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Last Action

Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House2026-05-04

Vote Breakdown

No floor votes recorded.

Plain Language Summary

This bill proposes a constitutional amendment that would allow North Carolina citizens to directly propose changes to the state constitution through a petition and voting process, rather than requiring the General Assembly to propose all amendments. Citizens would need signatures from at least 8% of recent gubernatorial voters (with at least 3% from each congressional district) to place an amendment on the ballot, and the amendment would need 60% voter approval to pass.

Arguments in Favor

• •Supporters argue this gives citizens a direct democratic voice when the General Assembly blocks reforms that majorities want, breaking the legislature's monopoly on proposing constitutional changes.
• •They contend that high signature requirements (8% with geographic distribution) and a supermajority approval threshold (60%) provide adequate safeguards against frivolous or extreme proposals, while still enabling necessary structural reforms that elected officials may resist.

Arguments Against

• •Opponents worry that direct amendment initiatives could lead to frequent, incremental constitutional changes that undermine the document's stability and coherence as a foundational legal instrument.
• •They also argue that signature gathering, petition verification, and ballot language can be manipulated or misleading, and that even with high thresholds, well-funded special interests could use this process to bypass the deliberative legislative process designed to protect minority rights.