Section 13-27-240 - Petition for statutory referendum(1) The following is substantially the form for a petition calling for approval or rejection of an act of the legislature by statutory referendum: PETITION TO PLACE REFERENDUM NO.____ ON THE ELECTION BALLOT
(a) If 5% of the voters in each of 34 legislative representative districts sign this petition and the total number of voters signing the petition is ____, Senate (House) Bill Number ____ will appear on the next general election ballot. If a majority of voters vote for this referendum at that election it will become law.(b) We, the undersigned Montana voters, propose that the secretary of state place the following Senate (House) Bill Number ____, passed by the legislature on ____________ on the next general election ballot: (Title of referendum written in conformity with 13-27-212)
(Yes and no statement written in conformity with 13-27-213)
(c) Voters are urged to read the complete text of the referendum, which appears (on the reverse side of, attached to, etc., as applicable) this sheet. A signature on this petition is only to put the referendum on the ballot and does not necessarily mean the signer agrees with the referendum.(d)WARNING
A person who purposefully signs a name other than the person's own to this petition, who signs more than once for the same issue at one election, or signs when not a legally registered Montana voter is subject to a $500 fine, 6 months in jail, or both.
(e) Each person is required to sign the person's name and list the person's address or telephone number in substantially the same manner as on the person's voter registration form or the signature will not be counted.(2) Numbered lines must follow the heading. Each numbered line must contain spaces for the signature, date, residence address, legislative representative district number, and printed last name and first and middle initials of the signer. In place of a residence address, the signer may provide the signer's post-office address or the signer's home telephone number. An address provided on a petition by the signer that differs from the signer's address as shown on the signer's voter registration form may not be used as the only means to disqualify the signature of that petition signer.Renumbered from 13-27-205 by the Code Commissioner, 2023.Amended by Laws 2023, Ch. 647,Sec. 28, eff. 5/19/2023.Amended by Laws 2017, Ch. 368,Sec. 24, eff. 1/1/2018.En. 37-119 by Sec. 5, Ch. 342, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 37-119; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 198, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 488, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 537, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 323, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 481, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 372, L. 2011.Applicability - Laws 2023, c. 647: Section 62 of Laws 2023, Ch. 647 provides:
"(1) [This act] applies to statewide ballot issues submitted to the secretary of state on or after [the effective date of this act].
"(2) [This act] applies to ballot issues submitted to the county election administrator for approval of the form of the petition required by 7-5-132 on or after [the effective date of this act].
"(3) [This act] applies to a petition prepared pursuant to 7-7-2224 that is filed with the election administrator under 7-7-2225 on or after [the effective date of this act]."