Agenda - Council - 02/08/2021 - Laserfiche WebLink

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and regulate procedure at their meetings. Cities rarely relied on the struck -down statute, but instead used other avenues to maintain order, such as issuing warnings and enforcing decorum rules. The struck -down statute served as a last resort when other options did not work. Response: The Legislature should ensure statutes adequately balance public participation with the ability to effectively manage public meetings and protect public safety. SD-21. Constitutional Amendments Issue: The Minnesota Constitution requires that a constitutional amendment be approved by a simple majority of both chambers of the Legislature at one session, and must then be ratified by a majority of all the voters voting at the election. Minnesota is one of 18 states that require a simple majority vote by legislators while 26 states require a higher threshold (17 states require a two-thirds majority and nine require a three -fifths majority). Since statehood, 215 proposed constitutional amendments have been voted on by the electorate; 120 of them have been approved (56%) and 95 rejected (44%). Cities provide a variety of critical and essential services to residents of Minnesota. Many public policy decisions at the state level impact cities and therefore, city officials depend on their state legislators to represent city interests at the Legislature. Additionally, unlike a statutory change, a constitutional amendment is difficult to modify or repeal once enacted. Response: The League of Minnesota Cities strongly supports our representational system of government and opposes laws and amendments that restrict local government. The Legislature 26 is the appropriate governing body to consider and enact laws that reflect statewide interests. Utilizing constitutional amendments to change public policy circumvents this process. Therefore, the League supports requiring a supermajority vote (two-thirds in support) by the Legislature to put an amendment on the ballot. SD-22. Initiative and Referendum Issue: The Legislature has frequently considered legislation to establish initiative and referendum by proposing to place a question for voter approval on the state general election ballot to amend the state constitution to allow voters to initiate or repeal state laws by submitting a petition which would cause such questions to be placed on the state general election ballot. Response: Cities strongly support our representational system of governance and, therefore, oppose amending the state constitution to provide for initiative and referendum. The Legislature is the appropriate governing body to consider and enact public policy that reflects statewide interests. The process of adopting state law based on good public policy is best upheld and supported by increasing the accountability and responsiveness of the legislative process, not by circumventing it. Presenting complex issues to voters in the guise of direct democracy further weakens representative government. A state constitutional amendment to provide for initiative and referendum subjects cities and their residents and taxpayers to the unintended outcomes of sometimes unwise attempts to place significant public policy decisions into the