blank forms are provided for the collection of subsequent signatures, that the summary is inaccurate, misleading, unfair, partisan, argumentative, one-sided, or otherwise insufficient under Article XLVIII, the attorney general shall prepare a revised fair, concise summary consistent with the findings and reasoning of the court. The state secretary shall not provide blank forms for the collection of subsequent signatures until the attorney general has transmitted a revised summary that complies with Article XLVIII.

(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the placement of a measure on the ballot, the certification of signatures, or the use of a revised summary in a manner inconsistent with Article XLVIII of the Amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth.”

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #11 to S2916

Review of Ballot Question Summaries